ThegeniusofPlato，informedbyhisownmeditation，orbythetraditionalknowledgeofthepriestsofEgypt，^11hadventuredtoexplorethemysteriousnatureoftheDeity。Whenhehadelevatedhismindtothesublimecontemplationofthefirstself—existent，necessarycauseoftheuniverse，theAtheniansagewasincapableofconceivinghowthesimpleunityofhisessencecouldadmittheinfinitevarietyofdistinctandsuccessiveideaswhichcomposethemodeloftheintellectualworld；howaBeingpurelyincorporealcouldexecutethatperfectmodel，andmouldwithaplastichandtherudeandindependentchaos。Thevainhopeofextricatinghimselffromthesedifficulties，whichmusteveroppressthefeeblepowersofthehumanmind，mightinducePlatotoconsiderthedivinenatureunderthethreefoldmodification—ofthefirstcause，thereason，orLogos，andthesoulorspiritoftheuniverse。Hispoeticalimaginationsometimesfixedandanimatedthesemetaphysicalabstractions；thethreearchicalonoriginalprincipleswererepresentedinthePlatonicsystemasthreeGods，unitedwitheachotherbyamysteriousandineffablegeneration；andtheLogoswasparticularlyconsideredunderthemoreaccessiblecharacteroftheSonofanEternalFather，andtheCreatorandGovernoroftheworld。Suchappeartohavebeenthesecretdoctrineswhichwerecautiouslywhisperedinthegardensoftheacademy；andwhich，accordingtothemorerecentdisciplesofPlato，couldnotbeperfectlyunderstood，tillafteranassiduousstudyofthirtyyears。^12
　　[Footnote11:PlatoAegyptumperagravitutasacerdotibusBarbarisnumerosetcoelestiaacciperet。CicerodeFinibus，v。
　　25。TheEgyptiansmightstillpreservethetraditionalcreedofthePatriarchs。JosephushaspersuadedmanyoftheChristianfathers，thatPlatoderivedapartofhisknowledgefromtheJews；butthisvainopinioncannotbereconciledwiththeobscurestateandunsocialmannersoftheJewishpeople，whosescriptureswerenotaccessibletoGreekcuriositytillmorethanonehundredyearsafterthedeathofPlato。SeeMarshamCanon。Chron。p。144
　　LeClerc，Epistol。Critic。vii。p。177—194。]
　　[Footnote*:ThisexpositionofthedoctrineofPlatoappearstomecontrarytothetruesenseofthatphilosopher'swritings。
　　Thebrilliantimaginationwhichhecarriedintometaphysicalinquiries，hisstyle，fullofallegoriesandfigures，havemisledthoseinterpreterswhodidnotseek，fromthewholetenorofhisworksandbeyondtheimageswhichthewriteremploys，thesystemofthisphilosopher。Inmyopinion，thereisnoTrinityinPlato；hehasestablishednomysteriousgenerationbetweenthethreepretendedprincipleswhichheismadetodistinguish。
　　Finally，heconceivesonlyasattributesoftheDeity，orofmatter，thoseideas，ofwhichitissupposedthathemadesubstances，realbeings。
　　AccordingtoPlato，Godandmatterexistedfromalleternity。Beforethecreationoftheworld，matterhadinitselfaprincipleofmotion，butwithoutendorlaws:itisthisprinciplewhichPlatocallstheirrationalsouloftheworld，because，accordingtohisdoctrine，everyspontaneousandoriginalprincipleofmotioniscalledsoul。Godwishedtoimpressformuponmatter，thatistosay，1。Tomouldmatter，andmakeitintoabody；2。Toregulateitsmotion，andsubjectittosomeendandtocertainlaws。TheDeity，inthisoperation，couldnotactbutaccordingtotheideasexistinginhisintelligence:theirunionfilledthis，andformedtheidealtypeoftheworld。Itisthisidealworld，thisdivineintelligence，existingwithGodfromalleternity，andcalledbyPlatowhichheissupposedtopersonify，tosubstantialize；whileanattentiveexaminationissufficienttoconvinceusthathehasneverassigneditanexistenceexternaltotheDeity，horsdelaDivinite，andthatheconsideredtheastheaggregateoftheideasofGod，thedivineunderstandinginitsrelationtotheworld。Thecontraryopinionisirreconcilablewithallhisphilosophy:thushesaysthattotheideaoftheDeityisessentiallyunitedthatofintelligence，ofalogos。Hewouldthushaveadmittedadoublelogos；oneinherentintheDeityasanattribute，theotherindependentlyexistingasasubstance。
