^>^^- / ^ s®^®®^®^^^^^"^® ^ I , No. ^^*/- ^ , I I INQUIRY ON MISSIONS, I '31 AM) fi I THE STATE OF RELIGIOIN. ( RR 145 .T5 1832 ^ Thr^nas 1790-1860.! Timpson, Thomas, i/^^ Church history through all 1 ages c/^tyi' orf- t (SA^ > '">- CHURCH HISTORY THROUGH ALL AGES, FROM THE FIRST PROMISE OF A SAVIOUR TO THE YEAR MDCCCXXX; BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF THE PRINCIPAL BIARTYRS AND PROMOTERS OF CHRISTIANITY J AND RECORDS OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MISSIONARY SOCIETIES, FOR ADVANCING RELIGION AT HOME AND ABROAD; DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG PERSONS, FAMILIES, AND SCHOOLS: Dedicated to the Directors of the Missionary Societies, and to the Sunday School Teachers, in Great Britain and America. BY THOMAS TIMPSON, Author of a " Comfanion to the Bible; " and a " Father's Reasons for Christianity." " I will build my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." — Mali. xvi. 18. " I am fully persuaded, that Christ's church is every where founded in every place, where his gospel is truly preached and effectually followed." — Bishop Ridley in his Examination before his Martyrdom. "Logical arguments and controversial reasoning cannot bewail adapted to every understanding; and, therefore, are not always attended with the desired effect, however skilfully arranged; but historical facts lie level to the meanest capacities, and the consequences thence deducible are, to the meanest capacities, plain and obvious." — Botver's "Lives of the Pojjes." — Preface. LONDON: WESTLEY AND DAVIS, STATIONERS' COURT. 18.32. TYLER, PRIMER, Ivy-EANE. ZEALOUS DIRECTORS AND LIBERAL SUPPORTERS OF THE VARIOUS SOCIETIES FORMED FOR PROMOTING THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST THROUGHOUT THE HABITABLE WORLD : AND TO THE DEVOTED TEACHERS OF THE SUNDAY-SCHOOLS, BOTH IN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE NOBLEST PATRIOTS, THE MOST REFINED PHILANTHROPISTS, AND THE BRIGHTEST ORNAMENTS OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST : C^is ISrief Mecortr OP " CHURCH HISTORY THROUGH ALL AGES," DESIGNED TO EXHIBIT THE IMPORTANCE OF THEIR LABOURS, IS, WITH PRAYERS FOR THEIR INCREASED SUCCESSES, RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED AND INSCRIBED, BY THEIR FRIEND AND FELLOW-SERVANT IN THE GOSPEL, THE AUTHOR. •A "^ n- *^ -^■^-^K ^<^Q *^ PREFACE. ■''^VvtTv^^ Through a period of many years, much time has been expended in collecting, arranging-, and condensing the materials of this volume. The design of it professes to be to give a brief, but faithful representation of the " Church of God through all Ages, from the first Promise of a Saviour," down to our wondrous times. Archbishop Seeker has happily stated the principles upon which the Author has compiled this History. In his " Lec- tures on the Church Catechism," that judicious prelate says, " The Catholic church is the universal church spread through the world ^ and the Catholic faith is the universal faith ; that form of doctrine which the apostles delivered to the whole church, and it received. What that faith was we may learn from their writings, contained in the New Testament; and, at so great a distance of time, we can learn it with certainty no where else. Every church or society of Christians, that preserves this Catholic or universal faith accompanied with A 3 VI PREFACE. true charity, is a part of the Catholic or universal church. And in this sense, churches, that differ widely in several notions and customs, may, notwithstanding, each of them be truly catholic churches." Peculiar solicitude has been cherished, to afford a correct exhibition of the true church of Christ, manifest in the nume- rous branches of it arising from the Protestant Reformation. The advancement of scriptural religion among the English Puritans and Nonconformists, — the colonization of North America, by those persecuted servants of God, — the preva- lence of godliness in that amazing country, — the increase of piety among the Dissenters in Great Britain, — the origin and zealous labours of the Methodists, — the revival of religion in the church of England, — and the formation of the various Missionary and Bible Societies, supported by the different denominations of Christians in our day, are confessedly asto- nishing. They are diffusing innumerable Divine blessings among mankind ; and they are, therefore, here presented to the admiration ai>d delight of those who believe in the promises of God, thus affording additional assurance of the perfect accomplishment of all the predictions in His most Holy Word. Messiah seems about to hasten the full manifestation of his glory, and the coming of his kingdom upon earth. " God, who cannot lie," has said, " Man shall be blessed in Him : all nations shall call him blessed." Psal. Ixxii. 17. " Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. xii. 4. " Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of his times." Isa. xxxiii. 6. " The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isa. xi. 9. Assuredly believing these delightful declarations of Holy Writ, " Church History through all Ages " has been com- piled from a great variety of sources. The Author has read most of the popular Ecclesiastical Histories in our own lan- guage, and some in several others ; but he has neither seen nor heard of one, which he conceived adapted for youth of the present age; treating the subject comprehensively, can- didly, and impartially. This he has attempted ; and, in the judgment of several intelligent and judicious persons, he has, in a considerable measure, succeeded. In judging of men, of customs, and of claims, the Author has regarded the inspired Word of God as his only, his infal- lible rule of decision. And in writing for the young, he has endeavoured sacredly to observe the sound maxim of the judi- cious Mrs. Hannah More. " It is undoubtedly our duty, while we are instilling principles into the tender mind, to take particular care that those principles be sound and just : that the religion we teach be the religion of the Bible, and not the invention of human error or superstition: that the principles we infuse into others, be such as we ourselves have well scru- tinized, and not the result of our credulity or bigotry ; nor the hereditary, unexamined prejudices of our own inexpe- rienced childhood," That which has been found, among the different denomi- nations of Christians, to agree with the oracular decisions of the Holy Scriptures, the Author has cordially commended; while human, unscriptural impositions he has freely censured or condemned : and though aware of many defects, he is not conscious of having written a single sentence in the spirit of uarty, or a line on which he cannot continue to implore the Divine benediction. With humble confidence and earnest prayer, this volume is commended to Him, the History of whose church it imper- fectly details ; that it may be instrumental in promoting the edification of the younger members of that holy fellowship on earth, in their pilgrimage to join "the church of the FIRST-BORN WRITTEN IN HEAVEN." CONTENTS. BOOK FIRST. Introduction Chap. I. To the Deluge II. To the call of Moses Page 1 BOOK SECOND Chap. I. To Samuel II. To the captivity III. To Malachi IV. To the Christian era . V. Preparations for Messiah BOOK THIRD. — christian dispensation. Chap. I. State of the World. II. To the day of Pentecost III. Apostolic history IV. Apostolic churches V. To the close of Century i. VI. Review of Century i. VII. Apostolic Biography VIII. Primitive Christianity XI. Primitive Heresies X. Century ii. XL III. XII. III. continued 11 16 21 24 28 31 34 38 43 49 52 55 61 64 67 74 80 BOOK FOURTH. Chap I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. Century iv. IV. continued IV. ditto v. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. 88 94 100 105 117 123 130 135 142 147 153 160 X CONTENTS. Page Chap. XI 1 1. Century xiv 168 XIV. XV 174 XV. XV. continued . . . » 180 BOOK FIFTH. Chap. I. Century xvi. Sec. 1. Introduction . . . . 186 2. Germany 189 3. continued 193 4. ditto 200 5. ditto 204 II. Switzerland 205 III. France 207 IV. Netherlands 210 V. Italy .... 213 VI. Bohemia, &c. 216 VII. Sweden, &c. 218 VIII. Spain, &c. . 221 IX. England. Sec. 1. Henry VIII. 223 2. Edward VI. . 226 3. Mary 230 4. Elizabeth 233 5. continued 237 6. ditto 241 X. Scotland 242 XI. Ireland 252 XI I. Greek and Eastern churches 253 XIII. Romish church 255 XIV. Review of the century 253 BOOK SIXTH.— CENTURY XVII. Introduction 261 Chap. I. Lutheran churches . 262 II. Calvinistic churches 264 III. United Provinces 268 IV. England. — James I. 272 Sec, L James I. continued 273 2. Charles I. 281 3. Commonwealth 291 4. Charles II. 295 5. James II. 306 6. William and Mary . 309 V. Scotland. Sec. 1. James I. . 316 2. Charles II. . 319 322 CONTENTS. Sec. 4. Charles II 323 5. James II 329 6. William and Mary . . . 333 Chap. VI. Ireland 334 VI I. America. Sec. 1 337 2 341 3 344 4 349 VIII. Roman Catholic Church ... 350 IX. Eastern churches .... 352 BOOK SEVENTH.— CENTURY XVIII. Chap. I. Roman Catholic Church . . . 354 II. Lutheran churches .... 358 III. France 362 IV. Netherlands 363 V. Eng-land Sec. 1. Church of England — Former part of eighteenth century . . 364 2. Dissenters — Former part of eighteenth Chap. century . . 369 3. Methodists 373 4. Wesleyan Methodists 379 5. Whitfield Methodists 383 6. Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion 386 7. Church of England — Latter part of eigh- teenth century .... 389 8. Dissenters — ditto . 392 VI. Scotland .... 394 VII. Ireland .... ] [ 397 VIII. America .... 309 IX. Eastern Churches . - 403 BOOK EIGHTH.— CENTURY XIX. I. Lutheran Churches — Germany 407 II. Wurtemberg, &c. . 409 III. Austria . 411 IV. Prussia 412 V. Denmark 416 VI. Sweden 417 VII. Netherlands . 418 VIII. Switzerland . 419 IX. France . 422 X. England Chtirch of England 426 Dissenters 436 CONTENTS. Page Sect. 1. Independents 440 2. Baptists 444 3. General Baptists . 445 4. Presbyterians 446 5. Quakers 447 6. Moravians ib. 7. Wesleyan Methodists 448 8. Calvinistic Methodists . 449 9. Countess of Huntingdon 's Connexion 450 10. New Methodists . 451 11. Socinians 452 XII. Wales .... 455 XIII. Scotland 459 XIV. Ireland 462 XV. United States of America 467 XVI. British Colonies 479 Sect . 1. West Indies . ■ib. 2. East Indies 483 3. British America . ' . . 488 XVII. Russia 489 XVIII. Greek and Eastern Churches 491 XIX. Roman Catholic Church 492 BOOK NINTH. PROTESTANT MISSIONARY SOCIETIES. Chap. I. Early efforts and Societies II. Missionary Societies now in operation III. Reflections ..... 495 499 525 ^/ '^H %s CHURCH HISTO'fejV^Aj' ^^' BOOK FIRST. INTRODUCTION. Importance of history— Ecclesiastical history— Church of God— Congregational church— Lord Bacon's definition of the catholic church. History has, in all ages, been commended to the attention of youth. By the wise, it has universally been considered as a necessary branch of a sound education. The importance of this subject is admitted by every reflecting person, as it leads to the common storehouse of the experience of mankind. History gives a faithful picture of human nature, and intro- duces to our acquaintance generations of *the illustrious dead, by recording their living actions, both in their virtues and faults. History exhibits to us the origin of societies, of opinions, and of customs ; the rise and progress, the decline and destruction, of nations ; and, while its various and tumul- tuous scenes pass before us successively in review, the devout believer 'is excited to rejoice in the prospect of his heavenly rest, to confess himself a " stranger and a pilgrim upon earth," and to look for that "eternal city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." If general history be a study so edifying and useful, how much more so must be the history of the church of God ! In this we behold the merciful interposition of the Deity, directed to the regeneration and salvation of an apostate world; and the several dispensations of his sovereign grace, for the "2. CHURCH HISTORY. recovery of innumerable transgressors to a state of friendship with himself on earth, and of preparation for his heavenly kingdom. Ecclesiastical history unfolds to us the gracious operations of the Divine Government; presents to us the rarest examples of human excellence ; and explains to us the immense and awful difference betM-^een the mere form of re- ligion, and its vital and sanctifying power. As the various revolutions of the church of God on earth will be reviewed, under the Divine illumination, with wonder and delight in heaven, it powerfully claims the present study of pious men. This most interesting suliject forms, indeed, a large portion of the inspired Volume, which our blessed Master has com- manded us to search diligently, as the means of our sancti- fication and salvation. The Word of God is peculiarly an ecclesiastical history ; being, as the expression signifies, a con- tinued account of the church of God, and this, for a period of four thousand years. Ecclesiastical history is a record of the true worshippers of God, who have served him according to his revealed will : it is also sometimes, though not correctly, applied to accounts of false religions. Many have inquired, whether there have been true worshippers of God in every age of the world ; — to which we may confidently affirm, in reply, that there have : for although, through the wickedness of man- kind, the number of truly religious persons has sometimes been very small ; yet God never left himself without witnesses of his being, perfections, and mercy, in the world. Through all ages, even the darkest, he has had a church to serve and glorify him upon the earth, anticipating his eternal friendship in immortality. The signification of the expression, " Church of God," seems to be greatly mistaken by many ; even by some persons who, in general, are intelligent and well-informed : it will be proper, therefore, accurately to define it. Mistakes on this subject, with some sensible persons, arise from want of consi- deration ; but in most instances, and in different countries, they appear to spring from early prejudices ; — as they are accustomed to regard the " Church of England," the " Church of Scotland," the " Church of Rome," or the " Lutheran Church," as of the same import as the " Church of God." CHURCH HISTORY. But this church cannot be limited to any single or national community. By the wisest Christian writers it is used to denote all ihose^ in every part of the toorld, it^ho believe on Jesus Christ as the only Saviour of sinners^ and who yield up their hearts to his authority and service. In the Scrip- tures there are two significations ; one congregational^ and the other universal ; both of great importance to be regarded by inquirers after truth ; and which, because of their correctness, shall be given in the words of acknowledged respectability. A congregational church, according to the nineteenth Article of the Church of England, is as follows : " The visible church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments duly adminis- tered according to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same." Every society answer- ing this description is a true church, according to the New Testament, in what age or nation soever it may be found, or by whatsoever denomination it may be known. The definition of the universal church by Lord Bacon appears to be the best that has ever been given. He says, " There is a universal, catholic church of God, dispersed over the face of the earth, which is Christ's spouse and Christ's body; being gathered of the fathers of the old world, of the church of the Jews, of the spirits of the faithful dissolved, and the spirits of the faithful militant, and of the names yet to be born, which are already written in the book of life." This definition marks the sub- ject of this volume, which is intended to furnish a brief sketch of those things most remarkable in the history of the church of God. CHAPTER I. Successive dispensations of the divine mercy — Patriarchal — Animal sacrifices typical of Messiah — MartjTdom of Abel — Pious ministry of Setli — Translation of Enoch — Depravity of mankind — Deluge — Piety and preservation of Noali in the ark. Pursuing the history of the church of God, it will be neces- sary to regard the three principal dispensations under which he has been pleased to reveal his will to his servants. Those 4 CHURCH HISTORY, dispensations are denominated the Patriarchal, the Lev'dieal, and the Christian. The former gradually prepared the way for the introduction of the gospel, by increasing discoveries of the merciful purposes of Jehovah towards mankind. We find, in the inspired Scriptures, the substance of his early revela- tions to his pious servants. The Lord God taught the patri- archs, that though the fall of Adam, and the transgressions of mankind, had exposed them to his righteous indignation, yet, in the last days, the Messiah should come, to destroy the works of the devil; and, by a sacrifice of atonement, obtain eternal redemption for repenting and believing sinners : thus the revealed mercy of God in Christ invited them to trust in his promises, for the blessings of salvation and life everlasting. To prefigure the sin-offering of the Messiah, and to instruct mankind in the nature of his offices as a Saviour, the animal sacrifices of atonement were offered by the divine appointment. That Adam and Eve became penitent worshippers of God, by faith in the promised Messiah, we have the greatest reason to conclude from the conversations of Jehovah with them, and from the i)ious instructions which they evidently imparted to their sons Abel and Seth. It is also clear, from the historical scriptures, that all those who truly feared God, in the patri- archal times, lived by faith on the promised Messiah ; the discovery of whom, by the inspired tradition, was the founda- tion of hope to the ancient church : to many of its members, God gave peculiar intimations ; as appears by the knowledge which was possessed by Abraham, Job, Jacob, Moses, and many others, concerning the character of the Redeemer. The deep depravity of the human heart was soon awfully manifested in the shocking murder of Abel, by the hand of his own brother ! The wickedness of Cain will appear with especial aggravations, if we consider the peculiar circumstances of them as brothers ; and, that Abel was a religious young man, showing the fruits of his sincere piety by a life holy and inoffensive. Cain was not a believer in the Messiah : he was the first infidel ; and, in his horrible fratricide, we behold the dreadful effects of infidelity, irreligion, and unsanctified pas- sions. The characters and actions of these two brothers afford us instruction of the most profitable kind; and prove that, CHURCH HISTORY. 5 from the beginning-, the church of God has been persecuted by worldly men, who have always hated its religion. The apostle John, by divine inspiration, supplies us with the proper reflections which we should make upon reading this dreadful tragedy : " In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil." It must have been a source of serious discouragement to men, in the worshipping of God, and the practice of virtue, to observe, that Cain, the murderer of his pious brother, was permitted to hve ; if, as some have absurdly supposed, the patriarchs had no knowledge of a future state of rewards and punishments. But the inspired Epistle to the Hebrews assures us, that the people of God were confi- dently persuaded of perfect happiness in a future life : that the earliest worshippers of God " all died in faith, having seen the promises afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims upon the earth : — that they sought a better country, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city." (Heb. xi. 13 — 15.) Cain appears to have continued impenitent ; an apostate from the religion of his father, and of his brother Abel ; direct- ing the employment of his numerous family in building cities, and caiTying on their civil affairs. The population was immensely increased ; and about the year of the world 200, there was a remarkable revival of religion among men. The inspired historian says, " Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord." (Gen. iv. 26.) It was at this time first that men were stirred up to meet together in religious assem- blies ; and Seth, a son of Adam, about seventy-five years of age, and his son Enos, seem to have been the principal minis- ters in the divine service. The Holy Spirit was poured out upon them; and the manner in which they attended to the worship and ordinances of God, clearly evinced the divine design to preserve a separated church among men upon the earth. At this period the church, probably, was small, and con- sisted but of few persons, compared with the \^•hole popula- tion : yet the ministry of Seth and Enos was evidently blessed to the salvation of many ; among whom was their celebrated 6 CHCRCH HISTORY. descendant, the prophet Enoch. The Scriptures represent Enoch as a person of uncommon sanctity, and an eminent preacher of righteousness. They do not furnish us with an extended account of his life and ministry; but a precious fragment of his prophecy has been preserved by Jude, in his Epistle. More correctly translated, it is read, " And Enoch, also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied against them, when he said. Behold, the Lord comes with myriads of his holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly among them of their impious works which they have impiously committed ; and of all the hard things which impi- ous sinners have spoken against him." It is evident that Enoch maintained a vigorous contest, with the numerous infi- dels of his time, concerning faith in the Messiah, obedience to God, and the institutions of public worship ; the certainty of the divine vengeance on ungodly and persecuting sinners, and the everlasting recompense of the righteous. " Enoch walked with God, and he was not ; for God took him." The singiUar grace of God was displayed toward Enoch, in his exemption from the common lot of sinning mortals. " By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him : for before his transla- tion he had this testimony, that he pleased God." (Heb. xi. 5.). Publicly to approve and reward his holiness, and to render him a type of Christ in his ascension, and a pledge of the com- plete and eternal glorification of the saints, God took him out of this world to heaven, l)oth soul and body. As to the man- ner of his translation, nothing is particularly mentioned in the Scriptures ; but as he appears to have resembled Elijah, both in his character and ministry, we may reasonably suppose that his translation was effected by angels, appearing as a chariot of fire ; and, also, like that of the Israelitish prophet, it was visible to many, especially to those who feared God. This wondrous fact was designed for the confirmation of their faith, and to encourage the faithful in bearing witness of it to the members of the church, and to the men of the world. Enoch having been translated to glory, and Enos dying, the church seriously declined. Many of the professors of time religion marrying the elegant and beautiful daughters of CHURCH HISTORY. 7 ungodly men, became worlcll}^, irreligious, and abandoned in wickedness. The people of God were diminished in number ; and the few were grievously oppressed by the violence of the " giants," who rioted in wickedness in those days. Iniquity ])revai!ed universally : and " God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." — " But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." " By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear" of the approaching deluge, and notwithstanding the manifold scofis of his ungodly neighbours, " prepared an ark to the saving of his house." In this tremen- dous visitation of divine judgment, we behold " the goodness and severity of God :" — his goodness, in saving the man whom his own grace had qualified for that mercy ; in saving the wicked part of Noah's family for the father's sake ; and in giving the space of a hundred and twenty years, with the faith- ful ministry of Noah, as the means of repentance to the guilty profligates. The righteous severity of God we behold, in his overwhelming of the wicked, the despisers of his mercy, and the rejecters of the strivings of his gracious Spirit. CHAPTER II. The earth restored — Babel — Wickedness increased — Call of Abraham— Melchi- zedek — Job — Abraham's faith — Sacrifice of his son — Isaac — Jacob prophesies of Messiah — Patriarchal worship. No AH was released from the ark, the earth being restored. Immediately he builded an altar, and sacrificed to the God of his deliverance and salvation. Being offered in faith, "the Lord smelled a sweet savour" in these sacrifices of righteous- ness. To inspire the confidence of his people, he appointed the rainbow to be a token of the covenant of safety, for all generations to the end of the world. Again the earth was replenished with inhabitants : but wickedness abounded with the increase of men. Babel was partly erected ; but its impious builders were confounded by Jehovah, and scattered abroad upon the face of the earth. Idolatry, with its profane absurdi- ties, became almost universal : yet the church of God was continued in the family of pious Shem. To preserve his church 8 CHURCH HISTORY. as witnesses of his being and providence, exhibiting monu- ments of his sovereign mercy, God called Abram from Chal- dean idolatry, blessed him as his prophet, and honoured him to be the father of many nations. To this father of believers, the promises of the Messiah were renewed, with increased par- ticularity and clearness ; and rare examples of personal piety we behold in his illustrious descendants, Isaac, Jacob, and Jaseph, heirs with him of the righteousness of God by faith. But it is clear that the saving mercy of God was not limited to the father of the faithful and his family. Of this we have a most remarkable proof in the character of Melchizedek, a Canaanitish king of Salem, and priest of God ; and, also, in the illustrious patriarch Job. This latter distinguished per- sonage was an Idumean, or Arab prince ; flourishing, as it is generally concluded, contemporary with Abraham, or a little later. Of Job, the Lord himself declared, that he was a " per- fect and upright man," one who " feared God, and eschewed evil;" and that there was not "his like upon earth." The testimony of Jehovah to the sincere piety and universal inte- grity of Job, commends him to our highest admiration ; while from his history we learn, that the sjiring of his obedience to God, and the efficacious principle of his moral excellence, were faith in the promised Messiah, his living Redeemer. It is I)robable, also, that there were others, besides him and his four friends, who, in those parts, truly feared God, and were his acceptable worshippers. The character of Abraham has always excited the admira- tion of pious men : but many have frequently wondered at the offering up of Isaac by his o\\ti father ! It has been often asked, " What could be the reason for Almighty God to com- mand Abraham to sacrifice his son?" and, "Why did Isaac make no resistance, nor even offer an objection ? " Bishop HaU observes, " All ages have stood amazed at this task of faith ; "not knowing whether they should more wonder at God's command, or Abraham's obedience." In reading the Scrip- tures, and in considering the works of providence, it should be remembered, that it is not necessary we should always per- ceive the reasons of the divine procedure. Many things of tliis kind are to be revealed to us in the church above. There CHURCH HISTORY. 