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which was worthy of so great a God. But to none are these things so well known as to yourself.'

It is manifest that the author here refers to the history in St. Matthew, ch. ii. 1. “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, ver. 2. Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Ver. 9. When they had heard the king [Herod] they departed, and lo the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child, with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." Comp. Matt. i. 21-23.

Fabricius thinks this paragraph to be a good proof of the writer's christianity. And from the compliment at the end made by him to the person to whom the work is inscribed, we may be induced to allow his episcopal cha

racter.

Whether this writer was a christian or a heathen, this passage is a valuable testimony to St. Matthew's gospel, and to this remarkable history. And if this commentary upon Plato's Timæus be reckoned the work of a gentile philosopher, the several quotations of the Old Testament, which we before saw, and now this of the New, afford proof, that the sacred scriptures were then well known in the world. To me it seems, that the style of the paragraph just cited, is the style of a gentile, not of a christian writer. Cave seems to have made the same judgment upon it.

P Hoc loco satis perspicue christianum se prodit Chalcidius. Fabric. p. 325. not. (c).

a Semel meminit stellæ, Christum recens natum præmonstrantis, cujus in historiâ evangelicâ fit mentio : de quibus nihilominus, haud satis pro christiani scriptoris more loquitur. Cav. H. L. p. 199.

CHAP. XLIII.

ALEXANDER OF LYCOPOLIS IN EGYPT.

I. His work, time, and character. II. Extracts out of his work, containing many references to the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, and to the christian doctrine.

1. ALEXANDER of Lycopolis, in Egypt, was mentioned by me long ago, in the History of the Manichees, among those authors who had written against them: but learned men are not agreed about his character, as was also observed formerly. Some think he was a christian: others suppose him to have been a heathen. If this last be his character, he comes in properly to be mentioned here among such writers; we must therefore now more distinctly consider that point.

Fabricius thinks, he was at first a heathen, then a Manichee, and afterwards a good catholic christian, when he wrote this work; and he placeth him in the fourth century.

All which is agreeable to the sentiments of our Cave; who also supposeth him to have been acquainted with some of the first followers and disciples of Mani himself. If so, he must have lived not far from the beginning of the fourth century.

Photius,d in his work against the Manichees, calls Alexander archbishop of Nicopolis.

Tillemonte says, that by his book he appears to have been a pagan philosopher; who, observing that some of 'his fellow-disciples embraced the opinion of the Manichees,

a Vol. iii. p. 269.

b Alexandri Lycopolitæ, ex Ethnico
-Videtur scripsisse se-

Manichæi, atque inde ad ecclesiam reducti, liber culo quarto. Bib. Gr. lib. v. c. 1. Tom. 5. p. 290.

• Alexander Lycopolita, natione Egyptius, Lyco urbe Thebaïdos oriundus --Erat quidem primum cultu Gentilis, deinde ad Manichæos, in Ægyptum recens delatos, se contulit. Tandem ejuratâ hæresi ad catholicorum castra transiit. Et cum ex eorum grege fuerat, opiniones probe novit, scripsitque librum προς τας Μανιχαιε δόξας Etas auctoris etsi certo definiri nequit, antiquissimum tamen esse, et quarti seculi scriptorem, nec forsan ab ipsius Manetis temporibus longe remotum, suspicere fas est. Ait se relationem hujusce opinionis απο γνώριμων τε ανδρος, ab iis qui cum homine familiariter conversati fuerint, accepisse. Cav. Diss. de Scriptor. incertæ ætatis, p. 2.

α Ότε της πολεως Λυκων Αλεξανδρος τες αρχιερατικές εγκεχειρισμενος νομες. -Phot. contr. Manich. 1. i. cap. 11.

e Mem. Ec. T. 4. Les Manichéens, art. 16.

