txhvavy of t:he trheological Seminary PRINCETON . NEW JERSEY PRES T^iss Harr: JENTED BY Let S, Rogers BR 145 ,Gt Goodrich, 1862. A history ) 1839 Charles of the ( A. 1790- ::hurch £\hv- ravians, or United Brethren, p. 385.— Mennonites, p. 386.— Sandemanians, p. 386. — Jumpers, p. 387. — Harmonists, p. 388. Missions, and Bsnevolent Societies 389 Missionary operations in America.— Labors of the Mayhews, p. 391.— Labors of Eliot, p. 394.— Labors of TJrainerd, p. 399.— Labors of Samuel Kirkland, p. 402.— Missionary opera* Xn CONTENTS.' tions m foreign countries, I. Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, p. 403. — II. Sociejj for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, p. 409. — III. Society for sending Mission- aries to India, p. 410. — IV. Society for promotipg Christian Knowledge in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, p. 411. — V. Moravian Missions, p. 412. — VI. Society for promoting religious Knowledge among the Poor. — VII. Naval and Military Bible Society, p. 416. — VIU.— Methodist missions, p. 417.— IX. Sunday School Society, p. 419.— X. Baptist Mis- sionary Society, p. 420. — XI. London Missionary Society, p. 424. — XII. Scottish Mission- ary Society. — XIII. Village Itinerancy, or Evangelical Society for spreading the Gospel in England, p. 431. — XIV. London Itinerant Society. — XV. Baptist Home Missionary Society, p. 432.— XVI. Religious Tract Society, p. 433.— XVII. Church Missionary Society, p. 435. — XVHI. Sunday School Union, p. 438.— XIX. British and Foreign Bible Society, p. 439. — XX. British and Foreign School Society, p. 442. — XXI. London Hibernian Society, p 444. — XXU. Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews, p. 445. — XXIII. Prayer- Book and Homily Society. — XXIV. Irish Evangelical Society, p. 446. — XXV. Baptist Irish Society.— XXVI. Irish Society.— XXVII. Continental Society, p. 447.— XXVIII. Port of London Society. — XXIX. Home Missionary Society, p. 443. — XXX. Irish Society of London. — XXXI. Ladies' Hibernian Female Society, p. 449. — XXXII. Christian Institution Society. — XXXIII. British Society for promoting the religious Principles of the Reformation, p. 450. — XXXIV. Sunday School Society for Ireland. — XXXV. London Seamen's Friend Society, p. 451. — XXXVI. London Peace Society, p. 452. — Missionary and Benevolent Societies in the United States. — I. Board of Commissioners for Foreiga Missions, p. 453. — II. American Baptist Board, p. 460. — III. American Tract Society, p. 464. — IV. Northern Baptist Education Society, p. 466. — V. American Bible Society, p. 467, — VI. Missionary Society of the Protestant Methodist Church, p. 470. — VII. Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, p. 471. — VIII. Baptist General Tract Society, p. 473. — IX. Home Missiona- ry Societies, p. 474. „; „ Stort of the World 47ft Ohbokological Table of Important Events .... , ii9S INTRODUCTION. CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS STATE OF THE WORLD AT THE BIRTH OF CHRIST. 1. At the time Jesus Christ made his appearance upon the earth to prepare the way for the establishment of the Christian Church, a great part of the known world had become subject to the Roman empire, under Augustus Caesar. The Roman empire, at this time, was a most magnificent object. It extended from the river Euphrates on the east, to the Atlantic Ocean on the west. In length it was more than three thousand miles ; and in breadth it exceeded two thousand. The whole included above sixteen hundred thousand square miles. This vast territory, which was divided into provinces, comprised the countries now called Spain, France, the gi'eater part of Britain, Italy, Greece, Germany, Asia Minor, Egypt, Africa, and the Mediterranean Sea, with its islands and colonies. The subjects of the empire, at this period, have been estimated at one hundi'ed and twenty millions. « 2. The state of the world, at this time, in respect to the preva- lence of peace, civilization, and learning, was admirably adapted to the rapid diffusion of Christianity. The world, in general, had not only become subject to the Roman dominion, but it was now at peace. This was a state of things, which had not existed before for many years, and justly entitled the period, in which our Savior descended ■upon earth, to the character of the pacific age. This tranquillity was indeed neces- sary, to enable the ministers of Christ to execute, with success, their subJime com- mission to the human race. A degree of civilization also prevailed, which had not before existed. Barbarous tribes had subinitted to the Roman laws, which, with all their imperfections, were the best which human wisdom had devised. Distant nations, differing in language and manners, were united in friendly intercourse. A degree of literature was •also spread abroad in countries, which had before lain under the darkest ignorance. The Greek language was both extensively read and spoken ; and presented a medium to the heralds of the cross, of communicating, to almost all nations, the doctrines which they were commissioned to preach. 3. The religious state of tho world was less favorable to the dif- fusion of Christianity. A dark and gloomy system of superstition and idolatry was prevailing among all nations, except the Jewish, by means of which the human- mind had become exceedingly debased. Men ■were poorly qualified to judge immediately of a system, so difl^erent as was that of Christianity, and by far too sensual to embrace, at once, one so pure. The notion of a Supreme Being was not, indeed, entirely effaced from the heathen world ; but the knowledge of the true God was doubtless lost. Every heathen nation worshipped "lords many and gods many." These gods were multiplied without end. Every part of creation was supposed to have some divinity presiding over it. The earth, and air, and ocean were thought to be full of deities, who were 2 14 INTRODUCTION. supposed to be diverse from one another, m respect to sex, and rank, and power. They, moreover, indulged the most lawless passions, and were guilty of the most polluting vices. Yet to these gods a deep and universal homage was paid. They were courted and appeased by costly gifts, and honored by rites and ceremonies too indecent even to be named. Temples, the most magnificent, were erected to their honor, and a most expensive priesthood maintained to serve at their unhallowed worship. Such is an outline of the religious state of the heathen world, when Christ made his appearance on earth. The knowledge of the pure and exalted character of Jeho- vah was lost. Human accountability was unknown, and holiness of life was un- named and unconceived of. 4. In respect to the Jetvish nation, which inhabited Judea, Avhere Christ was born, more correct notions of religion were entertained, since they possessed the Scriptures of the Old Testament, from which these notions were derived. 5. But even among the Jews, the state of religion was exceed- ingly low. They, indeed, still maintained the ancient forms of wor- ship ; but the life and spirituality, the original beauty and excellency of that worship, had departed. 6. At this period, also, the Jews were divided into several reli- gious sects, all of which acknowledged the authority of Moses, and united in the same forms of worship ; but they were so far separated by their peculiarities, as to be continually involved in the most bitter hostilities. 7. The most popular, and by far the most numerous of these sects, was that of the Pharisees, who derived their name from a Hebrew Avord, which signifies to separate ; because they pretended, though very hypocritically, to uncommon separation from the world, and devotedness to God. The origin of this sect is involved in uncertainty. From small beginnings, how- ever, they had risen to great power; and, in the time of the Savior, tliey held the principal civil and religious offices in the nation. In respect to some of the doctrines of the Scriptures, they seem to have been cor- rect. They beUeved in the existence of angels, both good and bad ; in the immor- tality of the soul ; the resurrection of the body ; and a state of future rewards and punishments. But they also held to the traditions of their elders, which they con- sidered of equal authority with the Scriptures. Nay, in many instances, they explained the oracles of God by these traditions, and in such a manner as wholly to destroy their meaning. hi their religious practice, the Pharisees pretended to uncommon strictness. They abounded in washings, and fastings, and long prayers. They assumed great gravity in dress and demeanor, and exhibited no small zeal in all the forms of religion. But, with all their pretensions, they were noted for their hypocrisy ; and by our Savior were compared to whited sepulchres, fair and wholesome externally, but full of de- formity and death wdthLn. 8. Next to the Pharisees, the Sadducees were the most powerful sect. They derived their name from Sadoc, who flourished about 260, B. C. This sect were infidels. They denied the existence of a future state, and the immortality of the soul, and worshipped God only to secure his favor in the present world. The Sadducees, in point of numbers, fell much short of the Pharisees ; but they em- braced most of the men of rank and wealth. The systefti which they adopted was emi- nently suited to the hcentious life which they universally followed. TKey adopted the INTRODUCTION. 15 maxim, " Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." In their opposition to the Son of God, they appear to have been equally bitter with the Pharisees. Some of the latter were converted to the faith of the Gospel, but not a single . Sadducee is mentioned in the New Testament, as having become a follower of Christ. 9. A third sect were the Essenes, who took their rise about 200 years B. C. They derived their name from the Syriac verb Asa, to heal, because they applied themselves to the cure of diseases, especially the diseases of the mind. They appear to have been an order of monks, who lived secluded from the world, and practised great austerity. The Essenes, though they were considerably numerous, are not mentioned in the New Testament, for the reason, probably, that they lived chiefly in retirement. In doctrine they agreed with the Pharisees, except as to the resurrection of the body, which they denied. They pretended to have great respect for the moral law ; but neglected the ceremonial institutions of Moses. In their religious practices they observed a rigid austerity. They renounced mar- riage ; held riches in contempt ; maintained a perfect community of goods ; reject- ed ornaments; and cultivated great indifference to bodily pain. In the observance of the Sabbath, they were more strict than any other sect, and in their manner of life were more quiet and contemplative. 10. A fourth sect were the Herodians, who took their name from Herod the Great, and favored that monarch, in his efforts to bring the Jews into subjection to the Roman power. A principal article in the religious code of this sect appears to have been, that it was lawful for the Jews to adopt the idolatrous customs of the heathen, when required to do so by those in power, and also to pay tribute to him, whom conquest had made their master. The Sadducees, generally, were Herodians ; the Pharisees, on the contrary, were their bitter opposers. AU, however, united in hostility to the Son of God, and to that sj^stem of truth wliich he promulgated. 11. Besides these sects, various other classes of men are mention- ed, as existing at that time among the Jews, of Avhom we shall mention only the Scribes, Rabbis, and Nazarites. The Scribes were a class of men, originally employed to record the aflFairs of the king. At a later period, they transcribed the Scriptures, and expounded the law and traditions of the elders in the schools and synagogues, and before the Sanhedrim, or great Jewish council. Besides this name, they are frequently called, in the New Testament, lawyers, doctors of law, elders, counsellors, rulers, and those who sat in Moses' seat. Rabbi, or Master, was a title given to men of rank in the state ; but especially to such Je-nash doctors as were distinguished for their learning. This honor was greatly coveted, since it was connected with no small influence over the faith and practice of the peop^le. The title, however, was disapproved of by Christ, who warned his disciples to receive no such distinction in the Church of God. The Nazarites were those who made a vow to observe a more than ordinary degree of purity, either for life, or for a limited time. During their vow, they abstained from wine, and all intoxicating liquors ; they sufiered their hair to grow without cutting, and were not permitted to attend a funeral, or to enter a house defiled by a dead body. Upon the expiration of their vow, they shaved their hair at the door of the tabernacle, and burnt it on the altar. 12. The government of Judea Avas at this time, as it had been for several years, in the hands of Herod the Great, who held it under the emperor of Rome. Herod was a monster of cruelty, who despised both the Jewish religion and their laws, and appeared to delight in the oppression and degradation of that ancient and once honored nation. 16 INTRODUCTION. His death occurred the year following the birth of the Savior, having reigned thirty-seven years. The reign of Herod, who, to distinguish him from others of the same name, is usually called the Great, was remarkable for singular domestic calamities, the result of his oivn ungovernable temper. Urged by suspicion, he put to death his beloved wife, her mother, brother, grandfather, uncles and two sons. His palace •was the scene of incessant intrigue, misery, and bloodshed ; his nearest relations being ever the chief instruments of his worst sufierings and pains. The effects pro- duced upon the mind of Herod by the murder of Mariamne, his wife, was thus pow- erfully described by Milman : " All the passions, which filled the stormy soul of Herod, were alike without bound : from violent love and violent resentment, he sank into as violent remorse and despair. Every where by day he was haunt- ed by the image of his murdered Mariamne ; he called upon her name ; he perpe- tually burst into passionate tears. In vain he tried every diversion — banquets, revels, the excitements of society. A sudden pestilence broke out, to which many of the noblest of his court, and of his own personal friends, fell a sacrifice ; he recognised and trembled beneath the avenging hand of God." The late Lord Byron, in his Hebrew Melodies, thus beautifully describes Herod's lament over his wife : I. " Oh, Mariamne ! now for thee The heart for which thou bled'st is bleeding j Revenge is lost in agony, And wild remorse to rage succeeding ; Oh, Mariamne ! where art thou ? Thou canst hear my bitter pleading ; Ah, couldst thou — thou wculdst pardon now, Though Heaven were to my prayer unheeding. n. '' And is she dead ? — and did they dare Obey my frenzy's jealous raving? My wrath but doomed my own despair : The sword that smote her 's o'er me waving — But thou art cold, my murdered love ! And this dark heart is vainly craving For her who soars alone, above. And leaves my soul unworthy saving. HI. " She's gone, who shared my diadem ; She sunk, with her my joy entombing ; I snapped that flower from Judah's stem AVliose leaves for me alone were blooming ; And mine's the gall, and mine the hell. This bosom's desolation dooming ; And I have earned those tortures well. Which unconsumed are still consuming." Herod left his dominions to his three sons : his kingdom to Archelaus ; Gaulonitis, Trachonilis, and Batanea to Philip ; Galilee and Parea to Herod Antipas. Archelaus, in disposition, strongly resembled his father. Such was his violence and tyranny, that the Jews brought charges against him to the emperor, who banished' him to Vienne in France, where he died. During his reign, Joseph and Mary return- ed from Egypt with Jesus ; but hearing that he had succeeded to the government of Judea, in the room of Herod, they were justly apprehensive of danger to the "young child," and for a time sojourned in Galilee. On the death of Archelaus, Judea was divided among several Roman governors, of whom Pontius Pilate was one. Of Philip, the tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis, little is recorded in the history of the Church. In the reign of Herod Antipas, John the Baptist lost his life, for reprov- ing that monarch for his iniquity. INTRODUCTION. 17 We shall only add respecting the family of Herod the Great, that a grandson of his, by the name of Herod Agrippa, reigned in Judea, in the days of the apostles. It was he, who ordered James to be murdered, and Peter to be apprehended. His own death followed not long after, being smitten of Heaven by a disease, which no skill could cure, and the torments of wMch no means could alleviate. 13. Notwithstanding the low state of the Jews, in respect both to religion and civil prosperity, there were some in the nation, who were distinguished for their piety, and who were anxiously looking for the coming of the long promised Messiah. The mass of the people, as we shall have occasion again to remark, were indeed expecting the advent of the Savior ; but they looked only for a teviporal prince, who should deliver them from Roman bondage. Yet, there were others, whose views were more scriptural, and more exalted. "We read of good old Simeon, and pious Arma, who, with others, were daily visiting the temple, " waiting for the consola- tion of Israel." At length, the prayers and wishes of such were answered. The prophecies were fulfilled. The long night of darkness^and superetition passed by, and the glorious Sun of Righteousness was revealed, to enlighten the nations, and to prepare the way for the establishment of the Christian Church, — a kingdom against which the gates of hell have not, and shall not, prevail. GENERAL DIVISION. THE HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH MAY BE DIVIDED INTO EIGHT PERIODS. Period I. will extend from the Nativity of Jesus Christ to his Death, A. D. 34. This is the period of the Life of Christ. Observation. Although the Christian Church appears not to have been organized, until after the death of Christ ; yet, as a history of that Church seems properly to embrace an account of the life and actions of its Divine Founder, we have ventured to speak of it, as commencing at the date of his nativity. Period II. will extend from the Death of Jesus Christ, A. D. 34, to the Destruction of Jerusalem, A. D. 70. This is the period of the Labors of the Apostles. Period III. will extend from the Destruction of Jerusalem, A. D. 70, to the Reign of Constantine, A. D. 306. This is the period of Persemtion. Period IV. will extend from the Reign of Constantine, A. D. 306, to the Establishment of the Supremacy of the Roman Pontiff, A. D. 608. This is the period of the Declhie of Paganism. Period V. will extend from the Establishment of the Supremacy of the Roman Pontiff, 606, to the First Crusade, A. D. 1095. This is the period of the Rise of the Mahometan Imposture. Period VI. Avill extend from the First Crusade, A. D. 109-5, to the Commencement of the Reformation by Luther, A. D. 1517. This is the period of the Crusades and tne Papal Schism. Period VII. Avill extend from the Commencement of the Reformation, A. D. 1517, to the Peace of Religion concluded at Augsburg, A. D. 1555. This is the period of the Reformation. Period VIII. will extend from the Peace of Religion, A. D. 1555, to the present time. This is the period of the Puritam PERIOD I. THE PERIOD OF THE LIFE OF CHRIsr EXTENDS FROM HIS NATIVITY TO HIS RESURRECTION, A. D. 34. 1. The birth of Jesus Christ may be dated, according to the best authorities, in the 26th year of the reign of Augustus Caesar, em- peror of Rome, four years before the date commonly assigned for the Christian era. The birthplace of Christ was at Bethlehem, a small town in the land of Judea, about six miles from Jerusalem. His mother was a "virgin espoused to a man, whose name was Joseph, of the house of David ; and the virgin's name was Mary." His early infancy was spent in Egypt, whither his parents fled, to avoid the persecuting spirit of Herod, at that time king of Judea. After his return from Egypt, he dwelt at Nazareth, until his entrance upon his public ministry. From this place, at the age of twelve, he paid his memorable visit to Jerusalem ; returning from which, he lived with his parents, and followed the humble occupation of his father. 2. The great object of Christ, in coming into the world, was to place the Church upon a new establishment, upon which it should finally em- brace all nations, and increase in glory to the end of time. There never has existed but one Church in the world ; but its circumstances havu varied at different periods. Before Moses, we know little of its condition. It was then, probably, in an tmembodied form. From Moses to Christ it existed in an orga- nized state, and became subject to a variety of ordinances. The Mosaic dispensation Christ designed to abolish, and to introduce a stiU better one. The'Church was now to embrace all nations ; before, it had embraced only the Jews. Its worship was to be far more simple ; its rites to be less burdensome ; its privileges to be greatly enlarged ; and its doctrines more clearly exhibited. In short, Christ designed' to establish a spiritual kingdom, — a Christian Church, which should ultimately fill the earth, and continue as long as time should last. 3. The speedy appearance of Christ on this intended work, was announced to the Jewish nation by John the Baptist, about two years before that event actually took place. John was a forerunner of Christ, agreeably to an ancient custom of the eastern monarchs,who, when entering upon an expedition, sent messengers to announce their approach, and prepare for their reception. That Christ should be preceded by such a messenger, had long before been predicted by a prophet of God ; who had spoken of John, as " the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord." The testimony which John bore to the character of his Divine Master, was the most honorable that can be conceived. 4. At the age of thirty, Christ made his first appearance to John, on the banks of the river Jordan, where he was now baptized, by which he was " solemnly inaugurated in office." Jesus had indeed no need to be baptized as a sinner, for he was holy ; nor to receive an emblem of regeneration, for he needed no change of heart ; nor to be admitted into the Christian Church, for he was appointed its Head. But the object of his being baptized, was to be legally and solemnly consecrated as High Priest. 20 PERIOD I. ...LIFE OF C HRIST....A. D. 34. Under the law, the priests were consecrated to their office by baptism, and anointing ■with oil. Instead of the oil, he was baptized by the Holy Ghost. For the " heavens were opened, and the Spirit of God descended like a dove, and lighted upon- him." 5. Being thus inducted into office, he chose twelve men as his dis- ciples, whom he named apostles. These he selected as the witnesses of all that he should do and teach ; and to become, after his death, the heralds of his doctrines, and the organizers of the Christian Church. The Christian Church, as already observed, can scarcely be said to have been organized, during the life of Christ. He designed only to prepare the way. He abolished the Jewish Church, and introduced to the notice of his disciples such thmgs as were to be adopted in the Christian Church, viz : a new ministry ; the Lord's supper ; baptism ; and spiritual worship in every place, and at all times ; in the room of the carnal ordinances and burdensome rites, which were observed only at Jerusalem. 6. The public ministry of Christ continued for the space of three years, or three years and a half, during Avhich, he was chiefly em- ployed in instructing his disciples in reference to the nature of his kingdom ; in preaching to them and others his doctrines ; and in relieving the wants, and healing the infirmities, of men. The doctrines which Christ taught related to the nature and perfections of God ; to the sinfulness and miserable condition of man ; to his own character, as the Son of God and the promised Messiah ; to the atonement which he should accompUsh by his death ; to justification by faith ; to repentance, and faith, and love, and obedience ; to a resurrection from the dead ; and to a state of future rewards and punishments. These were the great doctrines of the Christian system, — doctrines which he com- missioned his disciples to preach through the world ; and which the Christian Church was required to maintain to the end of time. The miracles which Christ wrought were chiefly of a benevolent kind ; but they had a stiU higher object than the relief which was effected by them. They were designed to prove his divine mission ; and were often appealed to, with the strong- est confidence, for this purpose. And well might he appeal to them ; for they were performed under circumstances which precluded the possibility of deception. They were performed at his word, and in an instant ; on persons, too,* both near and at a distance ; they were done by him in the most pubhc and open manner ; in cities ; in villages ; in synagogues ; in the public streets ; in the highways ; in the field ; and in the wilderness. They were performed on Jews and Gentiles ; before Scribes and Pharisees, and rulers of the synagogues ; not only when he was attended by few persons, but when he was surrounded by multitudes ; not merely in the presence of his friends, but before his implacable enemies. Thus, they invited the strictest examination. They evinced a power which could come only from God, and bespoke a benevolence which could be nothing short of divine. Such was the authority with which he was clothed, and such was the evidence of his divine commission, who came to set aside the Jewish rites and ceremonies, and, in the place of the Jewish Church, to found a Church, which should embrace Jew and Gentile, bond and free ; and against the ultimate increase and glory of which, not even the gates of hell should be suffered to prevail. 7. The ministry of Christ, though distinguished by unwonted zeal and perseverance, was attended with comparatively little success. As a nation, the Jews rejected him as the Messiah ; and through their in- strumentality, he finished his eventful life, under the tortures of cruci- fixion. This event occurred in the eighteenth year of Tiberius, the suc- cessor of Augustus Caesar. From the testimony of ancient historians we learn, that, about the time of Christ's appearing, the Jews were anxiously looking for him as the great deliverer and chief PERIOD I.. ..LIFE OF CHRIST.. ..A. D. 34. 21 ornament of their nation. Eut, in the Immhle appearance of Jesus, the Jews saw nothing which corresponded to their expectations. They were loolring for a tem- poral prince, the splendor of whose court should answer to their admiration of world- ly pomp, and who should make their nation the centre of universal monarchy. The doctrines, too, which Christ taught were little suited to the taste of this bigot- ed people. Being the descendants of Abraham, and the covenant people of God, they imagined that they enjoyed a peculiar claim to the divine favor. This claim they supposed could not be forfeited, and could not be transferred to any other people on earth. These mistakes were the result of prejudice, and vain-glory. Yet they laid the foundation of charges against the Son of God, which, though manifestly false, issued in a demand, on the part of the nation, for his death. Accordingly, after having been declared an impostor, a blasphemer, and a usurper — after having suffered the most bitter reproaches and shameful indignities, — he was brought to the cross, upon ■which, under its agonies, he shortly after expired. Crucifixion of Christ. 8. The death of Christ was apparently a signal triumph to his enemies, and as signal a defeat to all his followers. The hopes of the latter appear, for a short time, to have been blasted ; not knowing the power of God, nor fully comprehending that it was a part of the divine plan that he should suffer, and afterwards be raised from the dead. Christ had, indeed, repeatedly foretold his resurrection to his followers ; and this intelligence had been communicated to the Jews at large. The former anticipated, though faintly, perhaps, this glorious event ; but the latter believed it not. They only feared that his disciples might steal his body, and pretend that he had risen from the dead. They therefore sealed his sepulchre, and round it stationed a guard, until the day should pass, on which it was said he would rise from the dead. But neither the precaution, nor the power of his enemies, could prevent an event, which was connected with the salvation of millions of the sons of men. The third day, at length, arrived 3 the appointed hour and moment came, and God raised him fkom the dead. Christ commissioning his apostles. PERIOD II. THE PERIOD OF THE LABORS OF THE APOSTLES EXTENDS FROBI THE DEATH OF CHRIST, A. D. 34, TO THE DESTRTTCTION OF JERUSALEM, A. D. 70. 1. The resurrection of Christ, (A. D. 34, in the eighteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome,) an event clearly predicted in ancient prophecy, and often foretold by himself, took place on the third day after his crucifixion. The resurrection of Jesus is an article of such importance in the system of Chris- tianity, that, like the key-stone in the arch of the building, it is emphatically that which supports the whole superstructure. " If Christ be not risen," says the apostle, " then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain ; yea, and we are found false wit- nesses of God." That the Messiah should rise from the dead, was an event clearly predicted in ancient prophecy ; and Jesus himself repeatedly foretold both the fact of his rising, and the day on which it should happen, not only to his disciples, but to his enemies also, and even rested the evidence of his divine mission upon that event. Of the truth and certainty of his resurrection, then, the apostles were witnesses, and they were every way qualified for substantiating the fact. " He Avas seen by them alive, after his cucifixion. It was not one person, but many that saw him. They saw liini not only separately, but together ; not only by night, but by day ; not only at a dis- tance, but near ; not once only, but several times. They not only saw nun, but touched him, conversed with him, ate with him, examined his person, to remove their doubts." " He shewed himself alive to them after his passion by many infallible signs, being seen of them forty days ;" during which time, " he spake to them concern- ing the kingdom of God," which they were employed in setting up in the world. 2. At the expiration of forty days from his resurrection, having instructed his disciples to wait at Jerusalem, for the descent of the Holy Spirit, and then to " go and teach all nations," he led them out as far as Bethany, where, while blessing them, he ascended to heaven, a cloud receiving him out of their sight. LABORS OF THE APOSTLES. 23 3. Ten days after the ascension of Christ, and fifty from his crucifixion, the promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled. By this effusion, the apostles were suddenly endued with the power of speaking j many languages, of which before they had no knowledge ; and, at the ■ same time, were inspired with a zeal in their Master's cause, to which before they had been strangers. The effects produced on the minds of the apostles, on this occasion, were of an extraordinary kind. A flood of light seems to have broken in upon them, at once. Their remaining doubts and prejudices wexQ removed ; their misapprehensions were rectified, and their views conformed to the scope of the doctrines which had been taught by Christ. It is manifest, also, that they were endued with unwonted zeal and. fortitude. On several occasions, while Christ was with them, they had exhibited no small degree of listlessness and timidity. At the time of his apprehension, they had all forsaken him, and fled. Even the intrepid Peter denied that he knew him. But, from the day of Pentecost, they seem to have felt no weariness, and feared no danger. But perhaps the most astonishing effect of all Avas, that they were hereby qualified for speaking various languages, which they had never learned ; thus making known their message to men of all nations under heaven, and confirming its rrutb, by per- forming such miraculous works, as were an evident indication that ■ lod was with them. This was indeed m perfect onsislency with Christ's promise to them, when he said : " In my name shall they cast out devils ; they shall speak with new tongues ; they shall take up serpents ; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not' hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." " What gifts, what miracles, he gave ! And power to kill, and power to save ! Furnished their tongues with wondrous words, Instead of shields, and spears, and swords, Thus armed, he sent the champions forth. From east to west, from north to south : ' Go, and assert your Savior's cause ; ' Go, spread the triumphs of his cross.' " Dr. Watts. 4. A rumor of this stupendous miracle spreading abroad in the streets of Jerusalem, a multitude of Jews, residents and strangers, were soon collected to the spot. To these, Peter explained the mystery, by declaring it to be effected by the power of that Jesus, whom they had wickedly sltiin. The explanation and the charge, being accompanied to their consciences by the Spirit of God, led to the very sudden conversion of about three thousand souls, who were forthwith baptized. This may be considered as the gathering or organization of the First Christian Church in the %vorld. An occurrence so remote from the common course of nature, we may readily sup- pose, would produce an astonishing sensation upon those who were witnesses of it ; — especially upon those, if any there were, who had taken part in the crucifixion of our Lord. The sudden ability of so many rude, illiterate Galileans, to speak per- fectly in all languages — to explain themselves with propriety aud force, so as not only to be clearly understood, but to inform the consciences of the hearers — was a pheno- menon which carried with it proof of divine interposition too incontestible to admit of a rational doubt. Those who first observed it, spake of it to others, and the rumor spread abroad. Jerusalem was at this moment the resort of Jews and Jewish prose- lytes, dispersed throughout the various parts of the Roman empire, who had come to celebrate the feast. The promiscuous throng, who were collected by so strange a report, and had been accustomed to difierent languages, were therefore greatly astonished to hear the apostles declare, each one in his own tongue, the wonderfiil works of God.