times, relative to the opinion of the antients, concerning the Perfon of Chrift.

In another part of the fame dialogue *, he speaks of Christ as the God of Ifrael who was with Mofes; and explains his meaning when he faid that true Chriftians regarded what they were taught by the Prophets. In his firft apology, he tells the Emperor in WHAT SENSE Chriftians were Atheists: They did not worship the gods commonly fo called, but they † worshipped and adored the true God, and his Son, and the prophetic Spirit, honouring them in word and in truth. If thofe, who call themselves Unitarians, were as candid and impartial as they profefs, the controverfy concerning the Trinity would be foon at an end. That the primitive Chriftians worfhipped one God alone, all who efpoufe the doctrine of the Trinity will allow. Let the Unitarians with equal frankness acknowledge that they worshipped the one God in the three Perfons juft now mentioned; and then we have the Trinity in Unity. Further- Juftin ufes two terms ufually expreffive of that worship and adoration, which incommunicably belongs to the Deity But, till there be a difpofition in men, without difputation, to humble themfelves before divine Revelation, neither frankness in conceffion, nor unity in fentiment is to be expected.

The

The all-important doctrine of Juftification he ftates in the fame manner as St. Paul does; believing, that to prefs the neceffity of Mofaic rites on others was to fall from the faith of Chrift. learned reader may fee more at large his views of Regeneration and Forgiveness of all paft fins through Chrift Jefus, and how extremely different they

were

+ P. 137. * Στεβόμεθα και Προσκυνημενο ift Apology 159, 160, and 68 Dialogue.

were from the nominal Chriftianity which contents. fo many perfons.

He appears to have had the cleareft views of that fpecial illumination, without which no man will understand and relifh real godlinefs. His firft unknown inftructor had taught him this; and he feems never to have forgotten it. He informs Trypho, that, for their wickedness, God had hidden from the Jews the power of knowing divine wifdom, except from a remnant, who according to the grace of his compaffion were referved, that their nation might not be like Sodom and Gomorrah. The eternal punishment of the wicked he avows fo plainly, that I fhall fpare quotations upon that fubject.

In fundamentals he was unquestionably found: Yet there feems, however, fomething in his train of thinking, which was the effect of his philofophic fpirit; and which produced notions not altogether agreeable to the genius of the Gofpel. Thus, toward the clofe of the fecond apology, he declares that the doctrines of Plato were not heterogeneous to those of Chrift; but only NOT ALTOGETHER fimilar. And he feems to affert, that Plato, and the Stoics, and the Pagan writers, in profe and verfe, faw fomething of truth from the portion of the feed of the Divine Word, which he makes to be the fame as the Word, the only begotten Son of God. The reader, who chufes to confult the laft folio page of the apology may judge for himfelf, whether he does not there confound together two things perfectly distinct, -the light of natural confcience which God has given to all men ;-and the light of divine grace peculiar to the children of God. Certain it is, that St. Paul who fpeaks of both, in the epiftle to the Romans, always carefully diftinguishes them, as of a kind entirely different

P 2

different one from the other. He never allows unconverted men to have any portion at all of that light which is peculiarly Chriftian: But thus it was that this excellent man feems to have forgotten the guard, which can scarcely be too often repeated, against philofophy. We may fee hereafter how myftics and heretics and platonizing Chriftians jumbled these things together entirely, and what attempts were made by the Philofophers to incorporate their doctrine of the To & with the Gospel *. Juftin feems, unwarily, to have given them fome handle for this: and, if I mistake not, he was the first fincere Christian who was feduced by human philofophy to adulterate the Gospel, though in a small degree. It should ever be remembered, that Chriftian light ftands fingle and unmixed; and will not bear to be kneaded into the fame mafs with other systems, religious or philofophical.-We may here mark the beginning of the decay of the first SPIRITUAL EFFUSION among the Gentiles, through false wisdom: as, long before,-namely, from the first council of Jerufalem, -we noticed a fimilar decay in the Jewish Church, through felf-righteousness.

The fame prejudice in favour of the inftructor of his youth leads him to pay to Socrates a very great compliment, as if that extraordinary man had really known the true God, and had loft his life for attempting to draw men from idolatry.-Whereas almost every line of the narrative left us by his disciples fhews, that he was as much an idolater as the rest of his countrymen. The laft words he uttered, it is well known, were entirely idolatrous.

-Juftin

• An abftrafe and myftical opinion, which prevailed very generally among the antient philofophers; but which it is difficult to make intelligible by any explanation. It differs, however, very little, if at all, from downright Atheism.

-Juftin had not learnt fo fully as St. Paul would have taught him, that "the world by wisdom knew not God." In the laft page of his Trypho there is also a phrafeology extremely fufpicious, He fpeaks of a felf-determining power in man*, and uses much the fame kind of known reafoning on the obfcure fubject of free will as has been fashionable fince the days of Arminius. He feems to have been the firft of all fincere Chriftians, who introduced this foreign plant into Chriftian ground. I fhall venture to call it foreign till it's right to exift in the foil fhall be proved from scriptural evidence. It is very plain that I do not mistake his meaning,- because he never explicitly owns the doctrine of election; though, with happy inconfiftency, like many other real Chriftians, he involved it in his experience, and implies it in various parts of his writings,

But, the stranger, once admitted, was not easily expelled: The language of the Church was filently and gradually changed, in this refpect, from that more fimple and fcriptural mode of speaking used by Clement and Ignatius: Those primitive Chriftians knew the doctrine of the Election of Grace, but not the felf-determining power of the human will:- We fhall fee hereafter the progress of the evil, and it's arrival at full maturity under the foftering hand of Pelagius.

* Αντεξυσιον.

CHAP

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CHA P. IV.

A. D.

THE EMPEROR MARCUS ANTONINUS AND

HIS PERSECUTION OF THE CHRISTIANS.

E fucceeded Pius in the year 161, and appears very foon after to have commenced the perfecution against the Chriftians, in which Juftin and his friends were flain. It excites a curiofity, not foreign from the defign of this hiftory, to dilcover what could be the caufe of fo much enmity against a people, confeffedly harmlefs, in a Prince fo confiderate, fo humane, and, in general, fo well-intentioned as Marcus is allowed to have been - Befides; he acted in this refpect directly contrary to the example of his predeceffor whofe memory he doubtless much revered, from whofe intelligent and investigating spirit he must have derived ample information concerning the Chriftians, and whom in all other matters of government he imitated fo exactly. The fact, however, is certainly fo: Marcus Antoninus was, during all his reign, which continued 19 years, an implacable perfecutor of Chriftians; and this not from mere ignorance of their moral character.-He knew them,-yet hated them, and fhewed them no mercy: He allowed and encouraged the most barbarous treatment of their perfons; and was yet himself a perfon of great humanity of temper: juft and beneficent to the reft of mankind: He was free from all reproach in his general conduct; and in feveral parts of it was a model worthy the imitation of Chriftians.

161. HE fucceeded Pius in the

I think it impoffible to folve this phenomenon

on