and not that carnal one, which had been its punishment here?

Lastly, the doctrine of the impurity of matter, has in all ages led to fuch mortifications, and aufterities, as, requiring great resolution and fortitude, have never failed to ftrike mankind with respect and reverence; giving an idea of an extraordinary degree of abftractednefs from the world, and of greatness and elevation of foul.

It is very probable, alfo, that, as in later times, and alfo in our own days, perfons who pretended to extraordinary purity, more than they really had refolution to keep up to, by expofing themselves to temptations too ftrong for them, were feduced into lewdnefs, and other vicious practices; and then found pretences for continuing in them, as not affecting the mind, but the body only, which is no part of our proper felves, and of fmall confequence in itself. I am led to think fo from what we may collect concerning the first chriftian fectaries in the writings of the apoftles, who always fpeak of great irregularities of conduct, as joined to a departure from the true faith of the gospel. Perhaps their writings might check thofe enormities, fo that thofe who retained the fame general fyftem of principles would afterwards be more upon their guard against fuch an abuse of them. For it does not appear that the Valentinians, Manichæans, and others also, in later times, who went the fartheft into the Oriental fyftem, were juftly

reproach

reproachable with refpect to their lives and

manners.

The first trace that we find of any thing like the Oriental fyftem in the New Teftament is in St. Paul's Epiftles to the Corinthians, fuppofed to be written about the year 56. For though the fame apoftle inculcates the doctrine of a refurrection upon the Theffalonians, in the year 52, what he fays upon that fubject to them does not imply that they denied the doctrine, but only that they had not been well informed concerning it, or had not rightly apprehended it. But what he fays to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 15. fhews that fome among them had abfolutely difbelieved the doctrine. Befides, other hints that he drops in the course of the fame epistle, shew that their minds had been infected with some specious fyftem of philofophy.

Speaking of his own preaching the gospel, he says, ch.i. 17, It was not with the wisdom of words, left the cross of Chrift should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us who are Saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will deftroy the wisdom of the wife, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wife, where is the fcribe, where is the difputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleafed God by the foolishness of preaching to fave them that believe.

For

For the Jews require a fign, and the Greeks feek after wisdom, but we preach Chrift crucified, to the fetes a ftumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but to them who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chrift the power of God, and the wifdom of God. Because the foolifbnefs of God is wiser than men, and the weaknefs of God is fronger than men.

It is probable alfo, from the inftructions which the apoftle gives concerning virgins, in the feventh chapter of this epifle, that too favourable an idea of continence, and abftinence from marriage had crept in among them, from the fame fyftem.

This epiftle appears to have had a great effect. In his fecond, however, he repeats his cautions with refpect to the deceitfulness of worldly wifdom, and he ftill expreffes his fears of their being feduced by it. Ch. xi. 2. For I am jealous over you with godly jealoufy, for I have efpoufed you to one husband, that I may prefent you as a chafte virgin to Chrift: But I fear, left by any means, as the ferpent beguiled Eve through his fubtlety, fo your minds Should be corrupted from the fimplicity that is in Chrift. But if he that cometh preacheth another Jefus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another fpirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. Now a Jefus not really crucified, might well enough be called another Jefus, one that he had not preached to them, and the gofpel of that

I

Jefus,

Jefus, and the spirit of it, would be quite another gospel, and another spirit.

The evil, however, appears by no means to have been ftopped by these seasonable and forceable admonitions, at least not in other churches. For in all the epiftles written by this apostle from Rome, during his imprisonment there, in the years 61 and 62, we find that this corruption of chriftianity had risen to a moft alarming height; as we see that it excited the ftrongeft expreffions of concern and indignation from this truly wife and good apostle.

To the Coloffians, he fays, ch. ii. 4, This I fay left any man should beguile you with enticing words, v. 8. Beware, left any man spoil you through philofophy, and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Chrift, v. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary bumility, and worshipping of angels, intruding into thofe things which he has not feen, vainly puffed up in his fleshly mind, and not holding the head, &c.-which things have, indeed, a Shew of wifdom, and will worship, and humi lity, and neglecting the body, not in any honour to the fatisfying of the flesh. He goes on to fay, ch. lii. 3, If ye then be rifen with Chrift, feek thofe things which are above, where Chrift fitteth at the right hand of God, in which he might poffibly allude to the turn they gave to the doctrine of a refurrection, willing to make fome ufe of their mistake. "If it be true, as

you pretend, that the refurrection is past al ready, and you are rifen again in the fenfe. "that Chrift really meant, act as becomes "perfons fo renewed in mind, and advanced "to fo pure and holy a state."

But it is in the epiftles to Timothy, and Titus, men who had the inspection and care of feveral churches, that this apoftle is most earneft in his admonitions to oppose the progrefs of this mifchievous but fpecious philo-. fophy. His first epiftle to Timothy begins with this fubject, as what was uppermoft in his mind. Ch. i. 3. I befought thee to abide fill at Ephefus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge fome that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables, and endless genealogies, which minifter questions, rather than godly edifying, which is in faith. In the fourth chapter he again plainly alludes to the same system of opinions, as what had been foretold fhould be introduced into the church. Ch. iv. 1. Now the Spirit Speaketh exprefsly, that in the latter times fome fhall depart from the faith, giving heed to feducing Spirits, and doctrines of dæmons-forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meat, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving, of them who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refufed, if it be received with thanksgiving. For it is fanctified by the word of God and prayer.

To