mm i ml PRINCETON, N. J. '>. Collection of Puritan Literature. Division Section Number • c in the third Confu- late of Antoninm, A. D. 140, the Apology muft be written, at the loweft, in the fame year. But thofe calumnies prevail'd before Juflin was a Chri- ftian ; for he tells us (d) y whilft he was a Philofo- pher of Plato's fchool, he us'd to wonder, how it came to pafs, that the Chriftians fhou'd be accused of indulging themfelves in all manner of abomina- ble, and unlawful pleafures, and yet at the fame time fufTer, with the utmoft chearfulnefs, and intrepidity, the mod inhuman tortures, and even death it felf ,• by which they were erTe&ually de- priv'd of ail temporal pleafures, and enjoyments. (b) Vide Can). Hifl. Lit. de Juflin. Mart. (c) Vide Juft. Apl. 1 . p> 1 3 s • Grab. Edit. (d) Apl. 2. cap. 12. Grab. Edit. B 2 The 4 The Introduction. The famous Apo'ogies of Qiiadratm, and Art' , extant in the times of Eufebim, and St. Je- , being now ldftj u . are in the dark, as to the reig:i of the Emperor Adrian. Pliny having inqrrfrd into the character, and be- haviour of the Chnftians, in his letter to Trajan, ingenuoufly owns ; that excepting their obftinate refufal to facrifice,- he found nothing criminal igfi them. - But though he clears them from any imputation of guilt, yet what he fays implies, that they had been violently fufpeded, and openly kecuferd (e). Some of them he examin'd by Tor- tures ; which wou'dfearce have been done, unkfs he had entertained fome fufpicion of guilt. Melito of Sardis, an ApologifT for the Chriftians, A. D. 170, lays the foundation of thofe lying ac- cusations, in the reigns of Nero, and Dcmhian (f). And laciitti, fpeaking of Nero's cruelty towards the Chriftians, tells us, they wete/>?r fagitia invifos, hated for their wicked, and fcandalous beha- viour (g). (VJ-Nomen ipfum, eriamfi flagiciis careat, an fligitia co- hacrentia ncmini punianrur. Propofitus eft libellus fine authore, multorum nomina continens. Quo magis neceiTarium credidi, ex duabus ancillis, quae miniftr.-c dicebantur, quid elTet veri & per tormenta quce- rere. $-d nihil aliud inveni, quam fuperftitionem pravam & immodicsm. Plin Epift> L 10. Epift. 97. (f) dp' av ^0 7p? ovy.oq>tv\i£{ dihoyro ofthofe very things, which the infidels at frejem ignorantly charge m with (k). By which it appears, that the charge of infanticide, inceft, and atheifm, is as old as Chriftianity it felf. For how many years thofe excellent Chriftians were perfecuted, by the flanderous tongues of bi- gotted Jews, and idolatrous Pagans, I cannot pre- cifely determine. About two hundred years after our Lord's Afcenfion, we find (/), the fame afper- fions caft upon the Chriftians, that were broached by the Jews, in the infancy of Chriftianity, and by them propagated all over the world, with moft internal malice, and indefatigable induftry. But 'tis probable, thofe original calumnies were drop- ped, and laid afide, about the middle of the third century ; becaufe fucceeding writers take no no- tice of them, even when they give a particular account of frefti accufations, brought againft the Chriftians of their own times (m). (k) K£TUkiy>i>1zs 7tti?7a, etTTC? y&y ^fxuy 0/ cLyvovvnc. JiftSt ™*vtis h'vyxnv. Dial, cum Tryph. p 235. vie/, pag. 33$. On'gen. contra Cels. L. 6. p. 293. Cantab. Edit. Cenfus iftius tlifciplinae, ut jam edidimus, a Tiberio eft, cum odio fui cxpir fimul Veritas, atque apparuit inimica efle. TertuQ. jpol. cap. 7. (I) Vide Origen. cont. Cels. Min. Fel. (m) Vide C)prian. ad Dmetrianum, Armb. Laftant. Since The Introduction. 7 Since in all perfections there is a pretense of guilt, and fomc fuppos'd, imaginary crimes ; we may reafonably conclude, that perfecutions of all kinds ceas'd at the fame time : and that when the Pagans came to be better acquainted with the Chriftians, they fpar'd both their lives, and their reputations. This however is certain, that in the beginning of the fourth Century, thofe infamous Stories, and fenfelefs cavils almoit entirely ceas'd } * and truth, and innocence, by the bleffing of God, mightily prevailed. B a CHAP. CHAP. I. What Crimes the Trimiiive Chrijlians vuere accused oj. THere was fcarce any vice or folly, that human nature under a Hate of the greateft corruption, is capable of com- mitting, but was imputed to the Pri- mitive Chriftians. They were reprefented as Ene- mies to God, and man (a), to every thing that was Sacred, vertuous, and commendable. The belt of their Actions, which merited the greateft applaufe ; and will meet with a glorious reward, from the righteous Judge of all mankind, expos'd them to infamy, and contempt, to dangers, and cruelty. The greateft innocence was then the greateft crime, and they were fufpected to be guil- ty of the vikR actions, only becaufe they were the beftof men. I. One of the heavieft accufations they laboured under, was that of promifcuous, and inceftuous lufts. They were charg'd with a community of (a) Chriftianum heminem omnium fcelerum reum, Deorum, Imperatoium, Legum, Morum, naturae totius inimicum exiftimas. TtnulU J$qL Wives ; The Crimes chargd^ &c. 9 Wives; and of having a criminal, and unnatural commerce, with their own mothers, and filters (b). Their feafls of charity, kept with the ftrictcft, and moil religious fobriety, were tax'd with abo- minable iewdnefs, and debauchery. After fupper when they were heated, and grown wanton with a luxurious diet, the candles were put out ("as the •is reported iz) and every man enjoy 'd the woman, he accidentally met with (V). rifjuov, ^ fi&Qifa &£** %uvb', ,r m$ y 'in y.vv fy ttms Ui'ettc &c/W . 4. It-en. L, I. cap. 24. Clew. Alex. L. 3. Strvn. Oxon Edit. p. 511. Ongcn. contra Cels. L. 6 p. 293, 3 c 2. Eufeb. Hifl. Eccles. L. 4. cap. 7. L. 5. cap. \. ( c ) M©7fl6 7A^ eik*'zii>m> IbnsGippufli; t«? hv'xvxe, &5i ^ dyt- v£<> x} avdLt&Y\T*{-> tidv^fctvocfk, &) yjvciia,. )y Tmifetfta, middy WiKhv txs Slfcflfwjv-s tqv &{iov h'oyov, Origen. contra Cels. L. 3. p. 141. vide p. Ill, 137, 1 44. Nam in- terdum ifti muliebrem, aut anilem fuperftitionem vocant. LaEian. L. 5. c 13. Audeant inquam difputare nobifcum aliquid ejufmodj. Jam profefto ab aniculis quas contenv nunt,&a puerisnoftratibus error illorum ac ftultitia irride- bitur. Ibid. c. 19. Vide Arnib. p. jj, 45, 51, 66, 109. war tor. Edit. (t) MS7tt 7tiLV7X> HKOiJk ^Q^iV WVptVOC, KiA.<3"0£

}37, Jkifxavav way hvopATi ^ y&TBLKKYHWTi JbK&v t%iieiy X?*S7tf- V*{. Origen. contra Cels, L. I. p. 7, 30. L. 6. p. 302 £«- fob, H. E. L. 3. cap. 26. VIIL 1 2 The Crimes charged upon VIII. The various and clafhing opinion." amongft the Chriftians, was made an objection againit them, and their Religion (k). IX- They were charg'd with corrupting, and interpolating the Sibyllin oracles (/). X. They were fa id to worfhip a crofs (m). XI. To worfhip the fun (n). XII. They werefaid to be the caufe of all the fignal calamities that befell mankind (o). (k) EttW^ M Mk^qv €57 <&$U -n \-m Ehhtivw *} I«)ij.n. 7. p. 886*. Oxon. Edit, vide Or/gen. con Lei:, L. y p. 117. i«8. L. J. f. 273. Cantab. Edit. (0 Origen. con. Cels. L. 7. />. 368, r clan'. L. 4. c. I c I. — — xj eflW>J Vv 7nhKa*v jy dun ampo'ip * 1 4. The Crimes chargd, Sec. Thefe are all, or at leaft, the moft material ob- jections againft the Chriftians, for the firft three hundred years. I (hall not take it upon me, to confute thofe calumnies : this has been already done, by feveral of the primitive writers, with great judgment, and unanfwerable reafoning: but particularly by e TertuUian } whofe Apology difco- vers an uncommon, and mafterly genius, and is one of the moft beautiful pieces, that we meet with in antiquity. fiapiVQVTW la^u^iv. Maxim, Editt. apud Eufeb. H. E.L. 8. cap. 17. vide Mm FeL p. 71. La ft an. L. 4. c. 9. Arrian. in Epiftet. L. 4. cap. 7. CHAP- CHAP. II. General reafons ajfignd for tbofe calumnies. BEfore I proceed to inquire, into the grounds and occafions of every diftincl: article of accufation, againft the primitive Chrifti- ans, I (hall make fome general obfervations, which will, in fome meafure, folve the difficulty, and difcover the original fource of every particular ca- lumny. I. The Heathens bore an implacable hatred to- wards the Chriftians, and fome of them carried their prejudices fo far, that they wou'd not fo much as fpeak to a Chriftian (a). The foundati- on of this univerfal hatred and abhorrence of the Chriftian name, feems to have been laid by the Jews ,*' who immediately after our Lord's Afoen* fion, fent chofen men into ail parts of the world, on purpofe to defame the innocent Chriftians, and to reprefent them as monfters. They curs'd them (*) Origm. cintra Celt. L. 6. p. 294, folemnly 1 6 General Reafons affignd folemnly in their fynagogues (b). Thev accus'd them before the heathen magiftrates : and were always the moil active, and forward in every per- fecution (V). Another caufe of this general hatred was deriv'd from the nartire of the Ch'riftian tt on ; which condemrul at once, the whole fyftem of the pagan Theology ; and run counter to the fettled maxims, and notions of a corrupt, fuper- ftitious, and idolatrous world. The Gentiles look'd upon the religion of their country, as of a facred original : on the influence of which depend- ed their publick, and private happinefs, and fe- curity : and to fee their Gods treated with con- tempt, and all their facred rites and ceremonies condemn'd by the Chriftian religion, made them conceive an irreconcileable averfion to all its pro- feffors, and to treat them as the vileft of men, and the worft of creatures- Hence they were willing to hear, and believe the heaviefl accufations againft the Chriftians : and ready to forge, or pro- pagate any ridiculous ftory, that reflected a fcan- dal upon them, or their religion. Hence they hm Tov Xp;r6;-. Juft. Mart. dial, cum Tr)ph. p. 234. 266. 366. vide Hicron. Comment, in if. 5. 18. (e) Epi/i. Ecclefia Smymens. de Poljcarpi Martyrio. cap. 12. J 3. ]8. vide Jujlin.Mart, dpol 1. cenfur'd, for thofe Calumnies. 1 7 Cenfur'd, what they did not undcrfhnd, accus'd the Chriflians without Evidence, and condemned them without giving them a hearing. They wou'd not give thcmfelves the trouble of an enquiry, for fear they fhou'd difcover thofe to be innocent, whom they hated, and were refoiv'd to mine (d). And this I take to be one principal caufe, and the grand foundation of all thofe horrid, and fcandalous ac- cufations againft the primitive Chriftians. The truth of this obfervation wiil be further evinc'd, if we reflect upon the religious difputes a- mongft Chriftians ; for human nature is Ail) the fame,* and the fame caufes, will produce the fame Ef- fects. Even now a days, under the gloridus light of the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift, our religious diffe- rences generally terminate in the vileft calumnies, and the groiTeft abufes : and have a fatal tendency to dived men of all common humanity, and pity, and to deftroy all thofe excellent qualities, and vertues, that are the peculiar grace, and orna- ment of a Chriftian. To attempt a reformation of the grofTeft. abufes, and corruptions in Religion, when countenanced by great names, and great numbers, and recommended by an old immemori- (d) Hinc vulgus in odium noftri nominls cogunt (cJaemo- ncs) uc nos odifTe incipiant homines, antequam nofTe : ne cognitos aut imitari poflinc, auc damnarc non poflint. Cy- prian, de ldolorumvamtatt. p. 14. vide Ten nil. y^pol. c. 1. 1 8 General Reafons ajjigyid al cuflom i will inevitably bring upon the refor- mers of them, the fame, or as great hardfhips and miferies, as the primitive Chriflians met with, from the hands of their barbarous Perfecutors. The cruelties of the church of Rome towards the Protcftants, are a remarkable proof of this : and 'tis notorious enough, what an infinite number of the moft paJpable faifities, have been confidently affcrted by fome, and implicitly believ'd by others, merely with a defign, to blacken, and difcredic the Proteftant Reformation. " The Huguenots in France (as Mr. Mez,eray " inform's us) were charg'd with ftrange crimes. " It was faid they roafled young Children, and *H Sikh uaQetv* ir&' *x. aJ>'x«f Hvitt yg.T&K&CQvlzfi «M' auTia {xdya) tw Xei&&vv> 3vxt, t @Lw & Strom. C: z Tlie so General Reafons aj/ignd The Chriftians living in fo obfcure, and retir'd a manner, was another reafon, why the heathens were fuch perfect ftrangers to the Chriftians, and their religion. They were call'd latebrofa, & luci- iugax nauo. A people that liv'd in filence and ob- fcurity, and refus'd to appear in publick. This accufation, I own, was in a great meafure true ,- and yet the Chriftians were very far from deferving cenfure, upon that account. For how cou'd they frequent their places of publick refort, their tem- ples, or theatres, without hearing, or feeing fome- thing, or other, that muft give offence to any good Chriftian (g) ? The whole world was overrun with Idolatry ; and almoft the whole race of mankind, was tainted with moft capital vices. How could they converfe freely with the heathens, when they were pointed at, and expos'd, treated with the utmoft contempt, and the utmoft cruelty, and continually in danger of being dragg'd to ex- ecution ? But when the ftorms of perfecution a- bated, and the Chriftians cou'd converfe with the infidels, without the hazard of their lives, and the violation of their confeiences : when the Apolo- gifts undertook the defence of the Chriftian caufe, Xtfi TttV Koindi Siutiat o&v %e>»- Ihcofb. *d ^utot. L- J. vid. Tertullian. de Spettsc. de Idololat. and for thofe Calumnies] 1 1 and their writings came inro the hands of their enemies : then the prejudices againft the Chrifti- ans gradually wore off, the calumnies ceas'd, and a great number of converts daily crouded into the church. Had the Chriftians been permitted open- ly to plead their own caufe, and the infidels con- defcended to hear, what they did not under/land; thofe lying accufations cou'd not have been of long continuance, and the calumnies muft have been dropped, almoft as foon as forged. The continuance of that mortal hatred and aver- fion, that Chriftians of different parties, and deno- minations, at prefent bear to one another, is chiefly to be afcrib'd, to the want of a free convention, and acquaintance, one with another. Adifferencein religious, or even political matters, generally keeps the contending parties at a very great diftance ; and makes them hate, and cenfure, whom they do not know : but a familiar converfation, and a wiilingnefs to hear, what every man has to fay in his own juftiflcation, wou'd foon difcover the ab- furdity, and falfhood of thofe mutual cenfures, and accufations : wou'd be a means of reconciling our differences, and of promoting the Glory of God, peace on earth, and good wiff towards men. III. The charge againft the primitive Chrifti- ans was founded upon groundlefs, and irrational furmifes, and fupported onely by the Evidence of common fame. The infidels had opportunities enough of difcovering the truth j but this was not C 3 whaf 3 2 General Reafcns ajjignd . what they dclir'd. They hared the poorChrifti- ans, and therefore every ridiculous tale, tho' equal- ly falfe, and improbable, gain'd an eafy credit with a bigotted heathen. There is but little difficulty in perfuading men to believe, what they wifli to be true. What if the Chriflians liVd in a melancholy retirement, and had their religious af* femblies in the night ? they were narrowly watch'd by their enemies : they were frequently furpris'd. whilft at their devotions (/.'). Many of them had unbelieving fervants (/), who neither wanted in- clination to accufe their matters, nor opportunity to know what they did at' their facred aflemblies: but all this while there was not one {ingle witnefs of any tolerable credit produced, to juftify the truth of any one article of accufation. No one had ever the good fortune, to fee that Afs's head, the God of the Chriflians: nor any one of thofe infants, they were faid to murder. CcciIihs (k) charges the (h) Tot holies ejus, quot extranei ; & quidem proprii ex ccmulatione Judsei, ex concufTione milires, ex natura ipfietiamdomeiiici noilri. Quotidieobfidemur, Quotidic prodimur, in ipfi* plurimumcaetibus, & congregationibus noftris op prim mur. Ttrtull. Apol. cap. 7. ** in \& \clQhv' &>&* j£ tztwp »/«* j^-3-' nu$J 7» tw*4- *tW7zt iSi vj\ lA-ivotLTv . yftkensg* Legat. p. 38. (k) Ncfcioan falfa, certe occultis ac no&urnls facrisap- pofita fufpicio. ■ Vera declarat ipfius pravae religionis obfeuriras. Cur etenim occultare & abfeondere quicquid illud colunt magnopf.re nitunrur ? Cum honefta Temper publico gaudeant, fceiera fecreta fin:, ain. FeU p. 85. 90, Chriflians for thofe Calumnies. 1 3 Chriftians with moiiflrous, and unnatural crimes : but pretend? to no evidence, but common report : and he grounds a (V.fpicion of guilt upon the no- cturnal aflemblies, and the privacy, and obfeurity of the Chriftian worfhip. Sometimes I own, fervants, women, and chil- dren, were prevail'd upon by menaces and tortures, 10 accufe the innocent Chriftians (I) 1 and what wonder is it, that people of wicked difpofitions, or of a weak and timorous nature, fkou'd be temp- ted to tell a lye, to fave their lives, or to prevent a fhocking and inhumane cruelty ? They did not rack them, with an intention to extort the truth : but they exprefly commanded them to accufe the Chriftians of inceft, infanticide, and of eating hu- man fleih ; and upon their refu/al, they tortur'd them, till they made them fay what they pleas'd. In that famous account of the Martyrs of Lyons and Vienne in Gaul, preferv'd by Eufebim, we find (m), that heathen fervants were brought be- fore the Roman General ; who being terrify 'd at thofe cruelties, they faw the Martyrs fuffer, were prevail'd upon by the Roman foldiers, to accufe the Chriftians of unnatural lulls, of murdering of infants, and eating them : and as if the evidence 0) E|$ QdL&xvxs nXKxfdM otyJrex v$ h^stsWj n ?rai), Pliny, tho' a bigotted, and fuperftitious pagan, after a flrid and diligent enquiry, had fo much juftice and humanity in him, to pronounce the Chriftians innocent of the popular charge (a). Serenim Granianm y Proconful of Ada, complains of the unreafonable hardfhips the Chriftians labou- red under (r). The Emperour Adrians letter to Minuciw Fundanm> and the Edicts of Antoninus Pius, and of Marcus Antoninus , are all in favour of the Chriftians (/) : and in a word, thofe heathens who treated the Chriftians with moil juftice and mercy, were generally reputed, fome of the beft and wi- feft of men : and the bittereft enemies of Chrifci- anity were men, of the moil: infamous characters, even according to the reprefentation of the gentile hiftorians (t). IV. Becaufe mod of the fir ft converts to Chrif- tianity were Jews, and the Chriftian and Jewifli Religion agreed in many particulars; feveral of the heathens call'd the firft Chriftians Jews, and (p) rise/ q av 04 m^ei tlyxcrivy « 'msiunu £%iov' m}?v y6 Yjk%Stmf* m Mfanavt/if The charge. of promifcuous, and inceftuous lufts, fuits verx well with the character, that Taatus («) Judacos, impulfore Chrefto, aifidue tumulcuanres, Roma expulic. Suet on. in vita CUud. vide Arrian. in Epicfet* I. i. c. 9. Recognita S. dementis. . I. 10. c. 64. Jhmil Cle- ment. 4. c. 13. (w) Joftpb. cmtrB Apion. 1.2. 7>tj*,7. 5. Hijl. Damerit, Spud Suid. vac. \*Jk{. (*) fiftpk* contr* Apion* /. 2. gives for thoje Calumnies. i*j gives of the Jews (y). The Chriftians were ac- cus'd of an unfociable refervednefs, and of treat- ing all men with difrefpccl:, excepting thofe of their own perfuafion : and the fame objection was made againft the Jews (V). The Chriftians were faid to be movers of fedition, and enemies to Cafar : and the fame accufation was laid againfc the Jewifh Nation (a). V. The infidels would make no diftinclion be- tween real and nominal Chriftians, and condemned the whole body of Chriftians, for the vices, o^ errors, ot a few wicked men. There always was, and always will be, amongft thofe who profefs the name of Chrift, fome men of debauch'd, pro- fligate Jives, and impious principles: and there were hereticks in primitive Chriftianky, that were infamous for many blafphemous tenets, and for all manner of abominable Iewdnefs, and de- bauchery. From thefe was deriv'd a great load of infamy, upon the whole Chriftian name : and the religion of the Holyjefus was blafphem'd a- mongft the gentiles, for their fakes. The true and (y) Proje&iflima ad libidinem gens, aHenarum concubi. tu abftinent, inter fe nihil illicitum. Profana illic omnia, quae apud nos facra. Rurfum concefla apud illos, quae nobis incefta- Hift. I. 5. (z) Adverfus omnes alios hoftile odium. Ibid. Non monftrare vias, eadem nift facra colenci. Juvenal, /. 5- Satyr* 14- (j) Jofepi. de btlh Jud. I. 2. c. $. vide /. 7. c. 34- '• 57? orthodox 2 8 General Reafons^ &c. orthodox Christians carefully declin'd all manner of commerce, and con verfation with thehereticks : openly difavow'd their principles : folemnly pro- nounc'd Anathemas againft them: and the Apolo- gias gave (b) a publick, and fair reprefentation, of the wide difference, between a true, and here- tical Chriftian : yet notwithftanding ail this, the gentiles charg'd all the villainies, and abfurdities of the hereticks, upon the whole Chriftian Socie- ty. And their partiality and injuftice in this particular was highly remarkable : For, at the fame time, that they cenfur'd alike, all thofe who call'd themfelves Chriftians: they fhew'd particular favour to the hereticks, and fuffer'd them to efcape with impunity (c) : but never had any juftice or mercy, for a fincere and innocent Chriftian. (b) Jvfl'* Jpol i- Dial cumTrypb. p. 25J. 306. CHAP CHAP. III. The charge of Inceft accounted for. HAvfng affign'd Tome general reafons, for thofe original calumnies againft the primitive Chriftians, I proceed to in- quire into the Grounds, and occafions of every diftinc~t article of accufation. The firft that I fhall mention, is that of promif- cuolis, andinceftuouslufts. The Chriftians were charg'd with a community of wives, and of hav- ing a criminal and unnatural commerce, with their own mothers, and lifters. Their feafts of charity, kept with the ftricteft, and moil religious fobriety, were tax'd with the moft abominable lewdnefs, and debauchery. After Supper, when they were heated, and grown wanton with a. luxurious diet, the candles were put out (as the pagans reported it) and every man enjoy M the woman he accidentally met with. Several of the ancient writers inform us, that it was the loofe and fcandalous behaviour of the hereticks, that occafion'd thisfoul reflection upon the Chriitiar.s. Irenam, fpeaking of the abfurd, and 3 o The charge of Incejl and impious tenets, the luxury, and lewdnefs of Carpocrates, and his followers, tells us (a) ; that the gentiles, obferving the immoralities of thofe here ticks, who cali'd themfelvcs Chriflians, took cccalion from thence, to afperfe the whole body of Chriflians. Clement of Alexandria derives this calumny from the fame caufe, faying ; that the followers of Carpocrates, and Epiphanes maintain, that all wives ought to be in common. % d\ Zt w pzylw yprkovofjuflQ- ijputi @\et agree with Clement, and Irentcm ; and found the accufation of uncleannefs and incefl* upon the lewdnefs of the Carpccratians, and fome others of the Gnoftick herefy. (a) L. I. cap. 24. (b) Strom. 3 cap. 2. p £11. (c) T£tk* ya.cn , x.cti nvai afajf fjiTuyraV $/ ouoiav n£WV\ - ox, "nvcPwv 7Tttti0tt.jj&frisf Hiii. Eccl. Lib. 3. Cap. 29. (m) Chap. 2. verf. 6. 15. Clem. Alex, fixeth the origin of this hejefy, p$ 7&0 dvcL?)^iv niu> to czojti^pi. after our Lord's Afcennoi). whilft the Apoitles were living. Strom. 3-/>. 522. vide hen. I. 3, e, li. (n) Clem. Mix. tvftb. Hift. Ecclef. I. 3. cap. 29. Theodoret. her at. fab. Conjiilut. Jpojlol. I. 6. cap. 1. Ignat. interpolate Epifl. ad Trail. ( ) Irtnaus. TertuBiau. Fbilajl. Epiphan. Greg. Njjf. Hie- ron. &c % was accounted for. ye was admirably well vcrs'd, in all facred and pro- pbane hiftory, gives the befc account of Nicolas, and of the origin of the Nicolaltan herefy. He tells us (p) y that Nicolas had a beautiful wife, of whom he was faid to be jealous. And to get rid of the imputation, and to fhow the unreafonablenefsand injuftice of the charge, he gave leave to any one to marry his wife, chat had a mind to her. This imprudent action was drawn into a precedent -, and many wicked men, who were much addicted to fenfual pleafures, appeal'd to it, in jufliiication of their lewd and filthy converfation. Befides, he had one very common and familiar expreffion, which was grofly mi/interpreted, by thofe who call'd themfelves Nicolakans. He us'd to fay cT«v TOffit^pM^ 7? . Hifi. Eulef. L. 2. cap. 13. ()) £• 3- cap. II. D$ of }S The charge of Inceft of CerihthtK ; and therefore not many years after our Lord's Afcenfion. But the herefy of Simon, feems to hue commene'd with Chriftianity it felt For PhiMp baptized Simon at Samaria, A.D. 35 (z,). The fame, or at loweft, in the following year, St. Peter fharply rcbuk'd Simon, and rejc&ed his impious propofal, with a refentment, and indig- nation that it deferv-d : and Simon, by way of re- venge, defertcd the Chriftian fociety, and broach'd his blafphemous, and heretical tenets (a). And as there is an exact agreement, between the rife of thofe herefies, and the date of the firft article of accufation, fo the lafcivioufnefs, and un- ckannefs of thofe hereticks, is aptly enough de-? fcrib'd, by the fir ft calumny againft the primitive Chriftians. And fince in the infancy of Chriftia-. nity, and before it was well known, real and he- retical Chriftians, by an eafy and natural miftake, might be confounded ; might pafs under the fame common appellation, and be thought in reality the fame ; it muft be exceeding probable, that thc£- monian, and Nicolaitan hereticks, gave the firft oc- cafion, to Jews and Gentiles, of afperfing the in- nocent Chriftians, and entail'd an infamy upon the (z) Jcis 8. vid. Pearjln. Annal. Paulin. (a) There feem to be frequent alJufions to the herefies of Siznon and Nicolas, in the writings of the Apoftles. Sec $phef. 5 . 11. 2 Tim. 3. 6. 2 Pet* 2. Jud. Eptf* I. Corinth. 6. whole accounted for. 39 whole Chriftian name, that defcended down to fucceeding generations. As to that branch of the firft article of accufa- tion, that taxes the Chriftians with a carnal know- ledge, even of their own mothers and fillers, it may alfo be accounted for another way. The primitive Chriftians, faluted one another, by the title of brethren, and fitters : the old men they call'd fathers, and the aged matrons they call'd mothers (b). St. Paul gives it in charge to Trmo- thy, not to rebuke an elder, but intreat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren. The elder women as mothers, tl^ younger as fi/Iers, with all purity (V). Ill the language of a primitive Chriftian, the married women were call'd fillers by their husbands, and treated as fuch, after the time of child-bearing was over (d). Now the infidels obferving the Cnriftians converting with freedom and familiarity, and cohabiting with thofe, whom they call'd mo- thers, and lifters, entertained a fufpicion of unna- tural guilt, and charged the Chriftians with inceftu- irnvfif Hiv elfatihw. Luciit7i demorte Pcregnr.i. Cc) 1 Tim. 5. 1, 2. iCor. $. u. 7. 15. Rom. 16. 1. (d) Conjugi tus qu;e t'utura eft Soror tua. Uermas AUx. Strom. 6. p. 790. Nobifcum dormies uc frater non uc maricus. Hcrm. Simil. 9. r*p. 11. AtUntg. Lrgat.p. -6. D 4 ous 4-0 The charge of Incejl ous copulation. They had no notion of that fpi- ritual relation, on which- the Chriftian brotherhood is founded, efpecially whilft Chriftianity was in its infancy : and tho' afterwards, they cou'd not be ignorant what was meant by brorher and filter in the Chriftian fenfe, yet right or wrong, they propagated the calumny, to throw an odium upon the Chriftians, and to irritate the rage of their mercylefs enemies. The heathens, 'tis not improbable, were the more ready to believe the Chriftians guilty of inceft, becaufe fome illiterate, uncivilized, and barbarous people (fuch as the Chriftians were fup- pos'd to be) were taxM with that vice. Amongft the Perfian Alagi, inceftuous copulation, and even with their own mothers, was look'd upon as a lau- dable practice (e)* The ancient Britons, according to Julius Ccpfar's account of them, were guilty of promifcuous, and inceftuous lufts (/). The Medes, Indians, M*^/j. Tatian. Ajfyr. contra Grac. p. 164. vide Philc. Jud. de Decalogo. Clem. Alex. Padagcg. L. i.eap. 7. p. 131. Strom, yp />. 