the fourth and fifth centuries produced several important apologetic works, which far outshone the corresponding literature of the heathen. (1) Under Constantino we have Lactantius in Latin, Euse- Bius and AxHANAsros in Greek, representing, together with Theo- doret, who was a century later, the close of the older apology. Lactantius prefaces his vindication of Christian truth with a refutation of the heathen superstition and philosophy ; and he is more happy in the latter than in the former. He claims freedom for all religions, and represents tlie transition stand- point of the Constantinian edicts of toleration. EusREius, the celebrated historian, collected with diligence and learning in several apologetic works, above all in liis " Evan- gelic Preparation," the usual arguments against heathenism, and in his " EvangeKc Demonstration " the positive evidences of Christianity, laying chief stress upon the prophecies. With less scholarship, but with far greater speculative com- pass and acumen, the great Athanasius, in his youthful pro- ductions " against the Greeks," and " on the incarnation of the Logos " (before 325), gave in main outline the argument for the divine origin, the truth, the reasonableness, and the per- fection of the Christian religion. These two treatises, partic- ularly the second, are, next to Origen's doctrinal work Da ^ iv^.i.-^..^5^'*^^^^''*^''''^' ^ U^- %^ m § 11. CHRISTIAJ^ APOLOGISTS AND POLEMICS. 83 ■principiis^ the first attempt to construct a scientific system of the Christian religion upon certain fimdainental ideas of God and world, sin and redemption ; and they form the ripe fruit of the positive apology in the Greek church. The Logos, Athanasius teaches, is the image of the living, only true God. Man is the image of the Logos. In communion with him consist the original holiness and blessedness of para- dise. Man fell by his own will, and thus came to need re- demption. Evil is not a substance of itself, not matter, as the Greeks suppose, nor does it come from the Creator of all things. It is an abuse of freedom on the part of man, and consists in selfishness or self-love, and in the dominion of the sensuous prin- ciple over the reason. Sin, as apostasy from God, begets idol- atry. Once alienated from God and plunged into finiteness and sensuousness, men deified the powers of nature, or mortal men, or even carnal lusts, as in Aphrodite. The inevitable consequence of sin is death and corruption. The Logos, how- ever, did not forsake men. He gave them the law and the prophets to prepare them for salvation. At last he himself became man, neutralized in human nature the power of sin and death, restored the divine image, uniting us with God and imparting to us his imperishable life. The possibility and legitimacy of the incarnation lie in the original relation of the Logos to the world, which was created and is upheld by him. Tlie incarnation, however, does not suspend the universal reign of the Logos. While he was in man, he