Marcion, the heretic, was the first that changed the title; and therefore, in his enumeration of St. Paul's epistles he omits that to the Ephesians, for no other reason, doubtless, but that according to Marcion's opinion, he had reckoned it up under the title of that to the Laodiceans. Which yet is more clear, if we consider that Epiphanius, citing a place quoted by Marcion out of the epistle to the Laodiceans, it is in the very same words found in that to the Ephesians at this day. However, such an epistle is still extant, forged, no doubt, before St. Jerome's time, who tells us, that it was read by some, but yet exploded and rejected by all. Besides these there was his Revelation, called also *Αναβατικών, or his Ascension, grounded on his ecstasy or rapture into heaven, first forged by the C'ainian heretics, and in great use and estimation among the Gnostics. Sozomen tells us, that this pocalypse was owned by none of the ancients, though much commended by some monks in his

time:

and he further adds, that in the time of the

emperor Theodosius, it was said to have been found

in

an underground chest of marble in St. Paul's

house at Tarsus, and that by a particular revelation.

A story

which, upon inquiry, he found to be as false

as the book itself was evidently forged and spurious. The Acts of St. Paul are mentioned both by Origens and Eusebius," but not as writings of approved and unquestionable credit and authority. The epistles

1

3

Hæres. 42, adv. Marcion. p. 142.

De Script. Eccl. in Paulo.

Epiph. Hæres. 38, p. 124, August. in Joan. Tract. 98, 4 H. Eccl. lib. vii. c. 19, p. 735.

col. 488.

5

Orig. Ep. Apx. lib. i. c. 2, fol. 114, p. 2.

6 Euseb. lib. iii. c. 3, p. 72.

that are said to have passed between St. Paul and Seneca, how early soever they started in the church, yet the falsehood and fabulousness of them is now too notoriously known to need any further account or description of them.

SECTION IX.

The principal Controversies that exercised the

6

Church in his time.

THOUGH Our Lord and his apostles delivered the Christian religion, especially as to the main and essential parts of it, in as plain a manner as words could express it, yet were there men of perverse and corrupt minds, and reprobate concerning the faith,' who from different causes, some ignorantly or wilfully mistaking the doctrines of Christianity, others to serve ill purposes and designs, began to introduce errors and unsound opinions into the church, and to debauch the minds of men from the simplicity of the gospel; hereby disquieting the thoughts, and alienating the affections of men, and disturbing the peace and order of the church. The first ringleader of this heretical crew was Simon Magus, who not being able to attain his ends of the apostles, by getting a power to confer miraculous gifts, whereby he designed to greaten and enrich himself, resolved to be revenged of them, scattering the most poisonous tares among the good wheat that they had sown, bringing in the most

pernicious principles; and as the natural consequent of that, patronizing the most debauched villainous practices; and this under a pretence of still being Christians. To enumerate the several dogmata and damnable heresies, first broached by Simon, and then vented and propagated by his disciples and followers, who, though passing under different titles, yet all centered at last in the name of Gnostics, a term which we shall sometimes use for conveniency, (though it took not place till after St. Paul's time,) were as needless as it is alien to my purpose. I shall only take notice of a few of more signal remark, and such as St. Paul in his epistles does eminently reflect upon.

2. Amongst the opinions and principles of Simon and his followers, this was one,' that God did not create the world, but that it was made by angels. That divine honours were due to them, and that they were to be adored as subordinate mediators between God and us. This our apostle saw growing up apace, and struck betimes at the root, in that early caution he gave to the Colossians, to 'let no man beguile them in a voluntary humility, and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind; and not holding the head,' i. e. thereby disclaiming Christ, the head of the church. But, notwithstanding this warning, this error still continued and spread itself in those parts for several ages, till expressly condemned by the Laodicean council.3 Nay, Theodoret tells us, there were still oratories

2

4

Iren. lib. i. c. 20. Epiph. Hær. 21, Tert. de Præsc. Hær. c. 33, p. 214, &c. 46, p. 219, Aug. de Hæres. Hær. 39. 2 Col. ii. 18. 3 Can. 35.

Theod. comment, in Col. 2.

erected to the archangel Michael in those places, wherein they were wont to meet and pray to angels. Another Gnostic principle was, that men might freely and indifferently eat what had been offered in sacrifice to idols; yea, sacrifice to the idol itself, it being lawful confidently to abjure the faith in time of persecution.' The first part whereof St. Paul does largely and frequently discuss up and down his epistles; the latter, wherein the sting and poison was more immediately couched, was craftily adapted to those times of suffering, and greedily swallowed by many, hereby drawn into apostacy. Against this our apostle antidotes the Christians, especially the Jewish converts, among whom the Gnostics had mixed themselves, that they would not suffer themselves to be drawn aside by an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God:'* that notwithstanding sufferings and persecutions, they would hold fast the profession of the faith without wavering, not forsaking the assembling of themselves together, as the manner of some is,' (the Gnostic heretics ;) remembering how severely God has threatened apostates, that if any man draw back, his soul shall have no pleasure in him,' and what a fearful thing it is thus to fall into the hands of the living God.'3

3. But besides this, Simon and his followers made the gate yet wider, maintaining a universal licence to sin; that men were free to do whatever they had a mind to; that to press the observance of good works was a bondage inconsistent with the liberty of the gospel; that so men did but believe

1 Orig. adv. Cels. lib. vi. p. 282, Useb. lib. iv. c. 7, p. 120. 2 Heb. iii. 12. 3 Heb. x. 23, 25, 31, 38.

93

in him and his dear Helen,' they had no reason to regard law or prophets, but might do what they pleased, they should be saved by his grace, and not according to good works. Irenæus adds, (what a man might easily have inferred, had he never been told it,) that they lived in all lust and filthiness as indeed whoever will take the pains to peruse the account that is given of them, will find that they wallowed in the most horrible and unheard-of bestialities. These persons St. Paul does as particularly describe, as if he had named them, having once and again with tears warned the Philippians of them, that they were enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.' And elsewhere to the same effect, that they would 'mark them that caused divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which they had learned, and avoid them; for they that were such, served not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, by good words and fair speeches deceiving the hearts of the simple.'* This I doubt not he had in his eye, when he gave those caveats to the Ephesians, that 'fornication, and all uncleanness, and inordinate desires, should not be once named amongst them, as became saints, nor filthiness nor unclean talking;' being assured by the Christian doctrine, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person,' &c. could be saved; that therefore, 'they should let no man deceive them with vain words; these being the very things for which the

1 His mistress, in whom he said dwelt the original seed of all human souls.--ED.

2 Iren. adv. Hær. lib. i. c. 20, p. 116.

3 Phil. iii. 17, 18.

4 Rom. xvi. 17, 18.