II.

PART II.

in Egypt, the place of his birth and education, CENT. concerning the universe, and the Deity, considered as constituting one great whole; as also concerning the eternity of the world, the nature of souls, the empire of providence, and the government of this world by demons. For it is more evident, that the Egyptian philosophy, which was said to be derived from Hermes, was the basis of that of Ammonius; or, as it is otherwise called, of modern Platonism; and the book of Jamblichus, concerning the mysteries of the Egyptians, puts the matter beyond dispute. Ammonius, therefore, associated the sentiments of the Egyptians with the doctrines of Plato, which was easily done by adulterating some of the opinions of the latter, and forcing his expressions from their obvious and natural sense. And, to finish this conciliatory scheme, he so interpreted the doctrines of the other philosophical and religious sects, by the violent succours of art, invention, and allegory, that they seemed, at length, to bear some resemblance of the Egyptian and Platonic systems.

Ammonius.

X. To this monstrous coalition of heteroge- The moral neous doctrines, its fanatical author added a rule discipline of of life and manners, which carried an aspect of high sanctity and uncommon austerity. He, indeed, permitted the people to live according to the laws of their country, and the dictates of nature; but a more sublime rule was laid down for the wise; they were to raise above all terrestrial things, by the towering efforts of holy contemplation, those souls whose origin was celestial and divine. They were ordered to extenuate, by hunger, thirst, and other mortifications, the sluggish body, which confines the activity, and restrains the liberty, of the immortal spirit; that thus, in this life, they might enjoy communion with the Supreme Being, and ascend after death, active and unincumbered, to the universal Parent

to

CENT. to live in his presence for ever. As Ammonius II. was born and educated among the Christians, he PART II. set off, and even gave an air of authority to these

injunctions, by expressing them partly in terms borrowed from the sacred scriptures, of which we find a vast number of citations also in the writings of his disciples. To this austere discipline, he added the pretended art of so purging and refining that faculty of the mind which receives the images of things, as to render it capable of ceiving the dæmons, and of performing many marvellous things by their assistance. This art which the disciples of Ammonius called theurgy, was not, however, communicated to all the schools of this fanatical philosopher, but only to those of the first rank.

per

XI. The extravagant attempts of Ammonius did not cease here. To reconcile the popular religions of different countries, and particularly the Christian, with this new system, he fell upon the following inventions; 1st, He turned into a mere allegory the whole history of the gods, and maintained, that those beings whom the priests and people dignified with this title, were no more than celestial ministers, to whom a certain kind of worship was due; but a worship inferior to that which was to be reserved for the Supreme Deity. 2dly, He acknowledged Christ to be a most excellent man, the friend of God, the admirable theurge; he denied, however, that Jesus designed to abolish entirely the worship of demons, and of the other ministers of divine Providence; and affirmed on the contrary, that his only intention was to purify the ancient religion, and that his followers had manifestly corrupted the doctrine of their divine master [n].

XII.

[n] What we have here mentioned concerning the doctrines and opinions of Ammonius, is gathered from the writings and

disputa

II.

PART II.

The perni

XII. This new species of philosophy, impru- CENT. dently adopted by Origen and many other Christians, was extremely prejudicial to the cause of the gospel, and to the beautiful simplicity of its celestial doctrines. For hence it was, that the cious effects Christian doctors began to introduce their subtle of this philosophy. and obscure erudition into the religion of Jesus, to involve in the darkness of a vain philosophy, some of the principal truths of Christianity, that had been revealed with the utmost plainness, and were indeed obvious to the meanest capacity; and to add, to the divine precepts of our Lord, many of their own, which had no sort of foundation in any part of the sacred writings. From the same source arose that melancholy set of men, who have been distinguished by the name of Mystics, whose system, when separated from the Platonic doctrine concerning the nature and origin of the soul, is but a lifeless mass, without any vigour, form, or consistence. Nor did the evils, which sprung from this Ammonian philosophy, end here. For, under the specious pretext of the necessity of contemplation, it gave occasion to that slothful and indolent course of life, which continues to be led by myriads of monks retired in cells, and sequestered from society, to which they are neither useful by their instructions, nor by their examples. To this philosophy we may trace, as to their source, a multitude of vain and foolish ceremonies, proper only to cast a veil over truth, and to nourish

super

disputations of his disciples, who are known by the name of the Modern Platonics. This philosopher has left nothing in writing behind him; nay, he imposed a law upon his disciples not to divulge his doctrines among the multitude, which law, however, they made no scruple to neglect and violate. See Porphyr. Vit. Plotini, cap. iii. p. 97. edit. Fabricii, lib. iv. Biblioth. Græca. At the same time, there is no sort of doubt, but, that all these inventions belong properly to Ammonius, whom all the latter Platonics acknowledge as the founder of this sect, and the author of their philosophy.

II.

CENT. superstition; and which are, for the most part, religiously observed by many, even in the times in PART II. which we live. It would be endless to enumerate

The state

all the pernicious consequences that may be justly attributed to this new philosophy, or rather to this monstrous attempt to reconcile falsehood with truth, and light with darkness. Some of its most fatal effects were, its alienating the minds of many, in the following ages, from the Christian religion; and its substituting, in the place of the pure and sublime simplicity of the gospel, an unseemly mixture of Platonism and Christianity.

XIII. The number of learned men among the of learning Christians, which was very small in the preceding Christians, century, grew considerably in this. Among these

among

there were few rhetoricians, sophists, or orators. The most part were philosophers attached to the Eclectic system, though they were not all of the same sentiments concerning the utility of letters and philosophy. Those who were themselves initiated into the depths of philosophy, were desirous that others, particularly such as aspired to the offices of bishops or doctors, should apply themselves to the study of human wisdom, in order to their being the better qualified for defending the truth with vigour, and instructing the ignorant with success. Others were of a quite different way of thinking upon this subject, and were for banishing all argumentation and philosophy from the limits of the church, from a notion that erudition might prove detrimental to the true spirit of religion. Hence the early beginnings of that unhappy contest between faith and reason, religion and philosophy, piety and genius, which increased in the succeeding ages, and is prolonged, even to our times, with a violence that renders it extremely difficult to be brought to a conclusion. Those who maintained that learning and philosophy were rather advantageous than detrimental to the cause

of

II. PART II.

of religion, gained, by degrees, the ascendant; CENT. and, in consequence thereof, laws were enacted, which excluded the ignorant and illiterate from the office of public teachers. The opposite side of the question was not, however, without defenders; and the defects and vices of learned men and philosophers contributed much to increase their number, as will appear in the progress of this history.

CHAP. II.

Concerning the doctors and ministers of the church, and the form of its government.

ITH

of church govern

I.HE form of ecclesiastical government, whose The form commencement we have seen in the last century, was brought in this to a greater de- ment. gree of stability and consistence. One inspector, or bishop, presided over each Christian assembly, to which office he was elected by the voices of the whole people. In this post he was to be watchful and provident, attentive to the wants of the church, and careful to supply them. To assist him in this laborious province, he formed a council of presbyters, which was not confined to any fixed number, and to each of these he distributed his task, and appointed a station, in which he was to promote the interests of the church. To the bishops and presbyters, the ministers, or deacons were subject; and the latter were divided into a variety of classes, as the different exigencies of the church required.

vincial

II. During a greater part of this century, the Association Christian churches were independent on each of the pro other; nor were they joined together by associa-churches. tion, confederacy, or any other bonds but those of charity. Each Christian assembly was a little

VOL. I.

N

state,