9 are, however, two reasons apparent, for that mysterious com- mand of God: one is expressed in the inspired record by Moses, — to try the faith of Abraham. This patriarch was called of God to be an illustrious father of the church, and an eminent example of faith and obedience to believers in all ages and nations. But how could that have been the case, unless his trials had been singularly great ? Such a heart-rending duty was never imposed upon any other father. On receiving the command, as Bishop Hall remarks, Abraham might have reasoned, " How can the righteous God delight in murder ? How can I be such a monster, as to imbrue these hands in the blood of my own child ? How can the murder of my obedient and affectionate son be an act of piety ? What will the idola- ters around me say to it ? How can I avoid the abhorrence of all mankind ? What will my beloved wife Sarah say ? How shall I look his mother in the face ? But even if I stifle the feelings of a father, and disregard what may be said by my neighbours, or my wife, how can Isaac be the father of a mul- titude of nations, and all people be blessed in him ? " Such would have been the reflections of natural affection, but here is the grand reason of his unhesitating obedience, " Abraham beheved in God." " By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac ,• and he that had received the promises offered up his only-begotten son ; of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called : accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead j from whence also he received him in a figure." (Heb. xi. 17, 19.) The whole affair proves the extraordinary piety of both father and son : for Isaac, without difficulty, could have resisted all attempts upon his life, being grown to man's estate, and, as is by many supposed, he was about thirty-three years of age. The other reason for this command of God appears to have been, that Isaac might be a type of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We may safely conclude that it was designed by the God of Abraham, to instruct him in the way of our redemp- tion, by giving his only-begotten Son, to be offered on the same mountain, a sacrifice for our sins. And that it was so understood by the patriarch, our Lord seems plainly to inti- mate, when, in reply to the Jews, he said, " Your father Abra- 10 CHURCH HISTORY. ham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad." (John viii. 56.) In the binding of Isaac, in the sacrificing of the ram, and in receiving Isaac as from the dead, he saw the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ, in a lively figure. The covenant of divine mercy in the Messiah was renewed to the patriarch Isaac, by the special appearance of Jehovah. Again it was confirmed to his son Jacob : the scriptural ac- count of whose lives, and characters, and intercourse with the God of Abraham, afford to us much profitable instruction. Infinite Wisdom saw proper, and so ordained, that the church in the family of Jacob should go down into Egypt : at first to be preserved from the miseries of famine, and afterwards to endure a series of grievous sufferings. These were appointed, to prepare the people for the enjoyment of the promised land, and for the observance of the newly instituted ordinances of religion, which were to serve as a directory to lead them to Christ. Jacob, on his bed of sickness, pronounced his blessing upon his sons : and being inspired by the Holy Spirit, he de- livered a remarkable prophecy res])ecting the circumstances of Judah, and the advent of the Messiah. Regarding the families of his twelve sons, as now constituting so many tribes, Israel said, " The sceptre shall not dei)art from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come ; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." (Gen. xlix. 10.) Agreeably to this prediction, Judah retained, not only its distinct tribal form, which every one of the rest successively lost, but a magistracy, or governing power, through all its revolutions, until Christ appeared in the flesh. And no sooner was the work of his mediation finished, than the gentiles were gathered to Shiloh by the preaching of the apostles, — the church being transferred to the Christian believers, — the Jewish infidel government being destroyed, and the remnant of the tribe being scattered as vagabonds, among all nations, the living witnesses of the truth of inspired prophecy, and of Christianity. The way of worshipping God Almighty in patriarchal times, must have been venerably simple ; and it seems exceedinglj' desirable to be particularly informed respecting it. The materials for satisfaction in this matter, could be furnished to us only by divine inspiration : but because it was not necessary, CHURCH HISTORY. H either for our salvation or our peace, God has not been pleased to give them, either very full or precise. There is, however, sufficient in the Scriptures, to assure us that true religion is the same under each of the divine dispensations. The books of Genesis and Job, and the Epistle to the Hebrews, prove to us, that the patriarchs believed the same principal doctrines ; — cultivated the same heavenly tempers; — were exercised with the same temptations, and cherished the same immortal hopes, as have distinguished the most eminent Christians. We learn that every pious father was priest in his own family, whom he called together at stated times to worship God by prayer and praise, and to seek the forgiveness of their sins by sacrifices of atonement, through which, as types, their faith was exercised upon Messiah, as the " Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." BOOK SECOND. CHAPTER I. Levitical dispensation— Israel in EgjT)t— Moses— Deliverance of Israel— Pass- over— Instituted ceremonies of worship typical of Christ— Pilgrimage in the wilderness — The will of God by tradition — First part of the Scripture written by Moses— Revival of religion among the Israelites — Declension of religion, and idolatry — Judges — Samuel — College of prophets. This new dispensation of religion is called Levitical, on account of the tribe of Levi being divinely appointed to the services of the nation in sacred things. In this economy the merciful purposes of God towards mankind were more fully made known to the chosen posterity of Abraham, by the numerous ceremonies of religion, and by various successive revelations. Both in its constitution and history, there are ; many things which deserve our serious attention ; the know- ledge of which constitutes a very necessary preparation for the correct understanding of the New Testament in many places, and of some peculiarities of the Christian system. There are several particulars worthy of consideration during the life of Moses, under the Judges, and under the Kings. Joseph died, and the children of Israel multiplied greatly in 12 CHURCH HISTORY. Egypt, and became a numerous people ; but to keep down their power, and prevent their too great increase, various expedients were devised by the government. Their wicked devices were in vain : the God of Abraham blessed them, and preserved his church among them. An evil far more pernicious to the Israelites than oppression, was the prevailing idolatry of the Egyptians. Having been so long in the country, without the regular public ordinances of divine worship, and not being yet privileged with the written word of God, the Israelites were in danger of losing all sense of true religion ; and many actually fell away to the service of the idol gods of the land. But yet God did not suffer his church to be lost. True religion was still maintained by some, and the Lord had a people to serve him, even in the darkness of Egypt. Among these were the parents of Moses. It was by faith that they preserved their child, and "they were not afraid of the king's commandment." The singular circumstances of his childhood, — his adoption by the daughter of Pharaoh, — his education in all the learning of the Egyptians, — and his abandonment of the Egyptian court, were all directed by a special providence. The remarks of the inspired apostle upon the conduct of Moses, are strikingly instructive. " By faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter ; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt : for he had respect unto the recompense of reward." (Heb. xi. 24 — 26.) As Moses was ordained to be so eminent an instrument in rescuing and establishing the church of God, we see the wisdom of divine providence displayed in every step of his early life. Connected with his future history, there are three things deserving to be considered : — his delivering the Israelites from Egyptian slavery; — his significant institutions of religious worship ; — and his leading the people forty years in the wil- derness. All the circumstances attending their miraculous redemption from the house of bondage are wonderful. What destruction must have fallen upon the Egyptians, by a succession of plagues so dreadful as those inflicted upon them ; and especially by the CHURCH HISTORY. 13 death of the first-boru in every family, and afterwards by the total overthrow of Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea ! The tribes of Israel were redeemed from the oppression and idolatry of Egypt, by virtue of the blood of the paschal lamb ; and this was designed to be a type of our redemption by the precious blood of Christ. Hence the apostle says, " Christ our passover is sacrificed for us." (Heb. xi. 24, 26.) The remembrance of their preservation from the destroying angel, was perpetuated and rendered instructive, by the annual obser- vance of the passover ; vrhich was continued, with some short intermissions, till the coming of Christ. At this ceremony, all the members of the family, and the slaves, being present, the youngest of the children, capable of speaking, was required to ask its meaning, when the master of the house recited the history of their redemption from the Egyptian oppressions. The multiplied ceremonies appointed by Moses appear, to an irreligious mind, strange and unmeaning : but by many pas- sages of the New Testament, and especially by the Ejiistle to the Hebrews, it is evident, that they conveyed a very impor- tant signification. It w^ould be a profane reflection upon the wisdom of God, to suppose that he could ordain insignificant rites in his solemn worship. We may not, perhaps, be able to assign a perfect reason for every particular ceremony ; yet, the whole service was manifestly designed to teach three things : — the necessity of a Mediator between God and man ; signi- fied by the office of the high-priest: — the necessity of an atonement for the sins of men; signified by the daily, the annual, and the other sacrifices : — and the necessity of hoh- ness of life, intimated by the various ceremonies of purifica- tion. The Epistle to the Hebrews confirms these points, with others highly instructive to us, in relation to our more simple Christian privileges. It has often been asked, whether the spiritual signification of these ceremonies were understood by the Israelites ? To which it may be replied, though the rites of this institution were types of Jesus Christ, and of the bUss accompanying his gospel, yet it does not appear either evident or necessary, that any, even the most enlightened among the priests and pro- phets, should perceive their full import and application. Many c 14 CHURCH HISTORT. of the people were only formal worshippers, who considerec? nothing beyond the mere ceremony. But those who sincerely feared God, were of the true church, and certainly understood by them the necessity of a Mediator with God, — of the remission of sins through an atonement, and of a life distin- guished by universal holiness. Many have wondered, what could be the reason of the Israelites continuing so long in the wilderness, supplied M^ith food by miracle for forty years. To this it may be observed, it was principally to exhibit to the rising generation the wondrous grace and mercy of God; that they might l^e trained to serve the Lord in the promised land, after their idolatrous fathers had been buried in the desert. The reason is beautifully expressed by Moses, in the eighth chapter of Deuteronomy. But, besides, the design of God towards the Israelites themselves, their sojourning in th-e wilderness, and settlement in Canaan by Joshua, are intended as instructive emblems of the eburch of God, in their pil- grimage through this world, to the possession of heaven under Jesus, the Captain of their salvation. In the first ages of the world, the church was taught tl>e ^vill of God, by his merciful revelations to the pious patriarchs, which were communicated by oral tradition from father to son. With inconceivable delight might Lamech, the father of Noah, hear from the lips of Adam, the story of his early life, the history of his first children, and the various revolutions of almost a thousand years. And with equal interest would Abraham hear from Shem, the son of Noah, the wondrous history of his salvation from the flood, and of the re-peopling of the earth ; while he again delivered the record of God's grace to his descendants, Isaac and Jacob. As pious men, their minds would be chiefly interested in conversing upon the gra- dual discoveries of the Divine will, of the sacred visions, predictions, and types of future blessing, of the translation of Enoch, and of the deaths of the patriarchal saints. But now, in mercy to the church, while they were being educated in the wilderness, God gave to the Israelites, by the ministry of Moses, the first five Books of the Holy Scriptures, and the Book of Job. They must have been received as an invalu- able treasure ; containing, as they do, not only the institutes of CHURCH HISTORY. 15 their ecclesiastical constitution, but a faithful summary of the former ages of the world, and the substance of the early tra- ditions, pure from uncertainties and imperfections. Among the children of the Israelites, who had been re- deemed from Egypt, there was an eminent revival of religion. The inspired prophet says, " Israel was holiness to the Lord, and the first-fruits of his increase," (Jer. iL 3.) All the days of the venerable Joshua, and of the contemporary elders who outHved him, the Israelites observed, with exemplary care, the appointed worshij) of God. But we learn from the Book of Judges, that after their death, the princes and priests neglect- ing their duties, the people frequently relapsed into idolatry : on which account, God repeatedly gave them into the hands of their enemies, whose idolatries they embraced, and by whom they were grievously oppressed. Feeling their miseries, they returned with humiliation to the Lord their God, who raised up a succession of extraordinary judges for their deliverance. The prophet Samuel was the last of these distinguished men. The character of that holy man of God, both in early and in advanced life, must command the admiration of all who are capable of respecting eminent virtue. He was a father to the church, a zealous reformer, and an upright prophet among the people of Israel. But the sons of Samuel declined from the steps of their worthy father, they disho- noured his venerable name by their venality in the adminis- tration of justice, and the impatient people entreated Samuel to appoint them a king. In the time of the judges, the number of prophets and emi- nent preachers of God's word was very few. " The word of the Lord was precious in those days ; there was no open vision." (1 Sam. iii. 1.) To remedy this evil, and to preserve a succession of faithful ministers, Samuel founded a school for the education of pious young men, who in the Scriptures are called "prophets," " sons of the prophets," and " men of God." In after ages they were sometimes numerous, as in the days of Elijah and Elisha; and such colleges continued, with more or less prosperity, to the age of Malachi, or even to the advent ofCb-ist IG CHURCH HISTORY. CHAPTER 11. Saul, the first king of Israel— David— Revival of religion in his reign— Solo- mon—Erection of the temple— Its dedication to God— Decline of religion- Idolatry and extravagance of Solomon — Revolt of the ten tribes — Idolatry set up in Israel — The worship of God in Judah — Corruption of religion in Judah — Jerusalem taken by Shishak, and its temple pillaged — Partial reformation in Judah— Israel more coiTupt— Elijah— His translation— Elisha— Captivity of Israel, and destruction of their kingdom — Wickedness of Judah — Destruc- tion of the temple, and captivity in Babylon— Prophets sent to both nations. Saul, the first king of Israel, appears to have been a neg- lecter of the worship of God ; and by his disobedience to the Divine command, and his horrible murder of eighty-five priests of the Lord, he must have done serious injury to the cause of religion. (1 Sam. xiii., xxii.) David succeeded to the throne of Israel : he restored the ordinances of public worship ; for which he wrote many inspired psalms. His reformation was honoured of God : it was attended with a remarkable effusion of the Holy Spirit, and the power of religion was largely promoted among the people. David also prepared immense quantities of gold and silver, and other rich materials, for the purpose of building a magnificent temple to the honour of God ; but, by a divine message, he was directed by the prophet Nathan to leave it, to be carried into effect by his son Solomon. It has been said, that Solomon's temple was the most splen- didly finished building that Vv'as ever erected upon earth. And this is probably correct : for though some of the heathen tem- ples and palaces might have far exceeded it in extent, it will seem not improbable, that none might be compared with it for elegance, costliness, and beauty. And this for two reasons : First, the prodigious quantities of gold, silver, precious stones, and other rich materials, which were prepared for it both by David and Solomon. (1 Chron. xxii., xxviii., xxix.) The other reason is, — ^the pattern and dimensions of every part of the building and its ornaments were given to David by inspira- tion of God, and the principal workmen were supernaturally endowed to perform their several parts of the work. Besides, this glorious temple is regarded as having been a type of the human nature of Jesus Christ, of the church of God, and of CHURCH HISTORY. 17 t)ie feplendour of heaven. When finished, Solomon dedicated it to God by solemn prayer and sacrifice ; and the Lord expressed his approbation of it by the cloud of glory filling the house, — by sending down fire from heaven to consume the sacrifices, — and by appearing to Solomon in the night, assuring him that he had heard his prayer, and accepted the place as his peculiar house of sacrifice and blessing. (2 Chron. vii. 1,3,12.) The temple having been dedicated to God, his worship was performed with the utmost magnificence, and the Jewish church attained its highest external glory. But if vital god- liness increased in proportion to these splendid solemnities, it was afterwards in a greater degree injured by the foolish and shameful idolatries into which this wise king was led, in compliance with the baleful customs of his strange wives and concubines. The extravagancies of Solomon prepared tTie nation for an extensive revolt, and for the public establishment of idolatry, under the succeeding kings. The idolatrous excesses of Solomon compelled him to lay heavy taxes upon the people ; on which account, all the tribes, except Judah and Benjamin, withdrew their allegiance from his son Rehoboam, and set up Jeroboam as king over the ten tribes. The nation being thus divided into two kingdoms, the distinction arose, the "kingdom of Israel," and the "kingdom of Judah." As a matter of policy, Jeroboam set up two images, which the Scrip- ture denominates " calves ; " one at the north, and the other at the south, end of his kingdom ; and commanded the people to worship before them ; lest, by going to the temple of God at Jerusalem, they should return in subjection to Rehoboam. With this grossly wicked procedure, all the people could not agree : the priests and Levites, and many who feared the Lord, out of all the tribes, flocked to Judah, on account of the ordinances and privileges of divine worship. Thus the king- dom of Judah became so increased, that it is probable it was nearly as large as that of Israel ; and the church of God was preserved within its limits. It seems natural to suppose, that the apostacy of Israel would have been an efficient standing lesson of admonition to Judah ; and that the worship of God would have been sacredly 18 CHURCH HISTORY. preserved at Jerusalem : but it is evident, that in Judah there was much more of the form of rehgion than of its power ; for after three years, when Rehoboam was established in his king- dom, he, and the nation generally, after his example, forsook the worship of God in his magnificent temple. They built themselves high places ; they planted groves for idolatry ; and committed all the abominations of the heathen, who had been destroyed from the land of Canaan. (1 Kings xiv. 21 — 24.) How astonishing, that the favoured professors of true reli- gion should so soon turn to the stupidity of idol-worship, and sink into the shocking corruptions of the Canaanites ! More especially may we wonder at the defection of Solomon him- self, who had been so eminently distinguished by mental endowments, and with the repeated visions of God ! But " these things happened for our ensamples ; " and were designed to teach us, that the wisest and best of men may fall into sin and perdition, unless upheld by the power and grace of God our Saviour. Every page of the history of man exhibits, more or less, the depravity of his nature : but the Scriptures alone are impartial ; recording the wickedness even of good men, without any palliation or false colouring. To punish Rehoboam for his apostacy, in the fifth year of his reign, the Lord permitted Shishak, king of Egypt, to invade the country, and to take Jerusalem, whose sumptuous temple he stripped of its riches, and plundered the king's palaces of all their treasures. (1 Kings xiv. 22 — 26.) So short-lived was the external grandeur and glory of the Jewish church ! In this calamitous affair, we have a striking proof that Almighty God makes exceedingly little account of the ceremonial splendour of his worship, even that of his own appointing, when the devotion of the heart is wanting in his professed worshippers. The church was benefited by this afflictive visitation : for, in consequence of this calamity, Reho- boam and his princes hearkened to the word of the Lord, by the ministry of Shemaiah the prophet. They humbled them- selves before the Lord, and promoted a reformation among the people; so that the power of religion revived, and, for some time, " things went well in Judah." (2 Chron. xii. 12.) But the practice of idolatry was still common in both king- CHURCH HISTORY. 19 (loms. During the continuance of the kingdom of Israel, among nineteen kings, they had not one pious sovereign : but in Judah there were several. Yet idolatry had taken such deep root, even among the Jews, that the evil could not be extirjDated until they were carried captive to Babylon. The kingdom of the ten tribes was evidently sunk deeper in corrup- tion than Judah : but still there were a few in Israel, living in obscurity, in those degenerate times, who truly feared God. To such a height had idolatry arisen in the days of Ahab, that, even after the execution of the four hundred and fifty priests of Baal, and the public acknowledgment that Jehovah was the only true God, Elijah considered that there was not, in all Israel, any one besides himself that feared and served the Lord. But God assured him, there were yet " seven thousand men" whom he had preserved from forsaking his acceptable worship. Elijah, having finished his extraordinary ministry, as Enoch under the former dispensation was exempted from the common lot of mortality, was taken up into heaven without dying, in the sight of his successor, Elisha, and fifty of the sons of the prophets. This, like the translation of Enoch, was designed as a further assurance to the godly, not only of a future state of felicity, but of the doctrine of the resurrection to a glorious immortality. Their number, notwithstanding, appeared to decline ; while the whole people became still more corrupt, till their nation was lost in a final captivity, about seven hundred and twenty-one years before the advent of Christ. As there were several pious kings of Judah, it might be expected they would endeavour to promote a reformation in the church. Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jotham, Hezekiah, and Josiah, made vigorous efforts to restore the order of divine worship in all its departments ; but the good which was effected by them was, in a serious measure, destroyed by the monstrous wicked- ness of Jehoram, Manasseh, Amon, and Jehoiakim. The last of these abandoned kings was put to death, according to the prediction of Jeremiah, (Jer. xxii. 18, 19, xxxvi. 30,) the tem- ple and its service destroyed, and the people carried captive to Babylon, where they continued in affliction seventy years. In illustration of the riches of divine grace, it must be 20 CHURCH HISTORY. recorded, that Manasseh, being overcome in battle, and carried captive to Babylon, humbled himself in true repentance before the Lord. He obtained forgiveness of God ; — he was brought back to Jerusalem, and the remaining years of his life were spent in endeavouring to restore the true worship of God, and to promote the interests of true religion, as in the days of his father Hezekiah. In the abounding mercy of God, he sent many prophets, both to Israel and to Judah, to call them to repentance. To Israel he sent Elijah, Elisha, Hosea, and others ; and to Judah he sent Joel, Amos, Isaiah, Nahum, Micah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, and others. Their messages and preaching were despised by the generality of the people, while their ministry was the most welcome and consolatory to those whose hearts were right with God. Their divine writings have been gra- ciously preserved for our use, containing many of their dis- courses, and their ancient predictions concerning Jesus Christ, as the only promised Saviour of sinners. CHAPTER III. Benefit of the captivity in Babylon— Deliverance by Cjtus — Liberality of Cyrus to the Jews — Re-building of the temple and restoration of divine worship — Things wanting in the sacred temple — Labours of Ezra the priest, and Nehe- miah the governor — Appointment of preachers — Collection and revision of the Scriptures — Completion of the Old Testament — Piety of Nehemiah — Of Simon the just — The great synagogue. Babylon was as a refining furnace to the Jewish church. The abominations of the Chaldeans, with their idolatries, and the sufferings which the Jews endured in that strange land, were the means of effectually destroying their rooted propen- sity to idolatry. Many of them bitterly lamenting their sla- very, and acknowledging their iniquities, implored the divine compassion to appear in their deliverance from their deplor- able condition. Some of their ardent prayers we read in the 74th, 79th, 89th, and 137th psalms. From the first chapter of the book of Ezra, we learn, that the Jews were released from their captivity in Babylon, by the proclamation of Cyrus : but it has perplexed some persons to CHURCH HISTORY. 21 understand, wliat could induce that conqueror to decree any- thing in favour of an enslaved people ; and especially, in a man- ner so generous, to grant them their liberty. But it should be observed, that in this edict, Cyrus says, " The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth ; and hath charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah : " by which it is evident, that he had seen the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah ; the former of whom mentions Cyrus by name, as the deliverer of the Jev>s. (Ezra i. 1 — 4; Isa. xliv. 28; xlv. 1 — 10.) But as the Jews are known to have kept their sacred books secretly, and concealed from the Gentiles, it has been wondered how they could become known to Cyrus. Now it cannot be reasonably doubted, that they were shown to him by the prophet Daniel ; who, by the sovereign provi- dence of God, was elevated to the dignity of prime minister to Nebuchadnezzar, and he filled the same office under Bel- shazzar. In this honourable, but dangerous situation, he continued after the conquest of Babylon, and prospered during the reigns of Darius and Cyrus ; being mercifully pre- served, a bright example of the most inflexible integrity, and eminently devoted to the service of the true God. Although permission was granted to every Jew to leave Babylon, they (lid not all return to the land of their fathers : only such whose hearts were stirred up by the fear of the Lord, to the number of forty-two thousand, three hundred and sixty; and their servants, to the number of seven thousand, three hundred, and thirty-seven. These returned immediately, under the conduct of Zerubbabel their prince, and Joshua, the high priest. It may be certain, that permission to^ return to their own country, especially to rebuild the sanctuary of God, and restore his holy worship, would be greatly prized by the pious captives : but the decree of Cyrus contained other things in their favour. By the marvellous providence of God, Cyrus freely restored all the rich gold and silver vessels, which had been pillaged from the former temple^ by Nebuchadnezzar. And, in addition, he issued his commands to the inhabitants of every place, among whom the Jews dwelt, and to the governors of the adjacent provinces, to furnish them with 22 CHURCH HISTORY. wood and stone, and all necessary provision for their return, and for their great work in re-building the temple. Immediately on their return to Jerusalem, the Jews first made arrangements to restore the appointed worship of God, by building the altar of burnt-offering for the daily sacrifice ; and then proceeded with preparations for the temple, whose foundation they laid early in the second year. It will be recollected, by many of our readers, that Solo- mon's temple was finished in seven years : but this was much longer in building. They were greatly hindered by the vexa- tious enmity of the Samaritan governors : but God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage them in their work, which was at length completed, and the temple dedi- cated, about twenty-one yeai's after the foundation was laid. The city and its walls were not built till several years after- wards, under the direction of Nehemiah. From contrasting the fewTiess and the poverty of the liberated captives, with the wealth and numbers of the Israelites in the prosperous reign of Solomon, it may be well supposed, that this second temple was beyond all comparison, less splendid than the first ; and such, in fact, was the case : for though its magnitude was probably equal, or, as some sui)pose, greater, its appearance was far less magnificent ; and, in reality, those things which constituted the principal glory of the former temple, and of the church itself, could not possibly be recovered by human power and skill. The Jews reckoned five things, which were not restored in the second temple ; and which were as follows : First, the ark of the covenant, whose lid of gold formed the mercy-seat, with the cherubim of glory overshadowing it, together with the several things which it contained. Second, the Schechinah, which was the Divine Presence, in a cloud of glory resting between the wings of the cherubim on the mercy- seat. Third, the Urim and Thummim ; by which the high priest consulted God in national difficulties. Fourth, the holy fire, which came down from heaven upon the altar, at the consecra- tion of the first temple. Fifth, the spirit of prophecy. These things belonging to the former temple, rendered it, indeed, ^ more glorious than all the grandeur produced by Solomon's CHURCH HISTORY. 