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(Cornell Mttiocrattg Slibtati) 
 
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 LIBRARY OF 
 
 LEWIS BINGLEY WYNNE 
 
 A.B.A.M.. COLUMBIAN COLLEGE. 'Tl, '73 
 WASHINGTON, D. C, 
 
 THE GIFT OF 
 
 MRS. MARY A. WYNNE 
 
 • AND 
 
 JOHN H. WYNNE 
 
 CORNELL '98 
 1922 
 
CURNtLL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
 3 1924 103 924 324 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31 9241 03924324 
 
JULIAN. 
 
 A DISCOURSE 
 
 Concerning the 
 
 EARTH QU A K E 
 
 AND 
 
 FIERY ERUPTION, 
 
 Which defeated that Emperor^s Attempt to rebuild 
 
 the Temple at Jerufalem. 
 
 IN WHICH 
 
 The reality of a divine Interpofition is fhewnj 
 The. Objedions to it are anfweredj 
 
 AND 
 
 The nature of that Evidence which demands the 
 aflent of every reafonable man to a mir(i- 
 ^cuIousfa.d:, is confidered and explained. 
 
 By the Rev. Mr. WAR BUR TON, 
 
 Preacher to the Hon. Society of Lincoln's Inn., 
 
 Jfefciunt Necejfariay guia fupervacanea dedkerunt. 
 ^♦, ' Seneca. 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 printed fgcj. and P. Knapton, in Ludgate-ftreet 
 
[i] 
 
 INTRODUCTION- 
 
 Afovereign contempt for the authority 
 of the Fathers, and no great re- 
 verence for any other, is what now- 
 a-days makes a Proteftant in fafhion. But 
 as I imagine Religion lofes fomething, and 
 Learning a great deal, by the negled: in 
 which they lye at prefent, I fliould hSve 
 been tempted to fay a word or two in their 
 behalf, even tho' the fubjedt of the following 
 (heets did not require that they whofe tefti-. 
 mony I make fome ufeof, fhould have, their 
 pretences examined, and their character 
 fairly fettled. But what is here infinuated 
 to the difcredit of the prefent mode in Theo- 
 logy, is not faid in behalf of the paji, but 
 of that which good fenfe feems ready to place 
 between them. 
 
 1^ The authority of theFAXHERs had now 
 for many ages, been eAcemedf acred. Thefe 
 men, by taking the Greek Fhilofophers to 
 
 a • their 
 
ii INTRG^DUCTIOlsr. 
 
 their afffllaiice in explaining the nature and 
 genius of thdGofpel, had unhappfly^ turned 
 Religion into in ^rf • and their fUdceflbrs, 
 the Schoolmen, by framing a body of 
 Theology oitt of Them, inflead of feat ch- 
 ing for it in' the Scriptures, foon after turn- 
 ed' it into a ftra;i^. But (as in all affairs 
 where Reafon does not hold the balancd) 
 that which had been extravagantly advanc- 
 ed, was, on the turn of the times, as extra- 
 vagantly undervalued. It may not therefore 
 be amifs to acquaint the Eriglifh Reader, in 
 few words, how all this came to pais. 
 
 When the avarice and ambition of the 
 Romifh clergy had, by working with the 
 fuperftition and ignorance of the people, 
 eredled what they call their Hierarchy, and 
 digefted an ecclefiaftical policy on the ruins 
 of Gofp'el liberty, for the adminiftratiioh of 
 it, they found nothing of fuch ufe for the 
 fupport of this lordly fyftem " as the making 
 
 " Conniie I'autorite fait le fondemefit de cette etude 
 [la Theologie] il eft jufte de deferer ablblumerit^non 
 feulement a I'Ecriture fainte, mais encore aux fenti- 
 mens des Peres, qui nous ont explique la tradition, fur 
 tout a ceux que I'Eglife a canonifez, pour ainfi dire, 
 par fon approbation, ou en tout ou en partie, Trai,ti 
 dss etudes tmnaftijjue's par Mabillon, p» 36.0. 
 
 the 
 
INTRODUCTION. iii 
 
 the authority pf,7^e Fathers fa,cred anql deci- 
 sive. ,For having introduced numerous, .er- 
 rors and fuperftitions, both in Rites and Do- 
 <5lrine, vsrhich xhejilence and the decloTratifins 
 of Scripture equally condemned, they wer« 
 obliged to fpal up thoie living Oracles, and 
 open this new warehoufe of the Dead. And 
 it was no wonder if in that fhoal of writers 
 (as a poet of our own calls it) which the 
 great drag-net of time hath inclofed and 
 brpught.c^wn to us, under the name of Fa- 
 tjjersy there fhould be ^me amongft them 
 of a- charadier fuited to countenance any 
 kind of folly or extravagance. The decifi- 
 bns bf the Fathers, therefore, they thought 
 fit to treat as Laws ; and to colled: them into 
 a kind of JGode under the title of the Sen- 
 tences. 
 
 From this time every thing w^s t^d 
 at^.the bar of iht Fathers ; and fo unquet 
 tioriied, was their jurifdidtion, that when the 
 great defeftion was made from the Church 
 ofR^m back again to x!a.tChurgh. of Chrifli 
 the Reformed, tho' they,fhook off the ty- 
 ranny of the Fope^ could not difengage 
 themfelves from the unbounded authority of 
 the Fathers j but carried that prejudice with 
 
 a 2 them, 
 
iv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 them, as they did fome others, ofa worie 
 complexion, into the Proteftant religion. 
 For, in facred matters, as Novelty is fqjTpici- 
 ous, and Antiquity venerable, they thought 
 it for their credit to have th& Fathers on 
 their fide. They feemed neither to confider 
 Antiquity in general as a thing relative^ nor 
 Chriftian antiquity as a thing pojitive : .ei- 
 ther of which would have fhewn them that 
 the Fathers themfelves were modern, com- 
 pared to that authority on which Reforma- 
 tion was founded; and that the Gofpel 
 was that true antiquity on which all its fol- 
 lowers fhould repofe themfelves **. The con- 
 
 < *■ The Roman Catholics have long objefled to us the 
 \Antiquily of their Church, as one of its greateft fup- 
 ports. But none of them have been fo ingenuous as 
 the admirable author of L'Efprit des LofXy to fliew us 
 wherein the force of this argument confifts. L'anti- 
 quite (fays he) convient a la Religion, parce que fou- 
 vent nous croyons plus les chofes a mefure quMIes font 
 plus reculees : car nous n'avons pas dans la tete des 
 idees aeceflbires tirees de ces tems-la qui puiflent les 
 cbntredife. Vol. ii. p. 203. 8vo Ed. But then un- 
 luckily this force lyes in the fuppofition of its being not 
 a truCi but a falfe Church. For tho' falfe religion re- 
 ceives an advantage from the oblivion of thofe difcre- 
 diting circumflances which attended its original, and 
 which time hath now deprived us of; yet true religion 
 
 I fequence 
 
INTRODUCTION. v 
 Sequence of which unhappy error was, that, 
 in the long appeal to Reafon, between Pro- 
 teftants and Papifts, both of them going on 
 a common principle, of the decifive autho- 
 rity of this Fathers J enabled the Latter to fup- 
 port their credit againft all the evidence of 
 common fenfe and facred Scripture. 
 
 At leugth an excellent writer of the Re- 
 formed;tt obf^rving that the controverfy was 
 likely to be endlefs ; for tho' the grofs cor- 
 ruptions of Popery were certainly later than 
 the thirdj fourth, and fifth Centuries, to 
 which the appeal was ufually made, yet the 
 feeds of them being then fown, and begin- 
 ning to pullulate, it was but too plain there 
 was hold enough for a fkilful. Debater to 
 draw the Fathers to his own fide, and make 
 them water the fprouts they had been plant- 
 ing : obferving this, I fay, he wifely pro- 
 jedfed to- fhift the ground, and for<;e the 
 difputants to vary their method, both of at- 
 
 receives infinite damage from the fame eflFefls of time, 
 becaufe feveral circumftances now loft, which accom- 
 panied its birth, muft needs have greatly confirmed its 
 chara£ter. For it is as much in nature that the cir- 
 cumftances attending truth fliould confirm it, as that 
 the circumftances attending error Ihould detefljt. 
 
 a 3 tack 
 
vi INTRO D U C T I O N; 
 
 tack and defence. In order to this he com- 
 pofed a dilfdourfe of the true ufe of the Fa- 
 thers ^ In which, with uncommon learn- 
 ing, and ftrength of argument, he fhew- 
 ed, that the Fathers were incompetent deci- 
 ders of the contrpveriies now on |bot, j fi nee 
 the poinfs in queftion were not fqrmed: into 
 articles till long after the ages in which they 
 lived. This was bringing the Fathers from 
 the bench to the table ; degrading them frorn 
 the rank of judges, into the clafs of fimple 
 evidence; in which, too, they were not to 
 fpeak, like Irijh evidence, in every caufe 
 where they were wanted, but only to fuch 
 matters as were agreed to be within their 
 knowledge. Had this learned critic flopped 
 here, . his book had been free from blame j 
 but at the fame time his honeft purpofe had, 
 in all likeUhood, proved very ineffec^if^l : 
 for the obliquity of old prejudices is not to 
 be fel; ftrait by juft reducing it to that line 
 of right which barely reftores it to integri- 
 ty. He went much further : and by {haw- 
 ing, occafionally, that they were ahfurd in- 
 terpreters of holy- writ ; that they were bad 
 Jleafoners in morals ; and very loofe . evi- 
 ^^eppe in fafibs ; he feemed willing to have 
 
 ^ PeTEmplof dis Peres, par M. Daille. 
 
 his 
 
I,fJ,TRODUQTION, vi 
 
 }^ Reader, infer, that even tho' ^,ey h^^ 
 been rpafters of i^i^e fubjie,dl; yet ,t;hefe t^o^er 
 vdefecils would Jiave, r^dq^ed them very^un- 
 qualified daqju^rs, 
 
 Hov^EVER the work of this famous Fo- 
 reigner had great confequences : and efpCi- 
 cially tvith us here at home. The more 
 learned amongftthe Nobility (which, at that 
 time, was of the Republic of letters) were 
 the firft who emancipated thenifelves from 
 the general prejudice. It brought the ex- 
 cellent Lord Faulkland to think nloderately 
 of the Fathers, and to turn his theologfeal 
 inquiries into a more ufeful channel. And 
 his great rival in arts, the famous LordD/^^j, 
 found it of fuch ;ufe to him, in his defence of 
 Refortnation againft his coufin Sir Kenhelntj 
 that he has even epitomifed it, in his fine 
 letter on that fubjed*. But what it has 
 chiefly to boaft of is, that it gave birth to the 
 two beft defences ever written, on the two 
 Beft fubjedls, Relighn and Liberty j I mean 
 Mr. ChilUng'worth' s Religio7i of Protejiants, 
 and 'Dr.'Jer. 'Taylor' s Liberty of Prophefying. 
 In a word, it may be truly faid to be the 
 /lorehoufe, from whence all who have fince 
 a 4 ' written 
 
vui INTRODUCTION. 
 
 'written popularly oft the charaQ:er of the 
 Fathers, have derived their materials. 
 
 ,Dr. Whitby, in whofe way they fell as 
 Interpreters of Scripture, hath, in irnitatiqn 
 of the pattern Daille fet him, made a large 
 colledion from their writings, to expofe 
 their talents for Criticifm^. In the fame 
 manner, and in a larger volume, Mr. Bar- 
 beyrac afterwards treated their pretenfions 
 to the fcience of Ethics ' : And now of late 
 the very learned and ingenious Dr. Middle- 
 ton, finding them in the fupport of Monfc- 
 ifh Miracles, hath written as largely to prove 
 their feftimony in matters of izGt to be none 
 of the cleareft. 
 
 So that ,thefe federal conftituent parts of 
 their charadler being thus taken up in their 
 turns ; and the whole order expofed as ift- 
 competent Judges of Doctrine, as ftrifling 
 Interpreters of Scripture, as bad Morali^s, 
 and as flippery Evidence j it is no wonder 
 the £w^/{/2' reader, who only meafures them 
 by fuch reprefentations, fhould be difpofed 
 to think very irreverently of thefe early 
 Lights of the holy CathoUc Church. 
 . * 
 
 * Differt. de S.S. interpretatiane fecund. Patres. 
 • . * La MpraU dts Peres i^f. 
 
 But, 
 
INTRODUCTION. ix 
 
 .»Bh,t, let us lay afide prejudice on either 
 hand, and we fliall fee en<3agh to perfuade 
 us, that difputers, who have little more in 
 view than to Ibpport a favourite charge, will 
 not always be careful to preferve their can- 
 dor. In the heat of a profecution, ptoofs 
 will be apt to be overftrained : but adniit 
 they are not j and that the fadfcs are fairly 
 reprefented j what confiderate man will 
 think himfelf able to form a true judgment 
 of a charadter, when no more of it is laid 
 before him than a coUedtion of its blots and 
 .blemifhes ? 
 
 There were always fome indeed, till of 
 late, whopreferved their moderation (which, 
 in matters where our interefls are highly 
 concerned, as in. Religion and Politics, is 
 not eafy to do) and thefe were wont to fay, 
 " That tho' we IhodRd indeed fuppofe the 
 Fathers to be as fanciful Divines, as bad 
 Critics, and as urtfafe Moralifts, as Daille, 
 Whitby^ and Barbeyrac are pleafed to repre- 
 sent them, yet this would take nothing from 
 the intdgrity of their Evidence : and what 
 we want of them is only their Teftimony td 
 fafts." But now, even this fervice is thought 
 too much. The learned Author of the Free 
 
 ^ Inquiry 
 
X IN TKODUCTTON. 
 
 Inquiry feems lonwilling ta alkwtithem this 
 jfpaall remnant of credit r which he has cer- 
 tainly much hurt by expofing their esxceffive 
 credulity in point of ^Ife Miracles^- Eufc, 
 controverfy, apart, I fee no reafon why their 
 veracity fhould be queftioned when they 
 bear witnefs to the ftate of Religion in their 
 own times, becaufe they di%raced their 
 judgtnent, in giving ear to every ftrange 
 tale of Monkifh extra<9:ion. The moil learned 
 and virtuous Divine of the barbarous ages is 
 the venerable Bede-, and the honefteft as 
 well as moft difcerning hiftorian of thofe, 
 or perhaps of any age, is Matthew Paris : 
 yet their propenfity to recount the wonder- 
 ful exceeds all imagination. Neither learn^ 
 ing, judgment, nor integrity could fecure 
 them againft the general contagion. Now 
 if this difpofition was, in them (as is con- 
 felled) only the vice of the times^ is it not 
 unjuft to afcribe the fame difpofition in the 
 Fathers, to the vice of the Men ? 
 
 But our folly has ever been, and is likely 
 to continue,^ to judge of antiquity by a 
 (modern flandard : when^ if we would form 
 reafonable ideas on this fubjeft, we fhOuld 
 compare the parts of it vs^ith one anothe|% 
 
 We 
 
INTRODUCTION. xi 
 
 "We examine the conceits of a Bafil or an 
 Auftit^ on theteft of the improved reafoning 
 of our own times. And we do well. It is 
 the way to read t^em with profit. But 
 when, from a contempt of their logic, which 
 follows this comparifon, we come to defpifb 
 their other accomplifhments of parts and 
 learning, we betray' grofs ignorance or in- 
 juftice. To know the real value of the 
 Fathers we flibuld place them by their con- 
 temporaries, the Pagan writers of greateft 
 fame and reputation ; and if they fufFer in 
 their neighbourhood J e'en let them flay, 
 where moft of them already are, with the 
 Grocers. But it is a truth none acquainted 
 with antiquity can deny, how great a fecret 
 foever modern Divines make of it, that as po- 
 lite fcholars (and it is that which we now 
 iliofl: affefl to value) jvhether in eloquence, 
 fithicB, antiquity, or philofophy, the Chriftian 
 writers have indifputably the firft place. Nay, 
 one may venture to fay, there are fome of 
 thern who have fuccefsfully rivaled the ve- 
 ry beft writers of antiquity, St. Chryfojlome 
 has more good fenfe than Plato ; and you 
 may find in LaBantius almoft as many 
 good words as in 'T'uUy. So that if, on 
 the princijples of a claffical tafte, we difcard 
 
 the 
 
xii INTRODUCTIpN. 
 
 the Faihers, we fliould difcard along with 
 them the Pagan •writers of the fame ages j 
 unlefs the wonderful Theology of the Lat- 
 ter can atone for (what they both have 
 in common) their falfe rhetoric and Lad 
 reafonjrig. 
 
 These imperfedi^s,. therefore, being 
 common both to Gentile and Chrijiian wri- 
 ters, it is plain they were the faults of the 
 Times, and not of the Men. For whatever 
 advantages the ancients might have over us 
 in the arts of poetry, oratory, and hiftory, 
 it is certain, that in the Science of Reafoning^ 
 as far as it concerns the difcovery of moral 
 truth, the moderns are infinitely fuperior. 
 
 Those who are not able to form a com- 
 parifon between them, on their own know- 
 ledge, may be reconciled to this conclufion, 
 when the peculiar hindrances, in the ancient 
 world, to the advancement of moral truth, 
 on the principles of a juft logic, have been 
 laid before them. 
 
 The cultivation of the art of reafoning 
 on this fubjedt, was, in the moft early 
 times of learning, in the hands of their 
 Orators and Sophists. Whatever was the 
 
 pro!- 
 
INTRODUCTION, xiii 
 
 profeffiorij the real bufinefs pf< the Oj;atf>r 
 was not to convince, but to perfuade ; and 
 not in iayour of truth, but of convenience 
 or utility : which, again, was not gene- 
 ral utiUty (for that coincides with truth) 
 but particular ; which is often at variance 
 with it. So that their art of reafoning, 
 was as much an art to binder the difco- 
 very of truth, as to promote it. Nor was 
 that part which was employed in the fup- 
 port of error merely loft to the fervice 
 of truth. The mifchief went further. It 
 brought in many fallacious rules and modes 
 of phoning, which greatly embarrafled and 
 mifled the Advocate when he was ertiployed 
 in a better caufe. Particularly thofe by Ji- 
 militude and anah^ : which had their rife 
 from hence J and foon fpread, like a^lp- 
 profy, over all the argumentation of an- 
 tiquity. 
 
 We need not wonder then, if under this 
 management Truth was rarely found. What 
 feems to be more ftrange is,, that when, it 
 was found, its value was fo Uttle under- 
 ftood that it was as frequently facrificed to 
 the empty vanity, as to the more folid in- 
 terefl, of the difputer. For the Sophijls, the 
 
 abftraded 
 
xiv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 abftra^ted Inquirers after truth, made their 
 wifdom (from whence they took their name) 
 to confift in bringing truth to the fide of 
 their reafoning ; not in bringing their 'rea- 
 soning to the fide of truth. '''Hence it be- 
 came the glory of their profeffion to demon- 
 Araie for, or againft any opinion, indiffe- 
 rently : and they were never better pleafed 
 than when that was prefcribed to them for 
 their fubjedl, let it be what it would, which 
 their auditors had a mind fhould be the 
 truth. The difficulties they frequently h^d 
 to eiicouhter, in fupport of fo extravagant a 
 character, introduced into the ancient rea- 
 foning nevv modes of fallacies, a fet of me- 
 taphyseal quibbles, which being the inven- 
 tion ofnvife Men, are fitted only to impofe 
 on others as wife. 
 
 But tho' So much had been done to be- 
 tray, to eftrange, and to difcredit truth -, 
 yet common fenfe revolts againfl: every thing 
 when it becomes, to a certain degree, Un- 
 natural. This infolent abufe of Reafon, noVsr 
 proceeding to an opeh mockery of Truth, 
 bi:ought the Sophias into public contempt : 
 and gave room to another fet of men, of a 
 
 modefter 
 
INTRODUCTION, xv 
 
 modefter denominatibtt, to raife themJijJvies 
 upon their ruins. 
 
 These were the Philosophers: an(J 
 tp, thefe, ix mufl: be owned, the Gentile 
 world owed all its real imprbvernents iii 
 the ar^ of reafoning, and advancement in 
 truth. But the defedts of their confti- 
 tution, the errors of their principles, and 
 thcifolly of their condudt, were fo great, 
 that truth was kept in that ftate of infe- 
 riority, in which, we fay, it came to the 
 Fathers of the Church. It would ill fuit 
 theoccafion of this difcourfeto explain thele 
 things at large : we can only hint at forne of 
 the mofl: ,!(jonfid.erable. 
 
 The Phihfophers prefently ran into two 
 extremes, of all things the moft hurtful to 
 reafon, Scepticifm and Dogmatizing. There 
 they doubted too much ; here, too little. 
 And tJ^efe vices they contradted of the ftock 
 from v^^hich they ifprung, the Sophijls : who 
 by their cuftom of difputing for ajid agaihft 
 every -thing, brought every thing, in its 
 turn, according to, the temper of the reci- 
 pients, to be firmly embraced, or wantonly 
 doubted, of. For extremes o/?m beget, and, 
 
 when 
 
xvi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 when they liave Jbegot, ahoays fupport one 
 another. 
 
 A SECOND injury to reafon was that prin- 
 ciple, which they all held in common, that 
 truth was ever to give place to utility. A 
 principle which had the appearance of mo- 
 defty, as feeming only to imply, what is 
 very true, that we are lefs able to judge of 
 caufes than effeBs ; but, indeed, the natural 
 iffue of the inveteracy and abfurdity of po- 
 pular Paganifm, and of its incorporation with 
 the ftate. 
 
 Another principle held by them in 
 common, and no lefs injurious to the rights 
 of reafon, was that the fundamental dodtrines 
 of each Se6t were to be held unqueftioned by 
 all who profeffed themfelves of it. For, in 
 paofl focieties. Truth is but the fecond care ; 
 atitjirji is to provide for themfelves : and as 
 this can be done only by uniformity of opi- 
 pions, and opinions will continue no longer 
 uniform than while they remain unquef- 
 tioned, an ipfe dixit was the rule of all," 
 tho' the badge only of one SefSt. Thefe fe- 
 yeral defefts in the conftitution of ancient 
 PMlofophy had, in courfe of time, brought 
 on others. The Dogmatifts, as was natu- 
 ral. 
 
INTRODUCTION, xvii 
 
 ral, grew entbi^afiici and the Sceptics 
 immoral. The two worift difaftefs that can 
 befall a fearcher after Truth. For her abode 
 is neither in the clouds, ilor on the duQg- 
 hill. 
 
 Take then all thefe things together^ and 
 we Ihall fee, they muft be infuperable bars 
 to improvement, in the fcience of moral 
 reafoningb 
 
 But to this it will be faid, that thofe 
 two great inftruments of Truth, Logic 
 and Mathematics, were, the one in- 
 vented, and the other highly advanced, 
 in thefe very Ages. It is certain they were. 
 Bat if the plain truth may be told, the 
 ufe of thefe boafted inftruments goes no 
 further than to aiTifl us, the one in the 
 Form of reafomng, the other in the Mgr 
 thod o£ difcourfe. 
 
 Aristotl!e's invention of the Catego- 
 ries was a furprizing effort of human wit. 
 But, in pradlice, Logic^S* more a Trick 
 than a Science, formed rather to amufe 
 than to inftru<a:. And, in fome fort, we 
 may apply to the" art of fyllogifm what a 
 man of wit fays of Rhetoric, that it only 
 
 b teacheth 
 
xviii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 teatfietli us to name thofe tools, which na- 
 ture had before put into our hands, and 
 taught the ufe of. However, all its real vir- 
 tue confifts in the compendious detediion 
 of a Fallacy. This is the utmoft it can 
 do for Truth. In the fervice of chicane, 
 indeed, it is a mere juggler's knot, now 
 faft, now loofe; ahd the Schoolmen^ who 
 poffelTed it in a fupreme degree, are full of 
 its Legerdemain, But its true value is now 
 well known: and there is but little need 
 to put it lower in the general eftimation. 
 
 However whzt Logic hath loft of its 
 credit for this fervice. Mathematics have 
 gained. And Geometry is now fuppofed to 
 do wonders as well iii the fyflem of Man 
 as of Matter. It muft be owned, the real 
 virtue it hath, it had acquired long fince : 
 for, by what is left us of antiquity, we fee 
 how elegantly it was then handled, and 
 Jiow fubliraely It was purfued. But the 
 truth is, all its ufe, for the purpofe in que- 
 ftion, befides what hath been already men- 
 tioned, feems to be only habituating the 
 mind to think long and clofely : and it 
 would be well if this advantage made a- 
 mends for fonie inconveniencies, as infepa- 
 
 rablc 
 
INTRODUCTION, xix 
 
 table j&om it. It may ieem perhaps too 
 much a paradox to fay, that long habit iiji 
 this Science incapacitates the mind for, rea- 
 foning at large, and efpecially in the fearch 
 of moral Truth. And yet, I believe, no- 
 thing is more certain. The objedt of Geo- 
 metry is demonftration, and«its fubjeft ad- 
 mits of it, and is almofl the only one thaf 
 doth. In this fcience, whatever is not de- 
 monftration, is nothing ; or at leaft below 
 the Profeffor's regard. Probability thro' 
 its almoft infinite degrees, from fimple ig- 
 norance up to , abfolute certainty, is the 
 terra incognita of the Geometrician. And 
 yet here it is that the great bufinefs of the 
 human mind, is carried on, the fearch an^ 
 difcovery of all the important Truths which 
 concern us as reafonable creatures. And 
 here too it is that all its vigour is exerted ; 
 ■ for to proportion the affent to the probabi- 
 lity accompanying, every varying degree of 
 moral Evidence requires the moft enlarged 
 and fovereign exercife of Reafon. But the 
 harder the ufe of anything, the more of 
 habit is required to make us perfed: in it. 
 Is it then likely that the Geometer, long 
 jcpnfined to the routine of demonftration, 
 the eafieft exercife of Reafon, where much 
 
 b 2 lefs 
 
kx INTRODUCTION. 
 
 lefs of the Vigour than of \h€ Attention of 
 mind is required to excel, fhould form a 
 right judgment on fubjefts, whofe Truth or 
 Falfhood is to be rated by the probabilities 
 of moral Evidence. I call mathematics 
 the eafieft exercife of Reafon on the autho- 
 rity of Cicero, who obferves, thai fcarce 
 any Man everfet himfelfupon thisjhidy, who 
 did not make what frogrefs in it he pledfed\ 
 But befides acquired inability, prejudice 
 renders the veteran Mathematician ftill lefs 
 capable of judging of moral Evidence. He 
 who hath been fo long accuftomed to lay 
 together and compare ideas, and hath reaped 
 the richeft fruits of fpeculative Truth 
 for his labour, regards all the lower de- 
 grees of Evidence as in the train only of 
 his mathematical Principality: and he. 
 commonly difpofes of them in fo defpo- 
 tic a manner, that the ratio ultima Ma- 
 themati<:crum is become almoft as great a 
 libel upon Reafon, as other fovereign deci- 
 
 f Quis ignorat, ii, qui Mathematici vocantur, quanta 
 in obfcuritate rerum, & quam recondita in arte & mul- 
 tipltci fubtilitate verfentur? quo tamen in genere ita 
 multi perfefti homines exfttterunt, ut nemo fere ftudu- 
 ifle ei fcientias vehementius videatur, quin, quod vo- 
 kerit, fecutus fit. De Orat. I. i. 
 
 fions. 
 
INTRODUCTION, xxi 
 
 fions. I might appeal, for the truth of 
 this, to thofe wonderful conclufions which 
 Geometers^ when condefcending to write on 
 Hiftory, Ethics, or Theology, have made 
 from their premifles. But the thing is no- 
 torious : and it is now no fecret that the 
 oldeft Mathematician in England is the 
 worft Reafoner in it. But I would not be 
 miftaken, as undervaluing the many ufeful 
 difcoverics made from time to time in mo- 
 ral matters by profefled Mathematicians. 
 Nor will any one fo miftake me, who does 
 not firft confound the Genius and the Geo- 
 meter J and then conclude that what was 
 the atchievement of his Wit, was the proj^ 
 du(9: of his Theorems. 
 
 Yet ftill it muft be owned, that this 
 difcipline habituates the mind to think 
 cloiHy; and may help us to a good me- 
 thod of f ompofition. In thofe moft unpro- 
 mifing ages, when xhs forms of the Schools 
 were as tedious and intricate, as the matter 
 they treated, was abfurd or trifling, it hath 
 had force enough to break thro' the bondage 
 of cuftom, and to clear away the thorns that 
 then perplexed and overgrew the paths of 
 learning. Thomas Bradwardin, a mathe- 
 
 b 3 matician. 
 
wtii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 itiatician, and Archblftiop of Cmt^rbury^ in 
 the fourteenth Century, in his famous book 
 J)e caufa Dei, hath treated his fubjeft, not 
 as it Was wont to be handled in the Schools, 
 but in the better method of the Geome- 
 ters. And in another inftanee, of more 
 importance, he hath given the age he lived 
 in an example to emancipate itfelf fcotn the 
 flavery of fafhidn, I mean in his attempt 
 ^as by his freedom Ivith the Fathers it feeiiis 
 to be) of reducing their extravagant aufho-^ 
 rity to its juft bounds. But yet, fo true is 
 the preceding obfervation, that tho' Mathe* 
 matics, in good hands, could : do this^, it 
 pould do no more : All the opening it gave 
 to Truth could not fgcure J^rad-war^in 
 from the difhonour of becoming advocate 
 for the moil abfurd opinion that ever was, 
 the Anti-Pelagian Dodlrine of St. Aujlin ^ 
 in which the good archbifhop was fo much 
 in earneft, that he calls the defence bfit, 
 the Caufe oJGoi. 
 
 To return. Such was the ftate and cory. 
 dition of the human underftanding in the 
 ancient World (rather a mechanical than z, 
 maral cultivation of reafoning) when Chri- 
 stianity arofe, and on fuch Principles as 
 
 were 
 
INTRPPlJpTIQN. «wU 
 
 were bell adapted tp> corr^d: thofe .very 
 errors ancj prejudices, whiich had fp long 
 and fo fatally retarded th^ progrefs of Truthji 
 It would require a juft yplume to treat thi^ 
 matter as it dqfcryes. The nature of my 
 work will not allow nie to enlarge upon it. 
 I can only give a iingle inftance, but it, Ih^U 
 be an important one, namely the ufc of 
 thefe principles in difcovering the true end 
 of man j and in direding him to the right 
 means of attaining it. 
 
 The knowledge of the One God, as 
 the moral and immediate Governor of the 
 Univerfe, diredtly leads us to the fupreme 
 good; and the do£trine of Faith, as it 
 infpires the love of truth, enables us to pro^ 
 (pure it. 
 
 In the Pagan world, from which God 
 was removed, the end was totally obfcured 
 by their perplexed difputes concerning the 
 fupreme good j and the means, quite loft in 
 the various paflions that had abforbed the 
 love of truth. 
 
 These were the principles revealed by 
 Heaven for the advancement oi moral knowr- 
 ledge : and in God's good time they had 
 
 b 4 their 
 
xxiv INTROPUCTION, 
 
 their efFed^: thci' indeed fomewhat with 
 the l^teft. For it is not to be diffembled, 
 that here, as in rnoft other cafes in the mo- 
 ral World, the perverfity of Man foon ran 
 counter to God's Providence ; which had 
 fo admirably fitted and difpofed things for a 
 general reform, 
 
 The firft Preachers of the Gofpel were 
 the infpired Meffengers of the WqRD. They 
 committed its didtates to writing ; and \yith 
 that Purify, and confequently with tha| 
 Splendor, in which they drew them from 
 the foyintain of Truth. 
 
 Their inimediate follower^, whom we 
 call the Apoftelic Fathers, received at their 
 hands the Doftrine of Life, in all the 
 limplicity of Underjlanding as well as Heart. 
 It cannot be faid their Writings do much 
 honour to the rational fublimity of facred 
 Truth J but then they do not violate its 
 integrity. For falfe philofophy had not 
 yet made havock of the Faith, tho' it was 
 then beginning to work. If, in their Writr 
 ings, we fee but little of that manly ele- 
 gance of Reafon, which makes the Scripturesi 
 fo truly refpedtable, it muft be allowed 
 however, there is as little of thofe adulterate 
 
INTRODUCTION, xxv 
 
 Ornaments, which their Succeflbrs brought 
 from the brothels of Philofophy to adorn 
 the fandtity of Religion : and let me add 
 further, that tho' the early profped: of things 
 may not be, in all refpedts, what one could 
 wifh i yet there is one circumftance, which 
 does great credit to our holy Faith ; It is 
 this. That as the integrity and dignity of 
 its fimple and perfect nature refufed all fel- 
 lowfhip with the adulterate arts of Grecian 
 learning.; fo the admirable difplay of divine 
 Wifdom in difpofing the parts, and conduct- 
 ing the courfe of the grand fyftem of Re- 
 demption, was not to be tolerably appre- 
 hended but by an improved and well difci- 
 plined underftanding. Both thefe qualities 
 fuited fhe mobility of its Original. It could 
 bear po communion with^ error \ and was 
 as littj? fitted to confort with ignorance. 
 
 The men of Science were not the firft 
 who attended to the call of the Gofpel. 
 It was not likely, they fhould be the firft. 
 Their ftation prefented many prejudices 
 againft it. It was taught by fimple and un- 
 lettered Men, whofe condition they held in 
 contempt j and it required that they who 
 had been till now the 7V<zf/&fn of Mankind, 
 
 flioul4 
 
xxvi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 fhould become Learners. The Do%ines of 
 the Gofpel had indeed this to recommend 
 them, -that they were rational ^ but the 
 Philofophers'>were already no ftrangers to 
 thofe principles of natural Religion which 
 Chriftianity adopted, fuch as tbejiai^t-crif 
 the Gpjdhegd, his moral Qoyernraent, and 
 the eiTential difference . bet\!yf ep good and 
 ejjiL^, ,,Xh.e atteft^tions tp .its Trg^th were 
 wmderfuli hut thefe, their principle?. pffal;^ 
 Philofophy en^lMtJi^lP-, tP eyade : fo that 
 their PafRons and Prejudices, for lome time, 
 fupported them in holding out againft all 
 the conviftion of Gofpel-Evidence.. 
 
 But it was not fq with plainer Men. 
 They fubmittedtp its force with lefs relu^ 
 stance. Philofophy had fecreted from them 
 what it taught, ofmoft reafonable, concern- 
 ing God and his Attributes ; fo that the 
 Religion which openly delivered thefq 
 Truths, of fuch repofe and comfort to the 
 human mind, was embraced with eager* 
 nefs. And as the Grecian Wifdom could 
 not keep them from receiving the Truth 
 when offered, fo neither did that falfe fci- 
 ence tempt them to vitiate it after they had 
 jreceived it, and were become the Preach- 
 ers 
 
INTRODUCTION, xxvii 
 
 ers of it. They wejre apt indeed to fall 
 ijato-4he.i^£hgr,,^aggtney and. (ky. confide 
 qf how little public ufe Philofophyi»ad.evier 
 been to Mankind^ ai^d howjaoleijtlyitjiow 
 pjpofed the new Religion wW 
 kind forits.objga) .to jQ^gii^^^^^ 
 fe5jmmJi«^fatui:e.J5dlta They 
 
 faw, in the power of Miracles, a more effi^- 
 pacious way of propagating the Faith : and 
 they thought they faw, iikSjL Pi^jK/^Juaen^ 
 fure of the Grecian fci?nce, ,tJie condeoina- 
 tign of all humaii , litspitoFe, in general. 
 St. Paul tod himfelf abftajned from their 
 Qjgl^tncious Eloquence, and had caution-* 
 ed pofterity againft their rnagical Philofo- 
 phy. The Jirjiy left it fhould pccafion a 
 fufpicion that the Faith had made its way 
 rather. by the power of human fpeech, than 
 by the word of the Spirit: The latter, 
 becaufe he faw it fatally framed to infedt 
 Religion j and had fome experience, and 
 more^ divine. ibre%ht,.4iat.itjeKouldfpeedily 
 
 Indeed the time was at hand. For 
 the ponvidlivc evidence, and rapid progrefs 
 of the<Tofpel had fo fhaken and difcon-r 
 perted Learned pride, that the next age faw 
 
 a torr 
 
xxviii I N T R O D U C T I O 1^. 
 
 a torrent of Believers pour in, from the 
 Schools of their Rhetors, the- Colleges of 
 their Philofophers, and the Cloifters of 
 their Priefts. The fincerity of thefe illu- 
 llrious Converts in embracing a Religion 
 which did not hold out, fo much as in 
 diftant profpeft, any advantages of the tern-;- 
 poral kind, cannot be fairly brought in 
 qpeftion. Their difcretion, their prudence, 
 ^"^ere the things wanting, ^jit^ihat^paflion 
 fg£aew.,Q?ny|:Et^v,:^j^^ wJiich is.then leaft 
 under the diredlion of Knowledge when ' it 
 moft needs it, hindered them from making 
 their advantages of the principles of Reve- 
 lation ; fo admirably fitted, as we have 
 ihewn, to improve human nature on that 
 fide where its perfe(9:ion lies, I mean, in 
 the Jiigh attain nients of moral Truth . For, 
 inflead of reafoning frORl truths clearly re 
 yealed, a^d fQ, from things^ known, to a^- 
 yan,cs;,.,by.,diie.,d.egrees, in,the method of the 
 mathematicians, to the difcoy^ry of truths 
 unknowa, They _ travelled obfcure uncer- 
 tainties, nay, manifeft errors into truth j and 
 fought in PhilofQphy ;g,nd Logic .analogies 
 and quibbles toXupport them. 
 
 "' Their two great, objects, as beparpe 
 
 them, were to ificreafe the number of Be- 
 
 4 lievers j 
 
INTRODUCTION, xxix 
 
 lievers ; and to defend the Faith againft In- 
 fidels and Heretics. 
 
 Amon<jst the means they employed for 
 the f^eedy converfion of the World, one 
 was to bring Chriftianity,^ as qeajrtQ the Ge- 
 nius of the Gentile Religion, and of the 
 Greek Philofophy, as could, be- done with a 
 fafe confcience, and without offence. They 
 thought it prudent to avail themfelves of 
 the prejudices of Paganifm j . and perhaps 
 they themfelves were not free from all re- 
 mains of thofe prejudices. The Jewifli 
 law, ill underilbod, fatisfied them in the 
 innocence .of thefe means. They faw tjherc, 
 coijjpUanQes made by God himfelf ,to the 
 prejudices and fuperftitions of the timies. 
 But they did not fee that a national. Wor- 
 fhip, inftituted for peculiar and temporary 
 ends, was to be conducted on dii^^nt. 
 maxims from thofeof a Religion whofe pu- 
 rity was erefted on the univerfal principles 
 of Spirit and Truth. ^^They did not fee that 
 one mean was to be purfued when the end 
 was to keep a chofen Family from the con- 
 tagion of general Idolatry *. , and- another, 
 w;hen Idolaters were to be. invited into the 
 profeffionof an. univerfal Faith. 
 
 There. 
 
XXX INTRODUCTION. 
 
 There were tsssa^jtimigs in Paganifm, 
 which, by exciting and keeping up the 
 moft amufing exercife of the mind, Ad'^ 
 miration, did, more than any other, hold 
 the pfeople attached to Idolatry j and thefe 
 ''■vtsxt myjierious JJzVw and, bidden. JDjdSfrines. 
 
 Ons would think it hard to find an equi- 
 valent for thefe in |o^fim^le_ajd^ a 
 Reli^'on as the Chriftlanj yet the figurative 
 expreffions; in the ihftitution of the Iqji 
 Suffer, and the frequent mention of my- 
 Jieries in the Apoftolic Writings, tho' it be 
 of myfteries which the Genius )of the Go- 
 fpel had revealed, not of fuch as it had in- 
 vented, gave occafion to accommodators to 
 fpeak of the celebration of the Iq/i 'Supper 
 as a Jbidfe^ilse, to which they appHedall 
 the terms in ufe at the. celebration of the 
 Pagan Myfteries J and of the dodrii^e of 
 Redemption as one of thofe fuhlime and oc- 
 cjjlt^TruthSi which the hnztic Platonijfi, 
 the fafliionable fedl of thdfe times, boafted 
 they had in truft, for the purification and 
 perfedlion of human natures. 
 
 f s It may not be improper to obferve, that Pktmfm 
 was the SeiSt to which thefe Chriftian Fathers piinci- 
 |ially addi£ted themfelves. Partly becaufe it was then 
 
 This 
 
INTRODUCTION, xxxi 
 
 This myfterjous Genius of Paganifm, 
 together with its popular abfurdities, natu- 
 rally and neceffarily produced a method of 
 
 the PHilpfophy in fafliion, and partly becaufe (in con- 
 fequencepf that) feveral of them came from that School 
 into the Church j but chiefly becaufe they had enter- 
 tai;;^d greater hopes of bringing over the Platonifts to 
 the Faith, which, as it was in the higheft credit, would 
 Ise a viSory over Philofophy in genferal. What they 
 itemed to ground their hopes upon was the fceptica! 
 difpofition of that School as in its firft inftitudon. Thp 
 %§f?J:i^Iatoitu^ jirofefled tp feek^Truth ; and yr^e 
 notdham^to ojrajt5j;5QLiJld.nPt-^ It was.tbere- 
 •fore miagmedltliey would gladly recfeive it, in doftrines 
 *fo fafionaf, aftd fo clearly revealed. But in this they 
 -Were deceived : %;, Uncertainty is not thsjlate and ciii- 
 dition of the Sceptic's knowledge, but the Principle ofid 
 th^^Genius c^'iti And it was departing frojn the fuiida- 
 'njental , laws of their profeiEon to acknowledge any 
 thing Certain. As for the enthufiaftic part of this SejSl, 
 "which was now daily getting 'giduM, the. magic to 
 which they were fo madly given kept them confined 
 within its circle. This, and fome manifeft mifchie&, 
 which even the warmeft of the Fathers could not but 
 per«Jeive, made them fiMsSiy'^imp^^^h^M. iH hu- 
 mour, to execrate the Schools of P/a/ff, Arijiotle, Pytha- 
 goras, &c. and denounce eath of tfeenl, in their turns, 
 tobe thegreatnarfericsofHerefy. But, falfely fuppofing 
 that the evil aroie from this or that particuIarSedl, when 
 it had its root in the Genius of them all, they went on 
 exclaiming againft their particular Doiirines, and theo- 
 iogizing and reafoning on their general Principles, r > 
 
 teaching. 
 
xxxli INTROCHJCTION. 
 
 teaching, which always pleafes the iriiagina- 
 tion in proportion as it difgufts the under- 
 Handing, that is to fay, the method oi ./Jl- 
 legory. An art excellently fitted to cover the 
 old nonfenfe of the vulgar Gtnt^xim^ and to 
 ornament the new inventions of the Philofo- 
 phic'y but very abhorrent of the nature of 
 Chriftianity, where every thing was ratio- 
 nal, and every thing clear and open. Yet 
 as Allegory was become the general Vehicle 
 of inftruftion, and that which particularly 
 diftinguiflied the School of Plato^ the Fa- 
 ther Sy who leaned moft tow^ards that SecS, 
 thought, fit to accommoda,t? themfely^s, to 
 the fafhion. They allegorized every thing ; 
 and their fuccefs was fuch as might be ex- 
 peded from fo abfurd an expedient. Here, 
 again, yudaifm, mifunderilood, fupported 
 them in their ill-judged fchemes. For the 
 Law is full of AU^ories, and figurative re- 
 prefentations. And with great propriety, 
 as that Religion was dependent on, and pre- 
 paratory to the Go/pel: which, being its end 
 and completion, required to have fome idea 
 of itfelf delineated in the means. But this, 
 which fliews Allegories to be reafonable in 
 the OldTeJament^ fhews' the folly of ex:- 
 pedling them in the New. ' 'For when 
 
 the 
 
INTRODUCTI ON. xxxiil 
 
 the fubftance was come in, and full light, 
 the fhadow was of courfe to be caft be- 
 hind. Yet, by the moft unaccountable per- 
 verlity, the very reafon which the Apoftle 
 gives for the neceffity of interpreting the 
 Law figuratively, that the Letter killeth, but 
 the Spirit giveth life, was made the autho- 
 rity for ufing the Gojpel in the fame man- 
 ner. 
 
 Taps mucji for a tafte of their DidaSiic 
 Theology. Their polemic favoured as 
 llrongly. of the fame impure mixture. For 
 the forrn of argument, and the matter of 
 confutation, came from the fame Shops : 
 From the teaching Rhetors they learnt the 
 ?rt of reafoning- by j?w/ifV«fl« and analogies} 
 from the talking Orators^ that capital argu- 
 jnent, the argument ad hominem ; and firom 
 the^wr^n^lbg P/6//o/o^^fr5, fuch as the Aca- 
 demics, the .addrefs of ti/ing any fort of 
 Principles to fupport their own opinions, 
 or confute their adverfaries'. The three 
 eternal bars to the difcovery and advance- 
 ment of Truth. 
 
 But matters ftill grew from bad to worfe j 
 till one dark Cloud of Ignorance had over- 
 ,^read the Weftern World : this was fol- 
 
 c lowed 
 
xy^h I-NiTRODUyC/TIjO^N. 
 Ipwed ,hy a Spiritual ^^i^inipii, ■ wj^ch 
 topk, advantage of tfie. ^^fQr4ers oG^.^ijon(gd 
 by thp tpnt^u^d inrqa^s of faya^f^ipoilep,. 
 ' to iirike j^ts , ropts d?;^p, and wide in tli^ lat; 
 ani lumpifh foil of Gothic ^arbarifm. For 
 as ,a ^Sf^^/orfi/ Tyranny maintains ^;|fel| bj^^ 
 corrijipl; ^<z»;?fri, jfoj a Spirituarhy corrupt 
 DoBrines. And, as in large Enipirf s fub- 
 jedt to j^e former, the luxury of V^ice rufet^^ 
 into dfiffifck^s^ } fo in thpfe of the Latter, 
 the abfurdity of Dodrines converts itfelf 
 into Subtitties. Hence the original ortthe 
 Schoolmen's art ; as we, find it completed' 
 in the Peripatetic Code of &»?jr ind',"^^^ 
 tences..^ And this was in the prdet^: of things i 
 ■vAat (tjip fanatic vifions o'^ ih& Platonic !Ph\-^ 
 lofophy had brought intp' the Kaith^ it was 
 but fit ^pfubtleties, of the ^ijiotelian fhourd 
 fupgort- , JVnd it is obfervable, that the" ufe 
 which; the <S(;iiiJo/zwm made of their dirpiitia- 
 tipus genius, was neither better nor worie 
 tlian what the SoJ>bi/is made before tbem. 
 For triumphant Dulnefs commonly grows 
 wanjbon in the exercife of imputed Wlt. 
 And the Sifi andNon of Pefer ^eiarJ*was 
 n9w, as .famous as, #)fetime, tp.p jprg4«?Ns7a 
 
iWt R 6 tt W T I O N! xx^y 
 
 At lengtli'^Tr*ruth ftlot its ray into this 
 Chaos'ofre^dti / but It came nbt direSt- 
 \y Worn its SbUri j but froiii th^" ftf rri^iit 
 
 apt 
 
 and eBJdy the htiik^t bfj^ that ffe^ oF con^ 
 fiifioh. ""• For' \vHcfi'' a Reform hk|)petis to 
 appear from 'within, it cannot be fiippofcd 
 to havp its birth in 3. love of truth j hardly, 
 ip tlje knowledge of it. Generally, fonie ob:^ 
 llque Pa^n gratifies itfelf in decrying the 
 grdffpr cojfpuptions, fupported by, and 
 fiipgottiiig, Thofe it hates. The Machine 
 thus f^ ia going. Truth has fair play': fbe' 
 is %qW at liberty to procure loverfi, and to 
 attach them to her'fervice. This was thU 
 ^purfe of things in the revolution we are 
 about to fpeak of; and is the natural rife 
 j^^ plfi^ref§.„<^f religjous xeformktions in, 
 ^^neral. For if, in theffcate^of fuch efta- 
 bhfhtsd Error, Providence was to wait till a 
 love of truth had iet. men upon '^ breaking 
 tbrpugb. their flavery, its DifpenfationS 
 could never provide that "timely * aid to 
 ^S^i^able Humanity, as we now find they 
 HSr always d6. Fdr^hen "the corruption 
 hadl fpread fb wide, as to make Truth; if 
 hajily ihe coiild*be found, an indifferent 
 c 2 objed 
 
xxKvi INT R O D U C T I O N. 
 
 ijbjfc&j.What is^-thfere-left, to enaWeteen 
 to break theirifetters but the clafhing inter- 
 ■efts of the corruption itfelf ? And it is 
 knowing as little of the religious, as- of the 
 j!?;(?r<z/courfe of God's. Providence, to up- 
 braid thofe, who have profited of the blel^ 
 fingj.with the bafenefs of the Iiiftruments 
 that procured it* 
 
 However, the love of Truth foon 
 came in aid of Thofe, whom St. JRWhim- 
 felf would not difcourage (fuch, as preach 
 Chrifl ejien of envy and Jirife) to carry 0|i 
 the work of Reformation. For though 
 the grojfnefs of the corruptions did not 
 ftraitway make them fufpedted, yet, being 
 tyrannically impofed, they foon becam^e 
 hated j and that hatred brought on an en-^ 
 quiry, which ended hot but in their detec- 
 tion. And then, Thofe, whofe honefty and 
 courage emboldened them to make -a fe- 
 ceflion, found no way of fupporting them- 
 felves in their new-recovered liberty, but 
 by fupplying their want of poweP with a. 
 fuperior fhare of knowledge. ^ 
 
 To this every thing concurred^ They 
 were . led, even by the fpirit of oppofition, 
 to the fountain of Trutlj, the Scriptures j 
 
 frbm 
 
INTRODtJCTION. xxxvii 
 
 frQm.wlfckh they had been fo Idng exclud- 
 ed. And thei Scriptures, as we obferved, 
 had, amongft their other advantages, this 
 "pecuUar virtue,, to i-^redt and enlarge the 
 Mind, by providing k. with fuch objefts as 
 were beft fuited for its. contemplation ; and 
 prefenting them in fuch lights as moit rea- 
 dily promoted its improvement by them. 
 Such too was the gracious difpofition of 
 Heaven, that at the very time they were 
 breaking up the recovered fountains of di- 
 Tihe knowledge, the whole treafury of hu- 
 man learning was ready to be laid opeii 
 to them. For a powerful Nation, of fierce 
 JEnthufiafts, the enemies of the Chriftiaii 
 name, had jufl: drivenGredah Literature 
 from its native feats, and forced it to take 
 refuge in the weftern parts of Europe. 
 
 How admirable are the ways of -Provi- 
 dence ! and how illuftrious was its prefent 
 difpenfation ! It diredted the independent, 
 various, and contrary Revolutions of theff 
 times, to redtify the ;, mifchiefs occafioned 
 by the paji : Whereby, the yery Learning, 
 which had in the firft ages been employed 
 to^ coiTupt. Chriftianity, -now ierve;d to pu- 
 rify andieftore it : The Philofophy, -which 
 c 3 was 
 
i^d now * fttrdidd 6nlf to iftftrtM^His in the 
 feiftbry W the hiittSkl mind, and t© affift 
 6^ in devetopiflg its faculties, and r^gulat- 
 iti'g its pi*0|)»er operations : and thofe fyfteitts 
 which had fupp6'rfed the whole hodf^'d 
 ichool divinify, now afforded the.principle* 
 proper to overturn it. 
 
 But in the courfe df thisRfefOrrti, k wis 
 not enough that the bad Logic j on which 
 the School-determinations refted, ihould 
 he reduced to its juft value. The fervice 
 of Truth required the invention of a better, 
 A better Was invented j and the fuperiofi- 
 ty that followed its ufe was foon felt ; 
 ■fo that our acivcsrfaries were reduced to 
 avail themfelves of the fame advantages. 
 Thus true fcience opened and enlarged k-* 
 ftlf : It fpread and penetfiated through every 
 ^^uirter J till it arrived to that diffinguilh*d 
 "dbondition in which we place the trae glory 
 of thefe later Ages. 
 
 The advantage of the mi>dern over an* 
 f/^if Times, in the fuccefsful purfuit.of 
 moral fcience, is now generally acknow- 
 ledged. And the impartial Reader, who 
 lia^ attended to thefe brief refleaioris, Will 
 
 hardly 
 
lNfPR0Dt|eTI;O3S^ ^ix 
 
 h^wjly a.fcribe,i|t.to axiy other c&ufetjijm 
 t&Lthe genius ^s^ xkt conJiituHon of &«^ 
 Cteiftian religion j whofe DoSirines revival 
 th©f^§St^rfincj|0}fs of moral trut|^;,^| 
 wH9fe(2^fel^%i«ftabli{h?s a Bppxy, m^ 
 fer^l^Jtcij^^rvice of it. ,,^> fc^jj j.;.,, 
 
 It is true, indeea, the C(yft6«lF^etfce?Qf 
 
 feveral crofs accidents had for man^^ jiges 
 
 di^rjcved, the World of thefe advantages t 
 
 They ^ii4 ^^fcated the natural virtue and 
 
 efficacy of the Do^rines ; and rendered the 
 
 Difcipline yian. and ufelefs. For thefe tvv^o 
 
 pftrts of the Chriftian fyftern cannot ad but 
 
 In conjundion : feparate theni, and the 
 
 one will abound in enthujiafmsj aiid the 
 
 : other in fuperjiitions. But now, fince di4 
 
 cold and heavy load of human inventions 
 
 ■hath been removed from the bofom of the 
 
 tr^e faith, the Minifters of Religion have 
 
 been enabled to produce that fruit which, 
 
 1 from the beginning, fhey were appointed 
 
 ' to cultivate and mature. .^ ^^^^^^ 
 
 r% To conclude : My more immediate pur- 
 
 _ppfe in thefe obfervations wasto juftify the 
 
 Fathers from the injurious c.^nte^pt iin- 
 
 der vvhich they now lye. I have faid^^thc 
 
 i fathers were at leaft e^ual, or rather fu- 
 
xl I N T R O D U C T I O N. 
 
 perior to thofp Gentile -ft^riters,- their con- 
 temporaries, whom we moft admire : and 
 I have explained the unhappy caufes (in 
 which religion and reafon fuffered equally, 
 as they always will fuffer together) why the 
 Faihefs did not, in the exadtnefs of their 
 LogiCy and in the purity of their £/^zVj, in- 
 finitely furpafs: them. But, in the courle 
 of diis Apology, I have endeavoured to ferve 
 a greater purpofe ; which was, to vindicate 
 our holy Religion from its fuppofed impo- 
 tency and incapacity to direft and enlarge? 
 the reafoning faculties in the difcovery and 
 advancement of moral truth. 
 
 So far then as to the genius and literary 
 talents of the Fathers : their /wora/ charadter 
 
 ^liL.^EMS^L£Si5S^i££Sll8.Q!: ; ^"^ would well 
 deferve it. But I have already exceeded my 
 limits. -However, this I may venture to 
 fay, that the _m^ prejudiced ag.^nil them 
 wiU never J^e^abk tQ.prove,4:h^)[.h^anH?V«- 
 moral intention tp deceive '. If there be any 
 
 ^ * See a verjMfenfihk^d ingenious Writer, the Re- 
 verend Mr, FrederickToll, on this head, p. 88, ^ feq- 
 who (diftm£tfrom,tbe merits of the caufej has with 
 uncpoimon abilities ands^Gis>x..D^^iiHded'tbs'Frie En- 
 quiry oi Dr. Middletan. 
 
 learned 
 
« 
 
 <c 
 
 learaed man wKq $|^if3(ks <|^q;^wife, I. '^pi}^ 
 advife him,: ^>^f()rej;|e atlpropte tp imke pvi^, 
 this charge agjam:^ them, to weigh wel|; 
 the force of the Allowing Remark, thpugh 
 madie on fomewjaa,^ a different , occafion. 
 Whenever ' (fays the admira^e author 
 of the Efprit ^es LoixJ one obferves, in 
 any age or government, the fesef^l Bqr; 
 dies in a Community intent on augment- 
 ing their own authority, and vigilant to 
 procure certain advantages to themfelves 
 " ex^l^jilive ,g| es^qh other'^, pretenfions, v?^e 
 " fhou|d run a very great chance of being 
 *' deceived if we. regarded, thefe attempts 
 " as a certain m ark of their corrupt ions^ 
 " By an unKappiriefs rnfeparable from the 
 " condition of humanity, ModeratJOTi is a 
 '• rare virtne in Men of ftiperior talents. 
 *' And as. it is always more eafy to pufh on 
 " force in the direction in which itfaioves^; 
 
 ' Lorfque dans un Siecle, ou dans un Gouvernement, 
 on voit les divers Corps de I'Etat chercher a augmenter 
 leur Autorite, & a prendre les uns fur les autres de. 
 certains avantages, on fe tromperoit fouvent fi Ton re- 
 gardoit leurs entreprifes, comme une marque certaine 
 de leur Corruption. Par un malheur attache i k con- 
 ditioa- bumaine, les. Grands-hommes moderes fent 
 rares j & comme il efl toujours plus aife. de fuivre la 
 
 " than- 
 
xHi I N T R O aiTGTTI O Ki 
 
 " than to ftop or divert its moment J per- 
 
 tuous, than, extrenaely M^ 
 
 force qufe de I'arreter, peut-etre dans la dafle des Gen«j 
 fuperieurs, eft-il plus facile de trouver des Gens extre- 
 n^meiit vertueux, que des hqn^^s extremetnentfages^ 
 IJ* ;fe^< afex iwA-, vol. u. p. 334. b64avo edit. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 ■PagexxH. Liaepenult. for reafoaing read reaSon- 
 
 40. Note ""L. 3. 
 
 59. y 14. 
 
 99: 12. 
 
 ,i6z. 21^ 
 
 164. 13. 
 
 262. 6. 
 
 281. 3. 
 
 vidto 
 
 ftoty 
 
 more 
 
 arife 
 
 Brennui't 
 
 ofieted 
 
 viftu 
 
 Irue ftorj 
 mttch. ' 
 arifes 
 Bretif^S ' 
 
 affijri 
 
DISCOURSE 
 
 On the ATTEMPT of the 
 
 EMPEROR JULIAN 
 
 To rebuild the 
 
 Temple of Jerusalem, 
 
 IN confidering the ftate of this oevsr 
 controverfy, concerning M i rac le s^ 
 two things feemed to be wanting, a$ 
 of ufe to oppofe to the infinuations of li- 
 centious Readers, who are commonly more 
 forward to come to a conclufion than the 
 Difputants tbemfelves : The one is, to fhew 
 that all the Miracles recorded in Church^ 
 Hijlarfr are not forgeries or delufions : 
 The other, that their evidence doth not 
 •ftand on the fame foot of credit with the 
 Miracles recorded in Gofpel-Hljlory. For 
 raoft theological debates amongfl: Church- 
 men, notwithftanding their ufc to clear 
 
2 Of Julian's Atlempi to rebuild 
 ttp and confirm the. truths ^re ,a|gtended 
 with this apparent evil, that, the, Enemies 
 of religion draw their own confequen- 
 ces from them, how cpntrarj fo^yer to the 
 expreifs, teafonings and declaritfebs ' of the 
 Parties concered. 
 
