was made to confift in the theory of Christianity, or rather, of the orientalplatonic Christianity. But the matter did not reft even here; the religion became burthened with the above mentioned theurgy, and corporeal mortification; and through the affiftance of myftical and ridiculous interpretations, every error and every impurity which the paffions or caprice of men defired, were introduced into the New Teftament. In this manner that eafy, beautiful, immediately and univerfally active, chearful, and philanthropic religious-fyftem of the New Teftament, became during the fecond and more particularly the third century, a gloomy, harfh, mifanthropic fyftem of whims, fancies, monkery, deceit, and hierarchical tyranny. To thefe dreadful calamities from within were added alfo from without inceffant perfecutions, which were often general, and fometimes extremely bloody bloody and cruel. Even the worthy Trajan, and yet the more excellent Marcus Antoninus, tortured and put to death many of their most faithful subjects only because they were not idolaters, but chofe to live according to thofe laws of Chriftianity, which even the heathens themfelves acknowledged to be irreproachable and excellent1. But the most horrible of all these perfecutions began to rage against the Chriftians about the year 249. Thẹ Emperor Decius proceeded fo far as to attempt to exterminate Chriftianity by the roots. By his orders the Chriftians were not only put to death, but were alfo afflicted with the moft exquifite tortures. A Chriftian, for inftance, had his whole body fieared with honey, and then, his hands tied behind his back, expofed quite naked to the meridian fun, where myriads of infects i Let the reader confult, for instance, Plinii Epift. 97. Lib. x. H 2 affailed affailed him, and confumed his body by infenfible degrees *. Nevertheless, this religion was continually extending itself in all the parts of the then known world. In Gaul there already exifted flourishing communities at Lyons and Vienne; in Germany; in Britain; in Africa, and every where the number of the Chriftians fo increased, that even in the beginning of the fecond century the heathens complained that the temples of the gods were quite deferted; and towards the end of the third, the court and army of the heathen Emperours were filled with perfons of this persuasion. -This extenfive propagation of Chriftianity was undoubtedly the confequence of the continually increafing promulgation of the Scriptures of the New Teftament. As early as the beginning of the fecond century were k See Schroeckh's Ecclefiaftical Hift. IV. 190. of the original. made made Latin and Syriac verfions. Learned men, (particularly Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and his fcholar Pierius), were anxious to have accurate tranfcripts of the original; and opulent men, (especially Pamphilus), caused at a great expence many exact copies of it to be taken and difperfed'.-We will hear the individual witneffes now themselves. 1. Juftin Martyr. JUSTIN, furnamed the Martyr, before his converfion to the Chriftian faith, had carefully ftudied the Stoic, Peripatetic, Pythagorean, and Platonic fyftems of philosophy; and must therefore be confidered, on account of his learning and antiquity, as a witness of the greatest importance". It is neceffary 1 See Prof. Schroeckh's Ecclefiaftical Hift. Part i.-iv. and C. R. Walch, On the ufe of the Holy Scripture among the ancient Chriftians-Leipzig, 1779, 8vo. m Concerning the circumftances of his life, principles, ceffary to read only his 'Addrefs to the Gentiles,' (λογος προς Έλληνας, pag. 1-3), The Exhortation to the Gentiles, (λογος παραινετικος προς Έλληνας, Ρ. 6-36), and the work 'On the only God,' (TEρ μovapxias, p. 36—42), in order to be convinced of his extenfive reading in the beft writings of antiquity. Thefe works of Juftin prove inconteftibly that the firft followers of Christianity were not by any means fuch as its enemies affert, univerfally and writings, the most accurate and ample information is to be found in the Preface to the Benedictine Edit. of his works, Haag, 1742, fol. Befides the genuine and fpurious works of Juftin, this edition contains alfo-Tatian's Oration against the Gentiles, p. 241-276.-Athenagoras's Apology for the Chriftians, P. 277-313.-And, his Treatife on the Refurrection of the Dead, p. 314-336.-The three, books of Theophilus of Antioch to Autolycus, p. 337-406, -The Satire of Hermas on the Heathen Philosophers, p. 401-406.-And the fragments of the loft writings of Juftin, Tatian, and Athenagoras; together with the Acts of the Martyrdom of Juftin, p. 585 and fol. -His first Apology is a well written defence of the Christians against the calumniations of the Gentiles. unlearned 8 |