prefent, and that is, what acknowledgments we ought to make to God in particular for the Example and Benefactions of departed Friends.

We are now then to look upon this as a real Dialogue, which our Minucius infcribes Octavius in honour of his departed Friend of the fame Name, and as the fum of that Conference they held together at the Converfion of Cecilius. It was evidently thus put together by Minucius after the Death of Octavius; but to go about to affign the distance between the Conference, and the Compofing this Dialogue, wou'd be rather to Divine, than to Conjecture: For the very Time in which our Minucius liv'd is much Controverted, and we have very little from the Ancients to help us out in the matter. The Learned Baldwin in his Differtation before this Author, places him below the middle of the third Century, between St. Cyprian and La&antius, about the Reigns of Decius or Valerianus; and his reafon for fo doing is grounded upon St. Jerome's Apology against Fovinian, Ep. L. c. iv. p. 106. where he is placed in this order. But then 'tis to be remember'd, that St. Jerome fets him before St. Cyprian not only in his Epiftle, lxxxiv. p. 328. where he does not perfue the order of Time, but even in his Catalogue where he does, vid. Hieron. de Script. Ecclef. c. Ixviii. Edit. Par.. Here, I fay, our Minucius is placed among the Writers who liv'd about the Reign of Severus, inmediately before that Caius fo much celebrated for his Difpute with Proclus the Montanist, under Antoninus Caracalla. The Learned Du Pin ranges him in the beginning of the - third Century, and our no lefs Learned Dr. Cave, in his Chronological Table of the first three Centuries, places him in the Year 207. tho' in his Hift. Liter. Part i. p. 66. he fets him lower, to the Year 220. and others put him under the Reign of Alexander; but Baronius

places him about the end of Severus, Ann. 211. and in my opinion not without Reafon; for he is favour'd by the order of Time in St. Jerome, he obferves moreover, that the Chriftians look juft with the fame fad Face of Affliction in this Dialogue, as in the Apology of Tertullian; that the Perfecution was ftill on foot, or rather fresh started, and that this therefore muft needs be the Perfecution of Severus; for when Cecilius upbraids the Chriftians for having neither Church nor Altar, Odavius does not go about to deny the Charge, but now in the time of Alexander, 'tis well known that the Chriftians had_publick places of Worfhip, which were afterwards Demolifh'd by Maximin about the Year 235. nor does it look probable, that Cecilius wou'd call the Chriftians in the Reign of Alexander, a parcel of Tatterdemalion, Ragged, Starv'd Scoundrels, because Alexander's Palace fwarm'd with Chriftians; and his Mother Mammaa was concluded a Chriftian, having given good Reason for fuch a fufpicion at least, by fending her Guard for Origen to conduct him to Antioch, where he continued for fome time, and instructed her fully in the Chriftian Doctrine, vid. Eufeb. Hift. Eccl. lib. vi. c. 21. p. 223. lib. vi. c. 28. And thus much for the Time in which our Minucius Felix Marcus liv'd.

In the next place I think it proper, for the greater eafe and Entertainment of the English Reader, to lay before him a fummary of the whole. Cecilius the Heathen begins first in Commendation of Scepticism, and · what he wants in Science makes up with Confidence. He grows angry, and talks himself ftark Mad in a Moment, and then, according to cuftom, vents his Paffion in calling Names; he fwears it is infufferable, that af ter the greatest Philofophers have been quite jaded in the pursuit of Truth, a company of blockheaded Chri

Vid. Sea. 10. And the Notes upon the place. i Sect. 8.

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ftians forfooth, fhou'd fer up to be wiser than all be: fore 'em. He difcards all certainty, and yet pofitive is he, that there is neither God nor Providence, and then gives us a Taft of his Philofophy, and tells how to make a World with Epicurean Atoms, with as much Affurance as if he himself had made it; and goes on to infult a Providence from the common Topicks of fuffering Innocence, and other feeming Flaws and Incongruities in the prefent Syftem. Thus Reeling to and fro for a while, like a Man drunk in his Intellectuals, at length he turns quite over to the other extreme, and from a Sceptick, or moderate Atheist, commences a violent Bigor for all the Superftitious ways of Wor. fhip all the World over; he fets up for Apparitions, Oracles, Auguries, Omens, Soothfayings, and the very fictions of the Poets; and in the ftrict Obfervations of these things, he founds the rife, progrefs, and completion of the Roman Grandeur.