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and thinking it to be very absurd, composed that book to ⚫ confute it by natural and philosophical reasons. He speaks with respect of Jesus Christ, and prefers the doctrine of thef churches (those are his terms) to that of Mani. But we can perceive from those very places that he was not at all a christian. Combefis, his editor, thinks him to be very ancient, because he had learned the doctrine of the 'Manichees from the disciples of the author of the sect; but the place upon which he relies, may denote no more 'than that Egypt knew Mani by his disciples, without necessarily implying that Alexander himself knew any of

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Beausobre is of the same opinion. He calls Alexander a pagan philosopher. He argues after this manner: First, 'he never alleges the scriptures in his dispute with the Manichees, which a christian would not have failed to do, 'since the Manichees admitted the authority of the books of 'the New Testament. 2. He speaks of the souls of Nymphs, which is not the style of a christian. 3. He speaks of 'the deluge of Deucalion, and Phoronæus, without men⚫tioning that of Noah. 4. He expresseth himself altogether like a pagan, saying, that of all the gods, the Manichees 'honoured only the sun and the moon. He manifestly placeth himself in the number of pagans; for, after having observed, 'that the Manichees endeavoured to confirm their error by the history, or fable of Bacchus, and the attempt of the giants, he adds the more learned among them, says he, who have some knowledge of the Greek literature, remind us of our own ceremonies, and our own mysteries.' These arguments Beausobre thinks decisive; and Mosheim has declared his approbation of them.

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I shall presently make large extracts out of this writer; whereby all my readers will be qualified to judge for themselves concerning his character.

i

The time when he lived is uncertain; there is nothing in

f See p. 18, to be cited in note r, p. 578.

g Hist. des Manichéens, Vol. i. p. 236, 237.

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h P. 17. B. C.

—εν ἡ Ήλιος και ἡ Σεληνη, ούς μονες θεων αιδείσθαι φασιν. Alex. Lycop. contr. Manich. p. 7. C.

But it should be observed, that Alexander elsewhere owns, that the Manichees did not worship the sun and moon, as gods: but only as the way by which they attain to God. Τιμωσι δε μαλιςα Ήλιον και Σεληνην, εχ ὡς θεως, αλλ ὡς ὁδον δι' ἧς εσιν προς Θεον αφικέσθαι. Ibid. p. 5. D.

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* Οἱ δε εν τέτοις χαριετεροι, και Ελληνικων ουκ απειροι λόγων, αναμιμνησ κεσιν ήμας εκ των οικείων εκ μεν των τελετων, κ. λ. Alex. p. 6. Α.

Hujus philosophandi libellus exstat Græce contra Manichæos--De religione ejus accurate egit Isaac de Beausobre. Moshem. Institut. H. E. p. 235.

his work to show clearly, that he wrote near the beginning of the fourth century. But it seems to me not improbable, that he wrote soon after the principles of Manichæism had gained some footing in Egypt: he might, therefore, compose this work about the middle of the fourth century, or even before it; I therefore place him at the year of Christ 350.

II. The work of Alexander begins in this manner: 'The m philosophy of the christians is called simple; for its principal concern is to regulate the manners of men, having first intimated the right doctrine concerning the Deity, as the one efficient cause of all things. It forbears obscure questions and nice arguments about the reason of things; nor does it labour to describe particularly the grounds and nature of every virtue; but holdeth forth in a general way the precepts of all virtue. By attending to which, as experience shows, the common people are much influenced, and gradually allured to the love and practice of piety.'

'But this simplicity being disliked, some have moved difficult and abstruse questions; and delighting in contention, have formed sects. Such an one was Manichee, who was of the country of Persia. One Papus, and after him Thomas, teachers of that doctrine, brought it in among us. He lived, as it is said, in the time of Valerian; and accompanying Sapor in his wars, he offended him, and so lost his life. Such' Such is said to have been the origin of this doctrine, which has been brought in among us by his disciples. They hold two principles, God and matter:' and what follows, giving an account of the Manichæan notions.