— While some expressed their surprise at this, others ascribed it to the effects of wine. This weak and perverse slander Vvras, however, immediately S4 PERIOD II.. ..34... .70. refuted by the apostle Peter, who, standing up with the other eleven apostles, lifted up their voice, and said unto thera : — " Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this knowTi unto you, that these men are not drunken as ye suppose, seeing that it is but the third hour of the day* — but this is that which is spoken by ih6 prophet Joel." He then quotes the words of Jehovah, in which he had promised to pour out his Spirit upon all flesh — attended with the most awful denunciations against those who should despise it ; but with a gracious promise of salvation to all that should call upon the name of the Lord. The illustration of this remarkable prophecy, and its application to what was now obvious to all their senses, paved the way for the apostles' drawing their attention to the great subject of his ministry, th« death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had taken, and by wicked hands had crucified and slain. The Holy Spirit gave energy to the doctrine. Like a torrent, it bore down all the vam imaginations, and presumptuous reasonings, by which the minds of his hearers were fortified ; it brought conviction to their minds ; so that, like men frantic with despair, they cried out, in the ang-uish of their hearts : " Men and brethren, what shall we do ?" To persons reduced to this extremity, conscious that they had been imbruing their hanrls in the blood of the Son of God, how unspeakably welcome must have been the words of the apostle : " Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost ; for the promise is to you and to your children, and to all that are afar ofl", even to as many as the Lord our God shall call." ' This divine declaration of mercy to men in the situation of these convicted Jews, pricked to the heart with a consciousness of their guilt, and overwhelmed with de- spair, must have been like life from the dead. Three thousand of them joyfully received the apostles' doctrine, were baptized, and on the same day were added to the disciples that already existed in Jerusalem.! From the manner of Peter, on this occasion, ministers may learn, with what point they should at least sometimes address the conscience ; and from the distress produced in the hearts of these sinners may be perceived the power of the Spirit, and what is the usual method which he takes in bringing them to repentance. 5. Shortly after the above miracle, the healing of a poor cripple, accompanied by a second discourse from Peter, led to the conversion of about five thousand, who, in turn, were added to the Church. 6. This rapid increase of the followers of Christ, greatly alarm- ing the Priests and Sadducees, they seized the two apostles, Peter and John, and committed them to prison. The next day, being brought before the Sanhedrin, the language and conduct of Peter were so bold, that it was deemed impolitic to do any thing further, than to dismiss the apostles, with a strict injunction not to teach any more in the name of Jesus. The Sanhedrin, of which frequent mention is made, both in the Bible and in ecclesiastical history, was a tribunal instituted in the time of the Maccabees, and was composed of seventy-two members. The high priest generally sustained the ( ffice of president ; he was assisted by two vice-presidents. The other members com- posing this tribunal consisted of chief priests, (or those who had previously exercised the high priesthood,) elders, or princes of the tribes, and scribes, or learned men. "When this tribunal met, they took their seats in such a way as to form a semi- circle, and the president and vice-president occupied the centre. They sat either upon the floor, a carpet merely being spread under them, or upon cushions slightly elevated, with their knees bent and crossed. Appeals, and other -weighty matters were brought before this tribunal. Among other questions of importance, subject to its decision, the Talmudists include the * Corresponding to our nine in the morning. t Jones's History of the Christian Church. LABORS OF THE APOSTLES. 25 inquiry " Whether a person be a false prophet, or not ?" In the time of Chnst, the power of this tribunal had been limited to the passing of condemnation — but the po-wei' of executing, the Romans, to whom Judea was subject, retained to themselves. John xviii. 31. There was one exception, it is true, during the procuratorship of Tilate, and only one; who permitted the Sanhedrin themselves, in the case of Christ, to see the sentence, of which they had been the authors, put in execution. John xviii. 31. xix. 6. The stoning of Stephen, afterwards mentioned, was not done by authority of the Sanhedrin, but in a riot. Acts vii.* 7. The foregoing injunction of the Sanhedrin, _ however, had not its designed effect upon the apostles ; for, instead of being intimidated, they all continued boldly to proclaim Christ and him crucified. 8. Fired with indignation at their boldness, the enemies of reli- gion at length seized the whole company of the apostles, and confin- ed them in the common prison. From this, however, they were mira- culously released in the night, and, to the amazement of their enemies, were found in the morning in the temple, teaching the people. The efforts of the Jewish authorities to destroy the cause of Christianity were strenuous and unremitted ; but they seem to have been made to little purpose. Oppo- sition served only to enkindle a higher ardor in the breasts of th6 apostles. Stripes and imprisonment had no efl'ect to subdue them. From the prison, the council, the scourge, they departed " rejoicing ;" and daily in the temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Nor were their labors in vain. Converts multiplied greatly in Jenxsalem, and many were obedient to the faith. The spiritual edifice, m the erection of which the apostles were employed, rested on a foundation, which the powers of earth could not move. 9. At this interesting period, the circumstances of the Church requir ing it, the office of Deacon was instituted. The occasion which led to the institution of this office was a dissatisfaction, on the part of some Grecian converts, because their widows did not receive a competent supply of food, from the common stock. Hitherto, the distribution had been made by the apostles, or under their direction. But, finding it difficult thus to superin* tend the temporal concerns of the Church, the apostles relinquished these to officers appointed particularly for this purpose. 10. Notwithstanding the persecuting spirit of the Jewish rulers, none of the followers of Christ had, as yet, been called to suffer death for his name. But near the end of the year 35, Stephen, a man pre- eminent for his piety, was furiously attacked, on an occasion of defending his doctrines, dragged out of the city, and stoned to death. Stephen, who was thus called to lead in the " noble army of martyrs," was a dea- con in the Church at Jerusalem. He was not less distinguished by his eloquence than his piety. His defence, delivered before the Sanhedrin, recorded in the seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, is a practical illustration of the zeal and boldness of the primitive disciples of Christ. But what avail signs and M'onders, the most splendid appeals of eloquence, or the most forcible convictions of truth, among the obdurate and incorrigible ? For, notwithstanding the goodness of his cause, the miracles which he had wrought to support it, the lustre with which he now appeared, and the eloquence which flowed in torrents from his lips, " they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their earr , and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him,t«* death." (Acts vii. 57 — 60.) His. dying deportment evinced how eminently he was filled with the spirit of his divine Master, and is a pattern to all who are called to suffer in the same righteous cause. *Jahn's Archaeology. 26 PERIOD II.. ..34.. ..70. Stoning Stephen. 11. On the death of Stephen, the storm of persecution became so violent, that the disciples, with many members of the Church, fled to other cities of Judea, and also to Samaria; but wherever they went, they spread the knowledge of the Gospel with great success. The persecution which arose at the death of Stephen continued, it is thought, about four years. Calamitous as it must have then appeared to the infant cause of the Church, it became, under the direction of its Supreme Head, the direct means of promoting its progress. By the dispersion of the disciples, the Gospel was published abroad. The preaching of Philip in the city of Samaria is particularly mentioned ; and such was his success, that, shortly afterwards, two of the apostles formed in that place the Second Christian Church in the world. 12. The year 36 was marked by an event most auspicious to the interests of the rising cause. This was the miraculous conversion of Saul, the persecutor, while on a journey to Damascus, to exterminate such of the followers of Christ as had taken refuge in that city. The first mention made of Saul is at the trial of Stephen, on which occasion, though a young man, he was active in putting him to death. He was a native of Tarsus, the chief city of the province of Cilicia, and had come to Jerusalem to pursue his studies under Gamaliel, a celebrated doctor of the Jewish law. Saul having enlisted himself against Jesus and his cause, and being of an ardent temperament, sought opportunity to distinguish himself in putting down the advanc- ing interests of the despised Galilean. Having intimation that not a few of the disci- ples had taken refuge at Damascus, a noted city of Syria, Saul petitioned for a com- mission from the high priest against them. This being readily granted, he, with several companions, were soon on their journey, breathing out threatenings and slaugh- ter against the Christians. About noon, one day, they, arrived in the vicinity of Damascus, when suddenly there appeared to him the Schekinah, or glory of the Lord, far more bright and dazzling than the sun in his meridian splendor, and a great Ught from heaven shone around them. Saul was sufficiently versed in Jewish learning to recognise this as the excellent glory, and he instantly fell to the earth as one dead. But how inconceivably great must have been his astonishment, to hear himself addressed by name, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" And yet, if alarmed at the question, his surprise could not be diminished on asking, •' Wlio art thdfe Lord?" to be told, in reply, " I am JesHS whom thou persecutest ; — it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." TrembUng and astonished, Saul inquired, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?" Jesus said unto him, " Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." And Saul arose from the earth, but the splendor of the LABORS OF THE APOSTLES. 27 vision had c-Terpowered hii bodily eyes, so that he was led by the hand into Damas cus, where he remained three days without sight or food. Conversion of Saul. It is necessary only to add, that in a few days Saul was numbered with the disci pies, and began " to preach Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God." That such a person should become a convert to the faith in the then infant state of the Christian Church, was eminently important for this particular reason, " that all the other apostles were men without education, and absolutely ignorant of letters and philosophy ; and yet there were those in the opposition, Jewish doctors and pagan pnilosophers, men of deep learning, whom it was essential to combat. Hence the importance of such an auxiliary as Saul, who, to great boldness of character, united an amazing force of genius, and the most thorough knowledge of the times."* 13. The conversion of Saul, who, from this time, appears to have been called Paul, — the latter being his Roman name, the former his Grecian, — being thus accomplished, he preached for a short season in the city of Damascus, whence he went into Arabia ; where, having abode nearly three years, he returned, about A. D. 40, to Damascus. Concerning the manner in which Paul was employed, during his residence in Ara- bia, the inspired historian is silent. It is a reasonable conjecture, however, that he preached the Gospel in that country. His temporary absence from Judea, while the storm of persecution was raging, seemed a measure of prudence, since he had become particularly obnoxious to his unbelieving countrymen, by espousing the cause which they so much despised. 14. During the absence of Paul, Tiberus, the Roman emperor, was strangled, or poisoned, and was succeeded by Caius Caligula, whose character and conduct, at length, proved to be more odious and atrocious, than had been those of his predecessor. A brief notice of the above emperors may not be unappropriate in this place, as il will serve to she-\r something of the amazing corruption of the great in those times ; and against what Christianity had to contend, from men" in high places," whenever they so far noticed it as to bring their opposition to bear against it. For a few of the early years of his reign, Tiberius put on the appearance of justice and i^oderanon. But at length he abandoned himself to the perpetration of all manner of cnmes. He spent whole nights in eating and drinking, and he appointed two of his table companions to the first posts of the empire, for no other merit, than that of navmg set up with him two days and two nights, without interruption. His *Lord Littleton's Observations on the Conversion and Apostleship of Paul. 28 PERIOD II.. ..34.. ..70. libidinous indulgences were still more detestable ; and the most eminent women of Rome were obliged to sacrifice to him their virtue and honor. His jealousy, which fastened on persons of the highest distinction, induced him to condemn them to death, on the slightest pretences. Frequently, the whole city of Rome was filled with slaughter and mourning. The place of execution was a horrible scene ; dead bodies putrefying lay heaped on each other, while even the friends of the ^'^Tetched convicts were denied the satisfaction of weeping. Caligula was a greater monster, if possible, than Tiberius. He cast great numbers of old and infirm men to wild beasts, in order to free the state from such unservicea- ble citizens. He frequently had men racked before him, while he sat at table, ironi- cally pitying their misfortunes and blaming their executioner. And, as the height of insane cruelty, he once expressed a ^^^sh " that all the Roman people had but one neck, that he might dispatch them at a single blow." He claimed divine honor, and caused temples to be built, and sacrifices to be offered to himself as a god. He caused the heads of the statues of Jupiter and some other gods to be struck off, and his owTi to be put in their places.* 15. On the return of Paul from Arabia to Damascus, the persecu- tior. not yet having entirely ceased, the Jews took counsel to kill him", and with difficulty did he escape. Repairing- to Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the disciples ; but they, doubting the sincerity of his professions, refused to receive him, until Barnabas assured them of his conversion, when he was welcomed with great cordiality. 16. About the time of the death of Caligula, A. D. 41, and the accession of his successor Claudius, the persecution of the Christians, in a considerable degree, abated. " Then," according to the sacred his- torian, " the Churches had rest throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, were edified and multiplied." It has been usual with commentators to attribute the cessation cf persecution, at this time, to the conversion of Paul ; but a more probable cause lies in the well estab- lished fact, that, at this time, the Jews were too much engaged with their own troubles, to attend to the " heresy of Christianity." Caligula, towards the close of his life, had issued an order to Petronius, the governor of Judea, to set up his statue in the temple at Jerusalem. This order came upon the Jews like a clap r>f thunder. Petro- nius, accordingly, marched the army under his care towards Jerusalem, upon which an immense multitude of Jews, men,women, and children, went forth to meet Petro- nius, to avert, if possible, this designed insult and calamity. Petronius humanely granted their request, and deferred executing his commission ; and accordingly -wTote to the emperor, urging the importance, and even necessity, of deferring the matter, for fear of the scarcity that might ensue. Thus the Jews were so employed in warding off this terrible blow from themselves and their temples, which was their glory and confidence, that they had little leisure and inclination to pursue and persecute the Christians. Caligula died soon after, upon which the Churches had indeed rest from their troubles ; and doubtless many, who had been driven from their families and houses, returned again to Jerusalem. 17. The Church at Jerusalem had now been planted nearly eight years, during which time the preaching of the Gospel had been restricted to Jews. But now Peter was instructed by a vision, that the Gentiles also were to enjoy this privilege, and was directed to open the way for this change, by going to Csesarea, and preaching the Gospel to a Gentile by the name of Cornelius. That the privileges of the Gospel should be extended to the Gentiles, seems scarcely, if at all, to have entered the minds, even of the apostles themselves. The Jewish *Robbins's Outlines of Modern History. LABORS OF THE APOSTLES 29 converts, as a body, still retained many of their former prejudices, which could only be removed by a djvine interposition. On the return of Peter to Jerusalem, he was censured by some for having preached to a Gentile. But he so explained his con- duct in going to Cornelius, informing them of what God had wrought in the family of this man by his preaching, as to silence their scruples ; for " they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." 18. The way being thus prepared to preach the Gospel to the Gen- tiles, Paul, who had received a commission to execute his ministry among them, repaired to Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, A. D. 43, where was soon after gathered the First Gentile Church, and where the followers of Christ first received the appropriate name of Christians. 19. Although the persecution which had existed in the time of Cali- gula had generally ceased, there were some exceptions. For about this time Herod Agrippa, king of Judea, to please the Jews, put the apostle James, the son of Zebedee, to death ; and would have followed his death by the martyrdom of Peter, had he not been miraculously delivered from his hand. This Herod Agrippa was the grandson of Herod the Great, (mentioned Matthew xi.) and nephew to Herod the tetrarch, who put to death John the Baptist. Herod Agrippa had incurred the displeasure of Tiberius, by whose order he was put in chains and thrown into prison. The displeasure of Tiberius arose from a speech of Herod, which he made to Caius Caligula, one day, as they were riding in a chariot together, viz. ; " that he wished to God that Tiberius were gone, and that Caius were emperor in his stead." Euthychus, who drove the chariot, overheard the words, but concealed his knowledge of them at the moment. Sometime after, however, being accused by Herod, his master, of theft, he informed Tiberius of what Herod had said, upon which the latter was arrested and confined for life. On the death of Tiberius, Caligula not only liberated his old friend, but invited him to his palace, put a crown upon his head, and constituted him king of the tetrarchy of Philip, and bestowed on him a chain of gold, of the same weight as the iron one which he had worn during his imprisonment. Such were the circumstances, which elevated to the throne the man who murder- ed James, and whose efforts to bring to a similar fate the apostle Peter, are recorded in the 12th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Herod did not-long survive this impious attempt to kill an apostle of Christ. On an occasion of receiving the submission of the cities of Tyre and Sidon, which had incurred his displeasure, he appeared in the theatre for that purpose, arrayed in the most gorgeous apparel. To the ambassadors he made an oration, at the close of which the multitude resounded from every quarter, " It is the voice of a god, and not of a man." This filled his foolish heart with pride, and led him to arrogate that glory to himself which belonged to God. Immediately the angel of the Lord smote him with an irresistible, though invisible stroke. In the midst of receiving these idola- trous acclamations he was seized with excruciating pains : " worms bred in his putre- fied flesh, and devoured him alive." After suffering tortures the most tormenting for five days, he died, an awful instance of pride and impiety. 20. About the year 44, a season of great scarcity prevailed in Ju- dea, which seriously affected the Christian converts in that country. This event having been foretold to the Gentile converts at Antioch, by some one divinely inspired, (Acts xi, 28,) they sent relief to their breth- ren by the hands of Barnabas and Paul, who, when they had accom- plished the object of their mission, returned to Antioch. This famine is noticed by Josephus, Eusebius, and others. Its occurrence present- ed an opportunity to the believing Gentiles to give to the Church at Jerusalem a token 3^ 30 PERIOD II....34....70. of their fervent love and affection, emmemly calculatedHo remove from the minds of the Jews any remains of jealousy, which might still exist, about the admission of the Gentiles into the kingdom of Christ. The religion of Jesus produces kindness and charity between its converts, how widely soever they may be separated in name or nation. The above instance presents a happy illustration of the spirit which prevail- ed among the primitive converts of the Gospel. 21. The following year, 45, Paul, in connection with Barnabas, both of whom were now solemnly recognised as apostles, by fasting and prayer, accompanied by the imposition of hands, (Acts xiii.) commenced his^?"*^ apostolic journey ; and after visiting Cyprus and the provinces of Pamphylia, Pisidia, and Lycaonia, he returned to Antioch. On leaving Antioch, Paul first came to Seleucia, fifteen miles below the former place, whence he sailed to Cyprus, a large island of the Mediterranean, about one hundred miles from the coast of Syria. Having landed at Salamis, he proceeded to Paphos, in the western extremity of the island, where he was instrumental of convert- ing Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul, and where he struck Elymas, a sorcerer, blind, for attempting to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Leaving Paphos, he next sailed to Perga, a town in Pamphylia, not far from the coast of Asia Minor, whence he passed to Antioch in Pisidia. To the Gentiles in this place, the apostles preached with success ; but the unbelieving Jews exciting a persecution agamst them, they shook the dust from their feet, as a testimony against them, and came to Iconiimi. Iconium was then the chief city of Lycaonia, and even to this day is a considera- bl^. town, under the name of Cogni, situated at the foot of Mount Taurus. Here, (Acts xiv.) a great multitude both of Jews and Gentiles believed the testimony of the apostles. But a division arising in the city, which was likely to result in an assault upon them, they prudently retired to Lystra and Derbe. These were both cities of Lycaonia, and in both, the apostles preached the Gospel. In the former place, Paul, having restored a cripple to the perfect use of his limbs, the inhabitants, in a moment of surprise and ecstasy, declared the apostles to be gods j and were scarcely prev^ented from doing them divine homage. Here, also, a young man, by the name of Timothy, w^as converted, who afterwards became a mmister, and to whom Paul addressed two of his epistles. While the apostles remamcd here, the adversaries who had persecuted them at Iconium, made tlicir appearance, nnd seizing Paul, drew him out of the city and stoned him, leaving him, as they thought, dead. They had not, however, accomplished their purpose ; for while his friends stood round him, he rose up, and walked into the city, whence, the next day, he and P)arna- bas departed to Derbe. Having here, also, successfully proclaim_ed the name of Jesus, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, establishing the converts which they had made to the faith. Upon this second visit, they also ordained ministers in every Chiirch. Hence they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia, preach- ing the word in Perga, and passing through Attalia, sailed for Antioch, whence they had set out. 22. While Paul and Barnabas were tarrying at Antioch, some Jew- ish Christians coming thither, taught, that circumcision and obedi- ence to the laws of Moses were essential to salvation. A controversy on this subject, at length, arising in the Church, Paul and Barnbas were dispatched to Jerusalem, (Acts xv.) to refer the points in dispute to the decision of the apostles and elders. Accordingly, a council of the Church was at this time held, (A. D. 49,) by which it was unanimously decided, that neither circumcision, nor the observance of the laAV of Moses, could be of any avail in respect to salvation, but only the atone- ment of Christ. With this decision, the apostles returned to Antioch, and were happy in healing a division, which was likely to endanger the peace of the Church. LABORS OF THE APOSTLES. 31 23. The above controversy having been thus amicably settled, Paul commenced his second journey, A. D. 50. In this journey, he went through Syria, Cilicia, Derbe, and Lystra; through Phrygia, Gala- tia, Mysia, and Troas. Thence sailing to Samothracia, he passed Neapolis, Philippi, Amphipolis, Thessalonica, and Berea, to Athens. Thence, the following year, to Corinth, A. D. 51, where he resided a year and a half. From Corinth, he departed to Cenchrea ; whence, embarking for Syria, he touched at Ephesus and landed at Caesarea. Thence, he went to Jerusalem for the fourth time since his conversion, and again returned to Antioch. In this journey, Paul, having differed in opinion from Barnabas, as to the expedi- ency of talving Mark as an assistant, separated from the former, and was accompani- ed only by Silas. On his arrival at Lystra, (Acts xvi.) finding Timothy, his former convert, commended for his gifts and zeal, he chose him as an Eissociate in the work of the ministiy, to which office he was now solemnly separated. The apostle's stay at Phrygia and Galatia was short. Passing Mysia, he next came to Troas, where he was joined by Luke, the writer of the Acts of the Apostles. At Troas, Paul had a vision in the night. There stood beside him a man of Mace- donia, and besought him, saying, " Come over into Macedonia and help us." Inter- preting this as a divine call to preach the Gospel in Greece, he loosed from Troas, %vith his companions, and sailed for Samothracia, an island in those seas ; passing which, however, he came to Neapolis, a sea-port of Macedonia, and immediately proceeded to Philippi. Philippi was the chief city of that part of Macedonia. Few Jews, it appears, were resident here, since we find no mention made of any synagogue in the city. Here Paul was instrumental in converting Lydia and her household, and in ejecting an evil spirit, which had taken possession of a damsel, who was employed by certain persons as a fortune-teller for the sake of gain. For this act, ^Paul and Silas, besides being treated with other marks of severity, were cast into prison, and secured in the stocks. (Acts xvi. 23.) The consolations of the Gospel were not wanting to the apostles in this season of distress. They could pray, and even sing, in their dungeon, and that, too, at the hour of midnight. Nor were their prayers unanswered ; for while they were in the midst of their devotions, God caused an earthquake to occur, by which their fetters fell from their feet, and their prison doors were opened. To add to their joy, the hard-hearted jailer fell before them convicted, humbled, and repentant ; and, to complete their triumph, the apostles received an apology from the magistrates in the morning, accompanied, however, by a request that they would depart out of the place. It may be added that the seed sovra by the apostles in this city afterwards sprang up, and a Church was gathered, which was highly distinguished for its order, peace, and affection. Leaving Philippi, as requested, the apostle proceeded through Amphipolis and ApoUonia, to Thessalonica. (Acts xvii. 1.) This was now the metropolis of all the countries comprehended in the Roman pro^'iiice of Macedonia. It was the residence both of the proconsul and qucestor. so thai, beuig the seat of government, it was con- stantly filled with strangers. The success of the apostles among the Thessa- lonians may be gathered from his first epistle, which he -v^Tote not long after to this Church, in which he reflects, T\dth the highest emotions of joy, upon the cordiality with which the Gospel had been received by them. Patil and Silas, great as had been their success, were at length driven from Thessa- lonica, in consequence of a persecution, raised by the envious and unbelieving Jews ; upon which they came to Berea. To the honor of the Bereans. it is recorded, that they received the doctrines of the Gospel ^vith the ittmost readiness of mind, and daily searched the Scriptures, whether the things declared by the apostles were so, or not. Intimation having reached Thessa- lonica, that Paul was preaching with great success at Berea. liis enemies there followed him 10 Berea, from which he now departed to Athens. (Acts xvii. 5.) Although the poUtical splendor of Athens, when Paul visited it, had passed its zenith, 32 PERIOD II.. ..34. ...70. it was still as famous for learning as it had ever been. It was full of philosophers, rhetoricians, orators, painters, poets, and statuaries ; it was full of temples, and altars, and statues, and historical moniunents. But, with all the advantages arising from a refined taste and a highly cuUivated literature, the Athenians were, in a spiritual view, in a condition the most deplorable, since they were ignorant of the true God. Paul preaching at Athens. Early discovering their ignorance as to this cardinal doctrine, the apostle aimed to enlighten their minds on the subject. But no sooner did he attempt to direct them to the Creator of all thin^, 'than he was brought before the court of Areopagus, on a charge of being a set'tfef 'forth of strange gods. His defence, though an admirable specimen of reasoning, (Acts xvii. ) failed to convince the proud philosophers of Athens. Dionysius, however, one of the Areopagite judges, and Damans, a woman of some note, became his converts. These, with a few others, consorted with Paul during his stay, and were the beginning of a jChurch m that city, which, at a later period, became numerous and respectable, ""j' ''* From Athens, the apostle proceeded to Corihtfit' This city was situated on a narrow neck of land, which joined the Peloponnesus to Greece ; in consequence of which, it commanded the commerce of both Asia and Europe. It was nearly as famous for learning and the arts as Athens itself. In luxury and profligacy, it even exceeded. The success of the apostle at Corinth was so small, that he was about to take a speedy departure from it ; but in a vision he was directed to prolong his stay. Thus encou- raged, he continued there a year and six months, during which, he gathered a nume- rous Church, ennched with a plenitude of spiritual gifts. While here, he wrote his First Epistle to the Thessalonians, which is generally thought to have been the first written of all his fourteen Epistles. By some, however, it is thought that he had previously wTitten his Epistle to the Galatians, and that he did it at Antioch, before he left that city to take his present journey into Greece. During the period the apostle continued at Corinth, it seems probable that he made an excursion from that city into Achaia. While in this latter region, his ene- mies forming a conspiracy, seized him, and dragged him before Gallio, the deputy of Achaia. The deputy, however, had no dispositon to listen to the charge, and therefore drove his accusers from the judgment-seat. (Acts xviii. 12.) Returning to Corinth, he continued there sometime longer ; but, at length, sailed for the port of Cenchrea, whence the vessel proceeded to Ephesus. Quitting this city, with a promise to return to them when the Lord should permit him, he landed at Csesarea ; whence he proceeded to Jerusalem to perform a vow, after the form of a Nazarite, (Intro. Sec. 11,) which he had made at Cenchrea; which, having accom- plished, he once more came to Antioch. 24. During the year 51, while Paul was on his second journey, the emperor Claudius was poisoned by his wife, for the purpose of placing Nero, her son by a former husband, on the throne. LABORS OF THE APOSTLES. 33 The education of Nero had been committed to Seneca, the philosopher ; and at the commencement of his reign, he acted in some respects not unworthily of the wise maxims Avhich he had received from his preceptor. But his natural depravity and ferocity soon broke forth, and he surpassed all his predecessors in every species of profligacy. During a part of his reign. Christians suffered a most dreadful perse- cution, as will be seen in a future page. 25. Having spent a short season with his friends at Antioch, Paul again took leave of them, A. D. 53, and commenced his third jour- ney, (Acts xviii. 25,) in Avhich he visited Galatia, Phrygia, and Ephesus, at which last place, having resided for three years, (till 56,) he proceeded thence by Troas to Macedonia. In the year 57, he journeyed through Greece to Corinth, and returned through Macedonia, Philippi, Troas, and Assos. Thence sailing by Mitylene, Chios, and Samos, he touched at Trogyllium, Miletus, Coos, Rhodes, Patara, Tyre, and Ptolemais, and landing at Ccesarea, proceeded to Jerusalem for ^e fifth time since his conversion, A. D. 58. Little is recorded of the apostle during his journey through Galatia and Phrygia, imtil he came to Ephesus. This was at that time the metropolis of the province of Asia, and an exceedingly populous city. It was famous for an immense temple dedi- cated to the goddess Diana. This edifice was four hundred and tw'enty-five feet long ; tv/o hundred and twenty ':ioad ; supported by one hundred and twenty-seven stately pillars, each of which was sixty feet high, the work of a king who erected them as a token of his piety and magnifi- cence. The entire structure was two hundred and twenty year's in building, and was ranked among the seven wonders of the world. It had been twice destroyed by fire pre- viously to its present enlarged and improved state ; the first time, on the day that Socra- tes was poisoned, and the second time, on the night in which Alexander the Great was bom. In this latter instance, it was set on fire by one Erostratus, who, being condemned to death for the crime, confessed that he had destroyed this exquisite structure, solely "that he might be remembered in futiue ages." The temple was, however, again rebuilt and most magnificently adorned by the Ephesians. When Paul visited the city, it was in all its glory ; and was the resort of multitudes, some of whom came to worship the goddess, and others to learn the arts of sorcercy and magic, and for other purposes. It should be added concerning Ephesus, that, at this time, Satan seems to have erect- ed in that city his very throne of idolatry, superstition, and magic ; and to have reigned over the minds of his deluded subjects with uncontrolled sway. Happy was it that the apostle now visited the place, to invade this empire of darlmesss, and to storm the strong holds of wickedness it contained. Here, for the space of three years, the apostle con- tinued to labor wdth his characteristic zeal and fideUty. Signal success attended his preaching ; for " God wrought special miracles by his hands," and " fear fell on them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified." Such was the power of divine tnith upon many who had been engaged in the devices of exorcism, conjuration, and magic, that they brought their books, in which were prescribed the various forms of incanta- tion, and, in the presence of the people committed them to the flames. The esti- mated value of the books consumed, was fifty thousand pieces of silver, exceeding three hundred and thirty thousand doUai's. Notwithstanding the success of Paul's ministry in Ephesus, he found many powerful adversaries in that city. Many of the inhabitants derived considerable wealth by manufacturing miniature representations of the temple of Diana, and of the image of that goddess, which was said to have fallen dowTi from Jupiter. To these the apostle v;as particularly obnoxious ; and fearing lest his preaching would ruin their trade, they made an assault upon his companions, whom they would probably have murdered, had not the authorities rescued them from their hands. Having been thus signally blessed in his labors, not ordy in respect to collecting a Church and ordaining its proper oflicei-s in Ephesus, but in conuuunicating the Gospel to many parts of Asia by means of strangers, who, while visiting the city, had beea 5 34 PERIOD II.. ..34. ...70. converted by his ministiy, Paul departed ; and, after spending three months in Greece, he rapidly iourneyed towards Jerusalem by the route already mentioned, where he an-ived, A. D. 58. (Acts xxi. 15.) 