Section 166
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 135 CHAPTER VIIL The ecclesiastical writers then Jlourishing. AMONG these, Hegesippus holds a distinguished rank, many of whose writings we have already quoted, where we have given some things as he has delivered them from apostolic tradition. This author compiled, in five books, the plain tradition of the apos tolic doctrine, in a most simple style of composition, and clearly shows the time in which he lived, where he writes respecting those that began to erect idols, as follows : " To whom they made ce notaphs and temples, as we see to this day. Among whom was Antinous, the slave of Adrian the emperor, to whose honour like wise games are celebrated, which has been done in our own days. For he (Adrian,) also built a city, called after Antinous, and in stituted prophets." At this time also, Justin, a true lover of sound philosophy, whilst he yet continued exercising himself in the lite rature of the Greeks, likewise shows this very time in his apology to Antonine, as follows : " I do not think it out of place here, to men tion Antinous of our own day, whom all, notwithstanding they know who and whence he was, yet affected to worship as a god." The same author adds this remark, speaking of the Jewish war : " And, indeed, in the Jewish war which has happened in our times, Barchochebas, the leader of the Jewish revolt, commanded the Christians alone to be led to severe and dreadful tortures, unless they would deny and blaspheme Christ Jesus." In the same work, also, showing his own conversion from the Greek philosophy to re ligion to be the effect of cool deliberation and judgment, and not without good reason, writes as follows: "For whilst I was de lighted with the doctrines of Plato, and heard the Christians ca lumniated, but at the same time saw them intrepid at the prospect of death, and every thing deemed terrific, I reflected that it was impossible they should live devoted to vice and voluptuousness. For what lover of pleasure, or intemperate man, or what man deeming human flesh a delicacy, could embrace death in order to be deprived of the objects of his own desires ; and would not