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148 Credibility of the Gospel History.
principal design of it : however, we have been led to take
notice of several others mentioned by Eusebiiis ; and I presume
it may not be unacceptable to any, as it serves to represent
the state of Christianity at that time.
CHAP. LII.
THEOGNOSTUS.
I. His history. II. His testimony- to the books oj' the
Nero Testament,
THEOGNOSTUS,^ an ancient writer, no where mentioned
by Eusebius or Jerom, flourished, as*" Cave thinks, about
the year 282 ; and, though we have not now any certain
proofs of his exact ag'e, that computation cannot be very
erroneous ; as may appear from what we shall observe
presently.
Theognostus is mentioned by Athanasius, Philip Sidetes,
Stephen Gobar, and Photius.
Athanasius has spoken of him in two of his works : in the
first he quotes him against the Arians,to show*^ that the fathers
of the Nicene council did not first begin to vise the expression,
' Of the substance,' it having been before used in the
same subject by Theognostus ; whom Athanasius here calls'^
a learned or an eloquent man. In the other'^ work Athanasius
mentions Theognostus together with Origen : he gives
Theognostus the character of an admirable man, and worthy
of esteem : he speaks of them both in an honourable manner,
and as ancient men. In that same Avork he afterwards
alleges a passage from Theognostus, which I intend to make
use of by and by.
* Concerning this writer may be seen Cav. Hist. Lit. Du Pin, Bib. des Aiit.
Ecc. Tom. i. Bull. Def. Fid. Nee. Sect. ii. cap. 10. sect. vii. Dodwell. Diss. Iren.
in Ap.pend. p. 5] 1. Fabric. Bib. Gr. lib. v. cap. 1. p. 276. Tillemont, Origene,
art. 37. Mem. Ecc. T. iii. P. 3. p. 269, 270, and some authors to be hereafter
mentioned in this chapter. '' Vid. Cav. Hist. Lit. T. i. p. 146, 147. Oxon.
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7rap7jTt}iyaro to t/c rjjc ovauiQ htthv. Ath. de Decret. Nic. Syn. p. 230. B.
** HaXaioi jitv sv avCpeg, Qniytvrif; 6 Tro\vfiaOi]C Kca (jiiXoTrovog, km Bfoyvwrog
6 ^avfiamog Kai ffTraoaiog. Id. Ep. 4. ad Scrap, p. 702. C.
" lb. p. 703. B. C. D.