The reasons of the Christian religion the first part, of godliness, proving by natural…

Adrian also was exasperated by the Jews, who as Ael. Spartianus saith in Adrian:¹ Moverunt bellum, quod vetebantur mutilare genitalia: (And the Christians were taken for a sort of Jews, and so suffered often for their faults:) But Serennius Granianus Legatus, a Roman Noble-man, writing to Adrian how unjust it was upon vulgar clamour to kill innocent Christians, only for their Religion: Adrian wrote to Minutius Fundanus, Proconsul of Asia, that no Christian should suffer but for proved crimes. Euseb. Hist. lib. 4.

1. 1I know what a stir is made about Josephus testimony of Christ, some accounting it currant, and some as foisted in by some Christian: but I doubt not to say, that to those who well consider all, the middle opinion of B. Usher will appear to be far the most probable: viz. That the whole sentence is currant, except those words, [This was Christ.] And that some Christian having wrote those words as expository in the margin of his book, they afterward crept thence into the text. Athenagoras tells M. Aurel. Antoninus the Emperor, and L. Aur. Commodus to whom he wrote, Nec dubito quin vos etiam doctissimi & sapientissimi Principes, historias & scripta Moses, Esaiae, Hieremiae, & reliquorum Prophetarum aliqua ex parte cognoveritis. —Sed vobis relinquo qui libros novistis, studiosius in illorum prophetias inquirer ac perpendere, &c. Apol. p. in B. p. 56, 57. And it's like that Antonine learned somewhat from the Scriptures, as well as Severus, if he so well knew them; and thence received some of his wisdom and virtue.I know what a stir is made about Josephus testimony of Christ, some accounting it currant, and some as foisted in by some Christian: but I doubt not to say, that to those who well consider all, the middle opinion of B. Usher will appear to be far the most probable: viz. That the whole sentence is currant, except those words, [This was Christ.] And that some Christian having wrote those words as expository in the margin of his book, they afterward crept thence into the text. Athenagoras tells M. Aurel. Antoninus the Emperour, and L. Aur. Commodus to whom he wrote, Nec dubito quin vos etiam doctissimi & sapientissimi Principes, historias & scripta Moses, Esaiae, Hieremiae, & reliquorum Prophetarum aliqua ex parte cognoveritis. —Sed vobis relinquo qui libros novistis, studiosius in illorum prophetias inquirere ac perpendere, &c. Apol. p. in B. p. 56, 57. And it's like that Antonine learned somewhat from the Scriptures, as well as Severus, if he so well knew them; and thence received some of his wisdom and virtue.