Heathens, are taken from Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Chryfoftom, and Jerom; but thefe, as Dr. Edwards obferves, at least fome of them, had been bred in a philofophic way themfelves, and fo had retained a charity for that fort of men, yea, thought better of them than they deserved. Befides, fhould thefe teftimonies be examined, they'll not be found fo full and exprefs as they are thought to be; and other paffages of thefe writers may be produced contradicting of them. As to Justin Martyr, when he fays, that fuch as Socrates and Heraclitus were Chriftians, he does not mean, as a learned man of our own nation has obferved, that they were perfectly, only in part fo; that is, as they were partakers of, and lived according to the 00s, or reafon, which Chrift, the Word and Son of God, imparts to every man. And as to Clement of Alexandria, Voffius has clearly fhewn, that he could not fay or think that any could be faved without faith, and without the knowledge of Chrift; which he fuppofed the Heathens had through Christ's defcent into hell, and preaching to them there. Nor that he could mean, that the philofophy of the Greeks was fufficient to falvation, only at moft, that it was one degree towards, c Veritas Redux, p. 439. d Bulli Judicium, Eccl. Cathol. de neceff. credendi quod Chrift. fit Deus, append. ad c. 7. p. 201, &c. Hift. Pelag. 1. 3. Par. 3. p. 376, 377. or or what had a tendency to lead to Chrift And though Chryfoftom fays, that before the coming of Chrift they that did not confefs him might be faved, yet he elsewhere affirms, that the works of men ignorant of God, are like to the garments of the dead, who are infenfible of them; his words are thefe, "They that labour in good works, and know not the God of piety, are like, Aenlævois vexegor, to the remains of the dead, who are cloathed with beautiful garments, but have no fenfe of them." And though Jerom talks in one places, of " the knowledge of God being by nature in all, and that no man is born without Chrift, and hath not in himself the feeds of wisdom and justice, and other virtues; whence many without faith, and the Gospel of Chrift, do fome things either wifely or holily." Yet in another place he fays, "Let us bring forth that sentence (the just shall live by faith) against those who not believing in Christ think themselves to be ftrong, wife, temperate, and juft; that they may know that no man liveth without Chrift, fine quo omnis virtus in vitio eft, without whom all virtue is to be reckon'd for vice. To which I shall add two or three teftimonies more, fhewing, that the virtues of the Heathens were not properly good works, but had only a fhew f Serm. de fid. et leg. nat. Tom. 6. p. 838. 8 Comment. in Gal. p. 70. M. Ib. p. 76. B. of k of them, and were infufficient to falvation, and conclude: Says Origen, "If a conver fation of good manners were fufficient to men for falvation, how is it that the philoJophers among the Gentiles, or many among bereticks, continenter viventes nequaquam falvantur, who live Joberly, are not faved? but because the falfity of their doctrine darkens and defiles their converfation." Again, he observes from Peter in Clement, "That good works which are done by unbelievers profit them in this world, non et in illo ad confequendam vitam aeternam, but not to obtain eternal life in the other." Cyprian has these words', "The philofophers alfo profefs to follow this (patience) but as their wisdom is falfe fo is their patience; for how can he be either wife or patient, qui nec fapientiam nec patientiam Dei novit, who neither knows the wisdom nor patience of God?" Ambrofe expreffes himself in this manner, "Virtues without faith are leaves, they feem to be green but cannot profit; they are moved with the wind, because they have no foundation. How many Heathens have mercy, have fobriety? but they have no fruit, quia fidem non habent, because they have no faith." i In Matt. Homil. 27. fol, 53. * Ib. Homil. 35. fol. 74. vid. 1. 2. fol. 142. De bono patientiae, p. 313. m ANTIENT WRITERS cited in this Treatife, with the Editions of them made use of in it. AMBROSE, p. 82, 181,283, | CLEMENT of Alexandria; 354,429. Ed.Paris 1661. ANTHONY, P. 145. in Bibl. patr. Ed.Tertia, Paris 1610. per Marg. de la Bigne. ARNOBIUS, P. 133. 244. Hanov. 1603. cum notis Elmenhorst. ATHANASIUS, p. 59, 149, 259, 334, 408. Colon. 1686. ATHENAGORAS, p. 221. ad calcem Juftini. BARNABAS, p. 22, 103, 217, 308, 373. ad calcem Ignatii. BASIL, p. 70, 158, 270, 343, 417. Paris 1618. CHROMATIUS, p. 406. in Bibl. patr. Paris 1610. CHRYSOSTOM, p. 87, 193, 291, 361, 432. Eton. 1612. a Savilio. CHURCH at Smyrna, p. 22, 108. apud Euleb. Hift. Eccl. P. 40, 115, 227, 316, 381. Paris 1631. CLEMENT of Rome, p. 16,, 101, 215, 307, 372. Oxon. 1569. CYPRIAN, P. 53, 127, 240, 328, 397. Paris 1643. CYRILL, p. 73, 167, 269. Oxon. 1703. a Milles. DIDYMUS, P. 172, 348, inter opera Hieronymi. EPIPHANIUS, p. 187, 288. Colon. 1682. EUSEBIUS, p. 140, 251, 332, 404. Hift. Eccl. Mogunt. 1672. Preparat. Evangel. et demonftr. Evang. Colon. 1688. juxta Ed. Paris 1628. FAUSTINUS, p. 166. Oxon. 1678. FIRMICUS, p. 146. Oxcr 1662. GAUDENTIUS, p. 190. in) Paris 1628. 277, 349, 423. Paris 1615. mum. IGNATIUS, p. 21, 104, 218, Paris 1610. P.379. apud Eufeb. Eccl. Hift. ORIGEN, P. 47, 120, 230, FINI S. |