I have transcribed below a large part of the introduction, of which I have made only a loose translation. But Alexander here gives a very honourable character of the genuine christian philosophy, as simple, and intended by plain precepts, without nice disquisitions, and intricate reasonings, to promote virtue among all sorts of men, and even among

Χρισιανων φιλοσοφια απλη καλείται. Αυτη δε επι την τε ηθες καταστ κευην την πλειτην επιμέλειαν ποιεῖται, αινιττομενη περι των ακριβεςέρων λογων περι θες ὧν το κεφαλαιον της περι ταυτα σπεδης εικότως αν άπαντες αποδεξαιντο, ενθα το ποιητικον αιτιον τιμιωτατων τιθενται και πρεσβυτατων, και παντων αιτιον των οντων παραγγέλματα δε παχύτερα, ως ετυγχανεν, επισωρευοντες ὧν ὁ πολυς δημος ακέων, ώς εκ της πειρας εςι μαθειν, σφοδρα επιδιδωσιν εις επιεικειαν και της ευσεβειας χαρακτηρ ενιζάνει αυτων τοις ήθεσιν, αναζωπυρων το εκ της τοιαυτης συνηθειας συνεκλημμενον ηθος, και κατ' ολιγον EIG TηV TE KAλ8 avrɣ opeživ ódnywv. Alex. Lycop. adv. Manich. p. 3. ap. Combefis. Auctarium Patr. Græc. novissimum. Paris. 1672.

n Ibid. p. 3, 4.

Τοια δε εν τις φημη της εκείνε δοξης απο των γνωριμων τε ανδρος αφίκετο προς ήμας. Αρχας επιθετο Θεον και Ὑλην. Ρ. 4. Β.

the lower ranks, and common people,' which, indeed, are the bulk of mankind. We shall see this character of the christian religion repeated again by and by; but let me proceed to take other passages as they lie in the book itself.

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2. For, soon afterward, in his representation of the Manichæan doctrine, he says: They P suppose man to be an image of the divine power, and that Christ is Mind; and that having descended from above, he sent back to God a large part of this power: at length he was crucified, and by that means afforded knowledge.' And what follows.

I do not stay to explain these Manichæan absurdities; I only produce this passage to show that Alexander was not silent about Christ. We go on.

3. But it would be much better for them to say, that wisdom had been given to men by God, that by the exercise of reason they might be gradually delivered from the love of pleasure, and other vicious affections; and they who profess to be teachers of virtue, might be examples of it to others. In this way, it might be hoped, that evil might cease, when all were become wise. This seems to me to have been the design of Jesus: and that husbandmen, and carpenters, and masons, and other artificers, might not want this help to goodness, he appointed a common council of all together; and by plain and easy discourses he aimed to bring them, both to the knowledge of God, and the love of virtue.'

This appears very honourable to our Saviour. Alexander, I think, must have read the books of the New Testament, the gospels at least. What he means by the common council of all together,' may be doubtful; but it seems to me not unlikely, that he intends the college of Christ's

? Υπαρχειν γαρ αυτον θειας δυναμεως εικονα τον δε Χρισον ειναι Ν8ν· ὁν δη και αφικομενον ποτε απο τ8 ανω τοπ8, πλείσον τε της δυναμεως ταύτης προς τον Θεον λελυκεναι' και δη και τελευταίον αναπαυρωθεντα παρασχέσθαι γνωσιν τοιῳδε τρόπῳ και την δυναμιν την θειαν ενηρμύσθαι, ενεςαυρώσθαι τη Υλη. p. 5. C.

* Πολυ δε καλλιον ην την σοφίαν όπλον φαναι τοις ανθρωποις ύπο τ8 θες δεδοσθαι, ἵν ̓ ὁ εςιν αυτοις δια το αισθητικοις είναι εξ επιθυμίας και ηδονης, τ8το κατα μικρον εις το αγαθον περιάγεσα, το επομενον ατοπον εξ αυτών ανελη. Ούτως γαρ ουτοι τε αρετην επαγγελλομενοι διδασκειν, ζηλωται αν ησαν της προθεσεως και το βιε πολλη τε αν ην ελπις τε, ὅτι ποτε παύσεται τα κακα, πάντων γενομένων σοφών. Ο δοκει μοι κατανενοηκεναι ὁ Ιησες. Και ἵνα μη απεληλαμένοι ώσι τε αγαθε γεωργοι τε και τεκτονες και οικοδομοι, και οἱ αλλοι απο των τεχνών, κοινον συνεδριον καθισαι παντων ὁμε και δι' ἁπλων και ευκολων διαλέξεων, και εις θες εννοιαν αυτός απενηνοχεται, και τε καλε εις επιθυμιαν ελθειν ποιησαι. p. 13. C. D.

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