lib. X. E

would have been willing to have it taken in among others, but could not bring themfelves to relinquish all their old Religions for it. The Calumnies raised against the Christians had caused the popular Odium and Rage against them, but they were Vindicated by (n) Plin. (n) Pliny in an Epistle to Trajan, by Serenius Granianus Proconful of Afta in his Epistle to Juft.Mar. Adrian, by Adrian himself in his Refcript, Apol. 2. Euf. Hit. by Antoninus Pius in his Epiftle to the Comlib. IV. c. mon Council or the Community of the Estates 8,9,13. of Afia, though fome afcribe this Epistle to M. Antoninus (not to mention his Epistle to (0) Juft. the Senate of Rome.) (0) Trypho the Jew Martyr. likewife frees them from the Crimes com

pift. 97.

Dial.

Fragm.

monly laid against them, and owns the Excellency of their Precepts contained in the Gofpel. And it is obfervable, that those Crimes which had been wont to be objected against the Chriftians by their former Adverfaries, were not mentioned by Julian, in Discourses (p) Epift. written to oppofe them; who (p) elfewhere 49. & fpeaks of them in fuch a manner, and fo Epift. p. much to their commendation, as fhews the mighty force of Truth which could extort it from him. But the Fear and Shame of Men hindred divers from embracing the Christian Religion, who had a truer Notion of Things, than to approve of their own. (a) Aug. (q) Seneca expofed the Heathen Worship, and Civit. Dei exprefs'd himfelf with bitterness against the the Jews, but being able to find nothing to

305.

lib. VI.

C. II.

blame

blame in the Christian Religion, nor daring to commend it for fear of giving Offence to the Heathens, he made no mention of it at all. 99.

de Ira. lib.

I.

Thefe and fuch as thefe were the Occafions of the Unbelief of the Jews and Gentiles; Though it must be confeffed, that there is nothing more difficult to be accounted for than the Notions and Actions of Men ; it is ás hard to give an Account how (r) Seneca (r) Senec. and Plutarch fhould allow of the Murdering 1. c. 25. or Starving of poor Infants (as they certainly Plut. in did) as why they were not Chriftians. No Lycurg, Phænomena in Nature can be more variable and uncertain in their Caufes than the Opinions and Practices of Men, which differ according to their Tempers and Capacities and Circumstances; it is fufficient, if we can find out any probable Solution, and have several to offer, which might take place according to feveral Cases. But the Writings of fuch as opposed the Chriftian Religion, were very flight and frivolous, containing a Confeffion for the most part of the principal Matters of Fact, upon which our Faith is established, and raising only fome weak Cavils which never came up to the main Caufe, or undertook to disprove the Truth of the Miracles and Prophecies upon which it is founded. They could not deny the Miracles, upon which our Religion is established, and then let any Man judge what Reasons they could

1

have for their Infidelity. And indeed the prevaling of the Christian Religion under all manner of Difadvantages as to Humane Means, fhewed that the Adverfaries of it, had little to say against it, For they must be but poor Arguments, which could not diffuade Men from becoming Chriftians, when they muft incurr all the Dangers and Sufferings of this World to be fo.

The Books of the first Heathen Writers against the Chriftian Religion are frequently cited by St. Jerom, and St. Austin, and other Authors of their Time, as commonly known, and probably they were extant long after. So that their Arguments were baffled, and destroyed, long before the Books themfelves, and they had Time and Opportunity enough to do all the Mischief that they were capable of. And their Writings are not yet fo far loft, but that we still know their Principal Arguments, which the Chriftian Writers have not concealed, but have given them their full Force, and commonly in their own Words. Origen was fo careful to omit nothing confiderable which Celfus had alleged, that he was often forced to make Apologies for mentioning the fame things over again, rather then he would (s) Ambr. feem to let any things pafs, which was Malib 2. E-terial, that his Adverfary had faid, without pift. 11. Aug.lipin taking Notice of it. (s) And fome Pieces 43. are preferved entire, as the Petition of Sym

machus

amo

εἰς Βαβυλ.

macbus among the Epiftles of St. Ambrose, and the Epiftle of Maximus Madaurenfis a mong thofe of St. Auftin. The Arguments of Julian are fet down at large by St. Cyril; and we Learn from (t) St. Chrifoftom that the Books of the Philofophers against the Christian Religion, were neglected and def-Vid.Span pised by the Gentiles themselves, and were Julian. fcarce to be found but among the Chriftians, oper. Præs before the Edict of Theodofius Junior, to pro-fat hibit them.

λογ. β.

hem. in

There was a long Succeffion of Philofo phers and Sophifts, who made it their busi ness to oppose the Christian Religion. The Shool of Platonists, which continued at Athens for fome Ages, would revive, or reinforce, any Arguments, that had been used by their Predeceffors in Oppofition to Christianity. Proclus and Damafcius, who were of this School, lived about the middle of the Sixth Age, and the Writings of Dama (u) Phot. fcius were extant (u) in Photius's time, in the cod. middle of the Ninth Age; the History of Eu- CLXXXI. napius was then likewise extant, and is (x) LXXVII. faid to be preferved at Venice: We have the Abridgment of it by Zofimus and a fufficient (x) Vofs de Specimen of his malicious Invectives in his other Writings. And it is probable, that thefe, and many other Books of the like nature, which are now loft, continued much longer, than any Accounts, which we have now remaining of them mention. Of about Mm

Thirty

CCXLII.

Grace Hift.

ftein. de

() Hol-Thirty Anfwers (y) which were written to Vit. & Porphyry, by feveral Authors, not one of Script. them is now to be found. When the World Porphyr. was fatisfied of the infufficieny of his Objections, the Answers to his Books were as little regarded as the Books themselves, but underwent the fame Fate with them. *

C. 10.

The Jews, who from the beginning of Christianity, before, but especially fince, the Destruction of Jerufalem, have in vast Numbers been spread all over the World, and have ever been the most implacable Enemies of the Gospel, had the greatest Opportunity to detect any falfhood in it, and have never omitted any Advantage of improving and enforcing the Arguments against it; and and therefore would be fure to retain any thing confiderable, which had been objected by their Fore-Fathers, or by the Heathens, with whom they converfed. The Jews have been a perpetual restlefs Enemy in all Parts and Ages of the World, and nothing material in this Cafe, would escape their Obfervation. But out of the Writings of the Ancient Jews, which are ftill extant, many things have been alleged by many Learned Men, of our own and other Nations,in confirmation of our Religion, from the Confession of the Jews themselves.

The Unbelief therefore both of the Jews and Gentiles of thofe Ages, is no material Objection; nor altogether fo unaccountable

as