either way. If it was the original text of St. Paul, as (8) Beza and more particularly Mr. Mann contend, then the point that we have been proving is established beyond all poffible contradiction. If it was only a marginal reading added by way of explication, as (9) Mr. Mede and Dr. Mill fuppofe, it ftill evinces that Epiphanius, and fome before his time, understood the paffage in the fame manner that we have explained it. The apoftle delivers the prophecy as a plain and exprefs one; and it cannot be denied, that the paffage is much improved, and the fenfe is made much clearer by this addition. Epiphanius too recites this addition, as the very words of the apostle; and a man of his character for probity and piety would not be guilty of forging fuch a teftimony. If it be not quoted by other fathers, nor appear in other copies, it is probable that the fathers, who began this worthip very early, would not be forward to produce a text to their own conviction and confufion; and it is poffible that when this worship prevailed almoft univerfally, a text which fo plainly condemned it, might be wholly omitted; as in later times, for the fame reafon, we have feen (1) in fome catechifms and manuals of devotion, the fecond left out of the ten commandments, and the tenth divided into two to make up the number. It ought not indeed to be concealed, that Clemens Alexandrinus, a

(8) Beza in locum. Mr. Mann's Critical Notes on fome paffages of Seripture. p. 92-103.

(9) Mede's Works. p. 637. Mill. in locum.

(1) Bishop Stillingfleet in his Doetrins and Practices of the Church of Rome, in anfwer to the author of A Papift mifreprefented and represented, treating of the fecond commandment, fays, The difpute about this is not "Whether the fecond commandinent 66 may be found in any of their books, "but by what authority it comes to "be left out in any; as he confeffes "it is in their fhort catechifms and "manuals: but not only in these, "for I have now before me the Re"formed Office of the Bleffed Virgin,

"printed at Salamanca, A. D. 1588. "published by order of Pius V. where "it is fo left out; and fo in the Eng"lish Office at Antwerp, A. D. 1658. "I wish he had told us in what pub "lic Office of their church it is to be "found." Stillingfleet's Works. Vol. 6. p. 572. See alfo Adrichomii Theatrum Terræ Sanctæ, p. 212 et 300. where the ten commandments are thus ranged and divided; 1. Se Deum unum colant, idolis rejectis. 2. Suum nomen in vanum ne affumant. 3. Sabbata fignificent. 4. Parentes honorent. 5. Non occidant. 6. Non mœchentur. 7. Non furentur. 8. False ne teftentur. 9. Non concupifcant proximi uxorem. 10. Non rem ejus quamcunque.

celebrated

celebrated father and writer of the second century, hath (2) cited this paffage of St. Paul, juft as it appears in our prefent copies, which is a confiderable argument in fupport of the common reading. But poffibly the fame perfons who left the words in queftion out of St. Paul, might alfo leave them out of Clemens Alexandrinus; and they might have struck them out of Epiphanius too, if they had been equally aware of them, or if the thing had been equally practicable, and the context would have fuffered it without the moft palpable difcovery of the fraud. Upon the whole it may be concluded concerning this paffage in Epiphanius, that if it does not exhibit the genuin reading, yet at leaft it eftablifheth the genuin fenfe and meaning of the text of St. Paul.

It appears then that the doctrins of demons, which prevailed fo long in the Heathen world, fhould be revived and established in the Chriftian church: and is not the worship of faints and angels now in all refpects the fame that the worship of demons was in former times? The name only is different, the thing is identically the fame. The Heathens, as we fee, looked upon their demons as mediators and interceffors between God and men and are not the faints and angels regarded in the fame light by many profeffed Chriftians? Some tendency to the worshipping of angels was obferved even in the apostle's time, infomuch that he thought proper to give this caution to the Coloffians, (II. 18.) Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels and this admonition, we may fuppofe, checked and fuppreffed this worfhip for fome generations. The worshipping of the dead was not introduced fo early into the church; it was advanced by flower degrees; and what was at first nothing more than a pious and decent refpect to the memory of faints and martyrs, degenerated at laft into an impious and idolatrous adoration. At first (3) annual feftivals were inftituted to their honor: the next step was praying in the cemeteries at their fepul

(2) Clem. Alex. Stromat. Lib. 3.