　　Heaffirmsthattheintelligence，theprincipleofordercannotexistbutasanattributeofasoul，theprincipleofmotionandoflife，ofwhichthenatureisunknowntous。How，then，accordingtothis，couldheconsiderthelogosasasubstanceendowedwithanindependentexistence?Inotherplaces，heexplainsitbythesetwowords，knowledge，science，whichsignifytheattributesoftheDeity。WhenPlatoseparatesGod，theidealarchetypeoftheworldandmatter，itistoexplainhow，accordingtohissystem，Godhasproceeded，atthecreation，tounitetheprincipleoforderwhichhehadwithinhimself，hisproperintelligence，theprincipleofmotion，totheprincipleofmotion，theirrationalsoulwhichwasinmatter。Whenhespeaksoftheplaceoccupiedbytheidealworld，itistodesignatethedivineintelligence，whichisitscause。Finally，innopartofhiswritingsdowefindatruepersonificationofthepretendedbeingsofwhichheissaidtohaveformedatrinity:andifthispersonificationexisted，itwouldequallyapplytomanyothernotions，ofwhichmightbeformedmanydifferenttrinities。
　　Thiserror，intowhichmanyancientaswellasmoderninterpretersofPlatohavefallen，wasverynatural。Besidesthesnareswhichwereconcealedinhisfigurativestyle；besidesthenecessityofcomprehendingasawholethesystemofhisideas，andnottoexplainisolatedpassages，thenatureofhisdoctrineitselfwouldconducetothiserror。WhenPlatoappeared，theuncertaintyofhumanknowledge，andthecontinualillusionsofthesenses，wereacknowledged，andhadgivenrisetoageneralscepticism。Socrateshadaimedatraisingmoralityabovetheinfluenceofthisscepticism:Platoendeavoredtosavemetaphysics，byseekinginthehumanintellectasourceofcertaintywhichthesensescouldnotfurnish。Heinventedthesystemofinnateideas，ofwhichtheaggregateformed，accordingtohim，theidealworld，andaffirmedthattheseideaswererealattributes，notonlyattachedtoourconceptionsofobjects，buttothenatureoftheobjectsthemselves；anatureofwhichfromthemwemightobtainaknowledge。Hegave，then，totheseideasapositiveexistenceasattributes；hiscommentatorscouldeasilygivethemarealexistenceassubstances；especiallyasthetermswhichheusedtodesignatethem，essentialbeauty，essentialgoodness，lentthemselvestothissubstantialization，hypostasis。—G。
　　WehaveretainedthisviewoftheoriginalphilosophyofPlato，inwhichthereisprobablymuchtruth。ThegeniusofPlatowasrathermetaphysicalthanimpersonative:hispoetrywasinhislanguage，ratherthan，likethatoftheOrientals，inhisconceptions。—M。]
　　[Footnote12:ThemodernguideswholeadmetotheknowledgeofthePlatonicsystemareCudworth，Basnage，LeClerc，andBrucker。
　　Asthelearningofthesewriterswasequal，andtheirintentiondifferent，aninquisitiveobservermayderiveinstructionfromtheirdisputes，andcertaintyfromtheiragreement。]
　　ThearmsoftheMacedoniansdiffusedoverAsiaandEgyptthelanguageandlearningofGreece；andthetheologicalsystemofPlatowastaught，withlessreserve，andperhapswithsomeimprovements，inthecelebratedschoolofAlexandria。^13A
　　numerouscolonyofJewshadbeeninvited，bythefavorofthePtolemies，tosettleintheirnewcapital。^14Whilethebulkofthenationpractisedthelegalceremonies，andpursuedthelucrativeoccupationsofcommerce，afewHebrews，ofamoreliberalspirit，devotedtheirlivestoreligiousandphilosophicalcontemplation。^15Theycultivatedwithdiligence，andembracedwithardor，thetheologicalsystemoftheAtheniansage。Buttheirnationalpridewouldhavebeenmortifiedbyafairconfessionoftheirformerpoverty:andtheyboldlymarked，asthesacredinheritanceoftheirancestors，thegoldandjewelswhichtheyhadsolatelystolenfromtheirEgyptianmasters。