 'To obviate therefore the'abufefe arifing 
 from the management of the prefent que- 
 Hion, I have taken upon ' me to defend a 
 Miracle of the fourth Century ; and to enquire 
 ifltp the nature of that Evidence ^ 'wUc^ iwill 
 demand the ajfent of every reafonable mhn to a 
 miraculous faSi . 
 
 The firft part of this plan is profecuted 
 in the following fheets : The fecond, will 
 afford a fubjed for another difcourfe. 
 
 './IAy chief purpgfe here is to prove the 
 ^iraculous interpofition of Providence, in 
 jdefeating the attempt of Julian to rebuild 
 the Temple of Jerusalem. 
 
 A s my defiign in writing is in behalf of 
 our common Chriftianity, and not to fup- 
 port or to difcredit the particular doftrines of 
 this or that Church or Age ; I have takeri 
 for my fubjedt a Miracle worked by the m\- 
 
 mediate 
 
tb^ 'tempie ofjerufalefn. 3 
 
 mediate Agency of God, and not through 
 the Miniftry of his Servants. 
 
 S o that, whether the power of miracles 
 as exercifed by the Apoftles, and their firft 
 followers, ceafed with them, or was con- 
 veyed to their fucceflfors of the next age, is 
 aqueftion that doth not at all affedt the pre- 
 fent fubje<a : For, God's fhortening the 
 hands of his Servants doth not imply that 
 he fhortened hisown. 
 
 SECTION i. 
 
 WHEN God, in his mercy, had 
 decreed to reftore mankind to 
 the ftate of, immortality forfeited by Ad^m^ 
 He faw fit, in order to preferve the me- 
 mory of himfelf amidft a w^orld running 
 headlong into Idolatry, to feled: a fingle 
 Family, which, advanced into a Nation,, 
 might, in the interim, becomjs, the repofi- 
 tory of his holy Name. To this purpofe he 
 took the Seed of Abraham^ in reward oi 
 the virtues of their forefathers : and, in 
 due time, brought them, by Leader^ chofen 
 frona amongft themfelves, to the Land he 
 had appointed for them. ^ 
 
 B In 
 
4 Ofyurtah's Attempt to rebuild 
 
 In compliance with the religious notions 
 of thofe times, he condefcended, when he 
 communicated liimfelf as the Maker dnd 
 Governor of the Uniyerfe, to adopt them 
 for his peculiar People^ under the idea of 
 i^tiv tutelar Deity, or the Godioi Abraham ^ 
 Ifddc, and Jacob. And, the better to fecufe 
 the great end of their fep^ration, affumed 
 likewife the title and office of their Kingy 
 or civil Governor. 
 
 Hence their Religion came under the 
 ideaofais^j and was fo confidered and 
 denominated. And their Law was, in the 
 ftridteft fenfe, Religion^ as having all the 
 fandions of a divine command. 
 
 In a word, thofe two great kules of hu- 
 man condudl, which are, elfewhere, kept 
 fo diftindt by thfeir different originals, and 
 different adminiflrations, were. Here, by 
 the fatnenefs of both, fpecifically lofl in a 
 perfedl incorporation. And the whole oeco- 
 iiomy (as every thing in this difpenfation 
 was relative to the Jews as a body) went 
 under the common name of Law. 
 
 From this account of the JewijhConikl- 
 tution, it follows. That Religion, which, 
 
 elfewhere, 
 
the 'Femple of Jerufalem. 5 
 
 elfewhere, hath only parfWulars for its fub- 
 jefts, had, Here, the nation or communi- 
 ty : And what, elfe where, as far as concerns 
 the divinity of religion, is only a private 
 matter, was. Here, a public : For the Deity 
 being both their tutelary God arid civil 
 Governor, the proper objed of his care, in 
 each capacity, was the cblledlive Body : 
 And, whether we confider the obfervance 
 due to him under the idea of Law or Reli- 
 gion, it was , ftill the body which was the 
 proper fubjedt of it. Not but that Religion 
 had there a private part, or particulars for 
 its fubjedi : But then it was that Religion we 
 call natural; founded in what reafon dif- 
 covers of the relation between the creator 
 and the Creature j an, aid, which Revela- 
 tion is fo far from rejecting, that we find it 
 conftitufes the ground of every extraor.di- 
 nary Difpenfation vou,ch(afcd by God to 
 mankind. For, heihatcometh to Gody mufi 
 believe that he is, and that be is a rewardtr 
 of them that diligently feek him* . 
 
 From this account ©f the Hebrew Go- 
 vernment, one natural ,cpnfequence arifeth. 
 That the principal Rites of their religion 
 
 » Heb. xi. 6. 
 
 B 2 and 
 
6 0/ Julian's JiteWpf to rebuild 
 and laio were to-be performed and celebrated 
 in feme determined Place. This, the ob- 
 jed and ., fubjedl g{ their ceremonial feemed 
 equally to require. For, the ideas of tute- 
 lary Gfld^ and King implied a Local refi- 
 dence : And a na^io^jt ad, created by 'the 
 "relations ari fing frpra them, required a fix- 
 ed and certaii;! place for its celebration : 
 And; ):^otb together feemed to majrk out the 
 Capital of the Country for that purpofe. 
 
 This confequeht pradtice, which the ma- 
 ture and reafon of things fo evidently point 
 out, the Inftitutes of the/f^^r^w Conftitution 
 exprefly order and enjoin. During the early 
 and unfettled times of the Jeijoijh State, "the 
 Sacrifices, prefcribed by their Ritual, ^ere 
 direded to be offered up before the door of 
 an ambulatory Tabernacle : But when they 
 had gained the eftablifhment decfeejj. for 
 them, and a magnificentTemple was efeded 
 for religious worfliip, then all their Sacri- 
 fices were to be offered at Jerufalem (Jjn^y. 
 
 Now, Sacrifices conflituting the fubftance 
 of theiri national Worflxip, their Religion 
 could not be faid to fubfifi longer than the 
 continuance of that Celebration. But fa- 
 crifices could be performed only in one ap- 
 4 pointed 
 
the Temple ofjerufalem. f 
 
 pointed Temple,: So that, when this was 
 finally deftrojjed, the Inftitution itjielf be- 
 came abolilhed. 
 
 Nor was any thing more eonfcnant to 
 th& nature of this religion, than the afilgn- 
 ing fuch a celebration of its Rites. The 
 Temple would cjfift while they remained 
 a People, and contihaed fovereign : And 
 when they ceafed to be fuch, they would 
 indeed lofe their Temple, but tlitn they had 
 no further occafion for it j becaiife the Rites 
 there celebrated were relative to them, only 
 ias a civil policied Nation. 
 
 These confequences are all fo neceflarily 
 jCpnne^ed, and clearly underftood, that 
 when y^j informs the woman of Samaria 
 of the approaching abdlition of the Law of 
 MoJeSy he, exprefles himfelf by this circum- 
 Ilgnce, that men fhould no longer worjhip at 
 the temple o/' Jerufalem ^ 
 
 If, from the nature of this religion, we 
 go on to confider its end, we (hall find, in it, 
 all the marks of aReligioPj preparatory and 
 introdudlory to another more complete and 
 perfedl 5 of which \i contains the rudiments, 
 
 _ ^|oliinjiy;2i. 
 
 . B ^ and 
 
S Of Julian' i Attempt to rebuild 
 and prefents the fhadow. Such as the con-* 
 fining its fundamental doftrine, the wor- 
 fhip of the true God, within the limits of 
 one fmall Country. Such again, as its 
 multifarious and enigmatic Ritual ; of which 
 no reafonable account can be had, but that 
 parfciwas inftituted to oppofe the reigning 
 fupeiftitions, lin order to preferve the Sepa- 
 ration; and part to prefigure, by types or 
 fymbols, the effential circumftances of 
 for^ future Difpenfation . 
 
 But Chriftianity, wHich eftablifhed its 
 pretenfions by the power of rhiracles 4'^d, i, 
 the~ purity of ; d9(Sj;fine, doth in fadl fup- 
 port thefe cpnclufiqns, by reprefenting ]n-, 
 daifm as only the rudiments and fh^dft\|srtof 
 its own toofe complete oeconomy . 
 
 This being premifed, we fay, th^t the 
 more ipeirfedt Difpenfation could not take 
 place till the lefs perfeQ, which prefigured 
 it, and prepared its way, was fet afide and 
 abolifhed. 
 
 But now. If the mere voluntary ad- 
 herence to a Religion were enough to pre- 
 vent its abolition, the perverfenefs and ob^ 
 ftinacy of man are fuch, that they might, 
 
 and, 
 
the Temple of JerufaJem, ^ * 9 
 
 and, iij fadt, would lie in the way, and ob- 
 Arud the purpofes of Providence. 
 
 Therefore has the great Difpofer of all 
 things .ife divinely conftituted this prepara- 
 tory Religion, as to put it out of the power 
 %f human perverfity even to delay or retard, 
 its declined abolition ; by fo cxindituting the 
 natures, and difpoling the order of his Dif- 
 penfetioss^ that thofe eflential Rites, which 
 made the yewijh religbn to be what it was, 
 fliould of neceffity require a fixed local ce- 
 lebration, which it was not poflible to per- 
 form longer than while the JewiJhVto^lQ 
 continued a Nation, and in ppffeflion of the 
 foveirfeignty of Paleftine. St. C^ryfo/iom has 
 an elegant obfervation to this purpofe : 
 ** From theneceflity (fayF^he) of a local 
 ** worfliip, God covertly withdrew the 
 " y^eivs from the rage of ritual obfervances« 
 *' For as a phyfician, by breaking the cup, 
 *' prevents his patient from indulging his 
 ** appetite in a hurtful draught j fo God 
 " with-held them from their facrifices, by 
 ** delftroying the City itfelf, and making the 
 " place inacceilible to all of them \" 
 
 B4. It 
 
I o Of Julian's Attempt to nktild 
 
 It may not be improper, jn this place, 
 to take notice o£ an objedion, though in-^ 
 deed it be already obviated. Itis,, "> .that 
 the facrificing at Jerufakm beipg a mere 
 ceremony, we can hardly conceive J|iqw 
 the^ant of it fhould annihilate th» whalS; 
 €yftem of a religious Inftitution." Theob- 
 'jedion goes upon ideas foreign to l^e fu]b- 
 jed. The ^mce of the Jm>sJ&j^)J^Q. 
 .yyasferemonial. Hence it is, tha^t there is no 
 ...fvej^din the Hebrew language t^at fignifies 
 wha^ we mean by ceremonies: nor,, if what 
 we have delivered, concerning- the nature and 
 genius of the j^fuj/^ religion be true, cqtild 
 there be any fuch. The fame is obfervable 
 in the Greek language. And the reafon is the 
 fame. It hattioeen fhewn elfewhere \ that 
 , this, nature was common both to the Jew- 
 (]/2> and Gr^f^ Religions ; rational inJdeed, 
 in the former ; but altogethe^^ aibftirdiqithe 
 other. Yet it will be faid, thei2(?»?(s:»ijliad 
 a word to exprefs ceremonies. It is true, 
 
 sv 'lal^oi UviC-i -tins a'xojfa i^v'p^oiraaioi/s ■?■ ^ jtppftiSflB, 
 .,-jg£a7au Tueiffiv. Homil,' VI. adverf, Jud. 
 
V the ^Ijmplt ofjerufalem. ,^ 1 1 
 they had. And the occafion of havMig it will 
 fhe w, why the Jews and Greeks had- it not. 
 Their Lawgiver, Numa^ inftituteda kiodof 
 fyftem oi natural Religion for thtiv natioml 
 ufe ; which, time and craft foon CE^u|it8d 
 with grofs idolatries. So that as fuperftition§ 
 'ac^dunfltilated,' they would be under a necefr 
 fity of inventing a word to lignify that fpe» 
 cific mode of worfliip, through which fuch 
 fuperftitions were ednveyfed. 
 
 ..!^'^v& Judaifm being of neceflity to ceafe 
 pntheeftablilhrnentof Chriftianity, we fee 
 j|ar. what reafon it was predidled, that whes 
 §btloh cam J the fceptre Jhould depart from 
 Judah. Admirable are the ways pf ProvL:- 
 ,4en.ce ! and fo will they be always found, 
 whenever we happen ug^n the clue, thaj 
 leads us to the right opening, 
 
 .|i then, from the nature of things, |t (loth 
 appear; that the Temple "VVprship ipuft 
 ilall with the rifq of that which is, infpirit (ind 
 in itrttth ; and that the abolition of ,the 
 Mofaic Law is effential to the eftablifhment 
 of fthe Gofpel ; we cannot but condade, 
 that a matter of this^ importance (fo iUijftri» 
 ous a proof of the relation and dependance 
 ^e^ween thefe twoR,eligions !) mwft be pre.. 
 
12 Of Julianas Attempt to rebuild 
 dided, both by the Prophets of the o/</, 
 and the Founder of the new Difpenfatidn. 
 
 They Both, indeed, have done it. And 
 fully to comprehend the force and juft 
 value of their expreffions was the end for 
 which we have here deduced things from 
 their original, and given this general view 
 of the courfe and order of God's moral ceco- 
 nomy; on which, the' fenfe of the prophe- 
 cies relating to it muft needs be determined : 
 And without which, the feveral prediiSions 
 of the deftrudiion of the Temple, exprefTed 
 in genel-al terms, would be fubjeft to cavil,, 
 as, in themfelves, implying only a total, and 
 notaj?«^/fubveffion. Whereas now, from 
 the natufe of the Difpenfations, we under- 
 ftand that a deft^lfcftion, thus foretold, ne- 
 ceffafily implied z. final one. 
 
 , The prophet i/^z/2^, predidling, as ufual, 
 the triumphs of the Gofpel under the terms 
 of a temporal deliverance of the Jews from 
 their hoftile neighbours, delivers himfelf m- 
 the following words : " And in this moun- 
 *' tain \yi%. of Zion^ fhall the Lord 6f 
 " Hofts make unto all People a feaft pf fat 
 " things, a feaft of wines on the lees, of 
 " fat things full of marrow, of wines on 
 
 I " the 
 
the Temple of Jerufalem. 13 
 
 " the lees well refined. And he will de- 
 " ftroy in this mountain the face of the co- 
 " veripg caji ever all people ^ and the veil 
 " that is fpread over all nations. He wiU 
 " fwalkm up death in victory ^" And to 
 £hew, that fome great event in a remote 
 and future age was the principal obje£t of 
 his prophecy, he i^ff^^od^ifces it with this 
 fongof triumph ; " O Lord, thoji art my 
 " God, I will exalt thee, I will praife thy 
 " nume ; for tho\i haft done wonderful 
 " thiijgs ; thycounfel^ of ojd are Faithfulnefs 
 " and'TrMh^." i.e. What thou haft origi- 
 nally decreed, tbou wilt, in the htXet ages, 
 bring to pafs. Therefore having, in %h.& 
 Jixth verfe, enigmatically defcribed that f^l- 
 vation which fhouldarife from , mount ^«- 
 on; in the feventh, he more openly inti- 
 mates the abolition of the Temple- worihip, 
 by the figute of deftroying that veil, which, 
 at the crucifixion of the Lord of life, the 
 Eyangelift informs us, ivas rent in twain 
 from' the top to the bottom ; called by the Pfo- 
 ^httf from the confined nature of the yeW" 
 j/Z) .religion, the veil that hid truth from 
 the nations. In this fenfe St. PaUl appears 
 to have undetftood the prophecy ; for. he 
 
 ' *Ch.XXV. ir '6, 7, 8, * Ifa. XXV. i. 
 
 irf^ applies 
 
applies the cefngluding words to^,^ the Jail 
 triumph ^of Chrift over Death,L ^^^^ 
 
 Co'NTbR M A B L Y to thefc idea^i (^^iS fays 
 fo' the woman of S*j;«/m^,—^" Believe" me, 
 "the hour cometh, when ye ihal neither 
 " in this mountain, nor yttzt Jerufaknty 
 " w^orfhip the Father. - — But thehourcom- 
 *' eth, and now is, when the true worfliip- 
 *' pefs'flia:ll worfhip the Father in fpirit and 
 ** in truth ^." And to fecure the honour of 
 this great event, Providence had decreedsthat 
 the City and Temple of J<?rS/^fewihould be 
 deftroyed j of which the Angel informs Z)a- 
 niel in the following words : "And after 
 *' threefcore arid two weeks fhulLMeffiah 
 " be cut off, but not for himfelf ; and the 
 " people of the prince that fhall come, (hall 
 " deftroy the City- and the SanSiuary j and 
 *' the end thereof fhall be with a flood, and 
 *' unto the end of the war defolations are 
 " determined. And he fhall confirm the 
 " covenant with many for one week : And 
 *' in the midft of the week he fhall caufe the 
 " facrifice and oblation to ceafe, and for the 
 *' overfpreaiding of abominations, he fhall 
 " make it defolkte, even until the confum- 
 
 ' I Cor. XV. •} 54. 6 John iv. 2i — 23. 
 
 ^^ mation, 
 
:•"''/& temple of Jerufalem.'^ J$ 
 " matloni^^ and that determined ihall^ fcig 
 " poured upon the defolate''." i In which 
 we fee a plain and ekcumftantial defcriptioji 
 of the overthrow of the City and Terppl^ 
 by the Mmam under 7V/«j. Jefus foretells 
 the then appis^achlDg event in the follow^- 
 ing manner: " And when Jefusw^^ cpn^ 
 " neafi he beheld the Ciiy,. and wept over 
 " it, faying— -The days fhall cqrnp upqa 
 " thee, that thine enemies fhall ^aH: a tr^^nc^h 
 *^Jaboirt thee, and compafsthee rpun,^, ffj^i 
 " keep thee m -on every fide, and iOb^Il lay 
 " ihee evfin with the ground, and thy fibiLr 
 '* dren within thee ; and they /hall ^pf. 
 ." leave in thee one ftone upon another ^/' 
 Two other evangelifts ^ inform us^ that 
 i^ j^^j we©t out, and departed from the 
 " Tetf^ J and his difeiples jcame to Ijynj 
 ■" £br to /hew him the buildings of the Jems- 
 '-' pie. And ye/us faid unto then?. See ye 
 *' not all thefe things?,., Verily, J fay'untp 
 *' you, There (hall not^be left here pi?e 
 *' ftone uppn another, that {hall not bg 
 '" thrown down.'j , And vvhen the difciples 
 \^rivately afkexi him when thefe tkinp fiQul4 
 be, he anfwered. When ye Jhall fee th^ fibgr 
 
 4 "^ Dtifl. ix. a6, 27, ' Luke xix. 41. 43, 4^, 
 
 jju 'ylVIaj^. icxiy. ;, 2. 15. Markiui. i, 2. 14. 
 
 mmthn 
 
10 UJ Julian' s Attempt U rebuild 
 mination of defilation, Jpoken of by Daniel 
 thepinphsty Jiafiding in the holy pladt-,. refer- 
 rlftg to the prophecy quoted above. Hi- 
 therto we fee a total deftruftion indefinitely 
 predicted. The following paffage of St. 
 Luke's Gofpel marks the fixed duration of 
 it. " And Jerufakm (fays Jefus) fhall be 
 " trodden down of the Gentiles, until the 
 " tirhes of the Gentiles be fulfilled '." But, 
 of the period here meant, commentators 
 differ : Some, as Hammond, fuppofe it 
 reaches no lower than till the empire be- 
 came Chriftian : others, as Dr. S.Clarke, 
 that it extends to the future converfion of 
 the yews. 
 
 Amidst this uncertainty, arifing froni 
 the general expreffions of thefe prophecies 
 confidered alone, the only way of coming 
 to the truth, i. e. to know whether they 
 mean z final deftrudtion, or, if not, ' what 
 fort of reftoration; and when it is to fucceed; 
 the only way, I fay, is to rfcur to what hath 
 been difcourfed above, concerning the na- 
 ture of the TWO dispensations: In 
 which we have fliewn, that Chrijiianify and 
 the Temple-worjhip cannot fubfifl together : 
 
 iLukexxi,24. 
 
 And 
 
' the Temple of Jirufakm, ly 
 
 Aad fo muft conclude, that thefe Prophe- 
 cies foretell not only the toial, but the Jittal 
 dfiftrudlion of the -^w^ Temple. 
 
 Akb now. What dre we to conclude 
 from all this, to, the cafe in hand ? — It is 
 evident, a repugnancy m the co-ejciflence of 
 Judaifm and Chriftianity, would require 
 God's interpofitidh to prisvent the reftora- 
 fion of the Temple. :' it is as evident, a 
 Prophecy of \isjinat deftriiilidn would do 
 the fame. Either of thefe fafts therefore 
 bfeing fufficient tb eftiablifh our point, fo 
 iiiucri difcoufife had not been eniployed on 
 ^othy had they flood independent of one 
 another. But the l^rophecies being ^o deli- 
 vered, as to be,, of themfelves, ambiguous, 
 there was a neceffity of calling-in the nature 
 of God's Difpenfations, tb explain their 
 pirecife meaning ; which would, then, reci- 
 procally fupport what we infer from the 
 diifferent genius of the two Religions. 
 
 If it be aflced (as there is now no fecret 
 in the counfels of God but what audacious 
 man will demand axeafon of) " Why the^- 
 nal deftrudtion of the Temple was fo doubt- 
 fully delivered, that there was need of our 
 having recourfe to the nature and genius of 
 the two Difpenfations, to comprehend the 
 
 full 
 
* ° ^J jutian s ^iiempc lo reputia 
 full meaning of the Prophecy;" I anfwer, in 
 geriefal, that it feems very irreverent, when 
 God hath clearly made knovvrn his Will to 
 tts, to cavil with his Wifdom, for not doing 
 ft in that way which to us may feeni the 
 ftioft dired and fimple. But, in this cafe it 
 happens, we fee great ends obtained^ by the 
 tery way he hath been pleafed to ufe. For 
 by obliging us to have recourfe to the nature 
 of his Difpehfations, "^in order to afcertain 
 f he full meaning of his Prophecies, he hath 
 put us under the riecefiity of having always 
 in view a circumftance of great moment, 
 IXrhich we might otherwife be apt to forget; 
 a circumftance which imprefleth on us the 
 jftrongeft ideas of the divine wifdorn. Had the 
 abolition of Judaifm, <Sd. the eftablifhmeht 
 of Chriftianity, been only expedient, and not 
 iiecejary, as even in that cafe we may be af- 
 fured it had been in God's counfel never to 
 fiifFer the Temple to be rebuilt, fo we may 
 "well believe that the revelation of this coun- 
 fel by I*rophecy, had been in the exprefs 
 terms of 2t.Jinal deftruftion ; becaufe, from 
 'AxQ expediency Only of an abolitiori,' general 
 terms could never lead us to conclude the 
 prddifled deftruftion to hejinal. But now 
 as the abolition was necejary, thzt alone 
 Would fuffice to fix the precife meaning of 
 
 general 
 
•the Temple of Jerafiikm. 19 
 
 general terms. And as the ufe of general 
 terms would oblige us to have recouffe to 
 thofe circum fiances on which the ncceffity 
 was founded, and the conftant view of thofe 
 circumftances is highly ufeful , for , religi- 
 ous purpofes, therefore were general terms 
 very wifely employed. 
 
 It may perljaps be further objeded, 
 ** That the reafons here given for thq ne- 
 cefllty of abolifhing Judaifm, on the coming 
 ofChqftianity, reach no further than to a 
 virtual abolition : wheijeas it is an aBu(d 
 abolition only that can ferve our purpofe." 
 
 To this I reply, That the abolition of a 
 preparatory Religion, on the appearance of 
 that which was to jibllow, is not a matter 
 of every day's experience. There is but 
 this oneinftanceiathe world, and never will 
 be another. Let us diiveft ourfelves» there- 
 fore, ef all thofe common notions we form 
 from analogies, and we fliall fee that reafon 
 leads us to expert an 4<^26z/ abolition. Indeed, 
 according to ourideas.«f the general nature 
 of Religion, an a^ual abolition could not be 
 certainly had, without a force upon free- 
 will ; hence, in fuch cafes, a virtual abolition 
 is all we are to expc(3: : and, from a eonfider- 
 ation of the general nature of religion, we are 
 C mifled 
 
20 Of Juliaris Attempt to rebulU 
 milled into this obje^iion. But the Religioif 
 iji queftion was of a peculiar kind. The 
 eJtMraiuipurf of it was z^kcal: wprjhip, 
 Thisi might hQaSlmlly aholifhed without 
 any force upon the will. When therefofe 
 art.abolitidn vfz% foretold, and the neceffify'^i 
 it feenj muft we not conclude fuch a one 
 to be meant ? On the whole, A vkMaifH^o- 
 Ittion of circumcifion, purif cation, diJiinSlion 
 of meats, &c. which belong to the private 
 parfc^th&jeijuijh religion, wasall that could 
 be expe(fted: but. the nature of things 
 feems to require an <7^a<2/ abolition of the 
 puhUc part, which was the 'Hempk-nmrfhtp. 
 To thefe many other reafons might be 
 added, Such as the apparent nee^Qky^^of 
 fhewiHg, that this, nation was no longer 
 God's peculiar ; which could hardly be doR© 
 while they, were in poffeffion of z, worfliip^ 
 that was the characteriftic mark of God's 
 peculiarity: And fuch as the transferring the 
 kingfliip of the Jews from God to Chriji -, 
 which would not appear to be done while 
 ^ the. Temple- worihip,. the fpecific adl of 
 allegiance, was in being. There are vari*- 
 -ous confiderations hefides of equal weigbj. 
 But we may feem; perhaps to have already 
 exceeded the, proportion that the partjSj of 
 this Difcourfe ftiould beiaE to one another. 
 -:------.T : Thus 
 
\^ ^ ike Ikf^pk ^^Jemfakhi. '\(:i § r 
 ^Hus muchi therefop^jt being premilfed, 
 ^^ enter dire<Sly on our Subjeft ; it being 
 now feen, that the 'truth of Chriftiaiiity 
 muft ftand or fa-U with the ruin or the re->- 
 ftdratioh of the Temple at 'Jerufalem.% for 
 if that Temple ihould be ,« rebuilt for t^e 
 purpofe'-of yewijh worfhip,ft Cbriftianity 
 could not fupport its pretenfions 5 j nor the 
 Prophets y tidt^yefm^ ^the truth of their pre- 
 di<5tions. .yi . m 4'iiriw i-jd awnn^^ 
 
 There was a time when the Powers of 
 fMs world were all oppofed to the progrefs 
 of the Gojpel j and eontinued thus oppofed 
 for fome Ages. So that it would have been 
 a miracle, as- rare as moft of thofe by which 
 it wasfupported, if, amongft the various, at- 
 t€;p^ to fupprefs and difcredit it/i there 
 had not been a projed: formed to give the lye 
 to thofe Prophecies which denounced ruin 
 and defolation to the yewijh 'J'emple.'m mir 
 srliTHE &xik attempt upon Chrillianity was 
 fuch as was moft natural to this Fewer, The 
 fuppreffing it by brutal force. And the 
 fiibje6;ion of the whole civilized,.World tq 
 the ^defpotic Will of one blind PerfequtDr, 
 gave that force its utmoft moment. The 
 violeaG& ©fits effort was ten times repeated'; 
 and, mil ofi^,* by theiMqod^f Jiie.^^a£tyj;5, 
 vidoriouily repelled. - hlmjdl --kiuoSnil. . fc 
 C 2 Thouqh 
 
24" OfyiiliMiAttemff'to rebuild 
 '' Hk W^i hm up in ^he 'ChriAian t&M^ioi^ 
 ffdtii his ififancy : arid was obliged ^""pro* 
 feffit ^fJr at leaft to difguife" hi3- paffien " 
 for' Pa|anifm) to th& time he aflurti^d 
 the purple. His averfion to his liricle 
 ConJiStine, and his coufin Conjiantifih 
 for tht;' cruelties exercifed on his fami- 
 ly,'^ had prejudiced him agaiiift the Chri^ 
 man religion : And his attachment to fome 
 Platonic Sophifts, who had been employed 
 in his education, gave him as violent a bias 
 towards Pagariifm. He was ' ambitious % 
 antl Paganifm, in.fotne of its' Theur^t 
 rites, had flattered and encouraged hiis vi^Ws 
 of the Diadem : He was vain, which: riiadfe 
 him afpire to the glory of re-eftabliffiing 
 'ihe^ancient Rites : He was extremely krioWi- 
 irlg, affd fond- of Grecian literattir'e ; the 
 ybry foul of which, in his opinion ", Was 
 tlie old Tfieology : But above all, liotWifb- 
 ftan'ciing"^ confiderable mixture of entliu'- 
 iilifm^ his Superftition was exceffive, and 
 ^^'ha^'ilDthing, but the blopfl of HeciatoffiMy 
 ■ cbftld'~'a|5ipeafe. . , . , v 
 
 " A rudimentis pueritije primis inclinatior erat crga 
 - i^tiftiTnumiCQltum, -'psullffltamque: adulefcens defjderio rei 
 ■flagraB*. Ami Mare: 1. xxii. c. 5, ; \. ■ . fscJ 
 
 » yi(J. Ep. Jul, x]ii. 
 
the. %mph,of '^truful^. V 23 
 With thef^ difpofitions he came to :the 
 Empire ; and, confequently, vs^ith a. deter- 
 miyned purpofe of fubverting the Chriftian, 
 and reiloring the Pagan , Worihip. -. His 
 predeceflbrs had left jbiiin the repeated exr 
 perience of the inefficacy of downright force. 
 The.-yy-^r^eof the pajl times ftill rendered 
 thi^ effort fruitlefs \ ,the mvikers of the pr?- 
 ^«^ would feave pnade it ; dangerous. He 
 found it neceflary therefore to change his 
 ground : His knowledge of human Nature 
 furnifhed him with arms j and bis knowr 
 ledge of the Faith he had abandoned, en- 
 ajal^ him to iiire<3t thofe arms to nioft ad- 
 vantage. , ., 
 
 He began with re-eftablifliing Paganifm 
 fey Law °, and granting a full liberty of 
 confcienee to the Chriftians. On this prin- 
 ciple, he xeftored tjaofe to their ciyil rights, 
 of wha^ party foever, who had been banijljj- 
 ed on account of Religion : and even affeft- 
 ed to reconcile, to a mutual forbearance, 
 tihp various ifeds of Chriftianity, Yet iiQt- 
 withilandingt his own Hiflorign aiTures us^ 
 he put on this m^ik of moderation and 
 
 o Planis abfalutifque decretis aperiri templa, arifque 
 hoftias admoveri ad deorum ftatuit cultu.in. hta.. Mar. 
 1. -^m. c. 5, 
 
 e 4 equity^ 
 
?4 Of JidiarCi Attempt toiteMld 
 equity, for no other pHrpofethan to inSame 
 the tdiffentbns in the Church) p., .Afnd, his 
 fubfequent condud fully juftifies t^e hifto- 
 rian's .obfervation. . .. - 
 
 He then fined and bani^lied ? > fuch of 
 the more popular Glepgy' as had abufed 
 their power^ either in exciting the People 
 to burn and' deftroy pagah Temples j or to 
 commit violence on an oppofite Seft. And 
 it cannot be denied, but that thek eurbulent 
 and infolent manners deferved a-11 the feve- 
 rity of hisjuflice^ i: .-. 
 
 - -' Hb proceeded to revoke and'take away 
 tfeofe imrriiinities, honours, and reven'vres'', 
 w^hich his unple ajid coufin had granted to 
 
 ". I/tqMe difpofitorunj, rf^bprarf t i^^ltum, .diiljdentes 
 Chrifijanorum antiftites cum plebe (Jifcifla in palatium 
 ih'tj-omiflbs monebat, ut, civjlibus difcordiis ponfopitis, 
 quilque, nullo vetante, religioni fuae ferviret intrepidus. 
 (^6d4|ebatideoobftinate, ut diflenfiones, augehte li^^ 
 £^ntia, non liiQieret unanimantem poflea p^eb^i^i, Idtm 
 
 * Nazi^nz. Orat. i. CQnt.* Jul. 
 * i'See the karned and refpedlable Mj-. Archdeacon 
 Law's' vetyin^er^usDKcomk, of the feveral Difpen- 
 fatians .afrpoealfd Religm, ' pf. 1 74, i ft Edit. 
 
 ttlti^isi'oi «cp«Af7o. j|.aiii's-«v7iis fKw»r«v7('i'8 Val.] So^. 
 I.V.C.5. ■ ■ • ■ ..,i.: " '■-'.: 
 
 the 
 
the ^I'mplf'op^erujalem, 2| 
 
 the Clergy. Neither^was'ihis pretence -fet 
 thisbaltogether unreafonable. He jiidg^' 
 the igrasrfs to bc^orbi^ant ; and befides, as 
 they were attendant on a natimal Religion, 
 when the ^aitijhitent came to be transfer- 
 red from Chriftianity to Paganifm, he con- 
 cluded, they muft follow the Religion cif 
 the.State* But there was one immunity 
 he*ookaway, which no good policy, even 
 under an eftablifhment, fhouid have grant- 
 ed them; which was an exemption ' from 
 the civil tribunals. 
 
 The Apoftate went Ml further ; he dif- 
 qualified the qhdftian^Laity for bearing , of- 
 fice in the State : and even this, the fecurity 
 of the eftablifiied Religion may often' re^ 
 qiike. 
 
 But his moft illiberal treatment of the 
 Chriftians, was his forbidding the Profef* 
 fors, who were of that Religion, to teach 
 Hum0,mty ^oA the. fciences, in the public 
 Schools. His more immediate defign, in 
 this, was to hinder the Youth from tak- 
 ing impreffions to the. difadvantage of Pa- 
 
 'Tor? ^nMvltisJott dviiuMf. So?!. I, v. c. 5. 
 
 >.■ ganifmj 
 
th Ofr Julian's Attempt to^re^ild 
 ganifm : His rempter view, to deprive 
 Chriftiaiiity of the fupport of Burnah li- 
 terature ', 
 
 ' ThisEdj^l is to be f^und arnqngft thp worksiof ,^a- 
 Vtan : and goes under the name of his xlii'' Epiftle. It 
 forbids the Chriftian Pfofeffors to teach humkn literature! 
 jBut becaure ihe Ancients, fuch as Gregory Naz. Secra- 
 tes, Sazomene, Theodoret, and Rufinus exprefly fay, ,tbai: 
 Jie forbad Cliriftians to learn it ; fome modern critics ■ 
 have embarraffed themfelves in according this imagi- 
 nary difference. Baronius, and Valejius, who could 
 not find it was forbid, by this Ediit, to lea?-n, concluded 
 there was no fuch prohibition. Tilkmont and Fleuri ■v^l 
 iiot allow the Fathers to be miftakeri ; and therefore 
 imagine there was anothef Edidi, which extended t\\6 
 jprohibition to the cafe in queftion. TiV/fZBa's/ fuppofes 
 this the more readily, b?caufe he thinks the xlii'' letter 
 is indefinite and obfcure. It appears to rne very clear 
 and precife ; and it feems ftrange none of thefe critics 
 faw, that, as this prohibition is circu,mftanced;in:tbe 
 Edift, the hot hieing allowed to learn was the neceffary 
 c6nfequence of being forbid to teach. For the Pj-ofef- 
 ftfs'arenot only difallowed to explain Pagan authors'to. 
 ?iigv2» aiiditories, but io Cbrijlian likewife; asappearis 
 iPc^yiheTblloWing words. But if they [the Chrifiian 
 ^iohSots] think thefe authors give a falfe andumxiarthy 
 mciinnt vfthe'tremendvui majefiy of the Immortak^' kt 
 ihentgtt and explain 'Mattl|ew and Luke in the fhterches 
 e^7i^ Galileans, et Si ets T«f rifxiuixriss vTroXHf*- 
 X»\i\iffi Zirs!rX(Xu>)o9-«<, ^xSt^ovlciiv eig rosf tmv ra>\.ikouaiv 
 tx»Aiio->o!f , l^ft^y,ffo^ivoi 'MctI6a<ov ^f^ Aaxav. But 
 ;W^ this faid, 'if they were ' at liberty to teach the 
 
 NoTF 
 
. j No T qgntent with this, he endeavoure4 
 (Even to deftroy wHat was' already written, i|i 
 
 C^riftian youth the fciences ? If they were nof. Where 
 could 'ffiey' go for inftruSibn but to the (bhoofs' of the 
 pagan Profeflbrs ? Hither, indeed, they are iirvited by 
 the Edia itfelf. Thofi of the [Chriftian] youth (fays 
 Julian) who are dejirous of frequenting phe fchools of 
 the Pagan profeflbrs] are by no means t« Be excluded. 
 
 This was Jcind : but wpuld by no means be accepted. 
 Hejq the ba,it was half.ol^ the hook ; and difcovered, 
 that tq draw them thidier was one end of the Edldl: 
 which he itn^ined would neceflkrily reduce thit^gs to 
 tJM^ ftate, e^pi to flifp9fe thp Galileans, during their 
 youl^, in favour of Paganifm ; or^to difable them, ia 
 their adult age, to defend Chriftianity. So that ^ appejis^ 
 ff om hence, his forbidding Chriftian profeflbrs t^ 
 txplmnVzgah writers to any audience whatfoever, fully 
 amounted to a prohibition of learning them. The Fa-r 
 thers, we fee, did not fcruple dire^ly to affirm it. Amjl 
 that they believed it, appears from their finding no other 
 way of avoiding the dilemma oi arruption, or ignoranee^ 
 thaa; by compofmg Epic poems, Tragedjes,: and other 
 claflic comp ofitions upon a Chriflian plaji, and on fub- 
 je£ls tit^akooi. facred Aory. This cir(;unifl»nc|9 (had 
 Barpmus^M Valefius attended to it) was alone fu^ 
 cient to fhew them, that ^fathers have, told ug 119 
 more than what they faw affl felt, when they faid, that 
 fultanJi^x^zA. them to learn human literature, as well as 
 to ieach it. X>et me add, that nothing but this inter- 
 pretationiof his Edidt Qifi account for the ievere cenfure 
 ^ ' ■ "^^"C5 
 
aS Of Jujian^s Attempt t6,rehuild 
 defence of Chriftianity. With this view 
 he wrdte to Ecdicius the goverridf' bf Egypt, 
 and to Porphyry the trdafurer-general, to 
 coUedl up, and fend to him the hbrary " of 
 George bifhop of Alexandria, who for. his 
 cruelty and tyranny had been torn in pieces 
 by the People. 
 
 Nay, to fuch a length did his caetjim 
 to the name of Christ carry him, as to de- 
 cree, by a public Edidl, that his followers 
 ihould he no longer called Chriftians, but 
 Galileans '*. Not but there might be a mixi- 
 ture of policy in it too, as knowing the ef*- 
 ficacy of a mck-nante to render a profeffion 
 ridiculous. However, it is more than pro- 
 bable, fuperjiition had its Ihare in this ridi- 
 
 whichhis own Hiftorian, Ammianus McfcdHriu^, pafles 
 wpon it, in the following words, *' illud autem ejrat in- 
 " clemens, obruendum perenni. ft lent to, quod arcebat 
 ** docere Magiftros Rhetoricos & Grammatico^ ritus 
 *' Chriftiani cultores." Lib. xxii. c. jo. 
 
 " Ep. ix. and xxxvi. — woKKa, jt*ev yoi^ ?v <pt\offipai 
 'vet^ a\JTu, sreAA«e ie ptjIo^iKoi, weAA* is ijv j^ rys rut 
 SvctstSm ra^hihaiuv SiJ^^otKift^i x /3aAoi'j»)]v fth 
 fj^mviS-tM zs'dvln- Ep. ij^. 
 
 TaAiAflMiff dill j(^tria.vm ovofitda-as- ti j^ X«X«- 
 «S-flM»9^ofi{TijW. Greg. Naz, Orat. ii. com. Jul. 
 
 culous 
 
the Temple of Jerufakm. 29 
 
 cdbus Edidt. The fanatic Platopifts, to 
 whom Julian had entirely given himfelf 
 up, were much befotted with the myfteri- 
 ous pffiper of Name^. Thefe having beei^ 
 ilruck Vfi^ the won4efs performed by the 
 name of Cbriji, and finding fo many diffi- 
 culties oppofe themfelves to their Matter's 
 exterminating fcheme, might well faiicy 
 there was a certain Charm in the Word 
 Cbr^Mi which rendered the Religion, fo 
 denominated, invincible. And this feems to 
 be the ground Gregory Naz. went upon (if 
 he>had any) for faying, that the reafon of 
 this extraordinaryLaw was, becaufe the De- 
 mons tretnbled at the name of Chriji, and 
 fuffered torments as often as they heard' it 
 pronounced. 
 
 '^ A MAN fo tranfported by a train of the 
 iiiQ^i^.uQg^verned paffions, we may well 
 think, would flop at no means, how low 
 and vile foever, to carry on his projedl. His 
 Letters fupply us with an inftance of one fo 
 difhonemrable, that no teftimdny but his 
 ovvn could make ft creffible. Titus, biflidp 
 o^Bo/ira, and his Clergy, in an addrefs pre-' 
 fented to Julian, acqiiaint him with their 
 care in keeping the flock Committed to them 
 
 "(then 
 
3° ^/' y^^i'^fi'i Attempt td rebuild 
 (theni equal in number to the Pagans) In diifi 
 oHedience to the laws. The return yz^/Z^w 
 makes for'this ad of duty is to acquaint the 
 people of Bojlra, that tl^eir bifhop wasjbe- 
 Goine their delator ; that he had reprefented 
 themi as prone to {edition, and even capable 
 of the iaft exceffesjbut that he and his Cler- 
 gy kept tl]iem in order. Fpr this crime, there- 
 fore, which he calls the taking to himfelt 
 the merit of the People's good behaviour,* 
 he advifes them to expel the Bifhop from 
 their city*. 
 
 J, ^FTER this, no inftance pf bafehefs or in* 
 juftice will be thought ftrange. On pi;etencq 
 that the Arian church of i;^^^ was too rich,, 
 andhad not ufed the Valentiniam wi^ temr 
 per, he feized on everything belonging to it, 
 and divided the plunder amongft his foldier,^, 
 And, to add the bitterriefs of contumely 
 tq, his injuftice, he told them he 4i4 it to 
 
 *.Ep. lii. BoffiivoiV. It is remarkable, that the Author 
 «f the CharaHerlJiics, in his third Vol. ef Mifc. Reft 
 hath given his reader a tranflationof this Latter, for a 
 ■pattern, as he tells us, of the humour and genius , of the 
 principkiandfentiments, of this •virtuous, galknt, :gettf- 
 TOftsandn^ld Ewferor, p. 87, & feq. 4"" Ed. It ,i» 
 true, he hath dropt the affair of Ti'tut, their Bifliop, ii) 
 Ii^S=Trajfflation. 
 
 ' ' 'z cafe 
 
' the '^em^teof JemfaUtniO^ ^^ 
 cafe them of theibburthens» that they might 
 proceed more lightly, and with lefs impedi- 
 ment in their journey to Heaven ^. 
 
 But iSofr/j:/^/, the Hiftorian, tells us, thai 
 he impofed a tax or tribute, proportioned to 
 every man's circuriiftatices, on all \vhd 
 would not iacrifice ^. This was perfecutidni 
 in form : And yet he did n6t ftop here > but 
 proceeded to ftill greater extremities. 
 
 , Though he did; not perfecute to dcafcb 
 by Laws, that being dire<3:ly contrary tojhi* 
 Edidis of toleration, which he had with fo 
 much vanity and frequency repeated j yet 
 he connived at the. fury of the People, and 
 the brutality of the Governors o^ provinces V 
 who, during his fhort reign, brought ma*- 
 ny martyrs to the flake. For he put fuch 
 into Governments, whofe inhumahit^ and 
 blind zeal fof their country-fuperftitioit^ 
 Were moft diftinguifhed. And when theTuP^ 
 fering Churches prefented their complaints 
 ^^him, he difmifled them with cruej feoffs j 
 telling them % their Religion directed them 
 
 V' Ep. JKlfiJ. EkviQo^u. » Hift. Eccl.I.iii. c. 13. 
 ''* Greg.JNaz, i. Orat. cdht.'^ul Socrat. Eccl. 1^.^ 
 
 !;'iii; c. 14/ ''' '■ '" ■"■■ *;''"' 
 
 ta 
 
32 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 to fufFer without murmuring. So that we 
 have little reafon to doubt what the Anci- 
 ents fay of his declared intention (had he 
 returned victorious from the Perfian war) 
 to fubjeft the Whole Chriftian world to the 
 honefter perfecution of fire and fword •". 
 
 These were the efforts of the Emperor 
 Julian to fubverf Chriflianity. However he 
 took care to avoid the abfurdity of our mo- 
 dern Apoflates, who are for abolifhing the 
 Faith in which, like him, they have been 
 bred, without fubflituting any otherReligion 
 in its flead. Julians attempts to deflroy 
 Chriflianity did not precede, but went hand 
 in hand with, his projedts to fupport and tct 
 form Paganifm. 
 
 He wrote and he preached in perfon, in de- 
 fence of Gentile fuperflition : and has him- 
 
 ^ Gr. Naz. ii. Orat. contr, Jul. Ruff. Eccl. Hift. 
 1. i. c. 36. How well all this agrees with what the Au- 
 of the Chara£ierijllcs fays of "Julian, in the following 
 words, I need not fay [Julian] was a great reftrainer 
 of Perfecution, and would allow of nothing further than a 
 Refumption of Church-lands andpublick Schools ; without 
 any attempt on the goods or perfons, even of thofe who 
 branded theState-Religion, and made a merit of affront- 
 ing the public Worjhip. Vol.1, p. 25. 4"" Edit. 
 
 I felf 
 
the 'fempie of yerufateth. ^J 
 
 fetf acquainted' us with the ill fuccefi of 
 his Miniftry ''. Of his Cohtroverfial writ- 
 ings, his anfwerer CyHl hath given us a large 
 fpecimen ; by which we fee he was equal- 
 ly intent to recommend Paganifra and to 
 difcredit Revelation. 
 
 His reformation of gentile Superfti&on 
 turned upon thefe points, i. To hide the 
 abfurdity of its traditions by moral and phi- 
 lofophic allegories ^. Thefe Jie found pro* 
 vided for him, principallyj by philofophers 
 of his own fe£t, the Platonifts. For they, 
 not v^^out the affiflance of the other feds 
 of Theifts, had, ever fince the appearance 
 of Chriflianity, been refining the Theology 
 of pagan ifm, to oppofe it to that of Reve- 
 lation; under pretence. That their new in- 
 vented allegories were the ancient fpirit of 
 the letter, which the firft poetical divines 
 had thus convey'd to poftjerity. A noble 
 
 f*it 0CTrXVTt(. iitet^^eav Si cuiroT; oKiyoi TfaWj koc} 
 JiT« el Kj Tt^o TWV IjMwv Kayaiv iiox^v iX,"i )>yi'^i', sA«- 
 Qovra Si ufTTifi Trufftiirloi! oiTrolfii^aff^ui t^\ mSu x«J 
 dno^is^ki. . Ep. xxvii AiSavlco Q>(pi?ji. 
 
 '' Seefiis Difcourfe compofed ia honour of the Mother 
 of the gods. 
 
 D defign I 
 
34 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 defign ! of which fome Letters, lately pub- 
 lifhed, concerning Mythology, will give the 
 reader a very tolerable idea. 
 
 2. He then attempted to corredl the mo- 
 rals of the Pagan priefthood, and regulate 
 their manners on the pradice of the firft 
 Chrijiians. In his Epiftle to Arfacius, he 
 not only requires of them a perfonal beha- 
 viour void of offence ; but that they reform 
 their houfhold on the fame principle : He 
 diredts that they who attend at the altar 
 fhould abftain from the theatre, the tavern, 
 and the exercife of all ignoble profeffions : 
 That in their private charadter they be meek 
 and humble ; but that, in the adls and of-i 
 .fices of religion, they affume a charadter 
 conformable to the majefty of the immor- 
 tal Gods whofe minifters they are. But 
 above all he recommends to them the vir- 
 tues of charity and benevolence ^ 
 
 With regard to I^ifcipline and Religious 
 policy, Nazianzene and Sozomene tell us, he 
 eftabliihed Readers in Divinity j diredled the 
 order and parts of the divine offices j con- 
 
 " Ep. tUx. 'A^o-auti'w fltfj^isgM TeiK»Tlas. Fragmen- 
 tura Oiationis Epiftqlicve. 
 
 ftituted 
 
the Temple of 'JerufaleM. 35 
 
 ultuted a regular and formal fervice, with 
 days and hours of worfhip ; prefcribed ini* 
 tiatory and expiatory rites j founded hofpi'- 
 tals for the poor, monafteries for the de- 
 vout, and enjoined a courfe of penance for 
 the flagitious ; and in all things imitated 
 the Church difcipline of that time ^. 
 
 But the indifference and corruptions of 
 Paganifm, joined to the obftinacy and per- 
 feverance of the Chriilians, kept his proje(S: 
 from advancing with that fpeed which his 
 malice as well as zeal demanded. So that, 
 impatient of delay, he flruck out a new and 
 daring project to alter the whole face,, of 
 things at once. With this view he planned 
 the famous fcheme of rebuilding the Tem*^ 
 PLE OP Jerusalem. Its final deflrudion 
 had been foretold both by fejus and the 
 Prophets : and it was, as he imagined, re* 
 ferved for this favorite of the Gods, to give 
 the lye to their pr editions. 
 
 He had before (in purfuance of his ge- 
 neral fcheme of oppofing Revelation to it^ 
 felf, by fetting one fedt againfl another) 
 written to the Body or Community of the 
 
 f Greg.Naz. u Orat. cont. JuL Sozom. 1. v. e. i6.- 
 
36 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 Jews^, in which he aflured them of his pro- 
 teftion J his concern for their former ill 
 ufagej and his fixed purpofe to fcreen 
 them from future oppreilon, that they 
 might be at liberty, and in a difpofition to 
 redouble their vows for the profperity of his 
 reign. And concluded with a promife, that, 
 if he came back vidlorious from the Terfian 
 war, he would rebuild Jerufakm, reftore 
 them to their poffeflions, live with them in 
 'the holy City, and join with them in their 
 worfhip of the Great God of the uni- 
 verfe ^. 
 
 ^ So that, after this, a propofal of beginning 
 with the 'Temple^ we may well think, would 
 be eagerly embraced by them. Till this was 
 rebuilt, their Religion, as we have feen, was 
 in a ftate of inanition ; Sacrifices, which were 
 eflential to it, being forbid to be offered in 
 any other place. Hence thej^ifw^ had attempt- 
 
 inv Tuy Ilt^fcov jB"oASjMov $io^9(iia-»iJ^^, tlw C4t aroA.- 
 A.OT It«v 3?n6u^«|U^')jv zir«^" vfATv iSeiv olxHf^tiv 'mofnv 
 
 ffu, yij b> cwT^ oa^ccy Smu jwsS' vmwu tu kj^tIov*. 
 Ep. XXV. 
 
 ed. 
 
the Temple of "Jerufalem. 37 
 
 ed, more than once, to reftore it, in defiance 
 of the Power to which they were fubjeft ; firfl, 
 in the reign diAdrian^ and afterwards, under 
 that of Conjiantine'^ : but reafons of ftate 
 defeated the former attempt, and reafons of 
 religion, the latter. Adrian regarded and 
 punifhed it as a rebellion j Conflantine, as an 
 impiety. They were now invited, as good 
 fubjeSis and faithful worjhippers of the true 
 God, to fecond the Emperor's defign in re- 
 iloring them to their city and religion. 
 
 But, befides the principal purpofe of 
 utterly difcrediting the Chriftian name, 
 there were other auxiliary motives to pufli 
 him on to a fpeedy execution^ He lij^ 
 the Jews for their bloody facrifices,^ to 
 which he himfelf was extravagantly devot- 
 ed' ; he liked them better for their impla- 
 cable hatred to the Chriftians, in which he 
 far outwent them ; and he foothed his, fa- 
 mily revenge, in favouring thofe whom 
 ,ConJiantine had perfecuted, and perfecuted 
 for this very attempt. To which we may 
 add that which MarceUinus afligns as his 
 
 j Chryfoft. adverf. Judasos, paffira. 
 
 D 3 principal 
 
•gS Of Julian's AUempt to rebuild 
 principal' motive, the glory of atchieving (o 
 bold an enterprize '. 
 
 But Julian, who aimed at higher pur- 
 pofes than obtaining the good-will of the 
 Jews, would not intrufl fo important a de- 
 fign to their inclinations or abilities. He af- 
 fumed the care of it himfelf ; and carried 
 on the projedt (as far as it was carried) under 
 the Imperial authority. He afligned for this 
 ufe immenfe fums out of the public re- 
 venue. The fuperintendancy of it. he com- 
 mitted to his bofbm friend, Alypius^, to 
 whom he joined, for his affiftant, the Go^- 
 vernor of the province. Alypius was one 
 wlio hadi^een much obliged by Julian^, 
 and for this reafon, as is the nature of princes, 
 was as much beloved by him : but their 
 ■ftrongeft tye was a congenial malice, and 
 equal averfion to the Chriftian name ; qua- 
 lities, doubtlefs, for vtrhich Alypius waS' pre- 
 ferred before others to this employment. 
 This man, in conjundlion with the Jews, 
 
 ' Imperil fu! memoriam magnitudine operum geftiens 
 propagare. Am. Marc. 1. iii. c. ,i. 
 
 ^ The xxix"" and xxx"' Epiftles of Julian are written 
 to him ; in the latter of which he calls him, 'A(?sACp# 
 arofl«iioTa7e ;y^ (pi^iKurali; 
 ' .' See the xxlx"" Epiftle.- 
 
 and 
 
the T'empk of Jerufalem. * 39 
 and under the fanftion of the Imperial au- 
 thority, entered upon the bufinefs. They laid 
 in immenfe quantities of materials ; they af- 
 fembled vaft numbers of workmen ; the j'vjwj, 
 of both fexes, and of all degrees, bore a fhare 
 in the labour : they entered upon the ruins, 
 cleared away the rubbifh, and opened the old 
 foundations. 
 
 An account of this attempt (to wave the 
 teftimony of Chriftian authors) is tranfmitted 
 to us by a contemporary writer, of noble 
 extra<5tion, a friend and admirer of Julian, 
 and his companion in arms j a man of af;^: 
 fairs, learned, candid, and impartial ; a' 
 lover pf truth, and the beft J^floriai\ of 
 his time; who, although neitR ignorrot 
 of the doiSlrines, nor bigotted againft the 
 followers of our Faith, yet was ftrongly 
 attached to the fuperftition of his anceftors, 
 and, in one word, a Pagan profefTed and 
 declared". 
 
 " As diere have been critics abfurd enough to fufpe6l 
 that Jmmianus Marcellinus might be a Chriftian ; it may 
 be juft worth while to quote a paiTage of the celebrated 
 Hadrian Vale/ms, who, in few words, has well expofed 
 this groundlefs conceit. " Petrus Pithceus ad latus Am- 
 " miani.fui manu fuanotavit, eum Chriftianum fuifle, 
 
 D 4 So 
 
4o Of ^ Julian's Attempt ts rduild 
 
 So much then the moft fceptiqal reader 
 rnuft be forced to grant, To doubt of this 
 
 «' propterea quod in libro :^xvii. kripCit^ Jntt^ites quof- 
 *' dam provinciales, id eft, epifcopos Chriftianorum, 
 " parco vi£i:o, vili vefte, & demiffis ocaWs ^perpetua 
 ?' numlni verifque ejus cultoribus ut par cos comtnendari ^ 
 «' verecundos. An ideo Ammianus Chriftianus haben-; 
 *' duseft, f^b^DtnmChn&va.noxumperpetuum numeric 
 *' id eft, Deum aeternurp, & Chpftianos Antiftites w 
 f ros perpHui nutninh cultores appellat ? Quafi non w- 
 " ros perpetui numinis cultores Ammianus yocavera? 
 " Gentiles ipfos ac fui fimiles, quibus quidam etiam 
 ?' Chriftanoruni epifcopi in provinciis fan(£litate vitae 
 ?' & verecundia commendarentur ac placerent, Ita 
 ?' tamen de Ammiano fenfit & Ciaudiu? Chijfletius, cum 
 «' verbis ejus fupra laudatis, turn aliis leviflimis conjec» 
 ' turis adduflus. Sed qui attente legerit, quae praeter 
 tt'^eietera in iM| libri xiv de A-drafti vel Nemefi, quae 
 «' in Kbro xvf de Mercurio, quae in libro xxi de nu- 
 *' mine Themidis, de Harufpicina, de Auguriis, vari- 
 " ifque artibus futura prabnofcendi, veteres Theologdsi 
 «' fuos, & phyficos, ap myfticos fecutu? fcripfit : pro-r 
 ^' fedto fateri cogetur, eum cultui Deuip addidtum ac 
 «' devqtum fuifle. Certe de Dijs Gentium tanquam de 
 *' fuis femper loquitur ; de Chriftianis facris myfteriif- 
 «^ que non item. JJunquam Chriftianis fe adjungitj 
 " nunquam & nufquam eorum fe numero adfcribit ; 
 *' & Julianum A. quern fuum heroa fecit, banc praeei- 
 f pue ob caufam mihi videtur toties & tantopere lau- 
 " dare, quod a religione Chriftiana ad numinum cultum 
 " defciverit. Qua tamen erat prudentia, adeo mo- 
 \y defte atque fincerq, ac nonhumquam etiam bene vol? 
 
 vould 
 
 < 
 
the Temple of Jerufalem. 41 
 
 would be fubvertmg the very foundations ot 
 human credit j and it might as well be que- 
 
 " de Chriftianis rebus commemorat, ut aliqui unum ex 
 *' noftris putaverint. Nitnirum, ficuti exiftimo, vir bo- 
 ** nus, integer & fapiens Religionem Chriftianam non 
 " fequi, tuto fe pofle intelHgebat : eandem Principibus 
 " fuis acceptam & toto fere orbe Romano diffufam 
 " palam damnare non audebat, fed & forfitan religionura 
 *' diverfitates non improbavit, perfuafumque habuit 
 *' (ficut ait De notitia Dei Symmachus) uni via non 
 *' pofle pervenire ad tarn grand e fecretum." Praf. in 
 pojier. Am. Marc, editienem. To thefe a thoufand other 
 proofs might be added. I fhall content myfelf, at pre- 
 sent, with one, taken from thofe very w^ords which 
 Chifflet has given as the ftrongefl: evidence of his Chri- 
 ftianity, where, fpeakingof Co»/?fl«//aJ, he fays, " Chri- 
 ^' ftianam religionem abfolutam & fimplicem anili fU- 
 *' perftitione confundens : in qua fcru]|teda perplexius 
 *' quam componenda gravius, excitavifdifcidia pluri- 
 *' ma ; quae progrefTa fufiiis aluit concertatione verbo- 
 »« rum." Lib. xxi. cap. i6. By thefe words (as the critics 
 obferve) are doubtlefs meant thofe two famous party- 
 badges, the ouowi^ and ofMt^ai©'- Now it feems 
 odd, the hiflorian fhould charafterize a temper of mind, 
 arifing from a difpute of this kind (which has rather the 
 appearance of a phikfophic than a popular bigottry) by 
 ^e name of (inilis fuperjiiuo. On a fuppofition, that 
 the cenfurer Was a Chriftian, it appears very odd : 
 But confider him as a Pagan, andmothing is more natu- 
 ral : He muft then fee this queftion, concerning the 
 Son of God, in the fame light he did what their Mytho' 
 iogy taught concerning the paternity and filiation of 
 
 4. ilioned. 
 
