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II.

PART II.

CENT. of Plato, they collected from the different sects such doctrines as they thought conformable to truth, and formed thereof one general system. The reason, then, why they distinguished themselves by the title of Platonics, was, that they thought the sentiments of Plato, concerning that most noble part of philosophy, which has the Deity, and things invisible for its objects, much more rational and sublime than those of the other philosophers.

V. What gave to this new philosophy a superior air of reason and dignity, was, the unprejudiced spirit of candour and impartiality on which it seemed to be founded. This recommended it particularly to these real sages, whose inquiries were accompanied with wisdom and moderation, and who were sick of those arrogant and contentious sects, which required an invariable attachment to their particular systems. And, indeed, nothing could have a more engaging aspect than a set of men, who, abandoning all cavil, and all prejudices in favour of any party, professed searching after the truth alone, and were ready to adopt, from all the different systems and sects, such tenets as they thought agreeable to it. From hence Called also also they were called Eclectics. It is, however, to be observed, as we hinted in the former section, that though these philosophers were attached to no particular sect, yet they preferred, as appears from a variety of testimonies, the sublime Plato to all other sages, and approved of the most of his opinions concerning the Deity, the universe, and the human soul.

Eclectics.

Their discipline ap

ans.

VI. This new species of Platonism was emproved by braced by such of the Alexandrian Christians as the Christi- were desirous to retain, with the profession of the gospel, the title, the dignity, and the habit of philosophers. It is also said to have had the particular approbation of Athenagoras, Pantænus,

Clemens

II. PART H.

Clemens the Alexandrian, and all those who, CENT. in this century, were charged with the care of the public school [1] which the Christians had at Alexandria. These sages were of opinion, that true philosophy, the greatest and most salutary gift of God to mortals, was scattered in various portions through all the different sects; and that it was, consequently, the duty of every wise man, and more especially of every Christian doctor, to gather it from the several corners where it lay dispersed, and to employ it, thus re-united, in the defence of religion, and in destroying the dominion of impiety and vice. The Christian Eclectics had this also in common with the others, that they preferred Plato to the other philosophers, and looked upon his opinions concerning God, the human soul, and things invisible, as conformable to the spirit and genius of the Christian doctrine.

method of

VII. This philosophical system underwent some The new changes, when Ammonius Saccas, who taught, teaching with the highest applause in the Alexandrian philosophy school about the conclusion of this century, laid introduced by Ammothe foundations of that sect which was distin- nius Saccas. guished by the name of the New Platonics. This learned man was born of Christian parents, and never, perhaps, gave up entirely the outward profession of that divine religion in which he had been educated [m]. As his genius was vast and

compre

[] The title and dignity of philosophers delighted so much these honest men, that though they were advanced in the church to the rank of presbyters, they would not abandon the philosopher's cloak. See Origen, Epist. ad. Eusebium, tom. i. opp. p. 2. edit. de la Rue.

[m] Porphyry, in his third book against the Christians, maintains that Ammonius deserted the Christian religion, and went over to Paganism as soon as he came to that time of life, when the mind is capable of making a wise and judicious choice. Eusebius, on the other hand, denies this assertion; maintains, that Ammonius persevered constantly in the pro

fession

II.

CENT. comprehensive, so were his projects bold and singular. For he attempted a general reconciliaPART II. tion or coalition of all sects, whether philosophical or religious, and taught a doctrine which he looked upon as proper to unite them all, the Christians not excepted, in the most perfect harmony.

