the Church make no grave and ferious Determinations about it? Our Rufinus, the firft Author who publifh'd the Story of Athanafius's Play, do's not venture to relate Alexander's fuppos'd Determination as a thing certain; he feems to have fome Fears, that fuch an odd unprecedented Determination, was not very likely to be made by fo grave a Bifhop; he would not rifk his own Reputation fo far as to vouch for the Truth of it, but refers us to others for that [and they alfo are unknown] "traditur ftatuiffe: He is faid to have deter"min'd" a forry Proof for an authentick Piece of Hiftory," when the original Hiftorian himself hands it to us in fuch uncertain, doubtful Terms.

כל

66

વ

Mr. Bingham fays, "It is fome Confirmation, that "Rufin fays, he had it from the Mouth of those who "convers'd with Athanafius," pag. 31. But Mr. Bingham muft prove that Rufin fays, He had Alexander's Determination of not Re-baptizing, from the Mouth of those who convers'd with Athanafius. This do's not at all appear; for Rufin do's not conclude his whole Story with telling us, that he had all the preceding things from the Mouth of those who convers'd with Athanafius: He fays nothing like this at the End of his Relation. Before the Beginning thereof indeed, he makes a fhort Preface to inform his Reader, after he had fhew'd that St. Athanafius was made Bishop of Alexandria upon the Decease of Alexander, that he did not think it improper to repeat fome few things concerning the Rife of

+ Verum non mihi abfque ordine videtur, pauca de hujus viri [Sc. Athanafii] origine fuprà repetere, & cujus à puero inftitutionis fuerit, ficuti ab his qui cum ipfo ritam duxerant accepi. mus memorare. Rufini Hifi. Ecclef. Lib. 1. c. 14.

St.

St. Athanafius, and to mention what fort of Education he had from a Child, as he had receiv'd 'em from those who liv'd and convers'd with him.

Here we fee, that what Rufinus himself fays he receiv'd from them, was no more than a few things concerning St. Athanafius's Rife and Education from a Child: So that Bishop Alexander's fuppos'd Determination, of not Baptizing the other Children, having nothing to do with St. Athanafius's Rife and Education, cannot be fairly faid to have been receiv'd by Rufinus, from thofe Perfons who liv'd and convers'd with him. Mr. Bingham fhould have let his Readers fee Rufinus's Preface to the Story, and also his Words towards the Conclufion thereof, that they might have been enabled to pass a right Judgment, what Parts of the Story Rufinus referrs to, when he fays he had them from thofe who liv'd and convers'd with St. Athanafius; for the Conclufion of the Story plainly discovers thofe few things which he fays he had from them, and they are in fhort thefe," That Alexander order'd Athana"fius, &c. to be brought up for the Service of the Church; That in a short time after, Athanafius having been fufficiently inftructed, -was reftor'd by his Parents to the Bishop; That from that time he was like Samuel, brought up in the Temple of

tr

* Athanafium vero, atque eos quos ludus ille vel Presbyteros habere vifus fuerat vel miniftros, convocatis parentibus, fub Dei obteftatione tradit Ecclefiæ fuæ nutriendos. Parvo autem tempore cum à Notario integré, & à Grammatico fufficienter Athanafius fuiffet inftructus, continuó tanquam fidele Domini commendatum, à parentibus reftituitur Sacerdoti, ac velut Samuel quidam in templo Domini nutritur, & ab eo pergente ad Patres in fenectute bona, ad portandum poft fe Ephod Sacerdotale deli, gitur. Rufin. Hift. Eccl. Lib. 1. c. 14.

66

"the Lord; and that finally upon the Death of Alexander, he was ordained Bishop in his ftead." Thefe are the few things relating to St. Athanafius's Rife and Education, which Rufinus fays he had from those who were converfant with St. Athanafius. And if Alexander's fuppofititious Determination about not Baptizing the other Boys, can be prov'd to have any neceffary dependance on St. Athanafius's Rife and Education, then, it may be allow'd, that Rufin fays, he receiv'd that alfo from those who were converfant with St. Athanafius: This does not yet appear, but the contrary, by Rufinus's faying of that Determination; only "traditur ftatuiffe," it is faid, That he determin'd; ufing a more doubtful way of fpeaking here, than he does, when he speaks of the Rife and Education of St. Athanafius: Add to this, that Socrates, who had St. Athanafius's Books, together with the Affiftance of those who alfo were converfant with him, wholly omits this Paffage, tho' he had Rufinus's Hiftory before him, when he tranfcrib'd fome other Parts of the Story from it. This confirms the Remark I made before, that Rufinus did not receive that Pallage from those who convers'd with St. Athanafius; for if he did, why fhould fo judicious an Hiftorian as Socrates, difcredit it fo far as to refuse to Copy it from him?

