.1Z TOt OArtiottp of Me Zibtne 2ftt íbuteg Chap. a r among them cenfur'd the Martyrs as foolhardy in their j generous Sufferings for the NameofJefus Chrift. An- toninus accufed the Chriflians of Ti ti7-01,c4 ou zia ro °i; e &711) 1,;\1.. obft inacyin their readinefs to endure gorris ipxe°ras. p..44 e Torments. llrriama reprefents their 4Inv 79 f° di xe_51- Courage as proceeding from a cullo- écrot Lib. 2. Ew l v o ¡uari- ca, z1; mary contempt of Death, which he 'TUX/72X oppofes to Judgment and Reafun. zmvai T s s a rañiì aïor i. 4 c. 7. Crefcens tl,e Cynickwas the Perfccu- tor of9uflin Martyr. In all Ages theGofpel felt the (harppoints oftheir maliciousWits. They defpifed it as an ill-contrived Fable, as the enter- tainment of final' Underftandings; Nemo accedat eruditus, nemo fai>iens, g neme prudens, arcemus enim tales: and Faith, as the PYefidlusn of the Quidf quis eti indoaus, infipiens ,in- weak and illiterate, who were inca- fans, fidenter veniat. Hoe pafto fads apparut, good folds fatuos, ignaros, pable of confideration. Nowwhen fiolidos, maneipia, mulicrculas, pue- thofewho were in hi heft reputation . ros captent, & pelliciant. Mtxrm. Ma daKYen¡r in sprit. as st. augy¡, for their Morality an Learning, dif- countenanced Chriftianity, it was a ftrong Argument to move the vulgar Heathens to judg of it as a meer delufion. In our Saviour's time 'tw4, doh ß.4a urged as a fuffcient reafon againft the receivingofHim. as Pent from God, Becaufe none ofthePharifees, themolt learned and molt likely to understand theProphefies con- cerning the Megiah, believedon him. 2. TheHeathen Priefts vehemently obftruded the re- ception of theGGofpel ; for their Intereft was fpecially concern'dupon the account oftheir reputation& gain; With greatArt they had kept thePeople in Ignorance for along time : They perfwaded them that their Idola- trousCeremonies,Sacrifices andFeftivals made the gods favourable,andwere the fupreme caufes oftheirProfpe- rity; and that ill fuccefs inWar,publick difafters,great contagions werefent for the negle,rt oftheirService:From this Fountain all Superftition was deriv'd. Now ifthe Doirine
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