515. Origcn. contra C$lf. L. 5. Eufeb. de laud. Confiant. f* 648. Alex, ab Alex. L. 1. cap, 24. (/) Uxores habenc deni duodeniq; inter fe communes, tc maxime fratres cum fratribus, & parentes cum liberis. Comment. L. 5* Scocrorum natio uxores proprias non haber, & quafi Platonis politiam legerit, & Catonis fe8e- tur exemplum, nulla apud eos conjunx propria eft, fed uc guiqj libitum fucric, pecudum more lafciviunt. Hieron. adv. accounted for. 41 Indians, and ^Ethiopians, are faid to have had a criminal, and unnatural commerce, with mothers and grand mothers, with daughters and grand- daughters (g). Nero, that monfter or* lufc, and cruelty, is faid to have been too familiar with his own mother (h). Caligula debauched all his fiftcrs, and cohabited with one of them, as if fhe had been his legal wife (1) : and in a word, there are num- berlefs instances of inccftuous mixtures, ro.be met with in civil iz'd nations, as well as in thofe, whom the Greeks and Romans call'd rude, and barba- rous. From hence perhaps was deriv'd the charge of inceft againft the primitive Cinftians, whom the heathens look'd upon as rhe vilefc of creatures, and capable of committing even the worft of crimes, that the worft of men were guilty of. What the infidels objected againft the nocturnal affemblies and the Chriftian Agapa, or Love feafts, ' adv- Ovinia** L. 2. Recognit. Clement, cap. 24. Straho, fpeaking of the old Inhabitants of Ireland, tells us, it was reporred of chem. that they ate human flefh, and lay with their Mothers and Sifters. Geograph. I. 4. p. 139. vide Dion. Caf. I. 76. p. 866. (g) Heron. ibid, vide gtiint. Curt. L 8.. p. 204. ih) Sueton. in njit dermis, cap* 28. (/') Cum omnibus fororibus fu : : ftupri confuetudinem feci:. Ex his Drufillam vi?iafTe virginem pretexta- tus adhuc credirur. - In rr.odum juftaj uxoris pro- palam habuir. Sueton. in wit. Calig. cap. 24. vide cap. 36. cap. 26. in vit. Claud, cap. 22. i?i ) Juvenal. Sat. 9. v. 23. {q) 'O/ ffifl $ afoot %J$v *dv7*{ ap^comif ^Ujj \A/>vt- Ttay x) EhhriWYy ixifyVT** Iv l&ioi. Herodot. L* 2. cap. 64. Tantaqj 46 The charge of Inceft pretence of religion, was guilty of uncleannefs in the temples. And for this very reafon, the hea- thens tax'd the private meetings of Chriftians with lewdnefs, and gave an odious character of their nocturnal aflemblies. I have now done with the firft article of ac- cufation againft the primitive Chriftians, and have attempted, as well as I am able, to account for the imputation of promifcuous, and incefluous lufts. But before I proceed to the fecond calum- ny, it may not be improper, to inquire a little further, into the character of the primitive Chrif- tians ; to fee whether they gave any juft grounds for cenfure, or any ways occafion'd that fevere charge of unnatural lewdnefs, by their own vicious conduct, or imprudent behaviour. I am far from vindicating every thing, that was done by the primitive Chriftians : as they were men, they cou'd no more be entirely exempt from error, than they were from mortality : but it mult be allow'd me, that the corruptions in faith and in practice, were nothing near fo nume- rous, and great, then, as they were, in fucceed- Tantaq: animorum infipientia fuit, & tarn praeceps libido imperiti vulgi, uc omnes fere mortales in templis coire, & nefandis libidinibus immilceri, ac pudendis genitalibus facrum facere, quod procrcationis feminarium forenc, ne- fas non putarenc. Alex, ab /Ilex. Genial, dier. L. 6*. cap. ult. TertuL Apl cap. 1 J . ing accounted for. 4.7 ing ages : for their vicinity to the Days of a God incarnate, gave them a more lively fenfe of the divine mercies, and inflam'd their zeal : this zeal reform'd their manners, and made them con- fcientioufly difcharge the duties of a Chriflian : this innocence of Life entitled them to God's holy Spirit, and 'tis that bleilld Spirit that leads mea into all truth, and holinefs. As to the charge of uncleannefs, there is nothing in nature could ever have been more malicious, barbarous, and unjuft. For there was fcarceany one vertue, by which the firft Chriiiians were more eminently diftinguifh'd, than by that of chaftity. A vertue more peculiarly cultivated by the Chriftians, and guarded with the utmoft cit- cumfpeftion, and care. When they were tempted toluit, by many artful and moving perfuaiions; and terrify 'd by a profpect of inhuman tortures; they generally preferr'd a painful, and ignomini- ous death ; and dreaded more the follicitations of fenfual Pleafures, than the inveterate rage of their cruelleft enemies. If thofe early Chrifiians were any ways culpable, it was for having too rigid notions of continency, and for carrying it further, than perhaps they had any lawful war- rant, either from facred Scripture, or Apoftolical practice. They were fo far from having a crimi- nal commerce with all forts of women, without diftinction ; that they either liv'd under a ftate of perpetual virginity, or married but once, and knew 48 The charge of Incejl knew no other woman all their lives (V). Second* and third marriages were generally reputed un- lawful, and were call'd by no better a name, than a plaufible Adultery (/). A Digamift was a name of reproach, and thofe that had been twice mar- ried after baptifm, were unqualify *d for holy or- ders, by the canons of the primitive church (t). I cannot fay that the reafons, upon which fecond and third marriages were condemned, feem to have much weight in them ; or that the texts of Scrip- ture, appeal'd to upon this occafion, are pertinent- ly cited (w). However it was a very pardonable miftake, and efpecially as it proceeded, from an honeft Zeal, and a laudable defign of promoting Chriftian purity, and piety. A repetition of mar- riage was fuppos'd to proceed from a criminal in- (r) v Eu£pts • Athtnag. legat. p. 37. At DOS pudorem nrn facie, fed mente praeftamus, Unius Matrimo- nii vinculo libenter inhaeremus. Cupiditarem procreandi aut unam fcimus, aut nullam. Min. Fel.p. 307. vid. p. 310. Juft. Mart. Apol. I. Theoph. ad Autol. I. 3. Origcn contra Celf. I. j. p. )6$. (f) O y> J\4/t5?©- (yip®" c^Tf S77»'< S2t po/^c/*. A- thenag. Ltgat.p. 37. *amarirans illi praevaricatrici, quae in unoviro non manfir, fed fornicata eft in multis nupriis. hen. I. 3. cap. J 7. vid. Conftitut. Apoftol. I. 3. cap. 2. (t) Canon. Apoflol. 17. vid. Origin. Homil. 17. /* Hue. Term tul. de exhort, caflit. cap. 7. ad uxor. L I. cap. 7. Hieron. *dv» 'Jovinian- /. 1 . («) Vide Athenag. p. 37. Conjlitut. Apoflol. I. 3. cap. a. dulgence accounted for. 4.9 dulgence of a carnal appetite, and for this reafon, it was more feverely cenfur'd by a primitive Chriftian. The fole end of marriage, in their opinion, was procreation of children ; and therefore during the time of geftation, and after the time of child-bear- ing was over, they abftain'd from all converfation with their wives (to). The ufe of the marriage- bed was conhVd, under Uriel: regulations, and all excefles and ab ufes there, were condemn'd by a primitive Chriftian (x). Adultery, and fornicati- on was very rare, in thofe Days ; and the guilty criminal never efcap'd the cenfure of ecclefiaftical authority : he was folemnly rurn'd out of the Chriftian fociety, and not re-admitted, till he had gone through a long courfe of pennance, and had given evident proof, of a true humiliation, and forrow, and of a fincere refolution to reform (y). They practised the duties of mortification, and (elf-denial, in an eminent, and wonderful degree. It was no hard matter for them, to keep within the bounds of fobriety, and chaftity, who kept (9) Ovk \^a[jx(j^-> u [xr\ cm TmiJvv *val&$». Juft. Mart, jfpol. I. vide Jthcnag. Lcgat.p. 37. (x) Nos ab ifto eventu diligentiflima & fidelifllma caf- titas fepfit, quancumq; ab ftupris, & ab omni poft matri- monium cxceiTu, tantum & ab incefti cafu, turi fumm. quidam multo fecurioresi totam vim hujus crroris virgine continenria depellunt, Cents, pueri. Tertul. .dpol. cap. 9. (j) Vide Can, Ancyr. 20. Bajil. 7, 58, 59. yfpcjiol. 53. under 50 The charge of Lice ft under all inordinate defircs of the flefh, by an a- mazing temperance, and abftinence. Like St- Paul, they were in hunger, and thirfl, infaftings often, in cold, and nakednefs. Tneir meat was very often' the product of uncultivated nature ; and the be aft and his owner, generally drank at the fame foun- tain. They ate and drank, as if they fufpe&ed a poyfon ; and laid themfelves down to reft, as if they were to awake in another world. The reafon why the grand adverfary of mankind, fo fuccesfully prevails, is, the flefh takes part with the Tempter, and betrays us, under the difguife of friendship, and pleafure. Weak human nature enters into the confpiracy, and the man is divided againft himfelf. When the palTions have been hu~ mour'd a long time, reafon fubmits to fenfe ; is under the dominion of the will, and the flavery of every inferiour faculty : and you may as well talk a tempeft into fikncc, as make a darling, ha- bituated palTton, hear the voice of reafon, or reli- gion. Thofe worthy Chriftians were very fenll- ble of this : fo that they guarded againft all the follicitations of fenfe, and us'd the good creatures of God to fupport nature, and not to emprove its corruptions. They were ftrangers to delicacies, foftnefs, and eafe ; and lead a lite of forrows, in hopes of obtaining a joyful refurrection. Their crucify 'd Lord was in Heaven, and therefore their affections, their convention was there. CHAP. CHAP. IV. The charge of Infanticide accounted for. THEY were chargM with Infanticide, with murdering of infants, and eating them. A very young fucking infant was brought to the prieft, cover'd over with pafte, left any one fhou'd be fhock'd at the intended barbarity. The child was prick'd all over with pins, or bod- kins ,• and as foon as it was dead, they cut the body in pieces, and ate it. They drank the blood, and mutually engag'd not to divulge their facred myfteries. This was faid to be the Chriftians me- thod of Initiation. This calumny, which the primitive Chriftians complain'd of, as the cruelleft of all (a), is very hard to be accounted for : fincc the Apologifts have left us no hints whereby we can difcover, its true caufe, and original foundation. The firft Chriftians were many times cenfur'd, for vices and follies that were not their own ,* and the rillanicy, (a) Theopb. ad Autol f. 119. E 2 and 5 2 The charge oj Infanticide and abfurdities of a few fpurious, and heretical Chriftians, were frequently put to the account of the whole Chriftian fociety : but to deal ingenu- oufly, I cannot find any iufficient reafon, or au- thority, to tax the primitive hereticks, with giving the infidels a handle to accufe the Chriftians, of in- fanticide, and of eating human flefh. The practices of the Momamfis, as defcrib'd by the fathers of the fourth century, are pretty much of a piece, with the fecond antichriftian calumny. St. Aufiin 0), Epiphaniw (c), and Philaftriw (d) tell us, that the Momanifts, at one of their feftivals, us'd to take a child or a year old, and prick him all over his body with needles. The extracted blood they mix'd with flower of wheat, and of this they made their facramental bread. If the child furviv'd this cruelty, he was looked upon as an high pried : and if he died he was reputed a martyr. Cyril of Jerufalem carries the charge a- gainft the Montamfls a great deal further, and in exact conformity to the fecond article of accufation (b) Nam de infantis anniculi fanguine, quern de toto ejus corpore minutis punttionum vulneribus excorquent, quad Euchariftiam fuam conficerc perhibentur, mifcentes cum farinse, panemq; inde facientes : qui puer fi mortuus faerie, habetur apud cos pro martyre : fi aurem vixerir, pro magno facerdore. De Htref. :6. Vide de Hxrcfi 27. (c) H reje&s it as a fable (7) : and for this weigh- ty, and fubftantial reafon, viz., the firft writers againft Montanifm take no notice of it : he means, I fuppofe, After im Ur bantu, and Apoliomm, chat are mention'd by Enfebim (k). But allowing the charge againft the Montan'fts to be true, and founded upon undeniable fafts : yet the ftcond calumny againft the primitive Chri- (?) Cat$cb, \6. p. 178. (/) L, 1. Efifi, 242. ( g) Theodoret. Haret. Fab. L. 3. cap. 1. (h) Epijl. ad MarceQtrn adverfus Mont /mum. {i) Cxtera qux dicuntur quafi incerra prserereo : etc infantis fanguinc eos accipcre. Quod ideo dicimus, ne vidcamur ignorare omnia, quae de iis dicunrur. Hi enim qui contra eos fcripferunt, nihil hinc penirus memorarunr. Cap. 26. L. 1. (k) Eufeb. Hifi, Ecclef. L, 5. cap. 16* , 18. E 1 ftiacs 5 4- The chaise of Infanticide flians, cou'd not be occafion'd by thofc hereticks : for, murdering of infants, and eating of human flefn, feems to have been (as I have already down) one of thofe original objections, that are as old as Chriftianity it felf, or very near it. When as the Montanjfl herefy did not fpring up, till about the middle of the fecond century. Eufebius dates the rife of it, from the year 170 (/). The Alexandri- an Chronicle fixes it ten years later. Blonde! fuppo- fes(w), that it began about the year 140 : and£>/- fhaniHA feveral years fconer (n). And indeed there can hardly be any thing more intricate (to ufe the words of the learned author of the hiftory of Mow tanifm) than to find cut the true date of the rife of Montanifm, amid ft the variety of conjectures, and critical remarks upon it (0). however it is apparent enough, that it had its rife fome time in the fecond century ,• and therefore is of a much later date than the fecond antichriitian calumny. Epiphanim tells a ftory of the Gnofticks, which is parallel to that, which is related of the Mcnta- tiifts : but neither does this give any further light to our inquiry, nor difcover the original fource of the calumny. The Gmftich, he fays, by fome violent method or other, us'd to draw a child out (/) Hi ft. Ecchf. L. <. cap. 3. (m) Sihll. L. 1. cap. 2. (71) Haref 48. p. 404, 45$. (0) Hifi,ofMont0n;f„. p. 77 . Pf accounted for. 5 5 of its mothers womb, and beat k to pieces in a mortar : and left this odd lore of food fhou'd be nau- feous to a fqueamifli ftomach, they mix d with it honey, pepper, and feme other fpices. When this was done they all tafted of ir, and this they call'd t^a«of W^t, a feyfett pajfover (p). Upon this monltrous and incredible ftory,I obferve, firft.That it reds upon the (ingle authority oiEpipka- x?/«j,which,to fpeak impartially, is none of the beft. For tho' we have from him, the full eft, and moft particular account that is extant, of the here/ies for the firft four hundred years : and he was juftiy celebrated for his great learning, and piety ; yet he has intermix'd fo many Jlrange, and improba- ble relations, as leave ,but too juit room to fufpect that he was a man of great credulity, and eadly impos'd upon. Whilft he follows Juftin, Irenaus, and Hipfolytus, great and venerable names, his la- bours are highly ufeful, and commendable : but in describing the herefies c^his own time, where one might have expected the greateft exactnefs, there are too many things, that feem to border upon fable, and fiction. 2. henxus has left us a very exact account of the Gnoftick hcreticks, in the Apoftolick age, and fe- veral years after. We learn from him that the Simonians w,ere call'd Gnoflicks (q) : and that feveral (p) Hfref. 26. J. 87. (q) SimonUni, a quibus falfi nominis fclcntia accepic inicia. fren. I. i. cap. 73. E 4 of 5 6 The charge of Infanticide of the fuccccding hereticks were fond of that name ; fince they pretended to a knowledge, fuperior to that of the reft of mankind. He particularly de- scribes their errors, and abominable pracnfes, but fays not one fyllable of that horrid crime, that is mention M by Epipbxniw. Hippolytms book a- gainft the hereticks is loft ; and Juflins has met with the fame fate : however in oneof his Apolo- gies, Jufthi makes an open declaration ; which dear's (as far as his own knowledge went) all hereticks in general, from the imputation of Infan- ticide, and eating of human flefh (V). 3. But to put the matter beyond difpute. What Epipbanim fays of the Gnoftioks, evidently relates, not to the primitive Gnoftkks, the Si?no- wans, Menandrians, Bafelidians, Carpocratiam, &c. but to thofe of his own time (.r). Nay he ex- preQy fays, that thofe Gnoflich endeavour'd to fe- duce him, in his youth. So far then were thofe Gnoftick hereticks, from giving birth to the fecond calumny againft the Chriftians ; that 'tis very pro- bable, the calumny was dropp'd, and almoft for- gotten, before Epipbanmts time ; and before the nfe of that herefy, which he defcribcs, and con- futes. (r) Aph 1. in Vide p. 99, 10c. It accounted for. 57 Ic is faid of Simon the heretick, the vileft wretch that the Chriftian world was ever ac- quainted with, that he kilfd a little boy, and hung up his picture in his bed-chamber ; and by fome unaccountable charms, oblig'd the foul of the murder'd child, to afTift him in his diabolical operations, and magical delullons (/). St. Luke's account of him is, that for a long time be had be- witch' d the people of Samaria with forceries, to whom they all gave heed y from the leafl to the greateft, faying, this man is the great power of God (u). Theantients reprefent him as a wonderful magician, and he is faid to have done many furprizing things, by his infernal art ; and fmce murdering of Infants was a common, and prevailing practice, amongfl: the pagan forcerers, and necromancers, as I fhall ihew by and by, the above mentioned ftory of Simon, carries the greater appearance of probability. But ftill it is liable to as great exceptions, as that of the Gnoflicks, related by Ep/phanim : for there is not any one author of credit, that men- tions ir, even whilft we have many, and parti- cular accounts of Simons blafphem ies, his errors, and impurities. The ftory, as far as 1 remember, is no where to be met with, but in the Recogni- tions of Clement, the Clementine Homilies, and the (t) Recignit. Clem. I. a. cap. 13. Spit, dt Gejiit Petri cap. 27, Homil. Clement. L. 2. cap. 26. (u) Afti 8. 9> 'o. Epitome ^ 8 Ibe charge of Infanticide Epitome of the Atls of Peter : all of which, feem to be the forgery, of one, and the fame Impoftor. They contain fo many things, that are unworthy of Clement, the famous Bifhop of Rome, that the learned have unanimoufly pronoune'd them fpu- rious : and whoever was the author of them, he feems to have been of a clafs, even below the compiler of the eight books of Apoftolical Con- futations, and cou'd neither be a companion of the Apoftles, nor one that liv'd in the Apoftolick age (w). Since then we have no good authority, for de- riving the occafion of the fecond antichriftian calumny, from the hereticks : let us fee in the next place, whether the inhuman cruelties, prac- tis'd by the heathens themfelves, might not be the true, and original foundation, of that unjufc charge againft the primitive Chrifuans, contain'd in the fecond article of accufation. To kill Infants, and to drink human blood, was the practice in feveral parts of the heathen world : and this was done upon feveral accounts, in mak- ing of publick, or private leagues of friendfhip. in forming of confpiracies. in facrificing to the pagan deities, in necromancy, and other magical operations. It was a cuftom amongft the Scy- thians, a people famous for friendfhip, when they mutually engaged to live in peace, and amity (w) Vide Cotelcrii frtfat. ad Rwgnit. &c, Crab. Sptiileg. with accounted for. 5 9 with one another ; to drink one anothcrs blood : and this was look'd upon as a raoft fure, and fa- cred pledge of an inviolable t'ricndfhip (x). Tacitw, fpeaking of a league that was made, between Rhadamifu:^ and his uncle, the king of Armenia, acquaints us, that it was an ufual ceremony, when kings entred into a treaty, or league, to joyn their right hands, and tie their thumbs clofe to- gether ; and then to let out the blood, conhVd in the ends of their thumbs ; which they after- wards drank (y). The fame things are reported of the AJcdes, and Lydians, by Herodotus, and of the Scythians too ; with this additional ceremony ; that before they drank the blood, they dipp'd the points of their fwqrds in it (V). In confpiracies too the perfons concern'd usM to drink human blopd j and with horrid oaths, and imprecations promife fecrecy, and their ut- moft affiftance, in carrying on the grand defign. Thus when Sariafier confpir'd again ft his father, the king of Armenia, he oblig'd his friends, and accomplices in the Treafon, to drink one ano- thers blood (a). Salluft tells a remarkable flory of Catiline, who was at the head of a confpiracy, ct/fx* ei< xjuAtK^y )£ ra Ziyn £&£$. |S dhotis c, £(/.& 0fu.q>o7%efi c*k. Lucian. Toxaris vel amhitia. p. 6j. (y) L. 12. AnnaU (z) L.i. cap. 74. L. 4. cap. 70. vide L. 3. cap 8. (0) VaUr, Max* L. 9. cap* 1 1. that 6 o The charge of Infanticide that might have prov'd fatal to the Roman liber- ties, had it not been for the great wifdom, vigi- lance, and dexterity of the conful Cicero. The hiftorian, in that beautiful defcription of the Cati- Unarian war, fays, it was reported of Catiline* that at a meeting of the confpirators, he handed about a cup full of Wine, and human blood mix'd : and when ail his friends had tafted of it, he told them, his intention by doing this, was to engage them, to ad with the greater heartinefs, and fidelity, in the caufe they were imbarqu'd in (b). This ftory is alluded to by Tertulltan y and fome other Apologifts for the Chriftians (c) : and is told by Dion Caffim, with new, and fur- prifing circumftances. he fays (d), what the con- fpirators drank, was the blood of a child, kill'd for that very purpofc, by Catiline ; and that he oblig'd his companions, and partners in the trea- fon, to fwear upon the bowels of the murder'd infant. Statita, and fome others, fpeak of con- fpiracies, that were carried on in the fame me- thod (e) : which gives a greater appearance of probability to the relation of the above mention'd hiftorian. (b) BeB.Cstilin. cap. 22. L. Flor. L. 4. cap. I. ic) Nefcio quid & Tub Catilina deguftatum. Apol. cap. 9, Uin. Fit. p. 297. (d) Hift. Rom. I. 37. p. 43. vide Plutarch, in vit. Cicero*. (e) L. 5. Thebtidos. vide Alex, ab Alt*. L. 5. cap. 3. Many accounted for. 6 1 Many of the altars, dedicated to the pagan deities, were polluted with human blood ,* and great numbers, both of infants, and adult per- fons, were offend up in facrifice, by the ignorant and fuperfiitious heathens, to Saturn, Jupiter, Mercury, Diana, &c. At the funeral of any con- fiderable perfon, human Sacrifices were very com- mon : and to this barbarous ufage, Homer al- ludes (f), when he makes his Hero, Achilles, flay twelve captives, at the funeral of Patroclm. \x imitation of this example, JEneas, facrihVd eight young men, at the funeral of Pallas (g). The an- tient Gauls were of opinion, that human Sacri- fices, were the moft acceptable to the Gods of any ; and therefore, when they were viCitcd with ficknefs, or any other calamity, they vow'd to facrifice, either themfelves, or fome other men (/;). The Tauri, facrihVd to Diana, all the ftransers they could catch (i). Ariftomenes the Mejfenian, at one facrifice to Jupiter, flew three hundred men : one of whom was Tbecpomptx, king (/) Iliad- a i. ver. 27. (g) Sulmone creatos Quacuor hicjuvenes ; tocidem, quos educat Ufens, Viventcs rapir, Infcrias quos immolct umbris, Captivoq; rogi perfundac fanguine flammas. Virgil. /Eneid. L. 10. verf. J 1 7. (h) C*far de Bello Galiico. L 6. Cher* pro Fonteio. Pompon. Mela L. 3. Eufeb. Prsp. Evangel. L. 3. cap. 17. Tertul. Apvl- cap. 9. Plitt. Nat. Bifl. L. 30. cap. I. Li) Luciart. Toxar. Eufeb. prap. Evangel. £. 9. ^ Curt. L. 4. Clem. Alex* Cohort at. ad Grtcoi. p. ]6. of 6 a The charge of Infanticide of the Lacedemonians (k). The antierlt Britons, Germans, Cretians, with a great many others, are faid to have been guilty of this mod: inhuman, and infamous practice (I). But as for infanticide, the Carthaginians exceeded all the people in the world befides : they facrihVd their own children to Sa- turn, and thofe that had none, were oblig'd to buy fome of the poorer fort. When they were over- come by Agathocks, king of Sicily, they imagin'd their God Saturn was very angry with them ; and to appeafe his wrath, they murder'd at one facri- rke, two hundred noblemens Tons (m). This devilifti cuftom of facrificing the human race, was not peculiar to thofe people, who were accounted rude, and barbarous ; but it was to be met with amongft thofe, who had made considera- ble emprovements in all the politer arts. After the fatal battle at Carina, the people of Rome, un- der the greateft confternation, and expecting the conquering enemy at their gates, buried four peo- ple alive, by way of facrifice to the infernal Gods (n). Pliny mentions a decree of the Roman fenate, made about an hundred years before the birth of our Saviour, which prohibited human facrifices : and (k) Clem. Ahx. Cohort at. ad Grjtcos. p. 36. (/; Plin. Nat.Hifi. L. 30. cap. I. Tacit. Annal, L. 1 4. de Moribus German. Dhdor Sic. L. $. (m) Pefcenius Fefius apud Latlant. I. 1. cap. 21. Cyril adv. Julian I 4. Augufiin. deCivitate Dei. I. 7. cap. 19. Platonis Minos. Jive de lege. („) Uvii Wft. /• U. accounted for. 6% tells us, how much the world was beholden to the Romans, for rooting out thofe monfters, that ac- counted human facrifices a commendable, and re- ligious action ; and the eating of human flefh, a very wholfom thing (V). But this decree, after all thofe mighty boafts of Pliny, had no very great effect : for 'tis certain, that abominable practice prevail'd very much, even until the reign of the emperor Adrian (p). Nor did it then entirely ceafe: for, feveral years afterwards, we find it was a cu- ftom, even in Rome, the imperial city ; tofacrifice a man, at one of their annual feftivals, to Jupiter LatiarU (q). Nor is there any reafon to queftion the authority, of the Chriftian Apologifts in this matter ; or to cenfure them, for being too fevere, in retorting the charge of infanticide upon the pa- gans : fince the facts they mention, areprincipally taken from the gentile hiltorians, and attefted by thofe, who were very far from carrying any preju- dices, in favour of Chriftianity (V). Infants, and little children, were alio murder'd by the magicians, and necromancers of old : and as the pagan Harufpices, or Extifpices, pretended to (o) If at. HIJI- I. 30. cap. i. (p ) LaBant. I. I. cap. 21. Porphyr. de Abfiinentia I. 2. cap. 56. Eufeb. de laude Conftant. p. 659. (a) Hodieq; ab ipfis Latiaris Jupiter homicidio colittir ; & quod Saturni filio dignum eft, mali & noxii hominis fanguine faginatur. Min. Fel. p. 297. Tertul. adv. Gnofiic. cap. 7- (r) Vide Porphyr. de Alfinmti*. cap. 54, 55, 56, 57- /• 2. ends 64 The charge of Infanticide guefs at the fuccefs of any action ; and to difcovcr future events, by looking into the entrails of beads ; fo the magicians confulted the Gods, in fib, is infan- tum, by looking into the bowels of infants (s). Dionyfius of Alexandria, in one of his epiflles (t) , fpeaks of an ALgyptian conjurer, in the reign of Valerian, who in his magical operations, ripp'd up new born infants, and examined their bowels. The fame things are reported of Maxentius, who was a bigotted obferver of all the pagan fuperfti- tions («). In Julians reign, many children, of both fcxes, were murder'd by magicians, at Athens, Alexandria, and feveral other places (w). And long before that time, that horrid and infernal pra&ice is mentioned, 'by Juftin Martyr (x), Ho- race (j), and fome others. By thefe inflances that I have given, it evident- ly appears, that the pagan ufages are very well defcrib'd, in the fecond antichriftian calumny ; and that whatever reafon there was, for fattening the charge of infanticide upon the primitive Chriftians, ( s) Torphyr.de Abflinentla ab Animal. I. 2. cap. $\. Juftin. jpol I. D. Caf I. 73. p. 838. (t) Eufeb. HiJf.Ecclef. I. 7. cap 10. vide /. 8. csp. 14. (u) Eufeb. Vita Corftant. /. 1. cap. }6« (n>) Kc/i Titelctf nvaz av\i^L7dM i dc x) CTAct^i'ccr^^tf- fSfJoi -nu^as yJla^Hv Jtp&txc, «f/tf« fy £mAhc^, a) %? avL^/JHv ^y.vi^tn* Socrtt. Hjt. Eccief. I. >• c*P- ' 3- (x) Apol. I. if) Epod. 5. in Canidiam Vtnefic*m. Vide Juvensl. S*t. 6. vcrf. 553. ic accounted for. 6 5 it may with juftice enough, be retorted upon the heathens themfclves. And fince 'tis very natural, for men to form a judgment of other mens beha- viour, by their own ,• and from a parity of circona- flances, to conclude a iikenefs of aclion ; it will be no extravagant, and improbable fuppofition, if wc mAc the inhuman cruelties of the heathens, the genuine, and original foundation of the fecond calumny, againft the Chriftians. This conjecture is fupported by two very plau- fible reafon?. Firft, The Chriftians were accoun- ted a pack of infamous confpirators, and fwora enemies to Cafar. At their night meetings, they were fufpected to be plotting again/1 the empire, and forming of villainous confederacies againft the publick peace. They were ft.ppos'd to carry a mortal hatred towards all men, excepting thofe of their own perfuafton ,• and to promote the intereft of the, drift ian fociety, by the vileft, clandeftine arts. Now if it was a cuftomary thing amongft the pagan confpirators, to drink human blood, in. order to engage one another, to act with greater fecrecy, and fidelity ; why may we not fuppofe, that the heathens accused the Chriftians of infanti- cide, and of drinking human blood, only becaufe they look'd upon them as traitors, and confpira- tors? Nay it can fcarce be imagin'd, why they fhou'd think, that the Chriftians were confpirator, without fuppofing at the fame time, that they tock F ' the / 66 The charge of Infanticide the fame precautions, and purfu'd the fame me- thods, that other confpirators did. Secondly, The Chriftians were reprefented as for- cerers, and magicians ,• and even our blefled Lord, and his Apoftles did not efcape that cenfure (V) : And (ince we have undeniable proof, that the hea- then magicians were guilty of infanticide, there is dill the greater probability, that the fecond ca- lumny was originally deriv'd, from the fcandalous practices, amongft the heathens themfelves. But tho' the imputation of infanticide, and of drinking human blood, may thus be accounted for, with a tolerable femblance of reafon, and truth ; yet it may be queftion'd, whether the charge of A*9?ftH-o$*j/V, of eating human flelh, cou'd be deri- ved from the fame caufe. For, that the magicians us'd to eat of thofe infants, that they murder'd, is mention'd by none (as far as I remember) except- ing Socrates ; whofe authority, as an hiftorian, may be very good ; yet (till, what he fpeaks of, is very little to the purpofe, as being done fo late, as the reign of the Apoftate Julian. Befides, what is reported of the confpirators of old, and parti- cularly of Catiline, and his companions, looks ve- ry much like a fable : or admitting that infanticide was the practice amongft them ; it is to the laft (z) Ori&n. cmtra Celf. /. i. p. 30. Arnob. adv. Gentes. I iff. 15- degree accounted for. 67 degree improbable, that they tatted of the flefh ■of the murder'd infants ,• and efpeciaily, fince tin's circumftance is omitted by fome of the gentile hif- torians, and the confpirators are faid only to have touch'd (a) the bowels of the infant, and upon them to ha\ 6 fworn mutual fidelity, and afliftance. In anfwer to this difficulty, let it be obferVM ,* that it makes no difference in this matter, whe- ther thofe accounts of the pagan confpirators were true, or falfe : any fenfelefs tale, tho' never fo ill grounded, was enough to give the gentiles a handle to traduce the ChrifHans. The eating of human flefh was charg'd upon fcveral of the hea- thens (b) ; and by fome upon the Catilinarian con- fpirators (c). Now whatever foundation there might be for the fe reports j 'ascertain, they were common enough, and credited by a great many people : and an ill natur'd, and implacable enemy to Chriftianity, who look'd upon ChrifHans, as confpirators againft all civil focieties, might from hence take an occafion, to calumniate the innocent ChrifHans. Whether this was the principal, or foie foundation of the charge, I will not pretend to determine. There's no abfurdity in fuppofing, (a) "OfKor i{iQ7*Jt ^kyta iJbZi ™P J)»%iV ^btfippMVV <£&. ^et?1" etvov i a*a.