line Oracles also, and other similar spurious works, were sometimes cited for confirmation. Some of them attempted to describe the points of disagreement, between the divine predictions and those of Demons. The proof from miracles was likewise often brought forward; and it was vindicated, against the objection that Demons could also work miracles, and that Apollonius of Tyanea performed as great wonders as Jesus Christ did. The continuance of miraculous powers in the christian churches, was generally believed. Augustine was the first that attempted to define, accurately, a miracle.

SEC. 48. Other external proofs.

The christians urged the antiquity of their faith, as proof of its truth. For this purpose, they sometimes appealed to the testimony of ancient pagan writers, who had taught the unity of God; and many of them did not hesitate to make use of supposititious books. At other times, they alleged, that the substance of their religion was taught, in the Old Testament, long before the pagan writers lived. Likewise the elevated character of Jesus, which excluded all suspicion of imposture, and the credibility of the Apostles, were adduced as arguments. Lastly, it was maintained that the extraordinary success, with which their doctrine was propagated, by indigent fishermen, was inexplicable, if this doctrine was not the truth of God, and attended with the power of God.

SEC. 49. Objections to Christianity.

Not only were there widely extended popular prejudices against christianity, which the Apologists endeavored to do away; but a Celsus, a Porphyry, an Hierocles, and the Emperor Julian, composed written attacks on christianity. A part of these objections to the christian doctrine, respected its origination. It was urged against it, that it was derived from the barbarians; that it was set up by insignificant and ignorant men; and that it was strange, God should not have communicated to mankind, at an earlier period, a doctrine of so much pretended value.

SEC. 50. Objections to the nature of the christian religion, and to its sacred books.

Christianity was sometimes assailed, on the grounds, of its requiring of men a blind faith, of advancing fabulous and absurd notions, and of being prejudicial to the state, and making bad citizens. To the sacred books, it was objected, that the style of them was inelegant; and that they contained contradictions; as well as other things unworthy of God, which the christians were unable to conceal, except by forced interpretations.

SEC. 51. Objections to the conduct and the influence of Christians.

The christians themselves were sometimes charged, with receiving all sorts of characters into their societies; with being disunited among themselves; with separating from all other men, in the insolence of their pride; and with bidding welcome to death, in the obstinacy of their fanaticism. Still more frequently was it asserted, that the superior excellence of paganism was apparent, in the success, which had attended the Romans; and that the worthlessness of christianity was visible, in the misfortunes of its professors; and in the continual and manifest decline of the Roman empire, since the introduction of christianity. This last objection, Augustine and Orosius deemed worthy of an extended examination.

SEC. 52. Neglect of Apologetics.

After the middle of the fifth century, little attention was given to the evidences of christianity; because, it had no longer dangerous opposers; and because learning declined, and a blind faith became more and more prevalent. Yet against the Jews, polemics were sometimes resorted to, without effect.

CHAPTER IV.

THE BEING AND CHARACTER OF GOD.

Historian. Chr. Fr. Rösler, D. Philosophia veteris ecclesiae de Deo; Tubing. 1782. 4to.

SEC. 53. Occasions for attention to the subject.

The efforts made. to establish the truth and divinity of the christian religion, necessarily led to a careful investigation of the doctrine of a God. For the christians wished, on the one hand, to free themselves from the suspicion of atheism; and on the other, to establish the excellence of their religion, by showing, that it inculcated more worthy conceptions of God, than the heathen polytheism. Moreover, some heretical sects advanced notions, concerning God, creation and providence, which contravened the general creed; and which called for a confutation from the catholics.

SEC. 54. Evidences for the existence of God.

Although the fathers considered all true knowledge of God, as derived from a divine revelation; yet they admitted, that reason also affords satisfactory evidence of the existence of God. They most frequently appealed to the order and manifest design, discoverable throughout nature, as the ground of belief in the existence of a wise Creator and Governor. They moreover appealed, frequently, to the innate idea of a God, in the soul, and to the consent of all nations. The former, or cosmological proof, was advanced by Diodorus(1) of Tarsus; and the latter, or proof from the general idea of an existing Deity, engaged the attention of Augustine (2) and Boethius.(3)

p. 662.

(1) See Photius, Biblioth. Cod. 223.
(2) de Libero Arbitrio L. II. c. 5—15.
(8) de Consolat. Philos. L. III. prosa 10.

p. 154, 155.

SEC. 55. Unity of God.

The christians had to defend the doctrine of one God, first, in opposition to the Pagan polytheism: and for this purpose, they urged, that the idea of a supreme Being, excluded all participaters with him; they also urged, that the unity of the world, indicated to us one sole author of it; and they likewise argued, from the consent of the most respectable Pagan philosophers. They had, secondly, to contend against the dualism of the Gnostics and Manichaeans; and therefore labored to evince the absurdity of supposing two Gods, an evil and a good one.(1) And, thirdly, they did not neglect to vindicate their doctrine of a Trinity, from the charge of being inconsistent with pure monotheism.

(1) Titus, of Bostra, contra Manichaeos, L. I. in Basnagii Monum. T. I. p. 63 &c.

SEC. 56. The nature of God.

The ancient fathers vied, in their efforts, to describe in the strongest terms, the infinite greatness and boundless majesty of God. No words, said they, can express the greatness of God. No description is adequate to it. He is above all beings; and, as the pseudo-Dyonisius asserts, above all existence. Although Melito, (1) Tertullian,(2) Audius, (3) and numerous Monks of Egypt, ascribed something corporeal to God; yet the others held, that he was uncorporeal; and at times, that he was the only uncorporeal being. And after all, it often appears, that it was very difficult, for the fathers, to exclude all notions of extension from their ideas of God.

(1) See Origen, in Genes. Opp. T. II. p. 25. (2) de Carne Christi, c. 11. adv. Prax. c. 7.

(3) See Epiphanius, Haer. LXX. and Theodoret, Haeret. fab. L. IV. c. 10.

SEC. 57. Investigations of the attributes of God. The notion of Origen, that God's knowledge and power are not absolutely boundless, was universally rejected, by the succeeding fathers. The eternity of God, was supposed to exclude all ideas of succession. Ffforts were made, to show how the freedom of human actions, can consist with the foreknowledge of God. Investigations were also entered into, respecting the will, and the rectitude, of God.

SEC. 58. Creation of the world.

Sources of information. Basil, in Hexaëmeron:-Ambrose, in Hexaëm.--Gregory of Nyssa, in Hexaëm.—Augustine, de Genesi contra Manich. and de Genesi ad literam ;Zacharias, de Mundi creatione, contra Philosophos ;Joannes Philoponus, de Creatione mundi.

The belief, that God was the Creator of the world, was of vast importance, in the view of christians; and the dissent of the Grecian philosophers, and of the Gnostics, from this tenet, was the occasion of their carefully investigating the doctrine. The first proposition they advanced, was, that not any subordinate being or Demiurge, but the supreme God, the Father of Jesus Christ, created the world, by his Son. To this proposition, they added a second, that not only the form, but the matter of the world, originated from God. Both these were maintained by Tertullian, against Hermogenes. The peculiar idea of Origen, that there was a series of worlds, either created, or without beginning; was contested by Methodius, and rejected by the subsequent fathers.

SEC. 59. The design of Creation.

A third proposition, advanced respecting creation, was, that God was not merely the author, but the voluntary author, of the world. He gave existence to the world, it was stated, being moved by his goodness, or on our acThe creation of the world of spirits, was some

count.