CHAP. III.

Of the Principles of the Chriftian Gnoftics.

NOTWITHSTAN OTWITHSTANDING the extreme repug

nance between the principles of the oriental philofophy, and thofe of chriftianity, many perfons who were addicted to that philofophy, were likewife fo much impreffed with the evidence of the divine miffion of Chrift, that they could not refuse to believe it; and yet, being strongly attached to their former principles, they endeavoured to retain both. Nor can it be doubted but that they were very fincere in their profeffion. Indeed, in that age there was no external temptation for any man to become a christian. Simon Magus was tempted with the fight of the miracles which Peter wrought, and efpecially his power of communicating the Holy Spirit; but it would foon be evident, that this was a gift that could not be exercifed at pleasure, and therefore could not anfwer the purpose of any pretended converts; and wealth and

power were not then on the fide of chriftianity.

Befides, we are not to suppose that every perfon who profeffed chriftianity, embraced it in all its purity, or immediately refigned himself to the full and proper influence of it; and leaft of all are we to fuppofe that every person who believed it to be true, was refolved to expose himself to all hazards in adhering to it. Many perfons who had been addicted to philofophy (in every system of which the doctrines concerning God, and his intercourfe with the world, were primary articles) would consider christianity as a new and improved fpecies of philosophy, and (as they had been used to do with respect to other systems) they would adopt, or reject, what they thought proper of it, and in doing this would naturally retain what was moft confonant to the principles to which they had been long attached. Greater numbers ftill would content themselves with ranking themfelves with chriftians while they were unmolefted, but would abandon christianity in time of perfecution, not thinking it neceffary to maintain any

truth

truth at the hazard of life, liberty, or property.

Christianity would, of courfe,, find perfons in every poffible difpofition and state of mind, and would therefore be received with every poffible variety of effect; and in all cafes time would be requifite to the full understanding both of its principles, and its requirements, and to separate the proper profeffors from the improper and unworthy. Of this we may be fatisfied by reading the apoftolical epiftles, where we find accounts of perfons who claffed themselves with christians, and yet both disbelieved fome of its moft fundamental doctrines, and likewise allowed themselves in practices which it ftrictly prohibited. This continued a long time after the age of the apoftles, as ecclefiaftical history teftifies.

With respect to opinions held by any perfons who called themselves christians, and which were foreign to the genuine principles of chriftianity, it is evident to any person who attentively perufes the apoftolical epiftles, that they are all reducible to one class. The writers fometimes speak

of,

of, or allude to, one of their errors or practices, and sometimes to another of them; but we no where find that they were of two or more claffes. And we if collect all that the apostles have occafionally dropped concerning berefy, we fhall find that all the articles of it make no more than one fyftem; and that this was, in all its features, the very fame thing with that which, in the age after the apoftles, was univerfally called Gnoficifm; the leading principles of it being those which have been reprefented as belonging to the oriental philofophy, and to have been afcribed to Simon Magus in the Clementines, viz. that matter is the fource of all evil, and therefore, that the commerce of the fexes is not to be encouraged, and the refurrection no defirable thing.

History, however, fhows that there were two distinct kinds of the Gnoftics, who equally held the general principles abovementioned; and these were the Jews and the Gentiles. It is to the former only that the apostle Paul ever alludes; and accordingly we find, by the unanimous teftimony of all ecclefiaftical hiftory, the Jewish

Gnoftics

Gnoftics (at the head of whom Cerinthus is placed) appear before any of the others. That this man himself was fo early as Epiphanius represents him, viz. as oppofing Peter*. may not perhaps be depended upon; but the tradition of John meeting with him at Ephesus + is not improbable, especially as his fect is spoken of as being most prevalent in Afia Minor ‡. The Nicolaitans, concerning whom we are much in the dark, we may be almost certain were Gnoftics, from what is mentioned of them in the book of Revelation, and from other Gnoftics being faid to be derived from them .

These authorities are much strengthened by an attention to the actual state of things

Hær. 28. vol. I. p. 111.

Eufeb. Hift. lib. 3. cap. 28. p. 123. and lib. 4. cap. 14. p. 161.

* Εν ταύτη γαρ τη πατρίδι, φημι δε Ασία, αλλά και εν τη Γαλάλια, πάνυ ήκμασε το τέλων διδασκαλείον. Epiphanius Hær. 28. vol. 1. p. 114.

Η Και ελευθεν αρχονται οι της ψευδονυμα γνώσεως κακως τω κοσμώ επιφύεσθαι φημι δε Γνωτικοί, &c. Ibid. Hift. 85. vol. 1. P. 77.

among