23 skilful workmen, and by his immense riches ; but God maj' be acceptably served without such extraordinary magnificence. The pious reader will be more concerned to know, whether the purity of divine worship was restored, when the second temple was finished. For the promotion of this object, after the dedication of the temple, God raised up Ezra, an eminently pious priest, who was well instructed in the Scriptures ; and Nehemiah, an upright and prudent governor; both of whom laboured to restore the purity of the religious services, and to promote the spiritual and general welfare of the church. The special services which Ezra performed among the people are worthy of being recorded. After proclaiming a fast, and col- lecting the people together, he publicly read to them the law of Moses, and he appointed it to be expounded to them, when they should assemble for worship, in synagogues built for that purpose in every town. From the time of Moses, many important additions had been made to the volume of the inspired Scriptures. Joshua completed the book of Deuter- onomy, by writing the last chapter, and most of the book which bears his name, was written by him. Samuel finished it, and wrote the books of Judges, Ruth, and the first book which bears his name. The second book of Samuel is gene- rally supposed to have been written by the prophets Nathan and Gad ; and the books of the Kings were compiled from the national registers, and set in order by Ezra. The Psalms were written mostly by David ; and they have been ever con- sidered as a divine treasure to the church. The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Canticles, were written by Solomon, and the several books of the prophets, with those of Ezra, and Nehe- miah, by those whose names they bear. At the time of the reformation, Ezra collected among the people the copies of the several books of the Scriptures : these he corrected, and formed them into a volume. The sacred canon being afterwards completed, under the direction of the Great Synagogue, numerous copies were taken, by licensed scribes, for general use among the people. The Great Syna- gogue was the assembly of elders, under the direction of Ezra : they were one hundred and twenty in number, in a con- tinued succession, from the return of the Jews from Babylon, 24 CHURCH HISTORY. to the time of Simon the Just, who was the last of them. They perfected the canon of the Old Testament, by adding the two books of Chronicles, those of Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Malachi. Every reader must admire the amiable character of Nehe- miah, under whose wise and generous superintendence the city of Jenisalem was rebuilt, and its public offices were reformed. He must have been a powerful support to Ezra, in his labours "for the welfare of the church ; and their united services had a corresponding influence upon the people. The revival of religion, however, under these eminent men, was not of very long continuance, as appears from the book of the prophet Malachi. With him the spirit of prophecy departed from the Jewish church ; and, after the decease of Simon the Just, which was t\\'0 hundred and forty-four years after tne captivity, and two hundred and ninety-two years before the advent of Christ, is acknowledged, that there was no visible manifestation of the Divine approbation of any at their religious services. The extraordinary character of Simon the Just, as given in the fi&eeath- "chapter of ;Ecclesiasticus," and the services he per- formed for the welfare of the church, make us unwilling to leave the society of such men as he, and Ezra, and Nehemiah ; especially as the power of godliness among the people, after the decease of these great men, was very inconsiderable, and declinins" until the manifestation of the Son of God. CHAPTER IV. Miserable state of the church — Maccabees — MartjTc'.om of the seven brethren and their mother — Jev.-ish sects — Samaritans — Sadducees— Pharisees — Essenes. The remainder of the Jewish historj% except the reforma- tion under the INIaccabees, presents to us an appalling spectacle, in a succession of oppressions, captivities, and miseries, to which this people were subjected by the ambitious rulers of the surrounding nations. On account of their wickedness, Provi- dence ordained them to feel the tyranny of Persia, Greece, Egypt, S}Tia, and Rome; to which last nation, Judea was CHURCH HISTORY. 25 reduced, as one of their provinces about fifty years before the advent of Christ. Doubtless there were many pious persons, mourning in private; but the church, as a body, was fallen exceedingly low. The form of godliness was generally retained; but vital religion continued to decline ; while the greatest abominations and enormities were practised, both by the priests, and by the several sects into which the people were divided. The Maccabees were those zealous persons who joined the ranks of Judas, surnamed Maccabeus, from the motto which he wrote upon his standard.* He was one of the five sons of Mattathias, a pious priest, who took up arms against their oppressor, Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria; because he endeavoured to destroy the worship of God, and to compel the Jews to observe the abominations of the idolatrous pagans. The strength of the Maccabees was very inconsiderable, when compared with the forces of Antiochus : but by their pious valour, they repeatedly defeated his generals with their large armies : they recovered the city of Jerusalem, and restored the worship of God at the temple, after it had been interrupted for three years. Many interesting particulars of the Jewish history, at this period, may be read in the books of Macca- bees ; in which we find recorded the extraordinary instance of pious fortitude, in the terrible martyrdom of seven brethren with their mother, by order of the brutal Antiochus. It seems impossible to read that affecting narrative without astonish- ment and admiration at their courage and confidence in God, in the assurance of a joyful resurrection. On restoring the Jewish church after the Babylonish cap- tivity, there arose two parties among those who maintained regard for religion : one adhered to the Scriptures only, reject- ing all human traditions : they professed to observe the whole law, and assumed the name of Zadikim, that is, the righteous. From these proceeded the Samaritans, and the Sadducees. The other party, over and above the inspired Scriptures, super- * The motto of his standard was the first letters of that Hebrew sentence, Exodus XV. 11, Mi Camoka Baelim Jehovah: that is, " Wlio is like to thee among the gods, O Lord? Which letters were formed into the artificial word Maccabi, and all that fought under the standard were called Macca- bees."— Dr. IV aits' s View of Scripture history. D 26 CHURCH HISTORY. added the tradition of the elders ; and from a supposed superior degree of sanctity, were called Chasidim, that is, the pious. From these proceeded the Pharisees and Essenes. The Samaritans were originally the idolatrous successors of the ten tribes, whom the king of Assyria sent to re-people Samaria and the land of Israel. These, at first, as a punish- ment for their idolatry, were plagued with lions ; which being reported to the monarch, a priest was sent to instruct them in the law of God. The sacred historian observes, " So they feared the Lord, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them, priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places, and served their own gods after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence." (2 Kings xvii. 24 — 34.) Afterwards they became reformed; they abolished idolatry, and worshipped only the God of Israel. From the instructive conversation of our Saviour with the Samaritan woman, we may gain some short, general hints concerning their religious principles; and by which it appears that even the more corrupt class had some knowledge of the Messiah, and an expectation of his appear- ance. (John iv.) The Sadducees, as we learn from the New Testament, were opposed to the Pharisees on several points of doctrine. They were a kind of Deists. They received their peculiar appella- tion from Sadoc, their founder. At first they rejected only the traditions of the elders, as being destitute of any divine authority : but afterwards they adopted many of the impious notions of Epicurus, a heathen philosopher, and rejected the whole Scriptures, except the five books of Moses. They denied the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels, and of the souls of men after death. They admitted that Almighty God made the Morld, and that he continues to govern it by his providence ; but they believed there will be no rewards or punishments in a future state. Josephus, the Jewish historian, observes, that "whenever they sat in judg- ment upon criminals, they always were for the severest sentence against them." He also says, " their number was the fewest of all the sects of the Jews, but they were only those of the best quality, and of the greatest riches among them." CHURCH HISTORY. 27 The Pharisees were the principal sect among the Jews ; and though they were superstitious separatists from the common people, the vulgar entertained such an opinion of their sanc- tity, that it became a common notion among them, that if only two persons went to heaven, one must be a Pharisee. The greater part of the doctors of the law and of the scribes were of their party. They esteemed the traditions of the wise men, as of nearly equal authority with the Word of God, and gene- rally gave them the preference ! They were intolerably proud of their religious attainments ; supposing themselves meriting the Divine favour by their duties and observances, and holding the illiterate multitude in the most absolute contempt. On these accounts, they were justly characterized by our Lord as grossly hypocritical, and at a greater distance from the king- dom of God than even publicans and harlots. The Essenes were another sect of the Jews, of which, indeed, many never heard. Though our Saviour often cen- sured the other sects, and the different classes of pretenders to religion, we have no account of his mentioning them speciti- cally ; nor are they noticed by the writers of the New Tes- tament. These people were the most rigorous in their religious observances, and the most singular in their ordinar^^ manners of life. They appear to have been Pharisees originally ; but they entered upon a more mortified way of living; and they probably were much more unblamable and free from hypocrisy. They believed in a future state of happiness and misery, but did not acknowledge the resurrection of the body. Some of them wholly disallowed marriage, and adopted the children of poor persons, to train them up in all their institutions. If any one desired to enter their society, he was received with great caution : they required him to remain on probation for three- years, and, when fiUly admitted, to bind himself to worship and serve God ; to do that which is just towards men; to conceal none of their mysteries from any of their society, and to com- municate them to no others, — even to save their lives. They despised riches, and gave up all their property to the common stock. They were extremely abstemious in their food, which they ate at a public table ; and they never changed their clothes 28 CHURCH HISTORY. nor shoes till they were worn out, and unfit for use. If it be inquired, why we read nothing of this singular people in the gospel historj^, it may be replied, The New Testament says nothing concerning them, because they lived in the country, and were never seen in the temple at Jerusalem, so as to attract the notice of our Saviour: or, because they were plain people without hypocrisy, they did not deserve censure. But some suppose they were censured by our Lord under the general name of Pharisees, in whose superstitious regard to the traditions of men they were nearly agreed. CHAPTER V. Low condition of the church — Some eminently pious persons waiting for the Messiah — General expectation of the Messiah — Translation of the Scriptures into Greek — Reflections upon that important work. It may be difficult, or even impossible, at this time, for the most discriminating of men, to point to the true church of God in any particular body. Some have imagined, that piety flourished in the greatest degree among the self-denying Essenes, as " genuine godliness is fond of secrecy : humility is of its essence : she seeks not the praise of men, but the praise of God ; and hides even the good she does, from the world, more studiously than wickedness conceals its evils : her sincerest votaries have, likewise, been chiefly private per- sons, such as have seldom moved in public and noisy spheres of life." But we have the most satisfactory reasons to believe, that in the darkest times there were many among the mass, such as the prophet Malachi describes, when he says, " Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another." These were such as the martyrs, in the time of the Macca- bees ; who, rather than sin, " were tortured, not accepting deliverance ; that they might obtain a better resurrection." At the time of our Saviour's birth, though the people were generaUy corrupt, there were, perhaps, not a few ; as we read of the parents of the Baptist, Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth, with her cousin Mary, "righteous before God, CHURCH HISTORY. 29 and walking in all the ordinances of the Lord blameless." There were Joseph, the husband of Mary, "a just man," the " devout Simeon, waiting for the consolation of Israel," the aged prophetess Anna, and others in Jerusalem, well known to her, who were " looking for redemption in Israel." There appears to have been in the minds of both Jews and Samaritans, and especially of those who truly feared God, an anxious expectation of the Messiah at the time of his appear- ance: and this expectation prevailed in all the surrounding heathen nations. That this should have been the case with the Jews, who possessed the predictions of that event, re- corded in their divine Scriptures, cannot be matter of won- der : but it may naturally be inquired, how the same expect- ations could be excited in the minds of the heathen. It is well known to all intelligent persons, that the expectation of some great personage from heaven was, about that time, very general in the heathen world. This was occasioned by the faith of the patriarchs concerning the Messiah being tradi- tionally conveyed to the eastern nations ; from which Balaam, the Mesopotamian, spoke of the " Star of Jacob," and the "Sceptre of Israel," which denoted the Messiah. (Num. xxiv. 17.) It is also to be remembered, that the Jews had been scattered into many different nations, in which the inquisitive would soon learn their singular opinions and anti- cipations, in relation to the Messiah. But when we reflect upon the translation of the Scriptures into the Greek lan- guage, nearly three hundred years before the advent of Christ ; and that a copy of this translation was placed in the public library of Egypt, for the use of learned men, besides its con- stant use in the synagogues, in the Jewish public worship, we shall have a satisfactory answer to such an inquiry. The translation of the Old Testament into the Greek language, ought to be regarded as an instance of the special providence of God, for the good of his church : and, perhaps, there is not an event, in the history of this dispensation, of so great interest to us ; as it was the first general step towards bringing to the Gentiles the true knowledge of the character of God, and of his merciful purposes for the salvation of sinners. The reason of this translation being made is commonly 30 CHURCH HISTORY. said to have been, the desire of Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt ; that by the laws of Moses he might enrich the royal library at Alexandria. Several wonderful accounts have been given to us of the manner in which it was said to have been made, by the seventy-two Jewish interpreters, from the number of whom it is called the Septuagint. But as these stories rest upon very dubious evidence, they are con- cluded to be fabulous. The true reason, according to the most learned men, was, the dispersion of the Jews among the nations using the Greek language ; by intercourse with whom, they forgot their native tongue, and were unable to read the Scriptures, or understand them, in the original He- brew. This affair appears to have been an important link in the chain of divine providence in favour of the church, and it may be necessary to state a few more particulars concern- ing its progressive historJ^ " Alexander the Great, on build- ing Alexandria, brought there various colonies to people his new city ; among whom were a great many Jews. To these he granted the free use of their own laws and religion. His successor, Ptotemy Soter, having fixed the seat of his empire in that city, brought there many more of this nation to increase the strength of the place ; and having granted them the same privileges with the Macedonians and other Greeks, they soon grew to be a great part of the population. Intercourse with the Greeks necessitated them to learn their language, by which they forgot their own, as before at Babylon they had for- gotten it, and had learned the Chaldee. This rendered it neces- sary to have the Scriptures translated for their use, which at first was limited to the five books of Moses, as the law only was read in their synagogue : but afterwards, when the pro- phetical books came into use in the public worship, they also were translated."* By this means, therefore, it was, that wherever the apostles went preaching the gospel, they found the Scriptures in the Jewish synagogues, which were in the Grecian cities, as we learn from the Acts of the Apostles. A pious historian observes upon this transaction, " In this manner did God prepare the way for the preaching of the * Prideaux's Connection. Vol. III., 73, 74. CHURCH HISTORY. 31 gospel, which was theii approaching-, and facilitate the union of so many nations of different languages and manners into one society, and the same Avorship and doctrines, by the instrumentality of the finest, most copious, and correct lan- guage that was ever spoken in the world, and which became common to all the countries that were conquered by Alex- ander." * BOOK THIRD. CHRISTIAN DISPENSATION. CHAPTER I. Condition of the world at our Saviour's advent— Roman empire included all civilized nations — Jews and Gentiles sunk in ignorance, superstition, and depravity— Heathens expect a great messenger from God. Already have we traced the progress of the true church of God through many painful and humiliating vicissitudes, under the first two dispensations of divine grace to man. In these we have seen the rich forbearance and long-suffering compas- sion of a righteous Creator, illustrated and confirmed, on re- peated occasions, and in various ways. Christianity will lead us to contemplate the grand displays of the sovereign mercy of God, in the incarnation of his Son, for the redemption of a guilty world ; breaking down the middle wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles, and constituting a new state, a universal community, a spiritual family, to embrace all the nations of mankind. It will be necessary for us to take a brief review of the condition of the world at the time of our Saviour's advent ; as this will lead us to perceive more clearly our need of such a deliverer as the Son of God, manifested in the flesh ; and at the same time, the divine wisdom, in sending him at the memorable period in which he appeared. The political ^» Rollin's Ancient History. Book XV., Article ii., Section 2. 32 CHURCH HISTORY. State of the world was truly remarkable. The Roman empire had then attained its highest elevation of glory ; and had brought under its dominion all the civilized parts of the earth. By this means, many nations, different in their language and institutions, were united in social intercourse, and a passage was opened to remote countries, by the communications which were necessary between the imperial capital and the tributary provinces. The Romans having conquered the Grecian states, seized their treasures of celebrated learning, prized their elegant writings, and cultivated their refined lan- guage : so that all persons of education became familiar with the Greek tongue, and were thus prepared to read the sacred writings, which had been already translated into that language. As to the condition of the world, with respect to morals and religion, it was the most truly deplorable. All nations lived in the practice of the grossest superstitions, idolatries, and wickedness. They had not entirely lost all notion of one Supreme Being ; yet the popular religious m orship dis- covered the most manifest abuse of reason, with the greatest extravagance and absurdity. Their systems of false religion had a corresponding influence upon the morals of the people. The gods and goddesses, to whom divine adoration was paid, were deified men and women; celebrated as examples of every shocking and enormous vice ! The natural conse- quences of such wretched theology, were a universal corrup- tion of manners, and the shameless commission of crimes the most horrible. This state of things is testified by the best heathen wi'iters themselves ; but the most faithful account, contained in a few passages, is given to us by the authority of divine inspiration, in the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans. If it be inquired, whether there were not some among the wiser heathen who could perceive the senseless- ness of such follies under the name of religion, and the evil of such abominations, and who laboured to promote a refor- mation ; it may be said in reply, that in Greece and Rome, learning had attained its highest point of cultivation ; but it was not generally difiiised among the people. The partial attempts at reformation, made by the philosophers, were few CHURCH HISTORY. 38 and feeble : the remedies, which they applied, were not adapted to cure the evil, or designed for the benefit of the poor ; and they were scarcely any better than the dreadful disease. The most eminent among them were unable, either to declare to the people with confidence, or even for themselves to discover, the true character of God, or the reasons and rules of public wor- ship. They could direct to no atonement for human trans- gressions, by which the guilty might hope for pardon; they were unable to prescribe any method of renovating the heart ; and, being altogether uncertain of a future life, they had no means of engaging mankind, by sufficient motives, to the study and practice of virtue. Reflecting upon the miserable state of the world at the time of our Lord's appearance, we shall not only be convinced of the necessity of such a Saviour as Jesus Christ, but be led to adore a merciful God for such a display of his sovereign good- ness, in bringing " life and immortality to light by the gospel." None but a class of miserable and impious creatures can treat with contempt, or even with neglect, the doctrines of the Son of God; for to his benevolent and divine religion we are principally indebted for all the temporal advantages which we enjoy as a nation, for the true knowledge of the character of our Creator, as well as for all our blessed hopes of a future and eternal world of bliss. We now see a peculiar beauty in that passage of the apostle Paul, " When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adop- tion of sons." (Gal. iv. 4, 5.) Attention to circumstances, indeed, will prepare us to perceive many beauties of the Scrip- tures which are lost to superficial readers. The season in which our Lord appeared was, indeed, " the fulness of the time;" whether we regard it as the fixed limitation of ancient prophecy, or look at the. moral and spiritual condition of man- kind. The fear of God was almost lost from the earth : for although the Jews possessed the oracles of God, their meaning was very much explained away by wicked misinterpretations, grounded upon the traditions of men ; and the morals of the Jews were scarcely to be distinguished from those of the licen- 34 CHURCH HISTORY. tious heathen. Besides, " a short time before the birth of Christ, not only the Jews, but Romans, on the authority of the SibylHne books, and the decision of the sacred college of Etrurian augurs, were all of opinion, that this momentous event was at hand. This was equally the case in the East. At that time the emperor of India, uneasy at these prophe- cies, which, he conceived, portended his ruin and the loss of his empire, sent emissaries to inquire whether such a child were really born, in order to destroy him : and this happened in the three thousand one hundred and first year of the Cali- yuga, which is the first year of the Christian era. This tradi- tionary account is known all over India, and is equally current among the learned and the ignorant."* CHAPTER II. Early history of John and of Christ— John the herald of Christ— Success of their ministry — Twelve apostles — Seventy preachers besides — Mistaken notions concerning the office of the Messiah as held by the apostles at first— Death and resurrection of Christ — Extraordinary gifts of the Spirit to qualify the apostles for their Tvork — Thousands converted to Christ in a few days, by the preaching of the apostles at Jerusalem. Restless inquisitiveness has led many to desire more infor- mation concerning the early life of Christ, than Divine Wisdom saw necessary for our edification. Sufficient is contained in the HTitings of the evangelists, to assure us, that the ancient prophecies have been fulfilled in him : that he was the Seed of the woman by a miraculous birth; of the family of David according to the flesh ; and that " he was holy, harmless, unde- filed, separate from sinners." Having this assurance, our edification wUl be promoted, chiefly by contemplating his public life and ministry, as the only Mediator between God and man. The entire history of his labours and miracles, sufferings and resurrection, proves his divine mission, as fore- told by the inspired prophets. The extraordinary character of John, the forerunner and herald of Christ, leads us to suppose, that his ministry must * Dr. Collyer's Lectures on Scripture Comparisons, p. 95. CHURCH HISTORY. 35 have been very effectual among his countrymen : for we read that even the hardened conscience of Herod was awakened by means of his preaching. As John was sent "to give know- ledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God," he could not labour in vain ; and many, who were converted by his ministry, became afterwards the disciples of his Divine Lord. The wisdom of our Saviour appeared benevolently conspicuous, in appoint- ing to the apostleship, from the number of his followers, twelve, in reference to the twelve tribes of Israel ; and seventy others, answering to the number of the senators in the Jewish san- hedrim, and in sending these through the whole country, to preach the gospel, and confirming their mission by miracles of mercy. It seems evident that their ministry, also, was attended with considerable success ; although we have no formal account of the numbers converted by their preaching, nor yet even by the personal ministry of Jesus Christ. It is not the design of God to let his most successful servants always know the extent of their usefulness in the conversion of sinners. Many are converted, and sanctified, and glorified, whose names or numbers are never known to the church on earth. It is not to be doubted, that many were truly con- verted to God by the ministry of the preachers appointed by our Saviour, and by his own most wise and powerful discourses. We are not to limit the number of converts to the one hundred and twenty, whose names were enrolled as the first Christian church at Jerusalem ; nor even to those concerning whom the apostle Paul declares, that our Lord -was seen, after his resurrection, "by above five hundred brethren at once." (Acts i. 15; 1 Cor. xv. 6.) The expectations of the apostles were grievously disap- pointed, when their Master informed them that he should shortly be put to death by the rulers of the nation : but their disappointment was perfectly natural, considering the ground- less hopes which they had entertained, arising from their false notions and early prejudices. The Saviour whom the Jewish people expected, M^as not such a one as their prophets had foretold : but a worldly deliverer, who should release them from subjection to the Roman government, and restore their nation 36 CHURCH HISTORY. to its former splendour in the reign of Solomon : one who should exalt them to dominion over the Gentile kingdoms, as tributary subjects, and enable them to trample upon all their enemies. It was long before these extravagant ideas w^ere w^holiy eradicated from the minds of the apostles ; and when their Lord plainly told them that his kingdom and salvation were spiritual, and that the design of his coming was to give his life a ransom for many, they did not understand his mean- ing ; and for that reason they were exceedingly sorrowful. At length the awfid hour of his death aiTived, — that hour in which all the momentous events of divine providence w^ere suspended, — the hour in which the Son of God was glorified, atoning for the sins of a lost w^orld, and accomplishing our eternal redemption. The mistaken opinion of the apostles respecting a worldly kmgdom for the Messiah, will account for the disciples' proposing that question to our Saviour, when they were assembled together after his resm-rection, — " Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ?" (Acts i. 6.) AU these carnal notions were utterly dissipated when the Saviour's answer had been realized by them : " And he said unto them. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you ; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts i. 7, 8.) We never think upon the Apostles of Christ, but with wonder and admiration : especially when we consider their character in early life, and even until the day of Pentecost ; and contrast it with what it was after that memorable festival. They were holy men after their conversion, and theu' cha- racters were evidently improved from the time of the Saviour's ascension : but as he gave them a command to preach the gospel to all nations, the gift of tongues was the most suitable endowment, which could be granted to them, being destitute of all human advantages, arising from learning or property, credit or friends. The learned ecclesiastical historian, Mosheim, well observes,* " The consequences of this grand * Vol. I. 61. CHURCH HISTORY. 