OnehundredyearsbeforethebirthofChrist，aphilosophicaltreatise，whichmanifestlybetraysthestyleandsentimentsoftheschoolofPlato，wasproducedbytheAlexandrianJews，andunanimouslyreceivedasagenuineandvaluablerelicoftheinspiredWisdomofSolomon。^16AsimilarunionoftheMosaicfaithandtheGrecianphilosophy，distinguishestheworksofPhilo，whichwerecomposed，forthemostpart，underthereignofAugustus。^17Thematerialsouloftheuniverse^18mightoffendthepietyoftheHebrews:buttheyappliedthecharacteroftheLogostotheJehovahofMosesandthepatriarchs；andtheSonofGodwasintroduceduponearthunderavisible，andevenhumanappearance，toperformthosefamiliarofficeswhichseemincompatiblewiththenatureandattributesoftheUniversalCause。^19
　　[Footnote13:Brucker，Hist。Philosoph。tom。i。p。1349—1357。
　　TheAlexandrianschooliscelebratedbyStrabol。xvii。andAmmianus，xxii。6。
　　Note:ThephilosophyofPlatowasnottheonlysourceofthatprofessedintheschoolofAlexandria。Thatcity，inwhichGreek，Jewish，andEgyptianmenofletterswereassembled，wasthesceneofastrangefusionofthesystemofthesethreepeople。TheGreeksbroughtaPlatonism，alreadymuchchanged；
　　theJews，whohadacquiredatBabylonagreatnumberofOrientalnotions，andwhosetheologicalopinionshadundergonegreatchangesbythisintercourse，endeavoredtoreconcilePlatonismwiththeirnewdoctrine，anddisfigureditentirely:lastly，theEgyptians，whowerenotwillingtoabandonnotionsforwhichtheGreeksthemselvesentertainedrespect，endeavoredontheirsidetoreconciletheirownwiththoseoftheirneighbors。ItisinEcclesiasticusandtheWisdomofSolomonthatwetracetheinfluenceofOrientalphilosophyratherthanthatofPlatonism。
　　Wefindinthesebooks，andinthoseofthelaterprophets，asinEzekiel，notionsunknowntotheJewsbeforetheBabyloniancaptivity，ofwhichwedonotdiscoverthegerminPlato，butwhicharemanifestlyderivedfromtheOrientals。ThusGodrepresentedundertheimageoflight，andtheprincipleofevilunderthatofdarkness；thehistoryofthegoodandbadangels；
　　paradiseandhell，&c。，aredoctrinesofwhichtheorigin，oratleastthepositivedetermination，canonlybereferredtotheOrientalphilosophy。Platosupposedmattereternal；theOrientalsandtheJewsconsidereditasacreationofGod，whoalonewaseternal。ItisimpossibletoexplainthephilosophyoftheAlexandrianschoolsolelybytheblendingoftheJewishtheologywiththeGreekphilosophy。TheOrientalphilosophy，howeverlittleitmaybeknown，isrecognizedateveryinstant。
　　Thus，accordingtotheZendAvesta，itisbytheWordhonover
　　moreancientthantheworld，thatOrmuzdcreatedtheuniverse。
　　ThiswordisthelogosofPhilo，consequentlyverydifferentfromthatofPlato。IhaveshownthatPlatoneverpersonifiedthelogosastheidealarchetypeoftheworld:Philoventuredthispersonification。TheDeity，accordingtohim，hasadoublelogos；thefirstistheidealarchetypeoftheworld，theidealworld，thefirst—bornoftheDeity；thesecondistheworditselfofGod，personifiedundertheimageofabeingactingtocreatethesensibleworld，andtomakeitliketotheidealworld:itisthesecond—bornofGod。Followingouthisimaginations，Philowentsofarastopersonifyanewtheidealworld，undertheimageofacelestialman，theprimitivetypeofman，andthesensibleworldundertheimageofanothermanlessperfectthanthecelestialman。CertainnotionsoftheOrientalphilosophymayhavegivenrisetothisstrangeabuseofallegory，whichitissufficienttorelate，toshowwhatalterationsPlatonismhadalreadyundergone，andwhatwastheirsource。Philo，moreover，ofalltheJewsofAlexandria，istheonewhosePlatonismisthemostpure。ItisfromthismixtureofOrientalism，Platonism，andJudaism，thatGnosticismarose，whichhadproducedsomanytheologicalandphilosophicalextravagancies，andinwhichOrientalnotionsevidentlypredominate。—G。]
