other gospel than that of Matthew, though they might easily have had the other gofpels, and the rest of the books of the New Teftament, tranflated for their use; and it appears from Jerom, who faw that gospel as used by them, that it was not exactly the fame with our copies. It is well known, that their copies of Matthew's gospel had not the story of the miraculous conception; and they also added to the history such circumftances as they thought fufficiently authenticated. No lefs liberty was taken by the Gnoftics. Cerinthus, fays Philafter, enjoined the obfervance of the Mosaic law, rejected Paul, and admitted the gospel of Matthew only, agreeing with Carpocrates with respect to the nativity of Christ *.

Making any alteration in the books of fcripture was called corrupting them; and this, no doubt, was done by the Gnoftics, but they could not thereby intend to impose their alterations upon the world, as the

* Carpocras-Chriftum de femine Jofeph natum arbitratur. Cerinthus fucceffit huic errori, docens de generatione itidem falvatoris, docet circumcidi et fabbatizariapoftolum Paulum non accipit-Evangelium fecundum Matthæum folum accipit, &c, Bib. Pat. vol. 5. p. 15.

genuine

genuine writings of the apostles; for that they must have known to be impoffible, It is, therefore, rather to be fupposed, that they retained only fuch parts of them as they thought the most useful; and in this they would naturally be biaffed by their peculiar principles.

This charge of corrupting the fcriptures does not affect all the Gnoftics. "I know "of none," fays Origen, "who corrupt "the gospel, except the difciples of Mar"cion and Valentinus, and thofe of Lu❝cian * "The Marcionites," fays Chryfoftom," use only one gofpel, which they "abridge, and mix as they please +." What were all the particulars of Marcion's alterations of the gofpel, we are not informed, but he began the gofpel of Luke with the third chapter, thus, " In the 15th year of Tiberius Cæfar‡;" and this was

* Μελαχαραξανίας δε το ευαίγελοιν αλλές εκ οίδα η τας απο Μαρμιώνος, κ) τες απο Ουαλεντίνε, οιμαι δε καὶ τες απο Λεκαν8. Ad, Celf. lib.2. P. 77.

† Ουδε γαρ παραδεχονται τις ευα γελιας απανίας, αλλ' ενα μόνον και αυλον περικόψανίες και συγχεανίες ως εξολονο. In Gal. I. Opera, vol. 10. p. 971.

† Ταυλα πανία περικόψας απεπήδησε και αρχην τε ευα γελια ελαξε ταύλην.—Εν τω πενλεκαιδεκατω ελει Τιβερι ΚαισαρΘ. Epiplanius, Hær. 42. Opera, vol. 1. p. 312. 2

owing

owing to his not giving credit to the history of the miraculous conception, contained in the two first chapters.

We could not, however, have concluded from this omiffion, that Marcion thought them not to have been written by Luke, if he had not exprefsly maintained this, as we are informed by Tertullian, who, fpeaking of the two copies of Luke's gospel, his own, and Marcion's, fays, "I fay that mine "is the true copy, Marcion that his is fo. "I affirm that Marcion's copy is adulte"rated; he, that mine is fo*." He adds, that his own copy was the more ancient, because Marcion himfelf did for fome time receive it. But this he might do till, on examination, he thought he saw fufficient reason to reject it. Cerinthus, Carpocrates, and other early Gnoftics, rejected the history of the miraculous conception, as well as Marcion and the Ebionites.

Ego meum dico verum, Marcion fuum. Ego Marcionis affirmo adulteratum, Marcion meum. Adv. Marcionem, lib. 4. cap. 4. p. 415. Quod vero pertinet ad evangelium interim Lucæ adeo antiquius Marcione eft ut et ipfe illi Marcion aliquando crediderit. Ibid.

CHAP.

CHAPTER IV.

The Gnoftics were the only Heretics in early

times.

IT appears from the evidence of all antiquity, that the Gnoftics were always confidered by other christians as heretics; and though there were of them in the church of Corinth, and alfo in that of Ephefus, and other churches at first, they either foon separated themselves from the communion of other chriftians, or were expelled from it; so that when the apostle John wrote they were a distinct body of men, distinguished by peculiar names. It is easy to shew, from ecclefiaftical history, not only that the Gnoftics were confidered as heretics, but that they were the only perfons who were confidered in that light for two or three centuries after Chrift. But before I enter on the proof of this, it may not be amifs to make a few obfervations relating to berefy, and the ideas of the ancients concerning it.

SEC

of men.

SECTION Í.

Of Herefy in general.

HERESY properly fignifies a divifion, or feparation, and therefore was used to express a part detached from a large body In this cafe, the larger body, or majority, would, of course, entertain an unfavourable opinion of them; but the minority, without denying that they were beretics, or the minority, would not think themselves fubject to any juft opprobrium on that account. Thus, while the chriftians were the minority among the Jews, and were confequently confidered as heretics, Paul fays, Acts xxiv. 14. According to the way which they call herefy, fo worship I the God of my fathers. As heretics, we alfo find that the christians were caft out of the Jewish fynagogues (which was a pattern for the chriftian excommunications) and yet it appears that, for some