Auftin, Ambrofius, Hieronymus, Theodoret, They go by the Name of Fathers: that's a fufficient Reproach. I will even forbear mentioning Socrates, Sozomenus, Evagrius, Prudentius, Nicephorus, Zonaras, Cedrenus 3 fome of them were judicious Writers; but all were Chriftians, and confequently a-kin to the Fathers. As they may be fuppofed to have been intoxicated with the fame Prejudices against Julian, their Evidence muft fhare the fame Fate. Philoftorgius might perhaps claim fome Credit above the reft of Chriftian Writers, because he belonged to that Party among the Christians, to which Julian was lefs an Enemy than to the reft of their Brethren. As a Follower and a great Admirer of Aetius (1), who was a particular Friend to Julian, he is not to be supposed to have unjustly laid any thing to that Emperor's Charge; yet I fhall make but very little Ufe of his Evidence.

There are few Pleaders who could avoid being caft by a Jury, let their Caufe be ever fo good, when fo many material Evidences were excepted against and laid aside. Yet I hope the Publick, who are the Jury in this Caufe, will find the Teftimonies of Pagan Writers (the only Witneffes allowed) furfi

E 3

cient

(1) Aetius was the Author of the Eunomian Sect; a Branch of Arianism. See Jacob. Gothof. Proleg, in P bileAorg. p. 1315.

cient to decide in Favour of the old received Opinion. Though they are few, yet their Evidence is plain. Ammianus Marcellinus, a great Admirer of Julian, and who is thought to have undertaken his Roman Hiftory, purposely to commend that Prince, whom he had perfonally known, cannot help taking Notice, in feveral Places, of his too great Zeal for all the Rites of Paganism. Julian, fays he, (m) did TOO FREQUENT LY fhed upon the Altars the Blood of many Sacrifices. The Rites of the facred Ceremonies were by him brought to an IMMODERATE Pitch, fo as to require vaft Expences, and fuch as were heavy to be born, and not formerly ufitated; and, when he comes to fum up his Character, adds thefe Words: Julian was (n) Too CURIOUS of enquiring after Prefages, and feemed in that Point to equal Hadrian, one of the most fuperftitious of his Predeceffors: He was RATHER A SUPERSTITIOUS, than a right, Obferver of the facred Ceremonies, and, with out any Regard to Oeconomy, facrificed an innumerable

(m) Am. Marcel. lib. xxii. c. 12. Hoftiarum fanguine plurimo aras crebritate nimia perfundebat - - - - augebantur autem cæremoniarum ritus immodice cum impenfarum amplitudine antehac inufitata et gravi.

(n) Ib. lib xxv. c. 4. Præfagiorum sciscitationi nimiæ deditus ut æquiperare videretur in hac parte Principem Hadrianum. Superftitiofus magis quam Sacrorum legitimus obfervator; innumeras fine parfimonia pecudes mactans.

ways

numerable Quantity of Cattle. That Judgment is fupported by a numberlefs Multitude of Facts, fome of which fhall come more properly under Confideration, when we take a View of Julian's Conduct. Zozimus represents him as having as great a Dependance as any Man ever had (0) on Dreams, Aftrology, (which at that Time alfollowed the Worship of what is called in Scripture the Army of Heaven) and Divination by the Entrails of the Sacrifices: The fame Author looks upon these Words of Julian, that it was better to trust himself and his Life To THE GODS, than to rely upon Conftantius his Words, as an (p) open Declaration of his Sentiments about the Godbead. Aurelius Victor, who is extremely concife on the Subject of Julian, as it became an Abbreviator, gives his Character in three Words; but he takes Superftition to be fuch an effential Part of it, that it is one of the three. Cupido laudis immodica; CULTUS NUMINUM SUPERSTITIOSUS; au¬

dax plus quam imperatorem decet. VANITY, SUPERSTITION, COURAGE. Eunapius, the greatest Admirer that ever was

E 4

of

(e) Zozim. lib. iii. int. Rom. Hift. Script. Sylburg. Francf. 1590. fal. T. III. p. 712.

(γ) Ibid. p. 711. Εις τὸ ἐμφανὲς ἔδειξεν ἂν εἶχε περὶ τὸ θεῖον προαίρεσιν ἐιπῶν ὡς τοῖς Θεοις ἄμεινον ἢ τους

Κωνςαντίου λόγοις ἑαυτόν τον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ βίον ἐκδοῦναι,

of every thing that belongs to Superftition and Magicks, or Evocation of Spirits, doth not fide with the other Pagan Writers, in blaming Julian for his exceffive Superstition; for in his Opinion nothing could be an Excefs. But he gives as full an Evidence as any of the foregoing, in his Lives of Edefius and of Maximus; and would in all Likelihood fupply us with a much fuller one, had not his Life of Julian been loft. Among other things he tells us, that Maximus's and Chrysanthus's wonderful Theurgy, being not fufficient to fatisfy Julian's Defire of being initiated to the moft fecret Myfteries, he went to Athens, and got (q) from the Eleufinian Hierophantes all the Knowledge that was to be had there, which in Eunapius's Style is as much as faying that he went through the moft fuperftitious Initiations. He tells us befides, that Ju lian, when in France, worshipped the Gods fecretly, and fent for an Hierophantes from Greece, in order to perform with him the most fecret Rites of Idolatry.

The laft Witness I fhall examine is Libanius, an Author of Note, whofe Character and Circumftances deferve to be more particularly confidered, before we enter up

on

(1) Eunap. in Maximo. Teder coplas åpucáμaves. χανδόν.

on his Evidence.

He was a learned honest Man, and tho' not a Philofopher by his Profeffion, yet more fo in his Way of Life than many who affumed the Title; a fincere, but bigotted, Heathen, who, in the most flourishing Times of Chriftianity, would never diffèmble his Religion (r), tho' Paganism was an Obftacle to his Fortune; a particular Friend to Julian when Emperor, and more fo than a private Man can in general be fuppofed to be to a defpotic Prince, fince he had the Privilege to tell him of his Faults, without being check'd for it. This Man, if any, muft have known Julian, and given a faithful Account of him. His Letters, which were but (s) lately published in a manner fuitable to their Deferts, could af ford feveral Paffages to the prefent Purpose; fince he hardly fpeaks directly or indirectly of Julian, without faying fomething of his violent and lafting Inclination to the ancient Religion as he calls it. But I fhall confine myself to his other Works as they were collected by Fed. Morell, because the Teftimonies therein contained are more abundant and more pofitive; and shall add nothing to them, but fome few Words out of what was published

(r) It was on Account of his Religion that Eccebolus was preferred to him to be Julian's Tutor. (s) By Wol fius, Amft. 1738. Fol.