26. Soon after the arrival of the apostle at Jerusalem, his life was greatly endangered by a party of Jews, who found him in the tem- ple with several Greeks, purifying themselves according to the Jewish law. He was, however, rescued at this time, and from a further plot ao"ainst him, by Lysias, the commander of the Roman garrison ; who, at length, for the safety of the apostle, found it necessary to send him to Felix, at that time gavernor of Cossarea. The hatred of the Jews to Paul arose from his having taught the Gentiles, in the coun- tries in which he had preached, that it was not necessary for them to practise circum- cision, nor to observe the Jewish customs. The apostle had indeed thus instructed the Gentiles, although he permitted the Jews to follow their own inclination on this subject, and did himself, from respect to their 'prejudices, confonn to the Mosaic rites. The Jews, however, were not contented, so long as Paul did not teach the Gentiles, that these rites, were essential to snlvation. To prove to the Jews his willingness to respect their prejudices, he went into the temple wth several Greeks, to purify himself with them, according to the law. The presence of Greeks in the temple, being Gentiles, was supposed by the Jews to pollute it ; hence, they came upon Paul, who would probably have fallen a victim to their blind zeal, had not Lysias interposed, and taken him into his o\ni custody. On the succeeding day, the apostle was brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin, with a ■view of having his conduct investigated by that great national council. (Acts. xxii. 30.) But a contention arising among its members, who were partly Pharisees, and partly Sadducees, Lysias deemed it prudent to withdraw Paul, and bring him into the castle. The life of Paul, however, was now in still greater danger, by reason of a conspiracy formed by a company of forty Jews, who had bound themselves by an oath, not to eat or drink, till they had killed him. The plot, however, coming to the Imowledge of Lysias, he sent Paul to Felix at Ccesarea, under an escort of two hundred soldiers, as many spearmen, and seventy horsemen, with a letter explanatory of the whole affair. 27. Felix thus having jurisdiction of the case, gave it a partial hearing, but dismissed it with a promise of a further investigation at another time. (Acts xxiv.) Being succeeded, however, in the govern- ment by Porcius Festus, Paul, who had been retained a prisoner, was at length summoned to trial by the governor ; but waiting for a decision, he took advantage of his privilege as a Roman citizen, and appealed to ■ Caesar's judgment-seat. (Acts xxvi.) • Dirring Paul's detention at Ca-sarea, Fehx and his pretended wife Drusilla, having a curiosity to hear him on the subject of his rehgion, called him before them. The topics upon which the apostle insisted, were admirably adapted to the case of his distingaiish- ed auditors, hving as they did in an adulterous connection. So exact was the portrait W'hich Paul drew of the governor, and so faithful was conscience to apply the apostle's discourse, that Felix trembled. He dismissed the apostle, saying to him, " Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient season 1 wiU call for thee." The gover- nor did indeed again send for him, and communed with him often, but it -was imder a hope of obtaining from his prisoner a smn o{ money to piux-hase his release. Not less bold and interesting was the apostle, on a subsequent occasion of addressing FesUts and Agrippa. In tliis latter instance, he gave a succinct account of his birth, education, and miraculous conversion. Kindling, as he proceeded, into an ardor for which the apostle was pecuUar, testus, in the midst of his defence, interrupted him and pronomiced him, '• mad." Courteously denying the charge, the apostle appealed to Agrippa for the tnith of what he spake, this appeal forced from the king an acknow- ledgment, that he was almost persuaded to become a Christian. Happy for him, had his persuasion, at this time, been complete. LABORS OP THE APOSTLES. k 2S. Paul, having appealed to Ccesar, was accordingly sent to Rome, under the charge of one Julius, a centurion. (Acts xxvii.) Leav- ing Caesarea, A. D. 60, they touched at Sidon, sailed north of Cyprus and touched at Myra, thence by Cnidus and Salmone, to Fair Havens. The ship was driven by Clauda, and wrecked near Melita, now Malta, where they wintered. (Acts xxviii.) Thence, A. D. 61, they sailed to Syracuse, Rhegium, and Puteoli, whence, proceeding by land to Appii Forum and the Three Taverns, they came to Rome. The voyage of Paul to Rome was attended by various trials and dangers. Having touched at Sidon and Mvra, after leaving Caesarea, with much difficulty they reached Fair Havens, a port in the island of Crete, now Candia. Hence embarking contrary to the advice of Paul, the vessel was shortly after overtaken by a violent storm, by which, fom-teen days after, they were \\Tecked on the island of Melita; but the whole crew, consisting of two hunrlred and seventy-six souls, by the special care of Pro'vidence, was ultimately brought safe to land. Shipwreck of Paul. On this island Paul and his companions continued three months, being treated v/ith much kindness by the inhabitants, though called barbarians. Here Paul wrought seve- ral miracles. Sailing from 3Ielita, the apostle proceeded to Sjnracuse, in Sicily; thence to Pihegi- mn, and next to PuteoU, near to the city of Naples. From the latter place to Eome, his jomiiey was about one hundred miles by land. At Appii Fonun, and the Three Taverns, the former of which was distant from Rome fifty, and the latter thirty miles, several disciples came to meet him. The sight of these seemed to refresh his spirit, and, taking courage, he at length reached the imperial city, A. D. 61, in the seventh year of the emperor Nero. 29. At Rome Paul v\ras held a prisoner for two years, but he was permitted to live in his own hired house, attended by a soldier, who guarded him b}'' means of a long chain fastened to his right, and to the soldier's left arm. Although we have no authentic particulars of his trial and release, it seems probable that he was ^et at liberty, at the expiration of the above mentioned period. During the two years of his imprisonment, the apostle wrote his Epistle to the Ephe- sians, to the Colossians, to the Philippians, and the short letter to Philemon ; and it is thought that, soon after his release, he composed his Epistle to the Hebrews. At Rome he was attended by several disciples, among Avhom were Tychicus, Onesimus. Mark, Demas, Aristarchus, Luke, and others. 30. The remaining history of the apostle is, in a measure, un- certain. From intimations in his epistles it seems probable, that after 36 PERIOD II.. ..34.. ..70. his release, A. D. 63, he visited Crete, Colosse, and Ephesus, whence he went into Macedonia, calling at Troas. In Macedonia, he visited the Church at Philippi, from which he proceeded to Nicopolis, a city of Epirus, where he spent the winter. From this place it is conjectured he visited Miletus in Crete, taking Corinth in his way. Thence he proceeded to Rome, about A. D. 65, where he suffered martyrdom. 31. Before the arrival of Paul at Rome, the first of the ten 'perse- cutions against the Christians had been commenced by Nero, A. D. 64^ upon pretence, that they had set fire to the city, by which a great part of it was laid in ashes — a crime chargeable upon the emperor himself. Kero caused the city to be set on fire, that it might exhibit the representation of the burning of Troy. While the city was in flames, he went up into the tower of Mojce- nas, played upon his harp, and declared, " that he wished the ruin of all things before hi.> death." Among the noble buildings burned was the circus, or a place appropriat- ed to horseraces. It was half a mile in length, of an oval form, with rows of seats rising above each other, and capable of receiving, with ease, upwards of one hundred thousand spectators. The conflagration lasted nine days. To avert from himself the public odium of this crime, he charged it upon the Christians, whom he now indiscri- minately put to death by various means of exquisite cruelty. Some were covered vAih. the skins of wild beasts, and torn by dogs ; others were crucified ; and others still, being covered with wax. and other combustibles, with a sharp stake put under their chins to make them continue upright the longer, were set on fire, that they might give light in the night to the spectators. Nero ofiered his gar- dens for the spectacle, which was accompanied by a horserace, at which the emperor was present in the attire of a charioteer. Many thousands are supposed thus to have perished in Rome. Nor was the perse- cution confined to the city, but is supposed to have spread through the empire, and to have extended into Spain. Among the victims of Nero's cruelty was Paul, and probably Peter. The last view which we have of this latter apostle in the Scriptures, presents him at Antioch, about A. D. 50. After this, he preached the Gospel in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bythinia. It is supposed that he came to Rome about the year 63. Thence, a little before his martyrdom, he -wrote his two epistles. Tradition records that he suffered at the same time with Paul, and was crucified -with his head downward, a kind of death which he himself desired, most probably from an unfeigned humility, that he might not die in the same manner as his Lord had done. Crucifixion of Peter. Concerning the labors of the other apostles, and of others who were engaged in spreading the Gospel in these primitive times, scarcely any thing is recorded, upon LABORS OF THE APOSTLES. 37 which with safety we may depend. It cannot be supposed, however, that they remain- . ed silent and inactive ; nor that they did not meet with a share of that success, which attended their colleagues. The apostles and evangelists, as we learn from the Scriptures and historical fragments, were early spread abroad among the distant nations ; and even before the destruction of Jerusalem, the Gospel had been preached to multitudes in several parts of the known world. Within thirty years from the death of Christ, says Dr. Paley, the institution had spread itself through Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, almost all the numerous dis- tricts of the Lesser Asia, through Greece and the islands of the JEgean Sea, the sea- coast of Africa, and had extended itself to Rome, and into Italy. At Antioch in Syria, at Joppa, Ephesus, Corinth, Thessalonica, Berea, Iconium, Derbe, Antioch in Pisidia, at Lydda, Saron, the number of converts are spoken of as numerous. Converts are also mentioned at Tyre, Csesarea, Troas, Athens, Philippi, Lystra, Damascus. The First Epistle of Peter accosts the Christians dispersed throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bylhinia. In still more distant fields the other apostles labor- ed ; and though we have no certain accoimts of their success, it is reasonable to con- clude that wherever they erected their standard, multitudes were gathered together, so that almost the whole world was at this early period, in a measure, made acquainted with the knowledge of Christ and him crucified. 32. In the year 68, Nero (who had succeeded the emperor Claudius, A. D. 51.) put an end to his infamous life, upon which the persecution ceased. To Nero succeeded Galba, who, after a reign of seven months, was succeeded by Otho, who enjoyed the imperial crown but three months, being slain by the profligate Viiellius. He, in turn, was assassinated before he had completed the first year of his reign, giving place to Vespasian^ a distinguished general, who was declared emperor, by the unanimous consent of the senate and army. During his reign, the destruction of Jerusalem was effected under command of his son Titus, as will be tioticed in the following period. DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS IN PERIOD U. 1 — 11. The apostles Peter, Andreto, James, John, Philip, Bartholo- view, Matthexo, Thomas, James the Less, Simo7i the Canaanite, and Jiide. 12. Stephen, a deacon of the Church at Jerusalem, and the first martyr. 13. Paid, the great apostle to the Gentiles. 14. Luke, a-physician, the companion of Paul, and the writer of the third Gospel, and the Acts of the Apostles. 15. Mark, an evangelist, the writer of the Gospel which bears his name. 16. Philip, a deacon of the Church at Jerusalem, distinguished for converting the eunuch of Candace, queen of Ethiopia. 17. Barnabas, an evangelist, the companion and fellow laborer of Paul. 18. Timothy, also an evangelist, a disciple of Paul, to whom this apostle addressed two of his epistles. 1. Pe?e/-,,who was chief of the apostles, was the son of John, of the city of Bethsai- da in Galilee. He was one of the three apostles who were present at the transfigura- tion, and it was to him, particularly, that the Savior commended the care of his sheep. When Jesus was betrayed, Peter displayed great coiu-age ; but, when he saw that his IMaster was detained as a malefactor, his courage failed him, and he denied him. But after the ascension of Christ, Peter evuiced great boldness in the cause of the Gospel. By his preaching about three thousand souls \vere converted on a single occasion, and a little after five thousand. (Sec. 4 and 5.) "WTien imprisoned by Herod Agrippa, (Sec. 19,) he was set at liberty by an angel, and sent forth to preach the Gospel out of Judea. Under the persecution of Nero, Peter, who is supposed to have preached the Gospel in Pontus, Galatia, &C., came to Rome, A. D. 63, where, some time after, he was put to death, by being crucified with his head downward. (Sec. 31.) 38 PERIOD II.. ..34. ...70. 2. Andrew, a fisherman of Galilee, was the brother of Peter. After oitr blessed Lord had ascended, and the Holy Ghost had descended upon the apostles, he departed, it is said, to preach the Gospel to the Scythians ; and on his journey to their country, preach- ed m Cappadocia, Galatia, Bithynia, and along the Eiixine Sea, winning many soitls notwithstanding the savageness of the people. At Sinope, where he met Peter, the inhabitants of the city, being Jews for the greater part, did what they could to oppose the apostle's doctrine. Afterwards, he travelled through many provinces, till he came to Byzantium, (now Constantinople,) where he founded a Church, and ordained Stachys (whom Paul calls his beloved Stachys) bishop of that city. He then took his journey through Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, Achaia, and, as some affirm, Ephesus; and, having planted the Gospel in many places, came to Patrae, a city of Achaia, where he sealed his testimony with his blood. He was fastened upon the cross with ropes, that he might be longer dying, the cross being two beams like the letter X. From this cross, after he was fastened to it, he preached to the people, it is said, for the space of two days ; and by his admirable patience converted many to the faith. 3. James, called the Great, was the son of Zebedee and brother of John. He was by birth a Galilean, and by occupation a fisherman. With Peter and John, he was a spectator of our Savior's transfiguration upon the mount, and was with him in the garden, at the time of his agony. This apostle preached to his countrymen the Jews. Herod Agrippa, grandson to Herod the Great, caused a great number of Christians to be imprisoned, and amongst the rest this apostle. A short time after, sentence of death was passed upon him, and he was slain with the sword. As for the tyrant, divine justice overtook him ; he was eaten of worms until he died. (See Acts xii. 23.) 4. Juhn was the brother of James, and pursued the same profession. From his respect and attention to Jesus, he seems to have been his favorite disciple. He preached the Gospel in Asia, and penetrated as far as Parthia. At length, he fi_xed his residence at Ephesus. Daring the persecution of Domitian, (Period HI. Sec. 3,) he was dragged to Rome, and thrown into a caldron of boiling oil, from which he received no injury. He was afterwards banished to Patmos, at which place he wrote his Apocalypse. In the reign of Nerva, he returned to Ephesus, where he wrote his Gospel, A. D. 97 or 98, the design of which was to refute the errors of Cerinthus and Ebion, who maintained that our Savior was a mere man. He wrote, besides, three epistles. He died at Ephesus, in the reign of Trajan, about A. D. 100, having attained to the great age of nearly one hundred years. 5. Philip was born at Bethsaida. Our Savior, when in Gahlee, called Philip to follow him. Happy in having found the Messiah, Philip sought for Nathaniel, to whom he imparted the glad tidings. And, reader ! if you know the truth as it is in Jesus, you should also try to lead your friends to a knowledge of the same. When this apostle came to have his portion set apart, where he should prea?h the Gospel, part of the Upper Asia, it is said, fell to his lot, and some affirm that he preached in Scythia. Having for many years carried on this great work, he came to Hierapolis, a city in Phr>'gia, where the people worshipped a serpeni by the name of Jupiter Ammon. There, it is related, he preached the Gospel, and many of the idolaters became ashamed of the god they had worshipped, and were converted to the Christian faith. Satan, perceiving his kingdom falling, raised a persecution, and the apostle was carried to prison, scourged, and there hanged by the neck to a pillar. 6. Bartholomew. — The ancients suppose that Bartholomew was the same person as Nathaniel, that " Israelite indeed." He preached the Gospel to the Jews and Gentiles, accompanying Philip for the mosj, part ; and went, it is said, to hither India, by which some understand Arabia Felix. When Ponteanus, a philosopher, but a Christian, went there many years after, lie found fllatthew's Gospel written in Hebrew, which was reported to be the Gospel Bartholo'uew left behind him, when he planted the Gospel there. It has been said, that at Hierapolis, a city in Phrygia, he would probably have sufi'ered v/ith Philip, had not an earthquake overawed his executioners, for he was at the same time bound to a cross ; but when they saw that tUvine vengeance was ready to overtake them, they set him at liberty. From thence he travelled to Lycaonia, and thence departed to Albanopolis, in Armenia the Great, a place much given to idola- trous worship. The governor of the city caused him to be apprehended. His sentence was crucifixion ; and when the day of execution came, he went cheerfully to death, exhorting his disciples to keep steadfast in the faith and doctrine that they had received LABORS OF THE APOSTLES. 39 which was able to make them wise unto salvation. Several affirm that he was cruci- fied with his head downwards. 7. Matthew, called Levi, was bom at Nazareth. He was a pubUcan, or tax-gatherer. He preached in Judea for several years, and at his departure wrote his Gospel. Some think that he went into Parthia, and having planted Christianity there, then travelled into Asiatic Ethiopia, where, by his preaching and working miracles, he converted many to the Christian faith. Having contiaued some time with them, it is said that he went into a country of cannibals, constituting Plato, one of his followers, bishop of Myremena. We find, in an ancient author, that he suffered martyrdom at Naddabar, a city of Ethiopia. 8. Thomas. — This apostle had two names, Thomas and Didymus. The province assigned him, Origen intbrms us, was Parthia ; and Sophronius says, that he preached the Gospel to the Persians, Medes, Cannanians, Hyrcanians, Bactrians, and other peo- ple. It is recorded by an ancient writer, (but it does not seem at all probable,) that in Persia he met the three wise men who came to present their offerings to our Savior at his birth ; and that after he had baptized them, he took them with hira as his fellow- laborers in the Gospel. He probably then went to Asiatic Ethiopia, and at last to the Ea.st Indies, and preached the Gospel so far as Pabrobane, (either Ceylon or Sumatra.) The tradition of the natives is, that Thomas came first to Socotra, an island in the Arabian Sea, and thence departed to Cranganor, and, having planted the Gospel thera, went to the kingdom of Coromandere, preaching in many towns and villages, and at last came to Meliapour, the chief city. There, after having converted many to the faith, he was about to found a Church for worship ; but being forbidden by Sagamo, a prince of that country, it ceased for some time ; afterwards, the apostle having converted the prince and a great part of his nobihty, it was built. This so enraged the Brahmans, that they sought to destroy the apostle ; and one day, when he was preaching in a soUtary place, one of them stabbed him with a spear. 9. James the Less was the brother of Simon and Jude, and on account of the great virtues of his character, received the surname of Just. He was first appointed the bishop of Jerusalem, and, for his firmness, he was called by Paul one of the piUars of the Church. Ue '.vas put to death by a blow of a fuller's club, under Annanias the high priest, A. D. 62. His epistle to the dispersed Hebrew converts are preserved among the canonical books of the New Testament. 10. Simon, according to some, preached the Gospel in Egypt, Lydia, and Mauritania, and at last suffered martyrdom in Persia. 11. Jude, who was the author of an epistle, is sometimes called Thaddeus, Lebbeus, or the Zealous. He is said to have preached the Gospel in Lydia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Idumea, and Arabia, and suffered martyrdom at Berytus, about A. D. 80. 12. Stephen. See Sec. 10. 13. Paul. See Sec. J2, and onwards. 14. Luke was a physician of Antioch, and was converted by Paul, of whom he after- wards became the faithful associate. Besides his Gospel, which he composed in very pure language, he wrote the Acts of the Apostles. He lived, according to Jerome, to his 83d year. 15. 3Iark was the disciple of Peter, by whose directions he is supposed to have written his Gospel, for the use of the Roman Christians, A. D. 72. Some imagine that he is the person to whose mother's house Peter, when released from prison by an angel, went. The foimdation of the Church of Alexandria is attributed to him. 16. Philip. — Of this evangelist, little more is recorded, than what has been related above. 17. Barnabas was a Levite, born at Cyprus. On his conversion, he sold his estate, and delivered his money to the apostles, and was afterwards sent to Antioch to confirm the disciples. He preached the Gospel in company with Paul, and afterwards passed wth Mark into Cyprus, where he was stoned to death by the Jews. 18. Timothy, who was the disciple of Paul, was a native of Lystra, in Laconia, and the son of a pagan by a Jewish woman. He afterwards labored with Paul in the propagation of the Christian faith, and was made by him first bishop of Ephesns. It is supposed that he was stoned to death, A. D. 97, for opposing the celebration of an impious festival in honor of Diana. Tortures of the Primitive Christians. PERIOD III. THE PERIOD OF PERSECUTION EXTENDS FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSA- LEM, A, D. 70, TO THE REIGN OF CONSTANTINE, A. D. 306, 1. The accession of Vespasian to the imperial dignity, A. D. 70, was an event singularly auspicious to the Roman empire, as it was connected with the restoration of peace and tranquillity to its distracted millions ; and equally joyful to the Church, as, during his reign, she enjoyed a respite from the calamities of persecution. 2. The event which most signalized the reign of Vespasian, was the utter destruction of the city of Jerusalem by his son Titus, A. D. 70, according to the predictions of Christ, (Matt, xxiii.) ; in consequence of which, the Jewish Church and state were dissolved. Before this event, it is worthy of special notice, the followers of Christ had left the city, having been previously warned of its approach ; nor is it recorded, that a single Christian suffered during this revolution. A.S the destruction of Jerusalem contributed in various ways to the success of the G-ospel, we shall here give a brief account of the causes -^'hich preceded, and of the circumstances which attended, this revolution, the most awful in all the religious dispensations of God. From the time of Herod Agrippa, whose death has already been noticed, (Period II. Sec. 19,) Judea had been the theatre of many cruelties, rapines, and oppressions, aris- ing from contentions between the Jewish piiests, the robberies of nuiuerous bands of banditti, which infested the country ; but, more than all, from the rapacious and flagi tious conduct of the Koman governors. The last of these governors, was Gessius Floras, Avhom Josephus represents as a mon- PERSECUTION. 41 ) ster in wickedness and cruelty, and whom the Jews regarded rather as a bloody execu- ^ tioner, sent to torture, than, as a magistrate, to govern them. During the government of Felix, his predecessor, a dispute arising between the Jews and Syrians, about the city of Caesarea, their respective claims were referred to the Emperor Nero, at Rome. The decision being in favor of the Syrians, the Jews imme- diately took arms to avenge their cause. Floras, regarding the growing insurrection with inhuman pleasure, took only inefficient measures to quell it. In this state of thhigs, Nero gave orders to Vespasian to march into Judea with a powerful army. Accordingly, accompanied by his son Titus, at the head of sixty thou- sand well disciplined troops, he passed into Galilee, the conquest of which country was not long after achieved. While Vespasian was thus spreading the victories of the Roman anns, and M^as preparing more ellectually to curb the still unbroken spirit of the Jews, intelligence anived successively of the deaths of Nero, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, and of his own election to the throne. Departing, therefore, for Rome, he left the best of his troops with his son, ordering him to besiege Jerusalem, and utterly to destroy it. Titus lost no time in carrying into efiect his father's injunctions ; and accordingly, putting his anny in motion, he advanced upon the city. Jerusalem was strongly fortifi- ed, both by nature and art. Three walls surrounded it, which were considered impreg- nable ; besides which, it had numerous towers surmounting these walls, lofty, firm, and strong. The circumference of the city was nearly four EngUsh miles. Desirous of saving the city, Titus repeatedly sent offers of peace to the inhabitants ; but they were indignantly rejected. At length, finding aU efforts at treaty ineffectual, he entered upon the siege, determined not to leave it, till he had razed the city to its foundation. The internal state of the city soon became horrible. The inhabitants being divided in their counsels, fought with one another, and the streets were often deluged with blood, shed by the hands of Idndred. In the mean time, famine spread its horrors abroad, and pestilence its ravages. Thousands died daily, and were carried out of the gates, to be biuied at the public expense ; until, being unable to harry to the grave the wretched victims, so fast as they feU, they filled whole houses with them, and shut them up. . During the prevalence of the famine, the house of a certain lady, by the name of Miriam, was repeatedly plundered of such provisions as she had been able to procure. So extreme did her suffering become, that she entreated, and sometimes attempted to provoke such as plundered her, to put an end to her miserable existence. At length, frantic with fury and despair, she snatched her infant from her bosom, cut its throat, and boiled it ; and having satiated her present hunger, concealed the rest. The smell of it soon drew the voracious human tigers to her house ; they threatened her with the most excruciating tortures, if she did not discover her provisions to them. Thus being compeUed, she set before them the relics of her mangled babe. At the sight of this horrid spectacle, inhuman as they were, they stood aghast, petrified with horror, and, at length, nished precipitately from the house. When the report of this spread tlirough the city, the horror and consternation were as universal as they were inexpressible. The people now, for the first time, began to think themselves forsaken of God. In the mind of Titus, the recital awakened the deepest horror and indignation. " Soon," said he, " shall the sun never more dart his beams on a city, where mothers feed on the flesh of their children ; and where fathers, no less guilty than themselves, choose to drive them to such extremities, rather than lay down their arms." Under this determination, the Roman general nbw pushed the siege with stiU greater vigor, aiming particularly, in the fii'st place, to obtain possession of the temple. The preservation of this noble edifice was strongly desired by him ; but one of the Roman soldiers, being exasperated by the Jews, or, as Josephus thinks, pushed on by the hand of Providence, seized a blazing firebrand, and getting on his comrade's shoulders, threw it through a window mto one of the apartments that surrounded the sanctuary, and instantly set the whole north side in a flame up to the third story. Titus, who was asleep in his paviUon, awaked by the noise, immediately gave orders to extinguish the fire. But the exasperated soldiery, obstmately bent on destroy- ing the city, and all it contained, either did not hear or did not regard him. The flames 6 4# 42 PERIOD III.. ..70.. ..306. continued to spread, until this consecrated edifice, the glory of the nation, the admiration of the priest and prophet of God, became one mingled heap of ruins. To this a horrid massacre succeeded, in which thousands perished, some by the flames, others by fall- ing from the battlements ; and a greater nmnber still, by the enemy's sword, which spared neither age, nor sex, nor rank. Next to the temple, were consumed the trea- sury houses of the palace, though they were full of the richest furniture, vestments, plate, and other valuable articles. At length, the city was abandoned to the fury of Uie soldiers, who spread rapine, and murder, and fire through every street. The number who perished during the siege, has been estimated as little shon of a million and a half. The conquest of the city being achieved, Titus proceeded to demolish its noble struc- tures, its fortifications, its palaces, its towers, and walls. So literally and fully were the predictions of the Savior accomplished, respecting its destruction, that scarcely any thing remained, which could serve as an index- that the ground had ever been inhabited. Thus, after a siege of six months, was swept from the earth a city Avhich God had honored more than any other ; a temple, in which his glory had been seen, and his praises sung, by priest and prophet, for a succession of ages ; an altar was gone, which had smoked with the blood of many a victim ; a dispensation was ended, which had exist- d for ages ; a nation, as a nation, was blotted from being, which had oathved some of the proudest monuments of antiquity. Such were the consequences to the Jewish nation of rejecting arid- trucifying the Son of God. From the day in which the Roman general led his triumphant legions from the spot, the Jews have been " without a king, without a prince, and \\dthout a sacrifice ; without an altar, without an ephod, and without divine manifestations." Dispersed tlirough the world, — despised and hated by all, — persecuted and yet upheld, lost, as it were, among ihe nations of the earth, and yet distinct, — they live, — they live as the monuments of the truth of Christianity, — and convey to the world the solemn lesson, that no nation can reject the Son of God -with impunity. Following the destruction of Jemsalem, Vespasian caused coins or medals to be made at Rome, commemorative of this great -event. Some of these are stdl in exis- tence. The following represents the two faces of the coin, in which Vespasian, the emperor, is seen standing with a javelin in his hand, while a Jewish captain is sitting, weeping beneath a pahu tree. 3. On the death of Vespasian, his son Titus was declared emperor, during whose short reign of two years and nearly eleven months, the Churches enjoyed a state of outward peace, and the Gospel was every where crowned with success. The death of Titus was an occasion of inexpressible grief to his subjects, and cause of deep regret to the friends of true piety ; for although he did not espouse Christianity, he neither persecuted it himself, nor suifered others to persecute it. It was an excla- mation of this prince, worthy even of a Christian, upon recollecting, one evening, that he had done no beneficent act diuing the day, " My friends ! I have lost a day." 4. To Titus succeeded Domitian, A. D. 81, having opened his way to the throne, as was*suspected, by poisoning his brother. In his temper PERSECUTION. 43 and disposition, he inJierited the savage cruelty of the monster Nero. Yet he spared the Christians in a considerable degree, until about the beginning of the year 95, when he commenced the second general 'perse- cution ; in Avhich several Were put to death, and others were banished, both in Rome and the provinces. Amon^: those put to death by Domitian, was Flavius Clemens, his cousin ; and among the banished were the wife and niece of the latter, both named Flavia Doma- tilla. The crime alleged against the Christians at this period, and which drew down upon them the cruel hand of persecution, was that of atheism ; by which is to be under- stood, that they refused to offer incense on the altars of the heathen deities. During this persecution, the apostle John was banished by order of the emperor to Patmos, a soUtary island in the Archipelago. Before his banishment, TertuUian tells ■us, that he was cast into a caldron of boiling oil, from which he came out uninjured. The miracle, however, softened not the obdurate heart of Domitian, who probably ascrib- ed the safety of the apostle to magic. In Patmos, John wrote the Book of Revelation. After Domitian's death, he returned, and presided over the Asiatic Churches. Several interesting stories are related of this beloved disciple, which have, however, been doubted by some ecclesiastical histoiians. After his return from banishment, it was his practice to visit the neighboring Churches, partly to ordain pastors, and partly to regulate the congi'egations. At one place in his tour, observing ayouth of a remarka- bly interesting comitenance, he warmly recommended him to the care of a particular pastor. The yoiUh was baptized, and, for a time, comported himself like a Christian. At length, however, being corrapted by company, he became idle and intemperate, and fled to a band of robbers, of M'hich he became the captain. Some time after, John took occasion to inquire concerning the yoimg man, and finding, to his inexpressible grief, that he lived u-ith his associates upon a mountain, he repaired to the place, and exposed himself to be taken by the robbers. When seized, the apostle said, " Bring me to your captain." The young robber, beholding him coming, and, being struck with shame, immediately fled. . Upon this, the holy man pursued him, crying, " My son, why fliest thou from thy father, unarm- ed and old ? Fear not ; as yet there remaineth hope of salvation. Beheve me, Christ hath sent me." Hearing thiS; the 5^ovmg man stood still, trembled, and wept bitterly. At the earnest entreaty of John, he returned to the society of his Christian friends, nor would the apostle leave him, till he judged him fully restored by divine grace. It may be added, concerning this apostle, that, after his return from Patmos, his life was prolonged for three or four years, having outhved all the other disciples, and been preserved to the age of almost an hundred years. 