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furnish sufficient matter to show who they were that CHAP
retained the greatest degree of the gospel, according
to its primitive simplicity and truth.

CHAPTER III.

The first Distinction between Catholics and Heretics.

THER

HE title of Catholic, which signifies universal, appears to have been first adopted by those christian fathers, so called, who, in the second century, embraced the philosophy of the Alexandrian school; which distinguishing title answered well to the system of Ammonius Saccas, who proposed to incorporate all sects and denominations of mankind into one body, or universal church.

2. Hence the writings of those renowned fathers, have been considered, through all succeeding ages, as the only key to open the scriptures; as the only exposition of the words of God, and the only test of truth, by which all controversies were to be decided.

3. Consequently, those writings have been preserved by their successors, as the most precious foun tain of light, without which, the scriptures must be (in their esteem) entirely useless. Then it must be from the writings of these fathers, that the real foun dation of the Catholic church is to be ascertained, and the spirit from which it originated, made manifest.

4. Among the famous foundation piilars of this Eeel. His Catholic building, may be ranked Justin, Irenarus, tory, vol. i. p. 178. Athenagoras, Theophilus, Pantaenus, Clement,* and Origen. There were also many other learned commentators of less note. Clement the Alexandrian, who succeeded Panta nus in the care of the christian school, wrote several books which are yet extant. Mosheim says, they show the extent of his learning and the force of his genius, but at the same time ac

• His name was Titus Flavius Clemens, usually called St. Clement of Alexan dria, to distinguish him from Clement of Rome, montioned in Paul's epistle to the Philippians. See Phil. iv. a.

III.

CHAP. knowledges, that his excessive attachment to the reigning philosophy led him into a variety of pernicious errors.

Eccl. Researches.

P. 54.

Ecel. His

5. ORIGEN succeeded him. "This rash young 'man, (says Robinson,) came quibbling into the 'church when he was about eighteen. Old Clement, and the pedants emboldened him.-He persecuted the world with an endless number of books, and ' wrote twenty tomes to explain the hidden mysteries of the gospel of John. At length death forced him to quit his delightful work of disputing and wrangling, in the year two hundred and fifty-four."

heim.

6. To this agree the following observations of Mos"This new species of philosophy, impru sory, vol.dently adopted by Origen, and many other christians, i. P. was extremely prejudicial to the cause of the gos'pel, and to the beautiful simplicity of its celestial • doctrines."

171.

ivid p.

182.

Eccl. Researches.

6

7. "For hence it was, that the christian doctors began to introduce their subtle and obscure erudition into the religion of JESUS, to involve in the dark'ness of a vain philosophy, some of the principal 'truths of christianity, that had been revealed with 'the utmost plainness, and were indeed obvious to 'the meanest capacity, and to add to the divine precepts of our Lord, many of their own, which had no sort of foundation in any part of the sacred wri"tings."

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8. "Pantaenus, the head of the Alexandrian school, was probably the first, who enriched the church with a version of the sacred writings. All were unani'mous in regarding with yeneration the holy scriptures, as the great rule of faith and manners." Clement wrote a Commentary upon the canonical epis tles, or those epistles which have been selected for a canonical purpose by his learned master Pantaenus. He is also said to have explained in a compendious manner, almost all the sacred writings.

9. Every effect, (says Robinson,) produced by p. 51, 52. these causes, became itself the cause of another efSee also fect:" Origen broached a new and universal max-Each His im in explaining the scriptures. This was, "that Ep. 183. scripture had a double sense, the one obvious and lit

Moshern,

sory, vol.

6

III.

eral, the other hidden and mysterious, which lay CHAP. 'concealed, as it were, under the veil of the outward ' letter."

10. "The former they treated with the utmost 'neglect, and turned the whole force of their genius ' and application to unfold the latter; or in other words, they were more studious to darken the holy scriptures with their idle fictions, than to investi'gate their true and natural sense."

11. "Some of them also forced the expressions of 'sacred writ out of their obvious meaning, in order to apply them to the support of their philosophical 'systems; of which dangerous and pernicious at'tempts, Clemens is said to have given the first example. The Alexandrian version, commonly called the Septuagint, they regarded almost as of divine authority."

i. p. 198.

12. This, in conjunction with such of the apostle's writings as these Eclectics chose to select, formed the orthodox canon, or law. From Jews and Pagans they received, and adopted the maxim, "That it was Eccl. Hi 'not only lawful, but even praise-worthy, to deceive, ' and even to use the expedient of a lie, in order to advance the cause of truth and piety." Doubtless for this practice their double sense of scripture opened a large field. "Such (says Robinson,) were the Eecl. R benefits which the Alexandrian school, and chiefly p.3. 'Origen, conferred on the Primitive [Catholic]

'Church!"

searches.