　　[Footnote14:Joseph。Antiquitat，l。xii。c。1，3。Basnage，Hist。desJuifs，l。vii。c。7。]
　　[Footnote15:FortheoriginoftheJewishphilosophy，seeEusebius，Praeparat。Evangel。viii。9，10。AccordingtoPhilo，theTherapeutaestudiedphilosophy；andBruckerhasprovedHist。
　　Philosoph。tom。ii。p。787thattheygavethepreferencetothatofPlato。]
　　[Footnote16:SeeCalmet，DissertationssurlaBible，tom。ii。p。
　　277。ThebookoftheWisdomofSolomonwasreceivedbymanyofthefathersastheworkofthatmonarch:andalthoughrejectedbytheProtestantsforwantofaHebreworiginal，ithasobtained，withtherestoftheVulgate，thesanctionofthecouncilofTrent。]
　　[Footnote17:ThePlatonismofPhilo，whichwasfamoustoaproverb，isprovedbeyondadoubtbyLeClerc，Epist。Crit。
　　viii。p。211—228。BasnageHist。desJuifs，l。iv。c。5hasclearlyascertained，thatthetheologicalworksofPhilowerecomposedbeforethedeath，andmostprobablybeforethebirth，ofChrist。Insuchatimeofdarkness，theknowledgeofPhiloismoreastonishingthanhiserrors。Bull，Defens。Fid。Nicen。s。
　　i。c。i。p。12。]
　　[Footnote18:Mensagitatmolem，etmagnosecorporemiscet。
　　Besidesthismaterialsoul，Cudworthhasdiscoveredp。562
　　inAmelius，Porphyry，Plotinus，and，ashethinks，inPlatohimself，asuperior，spiritualupercosmiansouloftheuniverse。
　　ButthisdoublesoulisexplodedbyBrucker，Basnage，andLeClerc，asanidlefancyofthelatterPlatonists。]
　　[Footnote19:Petav。DogmataTheologica，tom。ii。l。viii。c。2，p。791。Bull，Defens。Fid。Nicen。s。i。c。l。p。8，13。Thisnotion，tillitwasabusedbytheArians，wasfreelyadoptedintheChristiantheology。Tertullianadv。Praxeam，c。16hasaremarkableanddangerouspassage。Aftercontrasting，withindiscreetwit，thenatureofGod，andtheactionsofJehovah，heconcludes:ScilicetuthaecdefilioDeinoncredendafuisse，sinonscriptaessent；fortassenoncredendadel'atrelicetscripta。
　　Note:TertullianisherearguingagainstthePatripassians；
　　thosewhoassertedthattheFatherwasbornoftheVirgin，diedandwasburied。—M。]
　　ChapterXXI:PersecutionOfHeresy，StateOfTheChurch。
　　PartII。
　　TheeloquenceofPlato，thenameofSolomon，theauthorityoftheschoolofAlexandria，andtheconsentoftheJewsandGreeks，wereinsufficienttoestablishthetruthofamysteriousdoctrine，whichmightplease，butcouldnotsatisfy，arationalmind。Aprophet，orapostle，inspiredbytheDeity，canaloneexercisealawfuldominionoverthefaithofmankind:andthetheologyofPlatomighthavebeenforeverconfoundedwiththephilosophicalvisionsoftheAcademy，thePorch，andtheLycaeum，ifthenameanddivineattributesoftheLogoshadnotbeenconfirmedbythecelestialpenofthelastandmostsublimeoftheEvangelists。^20TheChristianRevelation，whichwasconsummatedunderthereignofNerva，disclosedtotheworldtheamazingsecret，thattheLogos，whowaswithGodfromthebeginning，andwasGod，whohadmadeallthings，andforwhomallthingshadbeenmade，wasincarnateinthepersonofJesusofNazareth；whohadbeenbornofavirgin，andsuffereddeathonthecross。BesidesthegeneradesignoffixingonaperpetualbasisthedivinehonorsofChrist，themostancientandrespectableoftheecclesiasticalwritershaveascribedtotheevangelictheologianaparticularintentiontoconfutetwooppositeheresies，whichdisturbedthepeaceoftheprimitivechurch。^21I。ThefaithoftheEbionites，^22perhapsoftheNazarenes，^23wasgrossandimperfect。TheyreveredJesusasthegreatestoftheprophets，endowedwithsupernaturalvirtueandpower。TheyascribedtohispersonandtohisfuturereignallthepredictionsoftheHebreworacleswhichrelatetothespiritualandeverlastingkingdomofthepromisedMessiah。^24