5. The second- general persecution ended with the death of Domitian, who was assassinated, A. D. 96, at the instigation of his wife, whom the tyrant was designing to destroy. The senate elected an old man by the name of Nerva as his successor, who, being of a gentle and humane dispo- sition, put an end, for the present, to the calamities of the Church. Nerva pardoned such as had been imprisoned for treason ; recalled the Christian exiles, and others who had been banished ; restored to them their sequestered estates, and granted a full toleration to the Church. According to Dio Cassius, he forbade the persecution of any person, either for Judaism or for impiety ; by which is to be under- stood Christianity ; for so the heathen regarded the latter, on account of its being hostile to their worship, and because the Christians, haviag neither altars nor sacri- fices, v/ere generally considered by them to be also without religion. 6. After a short and brilliant reign of sixteen months, Nerva died, A. D. 98 ; and . was succeeded by Trajan, during whose reign the boundaries of the Roman empire Avere greatly enlarged, while literature and the arts were magnificently patronized. In respect to Christianity, however, Trajan greatly sullied the glory of his reign, for soon after his accession, the" third general persecution was begun, and continued nineteen years, till he was succeeded by Adrian. 44 PERIOD III.. ..70.. ..306. On ascending the throne, Trajan conferred the government of the province of Bythi- nia upon the celebrated Phny. In this province, the edicts which had been issued by former emperors seem still to have been in force, and accordingly Christians were often brought before the proconsul. Hesitating to carry these edicts into execution, on account of their great severity, PUny addressed the following letter to Trajan on the subject. The letter seems to have been written in the year 106, or 107. " C. Plinv, to the Emperor Trajan, wishes health. " Sire ! It is customary with me to consult you upon every doubtful occasion ; for where my own judgment hesitates,, who is more competent to direct me than yourself, or to instruct me where uninformed ? I never had occasion to be present at any exami- nation of the Christians before I came into this province ; I am therefore ignorant to what extent it is usual to inflict punishment, or urge prosecution. " I have also hesitated whether there should not be some distinction made between the young and the old, the tender and the robust ; whether pardon should not be offer- ed to penitence, or whether the guilt of an avowed profession of Christianity can be expiated by the most unequivocal retraction — whether the profession itself is to be regarded as a crime, however innocent in other respects the professor may be ; or whether the crimes attached to name, must be proved before they are made Uable to punishment. " In the mean time, the method I have hitherto observed with the Christians, who have been accused as such, has been as follows. I interrogated them — Are you Chris-^ tians ? If they avowed it, I put the same question a second, and a third time, threaten-* ing them with the punishment decreed by the law : if they still persisted, / ordered them to be iniviediaiely executed ; for of this I had no doubt, whatever was the nature of their religion, that such perverseness and inflexible obstinacy certainly deserved punishment. Some that were infected with this madness, on account of their privileges as Konjan citizens, I reserved to be sent to Rome, to be referred to your tribunal. " In the discussion of this matter, accusations mvdtiplying, a diversity of cases occur- red. A schedule of names was sent me by an unkno-wn accuser, but when I cited the persons before me, m.any denied the fact that they were or ever had been Christians ; an A they repeated after me an invocation of the gods, and of your image, which for this purpose I had ordered to be brought with the statues of the other deities. They performed sacred rites with wine and frankincense, and execrated Christ, none of which thmgs, I am assured, a real Christian can ever be compelled to do. These, therefore, I thought proper to discharge. " Others, named by an informer, at first acknowledged themselves Christians, and then denied it, declaring that though they had been Christians, they had renounced their profession, some three years ago, others still longer, and some even twenty years ago. All these worshipped your image and the statues of the gods, and at the same time execrated Christ. " And this was the account which they gave me of the nature of the religion they once had professed, whether it deserves the name of crime or error ; namely, that they were accustomed on a stated day to assemble before sunrise, and to join togeth- er in singing hymns to Christ, as to a deity ; binding themselves as with a solemn oath not to commit any kind of wickedness ; to be guilty neither of theft, robbery, nor adultery ; never to break a promise, or to keep back a deposit when called upon. " Their worship being concluded, it was their custom to separate, and meet together again for a repast, promiscuous indeed, and without any distinction of rank or sex, but perfectly harmless ; and even from this they desisted, since the publication of my edict, in which, agreeably to your orders, I forbade any societies of that sort. " For further information, I thought it necessary, in order to come at the truth, to put to the torture two females who were called deaconesses. But I could extort from them nothing except the acknowledgment of an excessive and depraved superstition ; and therefore, desisting from further investigation, I determined to consult you, for the number of culprits is so great as to call for the most serious deUberation. Informations are pouring in against multitudes of every age, of all orders, and of both sexes , and more will be impeached ; for the contagion of this superstition hath spread, not only through cities, but villages also, and even reached the farmhouses. " I am of opinion, nevertheless, that it may be checked, and the success of my endea- vors hitherto forbids despondency ; for the temples, once almost desolate, begin to be PERSECUTION. 45 •again frequented ; the sacred solemnities, which had for some time been intermitted, are now attended afresh ; and the sacrificial victims, which once could scarcely find a purchaser, now obtain a brisk «ale. Whence I infei, thai many might be reclaimed, -were the hope of pardon, on their repentance, absolutely confirmed." To this letter Trajan sent the following reply: — " My deak Pliny, <•' You have done perfectly right, in managing, as yor, have, the matters which re- late to the impeachment of the Christians. No one geuerai rule can be laid down which will apply to all cases. These people arc not to be himted up by mformers ; but if accused and convicted, let them be executed ; yet with this restriction, that if any renounce the profession of Christianity, and give proof of it by olTering svipphcation to our gods, however suspicious their past conduct may have been, they shall be pardoned on their repentance. * But anonymous accusations should never be attended to, since it would be establishing a precedent of the worst kind, and altogether inconsistent with the maxims of my government" The moral character of Pliny is one of the most amiable in all pngan antiquity, and Trajan himself has been high% commended for his afiahility, h"^ simplicity of man- ners, and his clemency. How, then, can it be accounted lor, that ti, se men, and others of a similar amiable character, should have been so disgusted with Christianity, and have persecuted it wdth rancor, when it appeared in its greatest beauty ? The answer given by Bishop Warburton is this : that wttrmvnnunity of worship was a fimdamental doctrine of paganism. Had, therefore, the Christians consented to miw git with the pagans in their worship, they would never have been persecuted. But, so far from this, Christianity exalted itself ahov& paganism, and would have no cmmection with It. It claimed not only to be the true, but the only true religion on the earth. This excited the jealousy and indignation of the advocates of paganism, and was the true cause why the advocates of Christianity were so often and so g.icvously persecuted. That this was the cause, may be confirmed by the fact, ihat the Jews, who disclaim- ed all connection with Paganism, were persecuted in niuch the same manner. The emperor Julian, who well understood this matter, frankly owns that the Jews and Christians brought the execration of the world upon them, by their aversion to the gods of pagamsm, and their refusal of all communication with them. From the above letters of Pliny and Trajan, it is apparent, that, at this early period, Christianity had made great progress in the empire ; for Pliny acknowledges that the pagan temples had become " almost desola'e." It is also evid-^nt with what jealousy the profession was regarded, and to what dreadful persecution the disciples of Christ were then exposed. Christianity was a capital offence, punishable with death. Nor did the humane Trajan, or the philosophic Pliny, entertain a doubt of the pro- priety of the laws, or the wisdom and justice of executing them in their fullest extent. Pliny confesses that he had commanded such capital punishments to be inflicted :rx many, chargeable wdth no crime but the profession of Cliristianity ; and Trajan not only confirms the equity of the sentence, but enjoins the continuance of such executions, excepting on these who should again do homage to pagan deities. These letters also give a pleasing view of the holy and exemplary lives of the first Chiistians. For it appears, by the confession of apostates themselves, that no man could continue a member of their communion, whose deportment in the world did not correspond with his holy profession. Even delicate women were put to the torture, to compel them to accuse their brethren ; but not a word, nor a charge, could be extorted from them, capable of bearing the semblance of crime or deceit. Nor should we overlook the proof ^'hich these letters afford of the peaceableness of the Christians of those days. According to Phny's own representation, they was so nume- rous, that, had they considered it lawful, they might have defended themselves by the power of the sword. Persons of all ranks, of eveiy age, and of each sex, had been converted to Christianity ; their numbers were so great as to leave the pagan temples a desert, and their priests solitary. But the Christians, nevertheless, meditated no hostili- ty to the government, and made no disturbance. In all points in which they were able, they avoided giving oflfence. Of the individuals who suffered during this persecution, Simeon and Ignatius are the most conspicuous. Simeon was bishop of Jerusalem, and the successor of James. Je- rusalem was indeed no more, but the Church existed in some part of Judea. Some 46 PERIOD III.. ..70.. ..306. heretics accused him before Atticus, the Roman governor. He was then 120 years Old, and was scourged many days. The persecutor was astonished at his hardiness, but remained stUl unmoved by pity for his sufferings. At last he ordered him to be cru- cified. Ignatius was bishop of Antioch, and in all things was like to the apostles. In the year 107, Trajan, being on his way to the Parthian war, came to Antioch. Ignatius, fearing for the Christians, and hoping to avert any storm which might be arising against them there, presented himself to the emperor, offering to suffer in their stead. Trajan received the apostolic man with great haughtiness ; and being exasperated at the frankness and independence which he manifested, ordered him to be sent to Rome, there to be thrown to the wild beasts, for the entertainment of the people. From Antioch, Ignatius was hurried by his guards to Seieucia. Sailing thence, he arrived after great fatigue at Smyrna ; where, while the ship was-detained, he was al- lowed the pleasure of visiting Polycarp, who was the bishop of the Christians of that city. They had been fellow disciples of the apostle John. The mingled emotions of joy and grief experienced by these holy men, at this interview, can scarcely be conceived. Intelligence of his condemnation spread through the Church, and deputies were sent from many places to console him, and to receive some benefit by his spiritual com- munications. To various Churches he addressed seven epistles ; four of which were written at this time from Smyrna. At length, the hour of final separation came, and Ignatius was hurried from the sight and consolations of his friends. Having arrived at Rome, he was not long after led to the amphitheatre, and thrown to the wild beasts. Here he had his wish. The beasts were his grave. A few bones only were left ; which the deacons, his attendants, gathered, carefully preserved, and afterwards buried at Antioch. Ignaatius thrown lo wild beasts. During this persecution, Symphorosa, a widow, and her seven sons, were ordered by Trajan to sacrifice to the heathen deities. Refusing to comply with tliis impious request, the emperor, greatly exasperated, ordered her to be carried to the temple of Hercules, where she was scourged, and himg up, for a time, by the hair of her head ; then a large stone was fastened to her neck, and she was thrown into the river. Her sons were fastened to seven posts, and being drawn by pulleys, their limbs were dislo- cated ; but as these tortures did not shake their fortitude and resolution, they were martyred. The oldest was stabbed in the throat ; the second, in the breast ; the third, in the heart ; the fourth, in the navel ; the fifth, in the back ; the sixth, in the side : and the youngest was sawn asunder. What a deplorable view do such accounts present of the himaan heart, in respect to the ancient persecutors ! What a lovely view of the power of the Gospel, in sustaining, even children, amidst so much suffering ! 7. Trajan died in the year 117, and was succeeded by Adrian ; during whose reign of twenty-one year.s, the condition of the Church was less PERSECUTION. 47 distressing than it had been during the time of his predecessor. Adrian issued no persecuting edicts, and by his instructions to several of the governors of the provinces, he seems to have checked the persecution so much, that it was neither so general, nor so severe, as it had been under Trajan, During the reign of Adrian, the empire flourished in peace and prosperity. He encouraged the arts — refonned the laws — enforced military discipline — and visited all the provinces in person. His vast and active genius was equally suited to the most enlarged views, and the minute details of civil poUcy ; but the ruUng passions of his soul were curiosity and vanity. As these prevailed, and were attracted by different objects, Adrian was, by turns, an excellent prince, a ridiculous sophist, and a iealous tyrant. After his death, the senate doubted whether they should pronounce him a god, or tyrant. In the sixth year of his reign, Adrian came to Athens, where he was initiated in the Eleusinian mysteries. At this time, the persecutors were proceeding with sanguinary rigor ; when Quadi-atus, bishop of Athens, presented to the emperor an apology for Christians. About the same time, Arislides, a Christian writer at Athens, also present- ed an apology. These appeals, it is thought, had a favorable effect upon Adrian's mind. Yet a letter from Serenus Granianus, proconsul of Asia, may be conceived to have moved him still more. He wrote to the emperor, "that it seemed to him unrea- sonable that the Christians should be put to death, merely to gratify the- clamors of the people, without trial, and without any cnme proved against them." To this, Adrian replied to Minutus Fuudanus, who in the mean time had succeeded Granianus, as follows : " To Minutus Fundanus. "I have received a letter written to me by the very illustrious Serenus Granianus, whom you have succeeded. To me, then, the affair seems by no means fit to be slightly passed over, that men may not be disturbed without cause, and that syco- phants may not be encouraged in their odious practices. If the people of the province win appear publicly, and make open charges against the Christians, so as to give them an opportunity of answering for themselves, let them proceed in that manner only, and not b}' rude demands and mere clamors. For it is much more proper, if any person will accuse them, that you should take cognizance of these matters. If, therefore, any accuse, and shew that they actually break the laws, do you deter- mine according to the nature of the crime. But, by Hercules, if the charge be a mere calumny, do you estimate the enormity of such a calumny, and punish as it deserves." This order seems to have somewhat abated the fury of the persecution, though not wholly to have put an end to it. During the reign of Adrian, the Jews once more revolted, and attempted to free themselves from the Roman yoke. Their leader was an infatuated man by the name of Barochebas, who assumed the title of king of the Jews, and committed many excesses. Against the Jews Adrian sent a powerful army, which destroyed upwards of one hundred of their best towns, and slev/ nearly sLx hundred thousand men. The issue of this rebellion was the entire exclusion of the Jews from the territory of Judea. 8. The successor of Adrian was Aiitoninus Pius, a senator, who ascended the throne, A. D. 138. He was distinguished for his love of peace, his justice, and clemency. Without embracing the Gospel, he so far approved of Christianity, as decidedly to discountenance the persecution of its professors. Accordingly, during the three and twenty years of his reign, it seems reasonable to conclude that Christians were permitted to worship God in peace. In some places, as in several of the provinces of Asia, notwithstanding the kind dis- position of Antoninus towards the Christians, they were cruelly persecuted for a season. The crimes they were accused of, were atheism and impiety. Earthquakes also happened, and the pagans being much terrified, ascribed them to the vengeance of heaven against the Christians. These charges were abundantly refuted by Justin «8 PERIOD III... .70... .306. Martyr, who presented his first apology to the emperor, A. D. 140. This ha-d *t» desired effect, for the emperor addressed the following edict to the common council of Asia, which exhibits botli his justice and clemency : " THE EMPEROR TO THE COMMON COUNCIL OF ASIA. " I am clearly of opinion, that the gods will take care to discover such persons as those to whom you refer. For it much more concerns them to punish those who refuse to worship them, than you, if they be able. But you harass and vex the Christians, and accuse them of atheism, and other crimes, which you can by no means prove. To them it appears an advantage to die for their religion, and they gain their point, while they throw away their lives, rather than comply with your injunctions. As to the earthquakes, which have happened in times past, or more recently, is it not proper to remind you of your own despondency, when they happen ; and to desire you to com- pare your spirit with theirs, and observe how serenely ihey confide in God? In such seasons, you seem to be ignorant of the gods, and to neglect their worship. You Uve in the practical ignorance oi' the Su^^reme God himself, and you harass and persecute to death those who do worship him. Concerning these same men, some others of the provincial governors wrote to our divine father Adrian, to whom he returned for answer, ' that they should not be molested, unless they appeared to attempt some- thing against the Roman government.' Many, also, have made application to me, concerning these men, to whom I have returned an answer agreeable to the maxims of my father. But if any person will still persist in accusing the Christians, merely as such, lei the accused be acquitted, though he appear to be a Christian, and let the a.:i'ser be punished." Set up at Ephesus in the common assembly of Asia. Letters of similar import were also wTitten to the Larisseans, the Thessalonians, the Athenians, and all the Greeks, and the humane emperor took care that his edicts should be carried into effect. 9. Antoninus Pius adopted for his successor, his son-in-law, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, who ascended the throne, A. D. 16. Like his predecessor, he is said to have been distinguished by his virtues ; yet, during the nineteen years of his reign, he was an implacable enemy to Christians. During his time, the fourth persecution took place; and in many parts of the empire it was attended by circumstances of peculiar aggravation and severity. It has excited no little w^onder among some, that a prince so considerate, so humane, and, in general, so well disposed as Marcus is allowed to have been, should have been so unfriendly to Christians, and should have encouraged such barbarous treatment of their persons. It should be remembered, however, that he belonged to the Stoics, a sect, which, more than any other, was filled with a sense of pride and self-importance. They considered the soul as divine and self-sufficient. Hence the pride of philosophy in this prince was wounded and exnsperated by the doctrines of the Gospel, which presented man in a fallen state, and inculcated humility and dependence. Hence, he was prepared to encourage hostility to the professors of Cluristianity, and to look with pleasure upon every effort to exterminate them from the earth. On the accession of Marcus, Asia became the theatre of the most bitter persecution. We have room, however, to notice the death of only a single individual, the venera- ble Polycarp. He had now been pastor of a Church in Smyrna about 80 years, and was greatly respected and beloved, on account of his uisdom, piety, and influence. He was the companion of Ignatius, who had already received the crown of martyrdom, and with him had been the disciple of the apostle John. The eminence of his character and station marked out Polycarp as the victim of persecution. Perceiving his danger, his friends persuaded him to retire for a season to a neighboring village, to elude the fury of his enemies. The most diligent search was made for him ; but being unable to discover the place of his concealment, the persecutors proceeded to torture some of his brethren, with a design of compelling them to disclose the place of his retreat. This was too much for the tender spirit of PERSECUTION. 49 Polycarp lo bear. Accordingly, he made a voluntary surrender of himself to his enemies ; inviting them to refresh themselves at his table, and requesting only the privilege of an hour to pray without molestation. This being granted, he continued his devotions to double the period, appearing to forget himself in the contemplation of the glory of God. Having finished his devotions, he was placed upon an ass, and conducted to the city. AVhen brought before the proconsul, efibrts were made to induce him to abjure his faith, and to swear by the fortune of Caesar. Tliis he peremptorily refused ; upon whieh he was threatened ^\ith being made the prey of wild beasts. " Call for them," said Polycarp, " it does not well become us to turn from good to evil." "Seeing you make so hght of wild beasts," fejoined the consul, " I will tame you with the punishment of fire." To this, the aged disciple repUed, "you threaten me uith a fire that is quickly extinguished, but you are ignorant of the eternal fire of God's judg- ment reserved for the wicked in the other world." Polycarp remaining thus inflexible, the populace begged the proconsul to let out a lion against him . But the spectacle of the wild beasts being finished, it was deter- mined that he y.ould be burnt alive. Accordingly, preparations were made, during which this holy man was occupied in prayer. As they were going to nail him to the stake — " Let me remain as I am," said the martyr, " for he who giveth me strength to sustain the fire, will enable me to regiain unmoved." Putting his hands behind him, they bound him. He now prayed aloud, and when he had pronounced Amen, they kindled the fire ; but after a while, fearing lest he should not certainly be dis- patched, an officer standing by, plunged a sword into his body. His bones were afterwards gathered up by his friends and buried. 1 Polycarp buml. In the same 3'ear that Polycarp was put to death, (A, D, 166.) Justin Martyr drew up a second apolog)'', which he addressed to the emperor Marcus, and to the senate of Rome. It seems, however, rather to have irritated, than softened the temper of the times. Crescens, a philosopher, a man of abandoned life, whom Justin had reproved, laid an information against him before the prefect of the city, and procured his imprisonment. Six others were imprisoned at the same time. These, with Justin, being brought before the prefect, were urged to renoimce their profession, and sacrifice to the ^ods. But continuing firm in their attachment to their rehgion, Rusticus, the magisn-ate sentenced them to be first scourged, and then beheaded, according to the laws. In this decision the disciples even rejoiced, being counted worthy to sufier. When led back to the prison, they were whipped, and afterwards beheaded. Their bodies were taken by Christian friends, and interred. Thus fell Justin, (surnamed Martyr, from the manner of his death,) a man of distin- guished powers, and the first man of letters that had adorned the Church, since the ajioslle Paul. He has. however, been censured for his attachment to philosojAy, by 7 5 60 PERIOD III.. ..70.. ..306. " which he seems to have been bewildered, and at times led astray. He was, however, sincerely atta,ched to the religion of the Gospel ; he loved the truth, and thongh, after he became converted, he persevered in the profession of philosophy and letters, in which perhaps he gloried too much, he nevertheless advocated the principles of Chris- tianitj' when assailed ; by these he hved, and by these he serenely died. Towards the close of the reign of this emperor, A. D. 177, the flame of persecution reached a country, which had, hitherto, furnished no materials for ecclesiastical histo- ry^ viz, — the kingdom of France, at that time called Gallia. The principal seat of the persecution appears to have been Vienne and Lyons, two cities lying contiguous to each other in that province. Vienne was an ancient Roman colony ; Lyons was more modern. Each had its presbyter. Pothinius stood related to the former ; Irenseus to the latter. By whom, or by what means the light of the Gospel was first conveyed to this coun- try, is imcertain ; for the first intelhgence that we have of the existence of a Church in this province, is connected with the dreadful persecution, which came upon these two cities. The conjecture of Milner, however, appears reasonable. " Whoever," says this historian, '' casts his eye upon the map, and sees the situation of Lyons, at pre- sent the largest and most populous city in the kingdom, except Paris, may obser\''e how favorable the confluence of the Rhine and the Soane, where it stands, is for the purpose of commerce. The navigation of the Mediterranean, in all probabihty, was conducted by the merchants of Lyons and Smyrna, and hence the easy introduction of the Gospel from the latter place, and from other Asiatic Churches, is apparent." Of the above persecution, an accoimt was sent by Ireuffius, who seems to have out- lived the violent storm, in an epistle to the brethren in Asia and Phrygia, from which our information is derived. The persecution commenced by the furious attack of the populace. Christians did not dare to appear in any public places, such as the markets, the baths, nor scarcely in the streets, much less could they assemble for worship, without the greatest danger. They were not safe in their own houses. They were plmidered, dragged on the ground, stoned, beaten, and accused to the magistreites of the most abominable crimes. All the tender ties of relationship were dissolved ; the father delivered up the son to death, and the son the father. In order to make them recant, and abandon their profession, the most cruel tor- tures were inflicted. The inhuman ruler commanded them to be scourged with whips, to be scorched by applying heated brazen plates to the most tender parts of the body. To prepare them for a renewal of such barbarous treatment, they were remanded to prison, and again brought forth, some to a repetition of similar cruel- ties ; others to die under the hands of their persecutors. Various were the ways in which the martyrs were put to death ; some were thrown to the beasts, others roast ed in an iron chair, and many were beheaded. Slow Tortures. On the last day of exposing the Christians to wild beasts, Blandina, a female, who had before been exposed, but whom the wild beasts would not touch, was again PERSECUTION. 51 produced. With her was associated a magnanimous youth, by the name of Ponticus, only fifteen years of age. This youth, being required to acknowledge the heathen deities, and refusing to do so, the multitude had no compassion for either of them, but subjected them to the whole round of tortures, till Ponticus expired, and Blandi- na, having been scourged, and placed in the hot iron chair, was put into a net, and exposed to a bull ; and after being tossed for some time by the furious -. nimal, she was at length dispatched with a sword. The spectators acknowledged, that they had never known any female bear the torture ^\^lth such fortitude. 10. Marcus Aurelius was succeeded by his son Commodus, A. D. 180; during whose reign of nearly thirteen years, the Church throughout the world enjoyed a large portion of external peace, and greatly increased in numbers. Commodus himself was one of the ]nost unworthy of mortals, and attained, as Gibbon observes, " the summit of vice and infamy." Historians attribute the tole- ration which he granted to Christians, to the influence which Marcia, a woman of low rank, but his favorite concubine, h'ad obtained over him. On some account, not now understood, she had a predilection for the Christian religion, and success- fully employed her interest Avith Commodus in its favor. Incompatible as her cha- racter appears to have been with any experimental acquaintance with piety, God made use of her as a means of stemming the torrent of persecution. The Gospel flourished abundantly, and many of the nobility of Rome, with their famiUes, em- br.aced it. 11. In the year 192, Commodus being put to death by his domestics, Pertinax, formerly a senator, and of consular rank, was elected to fill his place. Although an amiable prince, he reigned but eighty-six days, being slain, during a rebellion of the army, by the prastorian guards. 12. On the death of Pertinax, the sovereign power devolved on Septimus Severus, A. D. 193 ; who, during the first years of his reign, permitted the Christians to enjoy the peace which had been granted by Commodus and Pertinax ; but in the tenth year of his reign, A. D. 202, he commenced i\\e fifth persecution, which, for eight years, spread a deep gloom over the Church. Severus, before his elevation to the throne, had been governor of the provmce of France, and had largely participated in the persecutions of the Church of Lyons and Vienne. A Uttle previously to exhibiting his hostility to the Christians in the fifth persecution, he had returned victorious from a war in the east, and the pride of prosperity induced him to forbid the propagation of the Gospel. In the African provinces, the persecution was carried on with great fury. This whole region abounded with Christians, though of the manner in which the Gospel was mtroduced, and of the proceedings of the first teachers, we have no account. The persecutions in Africa generally, and in Carthage particularly, led Tertullian, the distinguished pastor of the latter place, to wTite his grand apology for Christianity ; in which he gives a pleasing view of the spirit and behavior of Christians in his day, and of their adherence to the faith, order, and discipline, of still more primitive times. The persecution under Severus was not confined to Africa, but extended into Asia, and the province of Gaul. Lyons again became the seat of the most dreadful ravages. Iren?eus, the pastor of the Church in that city, had survived the former sanguinary conflict ; but in this he obtained the crown of martrydom. At this trying season, some of the Churches purchased a casual and uncertain peace, by paying money to the magistrates and their informers. The morality of such a measure may perhaps be questioned by the nice casuist ; but their property was their own, and of little importance, in comparison with only a partial enjoyment of the privileges of the Gospel. 13. After a reign of eighteen years, Severus died, and was succeeded by Caracalla, A. D. 211; who, though in other respects a monster of 52 PERIOD III 70. ...306. wickedness, neither oppressed the Christians himself, nor permitted others to treat them with crueUy or injustice. 14. Caracalla enjoyed the imperial dignity but six years, being assassi- nated by Macrinus, who was elected by the army to succeed him, A. D. 217. The latter, however, enjoyed his elevation but fourteen months, being supplanted by Heliogabulus, A. D. 218, who caused him to be put to death. 15. Heliogabulus, although distinguished for his profligacy, had the merit of exhibiting no hostility to the disciples of Christ; having, probably, been too much occupied v/ith his pleasures to notice them. After a reign of only three years and nine months, he was slain, and was succeeded, A. D.222, by his cousin, Alexander Severus, a prince of a mild and beneficent character ; during whose reign of about thirteen years, the Church enjoyed a tolerable share of tranquillity. The mother of Alexander appears to have beea favorablj^ disposed towards the Christians ; and to her influence is attributed, in a measure, the toleration which they enjoyed under her son. An instance of this emperor's conduct towards the Christians, is highly worthy of notice. A piece of common land had been occupied by the Christians, and on it they erected a Church. This ground was claimed by a certain tavern-keeper, and the disputed point was brought before the emperor. •■' It is better," said Alexander, " that God should be served there, in any manner whatever, rather than that a tavern should be made of it." He selected from the sacred writings some of the most sententious sayings, and caused them to be transcrib- ed, for the admonition of his magistrates, and for the use of his people. " Do as you wouldbe done by," was often upon his lips, and he obliged the crier to repeat it, when any person was punished. He caused it to be written on the vralls of his palace, and on the public buildings. 16. In the year 235, the virtuous Alexander and his amiable mother were put to death, during a conspiracy raised by Maximin, the son of a herdsman of Thrace ; who, by means of the army, was made emperor. The sixth persecution occurred during his reign ; which, however, fortunately for the Church, was limited to three years. Cruelty towards his subjects, especially towards those distinguished by birth or rank, seems to have been the ruling passion of this tyrant, engendered, as is suppos- ed, by a consciousness of his mean and barbarous origin, his savage appearance, and his total ignorance of the arts and institutions of civil life. The malice of Maximin against the house of the late emperor, by whom the Chris- :ians had been so peculiarly favored, stimulated him to persecute them bitterly ; ind he gave orders to put "to death the pastors of the Churches, whom he knew Alexander had treated as his intimate friends. The persecution, however, was not confined to them ; the flame extended even to Cappadocia and Pontus. 17. From the death of Maximin, A. D. 238, to the reign of Decius, A. D. 249, the Church enjoyed considerable repose ; and the Gospel made extensive progress. During this interval, reigned Fupienus, Balbinus, Gordian, and Philip, the last of whom was the first Roman emperor who professed Christianity. Next to Philip came Decius, A. D. 249, whose reign is distinguished for the seventh persecution, which raged with great violence throughout the empire, for the space of thirty months, when he was succeeded by Gallus. 