divine Gospels. Eufebius, a man of an integrity univerfally acknowledged, affures us, that he drew his information from the documents of antiquity which he found in the library at Cæfarea. We are therefore certain, that as early as the beginning of the fecond century, the four Gospels, which were received in Eufebius's time, i. e. the Gofpels of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke and St. John, were univerfally known among the Chriftians; and not only esteemed as genuine writings of the men above-mentioned; but also as of divine infpiration. CHAP. II. Witneffes in the Second Century. IN the fecond century the evidences for the Scriptures of the New Testa • Και γας ment δε πλείσοι των τοτε μαθητων, σφοδροτέρω φιλοσοφίας ερωτι προς τον θείον λογον την ψυχην πληττομένοι, ment are far more numerous, determinate, and ample, because we still poffefs more and larger works of the teachers of this period. I fhall not therefore stop to quote the paffages themselves, but only name the witneffes, and point out those parts of their writings, where their evidence is to be found. But I will firft defcribe the state of Christianity in the second and third centuries. SECT. 1. State of Christianity in the Second and Third Centuries. IN the Eaft, (namely in Palestine, Chaldea, and Perfia,) where Chrif πληττομένοις την Σωτηρίον πρότερον απεπλήρουν παραεπειτα δε απο κέλευσιν, ενδέεσι νεμόντες τας ουσίας. δημίας σελλομένοι, εργον επετέλουν ευαγγελίζων, τους ετι παμπαν ανήκοοις του της πίσεως λογου κηρύττειν τον Χρισον φιλοτιμουμενοι, και την των θείων ευαγγελίων παραδίδοται γραφην tianity tianity received its origin, at that time prevailed a mixture of opinions, for the most part falfe, but which bore the venerable name of Philosophy, and had been for a long time embraced by many even at Alexandria, which city, fince the Ptolomies, was become the chief feat of learning. This Oriental Philofophy (we will admit the honourable appellation for the fake of brevity) was diftinguifhed from the Grecian, principally in three points, viz. in the doctrine of fpirits; the maintaining of two original-beings; and in morality. In the doctrine of fpirits thefe philofophers had not only regular genealogies of fpirits, which they called Eons; but had alfo invented a particular science, Theurgy, or a collection of rules, to call up fpirits and compel them to fatisfy the defires of men. Again, in order to folve that great problem of the understanding, The origin of evil, they adopted two equally -- eternal eternal and powerful original-beings, one good, the other bad. From the bad was derived all matter, confequently the bodies of men, which were therefore the feat of every fin. And from this principle flowed the whole of that gloomy, morofe, melancholy fyftem of morals adopted by the philofophers of the Eaft; which placed true virtue in the rejection of all the pleasures of fenfe, and in the fevere treatment, mortification, and torture of the body'. These f See-1. The information contained in Xenophon, Plato, Aristotle, and Diogenes Laertius Proœm. vitar. philof. §. viii.-2. The fragments of Zoroafter in Eufebii Præparat. evangel,-3. The doctrines of the Bramins.-4. The refutations in St. Paul.-And 5. The doctrines of the Gnoftics and Manicheans. Compare Mofhemii Inftit. H. E. majores, fec, i. 136. 339. with Differt. de caufis fuppofitorum librorum inter Chriftian. 'fec. i. et ii. vol. i. differt. in H. E. p.223 feq. But the learned and ingenious man, who every where perceived fylems, which his philofophical head had created, appears abfolutely to err, when he fuppofes, that in the Eaft existed a peculiar fect, which had brought all thofe tenets into a regular fyftem. It Thefe opinions were likewife not uncommon among the Jews, as may be collected from the refutations of them in the New Teftament, and from the writings of Jofephus. The Pharifees laid a great stress on Theurgy; and through the exercife of this vifionary art, they obtained a great part of their confequence among the people. The Effenes in particular adopted the whole fyftem... This oriental philofophy infinuated itself by degrees alfo among the followers of the Grecian fyftems. Of thefe none had been fo generally received as that of Plato, which was in moft parts excellent. But it became gradually much changed and corrupted not only through ignorance, mifunderstanding, and innovation; but also by being intermixed, particularly by is more probable that there exifted a variety of sects, which occafionally adopted different doctrines. Plotinus |