In his Judgment, 'tis the wifer way by much to go on in the Track of our Fore-fathers without Reflection, and trouble our Heads no farther about Religion; but if we must needs be religious, his Maxim then is, to be of the Religion that is uppermoft, to, make fure of fleeping in a whole skin, and not play the fool and let our Confciences do us a mischief. But as the Superstitious Fit grows hotter upon him, he puts on fresh Whipcord to his Satyr, and with all his Zeal lays on the Diagoras's, Protagoras's, Atheists and Scepticks, and brands them as the Bane of all Society, and a Nufance to the World.

Afterwards, he attacks the Chriftian Religion in particular, and the Chriftians too at first went by the Name of the Arbeifts, whom he moreover calls a pack of IIliterate, Poor, Sneaking, Pale-faced, White-liver'd Rafcals, confederated in the Night by inhuman Rites and Sacrifices, fculking about in Holes, without a word to fay for themfelyes in publick, and yet perpetually canting in corners about a Refurrection, and the Joys

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of

of another World, a ftarv'd ragged Tribe, and the most contentedft, faddeft look'd Fellows that Eyes ever beheld. And what (fays he) can be more provoking, than to bear thefe Kaxodaiμoves, or Poor Devils, always pitying the Heathen in their Purple and Profperity, and in fpite of all our Charity and Temptations, to fee 'em obftinately ftarve and fuffer on with pleasure for the Worship of their one God? The ftrangeft compound certainly of Ignorance and Fool-hardinefs that was ever put together! for they make a perfect jeft of our Racks and Tortures, carelefs of Life and Fortune, and every worldly Comfort, and all for a Fool's Paradife in Reverfion, for a Life to come, forfooth, after Death.

After this, he runs raving on at the amazing growth of the Chriftian Sect; charges 'em with private Marks of Diftinction; for extravagant Charity and Paffion to one another upon little or no acquaintance; for the endearing titles of Brethren, for the Worship of an Afs's Head, and the Genitalia of the Bishop; for the worship of Croffes and a Crucify'd Malefactor; for eating in the Sacrament an Infant cover'd over with Meal; and for the moft unclean Practices at their Love-Feafts, He upbraids 'em for having neither Temple, Altar or Image; he ridicules the notion of One God, fuch a God as was never worship'd by any Nation, but that wretched one of the Jews, and worship'd by them too with Temple, Altar, Sacrifices, and Ceremonies; and that this one God, with all his worshippers, was taken and led away Captive by the Romans, by the help of the Roman Deities. Then he argues againft the poffibility of one God's taking care of every thing, and blaf phemes fuch an over-curious Being, as intolerably impertinent. He makes merry with the Doctrine of the general Conflagration, and ftands up for the eternal duration of the Universe. He fpends a deal of his Artillery against the Refurrection of the Body, and ban pers Heaven and Hell as a meer blind only, and the

Dream

Dream of Poets; and all this by the help of Destiny; for he supposes Man a neceffary Agent, and then concludes him unaccountable. He inquires into the prefent Circumstances of Chriftians, and finds 'em in this Life to be of all Men moft miferable, which in his judgment is Demonftration enough, that the God of Chriftians either will not or cannot relieve his Servants, and confequently, that he is either malicious or Impotent. Whereas the Romans, who bid defiance to the God of Chriftians, Lord it over the World, and take their fwill in all the pleasures of it; while the Chrifti. ans, poor Rogues, mope about in difmal plight, defpis'd and perfecuted by all, and are their own Perfecutors too into the bargain: for they are fworn Enemies to their own Flesh and Blood, to all the Pomps, Plays, Pleasures, and jovial Doings of the World; they'll be hang'd fooner than come into our Temples, or touch our Sacrifices, or be feen at our Feafts and Theaters, or fo much as wear a Garland of Flowers upon their Heads. For fhame then (concludes Cecilius) forbear to be fuch religious fuffering Coxcombs any longer; take down your Affections and Eyes from above, and employ 'em about your Feet and the World before you, fit down contentedly with your forry pittance of Learning, and confefs your utter Ignorance in Divine Matters, as being quite out of your Element, according to the Example of the Great Socrates, and the most knowing Sages of old; take my word for it, and 'tis a choice good Maxim, that 'tis the wifest way by much, without more ado, to leave things juft as we find 'em, for fear of unfettling, and introducing either Superftition or Atheism to the Ruin of the State.

Thus the Heathen Cecilius; and in him you fee the Principles of a Libertine, and a Man of Intereft; you fee in him a mighty pretence to Argument, a world of Smoak and Darknefs, Noife and Confidence, Paffion and Inconfiftency in all his Reasonings. You fee likewife the dreadful Difcouragements the Chriftian Reli