37 event were surprising and glorious, infinitely honourable to the Christian religion, and the divine mission of its triumphant Author. For, no sooner had the apostles received this pre- cious gift, this celestial guide, than their ignorance was turned into light, their doubts into certainty, their fears into a firm and invincible fortitude, and their former backwardness into an ai'dent and inextinguishable zeal, which led them to under- take their sacred office with the utmost intrepidity and alacrity of mind. These holy apostles were filled with a persuasion, founded upon Christ's express promise, that the Divine Pre- sence would perpetually accompany them, and show itself by miraculous interpositions, as often as the success of their minis- try should render this necessary." " What gifts, what miracles, he gave ! And power to kill, and power to save ! Funiish'd their tongues with wondrous words, Instead of sliields, and spears, and swords. Thus arm'd, he sent the champions forth From east to west, from south to north : ' Go, and assert your Saviour's cause ; Go, spread the triumphs of his cross.' " — Dr. Watts. It is a chief principle, in the religion of Jesus Christ, that the influences of the Holy Spirit are indispensably necessary'' to make a Christian, and especially a qualified and successful missionary or minister; and it is probable, that before the universal extension of the Redeemer's kingdom among all nations, there will be another effusion of the Holy Spirit, little less eminent than that on the day of Pentecost. " And the same day there M^ere added to the church about three thousand souls;" and soon afterwards their number amounted to five thousand ; many of whom, it appears, were foreigners. But it has often been wondered, that there should be at that time " dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven." Some learned men have supposed that foreign Jews and proselytes had come thither in great numbers, from all parts, to learn the Hebrew language. But Dr. Lightfoot and others, with more probability, think they were come in expectation of the Messiah and his kingdom ; as the time had arrived that he should appear, according to the seventy weeks of Daniel, and the indications of other prophecies. We may 33 CHURCH HISTORY. be fully confident, that they were led to Jerusalem by the sove- reign providence of God, for the purpose of being instructed in the gospel of Christ, and of being the ministers and agents in carrying it to their native countries ; as we learn they " were scattered everywhere," on " the persecution that arose about Stephen." CHAPTER III. Prosperity of the churches — Election of Deacons — MartjTdom of Stephen — Conversion of the persecutor Saul — His extraordinarj' labours — Admission of the Gentiles to the church of Christ— Martyrdom of James— Imprisonment of Peter — Confirmation of the churches— Mosaic ceremonies abolished — Sepa- ration of Paul and Barnabas— Apostolic epistles published. No pious mind can possibly reflect without admiration upon the conversion of sinners to God, and upon the increase and harmony, the affection and liberality, of tlie primitive Christian church at Jerusalem. Nor can we withhold our sincere vene- ration from the character of the seven Grecian deacons, whom the enlarging church elected for the management of their tem- poral affairs. Stephen, especially, was singularly eminent both in gifts and grace, and in devotedness to his glorious Mastef's service. We must admire him more particularly in his last hours: not so much on account of the overpowering "wisdom and spirit by which he spake;" or for the celestial splendour of his countenance, " as it had been the face of an angel ;" as in the compassionate tenderness of his heart towards his bitter and murderous enemies, praying for them even with his dying breath, like his Divine Master, " Lord, lay not this sin to their charge ! " The martyrdom of Stephen was the commencement of a dreadfi.U persecution of the church ; and the principal agent in this diabolical wickedness was Saul, a young collegian of the Pharisees ; but who, in the midst of his bloody career, was con- verted, by the mercy and grace of the Redeemer, to the faith of Christ. Excepting, perhaps, the thief on the cross, there is not so memorable an instance of the sovereignty of dinne gi'ace, recorded in the sacred Scriptures. A celebrated noble writer, with much reason, says he thought "the conversion and apostle- CRURCII HISTORY. 39 ship of St. Paul alone, duly considered, was a demonstration sufficient to prove Christianity to be a divine revelation."* There appears to have been a particular reason, in the condi- tion of the church, for the conversion of such a person : for " all the other apostles Vt-ere men without education, and absolutely ignorant of letters and philosophy ; and yet, in the infancy of the Christian church, it was necessary that there should be at least one defender of the gospel, who, versed in the learned arts, might be able to combat the Jewish doctors and the pagan philosophers with their ovrn arms. For this purpose, Jesus liimself, by an extraordinary voice from heaven, called to his service a thirteenth apostle, whose name was Saul, (afterwards Paul,) and whose acquaintance both with Jewish and Grecian learning was very considerable. This extraordi- nary person, who had been one of the most virulent enemies of the Christians, became their most glorious and triumphant defender. Independently of the miraculous gifts with which he was enriched, he was naturally possessed of an invincible courage, an amazing force of genius, and a spirit of patience which no fatigues could overcome, and which no trials could exhaust. To these, the cause of the gospel, under the Divine appointment, owed a considerable part of its rapid progress and surprising success, as the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles of St. Paul, abundantly testify." -|'. It does not appear, that this new apostle had any personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, during his public ministry upon earth, nor much intercourse with the twelve; and yet his acquaintance with all the ordinances and doctrines of the gos- pel was evidently equal, if not superior, to theirs. There is indeed, as many suppose, abundant reason to believe, that his knowledge of the sovereign purposes of God, in the mission and mediation of Christ, far exceeded that of the other apostles: yet, as himself declares, " I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Instead of seeking a conference with the other apostles, to be instructed and directed by them, being called and authorized by his blessed Lord in an extraordinary revelation, and qualified by * Lord Littleton'^ Observations on the Conversion and Apostles'aip of St. P.;iil, t Mosheim. 40 CHURCH HISTORY. the Holy Spirit, he preached the gospel at Damascus, the ancient capital of Syria, and laboured in the work of the ministry several years, principally in the Grecian cities and provinces, before he had an interview with either of the twelve apostles. The vision with which Peter was favoured, prepared his mind to welcome the Gentiles into the fold of Christ. It was a surprising instance of the Divine condescension to his remain- ing Jewish prejudices : it was also designed to be the means of preparing all the Hebrew believers to receive the reported successes attending the missionary labours among the Gentiles; and to dispose them to strengthen their hands, by the assist- ance of such ministers as Barnabas, whom they sent for that purpose as far as Antioch. Persecution was not suffered to sleep : for while the church was taking root in the surrounding and distant cities, the malicious Jews stirred it up at Jerusalem in the politic Herod, the king' ; who, to purchase a guilty popularity among them, slew James, one of the apostles, with the sword, and imprisoned another for the same iniquitous purpose. The history of that persecution, in which the first apostle was martyred, demonstrates to us the sovereignty of the Divine Redeemer, and his incessant care over his church. James, having accomplished his ministry, was permitted to be slain, for the trial of the apostles' faith. But Peter had not yet completed his work ; and, therefore, the " quaternions of soldiers," the " inner prison," the " double chains," the " watch- ing keepers," and the "iron gates," with all the precautions of the king and his coadjutors, were unable to detain the servant of Christ for a moment, if his Master design his preservation. While special prayer-meetings were held by the church, for the purpose of imploring spiritual consolations to be imparted to him in, what they supposed, the trying hour of martyrdom, an angel was commissioned to deliver him from the brutal expect- ation of the people, and to smite his guilty persecutor with death, by a most homble and loathsome disease ! By this time, the progress of the gospel must have been very considerable, as the sacred historian says, " The word of God grew and multiplied," so that there were " many prophets and CHURCH HISTORY. 41 teachers in the church at Antioch :" two of whom, Barnabas and Saul, were specially sent forth by the Holy Ghost to con- firm the minds of the newly formed churches, and to plant others in various Gentile cities. By their appointment to such a mission, the kingdom of Christ was eminently advanced, and the infant congregations were greatly established in evangelical knowledge and brotherly affection. They made a large circuit in the Gentile cities, " confirming the souls of the disciples," by their laborious, authoritative, and affectionate instructions in the doctrines of Christ. " And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with listing, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." (Acts xiv. 23.) There are two circumstances mentioned in the fifteenth chapter of the Acts, which, at the first, appeared likely to be iujurious to the progress and harmony of the church : — the dispute concerning the observance of the Mosaic ceremonies ; — and the difference between Paul and Barnabas. It may be observed, that some of the greatest enemies to the peace of the church, were the Jewish bigots, who affected to be teachers of the gospel, but they were in truth, " subverting the souls of the disciples." They insisted on the universal observance of the Levitical rites : but the unanimous determination of the question by the apostles and the church at Jerusalem, was of signal service to the Gentile churches, among whom the grace of God was so eminently conspicuous ; and to whom they sent an affectionate letter, and two more faithful labourers. The difference between Paul and Barnabas respected Mark, nephew of Barnabas, whom Paid regarded as imstable, because he had turned back from the missionary work, on a former occasion. The separation of these two laborious ministers was, doubtless, overruled for the greater advancement of their common object, as is evident from the sequel of Paul's history, though we hear but little of the ministry of Barnabas. Mark also became reinstated in Paul's confidence. The remaining part of the Acts relates chiefiy to the history of Paul's surprising labours and successes, until his imprison- ment at Rome; and that detailed account affords us a com- 42 CHURCH HISTORY. l^lete exposition of the apostle's religious principles and charac- ter. With surpassing wisdom and incessant activity, elevated spirituality of mind, and supreme love to the Saviour, he united the most tender compassion for the souls of men ; and no labours were too difficult, nor were any sufferings too great, for his unconquerable and persevering zeal in the cause of his gracious Lord. His whole conduct was a beautiful illustra- tion of Christianity, and of his profession which he made before the Ephesian bishops : — " The Holy Ghost witnessing in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to tes- tify the gospel of the grace of God." (Acts xx. '23, 24.) His labours were more abundant than all the other apostles, and his sufferings corresponded with them, both in number and in degree. " But besides all those things which were without," the daily " care of all the churches " devolved upon him. Many of these he planted by his own ministry, and they all participated in his apostolic regards, which were shown by personal visits and instructions, by evangelical messengers, and by inspired letters. The publication of the apostolical letters, which we possess in the New Testament, eminently displays the wisdom and kindness of God towards his church. While they supply ad- ditional confirmation of the diligent and affectionate labours of the apostles, they unfold to us more fully the doctrine of the covenant of grace, and the extensive and glorious designs of the Saviour's mission to our guilty world. Li these respects the epistles to the churches remain a permanent monument of mercy, and an inestimable blessing to the people of God, while they demand our daily and devout study. CHURCH HISTORY. 43 CHAPTER IV. State of religion in the churches at the close of the ministrj'' of the apostles- Jerusalem — Samaria — Ethiopia — Philip — Cesarea — Antioch — Rome — Co- rinth— Galatia — Epliesus — Philippi — Colosse — Thessalonica — Seren churches in Asia. An acquaintance with the state of religion in the primitive churches, at the close of the apostolical ministry, will be of considerable importance ; serving- as a key to the correct un- derstanding of many things mentioned in the inspired epistles. To begin with Jerusalem, where the apostles opened their commission. The disciples were very numerous both in Jeru- salem, and in all Judea, and constituted many considerable churches ;* but the rigid adherence of many to the ceremonial law, appears to have declined but little. For their instruction preparatory to the full abandonment of the Levitical observ- ances, when Jerusalem with its temple was destroyed, Paul wrote that invaluable letter to the Hebrews. Learned men suppose he undertook that service at the request of the other apostles. In this epistle, the Levitical institution is shown to ; have been typical of the perfect dispensation of the gospel ; and, consequently, its services have no use, now the kingdom of Christ is revealed. In various places the apostle affection- ately warns the Hebrew Christians against apostacy in all its degrees, arising from an evil heart of unbelief. From such admonitions, and from the censures of James, in his epistle, it is supposed, that the churches in Judea had much declined from their pristine spirituality and purity, " and that the crafts of Satan, aided by human depravity, were wearing out apace the precious fruits of that effusion of the Spirit which has been described."f Samaria was situated in the midst of Palestine; and that district obtained a considerable share in the labours of the apostles. Many were converted by the ministry of our Lord himself, after his discourse with the woman of Sychar. When the persecution arose about Stephen, Philip, the deacon, was * Acts ix. 31.; Gal. i. 22; 1 Thess. ii. H. t Milner. 44 CHURCH HISTORY. directed to labour among them ; probably in the same city in which our Lord had been successful before him. By his mi- nistry, the gospel was made effectual to convert the hearts of many more, who experienced great "joy and peace in believ- ing, abounding in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost." The apostles, hearing of their having received the gospel, deputed Peter and John to visit them, and to preach in the surrounding villages. When Philip had laboured for some time among the Samaritans, he went a long missionary tour, by the direction of an angel ; first to meet the Ethiopian eunuch, and afterwards through many cities till he came to Cesarea. The conversion of the eunuch to the faith of Christ, was the means of introducing the gospel into Ethiopia ; and, it is said, that he carried the gospel into Persia, and into the Indies ; and that he sealed his doctrine with the blood of martyrdom, in the island of Ceylon.* Philip, in his tour, preached in the toAvns of the Philistines lying on the coasts, and settled at Cesarea, where he formed a church, and became its pastor, as we find many years after, when he entertained Paul and his company .f Here lived the devout centurion : and it appears that the memorable visit which Peter made to him, happened while Philip was making a missionary tour ; and that Cornelius having received the gospel, was one of the principal reasons for Philip settling at Cesarea, as pastor of the Christian church. The eleventh chapter of the Acts has often been read with peculiar delight, as it contains so much pleasing instruction respecting the progress of the gospel, especially at Antioch, where the disciples were first called Christians. This An- tioch was at that time one of the most populous and flourish- ing cities of the east. But the grace of God, which Barnabas saw in the number and heavenly dispositions of the disciples, was far more glorious, in his estimation, than the magnitude and wealth of the city. Having found Paul, he led him thither, and in that place they both laboured, with great success, or about twelve months. In the following chapters there are men- * Cave's Lives of the Fathers. Life of Philij). t Acts xxi. S— IG. CHURCH HISTORY. 45 tioned, incidentally, many places where Christian churches were formed ; and it cannot be doubted that there were many others, flourishing in various places, concerning- which we have not the least intimation. The New Testament relates very little of the labours of any of the apostles, except James and John, Peter and Paul : but from their success we may infer that the rest did not labour in vain. It is not certainly known who were the agents in gathering the churches at Colosse or Rome ; yet they were both in a flourishing state when the apostle wrote his epistles to them, though he had never visited them. If we may determine the state of religion in the Roman church, by the excellency of Paul's epistle to them, we shall conclude, that he might very justly "thank God, through Jesus Christ, that their faith was spoken of throughout the whole world." It is said that Chrysostom, one of the fathers of the church, esteemed this epistle so greatly, that he caused it to be read to him twice every week : and most certainly it is worthy of being read twice a week by every Christian. On account of the power of godliness, which was so eminently experienced by the Roman church, Paul oftentimes purposed to visit them, to participate in their joy, and to impart some spiritual gift to them, for their further edification and establishment. As he had been hitherto prevented by the necessities of other churches, he wrote this epistle to them, to give a correct and comprehensive view of the gospel dispensation, as a system of grace to both Jews and Gentiles, through a Divine Me- diator. While Paul was first labouring at Corinth, he was unusually discouraged and depressed in mind : but the Lord Jesus as- sured him in a vision, that he had " much people in this city ;" therefore, his presence and blessing should be afforded to him in his work. He continued there a year and a half, preaching the gospel M'ith singular success, and eminent gifts were be- stowed upon the Corinthian believers. Soon after the apostle's removal their tranquillity was disturbed by the intrusion of false teachers ; hence parties were formed, and lamentable disorders arose, which proves that the power of religion had much declined. A judicious writer observes, " Perhaps no church was more numerous, and none less holy, in the apostolic age. 46 CHURCH HISTORY. And it may teach us not to repine at the want of the miraculous operations of the Holy Spirit, M'hen we consider that the Co- rinthians abounded in them."* The design of the first epistle was, to answer the inquiries which they had made of the apostle in a letter to him ; to correct the abuses which existed among them, and to establish the doctrine of the resurrection of believers to a state of eternal glory. The second epistle is richly consolatory, and greatly edifying ; it was written in consequence of the former having produced the desired effect, in the reformation of the church. The Epistle to the Galatians indicates a serious defection in their churches, from the purity and simplicity of evangelical doctrine. They consisted of both Gentile and Jewish converts, among whom there came several judaizing teachers, insisting upon the necessity of submitting to circumcision, and of o}> serving the law of Moses in many of its abolished rites ; while at the same time they vilified the character, and questioned the apostleship, of Paul. Their doctrines had been considered by the apostles and church of Jerusalem, and condemned, as " subverting the souls of the disciples." On account of these churches having been drawn aside by such injurious notions, the apostle Paul defends his own character, and establishes his apostleship, against those enemies of the gospel; seriously, but with warm affection, rebukes the Galatians, and instructs them clearly in the doctrine of justification and salvation by the righteousness and atonement of Jesus Christ. The fruits of his principles, he insists, must be manifested by walking in the Spirit, and glorifying God. The Ephesian church appears to have been in a singularly prosperous condition, as there is no rebuke or censure con- tained in the whole epistle. This society had been favoured with the ministry of the apostle Paul more than any other people. For about three years they had enjoyed the benefit of his personal instructions ; and the fruit of his labours was very abundant and long-continued. It is observed of the epistle to this church, that the elevated manner in which the apostle treats of the eternal purposes of God, and of the mani- festation of redeeming mercy by Jesus Christ, distinguishes ♦ Milner. CHURCH HISTOUY. 47 it from all the others. This seems to indicate the matured spirituality of the church ; while the practical directions, in the closing- })art of the epistle, evince the inseparable connexion between the sublimest doctrines and the purest morality. The Philippian churches are memorable for the interesting conversion of two of tiieir earliest members — Lydia and the brutal jailer. The Epistle to the Philippians was written in consequence of their continued pecuniary contributions for the relief of the apostle Paul, while he was a prisoner at Rome ; and it was sent to them by Epaphroditus, one of their pastors. It shows that their Christian affection for their father in the gospel was unabated ; and that his regard for them was the most tender. The power of religion appears to have been great aciong them ; but the apostle considered them in danger, on one hand from false teachers, and on the other from licen- tious professors of the gospel : against both of whom he warns and instructs them. The kindest affection breathes in the Epistle to the Colossian church. It is believed that the apostle had never visited the Colossians : yet his heart rejoiced in the evangelical order of their sacred worship, and in hearing of the pious steadfastness of their faith in Christ. The epistle to them was designed to warn them against the doctrines of false philosophy, and the worship of angels, and to show them more fully, that the salvation of sinners depends on the divine dignity and medi- atorial glory of Jesus Christ. The amiable Philemon is thought to have been a member of the Colossian church, who held their religious assemblies at his house. The flourishing piety of the Thessalonians is highly com- mended by the apostle. They appear to have been inferior to none of the churches in genuine, active godliness. The first epistle to them was designed to encourage them under the persecutions which they endured : the second w^as written to correct their mistaken notions respecting the second coming of Christ. The latter epistle is celebrated for its remarkable prophecy of the rise, and character, and destruction, of the Papal Antichrist. There are yet to be noticed the seven churches in Asia, to whom the apostle John was commanded to address his epistles, 48 CHURCH HISTORY. which are contained in the first three chapters in the Book of the Revelation. Ephesus is the first church mentioned. John was banished to the isle of Patmos, by the savage emperor Domitian, about the year of Christ ninety-five, which was nearly forty years later than St. Paul's epistles were written to the churches. It appears, therefore, that the Ephesians had retained their sound- ness and purity of doctrine, and, by a consistency of conduct, evinced the genuine influence of those principles which they had received from the ministry of Paul. Still they were rebuked, as exhibiting a spiritual declension : their love to the Redeemer having considerably abated in its streng-th and exercise. On this account they are admonished with terror, yet with tenderness, by their Lord and Saviour, in this epistle, and invited to return, performing their first works. The church at Smyrna is the second addressed ; and thi-s is the first occasion on which we hear of them. Their outward circumstances indicated poverty, but they were " rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven." The Saviour warns them to expect a severe persecution for the trial of their prin- ciples, in the prospect of which they are encouraged with the assurance of a crown of life. Pergamos is next mentioned, and with commendations. Of this church, also, we know but little, besides what is here recorded. They seem to have been surrounded with idolatry and corruption, as in a strong fortification: in so great a degree, indeed, as to occasion its being called " Satan's seat." Of Antipas, the martyr, we know nothing more than the immortal encomium pronounced upon him here by his Lord and Saviour. The licentiousness of Balaam's doctrine, and the impure notions of the Nicolaitanes, received a measure of countenance from some of this church : this indicated a consi- derable declension in the purity and power of religion among them : they are therefore admonished to repent. Thyatira is both commended and censured. That church abounded in genuine piety and good works ; but some of its members were infected with the same corruptions as the church at Pergamos. An artful woman, allegorically called Jezebel, seduced some of them to the commission of her abominations. 4 CHURCH HISTORY. 49 The church at Sardis is represented as in a very declining state. The aged members of this church being removed by- death, the majority of professors in Sardis were destitute of the spirit of piety, and they made light of practical godliness : yet there were a few left who maintained fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. Philadelphia exhibits a more inviting spectacle. The trials and persecutions which attended this people, were the means of preserving their fruitfulness. Their good works and decision of character are commended by the Saviour, who assures them of his perpetual regard, his sure protection, and the heavenly felicity. The declensions and lukewarmness of the Laodicean chm'ch were grievously lamentable : so much so as to have become proverbial. The picture which the Saviour draws of their spiritual condition is deeply affecting. They had not, indeed, renounced or denied any of the grand essentials of the gospel, much less had they abandoned the profession of the Saviour's name ; but, as a church, they had sunk deplorably into worldly indifference. " They had lost the conviction of their internal bUndness, misery, and depravity. They were satisfied with themselves, and felt no need of higher attainment. They had learned to maintain, in easy indolence, an orthodoxy of senti- ment, without any vivid attention to the Spirit of God." CHAPTER V. Want of inspired history — Persecution under Nero — Conflagration at Rome — Falsely charged upon the Christians — Domitiari's persecution — Banishment of John. We have at length arrived at the close of the church's history, as contained in the inspired writings. But in pursu- ing its course to the end of the century, we painfiilly feel the want of an infallible guide, in detailing the principal facts con- nected with its progress. We are not absolutely without materials, but they are both scanty and uncertain in the inform- ation which they convey to us. The closing passage of the F 50 CHURCH HISTORY. inspired history declares, " Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house at Rome, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him." (Acts xxviii. SO, 31.) As to the number of the converts to Christ, who were found in the imperial city, we are unable correctly to ascertain ; but they must have been exceedingly numerous, as is evident from the extent of that dreadful persecution which was raised about the year A. D. 65 ; in which the apostle Paul, and, as uncertain traditions say, the apostle Peter also, finished their ministry, by shedding their blood in martyrdom, as it had been intimated to them by their Lord and Saviour. Erastus of Corinth, Aristarchus the Macedonian, Trophimus, and others mentioned in the New Testament, are said to have suffered at the same time. This furious persecution was occasioned by the tremendous conflagration at Rome; and which was charged upon the Christians by the emperor Nero. It is related, that " Nero himself was the author of the dismal distress, by causing the city to be set on fire in different places. The devouring ele- ment prevailed for nine successive days, and destroyed the greater part of the city. That while the flames were raging in every direction, and multitudes were perishing under the falling ruins, the brutal emperor placed himself upon the top of a high tower, where he enjoyed the consternation, amusing himself with singing to his lyre the burning and destruction of ancient Troy." Such is the account given by the most respectable contemporary historians ; and it perfectly accords with the general character of Nero , who was one of the great- est monsters, in wickedness, that ever disgraced human nature. He was not, however, totally void of shame or fear ; and, to divert the suspicion of his being the author of this horrible deed, he endeavoured to transfer the guilt of it to the innocent disciples of Christ; who were regarded by the superstitious pagans, as enemies of mankind, because they abhorred the popular idolatrous customs. We are told by the Roman histo- rian, " They were convicted, not so much of the crime of burning Rome, as of hatred to mankind. Their sufferings at their execution were aggravated by insult and mockery ; for some CHURCH HISTORY. 