18. In consequence of the rest which the Church had now experienced, for the space of nearly forty years, excepting the short reign of Maxi- tniii — i.e. from the death of Septimus Severiis, 211, to the compience* PERSECUTION. 53 ment of the reign of Decius, 249, the discipline of the Church had become exceedingly low ; and the primitive zeal of Christians was much abated. Milner, speaking of the state of the Church at this time, says, " it deserves to be remarked, that the first grand and general declension, after the primary effusion of the Divine Spirit, should be fixed about the middle of this century." The beauty of the Church had, indeed, become sadly marred. Ambition, pride, and luxury, the usual concomitants of a season of worldly ease and prosperity, had greatly sullied the simplicity and purity of former days. The pastors neglected their charges for worldly preferment, and even embarked in schemes of mercantile speculation. 19. Such being the state of the Church, it cannot be surprising that her Great Head should apply a remedy adapted to her lapsed condition, and by a sanguinary persecution, (such as was that of Decius,) bring professors back to their former zeal and piety. 20. From the above account, it might be inferred, as was the melan- choly fact, that the persecution under Decius was distinguished, beyond all that preceded it, for the number of apostasies from the faith of the Gospel. Until this time, few instances are on record of the defection of any from theii integrity, even m the severest persecutions, by which the Church had been afflicted ■, but now vast numbers, in many parts of the empire, lapsed into idolatry. At Rome, even before any were accused as Christians, many ran to the forum, and sacrificed to the gods, as they were ordered ; and the crowds of apostates were so great, that the magistrates wished to delay numbers of them till the next day ; but they were importuned by the wretched suppUants to be allowed to prove themselves heathen that very night ; thereby exhibiting the weakness of their faith, and the insincerity of their profession. 21. Notwithstanding the numberless melancholy apostasies which are recorded of these times, and which were deeply wounding to the cause of Christianity ; there were those, who rendered themselves illustrious, by their steady adherence to the faith, even amid the pains of martyr- dom. Such an example is presented in Pionius, a presbyter of the Church in Smyrna, whose bishop, Eudemon, had apostatized, with numbers of his flock. Pionius being apprehended, was brought, with other sufferers, into the market-place, before the multitude, in order to undergo the torture. The zealous presbyter, with a loud voice, courageously defended his principles, and upbraided the apostatizing with a breach of theirs. Such was the force of his eloquence, that the magistrates began to fear its effect upon the multitude, and the excellent Pionius was hurried to prison. A few days after, the captain of the horse came to the prison, and ordered him to the idol temple, there to deny his faith ; which Pionius refusing to do, the captain put a cord about his neck, and dragged him along the streets to the scene of idolatry. Before the altar stood the unhappy Eudemon, bearing the emblems of his apostasy and disgrace. To have seen his bishop bleeding on the rack, or burning in the fire, though a sight painful to a feeling mind, yet all would have been in character ; but to see him thus offering insult to his divine Master, and wounding his cause to save himself from a temporal affliction, was a sight more affecting to such a man as Pionius, than if he had seen all the beasts of the theatre ready to fall upon himself. In a few days, Pionius was brought before Quintilian, the proconsul. Tortures and entreaties were again tried, but tried in vain. Enraged at such obstinacy, the pro- consul ordered that Pionius should be burnt alive. Exulting in the sentence, he cheerfully prepared for the concluding scene, thankful that his Savior had preserved him from turning aside, and had counted him worthy to suffer for his name. His executioner having prepared the materials for the martyrdom, Pionius stretched 5# 54 PERIOD III.. ..70.. ..306. himself upon the stake, to which he was nailed by the soldier. " Change your mind, (said the executioner) and the nails shall be takert out again." " I have felt them," -rjid the martyi- ; and then, after a few moments' thought, added, " 0 Lord, I hasten." The stake was then raised up, with the martyr fixed to it, and placed in the socket prepared for it, and the fire was lighted. For some time Pionius remained motion- U;ss, his eyes shut, and his spirit evidently in holy converse with God. At length, opening his eyes, with a cheerful countenance, he said, '■ Amen — Lord, receive my soul." 22. During" this persecution was laid the foundation of ■monkery, by one Paul, in Egypt ; who, to avoid the persecution, retired to the deserts •of Thebais ; where, acquiring a love for solitude, he continued from the ao-e of twenty-three the remainder of his life, which was protracted to the unusual length of one hundred and thirteen years. From this example of seclusion sprang, in the course of a few years, swarms of monks and hermits, a tribe of men not only useless but burdensome, offensive, and disgraceful to Christianity. At the age of fifteen, Paul was left an orphan, but entitled to a great estate. His education was respectable, his temper mild, and in profession decidedly a Christian. [le had a sister, with whom he hved, whose husband had formed a design to apprehend him, in order to obtain his estate. Apprised of this, Paul retire J, as above stated, and when the fury of the times had abated, having no disposition to return 'o the world, passed the remainder of his days in solitude. No one can blame hun for fleeing the storm of persecution, but when that had spent itself, he sliould have returned to the discharge of the duties of life among mankind. 23. Among those who were at this time pre-eminent in the Church, and of distinguished service in preserving it from ruin, was Cyprian, bishop of Carthage. During the persecution he was obliged to flee, for which some have censured him ; but, during his retreat, he was laboriously engaged in writing consolatory and encouraging epistles to the afflicted Churches ; by which many professors were greatly com- forted, and many doubtless preserved from apostatizing. Cyprian was by birth a man of family. His fortune was considerable, and his prospects in the world promising. He was bred to the bar, received a liberal education, and was distinguished as an orator. His conversion took place in the year 246, upon which, in the most decided manner, he devoted himself and his i-abstance to the cause of Christ. In the year 248, just before the commencement of the bloody reign of Decius, he was elected bishop of Carthage. His first efforts in his new office were to restore the too long neglected discipline of the Church. Scarcely, however, had Cyprian entered upon these important services, before the flames of "persecution burst forth, spreading terror and dismay on every side. Car- thage soon became the scene of great distress, and prudence required the virtuous C}rprian to retire. Accordingly, at the urgent solicitation of his friends, he repaired to a retreat which, through their kindness, had been provided, and herj he continued for the space of two years. The Church at Carthage suffi^red the mo.st grievous calamities, during his absence. Many were murdered, and many apostatized. From his retreat, however, Cyprian continued to send abroad epistles replete \\A\X\ prudent counsels and holy admonitions -warning the timid against apostasy, and encouraging the apprehended to meet the sufferings of imprisonment, torture, and death, with Christian equanimity and 'brtitude. 24. During the absence of Cyprian, an unhappy schism took place, lioth in the Churches of Carthage and Rome, called " the Novafian .^ckism" caused by different views entertained about the propriety of re- admittins[ to conimunion such as had relapsed during the persecution. PERSECUTION. 55 The history of this business was this. Novatus, a presbyter of the Church at Carthage, a liitle before the retirement of Cyprian, had been charged with conduct unwortiiy his profession and office. The occurrence of tlie persecution, and the absence of Cyprian, prevented an examination of his conduct, wliich would probably have issued in ihe censure of the Church. During the absence of Cyprian, Novatus succeeded in making a party, and regularly proceeded to the appointment of For- tunatus, as bishop, to the exclusion of Cyprian. Dreading liis approaching return, Novatus crossed the sea, and fled to Rome. Here, pursuing similar measures of contest and division, he formed a party with Novation, a presbyter of the Roman Church. Novatian, it appears, had embraced sentiments the most rigid and uncharitable towards those who had apostatized ; refusing to readmit such to fellowship, either upon recommendation, or unequivocal evidence of sincere repentance. With thig rigid 'disciplinarian, the lax and unprincipled Novatus connected himself, not caring how inconsistent he might appear, could he but successfully oppose Cyprian. At this time, Rome M-as without a bishop, and for months it had been unsafe to appoint any. But at length, the Church, desirous of healing the schism evidently rising under Novatian, proceeded, with the assistance of the neighboring bishops, to the election of Cornelius to that office. About the same time the party of Novatian appointed Novatian himself to the same office, in opposition. Schism now existed m the two most flourishing Churches in Christendom, but upon principles the most discordant. At Carthage, discipline was too severe ; at Rome it was not severe enough. At length, Cyprian returned from his exile ; soon after Avhich, assembling his Church and deputies from other Chmches, he caused Fortunatus and Novatian to be condemned as schismatics, and debarred them from the fellowship of the Church in general. In this, Cyprian is thought to have acted hastily, since, whatever was the character of Fortunatus and his party, Novatian is allowed by all to have been in doctrine correct. His only error seems to have been an excessivi', severity in respect to discipline, and permitting himself to be elected to an office already filled. The party of Fortunatus at Carthage soon d^\andled into insignificance ; but Ifte Novatians, under the title of Cathari, which signifies pure, continued to exist and flourish till the fifth century, in the greatest part of those provinces which had received the Gospel. Novatian appears to have been a good man, though suffered to advocate measures too severe. He sealed his faith by martyrdom, in the persecution under Valerian. It may be added respecting the Novatians, that in process of time they so softened the rigor of their master's doctrine, as to refuse absolution only to the most scanda- lous oflenders. '2,5. In the year 251, Decius being slain, Avas succeeded by Gallus, who after allowing the Church a short calm, began to disturb its peace, though not to the extent of his predecessor. The persecution, however, was severe ; and was borne by the Christians with more fortitude than it had been in the time of Decius. After a miserable reign of eighteen months, Gallus was slain, and was succeeded by Valerian. During the above persecution, Rome appears to have been more particularly the scene of trial. Cornelius, the bishop of that city, was sent iiito banishment, where he died. Lucius, his successor, shared the same fate, in respect to exile ; though permitted to return to Rome in the year 252. Shortly after his return, he suffered death, and was succeeded by Stephen. " The episcopal seat at Rome was then, it seems, the next door to martrydom." Happily for the Church, Cyprian was spared )'et a little longer ; and although laily threatened with the fate of his contemporaries in office, he abated nothing of nis zeal and activity, in arming the minds of Christians against those discouragements which the existing persecution was calculated to produce. " Whenever" — such was his animating language to his disheartened flock — '■' Whenever any of the brethren shall be separated from the flock, let him not be moved at the horror of the flight, — nor while he retreats and lies hid, be terrified at the solitude of the desert. He is not alone to whom Christ is a companion in flight. He is not alone, who keeps the temple of God, wherever he is, for God is with him" 56 PERIOD III.. ..70.. ..306. Among the many calamities for which the short reign of Gallus was distinguished, a pestilence, which about this time spread its ravages in Africa, was not among the least. Such was its violence, that many towns were nearly depopulated, and whole families were swept away. To the pagans the calamity was so appalling, that they neglect- ed the burial of the dead, and violated the rights of humanity. Lifeless bodies, ia numbers scarcely to be estimated, lay in the streets of Carthage ; an appalling spec- tacle to the terrified and distracted inhabitants. It was on this occasion that Cyprian and his Christian flock, by their calmness, their fortitude, and their activity, gave an illustrious exhibition of the practical supe- riority of their religion to the philosophy and religion of the heathen. Assembling his people, Cyprian reminded them of the precepts of the Gospel, in respect to humanity and benevolence. Influenced by his eloquence, the Christians Immediately combined to render assistance in a season so peculiar. The rich contribut- ed of their abundance ; the poor gave what they could spare ; and all labored, at the hazard of their lives, to mitigate a calamity which was desolating the land. With admiration did the pagans behold the zeal, the courage, and the benevolence of the disciples of Christ ; and yet scarcely were the ^agan priesthood, attributing the pesti- lence to the spreading of Christianity, prevented from calling upon the emperor to extirpate the faith, in order to appease the fury of the gods. 26. On the ascension of Valerian, A. D. 253, the Church enjoyed a state of peace and refreshment for nearly four years ; the emperor appearing, in respect to Christians, as a friend and protector ; but at the expiration of this period, his conduct was suddenly changed, by means of the influence of his favorite, the hostile Macrianus, and a deadly persecution was commenced, which continued for the space of three years. This is called the eighth persecution. The change which took place in Valerian is a remarkable instance of the instabi- lity of human character. More than all his predecessors, he was disposed to shew kindness towards the Christians. They were allowed to be about his person, and to occupy departments of office, in his palace and court. Macrianus, who effected the change in the emperor's disposition, was a bigoted pagan, and a bitter enemy to the Christian faith. The persecution of its advocates was, therefore, an object of deep interest to him, and in Valerian he found a compliance with his wishes, too ready for the peace of the Church. In what part of the empire the persecution first began it is diflUcult to say ; Macri- anus exerted himself, however, to render it as general as maUce and power could effect. At Rome, the first person of official distinction, who suffered in pursuance of Vale- rian's orders, was Sixtus, the bishop of that city. In his way to execution, he was followed by Laurentius, his chief deacon ; who weeping, said, " Whither goest thou, father, without thy son." To which Sixtus replied, " You shall follow me in three days." The prophecy of Sixtus was fulfilled. After the death of the bishop, the Roman prefect, moved by an idle report of the great riches of the Church, sent for Laurentius, and ordered him to deliver them up. " Give me time," said Laurentius, " to set things in order, and I will render an account." Three days were granted for the purpose ; during which, the deacon gathered to- gether aU the poor, who were supported by the Church ; and going to the prefect, nivited him lo go and see a large court full of golden vessels. The magistrate follow- ed ; but seeing all the poor people, he turned upon Laurentius with a look of indigna- tion. " Why are you displeased," demanded the martyr, " the treasure which yon so eagerly desire, is but a contemptible mineral dug from the earth ; — these poor people are the true gold, these are the treasures I promised you — make the riches subserve the best interests of Rome, of the emperor, and of yourself." "Do you mock me?" demanded the prefect ; "I know you value yourself for contemning death ; and, therefore, it shall be fingering and painful." He then caus- ed him to be stripped, and fastened to a gi-idiron, upon which he was broiled to death. The fortitude of the martyr, however, was invincible. When he had continued a PERSECUTION m considerable time on one side, he said, " Let me be turned, I am sufSciently broiled on one side." Being turned, he exclaimed, " It is enough, you may serve me up." Then lifting up his eyes to heaven, he prayed for the conversion of Rome, and expired. Laurentius broiled on a bed of iron. Tn Egypt, the persecution raged \\ith not less fury than at Rome. Death or banish- ment was the lot of every one, whose boldness in his profession brought him under the cognizance of the magistrate. Dionysius of Alexandria, whom Divine Providence had remarkably preserved in the Decian persecution, lived to suffer much also in this, but not unto death. Being apprehended with five others, he was brought before the prefect, by whom he was ordered to recant, on the ground that his example would have great influence on others. But to this Dionysius boldly replied, "We ought to obey God rather than man ; I worship God, who alone ought to be worshipped." Being promised pardon with his companions, provided they would return to duty, and would adore the gods who guard- ed the empire — the bishop answered, " We worship the one God, who gave the em- pire to Valerian and Gallienus, and to Him we pour out our incessant prayers, for the prosperity of their administration." Finding threats in vain, the magistrate banish- ed Dionysius and his companions to Cephro, a village on the borders of the desert. In their exile, they .were accompanied by numbers from Alexandria, and places which lay contiguous. Cyprian, who had escaped the two preceding persecutions, was made a victim m this. His persecution, however, was attended with circumstances of comparative lenity. He was seized by Paternus, the proconsul of Carthage, by whose order he was banished to Curubis, a small town on the coast, over against Sicily, fifty miles from Carthage. Curubis was pleasantly situated, and the air salubrious. Here he remain- ed eleven months ; during which he was kindly treated by the inhabitants, and enjoyed the privilege of receiving repeated visits from his friends. From Curubis, he addressed many warm and affectionate letters to the suffering Churches, and their suffering pastors. In the year '259, C}7)rian was permitted to return, and to take up his residence in a garden near his own city. But he was not long suffered to remain in peace ; for the orders of Valerian had been given that all ministers should be put to death. According to this order, Cyprian was seized, and received the crown of martjTdom. Preparatory to his death, he was conducted to a spacious plain, surrounded with trees. On his arrival at the spot, Cyprian with great composure took off his mantle, and fell on his knees. After having worshipped, he laid aside his other garments, and bound a napkin over his eyes. His hands were then tied behind him. A sword severed his head from his body. Thus fell the martyr Cyprian ; a man, who, in this perilous era of the Church, set an example of Christian patience, fortitude and heroism, which, had it been 8 58 PERIOD III.. ..70. ...306. exhibited by a man of the world, would have rendered his name illustrious during the aimals of time. 27. From the accession of Gallienus, A. D. 260, the son and succes- sor of Valeriar^^to the eighteenth year of Dioclesian, answering to the year 302, the history of the Churcii furnishes no materials of peculiar interest. With the exception of the short persecution under Aureiian, called the ninth persecution, the Church in general enjoyed an interval of peace. The termination of the persecution under Valerian, it is worthy of remark, was caused by an event which, in respect to thai monarch, may be considerea as a signal frown of Divine Providence. During the irruption of some of the northern nations into the empire. Valerian was taken prisoner by Sapor, king of Persia, v^'ho detained him during the remainder of his life. To add to his humiliation, the king made him basely stoop, and set his foot upon him, when he mounted on horseback. At last, he ordered him to be flayed, and then rubbed with salt. In GalUenus, the Church found a friend and protector ; for he not only stayed, by his imperial edict, the persecution commenced by his father, but issued letters of license to the bishops to return from their dispersion to the care of their respective pastoral charges. After a reign of fifteen years, Gallienus was succeeded by Claudius, who, in the short space of two years, was followed by Aureiian. This emperor for a time appear- ed friendly to the Christians ; but at length, through the influence of a restless pagan priesthood, he commenced the work of persecution. Happily, however, the measures Avhich he was adopting, were prevented from being fully executed, by his death A. D. 275. From this date, through the reign of Tacitus, Probus, Carus, and his two sons, the spirit of persecution was, in a great degree, dormant. 28. Dioclesian vvras declared emperor in the year 2S4, and for eighteen years, as already stated, was kindly disposed towards the Christians. The mterval of rest, however, which had been enjoyed from the accession of Gallienus, (excepting the reign of Aureiian,) extended, as it now was for eighteen years longer, was far from adding to the honor of the Church. At no period, since the days of the apostles, had there been so general a decay of vital godliness, as in this. Even in particular instances, we look in vain for the zeal and self-denial of more primitive times. Although Dioclesian appears not to have respected religion himself, both his wife and daughter cherished a secret regard for it. The eunuchs of his palace, and the officers of state with their families, were open in their professions of attachment. Multi- tudes thronged the worship of God ; and when at length the buildings appropriated to that purpose were insufficient, larger and more magnificent edifices were erected. Were the kingdom of Christ of this world ; were its strength and beauty to be measured by secular prosperity ; this might have been considered the era of its greatness. But the glory of the Church was passing away. During the whole of the third century, the work of God in purity and power had been declining ; and tiirough the pacific part of Dioclesian's reign, the great first outpouring of the Spirit of God, which began on the day of Pentecost, appears to have nearly ceased. A principal cause of this sad declension, may be found in the connection which was formed by the professors of religion with the philosophy of the times. Outward peace and secular advantage completed the corruption. Discipline, which had been too strict, softened into an unscriptural laxity. Ministers and people became jealous of one another, and ambilioa and covetousness became ascendant in the Church. The worship of God was indeed generally observed ; nominal Christians continually increased ; but the spirit which had but a few years before so nobly and zealously influenced a Cyprian, a Dionysius, a Gregory, ami which so strongly PERSECUTION. 59 resembled the spirit of apostolic times, was gone. Such having become the defiled and degenerated state of the Church, can it be thought strange that God should have suffered her, in order to purify and exalt her, again to walk amidst the fires of persecution? 29. In the year 286, Dioclesian, finding the charge of the whole empire loo burdensome, associated with himself his friend Maximian ; and in 292 they took two colleagues, Gallerius and Constantius, each bearing the title of Caesar. The empire was now divided into four parts, under the government of tioo emperors, and tioo CcBsars, each being nominally supreme ; but in reality, under the direction of the superior talents of Dioclesian. 30. Excepting Constantius, who was distinguished for a character mild and humane, these sovereigns are represented as " monsters of horrible ferocity ;" though in savageness Galerius seems to have excelled. To his more inordinate hatred of the Christians, and his influence over the mind of Dioclesian, is attributed the te?it/i and last persecjition ; which commenced about the year 303, and continvted in some parts of the empire for the space of ten years. Excepting in France, where Constan- tius ruled, the persecution pervaded the whole Roman empire, and in severity exceeded all that had gone before. Galerius had been brought up by his mother ; a woman extremely bigoted to pagan- ism, and had imbibed all her prejudices against Christianity. He was prepared, therefore, in his feelings, to wage a war of extermination against its professors, at any favorable opportunity. Such an opportunity was not long in presenting itself. Dioclesian usually held his court during the winter at Nicomedia. Here Galerius met the chief emperor, and entered upon his plan of exciting him against the Chris- tians. Dioclesian was not wanting in hatred to Christianity, but he preferred to extirpate rather by fraud, than violence. The furious disposition of Galerius, how- ever, prevailed ; and Nicomedia was destined to feel the sad consequences of this bloody coalition. Accordingly, on the feast of Terminalia, early in the morning, an officer, with a party of soldiers, proceeding to the great Church, burst open its doors, and taking thence the*sacred writings, burnt them, and plundered the place of every thmg valu- able ; after which they demolished the building itself. The daj' following, edicts were issued by the'emperor, by which the advocates of the Christian religion were deprived of all honor and dignity, and exposed to torture. Shortly after, the palace was set on fire by the instigation of Galerius, and the crime was laid to the Christians. Upon this, Dioclesian entered into all the views and plans of his maddened prompter. Orders were sent throughout all the empire to its remotest pro\'inces ; and were executed with a faithfulness, which in some cases decency admits not of being recorded. From the great and general defection of professors in the Church, before the com- mencement of this persecution, genuine Christian fortitude and decision could scarce- ly be expected to be found. But the spirit of martjTdom revived, as the persecution progressed. Christians suffered ^^^th the greatest faith and patience. Many indeed apostatized ; but the greater part that came to the trial resisted even unto blood. This persecution was the last which the Church in general experienced. If we may credit the historians of the time, it was by far the most severe. Monsieur Godeau computes that, in this tenth persecution, there were not less than seventeen thousand Christians ptit to death in the space of one month. And that " during the continu- ance of it, in the province of Egj'pt alone, no less than one hundred and fifty thou- sand persons died by the violence of their persecutors ; and five times that number through the fatigues of banishment, or in the public mines to which they were con- demned." By means of this persecution, however, the Church was purified, and the word of (Jod was revived ; and full proof was given of the power of the Great Head 60 PERIOD III 70.. ..306. of the Church to render ineffectual every Weapon formed against her peace atid salvation. During this persecution, there was one Victor, a Christian, of a good family, at Marseilles, in France, who spent a great part of the night in visiting the afflicted, and confirming the weak, which pious work he could not, consistently with his own safety, perform in the daytime ; and his fortune he spent in relieving the distresses of poor Christians. His actions becoming known, he was seized by the emperor's orders, and being carried before two prefects, they advised him to embrace paganism, and not forfeit the favor of his prince, on account of a dead man, as they styled Christ. In answer to which he replied, " That he preferred the service of that dead man, who was in reality the Sou of God, and had risen from the grave, to all the advantages he could receive from the emperor's favor : that he was a soldier of Christ, and would therefore take care the post he held under an earthly prince, should never interfere with his duty to the King of heaven." For tliis reply, Victor was loaded with reproaches, but being a man of rank, he was sent to the emperor to receive his final sentence. When brought before him, Maximian commanded him, under the severest penalities, to sacrifice to the Roman idols ; and on his refusal, ordered him to be bound, and dragged through the streets. During the execution of this order, he was treated by the enraged populace with all manner of indignities. Remaining, however, inflexible, his courage v.'as deemed obstinacy : to which he replied, " That the ready disposition of the disciples of Christ to undergo any suffer- ings on tiiat score, and .he joy with which they met the most ignominious and pain- ful deaths, were .iuflicient proofs of their assurance of the object of that hope." He added, " That he was ready to give an example of what he had said, in his own person." When stretched upon the rack, he turned his eyes towards heaven, and pray- ed t..' God to give him patience ; after which he underwent the tortures -with admirable for'Jtude. T]\r executioners being tired of inflicting the torments, he was taken from the rack, i:n.a .^Ciiveyed to a dungeon. During his confinement he convened the gaol- eis, namfu Alexander, Felician, and Longinus. This affair coming to the know- ledge of the emperor, he ordered them immediately to be put to death, and they were beheaded accordingly. Victor was afterwards again put to the rack, beaten with clubs, and then again sent to his dungeon. Being a third time examined concerning his religion, he persevered in his principles ; a small altar was then brought, and he was commanded to offer incense upon it immediately ; but refus- ing this, he boldly stepped forward, and with his foot overthrew both altar and idol. The emperor Maximian, who was present, was so enraged at this, that he ordered the foot with which he had kicked the altar, to be immediately cut ofl', and Victor to be thrown into a mill, and crushed to pieces with the stones. This horrid sentence W£is put into execution ; but part of the apparatus breaking, he was drawn from the mill terribly bruised ; and the emperor, not having patience to stay till it was mended, ordered his head to be struck off, which was executed accordingly. To the foregoing affecting story, we shall add an account of the singular fortitude and noble conduct of three Christian friends, who were also called lo seal their faith in Jesus with their blood. While Maximus, governor of Cilicin, was at Tarsus, these three Christians were brought before him by Demetrius, a military oflficer. Tarachus, the eldest, and first in rank, was addressed by Maximus, who asked him what he was ? The prisoner replied, " A Christian." This reply off'endmg the governor, he again made the same demand, and was answered in a similar manner. Hereupon the governor told him, that he ought to sacrifice to the gods, as that was the only way to promotion, riches, and honors ; and that the emperors themselves did what he recommended to him to perform. But Tarachus replied, that avarice was a sin, and that gold itself was an idol as abominable as any other ; for it promoted frauds, treacheries, robberies, and murders ; it induced men to deceive each other, by which in time they deceived themselves, and bribed the weak to their own eternal destruction. As for promotion, he desired it not, as he could not, in conscience, accept of any place which would subject him to pay adoration to idols ; and with regard to honors, he desired none greater than the honorable title of Christian. As to the emperors themselves being pagans, he added, with the same undaunted and determined spirit, that they were superstitiously deceived in adoring senseless idols, and evidently misled by the machi- PERSECUTION. 61 walions of the devil himself. For the boldness of this speech, his jaws -were ordered to be broken. He was thea stripped, scourged, loaded with chains, and thrown into a dismal dvmgeon, to remain there till the trials of the other two prisoners. Probus was then brought before ^laximus, who, as usual, asked his name. Undauntedly the prisoner replied, the most valuable name he could boast of was that of a Christian. To this JIaximus replied in the following words : " Your name of Christian -will be of Uttle service to you ; be therefore guided by me ; sacrifice to the gods, engage my friendship, and the favor of the emperor." Probus nobly answered, "that as he had relinquished a considerable fortune to become a soldier of Christ, it might appear evident, that he neither cared for his friendship, nor the favor of the emperor." Probus was then scourged ; and Demetrius, the officer, observing to him how his blood flowed, advised him to comply ; but his only answer was, that those severities were agreeable to him. "What!" cried Maximus, "does he still persist in his mad- ness?" To which Probus rejoined, "that character is badly bestowed on one who refuses to worship idols, or what is worse, devils." After being scourged on the back, he was scourged on the belly, which he suffered with as much intrepidity as before, still repeating " the more my body suffers and loses blood, the more my soul will grow vigorous, and be a gainer." He was then committed to gaol, loaded with irons, and his hands and feet stretched upon the stocks. Andronicus was next brought up, when being asked the usual questions, he said, " I am a Christian, a native of Ephesus, and descended from one of the first families in that cit)'." He was ordered to undergo punishment similar to those of Tarachus and Probus, and then to be remanded to prison. Having been confined some days, the tlnree prisoners were again brought before Maximus, who began first to reason with Tarachus, saying that as old age was honored, from the supposition of its being accompanied by wisdom, he was in hopes that what had already passed, must, upon dehberation, have caused a change in his sentiments. Finding himself, however, mistaken, he ordered him to be tortured by various means ; particularly, fire was placed in the palms of his hands ; he was hung up by his feet, and smoked with wet straw ; and a mixture of salt and vinegar was poured into his nostrils, and he was again remanded to his dungeon. Probus being again called, and asked if he would sacrifice, replied, " I come better prepared than before ; for what I have already suffered, has only confirmed and strengthened me in my resolution. Employ your whole power upon me, and you will find that neither v'ou, nor your master, the emperors, nor the gods whom you serve, nor the devil, who is your fatljer, shall oblige me to adore gods whom I know not." The governor, however, attempted to reason with him, paid the most extrava- gant praises to the pagan deities, and pressed him to sacrifice to Jupiter ; but Probus turned his casuistry 4nto ridicule, and said, " Shall I pay divine honors to Jupiter ; to one who married his own sister ; to an infamous debaucher, as he is even acknow- ledged to have been by your own priests and poets?" Provoked at this speech, the governor ordered him to be struck upon the mouth, for uttering what he called blas- phemy ; his body was then seared with hot irons ; he was put to the rack, and after- wards scourged ; his head was then sha^^ed, and red hot coals placed upon the crown ; and after all these tortures he was again sent to prison. AVhen Andronicus was again brought before Maximus, the latter attempted to deceive him, by pretending that Tarachus and Probus had repented of their obsti- nacy, and owned the gods of the empire. To this the prisoner answered, '• Lay not, 0 governor ! such a weakness to the charge of those who have appeared here before me in this cause, nor imagine it to be in your power to shake my fixed resolution with artful speeches. I cannot believe that they have disobeyed the laws of their fathers, renounced their hopes in our God, and consented to your extravagant orders ; nor will I ever fall short of them in faith and dependence upon our common Savior ; thus armed, I neither know j'our gods, nor fear your authority ; fulfil your threats, execute your most sanguinarj' inventions, and employ every cruel art in your power on me, I am prepared to bear it for the sake of Chiist." For this answer he was cruelly scourged, and his wounds were afterwards rubbed -with salt ; but being well again m a short time, the governor reproached the gaoler for having suflered some physician to attend to him. The gaoler declared, that no person whatever had been near liim, or the other prisoners, and that he would wUUngiy forfeit his head, if any allegation o( o 62 PERIOD III.. ..70.. ..306. the kind could be proved against him. Andronicus corroborated the testimony of the gaoler, and added, that the God whom he served was the most powerful of physicians. These three Christians were brought to a third examination, when they retained their constancy, were again tortured, and at length ordered for execution. Being brought tc the amphitheatre, several beasts were let loose upon them, but none of the animals, though hungry, would touch them. Maximus became so surprised and incensed at this circumstance, that he severely reprehended the keeper, and ordered him to produce a beast that would execute the business for which he was wanted. The keeper then brought out a large bear that had that day destroyed three men ; but this creature, and a fierce lioness, also refused to touch the Christians. Finding the design of destroying them by means of wild beasts ineffectual, Maximus ordered them to be slain by a sword, which was accordingly executed on the eleventh of October, A. D. 303. They all declared, previous to their martyrdom, that as death was the common lot of all men, they wished to meet it for the sake of Christ ; and to resign that life to faith, which must otherwise be the prey to disease.* DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS IN PERIOD III. 1. Clemens Romanus, a father of the Church, a companion of Paul, and bishop of Rome. 2. Ignatius., bishop of Antioch, and author of seven epistles on religious subjects. 3. Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, author of an epistle to the Philip- pians. 4. Justin Martyr, who, from being a heathen philosopher, became a zealous supporter of Christianity, and wrote two admirable apologies for Christians. 5. IrencBus., bishop of Lyons, disciple of Polycarp, and author of five books against the heresies of his time. 6. Clemens Alexandrimcs, master of the Alexandrian school, and justly celebrated for the extent of his learning, and the force of his genius. 7. Tertullian, the first Latin author in the Church, much distinguish- ed for his learning, and admirable elocution in the Latin tongue. 8. Origen, a presbyter and lecturer at 'Alexandria, distinguished for his great learning, and for the Hexapla, a work which contained the Hebrew text of the Bible, and all the Latin and Greek versions then in use, ranged in six columns. 9. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, distinguished for his piety and elo- quence, and for his zeal against the " Novatian schism." 10. Novatian, author of the " Novatian schism," which long afllicted the Churches, at Rome and Carthage. 1. Clemens Romanns wsiS horn ai B,ome ; but in what year is uncertain. He was the fellow laborer of Paul, and sustained the character of an apostolic man. He became bishop of Rome, and was distinguished both as a minister and a defender of the faith. There is nothing remaining of his books, excepting an epistle address- ed to the Corinthian Church. This epistle next to holy writ, has usually been esteem- ed one of the most valuable monuments which have come down to us from ecclesi- astical antiquity. Clemens died at the advanced age of one hundred. 2. Ignatius, see Sec. 6. 3. Poll/carp, see Sec. 9. 4. Justin Martyr, so called from his being a martyr, was bom at Neapolis, the ancient Sichem of Palestine, in the province of Samaria. His father being a Gentile Greek, brought him up in his own religion, and had him educated in all the Grecian learning and philosophy, to which he was greatly attached. * Fox's Book of Martyrs. PERSECUTION. 63 As he was ■walking one day alone by the sea-side, a grave and ancient person, of venerable aspect, met him, and fell into conversation with him, on the comparative exc2llence of philosophy and Christianity. From this conversation Justin was induced to examine into the merits of the latter, the result of which was his con- version, ^bout the sixteenth year of the reign of Adrian, A. D. 132. From this time, Justin employed his pen in defence of Christianity, and finally suffered in the cause. See Sec. 9. 5. Irenaus was undoubtedly by birth a Greek, and not improbably bom at or near Smyrna. He was a disciple of the renowned Polycarp, and for nearly forty years exhibited the meekness, humility, and courage of an apostle. Before the martyrdom of Pothinas, he was elected bishop of Lyons, in which office he suffered much from enemies without, and heretics within. Against the latter he employed his pen ; but of his works only five have come down to us, and the greatest part of the original Greek is wanting in these. He suffered martyrdom in the reign of Severus, during the fifth persecution, about the year 202, or 203. See Sec. 12. 6. Clemens Alexandrinus, so called to distinguish him from Clemens Romanus, was bom at Alexandria, and succeeded Pantenus as master of the school in that city, A. D. 191. He studied in Greece, Asia, and Egypt ; and became not only distinguish- ed in a knowledge of polite literature and heathen learning, but for his exact and enlarged views of the Christian revelation. Of his works only three remain ; his Stromates, or " Discourses abotmding with miscellaneous matter ;" an Exhortation to Pagans ; and his Padagogus, or " The Schoolmaster." History says nothing of his death ; but his memory appears to have been long highly revered at Alexandria. 7. Tertullian was by birth a Carthagenian. He was at first a heathen, and pur- sued the profession of law, but afterwards embraced the Christian religion. He possessed great abilities and learning of all kinds, which he employed vigorously in the cause of Christianity, and against heathens and heretics ; but towards the con- clusion of his life he appears to have fallen into some errors himself Both ancient and modern writers bear testimony to his abilities and learning. Euyebius says that he was one of the ablest Latin writers which had existed. He appears to have been a pious man, but his piety was of a melancholy and austere cast. He was deficient in judgment, and prone to credulity and superstition, which may perhaps serve to account for his departure from good principles, in the latter part of his life. 8. Origen is*ibne of the most conspicuous characters belonging to the age in which he lived. He was born at Alexandria, in the year 185. In his youth, he saw his father beheaded for professing Christianity, and all the family estate confiscated. But Providence provided for him. A rich lady of Alexandria took him under her patron- age. He applied himself to study, and soon acquired great stores of learning. On becoming master of the Alexandrian school, multitudes crowded to hear him, and were impressed by his instructions. At the age of forty-five, he was ordained a priest, and delivered theological lectures in Palestine. In diligence and learning, he seems to have surpassed all his contemporaries. Of these, his Hexapla, or work of six columins, is a memorial. The occasion of his preparing this stupendous work, was an objection, on the part pf the Jews, when passages of Scripture were quoted against them, that they did not agree with the Hebrew. Origen undertook to reduce all the Latin and Greek versions in use into a body with the Hebrew text, that they might be compared. He made six columns : in the first he placed the Hebrew, as the standard ; in the second the Septu- agint, and then the other versions according to their dates — passage against passage. The whole filled fifty large volumes. It was found fifty years after his death, in an obscure place, in the city of Tyre, and deposited in the public Ubrary. The most of it was destroyed in the capture of the city, A. D. 653. As a theologian, we must not speak so highly of him. Unhappily, he introduced a mode of explaining Scripture which did much injury to the Church. He supposed it was not to be explained in a literal, but in an allegorical manner ; that is, that the Scrip- tures had a hidden, or figurative sense. This hidden sense he endeavored to give, and always at the expense of truth. 64 PERIOD III.. ..70.. ..306. His method of explaining Scripture was long after Mowed by many in the Chnrcb and schools, and greatly tended to obscure the evangehcal doctrines of the Gospel. The errors of Origen were great. He was a learned man, but a most unsafe gmde. He introduced, it is said, the practice of selecting a single text as the subject of dis- course. He suffered martrydom under Decius, about 254. 9. Cyprian, see Sec. 23, and onward. 10. Novatian, see Sec. 24. Vision of Constantine. PERIOD IV. rHE PERIOD OF THE DECLINE OF PAGANISM WILL EXTEND FROM THE ACCES- SION OF CONSTANTINE, A. D. 306, TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SUPREMACY OF THE ROMAN PONTIFF, A. D. 606. 1. In the year 306, Constantius Chlorus, who administered the govern- ment in the west, died at York, in Britain, and was succeeded by his son Constantine. His accession to the throne forms an important era in the history of the Church, as it was during his reign, that Christianity was established by 'the civil power, and consequently paganism began to decline. The father of Constantine had, for some time, been declining in health, aud find ing his end approaching, wrote to Galerius to send him his son, who was at that time detained by the latter, as a hostage. This request being refused, young Con stantme, aware of the danger of his situation, resolved on tlight. Accordingly, seiz ing a favorable opportunity, he fled from the court of Galerius, and, to prevent pursuit, is said to have killed all the post-horses on his route. Soon after his arrival at York, his father died, having nominated his son to be his successor, an appointment which the army, without waiting to consult Galerius, gladly confirmed. 2. The division of the empire, at this time, stood thus : the eastern department included Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and Palestine, with very considerable territory on every side. The tvestern department comprised part of Africa, Sicily, Italy, Spain, Gaul, Germany, and Britain. The former of these divisions was governed by Galerius, he having some time before obliged Dioclesian and Maximinian to resign to him their share of the imperial dignity. To the western department Constantine succeeded, excepting Africa and Italy, which countries his father had 9 6* 66 PERIOD IV.. ..306.. ..606. voluntarily surrendered to Galerius. Of these, Severus, one of the Caesars of Galerius, had the charge ; and Maximin, another Caesar, had the charge of Egypt, Palestine, and the more distant provinces of the east. 3. Throughout the department of Constantine, the Church enjoyed great peace and prosperity, but in that of Galerius, a persecuting spirit continued to prevail. Through the lenity of Severus, Africa and Italy enjoyed considerable repose. 4. In the year 310, Galerius was reduced to the brink of the grave, by a lingering disease. Stung with the reflection of his impious life, and wishing, perhaps, to make some atonement for his persecution of the Christians, he issued a general edict, making it unlawful to persecute, and granting liberty of conscience to his subjects. The disease inflicted upon Galerius, like that of Herod, seems to have come imme- diately from the hand of God, and to have been, as in the case of that wicked prince, au awful exhibition of divine wrath. Worms bred in his frame, till even the bones and marrow became a mass of rottenness and putrefaction. No language can describe his distress, or depict the horrors of his mind. In the midst of his tortures, as if conscious that to the persecution of the Christians he owed the wrath he suffered, he promised that " He would rebuild the Churches he had demolished, and repair the mischief he had done the innocent Christians." " We permit them," said he, in the edict, which he published, " freely to profess their private opinions, and to assemble in their conventicles, without fear of molestation ; provided, always, that they pre- serve a due respect to the established laws and government ;" and, as if convinced that Christians alone had power with God, he added, " We hope that our indulgence will engage the Christians to offer up prayers to the Deity, whom they adore, for our safe- ty and prosperity, for their own, and that of the republic." This important edict Avas issued, and set up at Nicomedia, on the 13th April, 311 ; but the Avretched Galerius died not long after its publication, under torments the most excruciating. 5. The edict of Galerius, in favor of the Christians, was far from deliver- ing them from the wrath of their enemies, especially in Syria and Egypt. These provinces being under the superstitious and cruel Maximin, he afTected to adopt the more lenient measures of Galerius ; but soon com- menced ihe erection of heathen temples, the establishment of heathen worship, and a bitter persecution of the Christians. 6. On his death-bed, Galerius had bequeathed the imperial diadem to Licinius, to the no small mortification of Maximin, who was expecting that honor himself. In the year 313, the jealousy of these rivals broke out into open war, in which each contended for the sovereignty of the east ; but victory, at length, decided in favor of Licinius. 7. The result of this contest was exceedingly favoral^le to the Church, for Maximin, finding himself deceived by a pagan oracle, which he had consulted before the battle, and which had predicted his victory, resolved upon the toleration of Christianity. His persecuting edicts were, there- fore, countermanded ; and others, as full and favorable as those of Con- stantine, were substituted. Thus Christianity was brought through this long and fearful struggle, and the followers of Jesus were allowed to believe and worship as they pleased. Notwithstanding this change in the policy of Maximin, in respect to the toleration of Christianity, he had become too deeply laden with guilt to escape the righteous judgment of Heaven. Like Galerius, au invisible power smote him w'tth a sore DECLINE OF PAGANISM. 67 plague, whicli no skill could remove, and the tortures of which no medicines could even alleviate. Eusebius represents the vehemence of his inward inflammation to have been so great, that his eyes started from their sockets ; and yet still breathing, he confessed his sins, and called upon death to come and release him. He acknow- ledged that he deserved what he suflered for his cruelty, and for the insults which he offered to the Savior. At length, he expired in an agony, which imagination can scarcely conceive, having taken a quantity of poison to finish his hateful existence. 8. Maximin was succeeded at Rome by his son Maxentius, whose government becoming oppressive, the people applied to Constantino to relieve them from his tyranny. Willing to crush a foe whom he had reason to fear, Constantino marched into Italy, in the year 311, at the head of an army of several thousands, where he obtained a signal victory over Maxentius, who, in his flight from the battle ground, fell into the Tiber, and was drowned. Eusebius, who wrote the life of Constantine, has transmitted to us the following account of a very extraordinary occurrence, which the emperor related to this histo- rian, and confirmed with an oath, as happening during his march into Italy. Being greatly oppressed with anxiety, as to the result of the enterprise which he had under- taken, and feeling the need of assistance from some superior power, in subduing Maxentius, he resolved to seek the aid of some deity, as that which alone could en- sure him success. Being favorably impressed with the God of the Christians, he prayed to him ; and in the course of the day, he was struck with the appearance of a cross in the heavens, exceeding bright, elevated above the sim, and bearing the in- scription, " Conquer by this." For a time, Constantine was perplexed to conjecture the import of this vision ; but, at night, Christ presented himself to him, in his slumbers, and holding forth the sign which he had seen in the heavens, directed him to take it as a pattern of a military standard, which he should carry into battle, as a certain protector. Accordingly, Constantine ordered such a standard to be made, before which the enemy fled in every direction. On becoming master of Rome, he honored the cross, by putting a spear of that form into the hand of the statue, which was erected for him, in that city.* 9. On the defeat and death of Maxentius, the government of the Roman world became divided between Constantine and Licinius, who *This vision of Constantine has occasioned no little perplexity to ecclesiastical historians, and very opposite opinions have been formed as to its reality. Milner, who has by some been censured for his credulity, considers it as a miracle, wrought in favor of Christianity, and in answer to the prayer of Constantine. " He prayed, he implored," says this histo- rian, " with much vehemence and simplicity, and God left him not unanswered." But is it possible, that God should thus signally answer a man, who was in doubt whether he should seek Ais aid, or that of some pq^an dejYi/? Besides, if this were a miracle, and Constan- tine regarded it as such, it is still more singular that he slould neglect to profess his f-utU in Christ by baptism, until on his death-bed, more than thenty years after this event is said to have occurred. Dr. Haweis strongly maintains an opinion contrary to Milner. " I have received no conviction," says the former historian, " from any thing I nave yet read respect- ing the miracle of the cross in the sky, and the vision of Christ to Constantine :iie subse- quent night, any more than of the thundering legion of Adrian." " I will not," adds he, ■" say it was impossible, nor deny that the Lord might manifest himself to him, in this extra- ordinary way ; out the evidence is far from being conclusive, and I can nardly conceive a man of his character should be thus singularly favored." Mosheim is evidently perplexed about it, and so is his translator. The latter admits, that " the whole story is attended with difficulties, which render it both as a fact and a miracle extremely dubious, to say no more." To this may be added the opinion of tne author of an able disquisition on the sub- ject, appended to Vol. I. of Dr. Gregory's Church History — an opinion, formed, it should seem, from a critical and candid examination of the subject, viz. that Eusebius, to whom Constantine related the story, did not himself believe it— that there is not sufficient evidence that any of the army, besides the emperor, saw the phenomena in the heavens — that the ac- counts given of it by Constantine, at different times, do not agree ; and finally — that it was a fiction, invented by the emperor, to attach the Christian troops to his cause more firmly, and to animate his army in the ensuing battle. 68 PERIOD IV.. ..306.. ..606. immediately granted to Christians permission to live according to their laws and institutions ; and in the year 313, by a formal edict drawn up at Milan, confirmed and extended these privileges. 10. The concurrence of Licinius with Constantine in befriending the Christian cause, lasted but a few years. Becoming jealous of the increas- ing power of his rival with the Christians, l^icinius turned his hand against them, and proceeded to persecute and distress them. In conse- quence of this attack upon them, Constantine declared war against him, which, in the year 323, ended in his defeat and death. Licinius has by some been supposed to have been a Christian ; but with what pro- priety this opinion has been entertained, seems difficult to conceive. " The truth of the case," says Dr. Jortin, " seems to have been, that he pretended for some time to be a Christian, but never was so. He was so ignorant, that he could not even write his own name ; and so unfriendly to all learning, that he called it the pest and poison of the state." 11. The death of Licinius happened in 323, at which time Constan- tine succeeded to the whole Roman empire, which, till now, had not been in subjection to one individual for many years. This event tended, in no small degree, to increase the strength, and add to the external prosperity of the Christian cause ; since Christianity loas noio universally established; no other religion being tolerated throughout the bounds of the empire. Whether Constantine was sincerely attached to the Gospel, or ever felt the sanctify- ing influences, may admit of doubt ; yet, it is certain, that he displayed no small zeal in honoring and estabUshing it. By his order, the pagan temples were demolished, or CO iverted into Christian Churches ; the exercise of the old priesthood was forbidden, and the idols destroyed ; large and costly structures for Christian worship were rais- ed ; and those already erected were enlarged and beautified. The episcopacy was increased, and honored with great favors, and enriched with vast endowments. The ritual received many additions ; the habihments of the clergy were pompous ; and the whole of the Christian service, at once, exhibited a scene of worldly grandeur and ex- ternal parade. 12. The ascendancy thus given to Christianity over paganism by Constantine, — the exemption of its professors from bitter enemies, who, through ten persecutions, had sought out and hunted down the children of God — the ease and peace which a Christian might now enjoy in his profession ; would lead us to expect a corresponding degree of purity and piety, of meekness and humility, among the Churches of Christ. This was, however, far from being their happy slate. As external opposition ceased, internal disorders ensued. From this time, we shall see a spirit of pridd, of avarice, of ostentation, and domination, invading both the officers and members of the Church ; we shall hear of schisms generated, heretical doctrines promulgated, and a foundation laid for an awful debasement and declension of true religion, and for the exercise of that monstrous power which was afterwards assumed by the popes of Rome. During the past history of the Church, we have seen her making her way through seas and fires, through clouds and storms. And so long as a profession of religion was attended with danger, so long as the dungeon, the rack, or the faggot, was in prospect to the disciples of Jesus, their lives and conversation were pure and heavenly. The Gos- pel was their only source of consolation, and they found it in every respect sufficient for all their wants. It taught them to expect to enter the kingdom of God only DECLINE OF PAGANISM. 69 " through much tribulation." By the animating views and principles it impailed, it raised their minds above the enjoyments of the present scene; and in hope of life and immortality, they could be happy, even if called to lay down their lives, for the sake of their profession. Herein the power of their religion was conspicuous ; — it was not •with them an empty speculation floating in the mind, destitute of any influence upon the ^lill and affections. While it induced them to count no sacrifice too costly, which they were called to make for )he Gospel's sake, they were led to experience the most fervent Christian affection one towards another ; to sympathize most tenderly with each other, in all their sorrows and distresses ; and thereby bearing one another's bur- dens, to fulfil their Lord's new command of brotherly love. This was the promi nent feature in Christianity, during the first three centuries. But now, when a profession of the Gospel was no longer attended ■nith danger, — when the Chiu'ches became Uberally endowed, and the clergy were loaded with honors, — humihty, and .-elf-denial, and brotherly kindness, the prominent characteristics of the religion of Jesus, seem scarcely perceptible. Every thing which was done, had a pri- mary reference to show and self-aggrandizement. The government of the Church was now modelled, as far as possible, after the government of the state. The emperor assumed the title of bishop ; and claimed the prerogative of regidating its external affairs ; and he and his successors convened coimcds, in which they presided, and determined all matters of disciphne. The conduct of Constantine towards the pagans also merits censure, notwithstanding that his power was exercised in favor of Christianity. Instead of leaving every one to obey the dictates of his conscience, he prohibited by law the worship of idols throughout the bounds of his empire. In this, he obviously transcended the authority invested in him as a civil ruler — for if a civil magistrate may prohibit religious opinions, or punish the abettors of them, merely because in his view they are unscriptural, he has the same right to pimish a professing Christian, whose sentiments, or practices, differ from his own, as he would have to pimish a pagan, or a Mahommedan. If the magistrate may lawfidly exercise a control over the human mind, in one instance, may he not in any other, since, upon the supposition, his own judgment is the authorized standard of what is right and wTong, in maUers of religion? The truth is, the magistrate de- rives no authority, either from reason, or the word of God, to control the human mind in relation to its religious faith. Upon this principle, Constantine and his bishops were no more justified in abolishing heathenism, by the force of civil power, than Dioclesian and Galerius, with the priests, were justified in their attempt to break down and de- stroy Christianity. Well has it been observed ; " Let the law of the land restrain vice and injustice of every kind, as ruinous to the peace and order of society, for this is its proper province ; but let it not tamper with religion, by attempting to enforce its exer- cises and duties. "- 13. At this time commenced the controversy of the Donatists, the origin of which, according to Dr. Jorton, is to be traced to the perse- cution, A. D. 303, (Per. III. Sec. 30,) during which Christians were required to give up their sacred books. They who complied were called Traditores. Among those who were suspected of this fault, was Mensurius, bishop of Carthage, for which, and other reasons, Donatus, bishop of Numidia and his partisans, refused to hold communion with him. Thus began a schism which continued three hundred years, and overspread the provinces of Africa. The Donatists, after their party was formed, maintained that the sanctity of their bishops gave to their community alone a full right to be considered as the true Church. Hence, they avoided all communication with other Churches, from an apprehension of contracting their impurity and corruption. They also pronounced the sacred rites and institutions void of all virtue among those Christians who were not precisely of their sentiments. They not only rebaptized those who joined their party from other Churches, but reordained those who already sustained the ministerial office. 14. This controversy Constantine took fruitless pains to settle, both by councils and hearings; but finding the Donatists refractory, he was 70 PERIOD IV.. ..306., ..606. provoked to banish some, and to put others to death. The banished, however, were some time after recalled, and permitted to hold such opinions as they pleased. Under the successors of Constantine, they experienced a variety of fortune, for many years, until at length they dwindled away. The immediate cause of the above controversy, according to Dr. Mosheira, was this. — Mensurius d) mg in the year 311, the Church at Caithage proceeded to the election of Cseciliar, the deacon, and called the neighboring bishops to sanction their choice, in ordainini, him to the office. This hasty procedure gave umbrage to Botrus and Celesius, both presbyters of the same Church, who were aspiring to the same office ; and also to the Numidian bishops, who had before this always been invited to be present, at the consecration of the bishops of Carthage. Hence assembling themselves at Carthage, they summoned CiEcilian before them, to answer for his conduct. The flame thus kindled, was aug- mented by means of Lucilia, an opulent lady, who had been reproved by Coecilian for impropei conduct, and who, on that account, had conceived a violent prejudice against him. At her expense, the Numidian bishops were assembled and entertained. Among these bishops was Donatus of Casaj-nigrse, a man said to be of an mihappy, schismalical temper; nfter whom, on account of the distinguished part he took in the aflair, the party was Ccilied. The result of this council was, that Cascilian was depos- ed, and Majorinus elected in his stead. This act divided the Church of Carthage into two parties, each of which was determined to abide by its own bishop. But the con- troversy was not confined to Carthage. In a short time it spread far and wide, not only throughout Numidia, but even throughout all the provinces of Africa ; which entered so zealously into this ecclesiastical war, that in most cities there were two bishops, one at the head of the party of Cascilian, and the other acknowledged by the followers of Majorinus. At length the Donatists laid their controversy before Constantine ; who in the year 313, with several bishops, examined the subject, and gave judgment in favor of Cseci- lian, who was entirely acquitted of the crimes laid to his charge. In a second, and a murh more numerous assembly, convened at Aries in 314, the subject was again investigated, with a similar result. Not satisfied, however, the Donatists appealed to the immediate judgment of the emperor, who indulgently admit- ted them to a hearing at Milan, A. D. 316. The issue of this third trial was not more favorable to the Donatists, than that of the two preceding councils, whose decisions the emperor confirmed. The subsequent conduct of these schismatics at length became so disgraceful, that the emperor deprived them of their Churches in Africa, and sent into banishment their seditious bishops. Nay, he carried his resentment so far as to put some of them to death, probably on account of the intolerable malignancy which they discovered in their writings and discourses. Hence arose violent commo- tions in Africa, as the sect of the Donatists was extremely powerful and numerous there. The emperor condescended, by embassies and negociations, to allay these dis- tiurbances, but they were without effect. After the death of Constantine, his son Constans attempted to heal this deplorable schism, and to engage the Donatists to conclude a treaty of peace. All methods of reconciliation were ineffectual. At length, in a battle fought at Bagiiia, they were signally defeated, from which time their cause seemed to decline. In 362, the empe- ror Julian permitted those who had before been exiled, to return, upon which the party greatly revived. In 377, Gratian deprived them of their Churches, and prohibiied all assembhes, both public and private. The sect, however, was still numerous, as appears from the number of their Churches in Africa, which, towards the conclusion of this century, were served by no less than four hundi'ed bishops. A subsequent division among them, together with the Avritings of Augustine, about the end of the centuiy, caused the sect greatly to decline. 15. Soon after the commencement of the above controversy of the Donatists, a controversy originated in the Church of Alexandria in Egypt, well known by the name of the " Arian controversy" which was managed with so much violence, as at length to involve the whole DECLINE OF PAGANISM. 71 Christian world. The author of this controversy was Arius, a presbyter of the Church, who maintained against Alexander the bishop, that the Son is totally and essentially distinct from the Father ; subordinate to him, not only in office but in nature ; that since the Son was begotten, he had a beginning, and hence that there was a time when he was not. The sentiments of the primitive Christians for the three first centuries, in reference to the divinity of the Savior, historians tell us, were, generally speaking, uniform ; at least, there appear not to have been any public controversies touch" ng this leading article of the Christian faith. It was left for Arius to commence a, dispute, which may be said to have involved the whole Christian world in a flame. For such a contro- versy, he was eminently qualified. To a restless spirit he united great address, and deep skill in th? logic of the times ; at the same time he was distinguished for gravity cf deportment, and irreproachable manners. The occasion of this dispute appears to have been simply this. A'cxand"*, speak- ing upon the subject of the Trinity, had affirmed that there was " a unity in the Trinit)', ana particularly that the Son was coeternal, and consubstanlial, and of the same dig- nity with the Father." To this language Arius objected, and argued that there was a lime when the Son of God was not ; that he was capable of virtue and vice ; that he was a creature, and mutable as other creatiues. 16. These sentiments of Arius spreading abroad, were adopted by not a few, among whom were some, who were distinguished not only for their learning and genius, but for their rank and station. 17. Alexander, alarmed at the propagation of sentiments in his view so unscriptural, remonstrated with Arius ; and by conciliatory measures at- tempted to restore him to a more scriptural system. Finding his efforts vain, and that Arius was still spreading his doctrines abroad, he sum- moned a council consisting of near a hundred bishops, by which Arius, and several of his partisans, were deposed and excommunicated. Upon his excommunication, Anus retired to Palestine, whence he addressed letters to the most eminent men of those times ; in which he so dexterously managed his cause, as to induce many to join his party, among whom was Eusebius, bishop of Nicomedia, a man greatly distinguished in the Church for his influence and authority. 