150 REV. P. P. FLOURNOY, D.D.^ ON BEARING OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL 



and most brilliantly proclaimed in the presence of the Emperor 

 himself how Christ Jesus is the only God." 



When we come to examine the Apology we find it, in large 

 part, an argument against heathenism in various forms among 

 different races, and a proclamation of the Triune God. Let us 

 hear Aristides on this subject, speaking, as he did, so long 

 before Athanasius — 



" Now, the Christians trace their origin from the Lord Jesus 

 Christ : and He is acknowledged by the Holy Spirit to be the Son 

 of the Most High God, who came down from heaven for the 

 salvation of men ; being born of a pure virgin, unbegotten and 

 immaculate, He assumed flesh and revealed Himself among men 

 that He might recall them to Himself from wandering after many 

 gods, and having accomplished His wonderful dispensation, by a 

 voluntary choice, He tasted death on the cross. 



"And after three days He came to life again, and ascended into 

 heaven. And, if you would read, 0 King, you may judge the glory 

 of His presence from the Hohj Gospel Writing, as it is called among 

 themselves." 



In speaking of the Apostles, Aristides tells of one of them who 

 " traversed the countries about us." When we remember that 

 Paul preached in these countries, and then look at the short 

 sketch (only ten verses) of what he said to the Stoics and Epicu- 

 reans on Mars Hill., and then turn to this Apology and see what 

 this philosopher, now become a Christian, says about the 

 Christians in whose behalf he was now appealing to the 

 Emperor, it looks very much as if he referred to Paul. 



Paul told the philosophers of seeing an altar to " the unknown 

 God," and says, " What, therefore, ye worship in ignorance that 

 set I forth unto you." Likewise Aristides, in his Apology, 

 earnestly sets forth the doctrine of the true God, in opposition 

 to the prevailing polytheism, and that in the language of Pauline 

 Trinitarianism, speaking of the three Persons, of the Father, 

 Son and Holy Spirit. His words, speaking of the Christians, 

 are — 



" For they know God, the Creator and Fashioner of all things 

 through the only-begotten Son and Holy Spirit, and beside Him, 

 they worship no other God." 



Paul argued against idolatry ; and so does Aristides. Paul 

 spoke of God as the Creator " of the world and all things there- 

 in." Aristides begins with the greatest of subjects, the true 