51 were disguised in the skins of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs. Some were crucified; others were wrapped in pitched shirts, and set on fire when the day closed, that they might serve as lights to illuminate the night. Their heads w^ere held up by stakes fixed under their chins, till they made a long stream of blood and melted sulphur on the ground. Nero lent his own gardens for these executions, and exhibited at the same time a mock Circensian entertainment ; being a spectator of the whole in the dress of a charioteer, sometimes mingling with the crowd on foot, and sometimes viewing the spectacle from his car."* As these testimonies are from the pagan enemies of Christianity, all suspicion of their truth or accuracy is removed. Still these cruel destructions did not extirpate the infant church. Imperial, or even infernal malice could not effect this : and we may conclude with certainty, that in their extreme sufferings, those holy martyrs enjoyed the divine consolations, for which the apostle prayed on behalf of the believing Romans. " Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost." This persecution raged imtil A. D. 68, when, by an act of suicide, Nero, detested by all men, put a period to his own iniquitous course. This wretched being had murdered his own mother Agrippina, his tutor Seneca, and his two wives, Octavianus and Poppea ! The second general persecution was raised against the Christians in the year A. D. 95, in the latter end of the reign of Domitian, who renewed the horrors of Nero's cruelty. This persecution continued about two years, when Domitian was slain. It was distinguished by several martyrs at Rome, of elevated stations in life ; among whom were Clemens Flavins and his wife Flavia Domitilla, relations of the emperor, and Acilius Glabrio, a consul. By the order of Domitian, John the apostle was banished to the isle of Patmos ; in which he was favoured with the visions of God, and wrote the last book of the New Testament. * See Remarks on these testimonies in Paley's Evidences of Christianity. 52 CHURCH HISTORY. CHAPTER VI. Extent of Chnstianity at the close of the first century — Destruction of Jeru- salem— Introduction of Christianity into Britain — Causes of the success of the founders of Christianity — Continuance of miraculous powers. In endeavouring to ascertain the extent of the progress of the gospel, in other parts of the Roman empire, we feel the want of authentic information. However, according to the prediction of our blessed Lord, the gospel was preached in all parts of the world, for a witness to all nations, befoi^e the destruction of Jerusalem. (Matt. xxiv. 14.) This awful catastrophe befel the Jews, agreeably to what our Saviour had foretold. This infatuated people, rejecting the Messiah, and, at the tribunal of Pilate, demanding his crucifixion, said, " His blood be on us, and on our children." Willingly deluded by several impostors, each pretending to be the promised Christ, and impatient of a foreign yoke, they revolted against the Romans, and drew down upon themselves the vengeance of their terrible legions. Jerusalem was taken A. D. 70 ; the city and temple were destroyed ; and both being levelled with the dust, the ground was ploughed up, for the purpose of obtaining the precious things which were buried in the rubbish. In this awful visitation of God, the shocking imprecation of the Jews was answered : for, besides ninety- seven thousand of the captives, who were sold for slaves in the neighbouring nations, and multitudes who were transported to the mines in Egypt, one million and one hundred thousand perished, by famine and pestilence, by the sword and cruci- fixion ! The Christian church at Jerusalem were all delivered ; for tlie besieging army withdrew for a time, and every believer, remembering the admonition of Christ, withdrew in safety to Pella and other places, beyond the river Jordan. From the successes of Paul and his colleagues, we may con- clude that the Saviour's prediction was completely fulfilled, by means of the united labours of all the apostles and evangelical la- bourers. " It appears, from the writers of the history of the church, that before the destruction of Jerusalem, the gospel was preached, not only in the Lesser Asia, and Greece, and Italy, the great CHURCH HISTORY. 53 theatres of action then in the world : but was likewise propa- gated as far northward as Scythia, as far southward as Ethiopia, AS far eastward as Parthia, and as far westward as Spain and Britain."* It is generally allowed that Christianity was embraced by the Britons in the apostolic age : but the accounts which we have on this subject are extremely doubtful and different. It is probable, however, that the sacred treasure was brought here by some of the Roman merchants or colonists ; or by the young men who, at that time, were sent to Rome for educa- tion. Some suppose that Paul visited Britain after his journey into Spain; being solicited by Claudia, (2 Tim. iv. 21,) who is thought to have been a British lady of distinction, if not a daughter of king Caractacus, and married to Pudens, a Roman senator. The most popular accounts state, that the captivity and degradation of the celebrated Caractacus and his family, were the appointed means, under Providence, of blessing the Britons with the glorious liberty and divine honours of the gospel. To withstand the Romans, Caractacus, a Welch chief, had been chosen, as the commander of the British army ; but after a struggle of nine years, he was overcome ; betrayed to the Roman general, and, with Bran his father, and his family, was carried captive to Rome, to grace the triumphal procession of the victor, Ostorius. Bran, and several of his family, it is said, became converts to the faith of Christ ; and returning from Rome, after seven years' captivity, they brought with them several Christian preachers, to assist them in propa- gating the gospel among their ignorant and idolatrous fellow- countrymen in Wales and Britain. The names of three of their preachers were Hid, an Israelite, and Cyndav and Arwystli, who appear to have been Gentiles. They were suc- cessful in bringing many to the knowledge of Christ ; on which account. Bran was called " one of the three blessed sovereigns of Britain." Cyllin, son of Caractacus, was called Saint Cyllin ; and Elgin, his daughter, is recorded as the first British saint ! Frequently it has been asked, What must be regarded as the * Newtcn on the Prophecies, Diss. XVIII. I 54 Church history. principal causes of the wonderful progress of the gospel ? Td which it may be replied. Much is certainly to be attributed to the unconquerable zeal of the first preachers, united with the most exalted purity of character, and the warmest benevolence of heart. By the influence of the doctrine which they preached, they were prepared to exhibit a magnanimity superior to all difficulties ; a just and rational contempt of riches and honours ; a serene tranquillity in the prospect of death, and an invincible patience under torments far more terrible than even death itself. But these holy and excellent qualifications are not, in themselves, sufficient to account for their successes. When M-e reflect upon the rapid progress of Christianity among the Gentile nations, destroying the most deeply rooted prejudices and ancient superstitions, — and consider, that the agents by whom this was accomplished were friendless, and mostly un- educated Jews, taken from the lowest walks of life, and who em})loyed no means besides the art of persuasion, — we must feel astonishment : yet we find a sufficient cause of all their suc- cesses, in the miraculous powers with which they were invested, to awaken the attention of men, and to confirm the divinity of their mission ; and especially in the sovereign and omnipotent influences of the Holy Spirit, which constantly attended their ministry, and were, in reality, the only efficient cause of their wondrous triumph. It has been maintained, even by some Protestants, that the apostles were capable of imparting miraculous powers to the new converts; and that these extraordinary quidifications continued in the church for ages after their decease. The Roman Catholics teach, that the power of working miracles has never ceased in their church, even to the present time : but their delusions and impositions are notorious. Some, also, in the Church of England, and in the Church of Scotland, are now exceedingly zealous in propagating the doctrine of miracu- lous powers and tongues. But it is a serious error to suppose, that even the apostles possessed ability to communicate miraculous powers to any one. They could not, at their own will, employ those with which themselves were endowed ; nor speak with other tongues, only " as the Spirit gave them utter- ance." As to miracles, they were all wrought by the imme- CHURCH HISTORY. 55 (liate power of Christ, on occasions which he saw worthy of his interposition. The apostles were, however, honoured by their blessed Lord, as the means of conveying to many the g-ifts of the Holy Spirit for the work of the ministry; and immediately after baptism by them, some such were qualified, by the sovereign gifts of the Spirit, to speak with other tongues for the edification of the church. That the power of working miracles continued in the church after the decease of the apostles, there can be but little doubt ; but how long, and to what extent, cannot be ascertained. Speaking of the immediate successors of the apostles. Dr. Middleton observes, " There is not the least claim or pretension in all their several pieces, or in those of Ignatius and Polycarp, who were nearly contempo- rary, to any extraordinary gifts or power of working miracles, as residing amongst them, for the conversion of the heathen world. The whole of their writings is to illustrate the excel- lency and purity of the doctrine of Christ; and the whole power of their ministry seems to have lain in the innocent and amiable tenour of their lives and conduct, and in the pious, cha- ritable, and afi^ectionate strain of their pastoral instructions." CHAPTER VII. Apostolic biography— Peter— AndrcAv — James— John— Philip— Bartliolome-\v— Thomas— Matthew— James the Less— Jude— Simon— Matthias — Paul— Mark —Luke — Evangelists and Apostolic Fathers; Barnabas— Timothy— Titus— Hermas — Clement. Every one will perceive the propriety of presenting in this place some brief notices of the inspired founders of the church of Christ. 1. Peter is mentioned first. Very little is known of this apos- tle, besides what is contained in the New Testament. The Roman Catholics contend, that he was bishop of Rome for twenty-five years ; but we have no satisfactory evidence from history that Peter ever was at Rome, much less bishop of that city. Probable tradition reports, that he came to Rome during the persecution bj^ Nero, and that he was apprehended and crucified. It is said, also, that, remembering his shameful 56 CHURCH HISTORY. denial of his Lord, at his own request, he suffered with his head downwards. 2. Andrew, the brother of Peter, is said to have prosecuted his missionary labours among the Scythians, Sogdians, and Ethiopians : that he made many converts to Christ in Greece, Epirus, and Achaia : that he founded a church at Constantino- ple J ordained Stachys ; and that at Patrse, a city in Achaia, iEgeas the proconsul crucified him ; being provoked that Maximilla his wife, and Stratocles his brother, had embraced Christianity. 3. James, the son of Zebedee, as we have seen, was put to death by Herod Agrippa. It is said, that the officer who brought James to the tribunal, observing his pious cheerful- ness after his condemnation, confessed himself a Christian, and was beheaded with him. The tyrant Herod was smitten by the hand of God, and died in agony, being devoured by worms. (Acts xii.) 4. John was the brother of James ; and both of whom, for their powerful eloquence, were named by their blessed Master " Boanerges," sons of thunder. John was pre-eminently beloved by our Lord, and to his care he committed his mother. Leaving Judea before the destruction of Jerusalem, he laboured chiefly in Asia Minor, particularly at Ephesus. The churches in Pergamos, Thyatira, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, are said to have been founded by him. In the Domitian persecution, A. D. 95, it is related, he was put into a chaldron of boiling oil, in which he stood for several hours unhurt. Being taken out, he was banished to the Isle of Patmos, where he ^vrote the Book of Revelation. From this island he returned the next year, and resided chiefly at Ephesus, until A. D. 100; when, beloved of all, and at the advanced age of a hundred years, he died in peace. Several characteristic anecdotes are recorded concerning this venerable apostle, which it seems proper to notice. On one of his visits to a neighbouring church, he saw a young man, whom he committed to the minister for a religious education ; but during the apostle's banishment he absconded. On his return, the minister informed him, " He is dead : that is, he is dead to God ; for he is become a robber in the mountains." The aged apostle obtained a CHURCH HISTORY. 57 horse, engaged a guide, pursued, and found the bandit ; ten- derly invited his confidence, and directed him to the fountain of mercy in Christ. The young apostate was reclaimed ; and lived and died an honour to his Christian profession. In his extreme age and feebleness, he was accustomed to be led to the church, giving them only, as an address, this short exhort- ation, " Love one another : little children, love one another." 5. Philip, we are told, prosecuted his evangelical mission with success, in Upper Asia, part of Scythia, and Colchis. About A. D. 52, he suffered martyrdom at Hierapolis, a city of Phrygia, being put to death by the votaries of Jupiter Ammon. 6. Bartholomew, supposed to be Nathanael, called by our Lord " an Israelite indeed," is said to have been apprehended with Philip. But an earthquake happening while Bartholomew was bound to a cross, he was released. He laboured in Judea, Ethiopia, and Arabia ; and at last in Albania, in the Greater Armenia, where the governor commanded him to be crucified. He endured this death with cheerfulness and triumph, com- forting and confirming the Gentile converts to the last moments of his life, which happened A.D, 72. 7. Thomas, called Didymus, or the Twin, prosecuted his mission among the Persians, Medes, Hyrcanians, and Bac- trians. Chrysostom says, " Thomas, who at first was the most weak and the most incredulous of all the apostles, be- came, through the condescension of Jesus Christ to satisfy his scruples, the most fervent, powerful, and invincible of them all ; and went through almost all parts of the world, and lived without fear in the midst of the most barbarous nations, per- forming his duty without any regard to his life. And being encouraged by a divine vision, he travelled into the Indies, to Malabar, and the country of the Brahmins, who, fearing the downfall of their rites and religion, resolved upon his death ; and accordingly, when he was intent at prayer, they stoned him, wounded him with darts, and at lengthy one coming near, thrust him through with a lance," A. D. 73. 8. Matthew : of this apostle and evangelist we know but little; yet it is related, that he laboured to evangelize the Ethiopians, Persians, and Parthians; and at length suffered 58 CHURCH HISTORY. martyrdom at Naddabar in Asiatic Ethiopia, being slain with a halbert, A. D, 60. 9. James, the son of Alpheus, is styled " the Lord's brother;" and also "James the Less," and " James the Just." He is considered as having been the first bishop of the church at Jerusalem. He was a man remarkable for prayer and holi- ness of life. Ananias, the Jewish high priest, with the Scribes and Pharisees, called him, at the passover, to stand upon the porch of the temple, to satisfy the doubting minds of the people concerning the faith of Christ : but being enraged that his doctrine was received by many, they threw him from the battlements; and, while he was praying for his murderers, some of them beat him on the head with a fuller's club, of which he died. Thus he was martyred by the mob, while no Roman governor was at Jerusalem, A. D. 62. 10. Jude, or Lebbeus Thaddeus, was the writer of the epistle bearing the name of Jude. At the commencement of his ministry, he preached in Judea, Samaria, Galilee, and Idumea, and afterwards in Arabia, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Persia ; confirming his doctrines with miracles. We have no certain information of the termination of his ministry, though it is related by some that the Magi put him to death in Persia. 11. Simon Zelotes, the Canaanite, the son of Cleophas, is said to have preached the gospel in Egypt, Cyrene, Libya, and Mauritania. Some have affirmed, that he preached the gospel in Britain ; and others, that he was bishop of Jerusalem until A. D. 107, when he was crucified at the advanced age of one hundred and twenty years. 1 2. Judas Iscariot was the wretched apostate and hypocritical betrayer of Jesus Christ ; and who, by an act of suicide, went to his own place ! Matthias was chosen to fill the office of the traitor. He is believed to have been one of the seventy disciples. Leaving Judea, it is said, he laboured in Cappadocia, where he probably died a martyr. Some Greek writers say he was hanged upon a cross. 13. Paul's life, labours, and successes, are so fully detailed in the New Testament, that little is necessary to be said here, CHURCH HISTORY. 59 except what is related concerning the immediate cause of his martyrdom, which was Poppaea Sabina, concubine to the emperor Nero, embracing- the Christian faith. This so en- raged the tyrant, that he determined on the apostle's imme- diate destruction. He was beheaded A. D. 66. 14. Mark, the evangelist, is stated to have been sent by Peter to advance the cause of Christ in Egypt. His ministry was successful in Libya, Marmorica, and Pentapolis. He suffered various brutalities at Alexandria, at the celebration of one of the solemnities of Serapis, an Egyptian deity, and died of his wounds. 15. Luke, the evangelist, the faithful companion of Paul, and writer of the Gospel bearing his name, and tha Acts of the Apostles, was a physician ; but being converted to the faith of Christ, he consecrated all his powers to the glory of his Lord and Saviour. He is said by some to have suffered mar- tyrdom under Nero; but others affirm, that after the death of Paul, having published the faith in France, Italy, and Mace- donia, he was seized by a party of pagans while preaching in Greece, and hanged on a tree. Besides the apostles and the inspired evangelists, some of their immediate successors, mentioned in the New Testament, must here be noticed as men of the same elevated spirit ; but though they do not rank among the inspired writers, they were eminently honoured of God in caiTying forward the designs of his mercy. Among these apostolical fathers, the first in rank must be assigned to 1. Barnabas, the evangelist : he is believed to have been a Levite, and one of the seventy disciples of Christ. His proper name was Joses ; to which the apostles added Barnabas, which signifies the '* son of consolation," (Acts iv. 36, 37.) This name is believed to have been given to him on account of his singular talents as a minister, in comforting and establishing weak be- lievers. He was a person of great note among the apostles ; and in his missionary labours, some of which he prosecuted in company with Paul, he was eminently successful. Uncertain tradition says, that he founded churches at Milan in Italy, and at Salamis in Cyprus, where he was stoned to death by the infidel Jews. 60 CHURCH HISTORY. 2. Timothy, the evangehst, was blessed with a pious mother and grandmother, whose early instructions and prayers were answered in the eminence of his religious character. He be- came a devoted assistant to the apostle Paul ; for many years co-operated with him in establishing and regulating the newly- formed churches. The Roman CathoUcs call him Bishop of Ephesus ; but it is evident, from the Scriptures, that his office was extraordinary, — that of an evangelist. He is reported to have suffered martyrdom at Ephesus, being killed by the rabble at an idolatrous festival, about A. D. 97. 3. Titus, the evangelist, had been an idolatrous Gentile; but he appears to have been converted to the faith of Christ by Paul's ministry. He became a faithful assistant to the apostle in his various labours, accompanying him to Jerusalem, and to other places. He fulfilled several missions to Corinth, Crete, and Dalmatia. We have no certain information con- cerning his death, though some say he died on the island of Crete at a very advanced age. 4. Hermas, Rom. xvi., is supposed to have been a minister of some eminence among the primitive Christians. Though but little is known concerning him, his name is of some note on account of a small book which he wrote, entitled " The Pastor." 5. Clement is mentioned Phil. iv. 3. It is said by some that Clement was the pastor of the Jewish Christians at Rome, while Linus, and after him Anacletus, held the same office among the Gentile believers. After the decease of Anacletus, it is stated that the Roman Christians were united under Clement, as their chosen pastor ; he is therefore called " the third bishop of Rome." He presided over this chrrch nine years, and died in the reign of Trajan, A. D. 100. There is extant a letter to the Corinthians, written by Clement in the name of the Roman church, and which, in its style, somewhat resembles the Epistle to the Hebrews. It breathes the pure spirit of Christian benevolence : and though it is manifest that it is greatly inferior to the inspired writings, it is esteemed " the most precious and valuable treasure the church can boast after the Holy Scriptures." CHURCH HISTORY. Gl CHAPTER VIII. Constitution of the primitive Churches— Extraordinary ministers their founders — Preaching Elders — Manner of their public worship — Possession of the Scriptures. So extravagant have been the claims of what are improperly called the Christian Priesi/iood, in different nations and periods, that it will be the more necessary to notice the con- stitution of the apostolical churches. Their founders were extraordinary agents, qualified mira- culously by our blessed Lord, by whom they were employed. These were 1. Apostles, whose mission embraced the whole world. 2. Evangelists, who were assistants to them, sent by the apostles, not to settle as pastors, but to tiavel among the infant churches, ordaining their proper officers, and com- pleting the work which the apostles had begun. Of these, Mark and Luke were inspired writers. 3. Prophets, who were specially inspired, to instruct the infant churches, by expounding the Old Testament predictions, and preaching the gospel for their edification, (Eph. iv. 11.) These being extra- ordinary ministers, they had no successors in their office. The ordinary officers of the churches were two. Bishops and Deacons. (Phil. i. I.) Bishops, of whom there sometimes were two or more in a congregation, were also Overseers, Pastors, and Teachers. (Actsxx. 17; Eph. iv. 11 ; 1 Tim. iii.) Deacons were persons chosen by the people, to attend to the temporal affairs of the churches, and especially to the neces- sities of the poor ; but being men of piety, on account of which they were elected to office, they sometimes exercised their gifts in defending their faith, and in preaching the gospel. (Acts iv.; 1 Tim. iii.) In every place in which the gospel was preached, it was the means of converting sinners to God, and the company of be- lievers was formed into a religious community. The learned Dr. Mosheim, in his valuable Ecclesiastical History, giving an account of the churches of the first and second centuries, says, " In those early times, every Christian church consisted of 62 CHURCH HISTORY. the people, their leaders, and the deacons. It was the assembly of the people which chose their own rulers and teachers, or received them by a free and authoritative consent, when recom- mended by others. Every Christian assembly was a little state, governed by its own laws, which were either enacted, or at least approved, by the society. AVhoever acknowledged Christ as the Saviour of mankind, and made a solemn pro- fession of his confidence in him, was immediately baptized, and received into the church. One bishop presided over each Christian assembly, to which office he was elected by the voice of the whole people. There reigned among the members of the Christian church, however distinguished they were by worldly rank and titles, not only an amiable harmony, but also a perfect equality." Among the primitive believers, every Christian considered himself under obligations to promulgate the gospel of Christ ; and the more mature members of the several churches were ever ready to go forth into the neighbouring districts as " Home Missionaries," to publish the doctrines of salvation, after the manner of the "Lay Preachers" among the Congregational churches in England, or as the " Local Preachers" among the Methodists. In some churches, it appears that there were several of the senior brethren, possessing " the gift of prayer," and endowed with suitable talents for exhortation ; and though these elders were only private members, and not devoted to the pastoral office, their gifts were eminently useful in extending the know- ledge of eternal life through the Redeemer. The deacons and bishops were generally chosen from this class, as appears from the apostle's writings. The manner in which the public worship was conducted among the early Christians, was exceedingly simple. When they were permitted by the ruling powers to hold their religious meetings, they assembled on the first day of the week, which was called The Lord's Dai/; reading the Scriptures formed a principal part of the service. One of the lessons was usually expounded by the bishop, who made an application of the doctrine, in an exhortation to the people to cherish believing confidence in Jesus Christ, to persevere in the exercises of CHURCH HISTORY. 63 habitual piety, and to practise the various duties of a virtuous life. Prayers, from the fulness of his heart, were offered by the bishops, to the throne of grace, for blessings suitable to the necessities of the people, and psalms and hymns were sung by the congregation. The whole religious services of the Sabbath were closed by the celebration of the Lord's Supper, This was followed by a common meal, generally supplied by the more wealthy members, and which, from the excellent end it was designed to promote, was called " The Love Feast." Whether the whole Scriptures were possessed by every church in the first century, has been frequently inquired; to this it may be replied. Probably they were not all possessed by ever}'- church, as the persons and churches to whom they were addressed were widely separated from each other. The Greek translation of the Old Testament appears to have been generally possessed by every church in the first century ; and it is well known, that before the middle of the second century, the greater number of the New Testament books were col- lected into a volume, and read in every Christian society throughout the world, as a divine rule of faith and manners. From which it is plain, that the sacred writings were carefully separated from the spurious and imperfect compositions which had been published, even in the apostolic age. We are well assured, that the other three Gospels were collected by John before he wTote his own; and from the mention which Peter makes of " all Paul's epistlss," we have reason to conclude, that the New Testament books were nearly all collected into a volume during the life of the apostle John. But as in those ages books were all written with the pen, and consequently of great value, very few manuscripts contained the whole col- lection of the sacred writings, and still fewer were possessed by individuals among the poorer members of the first Christian churches. (i4 CHURCH HISTORY. CHAPTER IX. Heresies among the primitive Christians— Morals of the heretics — Heretics not acknowledged by the Scriptm-al Churches— Doctrines of the primitive Christians — Purity of their morals — Motives of their enemies in persecuting tliem. It is evident from the writings of the apostles, that some dangerous errors had arisen in the churches, even in their days ; it will be necessary to notice them, therefore, in this place, as they have been revived in various forms, by specu- lative, irreligious professors, even in our times. The principal heresies of the first century were those which related to the person of Christ ; some denying his Godhead, and others his manhood. Both, of course, rejected the doc- trine of an atonement to Divine justice by his death, as a sacrifice for the sins of men. Those who denied the proper humanity of Christ, were the admirers of the eastern philo- sophy, which gives a confused and ridiculous account of the world of spirits. They affirmed that Christ was a kind of inferior divinity, and that he died on the cross only in appear- ance ; that what was crucified was a mere phantom instead of a man. The father and first propagator of this doctrine is supposed to have been Simon the sorcerer, who is mentioned Acts viii. Those who denied the true divinity of our Saviour, had two leaders of some note ; Cerinthus, and his disciple Ebion. There were some shades of difference in their opinions, as Cerinthus admitted the pre-existence of Christ; but Ebion, to remove all mystery from the doctrine, denied that he was any more than a merely human teacher, of an excellent character. To refute their pernicious notions, as is generally believed, John wrote his three epistles, and, at last, his Gospel, in which are clearly taught both the divine and human natures of our Lord and Saviour, and his propitiatory sacrifice for tne sins of mankind. The practices of mankind always correspond with their princi- ples ; and the manners of these heretics were as far from moral purity as their doctrines were from the truth of the gospel. One class of them, like some of the ancient philosophers, CHURCH HISTORY. 