4* Q/*- Juliaiis Attempt to rebuild 
 ftioned, whether Ceefar was affauhed in the 
 Senate,, as whether 'Julian attempted to re- 
 build the Temple of Jerufakm. 
 
 What now was the condition of the 
 Church at this junifture 1 and how were the 
 fears of the good people alarmed 1 It had long 
 combated, and at length triumphed over, 
 the prejudices of the People, the arts of the 
 Philofophers, and the violence of civil Power. 
 It had bent the obilinacy of Superftition by 
 
 their gods ; which the learned amongft them ranked 
 in the firft clafs of their aniles fuperjiitiones. It is 
 true, Ammianus thought more reverently of the 
 Chrijiian martyrs than the famous philofophic Em- 
 peror had formerly done (who called their virtue a 
 mere hrutijh Minacy, ^i\^ ti^rx^t;. Lib. xi. § 3.) 
 for he fays o^them, 7- " Qui deviate a Religione 
 «' compulfi, pertulere cruciabiles pcenas, adufque glo- 
 " riofam mortem intemerata fide progrelH nunc Mar- 
 " tyres appellantur." Lib. xxii. cap. i r. But Antoni- 
 nus was entirely ignorant of the Chriftian religion : We 
 have {hewn above what kept him from the knowledge 
 of it. The Hiftorian knew it well, as appears from the 
 charafler he gives it, of abfoluta bf ftmplex ^ and the 
 dying in defenfe of fuch a religion could not but be, in 
 in his opinion, mors gloriofa : he being, as appears 
 throughout his hiftoryj, a religious Theiji, and untainted 
 with the Naturalifm of Tacitus ; for Chriftianity had 
 produced this good effeft iii the quarter of its ene- 
 mies, that it had entirely difcredited the fchools of Stra- 
 ta and Epicurus, as ''Julian himfelf informs us. 
 
 2 the 
 
tbe 7e?npk of -yerufalem'. 43 
 
 the fuperior force of miracles : It had con- 
 founded the meretricious confidence of Gre^ 
 cian Sophiftry, by the fimple majefty of 
 Truth J and had wearied out the rage of ty*." 
 ranny, by conflancy and contempt-of fu^ejv, 
 ing. But it was now iummoned.to a feverer 
 trial^ and pufhed upon the very crifis of its 
 fate. Its enemies, fupported by the whole 
 power of the Empire, had brought a deci- 
 ^ve fcheme to its proje6tion j a fcheme that 
 was to refleft eternal difhonour upon the 
 Oracles of Truth. The credit of God's 
 Servants, the authority of his Word, and the 
 yery pretenfions of Revelation were all vi- 
 tally interefted in the event. The long 
 ilruggle between Superstition and Re- 
 ligion was now to be finally depided. 
 The God of the Chriftians was publicly 
 challenged : his power was defied to protedt 
 Jiis difpenfation againft this impending 
 flroke. Deftitute of all human aid, their 
 only reliance, was on Heaven. And no 
 Believer, but muft conclude, that God 
 would indeed interp fe to vindicate the 
 charadter of his Son : n8 Man, but muft 
 confefs, that \.o fupport a Religion like this, 
 was an occafion worthy the interpofition of 
 the Lord of all things. 
 
 Well, 
 
44 Q/^ Julian* s Attempt to rebuild 
 
 Well, the impious attack was made j 
 and the cxpedted " proteaion afforded. The 
 fame great and impartial hiftorian, who ac- 
 quaints us with the attempt, informs us like- 
 wife of the defeat. His account is in thefe 
 words : " Julian (having been already thrice 
 " Conful) taking Salluji, Prefed of the fe- 
 *' veral Gauls^ for his Collegue, entered a 
 *' fourth time on this high magiftracy. It 
 *' appeared ftrange to fee a private man af- 
 *' fociated with Augujius : a thing, which, 
 *' fince the Confulate of Diode jian and 
 *' Arijiobulus^ hiftory afforded no example of, 
 ■*' And although his fenfibility of the many 
 *' and great events, which this year was 
 " likely to produce, made him very an- 
 " xious for the future, yet he pufhed on the 
 " various and complicated preparatives for 
 " this expedition with the utmofl applica'- 
 *' tion J and having an eye in every quar- 
 
 ti J IIjotpijTa A»vi^\ KOilai vSv i\i»fjiStAviv, ovrs^ ^ o' 
 Xg/foj cv loTi dylotg 'EvafysAtois i7[i<;(p^yledlo, 
 
 ■fi©" dm MOV cSTi Kv fujjdi eii t ii«ov, «!i^(» tb tS 
 Sail^f @- hoym zirf\.i]^(ii6r,fi'^. Socrsit. Hift. Eccl. lib, 
 iii. cap. 20. 
 
 «' ter. 
 
fie 'Temple of Jerufalent. ■ '^^ 
 ter, and being defirous to eternize his 
 reign by the greatnefs of his atchieve- 
 ments, he projedled to rebuild, at an im- 
 menfe expence, the proud and magnifi- 
 cent Temple of yerufakm ; which (after 
 many combats, attended with much blood- 
 fhedon both fides, during the fiege by /^^ 
 pafian) was, with great difficulty, taken 
 and deftroyed hyTitus. He committed the 
 condudt of this affair to Alypius of An- 
 tioch, who formerly had been Lieutenant 
 in Britain. When, therefore, this J^/y- 
 pius had fet himfelf to the vigorous execu- 
 tion of his charge, in which he had all 
 the affiilance that the Governor of the 
 province could afford him, horrible balls 
 of fire, breaking out near the foundations, 
 with frequent and reiterated attacks, ren- 
 dered the place, from time to time, inac- 
 ceffible to the fcorched and blafled work^ 
 men ; and the vidlorious element continu- 
 ing, in this manner, obilinately and re- 
 folutely bent, as it were, to (kive them 
 to a diflance, Alypius thought befl to give 
 over the enterprize p." 
 
 1" Julianus jam ter Conful adfcito in Collegium tra- 
 beae Salluftio, Praefeito per Gallias, quater ipfe amplif- 
 
 Thus 
 
4^ Of Julianas Attempt to rebuild % 
 
 Thus did the vigilance of Providence 
 not only Vindicate the honour of our 
 iioly faith in the open view of all nien, 
 but, in its goodnefs, fecured the memory 
 of this atrocious adt by the teftimony of 
 themoft unexceptionable Witnefs. For were 
 Infidelity itfelf, when it would evade the force 
 of evidence, to prefcribe what qualities it 
 expeded in a faultlefs teftimony, it could in- 
 vent none but what might be found in the 
 hiftorian here produced. He was a Pagan, 
 
 fimum inierat magiftratum : & yidebatur novum, ad-*- 
 |un£luin efle Augufto privatum, quod poft Dioclefianuin 
 & Ariftobulum nullus meminerat geftum. Et licet acr 
 cidentium varietatem follicita mente prascipiens, multi- 
 plicatos expeditionis apparatus flagranti ftudio perurge- 
 ret: diligentiam tamen ubique dividers, imperiique fui 
 memoriam magnitudine operum geftiens propagare, am- 
 bitiofum quondam apud Hierofolymam templum, quod 
 poft multa & interneciva certamina, obfidente Vef[ afia- 
 no pdfteaque Tito, segre eft expugnatum, inftaurare fum- 
 ptibus cogitabat immodicis : negoti-umque maturandmn 
 Alypio dederat Antiochenfi, qui o!im Britannias cura- 
 verat pro Prsefeftis. Cum itaque rei idem fortiter inr 
 ftaret Alypius, juvaretque provincise Re£lor, metuendi 
 globi flammarum prope fundamenta crebris affultibus- 
 eriimpeiites, fecere locum exuftis aliquoties operantibiS 
 inacceffum : hocque modo elemento deftinatius re- 
 pellente, ceffavit;. inceptum. Amm. Marc, lib, xxiii, 
 cap. I. 
 
 and 
 
^ the Temple of Jerufakm. 47 
 
 and fo ftot ptejudiced in favour of Chrifti- 
 anity : He was a dependent, a follower, 
 and a profound admirer of Julian, and fo 
 not inclined to report any thing to his dif- 
 honour : He was a lover of truth, and fo 
 would not relate what he knew, or but fuf- 
 pefted, to be falfe : He had great fenfe, 
 improved by the fludy of philofophy and 
 knowledge of the world, and fo would 
 not eafily fufFer himfelf to be deceived : He 
 was not only contemporary to the fa(fl; 
 but, at the time it happened, refident near 
 the place : He recorded the event not on its 
 firft report, when, in the relation of jour- 
 nalary occurrences, much falftiood blends 
 itfelf with truth ; but after time and enqui- 
 ry, which feparates this impure mixture, had 
 confirmed what was real in the cafe : He 
 related it not as an uncertain report or hear- 
 fay, with diffidence ; but as a notorious 
 fadt, at that • time, no more queftioned in 
 Afia, than the projedt and fuccefs of the 
 Perjian expedition : He inferted it not for 
 any partial purpofe ; in fupport or confuta- 
 tion of any fyftem j in defence or dif- 
 credit. of any charad:er : He delivered it 
 in no curfory q^ tranfient manner, nor in 
 a loofe or private memoir j but gravely 
 
 and 
 
4^ Of yuHan's Attempt to rebuild 
 and deliberately, as the natural and rie* 
 ceffary part of a compofition the moft ufe- 
 ful and important, a general'Hiftory of the 
 Empire ; on the complete performance of 
 which the author was fo intent, that he 
 exchanged a court life, for one of ftudy 
 and contemplation ; and chofe Rotne^ the 
 great repofitory of thefe materials, for the 
 place of his retirement. 
 
 But the evidence given by the adver- 
 faries of our faith to the truth of this il-* 
 luftrious miracle does not reft upon a fingle 
 Witnefs : I propofe to fhew, that even Ju- 
 lian himfelf, whofe impiety brought this 
 dilgrace upon Paganifm, has confelled the 
 hand by which he was overcome ; though 
 with that obfcurity, and confufion of tongue, 
 which always attends the gracelefs fhame of 
 an impenitent offender. 
 
 And I fliall be the fuller in weighing 
 the value of this teftimony, as it hath hi- 
 therto, I think, been entirely overlooked, 
 and, by reafon of its affedled difguife, pafs'd 
 the critics unobferved. 
 
 I have already taken notice of his Letter 
 to the community of the Jmis.. From that 
 
 part 
 
the Temple of 'Jerufalem. 49 
 
 part of if, wherein he informs them how 
 he had punifhed thofe who had given their 
 people unjuft vexation, it appears to have 
 been written early in his reign j on his firft 
 coming toConJiantinopk, when he purged the 
 "city and palace of fpies, informers, and the 
 like pefts of a corrupted Court ^. The prin- 
 
 • 4 5«zfl»j*B« takes notice of this letter, ;»jt) ar«1e/i«^- 
 •^«Hy ?cjfj "if^ytydii ecutuv ngj^ euS-ra j tu arA)i9(/ if^- 
 rj/sv, su;^e(£j \sat( xutZ )^ rij? cautS (3«(r(A«»f . Not- 
 withftanding which, thofe who have conveyed it to us 
 from antiquity, have ftampt this mark of doubt and fufpi- 
 ciononthefaceofit, «'ynj<ri@^. Without queftion, they_ 
 believed it to be forged by the Jews. The vvriter of it 
 calls the injuries offered to the Jeius^ impious ; as if they 
 Were a holy nation — K«J ii T*fj leKiunvii ht^vifAias 
 daiQ*ifi.» atleu>6» iSici(rei(*tiv s^ffou ; that he had preci- 
 pitated the Delators into horrible dungeons with his 
 own hands, , If ft?u iyu d* ;^Eg(rlv l[Aeus /v«6o^©', 
 Hs jSo'Sgov uffcis uKtca. He calls the Patriarch his Bro~ 
 ther., T dStK^oi ''IkAov ^ aiiia-ifAuratlov zretle/dgX^v- 
 and promifes, that, when he had reftored their City, he 
 would come thither, and live and worlhip with them. 
 All thefethe Critics conceived to fmell ftrongly of impof- 
 ture. But what probably moft confirmed their fulpicions, 
 was the ufe the Jews made of it, to evade a miracle thaf 
 fo much humbled them : We fee it only promifes their 
 reftoration afttr his Perfian expedition. And one R. 
 David Gam, of the fixteenth century, in the fecond 
 part of his book, called' Zamach, quoted by Wogenfei- 
 Jius, in his Teja rgnea Satana, p. 231. appears to have 
 
 E cipal 
 
^0 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 cipal defign of it is to tell fhem of hjs 
 puipofe to rebuild their city, on his return 
 
 made this very ufe of it, " Julianus Csefar praecepit ut re- 
 " ftitueretur Templum fanftiflimum, magno cum de- 
 *' core & pukhritudine, huicque rei ipfe fiimtus fup- 
 " peditavit. ' Verum ccelitus impedimentum injedluni 
 " eft ne perficeretijr fabrica, na'm Caefar in belTo Per- 
 " fico periit."- 
 
 But what Greg. Nazianzefi, in his fecond Inveliive, 
 tells us of the conference that followed this letter^ 
 plainly fhews it to be genuine. Julian, he fays, af- 
 fured the leaders of the Jews, he had difcovered, from 
 their facred books, that the time of their reftora- 
 tion was at hand. 3^^eioi^uv n itj^iv &x t iirccp' aiiieti 
 0lS\aiV it) "i^Tnff^Tuv, us vuv mJibYs ^srsKflfe^ov elt} 
 x«]s^fi«» eis tIw scuuluv J^ viuv «i/«J«j«««Sj, iff x 
 
 Wi«f Txy^diTf^cili rlw 35n'voj«v. — It is not a mere cu- 
 riofity, to enquire, what Prophecy it was, that Julian 
 perverted ; becaufe it tends to confirm the truth of I^a- 
 zianzen's relationl I have fometimes thought it might 
 pofEbly be the words of the Septuagint, in LJan. ix. 27. 
 'LuuliKaoi iJoSijo-eJ 35ri tIijo i^vifiumy. The apibiguity 
 of which Julian tpok the , adyanta^e of (againft heir 
 kniftic Jews, who, it is probablcj, knew no more of 
 the Original than himfelf ) as fignifying, theTrihute Jhall 
 ie given to the defolate, inftead of,, the confummatim Jkall 
 he poured upon the defolate. For the letter, iii gjaeftion- 
 tells us, he had remitted their tribute vjand by fo do- 
 ing, we fe,e, was for pafEng hirnfelf upon them for z 
 kind of fecond Cyrus. ' ^ 
 
 All this (that is to fay, the authenticity of the letter^ 
 
 from 
 
the 'Temple of yerUfdiem. ^i 
 
 from the Perpan war. And without doubt 
 he then intended to defer the re-eftahlifh- 
 ment of the Jeimfta religion till that war 
 
 the truth of Nazianzen*& felatiottj and this conjeSute 
 concerning the prophecy 'Julian pretended to go up'- 
 on) feems greatly to be fupported by what the Chriftian 
 writers fey of the behaviour of the "Jews while the pro" 
 jefl: was in agitation. Socrates tells us, that they me- 
 naced the Chriftians, and threatened to tJeat them as 
 they themfelves had been treated by the Romans, L. iii. 
 c. 20. — (poSef !«,j ^ "nTf ^ifistvoTs. kiriSewivfoiv Isuuligy. 
 
 CHv, osa, aJute) «B%r! 'Pa/*eiiaiv uroiKcu wi-^oii6oKri' 
 And Rufinus fays, they were as vain as if they had had 
 a Prophet of their own at their headt. And this they 
 might well be, when they had an Emperor who pro- 
 mifed to live and worfliip with them, and fet himfelf 
 up for the Reftorer foretold by their Prophets, 
 
 There is only one thing in the Letter, which re- 
 mains to be accounted for ; and that is the Itrange boaft 
 he makes of his perfonal atchieveiwent, in thrujl'* 
 ing down the Delators into dungeons with his own hands .' 
 in which the Imperial charadter is fo little preferved, 
 that the learned M. de la Bleterie is almoft tempted", 
 on this fingle circumftance, to give up the Letter for 
 a forgery. But he here forgets what he himfelf had 
 before mentioned of the ftrange efcapes of this fantaftic 
 Monarch. " Saint Gregoire Nazianze dit, que Juliet 
 " chaflbit a coups de pi^ & -de poing de pauvres gens 
 " qui venoient lui demander des graces. Ces pauvre^ 
 <' gens (fays M. de la Bleterie) potivoieiit bien etre deS 
 *« DzLATEURS." Vie de Julien, p. 314. 2'' Edit. 
 
 E 2 was 
 
52 Of JuUaris Attempt to rebuild 
 was at an end. But his various attacks upon 
 Chriftianity not fucceedihg to his hopes, he 
 grew enraged by his defeat,, and refolved 
 to put this laft effort of his malice in imme- 
 diate execution. 
 
 We may be affured, this Letter had 
 brought the principal Jews, froni all quar- 
 ters, to Qpurt. The manner in which he 
 appeared to intcreft himfelf in their quar-s 
 rel, could not but perfuade them, that the; 
 Apoftate from Chriftianity was become 
 more than half a Profelyte to Judaifm.' 
 While he, on his part, flattered himfelf, 
 that thofe who adhered fo obftihately to 
 bloody facrifices might be eafily cajoled into 
 Idolatry. 
 
 These, apparently, were the men, whom, 
 Chryfojiome and Gregory Nazianzen tell us, 
 he called together, to enquire, Why they 
 did not offer facrifices as the Laiv diredled ; 
 at a time when the Empire flood fo much in 
 heed of the divine proteftion, and the Em-^ 
 peror was fo well difpofed to implore it 
 from every quarter. They replied, that it 
 was not lawful tofacrifice but in the T'emple 
 ofjerufalem only. This was what He would 
 be at : So he took the advantage of their 
 - ~. * anfwer. 
 
the Temple of JerufaJetn. 53 
 
 anfwer, to facilitate his fecret purpofe; which 
 was to give the lye at once to all the Pro- 
 phets and Meflengers of God, 
 
 For we are by no means to fuppofe him 
 fo ignorant as not to know what the 
 Zidw, in this cafe, required. That very let- 
 ter to the Community plainly infinuates he 
 knew it. His acquaintance with* Scripture 
 muft have informed him of it: for if 
 there was any part to which he would give 
 greater attention than the reft, it was the 
 Ritual of facrifices, a fpecies of worfhip, 
 to which he was inordinately addidted. 
 Befides, in his Difcourfe againft the Chri- 
 ftian Religion, he occafionally, but in ex- 
 prefs words, declares, it was of the nature 
 of the Mofaic Law, to offer facrifices at 
 Jerufalem only ^ But as this difcourfe was 
 written fome time after that confultation, 
 I would lay the lefs weight upon it. 
 
 However, ho one, I think, can doubt, 
 but that the whole Conference was a Farce j 
 that 'Julian only wanted a fcreen for his 
 malice ; and that the pretence of procur- 
 
 ■ %^ 
 
 ' *T;w«f 3 01 iluj KXittiv Q-Vd-luv lufo'vlsf, sjjev ito- 
 l4!iuot TW 'I«g»(r«Ai)jK, »»t) t('»@^ a 9-vels ; — aj)ud Cy- 
 ril, p. 306. Span. £d. 
 
 E 3 ing 
 
S4- Of Julian's Attempt to rebmld 
 Ing the means 6i their interceffion with tb$ 
 God of the Univerfe, for theprofperity of th# 
 Empire, was no other than a decent cover for 
 putting this laft effort of his rage in prefent 
 execution. The Jews eagerly fell in* with his 
 projeft i and the iffug was as we have, refr 
 fated itp 
 
 This ^eat event happened in the begfeiT- 
 ning of the Year ccclxiii, as appears from 
 the exprefs words oi AmmianuS, Marcellinus^ 
 quoted. above. Julian, who then wintered 
 at Anttoch^ 'wz's, preparing for his Perfian 
 expedition ; for which he did not fet out \M 
 tfee rnonth of March. So unexpefted a 
 traverfe, we muft fuppofe, would be imme- 
 diately carried to him% with all the cir- 
 jCumftances that attended it; Alypius could 
 not but aflure him, that it was impradlicable 
 to perfift in the attempt ; and that his agents 
 were utterly incapable of fpeedily renewing 
 jt. What his firft fentiments were,, on this 
 pccafiop, we have no certain or particular 
 account: how he refented the difgrace in liis 
 cooler hours, I am now going to iliew, ■ 
 
 There is, amongfl the writings or Ju- 
 jfan, a notable fragment of an Oration, or 
 
 * TKojci yiKairi ^"'I'ihiKWi. Thepdt 1. iii. c. 20. 
 
fhe Temple of yerujalem. 5^ 
 
 Mpijile, call it which you will, firft givea 
 •us by Petaiiiifs, wherein the Emperor, with 
 £reat abilities and learning, prefcribes and 
 marks out a method to reform Paganifm, 
 aod fet it up for a Rival to the Gofpel, in 
 all the plaufible pretences to piety and vir- 
 tue. This, and his books againft the Chri- 
 stian Religion,were the two mafter wheels of 
 the fame machifte : the one' to degrade'Chri- 
 ftianity, the dther to adva^ Superftition : 
 and therefore it is no wonder we find them 
 written at the fame tinie. St. 'Jerom exprefly 
 fays*, that the books againft our holy Faith 
 were cofifipofed during the Perjian expedi- 
 tion. LibaniuSy indeed, intimates, the^ 
 were written in his winter quarters at An- 
 tioch. T'heir accounts' may be eafily recon- 
 ciled, in fuppoiing thai part to be plan- 
 ed and begun before his rdmove. How- 
 ever, that thefe diredtibns for the reforma- 
 tion of Paganifm were as late as the Perjian 
 expedition, wehave the author's own word, 
 where, fpeaking of the cuftomary honours 
 paid to the Gods, he fayS — - " which not 
 " THREE years, nor three thoufand have 
 •*' eftabli{hed J but all paft ages, amongft 
 
 • Ep. Ixxxiii. ad Magnum Oratorem. 
 
 E 4 " all 
 
56 Of Julian's Attempt to'hbuild 
 ""all the nations uport earth''." By the 
 three yedrs he 'e^ideritly alludes' to^his f efto- 
 ratioiir of Idolatry ; Nvhich,- at any time 
 fooner than the P^r/ftf« expedition, 'was 
 not intitled to fo high a date. For he 
 wias'firft faliited Augujius in the fpring of the 
 year ccclx, and the Perjian expedition was 
 in the fpring c c c l xi 1 1 . 
 
 Ax this time, thereforej he , h^d well 
 digefted his dq^t at Jerufalem. What effedts 
 it, left upon his temper, the following paf- 
 iage of this fragment will inform us ; where, 
 after having juftified the Gods for fufFering 
 their temples, images, and moil devout 
 worfliippers to be injurioufly , treated, iie 
 proceeds thus: — " Let no man, therefore, 
 " becaufe he hath feen or heard of thofp who 
 "=J^^ye infulted their images and temples, 
 " entertain any doubts concerning their fu- 
 " perintendency. For this reafon too, let 
 •< them not think to delude us with their 
 " fophiftry, nor terrify us with the cry of 
 " Providence. , For, the Prophets amongft 
 "^ the Jenvs, who fo much upbraid us with 
 
 Ktoi' ai'»f ii 0. W'^oKa.Qu)v cum cc z^iin leTs ttit y^i 
 "s'SviiriV. p. 294. Spanh. Ed. • • - 
 
 *' thefe 
 
the temple ofjerufalem. sy 
 ** thefe difafters, what will they fay to their 
 " own Temple ? thatTcmple of theirs, which 
 " has been now a third time deftroyed ", and 
 *' is not raifed again to this day. I fay not 
 " this to upbraid them; for I myfelf, after 
 •* fo long a defolation, vsrould have rebuilt it, 
 *' in honour of the God which was there wor- 
 " (hipped. But I now mention it only as I 
 ** was willing to fhew, that nothing human 
 "is exempt from the injuries of time. As 
 " to the Prophets, who write in this manner, 
 *' they merely rave, and cant to the capaci- 
 
 " The learned J.A.Fahricius thinks this i^t'isv anxjg^- 
 jrlv?®* includes the defeat of Julian's attempt to rebuild 
 the Temple ,• and fo, in his Lux EvangeUi^ he brings it 
 to prove JuliarCs own acknowledgment of the miracle : 
 in which he has been followed by M. de la Bleterie and 
 others. But i. Defeating an attempt to rebuild cannot, 
 in any known figure of fpeech, be called the overthrow 
 of a building. 2. 'EyHj^f^us j iSi vuS can never be 
 faid of a building deftroyed but two months before. In 
 a word, Fabricius is miftaken ; the three fubverfions 
 here meant, were — that by the AJJyriavst — that \s^ 
 Herody the fon of Antipater, — and that by Fefpajian, 
 And though Herod^s demolition of it was only in order 
 to rebuild it, yet it was fuch a one as Julian might pro- 
 perly enough urge for the fupport of his argument, a- 
 gainft an objediion, that fuppofed Jlability amongft the 
 qualities to be looked for in the domicile of the true God ; 
 which the Pagan temples not having, were concluded to 
 belong to thefalfe. — Or it may poffibly be, that, inftead 
 of Herod's demolitiony he might allude to the Prophana- 
 tion of it by Antiechus, as a learned Friend fuggefts. 
 
 E 5 " ties 
 
<c 
 
 cc 
 
 ■58 OfyuUm*s Atimpf to rebuild 
 
 ** ties of dreaming old women. Not that 
 ** I would infinuate, thr God they worfhij) 
 is not great and mighty: but this I fay, hq 
 hath no^ood Prophets, nor Interpreters of 
 his will, amongft them. The reafon isi they 
 never applied themfelves to purge and puri- 
 " fy the mind in the circle of human icience, 
 *• nor tried to open their eyes which igno-^ 
 *' ranee had faft clofed, nor ilrove to drive 
 *' away the darknefs in which they lay involv- 
 f* ed : but are as^en, who through mifts op 
 ^* clouds fee the great light of Jieaven " nei-' 
 *' ther clearly nor diftinftly, andmiftake that 
 ** ethereal fplendor for ^n impure terreftrial 
 ** fire J and ftark blind to all Nature work- 
 ing round them, roar out with frantic ve- 
 hemence. Fear and tremble^ ye inhabitants 
 of earth ! Fire^ lightening, the fwordy 
 ** darfSy death, and all the frightful words 
 " that exprefs that one deftrudlive property 
 *' of FIRE. But of thefe things it' is mora 
 " expedient to fpeak in private, where we 
 *« may fliew, how much thefe matters of 
 
 * Julian, by (paJj fdya, means the Sun, as before, 
 ©so» jBtiyav, the God of the univerfe. For, (pui ttetitt^ii/ 
 whicli fojlowsjwas, I believe, never ufed, by thefeFanatjp 
 Platoniffs, for a terrejirial fire, it being the term they 
 gave to ihta holy light, or the MJTHTtJot Ayoc\fict. Ju- 
 lian thought nothing more holy than the Sun. He did 
 not add the article, becaufe he is here expreffing the idea 
 of the miftaken beholder, — a great light, tho', by thatp 
 he bimfelf meant, the great light. 
 
 " wifdom 
 
 <c 
 
 €< 
 
the Tm^le of^^erufalem. j;^ 
 
 ** wifdom, who( pretend to be fent.frcpl 
 f God, are infej^ior to our Poets''.".; 
 
 IB- J. 
 
 The reader, vtfHo Coiiftilts the fragmerit 
 fronEi^wfetence this long paffage is tranfcHt)fed, 
 
 (o£/i^«v T«vef aV T« dydh^alot if cinr NA0T2. , Mtj- 
 J«f ssu. «7r«s7«Tai Aoj/fl/j" ja;^j« ru^Tirta «j€*. T?f 
 ssr^avoiVs )j'/**r'' of ^ tj'jurn ivetSi^ovlit •isietuTOii v 'i«- 
 f^aim ci n^aipiij, f / «s€i ^ vEjW^^ijV»(r< j tx wag' 
 
 ^ov'iS^^voK .«»«?f)V«i£5 iievBii^lw euJiiv 'tis rt.[jt,ii» $ 
 
 P^aet^i^K ^^^Oi! ofii\3tTtt. Qv&h 3, «f|M«i, x«^t(/ 
 
 dvoT^ou ptifi^JKorei Kim to, t(jLfJi,alai,' nie mi)iY,»^S'^f. 
 
 aSs» nTP» <2 r -z!!^' ^J-n wdvluv ovts(. dUcilot, /Som- 
 c-j jweyosA*' <ft*Tlili' (poQSS^i' ari^j, <pAo|, &«u»7^^ 
 
 TWi/ (<f/* iSsAt'Ov (n^^tifcM^ mirca (pewKoh^oi t Zfotf 
 *Jw. pi 295- Spanhi Ed, 
 
 fvilj 
 
^o Of Julian! s Attempt to, rebuild 
 
 will perceive, that it is a mere digreffion> 
 But if it- were foreign to his fubjed, we fliall 
 fee it concerned a matter very Intimate to his 
 thoughts. The perfecuted Church of Chrijl 
 was, at this time, triumphant, and loudly ex- 
 ulting in the divine protedtion fo miracu- 
 loufly afforded it. TheApoftate, when the 
 power of the Empire failed him, had re- 
 courfe to this laft expedient, the arms of ca- 
 lumny, to vent iis rage, and cover the fhame 
 of his difappointment. And then it was that^ 
 exchanging the Imperial for the Sophijfs 
 Throne^ y he compofed the two Difcourfes 
 mentioned above. Now, to be altogether 
 filent on a fubjeft, that was plainly the occa- 
 fion of his writing, would have been an affe- 
 ftation that had rather betrayed, than cover- 
 ed, his felf-convidtion. On the other hand, 
 the Soldier's pride of heart, the Sophifl's 
 contempt for liis adverfaries, and the Mo- 
 narch's delicacy for the imperial dignity, 
 would not fuffer him to enter on a for- 
 mal altercation. Befides, in this cafe, he 
 muft either have confelTed or denied the 
 Fait. The one would have completed the 
 triumph of his Adverfaries, and the other 
 
 Themift. Orat. i. 
 
 offended 
 
the ■T'empk of Jefufalefn. 6r 
 
 offended the ingenuity of his Friends. He 
 therefore chofe a middle Way : and, under 
 Ihew of condemning the denunciations of 
 thejewifh Prophets againft paft Idolatries, as 
 the ravings of enthufiafm, he covertly repre- 
 fents the triumphs of the Church, on the pre- 
 fent occafion, as the workings of the fame 
 Ipirit upon the ground of a natural event. 
 
 For, taking occafion (tho' the fubjedl of 
 the work before us was the reformation of 
 Paganifm) to vindicate that Worfhip from 
 the difhonours it had from time to time fuf- 
 fered, in the overthrow of its temples and 
 idols, he obferves, that thofe who exalted 
 moft in its difgraces, the feixifh p-ophets 
 (whofe writings, indeed, abound with ex- 
 clamations and denunciations on the folly of 
 idolatry, the impuiffance of idols, and the 
 deftrudlion to which both were devoted) had 
 ,of all men the leaft reafon to triumph j fince 
 their own Temple had been thrice deflroy- 
 ed, and at that very time lay in ruins. This 
 leads him to the fubjedl he wanted covertly 
 to touch upon : he therefore adds, that he 
 fpoke this out of no ill-will to the commu- 
 nity of the Jews, for that he was himfelf 
 defrous of reMUing' their. Temple. No, but 
 only to.convince them that neither the over-r 
 4 throw 
 
^2 Of yutian*s Attempt f6 rehuitd 
 throw of tl^eir Temple^ nqr the, Tempks of* 
 Paganifm, was the fentencg gf 4lyine wratii 
 upon them, but the natural GQ|i^it;iQjj qf 
 earthly things. And, enraged at the contrarj? 
 principle, which occafioned thq(f exultations 
 in the chriftian Church, he attempts to ihew, 
 in the charadter he gives of the jemjh Pro* 
 phets, which he trailed the intelligent rea- 
 der would apply to the chriftian Miniftprs, 
 that it was the ilTue of ignorance and fuper- 
 ftition. Thefe Prophets he represents as de- 
 Ipifing human fcience, and adjing upon the 
 principles, and preaching to the capacities 
 of ignorant and fuperftitious women. 5ntj 
 left this ihould not fufBciently mark his pur- 
 pofe, by an elegant fimilitude, in which 
 he employs his favourite idol, the Sun, to 
 Ihew the root of thefe fuperftitions to be the 
 ignorance of nature ", he makes thofe^ whom 
 he fuppofes under its illufions, to cry oyit in 
 the very exclamations that then refounded 
 from one end of the Chriftian world to the 
 other. Fear and tremble, ye inhabitants of 
 earth / — Fire, lightning, the /word, darts, 
 death, and all the frightful words (fays he) 
 
 ' And for a further purpofe, whjch will be explained 
 Wfhen we come to fpeak of the accounts wJiicb the Chrir. 
 Jftians of that time give ns of this miracle^ 
 
 ivhicb 
 
the I'emple of Jerufakm. 6^ 
 
 wbick exprefj that one deJlruSlive property of 
 i^KiU — But as if now be. had run riot, he 
 fu,^^|ienly,cl}ep|cs hicql'df, and obferves, that 
 ti][is was a fubje^ pypperer for a private au- 
 diepcp : yet, concluding with a coptem-T 
 ptuo^s parallel, he once again drops the 
 mafk, and turns his difcourfe from the f^'W-^ 
 ifh prophets, whiqh had been hitherto his 
 cover, diredlly to theChri/iian teachers, whom 
 he had indeed all along attacked under it : 
 but now more openly calls w t vtts^ f 0«» 
 P^cyav MdrKuhoi, thofe mafers of -wifdom 
 pretenMng to be fent from God. 
 
 On this expofition of the paflage, let me 
 juft make the following remarks. 
 
 I . If we upderftand the obfervations con- 
 tained in it as indefinite, nothing can be more 
 disjointed or abfurd\ The Chriftians of that 
 
 b It evidently appeared to be fo to the ingenious 
 M. de la Bleterie, who confidered the paflage only in 
 this view ; therefore, to fave the honour of the writer^ 
 he condemns the man, and turns the defeifl of the com- 
 pofition to a charge on the prevarication of the com- 
 pofer : " On voit ici [fays he, in his excellent hiftory 
 of this Emperor, p. 399-] *' que Julien loin de con- 
 *' clure de ce qui etoit arrive a Jerufalem la verite de I2 
 <« Religion Chretienne, en inferoit que la revelation Ju- 
 ** da'ique etoit fauffe. Etrange efFet de la prevention.^ 
 
 X time 
 
64 Of Juliaris Attempt to rebuild 
 
 time were wont to draw an argument of the 
 impuiffance of Polytheiffti from the repfeat- 
 ed difgtaces the heathen temples and their 
 idols had fuffered in every period of the 
 world. Julian undertakes to folve this ob- 
 jedtion; but, inftead of direfling his anfwer 
 to the Chriftians, who now i^ake it againft 
 him, he retorts it' upon the Jews, who, ma- 
 n)^ ages ago, had made it againft ;6thers. 
 Thefe he wantbhly provokes at a time his 
 views made them heceffary to him. Again, 
 he fpeaks' of thiefe Prophets with fuch 
 ambiguity and confufion, that you may ei-. 
 ther take them for the writers of the Old 
 teftament, or the He^ds of the Jewiih com- 
 munity of that time,: which no rules of 
 good writing can account for, but that which 
 Allows cautious authors to call one fyftem of 
 thingi by the names that belong to another. 
 Laftly,; he recounts fome terrifying excla- 
 mations as miade by the Prophets, which 
 they never did make ; and which, tho' made 
 by.Chrift and his Apoftles, are, by them, 
 applied to the punishments of. an hereafter j 
 
 For Julian does not infer the falfehood oijudatfm from 
 their inability to rebuild their own Temple, but from 
 the falfe judgment they wete wont to pafs- on the dcr 
 itruftion of others. , 
 
 whereas 
 
the- 'Temple of yerufakm. ' 6^ 
 tvhereas he is fpeaking of what the wor- 
 Ihipers of One God fay of the difpenfations 
 of Providence here* We muft conclude 
 therefore, that the exG^mations, quoted in 
 this paflage, muft needs be thofe which the 
 recent event at Jerufalem had occafioned. 
 
 2. Take the paflage in this fenfe, and 
 nothing can be more artful than the con- 
 du6t of the Imperial Sdphift. Our Reli- 
 gion was at this juncture properly triumph- 
 ant. It was exulting over Paganifm in the 
 deftruflion of the temple at Daphne" ; it 
 was exulting over "Judaifm in the divine 
 oppofition to the reftoration of that at 
 yerufakm ; and over the Apofiate Emperor 
 in the difgraces of both. This fpjjit yulian 
 wanted to reprefs and mortify. In the cafe 
 oi Apollo's temple he had no reafon to be de- 
 
 * The Oracle of Jpollo in the Temple at Dafhn^ near 
 Antioch had been for fome time dumb. When Julian 
 came thither, he urged the God himfelf to declare the 
 caufe of his filence. The Oracle replied, that he was 
 hindered by the bones of St. Babylas^ which were then 
 inflirined in his neighbourhood. Thefe Julian ordered 
 to be removed : And foon after the Temple at Daphne 
 was burnt to the ground. The Chriftians (fays Sozo- 
 men) affirmed it was by lightning from Heaven : but 
 the Pagans laughed at this, and faid it was fired by the 
 Galileans. 
 
 F licate. 
 
^6 Of Julian'' s Attempt h rehuitS 
 Kcatg.T As to that of the God of Ifrael, 
 We- have fhewh, it would not bear a pro- 
 feffed i^entioii. How has he conduced his 
 difcourfe ? By retorting upon the yenvs, in 
 the cafe of their -old ruined Temple, the 
 Chrijiian objedion arifing ftomibliat at Daph- 
 ne : which recrimination ferved a double 
 purpofe ; to introduce what he had to fay on 
 his own baffled attemptj and to fay it (which 
 was the great point) obfcurely ^nd darkly. 
 Thus the chriftian Triumphs, which be in- 
 troduces to ridicule, are fo^reprefented aSjto 
 have a more obvious reference to the Tem- 
 ple at Daphne^ and a covert one to t}ie Tem- 
 ple at Jerufalem, by the choice of feveral 
 words which neceffarily extend it to that 
 further rSeaning. And now the retortion on 
 the y^^wZ/J writers will not appear fo forced 
 and- unnatural. It was a Chfi^ian practice 
 to apply the language of the Old teftament 
 to the Events of the Gofpel dilpenfation j and 
 the confufionof idols and idolater's being the 
 ftanding fuhjeft of thofe writings, we may 
 be fure, the Chriftians would not fail to ap- 
 ply every thing of 'this nature to the prefent 
 GGcafion. So that thofe being employed as di- 
 vine deeifions to confirm their caufe, naturally 
 became the objedl of Julian's refentment. 
 
 3. This 
 
the temple of '^erufakm. 6f 
 
 ^i This likewife well accounts for the ti- 
 tle of Prophets, which be gives thefe Jewifli 
 Writers oi- Rulers 5 and for his abufe of them 
 under that character; 'It was to pcevent the 
 Reader's flopping at ^o/Zs'^ Temple,, when 
 it was the writer's purpofe to lead him fi- 
 lently to that of Jerufakm : to which only 
 the Jewifli Prophets and their Prophecies 
 could have any reference. There is another 
 reflexion Julian makes, which relates as lit- 
 tle to the deftru(Sion of the Temple ;at 
 i)aph^e-^ and that is where he fpeaks of 
 their ignorance of nature, r 'zsSt hmtb 'ss-uvluv 
 evjig a.$iePoi, by which he would infinuatej 
 the readinefs in beHeving miracles arifes firom 
 that ignorance. But he dould never intend 
 this obfervation fhould be applied to Apollo's 
 Temple, which he was perfuaded was not 
 eonfumed by lightning. Thefe then we may 
 confider as certain marks of hisf further 
 meaning. And, indeed, if he had it not. 
 What "reafon was there for bemg* fo ihy in 
 mentioning that Idol Temple ? Its deftru- 
 d;ion did not at all diftrcfs him; as he be- 
 Mevcd k was fet on fire by the Chri- 
 ftians. But, in the other cafe, he had to 
 do with the God of the Chriftians j and 
 he was not yet in an humour, whatever 
 
 F 2 he 
 
68 Of Julidrfi Attempt "to rebuild 
 
 he might be afterwards, to "ctffFidJi/, 
 
 Galilcee: 
 
 4. It being, now plearlyfeen, that Julian 
 in this paflage refers to his defeat, tlie covert 
 mariner in which he owns hitnfelf overcome, 
 adds greatly to the weight o^ it. For no 
 fufpicion can lye againft fo oblIp[ue a refer- 
 ence to the Fadi^ even in the opinion of 
 thofe who could fmell forgery in an open 
 arid diredt confeflion. An Impoftor, piou/Iy 
 difpofed to procure Julian's teftimony a- 
 gainft himfelf, would never think of doing 
 it fo obfcurely, as that it fhould, efcape the 
 notice of thofe whom he principally intend- 
 ed to deceive. 
 
 Thus far concerning the Apostate's 
 own teftimony. But as there were three 
 Parties interefted in this affair, the Pagans^ 
 the Jews, and the Chrijlians ; our evidence 
 might be thought defective, if any one of 
 them were wanting on fo folemn an occa- 
 fion. 
 
 We fhall therefore, in the next place, 
 produce the teftimony of a famous Rabbi : 
 who, tho' late in time, yet compofed the 
 work, from whence the following pafTage is 
 taken, on the Traditions and Records of the 
 
 feveral 
 
the Temple ofjenifalem. 69 
 
 fcveral ages he writes pf. This is the cele- 
 brated R. Gedaliah ben Jofefh Jechdja ; he 
 lived in the fifteenth century, and, in his hi- 
 ftory called Schalfcheleth Hakkabbala expref- 
 fes himfelf to this efFedt : "In the days 
 " of R. Channan and his brethren, about 
 " the year of the world 4349, our Annals 
 " tell us, there was a great earthquake o-u^r 
 " all the earth ; by which the Temple which 
 " the "Jews had raifed at "Jerufalem with vaft 
 " expence, at the command of "Julian the 
 '^apoftate, was thrown down. The day 
 " after the eai-thquake, a dreadful fire fell 
 " from heaven, which melted all the iron 
 " tools and inftruments employed about the 
 " work } and deftroyed many, nay incredi- 
 " ble numbers of the °jewi ^." I will make 
 two remarks on this teftimony. i. The 
 Hiftorian's calling it an earthquake over all 
 
 1 In diebus K,. Channan & fociorum ejios, anno cir-> 
 citer orbis cpnditi 4349, memorant libri annalium, 
 magnum in orbe univerfo fuiffe terrze motum, colla- 
 pfumque elTeTemplum quod ftruxerunt Judaei Hierofo- 
 lymis, praecepto Caefaris Juliani Apoftatae, impenfif ma- 
 ximis. Poftridie ejus diei [quo mota fuerat terra] de 
 Goelo ignis miiltiis cecidit, ita ut omnia fef ramenta il- 
 lius aedificii liquefrtrent, & amburerehtur Judaei muki 
 atque adeo innumerabiles. Jpud Wagenjeil. TeUiigma 
 Satana, p. ^31. , , 
 
 F 3 the 
 
7^ Of Julians \/ittmpt . to feh^kld 
 the- earth, is in the langu^« of thej^i^w^ ; and 
 the fame Ayith, that of the Evangelift, who 
 tells us, that at the crucifixion, there n^ai 
 darknefs. over aU. the earthy. 2. His fpeakr- 
 ing of the Temple as adually rebuilt, fhews 
 h? ija.d not his materials from Pagan or Cijrir- 
 ftian, writers; who are unanimous that na 
 mpre than the jfoujidations were prepared. 
 And, as there js no vifible purpofe v^/hy he 
 fhould /^i;^«/^ this circumftancej we muft 
 ronclude, he found it thus related in the 
 Annals of the Rabbins ; the compofers of 
 which might poffibly draw this conclufion 
 ■from wi^at they found recorded of the con-^ 
 tr^butions of. tl^eir People on this qccafipn, 
 which, according to all accounts, were im.-^ 
 menfe. , 3. ■The hiflorian fays, it was at 
 the command of Julian;, which, v/ithout 
 bringing Christianity into the queffcion, fupT- 
 plies hi? Reader with a plaufible account pf 
 this vifible mark of the .divine difpleafure at 
 the attempt; a-nd confequfntly affords his 
 brethren a principle on which they might 
 ;beli|ye tlie fad: confiftently yirith their profef- 
 fion oi Judaifm. 
 
 Here then, for the prefent, we fliall refl: 
 ,o^f evidence; on the confession of 
 
 " Luke xxlii. 44. 
 
 OUR 
 
the %%mpk of yerujakm. 71 
 
 OUR ADVERS-4.RIES THEMSELVES *. And, 
 
 from the nature of the testimony, proceed 
 to fbme confiderations on the nature of the 
 FACT, in 'order to the fuHer eftablifliment 
 of this important truth. * 
 
 One of the requifite qualities in zfalfe 
 Miracle, that pretends to live and do well, 
 is, that the fail On which it rifes, be privafe, 
 obfcure, unconcerning, and remote from 
 general obferviation. And tho' thefe cir- 
 cumft^nces may fpmetimes attend a tru^ one; 
 yet that is but accidental, and hurts not its 
 credit, ib long as it is accompanied, which 
 it ever is, with others, that fupply their 4e- 
 fe<3:s. But for a falie Miracle to pretend to 
 the diftindlion oi public notoriety, would be 
 too .impudent a reliance even on religious 
 credulity. To feign a miracle on a civil 
 fa<fl, which muft have polled in fight of a 
 whole rtiition, would be rather an j^ttempt to 
 put out men's eyes, that to induce their be- 
 lief. Hence it is we fee, the lying wonders 
 of him, whofe coming was after the working of 
 Satan ^, fo well anfwer the defcriptipn which 
 He, who came with all the power of the'Fa- 
 ther,' hkth given us of every fubtile Impof- 
 
 f 2 ThefT. ii. g. 
 
 F 4 tor 
 
72 Ofjuliqiis 'Attempt tor^ild 
 
 tor In gepoija^, "that thei^ love darkfiefs -^Hiher 
 
 than lights ■ hecaufe their rke4s-, a,re '^il. • • - ■= 
 
 Now the Pro/V^ to rebuild the Temple 
 of Jerufalem was a public tranfadliori, the 
 nip:^j notorious and interefting of that Age. 
 
 The ProjeSior Was no other than the; Em- 
 peror of the world himfelf : a circumilance 
 alone fufficient to draw the attention of the 
 World upon it. 
 
 His Attempt produced other circum- 
 ftances that would obtrude themfelves even 
 on the moft incurious. The principal '^etvi 
 were called together from all quarters s ; 
 Alyphis, a man of the firft figure, was put 
 at the head of the Undertaking : an immenfe 
 qUa:ntity of materials was laid in ; vaft numT 
 bers of Workmen were aflembled : and xh^ 
 impotent triurnphs of the yews gave an eclat 
 to every movement which the reftlefs tho' 
 determined fpirit of Julian was hourly pufh-r 
 ing forward. 
 
 Theodoref. Hift. Eccl. I. iii. e. zo. 
 
 The 
 
' the Tentpk'bf yenifalem. -73 
 
 *■ *T HE Place contributed no lefs to Its no- 
 toriety V It was in tTie cehtf'ie of the Empire -, 
 and in. the head quarters of the two religious 
 I^arties that then divided it. 
 
 The 'time likewrfe was critical. 'The rie- 
 ligipus World had juft fuffered a furpfijfing 
 revolution. It had been fuddenly brought 
 back from the new Opinions to a profe;fljon 
 of the old. Yet the difgraced Religion, by 
 courage and conftancy in fuffering, ftill Jcept 
 its enemies anxious amidft all their fuccefs, 
 and fearful amidft all their power for what 
 might be the final ifTue, 
 
 The ASiion too was capitally interefting : 
 The defign of the projedl was to give the 
 laft blow to the credit of Chrijlianity. , And 
 the honour of the new a«d old profeffion 
 was ftaked on the event. We have fhc,wn 
 that every body uriderftood Julian's purpofe 
 to be ho other than to put a public affront 
 upon Revelation. Paganifm was big with 
 expedation. The Church in general was 
 alarmed ; but the more knowing and pious 
 amongft them, to the very laft, mocked and 
 defied the impiety of the attempt ^. 
 
 "> Cyrillus, poft Maximum confefforem, Jerofolymis 
 Jiabebatur cpifcopus. Ap^rtis igitur fundamentis, cal- 
 
 SUCH 
 
74 ^ Of JuUaris Attempt to'rAbuiU 
 
 Sucu wiere the various /^sjot and initr^ 
 ejls jf which concurred with the fime and 
 jp/<5*ft^ to engage the attentiorij and excite the 
 impatience of all men for the event, 
 
 %pT npw, when full expedtation on the 
 9ne fidcj and continued alarms on the bther^ 
 ha^ fei the world at gaze, , the project fud- 
 dehly difappeared. It was as if it had never 
 been ; and the Temple once more jjrefented 
 itfelf in its old ruins ; but with a wprfe face, 
 of horror and defoktioh. A furprifing iflue 
 of fo much determined power, and immeni^ 
 preparation ! , 
 
 A World, tl^us attentive and conceraed, 
 could not but be defirous of knowing the 
 cauje of fq fudden a change pf meafures, >]^ 
 it were a chang^ of meafures, that infill-? 
 ence4, the events Did the Erpperor relent ? 
 Pid his Agents feil in the^r obedience j or 
 were. the Jews, on better thoughts, intimi-r 
 
 C€S cxmentaque adhibita: nihil oiilniho d'eerat, quin die 
 poftera, veteribus detUrbatis, nova jacereiif fundamen- 
 tal cum tanien epifcopus, diligent! confideratione ha- 
 bita, vel ex his qua; in Danielis Prophetia de temporir 
 bus legerat, vel quod in Evangeliis Dsmiijus prasdixerat, 
 perfifteret nuHo genere fieri pofle ut ibi a Judaeis lapis 
 ftiper lapidem poneretur. ' ReHerat in exfeSlatione. — 
 Rufini.Hift, Eccl. 1. x.t c. 37, &g.,:,, ,, -i, , ; 
 
 dated ? 
 
ilate<i.? Was th^purpoie diverted by* Fo- 
 reign invalion, or byPoipeftic tumults ? DJ4 
 fome hoflile ^^mMto^^ that jun(5lure5, 
 break in upon th© Einpire ; or fome rebel- 
 lious Province fufpend %nd weaken its autho- 
 rityJ^Or laftly, did the Chriffiarxs therafelves 
 defeat this infult, by oppofing force to force ? 
 One or other of thefe G&ufes muft be given, 
 tp account, in a natural way, for the defeat : 
 and yet the aftonifhed Inquirer perceived 
 tha^^ J^one of thefe had tjtie leaft fhare in it. 
 The E"^perpr's hatred to our holy Faith 
 keiptincreafing to his death : Alypius's fide- 
 lity to his Mafter, and zeal for the old Su- 
 perflition were without bounds j and the 
 mkl infolence of the Jews proved theni' as 
 devoid of fear before, as of fhame, after the 
 event. The Empire, in all other opztt&f^, was 
 at peace; and the only enemy it had, in 
 thefe, was the Perfian ; who was too much 
 alarmed by Julian's preparations, and too 
 much taken up in putting its own frontiers 
 in acondition of defence, to think of -farjiKr 
 provoking liim by new inrpads into the Em- 
 pice. 
 
 What then would be the ftate of men's 
 minds on this poilure of affairs ? Thofe who 
 jyer.e more remote; woujd, in their lofs for 
 
 ana- 
 
76 Of Julians Attempt to- rebuild 
 a natural caufe, be attentive to what was told 
 thefn of a miracle '. KvA tl^ofe who were 
 on the place would want no means of con- 
 vincing their hearers. For; nothing was e- 
 quivocal. The Direftors, the Overfeers, and 
 the Agents in this attempt were all fcattered 
 and difperfed j and, furely, by no panic ter- 
 ror. An Earthquake, that let loofe a fubter- 
 raneous fire, joined to a Heaven allin flames, 
 tore in funder the Foundations, deftroyed the 
 Workmen, and burnt up and confumed the 
 Materials. EfFeds, which were all the ob- 
 jefts of fenfe ; and, what is more, remained 
 fo for a long time. For many of thofe who 
 furvived their fellows, bore about them, the 
 lafting marks of their punifhment : And, 
 gnother religious Revolution coming on, the 
 fite of the Temple was fuffered to retain that 
 face of ravage and combuftion, which the 
 efcape of pent-up fires always leaves behind 
 them ^. 
 
 ' ^Ji/*); 39rj TBv iSTTDV iys Tiff woffca Z^of.'yovloL!. 
 Socrat. Hift. Eccl. I. iii. c. 20. 
 
 T«i S'f/^eAi*" Kxv tIuu ecirlav ^tjr^is-jjf, ^Siy,los,v »A.A.' ■n 
 rojutlw mateis. Xf lir^ [ji,d0u^ig ^fnHg wavlej' e£f)' 
 iffAm ;^> Ji ar^p aroAA/5 t»ut«( \ yiyoyi %pivi —' 
 Chryf. adver. Judaeos, Qrat. 5. 
 
 In 
 
//&ie' Tempk of Jerufakm. JJ 
 
 In this account then all Parties muft 
 needs agree. And, by what remains of Afli^ 
 tiquity, it appears they did fo : A confent, 
 not procured in the 'way whereby falfe re- 
 ports of the like kind have fometimes pro- 
 cured it. For this was no trifling event, laid 
 in a remote corner, feen but by a few pre- 
 judiced relators, and accompanied only with 
 ambiguous circumftances : In which' eafe, 
 partly from contempt of a thing incredible, 
 partly from negledl of a thing uninterefting, 
 but principally from an indolence that fhuns 
 the trouble of examining, many a Monkifli 
 Tale has made its fortune. But here, had 
 the Fadt been groundlefs, its falfehood m*ul£ 
 have been known to thoufands : and what 
 was fo eafy to be difproved, the interefts o§, 
 thoufands would have expofed. Had it been 
 ambiguous, it could not have pafled uncon- 
 troverted: for it was not of the nature of 
 the miracle procured by the prayers of the 
 'thundering Legion, which only gav? tefti- 
 mony to the power of Chrirt, a matter a^ 
 bout which Paganifm was very iijdifferent : 
 This went to the quick, and expofed the im- 
 potence znd falfehood of their idols^ a cliarge 
 which always put them out of temper. But 
 if they were fo cold in the caufe of Super- 
 
 ftition 
 
7? Ofrjutiaris Attempt to rebuild 
 ftitionas'to need a fpur to vindicate its ho.* 
 ■noar, This they had likewife in the triumphs 
 and exultations of the Chriftian Minifters j 
 who in their' Sef mons, their Apologies, their 
 ■Hiftorres, addreffed both to frieiids and 
 enemies, relaie the event in all its circum- 
 ftances, call upon the numerous eye-wit- 
 fieies to atteit the truth, appeal to the 
 Handing marks of the fadt, the traces of a 
 dreadful exterminating fire over all the place, 
 and on many of the perfons concerned j 
 and, IzMy, defy the advocates of Idolatry to 
 gainfay the exa(5tnefs of their relation. 
 
 Such is the illuftfious Miracle we have 
 here attempted to defend. We have exa- 
 mined it on the feverefl rules of rational af-' 
 fent. And v^^e find it eftablifhed on that full 
 concurrence of happy circumftahces w^hich, 
 we might exped, fhoiild attend a miracle fo 
 Jingular in its nature, and fo important and 
 decifive in its ufe. 
 
 But there is one circumflance almoft 
 peculiar to it, and, as it crowns all the 
 reft, will deferve our m,oft ferious regard. 
 It is this, that t\ie attempt and the ijfue are 
 fo interwoven with one another, that they 
 inuft fland or fall together. For whoever 
 
 allows 
 
the Temple of yerufalem. 79 
 
 allows that j'«//zW began to rebuild the Tem- 
 ple, mu A coafefshtfeeobftrudibn caaie'froin 
 above, becaufe no human impediment ex- 
 iftied. And whoever denies the obftruiaion; 
 mufl deny the attempt, becaufe if there was 
 iio obftrudion of this kindy there was nonfc 
 at all : and if there were none at all, then was 
 there nothing to be obftruded. That is, 
 JitHefi never attempted to rebuild the Tem- 
 ple 5 an inference, whofe fcepticifm woul<i 
 make fad hivdck in civil hiftory. 
 
 Having then fo well eftablifhed' the 
 Fadb, we >have little need to inquire into the 
 Objedlions that jnay be made to it, any fur- 
 ther than as vve may be led by our own cu- 
 riofity, or inclined to gratify the curiofity 
 of others, in feeing how far the capricjouf- 
 nefs of wanton wit can go in its frolics 
 to puzzle the plaineil: and moft evident of 
 ufeful truths. 
 
 SECTION IL 
 
 I. TT'IRST then it may be objedled, 
 X^ " That the credit of the Mirade 
 refls entirely on the truth of this fuppofi- 
 *tion, That the holy Oracles of God hai^e de- 
 clared y that the fem/h Temple Jhould never 
 1 be 
 
So Of JuUafis Attempt to rebuild 
 be rebuilt : For if this were not pfedided, 
 the reftoratiorf of it did not impeach the di- 
 vine veracity ; nor, cohfequently, w^as its ho- 
 nour concerned in fruftrating the attempt. 
 Now the word of God no where fays that 
 the Jewijh Temple Jhould never* be rebuilt j 
 on the contrary, it infinuates that it Jhould. 
 It predidts, in general terms, the totals but 
 VioX. final deftrudlion of the Temple ; and, in 
 exprefs words, fays, That yerufalem fitfll be 
 trodden down of the Gentiles until the tipies 
 of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Which . imply 
 there was to be a period to the defolation^ 
 tho' the time be io obfcurely marked as to 
 make the fixing that period uncertain." 
 