13. "Justin Martyr (says Mosheim) had frequented Eccl. Hi 'all the different sects of philosophy, in an ardent and tory, vol. i. p. 177. 'impartial pursuit of truth; but finding, neither in the Pythagorean nor Platonic schools, any satisfac'tory account of the perfections of the Supreme Be'ing, and the nature and destination of the human 'soul, he embraced christianity, on account of the light which it cast upon these interesting subjects." 14. He wrote in defence of the Christians, and even presented an Apology to the Emperor in their behalf. His apologies are said to be "most deservedly held in high esteem;" notwithstanding, "he shows himself see 1 Cor. 'an unwary disputer, and betrays a want of acquaint'ance with ancient history." And where is the disputer of this world?

ibid p.157

i. 20.

CHAP.
III.

Eecl.His

15. Irenaeus turned his pen against those whom Mosheim calls, "the internal and domestic enemies ' of the church," to which his labours are said to have tory, vol. been "singularly useful;" for he wrote five books i p. 178, against heresies, and refuted the whole tribe of heretics.

16. Athenagoras wrote A Treatise upon the Resurrection, and an Apology for the Christians." He was ' a philosopher of no mean reputation," says Mosheim, ⚫ and deserves a place among the 'estimable writers' of 'the second century:" of course he could not be an apostle, hated of all men, and counted as the filth and off-scouring of all things.

17. But who were those estimable writers? and what are the merits of their works? Mosheim himself confesses that, they abound with stoical and acadp.186.187emical dictates, vague and indeterminate notions,

ibid

bid voli p. 178.

Note [q.]

ibid vol. vi. p. 137. < Chronol. Table.

Cent.ji.

Eccl.His

and, what is yet worse, with decisions that are absolutely false, and in evident opposition to the precepts of Christ." Such is the heterogeneous description of qualities which truly belong to the Fathers, the self-stiled orthodox, and first founders and defenders of the Catholic faith.

18. "Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, wrote three 'books in defence of Christianity—a Commentary on 'the Proverbs—another on the Four Evangelists. 'He also wrote against Marcion and Hermogenes, and refuting the errors of these Heretics, he quotes sev'eral passages of the revelations. He was the first ♦ who made use of the word TRINITY to express 'the distinction of what divines [or rather demoni< acs] call, Persons in the Godhead."

19. The Christian church, (says Maclaine) is very little obliged to him for his invention. The use of this and other unscriptural terms, to which men attach either no ideas, or false ones, has wound'ed charity and peace, without promoting truth and 'knowledge. It has produced heresies of the very worst kind."

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20. "Nothing more injurious can be conceived tory, vol.than the terms of contempt, indignation, and re'proach, which the Heathens employed in expressing 'their hatred against the Christians, who were called

i. p. 149.

Note [1]

III.

by them Atheists, because they derided the heathen CHAP. Polytheism ;* magicians, because they wrought miracles; self-murderers, because they suffered cheer- *i.e. plufully for the truth; haters of the light," because rality of they held religious assemblies in the night: "with a multitude of other ignominious epithets."

21. Then what could ever have induced such indignant despisers to embrace a religion against which they had such indignation? The truth is, they never did receive it; they quarrelled about the name, for the sake of honour and promotion; but the power and substance of the religion of Christ they never knew nor received. It is unnecessary to say any thing about the miraculous power of God, for of this the learned doctors professed to stand in no need.

gods.

p. 53.

22. "It was (says Robinson,) an enormous compli- Ecel. Re'ment, which these gentlemen paid themselves." searches, "The gospel, (said they,) is evidently divine, be"cause nothing but the miraculous power of God "could support it in the hands of illiterate men." As if they and their quirks, were to all succeeding ages, to supply the place of the miraculous power of "God." Doubtless the quirk of Theophilus removed much of the Pagan indignation and contempt.

tory, vol.

23. The following remarks of Mosheim, on this subject, are worthy of singular notice. "The reli- Eccl. Mis gious sentiments of the first Christians were most i. p. 150. unjustly treated, and most perfidiously misrepresented to the credulous multitude, who were restrained by this only from embracing the gospel." Here the Doctor seems to have forgotten that the carnal mind is enmity against God, and in love with gods' many; but observe what follows.

24. Those therefore, who, by their apologetic 'writings in favour of the Christians, destroyed the 'poisonous influence of detraction, rendered, no 'doubt, signal service to the doctrine of Christ, [he 'ought to have said, to the doctrine of Saccas,] by removing the chief impediment that retarded its 'progress."

25." Nor were the writings of such as combated 'with success the ancient Heretics without their use. For the insipid and extravagant doctrines of these

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