65 professed a severe and singular mortification, with a constant contemplation of celestial things : but this had no influence upon the heart, in producing- active love to God, and benevo- lence to man. Against such vain principles, we observe, the apostle Paul warns the Colossians. But others maintained, there was no moral difference in human actions ; and, there- fore, they gave a loose rein to their passions, asserting the innocence of gratifying all their corrupt propensities, and living according- to their unrestrained dictates. It does not appear that the heretical leaders were acknow- ledged as belonging to the true church, either as members, or in friendly communion. Such was the abhorrence in which the principles of these heretics were commonly held, that Irenseus, an ancient writer, says, " John, going to the public baths one day, and learning that Cerinthus was there, started back, and said to his friends, * Let us, my brethren, make haste and be gone ; lest the bath wherein there is such a heretic as Cerinthus, that great enemy of the truth, should fall upon our heads.'"* From the few books which the fathers of the church, in the first century, have left behind them, we learn, that, " in doc- trines, the primitive Christians were agreed. They all wor- shipped the one living and true God, who had made himself known to them in three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, into whose name they had been baptized. They all concurred in a feeling- conviction of sin, of helplessness, of a state of per- dition ; in relying- on the atoning blood, perfect righteousness, and prevalent intercession of Jesus, as their only hope of hea- ven. Regeneration by the Holy Ghost was their common privilege, and without his constant influence, they owned them- selves obnoxious only to sin and vanity."-]- The first Christians are known to have been shamefully calumniated by their pagan and Je\^ ish enemies ; and, as it was in the days of the apostles, of which they complain in their epistles, there might be some who professed to be Christians, whose lives were a scandal to the sacred name by which they were called. But while we are not to regard them, as exhibit- * Cave's Lives of the Fathers.— Life of John, t Milnor, Vol. i. p. 143. 56 CHURCH HISTORY. ing a perfection of virtue without any defect or fault, yet fbf spirituality of mind, — purity of life, — honesty in dealing, — charity to the poor, — compassion for the miserable, — brotherly love, and universal benevolence, they presented a singular con- trast to the principles and manners of both pagans and Jews. Their general character is testified, by their most acute ene- mies, to have been distinguished by every moral excellency. Pliny, a Roman governor in Bithynia, being weary of putting to death innocent persons, merely on account of being called Christians, wrote to Trajan, the emperor, for fresh instructions, about A. D. 106. In his letter, he makes no accusation of immorality against them ; and states what he had learned con- cerning the Christians, on examining some who had aposta- tized. He says, " They were accustomed upon a stated day to meet before sun-rise, and to sing among themselves a hymn to Christ, as the God whom they worshipped, and oblige them- selves by an oath not to commit any wickedness, but to abstain from theft, robbery, adultery, to keep their promises, and when required, to restore any pledge intrusted to them." This testi- mony must be considered as extraordinary ; especially as it was given by apostates, and reported by a pagan persecutor. Now as the Christians were not convicted of any crime, it has frequently excited wonder in the minds of reflecting per- sons, what could induce the Roman emperors so barbarously to persecute them. One principal reason appears to have been, the abhorrence and contempt with which the Christians regarded the idolatries and superstitions of the empire. They dared to condemn all the absurdities of their corrupt systems of worship. They required a universal abandonment of all the forms of religion besides their own. They laboured to con- vince men of the righteous judgment of God; and, with unwearied assiduity, to convert them, by bringing them to repentance, and to receive the gospel of Christ for their salva- tion. On these accounts they were hated by the magistrates and the priests, as disturbers of the world, and enemies of their gods : and as the Christians had no splendid temples, images, or imposing ceremonies of worship, their simplicity brought down upon them the rage of the ignorant populace. CHURCH HISTORY. G7 CHAPTER X. CENTURY II. Extension of the gospel in the second century— Britain— Eminent Christians — Ignatius — Justin — Polycarp — Quadratus — Pothinus — Irenaeus— Emperors Trajan and the Antonines — Various martyrs — Roman emperors — Christian doctrines corrupted — Liberty of tlie church infringed by establishing a pre- lacy in some places— Gospel worship disfigured by new rites — Heresies — Genuine religion — Easter controversy. In the second century, the profession of Christianity was considerably extended throughout the nations of the East; among several tribes in Germany, and in some provinces of France, in Spain, and in Britain; though we have no authentic history which gives us precise and fall information. Pothinus, from Asia Minor, and some others, laboured with remarkable success in a mission to France ; and by their ministry flourish- ing churches were gathered at Vienne and Lyons. About the middle of this century, Justin Martyr, in an apology addressed to the emperor on behalf of the Christians, says, " There is no nation of men, whether Greeks or barbarians, not excepting those savages, that wander in clans from one region to anothci", and have no fixed habitation, who have not learned to ofi'er prayers and thanksgivings, to the Father and Maker of all, in the name of Jesus who was crucified." Before the close of the century, Tertullian, in an apology for the disciples of Christ, says, " We are but of yesterday, and yet we fill all that is called yours : — your cities, islands, forts, towns, assemblies, camps, wards, divisions, palaces, senate, court. From these documents it is evident that professors of the gospel, and doubtless real Christians, were exceedingly numerous. The most extravagant fictions are recorded concerning Lucius, the first Christian king in Britain : but notwithstanding the incredible and contradictory statements, it appears that much good was effected in his time. Lucius was a petty prince in Essex, under the Roman authority, about A. D. 1 70 ; and becoming a convert to Christianity, he sent to Eleutherius, the Roman bishop, for his advice and assistance, in propa- gating the gospel among his people ; and several British youths G8 CHURCH HISTORY. were placed under his care. Fagan, Damian, and others, were employed as missionaries ; many of all classes were baptized ; the pagan places of worship were gradually converted into Christian sanctuaries; and we conclude that many churches were planted, and that the gospel made considerable progress through the island. The most celebrated leaders among the Christians, in the second century, were Ignatius, bishop of Antioch ; Justin, a philosopher; Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna; Quadratus, bishop of Athens; Pothinus, and his successor Irenseus, bishops of Lyons ; all of whom suifered martyrdom. 1 . Ignatius is said to have been acquainted with the apostles Peter and Paul, and to have been ordained bishop of Antioch, about A. D. 67, by John the apostle, whose instructions he had for some time enjoyed. At Antioch he continued a zealous defender of the great doctrines of the gospel during forty years, till the emperor Trajan visited that city ; when Ignatius, being somewhat unlike the apostles, though sincere, even ambitious for the crown of martyrdom, presented himself before his pagan sovereign, and defended the faith of Christ with much freedom. The emperor treated his doctrine with contempt, and passed sentence upon him, that being incurably superstitious, he should be carried bound to Rome, and there thrown to the wild beasts. He was conveyed to the imperial city, and was there devoured by the beasts in the presence of a crowded theatre, A. D. 109. On his journey, he wrote several letters to indi- viduals and to churches ; exhorting them to constancy in the faith, and desiring their prayers. In his letter to the Roman believers, he expresses his contempt of death with all its terrors. " Let the fire," says he, " and the cross, and the assaults of wild beasts, the breaking of bones, the cutting of limbs, batter- ing the whole body to pieces, yea, and all the torments which the devil can invent come upon me, so I may but attain to be with Jesus Christ."* 2. Justin Martyr was a Samaritan by birth, and educated a pagan. Being addicted to study, and thirsting for knowledge, he became eminent in all the learning of those times; and, in * Cave's Lives of the Fathers.— Life of Imatius. CHURCH HISTORY. 69 vain, sought truth and happiness among all the sects of the philosophers. Lamenting his want of success, in a solitary- walk by the sea-side, he met an aged stranger, with whom he entered into discourse, and by whom he was recommended to seek God, and truth, and happiness, in Christianity, In this he was induced, by considering the pious tranquillity and lively hope enjoyed and manifested by the disciples of Jesus Christ. He found the light of truth, and the way of salvation ; but retained the habit and title of a philosopher, while he devoted himself, with active zeal, to serve the cause of the Saviour. He appears to have possessed sterling piety, and enlarged bene- volence of heart. He wrote several apologies for the Christians, and for the doctrine of eternal life by faith in Jesus Christ. For the alleged crime of being a Christian, he suffered mar- tyrdom at Rome, A. D. 163, by order of the prefect Rusticus, and in his triumphant death, he brought honour to the cause of the Redeemer.* 3. Polycarp was born in the reign of Nero, and educated by a Christian lady. He is supposed to have been a disciple of the apostle John. He succeeded Bucolus in the pastoral office at Smyrna, and laboured with persevering zeal to pre- serve the purity of doctrine, and to advance the knowledge of Christ among the people. He was called to the honour of martyrdom A. D. 167. Being brought before the proconsul, he said, " Swear by the genius of Coesar. — Reproach Christ, and I will release thee." To whom Polycarp meekly replied, " Eighty and six years have I served him, and he hath never wronged me, and how can I blaspheme my King who hath saved me?" He was ordered for execution; and being tied to' the stake, he commended his soul to his heavenly Father, in a devout prayer, which closes as follows : " O true and faithful God, I praise thee for all thy mercies, I bless thee, I glorify thee, through the eternal High Priest, thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ, with whom, to thyself, and to the Holy Ghost, be glory both now and for ever. Amen." f Twelve other martyrs suffered with Polycarp. * Cave's Lives of the Fathers. — Life of Justin, t Ibid.— Life of Polycarp. 70 CKURCII HISTORY. 4. Quadratus was a native of Athens, and received a learned education. He is said to have been converted to Christ by the ministry of the apostles. On the martyrdom of Publius, bishop of the Athenian Christians, Quadratus was chosen to be their pastor. Under his zealous ministry, a remarkable revival of religion took place in the church of Athens. He wrote an apology for the Christians, and presented it to the emperor Adrian, by which his fury was a little moderated. Quadratus was nevertheless persecuted and banished from Athens ; but the extent of his sufferings, and the time of his martyrdom, are not accurately known. In the apology of Quadratus, he says, that some of those who had been miracu- lously healed by Christ were living in his time. 5. Pothinus was sent by Polycarp as a missionary to France, where his ministry was blessed to the conversion of many. He settled as ])astor of the church at Lyons, where he laboured for many years. He fell a sacrifice to the rage of his enemies, at the age of ninety years, A. D. 171, testifying the glory of the gospel of salvation by Christ Jesus. 6. Irenceus succeeded Pothinus. He had been privileged to attend the ministry of Polycarp ; by whom he was sent into France, to carry forward the work of evangelizing the Gauls. He learned their barbarous language, became assist- ant to the aged bishop, and, after the martyrdom of Pothinus, he succeeded to the pastoral office. Irenaeus was a sincere lover of the souls of men ; in labouring to promote which, he thought no danger or difficulties too great. He vigorously opposed the numerous heresies of his time. Florinus had, with him, attended the ministry of Polycarp, but had departed from the faith : to whom, in a letter, referring to the things they had heard from that venerable man, he says, " These things, through the mercy of God, I heard with seriousness : I wrote them not on paper, but on my heart ; and ever since, through the grace of God, I have had a genuine remembrance of them, and can witness before God, that if that blessed apos- tolic presbyter had heard some of the doctrines which are now maintained, he would have cried out, and stopped his ears, and in his usual manner have said, O good God ! to what times hast thou reserved me !" Irenseus, with many other Chris- CHURCH HISTORY. 71 tians, was led to the summit of a hill, where they were offered life on condition of embracing idols ; but they refusing, were crucified ! The persecutions of the churcli in the second century Mere distinguished by all the barbarities of the former. As there are reckoned ten general persecutions in the early ages of the church, the third commenced under Trajan, at the opening of the century, and continued several years. The fourth was under Marcus Antoninus, who began to reign A. D. 161. As to the general character of these emperors, Trajan, and Pliny, one of his nobles, are renowned for their wisdom, politeness, and justice. Antoninus is celebrated for his moral virtues, and is often called "the Philosopher, — the good Emperor." Mr. Milner says, " During all his reign, which continued nineteen 3^ears, he was an implacable persecutor of the Christians : and this not from mere ignorance of their moral character. He knew them, yet hated them, and showed them no mercy. He allowed and encouraged the most barbarous treatment of their persons, and was yet a person of great humanity of temper. If v,e except that of Nero, there was no reign under which the Christians were more injuriously and cruelly treated, than under that of the wise and virtuous Marcus Antoninus." It has often been a subject of astonishment, that princes of such wisdom and moderation could be induced to persecute and murder their innocent subjects ; but, influenced by the philoso- phic pride of their hearts, they hated the humbling doctrine of salvation by grace through Jesus Christ, in which they afforded an illustration of Scripture testimony, " The carnal mind is enmity against God." Besides the celebrated men already mentioned, there were several martyrs of eminence, especially among the confessors in France, at Lyons and Vienne. Among these are noted Sanc- tus, a deacon of Vienne, and Maturus, a member of that church ; Attalus, a pillar of the church at Pergamus ; Vettius Epagathus, a young nobleman ; Alexander, a physician, and Epipodius, his friend ; with Blandina, a lady of rank. The vai'ious modes of lingering torture, which the diabolical cruelty of the executionei's exercised upon these witnesses for Christ, in hanging, roasting, and exposing them to savage 72 CHURCH HISTORY. beasts, were exceeded only by the divine consolation which filled their believing minds, and led them to utter their joys in the most edifying expressions. It is to be lamented, however, that the doctrine of Christ was not preserved altogether in its purity. Several philosophic refinements were in this century added to Christianity ; though the principle doctrines of the gospel were generally maintained in all the churches. Mr. Milner says, " True Christians in those times carefully separated themselves from heretics : they beheld their views with horror : they stuck close to Chri&t. His Godhead, manhood, and priesthood, were inestimably precious in their eyes. They could not allow those to be Christians at all who denied the fundamentals." There was a departure, also, from the apostolical simplicity of the church in this century. The original independency of each congregation, and the privileges of the people as managers of their own affairs, were in a great measure destroyed. For the bishops, as delegates from the several churches, now first meet- ing in synods, to deliberate upon their common interests, imperceptibly extended the limits of their authority ; turned their influence into dominion, and their counsels into laws : and some began to assert, that Christ had empowered them, as a superior order of ministers in his church, to prescribe to his people authoritative rules of faith and manners. At the close of the century, Victor, bishop of the church at Rome, con- ducted himself with a turbulent haughtiness, and excommuni- cated the Christians in Asia, because they commemorated the resurrection of Christ on a day which he did not aj)prove ! The love of pre-eminence, in many of the bishops of the second century, led them to impose upon the simplicity of the people. Mosheim remarks, " The bishops, by an innocent allusion to the Jewish manner of speaking, had been called * chief-priests ;' the elders or presbyters had received the title of * priests,' and the deacons that of ' Levites.' But in a little time these titles were abused by an aspiring clergy, who thought proper to claim the same rank and station, the same rights and privileges, that were conferred M-ith those titles upon the ministers of religion under the Mosaic dispensation. Hence the rise of tithes, first-fruits, splendid garments, and 1 CHURCH HISTORY. 73 many other circumstances of external grandeur, by which ecclesiastics were eminently distinguished." In like manner, the public worship did not continue to be conducted w ith its primitive simplicity : for, as the orders of ministers in the larger churches began to be increased, in imi- tation of the Levitical system, many unscriptural ceremonies were added ; which, although pleasing to the more ignorant of the people, disfigured the beauty of evangelical order, and injured the interests of rational and solid piety. This increase of unwarranted ceremonies was the natural and necessary con- sequence of adopting the sacerdotal orders from the Levitical institutions. We perceive that something of this kind com- menced even in the apostles' days ; and they now laboured to accommodate the services of the gospel to the prejudices of the Jews, and also of the pagans : the latter having called the Christians Atheists, because they had no ceremonial pomp in their mode of worship. Great alterations were made in the ordinance of baptism : it began now to be administered only twice a year, after various ceremonies in preparation, and in some cases by washing the whole body. The person baptized received, at the same time, the sign of the cross ; they were anointed, confirmed by imposition of hands, and received milk and honey at the close of the service. Various fasts and festi- vals were appointed, and the custom of praying towards the east was introduced. In consequence of originating these numerous ceremonies, various new heresies arose ; and we have, therefore, long lists of those who w^ere considered heretical teachers in the second century. The errors of the Ebionites were revived, and the false doctrines related chiefly to the person of Christ, justifica- tion before God, and the influences of the Holy Spirit. It may be remarked, that in the latter end of this century, the first opposition to the ba})tism of infants, of which we have any account, was made by Tertullian. He objects that their bap- tism was useless, not that it was unscriptural. That genuine godliness flourished in many churches of whom we have no account or information, cannot in the least be doubted. The number of the martyrs, and their pious correspondence and confessions, show that there was a great H 74 CHURCH HISTORY. multitude who truly feared God, and sincerely loved the Lord Jesus Christ, and adorned the doctrine of God our Saviour by a holy and virtuous life. Yet many of the churches had declined, in a considerable degree, from the spirituality of mind prevailing in the former century ; as is evident by the addition of various pagan ceremonies to the Christian forms of worship, and by the mixture of several philosophic notions with the pure gospel of Christ. It may be further necessary to mention the angry contro- versy which disturbed the churches in this century, relating to the time of keeping Easter. Mr. Milner remarks on this affair, " The controversy respecting the proper time of the observation of Easter, which had been amicably adjusted between Polycarp of Smyrna, and Anicetus of Rome, who had agreed to differ, was unhappily revived towards the close of this century. Synods were held concerning it ; and a uni- formity was attempted in vain throughout the church. Victor of Rome, with much arrogance and temerity, as if he had felt the very soul of the future Papacy formed in himself, inveighed against the Asiatic churches, and pronounced them excom- municated persons." CHAPTER XI. CENTURY III. Progress of Christianity in the third century — Condition of tlie church under twenty-five emperors — Eminent ministers — Tertullian — Pantsenus — Clemens — Origen — Gregory Thaumaturgus — Pious Frauds. The boundaries of the church were greatly extended in the third century, though the information supplied to us is far from satisfactory. An Arabian prince, having heard of the fame of Origen of Alexandria, invited him to instruct him in the doc- trines of the gospel ; and he, together with his wandering tribe, embraced the Christian faith. The Goths, a fierce people of Mysia and Thrace, put off, in a great measure, their ferocious habits, by receiving the gospel of Christ by the ministry of several devoted missionaries from Asia. CHURCH HISTORY. 75 France, by the mission of Dionysius, Gatian, Trophimus, Paul, Saturninus, Martial, and Streraonius, was blessed with the word of salvation ; and besides the good effected at Vienne and Lyons, where the gospel had before been enjoyed, churches were gathered at Tours, Aries, Narbonne, and Paris ; and by their means the light of divine truth opened through a great part of the whole country. Germany was favoured with a holy band of missionaries ; among whom were Eucharius, Valerius, Maternus, and Clemens. The labours of these zealous men originated churches at Co- logne, Treves, Metz, and other places. Various was the condition of the church in this century. Rome had passed the zenith of its glory, and it was now sunk in luxurious and bloody licentiousness. Military enthusiasts frequently fought in choosing a master, whom they shortly after assassinated ; so that there were no less than twenty-five emperors in the course of the third century. Amid such frequent changes the privileges of the Christians increased, especially as some of the emperors were favourable to them ; while others were too much sunk in sensuality to care any thing about their principles. In the army, at court, and among all orders of the people, there was a considerable number of Christians, who lived entirely unmolested; and under most of the emperors, religion was no obstacle to pre- ferment. They had, in many places, buildings set apart for divine worship, in which they assembled with the knowledge of the magistrates and of the emperors. In the third century there were several eminent leaders among the Christians j among whom were, ' 1. Tertullian, presbyter at Carthage: he was brought up a pagan; but being convinced of his errors, he embraced the doctrine of Christ, and became one of its most able and zealous defenders. He adhered to the most rigid customs observed among the Christians, practising the severest self-denial ; but not without a mixture of superstition. Though not the most discriminating in his theology, Tertullian appears to have been a man of sincere piety, and a vigorous opposer of the growing ambition of the bishops. His famous apology for the Christians 76 CHURCH HISTORY. contains many beautiful passages, fi'om which we learn some- thing of its author's disposition, and of the manners of the believers in that age. He says, " We pray for the safety of the emperors to the eternal God, whom emperors themselves would desire to be propitious to them, above all others who are called gods. We pray, looking up to heaven with out-stretched hands, because they are harmless ; with naked heads, because they are not ashamed ; without a prompter, because we pray from the heart. Thus then let the claws of wild beasts pierce us, or their feet trample upon us, while our hands are stretched out to God : let crosses suspend us, — let fires consume us, — let swords pierce our breasts, — a praying Christian is in a frame for enduring any thing. We are dead to all ideas of worldly honour and dignity : nothing is more foreign to us than political concerns : the world is our republic. We are a body united in one bond of religion, discipline, and hope. We meet in our assemblies for prayer. We are compelled to have recourse to the divine oracles for caution and recollection on all occasions. We nourish our faith by the Word of God. Those who preside among us are elderly persons, not distin- guished for opulence, but worthiness of character. Every one pays something to the public chest once a month, or when he pleases, and according to his ability and inclination ; for there is no compulsion. These gifts are, as it were, the deposits of piety. Hence we relieve and bury the needy, support orphans and decrepid persons, those who, for the Word of God, are condemned to the mines or imprisonment. This very charity of ours has caused us to be noticed by some : * See, ' say they, 'how these Christians love one another!'" Tertullian is supposed to have died a martyr, A. D. 216 or 220. 2. Pantffinus was a Sicilian, and educated in the philosophy of the Stoics. After he had embraced Christianity, he is said to have made such proficiency in divine knowledge, that he was appointed master of the catechetical school at Alexandria, established for the purpose of training up young men in the doctrines of Christ, with a view to the Christian ministry. For ten years he discharged the duties of his office with diligence and success, and then went as a missionary CHURCH HISTORY. 77 into Arabia, Ethiopia, Persia, and India, for several years. He lived to return to Alexandria, where he died, about A.D.216. 3. Clemens, called Alexandrinus, is celebrated by Christian writers of that age, as a man who had thoroughly investigated the doctrines of the sects of philosophers ; but being dissatisfied with them, he embraced the gospel as the doctrine of salvation. He studied Christianity under many eminent teachers, till he became a pupil and an assistant of Pantaenus. He succeeded his master as president of the school, and zealously laboured to convert the pagans to the faith of Christ. From the little that we can learn of these teachers, it appears that both Pan- taenus and Clemens were truly pious men : but it is supposed they were somewhat drawn aside from the simplicity of the gospel, by attempting to incorporate part of their former phi- losophic notions with the doctrine of Jesus Christ. 