 The objection is plaufible, and- well: de- 
 ferves a folution. On which account (the 
 method of the difcourfe' concurring) it was 
 thought proper to obviate it in the very en- 
 trance on this Argument : where it is fhewn, 
 from the nature, of the Jewifli and Chriftian 
 Religions, .that the total deftru<3:ioni men- 
 tioned in the Prophecies, necfeffarily im- 
 plied a final one : For that, in the :^der of 
 God's difpenfations, the Jewifhi and th^ 
 Chriftian Religions could never ftand toge- 
 ther : when T!his became eftabliihed, Tthat 
 was to be done away. But while the Tem- 
 ple 
 
thte Temple of Jerufakm. 8i 
 
 pie refnained, j^aifm flill lexifted : when 
 That was,o\ferthrown, the Religion fell with; 
 it; and eo^quently muft rife again with 
 tl^^ Temple's reftorajtipp. But as it wafi not 
 to ri(e while Chriftianity continued, the 
 Temple was never to be reftored. The con- 
 feqi[^j\ce of all is, that, if it were, Chriftia- 
 nity could no longer fupport its pretenfions, 
 nor the Prophets nor Jefu,s the truth of their 
 predidiions. 
 
 n. Secondly, The teilimony o( Amm. 
 Marceltinus, decifive as it is, hath been im- 
 peached. It is fufpeded, " That He is no 
 or/i[w/ Evidence ; but hath taken the ac- 
 count he gives us, of what then pafTed at 
 Jerufalem, from the Chrjflian. writers. The 
 work in which we find it, being compofed 
 near twenty years after the event, when the 
 Fathers had turned what there was of fadl 
 into a Miracle ; and, by their declarnatory^ 
 eloquence," had made it famous throughout 
 the now beHeiiing Empire," 
 
 This jrei^pnbg abounds with abfurdlties: 
 but the Qbjedlion is not of my inyentjoo. 
 
 It fuppofes Marcellinus to have taken his 
 
 account from the Chriflian writers, becaufe 
 
 ^- G there 
 
8 2 Of Juliatis Altmpt to 're^ild 
 
 there wepe no other to be had : for. if there 
 were othe;r, t|>en the Hiftorian's authority 
 does not r^ft on their teflimony ; or, if it does, 
 it reAs on a good foundation, the evidence 
 of Chriftian, fupported by Pagan writers. 
 Npw is it likely that an Unbelieyer, a man 
 of fqnfe, and a lover of truth, fhould fo con- 
 fide in thofe of' the new Perfuafion, fpeak- 
 ing,in thqir own caufe, and unfupported by 
 other evidence, as to deliver a fadt, intermsi^ 
 of gl^foliite certaiBty,which difpi-qditeds a Re- 
 ligion he reverenced, and a Maft^r he icJolr 
 ized ? Could vye, under thefe circumftances, 
 fuppofehim capable of preferying the. rne- 
 mory of fo unfupported a Story, we fhould 
 .at leaft look to find it delivered in fuch terms 
 of doubt and; fufpicion as he muft needs 
 think were juftly due unto it. 
 
 But. theObjedlor feems to have attended 
 as little to xh^Jituation and circumftances, as 
 to the charaBer of the Hiftorian. When 
 this event happened at Jerufalem, Ammia- 
 nus was not in winter-quarters afar off in 
 Gattl ot Germany ; but near at hand, in the 
 Emperor's court at Antioch^ and in an of- 
 fice of diftindion. The Objedor, I fup- 
 pofe, will allow that y&ffo« made the at- 
 tempt. The attempt, I have (hewn, was, 
 
 in 
 
ihe 'Temple of '^enifalerh. 8j 
 
 in its nature, fuch as muft draw the atten- 
 tion of the whole Empire upon it. Ant' 
 mianus reprefents it as one of the moft'cofl- 
 liderable enterprifes of his Mafter's reign ; 
 and tBat'itwas projected to perpetuate his 
 memory.' It mifcarried. And is it poffi- 
 ble the c'aufe of the mifcarriage could, 
 at that time, be mdfe a Secret to him than 
 the undertaking ? Yet, if we tselievd the 
 Objedtor, the firft news he heard of it was 
 from theChriftiahPriefts. Be it fo. I afkno 
 more, 'to ftl^w the objection devoid of com- 
 mon fenfe. A Courtier of credit, a curious 
 obferv'ef of What pafled about him, hears 
 nbthing of what happened in his riaghbour- 
 hdod, at the time it did happen, tho' in an 
 affair that engaged all men's attention.' Ma- 
 ny years after, in hunting for materials to 
 cbmpdfe his Hiftory, he ftarts this Story- 
 And where, I pray, does he fi«d it, but fkulk- 
 ing in "the cover of a flowery Homily, or a 
 thorny and perplext Invedrive? and on the 
 authority of tbefe loofe and prejudiced De- 
 claimers, records it, in his Annals^ as a fadt 
 unquellionable. Not, as was faid, to derive 
 credit to his Mafter of his Religion, but to 
 entail eternal |-di£honour upon both : And all 
 tjiis without giving either of them the leafl 
 
 G 2 reliefj 
 
^4- Of 'Julian s Attempt to rebuild 
 
 relief-, as #aS eafy to be done by only tell- 
 ing from whom he had his Stofv. 
 
 In, a, word, we fee, thf , objedtion arifes 
 out. of this -circun^ftaijice, 'th dijiance of time 
 between the faSl ^and . the hifloriarCs Mco^nf 
 of it.; But fucll a cirqumrtance can never 
 fupport a conclufipn of this natpre, \yy^ in 
 the cafe where a Writer, who had an pcqa- 
 lion ,to fpeak of a memorable facS^at the 
 time it happeped, omits to dofoj and after- 
 wards, at the diftanceof many years, records 
 it, without any reafon given for his pre- 
 ceding filence. But this was jiot t];ie cafe 
 of Am. ^arcelUms : he tell^ the .ftory 
 as foon as ever he had an opportunity of fo 
 doing; which was when he retire,d from 
 buGnpfs; tp write his Hiflory. A.n4 tlie di- 
 itance between th)fit and th|^ event is lb ,far 
 fr§m taking frpiPi the credit of his relation, 
 that, as was^obferyed, it a4ds greatly to, it. 
 
 Fo R we cannot but conclude, that, as a 
 Soldier and man of bufinefs, he kept a jouf- 
 nti of every thing that pafied j tho' we 
 fhould not fuppofe, what is dqually proba- 
 ble, that as a lover oF letters he had very 
 early formed his defign of writing hiftory. 
 
 In 
 
the Temple of Jerufalem. 85 
 
 In what; therefore, concerned the tranfai^i- 
 ons of thofc times, he h^d 4 fure and eafy 
 ■way of coming to the truth ; which was 
 •by comparing his own diary with the later, 
 and better Sigefted, accounts of others. But 
 indeed the nature of the fadt, and the"jb/7- 
 ////of the Writer, fliew us;, there was 'lit- 
 tle danger of miftake. An authentic ac- 
 count of this whole niatter was dbubtlels 
 amongft the papers of State ; to all which 
 bur Hiftorian had free accefs. And if we 
 niould fuppofe his relation to be no other 
 than a faithful abi(lra<9: of Alypius'i lettef to 
 "Julian, we Ihdiild not, I believb, be a great 
 way frorn the mark. It is certain, that a 
 pi'udent hiftorian, circumftanced as Marcel- 
 linus then was, could not have adted a wifer 
 part than td relate fo nice an adventure in 
 the very words of the perfon, to vphofe con- 
 dbd: it was committed : for in fo doing, he 
 fotnid himfelf in that rare fituation of adhe- 
 ring^'ftfi^tly to Truth, without offending ei- 
 tl^r of the Parties \vho then ftroye fpr the 
 pofleflion of it. We may furftier obferye, 
 that this fuppolition clears'up another Ob- 
 je(ftion which has been made to his parra- 
 tivje. For, 
 
 G 3 III. 
 
S6 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 
 III. Thirdly we are told, *' that the teftL 
 inony Qi\]^^i;elUnus does but half, our bufir 
 jiefs : for.tho' he, gives a circuinftantial re^ 
 lation of the fa£lj he fpeak? of it as a nar- 
 tural, npt ?i miraculous event." 
 
 The former objeftion, we fee, fuppofes 
 he had gone too far j 'This, that he has not 
 gone far enough. And yet I cannot under- 
 ftand how a profei|ed Pagan could have faid 
 more, in confcience. This Objeftor, fure, 
 is not fo unreafonable to expedl, he fhould 
 have recorded the triumphs of the Gofpel 
 over his own Religion, in the words of the 
 Chriftian writers, Becaufe the other Objedtor 
 had taken it into his head that he was be- 
 holden to them for his account of the flory. 
 
 Thus far we rrjay be certain, had Ammi^ 
 anus thoqght it an artifice or impoflure* he 
 wouldhave contrived to tell us fo. For what 
 ihould hinder him ? Not any regard to the 
 Leaders of the Chriftian fe£i:, upon whonri 
 the fcandai would have fallen ; for he is not 
 backward, on any occafion, to expofe their 
 follies and perverfities. On the other hand, 
 jhe general Charader of Pagianifm made 
 him very eafy not to form any diflipfl: ju4g- 
 paent about the ro^tter. Had he had any 
 
 fuch 
 
B& Temple i^'^eritfulem. ■ %f 
 Tuch Inclinatiiri, he WdS fairly invited to 'it 
 ty what he foutid, and therefore honeftly 
 related, ofthtobjlimcy of the eruption, n- 
 jblately bent to drive then^ to a dillahce *.'"*" 
 
 After all, A faithful Hiftorian, thus 
 circumftaneed, muft' be fufficiently diftref- 
 fed; 
 
 But 'Ammianm hisifkill was great, like 
 his honelly ; and he found a way to difengage 
 himfelf with honour. Other confiderations 
 away. The faft was too notorious to be 
 fmothered, and too important to be pafled 
 over: at the fame time, the mention of it 
 was nice and delicate ; it was like walking 
 over the burning ruins of an unquenched 
 conflagration. Two things, in it, equally 
 required ^management, the motive to tie at- 
 tempt ; and the nature of the defect : the 
 one affedted the glory of his mafter ; the 
 other, the interefls of his Religion. See, 
 now, his addrefs, and how artfully he has 
 come off! Julian gave different reafons 
 for his projedl, as beft fuited the views he 
 had on thofe to whom he told it. To 
 the Jews he affeded compaffion for their 
 
 * Hocque modo elemento Wg/?/«a^'af repdiente, cef- 
 favit inceptum. ' . ■ • 
 
 G 4 fuf. 
 
88 Of yulxaT^s JUditpt fa rebuild 
 - fiiiferings, abd: reverence for theo: holy rites : 
 To) his Priejis and Sophijis^ we may be 
 confident, he revealed his fecret .pujrpoife, 
 the difgrace and ruin of Revelation 3, ^nd 
 to his Courtier^ and Military men he pre- 
 tended, what was moft to their humour, 
 the Jame and glory of the enterprize. 
 Tho' Ammianus was certainly no Dupe 
 to his prgfeflaons, yet he. found it conveni- 
 ent, and he thought it fair, to convey that 
 motive to pofterity, which yW/aw had giv- 
 en to himfelf. The defeat was next to be 
 confidered. To own the miracle, would 
 be condemning his Religion ', expliciteLy to 
 deny it, would be violating his Honour. 
 He avoided this dilemma, by employing the 
 words of the original Relator : And when we 
 fee, in bis account, the very language of Aly- 
 ^ius, we C2n no more doubt that he did em- 
 ploy them, than that Alypius hitlifdf fent his 
 mailer a relation of the whole affair. 
 
 But if the neceiE!ity of faying fo much 
 diftreffed h\s Principles, the heceflity of 'fay- 
 ing no more, equally diftreffed }\\s Talents. 
 Fdr;his Genius was bold and over-bearing j 
 tind prompt, on thefe occafions, to pour along 
 tibe torrent of Ms eloquence. Hear how Ihe 
 fA defcribes 
 
ibe Jempk of>.JeruJalgdt. 89 
 
 ikfcribes an earthquake at NianmedmVi— 
 " Eminuere Nicomedias clades — But^rihe 
 reader willlfind the reft below ^. 
 
 He profefTes, we fee, to tell his ftoiy 
 iriejly and irafy. And I believe he did fo. 
 Yet his ^rw/y does hot hinder hinr'ff-oitn 
 Specifying the very day, nay even the hour 
 
 b « — .cujus ruinarum eventum vere brevlterque abfol- 
 " vam. Primo lucis exortu dfe mno kal. Siptembtiiim, 
 " concreti nubiumglobi nigrantium, laetaip paulo ante 
 " caeli fpeciem confud^runt : et amandato folis. fplen- 
 *' dore, nee contigua vel appofita cernebantur : ita ocu- 
 •' lorum obtutu prarftriflio, hunio involutus craflk cali- 
 " giiiis fijualor infedit. Dein veJut Numini fummafa- 
 *' tales cdntorquente manubias, ventofque ab ipfis ejcci- 
 *' tante cardinibus, luagnitudo furentiiiniincubuit pro- 
 " eellarum, et elifi Kteris fragor : base quae fecuti /y- 
 *' phones at^e prejleres, cum 'liofrifico tremofe terra- 
 •' rum, civitatem et fubprbana funditus everterunt.' — 
 •' Interim damoribus variis excelfa culmitia refultabsmt, 
 *' quesritantium- conjugium Uberofque, ■ et fi quid neeefli- 
 *' tudinis arte conftringit. Poji horam denigue fecun- 
 " dam, multo ante tertiam, aer jam fudus et liquidus 
 *' latentes re,t0xit funereas ftrages. Nonnulli enim fu- 
 *' perruentium ruderum vi rimia conftipata fub ipfis in- 
 *' terifre ponderibus, ^idam collo teniis aggeribusob- 
 «' ruti^ cutn fupereffe poflent fi qui juviflfent, auxilio- 
 *' rum inopia necabantur. Jlii lignWum extantiun^ 
 *• acuminibus fixi pendebant. Uno idtu casfi (omplures 
 ** pauljo ante honuats, , ,tupc promifcuae ftrages cadgi- 
 
 when 
 
rgo Of yuliaTis Attempt io^rehuild 
 when this or that circumftance was remark- 
 >ed : nor his /r«//& from giving us as minute 
 a defcription of the various kinds of death* 
 as may be found in a battle in Homer. How 
 different from his relation of the event at 
 Jerufalem ! There he does not fo much as 
 inform us of the Month in which it happen^- 
 ed ; we fhould even have been at a lofs for 
 the Tear, but that the Perfian expedition, 
 to which the form of his Annals connedted 
 it, has ferved for our dired:ion. And fo far 
 is he from taking notice of any flaughter, 
 the too certain confequence of eruptions- of 
 this nature, that, had it not been for the 
 Chriftian writers, we might have fufped:ed 
 his horrible bails of fire " had contained no- 
 thing but a lambent flame. 
 
 Again, he is not content to relate the 
 Nicomedian earthquake, and expatiate- only 
 
 *' yerum cernebantur. ^ofdam domorum inclipflita 
 *' fafligia intrinfecus ferebant intadtos, angore et inedia 
 " confutnendos. — jllU fubita ruinae magnitudine op- 
 " prefli iifdem adhuc molibus conteguntur. Collifis 
 «« quidam capitibus, vel humeris praefeftis aut cruribus, 
 *' inter vitse jnortifque confinia, aliorum adjumentapa- 
 •' ria perfer^ntium implorantes cum obteftatjope mag- 
 •' na deferebantur — 
 ' Metuendi globi flammarum. 
 
 I on 
 
the Temftk^^j^JerufalmA^ 91 
 on its effeSii : he is as particular- in defcrib- 
 ingboth the.^fUfand prognojiics that pre- 
 ceded it (fuich as the fomament oyercaft, 
 aad the day darkened with ftorms and tem- 
 pefts) and the fyi^Utm that attended it, 
 (fuch. as the ligljtning aed; whirlwind.) 
 But, his account of the difafter in Jerufa- 
 lem is ftript of all thefe cjrcumftances 
 of (terror; tho' they be the conftant fore- 
 runners and attendants of fiery eruptions 5 
 and, if we may believe the Chriftian writers, 
 d^d^ aftually precede and accompany this : 
 nor haye we any reafon to diibelieve them, 
 becaufe they fpeak (as we fhall fee) of ceri^ 
 tain phenomena, the natural effedts of the 
 difqrdered elements, which they erroneoufly 
 afcribe to a different-^raufe. 
 
 But this is not all, Ammianus, to give 
 us the dreadfuleft idea of this defolation at 
 Jslicomedia, fays, the conflidt of Nature was 
 fuch, as if the God of Nature himfelf, arm- 
 pd with all the ftores of heaven, was hurling 
 his lightening over a perifhing world. Byt 
 we find not a fingle ftroke of this imagery in 
 the affair at Jerufalem. The Deity is there 
 kept out of fight J tho' the repeated* erupti- 
 pns, which, he fays, feem?d obfAnately and 
 
 refo- 
 
92 Of. Julians Attempt to rebuild 
 ^folutely bent to drive the w'orkn^fen to a di- 
 AancBJ drove him to«^ the confiiies' iof lasfii- 
 perioT- agency. But he was unwilling^ and 
 for a good reafon, to call his ileaders after 
 him. 
 
 WhVt could occaSoiti' a condu^ fo dif- 
 ferent in a cafe fo fimilar ? Had 'he' ' related 
 the one as ia' noted fail, and the other but 
 as an uncertain rumour, fomelniiig might 
 have been pretended. But, this mdkes' the 
 difficulty, he tells them both as faitsi and 
 fadts of equal notoriety and truth. A diffi- 
 culty nothing can' folve but whatA^^' hive 
 already fhewn to be the dafe, the bafh'Mlnels 
 of a backward Evidence. 
 
 On this principle, we fee that his relating 
 the eruption of Jerufalem as a natural event, 
 takes nothing from the reality of the divine 
 interpofition. When a Pagan bears teftimony 
 to a fadl of this importance, we may be as 
 fure it \S2l Miracle, as when* a Papifl bears 
 teftimony to a miracle of no iniportahce at 
 allj we are fure it is a Trick. 
 
 But his referve is fo far from depriving 
 us of the benefit qf his teftimony, that it is 
 tJhat "Whieh fupports it. Had we found a 
 
 Pagan 
 
Pagan fpeaking lite aDChrifl:ia» Fatha: cm 
 tbis oGcaficm, his> eeicknce had foon, hs^ 
 corns, as fufpedied asihat of tlieij«wiflithifr 
 torian, where he fpeaks of Chrifl ; whaefai/ 
 onp of the a^left and moft c^n^id of his.Cri- 
 ticjs^jTranlcIy owns, could nevef come .feQ.^, 
 him in the condipQn . it i& brought down to 
 us. This miracle, without queftion, ergfe^- 
 ralTed JH^arceUinm no lefs than the Worker 
 of miracles diftrefled the other Hiftorian: 
 whofe cafe the excellent Writer juft novif 
 mentioned, has well deferibed. But had 
 pofterity made equally free with both, J 
 ftiould have delpaired of difengaging my Au- 
 thor with the addrefs and abilities he has 
 done Jofephus ^. 
 
 In a word, all we want of our adverfaries 
 is to have the fad acknowlecjged as Ammia-^ 
 nus relates it. Its nature depends neither on 
 his, npr on their, nor on our opinion j but 
 on the reafon of things. We thinkj indeed, 
 the nature of it faeaJis itfejf. But, for the 
 fake of thofe who think otherwife, I pro- 
 
 '.vi-jr- rui. 
 
 * See Mr. Forfter's Difcpurfe, intituled, J Dijfer- 
 ietien upon the Account fuppofed to. have been given jif 
 Jefus Chrifl by Jofephus is'c. Oxon. mdccxiix. 
 
 pofe. 
 
94^ 0/* Juimfis Attempt to rebuild 
 pofe, in the courfe of this examination," W 
 fhew, that it was an efFeft, which no powef 
 but that of the moral Governor of the uni- 
 verfe waS' able to produce. V 
 
 I pRocEEti, then, iti my fubjed: ; to 
 which theie, cavils are only the prelude, or, 
 as it were, the' ifliadpw of the good things to 
 
 come. 
 
 , :IV. ,FoR the next Objedtion to the fadi 
 a;!;i^fe^s from what, one would have hoped, 
 fhould have beeni the chief fupport of it,. 
 
 THE TESTIMONY OF THE FaTHERS. But 
 
 their credit in the fashionable world is now 
 fo low, that if they do not diflionour the 
 caufe they appear in, it is all we are to ex-f 
 pedl from them. For, as a late writer ' 
 gracioufly allows us to believe every flrarige 
 thing except a Miracle, that is to fay, any the' 
 moft extraordinary phasnomenon in Nature, 
 but where Religion lends it a fupport'; io, 
 to fay the truth, we are enough difpofed to 
 credit the wonders of antiquity, all tmtthofe 
 the Fathers have officioufly pafs'd their words 
 for. And yet, it is very certain, thefe Fathers 
 were, at worft, no more- prejudiced in favour 
 
 • In a book^ intituled, Phtlofophicat ejfays concern- 
 ing human underjianding, printed 1748. p. 199. 
 
 of 
 
the Tm^' of 'Jerufakm. 95 
 
 of Religion,, ijthan their Pagan neighbours 
 were prejudiceid ag^ft it. And whether thefe ■ 
 were Philofophersj Sophifts, or Statefmenj 
 if we read their works, we ihall find that 
 very creduUty, prejudice, falfe reafoningy 
 and ill faith, which thefe ot^eftors pretend 
 has been difcovered in feme of the moft ce- 
 lebrated Fathers. I fay this, only to' (hew, 
 that this flippery temper was the vice of the 
 times, rather than of th^ men ; confequently 
 that their character bi Fathers of the • thurch 
 is not to anfwer for its irregularities. 
 
 But what is it the Fathers have done, in 
 the point in queftion, thai; proves fo injlifi- 
 ous to their own caufe ? " Why, Jt feems, 
 they differ greatly from Ammiams,, in theif . 
 relation df this extraordinary fa<9t,} by ,^(^^7: 
 ing many circumftances to. his^ fome of 
 which are utterly incredible." v , 
 
 Whether it were the Fathers^ or their 
 Caufe, which render their accounts incredi- 
 ble, will be feen indue time.' At-'prefent 
 let me obferve, it greatly eafes their defence, 
 that it cannot be fairly pretended, the G6r/- 
 ^«?» .writers cmtradiSl' tlte relation ' of ^z«- 
 mianuSy in any the leaft particular. 
 
 In 
 
g5 Of ymli^'s Jitempt to rel^d 
 
 In thtfecond place. What I faid before, 
 of his fubJiraSlions, I here repeat of theift 
 additions ; that thfiy are fo; far frot^ invali- 
 dating the fad;, that they add to its- fiippopt. 
 We have fliewn Ammianus to be an unwil- 
 Ikg evidence, who has caiitioufly avoided 
 faying more thaa w^as jufl; ngceilljfy to fave 
 harmlefa his, charadler of a feithfiil Hifto- 
 riaa. It was natural then to expe(3: he had 
 ftudioufly omitted foch circnniiiianees as 
 made mofl: for the honour of that caufe 
 to whicifhe was neither a friend nor fa-» 
 vourer. 
 
 'Thirdly, Admitting it was as is pretend- 
 ed, that incredible things are to .be found 
 in their relations: this circumftance will 
 fcarce be deemed fufficient to overthrow a 
 well attefted faft, by any who confider that 
 thofe which are beft eftablilhed^ have npver 
 been exempt from fuch injurious pollutions. 
 The jmiraeles of Cbriji and his Apoilles 
 have not efcaped the adulterations of Monk- 
 cry. And if this were fufficient to difcre- 
 dit Truth, there is not^ fadl in civilhiftory 
 that would ftand ijs ground. As to thofe 
 who expect a certain innate f irtue in it, of. 
 force to extrude all heterogeneous mixture, 
 
 ' . they 
 
they e3lpe<£t S qi8#)^ in Xcuth which was 
 hever yet feind in it,; f nor, I fear, ever will. 
 Nay the more notorious a fadl of this kind is, 
 that is to fay, the more eye-witneffes there 
 are of it, the more fubjedl it is toi un^gnjy 
 ed depravation j as. there myift be^ amongft 
 a large cloud: of evidence, ^btj^j^n of hjcat— 
 ed faiiCies : ahd thg' gi^tg r the comrtiunica- 
 tioii, ahd the frequenter jthe coUifion, of 
 thefe warm heads, the niore adlive , and; in- 
 flamed will be the Creative faculty! .of, the 
 mind; which, in that flate, we find, has 
 always been the feminary of falfe circum- 
 flances of the prodigious kind. 
 
 But we fhould grant a great deal tqo 
 much in allowing this to be the cafe here. 
 Providence did npt do M$ work by halves j 
 nor was penurious in the grace fo feafonably 
 beftowed upon the fuffering Church. For, 
 what, we.haye fhewn, was performed in the 
 fight of all. men, we fhall fee, was faithfully 
 commemorated by the> moft celebrate^ 
 Preachers and Apologifts of that age ; and 
 as foberly and carefully recorded by the befl: 
 'Hiftoriansof theyo//o'Z4'/«g-. And if, travelling 
 downwards in a blind and heavy road, it 
 contraS:ed fome ftains of the foil thro' which 
 it pailed, it was never fo difguifed as to Have 
 
 H thofe 
 
9 8 Of yulian^s Attempt to febuild 
 thofe dirty features miftaken for its natural 
 countenance, by any the leaft attentive o,b- 
 ferver, 
 
 , The Chriftian Evidence for the fadt are 
 Gregory Nazianzen, Ambrose, and 
 Chrysos^om. Thefe lived at the time it 
 happened. ^The next age p®daced Rufi- 
 Nus, Socrates, SozGmen, and Theodo- 
 RET, whofe teftimony is perfedily confift- 
 ent one with the other. In the laft place 
 are Philostorgius, Theophanes, Oro- 
 sius, Nicepkorus, Zonaras, and Ce- 
 drenus, who, altho' diftant in age, are fo 
 near allied in judgment, that they are here 
 put together ; not to add credit to the caufe 
 they ferve ; but, by feparating them from 
 their feveral contemporaries of a better pafte 
 and compound, to bear alone the fhame of 
 their proper folly or prevarication. 
 
 The original evidence, as we fald, are 
 Ambrofe^ Chryfijiom, and Gregory Nazianzen. 
 Of thefe, Ambrofe lived far in the Weft; 
 and having, as may be fuppofed, received 
 only a general relation of the fa6t, he deli- 
 vers it as generally. Have you not beard [izys 
 he, writing to the Emperor Theodofius) 
 bow wben Julian gave command to rebuild the 
 
 temple 
 
ihe Temple of Jerufalem. 99 
 
 iemple of ferufalem^ the 'workmen were de- 
 Jirt^ed by a TiVi^fentfrom God ^ ? 
 
 In which may be difcerned the difterent; 
 fortune that naturally attends Truth and Falf- 
 hood. A Fable, the further it goes, the more 
 circumftances it gathers : for, like all un- 
 timely produ<ftioris, coming out, at firft, rude 
 and undigefted, it le'l^ rocm for charitable 
 invention to give it fhape ; v\rhich, by ge* 
 neral contribution, foon raifes it to a bulk 
 that looks formidable. Whereas the cir- 
 cumftances of a ftory drop off, one after an- 
 
 f This is in an epiftle to the Emperor^ written on a 
 very fingular occafion — A certain bifliop had exeit^ 
 his flock to burn a Jewifli fynagogue : which being com- 
 plained of to Theodofius, he ordered the ofrenders to 
 be puntflied ; and that the bilhop fhould rebuild it at 
 his own expence. The impiety" of this fentence was fo 
 ofFenfive to Ambrofe, that, having reminded the Em- 
 feror of the fate of the Jewifli Temple, he aflcs him, whe- 
 ther he does not expe£b the fame diflionours fliould at- 
 tend his command, which followed the attempt of Ju- 
 lian. " Non audifti, Imperatof, quia cum. fuffiiTetJu- 
 «' lianus reparari Tem|)lum Hierofolymis, quod di-vino 
 " qui faciebant repagulum igne flagrarunt ? Non caVes 
 «' ne etiam nunc faciat ? Adeo a te non fuit juljendum 
 «' ut Julianus hoc juflerit." Ep. 3ll. It was Well, this 
 iiiiracle was performed by God, to do honour to him- 
 felf : Had it been to do honour to the bifliops of his 
 church, we fee how little they deferved it ! Here is One 
 
 H 2 Other, 
 
loo Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 other, as it advances in its progrefs, till 'it 
 becomes ftript, and contrafted to its effence : 
 for there being precilion in the teftimony of 
 the evidence, and conviftion in the nature 
 of the fad:, men, on its firft appearance, are 
 fefs felicitous, as they have lefs need, to fup- 
 port it by its circumftances, than to convey 
 it by its effentials. "'''■'"-■ 
 
 Chryfojlom, indeed, was in the neigh- 
 bourhood of the place. But, fpeaking to 
 an Audience as well inftrudled in the af- 
 fair as himfelf, tho' he had frequent occa- 
 
 fbo violates the civil peace, and invades the religious 
 ^hts of his neighbour ; and Another who fupports him in 
 io doing, on the authority of the miracle at Jerufalem. 
 In which they either foully prevaricate; or groflj miP 
 take the purpofe of God's interpofition. They repre- 
 fent it as intended for an example to the Magiftrate to 
 reftiain the Jews from all exercife of their Superftition ; 
 when it was evidently for no other purpofe than to fup- 
 pbrt the truth of the divine prediiSions concerning the 
 ruin of a certain temple. Theodofius was to expe£t the 
 fate of Julian. And why ? Becaufe he was fuppor'ting 
 thofe very rights of nature which Julian then violated : 
 For the attempt to rebuild the Temple was but one of 
 the many arts he employed to extirpate the Chriftian 
 Faith by violence. But it has always been the tricky 
 and has often provedxthe folly, of Intolerants, to place 
 their miferable principle on fuch foundations as are found, 
 moft of all to difcredit it. 
 
 fion 
 
tJ3!S Temple of Jerufakm. ipi 
 fion to put them in mind of fo diftinguiflif 
 ing a mercy, yet always dwells in generals ; 
 juft as he would have done in referring to 
 the crucifixion, or to any other the moll 
 knowri incident in the Gofpel. Thus, in his 
 Difcmrfs againji the Jews and Gentiles, fpezk- 
 ing of the defolate condition of the Temple, 
 he fays — ^^*^' For in our times that Monarch, 
 " who exceeded alPiiltcn'In his malice to our 
 *' holy faith, both lent the aid of the Impe- 
 " rial authority, and became an affbciate in 
 " the defign. They began the work, but 
 " could make no progrefs; for aFiRE, burft- 
 " ing from the foundations, drove away, 
 " and difperfed all concerned in the under- 
 « taking ^" * 
 
 The only contemporary Father, there- 
 fore, from whom we can expe6t a de- 
 tailed hiftory of the event, is Gregory Na- 
 zianzen. ' For he, not living at a diftance, 
 like Ambroje ; nor preaching, like Chryfo- 
 Jisme, to tbofe who knew every circum- 
 
 _citiQei»v vtKYjffeii ]3«iriAi5t)V, Kf tSuMV i^niriKV liii ^ 
 
 cxv wdyloti eu/TBTs »7rih»civ. Adverfus Judeeos et Gen' 
 tiles, torn. i. 
 
 H 3 fiance. 
 
J 02 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 ftance, but refiding in thefe quarters, an4 
 writing in defenfe of our holy faith, againft 
 Julian, m an appeal tq the Roman Empire, 
 w% both qualified, by his knowledge, and 
 ■{Called upon, by the nature of his performance, 
 to be particular in his relation of the fadl. 
 
 Now, as his account muft undergo a (tr 
 vere fcrutiny, it will be^ut fair to give it 
 in his own words. Speaking then of Ju- 
 lian, he fays, ' 
 
 " After having run thro- a courfe of ever 
 " ry other tyrannical experiment againft,the 
 " Faith, and, upon trial, defpifing all of 
 " them as trifling and contemptible, he, at 
 *' laft, brought down the \vhqle body of the 
 " Jews upon us ; whom, for their apcient 
 " turn to feditious novelties, and an invete- 
 " ratehatfed of the Chriftian name, he chofe 
 " as the fitteft inilruments of his machina- 
 " tions. Thefe, under a fhew of great good 
 " will, v^^h^ch hid his fecret purpofe, he en- 
 " deayoured to convince, from their facred 
 " Books and Traditions, which he took up- 
 " on him to interpret^, that now was cptne 
 
 ^ I think Gregory ufes th? word 35n6«»'^«v ironi- 
 cally, in the fenfe of pretending to interpret with a pro- 
 phetic fpirit. ' : ■ : - 
 
 ^' the 
 
the 'Temple of Jeriifalenf. ' to^ 
 " the time foretold, when they fhould return 
 " to their own Land, rebuild their Temple^ 
 " and reftotfe the Law to its ancient force 
 ** and fplendpr. When thefe things had 
 " been thoroughly infimiated, and heartily 
 " entertained (for deceit finds eafy admit- 
 " tance wheii it flatters our paffions) the 
 *• Jews fet upon the work of rebuilding with 
 " great attention, and puftied on the projed 
 " with the utmofl: labour and application. 
 ** But when now driven from their work 
 " by a violent Whirlwind and a fudden 
 " Earthquake, they fled together for refuge 
 " to a certain neighbouring church (fome 
 " to deprecate the impending mifchief j o- 
 " thers, as is natural in fuch cafes, to catch 
 " at any help thatprefents itfelf j and others, 
 " again, inveloped in the crowd, were car- 
 " ried along with the body of flyers) there 
 " are who fay, the church refufed them en- 
 *' trance ; and that when they came to the 
 " doors, which were wide open but a mo- 
 " ment befdte, they found them, on a fud- 
 " den, clofed by a fecret and invifible 
 " hand ; a hand aecuftomed to work thefe 
 " wonders for the terror and confufion of 
 *' the impious, and for the fecurity and com-' 
 •* fort of godly men. This however is now 
 H 4 " inva- 
 
I04 Of yuliarCs Atfempf to rebuild 
 *' invariably afErmed and believed by all, 
 *' That as they ftrove to fofce their vfzy in 
 ** by violence, the Fire, which burft from 
 " the foundations of the 'Tempky met and 
 " ftopt them, and one part it burnt and de- 
 *' flroyed j and another it defperately maim- 
 " ed, leaving them a living monument of 
 " God's commination and wtadiagainft fin- 
 " ners. Thus the affair pafTed ; and let no 
 *• man continue incredulous concerning this, 
 *' or the other miraculous vsrorks of God» But 
 *' ftill the thing moft wonderful and illuftri- 
 ** ous was a Light, v^^hich appeared in the 
 ** heavens, of a Crofs within a Circle. That 
 " name and figure, which impious men be- 
 ** fore efteemed fo difhoriourable upon earth, 
 *' was now raifed on high, and equally ob- 
 ** jed:ed to the common vie w^ of all men j 
 " advanced, by God himfelf, as the Trophy 
 *' of his victory over Unbelievers ; oiPall Tro- 
 " phies the moft exalted and fublime. Nay 
 *' further, they who were prefent, and par- 
 " takers of the miracle, we are now about 
 " to fpeak of, fhew, to this very day, the fign 
 " or figure of the Crofs which was theii 
 *' marked or imprefled upon their garments. 
 " For, at that time, as thefe men (whether 
 " fuch as were of us, or ftrangers) were fliew- 
 
 "ing 
 
. the Temple of Jerufalem.; 105 
 .*' ing thefe m.arks,or attending to others who 
 " (hewed them, each prefently obferved 1,^1? 
 " wonder, either on himfelf 61 his neiaih- 
 " bour : having a radiant mark on his bQ4y 
 " or 01; his garment : in which there ,w?s 
 " fomething that, in art and elegance, ex- 
 " ceeded all painting or embroidery K" 
 
 ' -^ iTr» fWdvU <5i«|£k9M» TaXXrt, i^ ar«i» «<!©' 
 •^ Ki»9' >!j[*wi) rv^vviS@^, cSt l*K^iy ti, j^ d-^vig dri- 
 jusio-fitf, -7— • tlA©- e5ri»<p?xs ^ it l\iS<ium tpuAov ■^jjCiVy 
 T wxKouiuv T£ ojutuy An^orKlacj kf li %ah* i^^ji^m »\ia)- 
 
 S Tf%va(7|!Aa1@-, 33nS««'^a)» t£ JJSsv oh, t zresf ' «J- 
 
 ittf x«I£AJ«v «V tZm/ tecujuv, i^ -rev vcwi; dviii^sif*otiS^f 
 
 £ <5isiioi/S)j, K| 67r«(r£i'; {ukoAov ;^ «'? OiTrdixluj -n argoff 
 riSovltu *;r«v, 01 j«^ aif »va,^y,(roylis SuvoSvlo is ifjov, 
 
 §«v — - 'Jlf 3 V5I53 oiye^oig houKa,ir@^i J^ ^^(rf*S ytlt 
 
 cSg iKildjffovJts u^^vjaoLM' oj jj OTTfg a/ "nry iKSiBiy (pihi 
 
 aAAwf t^CS'X^ Q'Jf^^i^of/^oi, Kj TBi"f 9-|»<r< Quvetafft- 
 TtJovJis' eic} 1,1^ o'l Kiy^<riv, wg »'<?£ to i'e^ov cw71^s 
 Z!!fioffiSi^»Jo, cIkk' dvoiTii-Kld^oug ea'foa-EAflo'i'Tsy ? 
 
 This 
 
jo6 Of Julianas Attempt to rebuild 
 
 This is the only chriftlan contemporary 
 writer who delivers the account of the 
 miracle differently from Ammianus Marcellu 
 pus, that is, with additional circumftances. 
 3L.et us fee then what handle he hath given to 
 the Objedtor. 
 
 But before we come to examine what 
 he really afEr£Bs^,|ind takes upon his credit 
 
 ? dffiSm ^^o^J«V^^}^(V, )^ ^ &jfiQm dadfoiKc-iav^ o |) 
 
 Xj (pthoveinS^cis <Jii€/t T eiVoiJov, srvf tfija-sv aaravlJfCiKv 
 OK Si li^S it) TiSf jU^* x»|e(pAs|6 (^ dvxfitixfiv — tsj 3 ¥ 
 
 7^ V dfAx^uhav dvtei'Kvjt y^ KJvijVfaif, txtb /l£^* J;) 7S<- 
 
 S7B, ;^ XTTI^ii'ni |M;)^«f, £TI jWljJs To-T; £'^ous rS S^iS 
 
 ^ ovojWflt, »ttt/ cv sg^vtti'^J'w'Kvv^) ar«(riu S^'iDjf. x, y/- 
 
 lo9->jT«f, oJ T« S-of jU.«I@- cMetya ^ialou ;^ jwuf «<, t«V 
 •ib'te y,Ci\a,(rvjf/,a,^^tiff»s mg rS ?cu/^S ziy^Kffiv, cuS ie 
 ^ toiZrei StYiyiiTji rig («t' «v t' ii[ji,iliPuv, «t' ew ^ 
 
 ^<w/7w, jj Tij) wMem ytvof^n x»7«5-e^@^ wk,, ^ cmSvov 
 e^mtniii'iiiv ov inTg iS-tjfjiaa-t, z^Uey,s hn^yin^g vj/ijcprJof, 
 
 Prat, iy, adv. Jul. 
 
 ■"''' '" ^ ' ' to 
 
the Temple of yerujakm. 107 
 to fupport J it wilt be proper to fet in a true 
 fight what he is oxAyfuppofed to affirm, and 
 what he does not undertal^e to warrant. 
 
 He tells us, it was reported, that thofe who 
 fied for refiige to an adjoining churchy whofi 
 doors were wide open hut a moment before, found 
 them fuddenly chfed by an invifible p(mer. — • 
 And, withdut quef||on. They ivho could not 
 then get ir^, did beli^e!fie impediment to be 
 miraculous. They did not confider, that a 
 frighted croud, all prefling to be foremoft, 
 would foon choak up a wider paflage than 
 the dqor of a little oratory, like this where 
 they fought for refuge, had the doors been 
 ftill open. But he tells us they were fud- 
 denly chfed : and, if they opened oiltward, 
 the power that fhut them could be only in- 
 mfible to a blind croud, half frighted out 
 of their wits. And, indeed, Gregory him- 
 felf intimates, in the following words (where 
 he fpeaks of the firey eruption) that this was 
 not the general opinion; and particularly 
 not his own ; for he iniinuates what he 
 deemed to be the true caufe of the impedi- 
 ment, in telling us theyjiroveto force tbiir 
 way in by molence. But (adds he) that 
 which followed, namely the eiruption, is now 
 invariably affirmed and believed by all. As 
 , / much 
 
I o 8 Of Julianas Attempt to rebuild 
 Tnuch as to fay, time and cool examina- 
 tion, which correded the firft reports, have 
 left the miraculous circuniftance of the im- 
 pediment doubtful ; but have put that of the 
 eruption out of all queftion. 
 
 This being premifed, v^^e come to the cir- 
 cum fiances, additional to the account of iW^r- 
 cellinm. Grego ry m entio|is three :\.a Whirl- 
 mind andEarth^mf^ 2 . 'TheLight which ap- 
 peared in the heavens of a Crofs within a Cir- 
 cle ; and 3. 'the figure of a Crofs on the bodies 
 and garments of the workmen and ajfifiants. 
 Thefe, indeed, Gregory delivers as unquef- 
 tioned fadts, doubted or cpntradidled by 
 none : And of fo trite, and frequent menr 
 tion in the Divines and Hiftorians of this 
 time, that it is obfervable he tells the main 
 faft, xhcfirey eruption, not direStly, but on- 
 ly hints at it occalionally, for the fake of a 
 circumftance not fp generally known. Of 
 all thefe, therefore, it will be incumbent 
 on us to give fome good account. I fhall 
 try them on the teft of Ammianus's rela- 
 tion, as that is made (though only for this 
 purpofe) the ftandard of the truth ; and doubt 
 not but they will be all found very credible, 
 notwithftanding their different degrees of e- 
 
 viderjce j 
 
the Temple of yerufalem. 109 
 vidence ; the ^y? being necejjarily conneded 
 with the eruption recorded by Ammianm ; 
 thtfecond, a likely attendant on the then un- 
 quiet ftate of the elements : and the third, 
 very confonant to what we know of meteo- 
 
 I. First then, as to tho^^hquake. Na- 
 tural hiftory informs^ilS^'rfatnrey eruptions, 
 of which it makes frequent mention, are al- 
 ways preceded by an earthquake. And, in- 
 deed, the obvious nature of the thing in- 
 ilruds us, it can hardly be otherwife ; the 
 force of fire making its way thro' a heavy 
 load, oppofed to its explofion, cannot but 
 throw the incumbent earth into convulfive 
 flrugg-les, during the agit^ition. And this 
 tumult in the inferior elements muft needs 
 communicate itfelf to the adjoiiting parts of 
 the fuperior. Hence it has fo generally hap- 
 pened, that the diforder below has been ac- 
 companied with the like above, fuch as fierce 
 Whirlwinds and a troubled fky : this was the 
 firft fignal of the like dreadful conflidl in 
 the defolation at Nicomedia, as Ammiaiim 
 himfelf relates it, — " Concreti nubium glo- 
 " bi nigrantium, Isetam paullo ante pceli fpe- 
 " ciem confuderunt." Thus far, therefore, 
 
 Gregory's \ 
 
i lo Of Julian's Attempt to rehttd 
 Gregory's account is not only agreeable to t\id 
 ufual courfe of things, in their unquiet flatCi 
 but the appearances are told in their order j 
 the •whirlwind^ the earthquake, and the fire. 
 
 2. The light which nvasfeen in the heavens 
 of aCrofs wkhin a Circle, is the fecond thing 
 we are to fp8»kto. Of thisjdnd of phe- 
 nomenon, the h!c^0jncal, the Cm/, and the 
 Natural hiftory, both of ancient and modern 
 ages, affords us fo many inftances, that it 
 will give us very little trouble. Not to keep 
 the Reader in fufpenfe, it was neither more 
 nor lefs than one of thofe meteoric lights, in 
 a ftill and clouded {ky, which are not un- 
 frequently feen in folar or lunar halos : And 
 when the parhelia, and parafelenes, which 
 fometimes attend them, are added to that 
 appearance, we can eafily conceive how 
 greatly the pomp of them mufl: be increafcd. 
 To fupport this account, we may obferve, 
 that this celeftial Crofs was not feen till the 
 conflict in the fky was over : it being the 
 night after the Storm, and the night after 
 that, as Theodoret ' informs us ; where, by 
 
 Eccl. Hid. 1. iii. c. 2o. 
 
 the 
 
the Temple of Jerufalem. 1 1 1 
 the way, we may obferve, this was a lunar 
 halo. 
 
 It was the fame appearance, from whence 
 (as Eufebius and others tell us) Conftantine 
 the Great drew the happy prefage of an ap- 
 proaching vidlory : it was the fame which 
 Cyril of Jerufalem fa w oy er that city, 
 in the time of his fon (^l^anfms ; to whom 
 the good bifhop fent the news, and, indeed, 
 endeavoured to make the moft of it. The 
 Hiftof ians of the middle ages have, at differ- 
 ent times, occafionally mentioned the like 
 appearances ; and, generally, mentioned 
 them as miraculous. Since the revival of 
 learning, the Naturalifts and Aftronomers 
 have taken notice of fuch as happened in 
 their times ; and have attempted to explain 
 their phyfical caufes. 
 
 But here I find, what I had further to fay, 
 on this fubjedt, already done to my hands, 
 in a very ingenious and learned difcourfe *" of 
 the excellent J. A. Fabricius : to which, 
 
 "" Int;t. Exercitatio critica, qua difputatur, Crucem, 
 quam in caelis vidijfe fe juravit Conftantlnus imp- fuijfe 
 pkanomenon naturale inhalme foiari. Vid. Bib. Grsec. 
 vol. vi. 
 
 with 
 
112 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 with much fatisfadlion, J refer the Reader i 
 For it is not my way to repeat what others 
 have proved before me ; or to defraud them 
 of the praifes due to their difcoveries. 
 
 I WILL only make one obfervatiori. All 
 thefe meteoric crofTes are reprefented as be- 
 ing enconjepalTed by a luminous Circle. A 
 circumftance, "Wbmh," if but commonly at- 
 tended to, would have betrayed their origi- 
 nal. But fo far from that, the Circkw&s 
 brought as a convincing argument of their 
 being miraculous. With this, Gregory tri- 
 umphs " over the Mathematicians or Aflro- 
 logers ; and defies them to account for it by 
 their rules of art. Would the Reader know 
 the ground of fo grofs a delulion ? It was no 
 more than this, The Circle was fo eftabliflied 
 an emblem of vi<5tory, that, like one of Epj- 
 cmus's Simulacra, perpetually flying off from 
 bodies, they regarded it as the moral Phan- 
 tom that proclaimed Julian's defeat. For, 
 figure and rhetoric, had, inmoft times, hut 
 efpecially in thofe, been an overmatch for 
 reality and fcience. 
 
 " n» ev rSitv i^ei! t KTKAON c* izTf eoTs Moc^ri- 
 fji.a,ei % — Out®? •# Xe/f 8 NIKH2 o 2TE$AN05:. 
 Orat. iv. 
 
 3. But 
 
this Temple of Jerufalem. ii% 
 
 3: But the laft circumftance (fay the 
 Objeftors) fo far exceeds all thq common 
 lengths of credulity, thzit its invention 
 muft have put Fancy to the ftretch, and 
 even Fraud itfelf to the blufh : and this is, 
 the mark of the Crofs impreffeduppn the bo-^ 
 dies, or garments of the people ^efent. 
 
 As extraordinary as this may feem, I do 
 hoedefpair of regaining thofe whom it hath 
 mbft revolted^ 
 
 Bbt firft it will be neceflary to call in a 
 Writer of the next Clafs, and confider his 
 words-—" When therefore (fays Socrates) i 
 " vail number were aflembled on the place, 
 *' another prodigy happened ; for a fire 
 " FELL FROM HEAVEN, which eonfumcd 
 *' all the workmens tools »." As this Hiftorian 
 is the only writer who explicitely '' mentions 
 
 T«v oixoJff'wfii* e^yxAelA Sti(p6elfitv. Socr. L. iii.c. 20. 
 
 * PhiJoJiorgius, by the mode of bis expreffion, and 
 by the order in which he puts things, feems as ir he 
 meant this fire, in the following words ; tsuto jAt 
 
 iii ffuffftoi ij^unvcvi Ex. Lib. vii. c. 9. 
 
 I Lightenhg, 
 
M4 Of "Julian's Attempt to rehuiU 
 Light ening^^ and its effedts j it will be pro- 
 per to confider its credibility, Under the 
 laft head we have fhewn, how a fiery erup- 
 tion muft occafion a previous earthquake j 
 and this earthquake, a ftormy iky. But air, 
 put into a violent motion, always produces 
 lightening, when it abounds with matter 
 fufceptible of inflammation. And thofe co- 
 lumns of air, which lie over places that la- 
 bour with convulfive throws , to caft out 
 an inkihdled matter from its entrails, muft 
 needs be impregnated with vaft quantities 
 of fulphureous particles, which the earth^^ 
 in that condition, exfudes fromi its por'es, 
 and which the folar heat draws upwards. 
 But the natural hiftory of thefe eruptions, 
 fupports this reafoning. And AmmianuSy 
 whefe evidence we have fo often appealed 
 to, gives us an example of it in the before- 
 cited cafe of the Earthquake at Nicodemia, 
 attended, as appears by his account, with a 
 firey eruption, ■ like thai at jerufalem. Now, 
 thi^ hiftorian tells us, that there the earth- 
 quake was preceded by Lightening^ as well 
 as ftorms. — " Concreti nubium globi 
 " nigrantium, Izetam paullo ante cceli fpe- 
 " ciem confuderunt— — Dein velut riuminc 
 *' (\xmmofataks contorquente mamlnasvcn- 
 
 " tolq'ue. 
 
the temple of Jerufalem. i r j 
 
 *' tofqiie ab ipfis excitante cardinibus, &c. 
 " — haecque fecuti typhones atque prefte* 
 *' resi cum horrifico tremore terrarum," 
 
 Lightening therefore, we fee, is one 
 of the eonftant concomitants in this Defo- 
 lation. 
 
 Now lightening is formed by the fer- 
 ment and explofion of fulphureous and bi- 
 tuminous exhalations from the earth, jnix- 
 ing with nitrous acids in the air. And as 
 this mixture, or combination, is varioufly 
 proportioned, according to the then cafual 
 concourfe of elementary particles, fo its 
 deftru6live effefts are various. Sometimes 
 it hath been known to fcorch up the c'oaths 
 without penetrating the body ;. and, fome- 
 times again, to break all the bones without 
 difcolouring the flefh or cloaths ; nay, even 
 to melt the fword without injuring the fcab- 
 bard. In the Jirji cafe we muft conclude, 
 the fulphur predominated j in the lat- 
 ter , the falts. And according to this pro- 
 portion, the lightening in queftion feems to 
 have been formed. For, they tell us, it 
 melted the iron inftruments, bufhurt nei- 
 ther the cloaths nor flefli ; on which it 
 affixed a crofs, without any fenfibie notice 
 I 2 at 
 
1 16 Of JuHan's Attempt to rebuild ' 
 at the time of the impreffion. For I make no 
 fcruple to afBrm, that this mark was the 
 natural effed of lightening, fo conftituted. 
 
 That lightening falls in regular fi- 
 gures, hatfi been frequently obferved. The 
 moft unlikely, one fhould think, is a cir- 
 cle ; and yet, in that, it hath been com- 
 monly known to fall : the moft likely is 
 an angle, (and a crojs is but two ftraight 
 lines meeting at ' right angles) yet this hath 
 been more rare. 
 
 : But, it will be faid, " the Fathers make 
 it a matter of much more importance j 
 and the fantaftic things they tell of thefe 
 Crojfes, exclude both Nature and Miracle j 
 and admit of no other caufe but Fraud or 
 Fanaticifm; even though we fhould fubftrait 
 from the account the contradiftions that 
 arife from their joint teftimony. Gregorys 
 and Socrates ^ fay thefe Croffes were Jhining 
 and radiated. And Rufinus" gives us to 
 under ftand, it was by night they had this 
 
 " K«Ta's-s§of. * T? i§;tOjMev)j vuxt), a-p^ayi- 
 
 it( ;-au^ou ciiilivoeiSiT;. 
 
 ' In fequenti node in veftimentis omnium fignacu- 
 lum crucis ita evidens apparuit, Hijt, Eccl. L. x. 
 c- 37- 
 
 appearance : 
 
the tem^te of Jerufalem. 117 
 
 appearance : yet .'^bepdoret ^ tells us, they 
 were not bright and ihining, but fhaded 
 with a dark colour : again, Rufinus and 
 Socrates affirm, they were by no means to 
 be waflied out s," 
 
 All this,, it muft be owned, hath the rank 
 air of inventive Prodigy. Yet view it well, 
 and you feeNatureWeakinginuponyou. In 
 a word, the Fathers could have faid nothing 
 more corroborative of our account j which 
 reduces theni to a natural phenomenon : for 
 the qualities they give to thefe crofles, not 
 only fhew them to be meteoric^ but inform 
 us of their \ttyfpecific nature ; which was 
 precifely that of the Phosphorus. 
 
 They Ihone by night,, and were dark 
 and fmokey coloured by day (for thus, the 
 different accounts of their appearance, given 
 us by Gregory and 1'beadorett are plainly 
 to be underflood) : the very property, both 
 
 g Ut etiam qui diluere pro fui infidelitate volulflet, 
 
 nulb genere valeret abolere. Ruf. wVoTAu^wf 
 
 Kfi] <«5rfl(rfH";^Eii» S-sAovfef, ssV^nJ r^tTr^ ^Svyeiile. Socr. 
 
 T3 oi 
 
Ii8 Of JuUaris Attempt to, rekuild 
 of natural and artificial Phofphori. Th« 
 Jirji kind of which are infedls, rotten- wood, 
 fhell-fi{h, tainted flefh, fcales, feathers, 
 of certain animals, &c. the latter, that 
 folid body, in particular, made from urine 
 (for almpfl all bodies will aiJbrd it) with 
 which, if one writes, as with a pencil on 
 faper, the letters will, in the night, appear 
 like flame, and, in the day time, prefent 
 only a dim, fmokey fufFuflon. , 
 
 The reader will be fiirthef confifmed in 
 this opinion, if he confiders of what the 
 artificial Phofphorus is compofed ; which 
 is chiefly a fixed fait, obtained by a long 
 procefs of fire j in the courfe of which 
 much of this element feems to be imbibed ; 
 £o as to give the minute parts of the pho- 
 fphorus the proper motion and agitation to 
 produce light. Now the falts were predo- 
 minant ifi the lightening in queftion, asap- 
 pears by its violent efllfts on metals, and its 
 innocuous contad with fofter bodies. And we 
 caneafily conceive how that high ferment, 
 by which lightening is formed, may pro- 
 duce a natural phofphdrus^ in the -fame 
 manner as a long procefs by fire makes th@ 
 artijidaU 
 
 This 
 
the H^mple 6J Jerufalem. 119 
 
 This will account too for the difficulty 
 in wafhing out the marks. Thofe on the 
 bodies would fooner 'difappear j thofe on 
 the h^bits^ more flowly. And it is obfer"^- 
 able, that, though Gfegof^ tells us, they yet 
 produced (when, he wroOe) the marks on 
 the garments ; he fays nothing of thofe on 
 the bodies. 
 
 And now, I pre&me, the candid Reader 
 may bedifpofed to abate his wonder, and in- 
 clined to give the Fathers credit for the fadts, 
 how much foever they might be miftak- 
 en in the immediate caufe of them : and, the 
 Unbeliever, from the fate of fo promifing 
 an Objection, may be taught the ufe of mo- 
 deifty and diffidence, when heoppofeshis own 
 Reafon to the truths that eftablifliRevelation. 
 
 BtJT to put the matter out of doubt, I 
 fliall produce a paflage from the Adverfaria 
 of the famous Isaac Casaubon, written 
 while in England, arid, as his fon Meric 
 conjectures (to whom we are indebted for 
 it) about the year 16 lo-i I. It follows in 
 thefe words : " This day the lord bifliop 
 " of Ely ^f a prelate of great piety and ho- 
 " linefs, related to me a wonderful thing. 
 
 * Dodor Lane. Andrews, afterwards bifhop of Win- 
 thtfter, 
 
 I 4 " linefs, 
 
J 20 Of Julianas Attempt tQ rebmld 
 ** He faid he had received the account from 
 ^' many hands, but chiefly from the lord 
 " bifhbp of Wells, lately dead ', who was 
 ^' focceededby the lord Montacute ; that in 
 ^' the city ofWelh, about fifteen years ago, 
 "one fummer's>day, while the people 
 *' were at divine fervice in the cathedral 
 ^* church, they heard, as it thundered, two 
 ^' or three claps above meafure dreadful, fo 
 ^' that the whole congregation,' aiFed:ed 
 ^' alike- threw themfelves on their knees 
 ^' at this terrifying found. It appeared, 
 *' the lightening fell at the fame time, but 
 *' without harm to any one. So far, then, 
 '' there was nothing but what is common 
 ^' in the like cafes. The wonderful part was 
 *' this, which afterwards was taijen notice 
 '' of by many, that, the marks of a Cross 
 ^' were found to have been imprinted on the 
 ^' bodies of thofe who were then at divinq 
 ^' fervice in the cathedral. The bifliop of 
 ^' Wells told my lord of E/y, that his wife 
 v' (a woman of qncommon probity) came 
 ^' to him, and informed him, as of a great 
 f ' miracle, that fhe had then the mark of a 
 ■' (tofs impreffed upon her body, Which 
 1- talg when the bifhop treated as abfurd, 
 
 [Dr. John Still. 
 