[}@,?oSli!, li ftKot £73/, (jlu 'io^yjif 7m$ n -rut dv&^^XQlV Y&& YiJhvbJj JfW, TXtfjmV HKXQP ffi J\ctJJV7ZdV t 7&* $HdUV jUfTttAc^ cuuut )y CKgO, HVCtl Xe*r*, CW7VI VOfMCa/Ja Tty %y\t duUtL )£ GU-'$»& HVctiy T«7T> C/JftTXDV TVl? l^mvioi' 0/ «Tg XeLCovjif at ewTvygtiyLct totd 7TA«^ Xez- WY tivdyr&^Qv. Vide Fragment. Inn. in Edit, Beneditl. p. 343- F 4 matters y 2 The charge of Infanticide mailers fpeak of eating the flefli of Chrift, and drinking his blood, in the holy facrament. The heathens, who knew nothing of the nature of that facrament, imagin'd, that the Chriftians did in reality eat human flefli, and drink human blood : and upon this information, they founded the ca- lumny ,• which they induftrioufly propagated, and endeavoured by tortures, to make the Martyrs, SfUtBus, and Blandma, own the charge to be true. It mud: be own'd that this relation comes from very good authority, and g'wxs a plaufible, and natural account of the occafion, and origin c£ the fecond calumny : and as the Chriftians were accu- fed of worshipping Certs, and Bacchus (7), becaufe they ate, and drank confecrated bread, and wine, at the holy communion ; fo \is exceeding proba- ble, that the charge of Anthropophagi 'a, was dcriv'd irom a grofiy mifraken notion of the facrament of the body, and blood of Chrift. But there are two difficulties that want to be clear'd up. The firfl is this. The perfecution in Gaul, in which SanElus and BLndina, and a great many others fuffer'd martyrdom, was in the reign of A/. Antoninus : about the year of our Lord, 176 : but the fecond calumny prevailed long before that time. The fragment feems to have been taken from that fa- mous letter, fent by the churches o'f Lyons, and * (0 ^»£}ift in. I. 20. csntr* \ Fsujium Mamchtum. c> 13. accounted for. 73 yienne, to the Chriftians in Afia y and Plirygta : and fince the fragment is exprefly afcrib'd to lrenaus, 'tis probable, that he was the author of that cele- brated epiftle (k) ; being at the fame time an emi- nent Presbyter of the church of Lyons, and not long after Bifhop of the fame church. Now that infor- mation, given to the perfecutors in Gaul, was not the firft occasion of that odious charge upon the Chriftians ; nor indeed does Irenaus fay any thing like it. The heathens Jong before, no doubt of it, had heard fomething of the holy facrament ; and from thence derived an occafion to abufe the Chriftians. The fervants were put to the rack, not for the difcovery of Truth ; but purely with an in- tention to accufe the Chriftians : and they made fuch a declaration, as they were dire&ed to make ; and fuch, as they knew wou'd pleafe the inquirers: nay, in that famous account of the Martyrs in Gauly we find, that the foldiers prompted the fer- vants, and directed them what difcoveries to make (/) : by which it appears, that a grofs, and imperfect notion of the holy facrament, had given occaiion tocenfure the Chriftians, before the per- fection in Gaul, which was in the year of our Lord 176. (k) Vide Majfuet. Editor. Inn. diflertat. a. c. 60. p. 106, Valtf. annotat. in L. 5. c. 1. Eufeb. Hift. Ecclef. (1) rav rfct1/a>7 cumlocution : by filim hominis then, he would have underftood a man's male child. 3, This cqmmand of eating and drinking flefb, and blood, he could not take in any other than a litteral fenfe. And laftly, he would obferve, that this eating, and drinking, is made a neceflary condition, of enjoy-? ing life, or happinefs ; and would therefore con- clude ; that it was a facred, and initiatory rite, or facrifice, amongft Chriftians. The refulc of thefe obfervations is this. The Lord Jefus drift, under pain of his higheft difpleafure, commanded his followers (who religioufly obey'd all his com- mands) to kill a male child, or infant ; and to eat of his flefh, and drink of his blood : and this was (9) St* John 6. j 3. *]6 The charge of Infanticide to be done by way of Initiation ; or to qualify men, for the enjoyment of that happinefs, which the Lord Jefus promifed to all thofe, that were his true difciples. This is exactly the fubflance of the fecond calumny upon the primitive Chriftians. I cannot tell whether the baptizing of infants, which, 'tis generally fuppos'd, was the practice in the firft ages of Chriftianity, might not occafion, or at leaft confirm thefufpicion of infanticide. 'Tis true, there is nothing in nature more different, than the initiatory facrament of baptifm, by which infants, as well as others, were made members of the Chriftian fociety, and the pretended crime contain'd in the fecond calumny : however it muft be obferv'd ; that as infants by baptifm were ad- mitted into the Chriftian covenant, fo the infanti- cide charg'd upon the Chriftians was faid to be their method of Initiation. Cecilim fays, de initi- andis tirunculis, fabula tarn deteftanda, tyuam nota eft. Concerning the initiating of novices, there is aftory equal" ly deteftable, and notoriotx (f). Now fince the infi- dels judg'd by appearances, and founded their ac- cufations upon trifling circumftances, and very imperfect relations ; might not the fufpicion of infanticide proceed, from the primitive practice of baptizing of infants? For, if the infidels had heard, that the Chriftians ate human flefh, and 0») Min. FeltM. drank accounted for. 77 drank human blood ; and had alfo heard, thar in- fants were carried to the Chriftian prieft : they muft naturally conclude, that thofe very infants were facrihVd. And hence perhaps came that monflrous fable of infanticide. To an Antipsedo- baptift, who fixeth the origin of Infant Baptifra much later than the Apoftolick age, this conje&urc mull appear groundlefs, and trifling ,• and perhaps others will entertain the fame fentiments about it : but I think my felf oblig'd, whilft I am inquiring into the original grounds, and caufes of thofe abo- minable reflections thrown upon the primitive ChrilHans, to fet down every thing (being in want of fubftantial Evidence and authority) that carries any appearance of probability. I have fometimes thought, that the decree made by the Apoftles at Jerufalem ($)> might contribute fomething towards the propagating of the firft, and fecond antichriflian calumny. The Apoftolicai decree enjoyns an abflinence from blood, from things ftrangled, and from fornication. Upon which a heathen would naturally put the following conftru&ion ; if he had receiv'd any previous hints, that the Chriftians were tax'd with eating human (l) dft$ 15. 29. fleft, 7 8 The charge of Infanticide flefh, with drinking human blood, and with pro- mifcuous, and inceftuous copulation. *** jfoafoi, that is from drinking of human blood. £<*»£)& from eating of human flefh, or ftrangled infants- *; wDfm'^, and from inceftuous lufts. The word mqveidL, tho' in its primary, and more obvious acceptation, it fignifics fornication ; yec does it alfo denote, every fpecies, and degree of .luft, and impurity. In this fenfe, it is us'd fevcral times by St. Paul (r) : and f peaking of the inceftuous Co- rinthian, he exprefly calls his crime wfpeix (s). It is reported commonly (t) that there is fornication among you ('yofi'Hst), and fuch fornication (//?., 71, 72. Terent. Hecyr. Seneca delra. I. i.e. 15. Plut. hi Lycurgi. (w) Nobis vero homicidio -iVmcl interdi&o, etiam con- ceptum utero, dum adhue fanguis in horninem delibatur, diflblvere non liccr. T.rtul. Aptl. cap. 9. vide Athtnag. Legat. p. 38* G wider e 8 s The charge of Infanticide viderejtu eft (V). They accounted it a crime even to fee a man kill'd ,• and though it was done, by way or punifhment for capital crimes, and after a legal convidion (y). Barely to look on, whilfl a man was flain, they took for a fort of approbati- on of the fad ; and the fpectator was in fome mea- fure involv'd, in the guilt of homicide (z,). For this reafon they never went to fee the gladiators, nor any of thofe bloody> and inhuman diversions, that the heathens were much delighted with (a)- As for drinking of human blood, 'tis a moft aftoniftiing charge, and the groflcft lye that could have been invented. In obedience to the Apofto- lical decree, the firft Chriftians carefully abftain'd from the blood of all animals : and from eating the flsfh of flrangled animals, and of thofe that d) u by any accidental hurt, or diflemper. Hence the Martyr Biblis cry 'd out, whilfl under tortures, how is it pojjible, that Chriftians ftooud eat little chil- dren , who are not permitted fo much Oi to tafte the blood of any irrational animal (b) ? This the heathens were very well acquainted with ; and therefore (v Miv. Fel. p. 299. tU'Aet* TX7WV rit *. 300. Clem. Alex, pjedagog. L. 3. c. 3. Ongen* contra Celf. L. 8. p. 396, 397, Luctan. de morte Peregr. p. 597. (e) 1. Corinth. 8. ({) Can. 63. vide Can. z. Concil. Gangr. Can. 67. Sjnod. TruU. G 2 ticc 84. The charge oj Infanticide ticc of the weftern churches (g). Nay in the Latin church] even fo late as the beginning of the eighth century ; we find Gregory the third, bifhop of Rome y prohibiting Morticina, or the eating of animals, whofe blood was not extracted (/>). Indeed St. Aufiijt(i), and forne others about his time, take the Apoftolical decree in a different fenfe : but 'tis certain, that for a great many years ; blood, and things ftrangled, were reputed unlawful food, and Clement of Alexandria fpeaks the fentiments, of almoft all the Chriftians in the world, at that time, when he fays, * $ tiyw ZiytA rolf dvQgtoTrots btyii* It is not lawful for men to touch blood (k). By what reafons thofe worthy Chriftians con- ducted their practice, I mail not now enquire. All that I would infer from hence is, the mon- flrous injuftice, and unreafonablenefs of the charge. For, that the Chriftians fhou'd drink human blood, and at the fame time religioufly abftain, from the blood of any irrational animal ; when no imagina- ble reafon cou'd be aflign'd, but what would hold infinitely ftrongcr, againft the former, than the la- ter : that the befl of men fhou'd eat the fkfh of (g) Vide Balfamon. Scholia in Canon. j4poflol.6^. Leon. AUat. de coufenf. Ecclef. Orient. & Occident. L* 3. c* 1 4. (h) Canon. Penitent. Greg, tertti. c. 30. (i) Contra Fanfi. Manichtum. L. 32. c. *3» Tom. 6. (k) Vaiagog. L. 3. c. 3. murder'd accounted for. 85 murder'd infants ; which perhaps was never done by any people in the world, or at leafl, only by fuch favage monfters, as were perfect ftrangers to all religion, and the common duties of humanity : that Chriftians, I fay, fhou'd be guilty of this, is (hocking to common underftanding. The heathens, 'cis (did, fometimes drank human blocd, for the cure of the Epilepfy (/) : but it is not fo much as pretended, that the Chriftians drank it by way of medicine. In a word, the calumny carries its con- futation along with it : 'tis a fable big with abfur- dities, and contradiction ,* and whoever can give it any credit, may upon more probable grounds believe, that the Jews formerly here in England crucify 'd infants : nay muft be prepared for the be" lief of the molt falfe, and romantick tale, that can poflibly be invented by man. (I) Quidam jugulati Gladiatoris calido fanguine poro tali morbo fe liberarunr. Cclfus de morbo Comitiali. L. y c 23. Vide Plin. Nat. H'Ji. L. 28. f. I. Min.Ftl. p. 299- Tertul. jfpol. c. 9. G3 CHAP- CHAP. V. The charge of Atheism accounted for. I Come now to the lafl of thofe three original calumnies, which I fuppofe, to be as old as Chriflianity it felf, or very near it. The charge of Atheifin undoubtedly commene'd, as foon as there were ary Chriftians in the world. For, whilft it was the praftice, as well as the Du- ty or* the primitive Chriftians, to maintain the u- nity or" the Godhead : to explode the idolatrous worfhip, and condemn the Polytheifm of the hea- then world : they mull: unavoidably fubject them- felves to the imputation of Atheifm, and impiety. If the pagans were fincere in their belief, they cou'd not forbear cenfuring thofe, as Atheiftical and pro- phane, who vilify 'd, and treated with contempt, their fabulous Deities. Whether we fuppofe that the calumny came ori- ginally from the Jews, or from the Gentiles, there is ljttle ? orjio difficulty- in accounting for it. To an obflinate Jew, corrupted, and blinded with vi- C£s, and prejudices (as we find they were in our Wefled accounted for. 87 blefled Saviours time) a Chriftian muft appear to be a prophane, and blafphemous wretch. The Christians indeed profcfs'd to believe in, and wor- fhip the one true God, the God of Ifrael : bur how wou'd this be credited by the Jews ; whilft they obferv'd them openly, and avowedly declaring, againft circumcifion, and other legal obfervances ; and running directly counter, to many of theMo- faical precepts? They thought it a crime, of a hei- nous nature in St. Paul, who perfuaded men to wor- [hip God contrary to the law (a). And St. Stephen was charg'd with blafphemy, again ft Mofes, and again ft God; for faying, that this Jefns of Nazareth jkall deftroy this place, and [hall change the cuflotns which Mofes deliver 3 d Hi (b). The generality of the Jews paid the fame regard to the ceremonial law, as they did to the precepts of morality ,• and the eternal rules of right reafon : and when they found, that the Chriftians were for abolifhing all thofe le- gal obfervances, and carnal ordinances, they trea- ted them as impious blafphcmers ; as difputing the authority of the great God of Ifrael, and in effect denying his exigence. In confequence of this, immediately after our Lord's Afcenfion, the Jews fent meflengers into all parts of the world, to give notice, that there was lately fbrung up a- 00 AZisi*. 13. (b) A&s 6. 14, G 4 mongft 88 I lx c ha ; gf of Athcifm mon&ft them, iLt^iv afccv Xf/57^^, an athsjflkal JeLl of Cbrijliam (c). J low the heathens came to charge the Chrifli- ans with Atheifm is obvious enough. Juftin Al. tyr aifigns the reaion. He fays, the Curiftians de- m\i thofe to be Gods, tlia: were generally ac- counted fo ; and maintain^ that the pagan wor; {hip was idolatrous, znd not the worfhip of God, but of devils : h^vSi ^ "Abtot MKknptd* and from hcuce we are caked AtJyeifis (d). 3 Tis amazing to coniidcr, to what a pitch of fcupidity and infatu- ation, the heathens were arrived, at the coming of the Median. They feii down to flocks and (tones, and gave a fiiam divinity, to the word of men. and the viiefl of creatures. There was fcarce an Altar in the world, dedicated to the true God; tho 5 in him they liv'd, and mov'd, and had their being. Their corruption in manners, was equal to their ignorance :. and whilft they knew not God, they were even flrangers, to the common duties; of morality : fo that the world never flood more in need or a Saviour ; and never defer/d one lefs; than it did at that time, when the fon of God was pleas'd to defcend from Heaven} that he might deflroy the works of the devil. The Apoflles, and their fucceiTors, had incredi- ble difficulties to engage with, whilft they were (c) fajlin. Dial, cam Trtfb. p. 235- 3 35- {d) Apl. 1. endeavouring accounted for. 89 endeavouring to root out idolatry, and fuperftition, tluc were grown venerable by their great antiqui- ty, and recommended by almoft an univerfal prac- tice. To turn men from the power of Satan unto God, who were influene'd by the moll obftinate and rooted prcj dices, was a work, that cou'd never have been .ifected, without the afllftance, and interposition of the omnipotent arm of God, The firil plainer., of our holy religion, with fur- prizing conitancy and courage, aliened, that what the heathens worftiipp'd, were.falfe, and fictitious deities. This mightily exasperated the pagans, who, to vindicate the honour of their Gods, pur- fu'd the Chriifians with infernal malice ; and load- ed them with the vileil reproaches. They were treated, as mod impious innovators in religion. As enemies to gods, and men. And upon this, the charge of Atheifm became a popular, and ge- neral calumny. Oefcens the Cynick gives this cha- racter of the drift ians (e). Lucian fuppofeth a Chriltian and an Atheift to be the fame thing (/). A great multitude of Jews and heathens, at Poly- carp's Martyrdom, cry'd out with one voice, iip ri§ A0£a*, away with the Atheifts, meaning the Chriftians (g). (e) Jujiin. Jpol. 2. (f) PJewiomdnt. p. 624. Torn. I. U) &pift* Ecclef.Smyrn* d& Poly cur f. Martyr* c. 3. 9.^2, The 90 The charge of Atheifm The heathens urg'd the charge* of Atheifm with the greater vehemence, becaulc they obferv'd, that the Chriftians ridicul'd their fuperftirious foo- leries, and all their rites and ceremonies, that had been for a long time reputed facred. The Chriftians had (o great an abhorrence of an idol, that they omitted no opportunity of expreffing it. By way of derifion and contempt, they us'd to fpit at the altars, and the images of the pagan Gods. This cuftom is alluded to by lenullian (b) ; and 'tis mcntion'd by Cecilim, as an inftance of the greateft impiety (/). Celfas charges the Chriftians with abu- fing, and ftriking at the ftatues of Jupiter, Apollc t and the reft (k). The irreverence and contempt that the Chrifti- ans fhew'd to the idol temples, was alfo thought to be no little aggravation of the guilt of prophane- nefs, and impiety. The Chriftians looked upon the heathen temples, as the habitation of devils: as publick (lews, and receptacles for the mod a- bandon'd proftitutes. But the pagans were ex- tremely offended, to hear their temples call'd fe- pulchres : and when George, bilhop of Alexandria, paffing by a heathen temple, cry'd out, Quamdiu (h) Ipflus fidei confcientiam perrogemus , quo ore Chriftianus thurarius fi per templa tranfibit, quo ore fu- mantcs aras dcfpuer, & exfufflabit quibus ipfc profpcxit ? De IdoUlat. c. u. (O Deos defpuunt. Ridcnt facra. Min. Fel. £.77. (k) Qrigtn, ctnira Celf. I. 8, p, 402. jepukhrum accounted for. 9 1 fepulchrum hoc ftabit ? How long Jhali this fepulchre /land ? The enrag'd multitude fell upon him, and tore him to pieces ; burnt his body, and cafl the afhes into the fea (/). Several of the Chriftian writers indifputably prove (?n), that the heathen temples, were originally funeral monuments : and that the pagan deities were in reality dead men, whofe bones and afhes were depofited in the tem- ples : this made the heathens exclaim, Templa tit bufla defpiciunt. They look upon our temples, ad monu- ments for the dead (n). And when churches came to be erected upon the Martyrs graves, the heathens fmartly enough retorted the charge, and caifd the Chriftian temples raV', Sepulchres; and the Chris- tians themfelves, ot^ifi tx$xc, thofe that frequen- ted the ccemeteries, or graves of the martyrs (0). When the Chriftians became numerous, and pow- erful, and were under the protection of the civil magiflrate, many of the pagan temples were ut- terly demolifli'd. Then the charge of Atheifm run high : the heathens were quite out of patience ; and cou'd not mention a Chriftian without rage, (/) Ammian. Marcellin. I. 21. cap. 11. p. 326. vid. Socraf. Hift.Ecclef. I. 3. cap. 2. (m) Clem. Alex. Cohort at. ad Gent. cap. 3. p. 39. cap. 10. f. 74- Arnob. I. 6. p. 193, 194. Tertull. defpcftac. cap. 13. (n) Min. Fel. p. 77. (0) Vide Julian, Mifopog. Lifanii Qrat. funeb. Eunap. vita anil 9 7 The charge of Axhetfm and invcftive. Libamm> Julian, and others (/>), difplay their rhecorick upon this head : and Eu- napim can neither keep within the bounds of truth, nor decency, when he mentions the demolition, of the famous temple of Serapis at Alexandria (q). The great miferies and hardfhips the Christians underwent, help'd forward the calumny or' Atheifm ; being efteem'd the juft confequence, of feme egre- gious impiety. The heathens afcrib'd all their happinefs, and fuccefs to their piety towards their gods : and all their misfortunes, and difappoint- ments to prophanenefs, and negligence in their fu- perftitious worfhip. The prodigious extent, and the flourifhing ftate of the Roman empire, they imputed to this : that whilft' other nations had their particular deities, the Romans worfhipp'd all (r). 'Twas this that brought (as they foolifhly imagin'd) the whole world infubje&ion to the Ro- man laws. 'Twas this that kept Hannibal from their gates, and the Gauls from the Capitol (/). Hence they blafphem'd the great God of Ifrael, when the Jews became a conquer'd people : when their power was gone into captivity, and their beauty into the enemies hand (t). And for the fame reafon, and __ , — ^ 1 j — (p) Vide Julian. & Liban. opera. lq) Eunap. and Protagoras were feverely pu- niuVd, for deriding the facred myfteries; and fpeak- ing difrefpedfully of the gods : and Anaxagoras the Claz,omenian fufrer'd death, for aflerting, that the Sun (which was generally worfhipp'd as a god of the firft clafs) was nothing but a red hot flone (x). (w) Julian* Epijl. 59. f. 203. Fragment, p. 528. Mifipog. f. 90, 95, 9 8 - (#) Jofepb. conrra Apien* /. 2. p, 1 079. TuS, de nat. Deor* /. 1. Theoph*ad jiutol. /. 3. CHAP. £u> CHAP. VI. The charge of Kg?*AoN>A*7?**» or of ivor* 'JbfopMg the Head of an Afs accounted for. WHEN this Calumny took it's firfc rife, I cannot precifely determine : but 'tis evident enough, that it was of a much later date, than any of thofe that 1 have already attempted to account for : fince nei- ther Juftiit, TkeophilM, nor Atkenagorcu, take any notice of it. TertuIIian is the firfc that mentions it; and Minucim Felix (who wrote (a) about the fame time) is the lafc. From whence one wou'd conjecture, that this filly and abfurd calumny, was but of a very fhort continuance : and indeed who can imagine, that fo ftupid a fiction fhou'd be kept up, and propagated for any confiderablc time ? and efpecially, when it cannot be fuppos'd, that any pagan could believe this charge to be true, without offering the greateft violence to his own underftanding. . (a) Vide Cav. Hift. Lit. D. Allix. difi ftrift. TertuQ. ?ert*t. de ***- & Mofl 9 6 The charge of AJs* worfbip Moft of the calumnies were deri v'd from remote hints, and occasional appearances : from foul mif- conftructions put upon the .actions, and behaviour of a Chriftian : but this one would take, to be purely the invention of feme bafe, and malicioi»s heathen. TertuMan fpeaks of an infamous Gladia- tor, who exposed a picture with this infeription ; Onochoetesy the God of the Chriftians (b). The picture reprefented a monfter, that had Afs's ears, a hoof on one foot, a book in one hand, and was cloath'd with a gown. Whether this occafion'd the calumny, I will not fay : but it is not impro- bable, that it had fome fuch foundation. An Afs was generally accounted a vile and contemptible Quadruped. Cecilius calls it a filthy Beaft (c). The ^Egyptians treated it as an impure, and pro- phane fort of an animal (d) : and when they had a mind to defcribe a wicked, and execrable wretch, they cail'd him an Afs (e). For this rea- ion perhaps, the enemies of Chriflianity invented the flupid fable of the AiVs head ; thinking they cou'd not better defcribe the wickednefs, ftupidi- (£) Apd. cap. \6. (c) Min. Fel. p. 83. (d) T °? ovov i >&,3*#V, etM* JktfJLoyiKjav nyhnu £aoy tiycti. Plutarch, de Iftd. &Ofir p. 268. (e) Tuv Tji^dtrnv &etfihu>v kx$e&w*fl*t f-utA/sa ihvca^v a< otr&yv x} t^etfjv, "Lvov t7wwt/AV out- Ibid. Apud Agyp- fios, afini nomen objettare, magnum eft ingercrc pro- brum, quod Typhonis hoftis Ofiridis eolorem fcrrer. Alex, ah Alex. /. 4 p. 1200. cap. 26. Vide cap. 2. /. 4. p> 876. ty, accounted for. 97 ty, and folly of the Chriftians ; nor more effectu- ally ridicule rheir religion, than by making the moil contemptible of animals, the object of their worfhip. Some are of opinion (f) 9 that the firft occafion for this vile reflection upon the Chriftian worfhip, was given by the hereticks ; fome of whom wor- fhipp'd a fictitious Angel, or daemon, under the fhape of an Afs. The Valentinians, Bajilidians> and others of the Gnoflkk herefy, had a flrange myfte- rious Cabala amongft them ; which they maintain'd, was unintelligible to every body but themfelves (g). From a Myitical interpretation of flrange words ; and a conjunction of certain numerical letters, they invented a great many heavens, and angels, or go- vernours of them ; to whom they gave different names, and different offices (h) : and the genera- tion, or production of thofefeveral imaginary pow- ers, is juft fuch a ftupid tale, as the poetical ge- nealogy of the heathen gods. The hereticks call *d Ophiani (from their worfhipping of a ferpent) in conformity to the Gnoftick fcheme, had their fe- ven heavens, and (o many angels, or prefidents over them. In the firft Heaven they plac'd Michael, in the fhape of a Lyon. In the fecond Sttrides i in the fhape of a Bull. In the third Raphael prefided (f) Vide Ouzelii Not. in Oclav. Min. Fil f. 83, (g) Ire*, contra haref. L. J. c. 4 (h) Iren. L. I. A 24. c. 30. H under 98 The charge of j4fs-wor/hi]) under the form of a Serpent. In the fourth Gal who was like an Eagle. In the fifth Tbautbabaotb 3 who had the fhape of a Bear. In the flxth Erataotb, in the fhape of a Dog. And in the feventh 0/. or 7'bartbaraotb, under the flmilitude of an Afs (/'). There were other hereticks, who call'd the Gover- nour of the feventh heaven Sabaotb (k). Epipbam- m, fpeaking of the Gnoftkks, acquaints us, that fome of them gave to Sabaotb the fhape of an Afs : and others the fhape of an hog : and for this rea- fon imagin'd, that the Jews were prohibited the eating of hogs flefh (/). This Sabactb, according to the Gnoflick fcheme, was the creator of heaven, and earth ; and of all thofe angels and powers that were fubjedt to his jurifdi<5tion. What has been (aid of the Opbiani, is chiefly taken from Celftts, and confirm'd by the unqueftio- nable authority of Origen ; who made it his bufi- nefs to be rightly acquainted with the errors, and dbfurdities of thofe hereticks (m) : and as to what Epipbanim fays of Sabaotb, in the fhape of an Afs, &c. it carries the greater air of probability, as it is fupported by the teftimony ofTbeodoret (n). Nay (i) Origen. contra Celf. 1.6. p. 295. vide Spencer. Anmt at. (k) Eptpban. de Uxref. Archontic. cap. 2. p. 293. cap. $, P- =9?- ^/ftf* fie IUref. Gnjfiic. cap. 10. p. 91. (m) Contra Celf. I. 6. p. 296, 297. (n) Haret. Fab, I. 1. de Archntic. Origen accounted for. 99 Origin too mentions Sabarth, as one of thofc ficti- tious gods, or govemours (°) : anfj wfeac comes nearer: cf all to the calumny upon the Chriftians, we learn from the fame author, that ibme of thofe govern ours were reprefented mjs lvM%iKM< 9 m having an Affi heal (p). From whence it appears, that what was charg'd upon the Chriftians in general* was in a great meafure true, of fome of the here- ticks : and i:::ce it was an ufual thing with the pa- gans (and what is loudly complained of by all the Apologifts) r o throw the odium of all heretic I nonfenfe, and blafphemies, upon the whole Chr f- tian feciery (q) : 'tis probable enough, that thehe- reticks gave a handle for the charge of Onolatna. Bat the bed way to dif:over tiie true, and ori- ginal foundation of the charge, will be to inquire into thofe calumnies, that were formerly thrown upon the Jewifh nation : horn whence this upon the Chriftians was denVd. I fpeak this with the greater ailurance, having T'enidUan on my (ide (r)j who is the more competent a witnefs in this cafe, as living at the time, when the calumny of Omlar tria was firft broach'd. (0) Contra Cclf. I. 6. p. 296. Vide hen. I. i. cap. 30. (p) L 6 p. 300. (1) Celfus blafphemes the Chriftian Name on account of the Ophiani. Qrigen. contra Cclf I. 6. p. 294, 5, 6, 7, 8. (r) yipd. cap. \6. H 2 There I co The charge of Afs-worjhip ' There never was any people under the heavens (excepting the primitive Chriftians) fo grofly abu- fed, and fo fhamefully mifreprefented, as the Jews were, even by authors of tolerable credit, ,and reputation. There is fcarce any one heathen wri- ter, that mentions the Jews, without fattening fome egregious falfhood upon them : without fome romantick and fabulous account of their laws, and religion, their manners and cuftoms, their temple and their facrifkes. A Jew is always reprefented, under the odious character of an Atheifl, and ade- clar'd enemy to mankind (V). One that was ob- lig'd by folemn Oaths (t), and by the exprefs di- rections of Mofes (V), to fhew no pity, nor favour, to any ftranger whatfoever. Whenever any pro- phane author undertakes to give an hiftorical ac- count of the origin, and antiquity of the Jewifb nation, or of their deliverance from ^Egyptian cap- tivity, we are to expert nothing but fome filly, fenfelefs tale, and the fouleft of reproaches, and calumnies. To begin with Juftin, the Epitomizer of Tregm Pompeitu. He fays, the Jews came originally from Damafcm, the capital of Syria, where Abraham> Jcfeph. contra .Apiw. I. i. p. 1069. Vide Tacit. Hiji. /. 