P. 550. Edit. Potter.

(3) See thefe particulars hiftorically

K 4

deduced in Sir Ifaac Newton's Obfervations on Daniel. Chap. 14: p. 203

231.

chres;

chres; then their bodies were tranflated into churches; then a power of working miracles was attributed to their dead bodies, bones, and other relics; then their wonderworking relics were conveyed from place to place, and diftributed among the other churches; then they were invocated and adored for performing fuch miracles, for affifting men in their devotions, and interceding for them with God; and not only the churches, but even the fields and highways were filled with altars for invoking them.

As early as the time of Conftantine, the first Christian emperor, we find Eufebius, one of the best and most learned of the fathers, quoting and approving Hefiod's and Plato's notions before-mentioned concerning demons, and then (4) addingThese things are befitting upon the deceafe of the favorites of God, whom you may properly call the champions of the true religion: Whence it is our cuftom to affemble at their fepul chres, and to make our prayers at them, and to honor their bleffed fouls.' Here Eufebius compares the faints and martyrs with the demons of the Gentiles, and esteems them worthy of the fame honor. The famous Antony, who was one of the great founders of monkery, gave it in charge (5) to the monks with his dying breath,

To

take care and adhere to Chrift in the first place, and "then to the faints, that after death they may receive you as friends and acquaintance into the everlafting tabernacles. His advice was but too well followed; and the emperor Julian (6) reproacheth the Chriftians for

(4) Και ταυτά δε αρμόζει επι τη των · Θεοφιλών τελευίη, ὡς πρατίωίας της αλεθος ευσέβειας εκ αν αμαρίοις είπων, παραλαμβάνεσθαι. ὅθεν και επι τας θήκας Γαύλων εθα ημιν παριέναι, και τας ποιεσθαι, τιμαίνε

αει συνάπλειν ἑαυτος, προηγεμένως μεν τω κυρίω, επειδα δε τοις άγιοις· ἕνα μέλα θανατον ύμας εις τας αιώνιες σκηνας, ὡς φιλές και γνωριμες, δεξωνται και αυτοί. Id curate ut in primis vos Domino, dehinc Santis adjungatis :

•εuxas wapa Tonov tuxas. Quæ qui- • ut poft mortem vos in æterna taberna

τας μακαριάς dem in hominum Deo cariffimorum obitus egregie conveniunt, quos veræ pietatis milites jure appelláris. Nam et eorum fepulcra celebrare, et preces ibi votaque nuncupare, et beatas illo-rum animas venerari confuevimus. Eufeb. Præp. Evang. Lib. 13. Cap. p. 663. Edit. Vigeri. (5) σπεδάσανε δε μαλλον και ὑμεῖς

cula, quafi amicos notofque fibi recipiant. Vita Antonii. Cap. 91. p. 863. Athanafii Oper. Tom. I. Par. 2. Edit. Benedi&t.

(6) πολλές επεισάγοντες τῷ παλαι νεκρῳ τες προσφατες νεκρός-additis ad prifcum illum mortuum novis mortuis

Julian. apud Cyril. Lib. 10. p. 335. Edit. Spanhemii,

THE PROPHECIES.

137

ng many new dead men to that ancient dead man, . All the fathers almost of the fourth and fifth cencontributed too much to the fupport and propan of this fuperftition: and Theodoret in particular, ng cited the fame paffages of Hefiod and Plato, (7) ns thus, If then the poet hath called good men, er their decease, the deliverers and guardians of mormen; and the beft of philofophers hath confirmed poet's faying, and afferted that we ought to ferve l'adore their fepulchres; why I befeech you Sirs eaking to the Greeks) do you blame these things ich are done by us: for fuch as were illuftrious for ty, and for the fake thereof received martyrdom, alfo name deliverers and phyficians, not calling m demons, (let us not be fo defperately mad) but friends and fincere fervants of God.' Here Theoplainly allows the thing, and only disapproves the

Again he (8) faith in the fame exalted strain erning the martyrs, They who are well pray for continuance of health, and they who have been g fick pray for recovery, the barren alfo pray for Idren; and they who are to make a long journey re them to be their companions and guides in the

