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SECT. II.

Of Ancient Learning and Philosophy.

575. THE Egyptians were very early eminent for their learning and wisdom; there are references to it in Scripture; and these derive light from what is known concerning it.

Diod. Sic. l. 1. Herod. 1. 2. Strab. l. 16. 17. Macrob. Somn. Scip. and Saturn. Diog. Laert. Pliny, Hist. Nat. Burnett Archaeol. l. i. Wotton on anc. and mod. learning. Warburt. Div. Leg. Univers. Hist. b. 1. c. 3. s. 2.

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1 Kings iv. 30. Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of Egypt." Acts vii. 22. “Moses learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians."

576. There are other eastern nations, likewise, who had learning and sciences, to which there are references in Scripture.

1 Kings iv. 30. "the wisdom of the east country."

577. There was a species of philosophy, supposed to have taken its rise in Egypt, and, therefore, called the Egyptian, which prevailed, in respect of its general principles, though with many differences as to particular tenets, in Syria, Chaldea, and Persia, and thence called the Oriental.

Mosheim. Hist. Eccl. Sæc. 1.

Michael. § 100, &c.

578. Its speculations gave rise to some of the religious opinions and rites of the nations addicted to it,

which were imitated by the Israelites, and are referred to in Scripture; and will assist in the explication of

such passages.

Michael. ib.

Isa. Ixvi. 17. "That sanctify themselves 11

8 18 behind

one in the midst." The supreme God was called One, and never appeared bnt surrounded with many Æons, or inferior spirits, who were to be worshipped along with him. (Michael. § 100.) But there are also other interpretations.

Lowth in loc.

579. The Jews adopted many of the speculations of this philosophy, accommodated them to their own religious principles, and, by the combination, formed several tenets, particularly fables and genealogies of angels, to which there are references in Scripture ; and it is from the nature of such speculations, that the passages which refer to these are to be explained.

580. Many who were addicted to the Oriental philosophy, having embraced Christianity, intermixed the tenets of the former with the doctrines of the latter, and introduced strange notions, by means of the mixture, so early, that there are references to them in the New Testament.

Mosheim, Hist. Eccl. sæc. 1. Michael. § 101. Macknight,

Pref. to 1 John.

581. The sects of this kind, called, by a general name, Gnostics, professed speculative opinions, which are opposed in some passages of Scripture, and which must be known, in order to our understanding these passages.

Mosheim. ib. Michael. ib. Macknight, ib.

John i. 1-18. has a reference to, and opposes, the opinions of the Gnostics, particularly Cerinthus. Jesus is called λoyos povoyeung, Ows, (wn, xpioros, &c. in opposition to these being different æons of unequal dignity.

Michael. § 102.

1 John i. 1, 2, 7. ii. 22, 23. iv. 2, 3, 9, 14, 15. v. 1, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20. opposed to several of their tenets.

Michael. § 150.

582. By different ways of reasoning from the same speculative principles, some of the Gnostical sects deduced a loose morality, and others imposed unreasonable austerities; to both which there are passages of Scripture that have reference.

Mosheim, ib. Macknight, ib.

1 John i. 5, 6, 7. ii. 3-6. against placing religion in subtile knowledge, not practice.

Ch. iii. 4—10. v. 18, 21. against the indifference of all actions, and the lawfulness of sensual impurities.

Rev. ii. 6. "Deeds of the Nicolaitans."

583. The ancient Israelites having had no intercourse with the Greeks, there can appear no traces of their philosophy in the Old Testament; but, in consequence of the later intercourse, both of the Jews, and of the apostles, with those who studied that philosophy, there are some references to it in the New. Beausobre, Intr.

584. There are some passages which allude to the manner of philosophizing; and which receive light from the knowledge of that manner.

1 Cor. i. 22, 23. "The Greeks seek pia," subtle disquisitions and argumentation.

585. The Greek philosophers were divided into many sects, some of which are mentioned, and some of their tenets hinted at, in Scripture.

Acts xvii. 18. "Epicurean and Stoics." v. 24, 25. God is described, in opposition to both, neither an idle being of human shape, nor a mere soul of the world. v. 26, 30. "the providence of God," not chance, nor fate. v. 27, 28, 29. "God not far from us-in him we live, &c.-his offspring;" terms agreeable to the Stoics, contradictory to the Epicureans. v. 31. "Judgment;" the one doubted of a retribution, the other denied any future state. v. 32. " some mocked ;" the Epicureans. "Others said, We will hear thee again." The Stoics had some notions of a conflagration, and a renovation of things.

586. There are, in Scripture, hints of opinions commonly received in the Greek philosophy.

1 Thess. v. 23. Пvevμa &vxn, owμua; the constituent parts of man in the opinion of almost all sects. This opinion was

familiar to the Thessalonians.

Critici, Benson, Chandler, Macknight in loc.

SECT. III.

Of the Jewish Sects and Parties.

587. After the captivity, the Jews, from being obliged to use literal translations of the Scriptures, were led, gradually, to comment upon them; which, giv

ing occasion to differences of opinion, produced different sects among them, distinguished both by their opinions and their practices.

Lightfoot, in Mat. iii. 7. § 3. Cunæ, Rep. Heb. 1. 2. c. 17. Beausobre, Intr.

588. The Jewish sects were, principally, three; the Pharisees, the Saducees, both of whom are often expressly mentioned in the New Testament, and the Essenes, who are never mentioned there, but to whose tents there are probably some allusions.

Lightfoot. Cunæ. ib.

589. The Pharisees were the most considerable sect, both for numbers and for influence; but, though the multitude followed them, that title was confined to men of leisure, rank, and fortune.

Lightfoot, ib. § 2. Beausobre, ib.

590. The Pharisees acknowledged a twofold sense in Scripture, the literal and the hidden; but principally regarded the latter; and, in giving it, indulged themselves very much in allegories.

591. They received not only the written law, or the Scriptures, but also the unwritten, consisting of traditions, supposed to have been conveyed orally by their fathers, most of them from Moses; reckoned these of equal authority with the Scripture; and, by these, explained, or perverted it.

Lightfoot, in Mat. xv. 2. Beausobre, ib.

Mark vii. 3." Traditions of the elders," because derived from their ancestors.

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