5. Dio- dor. Sic. I. 34. Eclog. 1. /. 40. Eclo£. 1. (t) J ->f (ph. contra Jlpion I. 2. p. 1007. («) Jofeph. centra Jpiw, I. 1. p. 1058. and accounted for. 101 and Jfrael were kings. What he fays of Jtfepb be- ing in iEgypr, is pretty confiftent with lacred hif- tory, but the reafon he gives for the children of Ifrael leaving the land of is a vile fable. The z^£gyfticms y he fays, had a (cabby diftemper among!! them ; and fearing the contagion wou'd make a further progrefs, they banifb/d all that were infected, along with Mofes, the fon of Jcfepb, who conducted this diftemper'd, and miferable multi- tude, for feven days together falling, through the defarts of Arabia, till they came to Mount Sina y where they met with refrefhmenr. There Mofes, in remembrance of their deliverance from famine, appointed every feventh day, to be kept as a faft for ever : and becaufe he was afraid, left the nau- feous diftemper amongft his people, and the rea- fon of their cxpulfion from sEgypt, fhou'd make them odious and contemptible ,* he prohibited all commerce, and fociety with Grangers : and what he did upon prudential reafons, and to avoid in- famy and reproach, became a religious obfer- vance (w). What Lyfimachm fays, is ftill at a greater dis- tance from truth, and a feverer reflection upon the Jewifh nation. The Jews in J£g)p, in the reign of Boccboi is, he fays, were forely afflicted with the Leprofy, and other diftempers; and fled to the (w) 2M»'». Hift. I. 36. cap. 2. Vide Diodor. Sic. I- 34. Echg. 1 , I. 40- &lo£- * • H 3 temples ioa The charge of Af^zvor/bip temples to beg their bread The contagion fprcai atici a great mortality, and famine enfucd. Whilft &&gypt was in this calamitous condition ; King /;;.o con fill ted the Oracle ; and was anfwet'd, that the temples muft be dear'd of thofe impure, and wicked wretches, the Jews: that the Lepers muft be drown'd, and the reft of the Jews turn'd out a ftarvir.g, into the Wildernefs. The King [giouily purfacd the directions of the Oracle : he ordered the Lepers to be wrapped up in (beets of lead, and thrown into the fea ; and the unin- fected multitude he drove out by an armed force, into the wildernefs. It wis Mofes's advice to thofe miferable exiles, to march together in one body, ti.l they came to feme inhabited country: to dew bo kindrefs, to give no wholfom advice to any mortal living, to throw down the altars, and tem- 5 of the Gods, wherever they met with them. The people fubmitted to Mofesh directions; and under his conduct went forward, burning and plundering the temples, till they came to judxa : where they built the city Hierofula, fo call'd from their plundering of the temples : but obferving, that this name might occalion reproach, and perpetu- ate their infamy, they chang'd it to Hierofolyma (x). Strata, (x) J'feph- contra jpion- /. i. p. 1058. To prevent repe- tition, I defigiedly omit what Manuka and Apion (ay, about 'raelites coming out of /Egypt. But I cannot pafs by i extravagant fiction, about the Inftitution of the Jewift accounted for. 103 Straboy an author of great judgment, andean- dour, makes fome miftakes, m giving an account of the Jewifli nation. He fays it was reported, that the Jews were of an JEgyptian extraction, and that Mujes was an AZg yptian prieli. Ke takes ab- ftinence from certain meats ; circuracifion, and other legal ceremonies, to be a fuperflitious dege- neracy from the Mofakk inflitutions. He fpeaks of Mufes with reverence and honour ,* and finely de- fcribes, what fentimencs he had of the fupreme Being. His fucceiTors too he mentions with ap- plaufe, calling them men truly religkm (>). There can fcarce be any thing imagined more extravagant, and filly, than Plutarch's calumny up- on the Jews. He had heard (z,), that they religi- Jewifh Sabbath. He fays, when the Jews had travell'd fix days together, they were feiz'd with Buboes, or Swellings in the Groin : and for this reaibn they refted on the feventh day when they came into the land of ^udax. And they call'd the feventh day Sabbath, becaufe, in rhe ./Egyptian language, Sabbato/is fignifies BvCayQ- aA>©-, :he diftemper of the Groin. Jof. cont. A$. I 2. (y) Strab. Geograph. I. 16. p. 523, 4. (z) This was very well known to the heathens, who made ic the fubjecl: of prophane mirth, and drollery. Cum audifTet (Auguftus) inter pueros, quos in Syria Herodes rex Judoeorum intra bimatum juflit interfici, fiiium quoq; ejus occifum : ait ; melius eft Herodis porcum efle, quam fiiium. Macrob. Saturnal. I. 2. cap. 4. Et vetus indulget fenibus Clementia Porcis. Juvenal Sat. 6. verf. 161. Nec diftare pucant humana came fuiilaai. Sat. 14, H 4 oufly 1 04. The charge of AJs-vuorJhip oufly abltain'd from fwines fkfti, and made it a quel; ion, whether this abftinence proceeded from their adoration, or abhorrence of chat nafty ani- mal : and iince they thought it as great a crime (as he fuppofeth) to kill that animal, as it was to eat it, he gravely concludes for their adoration of it ; and adds, as the Jews worfhip an afs, that fhew'd them the way to a fountain of water, when they were ready to perim with thirft in the wil- dernefs : fo they worfhip an hog, as being the in* venter of ploughing, and fowing (a). Tacitta throws many fevere, and fatyrical reflec- tions upon the Jews. That celebrated hiftorian, bigoued to pagan Polytheifm, and fuperftition, grofly abufes, and mifreprefents both Jews, and Chriftians ; for which one of the Fathers (b) gives him the title of ' mendaciorum lcquacijji?nus, tbegreatefl of hers. Afrer he has recited feveral fables, con- cerning the Origin of the Jewifh nation, he pro- ceeds to the reafon of their banifhment out of *s£- g)pt: wherein he copies exa&ly after Lyjimachus. When the exiles were in a defponding, and melan- choly condition, Mofes, he fays, advifes them to follow him as their guide ; and to look for no af- fiftance, either from the Gods, or from Men. The people coniented, and went forward, with Mofes (a) Sympof. 4. c*p. y. (*) Tertul. Ap*\. c*p. 16. Vide FsmUn. Strad. Prolus. 1 Lib. i. « accounted for. 105 at the head of them. But in their travels, they were fo diftrefs'd for want of water, that the whole mul- titude was upon the point of expiring. In this dif- trefs, Mcfes very luckily obferv'd fome wild affes, that were going to drink : he follow'd 'em, and found out great plenty of water. In gratitude to thofe beafts, that fav'd the whole multitude from imminent deftruction,the fiatue of an afs,was after- wards" erected, in the temple at Jerufaiem. For fix days together the people journeyed, and on the feventh, happily arriv'd at that place* where they built their city, and their temple : and becaufe the feventh day put a period to a laborious, and mi- ferable peregrination, Alvfts ordain'd, that every feventh day fhou'd be kept as a Sabbath, or day of reft. The Jews won't eat of a hog, becaufe that animal is very liable to the fame diftemper of the fcab, or leprofy, with which the Jews were afflic- ted in &g)p. There are feveral more calumnies in the fame author, which it wou'd be too tedious to mention (c). Dion CaJJJus very juftly obferves (d) y that the Jews had no ftatue in their temple at Jaufalem ; becaufe it was their opinion, that Almighty God cou'd not be defcrib'd, or reprefented by any via- ble, corporeal appearance whatfoever. He migh- tily extols the beauty, and magnificence of the ho- (e) Hijl. L. J. (d) Lib. 37-f. 37* Vide Diodor. Sic. I 40. p. 922. ic6 The charge of Afs-isuor/hip \y temple ; and onely finds fault with it in this particular, that the outer courts had no roof, or covering, and were expos'd to the open air. Hence •came that calumny upon the Jews, mention'd by -Juvenal (e). Nil prater miles, & cdi numen adorant. 'tJjey uom-Jhip noticing but the clouds, and the heavens. When Antiochus prophan'd, and facrilegioufly plunder'd the holy temple ; he found in it (as Dio- doriis Siarfus (/) has it) a flone flatue, reprefenting a man with a long beard, riding upon an Afs,which he took to be Mofes. Apion tells us, Antiochus found in the temple, the Afs's head, which the Jews worfhipp'd, made of gold, and of a very considerable value (g). The fame fabulous au- thor tells a filly ftory of one Zabidus, an inhabitant of Bora; who by a cunning flratagem, ftole this golden head out of the temple (h). Damocritus, an hiftorian, charges the Jews, not only with wor- fhipping the golden head of an Afs, but alfo with offering up human Sacrifices to it : every feventh (e) Sat. 14. Vide Origen, cont. Celf. L J. p. 234. Vide Diodtr.Sic. I. 40. Eclog. f. 922. (f) L. 2.4. Eclog. I. />. 901. Or) Jofeph. contra Jpion. /. 2. (b) Ibid. year, accounted for. 107 year, he fays, the Jews catch fome itranger, whom they tear in pieces, and kill, and offer up as a fa- crifice to the Afs's head (/'). I have already taken notice or Apions tale of a Greek, that was annu- ally facririe'd, and eaten by the Jews : and to this fliort, hiftorical account, of the calumnies, formerly thrown upon the Jewifh nation, I fhall onely add, what Suidas reports, about a Jewifh cuftom, viz*, when any one renounce Judaifm, he's oblig'd to ride on a white afs about the fyna- gogue, on the fabbath day (k). The true, and fundamental caufe, of all thofe foul, and heavy alperfions upon the Jews, will in a great meafu re appear, by making die following obfervations. Fir ft, It is not at all to be wor.dred at, that the heathens committed fo many miftakes, about the origin of the Jewifh nation, and the Ifraelites com- ing out of JEgypt ; when they had no hiftory, but what was a great deal later than that of Mofes, The Greeks, after all their vain boafts of antiqui- ty, were taught the ufe of letters by Cadmus, the Thxnician, who liv'd (according to Clement (I) of Alexandria) eleven generations after Mofes. 'Tis certain they had no exact hiftory amongft thern^ (0 Suidas in voc. Damocritus. Vide Suid. de Juda. (k) Suid. in Zenone. (I) Strm. 1. p. 383. before 1 08 The charge of Afs-worfhip before the firft Olympiad (/»), when the world was above three thoufand years old. Nay, if we may credic jfofephus, their firfl hiflorians, Cadmus Mile' feus, and Acufdaus (n), wrote but a little before Xerxes 3 s expedition into Greece ; which was about three hundred years after the firft Olympiad, and a thoufand years later than Mofes. Sanchoniathon, the ancient, and celebrated author of the Phxnkian hiftory, by Porphyries own con- feffion (0), was later than Mofes. And if we may be allow'd to form a judgment of that hiftorian, from his account of the Pbanician Theology, pre- ferv'd by Eufebius (p), he was an author too fabu- lous, and inconfiflent, to be depended on. Manet ho, who feems to have been the forger of feveral calumnies upon the Jews, wrote his Egyp- tian hi&ory, in the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus, af- ter the Greek translation of the Bible {a) ; and not three hundred years, before the birth of our Savir our. He undertook his hiftory, with an intenti- on, as fome imagine (V), to confront the facred hiftory of Mofes, and to depreciate, and vilifie its authority. He takes his fabulous account of the /Egyptian Dynafties, from inferiptions upon pillars, Ijn) Juftin. Mart. Cohortat. ad Gracoi. (n) Contra Jpion. I. 1. p. 1 03 4. ($) Eufeb. Pnepar. Evangel. /. 10. cap. 8. (p) Prapar. Evangel. I. I. cap. 6 t 10. (a) Stillingfleet Orig. Sacra. I. I. c 3. (r) Ibid. and accounted for. 109 and other records in the temples : and to advance the honour, and antiquity of his own nation, he begins the Egyptian annals, a great many thou- fands of years, even before the creation of the world. Berofus, the author of the Chaldaan hifto- ry, wrote about the fame time with Manetko : and in a word, there is nor one hiftorian, whether Greek, or Barbarian, that is comparable to Mofes for antiquity : and when any of them attempr, to give an account of the Mofa.ck age, they have recourfe to forgery, and fiction, to groundlefs, and romantick fables. Secondly, The Heathens, even a great many ages after Mofes, knew very little of the Jewifh affairs : and their ignorance in the Jewifh hiftory, is to be imputed to thefe two caufes. Firft, The Jews had little or no traffick, or commerce with other nations. They inhabited an inland country, and their cities were at a pretty great diftance from the fea. Jcfepbus obferves (s)> that the Phoenicians, ^Egyptians, and others, who carried on a considerable trade by fea, were very well known in the world : whilft other people, that were not fo commodi.oufly fituated for trade, were fcarce fo much as mention'd, and known to none, but their neareft neighbours. The fame author further obferves ; that the Greeks, and Ro- mans, tho' at no great diftance, were for a long (s) Contraction. /. I p. 1038. time, 1 1 o The charge of s4[s*vjorJbip time, perftd: ftrangers to one another: and that neither Herodotus, nor Tbucydides, do fo much as mention the Romans, tho' at that time, they were a considerable, and flourifhing people. The other reafon, why rhe gentiles were fo ig- norant of the Jevvifh affairs ,• and guilty of fuch miftakes, and mifreprefentations, was this. The Jewifh religion enjoy n'd a peculiar way of life ; and prohibited an open familiarity, and conven- tion with the gentiles : and the behaviour of the Jews, which was conducted by a religious princi- ple, the heathens imputed to a hatred, and aver- fion that they bore to mankind. Upon this they made reprisals, and were refolv'd to hate, and perfecute them in their turn. They reprefented them as declar'd enemies to mankind (t) : inven- ted the groffeft fables, on purpofe to blacken, and expofe them ; and purfu'd them with the mod ma- licious reproaches, and calumnies. Thirdly, The Jews were hated, cenfur'd, and abus'd for the fake of their religion ; which was contrary (u) to the faihionable fentimen:s of the — ■ — (t) Ec Parentes malorum odimus, & eft conditoribus urbium infamise, contraxifle aliquam perniciofam ceteris gentem, qua-lis eft primus Judaicae fuperftitionis author, & Graccorum leges irivifae. Quintiliafi' Inflitut. Orator. /. 3. Cap. 9. Vide Jofeph. Antiquitat I. 13. cap. 16. Ditdor. Sic. /. 34. Eclog.i. I. 40. Eclog. 1. Efther. Apoc. cap. l 3, 4, 5. (u) Mofes, quo fibi impofterum gentem firmaret, novos ritus, contrariofq; ceteris mortalibus indidic. Tacit. Hifi. Lib. 5. heathen accounted for. 1 i 1 heathen world ; and condemned that Idolatry, that every where fcandaloufly prevaifd. Religious differences alwaj s produce the herceft contentions, and the mod dirty calumnies : but how mufl the heathens be provok'd, when the Jews, in contra- diction to the common flnfe of mankind, wor- fhipp'd the one great Lord, and Sovereign of the univerfe : and den)'d thofe to be gods, whom all AJia and the -world zuorfiipp'd ? This was look'd up- on as a crime of the blackeft, and mod capital na- ture,* and that call'd for the ievereft punifhmenr. This entail'd upon the Jews, the odious names of Atheifm, and prophanenefs ,• and made Pliny give this character of the Jews, Judxa gens contumelia nununum in/ignis. 'The jfiujifi nation is remarkable fw reproaching the gods (w). Fourthly, The Jews too often gave jufi grounds for cenfure, being guilty of feveral extravagancies, and follies, which were always emprov'd, and magnified by their enemies, the heathens. Jofe- phm gives the vileft character of his own country- men. Juft before Jerufalem was taken by the Ro- mans, the Jews, he fays, were the corrupted peo- ple under the heavens. They were arriv'd at fuch an uncommon, and prodigious height of iniquity, that he believes, if the Romans had delay'd their coming againft them ; the earth wou\i have open- fa?) Nat. Hifl. I. 13. cap. 14. Nee quidquam prius imbu« untur, quam contemner c Deos. Tacit. Wfi. I. 5. ed 1 1 a The charge of j4Js^jaorJhi^ ed, and fwallow'd them up : or a deluge of watef fwept them all away : or a fire from heaven would have confum'd them, as it did Sodom and Gomor- rha (*)• Juvenal reprefents the Roman Jews, as itrolling impoftors, and fortune-tellers (y ) : fome of them are accus'd of cheating people of their money, under a pretence of making collections for the facred treafury at Jerufalem (z). And in a word, their conduct in many inftances, was far from being innocent, and juitifiable ; and the Gen- tiles, who were prejudiced againft them, made the crimes of particular perfons, a national reflection : and they were the more ready to credit every ca- lumny upon the Jews, becaufe they obferv'd that their conduct, in many things, deferv'd cenfure. Laftly> As to the occafion of that particular charge of Onolatvia, or Afs-worfhip, there are va*- rious conjectures. The Jews were faid to worfhip the head of an Afs, becaufe Mofes, by the afliftance of fome wild Afles, found out water in the wil- dernefs. Some therefore are of opinion (a), that (*) Jo fob. de Bello $ud. I 6. cap. 16. p. 930. cap. 27. p. 933. cap. 37- P- 94°- '« 7- cap. 30. /». 986. (y) ■ — ' aere minuco, Qualiacunq; voles Judaei fomnia vendunt. Sat. 6. Vcrf. $47- (z) Jo fob. Antiquit. Jud. 1. 18. cap. $. Vide Suet on. Titer, cap. 36. Tacit. Annai. I. 1. (a) Vide Quz^L Not. in Min. Fd. p. 84. Fuller MifetL I. 3. cap. 8. the accounted for. 1 1 3 the following pafljge in Gcnefis, gave the firft decafion ror this calumny, upon the Jews. Jbis was that Anah that found the mules in the •wilderuefs at he fed the Affes of Zibeon his father (b). Now the word jamim, which our translators render mules, fignifies alfo Teas, or pools of water (c) : and ac- cording to this interpretation, the verfe runs thus. Ana fund waters in the ivi/demefs y at he fed the Affes of Zibeon his father. This latter interpretation feems to have the preference, becaufe in all other places in the old Teftamenr, mules are cal/d, not jfamim, but Peradim (d). But this conjecture is of little weight or fignificancy, being built upon a fupfofition, that the Gentiles miflook Ana for Mfes y which cannot, without the greateft difficul- ty, be conceiVd. Another ingenious conjecture, and which is at- tended with greater probability, is made by the learned, and worthy author of the reafonablenefs* and certainty of the Chriftian religion ( e ). w He obferves, that the higheft degree of ex- ct communication, among the Jews, being iHTd (b) Gen. 36. 24. (c) Alii putant Jamlm Maria appellata. Iifdem enim litreris fcribuntur Maria, quibus & nunc hie fermo de- fcriptus eft. Et volunt ilium dum pafcic afinos pauis fui in defcrto, aquarum congregariones repperiiTe : quae juxta idioma linguae Hebraicae Maria nuncupenrur. Hievon.§>ti*fi. in Genef. Tom. 3. p. 10 1. (d) I Kings 10. ic. 2 Kings 5. 17, &c. (e) Dr. Jenkins Preface to the aal v*U p. 15, 16. I Shammatha ; 1 1 4. The charge of j^fs-wOr/bip " Shammatha ; which is the fame with Maranatha : " Sham fignifying Lord, as Mayan alfo doth in " the Syriac, and other Languages: and Atha (ig- u nifying cometh : ^Zw might either ignorantly, " ormalicioufly be mifhken for Atbon ; which fig- " nifies an Afs. And 'zis likely, that this calum- a ny might be flrft rais'd by fome body, who had " been excommunicated, and turn'd Apoftate, in c< Beliopo/is, or fome other part of JEgypt ; for which fig- nifies an Afs, is exceeding probable. For, Firft, This calumny did not commence till after the Jew- ifh Temple was built in /Egypt, by Onias ; which was about 150 years before the birth of" our Savi- our. This Onias being difappoinced of the high- priefthood, fled into /Egypt ; where he got fo far into the good graces of Ptolemy Pbilometor, that he obtain'd a Licenfe from him to build a Temple, and a city, which from its founder was denomina- ted Onion y i. e. the city of Oniat (f). The place (f) Jofeph. Antiq. I. 13. cap. 6* I. 20. cap. 8. de bello Jud. aflignd accounted for. * 1 5 affign'd him was in the prefecture of Heliopolis, at about two and twenty miles diftance from Mem- phis (g). He had alio a large Territory given him by king Ptolemy, which he planted with jews, and which was afterwards calfd Oj*;«x % $»*- **SW> Xj ZwAytytf's* Mid. 1 3 a^ainft 1 1 8 The charge of j4fs- faction, an impious confpiracy (&), apnblick peft, declar'd enemies to Cafar^ and the Roman laws (/). It was the firfl calumny that Celfm threw upon the Chriftians, that they kept their private feafts of charity, in contempt of the laws (w). Their conventicles were frequently pull'd down(»)> and fometimes burnt, together with all the people there affembled (o) : and in a word, no puniflr xnent was thought too fevere, for fuch capital of- fenders, and fuch execrable Treafon. Pliny, after a ftri& enquiry, owns the Chrifh'an aflemblies to be harmlefs, and innocent (p) : and what was done there is related by the Apologias, without any difguife. They tell the heathens, that they were fo far from being* enemies to Cafar, or the publick peace, that they pray'd for all mankind (k) Min. Fel.p. 70, 8 1. (I) Vita Sti.Cypnani p. 13. TertuL dpol.cap.i. (m) Origen. contra C elf. I. 1. p. 4. (n) Arnob. adverf. Gcntes, I. 4. p. I $2. (0) Latlant. dejuftitia, /. $.cap. 11. *. 258. (p) Affirmabant autem banc fuifTe fummam vel culpx fuse, vel erroris, quod effent foliti ftaco die ante lucem convenire, Carmenq; Chrifto, quafi Deo, dicere fecum invicem : feq; facramento non in fcelus aliquod obftrin- gere ; fed ne furta, ne latrocinia, ne aduleeria committe- renf, ne fidem fallerent, ne depofitum appellati abnega- rent. Quibus pera&is, morem fibi difcedendi fuifTe : rur- fufq; coeundi ad capiendum cibum, promifcuum umen, & innoxium. Epifi. 97. /. 10. in accounted for. i a 3 in general ; and more particularly for the happi- nefs, and profperity of the empcrours (q). But all this avail'd nothing, and cou'd neither clear the Chriftians from the imputation of difloyalty, nor fcreen them from perfecution. To difpute any of Cafa/s commands, let them be what they wou'd, was an unpardonable contempt of his au- thority, and a Treafon that merited his hottefl indignation. The Chriftians kept their afTemblies privately in the night, becaufe they were afraid of being in- flated by their enemies, and interrupted at their devotions. Befides many of the poorer fort had no leifure in the day time, to attend upon religi- ous exercifes, being obliged to follow fome fervile, and laborious occupation, for the maintenance of themfelves, or families. But the heathens aflign'd a quite different reafon for thofe nocturnal afleixi- blies ,* and drew an argument of guilt, from the privacy of the Chriftian worfhip. This is one of the ftrongeft arguments brought by Cacilim to fup* port the charge againft the Chriftians (r). Why fo much caurion, and fecrefy, i^ they do nothing they are afham'd of ? if men love darknejs rather than light , it is becaufe their deeds are evil. (a) Tertul. Apoh cap. 30, J I. Cyprian, ad Dem&trian* Alht- tlAg- L>tZ ai - Arnob. /. 4. (r) Mill. Ftl. p. 85, 90. 2. They 1 24 The charge of Sedition, Sec. 2. They were tax'd with difloyalty, becaufe they refused to pay divine honours to Cafar 9 and to give him fuch lofty titles, as belong only to the fupreme Being. S.xh was the degeneracy and in- fatuation of the heathens, that they treated the Emperours as Gods, and even fome of the worft of them, who were (hangers to every commenda- ble quality, and feem'd to be funk below the dig- nity of rational creatures. Moil of them had di- vine worfliip paid them, either when living, or de*d : and thofe who refus'd it, were fare to have their modefty rewarded with an Apotheofis after- wards 0). Not long after our Lord's Afceniion, the worfliip of Cafar was efteem'd a neceffary, and effential part of religion. This engaged the utmod attention of a heathen, and commanded his pro- foundeft refpeel:, and veneration. The reft of their fabulous deities grew in fome meafure neglected ; and the old fuperftitious rites gave way to more fafhionable fooleries. They were more afraid of Cafar, than of Jupiter himfelf ,* and accounted it a greater crime, to fwear falfly by the genius of Cafar, than by all their gods befides (t). (s) Dicavit Caelo Tiberius Auguftum, fed ut Majefhtis numen inducerer: Claudium Nero, fed ut irridcret; Vef- pafianum Titus, Domitianus Titum : fed ille, ut Dei filius, hie, ut frater videretur : Tu fideribus patrcm in- tulifti. Plin. Psnegyr. {f) Tertul. jipl c*f. 18. Min. Fel. p. 283. The accounted for. 1 1 5 The Emperour Augufim, no doubt of it, had obferv'd, how odious, and unpopular Julim Ca- far had made himfelf, by furfermg divine honours to be paid him (u) : and this perhaps might oc- cafion that edi£t of his, whereby he forbad any one to call him Domhium^ Lord; a tide at that time appropriated to their Gods (w). Tiberim, a mailer in diflimulation, and well ftudied in the arts of popularity, wou'd not admirof this title (x): nay he gave orders, that none fliou'd fwear by his name ; or build him any temples, or altars (y) 9 which Auguftm cou'd connive at (z,), notwith-? (landing his pretended modefty, and humility. But afterwards the Roman emperours elated by flattery, and intoxicated with power, without a- ny fcruple, receiv'd divine honours of all kinds. Caligula was call'd Dominus & Deus (a), and Do- mitian gave orders (b), that no one fliou'd prefume to mention him, but under thofe titles. (u) Sueton. ?«/• cap. 76. Dion. Cajf. I 44. (w) Sueton. Aug. cap. 53. Vide Orof. adv. Pagan. I. 6. c. 21, (x) Sueton. Tib. cap. 27. Tacit. Annal. I. 2. (y) Ibid, cap- 26. lz) Aurel. Vicl. in Auguflo. Sueton. Aug. cap. 52. Jurandafq; tuum per nomen ponimus AraS. Horat. Epiji. L. 2. Epiji. f. (a) Aurel. Vitl. in Caio. Vide Seme, de Tranquil. Anim. tap. 14. (b) Sueton. Dwtit, cap. 13. Vide Martial L. 5« fy- *- '• *• tfiigr. 2. The I a 6 The charge of Sedition, &c. The primitive Chriftians refus'd to call Cxfar Lord, which gave great offence, and render'd their Loyalty fufpected. They knew no diffe- rence (c) between xw'p/e* Lord, and dih< God ; and believ'd, that the former in its original acceptation denoted (d) univerfal fovereignty, and abfolute dominion, which cou'd belong to none but Al- mighty God himfelf. Dominus, in Tertullians opi- nion, is the firname of God. He fhou'd notferu- ple, he fays, to call Cafar Lord (e) ; but he wou'd do it in a common fenfe, and without intrenching upon the Prerogative of God. If Polycarp cou'd have been prevail' d upon, to call Cafar Lord : to facrifice (/), and reproach Jefus Chrift, he might have efcap'd with impunity. Bat the good old man with a decent warmth, and invincible cou- rage, rejected the blafphemous propofal, and cry'd out, Eighty and fix years have Ifervdthe Lord Jefus , and be has never done me any wrong : how then can I blaffbeme my King, and my Saviour (g) ? For feveral ages afterwards, the Chriftians had a fcruple upon their minds, whether it was law- (c) KctV 71 KveiOV CLKHTZofJ^), ng.V Tc ©2o>, «/s//l* I* To7* ovbpctaiv bfa JictQspJ,. Chryfoft. Homil. 14 in Gen. (d) Ko'e*©- Ji 'oht Sii 70 Kuextvw ojjtvv $f oh&t. Tkeoph. mi Autol. I. 1. (e) Apol. cap. 34. (/ ) Tj $ wk'qv bhv «V«y, Kite KctTiraf, jy W«/, ^tT/A^g^; Epiji. Ecclef. Smyrn. de Peljcarp. Mart. cap. 8. (g) Ibid. cap. 9. ful accounted for. 127 ful to give any man the title of Lord. For this reafon the Greeks call'd their Emperours, and great men, not Ku ? /o/, but Knipt : and the Latins Dompni, or Do?mi y inftead of Domini. And hence 'tis thought came the titles of Dvm, and Don, a- mongft the Italians, and Spaniards : and Sire, and Sir, or Cyr (which are (uppos'd to be corrupt ab- breviations of Curios Lord) among the French, and EngHfli (h). The Jews were as nice, and fcrupu- lous in this matter as the Chriftians ; and accoun- ted it an abominable crime to call the greateft man living by the title of Lord. We are informed by Jofepbus (V), that a great numoer of Jews were moil cruelly tormented, onely becaufe they refus'd to call Cafar Lord ; and maintain'd to the la ft, with wonderful courage, and refolution, Gehv p'ovov SitTTroTM, that God alone was their Lord or mafter. 3. To fwear by the genius, the fortune, or the fafety of the Emperour, was reckon 'd a moll: fa- cred oath, and a teft of loyalty, and affection to Cafar. An oath by Julius, was a decifion of all controverfies '(k). It was an ufual thing to fwear by Auguflus {I), even whilft he was living : and there was a defign to build a Temple to his Geni- us (?n) at the publick charge. There was not any (h) Spelman. Ghjfar. in voc. Dowpnus. (i ) De Bello Jud. I 7. cap. 37. (k) Sueton. Jul. cap. $5. Vide Dion. Caf. I. 44. (/) Horst. Epifi. /. 