4. Origen was a native of Alexandria. His father Leo- nidas was a man of rank and learning, a Christian, and a martyr for Christ. He trained his son with pious care, in- structing him in the several departments of human learning, and directed his studies in the Holy Scriptures from his childhood. His progress in the various branches of knowledge was surprising. At the age of seventeen Origen lost his father, in a dreadful persecution which arose at Alexandria. Great numbers of Christians fell a sacrifice to the malignity of their pagan enemies at this time ; and Origen panted for the honour, taking opportunities of being apprehended. To pre- vent the fatal efi'ects of his imprudent zeal, his mother was necessitated to hide his clothes, that shame might confine him at home. As he was not allowed to visit his father in prison, before his execution, he wrote a letter encouraging his faith in the Saviour, and saying, " Father, faint not, and be not dis- couraged on our account." In the following year, Origen v/as appointed master in the theological school of Alexandria, in which he supported the opinion entertained of him; for thousands attended his lec- tures, by which many were prepared even for the honours of martyrdom. His growing reputation excited the jealousy of Demetrius, his bishop, who meanly injured him in various 78 CHURCH HISTORY. ways, and after his ordination at Cesarea, while on a mission to Achaia, by the bishops of Jerusalem and Cesarea, excom- municated him, and procured his deposition and banishment from Alexandria. He then set up an academy at Cesarea, which was attended by many illustrious persons. His labours were almost incredible, and his writings numerous. Being a perfect Hebrew scholar, he composed an edition of the Old Testament, in which the text was written both in Hebrew and Greek characters ; and six Greek versions in parallel columns. This work, although composed of eight copies of the Old Tes- tament, was called HexapUi^ because it contained six Greek versions. But this voluminous work was too expensive and cumbersome for general use : Origen then composed another, containing only the four versions of Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion, and the Septuagint; which was consequently called the Tetrapla. But, except a few fragments, these great works are both lost. Besides these, Origen made commentaries upon several parts of the Scriptures. As a theological lecturer, his usefulness appears to have been considerable, though he was fanciful in some of his interpretations. He is said to have had " a mighty regard to the glory of God, and the good of souls, whose happiness he studied by all ways to promote, and thought nothing hard, nothing servile, that he might advance them." He attended the martyrs in their sufferings, to mi- nister to them the consolations of the gospel ; and exposed himself to frequent and dreadful torments, which his enemies invented against him, especially at Tyre : yet nothing could shake his faith in Christ, or his pious constancy in publishing the doctrine of his salvation. He was released from a most barbarous imprisonment on the death of the emperor Decius, and died A. D. 254, aged sixty-nine years. 5. Cyprian was descended from a noble family, and was himself a senator. His education was suited to his station, and he publicly taught rhetoric at Carthage with great repu- tation. " At this time he lived in great pomp and plenty, in honour and power; his garb splendid, his retinue stately; never going abroad but he was thronged with a crowd of clients and followers." He frequently employed his eminent talents in defence of the superstitions and idolatries of pa- CHURCH HISTORY. 79 ganisra; but by Cecilius, one of the ministers of Christ at Carthage, he was led to embrace the gospel. His progress in divine knowledge was astonishing. He consigned over all his property for the use of the poor, and consecrated himself to the service of his Saviour. On the decease of Donatus, bishop of Carthage, Cyprian was unanimously chosen to suc- ceed him. He reluctantly accepted the responsible office, reformed a multitude of abuses, and applied himself zealously to the discharge of his ministry. Persecution raging, his pagan fellow-citizens demanded his life, and Cyprian withdrew from the storm. In his retirement, he carried on an extensive religious correspondence, for the encouragement of believers in their profession of the gospel. He was allowed to return, and he resumed his reformation and his ministry with unabated vigour. His active and useful labours were, however, soon terminated by the honour of martyrdom, A. D. 258. Cyprian is justly celebrated as one of the most eminent of the early Fathers. His conversion to Christianity was heartfelt and genuine ; his religion was deep and spiritual ; and his ministry was lively and searching. His talents were of the highest order ; and, being sanctified by the grace of Christ, his use- fulness was great and extensive. Cyprian was a character of extraordinary excellence ; but from his writings he appears to have been filled with the prevailing notions of episcopal prelacy, though he possessed too much personal religion to prefer his claims to the serious injury of the church. 6. Gregory, surnamed Thaumaturgus, or The Wonder- worker, was a native of Neocesarea. He was educated an idolater, and was much devoted to the study of philosophy. The fame of Origen reaching his ears, he placed himself under his tuition for five years. He so greatly advanced in Christian knowledge, that Origen higlily commended his improvement ; observing, that his eminent parts M^ere capable of shining in any profession. Gregory entertained the sincerest affection for his tutor, and in a public oration laments his leaving of Origen, as being like banishment from paradise. In a letter, Origen exhorted him to pray for the illumination of the Holy Spirit, and to apply his knowledge to the promotion of Christianity. Phedimus, bishop of Amasea, lamenting the 80 CHURCH HISTORY. idolatry and corruption of Neocesarea, at length induced Gregory to enter upon the work of the Christian ministry in his native place. He laboured with surprising success in the conversion of his idolatrous fellow- citizens. It is said that Gregory, when near death, caused inquiry to be made through- out the city and neighbourhood, whether any were still strangers to the faith of Christ ; and, being told there were seventeen^ he sighed, and lifting his eyes to heaven, appealed to God how much it trouoled him that any should yet remain ignorant of Jesus Christ. At the same time, he acknowledged it to be a singular mercy, which demanded his gratitude, that he should leave but seventeen idolaters to his successors, when he could find but that number of Christians when himself entered upon his work in that place. The miracles of Gregory are reported upon very dubious evidence j some of them are exceedingly ridiculous, and many of them have all the marks of mere superstition and credulity. He died A. D. 205. " Pious frauds," or false miracles, were common in this age : they were practised even in the second century by several teachers; but, to the dishonour of religion, they now were publicly defended, even by some good men, provided they were employed with a design to advance the cause of Christianitv. CHAPTER XII. CENTURY III — (Continued.) Persecutions— Martyrs— Apostles— Novatian— Heresies— Claims of the Clergy —Addition of ceremonies — Declension of religion — Decision respecting baptism — Monachism. The persecutions of the third century were many, and the manner of them was most grievous. There are reckoned ten General Pagan Persecutions: the Fifth began A. D. 203, under the emperor Severus, who had been, some years before, in a subordinate station, the bitter tormentor of the Christians at Lyons. The Sixth, began with the reign of Maximin, A. D. 235. The Seventh, the most destructive of any previously known. CHURCH HISTORY. 81 began with Decius, A. D. 250. The Eighth, under Valerian, A. D. 257. The Ninth, under Aurelian, A. D. 274. The number of those who suffered for Christ, in these per- secutions, was incredible. It w^ould require volumes to record the shocking cruelties which were exercised upon the martyred Christians, or the divine consolations with which they were evidently sustained; or to do justice to their elevated piety and excellency of character : at the same time, it appears indis- pensable to notice some of their lives and sufferings. In the Fifth Persecution : — Besides Leonidas, the father of Origen, many Christians suffered at Alexandria. Serenus, Heraclides, Heron, another Serenus, and Plutarch, pupil of Origen, were beheaded. Rhais, a female candidate for Christian ordinances, after having scalding pitch poured on her whole body, was committed to the flames. In like manner, a beautiful young lady, named Patamiena, and her mother Marcella, suffered. Basilides, w^ho conducted the execution, was so affected with their constant faith and joyful hope, that he declared himself a Christian, and was beheaded. At Carthage, twelve persons were accused before the pro- consul, as Christians; three of whom were Speratus, Nazzal, and Cittin ; and three women, Donata, Secunda, and Vestina. All endeavours on the part of the judge to prevail on them to abjure their faith were unavailing. Three days were allowed them to reflect on their danger ; when, continuing steadfast, they were ordered to be executed. Together on their knees, having given thanks to God their Saviour, they w^ere be- headed. In the Sixth Persecution : — Anterus, bishop of Rome, is believed to have died a martyr, A. D. 236. Three Roman senators, Pammachius, Simplicius, and Quintius, with their families, were beheaded for the faith of Christ. Great numbers w^ere slain without trial, and buried in pits, fifty or sixty together. In France, among others, Vivarius and Androlus, mission- aries, were martyred at Lyons. At Carthage, the most affecting case was that of four young candidates for communion, Revocatus and Felicitas, slaves of 82 CHURCH HISTORY. the same master, Saturninus and Secondulus, and Perpetua, a married lady of quality. After they had suffered in prison, the father of Perpetua, a pagan, used every possible argument, with tears, to prevail on her to relinquish her faith, but in vain; although she had an infant at the breast. The new-born daughter of Felicitas was delivered to a Christian woman to nurse as her own. Perpetua and Felicitas were stripped, and being put into a net, were exposed to an enraged cow, for the gratification of the populace in the amphitheatre. Felicitas sang a hymn for joy, and when wounded, exhorted her brother, and Rusticus, a friend, to stand faithful in their Christian pro- fession. A gladiator terminated their sufferings with his sword, and their spirits were thus dismissed to the bliss of their Saviour. In the Seventh Persecution : — Fabianus, bishop of Rome, was one of the first victims of the emperor Decius. At Antioch, Babylas the bishop, and great numbers were put to death with every species of insult and torment. One example may suffice : one of the sufferers, having endured the rack and burning plates, was ordered by the judge to be rubbed all over with honey, and then to be exposed to the mid-day sun, lying on his back, with his hands tied behind him. Stung with insects, he died. In the Eighth Persecution : — Sextus, bishop of Rome, with his six deacons, was put to death for the faith. Lawrence, the senior deacon, was required to give an account of the treasure of the church. At his desire, three days were allowed him, when he presented a number of aged poor, the pensioners on the bounty of the church, to the magistrate, saying, " These are the precious treasure of the church : these are treasure indeed, in whom the faith of Christ reigns, — in whom Jesus Christ hath his mansion place." Enraged to fury at the deacon, the magistrate ordered him to be beaten with rods, his limbs dislocated, to be pinched with fiery tongs, and, after various tortures, to be chained upon an iron grate, and to be roasted to death. The martyr endured the agony with constancy, patience, and triumph. In Spain, Fructuosus, bishop of Tarragonia, with his two CHURCH HISTORY. HJJ deacons, Augurius and Eulogius, witnessed a good confession, in shedding their blood for Christ. Being bound together, they were placed in the fire, which loosing their bonds, they praised the living God, to the admiration of the bystanders, and commended their souls to their Saviour. In the Ninth Persecution: — At Smyrna, Pionius, a venerable member of the church, in expectation of being seized, put a chain about his neck, and caused his sister Sabina, and Asclepiades, a pious man, to do the same. Polemon, keeper of the idol temple, with the magistrates, came to them in vain, to induce them to recant. Sabina had before been put in irons, and banished into the mountains by her pagan mistress. To be compelled to sacri- fice, they were dragged to the temple, where they saw their wretched bishop Endemon, who had complied. All attempts to shake their constancy were vain. In going to the place of execution, Pionius thanked God, who had preserved him faith- ful. He was nailed to the wood, when the officer said to him, " Change your mind, and the nails shall be taken out." To which Pionius replied, " I have felt them ;" and in prayer said, " I hasten, O Lord, that I may the sooner be a partaker of the resurrection." A fire was kindled, in which he expired, saying, " Amen, Lord, receive my soul." At Carthage, about three hundred were suffocated in a lime- kiln, rather than they would offer incense to Jupiter, which was the condition proposed. At Cesarea, in Cappadocia, CyrU, a boy, was persecuted and driven from home by his father. The magistrate promised to reconcile him to his father, and secure the estate for him, provided he would abandon Christianity. The child replied, " I rejoice to bear reproaches : God will receive me. I am not sorry that I am expelled out of our house : I shall have a better mansion : I fear not death, because it will introduce me to a better life." The judge ordered him to be led to the fire; and, in the sight of it, for remonstrance to be used with him : but he said, " Your fire and your sword are insignificant. I go to a better house : I go to more excellent riches : dispatch me pre- -sently, that I may enjoy them." To the weeping spectators he said, " You should rather rejoice in conducting me to 84 CHtRCH HISTORY. punishment Yoa know not what city I am going to inhabit, nor what is my hope." His testimony in death was the admiration of the whole city. It may well be supposed, that the fiery persecutions which the Christians endured would occasion those who were not sincere to abandon their profession. Such was the case in numerous instances. Many became aftecting examples of apostacy ; while others, who were weak in the faith, to save their lives, complied with the rites of idolatry. Penetrated with guilt, and stung with remorse, many of them returned to their pastors, with supplications to be restored to communion with the faithful. Some of the bishops would not admit them on any terms. Others required one, two, or three years' pre- vious probation; but others, again, allowed them to retake their station on very easy terms, by which a serious and bitter controversy arose. Novatian appears to have been one of the most active in this dispute ; and from his name a considerable body were called Novatians. By some modern historians, they are called the First Dissenters ; and on this account many evil things have been charged upon them. They were also called Cathari, or Puritans, because of their professing to maintain a purer disci- pline in their churches ; and all admit that they were orthodox in the doctrines of faith. It is difficult to ascertain how far this body prevailed. We read of churches of this denomina- tion at Rome, Carthage, Nice, Nicomedia, and other places, especially in the follo\nng century Dr. Lardner says, " The vast extent of this sect is manifest, from the names of the authors who have mentioned them, or written against them, and from the several parts of the Roman empire in which they were found." Dr. Mosheim states, " This sect cannot be charged with hav- ing corrupted the doctrines of Christianity by their opinions. Novatian, a proselyte of Rome, a man of uncommon learning and eloquence, but of an austere and rigid character, enter- tained the most unfavourable sentiments of those who had been separated from the church. He indulged his inclination to severity so far, as to deny that such as had fallen into the com- mission of grievcus transgressions, especially those who had CHURCH HISTORY. 85 apostatized from the faith, under the persecution set on foot by Decius, were to be again received into the church. They did not pretend that such were exchided from all possibility or hope of salvation. They considered the Christian church as a society where virtue and innocence reigned universally, and none of whose members, from their entrance into it, had defiled themselves with any crime ; and, in consequence, they looked upon every society, which re-admitted heinous offenders to its communion, unworthy of the title of a true Christian church." Novatian was chosen bishop by those who held his opinions at Rome ; but the other more lax party being strongest, Cor- nelius pronounced a sentence of excommunication against Novatian, as a schismatic. Cyprian, in a letter, expressed his approbation of this sentence, on account of Novatus, one of his presbyters, having united with Novatian. Dr. Hawies, in his " Impartial Church History," says, " The reply of Corne- lius to the bishop of Carthage bears an acrimony, an insolence, and abuse, that speak as little in favour of the man who could receive it with complacence, as of him who could indite it in the bitterness of his heart ; and they must be sad Christians indeed whose state I should not prefer to the bishop's, who could write these letters. Novatian, by his revilers, is admitted to be a man of genius, learning, and eloquence. His moral character was unimpeachable. However, it required singular excellence to maintain himself and his congregation against the weight of power and influence which were against him. One of the best, clearest, and most precise treatises which anti- quity can produce, on the Triune God, comes from his pen. He states distinctly, that * the Holy Ghost is the author of regeneration — the pledge of the promised inheritance — the hand-writing of eternal salvation — who makes us the temple of God and his abode — who intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered — our advocate and defender — dwelling in us — and sanctifying us for immortality,' &c. When I hear Cyprian anathematizing such a man, I can only say, I would rather be under the curses with Novatian, than utter them with Cyprian." Cvprian died a martyr for Christ ! Novatian died a martyr for Christ ! Cornelius died in prison, a confessor of Christ \ I 86 CHURCH HISTORY. On these good, but imperfect men, Dr. Hawies makes the fol- io whig- beautiful reflections : " Ah, that great men, good men, confessors, martyrs, should quarrel, and not be willing to bear and forbear! If one is our Master, even Christ, to him let us be content to be responsible ; follow the best dictates of our conscience according to our views of God's word, and be happy to indulge our brethren with the same liberty. Cyprian and Novatian, at the right hand of the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, must be ashamed of their hard spirit, and their harsh speeches. It is a mercy for us all, that we have such a compassionate High Priest, who knows how to pity our infirmities, and to pardon our iniquities. I am the longer on this point, because INIr. Milner calls these the first Dissenters from the church, not a tittle of which I can perceive ; for Novatian was a bishop as truly chosen and ordained, from any thing which appears, as Cornelius."* The heresies of the former century were cherished in this, under various modifications ; but the principal heretics of this age were Manes and Sabellius. Manes, the founder of the Manicheans, was one of the Persian Magi, who pretended to embrace the gospel, with which he endeavoured to incorporate his Magian absurdities, of two gods, one good and the other evil. Sabellius was an Egyptian philosopher, who professed Christianity, and taught that there is only one Person in the Godhead. Porphyry, a philosopher, and one of the greatest enemies of Christianity, wrote against its doctrines in this century. The clergy continued their unscriptural claims, maintained their various dignities, and greatly increased them, in the third century. Ecclesiastical government degenerated towards the form of a religious monarchy, and the people were, in most instances, excluded from all share in the management of their own affairs. Mosheim says, " The bishops assumed in many places a princely authority, particularly those who presided over the most opulent assemblies. They appropriated to their evangelical function the splendid ensigns of temporal majesty. A throne, surrounded with ministers, exalted above his equals * Impartial History, vol. i. p. 240, 244, 247. CHURCH HISTORY. 87 the servant of the meek and humble Jesus, and sumptuous; garments dazzled the eyes and the minds of the multitude into an ignorant veneration for their arrogated authority. The example of the bishops was ambitiously imitated by the pres- byters ; who, neglecting the sacred duties of their station, abandoned themselves to the indolence and delicacy of an eife- minate and luxurious life. When the honours and privileges of the bishops and presbyters were augmented, the deacons also began to extend their ambitious views, and to despise those lower functions and employments which they had hitherto exercised with such humility and zeal ; and the effects of a cor- rupt ambition were spread through every rank of the sacred order."* Besides the ranks of bishops, presbyters, and dea- cons, a long list of lesser orders of ministers was created, in the third century, on account of the increasing ceremonies which had been adopted in imitation of the heathen mysteries. Various forms of prayer and consecration, it is believed, were prepared to be read with those ceremonies, — the table of the Lord was converted into an altar, — wax tapers and incense were burnt upon them, and much solemn pomp attended the worship, especially in celebrating the Lord's Supper. Baj)- tism was preceded by a terrifying exorcism, and tasting milk and honey, which was succeeded by the candidate returning home, adorned with a crown and white garments. The newly created orders of ministers, with the alterations from the simplicity of the gospel institutions, were necessarily followed by a train of customs which disfigured and disho- noured the character of our holy religion. For though thert- were some who exhibited to the world illustrious examples of primitive,, apostolical Christianity and holiness, the most respectable writers of that age, even Cyprian, bishop of Car- thage, in the middle of the century, and others, declare that many of the prelates were sunk in luxury and voluptuousness, puffed up with vanity, inflamed with a spirit of discord, and addicted to disgraceful practices. By many bishops, however, with their people, the fundamental doctrines of Christianity were firmly held, and evidently enjoyed as the saving truths ol * Ecclesiastical History, vol. i. p. 267. 88 CHURCH HISTORY. God. These were exemplified in the faith, and resignation, and holy triumph of the martyrs ; and the several persecutions were beneficial, in opposing a check to the progress of super- stition, and in purifying the declining churches. Among other things worthy to be noticed in the third cen- tury, we may mention the two following facts. First, the unanimous decision of the sixty-six bishops, on the propriety of baptizing children at any age. The bishops were assembled at Carthage, A. D. 253, C^qorian being president. It was not (}uestioned whether infant baptism were commonly practised, or whether it were right, and a divine institution : no doubt appears to have been in existence in the mind of any of them on those points ; but it had been inquired, whether it were proper to baptize them earlier than at eight days old, the age at which the Hebrew children were circumcised. The second fact to be noticed is, the origin of Christian raonachism, with Paul, the Egyptian hermit. He was driven into the deserts by the baseness of an avaricious sister and her husband, who sought his estate, in the time of the Decian persecution : they threatened to inform against him as a Christian. He remained in his solitude for ninety years, and acquired great fame by this singular expression of his piety, and his example soon beg'an to ne imitated. He lived to be one hundred and thirteen years of as:e. BOOK FOURTH. CHAPTER I. CENTURY IV. Diocletian and his colleagues — Ten years' persecutions — MartjTS — St. Alban — Romanus — Phileas— St. Sebastian — Theban Legion— Theodosia—Eulalia— Julitta — Constantine, the emperor, converted. The history of the church in the fourth century is eminently remarkable : for, only a few vears after its commencement. CHURCH HISTORY. 89 Christiiinity was adopted as the relig-ion of the Ronuiii emperors ! At the beginning of the fourth century, the empire was governed by Diocletian, who united v/ith him in the sovereign power, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius ; under whom, at this period, the Christians enjoyed peace. Their numbers so greatly increasing, Diocletian, ignorant of their principles, and dreading their opposition to his tyranny, was induced to issue an edict against them, A. D. 303, and the persecution became general. How many fell a sacrifice to the fury and malice of their enemies, we cannot ascertain ; but it is supposed that this persecution was far more destructive than any of the former. Galerius, the son-in-law of Diocletian, was its chief instigator ; excited by his bigoted pagan mother, who is represented as a monster of savage ferocity. It began at Nicomedia, where Diocletian kept his court. The licentious soldiers entered the Christian place of worship, seized the sacred writings, and, set- ting fire to the building, levelled it with the ground. The same thing was ordered to be done in all parts of the empire ; and many of the deacons and ministers, to save their lives, delivered up the sacred books to the magistrates. Others refusing were most cruelly tortured. By new edicts, the governors of provinces and magistrates were required utterly to destroy the Christians, wherever they could be found. The persecution continued ten years ; and such was the sacrifice of lives, that two triumphal pUlars were erected in Spain, as the pagans believed, for monuments of the entire destruction of Christianity. Every species of cruelty, horrible and indecent beyond all the power of language to describe, was employed against the disciples of Christ. The executioners were not satisfied to murder the Christians singly ; houses were filled with them, and the whole burnt to ashes ; and large companies of them, fifty or sixty, were tied together with ropes, and in droves were hurried into the sea! Although every conceivable mode of torture that ingenious malignity could imagine was employed, and notwithstanding many apostates, the number of the martyrs was incredible. Brief notices must be given of some of the more eminent martyrs in the Diocletian persecution ; but the account must 4 90 CHURCH HISTORY. be limited to a very few of different countries, as a specimen of the sufferings and triumphs of the many ; of men, of women, and of whole families. St. Alban, from whom the to^'\^l of St. Albans is named, obtained the crown of martyrdom in the year A. D. 303. He had been seven years a soldier in the emperor's army ; but, returning to his native town, he entertained Amphibalus, a persecuted Welsh minister ; by whose doctrine and holy life he was converted to the faith of Christ. The magistrate send- ing to apprehend Amphibalus, Alban put on the habit of his host, and was taken. The governor demanding to know his family, he replied, " To what purpose do you inquire of my family ? If you would know my religion, I am a Christian." Then being asked his name, he said, " My parents named me Alban, and I worship the only true and living God, who created all things." He was immediately led away and beheaded, and, as is supposed, was the first on the list of British martyrs. Amphibalus also was thus made to glorify his Saviour, being first emboweled, and then stoned ! Romanus was a nobleman of Antioch, and a deacon of the church there. Being brought before the emperor, who threatened him with torments, he replied, " Thy sentence, O emperor, I joyfully embrace. I refuse not to be sacrificed for my brethren, and that by as cruel means as thou canst invent." The execu- tioners observing to the captain, " This man is of noble parentage : it is not lawful to put a nobleman to a shameful death:" Romanus required no favour on account of his nobi- lity, saying, " Not the blood of my progenitors, but Christian profession, makes me noble." He preached affectionately, to those around him, eternal life through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, receiving in return many wounds in his face. The martyr again said, " I thank thee, O captain, that thou hast opened unto me many mouths with which I may preach ray Lord and Saviour Christ." Being reproached with the cross of Christ, he preached on the eternal divinity of Christ, his human nature, and atonement for sin by his death. After enduring the most cruel torments, and while led to execution, he said, " I appeal from thy tyranny, O judge unjust, unto the righteous throne of Christ, the upright Judge." A child of CHURCH HISTORY. 91 seven years old is said to have been martyred with him, for confessing Christ. The Egyptian Christians suffered in vast multitudes, sixty or eighty daily. Philoromus, a person of rank at Alexandria, suffered cheerfully for Christ. Phileas, a bishop in Thebais, a short time before his martyrdom, wrote to his church, in which he describes the tortures and the happy experience of the sufferers ; and among other good things he says, " The martyrs, fixing sincerely the eye of their mind on the supreme God, and cheerfully embracing death for the sake of godliness, held immovably their calling, knowing that our Lord Jesus Christ was made man for us, that he might cut down all sin, and might afford us the necessary preparatives of eternal life." St. Sebastian was a lieutenant-general in Domitian's army in France. He encouraged many martyrs to constancy in their faith and hope, through which he was accused before the emperor as a Christian : he was ordered to be apprehended, and put to death ! Maximian is said to have put to death in France the whole Theban legion, consisting of six thousand six hundred and sixty soldiers, as they refused to destroy the Christians of those parts ; the captain Mauritius and his men confessing themselves Christians ! Felix, of Tiburia in Africa, being required to deliver up the Scriptures, refused, saying, " I have them, but I will not part with them." When con- demned to be beheaded, he lifted up his voice to heaven, say- ing, " I thank thee, O Lord, that I have lived fifty-six years, have kept my integrity, have preserved the gospel, and have preached the faith and truth. O my Lord Jesus Christ, the God of heaven and earth, I bow my head to thee, who livest to all eternity." Euplius, a martyr in Sicily, being asked, " Why do you kec}) the Scriptures, forbidden by the emperor?" replied, " Because I am a Christian : life eternal is in them : he that gives them up loses life eternal !" Surprising courage was shown by the female martyrs, of whom there were many in the Domitian persecution. Theodosia, a Tyrian young lady, not eighteen years of age, was put to death for owning and relieving some Christian pri- soners, who were condemned to the mines in Egypt. 