18. The dispute still progressing, at length attracted the attention of Constantine ; who, finding all efforts to reconcile Alexander and Arius fruitless, issued letters to the bishops of the several provinces of the empire to assemble at Nice, in Bithynia, A. D. 32-5. In this council, consisting of three hundred and eighteen bishops, besides a multitude of presbyters, deacons, and others, the emperor himself presided. After a session of more than two months, Arius was deposed, excommunicated, and forbidden to enter Alexandria. At the same time was adopted what is known by the name of the ^'Nicene Creed,'"^ said to be the production of Athana- sius, and which the emperor ordered should be subscribed by all, upon pain of banishment. * The following is the creed alluded to above : " We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten ; begotten of the Father, that is, of the substance of the Father. God of Gorl ; Light of Light ; true God of true God ; begotten, not made ; consubstaiitial with the Father, by whom all things were made, things in heaven, and things on earth ; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down and was incarnate, and became man ; suffered and rose again the third day, and ascended into the heavens, and comes to judge the quick and the dead; and in the Holy Ghost. And the caiholic and apostolic church doth anathematize those persons who say, that there was a time when the Son of God was not ; that he was not before he was horn; that he was made of nothing, or of another substance or heing; or that he is created, or changeable, or convertible." 72 PERIOD IV. ...306... .606. The place in which the council assembled, was a large room in the palace. Hav* ing taken their places, they continued standing, until the emperor, who was clad in an exceedingly splendid di'ess, made his appearance. When all at length were seated, says Eusebius, the patriarch of Antioch rose, and addressing the emperor, gave thanks to God on his account— congratulating the Church on its prosperous condition, brought about by his means, and particularly in the destruction of the idolatrous worship of paganism. To these congratulations of the patriarch, the emperor replied, that he was happy at seeing them assembled, on an occasion so glorious as that of amicably settling their difficulties ; which, he said, had given him more concern than all his wars. He concluded by expressing an earnest wish, that they would as soon as possible remove every cause of dissension, and lay the foundation of a lasting peace. On concluding his address, a scene occurred, which presented to the emperor a most impromising prospect. Instead of entering upon the discussion of the business, for which they had been convened, the bishops began to complain to the emperor of each other, and to vindicate themselves. Constantine hstened to their mutual recriminations with great patience ; and when, at his instance, their respective complaints were J educed to writing, he threw all the billets unopened into the fire ; saying, that it did not belong to him to decide the differences of Christian bishops, and that the hearing of them must be deferred till the day of judgment. After this, the council proceeded, in earnest, to the business of their meeting. Their discussions began June 19th and continued to the 25th of August, when their decisions were pubhshed. Before this council broke up, some few other matters were determined ; such as would deserve no place here, were it not to show the sad defection of Christianity in the increase of superstition and human traditions. It was decreed that Easter should be kept at the same season, through all the Church ; that celibacy was a virtue ; that new converts should not be introduced to orders ; that a certain course of peni- tence should be enjoined on the lapsed ; with other directions of a similar nature. 19. The principal persons who espoused the cause of Arius, in the above council, were Eusebius of Nicomerlia, Theognis of Nice, and Maris of Calcedon ; the person who chiefly opposed him and took the part of Alexander, was Athanasius, at that time only a deacon in the Church of Alexandria. 20. The controversy was far from being settled by the decision of the council of Nice. The doctrines of Arius had indeed been condemned ; he himself had been banished to Illyricum ; his followers been compelled to assent to the Nicene creed, and his writings proscribed ; yet his doctrines found adherents, and both he and his friends made vigorous efforts to regain their former rank and privileges. 21. In the year 330, through the assistance of Constantine, the emperor's sister, the Arians succeeded in obtaining the recal of Arius, and the repeal of the laws against themselves. The emperor also recommended to Athanasius, who had succeeded Alexander, to receive Arius to his communion. But the inflexible Athanasius refused, and, not'long after, was banished into Gaul. The decision of the council of Nice met with Constantine's approbation, at the time. But, afterwards, he was induced to believe that Arius and his followers had been unjustly condemned. Hence, he issued his edict, revoking the sentence against liim, and repealing the severe laws which had been enacted against his party. 22. At a subsequent date, doubts arising in the mind of Constantine, as to Arius, he was induced to order the latter to Constantinople, and to require him to assent to the Nicene creed. This he readily did, and con- firmed his belief with an oath. DECLINE OP PAGANISM. 73 The subscription to the Nicene creed, on the part of Arius, all credible testimony goes to show, to have been made with the most improper reservations. He assented to it, mdeed, but explained it in a widely different manner from the orthodox. 23. The apparent sincerity of Arius deceiving the emperor, Alexan- der of Constantinople vv^as directed to receive him to communion. The day was fixed for his restoration ; but while he was on the way to the Church, Arius was suddenly seized with some disease of the bov/els, and died, A. D. 336. On receiving the orders of Constantine to acknowledge Arius, Alexander, it is said, betook hiniS'^lf to prayer. He fervently prayed that God would, in some way, prevent the return of a man to the Church, whom he could not but consider as a disturber of its peace, and hypocritical in his profession. The sudden and extraordinary manner in which Arius died was no small mortification to his party, and the orthodox did not escape the imputation of hav'ing been accessary to it. 24. In the year 337, Constantine died, having received baptism, du- ring his sickness, at the hands of his favorite bishop, Eusebius, of Nico- media. The character of Constantine has been variously represented. His sincerity in espousing the Christian cause cannot reasonably be doubted ; but he seems to have had very imperfect views of the real nature of Christianity ; and to have failed in adopting the best measures for propagating a cause so different from this world, both in its nature and in its influence. 25. The state of religion at the death of Constantine was exceeedingly low. The Church was distracted with baneful divisions ; and a general struggle for power and wealth seemed to predominate. The estabhshment of Christianity by Constantine, under Providence, was a glorious event for the Church. But in connecting it with the affairs of the state, as he did, he laid the foundation for the most giievous evils. The distinction of rank and eminence among the clergy, could not fail to introduce jealousy and ri\ ^Iship. For a long period, Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome, had ranked high, on account of the number of Chris- tians in their several districts, and also for that eminence of character, which had marked their bishops. But to these there was no prescribed authority in point of order I. . rank, till Constantine gave them a kind of supremacy over their brethren. To these three he now added Constantinople. These four cities were converted into bisho- prics, called metropolitan. In the course of the century, these metropoUtans became patriarchs ; and, by and by, as we shall see, the bishop of Rome became pontiff or pope. Hence, may be traced the manner in which the ministers of Christ became separated into the different orders of pontiffs, patriarchs, metropolitans, archbishops, bishops, and the like. Nor should it be forgotten, that for a time these Church officers were exalted and appointed by the civil magistrate, without the concurrence of the people, till at length the bishop of Rome became lord of all. 26. On the death of Constantine, the empire was distributed among his three sons ; but a quarrel soon after arising between the brothers, which terminating fatally to two, Constantius became sole monarch of the Roman empire, in the year 353. 27. In the year 356, died Anthony the hermit, who may be considered the father of that monastic life, for which several of the succeeding cen- turies were remarkably distinguished. Seclusion from the world, and the practice of austerities, had been adopted by many of a romantic turn, in the former century, (Per. III. Sec. 22;) but it was left to another, to set an example of self-denial, which the world had never before seen. Anthony was an illiterate youth of Alexandria. Happening, one day, to enter a chuich, he heard the words of our Lord to the yovmg ruler ; " Sell all that thou hast, 10 7 74 PERIOD IV.. ..305.. ..606. and give to the poor." Considering this as a special call to hiir- ne distributed his property — deserted his family and friends — took up his residence among the tombs, and in a ruined tower. Here, having practiced self-denial for some time, he advanc- ed three days' journey into the desert, eastward of the Nile ; where, discovering a most lonely spot, he fixed his abode. His example and his lessons infected others, whose curiosity pursued him to the desert, and before he closed his life, which was prolonged to the term of one hundred and five years, he beheld vast muubers imitating the example which he had set them. From this time, monks multiplied incredibly, on the sands of Lybia, upon the rocks of Thebias, and the cities of the Nile. Even to this day, the traveller may explore the ruins of fifty monasteries, which were planted to the south of Alexandria, by the disciples of Anthony. Influenced by the example of Anthony, a Syrian youth, whose name was Hilarion, fixed his dreary abode on a sandy beach, between the sea and a morass, about seven miles from Gaza. The austere penance, in which he persisted for forty-eight years, diffused a similar enthusiasm ; and innumerable monasteries ;vere soon distributed over all Palestine. In the west, Martin of Tours founded a monastery at Poictiers, and thus introduced monastic institutions into France. Such was the rapid increase of his disciples, that two thousand monks followed in his funeral procession. In other countries they ap- pear to have increased in the same proportion ; and the progress of monkery is said not to have been less rapid, or less universal than that of Christianity. Nor was this kind of life confined to males. Females began, about the same time, to retire from the world, and to dedicate themselves to solitude and devotion. Nunne- ries were erected, and such as entered them, were henceforth secluded from all worldly intercourse. They were neither allowed to go abroad, nor was any one permitted to see them. Here, they served themselves, and made their own clothes, which were white and plain wollen. The height of the cap was restricted to an inch and two lines. One of the most renowned examples of monkish penance upon record, is that of St. Simeon, a Sjoian monk, who lived about the middle of the fifth century, and who is thought to have outstripped all who preceded him. He is said to have lived thirty-six years on a pillar erected on the summit of a mountain, in Syria, whence he got the name of " Simeon the Stylite." From this pillar, it is said, he never descended, unless to take possession of another, which he did four times, having in all occupied five of them. On his last pillar, which was sixty feet high, and only three feet broad, he remained, according to- report, fif- teen years without intermission, summer and winter, day and night ; exposed to all the inclemencies of the seasons, in a climate Uable to great and sudden changes, from the most melting heat to the most piercing cold. We are informed that he always stood, the breadth of his pillar not permitting him to lie down. He spent the day, till three in afternoon, in meditation and prayer ; from that time till sunset he harangued the people, who flocked to him from all countries. Females were not permitted to approach him — not even his own mother ; who is said, through grief and mortification, in being refused admittance, to have died the third day after her arrival. Similar instances of extravagance and superstition in those times abounded. It is to be regretted that these extravagancies, and this increasing fondness for seclusion, were so greatly extolled by the fathers of the Catholic Church. Even Athanasius en- couraged the institution of monkery. Basil terms monkery " an angelical institution ; a blessed and evangelical life, leading to the mansions of the Lord." Jerome declares " the societies of monks and nuns to be the very flower and most precious stone, among all the ornaments of the Church." Others were equally eloquent in extolling the per- fection of monkery, and commending the practice. The consequence of these praises, on the part of men so eminent in the Church, in relation to this kind of life, was, as might be expected, a most rapid increase of both monasteries and monks. Even nobles, and dukes, and princes, not only devoted im- mense treasures in founding and increasing these establishments, but descended from their elevated stations, and immured themselves in these convents, for the purpose of communion with God. Thousands who still continued to live in the world, consecrat- ed their wealth to purchase the prayers of these devoted saints ; and even tyrants and worn out debauchees considered themselves secure of eternal glory, by devoting DECLINE OF PAGANISM. 75 their fortunes to some monastic institution. The real history of these establishments, however, would disclose little in favor of reUgion. There were doubtless many who ripened within their walls for heavenly glory ; but there is reason to fear that the majo- rity, under the mask of superior piety, led lives of luxury, licentiousness, and debauchery. These monastic institutions served one good purpose, and that one was important. During the dark ages which succeeded, when the light of science, throughout the world, Avas eclipsed by the barbarous incursions of the illiterate nations of the north, science and literature here found an asylum. Libraries were fonned and carefully preserved, which, on the restoration of learning, were of great value to the world. The subsequent history' of these estabhshments is interesting. In the sixth century, the extravagancies of the monks, it was acknowledged, needed a check. This induc- ed Benedict, a man distinguished for his piety, to institute a rule of discipline, by which a greater degree of order was introduced into the monasteries, and a wholesome restraint was laid upon the wild and extravagant conduct of their inmates. For a time, the Benedictine order became extremely popular, and swallowed up aU others ; but luxury and licentiousness gradually invaded even the convents of Benedict. During the eighth and ninth centiuries, the monks rose to the highest veneration. Even princes sought admittance to their cloisters, and the wealth of the great was poiu-ed into their treasuries. In such estimation were the monks held, that they were selected to occupy the highest offices of state. Abbots and monks filled the palaces of kings, and were even placed at the head of armies. The tenth century gave rise to a new order in France, by the name of the congrega- tion of Clugni. For a season, the rules of reform which they adopted, and the sancti- ty which they assumed, gave them a high name. But Hcentiousness and debauche- r}-, the natural result of a Ufe of ease and luxury, soon sunk them into utter contempt. During the eleventh and twelfth centuries, flourished the orders of the Cisterians and Carthusians. The thirteenth, gave birth to an order widely different from any which before existed. This was the order of Mendicants, instituted by Innocent III. They were taught to contemn wealth, and obtained their living only by charity. This order became extremely popular, and numbered its thousands, who were spread over all Europe. In the thirteenth century, from this order, under the auspices of Gregory, arose four others, the Dominicans, the Franciscans, the Carmelites, and the hermits of St. Augus- tine. The two first of these were much more respectable than the latter, and for three centuries governed the councils of Europe. They filled the most important offices in church and state, and gave to the papal power an influence and authority scarcely credible. It is needless to dwell longer on tins subject. The mischiefs which resulted from these monastic institutions, volumes would scarcely portray. Their secret history would develop a chapter of superstition, and fraud — of debaucheries, and every species of enormity, which a virtuous man would be shocked to read. " To go into a convent, " says Dr. Johnson, " for fear of being immoral, is as if a man should cut oS" his hands, for fear he should steal. To suffer with patience and fortitude when called to it, for the cause of truth, is virtuous and heroical ; but to exclude one's self from the fight of day, under pretence of greater devotedness to God, — to creep on all fours like beasts — to lacerate one's body with thorns — to defame — to afflict — to murder one's self, — this is absurd." The rehgion of the Gospel requires us, indeed, to five unspotted from the/ world ; but then we must, at the same time, visit the widow and the fatherless. / 28. Constantius being- an Arian, favored that cause from the time oC his accession, at the death of Constantine, A. D. 337, to his own deatW, in the year 361. During his long reign, Arianism maintained th^ ascendancy ; while the friends of the opposite faith suffered the most bitter persecution. Athanasius, who had been recalled from banishment,, was again exiled, and although recalled, was obliged to take refuge from his persecutors, with some mon-ks, in a desert. The state of the Church at this time, could we give a just representation of it, would present httle of its primitive purity and simphcitv. The Scriptures were no longer the standard of Christian faith. A\Tiat was orthodox, and what was heterodox, was to be determined only by fathers and cotmcils. Ministers had departed from the ampli- <•> 76 PERIOD IV.. ..306. ...606. city of Christian doctrine and manners ; avarice and ambition niled ; temporal gran- deur, high preferment, and large revenues, were the ruling pass'on. As either party, at any time, gained the advantage, it treated the other with marked severity. The Arians, however, being generally iu power, the orthodox experienced almost uninterrupted oppression. In 349, Conslantius was influenced to recall Athanasius, and to restore him to his office at Alexandria. To his enemies, no measure could have been more repulsive ; and it was the signal to prefer the most bitter accusations against him. He was obliged to flee before the storm, and take shelter in the obscurity of a desert ; but the blast fell upon his friends ; some of whom were banished ; some were loaded with chains, and imprisoned ; while others were scourged to death. In respect to the Arians, it is thought no circumstances existed for measures so violent as those which they adopted; but then it should be remembered, that the orthodox were not much less violent, when they possessed the power. Athanasius, at the head of the orthodox party, was a man of a restless and aspiring disposition. His speculative views of the doctrines of the Scriptures, appear in general to have been correct ; but he cannot be exempted from the charge of oppressing his opponents, when he had the power. It may be added, in respect to the Arians, that, at length, divisions among them caused them to separate into numerous sects. Hence we read of Semi-arians, Aetians, Eunomians, and many others ; of whom it is only necessary to say, that they assisted to distract the Cluristian world while they existed, and lo show how discordant human beings may become. 29. Constantius dying in the year 361, was followed in the adminis- tration by his nephew Julian, commonly called the Apostate. This prince had been instructed in the principles of Christianity ; but having early imbibed a partiality for the pagan worship, that system was placed upon an equal footing with Christianity, during his reign. On his accession, Julian ordered such heathen temples as had been shut, to be open- ed ; and many which had been demohshed to be rebuilt. The laws against idolatry were repealed ; pagan priests were honored ; and pagan worship was favored. On the other hand. Christians became the objects of ridicule ; their schools were closed ; their privileges abridged ; their clergy impoverished. Open persecution was indeed pro- hibited ; but, by every other means, were the followers of the Redeemer humbled and oppressed. By way of reproach, Julian always called the Savior the Galilean. In a war Avith the Persians, he was mortally wounded by a lance. A-^ he was expiring, he filled his hand with blood, and indignantly casting it into the air, exclaimed, " 0 Gali- lean! thou hast conquered." It was during the reign of this prince, and imder his auspices, that the Temple of .'V Kruption of Fire. Jerusalem was attempted to be rebuilt, by the Jews, who, from all the provinces of the empire, repaired to the holy city. Great preparations were made, and on the com- DECLINE OP PAGANISM. 77 mencement of the work, spades and pick-axes of silver were provided ; and the dirt and rubbish were transported in mantles of sUk and purple. But an insulted Provi- dence poured its wrath upon this work of impiety ; — the workmen were scorched by flames, which issued from the earth, and drove them from their mad design. 30. About this time, may be noticed a decided increase of the power and influence of the bishop of Rome, who was considered the first in rank, and distinguished by a sort of pre-eminence over all other bishops. He surpassed all his brethren in the magnificence and splendor of the Church over which he presided ; in the riches of his revenues and possessions ; in the number and variety of his ministers ; in his credit with the people ; and in his sumptuous and splendid manner of living. This led Praetextatus, an heathen, who was magistrate of the city, to say, " make me bishop of Rome, and I'll be a Christian too!" 31. After a reign of twenty-two months, Julian was slain by the hand of a common soldier, and was succeeded in the year 363, by Jovian, one of the officers of his army. Under this prince, Christianity once more triumphed over paganism, and orthodoxy over Arianism. " Under his reign," says Gibbon, " Christianity obtained an easy and lasting victory. In many cities the heathen temples were shut or entirely deserted. The edicts of Julian in favor of paganism were abolished ; and the system sunk irrecoverably in the dark." Jovian, however, declared his abhorrence of contention, and allowed such as pleased to exercise with freedom the ceremonies of the ancient worship. 32. In the year 364, Jovian, notwithstanding his apparent admission of the obligations of Christianity, died in a fit of debauch, and was suc- ceeded by two brothers, Valentinian and Valens ; the former of whom patronized the orthodox; the latter, the Arians. In 375, Valentinian died ; upon which Valens, becoming sole monarch, was prevailed upon to persecute with much cruelty the orthodox party. Of these princes. Gibbon says, " that they invariably retained, in their exalted station, the chaste and temperate simpUcity which had adorned their private life ; and under them the reign of the pleasiu'cs of a court never cost the people a blush, or a sigh. Though iUiterate themselves, they patronized learning ; they planned a course of instruction for every city in the empire, and handsomely endowed several academies." But in respect to religion, their conduct was far from being commendable. Valens, particularly, persecuted all who differed from him. A single act will serve as an example of his cruelty. A company of eighty ecclesiastics, who had refused to sub- scribe to the Arian faith, Avere ordered into banishment. Being placed on board a vessel, pro\aded to carry them away, as they were sailing out of the harbor, the vessel was set on fire, and the whole company were left to be consumed. Cruelty like this marked the whole of his reign. 33. After a long life of labor and numerous sufferings, Athanasius died in the year 373. Under the reign of Constantius, it has already been observed, Athanasius was com- pelled to seek his safety in retreat. During the reign of Julian, he once visited his people, but returned to his retreat. On the accession of Jovian, he again appeared at Alexandria, and by that prince was confirmed in his office. From this time to his death, little is recorded of him which we need to relate. He has left a character, high in point of purity, but blemished by an excessive zeal for. orthodoxy, and by an encour- agement of monkish superstition, inconsistent x^ith the genius of the Gospel. 34. After a reign of fourteen years, Valens lost his life in a battle with the Goths, A. D. 378, and was succeeded by Gratian, the son of Valen- tinian. Soon after his accession, he associated the great Theodosius with him in the government. Both these emperors espoused the cause of Christianity against paganism, and orthodoxy against Arianism. 7# 78 PERIOD IV.. ..306. ...606. The measures adopted by Theodosius were such as to drive Ariaus from their Churches, and subjected to many giievous calamities. Unacquainted with the spirit of the Gospel, he attempted, contrary to its genius, to enforce its reception by the arm of power, rather than by the voice of reason. 35. In the year 383, Theodosius summoned a council at Constantinople, consisting of nearly two hundred bishops, with a design to confirm the Nicene creed. This council accordingly decreed that the Nicene creed should be the standard of orthodoxy, and that all heresies should be condemned. In accordance with tliis deci- sion, the emperor soon after issued two edicts, by both of which the holding of meet- ings, whether public or private, was forbidden to all heretics, under the severest penalties. In the year 390, he issued a still severer edict, aimed as a death-blow to paganism. According to this edict, all his subjects were prohibited to worship any inanimate idol, by the sacrifice of any victim, on pain of death. This edict was so rigidly enforced, that paganism declined apace. " So rapid and yet so gentle was the faU of it," says Gibbon, " that only twenty-eight years after the death of Theodosius, the faint and minute vestiges were no longer visible to the eye of the legislator." 36. We must here anticipate a feAV years, and speak of Pelagianism, which began to be propagated about the year 404, or 405. The author of this system was one Pelagius, a Briton, from whom it received its name. Its grand feature was a denial of the depravity of the human heart, or the necessity of the influences of the Spirit in man's regeneration. Besides these opinions, Pelagius maintained, that the human will is as much inclin- ed to good as to evil, and that good works constitute the meritorious cause of salva- tion. Pelagius was considerably advanced in years, before he began to propagate his opinions. His first attempt was made at Kome, but meeting \\i\\\ opposition, he removed to Carthage, in Africa, where he openly raised his standard. He was a man of in-eproachable morals, and deep subtilty. These circumstances gave him great influence, especially among the J'oang and inexperienced. In the propagation of his system, he was assisted by'one Caelestius, an Irish monk. For a time, the success of Pelagius was great. But the system found a powerful opponent, in the famous Augustine, bishop of Hippo, in Africa. This father opposed, in a manner the most satisfactory, the unscriptural character of the system, and the direct tendency of it to subvert the grand doctrines of the Gospel, and to render the cross of Christ of no effect. The controversy, however, distracted, for a time, the Christian world. Council after council assembled, and the most opposite decrees were at different times passed in relation to the system of Pelajjius. In the year 412, Caelestius was condemned as a heretic ; this was followed in 420, by a condemnation of the system on the part of the emperor, and Pelagianism was suppressed through- out the empire. In the year 431, Pelagianism was again brought forward, in an altered and soflened form, by John Cassion, a monk of Marseilles. To this latter system was given the name of Semi-Pelagianism. It consisted in an attempt to pursue a middle course between the doctrines of Pelagius and Augustine. It is necessary, however, only to add, that the system thus new modeled, was again attacked by Augustine, assisted by Hilary, a distinguished priest, and Prosper, a layman ; and by these champions its inconsistencies and anti-scriptural character were sufficiently exposed. 37. The emperor Theodosius died in the year 395, and was succeeded by his two sons, Arcadius and Honorius, the former of whom presided at Constantinople, as emperor of the east ; the latter chose Ravenna as the seat of his court, in preference to Rome, and presided over the west. 38. Of the state of the Church, during the reign of these two emperors, and, indeed, for a long period following, we have nothing pleasant to DECLINE OF PAGANISM. 79 record. Honorius, following the steps of his father, protected the external state of the Church, and did something towards extirpating the remains of idolatry, and supporting orthodoxy in opposition to existing heresies. But a great increase of superstition, polemical subtilty, and monasticism marked these times, both in the east and west. The true spirit of the Gospel was scarcely visible. A constant struggle existed among the clergy for dignity, power, and wealth, and great exertions were put forth to maintain the supremacy of the Catholic Church. 39. Some time previous to this date, but now more particularly, important changes began to take place in the Roman empire, which considerably affected the visible kingdom of the Redeemer. These changes were caused by numerous barbarous tribes inhabiting the north of Europe, who attacking the Roman empire, in a course of years reduced it to a state of complete subjection, and divided its various pro- vinces into several distinct governments and kingdoms. These tribes consisted of the Goths, Huns, Franks, Alans, Siievi, Vandals, and various others. They were extremely barbarous and illiterate, at the same time pow- erful and warlike. The inciursions of these tribes into the empire was at a time when it was least able to make effectual resistance. Both Honorius and Arcadius were weak princes. The Roman character was greatly sunk. Their lofty and daring spirit was gone. There empire had for years groaned under its unwieldy bulk ; and only by the most vigorous efforts had it been kept from crumbUng to ruins. With Theodosius, expired the last of the successors of Augustus and Constantine, who appeared in the field of battle at the head of their annies, and whose authority was acknowledged throughout the empire. Such being the state of things, it is not strange that the northern tribes should have seized the opportunity to invade the empir'. ; nor that their effort at siibjugation should have been crowned with success. Still less singular is it, that the Church of Christ should have suffered in a corresponding degree. 40. In the year 410, the imperial city of Rome was besieged and taken by Alaric, king of the Goths, who delivered it over to the licentious fury of his army. A scene of horror ensued which is scarcely paralleled in the history-of war. The plunder of the city was accomplished in six days ; the streets were deluged with the blood of murdered citizens, and some of the noblest edifices were razed to their foundation. The city of Rome was at this time an object of admiration. Its inhabitants were estimated at twelve hundred thousand. Its houses were but little short of fifty thou- sand ; seventeen hundred and eighty of which were similar in grandeur and extent to the palaces of princes. Every thing bespoke wealth and luxury. The market, the race courses, the temples, the fountains, the porticos, the shady groves, unitedly com- bined to add surpassing splendor to the spot. Two years before the srarender of the city, Alaric had laid seige to it, and had received from the proud and insolent Romans, as the price of his retreat from the walls, five thousand pounds of gold, thirty thousand pounds of silver, and an incredi- ble quantity of other valuable articles. In the following year, he again appeared before the city ; and now took possession of the port of Osfia, one of the boldest and most stupendous works of Roman magnifi- cence. He had demanded the surrender of the city, and was only prevented from razing it to its foundation, by the consent of the senate to remove the unworthy Honorius from the throne of the Caesars, and to place Attains, the tool of the Gothic conqueror, in his place. But the doom of the city was not far distant. In 410, Alaric once more appeared under the walls of the capital. Through the treachery of the Roman guard, one of the gates was silently opened, and the inhabitants were awakened at midnight, by the tiemendous sound of the Gothic trumpet. Alaric and his bands entered in triumph, 80 PERIOD IV. ...306.. ..606. and spread desolation through the streets. Thus this proud city, which had subdued a great part of the world; which, during a period of 619 years, had never been violated by the presence of a foreign enemy, was itself called to surrender to the arras of a rude and revengeful Goth ; who was well entitled the Destroyer of nations, and the scourge of God ! 41. From this period, the barbarians continued their ravages, until 476, which is commonly assigned as marking the total extinction of the western part of the Roman empire. Of the tribes, which had been accessary to this result, the Visigoths took possession of Spain; the Franks of Gaul ; the Saxons of England ; the Huns of Pannonia ; the Ostrogoths of Italy, and the adjacent provinces. These conquests effected an almost entire change in the state of Europe. New governments, laws, languages ; new manners, customs, dresses ; new names and countries prevailed. It is doubtless to be lamented, that this revolution was the work of nations so little enlightened by science, or polished by civilization ; for the laws of the Romans, imperfect as they were, were the best which human -wisdom had devised ; and in arts they far surpassed the nations to which they now became subject- ed. It is a remark of Dr. Robertson, " that if a man were called to fix upon a period, in the history of the world, during which the condition of the human race wels most calamitous, he would without hesitation name that which elapsed from the death of Theodosius the Great, A. D. 395, to the establishment of the Lombards in Italy, A. D. 571." 42. Although the barbarians were idolaters, yet upon the conquest of the Roman empire, they generally, though at different periods, conformed themselves to the religious institutions of the nations among whom they settled. They unanimously agreed to support the hierarchy of the Church of Rome, and to defend and maintain it, as the established religion of their respective states. They generally adopted the Arian system, and hence the advocates of the Nicene creed met with bitter persecution. It has already been observed, that religion, in its established form, weis at this time but Uttle removed from the superstition and idolatry of the ancient heathen. There were, indeed, pious individuals — some who maintained the primitive faith and manners — but the mass of professors, and even of the clergy, had shamefully departed from the spirit of the Gospel. To nothing, but the controlling Providence of God can we attribute the condescen- sion of these barbarous tribes to renounce idolatry, and become nominal Christians. Had they pleased, it would seem that they might easily have exterminated Chris- tianity from the earth. But Divine Providence saw fit to order otherwise ; and though for years, as nations, they were scarcely to be accounted Christians, the rehgion which they adopted, at length, softened their manners and refined their morals. 