 "his 
 
the Temple of Jerufalem," 121 
 " his wife expofed the part, and gave 
 *' him ocular proof. He afterwards 
 " pbferved, that he had upon himfelf, 
 " on his arm (as I take it) the plaineft 
 *' mark of a (J*. , Others had it on the 
 " (houlder, the breaft^ the back, or other 
 " parts. This account that great man, my 
 " lord of Ely, gave me in fqch a manner, 
 " as forbade me even to doubt of its 
 " truth ^:' 
 
 Here, , theji, we have the very fame 
 event, happening from the fame caufe, the 
 burji of lightening. The only difference is, 
 
 . ^ Rem miram mihi narrabat hodie Dom. Epifcopus 
 Elienfis, fandtse pietatis, Antift^s. Dicebat fe acce- 
 pifle i. multis fed praecipue a Dom. Epifcopo Vellenfi 
 nuper piortuo, cui fucceffit Dom. Mpntacutus : ^ve- 
 nifle ante annos circiter xv, in Urbe Wella, five ea 
 dicenda. Valla, die quadam aeftiva, ut dum in Eccle- 
 fia Cathedrali populus facris vacabat, duo vel tria toni- 
 trua inter plura audirentur, fupra modum horrenda, ita 
 lit populus univerfus in ^enua fu^ o^l**it procumberet 
 ad ilium fonum terribilem. Conftitit, fulpien limul 
 c^cidifle, fine cujufquam damno tamen. Atque hsec 
 viilgaria. Illud admirandum, quod pottea eft obferva- 
 tum a multis, repertas efle crucis imagines impreflas 
 corporibus eorum, qui in sede facra tum fuerant. Di- 
 cebat Epifcopus Vallenfis D. Elienfi, uxorem fuam 
 (honeftiffima ea foemina fuit) venifle ad fe, et ei nar- 
 rafle pro grandi miraculo fibi in corpore imprefla + figna 
 extare; quod cum rifu exciperet Epifcopus, uxor, nu- 
 4a^o corpore, ei prpbavit verum effe quod dixerat. De-- 
 
J 22 Of. Juliaris Attempt to fiStti'ld 
 that here th^ crefs appeared upon the bbflles 
 only ; there both on the deaths and bodies. 
 A diffeience which the mbre or lefs ftibtilty 
 of the meteoric matter would occafion. 
 
 The fad, we find, is as well attefted as 
 a fad can poffibly be. A bifhop, of the 
 greateft name in his time for virtue and 
 knowledge, receives it from an eye-withefs, 
 arid a party concerned, a bifhop like wife of 
 an irreproachable charafter, and tells it to a 
 Man whofe candid honefty and fuperior 
 learning had rendered him one of the great- 
 eft ornaments of his age. This account his 
 fon, a man of learning likewife, and of ap- 
 proved integrity, finds under his father's 
 own hand, in his Adverfarfa^ and gives it 
 to the world, with this additional informa- 
 tion, that he, the fon, who had been bene- 
 ficed m Somerfetjhire, had never heard the 
 fad queftioned, but had frequently met 
 with feveral who pretended to a perfed 
 knowledge of it. 
 
 inde ipfe obfervavit libi quoque ejufdem + manifeftifli- 
 mam imaginem impreflam effe, in brachio, opinor ; 
 aliis in humero, in peftpre, in dorfo, aut alia corporis 
 parte. Hoc vir maximus, Dom. Elienfis, ltd mihi nar- 
 rabat, ut vetaret de veritate hiftorise ambigere. E»^ 
 Adverf, If. Cafaubon. apud Met. Cafaubm in traft. intit. 
 Of credulity and incredulity, p. 1 1 8. 
 
 To 
 
the Temple of Jtrufalem. 123 
 
 To this let me add, ' that Religion was 
 here out of the qtieftion. Here was no 
 Church or Churchman, no Se<3: or Do6trine, 
 to be confuted or eftabliflled, by the attefta- 
 tion of a prodigy. The great Critic fpeaks 
 of it as a phyfical, though a wonderful 
 event. The very Bi{hops deliver it to one 
 another, and to him, as only an efcape of 
 nature. The Bifliop's Wife indeed, at firft, 
 feem^d planet-Ilruck with fuperftition ; and 
 while (he thought hetfelf only diftinguifh- 
 ed with this badge of fandlity, was very 
 w'illing it Ihould ^2Ssiot2i Miracle. But 
 the honeft bifliop laughed her out of this 
 conceit : and when fhe found how fmall a 
 part of the honour was likely to fall to her 
 ihare, fhe feemed content to fubmit it to 
 her hu{band's better jlidgment. 
 
 Now, as Religion and religious purpofes 
 had nothing to do in this wonder, that ex- 
 traordinary Philofopher ', once before quot- 
 ed, will permit us to give it credit. 
 
 It is indeed fo well proved, as to bear 
 much weightier obfervations than any I 
 have' to lay upon it : what I have to fay being 
 only this, i. That the two or three dread- 
 ful explofions perfedly agree with what hath 
 \ The author of PhUofophical EJfayst &c. 
 
 3 . been 
 
124 Of yulian's Attempt to rebuild 
 been obferved of the componency of that 
 lightening which produces fuch an effeft j 
 namely, that it abounded with nitrous and 
 fixed falts, 2. The relation fays, it was fome 
 time after that the CrofTes were found upon 
 the bodies of the patients j and tl^at the 
 biftiop obferved one upon himfelf on talk>- 
 ing with his wife about it. This may give 
 light to a pafTage in Gregory, which has 
 the air of myftery, and yet amounts to no 
 more than what the Ampler and lefs fublime 
 pen of this modern critic, explains. The 
 words of Gregory are thefe ; As they 'were 
 jhewing thefe marks, or attending to others 
 ivhojhenved them, each prefently obferved the 
 wonder, either on himfelf or his neighbour j 
 a radiant mark on his body or his garment. 
 
 But fuppofe it fliould be faid, " That 
 the circumftance o£ Lightening, on which 
 we pretend to explain this Phenomenon, is 
 not fufficiently eftablifhed ; as it is mention- 
 ed but by one Hiftorian j and only in two 
 words ; and by the name of a Pire from 
 Heaven.'" Whoever fays it, will gain lit^ 
 tie, if his defign be to invalidate the cir- 
 cumftance ; and yet lefs, if he thinks that 
 the difcredit of that circumftance will de^ 
 prive us of the means of accounting for the 
 
 Crbjfes 
 
t^ejTe^le of Jsrufalem.. 125 
 
 Crojfei. For it appearsjifrom the nature of 
 things already explained, that a Fire from 
 beneath might produce this efFedt as natu- 
 rally as a Fire from abe^e. And from a re- 
 lation, as well attefted and notorious as the 
 fa<-t preferved by Cafaubon, we have a fa- 
 mous inftance of its having actually pro- 
 duced it. The excellent Mr. Boyle, in 
 h.i& Difceoirfe of fome unheeded caufes of the 
 infahibrity andfalubrity of the Jir^ gives us 
 the following hiftory from Kircher and o- 
 thers. : ' " And that the fubterranealefflu- 
 " via may produce effefts, and therefore 
 ** probablybe of natures very uncommon, 
 " irregular, and, if I may fo fpeak, extra- 
 " vagant, may appear in thofe prodigious 
 " Crosses that were feen in our time, viz. 
 " in the year 1 660, in the kingdom of Na- 
 " fles, after the eruption of the frey mountain 
 " Fefuvius'i of which prodigies the learned 
 " Kircherus has given an account in a par- 
 •' ticulai; Diatribe : for thefe crones were 
 " feen on linen-garments, as fhirts fleeves, 
 " women's aprons, that had* Iain open to the 
 " air, and upon the expofed parts of iheets ; 
 " which is the lefs to be admired, becaufe, 
 " as Kircher fairly guefles, the mineral va- 
 " pours were, by the texture that belongs 
 " to linen (which confiils of threads crof- 
 
 " fang 
 
126 Of Juliarts Attempt to rebuild 
 " fing one another, for the moft part, at or 
 " near right Angles) eafily determined to 
 " run along in aimoft ftraight lines, cTof- 
 " fing each other, and confequently to frame 
 " fpots refembling, fomeone, and fome an- 
 " other kind of crojfes. Thefe were ex- 
 " tremely numerous- in the feveral parts of 
 " the kingdom of Naples ; infomuch that 
 " the Jefuit, that fent the relation to Ki'r- 
 " cher, fays, that he himfelf found thirty 
 *' in one Altar-cloth, that fifteen were 
 " found «pon the fmock-fleeve of a woman, 
 " and that he reckoned eight in a bby*s 
 " band : alfo their colour and magnitude 
 ** were very unequal, and their figures dif- 
 "'crepant, as may appear by many pidures 
 " of them drawn by the Relator ; tBey would 
 " not wq/h out withjimple water, but requir- 
 " edfoap ; their duration was alfo unequal, 
 " fome lafting ten or fifteen days, and others 
 " longer y before they difappeared"." 
 
 I. The firft obfervation I fhall make on 
 this curious narrative, is, that thefe Vefimian 
 crojfes appear to have been imprefled only 
 on the garments, and not on the bodies : juft' 
 contrary to thofe, occafioned by the light- 
 ening at Wells ; which were on the bodies 
 ■^ Works pf Mr, %/f, in fol Vol. IV. p. 293. 
 
 and 
 
(he i^emple of Jerufalem, iiy 
 and not on the garments : while the Julian 
 croflies appeared on hotb. The Reader, 
 thei^foc?^ if he likes it, may fuppofe, with- 
 out any abfurdity, that in -the cafe at J^ra- 
 falem^thei croffes on the bodies were caufed 
 by the Lightening ; and the croffes on the 
 garments, by the eruption^ from the founda- 
 tions. . 
 
 2. The Fefuviatt croSks were extreme^ 
 numerous ; which agrees well with the re- 
 lations o£ Sozomene and I'heodoret ; the laft of 
 whom fays, their garments were filed with 
 tbeiQ. 
 
 3. These Vefuvian crofles were hardly to 
 be wafbed out : which exadtly agrees with 
 what Socrates and Rufinus tell of the fam^ 
 remarkable quality in the croffes at ferufa- 
 km, ,, 
 
 4. Lastly, we underfl:and,that the marks 
 offome of thefe were of confiderable dura- 
 tion ; as were thofe mentioned by Gregory 
 Nazianzene ; which, he fays, continued to 
 the time he wrote. 
 
 So much then for the contemporary Evi- 
 deiice. In the: next elafs are Rufinus, So- 
 crat£Sy,S^mene, and Theodoret. And all 
 they add 0/ miraculous to Gregorys relation, 
 are thefe two particulats, i. The Lighten- 
 
 n. ing. 
 
laS Of Julian's Aiiempi io rehuitd 
 ing^ or a fire fi'om heaven, meril^oia^d by 
 Socrates. And, 2. This other circum-' 
 fiance, told us by T^beodoret, that when fhey 
 began to dig the fomdatiom^, and carry out 
 the earth, an incredible numbef of people nvai 
 employed all day long upon the work. But in 
 the nighty the earth, thus taken out, return- 
 ed, of its own accord, from the 'ualley into 
 
 which it had been thrown "*. 
 
 •■1 
 
 The cafe of the LighteninghaXh been con- 
 fidered already, where it was brought in to 
 explain the nature of the Crojfes. And, on 
 that occafion, its clofe connexion with the 
 reft of the Phasnomena was examined and 
 explained. 
 
 What refls to be accounted for is only 
 the filing again of the foundations with 
 the earth that had been thrown out. And 
 this appears to be one of thofe natural e- 
 vents, which, when mens minds are pofTefled 
 with the idea of miracles (whether real or 
 imaginary) they are wont to explain into 
 
 " 'E7r« St. flgUTlav ^^^ttvlo xou rev Xfl^'" itipflf £iV, 
 
 St ^ouf fltuTo/xoiTwj xni T^y ^d^afyes i/.ilnli({o. EccL 
 Hift. L. iii. c. 20. 
 
 prodigies. 
 
the Temple of jferufaleni. 129 
 prodigies : of the fame nature and origine, 
 doubtie^, with that imagination in Gre- 
 gory, that when the crpud, which were tu^ 
 muituoufly breaking into the church, had 
 flopped up the paflage, they were kept 
 back by an invifible hand. For, take 
 the fad: as Theodoret relates it, that the 
 foundations were filled again ; and the val- 
 ley ^ into which the earth had been thrown, 
 was emptied j "VVas any thing more qfitural 
 than for an Earthquake to do both, if it 
 did any thing at all ? The ufual effed: it is 
 obferved to produce, being an entire altera- 
 tion in the face of things, fuch as the fil- 
 ling what is. empty, and the emptying what 
 is full, Cajiodorus, called the Senator 
 (who abridged the Tripartite Hijiory which 
 Epiphaniui Schola/iicuscampoihd out ofthofe 
 of Socrates, Sozomene, and Theodoret) fmooths 
 what looked too rugged in this miracle, by 
 the lightnefs and currency of hisexprefiion, 
 noSie vero fpontanea terra de "oalle crefeebdt ° ; 
 fuffering his reader to go eafily enough 
 into the folution here given : In fupport of 
 which it will be proper to obferve, that the 
 fhocks' of the Earthquake were repeated at 
 different times. Gregory, we fee, tells us 
 
 f L. vi. c. 43. 
 
 K of 
 
130 Of Jutian's Atternft to rUuild 
 of one which happened hy day, when the 
 labourers were driven for refuge to a neigh- 
 bouring church. On the dthfer hand, ''&- 
 crates as exprefly mentions one hy- night ° : 
 the very fame which Sozodehe fpeaks of 
 (as appears froin the iimilarityof the effects) 
 in thefe words, on the coming day, when they 
 were to begin with the foundation, a great 
 Earthquake happened p : Sozomene^s call: out . 
 Jiones from the foundation ; fo did that of So- 
 crates'^. It overtuyned a Porticp, and crufh- 
 ed to death feveical who were then abiding 
 in if; Apd this Theodoret exprefly fays 
 happened by nighty and to men afleep ^,, 
 
 The order, ot rather cafual difpofition 
 o^ Theodore fs relation, is this. The mira- 
 
 ° Ai» T?j vm£os c»iTfA,9i f^iyois iTriyivojAtvas- L. iii. 
 cap. 20. 
 
 f;/ASAAov wVoj/SsffSdM, (Tflo-jwov ytviff^ui [AiymVi L. V. 
 c. 22. 
 
 '^ AvsCf aiirg T»y Ai'Sif? t«ii TrosA^M flejttsAjoK t» v»S. 
 Socrati ' 
 
 Ai'Sou?. Sozom. 
 
 diriif^o, ^c. Sozom. 
 
 tvSay 
 
the Temple of "Jerufalem. , 13 1 
 culous fining again of tfee. foundations-^ the 
 difperfioivpf the lime ^jui; fand by tenipefts 
 — the ear thquake— -after » thati the erupt: ^n, 
 and then,? for a clofe,. the fall of the por- 
 tico. - 
 
 From hence I would obferve, 1. That, 
 though "Theodoret, by the turn of his expref- 
 lion, would feem to iniinviate, that the eruption 
 followed the earthquake veryfpeedily* j yet 
 \ve {tthySozomene, there was a confiderable 
 fpace between j fufBcient to clear again the 
 foundations from the ruin they hadfuffered". 
 Biit teft it fhould be faid (as it hath been 
 obferved there were fhocks of an earth- 
 quake at different times) this might be vjrhat 
 immediately preceeded that eruption, it will 
 be proper to take notice, that the refledlion 
 Theodoret makes upon it is the very Tame 
 
 TO oUtSefAnifjix' TOvs ii xo(9eu'JovI«y aWi%oiffi\> »iTei\\'oii. 
 Theodor. 
 
 * n^aiTov jwsf fftiffios iyivela (*iyi?0( — tTtuSvi is j?k 
 iSiiff»v, ?ru^ CK TMv o'^uoLTOjuEvftiv Btf/tf\ltDv oM »S ^oty-an t 
 i^c. Thcodor. 
 
 i^yoM Of TrtgiAet^Uvlii — ?r«A<v dvijvvlx icansSa^ov. 
 Ao'yof Sfv ufAoc n to JsJtSfov eys;;^«jay tw e^yw, km 
 jrv^, ^c> Sozom. 
 
 K 2 with 
 
132 ^f yuh^'s Attempt to reBuild 
 with, and, indeed, appears to be borrowed 
 from, what Socrates makes on the earth- 
 quake, which he exprefly fays happened by 
 night \ Now, between this, and the erup- 
 tion, he tells us, there was time fufficient 
 for many to come out of the country to 
 yerufalemy whither the fame of the earth- 
 quake had brought them''. Bnt Theodore f s 
 own expreffion help's us to afcertain the 
 thing. He fays, the fire broke out, i;c 
 ray o^uaao[A,svwvd£[JC£?iiuv, from the foun- 
 dations which were ready, dug, in order to be 
 built upon ; which fuppofes what Sozomene 
 fays to be true, that there was time to re- 
 pair the diforders which that fhock of the 
 earthquake had occafioned. 
 
 And thus Cajfiodorus underftood him. 
 For, fpeaking, as we obfferved above, of this 
 miraculous return of the earth, he fays, 
 eniery thing was prepared anew '. 
 
 ^ Aeoj S\ h tS y£\io(A,ivi! laSotiai «,iArih.aCi. , Socrat, 
 
 iTthYi^tv. Theodor. 
 
 y Kcu (puf*)) ett) toV toVov iiyi xou tssV Tcif^ca Stot,- 
 yovloii, TTx^ivlaiv »v eipiS^at ttoKKuv, ire^av rs^aVjo* 
 tTciylvilcu. wuf y»^i ^c. Socrat. 
 
 * No<9:e vero fpontanea terra de valle crefcebaf. 
 Solutis itaque prioris etiam fundamenti reliquiis, nova 
 omnia prxparabant. L. vi, c. 43 
 
 4 ' , By 
 
the Temple ofyerufalem. 133 
 
 By tf^is time the Reader begins to fee 
 day, through the thick confufion of Theo- 
 doret's cjoud of circurrtftances : in which, 
 his addition of the wonderful, in filling 
 again the works, amounts only to this, that 
 an Earthqiiake, in the night, tumbled 
 Ibme earth into the foundations ; and forced 
 fome out from a valley into which it had 
 been thrown. 
 
 The disjointed parts in Gregory, Socra- 
 tes, and Sozomene, and which are ftill fur- 
 ther diftorted by Theodoret, the Latin Hi- 
 ilorian Rufinus fairly reduces to their place. 
 " Behold, (fays he) in the night, the laft that 
 " preceded the day for laying the founda- 
 " tion, a prodigious earthquake arifes, by 
 " which, not only #ie ftones of the foun- 
 " dations are caft abroad and difperfed, but 
 *' alrhoft all the edifices, that were about the 
 " place, are thrown down and levelled. 
 " Public Porticos alfo, in which a great 
 " multitude of Jenos, who were obferved 
 " to pufh on the work with moft vigour, 
 " had their abode, being thrown down, 
 " bury all that are found under, them in 
 K^ 3 "their 
 
1^4 Q/" JuUans Attempt to ' rebuild 
 " their rulpsf." Thus Rufinus, hf fairly 
 putting together the feveral parts of one 
 event, has fKqwn, that levelling the gfopncJ, 
 and overthrow^ing the porticos, v^rere the 
 fimple confequences of the earthquake : 
 -while T^heodQret, by disjointing them, and 
 delivering the eflfefts feparately, and with- 
 out their common caufe, has mdde two 
 miracles out of one natural event. 
 
 The Reader now fees what the Fathers 
 have tp fay on the ocqafion. He has had 
 thpir teftimony laid at large before hini. 
 Let us flop a moment then, and caft a gC:- 
 neral eye upon the whole. I perfuade rhy-. 
 felf we fball fee fuch a concurrence and 
 confiflengy in the accounts of the two par- 
 ties J fo perfedt an agreement between the 
 Pagan teftittiony, and the^;^clafs of Chrift- 
 ian writers ; fo clofe a dependency be- 
 twfien thefe and they^'cWclafs j and fuch 
 
 . * Epce, Nodje, quae ad inciplejidutn opus jam fola 
 r^f|abat, Terrae motus ingens oboritur, et non folum 
 fundamentorutn faxa longeque lateque jadtantur, verum 
 ctiatri totius pene loci aedificia complanantur. Porticus 
 quoque publicse, in quibus Judasorum multitude, quse 
 operi videbatur infiftere, commanebat, ad folyf^ jde- 
 dpiftge, omnes Judaeos, qyi reperti funt, oppreffere. 
 h- X- e. 37, fsff, 
 
tbe Tei^pje oj ^erufakj^ . 135 
 a conoedion an^^ enchainment of one fadt 
 to another, throughout the whole, as will 
 force the moft , bacKway d to confefs^ thaf 
 the hand of Czod was of a truth iij this wonr 
 derful defeat. 
 
 Ammianm MarCtllinus, yuiidn, and 
 Ambroji^ fpeak fimply of the firey erup- 
 tion J Gbryfojiome goes one ftep further, 
 and telljs us of its fataj effedts. Gregory 
 enters more minutely into the affair: Ke 
 lifiiers jit in with what is always foUnd to be 
 the preciirfors of this dreadful judgment. 
 Storms and Earthquakes : and clofes the 
 fcene with two meteoric Phenomena, like- 
 ly enough to fucceed it, though not fo 
 much indeed in the "ti^ay of common ob- 
 fervation. 
 
 The following^ writers, R^ntis, ISocra- 
 tes^ Soiz&mene, and %heodoret, add little ,to 
 thefe relations. But the manner in which 
 they tell their ftory, at the fame time that it 
 confirms, and explains the accounts of thbfe 
 who went before, proves they are not mere- 
 ly tranfcribers from their predeceifors ; at 
 ieaft not from fuch of them as now remain j 
 which amounts to the fam;e as if they them- 
 ielves were original. 
 
 K ^ Thus, 
 
136 Of Julim's Attempt to rebuUd 
 
 Thus, for inftance, Gregory ^^ indeed, 
 mentions the Crojs upon the Garments j 
 but it is to .Socm/f J only, wfio fp'eaks of 
 the lightening^ that we owe the Icnowledge 
 of the caufe. 
 
 So again, Gregory calls them lucid crof- 
 fes ; but we are indebted to Rufinus^ Socra- 
 tes, and I'heodoref, for the difcovery of 
 their fpecific nature j who tell us, that they 
 fhone by night, were dark-coloured by 
 day, and could not eafily be waftied out. 
 
 This will lead us to obferve another 
 mark of truth in thefe relations ; That the 
 moft wonderful circumftances, fuch as the 
 qualities of thefe Croffes, and the lucid cir- 
 cle round the aerial crofs (circumftances 
 which might feem to be made at pleafiire 
 for the fake of the Marvellous) prove to be 
 the very qualities which belong phyfically 
 to their feveral natures. 
 
 Nay, where their prepoffeffions had 
 led them to find Prodigies in accidents 
 the moft common ; as where Gregory a- 
 fcribes the impediment to enter the Church 
 doors to an invifible hand ; and theodorety 
 the filling up the foundations, to be the re* 
 
 turn 
 
the lempk of Jerufalem. ^ 137 
 turn of the fame earth back to its poft j 
 they have themfelves honeftly recorded thofe 
 very fa5is which enable us to redlify 
 their miftakes : Thus the cpnfujion of the 
 croud, which Gregory mentions, when 
 they were endeavouring tumultuoufly to 
 force their way, very naturally accounts for 
 the, impediment : . and the Earthquake, T'he- 
 odoret fpeaks of, could hot but produce that 
 new face in the foundations, which he took 
 to be miraculous. 
 
 Once more. The Fathers indeed re- 
 cord many dreadful circuiliftances ; but 
 then none of them prove falfe terrors. If 
 there vfQVQjlorms and tempejls, they do their 
 work ; the fand and lime are difperfed. 
 When the Lightening fallSj the tools and 
 inftruments of building are confumed and 
 melted. The Earthquake overthrows por- 
 ticos. Thefirey eruption tears in pieces th6 
 foundations : and not one of .thefe attacks 
 upon Impiety, but what difperfes, maims, 
 or deftroys the affembled workmen, and 
 their Abettors. After this too we are told, 
 the various efFeds it had upon the minds of 
 all, how differently foever interefted. This 
 IS of more im'portancfe than appears at firft 
 
 iight. 
 
138 Of' JuUaris Attempt f'o '■ rebuild 
 fight. Invention and fable JS not, wont ito 
 go thus far. It may tell us of appearances ; 
 but it will never venture, to fpeak of effeSis, 
 which the hearer could immediately dif- 
 prove. That which has a. fairy entrance, 
 has a fairy exit. ; Here the effeds are men- 
 tioned that the truth may be examined* 
 Chryfojiome adlually appeals, for the reality of 
 the eruption, to the fight of the burnt and 
 fhattered foundations, and to the maimed 
 and fcorched furvivors amorigfl: the work- 
 men. And they all of them might have 
 appealed, for the reality of the Jiorms and 
 lightening (which difperfed the lighter ma- 
 terials,, ^a^^d, CQj;^f}X|i[jed:ithe heavier, together 
 \yith th^, tp,oIs and inftruments of work) 
 tp the conduti of Julian and. Alypius. For, 
 ^y^la,t other poflible reafpi^ can be affigned, 
 not for .deferring, but for giving up the 
 wlj,9le enterprize ^\ 
 
 Having now difcourfed fo largely on the 
 fevera:l circumftances of this event, and yet 
 
 •" njfOt/oS-aa-fljv ti Kct) lovioiTai kx) ''E^A;^v£f, 4f*tli' 
 Aw TO i^yav Kxl»\imvlt(. Soz. L, v. c. 22. Km ««'«» 
 ['I»Ai«K)v] KfliJ T»V 'lovJaifluj «J y^divpi dixvi- 
 y^Mietv x»l «iV;^u»)jy««7ts-gs(J/«v7o. Ehiloft. Hift. EpcJ. 
 L. y^j. e.g." 
 
 (by 
 
the Tmf^ of yerufalm. 139 
 
 (By re^fon of the^^t^r^o^/^/ mention of thfem) 
 not Kavitig teen able to preferve the ordfcr la 
 which they happened ; it iiiay tend to fup- 
 pOrt, or at leaft to illtiftrate, what hath been 
 already faid, if we give a general view of 
 them iri one continued and connedted rela- 
 tion. . . 
 
 . And here our principal Guide willbe the 
 nc^tjtre, . of the Fhammena t for though the 
 Chriftian Writers will not be ufelefs^ yet 
 theij: perpetual viqlation Oif the order of 
 time, makes it neceffary to regulate their 
 accounts on the reafon of things. 
 
 In excufe of their conddft, fomethingis 
 to be afcribbd to the litefary genius of thofe 
 times, which was inaccurate and immethodi- 
 cal; fomething to the nature of their evidence, 
 coUedled from difcoiirf^s, where the men- 
 tion of this illuftrious event is only brought 
 in to fupport fome particular point of doc- 
 trine or morality then in queftion^j but the 
 principal fource of their n€gle6t of order, was 
 a falfe perfuafion that every circumflance 
 was miraculous, and gut of nature. This 
 hiadered them from inquiring into the order 
 of time, and would h^ve prevented thpm 
 from finding it, had they been difpofed to 
 I inquire. 
 
140 Of Julian's Attempt to rebpi^d 
 inquire. Befides, the confujion of time fup- 
 ported their fyfiem of the Miraculous, by 
 feparating the caujes from the effeBs : and 
 the regulation. of it would have loolced like 
 an impiety, as, feeking.fpr that in nature 
 who|e, fource was only in God. This too 
 will account why the fault was not reform- 
 ed by the Hiflorians who followed the ori- 
 ginal evidence j and whofe biafinefs it was 
 to reduce, to order, the confufion in the 
 occafional works of their predeceiTors. How- 
 ever, whether the miracles hoczme cafu^lly 
 multiplied by a ijeglcdl of chronology, or 
 that they purppfely negled:ed it, in order 
 to multiply them ; Yet multiplied ^hey were j 
 as we have (hewn, in our inquiry into the 
 nature of theclrcumftances. And nothing can 
 betterfupport the truth of the reduStion arifing 
 from this Inquiry, than the placing each cir- 
 cumftance in the order in which it happen- 
 ed. This we fhall now endeavour to do. 
 
 1. The firft figns the Almighty gave of 
 his approaching judgment, were the forms, 
 tempefs, and whirlwinds. For the incumb- 
 ent air could not but be affedled with the 
 ferment, at that time working in the earth, 
 and exfuding through its pores. Thefe in- 
 
 ftruments 
 
the Temple of JerufaJem,. 141 
 ftruments of vengeance performed their of- 
 fice, in the difperfion of the loofe materi^s*. 
 
 2. After thefe followed the Lighteningy 
 the ufual confequence of the clafti and colli- 
 fion of clouds, driven forcibly together by 
 ftorms and tempefts. The effeds this pro- 
 duced were, Jirfi, deftroying the more folid 
 materials, and melting down the iron in- 
 ftruments "^ : and fe'Cmdly, imprefling that 
 prodigious mark on the bodies and garments 
 of the affiftants. For what Socrates fays is 
 remjffkabk, that the night after (for this 
 Ughening, by his account, was in the day) 
 the fhining croffes appeared upon their gar- 
 ments «: which was as foon as they could 
 
 cwSfi^oiaxv fjtv^ioiioti, i^xirlimis u^nfjiu ^leuat uviv 
 eotvlii, is»eas «&go'«i iffKiSueacv, Thepd. Hift. Eccl. 
 L. iii. c. ao. 
 
 "^ nCrj j/«j s| 'OTPANOr y.oc'oi.sv.^civ^ uolvlx t» 
 tm iiKoSiftm l^yxKiim iii<p^et^cv. r\v ySv thtu vVa 
 Tifj (pAoj/Of «VoAAujM£v«j T«f <r(f'uf «f, Tasf yKx^iSdit 
 TsV si^UvoLft TSJf ar£Aex£jf, ra (rKSir«fv«, aravl* »- 
 
 Socraf. L. iii, c. 20. 
 
 * Km yx^ rp If JC"/*^ "P '"'xtI, c^ooLytSii; $x\>(i 
 
 vijcoiv. L. iii. c. 20. 
 
 appear, 
 
142 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 
 appear, with that eclat. But it may not be im- 
 proper to obferve, that. Rufimis feems tp have 
 mixed together the firefrom heaven and'the 
 fire from the earth V for he gives all the 
 efFedts of hoth fires, mentioned by others, 
 to the fijigle one he himfelf fpeaks of K 
 
 3. The Earthquake came next : which, 
 Socrates {ays, happened in the night ^ ; that 
 night, in which the marks upon the gar- 
 ments were firft obferved. Its effedls were 
 thefe. It caft out the ftones of the old found- 
 ations (which gave occafion to a remark, 
 that the prophecy of y^i was now literally 
 fulfilled) it fhook the earth into the new- 
 dug foundation (of which 'Theodoret, we fee, 
 made a miracle) and it overthrew the ad- 
 joining buildings and porticos. 
 
 ^ ^des erat quaEdam in qua ferramenta alia- 
 
 que bperi ~ neceflaria fervabantur ; e qua fubito globus 
 quidam ignis enifcuit, et par medium platese percur- 
 rens, aduftls et exterminatis qui aderant Judaeis, ultra 
 citraque ferebatur. Hoc iterum fepiufque et frequen- 
 tiffime per totuiii ilium diem repetens, pertinacis popu- , 
 litemeritatem flammis ultricibus coercebat — infequen- 
 ti nofle in veftimentis omnium fignaculum crucis-, i^c. 
 L. X, c. 37. 
 
 EKflM J'<«! TJif NuxTDt (r«(rji*o? [*iyeis imywo/ieviSf 
 dviS^Xffi Tssj Ai'^Kf Twv weiheu S'tjAiKiav, is'f. L. iii. 
 C. 20. 
 
 4- 
 
V • /ife ' Temple of Jerufalem. 1 43 
 
 4. Then followed the Jirey eruption^, 
 which deftrbyeS' and maimed fo many of 
 the workmen arid afliffants ; and at length 
 forced the undertakers to give over the at- 
 tempt as defperate '. But it is to be obferv- 
 ed, that this eruption was attended both 
 whhjiorms and tempejli above, and with an 
 earthquake below ''. This Gregory, an ori- 
 ginal evidence, directly affirms j and it is 
 altogether confonant to the nature of things. 
 An earthqvjake could not but immediately 
 preceed fo violent an eruption ; and it is 
 highly probable^ that this tumult commu- 
 nicated itfelf to the neighbouring air. 
 
 I MENTION this, becaufe it contributed 
 to the embarras we find in the accoiints of 
 
 sToAAsf dyif^uirs' j^ tSra srgoV u»vim aVswf Asj'S- 
 Tcu Tf Kf ziriiriutTnu, Kf Br«j' ss'Jsvof »ijKpiGdh!\.ilt!u' 
 Sozom. L. V. c 22. 
 
 ' Tmjtm oi MVTiOfat d'{aes'«CjU£voi, ^ rets diyiKotrm 
 [ji,et,fiyag offutiticavliSf dviS^affa,* ts j^ t» oUeiei x«I- 
 lAaEflv. Theodor. L.iii. c. 20. 
 
 *^ '£li Jg uVp dy^ias KouKdTtos, km 3^«irji*K yi!s 
 K(pvuffvvi3\.ei6ivlis iTfl T»T«v zsKftckv li^m — ot< |3<«^o- 
 Ijiivisi (Wtif MU <PthoietiiSvroi( ist^) rijy HffiSiVf wvg 
 i?y,(revy l^c. Greg. Naz. Orat. ix. 
 
 the 
 
144 Of J^iian^ Attempt to rebuild 
 the evidence ; fome of whom have con- 
 founded this latter florm and earthquake 
 with the former. Another obfervation I 
 would make, is, that, according to Ammia- 
 nus MarcelUnm, the fits of the firey eruption 
 continued longer than the Chriftian writers 
 reprefent the matter. Thofe of them who 
 fay the moft, feeming to confine the erup- 
 tions to one day ', if we except the abridged 
 account of Philojtorgius^ which intimates, 
 they continued as long as any one attempt- 
 ed to go on with the enterprize *" : and 
 they would hardly defift for the impedi- 
 ment of a fingle day. It is abfurd to fuppofe 
 they did : and Ammiams's words clearly im- 
 ply they did not " : confequently the erup- 
 tion lafted much longer ; and continued to 
 be repeated as often as the projectors began 
 
 EwJvsjWsJo fAit iv rxorci to jsruj, ii oAijs t»j? ij^l- 
 ^«f. Socrat. L. iii. c. xx. Hoc iterum faepiufque et 
 frequentiffime per totam illam diem repetens,. pertinacis 
 populi temeritatem flammis ultricibus coercebat. 
 
 "" Tkto i*h yei^, wuf iviviiAilo t^s l^yd^tS-eti toA.- 
 pSvIW T«TO ii, ceis^fAos himwiv. Philoft. Hift.Eccl. 
 L. vii. c. 9. 
 
 ^ Metuendi globi fl^tnmarum prope fundafflenta cre- 
 bris affultibus erumpentes, fecer^ locum exuftis aliqtta- 
 lies operantibus inaccefliim : hocque modo elemento 
 dsjlinatius repellente, cejfavit inceptvim. L. xxiii. c. i- 
 
 to 
 
the 'temple of yerufalem. 145 
 
 to renew the attempt, till it had fairly tired 
 them out. This, the reader will find, is 
 of importance to eftablifh the divine in- 
 terpofition. Yet the Fathers are fo impa- 
 tient to be at their favorite miracleSj the Crojfei 
 in the Sky, and on the Garments^ that the/ 
 flip negligently over what ought principally 
 to have been infifted on, the Firey erup- 
 tion $ and leave what was truly miracu- 
 lous, to run after an imaginary prodigy. The 
 great St, Chryfoftome, indeed, muft be ex- 
 cepted out of this cenfure. He would not 
 fuffer the change to be put Upon him j but 
 judicioufly lays the ftrefs lipon that which 
 would bear it. * 
 
 5. THElaft appearapce was tf >^a</ Crp/i 
 in the keamens, circumfeni>ed nvithin a lumi- 
 nous circle. Nature, put fo fuddenly into 
 commotion by its Creator, was, on . the 
 defpairand difperfion of his enemies, as fud- 
 denly calmed and compofed. And then 
 appeared, in the yet clouded firmament, 
 this noble phenomenon in a lunar halo. And 
 what could be conceived more proper toclofe 
 fo tremendous a Scene, or to celebrate fo de- 
 cifive a Vidory, than the Cross triumphant, 
 
 L incircled 
 
H6 Of Julian's Ai tempi io rebuild 
 incircled with the heroic Symbol of con* 
 queft. 
 
 The Order here given to the iev&C2i\ parti 
 of this event, is further fupported by Mar- 
 cellinus\ narrative of that parallel difafter, at 
 Nic'omedia ; which, we have already em- 
 ployed, and more than once, tho' for differ- 
 ent pQrpbfes, to illuftrate the fadl in quef- 
 tion. And it is remarkable, the Roman Hif- 
 torian not only records the fame circum- 
 ftances, but afligns, to each of them, the 
 fame order of time. i. It began wiihjlorms 
 and tempejls. " Concreti nubium globi ni- 
 " grantium" &c. I. Then followed the 
 lightening. " Dein vielut numine fummo fa- 
 *' tales torquente manubias" &c. 3. Then 
 the Earthquake. " Horrifico tremore terra- 
 " riim, civitatem&fuburbanafunditusever- 
 " terunt." 4. And \2tSt\j iAxe firey eruption. 
 " Palantes abrupfe flammarum ardores" &c. 
 
 The order, fo carefully preferved' by 
 Marcellinus, at Nicomedia, is, we fee, to- 
 tally neglecSed by the Chriftian Hiftorians, 
 at Jerufalemi. And what; but this could 
 fuggeft fo different a condudl ? . He r^ated 
 what he rightly . underflood to be in the 
 
 whole. 
 
the Temple ^ "J eriifalem., 747 
 ^ole, a natural event i They, what they 
 falfely conceived to be, in every parf^ mira- 
 culous. 
 
 To conclude this head, ,let me obferve. 
 That, in an aggrejgatf concurrent evidence, 
 t minute uniformity on the one hand, or 
 a real inconjijlency on the other, equally tend 
 to the difcjredit of the fad in queftion. In 
 the fir ft cafe, we juftly fiifpedt the Ei^idence 
 to be concerted ; in the latter, the Fa6i to be 
 ill founded. Becaufe, where men relate what 
 they receive f^om one common Objedt, their 
 accounts muft be as various as the variety 
 of the feveral recipients ; which is juft fo 
 much 33 to gxve?i different colouring to ^he 
 fame Things, not to alter she Things them- 
 selves. . When we iee, therefore, the mi- 
 nuteft uniformity in the colouring, we con- 
 clude them not be Originals, who fairly re- 
 prefent fronl nature, but Copyifts, in con- 
 cert, from one another. And where, again, 
 that cofhmon Objeft, from which men re- 
 ceive their intelligence, is real, tfiere, their 
 accounts can admit of no inconfiftehcy, be- 
 taufe the nature of things is invariable. But 
 if this obje<9: be the creature of the imagina- 
 tion, begot byHihe difordered paffions, which 
 " L 2 are 
 
148 Of Julian's Attempt to reBuild 
 are always changing, the teftimony of the 
 deluded obfervers will never be fecure from 
 contradidion. 
 
 Now tiie Chrijlian 'tejiimony which we 
 have examined, on this occafion, appears to 
 be entirely free from both thefe fufpicious 
 circumftances. They tell it, indeed, in the 
 whole, variouily j but with a perfedl con- 
 fiftence of all its parts. They fhew, by 
 this, they wrote neither in concert, nor at 
 random j but drew from one common ob- 
 jeft, and an objedt that was real. 
 
 Having explaineipl the general caufe of 
 that variety, in concurrent evidence, which 
 moft eftabliihes its credit ; it may be pro- 
 per to consider, the peculiar caufe, in the 
 Evidence in queflion. 
 
 Where a notorious Fadt confifts of 
 many circumftances, the obfervers, accord- 
 ing to their different tempers and difpofi- 
 tions, will be differently affedled. Some 
 will be ftruck with this circumflance, fome 
 with that. Hence one man will fpeak of 
 a caufe without its effed : Another, of the 
 cffed: without the caufe. T'his relator will 
 run two circumftances into one j 1'hat will 
 
 fplit 
 
th^ 'Temfie of Jerufakm. 149 
 
 fplit one inter two. And if, ofthefecir- 
 cumftances, there are fome not rightly un- 
 derftood, the order of time will be negledl- 
 ed: and, from that neglect, another em- 
 barras, in the evidence, will arife, a dif- 
 ferent order affigned by; different Writers to 
 the fame circumflance. 
 
 Lastly, let me obferve, it is not every 
 appearance, neither, of a concerted agree- 
 ment, or irreconciled contradiSiion, that 
 fhould make us lightly rejed: a Teftimony 
 of (otherwife) eftablifhed credit. A lingle 
 circumftance, in the event before us, will 
 fhew how eafily, in either cafe, we may be 
 betrayed into a wrong judgment. Nazian- 
 zen, Rufinus, Socram, Sozomene, Hheodoret, 
 are fo exad:, and in lb perfedt agreement, 
 about the Crofi upon the garments (while 
 each, in 'his turn, overlooks more material 
 circumftances) that if we take it in the light 
 they place it, of a great and amazing prodigy, 
 we ihould be apt to fufpedt it only a ftudied 
 ornament to their relation. Yet the find- 
 ing, on examination, that the properties, 
 they afSgn tothefe croifes, lead to the dif- 
 covery of their real nature, this entirely ac- 
 quits them of invention. Again, what 
 
 L 4 on 
 
150 Of JuHatzs Attempt to retiiild 
 on the other hand, has a ftronger appear- 
 ance of contr-adiBiott tfian one of them 
 affirming, that thefe croffes v^crcJJming and 
 radiqted ■^zndi another, that they vfexefom- 
 brous and dark coloured f Yet this apparent 
 contradidlion affifls us in the difcoVery of 
 One of their phyfical properties j and that 
 difeovery helps us to reconcile th,e contra- 
 didljon ; as we find they were black by 
 day, and lucid by night. 
 
 I CHOSE to let this iingle circumftanpe 
 fupply me with the two inftances of the 
 contrary qualjties, which equally render 
 a concurrent evidence fufpicious ; becaufe,in 
 fadt, thefe contrary qualities frequently ex- 
 ift together, in the teflimony oi falfe Wit- 
 nejfes. 
 
 We conie now, in the laft place, to 
 that refufe of evidence, which we threw 
 together as of no account ; Philoflergius, 
 T'heophanes, Orofius, Nicephorm, Zonaras, Ce- 
 dt-enus, and their fellows. Thefe men have 
 only the language of others, without any 
 fenfe of their own ; fave, that like imper- 
 tinent Players, they, fometimes, prefume to 
 add their own inventions to their Author ■« 
 
 conceits i 
 
the Tenipk of Jerit/alem, 151 
 conceits ; but no body is mifled, for they 
 always bear about them the marks of re- 
 probation. Thus Fhihfiorgim and 'Hheo-- 
 phanes clap on a couple of fenfelefs lies, to 
 the well compofed relation of their prede- 
 ceflbrs j which flick outunfightly, like wens 
 in a fair proportioned body, that can never be 
 miftaken for its natural members. 
 
 ' The firft of them tells a ftory (which 
 Nicephorus has repeated) of a certain cave 
 laid open by the workmen in digging, in 
 which was found the Goipel of St. John^ 
 miraculbufly preferved °. As this was ap- 
 parently invented in favour of the religion 
 of r cliques J I fhall deliver it up to the Inqui- 
 fition of Dr. Middleion. 
 
 THEOPHJNES's tale is fomething 
 more fubftantial. He affirms, that the 
 marks of the Crofs were not only found at 
 Jerufalem, but at jdntioch, and other cities: 
 
 tuv Kl^m Of Ttjv i(r;^«Tijv K^tiirlix ril»fi*ivci>v ic(vt)9«V, 
 fopitav «vT§!f Tiv@' WflSg4J«|jv, hei^yutfiiv}^ tij 
 Ttir^<ft &c. — 'Evcvf^dyu f ^i^lI ti«) — y rw X^^"^ 
 <&i|JSifj6«» .dje/net ^iQaIoy ewrf ShuLfi^iivoi. Hift. 
 feci. 1, yii/c. 14. 
 
 L 4 wher€ 
 
152 Of Julian's Attempt^ to rebuild 
 where they appeared upon the coverings of 
 the ahars, on the Church books, and f^cred 
 veftmentsP. Well fare T'heophanes, for a 
 pundtual relator. I fancy Philojiorgius would 
 have been puzzled to produce his miracu-^ 
 lous Go/pel: Yet, I make no queftion, T/^^o- 
 fhanes knew where to find enough of his 
 manufafture of the Crofs, to fave him frovcx 
 blufhing, had he been of fo weak a com- 
 plexion. 
 
 The Reader has now the whole of the 
 Church-evidence laid before him. It has 
 been largely and minutely examined ; and, 
 I prefume, fo fully explained and vindicate 
 ed, as to make it needlefs to take notice of 
 any particular Writer, who hath objeiSted 
 to it. 
 
 Yet the pbfervations of M.James Bas-^ 
 N AGE, on this colledtive evidence, are fo 
 very extraordinary, that it would be wrong 
 to pafs over in filence the cenfure of one 
 
 i/cov ifjjj ^iQ^oii )(^ «AAoif iS^yifAcufi rm 'EitxAjjiriaiv, 
 
 i(^ ill i/jictlloig is fiovov K^^iavuv, »AA.« jy-^ luSoum 
 
 ivtiro'l.a^i IB ffyjy,iiov tS s'ium^Sj a fxitav iv Ie§0(roA.vftoi? 
 
 dKhet i^jj b> 'Aylio^e-'ix y^ aK^ofti zaoKiirt. Chronog, 
 
 P- 44- 
 
 ^hofe 
 
the Trnphof Jerufahm. 153 
 
 ♦-• 
 
 whofe Charaftei-'is fo very high in the learn- 
 ed world, thoiigh a great part of his objec- 
 tions hath been already obviated. 
 
 This, very learned man, whofe exadnefs, 
 candqr, and ftrength of reafqning have ad- 
 vanced him to the firft rank io letters, hath, 
 amongft his other excellent labours, enrich- 
 ed the public with ^JUfiory of the Jews , from 
 the beginnipgof the Chriftian iEra, down to 
 the prefent times ; compofed in a judicious 
 method, interfperfed with curious difquifi- 
 tions, and abounding in good learning of 
 every kind. 
 
 In the fixth Book of this work, 1^ gives 
 us, what he calls, an E^^ainatkn of thofe 
 miracles -which defeated Julian's attempt^ to 
 rebuild the Temple : where, to fpeak freely, 
 I find not one of thofe qualities, which have 
 rendered him fo defervedly famous aimongft 
 the Proteftant churches. 
 
 After having told us what fhare Julian 
 had in the Attempt, and how eafily he 
 brought the Jews into his meafures, he 
 goes on p. this manner. 
 
154 Q/' J Lilian's Attempt to rebuild 
 . ' " It k faid, that Go(l hindered the build-^ 
 " ing of the Temple, by three fucceeding 
 " miracles. Three ancient Hiftorians, S6- 
 ** CRATES, SozoMENE, and Theodoret, 
 " unanimoufly relate thefe fadts. And as 
 " to Sozomene, in particular, who is appre- 
 
 q On dit que Dieu I'empecha par trois miracles con- 
 feeutifs. Trois Hiftoriehs anciens, Socrate, Sozomene, 
 & Theodoret, raportent unanimement ces fails. ■ Sozo- 
 mene meme, qui a peur que quelques incredules rle les 
 regardent . comme fabuleux, renvoje ces incredules a la 
 depofition des temoins oculaires, qui vivoient encore 
 lors qu'il ecrivoit. Le premier de ce? miracles fut un 
 Tremblement de terre, qui arri valors qu'onnettoioit les 
 fondemens de I'ancien Temple pour en jetter des nou- 
 veauxs et ce tremblement de terre renverfa les mate- 
 riaux. II y a deux variations fur ce premier miracle ; 
 car Theodoret lefait preceder de je ne fai quelle vertu 
 divine, qui .raportpit la nuit ks anciens materiaux &ks 
 ordures qu'on avoit otees, ^ en fuite d'un vent rnira- 
 culeux, quidiffipa^ les pierres, quoi qu'on eut jette def- 
 fus une prodigieufe quantite de chaux et de ciment 
 pour les afFermir. Secondement, Sozomene fait mourir 
 par ce tremblement de terre un grand nombre de per- 
 fumes, qui etoient venues la en qualite d'ouvriers, ou 
 de fpeftateurs, et qui furent ccrafees fous les ruines des 
 maifons voifines et des porches, fous lefquels ils s'etoi- 
 cnt retifez. Le fecond miracle fut un Feu, qui fortant 
 des fondemens qu'on venoit de pofer, confuma une 
 partie des Ouvriers, et mit le refte en fuite ; I'un fajt 
 defcendre ce feu du ciel, et les deux autres le font for- 
 
 " henfive 
 
the 'ttmpk af JerufaUm. 155 
 
 *' henlive, there might be certain tinbeliev- 
 *' erSj who would give no credit to themi 
 " he fends fuch to the depofitions of thoft 
 " who had been eye-witnefleSj and were 
 " yet living when he wrote his hiftory. 
 
 tir de terre. Socrate le fait durer un Jour entier pour 
 confumer les hpiaux, les peles, et tous les inftrumens 
 deftinez a I'ouvrfige. Sozomene raporte avec quelque 
 incertitude la mart des quvriers. II marque meoiequ'oin 
 varioit un peu ; les uns aflurent que le feu les avdt 
 confumez, lors qu'ils avoient voulu entrer dans le Tem- 
 ple ; c.e qui etoit impertinent, puis que les fondemens 
 etoient a peine achevez ; & les autres foutenoient 
 que cela etoit arrive, lors qu'on commen^a a remuer 
 la terre, et a la tranfporter. U y a une quatrieme va- 
 riation fur ce miracle j car on ajoute que les Juifs 
 reconurent malgre eux que J. Christ etoit Dieu, 
 et qu'ils ne laiflerent pas de perfeverer dans leur en- 
 treprifej ce qui eft contradiftoire. Maift il n'im- 
 porte : leur fermete domia lieu a un troifieme pro- 
 dige. Car ils s'apergurent le matin qu'il y avoit 
 un grand nombre d'etoiles raionnantes femees fur 
 leurs habits, qu'ils voulurent eflacer fans' pouvoir y 
 reiifiir. Sozomene y ajoute des etoiles qui etoient fai- 
 tes avec autant d'art, que fi elles y avoient ete mifes 
 par la niain de I'ouvrier. Theodoret s'ecarte un peuj 
 car au lieu d'etoiles raionnantes il en met de noires, 
 ce qui reprefentoit mieux le crime & le fuplice des 
 Juifs, et a meme tems il en fait ecrafer plufieurs qui 
 etoient endormis fous un Porche. Mais la grande va^ 
 liation xoule fur I'effet de ce troifieme miracle,- car 
 
 " The 
 
156 Of Juliatis Attempt to rebuild 
 
 " The J%? of thefe miracles was an 
 " Earthquake, which happened at the 
 " time they were clearing the old fdunda- 
 
 les uns affurent que les Juifs fe retirerent chez eux 
 auffi endurcis que s'ils n'avoient rien vu.. Mais les 
 deux autres ^retendent que la plapart fe firent Chre- 
 tiens, et que le bruit de leur converfion alia jufqu' 
 aux oreilles de I'Empereur JulieH. Nous avons crii 
 devoir remarquer ces difFerentes circonftances, a fin 
 qu'on puifle mieux peftr la verite de ce recit. Les uns 
 trouveront quelque plaifir a multiplier le norhbre de 
 ces miracles, comme Theodoret, et y ajputer meme 
 Ce que les Ecrivains modernes en ont dit. Mais il eft 
 jufte que les autres y trouvent auffi les raifons qu'on 
 pent avoir de fufpendre fa foi, J'ajouterai feulement 
 deux chofes. L'une, que la preuve que Sozomene al- 
 legue pour montrer la verite de ce qu'il avance, eft tres 
 foible. II en appelle a I'evinement, & foutient qu'on 
 nc peut plus douter de cette longue fuite de miracles, 
 parce que le Temple ne fut point aqheve. Mais cet 
 Hiftorien avoit-il oublie que la permiffion ne fut donnee 
 aux Juifs, que lors que Julien partoit pour fon expedi- 
 tion cbntre les Perfes, dans laquelle il fut tue, & qu* 
 ainfi on n'avoit pas befoin de tant de miracles pour 
 empecher la ftrudure d'un edifice ? L'opofition des 
 Chretiens, qui profiterent de I'eloignement du Prince, 
 fa mort, et I'elevation de Jovien, enemi des Juifs, fuf- 
 gfoient pour arreter tout court ce deffein. D'ailleurs il 
 renvoye fes leftures en termes vagues a des temoins 
 oculaires, fans nommer, ni indiquer perfonne. Erifin 
 Cyrille de Jerufalem, qui etoit alors Eveque de cette 
 vJlle, devoit etre fur les lieux, puis que ce fut lui' qui 
 1 " tions 
 
the 'teliple ef Jerufdkm. 157 
 " tions, in orderto lay new : and thisearth- 
 " quake overthrew their magazines of ma- 
 " terials. 
 
 raflura le peuple par le moien d*un Oracle de Daniel, 
 qui avoit predit, i ce qu'il croyoit, que I'ouvrage ne reiif- 
 firoitpas. Cependant Cyrille n'a jamais parle de tous ces 
 miracles. Cen'eft pas qu'il neles aimat. Ilecrivit, dit- 
 on, a Conftantin le Jeune, pour lui apprendre qu'il etoit 
 plus hexireux que fon Pere, fous I'empire duquel on avoit 
 trouve en terre la Croix du Fils de Dieu, puis que le 
 Ciel lui faifoit voir un prodige plus eclatant : c'etcSt 
 une Croix plus lumineuTe que le foleil, que toute la ville 
 de Jerufalem avoit vue au firmament un long efpe^e 
 de terns. Pourquoi parler de cette croix, et fe taire 
 fur ces Miracles ? II aprend aux Juifs qu'ils verront 
 le figne de la Croix, lequel precedera la venue du 
 Fils de Dieu, & ne dit pas un feul mot de cellcs qtit 
 avoient ete attachees miraculeufement a leurs habits. 
 Ce filence d'un Eveque qui etoit fur les Heux, qui ai- 
 moit les miracles et la converfion des Juifs, ett fitfpeft, 
 lors qu'il 11*7 a que des temoins eloignez qui parlent. 
 Cependaftt il ne faut pas diffimuler, que fi un des 
 Chronologifles Juifs foutient, que le Temple ne fut 
 point bati a caufe de la mort iniprevue de Julien, un 
 autre affure que ce Temple, rebati a grands frais, 
 tomba, etque le kndemain un graiid feu, qui vint du 
 ciel, fondit les ferremms qui rejioient, i^ fit perir une 
 timltitude innombrahh de Juifs. Cet aveu des Rabbins 
 "eft d^airiant plus confiderable qu'il eft injurieux a la 
 "Nation, erque ces Meffieurs ne font pas accoutumez 
 a copier les Ouvrages des Chretiens, Bafnagey Hi/i. 
 des juifs. Lib. vi. c. 18, 19. 
 
 «' There 
 
^S^ Of Julian's Attempt to rebulU 
 
 " There are two variations on the fuB- 
 "' jedl of this firft miracle. For 'Theodore'i 
 " makes it preceded, i. by I can't tell what 
 "divine power; which, in the night, 
 " brought back the old materials and rub- 
 *' bifh into the place from whence they had 
 *' been taken : and adly, By a .miraculous- 
 " wind, which difperfed the ftohes, tho' 
 " they had been covered by a prodigious 
 *' quantity of lime and mortar, to bmd them 
 *' into one folid mafs. The fecond varia- 
 *' tion is in Sqzomene's making this earth- 
 " quake deftroy a great number of people y 
 " who were there in quality of workmen 
 " or lookers on, and were buried under the 
 *' ruinS of the neighbouring houfes and 
 " portico's, whither they had retired for 
 *' fhelter. 
 
 " The7^<:o«^ miracle was a fire, which 
 *' burft from the foundationis, they were 
 *' then preparing ; and deftroyed one part 
 " of the workmen, and put the reft to 
 " flight. I. One of thefe hiftorians makes 
 " this fire to defcend from Heaven; the 
 " other two bring it from beneath. 2. So- 
 *' crates fays, it continued the whole day, 
 *' and confumed the pick-axes, fhovels, and 
 
 !' all 
 
the Tempk hf Jerufakm. 159 
 
 ** all the tools and inftruments deftined to 
 " this fervice. 3 . Sozomene relates the death 
 " of the 'Workmen with fome uncertainty. 
 " Nay, he obferves, that here the evidence 
 " varied a little ; fome affirming, that the 
 " fire deftrpyed them as they were ftriving 
 " to enter the 'temple {vAi\z!a. was certainly 
 " an idle ftory, fince even the foundations 
 " were hardly finifhed) while others fay, 
 " it happened when they firft began to 
 " break ground, and carry off the rubbifh. 
 " 4. There is a fourth variation on the fub- 
 " jed of this miracle ; for it is added. The 
 " Jews confefled, though infpite,pf them- 
 " felyes, that Jesus Christ was God j 
 " and yet they did not ceafe to perfevere in 
 " their attempt : a thing abfolutely contra- 
 " didtory to- itfelf, 
 
 " But no matter for that : their obfti- 
 " nacy gave occafion to a third miracle. For, 
 " in the morning, they perceived a great 
 /' number of shining ^xARsfcattered over 
 ".their habits; which they tried to efFacCj 
 " but, in vain. jSozopaene adds, there were of 
 " thefe ftars fo artfully forrned, that the 
 " hand of a workman could not have done 
 " them better : 'Theodoret deviates a little 
 
 " here 5 
 
1 6o Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 " here ; For, inftead of the Jhim'ng Jars, he 
 " fpeaks of black ones. Such as indeed 
 " more properly marked the crime and pu- 
 " nifhment of the Jews. And at the fame 
 *' time, he crufhes to death a great num- 
 " ber, who were faft afleep under a For-. 
 *' tico. 
 
 " But the great variation of all turns upon 
 " the ej^e^ of the third miracle. For one 
 " afliires us, that the Jews returned home 
 " as hardened as if they had feen nothing : 
 " whereas the other two pretend, that the 
 " greater part embraced the Chriftian faith; 
 " and thdt the news of their converfion 
 " reached even to the ears of Julian him- 
 « felf. 
 
 " We have conceived it to be the duty 
 " of a faithful Hiftorian to take notice of 
 *' thefe differences, in order to affift the 
 " Reader, in forming a right judgment of 
 " the truth of the whole relation. Some, 
 *' doubtlefs, will find their pleafure in mul- 
 " tiplying the number of thefe miracles, like 
 *' Theodoret j arid even in adding every 
 " thing which modern writers have faid to 
 " fet them off. But it is no more than fit- 
 
 " ting 
 
the 'Ttmple of 'Jernfalem. \t\ 
 *' ting that men of a different turn fliould 
 " be made acquainted with the reafons 
 " there are to fu fpend ihtvc belief. 
 