2. Ep. |. (m) Sutton. Aug. cap. 60. oath 1 2 8 The charge of Sedition^ Sec. oath more common, or more facred wi'h the Em- perour Claudius, than that by the Genius of Auguf. tits (n) : and it was eikem'd a crime of a high narure, to prophane the name of Auguflus by pci- jury (o). Caligula put fome to death, only becaufc they had never fworn by his Gentus (p). After the death of his lifter D. ujilla, of whom he was paffio- nately fond, he made her a goddefs, and fwore by her name (q). Nay he had a favourite horfe, that he invited to a fpJcndid fupper ; defign'd to make him Conful, and fwore by the fafety, and the for- tune of his horfe £•)• This impious cuftom, of fwearing by the Genius of Cxfar, prevail'd a long time, as we learn from 'fertuflian, an&Origen: and was not, 'tis probable, entirely laid afide, till the Emperours themfelves embrae'd the Chriftian religion. The Chriftians under almofl every perfecution werecalfd upon (s), to fwear by Cafaf ■ to facrifke, and call him Lord: and their refufal pafs'd for a certain flgn of difloy- alty, and entaiTd upon them all thofe tortures and miferies, that bigottry, and madnefs cou'd invent. Some of the Fathers mention the reafons, why the (n) Sueton. Claud cap. 1 1. (o) Tacit. Annal. I. I. (p) Sueton. Calig. cap. 27. ( be- caufe they wou'd not facrihee (V), nor pay any adoration to his lmsge. The heathens thought they cou'd not do honour enough to Cafar, by fa- crificing for his fafety ; but they grew mad with (0 Origin, contra Celf. /• 8. p. 421. Tertul. Apol. cap. 31. Min. Fel />. 283. (u) Sed & juramus, ficut non per Genios Caefarum, ita per falutem eorum, quae eft auguftior omnibus Geniis. Hid. (w) Deos, inquitis, non colitis, & pro fmprraroribus facrificia non impenditis, itaq; facrilegii, & majeftatis rei convenimur. Tertul. Ap*U cap. 10. K loyalty, I 30 The charge of Sedition^ &c. loyalty, ofter'd up Sacrifices to Cafar himfelf, as God ; and treated his facred ftatue, with the fame fuperftitious ceremony, and religious reve- rence, as they did the flatues, of the reft of their fabulous Deities. The purple robe, the crown and the diadem, univerfal empire, and unlimited power and authority, was not enough for Cafar (x) : he muft alfo be worfhipp'd as a God ; and the loweft adoration paid to his ftatue. Caligula, we are told (y), gave orders for removing the famous ftatue of the Olympian Jupiter, made by that cele- brated artift Phidias, from Greece to Rome : de- signing to ftrike off the head, and to have his own fet on. He was faluted by the name of Jupiter Latialis. The Italian Jupiter. He had his temple, and his priefts, and the moft coftly facrifices were orTer'd up, to that abandon'd wretch every day (&). Divine honours were alfo paid to the ftatues of Nero (a), Hdiogabalus (b), and others (c). Nay fome of the wifeft, and beft of the Roman empe- (x) Gregor. NazOrat. 3. contra Julian, p. 83. (y) Sueton. Calig. cap. 22. (z.) Ibid. Nee jam procul erat tumulus, in quo Caefari, Deo noftro, fiebac quotidianum facrum. Sen. de Tranquil/it. Animii cap. 14. (a) Medio Tribunal Sedem Curulem, & fedes effigiem Neronis fuftinebar. Ad quam progreiTus Tiridates, cxCis ex more vi&tmis, fublatum capiti Diadema Imagini fub- jecit. Tacit. Annal. /. 15. (b) Herodian. I. %.cap. 12. 13. (c) Vide Dion. Caf. I. 58. Sueton. Tiber, cap. 6$. rours, accounted for. 131 ronrs, without any fcruple admitted of them : as Trajan, for inftance, whofe vcrtues have been fo mightily extoll'd in a fulibm panegyrick (d). Ihura. adolere, (7 vinum libare, to bum incenfe, and make a libation of tufas to Cafa-/$ pi&ure, or ftatue, was £ cuftom, that probably prevail'd, even as long as the emperours were heathens. ?. The Chriflians were charg'd with difloyalty, becaufe they did not keep Cafar's birth-day (e) ; and other annual feflivals, that were obferv'd by the heathens, with great folemnity. With what frantick mirth, what irregularity and debauchery, thofe holy days were cekbrated, we learn from TertuUian. The houfes were illuminated. The doors drefs'd up with laurel. The wine ran in the ftreets. Tables were fpread in every place ; and the whole city look'd like one common Tavern. Luxury, impudence, and lewdnefs was vifible m every quarter. Their mirth degenerated into madnefs, and their feafting terminated in moft bru- tal excefles. To get drunk on Cafar's birth-day was meritorious. Sobriety pafs'd for a mark of difloyalty, and to be loud in their wifhes for Cafa/s health, and profperity, aton'd for much wicked- fa) Imagini tuae Thure & Vino fupplicarcnt. omnes & Imaginem tuam, deorumq; fimulacra ve- ncrati funr. Plin. Trajano. £]>'/?• 97- l> 10. Vide Fragment Or at. Julian, p. 537, 539. (e) Tertul Ap%U cap. 35. K 2 nefs, I 37 The charge of Sedition^ &c. nefs, and many diforders. The Chriftians cou'd not bear a pare in thofe publick rejoycings : fuch luxury, and licentioufnefs was no ways fuitable to their difcreet, and regular behaviour : nay even the green boughs, and illuminations they cou'd not approve of,* becaufethey refembled the llewsf/J: and we find an excommunication, denounced by one of the Apoftolical Canons, againft thofe who lighted candles at a heathen feftival (g). 6. The Chriftians talk'd much of the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of Chrift j and comfor- ted one another with the hopes and expectations of it : and this created a jealoufie amongft their enemies, as if they were fetting up a power, in oppofition to Cafars authority. When ye hear us talk of a kingdom, fays Juflin (/;), ye rafhly con- clude, that we mean a kingdom upon earth : when ye might be convinced even to a demonftration, that we place all our hopes, and all our comforts in the kingdom of Heaven : for when we are exa- mined, whether we are Chriftians, we frankly own that we are ; tho' we know that death, is the un- avoidable confequenceof fuch aconfeffion : where- as if k was an earrhly kingdom that we aim'd at ; we fhou'd certainly endeavour to preferve our lives, (f) Ibid. Vide /. 2. ad \Jxmm. caf. 6. (g) Can. 63. (b) Jpol. I. by accounted for. 133 by all poflible ways, that we might enjoy the pro- tection, the privileges, and advantages of that temporal kingdom. The Jews very early charg'd the Christians with difaffe&ion to Cafar, becaufe they had another King, the Lord Jefus. When Paul and Silas preached to the Jews at T'hejfalonica, thofe that belie v'd not drew Jafn y and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city ,* crying, thefe that have turn J the world upfide down, are come hither alfo : whom J a/on hath received, and thefe all do contrary to the decrees of Cafar y faying, that there is another King, one jfefns (i). 7. As the Chriftians were generally fuppos'd to be the offspring of the Jews, and fo nearly related to them, that they were frequently confounded to- gether, and undiftinguifh'd : fo it is not unlikely, that the Jews did, in fome meafure at leaft, occa- sion this calumny upon the Chriftians, being no- torious for their difaffe&ion, and oppofition to Ca- far, and the Roman governours. They were re- prefented as a feditious, and ftubborn people, and naturally prone to rebellion (k). Titw, at the fiege of Jerufalem, tells 'em, that ever fince Pom- fey s time, they had been making diflurbances, (;) Atts 17. 6, 7. de Beffo fud. I. 2. cap. 8. K 2 and 154- The charge of Sedition, &c. and waging war with the Romans (/). They were perpetually ftruggling to recover their liberties, and to free themfelves from the fervitude of the Roman yoke. This they look'd upon as an indif- penfible duty, and they thought no punifhment great enough for thofe, who tamely fubmittcd to the Roman tyranny (m). They own'd no fovereign but God (n) ; and wou'd not fubmit to any gover- nors, but iuch as were of their own nation, and fet over them by the exprefs appointment of Al- mighty God. Some of the Jewifh converts feem to have been tainted with thefe notions ; and cou'd not forbear expecting a temporal Kingdom of the Mefliah ; and for this reafon perhaps it has been obferv'd by Juflin (o) y that the Gentile converts were better Chriflians, than thofe who came from the Jews, and Samaritans : and for the fame rea- fon we find the Apoftles giving repeated directions to the Jewifh converts. To be fubjeEl to the higher powers. To pay tribute, to whom tribute is due. To fubmit themfelves to every ordinance of man : whether it be unto the King, or unto govermurs, that are fent by him. Not to ufe their liberty for a cloak of maliciouf- nefs, Scc(f). (I) Jofcpk. de Bei/o Jul I. 7. cap. 34. (w) Ibid. I. 2. cap. 23. Vide /. 2. c. 28. /. 3. c. 2$: I. 4. c. 13. Vide Deuteron. 17. i?. (*) Unvi Pvuaioif, /ixfl ct^y vvt /»Mv«;-, « 3«$. Hid- I. ult. cap. 34. (0) JpoL 1. (?) Rom. 13. ij 7. 1 PeU 2. 13, 14, 1$. Having accounted for. I 3 5 Having difcover'd the foundations of this calum- ny, it wou'd be needlefs and impertinent to expofe the bafenefs, and abfurdity of it : but it may not be amifs to examine a little further, how the pri- mitive Chriftians behav'd towards Cafar, and what they faid in their own vindication, to obviate the calumny, and to wipe off the imputation of difloy- alty : and with a very little inquiry it will foon ap- pear, that they paid Cafar all that refpe<5t, that was fit for them to give, and for Cafar to receive; and did every thing that cou'd reafonably be ex- pected by the beft. of princes, from the beft of men. 1. At their daily devotions they never omitted praying for Cafar's health, and profperity (q) : and they were the more fervent, and importunate in thefe petitions ; becaufe they thought that a great deal depended upon Cafa/s fuccefs, and the fecu- rity of the Roman government. Whilft the Ro- man empire flood firm, and was in a flourishing condition, all was fafe : but the d involution of that Empire, whenever it (hou'd happen, fatally pre- fag'd, as they imagin'd, the coming of Antichrift, (q) Precantes fumus Temper pro omnibus Imperatoribuf, vitam illis prolixam, Imperium fecurum, domum tutam, exercitus fortes, fenatum fidelem, populum probum, or- bem quietum, quaecunq; hominis & Caefaris vota func Tertul. Jpol. cap. 30. Vide cap. 31. ad Scop, cap. 2. Cyprian, sd Demetritn. Arnob. I 4. &c. K 4 and T 36 The charge oj Sedition^ &c. and the diffolution of the world (r). This r.otioa of theirs was deriv'd from a palfage in St. Paul's {econd Epiflle to the Theil'alonians. c 2. y. 7, 8. He who noiu letteth, will let, until! he be taken cut oj the way. And then (ball that wicked one be reveal' d, &c. Mod of the Fathers, and antient commentators upon this place (s), under/land by « v^ym^ he that witholdeth, or letteth, the Roman (late (t). Whether they were right, or wrong in the appli- cation of this pafl'age, is not material at preient : fo long as they were of opinion, that the revelation of the wicked one, the man of fin, was retarded by the Roman Empire ; they mull: think it to be their du- ty, as well as their intereft, to be hearty, and fin- cere in their prayers, and their wifties for the con- tinuance of that Empire, and the fuccefs and prof- pcrity of all itsgovernours, 2. They paid tribute to Cafar more punctually, and readily, than any of his heathen fubje&s (u) : and this they did in conformity to the Example of their great Lord, and mafter, and the directions given by his holy Apoflles. (r) Tertul. ad Scap. cap. 2. Jpol. cap. 32. Laclant. I. 7. cap. 25. OJ Hieron. ad Jlgaf. §lu£(l. If. Tom. 4. p. 78. Awbrof. Chryfof. Oecutnen. Theophylacl. in loc. (:) Tertitl. de Refurretlione Carnis. cap, 24- (u,) JuJIitj. Mm. Jfiol. 1. TatUn. Jfyr. contra Gracos, ;• Mi 3. Many accounted for. i 3 7 3. Many of them follow'd Cxfar to the Wars, and did eminent fervices in the field of Battle- There were fome amongft them, I confefs, that abfolutely refused to fight under Cafar's banner : but this proceeded not from any difrdpeft to his perfon, or contempt of his authority ; but from an opinion, that a military way of life was unlaw- ful, and inconfiftenc with the duties of a ChrifH- an (w). Befides let it be obferv'd, that this was the opinion but of a few, and not the general fenfe of the primitive Church. 7ertullian ) who feems not to approve of a Chriftian's being a foldier, tells the Romans, that their camps, and their caftles were fill'd with Chriftians (x). Several of the Martyrs in the firft ages of the Church, were fol- diers (y). There were many Chriftians that fol- low'd M. Antoninm, in an expedition into Germany, who by their prayers obtained a fignal deliverance, when the whole army was in great diflrefs, and ready to perifh for want of water (z,). The The- bean Legion, under the Emperour Maximian, con- fided of feveral thoufand men, ail of them Chri- ftians (a). (w) Origen. contra Celf. 1. 8. p. 426, 427. /. ?. p. 253. Tertul. de Idololat. cap. 19. de Corona Mil. cap. 1 1. Lallan. I. 6. cap. 20. (x) Tertul. Apol. cap. 37, 42. de Corona Mil. cap. t. (y) Vide Gr$t. de jure Belli & Pads. I. 1. cap. 2. (z) Vide Epift. M. Aurel. Jntonini. apudjuftin Mart. TertuU jipol. cap. 5. ad Scap. cap. 4. Eufcb. Hijl Ecchf. I. $. cap. $• (a) Vide Grot, dejure Belli & Pads. I. I* cap. 4. They 138 The charge oj Sedition, &c. 4. They treated the perfon of Cafar with all becoming reverence, and refpect, and mention'd him with honour. They confider'd him as one that was fet over them by Almighty God (b)> ei- ther by way of judgment (c), or mercy : either tor the orderly, and peaceable government of the world, or for the chaftifement of a wicked, and impenitent people. Upon tiiis divine appoint- ment, they founded their Allegiance, and not on the humanity, the juitice, or clemency of Cafar. Laftly, They never refilled the higher powers, though they were barbaroufly opprefs'd, and per- fected by them ; and had frequent opportunities of revenging themfelves upon their enemies. Tho* they labour'd under an infinite variety of fuch (hock- ing cruelties, as can fcarce be mention'd without horrour ; and feverely fmarted under the Tyranny of many a wicked ruler ; yet they never made the leaft oppofition. Never attempted to depofe a tyrant, nor ever imbarqu'd in any defign againft the life of Cafar. Thofe renown'd champions for the Chriftian caufc, with inimitable patience, and an entire fubmiflion, underwent all thofe oppreffi- ons, which at other times, have made wife men (b) Chriftianus nullius eft hoftis, nedum Imperatoris : quern fciens a Deo fuo conftirui, necefle eft ut & ipfum diligat, & revereatur, & honorer, & falvum velir, cum toto Romano Imperio, quoufqj fxculum (tabic Ttrtull. ad Scap. cap. 2. (c) Tirtnl. Apol cap. 3 2. mad, accounted for. 139 mad, and have given human nature an afcendanc over the Chriftian. There have bcenfome, who have attempted to rob the primitive Chriftians ot that honour, and reputation, they had juftly acquir'd, on this ac- count ; by imputing their fubmiilion, and nonre- fiftance to human prudence, or policy ; to cauti- on, or cowardife ; to want of numbers, or wane of experience in military affairs. But I wou'd fain know, what evidence or authority they have for this- The primitive Chriftians always declar'd, that they fubmitted for the Lord's fake ; and be- cau fe the powers that i>e> are ordain d of God. To fay therefore that their obedience was under the regu- lation of worldly, and prudential motives, is ma- king them guilty of an egregious piece of diffimu- iation, before God and man ,• and charging them with infincerity, artifice, anddifingenuity : which does not agree with the character of a primitive Chriftian. Befides, their enemies, the heathens, who were always very quick-fighted in difcover- ing, and always very ready to expofc, and publifb the frailties of a Chriftian, never imputed their patient fubmiilion, under tyrannical oppreflions, to prudence, and policy, but to obftinacy, and defperation, madnefs, or folly. So that this in- jurious reflection is deftitute of all manner of evi dence, and has not the leaft foundation. It is very probable, that the number of Chrifti- ans under the firft perfections, was not confide-- 4 rable 1 40 The charge of Sedition y Sec. rable enough, to engage with the military powers of heathen Rome : but to infer from hence, that their fubmiflion proceeded from their want of pc w er, and was under the influence of their fears, is very unfair : fince the behaviour of the Chriftians under the laft perfecutions, when they were vaftly fuperior to their enemies, was the very fame, as it was in the firft perfections, under Nero, and Domitian. So early as Trajan s reign, when the third perfecution rag'd, we find the Chriftians re- prefented as very numerous by a judicious hea- then (d). And fhall we take TertaUtans account of their numbers to be Romantick, and incredible, who wrote his Apology about an hundred years afterwards? He tells the Roman governours, that their cities, and their towns, their forts, and their camps, were filfd with Chriftians (e) : that if they ihou'd retire out of the provinces of the Roman empire, without linking one blow, they fhou'd occafion a general ruin, and defolation (f). Now with what face cou'd Temtllian fay this, if it was falfe ; and when it muft be known to be fo, by (d) Vifa eft cnim mihi res digna confultationc, maximc propter periclitantium numerum. Mulci enim omnis aeta- tis, omnis ordinis, ucriufq; fexus etiam vocantur in peri- culum, & vocabuntur. Neq; enim Civicates tancum, fed Vicos etiam atq; agros fuperftitionis iftius contagio pcr- vagata eft. Plin. Epifl. 97. /. 10. (e) Apl. cap. 37. Tanta hominum mulcicudo, pars pene major civitatis cujufq;. ad Scap. cap. 2. (f) jipL cap. 37- thofe accounted for. 1 4. 1 thofe very people to whom he directed his Apo- logy ? To fuppofe this is to call in queition the under/landing, as well as the veracity, of that great, and learned man (g). After Tertulhan's time the Chriflians /till multi- ply'd apace : and under the tenth perfection, the imperial armies, and moft of the principal towns in all the provinces of the Roman empire, were crow- ded with Chriflians : and what dutiful fubmiflion they paid to cruel, and tyrannical governours, the famous Thebean Legion affords us a remarka- ble, and glorious inftance. That Legion con/Ift- ed of near feven thoufand Chriflians, who were commanded by Maximian to offer up facrifices to the heathen Gods : and upon their refufal, were many of them cruelly (lain. But not one of thofe gallant men, made the leaft refinance, nor ever attempted to obftru& the execution of Cafar's commands (h). In Julians army the major part was Chriftian ; but all that Apoftate cou'd do a- gainit the Chriflians, cou'd not make them fwerve from their Allegiance (t). (g) Tertullians account of the great number of Chriflians, agrees with what St. Cyprian fays. « Nemonoftrum quando apprehenditur, reluftatur : nee fe adverfus injuftam violentiam veftram, quanrvis nimius & copiofus nofier jit populus, ulcifcitur. ad Demetrian. p. J 9 2. (b) Vide Gr$t. de jure Belli & Pads. I. 1. cap. 4. ( 1 ) Vide Greg. Naz. Or at. 1 . contra Julian. Admitting 142 The charge of Sedition, &c. Admitting the Chriftians were not able to meet Cafar's victorious Legions in the field : had they r.o opportunity of gratifying their revenge, in a private way ? Cou'd they never take off a tyrant, and an oppreifor, by poyfon, or a dagger ? Were there no divifions in the Roman empire ? No competitions for the imperial Diadem ? None of the Csfars odious, and unpopular ? No malecon- tents under the worft adminiftration ? Yes, a great many : yet thofe excellent Chriftians, to their im- mortal honour, never combin'd with a potent facti- on ; never lifted with confpirators, nor had any hand in an affaffination. But further. Why fhou'd the Chriftians be a- fraid to encounter the Roman armies, if they were once perfuaded, that reilfting of a lawlefs tyrant, and a perfecutor of the Faith, was a laudable ac- tion, and agreeable to the will of the Almighty ? Upon this principle, what glorious conquefts muft they have made, even under an inequality of num- bers ? What cou'd have flood againlt men, anima- ted with a truly religious zeal, fearlefs of dangers* prodigal of life, and ready to meet death in the mod frightful, and deformed fhapes, with amazing intrepidity ? How fliou'd they turn themfelves back in the day of battle, who were engag'd in the caufeofGod, and by dying in it, merited a crown of Martyrdom (k) ? (k) Cui bello non idonei, non prompci fuiffemus* etiam impares copiis, qui cam libejiter trucidamur ? Ttrtul. jipol The accounted for. 14.5 The truth of it is : had the primitive Chriftians thought themfelves abfolv'd from their Allegiance, and had refitted Cafar, whenever he oppos'd, and perfecuted them ; they wou'd have a&ed contrary* to the intereft of the Chriftian religion, and effectu- ally hindred its propagation. For, what an out- cry wou'd this have rais'd ? This wou'd have arm'd all the princes and potentates of the earth againft them. The Church cou'd never have got kings to be her nurfing Fathers, nor queens her nurfing mothers. Chriftianity cou'd never have got footing, or never made any confiderable pro- grefs. The new Kingdom of the Son of God might have been crufh'd to pieces in its infancy, and all fucceeding ages of the world depriVd of the benefits purchased by our holy Redeemer. But to conclude. To fay that the primitive Chriftians fubmitted to wicked, and tyrannical princes mere- ly out of fear, or upon fecular, and prudential views ,• is a notion falfe, and abfurd, and has been advane'd by fome men, upon no other foundation than this, a defire of making the principles, and the practices of a primitive Chriftian, Tally with their own. chap. CHAP. VIII. The charge of Ignorance and Poverty accounted for. THerc was fcarce any one Accufation laid againft the the primitive Chriftians, that fo little affe&ed them as this. They cou'd without much concern, hear themfelves re- presented, as a half ftarv'd, and illiterate rabble; as the offscouring of the world, and the dreggs of the people ; whilft they were rich in good works and wife unto Salvation. Non magna Icquimur, fed vivimns, was the genuine character of a primitive Chriftian. To live well, and as became the true Difciples, and followers of the Lord Jefus, was the utmoft of their willies, as well as endeavours. This engrofs'd their time, and their thoughts, and commanded their attention. They were fo intent upon their duty to their great Creator, and fo ra- vifii'd with the expectation of that Glory, which fhall one day be reveafd ; that they contemn'd all temporal pleafures,* and fometimes forgot the or- dinary conveniencies of life. Ftrfty They were charg'd with the groffefl ig- norance and ftupidity, becaufe the infidels fuppos'd that 1 loe charge of Ignorance, &c. 1 4.5 that no one cou'd defert their old eftablifh'd fuper- flicions, without fir ft giving up his reafon, and drfclaiming all manner of pretentions to common underftanding. To rcfufe to worfhip the pagan deities, and, what was ft ill worfe, flatly to deny their exigence, betray'd (as they thought) a total abfer.ee, and dereliction of ail the rational Powers, and had in it an equal mixture of nonfenfe, and impiety. Their religion was the religion of their Anceftors ; and for that reafon no consideration cou'd prevail with them to part with it (a). It had continued for a great many hundreds of years (b). Had been embrae'd by an infinite number of People, and by many that had been renowr/d for learning, and probity. On the other hand, the Chriftians were look'd upon as a novel feci, that fprung up but yefterday (V), and was every wbeie fpoken agaivft (d) : and whoever cou'd (a) Non me ex ea opinione, quam a majoribus accept de cultu Deorum immortaliunv ullius unquam Orario., aut dofti, aur. indotti, movebir. Cotta apttd Tull. de Nat. (b) Hs funr religiones, quas fibi a majoribus fu\s tradi- tas, pertinacifTime tueri, ac defenderc perfeverant : nee confiderant quales fine, fed ex hoc probaras, arq; veras efle confidunr, quod eas vereres tradiderunt : ranraq; eft au- thoritas vetuftatis, ut inquirere in earn, fcelus c(Te duca- tur : icaq; creditur ei paflim, ranquam cognitae veritati. LaSlan. I. i. c*p. 6. (c) Sed novellum nomen eft noftrum, & ante dies pau- cos religio eft nata, quam fequimnr. /Jmo'?, adv. Gcntes. I. 3 p. 92. Vide p. 94. Thcopb. ad Av?oL I. 3. (d) Atlf <8 22. prefer 1 46 The charge of Ignorance and prefer thefe modern opinions, to thofe old, and venerable pagan rites, and ceremonies, was thought to be feiz'd with a defperate phrenzy, or at lcaft, to have had an uncommon weaknefs, and defect in his underitanding. Secondly. They were tax'd with ignorance, be- caufe there were fcmethings in the Chriftian re- ligion (as the heathens impioufly, and falfly fug- geiled) that were calculated only for idiots, and fools; and which no one cou'd give his aflent to, without proclaiming his own ignorance, and flu- pidity. How were the poor Chriflians ridicufd, and charg'd with a fenfelefs credulity, for afferting the refurredion of the body ? The heathens foolifhly attempted to baffle their hopes, and ex- pectations of it, by burning the bodies of the Martyrs, and cafting their afhes upon the Wa- ters (e). When the Athenians heard St. Paul fpeak of the refnrrection of the dead, feme mock- ed (/). Lucian with a prophane fneer, derides the Chriftians, for expecting a refurredion to eter- nal life (g) : and Pliny the elder declares it to be an imfJbffibility, even with God himfelf, to call the dead to life again (b). {c) Eufeb. Ecclef. Hlft. /. 5. cap. 1. Ammian. Marcellin. I. ii. cap. 11. (/; Acini. ja. {g) YliTH'yj.O-t $ OJJ7V4 0/ ^fcOc/kl^O^, 7V {$} OAOV regrini. (k) Nat. Hifl. I. 2. cap. 7. 2. To Toverty accounted for. 147 i. To believe in, and to worfliip a crucified Jffus, to a blind and bigotted heathen gave great offence ; and was fuppos'd to be the effect of a moll barbarous ignorance. Had our blefied Lord appeared in dazhng Pomp, and fplendour, deck'd with all the ornaments of majefty, and power : had he beat down all oppoftticn, andtriumph'd over all his enemies, they then perhaps might have paid him homage, and adoration : but they conceiv'd a iirange prejudice agarnft the blefied Jefus, when they faw him a man of forrows, and acquainted with grief: and at la ft differing death upon the Crofs. A death moil cruel and ignomi- nious, and inflicted only upon (laves, and the moft capital offenders (f). This was one of the greateft difficulties the Apoftleshad to encounter. To preach Chrift crucify 'd, was to the Jews a Humbling block, and to the Greeks foolih\nefs(&). To give divine honours to a crucify \i man, meri- ted the title of madnefs (I), in the opinion of the heathens. This Celfui calls (m) a bafe, and a wicked thing : and Lucian ridicules the Chfiftians, ( i) Piratas, a quibus captus eft, quum in deditionem redegiflet, quoniam fuffixurum ft cruci ante juraverat, jugulari prius jufTir, dcindc fuffigi. Suetcn. a'e Jul. Clfar. cap. 74. ( k) 1 Corinth. I. 23. (/) Jujiin Mart. s!pol. T. Vide LafttlT. I. 4' c. 16. (m) Origen. contra Cc!f. I. 7. p. 340. L 2 for 1 4.8 The charge of Ignorance and for worfhipping a man that was crucify 'd in Pakflirie (n). j. Many of the heathens, and particularly the Stoicks, and Epicureans, abfolutely dcny'd a Pro- vidence, and maintained that the Gods had little or no concern for human affairs (0). They fancy'd that all the good, and the evil things of life, were diftributed by blind chance, (ince they obferv'd wickednefs ibmetimes triumphant, thriving in reputation, and power : and vertue, and inno- cence frequently attended with infamy, poverty, and mifery. Since a Pbalans, or a Dionyjim had a Kingdom, and Socrates, one of the befl of Men, a cup of poyfon (p). They thought the Chris- tians, a filly fee of People, for imagining, that all the creatures in the world were under the im- mediate care, and direction of an allwife, and mercyful Creator. And when they faw the poor Chriftians pinch'd with hardfhips and miferies, with an impious, and infulting air, they cry'd out, where is now their God ? 4. Again. Their patience, and courage under perfecutions, and affli&ions, was imputed to weaknefs, and folly. How fill v, and ridiculous fjjpov Ikhvgv cv$irbJj cw%5 t^fjJKiw^tn. de Mort. Pcrcgrini> (0) Thecph* ad Autolic. I. 2. )? and yet thofe filly and deluded wretches the Chriilians, abfolutely refus'd to pay divine honours to Cajar, or any of the pagan deities : tho' they were fenfible, the lofs of life, and fortunes, was the unavoidable confequence of their noncompliance. What an egregious in- ftance of folly was it reckon'd in the Chriftians, todefpife prefent torments, and yet to be afraid of thofe that are future, and uncertain (/) ? To un- dervalue, and part with a prefent Good, in hopes of a future recompencc. How were they laughM at, for defpifing of riches, whilfl they were op- prefs'd with a miferable poverty ? For flighting of temporal honours^ and preferments, even when they were half naked, 'and ftarving (t) : and for for- giving of their enemies, when they had it in their power to do themfelves jjftice, and to make re- (q) Et fi hominibus videtur ineptum, ac ftultum, tor- queri, & mori velle, cum libere liceat abirc line noxa : LaBant. Epit. cap. J . (r) Polycarp. Mart. cap. 8. (;) Proh mira ftultitia, & incredibilis audacia I Sperrrant tormenta prxfentia, dom incerta metuunt & futura : & dum mori poft mortem timent, interim moii non ti- menr. Min. F«l. p. 79. (/) Ibid. L 3 prizals? 