　　Someofthemmightconfessthathewasbornofavirgin；buttheyobstinatelyrejectedtheprecedingexistenceanddivineperfectionsoftheLogos，orSonofGod，whicharesoclearlydefinedintheGospelofSt。John。Aboutfiftyyearsafterwards，theEbionites，whoseerrorsarementionedbyJustinMartyrwithlessseveritythantheyseemtodeserve，^25formedaveryinconsiderableportionoftheChristianname。II。TheGnostics，whoweredistinguishedbytheepithetofDocetes，deviatedintothecontraryextreme；andbetrayedthehuman，whiletheyassertedthedivine，natureofChrist。EducatedintheschoolofPlato，accustomedtothesublimeideaoftheLogos，theyreadilyconceivedthatthebrightestAeon，orEmanationoftheDeity，mightassumetheoutwardshapeandvisibleappearancesofamortal；^26buttheyvainlypretended，thattheimperfectionsofmatterareincompatiblewiththepurityofacelestialsubstance。
　　WhilethebloodofChristyetsmokedonMountCalvary，theDocetesinventedtheimpiousandextravaganthypothesis，that，insteadofissuingfromthewomboftheVirgin，^27hehaddescendedonthebanksoftheJordanintheformofperfectmanhood；thathehadimposedonthesensesofhisenemies，andofhisdisciples；andthattheministersofPilatehadwastedtheirimpotentrageonanuryphantom，whoseemedtoexpireonthecross，and，afterthreedays，torisefromthedead。^28
　　[Footnote20:ThePlatonistsadmiredthebeginningoftheGospelofSt。Johnascontaininganexacttranscriptoftheirownprinciples。AugustindeCivitat。Dei，x。29。AmeliusapudCyril。advers。Julian。l。viii。p。283。Butinthethirdandfourthcenturies，thePlatonistsofAlexandriamightimprovetheirTrinitybythesecretstudyoftheChristiantheology。
　　Note:AshortdiscussiononthesenseinwhichSt。JohnhasusedthewordLogos，willprovethathehasnotborroweditfromthephilosophyofPlato。Theevangelistadoptsthiswordwithoutpreviousexplanation，asatermwithwhichhiscontemporarieswerealreadyfamiliar，andwhichtheycouldatoncecomprehend。
　　Toknowthesensewhichhegavetoit，wemustinquirethatwhichitgenerallyboreinhistime。Wefindtwo:theoneattachedtothewordlogosbytheJewsofPalestine，theotherbytheschoolofAlexandria，particularlybyPhilo。TheJewshadfearedatalltimestopronouncethenameofJehovah；theyhadformedahabitofdesignatingGodbyoneofhisattributes；theycalledhimsometimesWisdom，sometimestheWord。BythewordoftheLordweretheheavensmade。Psalmxxxiii。6。Accustomedtoallegories，theyoftenaddressedthemselvestothisattributeoftheDeityasarealbeing。SolomonmakesWisdomsay"TheLordpossessedmeinthebeginningofhisway，beforehisworksofold。Iwassetupfromeverlasting，fromthebeginning，orevertheearthwas。"Prov。viii。22，23。TheirresidenceinPersiaonlyincreasedthisinclinationtosustainedallegories。IntheEcclesiasticusofthesonofSirach，andtheBookofWisdom，wefindallegoricaldescriptionsofWisdomlikethefollowing:"I
　　cameoutofthemouthoftheMostHigh；Icoveredtheearthasacloud；……Ialonecompassedthecircuitofheaven，andwalkedinthebottomofthedeep……TheCreatorcreatedmefromthebeginning，beforetheworld，andIshallneverfail。"Eccles。
　　xxiv。35—39。SeealsotheWisdomofSolomon，c。vii。v。9。[ThelatterbookisclearlyAlexandrian。—M。]WeseefromthisthattheJewsunderstoodfromtheHebrewandChaldaicwordswhichsignifyWisdom，theWord，andwhichweretranslatedintoGreek，asimpleattributeoftheDeity，allegoricallypersonified，butofwhichtheydidnotmakearealparticularbeingseparatefromtheDeity。
　　TheschoolofAlexandria，onthecontrary，andPhiloamongtherest，minglingGreekwithJewishandOrientalnotions，andabandoninghimselftohisinclinationtomysticism，personifiedthelogos，andrepresenteditadistinctbeing，createdbyGod，andintermediatebetweenGodandman。ThisisthesecondlogosofPhilo，thatwhichactsfromthebeginningoftheworld，aloneinitskind，creatorofthesensibleworld，formedbyGodaccordingtotheidealworldwhichhehadinhimself，andwhichwasthefirstlogos，thefirst—bornoftheDeity。Thelogostakeninthissense，then，wasacreatedbeing，but，anteriortothecreationoftheworld，neartoGod，andchargedwithhisrevelationstomankind。