 " I will only addj to what has been faidj 
 " thefe two obfervations. The one is, that 
 " the Argument, Sozomene brings to prove 
 " the truth of what he advances, is a very 
 *' weak one. He appeals to the ifTue j and 
 " maintains, we can no longer doubt of 
 '* this long train of miracles, fince theTem- 
 " pie was never fin ifhed. But could this Hif- 
 *' torian forget that the Jews did not ob- 
 " tain their permiffion to rebuild it till the 
 " time of Julian's fetting out for his Per" 
 '^'Jian expedition, in which he periflied ? 
 " As this was the cafe, there was little 
 " need of all thefe miracles to hinder the 
 " ereSHon of a Jingle huilding -ffurcly, a fuffi- 
 " cient caufe for cutting fhort an enterprize 
 " of this nature may be fpvind in the op- 
 " pofition of the Chriftians, who might 
 " take advantage of the Prince's abfence in 
 " a remote region, of his death there, and 
 •" the advancement of Jopian, who was an 
 " Enemy to the Jews. Befides, the hifto- 
 " rian refers his readers, in a vague, inde- 
 " finite naannerj to the eye-witncfles of the 
 
 M "fad, 
 
i62' Ofjuliarii Attempt to rebuild 
 
 " fa£t, without pointing out one fingle per- • 
 
 " fon, by name. 
 
 " But laftly, Cyrill of Jerufalem, who 
 " was, at that time, Bifliop of the place, 
 " and muft have been upon the fpot, fince 
 " it was he who confiding in a prophecy of 
 " Z)<2otV/ (which had foretold, as he thought, 
 •' that the attempt would prove unfuccefs- 
 " ful) encouraged and animated the peo- 
 " pie to repofe their confidence in God. 
 " Notwithftanding, this fame Cyritt has 
 " never taken the leaft notice of thefe ma- 
 " ny miracles : and yet it certainly was not 
 " becaufe he was no friend to miracles : We 
 *' are told he wrote to Conftantine the young- 
 " er, to inform him, that he was more 
 " happy than his father, under whofe em- 
 " pire the Grofs of Chrift had been found 
 " here on earth, fince Heaven, to grace his 
 " reign, had difplayed a more illuftridus 
 " prodigy: which was, aCrofs more brighter 
 " than the fun, feen in the firmament for 
 " a long time together, by the whole City 
 " of Jerufalem. Why, now, was that Crofs 
 " remembered, and all thefe miracles for- 
 " gotten ? He aflTures ihcyews, they fhall fee 
 " the fign of the Crofs j and that it will 
 
 " precede 
 
the Temple of yerupilem. 163 
 
 " precede the coming of the Son of God j 
 " and yet he fays not one fingle word of 
 " Thofe -wrhich had been miraculoufly af- 
 *' fixed to their Habits. The filence of a 
 " Bifhop, who was upon the place, who 
 " iQved miracles^ and laboured for the con- 
 " verfion of the Jews, looks very fufpici- 
 *' ous J while, at the fame time, they, who 
 " do fpeak to it, lived at a diftance. 
 
 " However, it ought not to be diflem- 
 " bledp That, if one of the Jewijh Chrono- 
 " logifls maintains, that the fudden and 
 " unexpedted death of Julian prevented the 
 " rebuilding the Temple ; Another of them 
 " affures us it was rebuilt, and that, when 
 " this was done at a vaft expence, it tum- 
 *' bled down again, and the next day, a 
 " dreadful Fire, nsJoich fell from heaven, 
 " melted all the iron injiruments that remain- 
 " ed, and dejlroyed an innumerable multitude 
 " of Jews. This confeffion of the Rabbins 
 *' is the more confiderable, as it refledis dif- 
 " honour on the Nation * and thefe Gentry 
 " are not wont to copy from the writings of 
 " the Chriftians." 
 
 Before I proceed to a particular examl- 
 M'2 nation 
 
164 Of Julians Attempt to rebuild 
 nation of this long paffagCj I fhall make 
 thefe two general remarks upon it. 
 
 FiRst, That the learned critic goes all the 
 way upon a falfe fuppofititn ; namely, that 
 it was the purpofe of thefe three Hijiorians, 
 in their accounts of this event, to place the 
 feveral circumftances, attending it, in the 
 order of time in which each of them was 
 fuppofed to happen. I have fhewn they 
 had no fuch purpofe^ and have explained the 
 caufe.of their neglefting the order of time *■. 
 This was fit to be taken notice of, becaufe 
 the main force in his objeftions arife from 
 the contrary fuppofition. 
 
 My fecond remark is, That the learned 
 Critic embarraffes both himfelf and his Rea- 
 der, by ufing, without explaining, the ambi- 
 guous term of Variation : which may 
 either fignify a contradiEiion ; or, only a fim- 
 •ple dlverjity. His reafoning requires you 
 fhould apply it in the former fenfe ; but 
 his facts commonly go no higher than the 
 latter. This was proper to obferve, becaufe 
 a contradiSlion difcredits a concurrent evi- 
 dence : while a fimple di'verjity never hurts, 
 and often fupports it \ 
 
 ■■ Fee p. 139. ' See p. 147, & feq. 
 
 His 
 
the Temple of Jerufdlem. ib^ 
 
 His objedion to the first miracle, th 
 Earthquake^ is, that there are two variations 
 concerning it. 
 
 The one is, ih^iTheodoret makes it pre- 
 ceded by I can't tell what divine Power, which ^ 
 in the night, brought back the old materials 
 and rubbijh into the place from whence they 
 had been taken : and adly, by a miraculous 
 Wind, which difperfed thejlones, thd they had 
 been covered by a prodigious quantity of lime 
 and mortar^ to bind them into one folid mafs. 
 
 I. As M. Bafnage himfelf here ftates the 
 cafe, we fee this is one of thofe variations^ 
 mentioned juft before, that imply no con- 
 tradition, but a diverfty only. A cafe al- 
 mofl: effential to the truth of an accumula- 
 tive evidence, not given in concert. The - 
 witnefs A delivers a circumftance omitted 
 by B; and omits one delivered by him. 
 Thus Theodoret is here faid to relate two cir- 
 cumjiances preceding the Earthquake, of 
 which Socrates and Sozomene are filent : and 
 Sozome7ie to relate an effeSi of this Earth- 
 quake, of which Socrates and Theodoret 
 are filent. Now, not to repeat what hath 
 been juft obferved of the credit which tbefe 
 M 3 diverfties 
 
i66 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 diverjities carry with them : What can more 
 ftrongly fupport the reality of this Earth.- 
 quake, attefted by three Hiftorians, than 
 that, when one had only recorded the prin- 
 cipal fad:, the other two preferved the me^ 
 mory of thofe circumftances, which, we 
 have fhewn *, an Earthquake was moft like^ 
 ly to produce ? 
 
 2. But he might have improved this 'ua" 
 riation into a more plaufible objection, by 
 fhewing that (on the allowance of his falfe 
 fuppofition of an order of time obferved in 
 thefe accounts) it was a contradiBion. And, 
 confidering he had this apparent advantage, 
 it is ftrange he did not ufe it. For, in the 
 order of Tbeodoret's relation, the filling up 
 the foundations ^o« before the Earth^quake ; 
 whereas, from the accounts of Ruffinus and 
 CaJJiodorus, explained on the reafon of things, 
 it appears to have been after, and the efFe(5l: 
 of the Earthquake. But, as it hath been 
 fhewn", that the Hiftorians had it not in 
 their purpofe to obferve the order of time, 
 the objedion, even when thus ftated, is (etn 
 to have no weight. However, let us, for 
 form's fake, admit that they did indeed 
 
 ^ Sep p. i2?-9, and 109. " Seep. 139. 
 
 differ 
 
the Temple of Jerufalem. 167 
 
 diflfer about the order of time in which each 
 circumftance happened. What follows? 
 Not that the fadts thenifelves were falfe : 
 but that the witneffes did not write in con- 
 cert. Is not the whole body of civil Hif- 
 tory full of fads believed by all mankind j 
 about the Wer of which, as they ftand con- 
 ne<aed in time to one another, Hiilorians 
 do, and will eternally differ ? Whether 
 fuch an Enterprize was commenced before, 
 or after fuch a Declaration made ; whether 
 fuch a March was performed, before or after 
 fiach a Meafure taken, is ftill in difpute. In 
 the mean while no body doubts of the Fads 
 themfelves. And here the juft diftindion 
 between a natural z-vAfitpernatural fadt hath 
 no place. For M. Bafnage's objedlionftands 
 on a ciml, not a pkyfical^ reafon. 
 
 3. Lastly, let me obferve, the can- 
 did Critic fhould not have made Theo.- 
 dotefs miracles ftill more wppderful, by 
 a falfe expofition of them. He tells us, 
 this hiftorian fays, mirafukus fmind dif- 
 perfed thejhnei-, tha' they, had been covered by 
 a prodigious quantity of lime and mortar to 
 bind therp. ifito one folid mafs. -The whole 
 affair, indeed, we think was one continued 
 M 4 declaration 
 
i68 Of J uliatis' Attempt to rebuild 
 declaration of God's difpleafure : but where 
 he ufes natural inftruments to execute his 
 judgments, they ufually work according to 
 their capacities : but this was a Wind with 
 a vengeance. However, the beft is, I'hee- 
 doret fays no fuch thing. His words are 
 ''— " And further, when they had laid 
 " in on heaps many thoufand meafures of 
 " lime and plafter, violent ftorms, whirl- 
 *' winds and tempefts unexpedledly arofe 
 " and difperfed them all about*." Here 
 we find nothing told, but what this ele- 
 nientary agency might well perform. So 
 that one cannot conceive what could induce 
 this learned man, firft to lay ia ftrong an 
 embargo on his heavy weight of ftones, and 
 then to difperfe them again fo lightly ; un^ 
 lefs it was that, becaufe, as he fays, the Fa^ 
 thers loved to talk of miracles, fo he love4 
 to laugh at them. But he fhould have phofqn 
 a fitter feafon for his mirth. 
 
 His fecond variation about the Earth-r 
 quake is, in Sozomene's making it dejiroy a 
 ^reat number of people who wfre buried under 
 
 emn^^otd-oiv fjiv^aScK i^tuwlviig aviyiot ^laiai wvdXr 
 <S?«.W sfx^^flirav. Hip:. £ccl. 1. iii. c. 20. 
 
 th 
 
the Temple of Jerufalem. 169 
 the ruins cf the neighbouring houfes and por- 
 ticos. Here the variation is ftill more 
 fhadowy than in the foregoing inftances. 
 Sozomene is not even fingular in the fad. 
 Theodoret likewife delivers it ; the', by- 
 placing the firey eruption betw^een the 
 Earthquake and the fall of the Porticos, he 
 has feparated the caufe from the effe£i ^. We 
 fball beg leave then to place this inftance 
 amongft the fupports, not the objeBionSy to 
 this illuftrious Event. 
 
 The second Miracle,, according to M. 
 Bafnage's reprefentation of things, is the fire 
 from the foundations : and concerning this, 
 he affures us, there are no lefs thzn four va- 
 riations. 
 
 The firji is, that one of the Hifiorians 
 makes this fire to defend from Heaven , the 
 other two bring it from beneath. 
 
 The affertion is grounded on a mere mif- 
 take of the text. Socrates fpeaks of one 
 faft, when he fays, " A fire came from 
 " Heaven and confumed all the w^orkmen's 
 " tools ^;" Sozomene zndi'Theodoret, oi ano- 
 ther, when they fay, " A fire broke out of 
 
 '' See p. 131. 
 fm iiKaSo(Am i^yoi,K»x Jie$5i!4'«y. L. iii. c. 20. 
 
 " the 
 
170 Of Julianas Attempt to rebuild 
 *' the foundations and deftroyed many of the 
 -" workmen themfelves ^." And nothing but 
 much prejudice, or little attention, could 
 have blended two confijient, into one incon- 
 Jifient fad:. The fire from heaven, and that 
 from \^& foundations, were different events ; 
 and diftant from each other in time as well 
 as place. All the myftery is, that Socrates 
 mentions the firft, and omits the latter ; 
 and Sozomene and 'T!heodQret mention the 
 latter, and omit the former. The nature 
 of things^, as well as the rules of interpre- 
 tation, fupports our diftindion: and, ac- 
 cording to that, it had been more to be 
 wondered at if the ilorms and tempefts, 
 fpoken of above, had not produced Lights 
 ening, than if zfrey eruption had not fol- 
 lowed the Earthquake. 
 
 TuEfecond variation is, Socrates' s faying 
 that the fire continued' the whole day ; and con- 
 fumed the pick-axes, fiovels, and all the tools 
 md inflrunients deftined to the fervice. 
 
 * Hug i^a,l(p]it]! In Tuv B-t/AtKlmv rS le^5 aveSogs 
 iti aroAAiSf avjiAaxrs — So'zom. L. v. c. 22. — jb-uj ott 
 
 ogwrlo'vlftiv biiTr^tjffi. Theod. L. iii. c. 20. 
 1" See p. 114. 
 
 This 
 
the Temple (]f' Jerujalem. lyi 
 
 This 'variation is as imaginary, as the 
 JFadt, on which it rifes, is falfej namely, 
 that Socrates here fpeaks of the fame fire 
 mentioned by Sozom'ene and Theodoret. For 
 if he meant a different (as he certainly did) 
 then its continuance for a twhole day, is no 
 fQariatim, even in the loweft fenfe our cri- 
 tic ufes it, of one writer's recording a Cir- 
 cumftance of the fame faft, which another 
 hath omitted. 
 
 A third variation (fays M. Bafnage) is, 
 that Sozomene relates the death of the work^ 
 men with fame uncertainty. Nay the hifio- 
 rian obferves, that here the "Evidence varied 
 a little. Some affirming that the fire defiroy- 
 ed them as they were /Iriving to enter the Tem-^ 
 pie (which was certainly an idle fiory, fince 
 the foundations were hardly finifhed) while 
 others fay, it happened when theyfirfi began to 
 break ground and carry off the rubbifh. 
 
 That Sozomene relates the death of the 
 nsoorkmen with fome uncertainty is a ftrange 
 miireprefentation of his words, which are 
 thefe, It is faid, that a fire burfi fuddenly 
 from the ruins, and defrayed many. And thi$ 
 thing is confidently reported and believed bv 
 
172 Of yulian's Attempt to rebuild 
 nil, no one man ever calling it in quejiion ". 
 Could a writer poflibly exprefs more con- 
 fidence in a Fad related ? 
 
 Indeed, he does obferve, that in one in- 
 Jiance, tho' not in this the Evidence varied a 
 little. A paflage of Gregory Nazianzene 
 ill underftood apparently led him into this 
 groundlefs remark. But if Sozomene mif- 
 took Gregory, M. Bafnage has miftaken 
 Sozomene j and a great deal more grofly. 
 
 Thus ftands the cafe. Gregory deli- 
 vered his account of the eruption in thefe 
 words — T'hey fled together for refuge to 
 an, adjoining Church — As theyflrove 'violently 
 to force their ivay in, the fire, which burfifrom 
 the foundations of the 'Temple, met and flop' d 
 them ; and one part of them it burnt and de~ 
 ftrcyed^, &c. Sozomene, alluding to this 
 paflage (after he had told us, that the cir- 
 cumftance of the fire's breaking from the 
 foundations, was believed by all, and contra- 
 
 "^ Aoy(^ iv oijjkot T8 TO S4j-ii^tv c)'£;^«gav t« £f/«, 
 
 Xj STflMssf dvtjAufe' xeu touto u^as ■sroevluv uSiut 
 7\.iy5M re xj utidSiiou, ^ jsriej' ovSmt djJKpiQdf^Kileu. 
 jL. V. c. 22, * Seep. 103. 
 
 diSied 
 
the Temple of Jerufakm. 173 
 diBedbynone) fays, Indeed there is this fmall 
 difference ■,fomefay the flame met them as they 
 were forcing their way into the Chiirch, and 
 produced the eff'eB fpoken of above ; while 
 others fay, it happemd'iohenfirfijhey began to 
 clear the foundations \ Now the Reader 
 plainly fees, that Sozomene underftood Gre- 
 gory's meaning to be, that the f]ame which 
 mettthofe who were ftriving to enter the 
 Church, happened at fome time different from 
 that which deftroyed the men working at 
 the foundations. But he certainly miftook 
 Gregory ; who plainly fuppofes this de- 
 ftrudion happened at the very time they 
 were digging the foundations. Gregory not 
 only affures us that the faft, as he tells it, 
 flood unqueftioned by all (which he could 
 not have faid, had it related to another time) 
 but he exprefly fays, they fled to this 
 Church as to a refuge from the Whirlwind 
 and Earthquake. Now the Evidence is un- 
 animous, that thefe things happened as they 
 were preparing the foundations. In a word, 
 vfhatSozomene miflook for zvariafion,^To^Qr- 
 
 eis IB li^ov zf^ai'iVM, $Ao| »7r«v7iiir«o-«, it figyifiivov 
 L. V. c. 22. ' '* 
 
 Iv 
 
174 Of Julianas Attempt to rebuild 
 ly fo called, was two relations of |he different 
 parts of the fame event. Great niimbers fled 
 from the Whirlwind and Earthquake ; and 
 thefe the^re, which burfl frpfn the founda* 
 tions, deftroyed as they were ftriving to enter 
 the Church : Others flood their ground j and 
 thefe were deftroyed on the fpot. Unlucki- 
 ly, Sozomene miflook Gregory's narrative of 
 thejiate, in which the fame eruption feiz- 
 ed fome of the fufferers, for the narrative of 
 a different eruption. But tho' the ancient 
 relators of this fa6t had indeed fpoken of 
 different eruptions, and afcribed the fame 
 general effedt to all, visa, the deftruftion of 
 the workmen ; What then ? Would this 
 have taken off from the credit of their re- 
 lation ? By no means. On the contrary, it 
 would have added to it. For we have feen 
 in part, and (hall fee more fully hereaf- 
 ter, that the Jits of this firey eruption vvere 
 fo obftinate as not to give over till they had 
 brought the Directors to defpair of the Un- 
 dertaking. But to return to Sozomene : an at- 
 tentive writer might have fallen into his mif- 
 take : What drew M. Bafnage into his, is 
 not fo eafily accounted for. To interpret 
 Sozomene as faying, that it was the neiv- 
 built Temple, into which thefe unhappy fuf- 
 ferers 
 
the Temple of Jerufalem. 175 
 ferers ftrove to enter, when his whole 
 narration (hews, the foundations were never 
 finiflied, implies, at leaft, that the Critic 
 thought the Hiftorian an Idiot, upon whom 
 any thing might be Fathered. But Sozomene 
 is able to fpeak for himfelf. He fays, thefre 
 met them as theyjirove to enter ele to U^ov, 
 into the Church, or 'Temple. And to know 
 what place he meant by thefe words, we 
 muft have recourfe to his Author, Greg. 
 Nazianzene, from whom he took his ac- 
 count. 
 
 Now Gregory, In the relation already 
 given at large*', fays, that when the Jews 
 had procured the countenance and affiftance 
 of Julian to rebuild the Temple, they ad- 
 dreffed themfelves to the Undertaking with 
 great alacrity and vigour ; but, being driven 
 from their work by aWhirlwind and Earth- 
 quake, they fled for refuge to a certain 
 neighbouring Church, «Vt n ruv 'sr?^i^a-lov U^uf 
 apparently achriftian Oratory, built aniongft, 
 or adjoining to the ruins of thofe facred 
 places, formerly included within the walls 
 of the Temple. This, then, Sozomene takes 
 from Gregory : And what the latter exprefTes 
 
 ' Page 102. 
 1 by 
 
176 Of rfuliaiii Jittempt to rebuild 
 
 by eV/ t» "rm r^MTm \^m,, the other cails 
 s;s 7s tE^cy »?ifo the .Church. Yet M, £^ 
 ««|;e will have it, Sozomene meant the ^1?^- 
 ijh Temple, rehiiilt. But peihaps, he might be 
 mif-led into this ftrange interpretation, from 
 what followed in Gregory ; (which we now 
 come to) who fays, that while they were ftriv- 
 ingto force their way into this Church, afire, 
 OK T^ li^S, met and flopped them. The quef- 
 tlon is what he here meant by U^S ; doubt- 
 lefs the fame with l^o^v, going before, the 
 yewijh Temple, near which the Chriflian 
 Church or Oratory flood. But what Temple? 
 Not anew one rebuilt, buttheoldone in ru- 
 ins : 6k tQ h^S fignifying the fame as ok tuv 
 3-ifiiXtmTSvaS, and with elegance ; for je^oV 
 is the generic word, and fignifies as well the 
 iite of a holy building as the building itfelf. 
 It appears, at leafl, that Sozomene underflood 
 the word, ok tS U^S, in this fenfe from his 
 making all the variation in Gregory' saccount, 
 from the refl to confifl in hisafligning a dtf" 
 ferent time for the deflruilion of the work- 
 men ; and from his exprefs word, that the 
 WitnefTes all agreed in attefling, that the fire 
 came from thtfoundations of the ruirC dTemple . 
 And it appears, he underflood Gregory right- 
 ly j who affirms, that the evidence were una- 
 nimous 
 
the Teaple oj Jerufalem. I'jy 
 
 tnmis in attefting the fire came on tS U§^, 
 by which he could mean nothing but the 
 foundations of the ruined Temple j becaufe it 
 was in that only they were unanimous. ISTor, 
 for the fame reafon, could Gr^^ory mean, 
 nor could Sozomene fo undprftand him, that 
 the fire came frQm the Ckunh, into which 
 they were forcing an entrance. And Gre- 
 ggry feems to have well weighed what he 
 fays ; for, iri this very place, he carefully 
 diftinguilhes between uncertain rumour and 
 undoubted fad:. 
 
 But, indeed, in every view, the learned 
 Critic's interpretation is infiipportaWe. The 
 whole tenoT'ofGregorfs r^atioiji (which is 
 in perfeja conformity witji the teH) ij;iews 
 that the obftruidion began before they had 
 laid the foundations. 
 
 On the whole, then, we fee, tbis vari- 
 ation, concerning the eriiption, is as ima- 
 ginary as the reft. 
 
 Mr, Bafnage proceeds j he tells us, there 
 is ti fourth variationy concerning this mi- 
 racle of the Fire ; which is, that the JeWs 
 confejfed, thpitgh in fpite of ihemfelws; that 
 
 N Jefus 
 
1 7^ Of Julian's Attempt to reiuild 
 Jefus Chri^ was God; and yet they did mt 
 ceafe ioperfevere in their attempt. A thing 
 abfolutely contradiSiory to itjelf. ' 
 
 Though I would not call this a con- 
 tradiBiotij yet I readily confefs it to be 
 highly improbable. However, be it what 
 it will, the Critic is to anfwer for it alone. 
 In a word, the charge is entirely ground- 
 less, not one of them afErming, of inti- 
 rnating, the leaft word of any fuch mat- 
 ter^; but, on the contrary, plainly decla- 
 ring that this confejjion of the "Jews was 
 not till they had gi'^en up the enterpirize, as 
 dciperate. 
 
 The worlds oS Socrafes are thefe : " The 
 " JewSy rfeized with extreme aifnght, were 
 " forced, in fpite of themfelves, to confefs 
 " that Jefus Chriji was God ; yet, for all 
 " that, they would not obey his will ; but, 
 "as men faft bound in religious prejudices, 
 " ftill continued in their old Superftition, 
 " Nor did a third miracle, which happened 
 " afterwards (the jhining crojjes) hx'mg them 
 " to the true faith ^" This hiflorian fpeaks 
 only of the fews. 
 
 'luidiet 3 cv f^iyl^u CpffSft) ^o/t^sf, ^ wk^vTej 
 
 Sozo- 
 
de Temple tfjerufalem. 179 
 
 SozbMENE 4'sak^,Hoth of 'Jeivs and 
 Gentiles; and in thp or4er here naped. — 
 " Some (fays he) ori^ the inftant, judged 
 "that C&HJi-was God^ and that the refto- 
 ** ration of the Temple was difpleafing to 
 ^' him : while Otbers, not long after, went 
 "over to theChurch,^ and were baptifede." 
 
 , Theodoret, again, fpeaks only of the 
 jf^s ; for, after having related the whole fe- 
 ries of miracles, th? laft of which (in the 
 rank he places them) was the Croffes on their 
 garncients, ^e goes on, in this manner : " The 
 *' enemies of God feeing thefe things, and 
 ** fearing his hand now advanced, might 
 " fait upon themfelves, fled away, and re- 
 " turned every man to his place j confeffing 
 " him to be God, whotn their forefatKers 
 "had affixed to the tree''." '■■■■''■' 
 
 tsi^Qk) iiSi^ /n tgJltoyd'aJuiji.oi.ii C^f^av S^QiJuo'iM^ac, 
 
 »Klivoeiiets — L. iii, c. 26. 
 
 ■ 8 __ •mtg jLt^' cjatUa oKg/Sti'Seov «»»» t Xg/^dii'i ^ 
 pt/^'i^S-yfcu Tp ouianimi tS v»S, «i 3, ctnc «j ]»*- 
 
 Xf^V UfOfiitylo TJ! c^xAW^ it) ifll>V)l^7liv. In. V. 
 C. 22. 
 
 N a Now 
 
iSo Of .Julian's Attempt ti^] rebuild , 
 
 Now let the ipfvpaartial Reader; , but re- 
 fled;, that this circumftance is related, Ky 
 each of the hiftorians, as happening after 
 all the deftruftive interpofitions, which hin- 
 dered the work; and he muft needs con- 
 clude, that M. Bafnagehss given a wrong 
 reprefehtation of their accounts. 
 
 Socrates lets us know, in what their 
 obftinacy lay : not in perfifting in, th§ir 
 projed:; but perfeyering, in their fuper- 
 ftition* ,, ,, ; 
 
 SozoMENE only mention^ their fuddeh 
 ConfeJJion ; and had he not oppbled it to the 
 lafting Converfion of the Gentiles, it muft be 
 owned, that, from him, we could conclude 
 nothing oi their obftinacy : but, as he hath 
 fo oppofed it, we find his account to be per- 
 fedly conformable to the relation of Socra- 
 tes J and difcover even a hint in the words, 
 5 jwjj 5^go9'i)i'«M Tji dvaviuffii rS vntQ, that they 
 did de/i^ on their confeffion. 
 
 Theodoret is fuller than Either of them, 
 and explains what might be, otherwife, 
 
 £A«6flii, ©son o/jtoMySvlei ^ votd ? w^oyeywv tu |u'- 
 Am tirgeriiAwSivlfle. L. iii. c. 20. 
 
 thought 
 
the temple of Jerufakm, 1 8 1 
 
 thought doubtful in Both. He marks the 
 objiindcy' of tliofei who (SdZ'omene fays) on 
 the injtant, concluded that Chrijl' was God: 
 and the ^f^<z/r of thofe, who (Socrates 
 fays) continued in their ch&.inacy. ' ' 
 
 Nothing can be ckarer, or more con- 
 ilftent than^is w^ole account of their be- 
 haviour. Y^t M. Bafn^£ is pofitive, They 
 are reprefented as confeffing Chrijl, and yet 
 perfifiing in their attempt. It would be hard 
 to think it a defigned mifreprefentation : 
 and ftill harder to conceive how he could 
 faU into an involuntary error, in a cafe fo 
 plain, unl^is we fupppfe he miftook the Ijenfe 
 of Socrates' expreflion, »'» esre/sK 3 asoVs ijo 
 3-i^.7i[/,a, — they didjiot obey his will-, as if it 
 njeant, they were not obfequioiis tq tjjis^ de- 
 claration of his will in.the prodi^iei-f whereas 
 S£?vj)jit* is here to be underft^odiii the ufuati 
 theologic fenfe, of the 'wkok will of Chriji : as 
 appears from what follows, which, by ne- 
 ceffary ponftrudtion, is explanative of what 
 went before — a^ 'ifS/J9v tj tS 'lOTAAIS- 
 
 MOT CT-^OX)Jl|/^ K^!i!^Cl, ^S& ^ TO tplov Bau" 
 
 But here, perhaps, it may be objeded. 
 Jhgt jeven what we allow thefe antientWri- 
 
 N.-S .. tefs 
 
1^2 Of "fulmls Attempt to rebuild 
 
 tere did fay, ^gjgg-tes a difficulty, whi^t^; will 
 deferv§,^ia^e(folution. " The Je'ws are re- 
 " prcfgnted, as confeffing the divinity. of 
 " JefusChrifl, and yet perfifting in their 
 " old fuperfljtion : a ftate of mirjd made 
 " up of very difcordant principles." Jt is 
 trucy the ohjedion will deferve to be confi- 
 dered j and the rather, as it is notimpoffiblc! 
 but this might be all M. Eafmge aimpd at j 
 tho' he miffed the mark by a carelefs ex- 
 preffion. However, the objedion is Xo'ob- 
 viops; and the account has, at firft fight, 
 fo much feeming incongruity, that, I con- 
 clude, theie Hiftorians were well affured of 
 their fad:, before they would venture to truft 
 it t^ thq public judgment. And, when it 
 corqes to be examined, I perfuade myfelf, 
 the reafon of things v/illgive m the fame fa- 
 tisfad:ion in its truth, vvhida concurrent E'l^ir' 
 dence gave them. 
 
 If we admit thefe prodigies happened, 
 in the -manner they are related, we can- 
 nbt but conclude, that thofe, againift; wl^om 
 they were diredted, how hardened and de^ 
 tefmined foever, muft be feized with afl:o'^ 
 njiliment and affright. Now, in this fl:ate, 
 die mind; hurried from its bafis, catches a^ 
 
 any 
 
fbe Temple of Jerufalem. 183 
 a;iy thing tvhipH pfottiifes protedlion. No- 
 thing therefore was fo* naittiFal as applying 
 to the objeiSt offendei^ which; at that mo- 
 ment, co,uld be thought w other than Je- 
 Jlts of Nazareth. His power, then, Would, 
 in fpite of ^U old impreffions, be inftan- 
 tanebufly acknowledged. This is what 
 Socfaies mt2ins, ancfwell exprefles by fay- 
 ing, that, in their extreme affright, they were 
 forced, in fpite of themfehes, to confefs that 
 fefus Chrijt pa^ God. 
 
 So far £very thing was juft as the working 
 of human nature would be, when not hin?- 
 dered by any foreign imprefl^on. 
 
 Buy they muft know nothing of it^ work- 
 ings, who can imagine, that new and ffid^ 
 den dired:ions, produced by fuch accidents, 
 in minds warped by the flrong attraction of 
 inveterate prejudices, and hardened by a na- 
 tional, obftinacy, could be , permanent . or 
 conftant. When the fright was Qyer,jfhe 
 mind would return mechanically to it& old 
 ft^on ; and there it .would re^lj efpecially 
 if it could find, or iny^nt i"or its fupport, 
 any fplption of the phaenomena confift- 
 ent with their former fentiraents cotjcerning 
 yefus : and thKe, We ihdl fee hereafter, 
 
 N 4 they 
 
184 Of Juliah's Jttmpt to rebuild 
 might, and did invent. So that ndw we 
 are ready for the cohcluding ^tii of the 
 account, which Socrates hath given uis Of 
 this matter. — Tetfor all that, they^'&tuld not 
 obey his i^ill, but, as men f aft bound in feligious 
 prejudices, Jiill continued in their dd fufef-- 
 Jiition. He talks, we fee, like one who 
 underftood what he faid;~That their 
 hafty coffejfion W^s owing to their fddden 
 fright J and their fixed impiety, to theit in- 
 veterate habits. All here h fo much ia 
 order, that the contrary had been the unna- 
 tural thing. Had they told us, either that 
 thft, fenvs vvere not frightened into a potfef, 
 fon, or that they nioere, frightened into a 
 con'uerjion, the fa6l had been equally incre- 
 dible j becaufe, tlie firft cafe implied the 
 abfence of fajjions ;; and the latter, a free- 
 dom from prejudices ; neither of which 
 agreed with them, as men or as Jews. But 
 they relate what was perfedly cohfiftent 
 Vf'-ahboth, that their ilubborn metal was 
 foftened in the flames, and grew hard again 
 ids thefe abated. And have we not many 
 (examples of the like behaviour in more mcr 
 (dern Reprobates, who are in the other ex- 
 treme of flicking to nothing. What icn- 
 j;ini«nts of Religion have not heen heard 
 
 to 
 
to break fiEom tJiefe, .ji^hen in extreme 
 danger ! and what, «mains have been found 
 of itj after xSmf. efc^pe ! The offended 
 Dleit5^, which they4h^ faw dreffed in ter- 
 rorSj is afterwards laughed at, as the phan*' 
 torn of a frightened iimgination. And if 
 Ft^^t^Mii/ig can thus keep its hdLd, when 
 it hdfth nothing to rely on but the mere va- 
 nky of its pttdfeflion ; what tau^ we think 
 of 'Sup^r/Htim,' whjiph hath a thoufand fan- 
 ciful refources to fupport men in' an old 
 habit ? 
 
 We come now to what M. Bajkage calls 
 the third miracle. And, concerning this, 
 he reckons up as many variations as in that 
 which went before. But it will be proper 
 firft to fee how he reprefents the miracle it-- 
 lelf. His words are thefe, — their ohftinacy 
 gave occajion to a third miracle. For, in the 
 morning, they perceived a great fiumbeir ^ 
 Jhrning staks fcattered over their habits. His 
 authority for. calling thefe marks,7?^rj, is 5e- 
 zomene ; Who, indeed, gives them that name j 
 but, as I conceive, very erroneoufly j from 
 miftaking the fenfe oi Gregory Nazianzene, 
 
 whom he here follows'." Gregory's words 
 
 „,/, ■ 
 ■■It appears Ije ioWamti-Nazianzene from what he fur- 
 are 
 
1 86 Of Juliarii Attempt to rebuild 
 are, K«7<tVeg@» , m j which Billm tran(^ 
 lates, Jiellatus nimirum ipfe notifque dijlinc- 
 tus ; following the interpretation pf jSosjo- 
 mene, who calls them downright Jars\ 
 Hffj T^omv Tiv» AITPASI sriTroMiXf^et, . 
 Toc. iS'^fieilct elxov. But I apprehend, that 
 Gregory meant no more by x>dlai!<r£^@^, than 
 that the mark, had a ftar-like radiance ; 
 not a fl:a;r5-like figure, Ani# my reafons 
 are, i. Becaufe he hadjuft before affirm- 
 ed, that thefe marks were crojfesi and, 
 proceeding in his relation, he acquaints us 
 with their quality, that they were x«7*Ve§o', 
 or Jhining. A circumfl:an& that woulcj 
 firft catch the obfervation 5 though, as we 
 have fhewn ^^ it may be naturally ac- 
 counted for. He ufes the fame term to 
 exprefs the fhining feathers in a peacock's 
 train ■ — ot •a^i^ov KVKXoje^&s ^s&yjjo^df ' to 
 :^wcuy\i t KATASTEPON*— 2. 
 Socrates] if he borrowed from Gregory^ 
 
 ther obferves of their elegant form : — ' wV "im jV»f- 
 J'lxw m^voiui Ksilii'tffj^a, — Soz. — ■ urdftft /rsffjxijf 
 
 Ti.j^iv{3). Naz. 
 
 ^ See p. 117, & feq. 
 I Qrat. xxxiv. 
 
 gives 
 
the feffjp^ of y^KMfmlem. 187 
 gives^is^fe^ff tjC^jiiSk^wpds; or if he did 
 not borroiwf frorn;Jhim,,^£^^,J^aft he teaches 
 us how to und^:^ h^ofi. His expref- 
 fion' is QPi^yi^i ^a^i^, 'AI^TINOEIAEIX, 
 Jhining imprejjions of the crofs. They, were 
 Vik&Jlars 'va, radiance, bi^J: m figure they were 
 Crofes. , Nor do RufimSy,'T^odoref, or Caf- 
 Jodorus, who all renjember the crofes, fpeak 
 one word oifiars-, no not even 'Theophanes, 
 who ftudied them well ; and feems to have 
 had the manufadluring of a fpurious fort, in 
 imitation of them. 
 
 With our Critic's leave, therefore, not 
 to make the wonder greater than there is 
 occafion for, we will call them crosses. 
 And now let us fee v<rhat he hath to objeft 
 to them. 
 
 He ^egins with an oblique remark for a 
 prelude, , — thefe Jhining Jiars they tried to 
 efface, but in vain. This is faid to infi- 
 nuate difcredit on the fadl, by an accef- 
 fion of the wonderiiil. But we havefliewn, 
 that the difficulty of wafhing them out was 
 a^na|:uEaUfFedt of their fhining quality ", at 
 lea^ a property they had in comttion with 
 other th? like appearances in later times*. 
 
 " p. ng. " p. 127. 
 
 So 
 
1 58 Of Juliatis Attempt to rebuila 
 
 So that this will iland no longer in our 
 way. 
 
 He 9ome5 tp his variations^ by which, 
 as we obfcrved beforp, he fometimes means 
 additioni; fom&times di^erences ; and fome- 
 times, again, contradictions. 
 
 Tvi^firft is the loweft .fpecies. of a 'oaria-r 
 tion, that is to fay, an addition r^So:^omene 
 adds, there were of theje ftars fo artfully 
 formed, that the band of a workman, could not 
 have done them better. Sozomene, as we 
 obferved, borrowed this particular from 
 Gregory: And if Socrates and I'heodoret 
 omit it, it was not becaufe they were igno- 
 rant of it ; much lefs becaufe they diibelietr- 
 ed it. However, fuch as know that Nar 
 ture frequently throws the mixed fubftances 
 produced hj fermentation, into regular, fi- 
 gures, and often with fuch. elegance of 
 defign, as Art can but laniely imitate, will 
 have noreafon to doubt of the truth of this 
 .circumftance, after it ha,th been fhown", 
 that the marks were entirely metegric. 
 
 The fecond variation is, that 1'heddoret 
 deviates a little here j for, injiead of the 
 Jhiningjlars, hefpeaks of black ones. Sucb 
 °p. J17..: . 
 
tSe' Temple of 'Jerufalem. 189 
 as indeed more properly marked the crime and 
 punijhment of thi Jemos. Thefe laft words 
 are added to fliew the reader the inge* 
 nioas' turn of 'Theodorifs "addition : and that 
 he knew h©w to invent with judgment. 
 But to leave his juftification to the nature 
 ©f the fad:, whiqh we are jnft coming to, 
 when we have obferved, that M. Bajkage 
 flioald here have changed his language, and 
 ufedfcrgi^ inftead ofjjian: Sot Tk^doret 
 does not intimate one fyllable about ^Arr. 
 It is true, then, he does indeed fay^ that the 
 crolfes on the garments of the ^^kw: were 
 of a dark colour — o^pgXeMnj;? ;^««c --» 
 We have feen,that the matter of diefe crofles 
 was of the nature of the Phofphorus, 
 whofe property it is to fhine by nighty and 
 to be dark-coloured by day ■*. Now if one 
 Writer were to defcribe their appearance by 
 night, and Another their appearance by day, 
 muft not This fay they were radiani jind • 
 Jhining^; and That, that they were <&ri co* 
 loured? And fo much for his fecend varja- 
 tim. 
 
 The third is, that Stheodoret, et the 
 fame time, crujhes to death a great number 
 
 ^ See p. 117, & feq. 
 
 isobo 
 
196 Of Julianas Attempt to rebuild 
 
 who ijoere fajl ajleep under a Portico. Tha 
 force of this objedion, fiich' as it hath', lies 
 in the time. For as to the fall of the por- 
 tico, Rufnus and Sazomene concur with 
 ^heodoret. But it is by no means true, that 
 IheoSaret fays it was at the fame time. If 
 we fuppofc^ that he obferves order in this in- 
 cident, we muft conclude ihefall happened 
 before. Forj,|he feries of his relation ilands 
 thus — a portico fel| by night — on the 
 lame night, and on the following, a crofs in 
 the iky — then the croffes on the garments P. 
 The truth is, the fall of this portico had a 
 very fu^pient cauife. Sozomene^mAy inti- 
 matesi and Rufnus exprefly fays, it was 
 thrown down by th&firf earthquake which 
 /"r^f^^if^ the foey eruption "5. 
 
 We come how to what the learned Cri- 
 tic calls the jir^-^/ i;m^i?fo« o/"^//. 
 
 Which, he fays, turns upon the eff^Aof 
 thfi third miracle. For one afures us, thai the 
 Jews returned home as hardened as iftheyhad 
 feen nothing : whereas tk^ other twopretendt 
 
 P }{gjl vvkIu^ in T»v« Zto<* — »»!» iJ r^v euutYiV itf 
 
 n T? 'IvSeuuv iS^^ii^ctloi—— L. iii. C. 20," 
 « See p. 133—4. ^ 
 
 ibat 
 
the lemple of JerufaJem. 191 
 
 that the greater part embraced the , Chrijiian 
 
 faith. ] Jndthat the' news of their, cmverfon 
 
 reached even to the ears of the Emperor Jahao. 
 
 Umfelf, 
 
 This, I confefs, Is to the purpofe j and, 
 were it true, would be a eonfiderable ob- 
 jeftion to the credit of their evidence. But 
 the contradidtion charged upon them is 
 groundlefs and vifionary. He who (our 
 Critic feys) a£ures us, that the Jews return-^ 
 ed home as hardened as if they hddfeen nothings 
 is Socrates, whofe words are thefe : " The 
 *' Jews, feized with a horrible cohfterna- 
 *• tion, were forced, in fpite of theiiifelves, 
 « to confefs th^Ajtfus Chriji ^asGod. Ydt 
 *' for all that, they would not obey his will, 
 " But, as. men fall bound in religious preju- 
 " dices, ftill continued iiji their old fuperfti- 
 " tion : nor did a third, miracle, whiciji hap- 
 " pened afterwards, bring them to the true 
 " faith — ■ They were hardened, there- 
 " fore, according to the faying of the 
 " apoftle, and caft away the good which 
 " was then laid before them'." 
 
 This, 
 
192 Ofyuliajti^femptto rebuild 
 
 This, ihdeed, is plainly declaring that 
 the grofs body of thie Jews concei-ned in 
 this attempt returned home religionlefs l^s 
 they came j without either their 'temple, 6v 
 any holier worfhip. So far, then, is allow- 
 ed j and he has it to ipake his beft of 3 
 which he is willing enough to do, we fee, 
 for he takes notice, that the other two hifto- 
 rians, Sozomene and'I'^eo4drei, contradifl: So- 
 crates, and pretend, that the greater fart em- 
 braced the Qtrijlian faith. 
 
 This now comes to be examined. Cut 
 Jet me previouily obfcrve, i. That both 
 yews and Gentiks joined in this attempt to 
 rebuild the Temple ; and had both of tbem 
 the ftigma of th^ Crofs Mpon their garments, 
 as Gregory Nazianzene and Kufinus inform 
 us *. Nay, from the Former we leara, it 
 
 f^«v, «f ertf" Tiff «A))da'«f ti'^ tuuwg. jrcW^oiv- 
 
 Tii iffiTrlov. Socr. L. iii. c. 20. 
 
 * 3?nJ«|fl^T«(r<!H/ «'t» (^ vuS rets i^^ras, ^i vS 
 
 Srojuy-oS^ cMmis S-eoIaM (J (M?m ofjiS re ^ reu/ret 
 
 iittyetii tK, fir iy t ^fiiji^iav, etr' in t |s»«u — 
 Naz. Orat. ix. — In fequenti nofte in veftimenti? ««- 
 nium fignaculum crucis. Ruf. L. x. c. 37. 
 
 1 was 
 
% Temple ^ yer^alem. 193 
 
 was impfeflTed on the habits of fuch qf the 
 believers, likewife, as were prefent. A^d,, 
 indeed} byt for this pr^umftance, the falfe 
 mxvdicleiii'Theophanes had ijever been invent- 
 ed, or at leaft had been differently conftrud- 
 ed : for hie covers the. very ehurch-books 
 and iacri^d veftments wi^ Crofles. But 
 what is chiefly worth observing is, that this 
 falling of the cro^Tes indifferently on all par- 
 ties prefent, confirms the phy^cal account 
 we have given of their nature. 2. My fe- 
 cond obfervation is, That as Socrates records 
 the efftft this miracfe had on the JetvSy fo 
 Greg. Nazianzene r^coxA%'^h2X it had upon 
 the Gentiles : For this Father having infuTted 
 and triumphed over their Mathematicians 
 and Aftronomers on the fnbjedl of the aerial 
 Crofs ; goes on to fpeak of that upon the hti- 
 bitsof the perfons prefent; and concludes his 
 „?^ccount in this munner^Sfi great wai^f be ajio- 
 nijhment of the fpeSiators, that almojl all of 
 tbewii as at a common fgn, with one voice in- 
 voked for mercy the God of the Chri/iians, 'and 
 firoroe to render him propiiiom with hymns and 
 fupplications. And many of them ^ 'without pro~ 
 cfajlinatingy but at the very time thefe things 
 happened, addrefjing themfelves to oiir Priejts 
 •with earneji prayer s^ ivere admitted^ i^to the 
 E . P bofoni 
 
194 ^f Juttan^s Antempi to rebuild 
 hofom of the church" ^ &c. Where we tti^y 
 obferve the different language of Natzian^ 
 zene on this occafion fpeaking of the Gen- 
 tiles, from that of Socrates, who fpoke df 
 the Jews. The Firfl fays, m r Xi/i<iiuvuv 
 ttvuKoihii^ Biw, the Other, — '^Kovjes u[^6- 
 xiybv Tiv Xg/5-5v S-eov T^yoilts. The Gentiles 
 implored the protedlion of the great God 6f 
 Heaven, whom they had before »f^/f^^</j 
 the Jews were forced to own that Chrijl to 
 be God, whom they had before rejeSied. 
 
 This being premifed,we come now to So- 
 zoMENE J who, our learned Critic afiirm?, 
 hath contradifted Socrates, mf friending that 
 the greater part embraced the Chrijlianfaitb. 
 
 I WILL give the paffage of Sozomene en- 
 tire. After thefe things, fays he [namely 
 the earthquake and firey eruption] another 
 miracle happetied more illujiriom and wonder- 
 ful than the foregoing : for, on afudden, and 
 
 iij Ixsvtcu; cwTsv i^iKdiTKii^' zao^as^ 3 CiSTf Wff fivxSo-- 
 A«V, d'^ol ■srix,^' ouJTX Tuy avix&dilm Zir^a(rSi^[ji,o'il»{ 
 
 ffi»iffii(^.[ji,^@^, &c. Orat. ix. 
 
 * without 
 
ihe TempU <fjerufalem. 195 
 
 kntbotit human agency, every man's habit was 
 impr^ed with the Jgn of the iCrofs. — The 
 confequence qf tl)is "Was, thaifomey bnthein- 
 Jianty concluded Ghriji to be God, and thdt 
 the rejioration of the Venule %as difplet^ng 
 to him. While other s^w^ hrig after ^ went 
 over to the Church and were bi^tifed ; and 
 iy hymns andjufplicatiom, in behalf of the 
 guilty y endeavoured to afpeafe the wrath of 
 the Son of God''. ^ 
 
 As evident as it dp|ieaf s to be that Socrates 
 fpokepniy of the Jews, s^d Greg.Nazian- 
 zene only pf the Gentiles ; Co certain is it, 
 thzt ^ozofnene^ who took from, both of them, 
 /peaks both of Jews and Gentries. 
 
 He fays every man's habit was marked 
 with the Crofs. That is, as Greg. Naz. 
 had faid before, every man indifferently, 
 ^hsiCtit^r Je^ or Gentile. He then men- 
 tions the confequence of this prodigy, not 
 
 * 'EjrJ T8T« ^ ^ «Wlo ^uutivi^^ti, rS arjolsgs er*- 
 
 Jl, to"? (^ eu/rUei ok^^yi bioi tivpu f Xe/«?oi', ;^ 
 jt*)} 'i^AluSeu Tp cevavtiiirH jS taS' ol 3 , cht «f ju»- 
 
 ifidfK-Qvlo. Eccl. Hift. L V. c. 22. 
 
 €> a on 
 
J96 Of Juliatis Attmpt to rebuild 
 on the Jews only, but oh the Gentih. 
 OK TSTa 3 — Anti as it was feafoftable to 
 exped: it Would have a different efFedl on 
 the different parties ; h&jlrji fpeaks of what 
 it had upon the Jews, that, on the injiant, 
 they confejfed Chriji to be God. This is no 
 more than Socrates had faid. They Oilly dif- 
 fer in the manner of telljtig J For while So- 
 trdtes goes on to inform US, in exprefs words, 
 that the eorffeilion was not taftin^, and that 
 they prefently fell back into their old fuper- 
 ftition; Sozomene x:Kix\\£nXs, himfelf to/ftf^his 
 reader to the fame conclufion, by oppofing 
 this fudden flafh of conviHion, to the real 
 andlafling connrdrfionoi ihtVz^ns, recorded 
 by Gregory. Others (fays he) not hng after 
 went over to the Churchy &c. From hence 
 it appears, that Sozomene is fo far from con- 
 trJididling Socrates,, on this article, that he 
 jends him all the fupport a concurrent tefti- 
 mony can afford. 
 
 Theodoret comes next. And him too 
 the learned Critic hath involved in the fame 
 charge of contradidtion ; but with much 
 lefs pretence. For he, like Soerates, fpeaks 
 only of the Jews ; and, in fuch a manner 
 too, as if he had Socrates all the way in 
 
 his 
 
t&e Temple of Jerufakm. 197 
 his eye. The wKole of what he fays is to this 
 efFed: : — The very garments' alfo of the Jews 
 merefilkd mth Cr^es -^ which thefe enemies 
 ^Godfeeingy and fearing that his hand new 
 exerted might fall upon themfehes,fed away, 
 and returned every man to bis place ^ conf ef- 
 fing bij^ to be God, wbom. their forefathers 
 fi0xed to the tree''. 
 
 And now, what is thpre that can coun- 
 tenance M. Bajhage in faying, ijiat Theodoret 
 pretends the greater part embraced the Chri- 
 fiian faith t Is not the confeffm he records 
 the very fame with that which Socrates tells 
 us, fo foon pafied away in their returning 
 infitjelity ? We conclude, jjherefore, againft 
 the learned Critic's obje(Sion, that, in thi^ 
 article, there is a perfect harmony amongfl 
 the three Hiftorians. ' 
 
 But it will be faid, perhaps, that in re- 
 moving this objedtion, I make room for 
 another that may prove more ftubborn. 
 
 wAm^w/o, reuJrci oi dvllitoi B^i*r»'i^oi, ^ T«f ^it}- 
 
 jt«« x*1sA«6ov, Btov of4,oKoySvlis tiv vjisra t argoya- 
 ytfv Tw ^vAw wjflfijAftifisvlflS. Eccl. Hift. 1. iii, c. 20. 
 
 O 3 « For 
 
198 Of JuUatis Attempt, to rehM 
 " For it feems incredible that fo illuftrjq^^ 
 a miracle fhould have made no impreffioii 
 oi| the Je-wsy and yet have had foconfi-: 
 derable an efFedt upon the Gentiles. An 
 objedion, which feems to be redoubled 
 upon one v^^hq hath affirmed ^^ that a Jew's 
 conviBion of the truth of Chriftianity muft^ 
 on his own notions, be neceffarily attend- 
 ed \yith a Converfiqn: while that Gentile 
 principle of intercommuniiyt did not imply 
 the peceffity of a Pagan's conyerl;on under 
 the fame pqnviition.'' 
 
 ?■ " If, fay tlje Eleifis, Qhrlfti^nify were aqcompa- 
 " njed by fuch illuftrious and extraordinary marks of 
 *' trutj) as is pretended j liow happened it that its truth 
 *' was not feen by more of the beft and wifeft of thofe 
 *' times ? And if it were feen (as it certainly was hy 
 " .^mianus Marcellinus, Macrobius, and many others) 
 *' bow could they continue Pagans ? The Anfwer is 
 *' plain and ftrong. The truth was generally feen. 
 *' But \ye have ihewn, that the conviflion of it, in a 
 *' new Religion,- vj^as, with men over-run with fo unj- 
 *' yerfal a prejudice [the principle of intercommunity] 
 " no reafon for their quitting an old one. The cafe 
 *' indeed was different in a Jew, who held none of this 
 « intercommunity: If fuch a one owned the truth of 
 " Chriftianity, he muft needs embrace it,'' Div. Leg, 
 3.ii.§6. feealfoB.v. §6. ' ' 
 
 To 
 
the Teazle, sf Jerujalem. 199 
 To this I aniWer, It is very true, that a 
 Miracle performed before a Pagan^ and 
 not diredly addreffed to him, made, for 
 the moft part, but a fmall impreffion on his 
 religious notions j becaufe that general prin- 
 ciple of Paganifm hindered him from fee- 
 ing, that the evident truth of another reli- 
 gion was an argument of the falfhood of 
 his own. It was different with the yew j 
 who, being a worfhipper of the true God, 
 mufl: neceflarily regard his atteftation, by 
 miracle, not only as an evidence of the truth 
 propofed, but as an obligation upon all men 
 to embrace it. Hence the Apoftle P«a/, 
 who beft knew the different geniufes of 
 the two oppofed Religions, fays^ Tbe Jews 
 require ajign^ and the Greeks ^f^^ after wif- 
 dom : Zo(piDtV} the religious principles of 
 their philofophyj amongfl the chief of 
 which was the dodtrine of intercommunity. 
 
 Had the yews therefore confidered • this 
 Miracle at yerttfakmy as an atteftation to the 
 truth of Chrijiianity^ they mufi have em- 
 braced it. And to affirm they did fo confi- 
 der it, and yet not embrace it, would be fay- 
 ing fomething flrangely incredible. But this 
 was not the cafe. In their fright they might 
 
 O 4 call 
 
200 Of JuRan's Attempt to rehuildi^i 
 call out upon Chriji as God-, but when' that 
 was over, their prejudice regained its hold, 
 and drew them back to their national fuper- 
 ftition : however it could not have kept 
 them there, bat that it enabled them to find 
 a purpofe, in this Miracle, confiftent with 
 Judaifm : Which was God's anger at their 
 prophaning a work fo holy by confenting to 
 put it under the direction of a Pagan Em- 
 peror. This would be eafily credited by 
 thofewho had learnt from their facred Books 
 that an Ifraetife was ftruck dead but for 
 ftretching out his hand to uphold the falling 
 Ark. When, therefore, they faw and felt 
 thefe fevere marks of the divine difpleafure, 
 to what would they afcribe it, but to their 
 accepting the impure affiftance of an impi- 
 ous Gentile to rebuild the Houfe of the Di- 
 vine prefence : For could it be expefted, 
 when God had denied this honour to the 
 Man after his own heart, bccaufe his hands 
 were defiled with bipod, that he would con- 
 fer it upon' a Pagan^ a Warrior, and a de- 
 clared Enemy to, that Difpenfation, a zeal 
 for which was David's great merit with the 
 God of IfraelJ We fee, by the paffage quo- 
 ted above ^ from R. 'Gedaliab ben fofeph Je^ 
 I p. ^9— 7Q. 
 
 chaia. 
 
; , #fe Temple of 'Jerufahm. 20 r 
 ehaja,- 'that fome fuch folution as this ena- 
 bled them to own the Miracle without blufh- 
 ■jng. But had they even wanted fo plaufiblc 
 an evafion, yet their prejudices would not 
 have fufFered them to be delicate in a cafe 
 where their all was in danger j as appears 
 by the bungling folutions they invented to 
 evade the confequences arifing from the 
 Miracles oiyefas. Sometimes they afcribed 
 his power (as the Gofpel tells us) to the 
 affiftance of the evil Demon j and fome-» 
 times, again (as the bool^ s of their Tradi- 
 tions inform us) to certain fpclls or charms 
 ilolen from the Temple of Sahmon. 
 
 However, tho' the Miracle at yerufa- 
 km was too notorious to be queftioned in 
 that Age, and fo was to be accounted for 
 in the manner we have feen j yet, in After» 
 times, it was thought fafer to deny it ; tho* 
 ftill by the modeft way of an implication. 
 Thus (as we have feen above") R. David 
 Gam, pretends, that the mifcarriage in the 
 "Perfian war prevented the rebuildirig their 
 Temple — Nam Ccefar in hello Perfico periit. 
 Another of them invents a very different tale 
 (for falfhood is rarely cfonftant) and pretends 
 
 * P- 49' . 
 
 that 
 
302 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 that a fly trick of the Samaritans made bqtfi 
 xh&Jewszndi the Emperor, in their turns, 
 difgufted with the projed:. But fo filly a 
 ftory will hardly bear the telling. However 
 the Reader may iind it below *". — And in 
 this manner too they treated the Miracles 
 pf J^fas .V for tho', at firft, they only ven- 
 tured to evade their force, they at length 
 came to deny thek real|ty. 
 
 On the whole, then, we fee. That the in-, 
 veterate prejudices, of the Jews ; their obJU- 
 nacy in the Wrong j and their averjion to the 
 Chriftian name, would hinder a miracle from 
 having its proper effe<ft upon them, could 
 
 ■ •" In diebus' R. Jiehofuah Hanania: fililj mandavit 
 Imperator ut Templum reisdtficaretur. Papus autem, & 
 JuLiANus opiparas menfas prasponunt Judais a captK 
 vitate advenientibus (ad opus adjuvandum) ab Hako ad 
 Antiochiam. Cutei vera feu Samaritani Imperatori af- 
 ferunt, quod fi Hierufalem refauretur, Judseos a contri- 
 buendis vedligalibus cellaturos, indeque ab iilo defedu^ 
 rps; quibus Imperator j QuomCdp inqu,it, licet mihi ab 
 inccEpto recedere poft mandati promulgationem ? Ad 
 quod Samaritani, Domine, inquiunt, praecipe ergo, ut 
 locum prioris Templi mutent, vel ut augeatur aut di- 
 minuatur in longitudine vel latitudine circa quinque 
 eubitos, itaque, nuUo cogente, opus deftituent. Huiq 
 fententiae aquievit Imperator ; atque'juxta earn, novum 
 mifit Judseis mandatumin valle Sfi-iJt/Kffn^ggregatis, 
 quo audito, in piagnum pro^umpunt fletum, indeque 
 
 they 
 
.. the Tempk of Jerufalem. 20$ 
 lliejrbut contrive either to put it to the fup^ 
 port of their own fuperftitions, or, at leaft, 
 to turn it from the condemn»tion of them. 
 We fee the miracle in queftion might he thus 
 evaded. Who then 'can doubt but they would 
 evade it? The c(HifequeiQC€^,was, their conti? 
 nuance in error. The Chriftian writers tell us 
 they did continue. And we now find, They 
 fay nothing but what is very probable. 
 