150 The charge of Ignorance and prizals ? This was fuch a behaviour, asdifcovci'd, according to the Language of the heathens, a downright phrenzy, or at lead an unaccountable ignorance, and ftupidity (a). Thirdly. A mifreprefenration of fome paifages in the holy Scriptures, made by the heathens withabafe, and malicious defign, help'd forward the charge of ignorance. Te fee your calling, bre- thren, fays St. Paul (10), bow that not many wife men after the fefh % net many mighty , not many noble are called : hut God hath chofen the fool fo things of the world, to confound the wife : and God hath chofen the weak things of the world, to confound the things that are mighty : and bafe things of the world, and things which are defpis'd, hath Gcd chfen. Ar.d again in the fame chapter. Chrifl Jent me to preach the Gof- pel : not with wifdom of words, left the Crofs of Chrifl jhoiid be made of none effe'J. For it is written I will deftroy the wifdom of the wfe, &c. Upon thefe parages, Celfm grounds a fevere, and moll fpite- ful calumny ; which is confuted at large by Origen (x). Bccaufe the Apoflle fays, not many wife men after the fiefi, not many mighty were called ; (u) Cum enim cxperit Deo quifquam vivere, mundum contemnere, injurias fuas nolle ulcifci, nolle hie divitias, non hie quaerere felicitatem terrenam, contemnere omnia, Dominum folum cogitare, viam Chrift i non deferere, nori folum a paganis dicitur infanus : fed ■ ■ Jugujlin. in Pfalm. 48. Concio. 2. (w) 1 Corinth. 1.-26. (x) Contra Celf I. 3. p. 140. but Poverty accounted for. 1 5 1 but God cbofe the weak things of the World % &c. Celfm draws this bafe conclusion, that all the Chriftians were profoundly ignorant, and illiterate ,* men of low fortunes and mean parentage. Nay his ma- lice carries him a ftrain further; and he tells us (y), that the preachers of the Gofnel gave it in charge, that no one fliould be admitted as a con- vert to Chriftianity that was /earned, or wife, or prudent ; for thefe things amongfl the Chriftians are re" puted Evils. But whoever is unlearned, orfoolijh, cr imprudent, \may boldly come, and be admitted. A little further Celfm gives us another fpecimen of his virulent malice, and ignorance. It is {aid of our Saviour (z,), that he convers'd with Pub- licans and Sinners ,• and declar'd, that he came not to call the righteous, but fmners to repentance. Upon this Celfm confidently aflerts, that none were cail'd to be Chriflians, but men of an infamous character, and flagitious behaviour. Such as were guilty of theft, facrilege, and other capital, and enormous offences (a). Thefe reflections are the more bafe, and villainous, as they mutt be contrary to his knowledge, and the convictions of his own mind. He cou'd not be ignorant, that the generality of the primitive Chriflians, were (7) Origen. contra C elf. I. 3. p. 137. (z) Mat. 9. 10. {a) Origen .contra Celf. I. 3 p. 147. vid. I. I. p» 49. Barnah. Efifi. cap. J. L 4 men i 5 2 The charge of Ignorance and men of excellent morals, and the ftrictefl vermes i and that feveral of them were as eminent for their knowledge, as they were tor their piety. Fowtbly. They were faid to be ignorant, be- * caufe they were unacquainted with thofe politer parts of human literature, that were then infafhi- onable repute. The heathens were ftrangety elated with an imaginary conceit of their own wif- dom, and entertained with contempt the moft important truths, when deliver'd with plainnefs, and an artlefs Ci mplicity. To be able to fpeak, or write with propriety, and method ; or to rca- fon with judgment, and pcrfpicuity, was not fufHcient, to fcreen a man from the character of a rude, and illiterate barbarian : unlefs there was alio a purity, and Elegancy of ftyle ; artful, and elaborate periods ; and a tolerable acquaintance with the various maxims, and rules, laid down by the Philofophers. Hence Amelim the Philofo- pher calls St. John the Evangeliit barbarian (b). and the fame title is given to all Chriftians in ge- neral by Porphyry, and others (V). (h) Eufeb. prapar. I. II. cap. 19. vide Cyrill. contra Julian. /. 8. f • U) Oei-^iH <&&< 7B {6 nor with enticing words of mans wifdom, are very obvious, Fr/(I y There was no occafion to make ufe of fuch a me- thod, nor wou'd it have been of any real advantage to the Chriftian caufe. For, elegant and rhetori- cal expreflions, however they may tickle and pleafe the fenfes, never reach the heart, nor make any deep, and lading imprefTions. The world was converted by miracles, that carried an irre- iiflible force, and conviction along with them. By the innocence, and holynefs of thofe, that preach- ed the Gofpel. By their patience, and magnani- mity under all their fufferings : and by the incom- parable excellency of the precepts they deliver'd : which were admirably calculated, for the peace, and happinefs of the world, and had a natural tendency to make men wifer, and better, happy here, and happy for ever. Without the afliftancc of heathen learning, the knowledge of the bleffed Jefus was foon propagated in all parts. His found went out unto the ends of the world, and his dominion reach'd Poverty accounted for. 1 55 reach' d from one fea to the other. Secondly, The Gcf- pel was not preach'd with worldly wifdom, be^ caufe, if this method had been purfu'd, it wou'd have produced infinite mifchief, and rendred the Crofs of Chrift of none effetl. More perhaps of the learned Gentiles wou'd have come over to Chrifti- anity : but then that worldly wifdom wou'd have been more attended to, than the word of God. The truth of God wou'd have been blended, and adulterated with learned fpeculations, and philo- sophical fubrleties. My [peech and my preaching, fays St. Paul, 1 Cor. 2. 4. was not with enticing words of mans wifdom, but in demenflratien of the fpirit, and of power : that your faith fooud not {land in the wifdo?n of men, but in the power of Gcd. Fifthly. The Chrilh'ans were faid to be unlear- ned, and confequentiy ignorant, becaufe fcveral of them abfolutely refus'd to read the writings of the heathens. We learn from Clement of Alexan- dria, that there were fome Chriftians who condem- ned the reading of any prophane author, as a fruitlefs, and impertinent labour, and mifpending of time. And that there were others, who look'd upon philofophy, as a dangerous, and deftru&ive thing (d) : that had for its author, and inventer the devil, and his Apoftate Angels (e). Clement, (d) Strom. I. c. I. p. 326. (e) Strom. L 1. c. 17. Tsrtuh de cultu f*m. I. I* c. a. Herw> irrit, Philot. as 156 The charge of Ignorance and as he was matter of a vaft compafs of gentile lite- rature, and was learned in all the wifdom of the Greeks -, thought himfetf oblig'd in his own vindication, to expofe and confute this filly, and extravagant opinion : which he has effectually done, in his firft book of his Stromata. Origen, we rind, was cenfur'd by fomc weak and injudicious Chriflians, for his fludying the fciences : but he fiiews (/), that they are not only innocent, but ufeful : and he juftifies his own conduct in this particular, by the example of the famous Pantanm, and of Her ados ; who had fuch a value for the Grecian philofophy, that tho* he was a Presbyter of the Church at Alexandria, he wore the habit of a Philofopher (g). The pretended Apoftolical Conftitutions prohi- bit the reading of all heathen books (b) ; which affords us (as I have fhew'd (7) on another occasi- on) a moft excellent argument, to prove them fpu- rious; For, this A pofldical Decree is never once mention'd, by thofe who contended either for, or againft the lawfulnefs of reading prophane authors: and befides 'tis a contradiction to the practice of St. Paul, who had read fevcral of the heathen Po- (f PhilocaUc. 13. (g) Origen* Epifi. apuri Eufcb. Ecclef. Hijf. I. 6. f. J 9. (h) Tup itivtKuv CiChiav <&civtvv anix*- '■ ■•*• ^' (;) Difcourfe of the pretended Apoftolical Conftitutions* tbap, le. CtS Toverty accounted for. 157 CtS (k). There is a canon in Gratians collection (/.), which is of the fame nature, and of the fame au- thority, with this Apoftolical Conftitution. In Julians reign, and a con/iderable time be- fore, the Chriftians had conquer'd their fcruples, about the lawfulnefs of reading heathen authors. They were then become great proficients in all the polite, as well as more ufeful parts of heathen lite- rature. They were a match for the pagans, even at their own weapons : which gave Julian fome jealoufy and uneafinefs, and put him upon the pub- lication of an Edidt ; by which he forbad the Chri- ftians to be inftru&ed, in the learning of the Greeks (m). But tho' the weaknefs cr indifcretion of a few Chriftians, who condemn'd all heathen learning, might in fome meafure juftify, and fupport the charge of ignorance, and want of learning ; yet the Church of Chrift, in all the ages of it, has produe'd many eminent and learned worthies. Whoever will be at the pains of perufing Photims Biblktbeca, Jevorns Catalogue of Ecdefiafikal Wri- ters, and EufebiHi's Hifiory y will foon perceive, (k) Aft. 17. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 33. Tit. 1. 12. vide Socrat. ////?. Ecclef. I. 3. c. \6. (1) Epifcopus Gent ilium librosnoji I egat. difl. 37. (m) Inter quae erac illud inclemejis, quod docere vetuit magiftros Rhetoricos & Grammaticos, Chriftianos. Awnt. ManeBm. 1. 25. p. 427. Vide Seer tr. Hit. Ectlef* I. 3- cap- 12. 16. hew 1 5 8 The charge of Ignorance and how little rcafon Celfm, Porphyry, and Julian had, to reprefent the whole body of Chriftians, as a pack of rude, unciviliz'd, and illiterate Bavari- ans (n). Many of the Grecian Philofophers came over to Chriftianity ; and liVd, and died glorious defenders of the faith. Of this fort was Xriflides, Juftm, Theophilm, Athenagoras, Hermicu, Pantanm ; befldes a great many more in the fecond Century, whofe names, as well as writings are loft, and for- gotten (o). There were many other learned Chriftians in the fame century, and the beginning of the third : as Agrippa Caflor, Melito, Apollina- ris, Dionyfim of Corinth, Pinytw, Miltiades, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Minucim Felix, Africa- nm y Origen, Heraclas, &c. The third and fourth centuries were blefs'd with an infinite number of great men, who were ftrenuous advocates for the Chriftian caufe, and eternaiiy fiJenc'd the cavils of its enemies : and if there are fome things to be (») Difcant ergo Celfus, Porphyrius, Julianus, rabidi adverfus Chriftum canes, difcant eorum fe&atores, qui pu- rant Ecclefiam, nullos Philofophos & Eloquences, nullos habuiiTe Do&ores, quanti 8c quales viri earn fundaverint, exrruxerinc, & ornaverint ; & definant fidem noftram, rufticae tantum fimplicitatis arguere, fuamque potius im- peritiam agnofcanr. Epifl. Hieron. Dextro. (o) Nonne vel hacc faltem fidem vobis faciunt argumen- ta credendi, quod tarn magnis ingeniis praediti Oratores, Grammarici, Rhetores, confulti juris ac medi- ci, Philofophiae etiam fecreta rimantes, Magifteria hxc expetunt, fpretis quibus paulo ante fidebant ? Arnob. adv. Gentts. /. 2. f. 44. met Tovcriy accounted for. 1 5 9 met with in the writings of the primitive ChrifH- ans, that we cannot rcllifti or approve of ; it ought to be confider'd, that learning, like all other things, has its fafhions ; and that every age and country has its peculiar ways of writing, and ma- naging of an argument. Many things that dif- pleafe now, were much admir'd fifteen, or fixteeri hundred years ago ,* and what is now highly ap- plauded, may be condemned by fucceeding gene- rations. There were many learned men, both among the Jews and heathens, that entertain'd a fecret value, and efleem for the Chriilian religion ,• but wou'd not openly declare in its favour ; being un- der the influence of fome carnal confederations. It was reported of Philo y the learned Alexandrian Jew, that he was once a Chriflian (p) : and we are told by Eufebius, and Jerom (q) y that he con- vers'd familiarly with Sr. Peter at Rome. Yet he does not once mention the Chriftians, by any name whatfoever (r). Had he made an honourable mention of them, he muft have drawn the malice of his brethren upon himfelf, and injur'd both his intereft, and his reputation : and he con'd not per- (p) Phot. Biblioth. COci. Icj. (?) Hift. Ecdef. I.2.C.1I. Catal. Script. Ecclcf c II, (r) The Therapeut*, of whom Pbilo gives a very great chara&er, were certainly no Chriftians, as has been fub- ftantially prov'd, by many learned men. haps 1.6 o The charge oj Ignorance and haps fal) in with the popular clamour, and pub- licity expofe the Chriftian name, without offering violence to the truth, and contradicting his own fentiments : fo that his filence in this cafe, Teems to be an approbation of that, which he had not the courage openly to commend. The fame thing may be faid of Jofepbus, another learned Jew ; who never throws the leaft reflecti- on upon the Chriflians ; tho' if he had done it, he wou'd thereby have oblig'd his brethren the Jews, as well as the Roman Empcrours, that he courted with too fervile condefcenfions. There is a fa- mous paflage in his hiftory, relating to our bleffed Saviour (s) ; but it is of a controverted authority; and indeed as it flands in the prefent copies of Jofepbus, carries vifible marks of corruption, and interpolation. He mentions James (t) the brother J»<7b t« \iyoy.in Xf/r», of Jefus that -was cal/'d Chrijl : and tells us (as he is cited by Ovigen (u)> Eufebius, Jerom> and fome others) that James was thrown from off the top of the temple, and kilJ'd by the Jews, becaufe he maintain'd, that Jefus was the fon of God. And notwithftanding this, he gives him a very high character, and adds, that thofe dreadful calamities that afterwards befell Jerufa- (s) Antiq. I. 1 8. cap, 4. (?) Anticj. I 20. cap. 8. («) Contra Celf. I. 1. p. 3$. /. 2. />. 69. In Matt. 13. Eufcb. H. E, I. 1. cap. 23. Hieron. CataL cap. 2. 13. lem, Toverty accounted for. 16 1 1cm, were generally look'd upon as a divine judg- ment upon the Jews, for their killing that righte- ous and holy man, jfamer, firnam'd the Juft. It has been long ago obferv'd of Seneca, the Phi- lofopher, that in a book which is now loft (w), he fmartly ridicufd both the Religion of the Jews, and the pagan fuperftitions, and idolatry : but faid not one word, either good or bad, of the Chriftians : being unwilling to cenfure them, and afraid to commend them (x). Whether this Phi- losopher held a correfpondence with St. Paul, is uncertain at leait, if not improbable. Thofe eight Epiftles of Seneca to St. Paul, and thofe fix from Paul to Seneca (y), being indifputably fpurious. However they are of a very old date ; and thus much may be collected from them, that the forger of them proceeded upon a common and current report, that Seneca had a favourable opinion of the Chriftians. 'Tis certain Seneca was at Rome, when that monfter Nero butcher'd the poor Chrifti- ans, in that horrid manner, defcrib'd by 7acitns(z,): (m) Contra Superftitiones apud Augujiin. de Civit. Dei. I. 6. cap. ic, ii. (x) Chriftianos tamen, jam tunc Judaeis inimiciflimos in neutram partem commemorarc aulus eft ; ne vel lauda- rec, contra fuae patriae veterem confuetudinem, vel repre- henderet, contra propriam foifiran voluntatem. Ibid, (y) Edit. Par if. 1515. Cuw x l\-in!i Epijl. & Ob Fabri Stap. fervaf («) L.i^ AnnaU p. 279, M and 1 61 The charge of Ignorance and and if we may believe the conjecture of a learned man (a), he was fo much offended at thofe unpa- railcird cruelties, that he ask'd leave of the Em- perour to retire into the country : and when this favour was refus'd him, he fhut himfelf up in his own houfe, under the pretence of an indilpod- tion (b). 1: is the opinion of Tbecdoret (c)> that Plutarch, who frequently fpeaks in the language of a Chrif- tian, had read the Apoflolical writings : and yet he never mentions the Chriflians, tho' he had ma- ny times a handle giv^n him for doing it, and his fubjecT: naturally lead him that way. He died at an advanced age, about the end of Trajan s reign, when the Chriflians, by Pliny s confeffion, were grown very numerous : fo that his filence cannot poflibly be attributed to his ignorance of, or un- acquaintance with the Chriflian feci: ; but rather to the reafon mentioned by St. Auftin, concerning Seneca. The firfl: century produc'd feveral more great men, who never reproach'd the Chriflians, but cou'd not forbear giving a fling at the Jews, when- ever they came in their way (d). Nay, what is (a) Lud. vives. Comment, in cap. XI. Auguftin. de Civitat. Dei. I. 6. (b) Vide Tacit. Annal. I. 15. p. 280. (c) Strm. 2. de Princip. (d) Vide Qitintilun. Jnfl. Orator. I. 3, cap. 9. Plin. Vat. Hi}. I. 13. cap. 1 4. highly Toverty accounted for. 1 6 3 highly remarkable, there is not one of the wits, or fatyrifts of that age, that lampoons the Chrifti- ans. Neither Vetronim, nor Per fas, neither Juve~ rial, nor Martial, to fay nothing of Lucan, or 5//£- m Italics. It is agreed by fome of the beft com- mentators upon Juvenal, that in one place he al- ludes to Nero's cruelty upon the Chriftians (e) : and why did he not take that opportunity of abu- fing them ? He liv'd, as 'tis faid, to the age of fourfcore years, till the beginning of Adrians reign ,• and confequently had k^n three perfecti- ons of the Chriftians. He laih'd with the keeneft fatyr, the vices and follies, the fuperftitions, lux- ury, and lewdnefs of his own times ,• but has not one reflection upon that Atheifiical feH of Chriftians : that curfed, and definitive Super ftition, that pre- vail'd then at Rome (f) : not fo much as one An- gle line, that is applicable to the Chriftians (g). What imaginable rcafon can be affign'd for it, but this, he cou'd find nothing blameable in the con- {e) Pone Tigillinum : Taeda lucebis in ilia, Qua ftantes ardent, qui fixo gutture fumant. Sat. r. (f) Reprefl'aq; in prsefens exitiabilis fuperftitio rurfus crumpebar, non modo per Judaeam originem ejus mali, fed per urbem etiam. Tacit. Amial. I. i $. (g) Some have imagin'd, that Juvsnal defcribes the po- verty of the Chriftians, under the name of Jews, in thefe lines : Nunc facri fontis nemus & Delubra locantur Judaeis : quorum Cophinus, fcenumq; fupellex. Sat.%. But whoever compares thefe, with VtrJ% 543. Sat. 6, muft allow this co be a miftake. M 2 du& 164. The charge of Ignorance and dud of a Chriftian ? This conjecture will appear more probable by obferving, Firfl, that Juvenal was a man of vertue and morality, and flood clear of thofe vices he ridiculed : and Secondly> that he treated the heathen Gods with but little refped, and like a man, who look'd upon them as fiditious Deities (b). St. Auftin tells us (7) of one ViBorintu in the fourth century, a man eminently learned and elo- quent, who refufed for a long time to make a publick profeffion of Chriftianity, for fear of dif- obliging his heathen friends. There were doubt- lefs, a great many more under the fame circum- stances : who were fecretly convinced of the truth, and excellency of the Chriftian religion; but dif- guis'd their fentiments, being under the influence of fome worldly motives, and views. By an open declaration in favour of the Chriftians, they were apprehend ve of incurring the difpleafure of thofe, that they had reafon, either to love, or to fear. They were afraid of expofing themfelves to diffi- culties, and dangers : of rifquing their eafe, and fecurity, and hazarding of life, or fortune, or both. But the danger of facrificing a reputation for learning, and worldly wifdom, was one of the ftrongeft prejudices againft a publick profeffion of (h) Sat. 6. vers. 60. Sat. 13. J vers. 40. advert. 53. (i) Confefl. i.c*p. 2. the Toverty accounted for. 1 6 5 the Chriftian faith. For a learned PhiJofopher to go over to the Chriftians, was openly proclaiming his former ignorance and error, which but few were very willing to own. "Twas bartering of fame, for ignominy : and exchanging of wealth, and honour, for poverty, and contempt. There were others, that for fome time made an open profeflion of the Chriftian faith ; but when they faw a ftorm arifing, they took fhelter among the infidels, and deferted the fociety of Chriftians, Porphyry y the molt learned, and fhrewdeft adver- fary, the Chriftians ever had, we are told, em- brac'd the Chriftian religion (k) : being probably inftru&ed in it by Origen, with whom he was ac- quainted in his youth (/) : but being beaten by fome Chriftians at Cafarea in Palafline, he refented this ill ufage fo much, that he not only went off from the Chriftians, but fet himfelf to write a- gainft them, with all imaginable fpite and viru- lence (m). There were probably other reafons, that forwarded this Apoftafy : perhaps his cove- tous, or ambitious views were baulk'd ,• or he found his reputation in danger of being eclips'd, by herding with illiterate barbarians. In a word, (k) Eufeb. apudSocrat. Hift. Eccl. I. 3. cap. 23. Auguftin. dt Civit. Dei, I. 10. cap. 28. fflceph. I 10. c. 35. Vide Luc. Holften. de vita Porph. c 5* (/) Eufeb. 1.6. cap. 19. Vincent. Lirimns. cap. 23. (m) Socrat. Hiji* Ecclcf. I. 3. cap. 2}. M 3 f O 1 6 6 The charge of Ignorance and (o great, and fo general were the corruptions in the heathen world ; fo flrong were thofe prejudi- ces, that lay againft Chriftianity \ fo powerfully did both intereft, and reputation plead, in behalf of gentile idolatry and fuperftition, that it mud be a mofl wonderful thing (and what nothing cou'd poiTibly have effected, but that Being, with whom nothing is impoffible) that fo many Philofo- phers, and fo many learned men, fhou'd renounce not only their inveterate errors, but alfo their tem- poral happinefs, and eafe, and believe m a cruci- fy *d Jefus. But Great is truth, and will prevail 1 and efpecially when it is aflifted by Heaven, and fupported by the arm of Almighty God. I now proceed to the fecond branch of the ar- ticle, which charges the Chriftians with poverty, with lownefs of circumftances, and bafenefs of extraction. It muft be own'd that mod of the flrft converts to Chriftianity, were of the lower part of mankind : and that Aill generally fpeaking, 'tis fuch as thofe who now pay the greateft regard to the duties of religion. J3y far the greater part of thatfmall flock of vertue and goodnefs, that is to be met with in the world, is found amongfl men, that are fituated in an inferiour rank. They were men of a mean and fcrvile condition, that came to the wedding fupper, and as fuch as thofe were the firft, fo 'tis probable, they'll be the lafl Chrif- tians in the world. Thofe that are plac'd in a fu- periour and more, honourable clafs, have general- Poverty accounted for. 167 ly fpeaking, nothing fo little at heart as their duty to their Creator : and leave the drudgery of reli- gion to men of narrow fortunes, of grief, and mi- fery. It frequently happens,^ that the higher a man is placed in the world, the greater in propor- tion is his neglect of his duty : the more fcandaloi.s his contempt of religion, and the more egregious his impieties. The reafons why the firft converts were men of a middle, or inferiour ftation, were as follows. Some of thofe reafons are mention'd in the Parable, Luke 14. id. and particularly thefe two, worldly advantages, and worldly pleafures : intimated by buying a piece of ground, and marrying a wife. One condition of admittance into the kingdom of Jefus drift, was renouncing all temporal profits and pleafures, when they flood in competition with their duty. Whoever bates not, fays our Lord, father and mother, and life it f elf for my fake, he can- not be my Difciple. Now fince felf-denyal is en- joyn'd every difciple of the Lord Jefus, 'tis plain that thofe who enjoy'd the leail of the good things of life, wou'd be the moft ready to embrace the Christian religion : and thofe wou'd naturally have the greateft aver/Ion and diilike to it, who were in poffeffion of the largeft fortunes. Agreeably to this, we may obferve that the young man in the Gofpel, who had kept the commandments ; and on all other accounts feem'd qualify 'd for a difciple of the Lord Jefus, when our Saviour bad him fell M 4 what 1 68 The charge oj Ignorance and what be bad, and give to the poor, went away fo, roxo* fid y for be had great fc.JJcfjlons. The duties enjoynM a Chriftian, will feem more or lefs difficult, accor- ding to a man's circumftanccs. Self-denyal will be no hardfliip to him, that is accuflomM to want, and poverty : nor will mortification be a difficult task to one, that has been a long time acquainted with mifery. But for a man to renounce all tem- poral advantages, when he has get a very great fhare in them : and to retire from the world, when he might live happily in it, is what human nature will not fo readily comply with : and this I take to be one principal reafon, why the firft that came over to Chriftianity, were generally fpeaking, the inferior part of mankind. 2. But we may be able to account for it ano- ther way, why men of a profperous condition, and of plentiful fortunes, fhou'd not fo readily embrace the Chriftian religion ; nor when they have embrae'd it, fo ftrictly obferve the duties it enjoyns. Thofe earthly treafures too often have the fupreme command of our affections, and en" grofs our time, and our thoughts. They give a fatal interruption to our duty, and divert us from the care of the one thing needful. Do not we fee now a-days, many a one poffefs'd with the devil of avarice, whofe defires increafe with their pof- feflions ; who have not the leaft regard for any thing, but what promotes their gain, and advan- seth their intereft ? Like Judas ^ they'll betray even their Toverty accounted for. 169 their Saviour for money -, and for temporal enjoy- ments which are but for a moment, they'll pawn an inheritance eternal in the heavens. An immo- derate care and regard for the good things of this life, is inconfiftent with a true fenfe of our duty, or at leaft, with a ftric~t and religious obfervation of it: 'tis therefore no wonder, the poor, the halt, and the blind, that is men of an inferiour ftation, came to the wedding fupper, when the rich and the mighty rejected the invitation, and alledg'd by way of excufe, that they had bought a piece of ground, or five yoke of oxen, and mufi needs go and fee them, 3. The lower part of mankind w^re the firft converts to Chrifuanity, becaufe they were exer- cised with more afRictiofis, and were Grangers to delicacies and pleafures, which are fcarcely to be reconcil'd with the duties of Chriftianity ; have a fatal tendency to debauch men both in principle and practice, and to alienate their affections to- wards God, and their duty. Worldly pleafures when they infinuate themfelves into our good gra- ces, entirely take us off from our duty ; or at leaft, thofe parts of it, which are contrary to thole pleating allurements, and gratifications of fenfe. The ftricteft virtue, and the greateft profperity, feldom, or never meet together. He that abounds in plenty and pleafures, and meets with all the fa- tisfaction this world can afford him, very often forgets to make thofe returns of gratitude, and obedience, 170 The charge of Ignorance and obedience, that are due to his infinitely kind bene- factor. What occafion has he to mind the duties of religion, when he's happy without it ? Let miferable creatures petition heaven for relief, and take care to obferve the laws of their Creator. He's in pofleflion of all that his heart can defire ; and thinks all ads of religion impertinent, and fu- perfluous, under a flate of eafe, ofhappinefs, and pleafure. Some of the Precepts of Chriftianity are quite o> l ) l fi , ce that licentioufnefs and eafe, that he induigeth himfelf in, and therefore the thoughts of them are rejected, for fear they fhou'd damp his pleafures, and fpoil the relliih of his temporal enjoyments. But men of an inferior clafs, are generally more fenfible of the wants, and calamities that attend human nature. This brings them to fober reflections. This makes them examine into the fource of their miferies, and apply themfelves to God, who alone can relieve them. This makes them form fleady refolutions to forfake fin, that is the fountain of all mifery ; and to difcharge thofe duties, which alone can make men completely happy. 4. The middle or lower part of mankind are not commonly tainted with thofe capital vices, that fome are guilty of, who move in a higher fphere ; and therefore are better qualify 'd for the reception of facred truths, and more fincerely dif- pos'd to obey the divine will. It is God's holy fpirit that leads men into all truth ,* and without his Toverty accounted for. 171 - his afliflance, we (hall commie miftakes, even a- bout the moft eafy, and obvious matters : but the greateft innocence, and fincerity of heart, has the beft title to God's cc-operating Grace: on the contrary, the mod wicked men banifh away the Holy Spirit, and are left to the weak guidance of their own fallible reafon : and very often, not- withstanding their natural abilities, reject the plaineft truths, and run into fuch miftakes, as will prove deftructive to their eternal intereft, and falvation. 