viction, that the adverfe Party threw down their Weapons, and relinquished the Cause which they maintained before. This Synod was held about the Year 245, and it may be obferv'd that a general Synod thought the Philofophical Origen (who at their Choice had fo fuccefsfully maintain'd the Divinity of our Bleffed Saviour, and converted the Heretick Berofus that oppos'd it) to be a fit Champion in this, and indeed all the most confiderable Chriftian Controverfies of his Time. Which fully proves, that not only the Primitive Fathers, but the whole Primitive Church maintain'd this Doctrine; and it must be confefs'd Eftibius has undertaken a very noble Army of Adverfaries.

However the Fathers were the chief Patrons of this Doctrine, and the ConduitPipes that conveigh'd it entire to us; and hinc illa lachryme; here is the true Reason why Eftibins has ftrew'd thofe contemptible Characters of them fo thick thro' his Book. Here therefore it might be proper to vindicate their Learning and Understanding from those grofs and rude Afperfions; but this Work is done to my Hands, by all the Historians of theirs, and all fucceeding Times; particularly by Dr. Cave in their feveral Lives, and in the Introduction to his Apoftolici, he proves it an Advantage that exceedingly contributed to the Triumph

Pag.12,&c.

of Chriftianity, the fingular Learning of many who became Champions to defend it. For tho' the Gofpel at its first fetting out, was left to its own naked Strength; and Men of the most unpolish'd Breeding made Choice of to conveigh it to the World, that it might not feem to be an human Artifice; yet after the miraculous Power began to ceafe, it pleas'd the Divine Providence to raise up, in its Defence, Men of the most profound Abilities and Learning, for the first five Centuries. They were, as he says, exquisitely skill'd in Arithmetick, Geometry, Aftronomy, Logick, Phyfick, Rhetorick, and indeed what not? I defire Eftibius, the next time he writes, to be particular in his Characters of Irenæus, Juftin Martyr, Athenagoras, Theophilus, Arnobius, Origen, Gregory Nazianzen, and Chryfoftom. It's true his Objection was made before by Celfus, Porphyry, and Julian; and therefore it may be proper for his Ufe, to transcribe St. Jerom's Anfwer to it. Difcant ergo, Celfus, Porphyrius, de fcrip. Eccl. Julianus, rabidi adverfus Chriftum Canes, difcant eorum Sectatores, qui putant Ecclefiam nullos Philofophos Eloquentes, nullos habuiffe Doctores, quanti quales viri eam fundaverint, extruxerint, & ornaverint definant fidem noftram ruftica tantum fimplicitatis arguere, fuamque potius imperitiam agnofcant. And with this I

S. Hieron.præf.

leave him to reflect upon the Character, which he has fo induftriously, and fo frequently given us of the Primitive Fathers; how far it is from Truth, and how near a-kin to the most inveterate Enmitys that ever appear'd against the Chriftian Cause.

If we are not to be impos'd upon by Eftibius in things at that distance of Time, he can expect but little Succefs in his last Undertaking; which was to fhew the Continuance of this Opinion in the Church, for Intereft and Gain. It's

Pag.409.

notorious what ufe the Church of Rome has made of this Doctrine; but fuppofing no fuch ufe had been made of it, wou'd the Doctrine have funk? Muft it neceffarily have fail'd in the time of Pope Gregory the Great, had not he commanded Prayers for the Dead, and set up Purgatory? Must it needs have been drop'd at that juncture of time, when it had ftood the Teft of all the pureft Ages of the Church? I must confefs this Suppofition is of a Piece with many in the Book, and can be exceeded for Extravagance, by nothing but what the Author farther afferts, That the Contest for Power and Grandeur in the Romish Church, was the true Grounds of strenuously maintaining this Opinion about the Spiritual Soul of Man, united to his Body, and Subfifting after it in a separate State. Ac

Pag. 411.

cording

cording to this account, who wou'd expect to meet with this Opinion among Christians till the fixth Century? but why may not he be allow'd to call that a Ground, which is only a Superstructure, as well as to make a Superstructure of his own, without any

Ground at all?

But methinks this Hiftory of his is a little lame, or rather ends where it fhou'd have begun; for here's no Reason given why the reform'd Churches, and especially the Church of England, fo universally own and teach Pfycomuthifm. But what wou'd you have a Man do? Impoffibilities? It's poffible to perfuade fome Gentlemen that the Primitive Fathers were a parcel of Fools, when an Author cannot fo well fay Religion is in fuch Hands at this time of Day; and again 'tis plain, that with us neither Priest nor Church, get any thing by the furviving of Mens Souls; and, befides Folly and Knavery, there can be no other Caufe of an Error fo grofs, and fo derogatory to true Christianity.

Wherefore I expect, Eftibius, you will bethink your felf of fome other Topicks, if you are refolv'd to proceed in your Defign, befides Philofophy, Reafon, Scripture, and History; for all thefe make fo apparently against your Pofition, that I hope very few Profelytes, in an inquifitive Age,

will be made by fuch Arguments, tho' you shou'd be able to compafs Sea and Land to gain them. This is all the Advice I pretend to give you; for as to a Retractation, I am fenfible you have fet your felf fo far above Reproof, or Conviction from others, that it must be left at laft to God and your own Confcience.

CHAP. X.

Conclufion, being a Summary Confutation of his whole Hypothefis, from what has been prov'd, and fome farther Confiderations.

Aving, in the foregoing Chapters, thoroughly examin'd all the Premiffes in fecond Thoughts, which have any feeming tendency to the Author's Conclufion i I fhall not tranfgrefs the Rules of Difpute, to take notice of his last Chapter, which he calls the Summary of the whole, or Conclufion: We can expect nothing of Argument new under this Title; and if what we have met with already will but ill bear Repetition, I am fenfible it's too late to engage afresh either in the fame, or in foreign

Mat