 The contrary efFedl this IVf iracle had oi> 
 ]Paganifm is as eafily underftood. For 
 tijo' ^be principle of intercommunity fup- 
 ported a pei^tile againft the power of mi- 
 racles at large, yet \y^hen he found one of 
 them levelled at himfelf^ a§ its direft oby 
 
 furore perciti de defeftionc loquuntur i fed Magnates 
 defeftionis confequentiis valde perterriti, impbrant a 
 praedji^ R. Jehofuaji, ut populum allpquatur, eumquij' 
 ad pacem adducere conetur, quod fecit fequ^ti fabula. 
 Leo a fruftulo offis in ej^guttuce infixo admodum af- 
 fli£Kis, magnam fpondet mercedem cuicmnque molc'? 
 ftum OS ab ejus gutture averruncaret. Acceditfliiirus, 
 ©s ayerruncat, & mercedem petit. Cul L«o, j£«^ tc 
 ipfum, inquit, quod ingreffus es in Leonis os in pace^ 
 & egreflus es in pace. Sic, fratres, fufEcit ut ingreffi 
 fimus fub hujus gentis poteftate in pace, & egrediamur 
 in pace. Haec funt Berefit-Raba vatba fideliter tranfr 
 lata, ex fine ca,p. 64. Hoc accidit anno.aS, orbecon- 
 dito circa 4833, fecuadum R. David Ganz in ejus 
 2emah David. 
 
 4 jed, 
 
804 Of yuUan's Attempt to rebuild _ 
 )ed:, tHe cafe would be alter-ed. He would 
 then feel the point in queftion brought \mm 
 to him ; and j^e circumflances of aiFright 
 and defolation (if, as here, the miracle was 
 attended with any fuch) would keep off pre-, 
 judice tillReafori had paffed a fair judgment. 
 m\\€Je<wi^'a&. Gentiles joined cordially in this 
 projeft. The motive of the Firfi wss afonj 
 defire to be reftored to their Country and 
 Religion j but the motive of the Latter^ n 
 malicious purpofe to give the lye to ReveU- 
 tion. And, affuredly, the impf'ejjton on thd 
 defeat would be ftridlly relative to the motive 
 of the attempt. They thought to difhonour 
 the holy Faith ; and they added new credit 
 to it. So that a confcioufnefs of their inten- 
 tions would add proportionable facility to 
 their converfion. The Jemjh evafion would 
 not {qxvq their purpofe. At moft, it could 
 only make, them waver between the Church 
 and the Synagogue j a ftate of no long con- 
 tinugpce. Sozomene affures us it was not j 
 For he fays thatyoo» after am &s fiax^v, they 
 went over to the Church and ivere baptifed. 
 
 But, before we leave this fubjed:, it 
 may be proper to obferve,,That general cx^ 
 preffiohs, relative io Parties, and bodies of 
 men, are not to be underllood univerfally. 
 
 Thus 
 
'' the Temple of Jerufdiem. 205 
 Thus when the Hifteriahs tell us, all were 
 marked with the Crofs, They do not mean 
 every individual ^prtfent', but all indifftrent- 
 ly, of every denomination. So again, when 
 they fay, the Pagans were converted, and 
 the yews remained hardegpd, They do not 
 mean every particular man } but the £a.c 
 greater number in either party. And thus 
 St. Chryfojiome diredls us to iinderfland it, 
 where he fays, 'That the Jeivs, for the moft 
 part J remained hardened"' 
 
 It is fcarce worth while to take notice, 
 that what M. Bafnage affirms (of Sozomem 
 and theodorefs faying, That the news of the 
 Jews^ converfion reached even the ears of the 
 Emperor fulian himfelf) is as mift^en as 
 the reft. For Sozomene fays nothing of the 
 matter : and as to T&eodoret, his words are 
 as follows, Thefe things came to the ears 
 of Julian, far they -were cried up, and in the 
 mouths of all men ; but his heart was ^uird- 
 ened like Pharaoh's ^ : where we fee, by 
 raura, he means the Miracles. For it was 
 not the cmvet^OH, which was in th^ mouths 
 
 ' Tom. V. Orat xlv. * T««t« i^xgtfs /Jju 'IaA««- 
 
 tlw KCt^Slon iffKhl^^UUiV. L. lU. C. 20. 
 
 of 
 
2o6 Of '^uliaifi Attempt terehuiti 
 of all men, hnt the miracles. And Julian's 
 refifting thefc, was what made his cafe like 
 Pbamoh's. 
 
 Our Critic, having how vv'ell tanvafred 
 fhe matter,' tells us for what purpbfe he hatH 
 been at all thefe pains j If wHs to fupp^ 
 thofe foher perfohs, *who do hot believe it, with 
 arguments to fortify their doubts. But as if 
 idmething was ftill wanting to fo go6d an 
 end, lie fefunc^es his tafk, and fays, he ibill 
 add two obfervations move. ^ 
 
 TwEfrftliy That the af-gumeht Sozomeni 
 irings, to' prove the truth of ^hdt he dd^ 
 vances, isd^veryweak one. He appeals t& 
 the ifjiie ; and maintains^ we can no longer 
 doubt of this lot}g train of mirddes fince the 
 *Temple was never finijhed. But (fays the 
 Critic) has the Hijiorian forgot that thefews 
 did not obtain their permif^on till the time of 
 fuliart sfetting out for his Perfimi expeditiony 
 in ithieh he perijhedf ^here was then' little 
 need of all thefe Miracles to hinder the ereSi" 
 ion of a building. Surely a fufficient eaufe 
 of cutting Jhort an enter prife of this nature ^ 
 might be found in the oppoftion of the Chri- 
 JiianSy who might take advantage of the 
 Princess abfence in a remote regisn^ his death 
 
 there^ 
 
Y the tmple of Jerufdlem. Jto/ 
 ^there^ and the advancement of Jovian to the 
 Empire, who had an averjkn for the Jews. 
 Befides^ the Hiftorian referi his readers in a 
 vague indefinite manner to the eye-naitneffei of 
 thefaSi^ without pointing out one fingle per- 
 fon by name. 
 
 Here are many things a&rted, that will 
 deferve an anfwer. 
 
 1. He mifreprefents the matter, in fay- 
 ing that Sozomene gives the iinbuiit Temple 
 as a proof of its being obftrudted by a mira- 
 cle. To fuch reafoning, indeed, M. Baf- 
 nage's obfervation oi Julian' s abfence < and 
 death &c. had been a good reply. But So^ 
 ■zomene's argument ilands thus : The yield- 
 ing up the place, and leaving the work im- 
 perfedl, '^fuliKis -n l^yov icsHlotKar.ovIss, is a 
 proof of the nMraculous interpofition. Now, 
 it is one thing %ofee a work^xxxxfiniSa&A; and 
 another, to know who left it in that conclition. 
 From the firft (which is as Mr. Bafnage 
 reprefents it) Sozomene's canclufion would 
 not hold J .from the latter (which is as So- 
 zomene himfelf puts- it) it certainly would. 
 But to this it may be objeded, " That, at 
 the time Sozomeiie made this qbfervation, 
 the two different reprefentations amounted 
 
 but 
 
•2o8 Of JnUan's Attempt'^ to nhdJd 
 but to one and the fame thin'^j becaufcalt 
 that the Reader could fee, Was zwork'ut^ 
 nified; and, fot the reft, he had only the 
 Hiftorian's word." This, our Adverfanes 
 will allow to be fairly put. But they are not 
 aware, that when Sozomene wrote, the fec^ 
 of things . upon the place was fiich as was 
 fufficient tb convince his Readers that the 
 yews and Gentiles were forcibly driven from 
 their work j namely the marks of "a defo- 
 lating earthquake, and a confurning fire. 
 Cbryfo/isxi^e: tjcUs us, thefe exifted when he 
 wrote; and it would be abfurd to think 
 that fach kind of marks could be oblite- 
 rated fo ibon after. 
 
 Thus far in defence of the Hiftofian's 
 argument. I proceed to cohfi^er the falfe 
 Fa6t, which M. Bafnagi has advanced, in 
 fuppoVt of his falfe reprefentation of that 
 Argument. He fays, /i6^/ th& Jews did ritt 
 obtain their permiffion to rebuild the Temple, 
 till the time Julian fet cut for' his Perjian 
 expedition. This he grourids on the words 
 of Socrates, K.sXdCa rux®^ ^^^^ ''■«'' 2o^o- 
 y.Siv(^ vcxov' Kj oujTog hri Hi^trag ^^euuin ; which 
 the Latin Tranllator renders, 'Solomonis'Tem- 
 phim protiiliis inftaurari jiibet . Ipfe interim 
 ad bethim contra Perfas profcifcitur. But 
 
^ tiiB I'emple^ ej ^'Jnufalem. 209 
 
 cV; ne^ffas^Aaf/ce does ftot fignify he forth- 
 with began his march* as if it had been iih 
 Ile^o-ac "mo^dji^fiu ; but that he began the war 
 againft them, by putting every thing in a 
 hoftile motion j which he ^might do before 
 ht.\dt Afttioeh. And Amm. MarcellinuSy 
 who was, at that time, with Julian, and of 
 his Court, tells us, that the Eruption, wh,ich 
 put an end to the Projedb, happened while 
 his Mafter was at Ant itch. 
 
 But the Critic's inference from this will 
 deferve a more particular confideration — 
 fo that there was little need of all thefe mira- 
 cles to hinder the ereBion of a Jingle building. 
 Surelji afufficient caufe for cutting Jhort an 
 enterprife of this nature may he found in the 
 tppofitifin of the Chrijiians, who might take 
 advantage of the Prince's abfence in a remote 
 region, of his death there, and the advance- 
 ment of Jovian, nioho was an enemy to the 
 Jews. ■ 
 
 Here are two things reprehenfible in this 
 inference, i . A falfe Jiate of the cafe -, 
 2. and a groundlefs infnuation. 
 
 1. He flates it as if thefe miracle^ were 
 work'd only to hinder the fimple eretftion 
 pf H building for fuperftitious worfhip j 
 
 P the 
 
2 io Of JutiMs Attempt to rebuild 
 the very ttrot bi AmbH/e, t^'^tn nbttce of 
 above. Whereas there ^as miTCh morfe ifi'the 
 affair; It's eredtion would h^Ve given the 
 lye to the Prophecies, and have contradidt- 
 ed the declared nature of the Gbfpel difpen- 
 fatioii. In the fir ft cafe, there feemed rio fuf- 
 ificient reafon to interpofe ; iii the latter, an 
 interpoiition vv^as neceflary. 
 
 2. The /«/?««<3^?o« is that tji,^ real Qbftru- 
 dlion came from the Chrijiians mjulian's ab- 
 fence j/— from his unexpefted death j —-and 
 fi;om the fucceffion of a Chriftiafi to the 
 Einpire. This, we fee, is only his opinion : 
 I think differently ; and had I only my con- 
 jeiftufes to oppofe to bis, here we might 
 leave it. But it would be betraying a good 
 caufc, not to remind the Reader, that M. 
 Bafnage's infinuation is utterly refuted by 
 the concurrent teftimony of two unexcep- 
 tionable witnefles, Ammianus MarCellmus, 
 and the Emperor Julian himfelf : From 
 both of whom ' we learn, That the ajffair 
 of theTemple-projedt was all over before 
 Julian removed from Antioch. 
 
 * See p. 44— 45. and p. 51? & feq. 
 
,. ,,t&.e T60te oj J^ruplem. 211 
 
 But there is ftill fpmething behind the 
 curtain : which either prudence or modefty 
 mad^ M. 5«/«i^f tiackward to fubjed: tp t^e 
 abufe of every licentipus Reader. But I 
 am always for lettins,,. Truth te trufted 
 withitfelf: therefore, to. difguife nothing, I 
 woi^ld ohferve, that one of, th? lirongeftol^- 
 jedlions to the Miracle feems here to be ob- 
 fcurely delineated. Whether he faw it in 
 it's fall' force may be doubted. However, 
 here it is» and tl^e Reader fliall have no rea- 
 i©fl to complain that it does not come with 
 it's beft foot for Nyarcj. I will fuppofe then 
 M. Bafnage to make the following objedibion. 
 
 -Li. 
 
 " That admitting the re-edificatlpn of 
 .the Temple was bo|:h contrary to t^e wonls 
 of the old Prophecies, and po tjie nature q£ 
 the new Difpenfation ; yet, as the Projedlor 
 jE?f this affront upon Rejjgio^ was fjiddenly 
 cutQif, and fiM;ceeded by a Chriftiag Em- 
 perpr, fee^Vje any confiderable pnognais q?uid 
 ^e made, .^there was no need of a Miracle 
 to defeat the attempt ; and pod is; not. wont 
 io make a needlefs wafteof Them," 
 
 The Objedtion, we fee, is fpecious, and, 
 at firft view,' will be apt toi'mpofe upon us. 
 JBat let us weigh it's real value. 
 
 P 2 Thk 
 
2X2 Of Julians Attempt to rebuild 
 
 The cafe is agreed to be this, The two In- 
 veterate Enemies of the Chriftian name con- 
 fpire together, tho' with different views, to 
 Waft' its credit, and diihonour its pretenfi- 
 ons : And this, in a point fo eflential, that 
 the Religion itfelf muft ftand or fall with 
 the iffue of the event. 
 
 They put their defign in execution. The 
 materials are colleded, the workmen affem- 
 hled, the foundations laid, and the fuper- 
 ftrudure now advances without flop or im- 
 pediment. In a word, every thing fucceeds 
 to their wifhes. When, on a fudden, one 
 of the mofl: common accidents in the; wprld 
 blafts the whole projed: ; a giddy headftrorig 
 Prince perifhes in a rafli adventure againft 
 a fierce and fubtile enemy. 
 
 In this cafe, what would theWorld have 
 thou^t; the World, which never thinks 
 favourably of Religious novelties, and which 
 this bold defiance of the power of Chriji had 
 fet at gaze, and made impatient for the 
 event ^ ? Would it not have faid, that Chri- 
 Jiianity was beholden to a mere acddettt j 
 while the Power, that ihould have fupport- 
 
 SeepV72— 73- 
 
 ed 
 
the Tem^i of Jerufale^. 2 13 
 
 ed itj was not at hand to vindicate its credit 
 and reputation ? 
 
 , The Jews had, twice befdre attempted 
 the reftoration of their temple-ia^orjhip : Once 
 under ^df:iatt i an^once againj;Under,C(j»- 
 ^antine. At thofe jun(^ures the attempt had 
 none of this malice and formed impiety 
 againft" the divinity of our holy Faith. It was 
 fimply a natural defire the Jews had o^ re- 
 turning to their own land,and df re-eftablifh- 
 ing their country Rites. But ftill, it being 
 contrary to God's religious oeconorpy, the 
 defign was defeated by the policy of Hadrian^ 
 and the zeal oi Conjiantim ; and thefe natural 
 impediments were fufficient to cover the 
 honour of Religion. For, in thofe two cafes, 
 God's tranfailion was only with his Church. 
 Jle promjifed to fupport it to the end of 
 time, and he equally performs his pro- 
 mife whether that proteftion ^t conveyed 
 by the Mortal inftruments with which he 
 works in the courfe of his general Pro- 
 vidence, apd whofe blindnefs is guided by 
 his all- feeing eye ; or whether it be im- 
 mediately gflTorded by the fudden arrefl and 
 nev«* 'diredion of Nature, irrefiftibly impel- 
 led by his all-powerful hand. 
 
 P 3 But 
 
2r4 Of Julian' s Attempt to rebuild ^^ 
 
 But the cafe is different in the affair ia 
 queftion. Here God had a controverfy with 
 his Enemies. His Power was defied, his 
 Godhead challenged, and his PrOteftion da^ 
 red to interpofe between Them and his Ser- 
 vants. At this impdrtant juncture, to let a 
 natural event decide the quarrel, and to urge 
 that as a proof of his vidtory, would be ta-r 
 king for granted the matter in queftion, 
 For the affair was not with his Friends, who 
 believed his fuperjntendency ; but with his 
 Enemies, who laughed at and defied it. Not 
 to {hew himfelf, on this occafion, in all the 
 terror of his Majefty, muft have expofed 
 his Religion to the fame contempt as if 
 the very pinnaicles of the Temple had^been 
 Completed. 
 
 But this is not all. A Prophecy, fuch 
 as this, concerning the utter deftrudion of 
 the Temple, is of the nature of a prohi- 
 bitory Law. For God's foretelling a 
 thing fhoiild never be^ contains in it a fror, 
 hibition to do it: becaufe that: inforxnation 
 is founded in hi§ owji Will, or Command ; 
 rot in the Will or Command of another ■^■ 
 therefore that M// binds all, towhofe IcnoWr. 
 ledge it arrives. This Law came to the 
 Jcnowledge of the Temple-projedofs, as ap- 
 pears 
 
the temple of yerufakm. 215 
 pears from their very impiety in defying its. 
 But it is of the nature andi^e^ncc of Law 
 to have penal fanftiofis. Without /^^w, all 
 Laws are vain j -c^^tazWy frohibitory Laws. 
 Nowr thefe-Tranfgreflbrs were as culpable in 
 begiming the foundations, as they could have 
 been had they lived to finifh their work. 
 Therefore to fee them efcape punifliment,and 
 fafely and quietly go off when the change of 
 times forbad them to proceed (a change, 
 which had nothing in it more wonderful than 
 the death of a rafh Adventurer in battle) mull: 
 have argued, that God was no more con- 
 cerned in the iflue of this than of all other 
 natural events j and confequently, that thefe 
 boa/ied Prophecies^ and i\m pretended Gefpel^ 
 were the inventions of men. I believe mo- 
 dern Infidels would fcarce have fpared us, 
 had they catched Churqji-hiftory at. this ad- 
 vantage. 
 
 A« i(e^ isTi u\Koti 'EAAijin, ^ sr«c<y ^liiSouatg- oi f^ 
 ^ art 'IxSjUotf ffuvaSyitif cKv'tvuvauu eui'oSq 'j^ ati%- 
 
 ^djSfTs iirihiy^M % Xe<?8 T«f ar^ppfVo-ftf • si 3, ojuji 
 «ift iitvoSvlo, Hj Kou^ov ix^v ^ovla ct^fctiW'ou iv It^ov — 
 Tijv .^ifaroliK^v xsutKotyJociiim a M«t««(^ w§offy,(riv 
 $nKiyXm. "jnieod, L iii. c. 20. Sozom, J. v. c. 22. 
 ' , p 4 But 
 
2 J 6 Of' Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 
 Rut nowj by a timely interpofition, the 
 honour of Religion was fecured ; And' an 
 exemplary punifliment being 'inflicSed ; the 
 reverence of his • Laws, the credit of his 
 Meffengers, and the Regal Dignity of his 
 Stin, were all amply vindicated. 
 
 And now I am upon this fubje^, let me 
 obferve, what perhaps I might have found 
 a better pl,aqs for, That the forbearance of 
 Jovian and Valentinian to revenge on thofe 
 forward creatures in power, the infults and 
 injuries offered on this occafion to many 
 peaceable and honefl men, is no flight proof 
 of the reality of a miraculous interpofition. 
 For it fhewed the Church fully fatisfied 
 that God had aveneed his own caufe. 
 
 Thus have we fet this Obje&ion in the 
 befl light we were able, both for the honour 
 of Religion, and the credit of M. Bafnage's 
 criticifm. The Reader fees to what it a- 
 mounts. 
 
 He concludes it in thefe words, -rr- Be- 
 fides, the Hzfiorian [Sozomene] refers his 
 Readers in a vague indefinite manner to the 
 eye-witnejfes of the FaSi, without pointing ojut 
 miefingle perfonby name. 
 
 Ob- 
 
the Tempk of yerufakm. 217 
 • Gbjectors are often too carelefs .where 
 their random resft^ions will light. This 
 will fall upon the Apqftle's narrative as well 
 as the Hiftorian's. St. Paitl, arguing againft 
 fome who denied the Refurredlion from the 
 dead, confutes them by the refurre<3:ion of 
 JefuSj who was feertf after he was rife;i, 
 of above Jive hundred brethren at once, of 
 ivhom (fays he, without fpecifying any one 
 by name) the greater part remain unto this 
 prefenti but fome are fallen ajleep. ^. 
 
 SozoMENE writes a general hiftory of 
 the Church, for the ufe of the whole Chri- 
 ftian world : and fpeaking, in its place, of 
 the event at ferufalem, he concludes his ac- 
 count in this manner, If thefe things feem 
 incredible to any one, Thofe who have had their 
 information from eye-witne£es, and yet re- 
 main alive, will confirm it to him ^. Of 
 which number either he himfelf was one, 
 or at leaft he had his account from one. 
 In either cafe, this was proper fatisfaftion 
 to a Doubter, And it had been imperti- 
 nent to add, that " amongft thefe were John, 
 
 E I Cor. XV. 6. Ticurai tru wif « «' Kotl»9au' 
 
 ill rS ^lu <Bj€^oMsf. 1. V. c. 22. 
 
 Thomas, 
 
j2 1 8 Of Julians Attempt to rebuild 
 
 ubavnas or Andrew of Jerufakm ;" obfcure 
 names, which would have given his Reader 
 no more fatisfa^on, than what his gene- 
 ral information had conveyed before. But it 
 may be faid, that St. Paul^ bcfides his 
 *mgue account oi Jive hundred, adds the 
 names of Cephas, "James, and himfelf. And 
 ib, doubtlefs would Sozamene, had he ei- 
 ther feen it himfelf, or known any that 
 had, with whofe names his Reader was 
 as well acquainted, as the CerihtMam were 
 with Cephas, James, and the refi of the 
 Twelve. What he has done was what com- 
 mon fenfe didated he fliould do. But M. 
 Bafnage feems to exped: in a general Hif- 
 tory all the circumftance and precifion of a 
 verbal procefs. 
 
 IIpWEVER, thus much we learn from 
 thefe ve^ue words oi Sozomene, that he was 
 not a mere copier j but, to verify his ftory, 
 went as nigh the fountain head as he 
 could get. And this being the practice of 
 thefe three honefl and judicious hiftorians, 
 we need not wonder that One fhould men- 
 tion this incident, and Another, that, juft 
 as they received their information from 
 the moll credible of the Jirji ear-witnejfes 
 
 they 
 
theTempteofJerufalem. ' 219 
 
 they could find then alive •, which too, by the 
 way, is fufficient to 'take off all M. l^ajjiage 
 urges on the head of 'varidfidhs. feut had 
 We taken his 'variations from him'/^^^hat 
 were he then ? A workman, without the 
 proper tool of his trade j for a profefi'd 
 ObjeBor never borrowed more than one 
 from the magazine of ^intilian — Arti- 
 Ficis g^ invenire in aSlime adverfarii quee 
 inter femetipfa fugnent, aut pug n All e vi- 
 
 DEANTUR. 
 
 We are now come to the end of this loog 
 Criticifm, which concludes in thefe words; 
 But Iqftly, Cyril of Jerufalem, nuka was, at 
 that time, Bijhop ofthe.place, and tmji have, 
 been upon thefpot,Jince it was he, •who, confid- 
 ing in a prophecy of Daniel (•which had fore- 
 told, as he thought, that the attempt would 
 prove unfuccefsful) encouraged and animated 
 the people to repofe their confidence in God. 
 Notwithjlanding, this fame Cyril hath never 
 taken the leq/i notice of thefe many miracles ": 
 and yet it certainly was not, becaufe he wiOs 
 no friend to miracles.: We are %ta'he wrote 
 to Conjlantine the younger, to inform him, that 
 he was more happy than his father, under 
 whofe einpire the Crofs of Chriji had been 
 I found 
 
220 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 found here on earth -, Jince Heaiien, to grace 
 bis reign, had displayed a more illujirious pro- 
 digy : which was aCrofs much brighter than 
 the Sun, feen in the firmament, fcr a long 
 time together, by the whole city of Jerufalem. 
 Why now was that Crofs remembered, and all 
 thefe miracles forgotten ? He ajfures the fews 
 they foall fee thefign of the Crofs ; and that it 
 will precede the coming of the Bon of. God; and 
 yet he fays not one word of thofe which had 
 been miraculoufy affixed on their habits. I^e 
 filence of a Bijhop, who was upon the place, 
 who loved miracles, and laboured for the con^ 
 verfioin of the Jews, looks very fufpicious j 
 while^ at the fame time, thofe who do fpeak 
 to it, lived at a dijlance. 
 
 This fuppofed fadt, concerning Cyril's 
 tefimony, ( as here ftated ) is indeed' a 
 ftrong objection to the Miracle. What 
 ihali we fay then ? Would not any one conr 
 cl^e tJbat this learned man, a real friend to 
 Revelation, and a faithful Hiftorian, |ia.d 
 weighed it well jaefore he venturecj to pro- 
 nounce upon its confequences, in fo public 
 a manner ,? Who would fufpedt that He 
 has taken o«^ tiling for granted, wh^ch 
 every body knows to be falfe ; and an- 
 other ^ 
 
the Temple of Jeriifalem. 221 
 Dther^ which no body can know, to be 
 true. 
 
 He takes it for granted, that the works 
 which now remain of CyW/, were written 
 ^^rthe event; whereas they were all 
 written ^^/flrf. Thefe are the Catechefes ad 
 competentes, the Catechefes myftagogicce^ and 
 the Epijik to Conjiantius : the two firfl 
 bear date about 347, and the latter in 
 351 ; Thofe, fixteen ; This, twelve years 
 iefbre the miracle in queftion. And the 
 worft is, the learned Critic could not be 
 ignorant of it. 
 
 If he had no intention to deceive by this 
 captious infinuation, we muft lay the blame 
 on his carelefs expreffion ; and that his ar- 
 gument from Cyril's filence, when fet in 
 the beft light, ftands thus : 
 
 " The pretended miracle at fefufdleM 
 happened in the year 363. Cyril lived to 
 the year 386 : fo that we cannot bat con^ 
 elude, he wrote and preached much within 
 thait period. He appears to be fond of ^ re- 
 cording miracles : but he had peculiar rea- 
 fons to celebrate, and expatiate upon, thii. 
 It fa\?^5ured his charitable zealfor the con- 
 vferfion of the feias j but, above all, thfe 
 
 glory 
 
Z7,z Of ^ 'Julian" s ^tfempt to rebuild 
 
 glory of it reflq^ed .Riuph luftre ufjqn ]iip- 
 felf, . as he had predi£ted the defeat, JFi^^d 
 he therefore known it to be truCj. he muft 
 ]^av,e recorded it. But the filence of Arjti- 
 quity concerning his teftimony,ilie\YS he did 
 npt record it. For to whpm but to Cyril, thfe 
 Biftiop of the place, and then upon the fpot, 
 ^ould the ancient relators of the fad: have 
 appealed ? Yet he was not forgotten in the 
 croud ; for they tell us of his faith in the^ro- 
 fibecy of Daniel. We muft, therefore, con- 
 clude, that the event, whatever it was, had 
 ftruck tjie good Bifhop dumb 5 ^nd that his 
 filence proceeded from that fort of confu- 
 iion, which we now-a-days fee in the mo- 
 defer fart of oxxx %evelation-Prophets, when 
 fome unexpecSed event between the 'Turk 
 and the Emperor has difconcerted the fcheine 
 they had chalked out for the dire<Slion of 
 Divine Prpyidence." 
 
 It will hardly be faid, I have not done 
 ■fe argument juftice. Let us fee then wfctat 
 can be replied to it^ 
 
 ;i. "W^jfET-H^R Cyril left ^ny thing be- 
 J^jiid hit» (except wh^tjie wrote before thf 
 eye^it) is not ^ny where fgid. ?^Qpo,e, ,pqr- 
 Jiaps fn^y conclude frojn Jerom^ that, he 
 
 wrote 
 
the Temple of ^erufalem. ^23 
 wrote nothing after this time : For, in His 
 catalogtlieof Ecclefiaftical writers, the works 
 mentioned' above are giveri as a complete lift 
 of what Cyril Wrote : and it is fcarce to be 
 fuppofed that any of his writings fhoiild 
 have perifhed between his time and that 
 X)i Jerom. 
 
 2. Cyril might write many things^ aod 
 yet none relative to this affair ; or in which 
 he could properly introduce it. 
 
 3. He might have given the hiftory^ 
 it in all its circumuances, and yet thefe three 
 Hiflorians (to whom M. Bapu^e'f obferva^ 
 tion is confined) not be guilty of any negle<3: 
 in not mentioning his teftimony by name. 
 Or if it were a negled, it was th^ fame 
 they committed in paffir^ over two other 
 cojitemporary writers, Gregory J^/^zttrnz^ 
 and John Chr^yfojiome -, one of whom Has 
 i|)oken/«Z^, and the ci^tv frequently ^ to the 
 miracle in queilion. But to this, -^haps, 
 it may be replied, " That tho' they have not 
 quoted them, yet they have rrferredto them, 
 aiid Borrowed from them. " How does 
 theObjedlor know ihatl' — From theiSa- 
 milies of the One, and the InveSHim of the 
 Other, now remaining^ — Very well : and 
 
 for 
 
224 Of yuUarii Attempt to rebuild 
 for aught he knows to the contrary, had any 
 of Cyril' i fuppofed works been remaining, 
 we fhould have feen Them quoting from, 
 and referring to Him ; efpecially, as They 
 relate feveral circumftances, mentioned nei- 
 thw by Gregory nor Chryfoflom. Had Gre- 
 gory s works been loft, we had been as un- 
 able to know that they borrowed from Him, 
 as we now are that they borrowed from 
 Cyril. ^ 
 
 4. As to Their recording the good Bi- 
 'ihop's prophetic confidence in the divine in- 
 terpofition, and at the iame time overlook- 
 ing his Teftimony to the miracle that fol- 
 lowed, a very good reafon may be given; 
 and fuch a ' one* as does honour to their 
 judgment. Cyril was fngular in the firft 
 cafe ; and but one of many in the other. They 
 took, therefore, from him what no othefr 
 could fupply : and what was to be found 
 every where (the teftimony to the miracle) 
 they left in common ta the church. 
 
 5, As to the obje<3ion, from the circumr 
 ftance of Cyril's loving miracles, let me obr 
 .ferve. That if it could be proved, from a 
 Work of his written after 363, that he had 
 neglected any fair occafion to record the de,- 
 
 feat 
 
Ih tempk of Jerufalem. 225 
 
 fekt of yulkm^ The obJ€<Stion would h^w 
 fome weight. But in the total uncertainty 
 whether he did record ^he ftory or no, it 
 turns againft the Objedtor, as the circum- 
 ilanc^ of CyriPs hmng ^iracks^^& pro- 
 bability to the affirmative,. That, if he did 
 write at all, he would find room for a fub- 
 Jed: he lo¥ed to write upon. 
 
 6. But fince the learned Critic Kath 
 beea pleafed to ipeak flightly of this ex- 
 cellent, I^relate, as if he were both fanatical 
 in interpreting Prophecies, and bigotted in 
 believing IVliraclesj , fo. much will be due 
 to the virtues, of a worthy man, (hoyir far 
 foever removed from us i%,time and place,) 
 as to vindicate him j&om unfair afperfions : 
 e^Jecially when this juftice to his charafter 
 will be^feen to refleft credit on the fhare he 
 took in oppofmg Julian f attempt. There 
 is a ftory recorded of him, for which every 
 good man will reverence his memory. 
 He had an Ecclefiaftical fquabble with Aca- 
 cius Bifhop of Caefarea, about Metropoli- 
 tical Jurifdidlion. Cyril defpiftd fo fri- 
 volous a conteft ; and refufed to appear be- 
 fore the Paleftine Synod, to which his fa- 
 ,<aioufe Adverfary had delated him. Where- 
 
 Q_ on. 
 
226 Of Julian* l Attempt to rMiiU 
 on, the Synod agreed,it0 depbfe him, wt 
 contempts But to give their Sentence i 
 fhew of credit againft fo diflingmfhed a 
 perfonage, they added this crime to the 
 other. That once, in a defolating famine, 
 he dilpofed of the treafures of his Church 
 to feed the Poor. Tliis adtion, fo becom^ 
 ing a faithful Minifter of Jefus Chrifb, fully 
 ihews, that,„whether he had a right to me- 
 tropolitical Jurifdiction or no, he well der 
 ferved it. But the crying part of t^is facri- 
 lege is yet behind : It feems,, that in the 
 fale of his facred Wardrobe, a reverend 
 Stole, interwoven with gold, an4 made yet 
 more illuflrious by the fandity of its Giver, 
 Conjiantine the Greats came at length, in 
 the ceafelefs round of property, into the 
 polTeffion of a notorious Proftitute, who 
 fiourifhed with it oh the public ftage. 
 
 M. Bafnage concludes his remark on 
 Cyril ixi this manner: T'hejjlence of aBtJhopy 
 -'who was upon the place, looks "uery fufpicious; 
 ifbilc, at the fame time, thofe who do fpeak 
 to 'it Irced at a dijlance. Admitting the Bi- 
 ihop was indeed filent, how could this 
 learned man, who forms his charge on the 
 information of the three Hiftoriaiis^fay, that 
 
 tbofey 
 
ik Tef}^ of JerufaJem. ^ 227 
 
 tbofei, vohofpeak to the rmYacle^ Ihed af a di- 
 fiance j when '^^o'zomne plainly tells us, 
 that, at the time h^ wrote, there were fe- 
 veral ftill living, who had it from the eye- 
 witneffes of the Fa<a'? Here then, for the 
 filence of one man, we have the teftimony 
 of tnAny. — But Sozomne iijeaks of none by 
 xame. — Who knows^ then, but the Bifhop 
 might be amongft ih&namelefs ? It hath 
 been many a Bifhop's fate. However, the 
 tejiimony of the people on the Place is dire(5tly 
 dj^fedhy the Hiftorian ; and xheJUence of 
 Cyril otAy inferred hj the Critic, from his 
 not finding him amongft the Witneffes. 
 
 And, with thefe reflexions on the poor 
 Prelate, io unworthy the learning, tJt^e fenfe, 
 and the ingenuity of M. Bcfnage,, he epi^- 
 cludes his objecviohs againji the J^- 
 
 rack. 
 
 '/.]■ ■■ , ^ ■ 
 W,HAT follows Js to ih^Ty;his Impar- 
 tiality. " However (fays he) it ought 
 " not; to be diflembled, that if One of the 
 "; JewiihClironologifts maintains, that the 
 " fudden and unexpedled death cii Julian' 
 " prevented the rebuilding the Temple j 
 " another of them affures us, . it .was re* 
 " built J and that when this was done at 
 
 Q 2 a vaft 
 
228 Of yulutrfS' Attempt to} rebuild s^ ^ 
 " a vstft^^^petlce; it tuiSabled down again j^ 
 " and, the next day, a dreadful fire from 
 •* Heaveii melted all the iron inftrumeftts 
 *' which 'i^ifiained,' and deftroyed an in- 
 ** numerable multitude of the Jews. This 
 ** confeffion of the Rabbins is the more 
 '^ confiderable, as it refledts difhonour on 
 " the Nation ; and thefe Gentry are not 
 " wont to copy from the writings of the 
 " Chriftians." • 
 
 ,, Here, it muft. be owned, he bath ap*- 
 proved h.kn(clf indifferent : and if his Ar- 
 guments agaitiji the miracle be more in 
 number, than thofe for it j the weight, at, 
 leait, on both fides is equal. 
 
 ._ Not that I would infinuate, as if this 
 J^abbinical, teftiniony was altogether imper- 
 tinent. \ have myfelf produced it in Sup- 
 port of , the Evidence ' : and^ principally 
 tor the fake of that cii"cumftance, which 
 M. B<2/7^tfg"i? ,fo. ingenuoufly acknowledges, 
 — T'hat the ]^(ikbins\ are not wont to copy 
 from Chriftian Writers. 
 
 Nor will I deny, that this Teftimony 
 hath its proper place in a religious Hijiory of 
 
 i P. 69, 70. 
 
 the 
 
«'*' the temple of Jerufakm. 229 
 the y(?wj.^^jWh.^i*'<j^!morrcfco'^jdie to this 
 ^great niaȤ.cgenefftl ebarafter, nor even to 
 that air of ,fcip^*lity which he here pro- 
 fefljess toapreferve, isjiijthat when herljath 
 brov^b ©\it :kll he rfigjuW, invent to the 4if- 
 Griellit.of :>|he Miracl§,'he fliould content 
 liimfeifiw^ producing faniy one fingle cir- 
 cun^anGCjiand that, the leail confiderable, 
 in itsi, favour. Jnfomuch that if ever the 
 conclufive teftimonies of Ammianm Mar- 
 cellinus, Gregory Nazianzene, and John 
 Chryfojlome fhould be loft, and this piece 
 of Criticifni remain, ^he filence of fo can- 
 (Jid and knowing a vvriter as M. Bafnage 
 will be infinitely a better proof that no fuch 
 Evidence had ever been, than what hehim- 
 felf urges, from the filence of ^ Antiquity, 
 againil the teftimony oi Cyril, dj tov4 
 
 But, 'to end w-ith this learned Critic. 
 There is, Imuft confefs, fomething fo V^ry 
 odd in his condudt on this occa'fibn, as can- 
 not but give offence to every fober Reader. 
 Yet I would by no means be thought to ap- 
 
 ' prove of Mr; LowtUs uncharitable reflec- 
 tions; which ftand (as they o/?OT do anion gft 
 worfe writers) in the place of a confutation, 
 
 ^One may allow M. Bafnage to have thouglit 
 Q 3 * perverfely ^ 
 
230 Of yuUi^s AHempt tfrrekuild 
 
 perverfelyj jfrfeeeaufe; t|ii« ,i§: an infirmity 
 common' to Believefs aj^Unbp%yers: But 
 one wouldlhe^sE iiifped: a Miniji^r of the 
 Gofpel o£ a formed defign to undermine a 
 Religion into whofe fervice he had fo-s 
 lemi4y entered 5 nor, ^ mfln, truly learned^ 
 of a bias to Infidelity : fuch difpofitions im- 
 ply grofs knavery and ignorance ; and M.' 
 Bafnage approved himfelf, on all other ocr 
 cafionsj a man of unconamqa talents '|ind 
 integrity. . 1 ., 
 
 A STRONG prejudice againfi: the Cha- 
 radter of the Fathers was what, apparentljr, 
 betraye^ him into this unwarrantable con- 
 clufion : for, injurioufly fuipedting' them 
 pf impofture whenever they fpeak of Mi-; 
 racks, ' bq began with them where ' he 
 Ihould have ended j and read their aC- 
 counts, not to examine fadls yet in que- 
 flion, but to condemn frauds as if al- 
 ready deteded. Hence every 'Oariation^ 
 nay, evgry variety in their rei9.tiQns, 'apT 
 •peared to him a contradiSiion:' And that 
 whigh indeed fupports their joint teftimo- 
 ny was by this learned man imagined to be 
 the very thing that overthrew it. But their 
 bsfi; Vindication is a ftri^ fcrutiny iBtothelr 
 
 Evidfnc^ 
 
fh Tikipi^' of- Jeru/akm. z 3 r 
 
 Evidence. 4This,W6Jhfivieaa»mpted j not 
 gs an Advocate iarhhe'Fathers, but an In- 
 quirer aftej" T'rutbl What hatH been the 
 refult muft'be left to the judgment of tlie 
 Public. ' 
 
 ,<!<■ 
 
 We go on with the remaining Objec- 
 tions to this miracle, in which we fliall be 
 more brief. 
 
 V. In the next place it is pretended, 
 *' That this fiery-eruption was an arti- 
 ficial , contrivance of the Chriftians to 
 keep their Enernies at a diftance." It is 
 faid, the Egyptians, fxQtp the earlieft times, 
 had the fecret of mixing combuftible ma- 
 terials in fuch a manner as to produce the 
 effects of exploded Gunpowder : That Sir 
 William 'Temple, Lord 'Herbert of Cherbury, 
 and, an abler man than either of them, Sir 
 Thomas Browne of Nornvich, have dropt 
 hints as if fqme of the greateil wonders, re- 
 corded both in facred and prophane Anti- 
 quity, were the effedls of this deftrudtive 
 Compofitionj fuch as the, thunders and 
 lightening^t the giving the Law from Mount 
 Sint^f y the death s. of ^or^/'i Dathan, and 
 ^^/r^?K in, their conteft with Aaron ; and 
 the defeat of Brennus and his army of 
 
 0^4 Gauk 
 
232 Of JuHatiV'JttetftpPtp rebuild 
 Gauls when they afl^ulted the .Tempk of - 
 Jpolk at B^Ipi)!. Thisi-toa;ltt&^l2.yi will: 
 account' f6'f a ftrong i^rk of refen^iance 
 between the latter and the defeat of yu- 
 lian, in both which the impending de-r 
 f1:r udlipn was pf edited ; In the one by. Cy- 
 ril, va. the other by the Priefts oi Afollo^y 
 
 The Obje(5lion, we fee, fuppofes as well 
 free pcmer and opportunity, as profound ad- 
 drefs in thefe Chriflian Engineers : for let 
 them be as knowing as you will in all the 
 hidden arts of Egypt, yet, if tliey had not 
 elbow-room for their work, all their fkill 
 would fignify nothing, 
 
 We will examine how they were beeft- 
 ed in each of thefe particulars. At this im- 
 portant junfture the Chriftians were unr 
 armed, and defencelefs. They were ren- 
 dered, bylaw, incapable Of bearing Office} 
 and were actually deprived all exercife of 
 it. And 'they fubmitted every ' Vhere^ 
 without refiilance, to the imperial Decrees. 
 But thisi to rebuild the Temple, was fup- 
 ported with all the power and authority of 
 
 ■? — In hoc partium certamine Vepenfe Antiftites ad- 
 ven^ll^ ,P|euin clamant, i:^c, Juft. 1. xxiv. c. Z. 
 
 the 
 
the Empirf\-iV®4^ef SPJe/ft was no fooner 
 on foot, ;i,lhaii*the H^ce was pofleffed and 
 crouded with vaft niumbers of their encn 
 mies, ^ab'\S[i.J€'wsicci^,^Qentiles. Nor was 
 this all. Thfr Chriftians were driven from 
 the neighbourhood of the holy place, by 
 their juft fears and apj^^hepfions. They 
 had every thing to expeft from this im- 
 pious combination. Their Enemies came 
 in crouds to fhare and enjoy the approaching 
 Triumph; while each ftrove vdiich fhduld 
 exceed the other in violence and outrage. 
 Infomuch that fome (as Chryfofto7ne aflures 
 us) abfconded, andjhut themfehes up in their 
 houfes ; others Jied into defer fs and folitudeSj 
 and avaided all places of public refort '• 
 So that whatever the Priefts off Apollo at 
 Delphi might find themfelves capable of 
 performing, who had their Town ,^^4 
 Temple in po^effion, and a good garrifon 
 to keep off the enemy, till they jwere^ ready 
 f<M-' -their reception j , it is plain the poor 
 Chriftian Paftors (their Flocks,^ difperfed, 
 and themfelves abfconding) were utterly 
 
 Adv. Jiid. Orat. V. 
 
 deprive^ 
 
2^4 ^f JuliiW^i uittenipt to rehutld 
 deprived of all other arms but thofe of 
 Faith and'Prayer. This, I think, may 
 ftand for an anfwer td'thatrefemhlance be- 
 tween the predidlions ' of Cyril, and the 
 Priefts oi Apollo, from which the objedlion 
 deducethfuch confequences of fufpicion. 
 
 \, But, let us allow them, both will and, 
 opportunity to do the Feat: yet iliU, I ap- 
 prehend, every likely zw^^w would be 
 wanting. Chemical writers, indeed^ in 
 their ridiculous claims to Antiquity, have 
 feoafted much of thp prQfoun4 knowledge 
 of the old Egyptians in the Spagyric Art ; 
 but this without the leaft proof, or war- 
 rant ftoiw Antiquity, The firil authentic 
 Account we have q& artificial fire was an in- 
 ven|;ion or difcovery of the feventh Century. 
 Op,|S ;Gallinicus, -an Egyptian of Heliopp-, 
 lis, ,, fled from the, Sarazens (who then 
 poffeffed that CJquntry) to Confiatitimple^ i 
 
 " See Nicetas, Theophanes, Cedrenus, Conftan- 
 tinus Porphyrogeiiitus. The latter tells us, in one 
 place, that the Greeks had this cornpofition from 
 CalUnlcus ; and in another, that Conjiantine the Great 
 received if, by way of revelation, from an ;^ngeJ,, 
 The monk, who forged this fable appears not to have 
 had fo clean an invention as our- Milton, who makes 
 tjie Devil the Author of thefe deftruclive fires. 
 
 and 
 
•^a. tp,y§h.f ^ j^ejOf ^k^' a; pilitary Fire 4Ue4 
 by thenf^iVj-gsf wjif§;|a Iiqui^-,fir©3fjbut if 
 by, th^ t.r^s, A?|:?'^^wj. ..It was 
 comppfed, tibey telfiiSjjpf naphdia ,and 
 bitume«> i,wJ was blftWW out of yon and 
 braf§,Tubes, or fhotfrpm sir^cind of Crofsr 
 bow. Wherever it fell, it ftuck and burnt 
 obftinWdy, and was 'w^ftli-^fciat difficulty 
 cxtingu^1^cfP\ Some, indeed, fzj it was 
 accompanied With a found like Thundtt". 
 But this is certain, the execution was by a 
 fierce and continued buifning. After this 
 we hear of no other artificial fires till the 
 thirtfeenth Century ; when our famous 
 countryman, Roger Bacon, invented that 
 coiTipofition we call Gunpowder. He fpeci- 
 fies the very ingredients ; and fpeaks of it 
 as a difeovery of his own. It was not lorig 
 before it was put in praflice : For, in the 
 next Century, Froiffart the Hiftorian men- 
 tions the ufe of- Cannon, but as of a per-? 
 fedlly new invention, 
 
 It is true, that when the Miflionaries 
 had opened themfelves a way into China, 
 and were enabled to give us a more perfedt 
 account of that great Empire than we had 
 received frona the ftraggling Adventurers, 
 
 who 
 
236 Of Julian's Attempt to rtlkUd ' 
 who at fawlr^infes Biad penetrated thithef 
 befor'e^ffiyili^earetdld, amongft tite otKer 
 wonders' of thefe rerfi^bte Regions, of Fire- 
 armsi bdth great and fitaaffl ;' which had 
 been in ufe' *fbr fixtfee^ hundred years: 
 nay, .thefe Miflionaries^^o fo far* as to fay 
 that they themfelves had feen Cannon which 
 had been tail fix of eigM Centiiries before'. 
 But there are other, 'sind' mb^^ early afc-i 
 cotlnts which fheW thefe to be entirely fa- 
 bulous.' M. Renaudot hath given the pub^ 
 lie a tranflation of two Mahometan Voy- 
 agers, who vifited the fduth part bf China, 
 in the ninth Century. Thefe Arabians are 
 curious in defcribing everyHhing rare and 
 uncommon, or in the leaft differing from 
 their own cuftoms and manners. And yet 
 they give us no hint of meeting with this 
 prodigious Machine ; and fuch muft Can- 
 pon needs be deemed by men unacquaint- 
 ed with the ufe of gunpowder. Four Cen- 
 turies afterwards, Marco Polo the Venetian^ 
 a curious . and intelligent Traveller, pene- 
 -trated into China by the north : and he 
 top is filent, on this liead. In the next 
 Century our fahious countryman Mt^ndeml 
 rambled thither. His genius was towan^s 
 natural knowledge, having ftudied and pro- 
 
 fefied 
 
tht Tempk of Jerufalem. 237 
 feffed Medicine i he,Fas ildlled lifcewife in 
 moft of the Langis^es of theEaft,and 
 Weft, This man fojovirned a confiderable 
 time in €hii3i^. He ferved in their ^.rmies, 
 and commp^ded in their ftrong Places * 
 yet he takes not the leaft notice of Cannon, 
 which he muft have ufed, had there been 
 any, s^nd the ufe of a perfect novelty he 
 would hardly have omitted to defcribe. 
 For hejfet out on his travels in the year 
 1332 J and Larrey fays that the firft piece 
 of Cannon that had been feen in France^ 
 was in 1346. Though Du Cmge obferves, 
 that the Regifters of the Chamber of ac- 
 counts at Paris make mention of Gun" 
 powdet: fo early as the year 1338. ^^q-j. 
 
 All this, when laid together, feems to 
 furnifh out a very ftrong proof that the 
 Chinefe had never feen Cannon till after 
 this vifit of Sir John Mandevil : which 
 agrees well with a known faft. That, about 
 two Centuries ago, xht Chinefe, in their wars 
 with the 'tartars, were forced to take in 
 the afliftance of tjie Europeans Xa manage 
 their Artillery. 
 
 • But this lable of the antient ufe of Can- 
 XixiVim: China is not to be charged on the 
 
 Miftionaries, 
 
43^ Of.^^6iUa»^s Mump^U tebtuld 
 MiiEonaries^lsQt on the CMnefe themfeliiref, 
 the proudeft and vaineft People upon earth > 
 arrogating to th€ymfel;^es^.tlif;jnv0ption and 
 inaprov^n^ent 9I" every kind of Art and Sci- 
 ence, They boaftedj kj the fame manner, 
 of the antiquity and perfection of their 
 AUronomy and Mathe^jiies^., But here 
 riieir performances fbop betrayed the folly 
 and impudence of their pretences. J^t was 
 not fo eafy to detedt them in the fubjeCt in 
 queftion. The Miffionaries, on their arri- 
 val, faw, Cannon, which doubtldTs Jia^lain 
 tjher^ for two or three ages. And of thefe, 
 the Chinefe were at liberty to fable what 
 they pleafed. But, it appears plain enough, 
 they we,re indebted for them to their com- 
 merce, with the Jidahometans, fome tim? 
 between the vQ)rage of Af^^/Zra// and the 
 arrival of the Miffionaries : very likely foon 
 after thi?ir invention in Europe ; for P,eter 
 Mexta fpeaks of the Moors as having the 
 ufe of Cannon about the year 1343. A 
 probability very tnuch foj^orted by 'the 
 candid confeiBon of th§ Chinefe themfelves 
 (in a modefter humour) that though they 
 had Cannon from the moft early times of 
 their Empire, yet, till the 'Tartar war, 
 ipoken of above, they were totally un- 
 acquainted 
 
acqiiairited with the feitjaageftiient.Qf Artil- 
 
 LlET thi^fuffice, in aiifwer la an Objec- 
 tion, or Sulpiciori rathef,an4 that the wiM- 
 eft that ever Infidelity advanced to elude the. 
 force of fbber eividenceC An ^bjeftion not 
 only uni^ppdf ted tiy Antiquity, but difcre- 
 dited by itfelf. Inventions which promote 
 the health and happinefs of our fpecie^, 
 have been often, indeed kept concealed; 
 and when at laft corrimunicated, foon loft 
 again, and forgotten. But the natural ma- 
 lignity of our nature would never fuffer lb 
 deftruftive and pernicious an invention to 
 remain long a fecret j or, Vvhefl it Was once 
 known, ever to be difufed or remitted. So 
 that if this kind of artificial fire Was an 
 early difcovery of the Egyptian Sages, it had 
 a fortune which cart never be accounted for 
 on the common principles of human con- 
 dud:. 
 
 yi. The laft Objedlion, which is a Mttk 
 more plaufible, is to be received with a 
 great deal more ceremony and diftindtion ; 
 OS coming from the great Intimados of Na- 
 ture, t^e Secretaries and Confidents of her 
 3 intrigues. 
 
240 Of yulian's Attempt io feBUiid 
 intrigueis. Thefe Men tell us, « That the 
 fire, which burft from the foundations 
 of the 'Temple^ was- a mere natural 
 eruption. The regions in and abottt 
 the Lejfer J^a were (they fay) in all ages 
 fubjedt to Earthquake^ caufed by fub- 
 terranous fires : and the Land of Judaa 
 in particular had its entrails fUU of thefe 
 deftrudive principles, as appears' from 
 the prefent face of the Country about 
 Sodom and Gomorrah. That this Erup- 
 tion from the mountain of the ^emple^ 
 had all the marks of a natural event, 
 as appears from its being attended with 
 the, fame circumftances which have ac- 
 companied all fuch J and particularly the 
 Earthquake and Eruption at 'Nicomedia. 
 Nor is the time, in which it happened, . 
 fufficient to oppofe to this conclufipn. For 
 theff eo^motims of nature being frequent 
 in every age, it is no wonder they ihould 
 fometimes fall in with thofe moral difor- 
 ders, occafioned by religious fquabbles,. 
 which are as frequent; nor that, at fuch 
 a jundture, frighted Superftitioa? fhould 
 catch at thefe accidents of terror to fup*- 
 port a labouring caufe. Hence it was (fay 
 
 they 
 
■ the- Temple- of Jerufalem. 2 4 1 
 
 they) that Jupiter^ Mmmon was made to de- 
 ftroy the Army ofWim^fes, when fent to 
 burn his Temple, and lay wdfte theCoun* 
 try of his Worfhippers J znd Apollo, to fall 
 upon the Army of Brennus, when he led it 
 to plunder the Temple at Delphi." 
 
 This is^ the Objedtion : and I have 
 not fcrupl!^,Xo,ljelp,tliie Objedtors to fet it 
 off. For t^efi^ee the diftindtion due to 
 their charadter, I had other neafon^ why I 
 wpulds willingly have it . feen in its beft 
 light. 
 
 Sev^'rai!' of the cIrcUmftances attend- 
 ifig the 'Ev^ent ifl qneMoti, iLhAfome, which 
 have been generally held" the' moft mird- 
 culous, I have myfelf ddKverdi as the 
 effedts of «!^^am/ caufes j < induced thereto 
 by the love of Truth, and a ibri'd <ieHi'e' of 
 reconciling the Fadt itfelf, and the Ghriftiaix 
 Fathers^ who relate it, to the Free-thinker's 
 more favourable opinion. It will be fit, 
 therefore, I fhould explain and Juftify my 
 own cbndudt before I objedt to that of my 
 Adverfaries* 
 
 The Agency of a fuperior Being, on any 
 portion of the vifible Creation lying withia 
 
 R th$ 
 
242 Of.Jdim'^sJtieinpt to rehilct 
 thfi readhjof our fenfes (whereby it acquires; 
 praperdes* and diretSionfl : different from 
 ^^t we hold it capable of receiving frotii' 
 the^ftablifliediLaws of matter and motion) 
 we calli a Miracle. i ' 
 
 To afk, whether God's immediate Agen- 
 cy makes a neceflary part of the definition y 
 or whether, to give a ]\/[iraGle its naiiie, it 
 be fuflident that another Being, fuperior 
 to Man, performed thie operStion, appears 
 to me a very imrpertinent enquiry. BeC;^ufe 
 there. are but two t forts of Men who con- 
 cern, tjbemfel,ves about the matter j Thofe 
 whq hold God's i moral gon^erntmnt i and 
 IThofe who allo,vi^ ©nly his natur^J.i- 
 
 The firfl fort, the Religionijl-Sy muft^ 
 €>n their" proper principles, allow, that a; 
 Work ' performed by fuperior agency, in 
 colsSrm^on of a Dofeine worthy of God^ 
 and remaining uncoritroule^ by a greater, 
 can -be "no other than the atfellationf oC 
 Heaven, to which God hath fet his Hand 
 ^d feal. Beeaufe the perming 'ah fu/? 
 'Being to perform thefe wonder SiWeuld' be 
 deceiving his Cfeqitutes, who ksow little 
 or Rothing of j^feWof Idiof Spirits. It would 
 be drawing them unavoidably into error> 
 
 where 
 
:. the Temph of ^Jemfatem. 243 
 where they would be fixed j which is con- 
 tffary to what the Religionift conceives' of 
 God's morai attributes, and, confequently, 
 of his Go-vernnient. As'tothe Sedtators of 
 NaturaHfm, the fpecific quahties of a Mi- 
 racle never come within the range of their 
 enquiries J for, holding only the natural so- 
 vernment of God, they deny, of coiirfe>, the 
 very exiftence of every thing that imphes 
 his moral Regimen. 
 
 MiBaole*, then, are of two forts. 
 Thofe where the Laws of Nature are fuf-- 
 pended qX reverfed '(fuch as the budding of 
 Aaron's rod, and the raifing ■ of Lazarus 
 from the dead,) And Thofe which only 
 ginie a new direSlionXo i|g.jLa,ws^ C^^^^^ ^^ 
 bringing TO^^ryro/w the rock,^ and foppifig 
 the ijjiie of blood.) For i^iracles being an 
 ufefi^l, not an oftenta,tious dilplay of God's 
 power^ we cannot bpt conclude, t|e woiild 
 Employ the one or otl^r fort indifferently, 
 as each b'eft ferved the purpple of his i^tej:-? 
 pofition. 
 
 Now, aS it wouM- be impious-to bring in 
 natural eaufesto explain the firji fort ; fo, 
 totally to €«clude thofe caufes in the lat- 
 ter, wouid ht Juperjiitious y and both, in- 
 
 R 2 finitely- 
 
244 0/ Julian's Jttempt to rehulU 
 finitely abfard. Who, for inftance, wotfld 
 venture to affirm that the prolific virtue in 
 the;ftock oi Aaron s roJ contributed to the 
 bloflbmihg of its branch ? Or, on the other 
 hand^ that the water which came from 
 the Rock ' at the command of Mofes, was 
 j;uft then created: to do honour to his Mini- 
 ftry ? In this cafe, wh£tt rtiore would a 
 rational Believer conclude, than that God, 
 by, making, at that inflant, a fiffure in the 
 Rock, gave room for the water to burft 
 out, which had before been ' lodged there 
 by nature^ as in its proper Refer vioir ? And 
 the fober Critic, who proceeds in this man- 
 ner, only follows that method in interpret- 
 ing, which God himfelf - ufeth in nvorking 
 the ; Miracle j which is, to give to Nature 
 all that Nature could eafily perform. We 
 are 'further encouraged in thus explaining 
 the exercife ;of Divine power, by the ac- 
 count the Holy Spirit giveth us of one 
 of the moft awfulexertiofts of it, record- 
 ed in holy Writ, But before I proceed to 
 the relation itfelf, the Reader 'fhould be re-' 
 minded of what hath been obferved of the 
 order of the appearances in the natural 
 eruption at Nicpm^dia, and in that we call 
 miraculous, at Jerujalem j wherCj in, both 
 
 cafes. 
 
the Temple of "Jerufalem. 245 
 Cafes, the defolatiori began with winds and 
 tempeft j was continued by an earthquake ; 
 and concluded in a fiery eruption. The 
 ftory is this, The Prophet E/y^^, opprefled 
 with the corruptions of theHoufe oi Ifrael, 
 is comnaanded to wait God's Prefence, and 
 attend his Word. " And he faid, Go forth, 
 *^ and ftand upon the Mount before the 
 " Lord. And behold the Lord pafTed by, 
 " and.agrfiat and ftrong wind rent the 
 " Mountains,! and brake in pieces the 
 " Rocks before the Lord j but the Lord 
 " was not in the wind; and after the wind 
 " an EARTHQUAKE ; but the Lord was 
 " not in the earthquake : And after the 
 "earthquake a fire j but the Lord was 
 " not in the fire : And ' aftei' the fire a 
 " SMALL STILL VOICE"," His coming 
 to Jhake terribly the earth ig here defcribed, 
 we fee, in all the pomp of incenfed Ma- 
 je^. Yet it is remarkable, s that the Pre- 
 euxfors of his Prefence follow each other in 
 the order of phyfical progreffion, in which 
 Nature ranged the feveral Phsenomena at 
 Nicomedia and Jerufaleni; the TempeJiSi the 
 Earthquake, and the Fire : an Order, Ae 
 fecred Hiftorian plainly points out ^q us, 
 ? I Kings xix. II, 12. 
 