Mr. Bingham fays, "Admit it were a fabulous "Report, yet we must charitably believe of the ancient "Hiftorians, both Greek and Latin, that they be"liev'd themselves, at least, what they reported, "that fuch a Fact had happened at Alexandria; and "if it had been contrary to the general Senfe and "Practice of the Church in their times, they would hardly have related it fo plaufibly without paffing . fome Cenfure and Reflection on it :- Which, the

ancient

"ancient Hiftorians having not done, it may rea"Sonably be concluded, that, at least, they thought "the Determination of Alexander and his Council, to be agreeable to the general Senfe and Practice of "the Church," pag. 31, 32.

દ

But in Anfwer to this, do's not Mr. Bingham know, that it is a common thing for Hiftorians to tranfcribe from thofe who wrote before them, fuch Tranfactions as they relate to have happened, and that Writers do often thus follow

another, not because they believe every thing they transcribe, but because they would not have their own Writings to be accus'd, of omitting fuch Relations, as others took notice of before them in their Hiftories of the fame Time? It is often enough feen, that this is the only Defign of fome Hiftorians, and that they leave their Readers to judge for themfelves, whether fome of their Relations be true or falfe, without paffing any Cenfure themselves upon the Things which they relate. But what if ancient Hiftorians did themselves believe, the fabulous Reports they hand down to us? Do's it therefore follow that they thought those Fables to be agreeable to the general Senfe and Practice of the Church? Where lies the reasonablenefs of this Confequence; are Hiftorians Thoughts always intent upon, and declaratory of, the Church's Belief and Practice? No fuch Matter. But it is pleaded, if the Fable "bad "been contrary to the general Senfe and Practice of cr the Church, they would hardly have related it fo plaufibly, without paffing fome Cenfure and Re“ flection on it. This makes nothing for the Matter; because, what they would hardly have done is no Argument, fince we find many Writers have overcome this imaginary Difficulty: For, the fame Superftition, eafie Credulity, or Heedlefnefs, that makes

ແ

G 3

makes Men to believe a Fable, which is contrary to Truth; caufes them alfo to relate without any Cenfure, fuch Stories as are even contrary to the general Senfe and Practice of the Church; and doubtless, 'tis from this corrupt Fountain, that feveral Churches have, in procefs of time, been overflow'd with Error and Superftition, by firft not censuring new Fables that were ftarted contrary to the general Doctrine and Practice of the Church; then fuffering them to be handed down to Pofterity, by Perfons of Note and Character, till at laft the Infection has fpread fo far, as that Lyes themselves have been firmly believ'd to be fubftantial Truths in thofe Churches.

“

66

Mr. Bingham fhould not handle this Matter in fuch dubious Terms, as to fay, They would hardly have related it, &c." "Tis a Thing of too great Importance for us to be put off with fuch inconclufive ways of arguing. Hiftorians have many times been fo careless, as to relate, without Cenfure and Reflection on them, feveral things which were even contrary to the general Senfe and Practice of the Church; and this, whether they do it easily or hardly, is no Matter, fo long as they do it; 'tis a Proof against Mr. Bingham's way of arguing. I know 'twill be expected that I fhould give fome Inftances of this; and therefore I will do fo, even out of two of the Hiftorians which Mr. Bingham has produc'd for the Truth of this Fable. Johannes Mofchus's Fable related by him without any Cenfure, concerning Children's celebrating the Holy Eucharift, by the Hands of a Child, whom they chose to do the Office of a Prieft, &c. [See p. 73.] is no Proof, that Fohannes Mofchus reckon'd this to be agreeable to the general Senfe and Practice of the Church:

So