*

phers of thofe days often mention this man; fome dedicate their books to him, others refpectfully deliver their works to him as their master. All this Eufebius tells us with much apparent fatiffaction. To him the gospel seems to have triumphed over Gentilifm by this means. I own I cannot but think that it was rather corrupted by Gentilifm. What can Origen mean by afferting the utility and even neceffity of philofophy for himself as a chriftian? Are not the fcriptures able to make a man wife unto falvation through faith which is in Chrift Jefus, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to every good work? Suppofe a man of common fenfe, perfectly unacquainted with all the learned lore of Ammonius, to ftudy only the facred books, with prayer, dependence on Divine guidance and illumination, and with felfexamination? Is it not conceivable that he may acquire a competent knowledge; may he not ob tain an eminent knowledge of the scriptures? Certainly an acquaintance with the claffics and philofophers may furnish him with ftrong arguments to prove the neceffity and excellency of Divine Revelation, and deferves seriously to be encouraged in all who are to inftruct others, for their improvement in tafte, language, eloquence, and history. But if they are to dictate in religion, or are thought capable even of adding to the ftock of theological knowledge, the fcriptures (with reverence be it spoken) may feem to have been defectively written. In truth, we hear nothing now of conviction of fin, of converfion, of the influence of the Holy Spirit, of the love of Chrift, among thefe learned converts of Origen. They are pleased with him, and fuperior parts and learning are fure to command the efteem of mankind. What are all the labours of Origen,

*Eufeb. B. 6—17.

Origen, which we have now before us, but vain attempts to mix things which the Holy Ghost has declared will not incorporate? One certain mischief would naturally follow; characters would be confounded; among the learned henceforward the diftinction between godliness and philofophy is too faintly marked. If Origen had fimply and plainly expounded to these men the peculiar and vital truths of the gofpel, I cannot but fufpect that many of them would have ceafed to attend his inftructions:

The famous Porphyry, than whom chriftianity had never a more acrimonious enemy, takes notice of Origen's allegorical mode of interpreting fcripture, obferves that he was acquainted with him when young, and bears teftimony to his rapid improvements under Ammonius. He afferts, what indeed Eufebius, who must have known, contradicts, that Ammonius, though brought up a chriftian, turned afterwards a Gentile. He acknow. ledges that Origen continually perufed Plato, Numenius, and the reft of the Pythagoreans; that he was well verfed in Chæremon the Stoic, and Cornutus, whence he, borrowing the Græcian manner of allegorical interpretations, applied it to the Jewish fcriptures.

We have seen before the wanton fpirit of allegory introduced by Ammonius. It is very probable that Origen thence learnt to treat the fcriptures in the fame manner as Porphyry affirms. He had the candour to confefs that he had been miftaken in his literal interpretation of our Saviour's words concerning the eunuchs. He afterwards learnt to allegorize all the three claufes in the paffage, falling into a contrary extreme*; and in general he unhappily introduced fuch a complicated Y 3 fcheme

* Mat. xix. 12.

fcheme of fanciful interpretation, as for many ages after, through the excess of refpect paid to the man, much clouded the light of fcripture.

There wanted not, however, those who found fault with Origen for all this attachment to philofophy. Probably fimple fouls who defired to be fed with the fincere milk of the Word, that they might grow thereby, found themfelves ftarved amidst all this heterogeneous doctrine. He thought himself called on to vindicate his practice, which he only does by obferving the use of philofophy in confuting heretics, and by the example of Pantænus, and of Heraclas, an Alexandrian pastor, I fuppofe his coadjutor, who formerly had worn the common drefs, and afterwards took up the philofopher's garb, and ftill ftudied earnestly the books of philofophers. What does all this prove but the epidemical progrefs of the disease?

The governor of Arabia fent to Demetrius, defiring the inftruction of Origen, who journeyed for that purpose into Arabia and returned to Alexandria.

The elegant publication of Minucius Felix, a work deferving even to be ranked among the Latin claffics for its neatness and purity of style, was an ornament to the Latin church. The arguments against Paganifm are well pointed and well adapted to the ftate of the world at that time; it is only to be regretted that we fee not more of the real nature of chriftianity in the work.

In the year two hundred and fourteen Macrinus fucceeded Caracalla, who reigned feven years and fix months.

CHAP,

CHA P. VI.

CHRISTIAN AFFAIRS DURING THE REIGNS OF MACRINUS, HELIOGABALUS, ALEXANDER, MAXIMINUS, PUPIENUS, GORDIAN, AND PHILIP.

*M

ACRINUS reigned not quite a year, and was fucceeded by Heliogabalus, who was flain after he had fwayed the fceptre three yearsand nine months. He died in the year two hundred and twenty-two. His follies and vices are infamous, but he perifhed at the age of eighteen. The church of God fuffered nothing from him, nor does he appear to have conceived any particular prejudices against it on the contrary, he expreffed a defire of removing the rites of chriftian worship to Rome. It is not worth while to attempt an explanation of the views of fo fenfelefs and foolish a prince. He was fucceeded by his coufin Alexander, who was as yet in the 16th year of his age, and was one of the beft moral characters in profane hiftory.

His mother, Mammæa, is called by Eufebius a woman moft godly and religious. I am at a lofs how to vindicate the expreffion. It does not appear that he received the faith of Chrift. But neither the nor her fon perfecuted; they rather approved and countenanced the chriftians. Perfons of candour and probity themselves, they faw that, in ethics at leaft, the people of God concurred with their own views. Their conduct was laudable; but fee the mifchief of uniting chriftianity with philofophy! how cheap and common is the term godly grown in the eye of Eufebius!

Eufeb. L. 6. Fleury, B. V. IV.

The

The Providence of God not only fecured his church from fuffering, but procured it a favourable patron in this princefs and her fon. The Emperor had a domeftic chapel, where he every morning worfhipped thofe princes who had been placed among the gods, whofe characters were most esteemed; among whom he placed Apollonius of Tyana, Jefus Chrift, Abraham, and Orpheus. He had a defire to erect a temple to Chrift and to receive him into the number of the gods.

Take another inftance of his candour toward the chriftians: a dispute was brought before him concerning the property of a piece of ground which was claimed by certain tavern-keepers, and which, having been common, the chriftians had occupied for a place of worship. It is fitter, faid Alexander, that God fhould be ferved there, in any manner whatever, rather than a tavern fhould be made of it. He frequently used this chriftian fentence, "Do as you would be done by." Hẹ obliged a crier to repeat it when he punished any perfon, and was fo fond of it that he caufed it to be written in his palace and in the public buildings. When he was going to appoint governors of provinces, or other officers, he propofed their names in public, giving the people notice, that if they had any crime to accufe them of, they should convict them of it. It would be a fhaine, fays he, not to do that with respect to Governors, who are entrusted with men's properties and lives, which is done by Jews and Chriftians when they publish the names of thofe whom they mean to ordain Priefts. And, indeed, by Origen's account‡, the Chriftians were very careful in the choice of their paftors, and civil magiftrates were by no means to be compared with them in probity and found

*Lamprid.

Ag. Celfus, Book III, and VIII,