5. It pleafed Almighty God, to call the firft Chriftians from the lower clafs of mankind, as be- ing moft fuitable to the all-wife, and good ends of his Providence. He chofe thofe that were re- puted foolifh and ignorant, to confound the wife: and the weak things of the world, to pull down thofe that were mighty, and exalted. He made ufe of inftruments, feemingly contemptible, to bring about a mighty change : that a fupernatural power might be more vifibly difplay'd, and the divine excellency of the Chriftian religion (n). (n) Prxdicatio Chriftiarta non indiget pompa & euleu fcrmonis, ideoque Pifcatores, homines imperiti eleSi funt, qui Evangclizarent : ut Doftrinae Veritas ipfa fe commen- daret, tefte vircute, ne hominum verfutia, & calliditate humanae fapientise acceptabilis videretur, non veritate : ficut Difciplinae ab hominibus inventae, in quibus non ratio, non virtus, fed verborumquxritur compofifio ; ac per hoc gloriam fuam quxrit, qui fidem Chrifti verbis exornare vult : obfeurat enim illam fplendore verborum, ut non ilia, fedipfe laudetur. Comment, ad 1 Cor. cap. i. inter op. Am- kroi. Had \ 1 7 2 The charge of Ignorance and Had none but the great, and the mighty been employ \1 in that important bufinefs, of bringing men from the power of darknefs unto God : their fuccefs might have been imputed to their own wifdom, power, or abilities. Perhaps it would then have been fufpected, that they got converts, by bribing mens underflandings with their fplen- dour, and greatnefs ; and by terrifying them into compliance, with their power. Bat that Chris- tianity fhould be planted, and propagated by fuch ordinary means : that a few illiterate Fifher- men fhou'd baffle all the learning of Rome, and Athens ; and fettle a Church, againfl: which the gates of hell cou'd never prevail, argued their caufe, to be the caufe of God, and the Chriflian religion to be of divine Original. But tho* not many mighty r , not many noble were called at firft, and there were but few of the firft converts, that cou'd boafl either of riches, or an honourable extraction : yet in a little time, there were great numbers of people, of all ranks, and conditions of life, of great eminence, and diftin- dion, that renoune'd their old Idolatry, and be- came the difciples of Jefus Chrift. Qeljm with his ufual front, roundly afferts it for a truth, that the Chriflian fociety confided of none but poor women, and children, fervants, paultry Mecha- nicks, and fuch like (o) : and his friend Lucian re- W Qrigtn. (antra Cf//. /. 3. p. 141, 144, prefents T overly accounted for'. 173 prefents them as a parcel of old women, widows, and fatherlefs children (p). But this is a bafe and malicious calumny : for if there were fome that were great and honourable, amongft the very firft converts to Chriftianity, as 'tis certain there were (q), and the words of the Apoftle i Cor. i. 26. imply as much : the number of converts of that fuperior clafs, muft be very much increas'd, about the middle of the fecond century, when Celfm (r), and his cotemporary Lucian wrote. At the latter end of the firft century, or the beginning of the fecond, we find by Plmy (s), there were many Chriftians, Omni* ordmis, & omnis atatis. Of all ranks, and all ages. And can it poffibly be imagin'd, that forty, or fifty years afterwards, there fhou'd be no Chriftians, but what were of the dreggs of the' people, and the loweft, and moft defpicable part of mankind ? Not many years after Celfm, Tertullian fpeaks of Clari£fcmos vivos, & Clariffimas faminas, people of note and emi- nence of both kxQS y that were Chriftians (t). and in order to divert Scapula from persecuting the (p) De Mart •Peregrin, p. 594, 5. ( that our Lord, whilft in r of devils, to remove (o). Again he fays (/>), when our Lord firft began to preach, there were (i) L. 2. cap. 58. (k) Hifi.Ecclef. L. 5- tap. 7. (I) Ad Scap. cap. 4. Apol.cap. 23. ad Scap. c. 2. (m) Ad Scap. cap. 4. (n) Contra Celf. 1. 3. p. 133- U 7- P' 3 H> 37*. (o) Contra Celf. I 3. p. 124. Vide /. 2. p. 62, 80. (p) Ibid. 1 1. p. 337. fomc accounted for. 1 79 fome vifible figns of the Holy Spirit, or etfe&s of his divine, and miraculous power. After our Lord's Afcenfion, there were more : fome time after that fewer ; but even now, there are fome remains of that miraculous power (q)> Arnobim % at the beginning of the fourth century, tells us (V), the name of Chrift: drives away evil fpirits, and makes the oracles dumb. And Lattantim, about the fame time fays (s), at this very day, Chrifti- ans caft out wicked fpirits, by the name of their mafter, and by the fignofthe Crofs. Thus we fee for the firft three hundred years (to look no further) there were fome Chriftians, en- dued with a power from on high : and by the di- vine ailiftance did many wonderful things, in the name of Jefus Chrift. And thofe mighty works were performed openly, and in the face of the Sun. The fads were evident, and notorious, and the heathens themfelves had not the face to deny it t but they endeavoured to account for thofe miracu- lous cures in fuch a manner, as not to hurt the in- tereft of paganifm, nor to do any honour to the Chriftian religion. They wou'd not own thofe mighty works to be the efle 27. (s) L. 4- t*p* 27. Vide /. 2. cap. 15. /. 5. cap. 21. N » Almighty i 8 o The charge of Alagick Arts Almighty power, becaufe that was giving up at once the pagan caufe ; which right or wrong, they were refolv'd to maintain ; that was ac- knowledging the Lord Jefus, in whofe name thofe miracles were wrought, to be truly the fon of God : and that was difparaging their own pre- tended deities, which they were fenfible, cou'd not erred any miraculous cures. Under thefe {traits and perplexities, they took up a refolution (as contrary to common fenfe, as common juftice) to charge the Chriftians with clandefline, or ma- gick arts. With an intercourfe, or familiarity with fome wicked, infernal fpirits. This I take to be the original foundation of the calumny. A calumny that begun with Chriftianity it felf, and probably continu'd, as long as there were any of thofe extraordinary, and miraculous gifts, and graces, in the Chriftian Church. 2. The primitive hereticks were partly the oc- calion of this calumny. Many of them ufed curi- ous, and diabolical arts, and kept up an intimate familiarity with the heathen magicians, jugglers, aftrologers, and fuch like (t). Simon the Arch- heretick did fo many ftupendous things by his skill in magick, that by fome people he was reputed a God (u) ; and a great many years after his death, (0 Tertul. prtfcrip. ad. H or thofe that were baptiz'd. This fecrefy, and caution, the heathens cou'd not, or wou'd not account for, (a) Vide Inn* Epiphan. Theodoret. H4T. fab. Origin, ctntrs Celf- Tertal antra Valentin. &c (b) Origen. contra Celf. /, 6. p. 302. if) Ibid. I. l.f.J. without accounted for. 183 without fuppofing fome confpiracy againft the publick peace, at thofe nocturnal meetings ; or fome magical operations, that were always mana- ged with the utmoft privacy, and therefore callM fecret, and clandeftine arts (d)> Tertuflian diffuades his wife, in cafe (he furviv'd him, from marrying with a heathen ; and with great folidity of rea- foning, defcribes the inconveniencies, that wou'd of neceflky attend, fo unequal a match. Amongft other things, he tells her, a heathen husband wou'd fufpect her guilty of magical operations, when (he rofe in the night, to go to prayer ; and when flie fign'd her felf with the fign of the crofs (e). It is entirely needlefs, and impertinent, to offer at a vindication of the primitive Chriftians ; or to (hew how innocent they were of this heavy charge. As foon as any heathen became a fin- cere convert to the Chriftian faith, he renoune'd the devil, and all his works : abandoned all magi- cal tricks, and delufions (/) : and thofe that be- fore had ufed curious arts, brought their books, and burnt them before all men (g). Whatever wicked arts, or fuperflitious fooleries have been pra&is'd, in the corrupt ages of Chriflianity ; 'tis certain, id) Arnob. adv. Gentts. Ll>p- *J. (*) Tertul. aduxorem. I. 1. cap. J. (f) Vide Jufin. ApU 1. Cf) jiftt, 19- * 9- N 4 the 184 The charge of Magick^ 8cc. the primitive Chriflians flood clear of all imputa- tions of that kind. They treated with a juft ab- horrence, all fouthfayers, fortune-tellers, enchan- 1 ters, and diviners of all kinds : and they are ex- prefly condemn'd, as wicked, and deteftable, by (everal canons of the Greek church (h). (h) Vide Concil. Ancyr. C*». 24. Laod. 3 6. Trul. 61. Carton. Bafil. 7,6j. CHAP. CHAP. X. The Herejies, and divi/tons in primitive Cbrifiianity^ accounted for. THere have been in all ages of Chriftianity fome, that have difturb'd the peace of the church ,• that have maintain'd either fome fingular, extravagant opinions ; or without any apparent neceflity, have made an unreafonable feparation from the catholick communion. But as the primitive Chriftians were fome of the belt of men ; fo the primitive hereticks were the vileft monfters the world ever faw. Even while the A- poftles were fowing the good feed, the enemy fcat- tered tares: but aflfoon as thofe pillars of the truth, thofe glorious defenders of the faith were crown'd with martyrdom, and tranflated from this life to a better : then blafphemous error, and im- piety appear'd bareface, and made an impudent progrefs (a). All the united powers of hell vigo- roufly engag'd, to pull down the church of Chrift. Many agents of fatan were fent abroad, under the fa) EMfek.Hift.Eccl.l. 3. c. 32. difguifc 1S6 The Here fie s % &c. difguife of Chriftians ; who attempted to under- mine the foundations of our holy faith. Thofe enemies of all righteoufnefs, and children of the devil, did not ceafe to pervert the right way of the Lord : and affuming to themfelves the title of Chriftians, they gave boch Jew and Gentile oc- casion to blafpheme (J>). All their numberlefs er- rours, divifions, and infinite contrariety of opini- ons, were, very unfairly, plac'd to the account of the whole Chriftian fociety. Whatever thofe vile mifcreants pretended, they had no manner of title to the honourable appella- tion of Chriftians ; nor were their errours any more chargeable upon primitive Chriftianity, than pagan idolatry, or thofe various abfurdities, maintained by the heathen philofophers. Tis true, the generality of them aflerted there was one God : but they entertaind impious, and moft unworthy notions of the fupreme Being (c). Some of them openly blafphem'd the God of Ifrael, the Almigh- ty Creator of the univerfe (d). Others call'd themfelves the fons of God : the Saviours of man- kind, and promifed their followers an immortali- ty (e). The primitive hereticks unanimoufly de- (b) Vide Juflin. dial, cum Tryph p. 153. Origen. contra Celf. 1,$. p. 172. (c) Iren. 1. I. c. J 9. Clem. Alex. Strom. 6. p. 802. {d) Iren. I. i.e. 28, 19. "Juflin. Apol. I. (0 Euftb.Hift.Eccl.L 3. c. 26. Origtn. contra Celf. L 6. f\ j 8 a. Iren. 1. I. c. 20. ny'd accounted for. 187 n y'd (/) the incamacion of the ^yt, or divine word. They maintain'd that the Lord Jefus Chrift, was neither manifefted in the flefli, nor fuf&r'd upon the Crofs in reality, fed putative tan- turn, but onely in appearance, or imagination : and hence they were flil'd Doceta (g); and Tertul- lian, with his ufuai lmartnefs, calls them (h) ima- ginary Chriftiam. Many of them pretended to a more perfect degree of knowledge, than was vouchfafed either the prophets, or Apoflles (i) m Some had the impudence to put tbemfelves upon an equality with the blefled Jefus ; and others claimed a fuperiority (k). The Opbiani, according to Origen (I), were fo far from being Chriftians, that they blafphem'd our Saviour as much as Cel- Jm did : and before they admitted any one a mem* ber of their fociety, they oblig'd him to curfe the Lord Jefus Chrift. They treated the facred Scriptures with a fbameful irreverence ; and eras'd, interpolated, and alter'd juft as they pleas'd. Confront them with facred fcripture, and immediately they con- demn'd it, as of no authority (m) : and when (f) Secundum autem nullam fententiam hcereticorum ; Vcrbum Dei caro fa&um eft. Jren. I. 3. c. 1 1. (f) Inn. /• J- c» •• Itn*t. Epift. ad Smyrn. adTrsti* {h) Contra Valentin. it) hen. I. 1. c. 1. (k) Ibid. 1. 1 . c . 24. (/) Centra Celf. I. 6. p. 294. (pt) Inn. I. i.e. ?. they 1 88 The Herefiesy &c. they cou'd find nothing in the facred volumes, that cou'd poflibly be brought to countenance their errors, they made a fcripture of their own. Out of the books of the old and new Teftament, they fele&ed fome paffages (n) y of an obfeure, or ambiguous interpretation, which they wrefted to their own purpofe. Thefe they treated with the utmofl: veneration, and refped : but as for the reft, they were flighted, and contemn'd. The Valentmians, and Marcicnites altered, and mangled the Gofpels (o), and particularly that of St. Luke (p). The Ebionites admitted only of St. Matthew's Gofpel, and rejected all St. Paul's Epiftles, calling him an Apoftate from the Law (q). Some of them, no doubt of it, were regularly baptiz'd, but the generality of them had a form of baptifm, of a very flrange, and lingular nature, and as diftant as pomble from that, which was inftituted by our bleiTed Lord. There is nothing more (hocking, and impious, than thofe various methods of Initiation, they made ufe of, which are fet down at large by Irenms (r). As for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, they entirely (n) Cltm. Alex. Strom. 3. p. 528. Strom. 7. p. 891, 893. (0) Origen. contra Cclf. I. 2. p. 77. (p) lr en. I. 3. c. ir. (q) Ircn. I. i.e. 26. (r) Adv,H*ref. 1 1. C. 1 8. neglected accounted for. 189 neglected it (j). For the Euchariilical bread and wine, being a myftical reprcfentation of our Lord's body that was broken, and of his blood that was flied upon the Crofs ; they coiui not celebrate the Eucharift, feeing they deny'd the reality of Ch rift's fufferings, without contradicting their own wick- ed notions, and confuting of themfelves. Their morals were as corrupt, and as fcandalous, as their principles. They neither believ'd nora&ed, in any one refpeft, like Chriftians. Nor indeed were they ever treated by the primitive Church, as miftaken, or erroneous Chriftians : but as a pack of profligate pagans, atheifts, monfters, and emiilaries of the devil. The Chriftians declin'd all commerce, or fociety with them (t) : which offended them very much, and raifed many heavy complaints (u). Poljcarp, accidentally meeting with the heretick Marcion, call'd him Primogenitm Satana, the fir ft km of Satan. We are told that St. John was once a ^oing into the Bath at Ephefm, but efpying the heretick Cerinthm there, he ftarted back ; and fa id, he wot afraid the bath wou'd tumble iiuftl' Iturv Xet5"», tUjj ■&& aiuct^Tjap «u$/ 7rxd-*adM. Ignai. Bpiji. ad Smyrn. cap. 7. (0 Jujiin. Dial, cum Tryph. p. 253- Inn. I. 3. c. 3. («) Querunrur de nobis, quod cum fimilia nobifcum fentiant, fine caufa abftineamus nos a communicatione eo- rum : & cum eadem dicant, & eandem habeant do&rinam, vocemus illos hsereticos. Inn. I. 3. c. if. down t 190 TheHereJies, Sec. dozvn, becanfe fitch an enemy of the truth waj in it (w). In a word, thofe hereticks were not Chriftians in any fenfe, or degree whatsoever : nor were they ever reputed fo, by the primitive Chriftians They were as much enemies to the truth, and at as great a diftance from it, even as that vile impo- ftor Mahomet, who feemsto have imitated, in ma- ny particulars, thofe primitive hereticks (x). 2. The primitive hereticks were not by far fo numerous, as has been reprefented. 'Tis true, we have the*names of above twenty herefies in the two fitfft centuries ; but then we are to obferve, that one and the fame herefy frequently went un- der different names. Thus the Cavpocratians, Va- lent'mians, &c, were alfo call 'd Gnofticks, from their* pretended fuperiority in knowledge : and Borborita, from their filthy conversation. Thofe that con- demn'd marriage, and certain meats, as unlawful, were call'd 'tatiani, Severiani, and Continent es. And, to give but one infiance more, the Montanifls were alfo ft y I'd Cataphrygians, Pepuzians , Prifcil/ians, QuintiUians, &c. This diverfity of names, feems to have led fome authors into miftakes : and has put them upon wricing a catalogue of more here- iies, than in reality there ever were. Betides, The erroneous Tenets propagated by the primitive hereticks, are reducible to a very (s>) Ircn. I. 3. cap. 3.. (x) Vide Hiji. of Montanifm. chap. 19. fev* accented for. 1 9 1 few heads: and llri&ly fpeaking, there were not above three, or four herefies, for the firft two hundred years. For, every fucceeding heretkk refind upon his mafter ; was ambitious of making new difcoveries ; made fome little alterations, or additions, and was fond of giving a new name to a herefy, that was onely an old one, in a new drefs. That this was the cafe, we are told by Irenatu>(y) 9 an author, of indifputable credit, and great antiquity. Mznander was Simons, difciple, and made fome emprovements upon his mailer's fcheme. Saturninm copied after Menander (z,) ; but took the liberty of making fome variations, and changing the name of the herefy. Thofe that fuc- ceeded, went on in the fame me:hod ; fo that there might be the names of an hundred herefies, tho* all grafted upon one common flock, and with- out varying from one another, in the molt mate- rial, and eflential points. 3. Mod of the herefies in the two firft centu- ries continued but a little time. There was al- ways indeed one herefy or other on foot j but the (y) Ab his autem qui prxdi&i funt jam multae pro- pagines multarum haerefum fa&se funt, eo quod mulci ex ipfis, immo omnes volunt Do&ores efTe, & abfcedere qui- dem ab haerefi in qua fuerunt. Aliud autem dogma ab alia fenrentia, & deinceps alteram ab altera component, nova docere infiftunt, femetipfos adinventores fententiap quamcunque compegerint, enarrantes. Iren. I. i. cap. 3 Vide cap. 18. vide Theodoret.de Simon. Epiphan. de Mcnati. (z) Iren. I. I. cap. 22. Eufeb. H. E. I 4. cap. 7. o. eider 192 The Herejiesy 8cc. elder commonly gave place to the ycunger ; and the preceding herefy was loft, and abforb'd, in the following one (a). Thus Cennthianifm was loft in Cerdomfm, and Cerdonifm in Manionifm. The Simonians^ ftri&ly fo call'd, were of a very fhort continuance (b) : and the Menandrians the fame (c). Origen tells us, there were not thirty Simonians in the whole world, in his time (d) : and his mean- ing is, he did not know of any : for in another place he fays, «VU//k $tw* o/xK//fcpwj 2/^a>r/apcj- There are no Simonians in any part of the world (e). Several of thofe herefies were extincl, almoft as foon as they appear'd (f) : and there were but very few of them, that long furviv'd their impious authors. The Montanifl herefy kept its ground a long time, and fcattcred its contagion in many diftant places* And the reafon was this; Montanm^nd his followers, pretended to an uncommon fanctity,and a more than ordinary ftrictnefs of Difcipline. Their agitations, and exftafies were very furprizing, and aftoniih- ing ; and pafs'd, with maoy weak, and well meaning Chriftians, for the operations of the Holy Spirit. But the Gmftkks were fuch a crew of (a) Eufeb. Hift. Eccles. I. 4. cap. 7. (b) Theodoret. Fab. Haret. I. j. (c) Epipban. Hares. 22. Id) Contra. Celf. I. 1. p. 44. {$) L. 6. p. 2 Si. (f) Eufeb. Hijl. Ecclef. I, 6, cap. 37, 38. Origen. con. Celf. 1.6. p. 182. profligate accounted for. r 9 3 profligate debauchees, that no man of fobricty cou'd like them. And their Tenets were fo ex- travagantly abfurd, that no one cou'd poflibly, for any long time, be impos'd upon by them, that had but a common fhare of underftanding. The caufes of herefy, that were more peculiar to the firft ages of the church (not to mention thofe that are common to all rimes, as ignorance, and a corruption of manners, paffion, and preju- dice, intereft, and ambition, fingularity, and oftentation) are thefe. Firft, Many of the converts to Chriftianity came from the fchools of the philofophers ; who retaining a high veneration for their matters, were for blending their philofophical notions, with the truth of God. When a man change's his religion (which is commonly done with too much hafi: and precipitancy^) he either runn's into an oppofite extream, thinking he cannot get at too great a diftance from that he dulikes ; or he ftopp's fhort, and is for compound- ing, and incorporating the old religion with the new. We have many inflances of miftakes, and mifcrriages of both kinds. The Ebonites and Nciz,araan hereticks, were Jewifh converts, that paid a mighty regard to the Mofakk inflitutions : they kept the Jewimfabbaoth, andftriclly obferv'd many legal rites and ceremonies (g)> and feem'd defirous. of being members at once both of the old (g) Origen. Con. C elf. /. 5. £. 272. EufeL Htf. Ecchf.l. 3. O covenant 194- The charge of Herejies, &c. covenant and the new. On the other hand there were forae, that thought they cou'd not poflibly fly too far from Judaifm : they cou'd not think it allowable to imitate the Jews, in any thing what- ever, fince they were the KvyoKJovot, or murderers of the Lord of life. To celebrate the pafchal Solemnity, according to the Jewifh computation* was reputed unlawful ; and a mighty pother, and a fierce contention was rais'd on this account, between the Afiatick, and the weftern Churches. Some of the gentile converts, out of an honeft, but indifcreet zeal, and hatred againll every thing, that was heathenifh, condemn'd philofo- phy, as the invention of the devil ; and prohibi- ted the reading of all prophane authors. But the numbers on the other hand, were infinitely greater, of thofe who were for grafting Chrifti- anity upon pagan Theology, and attempted to reconcile their darling philofophy, and poetical dreams, with the revealed will of God. We may trace the heathen poet, or philofopher, in many of thofe heretical fables, that were propagated in the primitive ages : and if a book on this fubjeet, written by Sr. Apollinaris, the famous bifhop of Hierapolisy had been extant at this day ,• we fhou'd have been able to have demonflrated, from what fed of Philofophy, every particular herefy drew its errors. As feveral of the firft hereticks were well acquainted with the philofo- phical accounted for. 195 pineal fciences (b)> Co we learn from TertuUian (i)± that herefy was the ofF-fpring of philofophy ; and came originally from the fchools of Anftotle, Plato, Epicuwt, and the Stoicks. Mar dons two original Beings, the one good, the other evil, is nothing but a piece of Stoicifm. Valentinm intermixed flatomfm (k), with his heretical nonfenfe ; and his Cofmogony is nothing but a poetical tale, badly told. Bafilides enjoyn'd his fcholars a five years filence, after the manner of Pythagoras (I) : and the Continentes abftaining from the flefh of all animals, was probably, in imitation of that phiiofopher (m). The fables of the Gnofticks were borrow'd, as Irenatu rightly obferveS (n) y from the heathen poets, and more particularly from Homer (o). Secondly, Perfecution for righteoufnefs fake, the/ it wonderfully contributed towards the propagati- on of the Chriftian faith, and fettled it upon a firm, and lafting foundation ; yet was it the occa- fion of fome heretical errours in the firft ages. When a man is in danger of lofing his life for the (h) Cerinthus. Valmtinus. Epiphanes. Tstiawu, &* (i) jtpol. cap. 47. Prafcrip. adv. Went, cap, 7. (k) TertuS. Prefer ip. adv. Htret. c. 7. (/) Agrippa Caftor* apud Eufeb. H. Bttl.l*^ c. 7. \ta) Ibid. (n) Jdv. H*ref. /. 2 cap. 17* W Ibid. I. 4 tap. 58. O % fake 196 The Herejies^ &c fake of his religion, frail human nature too often gets the afcendant, and makes him faftiion his re- ligion agreeably to his eafe, his intereft, and fe- curity. There goes a remarkable ftory (/>) of one 'Iheodotus of Byzantium y who being apprehended by the heathen perfecutors, was brought under a ne- ceffity, of parting either with his life, or his reli- gion. The love of life prevail'd, and the mifera- ble wretch openly deny'd his Lord and Saviour, Jefus Chriit. Afham'd of what he had done, he went to Rome, hoping to lie there conceal'd : but one of his acquaintance met with him, and char- ged him with his infamous apoftafy. His anfwer was, he had not deny'd God, but man : and be- ing ask'd what man, he reply'd, the man Jefus Chriit. Thus to vindicate himfelf, he commenced a heretick ; and purely with a defign to extenuate his crime, he ever after mainrain'd, that the Lord Jefus Chrift was merely man. It was an avow'd principle amongft the primitive hereticks, that Martyrdom was a foolifh and unneceflary thing, and not agreeable to the will of our holy Redee- mer^ : but the true foundation of that pretend- ed perfuafion, was this : not one of them ever had the courage, or the conftancy, to fuffer for the truth. Tell them of their offering facrifices to idols j and of their denying the faith, in time of (p) Epiphan. adv. Htrcf. I. 1. Tom. I. p. 463 ( the tower of Babel, &c. all undoubtedly taken from the book of Genefis. The hiftorical books of the new Teftament have alfo furnifhed the forger of thofe Oracles, with feveral pretended prophecies concerning our favi- our. The manner of our Lord's nativity, his life and actions, his tryal and fufferings, his refurre&i- on and afcenfion, are defcrib'd with much plain- nefs and particularity ; which makes it more than probable, that feveral of thofe Oracles, relating to our bleffed Saviour, are not predictions of fu- ture events, but hiftorical narrations of &&s> that were already pair, and gone. The author, in or- der to difguife the impofture, is fomethnng acnig- matical, in his account of the Roman Empe- rours (d). He defcribes them all, from Juliw to Adrian, chiefly by the initial letter of their names. There is mention made of three fucceffors to Adri- (c) The pretended Sibyl fays (/. i./>. 182. /. ?.p. 183.) ihe was wife to one of Noah's fons, and was with him in the ark. (4) Vide /. 5. ioa The charge of corrupting, &c. au> whichhasoccafionMaconjedurefc), that the prefent collection of Sibyllin Oracles was made in the reign of the Antonine family. Op/op*™, the learned Editor of the Sibyllin Oracles has fubftantially prov'd (/), that many ci them at leaft, were forg'd after our Lord's af- cenfion. But he attempts, to fet the original date of fomeof them too low : and his zeal toconvid them of forgery, has led him into fome miftakes. Sibyl, he tells us, afferts (g), that (he had feen the fecond temple of Vefta confum'd by fire : and from thence we are to infer, that the author of the Sibyllin Oracles, livM after the year of our Lord 199 ; when, according to Eufebinfs computation, that temple was burnt down. But Fabricim has cor- reded this miftake \ and has prov'd (h)> that it is not Vefta s fecond temple, burnt in the reign of Commodni ; but the fecond temple at Jerufalem, deftroy'd in Vefpafians time, that is mention'd in the Sibyllin verfes. The author of them is char- ged by OpfopaM, with efpoufing one of Origens he? terodox notions, viz. that the torments of the damn'd fhall not be eternal : and confequently is fuppos'd, to be Origens cotemporary, in the third century, if not later. Now the paflage cited by it) Cav. Mji. Lit* Pndtaux Cmw*. Vol a. /. 9; (f) Prtfat. & Not. U) L. J. p. 33*- (hi Bibhttb. Grsc. Tom. I, /. I. c* 31. p. 209. Offofaust accounted for. so 3 Opfbpjcm, and upon which he produces a marginal remark fnom an old manufcript, does not, in my ppinion, make good the charge. 'Tis faid in that place (j) y that Almighty God at the requeft of the righteous, fhall deliver men from the confuming fire ,• by which we are to underitand a fort of pur- gatorial fire, through which all men, whether good or bad, are to pafs ; and from which, the righteous alone fhall be deliverd, upon making their humble fupplication to Almighty God? This interpretation will be confirmM, if we look a little backward (k) ; where the pretended Sibyl declares thus : All fhall pafs through a burmng lake of unquen* chable five. All the righteom fhall be fayd, or deli- vered out of it ; but the wicked fhall be defiro/d in it % to all eternity. This, I confefs, is an odd, and extra- vagant notion : but it is either none of Origens, or not peculiar to him, pr to the times he iiv'd in; and confequently does not prove, that the author of that pafTage, cited by Opfopxus, liv'd in the third century. It is faid in the fifth and eighth books olSibyUin Oracles (I), that after Adrian three (hall reign, that is Antoninm Pitts, Antoninus the Philofopher, and LuQim Verm, and then (hall be the end of all (;) L. 2. p. 112. Paris. Edit. 160J. (k) Ka.t toti 3°*> ^7. ^hings. 204. The charge of corrupting, Sec. things. From whence it is evident, that the au- thor of thofe paflages cou'd not be later than the reign of M. Antoninm, the laft of the three above- mention 'd Emperours. For, it wou'd be ridi- culous, to fuppofe that the author fhou'd fix the end, and confummation of all things, to the con- clufion of M. Antoninm s reign, and tell us To, af- ter the accomplifiiment of that period. How long thofe verfes were written before the death of M. Antoninm I cannot precifely tell : but if I may be allow'd to add one conjecture to many, that have been offer'd upon this head, I would fuppofe, this to be done fometime, between the death of Lucim Verm, and the death of M. Anto- ninm- For the pretended Sibyl tells us (m) f the third and laft of thofe three Emperours, that fuc- reeded Adrian y fhall have the whole fovereign power in his own hands, l^i late, that is M. Antoninm fhall have partners in the Empire, for feveral years, and at laft fhall reign alone. This was true in fad : but how he came to the know- ledge of this; or how he cou'd tell, whether Marcm, or Lucim, was the third, and laft Em- perour, I cannot concieve, without fuppofing, that he furviv'd Lucim Verm Antoninm. I there- fore conclude, that the fifth, and eighth books of Sibyllin Oracles, or part of thematleaft, were (m) L. $. f>. 