43. Of the kingdoms into which the Roman empire was divided, that of the Franks in Gaul was one. Of this nation, Clovis was king. In the year 496, he was converted to Christianity ; and, together Avith three thousand of his army, was baptized at Rheims, and received into the Church. The wife of Clovis was Clotilda, a niece of the king of Burgundy. The Burgun- dians had already embraced Christianity ; and although they professed the Arian faith, Clotilda was attached to the Nicene creed. She had labored to convert her husband to Christianity, but without success. During a battle, which he fought -with the Alemans, finding the Franks giving ground, and victory crowning the standard of his foe, he implored, it is said, the assistance of Christ ; and solenmly engaged to worship him as a God, if he rendered him victorious over his enemies. The battle now went on, and Clovis was conqueror. Faithful to his promise, he DECLINE OF PAGANISM. 81 was baptized at Rheims, the year after, having been instructed in the doctrines of the Gospel. The real conversion of Clo\ds has little credit attached to it ; but his external reformation ser\'ed to comfort the friends of religion, and particularly the advocates of the Nicene creed. The conversion of Clovis, it may be added, is considered by the learned as the date of the title of 3Iost Christimi Majesty, which has so long been adopted by the kings of France. 44. The year 432 was distinguished for the successful introduction of Christianity into Ireland by Patrick ; who, on account of his labors in that country, has been deservedly entitled " the apostle of the Irish, and the father of the Hibernian Church." Efforts had previously been made to diffuse the light of Christianity among VAe Irish, under the auspices of Ca;lestius, bishop of Rome. He had employed Palladius for that purpose ; but his mission appears to have been attended with little success. Patrick succeeded Palladius in his labors. The former was a Scot by birth, and was one of the bishops in Scotland ; but being taken prisoner, in a war in which the British isles were involved, he was carried to Ireland, where he devoted himself with much zeal to the conversion of the people. He formed the archbishopric of Armagh ; and died at an advanced age, in the year 460. 45. Under the auspicies of Gregory the Great, the Roman pontiff, Christianity was introduced into England, in the year 497 ; at which time Austin, with forty monks, was sent into that country, and began the conversion of the inhabitants. The knowledge of Christianity existed at this time in England, and appears to have been introduced, about the time of the apostles. But at no period could it be said that the country was Christian. The light of Christianity here and there, in some confined circles, shot through the surrounding darkness ; but it was only suffi- cient to show how thick that darkness was. Indeed, Christianity appears to have been neariy exterminated by the Saxons, Angles, and other tribes, who conquered the countr}\ The idolatries of these tribes reigned through the country for the space of one hundred and fifty years ; and to such gods as Llie Sun, Jloon, Thuth, Odin, Thor, Frigga, and Surtur, from which the English derived the names of the week, their homage was paid. The honor of breaking up this established idolatry, and of spreading the Gospel in England, was reserved for Austin, under the patronage of Gregory. Gregory, previously to his election to the pontificate, was one day walking in the market-place at Rome, and seeing several youth of handsome appearance exposed to sale, he inquired whence they were ? Being informed that they were pagans from Britain, his pity was greatly excited. Soon after, he offered himself to the ruling bishop, and requested to be sent as a missionary to the island ; but his request was denied. On his election to the see of Rome, he remembered his former interest in Britain, and soon after sent Austin, with a company of monks, to convert the nation. Providence smiled upon the attempt. Ethelbert was at this time king of Kent, by whose queen Bertha, a pious descendant of the house of Clovis, the missionaries were kindly received. The king soon became a convert, and a few years after this events the people were generally, at least, nominal Christians. 46. Notice has already been taken (Sec. 30,) of the gradual increase of the influence and authority of the bishop of Rome over all his brethren. But it Avas reserved to the year 606 to complete the triumphs of the Roman pontiff, and to place him at the head of the ecclesiastical world. At this time the emperor Phocas conferred on Boniface III., the successor of Gregory the great, the title of Universal Bishop. As early as 588, John, of Constantinople, called the Faster, assumed the title of Universal Bishop ; and the title was confirmed by a council, at that time in session, in that city. The successor of John assumed the same proud title. Gregory the 11 82 PERIOD IV. ...306. ...606. Great, contemporaneous with the successor of John, took great umbrage at the boldness of the bishop of Constantinople, in assuming a title, which in point of prece- dence belonged to the bishop of Rome, but which his conscience would not peniiit him to take. Gregory died in the year 604, and was succeeded by Boniface III. This latter prelate had no scruple in accepting the title. Nay, he sought it of the emperor Fhocas, with the privilege of transmitting it to his successors. The profligate emperor, to gratify the inordinate ambition of this court sycophant, deprived the bishop of Constantinople of the title, and conferred it upon Boniface ; at the same time declar- ing the Church of Rome to be the head of all other Churches. DISTINGUISHED CHARACTERS IN PERIOD IV. 1. DonahLS, bishop of Numidia, author of the schism of the Donatists. 2. Lactantius, the most eloquent Latin writer in the fourth centurj ; he exposed the absurdity of the pagan superstitions. 3. Eusebius Pamphilms, bishop of Csesarea, author of an ecclesi- astical history, and a life of Constantine. 4. Arius, a presbyter in the church of Alexandria ; author of the "Arian Controversy." 5. Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria, the firm and powerful opponent of Arianism. 6. Anthony, the hermit, considered the father of the monastic institu- tions. 7. Basil, surnamed the Great, bishop of Coesarea, an eminent contro- versialist. 8. Hilary, bishop of Poictiers, a Latin writer, distinguished for writing twelve books in support of the doctrine of the Trinity. 9. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, a man of extensive learning, and distin- guished for his zeal in the cause of Christianity. 10. Jerome, a monk of Palestine, a voluminous writer, and the author of a translation of the Bible, known by the name of the "Latin Vulgate." 11. A7ig2tstine, bishop of Hippo, in Africa, who, from being a debauch- ed youth, became by his writings and example one of the most distin- guished ornaments of the Christian Church. 12. John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople, one of the most able md eloquent preachers that have adorned the Chtirch. 13. Pelagius, a Briton, author of the " Pelagianism." 1. Bonatus, Sec. 13. 2. Lactantius is said to have been born in Africa, or, according to others, in Italy. He studied rhetoric in Africa, with so much reputation, that Constantine appointed him tutor to his son Crispus. This brought him to court ; but even here he often suffered for the necessaries of life. He was the most eloquent of all the Latin ecclesiastical writers. His style so nearly resembled that of Cicero,, that he is generally distinguish- ed by the title of " the Christian Cicero." His " Divine Institutions," composed about the year 320, in defence of Christianity, is the principal work, which has been trans- mitted to us. 3. Eusebius Pamphilius was born in Palestine, about the year 267, where he was educated. Near the year 313, he was elected bishop of Ccesarea. He bore a conside- rable share in the contest relating to Arius, whose cause he at first defended, under a persuasion that he was persecuted. He was honored with very particular marks of Constantine's esteem ; often receiv- ing letters from the emperor, and being frequently invited to his table. He wrote several important works, among which was an ecclesiastical history, from the com- mencement of the Christian era to the death of Licinius, A. D. 323. DECLINE OP PAGANISM. 83 Eusebius died in the year 338 or 340 ; leaving behind him a high reputation for learning. There were none among the Greek wiiters who had read so much ; but he never apphed himself to the polishing of his works, and was very negligent of his diction. 4. Arius, Sec. 15, and onward. 5. Athanasius was born at Alexandria, of heathen parents ; but was early taken un- der the patronage of Alexander, bishop of that city, by whom he was liberally educat- ed, and afterwards ordained a deacon. When Alexander attended the council of Nice, he took Athanasius with him, where he distinguished himself as an able oppo- nent of the Arian heresy. On the death of his patron, A. D. 326, he was appointed to fill his place, at the early age of twenty-eight years. Arius being persuaded to subscribe to the Nicene creed, Athanasius was required by the emperor to readmit him to communion ; but resolutely refusing, he was ba- nished into France. A variety of fortune from this time followed him, being recalled and again exiled. Athanasius, however, at length died in peace, in the year 373, hav- ing been bishop forty-six years. See Sec. 19, 21, 28, 33. 6. Anthony, Sec. 27. 7. Basil was bom at Csesarea, in Cappadocia, in the year 226. He received the rudiments of his education under his father, and afterwards studied at Antioch, Con- stantinople and Athens. His improvement in all kinds of learning was exceedingly rapi3 . For a time, after his conversion, he sought seclusion, where he employed himself chiefly in devotional exercises. On the death of Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea, in 370, he was chosen to fill his place. In this situation, he suffered many evils from enemies, especially from the advocates of Arianism ; but he was greatly distinguished for his patience, meekness, and piety. At his death, so much was he valued by his flock, that they crowded about his house, with many expressions of sorrow. He breathed his last, A. D. 379, with the pious ejaculation — " Into thy hands, I commit my spirit." 8. Hilary was a native of Poictiers, in France, though the time of liis birth is uncer- tain. He was converted to Christianity late in life, and in the year 355 was made bishop of his native town. He was distinguished for his attachment to the Gospel in its simplicity, and shewed himself to be a man of penetration and genius. He openly enlisted himself against the Arians ; but through their address, the emperor Constan- tine was persuaded to banish him to Phrygia, where he resided several years ; during which time he composed his twelve books on the Trinity, which have been much admir- ed by Trinitarians. He was afterwards restored to liberty ; and such was his influence and endeavors, that it was said that France was freed from Arianism by Hilary alone. His death occurred 4n 367. 9. Ambrose was born in Gaul, about the year 333. A singular story, though proba- bly untrue, is told of him ; viz. that while he was an infant, lying in his cradle, a swarm of bees came and settled upon his mouth. From this it was superstitiously presaged, that he would be distinguished for his eloquence. He proved to be thus distinguished, and was appointed governor of several provinces. He settled at Milan. In the year 374, the bishop of that place dying, a great contest arose between the Catholics and Arians, concerning his successor. Ambrose thought it his duty, as governor, to go to the church, in order to compose the tumult. On addressing the multitude, they with one voice exclaimed, " Let Ambrose be bishop." Thus forced to yield to the wishes of the people, he was baptized and ordained. He died at Blilan, in the year 397, leaving behind him several works on religious sub- jects. As a writer, he was concise, and full of turns of wit ; his terms are well chosen, his expressions noble, and he diversifies his subject with great copiousness of thought and language. Yet he was wanting in accuracy and order. The hymn "Te Beurn" is attributed to him. 10. Jerome was born of Christian parents at Strido, near Pannonia. His father was a man of rank, took the greatest care of his education, and furnished him with every facihty for the acquisition of learning. Being placed at Rome, he had masters in rhetoric, Hebrew, and in divinity, who conducted him through all parts of learning, sacred and profane. From Rorne, Jerome, having finished his education, proceeded to travel. Having spent some time in visiting various places, he returned to Rome ; where he began to 84 PERIOD IV.. ..306.. ..606. deliberate upon the course of life he should pvirsue. Study and retirement Were his wish ; and accordingly, leaving his country and friends, he directed his way into Syria. After spending some lime in quest of a place congenial to his feelings, he took up his abode in a frightful desert, in that country, which was inhabited by scarcely a human being. He was now in his thirty-first year. He divided all his time between devotion and study. Here he applied himself to the study of the Scriptures, which he is said to have gotten by heart, and to the Oriental languages. Having spent four years in this solitude, he was obliged to leave it, on account of his health, which was much impaired. From this time, his reputation for piety and learning began to spread abroad. He now visited Constantinople, and afterwards Rome ; at which latter place he composed several works. In 385, he determined to retire from the world, and persuaded seve- ral persons to accompany him to the east. At length he settled at Bethlehem, a town near Jerusalem, where he continued to live in a monastery till his death, in 420, hav- ing attained to the uncommon age of nmety. The writings of Jerome were voluminous. He translated the whole Bible into Latin, which was afterwards exclusively adopted by the Roman Church. By his writings, he contributed to the growth of superstition, yet of all the Latin fathers, he was the most able in unfolding the Scriptures. 11. Augustine was born m Africa, in the year 354. His parentage was humble, but }•■?, mother was distinguished for her exemplary virtue. His father, designing him for some of the learned professions, placed him at scliool ; but such was his vicious make, that he neglected study for gaming and public shows, and invented a thousand false stories to escape the rod, with which he was, however, severely chastised. His father, sometime after, sent him to Carthage, to pursue his studies. Here, he acquired a taste for reading, and especially for rhetoric, in which latter accompUsh- ment he soon became distinguished ; and, on his return to his native place, gi ve lec- tures on that subject, with high reputation. But he had now become a heretic, and cotumued to follow his vicious course of life. Some time after, he left home with a determination to visit Rome. The prayers of a pious mother followed him, although he had left her without acquainting her with his design. On his arrival at Milan, he visited Ambrose, and attended his preaching The sermons of this pious man made a deep impression upon his mind, and ne became a Catholic in 384. His real conversion occurred not long after ; and he became one of the most sincere and ardent Christians of his time. In 391, he was elected bishop of Hippo. From this date he set himself for the defence of the Gospel, and became the admiration of the Christian world. From his writings was formed a body of theology, which, for centuries after, was the guide of tho.se who desired to shun the errors of popery, and walk in the truth. His death occurred in the year 430, at the age of 76. 12. John C/t?-!/s«s«om was born at Antioch, of a noble familv, about the year 354. His education was intrusted to the care of his mother, who strictly attended to it, and while yet quite young, he was disposed to favor Christianity. At an early age, he formed the resolution of adopting a monastic life ; and m the year 374, he betook himself to the neighboring mountains, where he lived four years, with an ancient hermit ; after which he retired to a still more secluded place, where he spent two years more in a cave ; till, at length, worn out with watchings, fastings, and other severities, he was forced to return to Antioch. Sometime after this, such was his reputation, that he was called to preside as bishop at Constantinople ; he began immediately to attempt a xeformation in his diocese. This gave great displeasure to the clergy, and the more wealthy part of the communi- ty, through whose influence Chrysostom was seized, by order of the emperor, and exiled to a port on the Black Sea. But such was the tumult excited by this measure, that the emperor judged it advisable to recall him, and restore him to his bishopric. No sooner, however, was Chrysostom once more established in his office, than his customary zeal began to display itself, of which his enemies, taking advantage, again procured his banishment to Cucusus, a wild and inhospitable place in Armenia. And not yet satisfied, some time after, they prevailed upon the emperor to send him to Pictyus, a more distant region on the borders of the Black Sea. DECLINE OP PAGANISM. 85 On his way to the latter place, from the fatigue of travelling, and the hard usage he met with from the soldiers, he feU into a violent fever, and died in a few hours. His death occurred in the year 407. Chrysostom was one of the most able preachers that have adorned the Christian Church. To strong powers of mind, and a lively imagination, he added fine powers of elocution, and hence commanded immense audiences. He was an able commen- tator on Paul's epistles. He was constitutionally ardent ; prompted by a zeal, which perhaps was not sufficiently guided by judgment, he met with bitter persecution, which brought him to his grave. 13. Felagius. Sec. 36. Mahomet propagating his religion. PERIOD V. THE PERIOD OF THE RISE OF THE MAHOMETAN IMPOSTURE WILL EXTEND FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SUPREMACY OF THE ROMAN PONTIFFS, A, D. 606, TO THE FIRST CRUSADE, A. D. 1095. 1. The establishment of the supremacy of the Roman pontifTs, in the year 606, with an account of which our last period concluded, forms an important era in the history of the Church, and indeed of the world ; as it laid the foundation of a power, which, in its exercise, was more com- manding, and more extensive than any temporal prince ever enjoyed. For the space of five centuries, this power was gradually rising to the point at which we now contemplate it. For a time following the days of the apostles, the mi- nisters of the Gospel as is maintained by some, although denied by others, especially by the Church of Rome, and the Episcopal Church of England, were considered on an equality. The first departure from this simplicity, according to the former, consisted in giving to the ministers of the distinguished cities, a kind of pre-eminence, by appointing them to be piesidents, or moderators of the clergy, in the surrounding distncts. This pre-eminence continued to increase, and the authority of these particular mi- nisters to extend, till the third century ; when, as already noticed, (Period 4, Sec. 24,) the bishops of Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, and Constantinople, were by Constantine placed at the head of all their brethren. At a later period, (Sec. 30,) this pre-emi- nence centered chiefly in the bishop of Rome, although the point was wannly contest- ed by the bishop of Constantinople. At length, however, (Sec. 46,) the Roman pontiff accomplished his purpose, and at the hands of Phocas received the title of universal bishop. This is the date of the establishment of the papal power. Bttt this was not the period of its full growth. From this time, this power continued to acquire strength, and to extend its influence, until, in temporal dominion, the pope of Rome held an enviable rank among the potentates of the earth j and, as a spiritual power, received the homage of nearly the whole world. RISE OF MAHOMETANISM, 87 The rise of such a power was the subject of prophecy, centuries before. Daniel, ■who flourished about the year 606, B. C, clearly predicted. (Chap, vii.) thedo-svnfall and division of the Roman empire into ten kingdoms, which occurred about the year 476. (Period IV. Sec. 41.) These ten kingdoms were represented by ten horns. (Chap. vii. 24.) After the ten horns, another horn should arise, diverse from the rest. This is the papal power. And, says the prophet, " he shall speak great words against the Most High, and think to change times and laws." Paul, also, describes this power, which he calls, the " man of sin," (2 Thess. ii.) "the mystery of iniquity," — "the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped ; so that he, as God, sittelh in the temple of God, shewing him- self that he is God." Under the figure of a beast, John describes this power, (Rev. xiii.) which should, "open his mouth in blasphemies against God; make war against the saints, and overcome them; and exercise power over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." In another chapter (xvii.) he represents the same power, under the figure of a woman, upon whose forehead was written — " mystery, babylon the great, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINATION OF THE EARTH." Observation. For the purpose of giving to the student a connected view of the subject, we shall briefly notice, in this place, the facilities presented to the Roman pontiff for extending his authority, and the means employed, by which that authority came to be exercised over nearly the whole world. 2. Three circumstances existing at this time, and continuing for seve- ral centuries, contributed to the increase and establishment of the papal power. These were the ignorance, the superstition, and the corruption of the world. 1. Ignorance. The incursions of the northern barbarians spread an intellectual famine throughout all Europe. The only men of learning were the monks, who seldom left their cloisters ; and the only books were manuscripts, concealed in the libraries of the monasteries. Not only were the common people ignorant of the art of reading, but this ignorance extensively pertained to the clergy. Many of the latter could scarcely spell out the apostles' creed ; and even some of the bishops were unable to compose a sermon. 2. Superstition. The universal reign of superstition contributed to the same results. The spiritual views of religion of primitive times, the simplicity which had marked the order of the ancient worship, were no more. In their room, an unmeaning round of rites, ceremonies and festivals, were introduced ; and in the observance of these, the distinguishing doctrines of the Gospel, and the religion of the heart, were effectually lost sight of. The common people were taught to revere the clergy with idolatrous veneration. More was thought of an image of the virgin Mary, than of the Son of God ; and greater virtue was attributed to a finger, or a bone of an apostle, than to the sincerest prayer of faith. Upon this superstition the popes fastened ; they in- creased it by every means in their power, and made it instrumental of extending their lordly power. 3. Corruption. But the universal corruption of the world accelerated the triumphs of the papal throne more than all other means. If piety existed, it was confined to i&'w, and to nations remote from Rome. The influences of the Spirit were unheard of. Even a cold moraUty was scarcely inculcated. Holiness of heart, and the practice of the Christian virtues, were seldom named. Vice and falsehood characterized the times. The worship of images, the possession of relics, the contribution of money to the treasuries of the Roman pontiflF, were urged, as insuring a passport to heavenly felicity. 3. We shall next speak of the means employed by the papal power to extend its influence. We notice, first, the preference given to human compositions over the Bible. The art of printing was for a long time yet tmknown. Copies of the Scriptures •were scarce, and so valuable that a single copy was worth the price of a house. The ignorance of the common people was, therefore, in a measure unavoidable. The popes and the clergy were willing it should be so. Taking advantage of this ignorance, they palmed upon the people such opinions of the fathers, and such decrees 88 PERIOD v.. ..606. ...1095. of councils, as suited their purpose, and stamped them with the authority of God. In this way, the Bible was neglected ; its voice was unheard ; and, upon the strength of human opinions and human decrees, the papal power extended its ghostly authority. 4. A second means employed to extend the authority of the papal power consisted in efforts, under the patronage of the Rovian pontiffs, to convert the heathen. Aware of the importance of first raising the standard of the cross, under the auspi- ces of papal authority, the popes were ready to embrace every opportunity to send forth missionaries, attached to their cause. Hence, many heathen nations were visit- ed, and efforts made to spread the knowledge of Christianity ; — at the same time, care was exercised to send only such, as were deeply imbued with the spirit of the Ro- man hierarchy. Never were men more faithful in any cause. They taught the hea- then to look upon the Roman pontiff as their spiritual father, and to bow to his au- thority as the vicegerent of God on earth. Where reason failed to accomplish their purposes, resort was had to force. Many were the instances, and among them may be mentioned the Pomeranians, the Sclavonians, and the Finlanders, in which baptism was administered at the point of the sword. 5. A third means employed, was the introductio?i of the icorship of images. The introduction of images into places of Christian worship, dates its origin soon after the time of Constantine the Great ; but, hke many other superstitious practices, it made its way by slow and imperceptible degrees. There were those who strongly remonstrated against the practice ; but their opposition was ineffectual. The passion increased, and being fostered by the Roman pontiffs and their servants, it strongly tended to divert the minds of the people from the great objects of faith and worship, presented in the Scriptures ; and gave increasing power to the papal throne over the wandering and darkened minds of the multitude. 6. A fourth means employed to increase and strengthen the papal power, was the influence of monkery, ivhich ivas enlisted in the cause. The rise and progress of monkery has already been unfolded. (Period IV. Sec. 27.) With scarcely an exception, the institutions of monkeiy were on the side of the papal power, and with sedulous care did the Roman pontiffs foster these institutions, that they might further the objects of their ambition. The monks were faithful to their master's cause. Every project started by the popes, received theu' sanction ; and the severest denunciations were poured forth from the convents, against those who should call in question the wisdom of the papal thi'one. 7. A fifth means employed, was the sanction giveii hij the popes to the passion for the relics of saints, which about the ninth century reached an extraordinary height. Such was the zeal inspired on this subject, that many, even in eminent stations, made long pilgrimages, to obtain some reUc of the primitive saints. Judea was ransacked. The bodies of the apostles and martyrs are said to have been dug up, and great quantities of bones were brought into Italy, and sold at enormous prices. Even clothes were exhibited, which Avere declared to be those in which Christ Avas wrap- ped, in infancy ; pieces of his manger were carried about ; parts of his cross — the spear which pierced his side — the bread which he broke at the last supper — and, to wind up the whole, vials Avere preserved, Avhich, it Avas said, contained the milk of the mother of Christ, and even the Savior's blood. From adoring the rehc, the senseless multitude passed to adore the spirit of the saint. Seizing upon this love of idolatry, the Roman pontiffs issued their commands, that no saint should be worshipped, except such as had been canonized by them. This at once invested them Avith an enormous poAA-er. They made saints of Avhom they pleased, and the people were taught to regard these saints as their protectors — as having power to avert dangers — to heal maladies — to prepare the soul for heaven. By these means, the Son of God was kept from view ; and the deluded multitud'i made to feel, that the power of health, of life, and salvation emanated from Rome. .# RISE OF MAHOMETANISM. 89 8. A sixth means employed was the sale of absolution and indulgences. The Roman pontiiT, as the vicegerent of God on earth, claimed to have power not only to far(fo?i sins, but also to grant pennission to commit sm. A doctrine so accor- dant -with the corrupt state of manners and morals, which for centuries prevailed, was received with implicit faith. The murderer, the assassin, the adulterer, needed now only to pay the prescribed fee, and his sins would be blotted out ; those who wished to commit these crimes, in like maimer, needed but to open their purses, to receive a plenary indulgence. The consequence of this sale of pardon was a vast increase of the revenues of the Roman pontiffs, and nearly an absolute control over the minds of the milUons who adhered to the Roman faith. 9. A seventh means employed was the invention of the doctrine of p2trgatory, or a state of temporary punishment after death. This was a powerful engine, and most effectually was it used, for the purpose of enriching and aggrandizing the Roman hierarchy. From this purgatory, aird the miseries pertaining to it, the people were taught that souls might be released, if prayers and masses in sufficient number, and from the proper sources, were offered up. Hence, the richest gifts were bestowed upon the Church, by the surviving friends of those for whom the benefit was sought ; and the dying transgressor readily parted with his possessions to secure it. 10. An eighth means employed, and, perhaps, by far the most effi- cient of all, was the establishment of the Inquisition. The inquisition dates its origin in the thirteenth century. It originated in an attempt to crush some persons in Gaul, (now France,) who had ventured to question the authority of the Roman pontiffs. In the year 1204, Innocent III. sent inquisitors^ as they were called, headed by one Dominic, into Gaul, to execute his wrath upon persons who had dared to speak in opposition to the papal throne. These inquisitors so effectually performed their embassy, that officers with similar power were appointed in every city. Hence rose the inquisition, which in time became a most horrible tribunal — an engine of death ; which kept nations in awe, and in subjection to the papal dominion. 11. Such were some of the principal means employed by the papal power, during several centuries, to extend and confirm its authority. Never were means employed more efficiently, and never was a domi'njon more absolute than that of the Roman pontiffs. 12. The natural and necessary consequence of the system adopted, was the decline of pure religion. For several centuries, indeed, religiri can scarcely be said to have existed. Doubtless there were individual.-* who held the faith in purity ; but to idolatrous Rome nearly the whole world paid its humble adorations. 13. But it is time to take a view of the principal subject of this period, viz. the Rise of the Mahometan Imposture. 12 The author of this false 8* 90 ^ PERIOD v.. ..606.. ..1095. religion was Mahomet, an Arabian, who was born at Mecca, a city of Arabia, in the year 569, or 570. The ancestors of Blahomet were distinguished for several generations, being ranked among the princes of Mecca, and the keepers of the keys of the Caaba, or sacred temple. Hia father's name was Abdallah, one of the thirteen sons of Abdol Motalleb, who held thd principal place in the government of Mecca, and had custody of the Caaba. The birth of Mahomet is said by the Moslem writers to have been accompanied by a series of astonishing prodigies. A flood of light, among other things, burst forth on his entrance into the world, which illuminated every part of Syria ; the waters of the lake Sawa were entirely dried up, so that a city was built upon its bottom ; that an earthquake threw down fourteen towers of the king of Persia's palace ; that the sacred fire of the Persians was extinguished, and all the evil spirits, which had inhabited the moon and stars, were expelled together from their celestial abodes ; nor could they ever after animate idols, or deliver oracles on earth. The child also, if we may trust to the same authorities, discovered the most wonderful presages. He was no sooner bom than he fell prostrate, in a posture of humble adoration, praying devoutly to his Creator, and saying, "God is Great! There is no God but God, and I am his prophet." At the early age of two years, losing his father, and shortly after his mother, he was confided to the care of Abu Taleb, a distinguished uncle ; by whom he was sent at a proper age, at several different times, into Syria with a caravan. By means of his travels, he acquired no small knowledge of mankind. The most remarkable event in the life of Mahomet is his appearance in the cha- racter of a soldier. At the age of fourteen, or, as others say, nearer the age of twenty, he served under his uncle, who commanded the troops of his tribe, the Koreish, in their wars against the rival tribes of the Keman and the Hawacan. They returned from the expedition victorious, and this circumstance doubtless tended to render the people of the tribe still more devoted to the uncle, and to the nephew, and to acquire lor Mahomet a notoriety, which he was afterwards enabled to turn essentially to his account. At the age of twenty-five, he entered into the service of Cadijah, a rich and noble widow of Mecca. In the capacity of factor or agent to this his wealthy employer, he went into Damascus, and the neighboring regions of Syria, where he spent three years, during which time he managed the trust committed to him so entirely to her satisfac- tion, that, on his return, she rewarded his fidelity with the gift of her hand and her fortune. By this alliance, he was raised from a humble sphere in life, to the station of his ancestors. 14. About the year 609, Mahomet, having matured his system, began to announce himself as a prophet of God, and to publish his religion abroad. The design of the Roman pontiffs was to corrupt Christianity ; the design of Mahomet was to introduce another religion. His grand doctrine was, that there is only one God, and that Mahomet is his prophet. To please the Jews and Christians, he admitted that Moses and Christ were prophets ; but represented himself as supe- rior to them, and divinely commissioned to reform the religious system which they had established. Setting aside the Scriptures, he pretended to have received revela- tions from God ; which, with the assistance of an angel, he embodied in the Koran, the only sacred book of the Mahometans. The religion of the Mahometans consists of two parts— /oi^/j and practice ; of which the former is divided into six branches : Belief in God ; in his angels ; in the Koran ; in his prophets ; in the resurrection and final judgment ; and in God's absolute decrees. The points relating to practice are, prayer, with washings ; ahns ; fasting ; pilgrimage to Mecca, and circumcision. Of God and angels the Mahometans appear to have some just notions, although they a^ribute some unworthy employments to the latter. They admit that God has, in successive periods, communicated revelations to mankind by prophets ; but that, with the Koran, revelation has closed. The time of the resurrection is a secret, belong- ing only to God. When Mahomet asked the angel Gabriel about it, he confessed his RISE OF MAHOMETANISM. 91 i