8

Ει τοίνυν και ὁ ποιητης και εσθλες ξικανες και φυλακας θνητών ανθτης αρισα βιβιωκοΐας, είτα τελε 15, @goonfogEvσED Exgaluve de ν λογον των φιλοσοφων ὁ αρισο, ηναι εφη και θεραπεύειν τελων σκύνειν τας θηκας· τι δὲ]α μεμφς παρ' ἡμων γινομένοις, ὦ βελως γαρ εν ευσέβεια λαμψανίας, - ταυλης την σφαγήν δεξάμενος, κες ἡμεις και ιαίρες ονομάζομεν. ένας καλοντες· μη έτε λυτησαλα θες φίλες και ευνες θεραπονod fi poeta, et bonos, et maloulfores, et cuftodes mortalium eos, qui optime vixerunt, deortui funt: ejufque fententiam horum præftantiffimus confiratque horum fepulcra colenda nda cenfuit; quæ a nobis fiunt, viri, cur damnatis? Nos enim

non appellamus, (abfit a nobis hic furor) fed Dei amicos fervorque benevolos. Theod. Serm. 8. De Martyribus. p. 60z. Tom. 4. Edit. Paris 1642.

(8) οἱ μεν ὑγιανοντες, αίτεσι της ὑγιειας την φυλακην· οἱ δε τινι νοσῳ παλαίοντες, την των παθημάτων απαλ λαγην αλλεσι δε και αἷονοι παιδας και οἱ μεν εις τινα αποδημίαν ςελλομενοι λιπαρεσι τέλες ξυνοδοιπορους γενέσθαι, και της όδου ἡγεμονας ουκ ὡς θεοις αυτοις προσιόντες, αλλ' ὡς θείους ανθρωτους αντιβολουντες, και γενεσθαι πρεσCulas vπg σQwv wapanaλouvres. Qui integra funt valetudine, hanc fibi confervari, qui autem morbo quopiam conflictantur, hunc depelli petunt. Petunt et liberos qui his carent-Qui peregrinationem aliquam aufpicantur, ab his petunt, ut viæ fibi comites fint, ducefque itineris-non illos adeuntes ut

fad tonouam divinae homines one

way; not going to them as Gods, but applying to them as to divine men, and befeeching them to be' come interceffors for them with God.' Nay he faith 9) that the martyrs have blotted out of the minds of men the memory of thofe who were called Gods. For our Lord hath brought his dead into the place of your Gods, whom he hath utterly abolished, and hath given their honor to the martyrs: for inftead of the feafts of Jupiter and of Bacchus are now celebrated the feftivals of Peter, and Paul, and Thomas, and the • other martyrs. Wherefore feeing the advantage of honoring the martyrs, fly, O friends, from the error ' of the demons; and ufing the martyrs as lights and guides, purfue the way which leadeth directly to God.' Here are the doctrins of demons evidently revived, only the name is altered, and the faints are fubftituted for the demons, the Divi or deified men of the Chriftians for the Divi or deified men of the Heathens.

The promoters of this worship were fenfible that it was the fame, and that the one fucceeded to the other; and as the worfhip is the fame, fo likewife is it performed with the fame ceremonies, whether thefe ceremonies were derived from the fame fource of fuperftition common to the whole race of mankind, or were the direct copies of one another. The (1) burning of incenfe or perfumes on feveral altars at one and the fame time;

Pro Pandiis enim ac Dionyfiis-Pe tri, et Pauli, et Thonæaliorumque martyrum folemnitates peraguntur. Cum igitur ex honore martyribus delato quid utilitatis proveniat cernatis, fugite, amici, daemonum errorem, præviaque illorum face atque duatu, viain capeffite, quæ ad deum perducit. Ibid. p. 606, 607.

(1) The reader may fee this conformity between Popery and Paganilm proved at large by Dr. Henry More in his Second Part of the Mystery of Iniquity, B. I. Chap. 17. by Dr. Middleton in his Letter from Rome, by Mr. Seward in his Differtation on the Conformity between Popery and Paganifmm, and other learned and ingenious authors.

the