304. written accounted for. 005 written after the death of Lucius, and before the death of M. Antoninus, about the year of our Lord, 170. It has been obferv'd by a very learned, and eminent author, that the prefent col/etlion of Oracles was made, between the year of your Lord 13$ , and the year 16 j. It cou'd not be earlier, for therein mention is made of the next fuccejfor of Adrian, that is An- toninus Pius, who didnotjucceedhnn, till the ) ear 1 3 8. And it coud not be later, becaufe Juftin Martyr in his writings, fever al times quotes it, and appeals to it, who did not out live the year 16 7 (n) . This obfervation is built upon a fuppofition, that Juftin had feen, and quoted that very collec- tion of Sibyilin Oracles, we have at prefent ; which is by no means probable. Some of Juftin s quotations, I confefs, agree with the prefent col- lection : nay further, it mutt be own'd that thofe pretended prophecies in our Sibyilin Oracles, re- lating to our Saviour, fpeak of him (in exact- agree- ment with Juftin s account of them) not in a ty- pical allegorical way, but plainly, and openly (0). But this is far from amounting to a proof, that the entire eight books of Sibyilin Oracles were extant in Juftin s time ; before the year of our Lord 167. For by this way of reafoning, we (n) Pride*ux. C$nnec> vol. 2. L, 9. p. 626. (0) Jujiin. Cohort at. ad Gr*c might 206 The charge of corrupting^ Sec, might carry the date of them back as far as Vef- pafiaus time ; becaufe Jofepbits cites (/>) a paffage from the Sibyllin Oracles, the fubftance of which. we find in our prefent collection (q). The eight books of Sibyllin Oracles were undoubtedly patched up, and collected at different times, and by different hands : and as fome of them are Qldef than our Saviour's time, fo there are others as late as the reign of the Antonine family ; and fome parts of them much later itill. We can never fuppofe, that Jnftin took our pre- fent collection for the genuine predictions of the ancient Sibylls*, without taxing that holy and lear- ned Martyr with weaknefs, ignorance, and cre- dulity, to a great degree. Who can imagine, he ftou'd call fo grofs an impoiture, and recent a for^ gery, the production of his own times, the moft ancient Oracles of the Sibylls, that were difpers'd all over the world (>■) ? Befides, the Sibyllin Oracles, as cited by Theopbifas, Athenagoras^ and Others, who wrote after Juftin, were different from thofe we have at prefent : from whence I infer, that the collection now extant, was not feen, and appeal'd to by Juflin. But further. The Acroftick in the eighth book, feem's to be of a more modern date, than moft of the reft of thofe 00 Antiq. Jud. I. t. c. $. (q) SibyU. Orac I. 3. p. 213, 4. (r) Juftin. Cohortot. »d Qrac. .pretended accounted for. a 07 pretended Oracles. For, the Emperour Conftan- tine in che fourth century, is the firft, that menti- ons it. The initial letters in that Acroftick, make tip the following words, l«c-»f. Xf/rc*. ©** tilt* 2o>7»£. Srat/f fo. Jefm Chrift, the Son of God, the Sa- 'viouY y the Crofs (s). Here is a plain defcription of our bleffed Lord, even by his very Name : which yet is not once taken notice of, for the firft three hundred years. But the fathers of the fecond and third centuries, had that Acroftick been extant, and reputed genuine in their days, cou'd not have forgot to urge fo exprefs, and illuftriousateftimo- ny, in their difputes with the heathens* Some are of opinion that Tertullian alludes (t) to this Acroftick, when he calls our Saviour i^flvV which word is composed of the initial letters of thefe greek words, h Xf/ro?, e«* jJJ^ 2a>7»?* Jefus Chrift, the fon of God, the Saviour, But what reafon there is to fuppofe, that TertuUian referr's to thofe Sibyllin verfes, written in the Acroftick way, 1 cannot conceive. He does not once men- tion that Acroftick. Befides, the word ix^s (which fignifies a fifh) is nothing but a trifling conceit, arifing from a whimfical conjunction of five initial letters, taken from words that were (s) SibyU. Orac. /. 8. p. 380. Confttntin. Orat. ad Santhr Cst. c. 19. (t) Scd nos pifciculi fecundum I^fluV noftrum Jefom Chriftum, in aqua nafcimur. De Baptifmii* t. 1. very 'ao8 The charge of corrupting^ &c. very common, and to be met with in ten thou* fand places, befides the eighth book of Sibyilin Oracles. LaElantms, who wrote about an hun- dred years after TertuHtan, paid a great regard to the Sibyilin Oracles ; and made frequent appeals to them ; and yet as to this Acroflick he is per- fectly (ilent. Nay he quotes (u) the eighth line in this Acroflick ; but inflead of ti-i**iv {they Jhall threw down) where the initial letter ? makes up the fecond letter in the word Xf/^V ; he fets down rei^wiv (they fiaU break to pieces) which effectually fpoils the Acroflick (w). The Emperour Con fi amine fliffly contends for the great antiquity, and the genuine authority of this Acroflick (x). He calls in Ckero, as an im- partial witnefs on his fide : who in the opinion of moft learned men, fays nothing at all in his fa- vour. The Acroflick mention'd by Cicero, was widely different (as Dr. Prideaux has (y) very righJy obfervM) from that which we find in the eighth book of Sibyilin Oracles. Befides Cicero tells us, that the Sibyl (or whoever elfe it was, that had a hand in the framing of that Oracle, which declar'd that the Romans muft have a king, if they wou'd be fafe) acted very cunningly in not (u) L. 7- cap. 19. (a>) Vide Nor. Onfop. in Sibyli. Orac. p. 65. (x)Orjt ad Santtor.C£t. cap. 9. O) Conmc. Part. 2. Book. 9. />. 628. naming accounted for. 209 naming of times, and perfons (z) : by which means the Oracle was capable of various, and uncertain interpretations ,* and was applicable to different purpofes. But in our Sibyllin Acrof- tick, Jefus Chrift, the Ton of God, is exprefly nam'd : and in another place, the time is precife- ly fix'd for the coming of this great, and immor- tal King, viz,, when iEgypt fhall be added to the Roman Empire (a). That feveral things contained in the prefenc collection, were extant long before Juftins time, is evident enough. Among our Sibyllin Oracles, we find many paflages, that agree with the wri- tings of Orpbettt, Humer, and fome others of the ancient Greek Poets (b). But whether thofe Poets borrow'd from the Sibylls, or the pretended Sibylls from them, remains an uncertainty. Hero- dotns (c) y Strabo (d), and others, cite fome Greek verfes, as from an ancient heathen Oracle, which we find at this day amongfi our Sibyllin Oracles. (z) Hoc fi eft in libris, in quern hominem, & in quod tempuseft? Callide enim qui ilia compofuit, perfecir, uc quedcunque accidifTet, praedi&um videretur, bominum & lemporum ctefinitione fublata. De Divinat. I. 2. (a) Avjei? Wei P9 Aiyv7r% (ZcLGtKwtTH, A^AVATd 1W/A«©" iT* eu8fW77D/. 217. (c) L. I. .'. 47. Vide Sibyl/. Orac. 1. S. p. 392. (d) Geoir*pk- 4 ?• P- tf' Vide Orae. Sib) 8. I. 4. p. 292. Many 1 1 o The charge of corrupting, Sec. Many more inftances of this kind might be produ- ced, which makeic evident, even to demonftrati- on, that the entire eight books of Sibyllin Ora- cles now extant, coiAl not be the invention of fome Chriftian impoftor, or the forgery of the fe- cond century. There has been an objection urg'd againfl the authoricy of the Sibyllin Oracles, which is taken from the filence of the Apoftles. It is agreed that the heathens held the ancient Oracles of the Sibylls in high efteem : and if any in the Apoftolick age had fpoke of our blefled Saviour, in as ftrong, and exprefs terms, as ours do ; their authority wou'd frequently have been urg'd with fuccefs, and they muft have contributed very much towards the con- verfion of an infidel. But fince the Apoftles make no appeals to the Sibyllin Oracles, 'tis concluded that they had either no exiflence, or at leaft, no reputation or authority, in the Apoftolick age. But to this it is anfwer'd, Fir/i. The Epiftles of St. Paul, and of the reft of the Apoftles, are di- rected not to infidels, but to Chriftians (e) : and confequently no fuch arguments are to be expec- ted there, as were proper for the converfion of an unbeliever. Inftead of diffuafives from heathenifh idolatry, and fuperftition. Inftead of proofs, that the Lord Jefus was rhe Mefliah, taken from (e) MtntagutsAR} and Monuments, c. 3. p. 209. Prophecy, accounted for. 1 1 1 Prophecy, and Miracles (which to an a&ual be- liever woLrd have been entirely fuperfluous) wc find in the facred writings, exhortations to righ- teoufnefs and holynefs : to a continuance in well- doing, and a perfeverance in the faith. Cautions againft error, and impofture : and rewards, and punifhments propos'd, to encourage men to ftand faft in the faith, and to keep them within the bounds of their duty. As to the Ads of the ApofMes, they give us a fhort hiftory of the firfl fettlement of Christianity. But we are to obferve, that the Apoflles, when they firft preach'd the Gofpel, had to do chiefly with the Jews : who in all probability, were not to be won over by any appeals to the Sibyllin Oracles. B.fides, the Acts of the Apoflles contain in reality, little more than the Ads of St. Paul : nay the hiflory, of that great Apoftle, given us by St. Luke, is very fhort, and defective. Sr. Paul, I confefs, feems to have had a favourable opportunity (77, of citing the Sibyllin Oracles, in his difpute with the Athenians : but who can tell, what fubftantial reafons there might be for fuch an omifTion ? Or might not the hiflo- rian, for the fake of brevity, pafs by fuch a cita- tion, as well as omit feveral other particulars, re- lating to that difpute ? Many things were faid. (f) Vide Vsltf. Annotate in cap. 18, /, y, Eufd. dtvitd Conjisnt, V j and 2 1 * The charge of corrupting, &c. and many things written by the holy Apoftles, which we have no account of. We know very lit- tle of the method they purfued : or of the argu- ments they urg'd in preaching the Gofpel : which doubtlefs, they varied, according to the different capacities, and difpofitions of the people, they were concern'd with. The filence therefore of the Apoftles in this cafe, is far from being a proof, that they never appeal'd to the Sibyllin Oracles. A fecond anfwer to the abovemention'd objec- tion is this. 'Tis faid, the Apoflles in their preach- ing to the Gentiles, did actually refer them to the Sibyllin Oracles. Clement of Alexandria, a moft learned Father, tells us (g), that Almighty God being willing, the Jews fhou'd be fav'd, gave them prophets ; and alfo rais'd up from amongfl the worthiefl: of the Greeks, prophets of their own. This he fays evidently appears, not only from the preaching of Peter (a book of that name) but alfo from the words of St. Paul, who fpeaks thus. lake the Greek books , confider how Sibyl fp, ah of One God, and of things which are to come, lake and read Hyftafpes. Toull find he defcribes, more plainly and exprefly, the f on of God, and that cppojltion made againfi drift by the Kings of the earthy who hate him, and all that bear his name. . (g) Strom. 6. c. 5. />. 761. This accounted for. 1 1 3 This quotation is taken from a book now loft, but extant in the time oi m Clement of Alexandria. The Kn§vytAA I~Ut?k, the preaching of Peter > which Doctor Grabe fuppofeth (/;), was joined to the preaching of Paul, was a book of no contempti- ble character ; and was frequently cited byfeveral very ancient fathers of the church. Notwithftan- ding fome heretical interpolations, it contain'd feveral curious Apoftolical remains. Whether or no the paflage juft mention'd, is of that kind, I cannot fay. Clement of Alexandria declares for the affirmative ; and we muft allow him to be a wit- nefs of great llgniflcancy, whether we confider his learning, or the times that he liv'd in. Befides, there is no manner of improbability, in fuppofing that St. Peter, and St. Paul quoted the Sibyllin Oracles ; when St. Clement of Rome, the compa- nion of the Apoftles, exprefly did it, in his fa- mous Epiflle to the Corinthians (i). We do not (h) Spicileg.Patr.Tom. up. 66,67. Vide LaBan. I. 4 . cap. ii. , that is much more manifeftly and plainly, than Sibyl has done it : which neccffarily implies that Sibyl had defcrib'd the fon of God, tho* not in fnch exprefs terms, as Hyftafpes. When therefore it is faid of Sibyl, accounted for. 217 ^,,^7 ^ y.i}^Qvm i fie declares things which are to come, the meaning is, (he fpeaks of a future Median (n). 'thirdly, There was a general expe&ation of the Mefliah, for fome time before he came, which was founded on fome ancient Oracles, or prophe- cies. What made the Jews engage in a war with the Romans, that prov'd their utter ruin, was, as Jofefhm (0) informs us, an ambiguous Oracle, concerning a king that was to arife out of Judaa, who was to be the goranour of the whole world. Nor was the expectation of a great and mighty king, peculiar to the Jews. Suetonim tells us, An ancient, and conftant Opinion had faffed currently all over the eafl ; that the fates had decreed, that about that time, there fioud arife out of Judaa, thofe who fioud have the government of the world (p). 'Tacitm fays, Many were firmly perfuaded, that it was con- tain d in the ancient facerdotal books, that about that time the eafl fiould prevail, and that fome Jhoud arife out of Judaa, who fioud have the government of the world (q). It is generally fuppos'd, that this notion of z Mefliah, or king of the Jews, who was to have [n) Clem. Alex. Strom. 6. e . J. (o) De Bella Jttd. 1. 7. c. 3 1. Vide Sueton. in Vefpaf. c. 4. (p) Ibid. (q) Wjfor. /. f> the 2 1 8 The charge of corrupting, &c. the empire of the world, was deriv'd from the JewiGi prophecies ; becaufe the Jews were dif- pers'd all over the caftern countries ; were very induilrious in gaining of profelytes, and talk'd ve- ry much Cas it is reafonable to imagine) of their prophetick predi&ions, concerning the advent of their glorious king, the Median. But iince the Jews commonly appear'd odious, filly, and con- temptible creatures to the Gentiles, amongft whom they liv'd ; becaufe they profefs'd a quite different religion, and denyd tboje to be Gods, whom all Afia, and the world worjhipp'd : we cannot fairly fuppofe, that the Gentiles fhou'd give much credit to any Jewifh prophecies ; and confequently that expectation of a mighty king of Judaea, which pre- vail'd all over the eaft, muft have fome other foundation, befides the Jewifh prophecies. The Magi, or wife men, came from the eaft to worfhip our Saviour, as foon as he was born : but what was it that gave them information of his nativity ? why fhou'd they conclude from the ap- pearance of an unufual ftar, that the king of the Jews was born ? In the prophetick writings in the Old Teftament, we find no account of that fur- prizing Phenomenon, that accompanied our Lord's nativity : nor was there any thing of this nature in the Jewifh prophecies, at the time when the fon of God was incarnate : for, if any of the pro* phets had foretold the appearance of an extraor- dinary flar, which was to point out, and hang over accounted for. 119 over the place of our Lord's nativity ; the Jews mutt certainly have accompanied the wife men to Bethlehem, and wou'd themfelves have ador'd their infant King, and Saviour. Some of the ancients were of opinion (V), that the Magi underitood the meaning of the Star's appearance, by the alTiftance of Balaams prophecy ; where it is faid, There Jhall come a flar out of Jacob, and a fcepter Jhall arife out of Jfrael, and jhall fmite the corners of Moab, &c (s). But this is undoubtedly a miftake 5 for the words- do not fpeak of a flar, but of fome eminent, and iiluftrious perfon, that was to fpring from the loyns of Jacob. The wife men were warn'd of God in a Dream, that they fhou'd not return to Herod : and perhaps it was by fome fuch divine revelation, that they became acquainted with the birth of the Median : however it is evident, that thofe eaftern Magi had fome knowledge of the Mefllah, or king of the Jews, that was not bor- row'd from the prophetick writings amongft the Jews. The Gentiles had prophets of their own, as Clement of Alexandria obferves, who deliver'd many things of great importance, that were confident with truth, and divine revelation. Since our bleffed Lord was to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, as well as the glory of the people of (r) Vide hen. I. 3 . c . 9- Tertul. adv. Marc. c. iS, (s) iUumb. 24. 17. Ifrae!, 2 20 The charge of corrupting, &c. Ifrael, it pleafed Almighty God to give the Gen- tiles fome previous notices of a Meffiah - y and fre- quently made the very enemies of his truth, the inftruments of its propagation. Balaam, a divi- ner or foothfayer, and not a prophet of the Lord (t)> foretold the coming of the Mefliah. The devils themfelves confefs'd that Jefus was the Son of God mofi high (u). The Oracles of the devil were fometimes compeli'd to bear teflimony to the truth. Juftm Martyr tells us, when one went to the Oracle, and enquir'd who were the mofi pi- ous and religious men. He receiv'd for anfwer, the Hebrews ; who worfhip God, the felf exif- tent King (w). Porphyry alfo cites fome Oracles, that mightily extol the Hebrews, for their wif- dom, and knowledge of religion (x). The Ora- cle of Apollo confefb'd, as we learn from Porphyry, that the God of Ifrael was the true God (y). We are informed by the fame author, and feveral others, that many of thofe Oracles fpake highly in commendation of our Saviour, and acknowledg'd him to be the Son of God (V). From thefe and fuch like oracular refponfes, as well as from fome {t) Vide Origen. Homil. 30. in Num. (u) Luke 8. 28. Mark 5.7. (bO Cohort at. ad Gracos. (x) Enfeb. praparat. Evangel. I. 9. e. 10. 0) Ibid. (z) Eufeb. Demonjirat. I. 3. c. 6. Auguflin. de Civit. Dei. I 19. c. 23. Nicepb.Hifi, I. I. / 'of accounted for. an of the moft ancient poets, and philofophers, ma- ny of thofe pretended Sibyllin Oracles have been borrow'd, that we meet with in our prefent collection. What thofe Sibyllin Oracles were, that were purchas'd by Tarquin, or whence they came, we cannot tell. In this however we are certain ; that they were of a quite different (lamp from ours : and were calculated, as far as it appears, merely to ferve the intereit of heatheni/h fuperfti- tion, and idolatry. About fourfcore years before the birth of our Saviour, thofe ancient Oracles were burnt with the Capitol, where they were de- pofited : and the Roman fenate, in order to re- pair the lofs, fent Embaffadours to Santos, Ilium, Erythra, &c. (a) ; who returned to Rome, with a new collection of Sibyllin Oracles. This col- lection was mightily increas'd in Auguftus\ time; who ordered a great many volumes of Oracles to the flames ; and at the fame time commanded, that all the Sibyllin Oracles that were then in private hands, fhou'd be brought into the city Prator under pain of death (b). But this was a command of little fignificancy. There were fo many copies of thofe Sibyllin Oracles, and dif- pers'd in fo many parts of the world ; that it was an abfolute impoflibility to recover them all. (a) Tacit. Anns], I. 6. (b) Tacit, Annal. I. 6. ffuftin. Mart. Apol. a. Befides a 1 1 The charge of corrupting^ Sec . Befides thofe that had them in their own pcifefli- on, were defirous of keeping them : and fince it was an eafy matter to conceal them, they run little or no hazard by tranfgreffing of Cafar's com- mands. They afterwards fell into the hands of the Chriftians, who many times appeal'd to them in their difputes with the heathens ; and fuccesful- ly urg'd their authority, in behalf of the Chriitian Religion. The fourth eclogue of Virgil is fuppos'd to con- tain a defcription of the Meffiah, and of the hap- pinefs and profperity of his kingdom, taken from the Sibyllin Oracles. This appears to be the more probable, fince that eclogue was written at a time, when there were a great many copies of Sibyllin Oracles carried to Rome j which Virgtl might have the opportunity ofperufing, at leaft before they were examin'd, and committed to the cuftody of the Quindecemviri. There are fome, I know, who underftand by the Cumxum carmcn> mention'd by Virgil, not the verfes of the Sibyl of Cuma, but Hefted' s Golden age : but this interpre- tation is fote'd, and unnatural ; and has nothing but bare conjeSu-re to fupport it. The poet in that eclogue, has a defign to paint the glories of Auguftuss reign, and to compliment PolHo upon the birth of a fon : but he builds upon the plan of the Cumaan verje ; and let his intentions be what they wou'd, his account of the birth of a great perfon, and of the happy times that were to enfue^ accounted for. 17^ enfue, is much more applicable to the Meffiah, than to Pollws fon, or any one elfe. As to the Sibyllin Oracles being corrupted and interpolated by fome Chriftians,- I own the charge to be true : but I fpeak this only with re- gard to the collection now extant. For that the Sibyllin Oracles were interpolated by the Chrifti- ans, fo early as Celfms time refts entirely upon his (ingle evidence. But he has been fo often convicted of falfity ; and has difcover'd fo much virulent malice and prejudice againft the Chrifti- ans, that very little, or no regard is to be paid to what he afferts. Befides he does not defcend to particulars; nor tell us of what kind thofe inter- polations were. He fays the Chriftians had infer- ted 'aroMee xj /2A*VpwMd, many and blafphemous things ■• His meaning is perhaps, that the Sibyllin Oracles appeal'd to by the Chriftians, fpake irreverently, and difrefpedfully of the heathen Gods, and de- ny'd their reality, or exiftence : but if this be the fole foundation of the charge, he might have car- ried it a great deal further ; and have tax'd the primitive Chriftians with interpolating the wri- tings, of fome of the moft ancient poets, and philosophers. chap. CHAP. XII. The charge of ivor/hipping a Crofs ac- counted for. SINCE there is no manner of difficulty in accounting for the remaining Calumnies, I (hall but juft mention the original caufeS of them, before I difmifs my reader. The primitive Chriftians were accus'd of wor- fliippLg a Crofs, becaufe they frequently made ufe of the fign of the Crofs. Wherever they were, or whatever bufinefs they were about, they made the fign of the Crofs upon their foreheads (a). The Signaculum Cruris was to them, a memorial of their bleffed Saviour's fufterings, and a badge of their Chriftian profeflion. Befides, they found by experience, that unclean Spirits were caft out not only by the invocation of the holy name of Jefus, but by the fign of his paflion (b). They alfo obferv'd, that if a Chriftian happened to be prefent at the heathen facrifices, and fign'd him- ia) Tertul. de Corona Mil. c. 3. (b) Laftant. /. 4. c. 27. felf The charge ofCrofs-JVor/hip^ Sec. 125 vith the iign of the Crofs, tho' never fo pri- vately, the fouthfayers or diviners cou'd make no ditcovery, by looking into the enrrailsof beafts (V). For thefe reafons, the primitive Chriflians not only made ufe of the fign of the Crofs, but alfo had an honourable, and reverential efleem for it. But to fay that they paid adoration to a Crofs, is a bafe calumny ; and contrary to the exprefs de- clarations of the primitive Chriflians (d). Tertullian has aflign'd the reafons (V), why the Chriflians were charg'd with worshipping the Sun. ip&. their turning their faces towards the Eaft in time of prayer (which was a very ancient, and early ufage amongfl the Chriflians) and their keeping their weekly feflival upon the dies Solis, or Sunday. The Chriflians were faid to be the caufe of all the fignal calamities that befel mankind. Firft, be- caufe the heathens took them to be a moil: pro- phane, irreligious, and atheiflical fet of people. They thought their gods wou'd never fuffer fuch capital wickednefs to efcape with impunity ,• but muft pour down their hottefl vengeance upon the world, for fufYering fuch execrable monflers to live in it. Hence whenever there happen'd a peftilence, (c) Ibid, de Morte Perfecutor. c. io. (d) Cruces etiam nee colimus, nee optamus. Min. fel. f. a8 4 . CO Tertul. Ap\. c 16. ai6 The charge oj Crofs-Wor/hip a famine, a deluge of waters, or any other extra- ordinary, and publick calamity, immediately it was the common cry, Chriftianos ad Leones. Drag the Cbriftians away to the Lyons, Some of the Chrif- tian writers fubftantiaJly prov'd (/), that the world was vifited with as fevere calamities, before the coming of our Saviour, as it was afterward5 : but this was little credited, fince the humour then prevail'd, as indeed it has done at all times, of ex- tolling the happinefs, and profperity of paft age-, and magnifying them beyond the prefent. Befides, Secondly y This charge was urg'd with the greater vehemence, becaufe the infidels found their ac- count in it. It gave them an opportunity cf plun- dering, and deftroying thofe whom they hated. Proclaim a man an enemy to mankind, and you take away all tendernefs, and pity towards him r and have it in your power, to facrifice him when you pleafe. As to the charge of an unfociable refervednefs and taciturnity, it had this foundation. The ChriiHans cou'd not with a fafe confeience keep up an intimate acquaintance, and familiarity with the infidels, who were wholely given up to the groffeft idolatry. Nor could they cultivate an open familiarity, without expofing themfelves to (f) Vide Orof. contra Fsgan. many accounted for. iij many clangers, and temporal inconveniencies. This made chem (hun fociety, and choofe a melan- choly retirement : and tho' this was done for the piefcrvation of their innocence, and the fecurity of their lives, and fortunes ; yet their enemies im- puted it to ill nature and morofenefs, and a ha- tred towards mankind. That abominable and beaflly charge of wor- shipping the Genitals of the priefts, was evidently occafion'd thus. The Penitents, before they were re-ad mitted into the Church, us'd to kneel down before the prieft (g) ; and with hearty humiliation and forrow, confefs their faults, and earneflly beg, that they might be no longer excluded from the fociety of the faithful. This had been obferv'd by fome wicked and malicious heathens ; who took hold of the remoteft hints, and the flighteft appearances, in order to abufe, and calumniate the innocent Chriftians. Laftly. The charge of obft inacy, and defpera- tion, madnefs, and folly, was deriv'd from that invincible courage, and patience of the Chriftian?, under all their fufferings, and persecutions for righteoufnefs lake. To fufier the greateft tor- ments, and even death it felf, not only with pati- ence, but with pleafure ,• when they might have (g) Vids Tertul. de Penitent, c. 9. Q 2 liv'd oa8 The charge oj Crojs4¥orfiip liv'd at eafe, and enjoy 'd all the comforts and con- veniencies of life, was, in the opinion of the hea- thens, the effect of fome incurable phrenzy, and unaccountable infatuation. FINIS. £> & & # & & r* & & & & & r*S /?, ,5, <* ? ^ S> 3 <$ <& £. A cy.u t>.-_ t-.c tfcy t>.-. • f.rt-'.t.o.r cct «*.».• e*.oe*k'e*. 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Pomets Compleat Hiitory of Druggs : To which is added, what is farther obfervab'le on the fame Subject, from Meff. Lemery and Tournefort, div'ded into three Gaffes, Vegetable, Animal and Mine- ral; with their Uie in Phyfick, Chymiltry, Pharmacy, and feversfl other Arts, Illuitrated with above four Hundred Copper Cutts, Cu- nouily done from the Life; and an Explanation of their different Names, Places of Growth, and Countries from whence they are brought; the way to know the True from the Falfe ; their Virtues, tyc. Done into Englifh from the Original, zd Edition, Qjarto. Patrick's Devout Chriilian, Duodecimo. Chriilian Sacrifice, Duodecimo. P Halms, Duodecimo. — Advice to a Friend, Duodecimo. — Grotius of the Truth of the Chriilian Religion, Ottavo. — Help to Young Communicants, Twentyfours. Plot's Natural Hiitory of Oxfordflrire, Fein, Qitcfnci'% Quefncls Moral Reflections on the Xew Tefiament, 4 Vols. Otlavt. Rablais's Works, 1 Vols Oclavo. Rapm's Critical Works, 2d Edition, 2 Vols. Oclavo. Schrevelii Lexicon, Greek & Latin, Oclavo. Solitary or Carthulian Gardiner, 3 Parts, Oclavo, Sprat's Sermons on feveral Occa lions, Oclavo. sparks's Primitive Devotions on the Feafls and Fads of the Church; 8th Edition, Oclavo. Talent's Cronological Tables, Folio. Taylor's Holy Living and Dying, 23d Edition, Oclavo, Golden Grove, Duodecimo. Tournefort's Compleat Herbal, Illuftrated with above five hundred Copper Plates Curiouily Engraven, Quarto. Turner de Morbis Cutaneis. A Treatife of Difesfes incident to the skin: In Two Parts, with a fltort Appendix concerning the Efficacy of Local Remedies, and the Manner of their Operations, 3d Edi- tion very much Enlarged. Syphilis, A Practical Treatife on the Venereal Difeafe, in two Parts, id Edition with large Additions, together with fome Re- marks on Dr. Willoughby's Tranflation of Monfieur Chicayneau's Me- thod of Cure; which he entitles, the Practice of Salivating (hewn to be of no ufe or efficacy in the Cure of the Venereal Difeafe, but greatly prejudicial thereunto. And alfo a Letter from Mr. Samuel Palmer, to the Author of the faid Remarks, on the Subject above- mentioned, Oclavo. Voyage to the Levant, by the Sieur du Mont. Oclavo. Veneroni's Italian Grammer, Oclavo. Vauguions Compleat Body of Chirurgical Operations, 3d Edition; Oclavo. Willy mo^s Peculiar Ufe and Signification of certain Words in the Latin Tongue, 2d Edition, Oclavo. Wilkin's Natural Religion, 8th Edition, Oclavo. Whears Method of Reading Hiftory, O5lavo. Wall's Hiftory of Infant Baptifm, 3d Edition, 2 Vols. Oclavo. — r- Defence of the Hiltory of Infant Baptifm, Oclavo. Welti's New Sett of Maps, both of Antient and Prcfent Geography, : therein not only the Latitude and Longitude of many Places are Corrected, according to the lateft Obfervations; but alfo the mod remarkable Differences of Antient and Prefent Geography may be quickly difcern'd by a bare Infpection or comparing of correfpondent Maps, which feems to be the mod natural and eafy- Method to lead young Studients (for whofe Ule the Work is principally intended) unto 1 competent Knowledge of the Geographical Science; to- gether, with a Geographical Treatife, Particularly adopted to the Ufe and Defign of theie Maps.