fuffer in that character. And his fuper-natural illumination, and his private meditations, during the forty days which he paffed in abfolute retirement, will fufficiently account for the part that he acted, and the temper of mind that he difcovered afterwards. His first preaching was nothing more than John had taught before him. Mat. iv. 17. From that time Jefus began to preach and to fay, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at band. Nor do I perceive any thing in his subsequent teaching, which any other good man may not be fuppofed to have been always ready to deliver, on receiving inftructions from God on the subject. His miracles evidently required no particular education, preparation, or inftruction, for they were not his. The Father within him did the works. Why then should we fuppofe that the miraculous conception was provided as a means to a certain end; when neither the exiflence, nor the propriety of that end, can be ! be proved from the fcriptures. We are no where told, that any particular attention to the education of Jefus by his parents was requifite, nor do we find that fuch attention was given. This then is a case in which both the fact, and the hypothefis to account. for it, are alike imaginary. The The Names of the principal Perfons mentioned in this Work, with the Times in which they lived, in the order of the Alphabet, correfponding to the Biographical Chart, which fronts the Title-page of the firft Volume. A MBROSE, died A. D. 397. aged 57. Athanafius, died 371. Athenagoras, flourished 177. Austin, died 430. 76. Bardefanes, flourished 172. Bafil the Great, died 378. 51. Bafilides, flourished 112. Beryllus, flourished 230. Caius, flourished 210. Caffian, died 448. 97. Celfus, flourished 150. Cerinthus, flourished 80. Chrift, died 29. 36. Chryfoftom, died 407. 53. Clemens Alexandrinus, died about 220. Clemens Clemens Romanus, died 102. Cofmas Indicopleuftes, flourished 535- Cyril of Alexandria, died 444. Cyril of Jerufalem, 386. Didymus of Alexandria, flourished 370. Gregentius, died 552. Gregory the Great, died 604. 60. - Nazianzen, died 389. 65. Thaumaturgus, died 266. Hegefippus, flourished 170. Hermas, or Hermes, flourished 150. Hermias, flourished 177. Hermogenes, flourished 170. Hilary, Hilary, died 372. 80. Ibas, flourished 436. Ignatius, died 108. Irenæus, died 202. 62. Ifidorus Pelufiota, died after 431. Jamblichus, died about 333. Job the monk, flourished 530. Julius Africanus, flourished 220. Justin Martyr, died 163. Lactantius, flourished 311. Manes, flourished 277. Marcellus of Ancyra, died 372. Marcion, flourished 134. Marius Mercator, died about 451. Victorinus, died about 370. Maxentius, flourished 520. Maximus Taurinenfis, flourished 433. Melito, flourished 170. Methodius, 1 |