fession of Christianity, and is followed in this opinion by Valesius, Bayle, Basnage, and others. The learned Fabricius is of opinion, that Eusebius confounded together two persons who bore the name of Ammonius, one of whom was a Christian writer, and the other a Heathen philosopher. See Fabric. Biblioth. Græca, lib. iv. cap. xxvi. p. 159. The truth of the matter seems to have been, that Ammonius Saccas was a Christian who adopted with such dexterity the doctrines of the pagan philosophy, as to appear a Christian to the Christians, and a Pagan to the Pagans. See Brucket's Histoire Critica Philosophic, vol. ii. and iii. Since the first edition of this work was published, the learned Dr. Lardner has maintained, not without a certain degree of asperity, which is unusual in his valuable writings, the opinion of Fabricius, against Eusebius, and particularly against Dr. Mosheim. See his Collection of Heathen and Jewish Testimonies, vol. iii. p. 195, &c. Dr. Mosheim was once of the same opinion with Fabricius, and he maintained it in a Dissertation, De ecclesia turbata per recentiores Platonicos; but he afterwards saw reason to change his mind. These reasons may be seen in his book, De rebus Christianorum ante Const. Mag. p. 281, &c. They indeed weigh little with Dr. Lardner, who, however, opposes nothing to them but mere assertions, unsupported by the smallest glimpse of evidence. For the letter of Origen he quotes from Eusebius, is so far from proving that Ammonius was merely a Heathen philosopher, and not a Christian, that it would not be sufficient to demonstrate that there was ever such a person as Ammonius in the world; since he is not so much as named in that letter. But allowing with Valesius that it is Ammonius whom Origen has in view when he talks of the philosophical master from whom he and Heracles received instruction, it seems very whimsical to conclude from thence, that Ammonius was no Christian. The coalition between Platonism and Christianity, in the second and third centuries, is a fact too fully proved to be rendered dubious by mere affirmations. The notion, therefore, of two persons bearing the name of Ammonius, the one a heathen philosopher, and the other a Christian writer, of which Dr. Lardner seems so fond, rests upon little more than an hypothesis formed to remove an imaginary difficulty.

II. PART II.

mony. And herein lies the difference between CENT. this new sect and the Eclectics, who had, before this time, flourished in Egypt. The Eclectics held, that in every sect, there was a mixture of good and bad, of truth and falsehood; and accordingly, they chose and adopted out of each of them such tenets as seemed to them conformable to reason and truth, and rejected such as they thought repugnant to both. Ammonius, on the contrary, maintained, that the great principles of all philosophical and religious truth were to be found equally in all sects; that they differed from each other only in their method of expressing them, and in some opinions of little or no importance; and that, by a proper interpretation of their respective sentiments, they might easily be united into one body. It is farther to be observed, that the propensity of Ammonius to singularity and paradox, led him to maintain, that all the Gentile religions, and even the Christian, were to be illustrated and explained by the principles of this universal philosophy; but that, in order to this, the fables of the priests were to be removed from Paganism, and the comments and interpretations of the disciples of Jesus from Christianity.

Ammonian

VIII. This arduous design, which Ammonius The prinhad formed of bringing about a coalition of all ciples of the the various philosophical sects, and all the differ- or Eclectic ent systems of religion that prevailed in the philosophy. world, required many difficult and disagreeable things in order to its execution. Every particular sect and religion must have several of its doctrines curtailed or distorted, before it could enter into the general mass. The tenets of the philosophers, the superstitions of the Heathen priests, the solemn doctrines of Christianity, were all to suffer in this cause, and forced allegories were to be subtilly employed in removing the difficulties with which it was attended. How this vast pro

ject

II.

CENT. ject was effected by Ammonius, the writings of his disciples and followers, that yet remain, abunPART II. dantly testify. In order to the accomplishing his purpose, he supposed, that true philosophy derived its origin and its consistence from the eastern nations; that it was taught to the Egyptians by Hermes; that it was brought from them to the Greeks, by whose vain subtilties, and litigious disputes, it was rendered somewhat obscure and deformed; but was, however, preserved in its original purity by Plato, who was the best interpreter of Hermes, and of the other oriental sages. He maintained, that all the different religions that prevailed in the world, were, in their original integrity, conformable to the genius of this ancient philosophy; but that it unfortunately happened, that the symbols and fictions, under which, according to the eastern manner, the ancients delivered their precepts and their doctrines, were, in process of time, erroneously understood both by priests and people in a literal sense; that, in consequence of this, the invisible beings and demons, whom the Supreme Deity had placed in the different parts of the universe as the ministers of his providence, were, by the suggestions of superstition, converted into gods, and worshipped with a multiplicity of vain ceremonies. He therefore insisted, that all the religions of all nations should be restored to their original purity, and reduced to their primitive standard, viz. "The ancient philosophy of the east ;" and he affirmed, that this his project was agreeable to the intentions of Jesus Christ, whose sole view, in descending upon earth, was, to set bounds to the reigning su perstition, to remove the errors that had crept into the religions of all nations, but not to abolish the ancient theology from whence they were derived.

Its chief articles.

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IX. Taking these principles for granted, Ammonius adopted the doctrines which were received

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