 K 3 where 
 
Z^6 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 where he fayg, tbit God ^as noti in any of 
 thefe, intimating that they were pure phy- 
 fical appearances, the parade of Nature, 
 thus far fuifered to do its office without in- 
 teri-uption ; but that He was in the fmall 
 Jim voife, which clofed this dreadful Pro- 
 qeffion, intimating that thefe natural ap-r 
 peararices were minijierial to the interfof- 
 tim of the 'Author and Lord of Nature. 
 
 Let us apply all this to our Argument j 
 and confider, how a fober Believer, con- 
 vinced by the force of evidehc^y would in^ 
 terpretthe Miracle in qucftion. He would, 
 without doubt, conclude, that the miheral 
 and metallic fubftances, which, by their ac- 
 cidental fermentation, are wont to take fire 
 and burft out in names, were the native 
 Contents of the place frotjl which they 
 ifiued ; ^ut that, in all likelihood, they 
 would have there flept, and ftill continued 
 in the quiet innoxious ftate in which they 
 had fo long remained, had not the breatp 
 of the Lord awp^e and kindled them. 
 
 But when the Divine Powey had thus 
 miraculoufly interpofed to Jiir up uhe rage 
 of thefe fiery Elements, and yet to rejirairt 
 their fury tp the obi efts of his Verigeance, 
 
 u 
 
the Tempk' vf ^^ru&lm. ^ f 47 
 ^e then lagain fufFetad them to do their or- 
 dinary ^i^OBi hecaaSeiNatijife thus' diredled 
 Wauldv by the exertion i©f if 8 ©vrn Li^ryts^ a»^ 
 fwer all the ends of the moral defignatim^ '■ i 
 
 The confequence of w^ich will bd, tliqit 
 its efFedls, whether aeji'ruBtve or only terri- 
 Jic, would be the fame witn thofe attend- 
 ing rtiere natural eruptions. 
 
 So far, indeed, one cannot but fufpedt^ 
 that the fpec^fic qualities in the fermented 
 elements, which occafioned the f rightful ap- 
 pearances, though they were natural fo en- 
 flamed matter under certain circuiiiftances, 
 were yet, ^by the peculiar pleafure of Pro- 
 vidence, given oh this occafion ; iatrid hot 
 merely left to the conjundtion of mechanic 
 caufes, or the foftuitoiJs concourfe of riiat- 
 ter and motion, to produce. And^"my 
 reafon is,becaufe \ht,it frightful appearances, 
 jiamely the Crofs in the Heavens, and on 
 the Garments, were admirably fitted,^ a^ 
 moral emblems, to proclaim the triumph 
 of Chrijl over Julian. For the Apoftate 
 having, in a public an4 contemptuous man- 
 ner, taken the Monogramme and Crofs out 
 jpf the njiKtary Enfigns °, which Conjiafi" 
 Sozom. 1. V. c. 17. 
 
 R 4 tine 
 
548 Of J uliatis Attempt to rebuild 
 
 tine had put there, in memory of the ae- 
 rial viiion that prefag^d his vidories j die 
 fame kind of triumphant Crofs was agaiti 
 erefted in the Heavens, to confound the 
 vanity of that impotent bravade : and hav- 
 ing forbidden the followers of Jefus, by pub- 
 lic edidt, to ufe the very name of Chri- 
 ilians ; a Jligmatic Crofs was now impofed 
 upon the Garments of , thofe who were fe- 
 conding his impieties, or were witnefTes 
 to the defeat of his attempt. 
 
 And, in thefe fhining marks of ven^ 
 geance there was nothing low, fantaftical, 
 or fijperftitious. The imprefs was great 
 and folemn, and reacb,ed \ip to the dignity 
 of the occaJfion, 
 
 Another life of thefe terrific appear^ 
 ances (kept hid indeed for ages in the 
 womb df time, but now beginning to ma- 
 nifeft the profound views of the divine Dif- 
 pofer of all things) will farther confirm 
 our opinion of their final caufe. The ufij 
 I mean, is this. That the finding fo ex- 
 traordinary a Fa£t as the Crofs upon the 
 Garments fo confidently and unanimoufly 
 related by the contemporary writers, be- 
 
 copaqs 
 
the Temple hf Jerufalem. 249 
 tomes one of the ftrongeft confirmations of 
 its reality. For the Fathers not ■ having 
 the leaft conception of its being a natural 
 phenomenon, but efteeming it in all re- 
 fpeds miraculous, they muft have been well 
 affured of the notoriety of the Fadt before 
 they would have ventured to attach fo in- 
 credulous a circumftance to the reft ; and 
 to dwell and infift upon it more than on 
 all the rciL 
 
 Thus much concerning thefe two forfi 
 of Miracles, and the different manner of 
 handling them. But it is to be remarked. 
 There is yet a third, compounded of the 
 other two, where the Laws of Nature are in 
 part arrejied andfufpended; and in part only 
 different^ direSfed. Of _ this kind was the 
 punifhment of the old world by a Deluge pi 
 Waters. Now, if, to fuch as thefe, we 
 fljould apply the way of interpreta- 
 tion proper to the fecond {oxt, where only 
 a new dire<5lion is given tp the Laws of 
 Nature ; the abfurdities, aiifing from this 
 abufive application, would foon difgrace the 
 ^nethod itfelf : as That Divine may ha,ve 
 fufficieiitly experienced, who ingenioufly 
 pontrived to bring on the Deluge of waters 
 
 4 by 
 
250 Of Juhan's Attempt to reMld 
 by the kdpt of an approaching Comes; but 
 was never 'after, by any phyfical addrefs, 
 able to draw it off again. And fuch dif- 
 graces arfe hardly to be avoided : for, in 
 the fecond and Ampler kind, the phyficai 
 interpretation hsxh. Experience to fupport 
 it : whereas in the third and more compli- 
 cated, tile Artift muft ' be content with an 
 Hypothejis'. 
 
 . ■ . i ' . ". .' 
 
 Thus much was proper to be faid be- 
 fore we came to try the force of the Objec- 
 tion. 
 
 I. It begins with obferving, " That the 
 
 regions in and ibout the hejfe^Afis were, in 
 
 all ages, fubjedt to Earthqiaakfes', caufed by 
 
 fubterraneous fires j and that yudeed in par- 
 
 rticular had its enti'aik full of thcfe de- 
 
 ftruiftive principles ; as appears even from 
 
 the prefeiit face of the country about SodojH 
 
 sind Gomorrah." 
 
 • *^'?^ . ... 
 
 If this account be true, as I believe jit is, 
 
 then "Jiidcea was a proper fcene, (as occafion 
 
 required) for this fpecific difplay of the di-^ 
 
 vine vengeance. And we fee why^r^ Vi^as 
 
 the fcourge employed : As we may be fure 
 
 nsiCLter would have been, were the region of 
 
 yudaa 
 
' tbi fempk tp^J^mpdeftf. :' 251 
 yudaan^tmnWy iiihjedt to Inundations. For 
 MIrades Hot being an oiflientatiaus buta ne- 
 Ctfftrf InftrumentiGf <5od's moralOovefn- 
 ment, we cannot conceive it |)robable diat 
 he would create the elpments for this pur^ 
 pofe, but ttfe thofe which 'alTeadykyflored 
 up againft the day of ^nj^kntitmi By this 
 means, his 'wifdom would Ji^jpear as confpi- 
 Cuous as \)\spordoer, when it fhould be feen, 
 that the Provifiotis lain in at the fomia,tioii 
 of the World for th-e ule and folace of his 
 Jiel|)lefs Creatures while cofltinuirig in obe-- 
 dience, could, at his word, be turned into 
 fc6urgesiwhen they became fakhtei^ and 
 rcbejlious. The force of this reafoning is 
 fo obvious, that, had divine Providence Jrceti 
 pleafed to ufe the contrary method, Uttbfe- 
 lievers, I am perfuaded, would havejtaaiiB 
 that very method an objedioqiLto the credi*- 
 bility of the Faift. However, thou^ it 
 feemeth moft agreeable to what we con^ 
 ceive of divine Wifdom, that it should of-^ 
 ten ix{& the inftrtimentality bf Nktu'^e in itg 
 ftiiifaculous interpofitions, yet let it be ob" 
 ferved that the fame Wifdom always pro., 
 vides againft the Author of Nature his be- 
 irig loft or obfcufed under the glare ^nd 
 noiie of his Injlruments. 
 
 If 
 
±£2 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 
 It is faid the Region of Judaa was, 
 from the quality of its Contents, much fub- 
 jedt to Earthquakes and fiery eruptions. If 
 fo. How happened it, that, frorji the ijioi| 
 early tirnes to the period in queflion, there 
 never was any unufijal difof jier in its entrails 
 (if you except an earthquake •sj^y^ichjofephui 
 mentions as happening in the time of He- 
 rod) but at the overthrow oi Sodom and Go- 
 m^rfah j at the deflrudtion of Korah and his 
 company ; iat the Crucijixim ; and on this 
 attempt of Julian f How happened it, that' 
 this deftru(Sive Element lay qujet in th? 
 midft of fo much fuel, and for fo many 
 Ages, and only then, and at thofe critical 
 junctures fhewed itfelf, when God would 
 nianifeft his wrath and difpleafure at incor- 
 rigible Sinners ? - Can any reafonable ac-; 
 count be given of fuch a Difpofitipn but 
 thi^. That vvhen God decrees to punifli, it 
 is his purpofe, the divine Agency {hould be 
 made fully manifeft. To |)retend, they 
 were all natural events,- and the feveral co- 
 ipcidences njerely cafual, is fuppofing fome- 
 thing vaftly more incredible than what Un- 
 believers would perfuade us is implied \x^ 
 tiiiracles. 
 
 a. But 
 
the 'Temple of Jerufalein, 253 
 
 2. BtJT it is faid,' " This eruption from 
 the foundations of the Teniple had all the 
 marks of a natural-event, being iittended 
 with the fame cirdtimftances which Am, 
 Marcilhnas relates to have acccompanied 
 the Earthquake ztNicomedia." 
 
 It is very certain, the eruption from the 
 found^tiitisi of the Temple had all thefe 
 marks ) and if our account of the Miracle 
 (as it feems the naoft rational) be indeed the 
 truey it could not but have them. , When 
 Gq4- h^d kindled the; ^ fiery matter in this 
 ftorehoufe of his wrath, all theefFaSfcs whi<;l3l 
 fucceeded the difruption muft needs be the 
 fame with thofe which attend th& explofion 
 of any other - fub^erraneous fire. What 
 would- follow had, they not been,|^% fame I 
 Certain difcredit on the whole ftory ; which 
 inT^^s fo fqueamiih and fo difH(^|ij[{f; of ad- 
 mittance as the prefentj. would havepafleid 
 for a Fairy-tale. This eonfideratisujtiiaduced 
 me to ihew at large the exa^iconformity^ 
 tiaroughout the procefs of the event, be- 
 tween the vifitatiop ^ijerufalem and thedif- 
 auer at "Nicomedia. — It is the leaft of an 
 Unbeliever's care to reconcile his objedions 
 to one another. I knew His firfl cavH to 
 
 the 
 
254 Of.r^uJian^s Attempt fo rehtdld 
 the . credit of the Faift w.ouId be the. 'wori" 
 </i?r/?^ attending the eruption^ I therefore 
 provided againn: it byfhewing this /adl 
 to t)e fimilar in its main circumftancbs to 
 the beft' attefted relations of natural events.. 
 But I knew too, in cafe' of a defeat, He v^ould 
 not be afiiamed to point his cavil the other 
 way, and turn this very rejemblance agginfl 
 a fupernatjural interpoiitiQn,-— Whil pity is 
 it xk^x, Ammanus, who beil knew the full 
 f xtent of thig , refembhnce, was not morq 
 quick-fighted. He too was an enemy of 
 the Chriftian name (indeed, to do him ju- 
 fticei mofe fair and. candid than any I know 
 ©f the fame denpmina^on amongft ourfelves) 
 but fo little fenfible of its force, and fo much 
 confounded 'with the event, That, inftead of 
 telling ,thfi. affair at large, which fell in fo 
 exadly with his detailed account of the 
 difaftei: at Nicomedia,^ He hurries it over" 
 with the rapidity pf one of the blaried, 
 Workmen, who had juft efcaped th^ com- 
 mon defolation. 
 
 After all, a general rejemblance in the 
 effeSis is granted. What' we infift on is 
 the difference in their caufe or original. 
 And this diiFerence is fupported even by the 
 
 very 
 
th 'Temple of Jerufakm. 2§g 
 very nature of things from whence arofe that 
 general Fefemblancp* ' . . 
 
 Nicomdia, a City of Bitbynia, wai 
 placed on an eminence^ at the bpjtoin pf ^ 
 Gulph of that name, in the Pro/(j«/«. Now 
 Mountaicis thus fituated, into whofe cavern- 
 pus entrails the S^a may find its way, muft, 
 if other natural caufes favour, bir, more than 
 ordinary jTubjed to fiery eruptions j of which 
 we need no other exaniple than the Moun- 
 tain P'efuvius. But the Tep^p^-|iill, at 
 Jerufakm was neither large nor cayer^us j 
 nor was it in the neighbourhood of the Sea j 
 circurnftances which, all the world oyer^ 
 «;Qncur to producp this e^edt. \^Hei-^ei^ 
 were zny new openings made,' at t^is time, 
 into the bowels of the niounjE^in i, which, 
 by letting in air ot wafer, ^ight be^^fup- 
 pofgd. to ferment and inflame their 'com-f 
 buftible contents. The Hiflorians«who re- 
 late this attempt inform us, that even fome 
 parts of the old foundations were left land- 
 ing to ered: the new edifice upon • "and in 
 others, where the old works were judged too 
 infirm, or little better ^than a heap of riib-* 
 bife, that iDcumferaneeonlyi was- reAioved, 
 This appearsfromithe relations of Bacratfi- 
 
 and 
 
aj§ 0/ Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 
 apd Sozomene compared with one another* 
 Socrates affures us, that the earthq,uake 
 threw out ftones from the old foundations : 
 which he mentions to fhew the literal ac- 
 corriplifhment of the prophecy df yejhs, 
 foretelling, that there JhoUld not be left 
 one fione upon another. Solzomene indeed 
 affirms, that the foundations \^ere cleared j 
 but then he §oes on and fays, the earthquake 
 threw but ftones. Now as no new founda- 
 tions were eVer laid, he muft mean, with 
 Socrates, the ftones of the old. And thus 
 the feeming difference in their accounts 
 will be reconciled. Let me add, that more 
 than once before, and at diftant times,, 
 they had dug deep into this Hill, to lay 
 the foundations of Solomon's and Herod's 
 Temples : and then every thing cpntinued 
 quiet. Yet, now, when no ne.w openings 
 were made, .the effort to build a third was 
 followed by a fiery eruption. 
 
 Again, In natural ferments of this kind, 
 the commotion is generally very extenjive, 
 and runs through large tra£ts of Country. 
 Thus the Earthquake mentioned by ji'o* 
 fephus, fhook the whole land of ^a^ied! ; and 
 
 I" L. iii. C. 20. '3 L. V. C. 22. 
 
 the 
 
tke T*empU afjerufalem. z^'f 
 the difefter at Nicomediut as MarcelKnus in- 
 forms us, was occafioned by a tremor wliich 
 went over Macedonia, Afia, and Pontus ; 
 and did infinite mifchief throughout its 
 courfe '. On the contraryj the Eruption 
 at Jerufalem was confined to the very fpot 
 on which the Temple had flood j and 
 continued only to deny accefs to fiich who, 
 not taking warning by thofe whom it had 
 deftroyed, would ftill perfevere in their 
 impiety '. A circumftance very different 
 from common Earthquakes and fiery Erup- 
 tions j and of which we have no examples, 
 favc in the Eruption that deftroyed Korab 
 and his company j and in the Earthquake 
 at the Crucifixion of our Lord j Both of 
 them miraculous events. 
 
 Thirdly, in natural eruptions the fire 
 continues burning till the fuel which fup- 
 plies it be confumed. But the Witnefles 
 to this aflign a very different period to its 
 
 ' lifdem diebus terraemotus horrendi per Macedoni- 
 an!, Aiiamque & Pontutn adiiduis piiliibus oppida mul- 
 ta concuflerunt & montes. Inter monumenta tamen 
 multiformium xrumnarum eminuere Nicomedi^ cla- 
 des, &c. Marcel. L xvii. c. 7. 
 
 » — fecere locum exuftis aliquoties operantibua inac- 
 ^eflum. L. xxiii. c. i. 
 
 S fury, 
 
I5S Cf^uUan^s.^{iempt to retuitd 
 fury. It continued juft as long as this 
 Builders perfifted! in their Stteinptj and not 
 longer* At every new effort to proceed^ 
 the rifing fire drove them back j but at tk© 
 inflant they gave out, it totally fubjfided^ 
 This fo terrified "Julian^ that Chryfofipn^- 
 tells us', he relinquifhed the enterprize fof* 
 fear the fire fhould turn upon his own head^^' 
 And this made MafceUinus fay, — ^- " ele- 
 " mento destinatius repellente,'' — arv 
 expreffion of great elegancb to imply th^ 
 diredlion of fuperior agfency. 
 
 3. In the lafl place we are told- " Th.ii 
 even fo critical a. }unfture is not to be ac-* 
 counted of: for that religious fqM^hkks 
 and natural prodigies are equally corrunon ; 
 and Church Artifts never wanting to fit 
 them to one another. Hence, they fay, 
 are derived thofe two notable Judgments of* 
 Jupiter Amman and Apollo, upOn the Ar* 
 
 mies of Camb^fes and Brennus." 
 
 \ - 
 
 tlw [iacvlctv, <zi&* T wra^luj oy.elvluj, S^cks f*^ zs'i^tli- 
 Orat. Yi 
 
 Thk 
 
the 'tefiipk tf yefufateml 259 
 
 The Obfervation is plaulible. It pleafes 
 the Imagination : and wants nothing but 
 Truth to reconcile it to the Judgment* 
 
 In Miracles performed by the minijir^ 
 of God's Mefleng6rs where the Laws of 
 Nature zxtfufpended or r ever Jed, it is fuffi- 
 cient that the Inftrunient which wrought 
 them declares their purpofe and Intention* 
 But, in a Miracle performed by the imme^ 
 diate power of God, without the interven- 
 tion of his fervaats, in which only a newdi- 
 rediion is given to the Laws of Nature, one 
 of thefe two conditions is required to fecure 
 its credit; either that an infpired Servant of 
 God predicted it, and declared its purpofe 
 beforehand, as Samuel did the Jiorm of 
 thunder and rain, the declaration of God's 
 difpleafure, for the people's demand of a 
 King : or that it was feen to interpofe fo 
 ieafonably and critically as to cover the ho- 
 nour of God's moral Government from in- 
 fult. Without one or other of thefe Con- 
 ditions, Superftition would break loofe at 
 once, and over-run the World : for Bi- 
 gotry (always in clofe conjUnftion with our 
 natural malignity) would convert every un- 
 ufual appearance of natural evil into a Pu- 
 S a nifhment 
 
i 6o Of Julian^ Attempt fd rehuiU 
 nifhment and Prodigy. It hath in, fa£E 
 done fo : ajod every Age and Religion hath 
 abounded with thefe fpurious Judgments,' 
 to the : violation of charity, and the difhon- 
 our of God's (Hjoral Government. Aiid yet 
 an ordinary attention to the obvious and ra- 
 tional conditions here pointed out, would 
 have prevented this mifchief : for I know 
 but of one inflarice in all Antiquity which 
 could embarrafs the declfioh : and that is, 
 not the expedition of Camhyfes ^ for it 
 would have been a greater wonder that an 
 Army had got fafe through the fands of 
 thdfeDeferts, than that it perifhed in them. 
 The cafe I mean is the deftrudrion of Bren» 
 nus's Arniy before Delphi. Here, neither 
 of the conditions feemed wanting. The 
 Priefts of Apollo, We are told, prediBl' 
 ed the enfuing defolation ". ahd the caufe 
 (which was the punifhme;pt of impiety and 
 irreligion) appeared not altogether unwor- 
 thy the Divine interpofition. Thefe, to- 
 gether with the faith due to the beft human 
 teftimony, which ftrangely concurred to 
 fupport the' Fadt, were, I prefume, the 
 reafons. that inclined the excellent Dean 
 Prideaux to efteem the accident »z/- 
 raculous : not fo weakly as hath been re- 
 4 prefented 
 
cc 
 
 fC 
 
 the Temple of Jerufakm, 261 
 prefented by fome j nor yet with that ma- 
 turity of judgment, which one would ex- 
 pedl from fo great a mafter of ancient Hi- 
 ftory. His words are thefe -^ " Brennus 
 marched on with the grofs of his army 
 towards Delphos to plunder the temple-— 
 But he there met a wonderful defeat. 
 For on his approaching the place, there 
 " happened a terrible ftorm of thunder, 
 " lightening, and hail, which deftroyed 
 *' great numbers of his men, and, at the 
 " fame time, there was as tefrible an earth- 
 " quake, yrhich rending the mountains in 
 " pieces, threw down whole rocks upon 
 " them, which overwhelmed them by 
 '' hundreds at a time. — Thus was God 
 ** pleafed, in a very extraordinary manner, 
 " to execute his vengeance upon thofe fa- 
 " crilegious wretches for the fake of reli- 
 " giorj in general, how falfe and idolatrous 
 " foever that religion was, for which that . 
 " Temple at Delphos was eredbed "." The 
 learned Hiftorian, we fee, fuppofes, and he is 
 not miftaken, that Brermus and his Gauls 
 acknowledged the Divinity oi Apollo. Ju- 
 lius Ccefar informs us, that the Gauls had 
 
 ? Connect. Vol. II. p. 20, 21. Fol. Ed, 
 
 S3 v§ry 
 
a6g Of-ynUar^i Attempt to rebuild 
 very near the fame fentiments of the greater 
 Deities with thtGreeki 2ii\di R^omans. And, 
 diftindl from his authority, we know, that 
 the pagan principle of intercommunity . made 
 their national Gods free of all countries, 
 Brennuls, therefore, was a Sacrilege in all 
 its forms. But notwithftanding there are 
 many jftrong objedions to the Dean's notion 
 concerning the §'a^/z/y of the difafter. 
 
 This facred Place, the Repofitofy qf 
 immenfe riches, had, at other times, been 
 attempted with impunity j nay with fuq-« 
 cefs, fpr it had been fo often plundered^ 
 that, when Strabo wrote, the Templq 
 was become exceeding poor '^. And if, 
 &monglt thefe feveral infults, there were 
 any more worthy the divine interpolition, 
 Jbr the fake of Religio7i in general, than the 
 reft, it was when the Phocenfes, the natu-s 
 ral and civil Protestors of the Temple, 
 plundered it of all its wealth, to raile an 
 &rmy of mercenary foldiers. And yet, at 
 that time, the offended Deity gave no 
 marks of his difpleafure. Now to fuppoie, 
 when feveral attempts of this kindljad fuC'- 
 
 Jjilj. ix, 
 
 ^eeded^ 
 
the TMpk of yerufakm, 263 
 ccededj That the failure of one, though at- 
 tended with fonie uncpn^mon circumftances^ 
 was a divine interpofition, is going very far 
 in favour of aii Hypothefis. If it (hould 
 be faid, that the God of Ifrael fuffered hig 
 own Temple to hp feverd timps infulted 
 (which yfih'an himfelf takes care to t&-> 
 jmember*) and yet at laft vindicated the ho-r 
 liQur ,pf hiff name j I reply, There was 
 this n^?Lterial difference in the cafe, that 
 whenever the Temple of the Jews was vio-r 
 lated, the evil was foretold as due to their 
 crimes, and the people made acquainted 
 with the impending punifhment : and that 
 now when it's ^lonp^irs were attempted to 
 be reftpred. It was in defiance of a Pro- 
 |)hecy which hj^d dpomipd it to a final de- 
 Xplation, 
 
 There is yet a ftrpnger objection to the 
 learned Dean's folution, which is, that had 
 the defeat been miraculous, it could never 
 have been deemed as effedted_/or the fake tf 
 'religion in general., but in •vindication of 
 their falfe Gods: For, the Hiftory of it 
 ■informs us, that the Priefts of the Temple 
 denounced 1^P approaching Vengeance j and 
 
 * See p. 57. ' 
 
 S 4 afcribed 
 
■fi 64 OfJuUan'S AtUmpt to rehuiU 
 afcribed it to the wrath and Power of Apd* 
 lo^ and his two Sifters. So that this inters 
 Ventioli would have been the means of fix- 
 ing Idolatry, and rivetting it down upon 
 ihe Pagan World, 
 
 But what is ftlll mpre, the circuiii- 
 ftances of the times did not at all favour 
 a miracle for the purpofe afflgned, namely 
 for the fake of religion in general^ againft 
 impiety. The Popdlar folly, in the Pagan 
 world, ran all the other way. It was not 
 irreligion, but Juperfiitim that then infeit-i 
 ed Mankind, They had no need of a Min 
 racle fo remind them of the fuperintenden- 
 cy of Providehcd J they were but tod apt 
 withpp[| it, tp afpribte every ^nufy^al appear- 
 ance, of nature to moral agency. So that ||ad 
 HeavejVj «C'K' thought fit to interfere j we 
 
 * In hoc partium Certamine repente univerforum 
 templorum Antiftites, fimul & ipfe vates, fparfis crini- 
 bus, cum infignibus atque infulis, pavidi vecordefqwe 
 in primam pugnantiufp aciejn procurrunt : Advenifle 
 Peum clamant i eumque fe yidifle defilierttem in Temr 
 plum — Juveneni fupra humanum modum infigflii 
 pulchritudims, comitefque ei duas _armatas virgines ex 
 propinquis duabus D'lance Minervesque aaiibus occurrif- 
 fe, nee oculis tantuni base fe perfpexifle ; audifle etiaqi 
 ftridorem Arcus ac ftrepitum Armorum. — - 'Jufi- lib» 
 jfxiv, c. S. 
 
 cannpl 
 
the 'Temple ofyerufakm. 5565 
 cannot but conclude, it had been rather in 
 difpKedit of idolatry in particular ^ than in 
 behalf of religion in general. — There is 
 Jjar<iy any occafion tg obferve, that thq 
 reafons, which make againft God's own in- 
 tervention, hold equally againft his permitt- 
 ing evil Spirits to co-operate with th? deluT- 
 fions of t;heir Priefts. 
 
 Haying, therefore, excluded all fupe^. 
 TJor agency from this affair ; it will be in- 
 cumbent on us to fhew, by what human 
 contrivance it might have been effeflied. 
 For, it muft be owned, its arrival at fo cri- 
 tical a juncture will not eafily fufier us to 
 fuppofe it a mere naturai event. 
 
 The inclination of ?i Pagan Prieft to aC- 
 jGft his God in exCr^anity will hardly be 
 called in queftion. We fee, by the round 
 ftory ofthofe at Delphi, that they were not 
 emWraffed by vulgar fcruples. They at- 
 iiired the people, they faw the God, at his 
 firft alighting, in the perfon of a young 
 man of exquifite beauty ; and his two Vir- 
 gin aflociates, Diana and Minerva, tvith 
 each her proper arms of Bow and Spear : 
 But they did not truft to their eye-fight on- 
 'lyj'fpr they heard-t befideS, the claiigor of 
 |hfii|:Ai^ms. Sq 
 
'z€6 Ofyu!iafi*'s Attempt to rthuild 
 
 So much for a good diff>ofition. Their 
 Addrefs was not at all inferior. On the firft 
 rumour of -hr ennuis dif &cS^ing his marcSf 
 ^glainfl: them, they iffued out Orders as 
 ■from the Oracle, to all thi6 region round, 
 ■forbidding the country People to fecrete or 
 ■hear away thtir wine and provifions. The 
 <sffe6ts of this order fuccceded to their ex^ 
 |je(3a.tJon; . The . half-»ilarved Barbarians, 
 j^nding, on .their arrival in Phocis, fo grea|t 
 aplenty of all things, made fhort marches, 
 difperfed themfelves over ^he country, an4 
 revelled in the .ab^ndanej? .that w^s provid- 
 ed for them.. This refpite gave time to. 
 the Friends and Allips of the Go4 to come 
 to the affiftance of his Priefts : fo that by 
 fuch time as Brennus was fat down at the 
 foot of the Rocks, there was a numerous, 
 'Garrifon withiix to difpute his afcent ^. 
 
 ■I'M'. . i 
 
 * Gallorum vUlgus-, ex lotigl ' inopidj ybi primui*^ 
 vino cseterifque comme^tibus referta rura invenlt, non 
 ininus abiiildantia quaiii vi^ori^ Ixtutn, per agros'fe 
 fparferat ; defertifque fignis, ad occupanda omnia prq 
 vidloribus vagabantur. Quae res dilationem Delphi's de- 
 'dit. Prima nanlque opinione adventfis Gallorum prd- 
 Jiibiti Agreftes ' oraculis fef untur, mefles, v,inaque villi^ 
 efFerre. — Salutare pr«cept'um ^velut mora Gallis ob« 
 je£ta auxilia finitimorum convenere. Juilin. lib. xxiv. 
 c 7. 
 
 Their 
 
the 'Temple ef J-erufalem. 267 
 
 Their advantages of fituation, likewife 
 feconded their good difpofition and addrefs. 
 The Town and Temple of Delphi was feat^ 
 ed on a bare and cavernous rock ; defend- 
 ed, on all fides, with precipices, inftead of 
 walls. TThe Recefs within affumed the 
 form of a Theatre : fo that the fliouts of 
 Soldiers, and the notes of military Inftru^ 
 ments re-jechoing from rock to > rock, and 
 from cavern to cavern, increafed the founds 
 to an imrtienfe degree. Which, as die 
 Hiftofian obferves, could not but have great 
 efFe<9;iS on ignorant and barbarous minds *. • 
 
 The playing ofFthefe Panic terrors was 
 not indeed fufficient of itfelf to repulfe and 
 diffipate a Hofl: of fierce and hungry In-' 
 vaders: but it enabled the Defenders of the 
 place to keep them at bay, till a more fo- 
 
 * — Temj^m & Civitatem non muri, fed prascipi- 
 tia ; non manu fadla, fe4, naturalia praefidia defendunt j 
 prorfus ut incertujn fit, utrum munimentum loci, an 
 Majeftas Dei j|lus hie admirationis habeat. ]VJedia fa^fi 
 rupes in fqirmam Theatri repcffit. Quaniobrem & ho- 
 minum clamor, & fi quando accedit tubarum fonus, 
 perfonantibus & refpondentibus inter fe rupibus, multi- 
 plex audiri, ampliorque quam edifUr, refonare folej. 
 Qua res ip^jojem Majeftatis terrisrem ignarisrei, & ad- 
 miratouem flupentibus plerumque afiert. Juft. 1. xxiv, 
 
 lid 
 
^6 8 Of Julian's Attempt to rebuild 
 M entertainment was provided for them. X 
 ipean the Explojion, and fall of that portion 
 of the Rock, at the foot of which the greats 
 er part of the Army was encamped. 
 
 For the Town and Temple, as we ob- 
 ferved, were featcd on a bare and hollow 
 Rock J which woujd afford yeiit^holes for 
 fueh fumes as generated within, to tran- 
 fpire. One of theffe, from an intoxicating 
 quality, difcovered in the fteam which iffu-r 
 ed from it, was rendere4 very famous, by 
 being fitted to the Recipient of the Prieft- 
 cfs of ApoUo ^. Now if we only fuppoffe 
 this, or any othef of the vapours, iffuing 
 from the fiflures in fo large and caverr 
 jaous 9, rock, to be endowed with that 
 
 tS (MLvl^u nffji iv9i^ It. iyivivlo \iav rS eirfjiS >[fff 
 SjMjJsvWo-avIfl l| 'A.7roM.m@'. Paufan. Phoe. c. v. — 
 ^»sl i' eiveu <a /x.aeV7ei«v, wvi^ov KsrAsv j^ /3«'9iif , k 
 
 ^ncia^Mov. Strabo Geogr. 1. ix. — In hoc rupis an- 
 fradtu, media ferme montis altitudine, planities exigua 
 (pft, atqiiis in ea profun4um terrae foramen, quod in Ora- 
 cula patet ; ex quo frigidus fpirituSj vi quadafti veli»t 
 ventp in fublime expulfus, mentes Vatum ip vecordiam 
 yertit, imipjetafquf Deo, refponfa confulentibus dare 
 poa\U Jufi. 1. xxiv. c. 6. 
 
 unftupui 
 
the'tempteofyerufakm, 469 
 Un6luous or otherwife inflammatory quali- 
 ty whichinjiodern |?xperience^piews us to be 
 common in mines ajid fubterraneous hol- 
 lows, we can eafily conceive how the 
 Priefts of the Temple might, without a 
 Miracle, be able to work the wonders which 
 Hiftory fpeaks of as efFedled in this tranf- 
 aftion. For the throwing down a lighted 
 torch or Uwo into a? chafin from whence 
 fuch a vapour iffued, would fet the whole 
 into a flame j which, by rarifying and di-^ 
 lating the inclofed air, would, like fired 
 Gunpowder, blow up all before it. Thefe 
 efFed:s are fo known and beaded in fom£ 
 of the Coal-mines in the north of this Kingi 
 don}, fubje(£l: to fuch inflammatory va- 
 pours, that, inftead of lamps or candles, 
 which would be fatal, the workmen are 
 obliged to have recourfe to a very eictraor- 
 diiiary contrivance to givd them light, 
 which is the application of a flint to a flieel 
 Cylinder in motion. And we cannot fup- 
 pofe the Priefts, the Guardians of the place, 
 could be long ignorant of fuch a quality ; 
 which, either chance or defigned experi- 
 ments might bring, them acquainted with j 
 Or that they would divulge It when they 
 bad difcovered it. I am even inclined to 
 
 think. 
 
vjo Of 'Julian's Aikmpi to reiuUd 
 
 think, they had the art of managing this 
 quality at pleafure; fo as to produce a 
 greater or lefs effedt, as their occafions re- 
 quired. It is certain j AS/ra^S relates % that 
 one Onomiirehui with his Cohipanions, as 
 they were attempting by night to dig their 
 Vpay through to rob the h5ly Treafury, 
 Were frightened from their work by the 
 violent fhaking of the Rock : and he addsj 
 that the fame Phenomenon had defeated 
 many other Attempts of the like nature* 
 Now whether the tapers •vrhUdaOhomarchui 
 and his companions were obliged to ufe 
 while they were at work, inflamed the 
 Vapour, or whether the Priefts of jipoll^ 
 heard them at it, and (et fire to a coun- 
 termine, it is certain, a quality ©f this kind 
 would always ftand them in flead. 
 
 SuGH, then, I prefume,was the expedient 
 they employed to diflodge this- Nefl of 
 Hornets, which had fettled at the foot of 
 their facred Rock. 
 
 ^sQbv '^ fttetutYii S^^H^nmiiii, Strab, Geogr. 1. ix. 
 
 It 
 
ih ^etftpk of '^erttfdm, ijt 
 It is further remarkable that this explt>« 
 fion was followed (as it was likely it fhould) 
 \with a mere phyfical event of as much ter-* 
 tor and affiright,. ^Jlorm of thunder, lighten 
 ning, andhiiiltVfhxch thefe violent concuf* 
 Sons of the air naturally generate. For 
 Juflin afilxres us \ the Tempeft did not 
 happen till after the fall of the Rock j 
 though the l)eant we fee, makes thein o-*" 
 perate together* 
 
 But whitj after all, if thefe Barbarwng; 
 Were fomethins lefs unfortunate than the 
 JPriefts of Apollo would have.us think them j 
 a^nd had gotaconfiderable booty before they, 
 fell into thfe dilgrace ? Stra^Q tells an odd 
 ftory*" ot^tRom/om G^ntv^Capids finding 
 a vaft treasure at 'tolofi, fuppofed to be part 
 of the 'riches which its Inhabitants, the. 
 'feSiofages,-, had brought home from this 
 very expedition ^gainft. the Dpiphian God. 
 
 ' Injkuta delnde tempefllas eft, quae ftrandine & fri* 
 g)re faucios ex vubiedbHs abfumpfit. 1. xxiv. c. 8. 
 ' — Hf CSV 't&Swdycit ^ ^etf] (^iidt^m «^ 35n 
 
 ill!. ars'Ai/ ToA«»ji» ^ anftkv j^^ifftdfuv jitj^©- wim $«- 
 r/' u^oS^etiieu . ^ am eLu^^dvuif ^ cm ^ iSim «/x«v 
 tnnflivlcn iff l|iA«rn^ju^ir; •!■ I^m. L. iv. 
 
 : ' -'•• It 
 
272 Of Julian's Aitempf to rehttild 
 It would alrooil: make one fufped, that the 
 Priefts, before they came to extremities 
 with the facred Rock, had entered inta 
 treaty with thfife Barbarian?, and paid them 
 a large tribute to decamp and quit the 
 Country J which poffibly they might re- 
 ceive with the fapie good faith their Coun- 
 trymen, in a like expedition^ weighed out 
 the Roman goldy before the Capitol j and fo 
 neceffitate the Delphiakl to fend down the 
 Rock upon them to clear accounts j juft as, 
 in the other instance, Camillas revenged 
 their extortion in Italy. What feems to 
 ftrengthen our conjedure is, that the 
 TeSfoJageSy in ordef to appeafe the oiFended 
 Deity, had confecrated this treafure to holy 
 ufes, with an addition of their own. Nor 
 does it take from the crecHt of the ftory, 
 tiiat all which the penetrating Strabo hath 
 to oppofe, is the ill fuccefs of Brennus 
 and his followers, as we find it related in 
 the common hiftories of the expedition. If 
 this were the cafe, the pretended Miracle 
 fhrinks into a Prodigy of the moft flender 
 form. 
 
 However, the account given above 
 feems, on the whole, to be the true folu- 
 
 tion 
 
the Tern^t of'Jerufalem, 273 
 
 tion of this extraordinary event. It is eafy 
 and natural} and the caufe equal to the 
 effedt. But iriy chief reafon for being (a 
 explicit, was to add ftill further fupport to 
 our general concliifibn ; as the detail would 
 fhew, that all the main circumftances in 
 the deftfiidtion zt Delphi, and in that at 
 yeriifdlemy were effentially different. 
 
 The Rock on which Delphi flood, was 
 exaftly fitted for fuch a contrivance : The 
 Mountain at yerufalem, by its compa<3;nefs 
 and contiguity, altogether impropert. . 
 
 The eafy objeB of Apolh's refentment 
 was a rabble of half-ftarved and half-intoxi- 
 cated Barbarians : The objeSi of thie f efent- 
 ment of the God of Ifrael was a feledt 
 number of the politeft, -joined to the 
 ^irewdeft People, who were detached to 
 fupport the Emperor's projedt, which the 
 ableft artifts of afl kinds there affeiribled 
 were ready to put in execution. 
 
 The Priejls oi ApoUo were mafters of 
 
 the Town and Temple, and fupported by 
 
 a powerful Garrifon : Both the Priejis and 
 
 People of {he God of Ifrael were difperfed, 
 
 and had left the place free and open to 
 
 their enemies. _, _, 
 
 T But 
 
274 ^f j¥li<^^\K-^H^>^P^ ^^ rebtiiU 
 
 But the principal difference lay in the 
 grounds artd reafons of the thing, By^ 
 which 1 do not mean, that one event was 
 fuppofed to be the agency of a God of the 
 Greeks, and the other of the God of the 
 yews : For, who was the true, and who 
 the falfe God, the Gentlemen, with|WliQm 
 we are concerned, feem willing fhould 
 remain undetermined. The differerice lay 
 in this^ That the interpofition of the Del- 
 phianGod was to fave the treafures of his 
 Priefts ; which he had, at other tirnes, and 
 on more fla.gitious terms, fufFered to jbe 
 plundered. But the interpofition of the 
 Lord of Hojis was to fave the honour of 
 his word, which he hath never fince fuf- 
 fered to be impeached by malice or impiety, 
 throughout a courfe of fourteen hun- 
 dred yea.rs. Or, in other words, to defend 
 the general fyftem of Revelation froml)e- 
 ing forcibly bpi-ne down by the whole 
 power of the Roman Empire. For the 
 attempt to re-eftabli£h the Jewijh Worihip 
 was profeffedly and publicly to give the lye 
 to the. Prophecies' on which Chriilianity was 
 foundedj that is, to the God of Heaven him- 
 felf : the mojl important, oecafon we can 
 
 conceive 
 
th 'Tem§ii 'of Jefufalem. i^^ 
 CoftCejVe! of exerting his power, as incltid- 
 ing in it a necessity to exert it. Bittmorc 
 of this, .'whm I come, hereafter, to fpeak 
 oftb^'nature of that Evidence which demands 
 the- affent of every reafonebk man tc a mira- 
 cvkmfaM- ' 
 
 <*fifthe mean time we will turn to our 
 Mathefnatician j and requeft him to pre- 
 pare his Tables of Calculation ; if for no 
 other purpofe than to gratify our curiofity 
 in the doSirine of Chances, When he is 
 ready^ let us know, how many millions to 
 one are the odds againft a natural eruption's 
 fecuring the honour of the Chriilife Reli- 
 gion, at that very important jun<^ure when 
 God's Omnipotence was thus openly defi- 
 ed ; and not by this or that crack-brained 
 Atheift, but by all the powers of the 
 world combined againft it. Let, him add 
 thefe other circumftances, that the Moun- 
 tain of theTemple, was, both from its frame 
 and Situation, moft unlikely to be the fcene 
 of a natural eruption : and that this erup- 
 tion was confined, contrary to its ufual 
 couirfe, to that very fpot of ground : and 
 then fee how thefe will increafe the odds. 
 But his tafk is but begun ; he muft reckon 
 T 2 another 
 
276 Of ^^^\{^^, 4itempf- t^^ rebuild 
 anofchca: ^iJctefetft^tiQe,, the ;Fjf p's pbftinately, 
 breaking out by ^s^-aa ofteflj as they at- 
 tempted tp pjii^c^eil; and its total ^xtindion 
 pii; their givingl.up the enterprize : let him, 
 li fay, add this to the account, apd fee ho>y 
 itwili then ftand. To thefe, too, he muft 
 join the Phenomena of the Crofs in the Air> 
 and on the Garments ; which will open a 
 new carrier to his calculations. And fur- 
 ther, to" inflame the reckoning, he iM^ 
 take notice, that Hiftory fpeaks but of one 
 other commotion in the iritrdiW of this' Hill, 
 which likewife happened at a very ci-itical 
 jun61iire, the Crucifixion of ouf Lord, when 
 the vait of the' 'Temple Was rent in twain 
 from the top to the bottom. 'Laftly, he may 
 refled, if he pleafes, that all thefe odds 
 lie on the fide 6f a divine Interpofitioh to 
 limder aii attempt^ which afpaCe of four- 
 teen hundred years hath neVer feen revili^3j« 
 though the projed itfelf (the reftoratiori of 
 one of the ttidft celebrated Temples in the 
 world) is in its nature moft alluring to fu- 
 perftition j and though the imbecilfity of 
 Religion and GoVernment, and the various 
 iRevoIutions thei'e undergohe, have afforded 
 ample oj)portdnity to a ' rich and crafty 
 People to effeft what was the only means 
 I of 
 
the Tmpk of Jerujalem. lyy 
 of wiping but thdir opprobrium, Md re- 
 deeming ^ th^ ie(^ uiliVerfal Gontempt. 
 He muft, I fay, take in all this before he 
 fuihs up the account And dban, if he be 
 ingenuous, without doubt, he will confefs, 
 that to compute the immenfity of thefe 
 odds will exceed all the powers of Num- 
 bers. 
 
 To ,:^cak freely. The pretence of ac- 
 counting for it by a natural eaufe is a 
 wretched evafion. Let us confider how 
 di^e^tly Unbelievers are wont to treat 
 thoiJe parallel Miracles, The burfting ofivater 
 from tkfRock at the command of Mofes-y and, 
 of fire from the earth to pumjh the rebellion 
 ofKorab. No man was ever To w;ild to 
 charge thefe Fadls to the account of natural 
 caufes. And yet, the fudden guihfng out 
 qS water from a Rock is certainly a more 
 ufiial event than a burning ^owaXsLin. 
 But the reafon of their referve, in thefe in- 
 flances, is plain j they h^d other caUfes at 
 hand,, befides natural events, to exclude 
 a miracle ; fuch as human artifice and con- 
 trivance J the uncertainty of very early If i- 
 ftory, . ^c. But, in the Eruption from 
 the foundations of the Temple, the Fadt 
 T 3 was 
 
278 Of Julian's 4it^wpf"*P rebuild 
 wa^, fo perfectly wellcirciAmftanced, that 
 an ObjedtQr/cmndi,nothingVel%left to trade 
 with but ,thislaft .jniferable fliift :; which, 
 when all other .means fail, is jftjU at hand 
 .to: keep back that? Bugbear to Impiety, 
 Gop's MORAL Government. 
 
 In fupport of all that hath been fald, 
 give me leave to obferve, That the cori- 
 temporar^Evidence, who', from their more 
 intimate knowledge of the fadt, muft needs 
 be allowed the beft judges of its nature in 
 general, give no intimation that they them- 
 felves thought, or that others fufpefted it 
 to be a natural event: 'Julian^ indeed, to 
 cover his confufion, infinuates ^ fomething 
 like it, but under cover of the deftrudiion 
 of the Temple at Daphne ^ ; and, other- 
 wife, in fo oblique and obfcure a manner as 
 fhews him to be afliarried of fo foolifti a:n 
 evafion. But then his hoheft and well- 
 inftrufted Advocate, Amm. Marcellinus, is 
 far from giving into this fu^icionj the 
 different manner in which he relates the 
 two events at I^icomedia and Jerufalem 
 
 ' See p. 58, and 62. 
 
 E Which, it is not unlikely, was burnt by common 
 lightening, though ftdiany in his Mifipogon, dire^Sly 
 charges it or ^be Chriftians, 
 
 evi- 
 
tise fFeffipti of Jerufakm. c ' -zfg 
 evidently Imply the cdfitfary.' In his ac- 
 count of xh6]fo^^,6\k-6i the pure pa- 
 Tadfi'of Science, h8 digreffes, oh the phy- 
 fical caufes of Edrthipidkes. In the latter^ 
 (would the i&iX have Born him out) he had 
 better reafons than an afFe<9:ation to ftiew his 
 learning, to tell^ us what the Philofophers 
 had faid mpfl: plaufible, in favour of a 
 natural event j for if fo, the true caufe was 
 univerfally miftaken ; and Paganifm wa,s 
 efTenJ^ally concerned tp have that miftake 
 redifiedt:, on the contrary, Ammianushzxh 
 contjibuted to. fupport the general opinion, 
 by expreffions„'VKhich evidently imply y«/»f- 
 rior agency. Yet was this candid t^iftqrian 
 nothing fhy in fpeaking his mind,, when 
 he conceived eitl^er fr^ud or Xpperftition 
 had too large a fhare in common reports. 
 For, mentjonirjig the conflagration o^ Apollo's 
 temple at Daphne^, which the Chrlflians 
 boafted to be miraculpufly confined by 
 liighter^ing, he frankly declares it was fuf? 
 pefted to ha.ve been fet on fire by themr 
 felves ^. But why need I in,fift on the con- 
 dud of fo fair an Adverfary as Marcellinus^ 
 
 * StofpiCabatur id Chriftianos egifle fiimulatos invidir, 
 ^uod idem TempluiH inviti videbant anibitipfo cir.cupn:- 
 dari peri%lio. L.xxii. c. 13. 
 
 T 4 when 
 
28o Of JuUm'sA^eftift to 'rebuild 
 when LibanimizTidi ^QiXtH^i JuUan' s So* 
 phifts, thofe bigots to PagaMfm, and infla- 
 mers of their mailer's Follies, dared not fo 
 much as mutter the leaft fufpicion-of this 
 nature. Nor was their filence the elFedl of 
 fear, or want of good- will. In more dan- 
 gerous and offenfive matters they fpokis 
 fireely ; and with, infolence enough : For 
 when thcijChriftians every where gave out 
 that the death of Julian was miraculous, j 
 Thefe Friends of his, publicly maintained, 
 that he was bafely affaffinated by a Chriftian 
 Soldier j and undertook to rn^lie good the 
 charge, at their own peril, if the Emperor 
 would appoint Commiflarie&to examine into 
 theFaxa '. Laftly, x\\q Fathers, a-nd Chi^eh 
 
 'By what I can gather from Antiquity, this feems to 
 have been a very grqundleft charge. Eutropius, who 
 was in ijie aftion, and MarcellimSy who ferved there 
 ii^ ^h^ Body-guards, feeip ^ipither of them to have^en- 
 terjtai|ied a fufpicion of this kind, yulian was wouiided 
 at the very inftant when the darts of the PartManf were. 
 known to do the moft execution, thatlis, in one o^ 
 theit feigned retreats. — " Clamabant hinc inde Candi- 
 *• dati (feys Amndanus) ut fugientium molem, tanquam 
 *' ruinam male compofiticidmiBisdeclinaret." lib. xxv. 
 c. 3. And as to that circumfiance, fo niuch infifted on 
 by the friends oi Julian, «' That Sapor being willing to 
 lecompenfp the man whofe hand had worked^his deli- 
 verance, pub^ifhed a reward, which no body came in 
 
 Jliftorians 
 
the Temple of .Jerufakml' 28 1 
 HifieriaJiSt^yfhp are fo large in eftablifh- 
 ing the cre^ of Qod's interpofitlon zt Je- 
 rufalem, offered us not the leaft hint that 
 their Adver&ries ever thought of ^ evading 
 it by. the pretence of a natural event, 
 
 to receive," it^sfo far from being'ejjjraordinary, that i^ 
 diftinguifli a particiJar ftroke amidfl: a general fli^ of 
 arrows feems unrealbnable to expeft. Yet as foolifh 
 as this circumftance is, the Chriilians themlelves ex- 
 tolled it> in order to fuppOrt the miracle oi Ms Deathii 
 For f^ji^r were foftrangely indifcrete as 5«zfl»?«'|^j. to de- 
 fend ihe morality of the preteflided Affalfinate : Ai^flmefe 
 whicK does more diihonour to the Faith, than all that the 
 contrivances of Julian could bring upoH it. However, 
 this folly, to fpeak no worfe of it, is not to be charged 
 on Chrijiian Principks, but on the T'agan ; which tWs 
 Hiftorian would not fufFer his Chrijlianity to coireift. 
 The cutting off a Tyrant Was one of the mofl;^'iI- 
 luftrious of the Pagan virtues : which' ftiade an ehiuient 
 French writer fey, " II y avoit ua certain Droit des 
 *' Gens:, un opinion etablie dans toutes les Republiques 
 *« At Grece ii i' Italic, qui faifoit regarder comme un 
 " homme vertueux I'aflaflin de celui qui avoit ufurpe 
 *' la fouveraine Puiflance." — Conf. fur les caufes de la 
 grandeur des iCamainsl &c. c. ii. — But ibis I leave, 
 with Jidian's other adventures, to my Learned Friend, 
 Mr. y or tin: who, 1 hope, will foon oblige the Public 
 with his curious Diflertations on Eccleilaftical Antiqui- 
 ty ; compofed, like his life^ jiot in the fpirit of Contro- 
 verfyy'noi, what is ftill worfe, of Party, hut oiTrutlr 
 and Candor. 
 
 We 
 
282 Qf'^MUafi*s Amm0jyi^butld 
 
 We fhaircoNCLui)E "wSha iSipirt rejca- 
 pitulation of the whole Argument. 
 
 First, it hath been {hewn, That the 
 cccajion was moil important ; and that the 
 credit and honour of Revelatioh required 
 God's tnterpofition at this jundure. 
 
 ,; That ^lian aggravated theimpiety of 
 his attempt, by all the infulting cireum- 
 ftances moft likely to bring upon him the 
 vengeaii^e of Heaven. 
 
 That the FdSt vsras, in its nature, fuch 
 as leaft admitted of unfaithful accounts con- 
 cerning it. 
 
 . That , the Bivent is eftablifhed by all 
 the power of human Teftimony : That 
 the Church hath borne witnefs to it by a 
 full, confifteint, and contemporary Evi- 
 dence: that the adverfaries of our holy 
 Faith, who were in the neighbourhood of 
 the fcene, and the followers of JuUhn, 
 who were mt>ft partial to his views, have 
 confirmed it; and laftly, that the Emperor 
 himfelf hath confeiTed it, though with that 
 difingenuity which charaderifes the Sophiji 
 
 and 
 
4beiTemple ^f JerufaJeni. 283 
 
 5ind the Big6ti in what party foever thev 
 
 arefi)ua.* '^^"' "" ->^>.^ < ^ 
 
 The objections to'the reality of the 
 Miracle were then Cbnfidered. 
 
 It hatkbeen fhewn, that, from the 
 word of Prophecy, and the^cpurfe of God's 
 Difpenfations, his interpofition was even 
 mceffary to fupport the honour of Reli- 
 gion. 
 
 That the Evidence of the Hiftorian, 
 Am. MarcellinuSi is fo full and perfeft in 
 P-ll its parts, ,that there is no circumftance 
 exifting ii> hiSf,Charader pr Teftimony, 
 which an Unbeliever could abufe to keep 
 back his alTent ; nor any circumftance 
 wanting, which a Believer would defire, 
 to prevent a cavil. 
 
 That the feveral accounts ,of the Fch- 
 thers of the Church and the Ecclejiajlical 
 Hijiorians are not only confiftent with, but 
 highly corrobqrative of, , one .^anothei; : 
 an4 that fuch parts of theiri relations as ap- 
 pear at firft fight ino;ft prodigious, are in- 
 deed, when maturely examined, the parts 
 which moft deferve credit. 
 
 That 
 
^f 4 Of juUaris Mmpt fq rtkuild 
 
 That it is very unlifeefy, ,;nay almofi 
 impoffible, that thertEr||)tioi>f fliould i)e 
 the effed: of human art and contrivance : • 
 
 And laftly, that it is no lefs abfiird to 
 lUppofe it z^tuv&l event. 
 
 Thus new light continually fpringing 
 up from each circumftance as it pafled in 
 review; by fiich time as the whole was 
 confideired, this illuftrious Miracle, we iee, 
 hath come out in one full blaze of evidence. 
 
 When, therefore, the Reader reflefts, 
 how little this invincible Demonftration for 
 our holy Faith had bfcej^itherto attended 
 to J how flightly it was touched upon ; 
 and how haftily and flovenly hurried over. 
 He will poffibly fee caufe to wonder as 
 much at this ftrange inattention as at the un- 
 r«afonable credulity of the blind adorers of 
 Antiquity. For though it hath ever ftracfe 
 the learned and impartial obferver with tfee 
 fuperiority of it's evidence, yet no one be- 
 fore, that I know of, hath thought fit, to fet 
 that fuperiority in a juft light, though 
 provoked to it by what is moft provoking, 
 the indifcretion of our Friends : Some 
 of whom have hinted their fufpicions in 
 
 private i 
 
tbe Temple of Jerufakm. 285 
 
 private .;. and drib/eb giveh ntore optt^ inti- 
 mations bf its fa^^o^d. fft . ^. > 
 
 •This, in^ pairt,* may be owing to thole 
 ticklifti circtimftandes iildie evidence of the 
 Fathers^ which, on exsimiriation, we have 
 ftiewn to b,e its principal fupport. Bi|t what 
 hath chiefly occafioned this negledl, I am 
 perfuaded, is the ftate and condition of the 
 Ecclefiajiical Hijiory of that time ; when the 
 light, of Miracles was furrounded with fuch 
 a fwarm of Monkifh Fables, as darkened the 
 bfighteft of'its rays ; fo that nothing, butthe 
 force of its divine extraction, could ever 
 have broke throu|h them. Nay, as if thefe 
 unhappy Artificerg¥^w^^ what they effeB- 
 edy they were not conteilfeito counterfeit the 
 hand of God on other occalions, but would 
 try their fkill on this, where It hadbeeiii fb 
 eminently difplayed; andwouldmimicev-ai 
 its moft eliential and triumphant circumftan- 
 ces. Thus Church Hifiory informs ue,^ that 
 when "Julian and his brother G^fes prcgetft^ 
 to build a Temple over the Sepulchre of one 
 St. Mimas t that part which' yaA'/i» under- 
 too]s. fell down again as foon as it was built j 
 the«iaint, it feems, difdaining the Service of 
 the future Apoftate. The cloudy Monk, 
 whoiavented this fable, had, we fee, two 
 
 conceits 
 
a§6 Of Julian's 4kte0, if rehkiky 
 conceits- in his head : h^ .^rotdH 'Compare; 
 'Julian to Cairii and* ^et/mt '; givb '1iirB»the 
 privilege of that Out-laARj, Btit make|ijm|rv 
 unlucky Builder through life. Thefanie iU-n 
 Jiory again informs us ^, That once,- , "wh^n ■ 
 Julian facrificed, there was found imprefled 
 upon the entrails of* the vxQiim, a Crofs 
 within a crown or circle : for when the 
 Monks Jbad once got the Apoftate into 
 tiieir Hands, they confidered him as a De- 
 moniac they were to exorcife; and fo, 
 charmed and tormented him with Cro^j. 
 
 Thus they dreffed up their Impdfturcs, 
 as like as they could, iip, |arb and lafhion, 
 to Miracles of heavenly extradlion ; with the 
 Spirit, or (muft we fay ?) in imitation of 
 thofe Pagan Priefts who forged their^jf?c//fi?, 
 to fecure the facred jhield which fell from 
 Heaven. As if they had taken it into their 
 heads, that true Miracles, uriattended with 
 Delufions, were in the fame danger from' 
 the Enemies of the Faith, that the Falla- 
 dium of Rome was from Robbers without a 
 numerous Guard of brazen Counterfeits. 
 '' Greg. Naz. Orat. iji. Soz. 1. v. C 2. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
r^.4M^. 
 
 
 
 iiMJiJ 
 
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