92 CHURCH HISTORY. Eulalia, not thirteen years of age, was daughter of a noble- man of Emerita, in Portugal ; refusing to sacrifice to idols, as she had embraced the gospel of Christ, she was put to death in the most barbarous manner. Standing before the magis- trate, she cried out, " Would you know, O you unfortunate, what I am; behold, I am one of the Christians, an enemy to your devilish sacrifices : I spurn your idols under my feet ; 1 confess God omnipotent with my heart and mouth." While she was being tormented, she praised God, saying, '' Behold, O Lord, I will not forget thee : what a pleasant thing is it for them, O Christ, that remember thy triumphant victories, to attain to these high dignities!" Julitta, a wealthy lady, lost all her property, it being seized by an avaricious deputy of the emperor, he declaring her an outlaw, being a Christian, On her seeking redress, he accused her as a Christian, and she was condemned. On hearing her sentence, she said, " Farewell life, welcome death : farewell riches, welcome poverty. All that I have, if it were a thou- sand times more, would I rather lose, than speak one wicked and blasphemous word against God, my Creator. I yield thee most hearty thanks, O my God, for this gift of grace, that I can contemn and despise this frail and transitory world, esteem- ing Christian profession above all treasures." To every ques- tion which was proposed to her afterwards, she answered, " I am the servant of Jesus Christ." Her relations and friends entreating her to abjure her faith, she refused ; exhorting them in the most afi^ectionate manner, she said, " Grow weary, my sisters, of your lives led in darkness, and be in love with my Christ, my God, my Redeemer, my Comforter, who is the true light of the world. Persuade yourselves, or rather may the Spirit of the living God persuade you, that there is a world to come, in which the worshippers of idols and devils shall be tormented perpetually, and the servants of the Most High God shall be eternally crowned." Saying these words, she embraced the fire, and fell asleep in the Lord. The merciful providence of God terminated these shocking calamities, by removing their barbarous authors. Diocletian resigned the empire, A. D. 305, and poisoned himself, A. D. 312. Maximian, through fear, followed his example, and was CHURCH HISTORY. 93 j)ut to death by his own son-in-law. Galerius was smitten with an incurable disease, through which he lingered a whole year : his agonies of body were most dreadful, as he was devoured by vermin ; and the torments of his guilty soul rendered him a terror to those around him. He died A. D. 3il. Maximin, a new emperor, died in a manner equally shocking. Constan- tine, born in Britain, succeeded his father Constantius ; and, embracing Christianity, which he had been taught by his mother, he gave peace to the persecuted disciples, A. D. 313. It will be interesting and necessary to give some particulars concerning the early history and conversion of this royal defender of the church. Constantine the Great was not only a native of our country, but his mother is said to have been a British princess. His father died at York, and the army pro- claimed him emperor : but Galerius refusing to admit him as his colleague, the dispute was to be settled by arms : the struggle terminated in favour of Constantine. When march- ing against Maxentius, the successor of Galerius, Constantine is said to have seen in the sky the figure of a cross, with an inscription, " In hoc vince," " By this overcome." The same vision, it is said, he saw in a dream, which being made known to the soldiers, they were inspired with invincible courage, and gained a decisive victory : after w^hich, Constantine avowed himself a believer in Christianity. Whether Constan- tine the Great became a sincere believer on Jesus Christ to the salvation of his soul, is much doubted by many, as he chose for his religious instructor an Arian bishop, Eusebius of Cesa- rea. His last days were tyrannical and oppressive, and he would not submit to baptism till on his death-bed, that, accord- ing to the prevailing notions of that time, his sins might be washed away by that ordinance ! 94 CHURCH HISTORY, CHAPTER 11. CENTURY IV — (Continued.) Constantine patronizes Christiaiiitj^— Increase of dignified clerg}'— the people excluded from choosing their ministers — Corruption of doctrine and manners — Pompous ceremonies — Origin of liturgies — Arianism — Seceders— True church. A NEW order of things arose in the church under the auspices of Constantine. For he employed all the resources of h\i genius, all the authority of his law, and all the engaging charms of his liberality, to propagate the forms of Christianity in every corner of the empire ; abolishing pagan idolatry, and transferring the temples, with their ample revenues, to the services of the Christians. Theodosius the Great, at the close of the century, laboured jierseveringly to confirm and complete what had been thus begun by Constantine. To effect this object, he published an edict, requiring uniformity with the Church of Rome in doctrine and ceremonies of worship. What effect this accession of grandeur had upon the church, may be easily conceived. It cannot be doubted that vital godliness was possessed by many ; yet it was accompanied with an immense increase of superstition, formality, and hj'po- crisy. The extravagant claims of the ambitious bishops were now confirmed, and the spiritual institution of Christ was transformed into a worldly system, modelled according to the civil government of the empire. The bishops of Rome, Anti- och, and Alexandria, were already regarded as superior to other prelates; having the title of Patriarch, to which was now added a fourth for Constantinople. In a regular grada- tion, patriarchs, exarchs, metropolitans, archbishops, and bishops, with numerous other priestly orders, were now either created or established. The bishop of Rome, surpassing all his brethren in opulence and splendour, was the first in rank, and was distinguished by a pre-eminence over all other pre- lates, and regarded as the supreme judge of all religious con- troversies. These appointments were seriously prejudicial to the inter- CHURCH HISTORY. 95 ests of genuine religion, and destroyed the simplicity and beauty of the churches of Jesus Christ, as exhibited in the New Testament. The bishops now excluded the people from all share in the administration of ecclesiastical affairs, and engrossed the rich possessions and revenues of the churches. Aspiring and irreligious men were everywhere seeking prefer- ment to the lucrative offices in the church, and that by the most scandalous means. To such a height did their contests . on these occasions arise, that at the election of Ursinus and Damasus, A. D. 366, by opposing parties, to the bishopric of Rome, the clerical adherents of Damasus being armed, one hundred and thirty-seven persons were killed in the church itself, besides many others on different days,* The bishops contended with each other, in the most shameful manner, con- cerning the extent of their respective jurisdictions ; and imitated, in their manner of living, the arrogance, voluptuousness, and luxury, of magistrates and princes. On this account, a pagan prefect of Rome said, " Make me bishop of Rome, and I will also be a Christian." The pagan idolatry, however, was not wholly destroyed. As no violence appears to have been used to abolish the ancient superstition, the college of augurs, and several eminent academies of the pagan philosophers, still remained ; and some of the nobles considered themselves dignified by their con- secration to the priesthood. Julian, nephew to Constantine the Great, and who had been educated in the profession of Christianity, apostatized, and became a powerful and subtle enemy to the Christians during his short reign. He resolved to falsify the predictions of Jesus Christ, and, in opposition to his declarations, to rebuild Jerusalem : " but while the labourers were removing the rubbish, balls of fire, issuing out of the gi'ound, with a dreadful noise, rendered the place inaccessible to the scorched workmen, and filled the spectators with terror and dismay." The peculiar doctrines of the gospel were lamentably ob- scured during the fourth century. The proper divinity and incarnation of Jesus Christ were, indeed, defended with much zeal and ability against the heretics : but the other distinguished * Bower's History of tbe Popes — Damasus. 9G CHLRCH HISTOUV. doctrines of salvation, as justification by faith in the atonement and righteousness of Christ, and sanctification of heart by the renewing influences of the Holy Spirit, were deplorably neglected. Vital godliness declined in a corresponding degree, through the worldliness of the ministers, by the adoption of numerous heathen ceremonies, and by the cherishing of various eiTors adopted from the pagan philosophy. Pious frauds were at this time generally practised, and with considerable success, in advancing the authority, and in increas- ing the wealth, of the church rulers : besides this practice, there were two erroneous and pernicious maxims maintained, — one was, " that it was an act of virtue to deceive the heathen by lying, when in that manner the interests of the church might be promoted." This was destructive of the sound principles of morality, as laid down in the Scriptures. The other maxim was, " that errors in religion, when held and cherished, after ecclesiastical admonition, were punishable with corporal tor- tures." This diabolical doctrine soon produced bloodshed in the church, under the direction of worldly and bigoted pre- lates, and in a manner almost as dreadful as had been the case while the pagans wasted the Christians. The additions of rites and ceremonies, in the exercises of pub- lic worship, were exceedingly numerous in this age. St. Augus- tine, who was an eminent minister of Christ at the close of the fourth, and in part of the fifth century, declares, that in his time " they despised many of the commands of the sacred Scriptures, and that superstition had universally so prevailed, that if any one had touched the ground with his bare foot during the week in which he was baptized, he was more severely rebuked than if he had been drunk; and that the Christian religion, which God in his mercy would have to be free, and to consist of very few ceremonies, w^as become so loaded with servile burdens, that the condition of the Jews of old was much more tolerable than that of Christians : because the Jews had been subjected to a bondage of the law^ of God ; but that, in the place of this. Christians were brought under bondage to human inventions." In the fourth century, the religion of the pagan Greeks and Romans differed very little in its external appearance from that of the Christians. They had both a most pompous and splendid CHURCH HISTORY. 97 ritual, calculated to blind the imagination of the multitude. Gorgeous robes, tiaras, mitres, wax tapers, crosiers, processions, lustrations, images, gold and silver vases, and many such cir- cumstances of pageantry, were to be seen equally in the heathen temples and in the Christian churches. Each bishop formed for himself, or adopted a plan of ceremonial worship, according to his own taste or interests : from which arose a variety of public liturgies. New ceremonies were added to the adminis- tration of Baptism and the Lord's Supper ; and the bread and wine, commemorating the body and blood of Christ, began to be regarded with a degree of adoration by the people. Under Constantine magnificent churches were erected in every city, richly adorned with pictures and images, and resem- bling the pagan temples in form and furniture. Men of opu- lence were encouraged to build places for worship, to which, in conformity with the heathen customs, they were allowed the privilege of appointing the ministers : hence arose what is called Church Patronage. By this means many heretical and vicious persons were introduced to the performance of rehgious ser- vices in the Christian sanctuary. It has been wondered how religious men could perform the duty of the Christian ministry : and, indeed, such were totally unqualified for the sacred office, according to the institution of Jesus Christ. But public worship, in populous places, at that time, was altogether a different thing, and consisting chiefly in ceremonies : preaching the gospel, and solemn prayer, were seriously neglected; and, as many assumed the office of the Christian ministry who were incapable of such exercises, liturgies, or forms of devotion, were drawn up to be read, or repeated, by them, or chanted by their assistants. Such was the origin of liturgical forms, and "reading prayers," in the public worship of Christians. That liturgies had not an earlier origin, is acknowledged by the learned and laborious ecclesiastical antiquarian, Bingham. He says, " In the persecution under Diocletian and his associates, though a strict inquiry was made after the books of Scri])ture, and other things belonging to the church, which were delivered up by the Traditores^ to be burnt, yet we never read of any Ritual book of divine service delivered up among them; K 98 CHURCH HISTORY. which is an argument that their forms of worship and adminis- tration of the sacrament, were not then generally committed to writing."* The incorporation of some of the notions of the eastern philosophy with the doctrine of Christ, originated a pernicious heresy concerning the person of Christ. The author of this heresy was Arius, a presbyter of Alexandria. He denied that Jesus Christ, in his divine nature, was equal with the Father ; but he taught that he was the first and noblest of those beings whom God the Father had created out of nothing. The Arian doctrine spread considerably : it is believed to have been em- braced by Constantine, and by several of the emperors, though it was condemned by several councils. Theodosius laboriously endeavoured to suppress it; but it still gained admirers in several nations, and occasioned great persecution and much bloodshed among Christians, under those emperors who be- came its patrons. Dr. Haweis says, " For nearly forty years, Arianism was the prevalent religion, especially in the East ; and, except Athanasius, and a very few resolute witnesses for the truth, whom no menaces could terrify, or death induce to temporize, all the bishops of any name in the Christian world, at Rome, Antioch, Constantinople, and Alexandria, subscribed the Arian creed ; submitted to the emperors ; and kept their bishoprics. What the body of the people must be under such teachers, it is not difficult to suppose." f There were several bodies of seceders in this century, of whom we know but little, and that little derived from their enemies. Among these were the Meletians, so called from Meletius, an Egyptian bishop, and a noble confessor for Christ ; Eustathians, from Eustathius, the catholic bishop of Antioch, whom the Arians had deposed; Donatists, from Donatus, bishop of Casae. This last party originated in the irregular election of Cecilianus, bishop of Carthage, to whose ordination the Numidian bishops were not called : and they, with Donatus at their head, refused to own him. CecUianus, however, pos- sessed the greatest influence, and the Numidian bishops, to the * Bingham's Antiquities, Book XIII. Chap. v. Sect. 3. t Impartial Historj- of the Church, Vol. I. p. 321. CHURCH HISTORY. 99 number of seventy, were consequently expelled from their churches, and driven into exile, A. D. 316. Where, in this century, religion prospered in its greatest purity, it may be difficult to ascertain. Probably vital godliness flourished most in those places far removed from the tempta- tions inseparable from opulent cities, but of which we have little or no information. Dr. Haweis observes, " The Nova- tians still maintained their ground, and every testimony is borne to their remarkable purity of doctrine and piety of con- duct, their zealous sufferings for the truth, and cordial affection to the good men of the suffering church who differed from them : but they were * schismatics.' Among the purer party, I reckon the Novatian bishops, and probably many also of the Meletians, Eustathians, and Luciferians. Nor should I despair among the Donatists, that men of like manners might be found, with whatever abuse they have been loaded. Far removed firom the great sources of corruption, riches, power, and connexion with the great philosopliic world, they gave themselves to the word of God and to prayer ; their work was their wages, and their people their joy and crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were content to worship God the Son, as the excellent before them had done, as the true God ; and to acknowledge a triune Jehovah wdth- out attempting to comprehend the mode of his existence ; satis- fied with the heartfelt knowledge and experience of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the com- munion of the Holy Ghost. Though probably not altogether free from a tincture of the prevailing superstitions, attention to the revealed word preserved them in the exercise of faith which worketh by love, and still ready to die for their Lord, if duty called."* * Impartial History, "Vol. I. p. 299, 322, 344. 100 CHURCH HISTORY. CHAPTER III. CENTURY IV — (Continued.) Revival of religion in Africa — Eminent ministers — Hilary — Atlianasius — Basil — Ephraim — Gregory — Ambrose— Eusebius— Penance of the emperor Tbeodo- sius — Nicene council — Murder of eighty orthodox bishops by the Arians. Among the numerous churches in the northern provinces of Africa there appears to have been an extensive revival of reli- gion, at the latter end of the fourth century. Augustine, bishop of Hippo, and some of his colleagues, were the means of this happiness ; and they seem to have understood and to have exemplified the gospel, far better than any of their con- temporaries. Besides Augustine, who is to be considered as belonging to the fifth century, there were several of eminent name and use- fulness ; but of those recorded by historians, or known by their wTitings, the most worthy to be remembered for their holiness of life, and evangelical labours, appear to have been Hilary, bishop of Poictiers; Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria; Basil, bishop of Cesarea ; Ephraim, deacon of Edessa ; Gregory Nazianzen, bishop of Constantinople; Ambrose, bishop of Milan ; and Eusebius Pamphilus, bishop of Cesarea. St. Hilary was descended from a noble family of Poictiers in France, and liberally educated. He became deeply convinced of the folly of the principles in which he had been instructed, and of their insufl&ciency to lead the immortal mind to substan- tial happiness. He contemplated the works of God, and sought to know their glorious Author. From the books of the Old Testament he attained to the knowledge of the true God, and afterwards possessing the New Testament, he found the way of salvation by Jesus Christ. He avowed his conversion to Christianity, and made such advances in Christian knowledge, as to be chosen bishop in his native city, twelve years before his death, which happened A. D. 367. He was active and laborious in his ministerial office, and a zealous champion for the orthodox faith against the Arians. St. Athanasius was a native of Alexandria, and trained up CHURCH HISTORY. 101 by his pious parents in the knowledge of Christian doctrine. At an early age his talents and character recommended him to Alexander, the patriarch and bishop of his native city, and he became his secretary. He accompanied that prelate to the council at Nice, A. D. 325, where, in support of the orthodox faith, he disputed against Arius. Two years after, he succeeded Alexander in the patriarchate, and spent the remaining forty- six years of his life in an almost incessant conflict with the Arians. During this time many emperors succeeded each other, several of whom were patrons of Arianism. Thus sup- ported, the Arians cast the vilest calumnies upon Athanasius, and formed against him the most wicked conspiracies, through which he was several times banished; but the purity of his character being manifested, he was recalled. He died A. D. 373, leaving behind him a reputation eminent for piety, inte- grity, and virtue. The general course of his life evinces the excellency of his doctrine ; and, by many, he is supposed to have been raised up for the special purpose of vindicating the proper divinity of Jesus Christ. His representation of the doctrine of the Trinity is worthy of the pen of Athanasius : he says, " The Father cannot be the Son, nor the Son the Father, and the Holy Ghost is never called by the name of the Son, but is called the Spirit of the Father and of the Son. The holy Trinity is but one Divine nature, and one God, with which nothing created can be joined. This is sufficient for the faithful ; human knowledge goes no farther ; the cherubims veil the rest with their wings." St. Basil was one of the most learned and eloquent doctors of the church in the fourth century, on which account he was surnamed " the Great." His father was a man of piety ; and, like Timothy, he was blessed with a pious mother, Emmelia, and grandmother, INIacrina, who directed his education. To complete his education, he travelled to Constantinople and Athens, to gain all that could be learned from the greatest teachers of philosophy. For the peace and satisfaction of his mind, he was drawn to consecrate his powers to the doctrine of Christ, by which he was enabled to resist all the tempting offers made to him by the apostate emperor Julian. He devoted himself to the monastic life ; but he frequently itine- K 3 102 CHURCH HISTORY. rated, as a Home Missionary, among the country people, dif- fusing the knowledge of the gospel. From these labours he was called to the bishopric of Cesarea, in which he was unusually diligent, reforming abuses, and seeking the welfare of the people. After various labours, and repeated Acxations from the malicious Arians, he peacefully committed his weary spirit into the hands of his blessed Lord and Redeemer, A. D. 379. He was severely lamented by pious men in all the surrounding provinces. Ephraim was a native of Nisibis in Syria, and educated with diligent care by his pious parents. He was of a retiring dispo- sition, and it was with difficulty he could be prevailed upon to accept the office of deacon. It is said, that he feigned mad- ness to avoid being chosen bishop. Perceiving how greatly the people were inclined to singing, he composed numerous religious hymns for their daily use, to those tunes which were familiar to them. His other writings were so considerable, and so greatly esteemed, that he was called " the Doctor and Prophet of the Syrians." He was highly esteemed by those prelates who were eminent for piety, and he died sincerely lamented, A. D. 379. St. Gregory Nazianzen was so called from Nazianzum, a city in which his father was bishop. He received a learned educa- tion, and in his acquirements he surpassed most of his contem- poraries. Going to Athens to finish his studies, he was over- taken by a storm, which was instrumental in leading him to think more seriously on the realities of the gospel, as a provi- sion of sovereign mercy, for the salvation of sinners. He embraced the doctrines of Christ. He was ordained to the ministrj-- by his father, whom he assisted in his pastoral labours. On his father's decease he went to Constantinople, of which he was chosen bishop, on account of his fame for piety and eloquence. He was by no means qualified to enter into the politics and intrigues of a court ; and therefore, at the end of three years, he resigned his office, and spent the remainder of his life in retirement. He died A. D. 389. St. Ambrose was the son of a Roman nobleman, who was a prefect or lord lieutenant in France, and his education was suitable to his rank in society. His father dying, the family CHURCH HISTORY. 103 removed to Rome, where his pious sister, Marcellina, instructed him in the principles of religion. Ambrose being brought up to the law, followed his profession, and pleaded with remarka- ble success. His talents recommended him as a fit person for the government of a province, of which Milan was the capital. Five years he filled the station with remarkable prudence and justice, when Auxentius, the Arian bishop of Milan, died. The orthodox and Arian parties were exceedingly irritated against each other, and, in support of their opposite interests, they proceeded to acts of violence, so that Ambrose was compelled to interfere at the election, to preserve the peace of the city. While admonishing the contending parties to observe the rules of Christian peace and decorum, a child cried out, " Ambrose is bishop !" and the assembly, from this circumstance, was led to give a unanimous suffrage in his favour. Ambrose was astonished, and remonstrated ; but in vain. After much deli- beration, he accepted the office, and became one of the most pious, humble, zealous, and laborious ministers of the fourth century. He experienced much opposition from the Arians throughout his ministry, especially from the empress mother Justina. The hymn called " Te Deum," one of the finest pieces of uninspired writing, is attributed to the pen of Ambrose. Ambrose died A. D. 397. Eusebius Pamphilus, bishop of Cesarea, in Palestine, must not be omitted, though some have considered him an Arian, on account of his having entertained Arius, when expelled from Alexandria. Under the Diocletian persecution, he succoured the martyrs, and encouraged the faithful to hold fast their pro- fession in Christ Jesus. Himself suffered imprisonment, but escaped the death. His surname he took from his friend Pamphilus. He was in great favour with the emperor Con- stantine, Avhom he furnished with copies of the Scriptures, for the supply of his newly built churches at Constantinople. Mosheim calls him, " a man of immense reading, justly famous for his profound knowledge of ecclesiastical history, and singu- larly versed in other branches of literature, more especially in all the parts of sacred erudition." His literary labours in exposition or defence of Christianity were greater than any of the ancients, except Origen : but many of his wTitings are lost. 104 CHURCH HISTORY. His "Evangelical Preparation," and "Evangelical Demon- stration," are greatly esteemed : but especially his " Eccle- siastical History," from the birth of Christ to A. D. 324, which is the most valuable monument of the primitive church extant. He died A. D. 340. Some writers confound Pam- philus with Eusebius of Nicomedia, who was an Arian. With all the excellencies of these great men, truth requires that it be stated, that they were distinguished by the clerical vices of that age. They were the promoters of the increasing superstitions, giving an excess of homage to the dead, whom they supposed were intercessors ^^ith God, magnifying the virtues of relics, and the merits of virginity and the monastic life. The episcopal haughtiness, even of the best of the pre- lates, may be learned from the extraordinary procedure of Ambrose towards the emperor Theodosius. That prince had signed an order, that the inhabitants of Thessalonica should be put to the sword, for the murder of one of his officers : the order was partly executed, and seven thousand were massacred. Ambrose, justly grieved, required of him a public penance : that he should put off his imperial robes, and pray for pardon prostrate upon the floor of the temple. The superstitious emperor complied, and was thus restored to the communion of the church. The council of Nice must be here mentioned, as it is called the first general council, and is reckoned one of the most memorable events that are recorded in ecclesiastical history. The emperor Constantine called this assembly at Nice, in Bithynia, as is supposed A. D. 325, for the purpose of ter- minating the Arian controversy, and the disputes respecting the time of celebrating Easter. It is not known how many prelates assembled : but, after much discussion, the doctrine of Arius was condeunied, and the superior nature of Christ de- clared to be consubstantial, or of the same essence with God the Father. The composition called the Nicene Creed, was the fruit of this celebrated council. There is another event which occurred in this century, deserving special mention : it is the murder of eighty orthodox bishops by order of the Arian emperor Valen^. They went to his palace at Nicomedia, to complain of his appointing an CHURCH HISTORY. 105 Arian bishop of Constantinople. Enraged at their inter- ference, he sentenced them to be banished ; but gave secret orders for their destruction. The officer, therefore, to whom the emperor committed this horrible affair, put them on board a vessel, on pretence of conveying them to a distant port : but when clear of the coast, he set the ship on fire, leaving them to perish in the flames ! CHAPTER IV. CENTURY V. The Roman empire divided and subverted — Cliristianity extended— Northern nations — Scotland — Ireland — Persecutions — Images in the cliurches — Vices of the clerg>' — Monachism — Spurious writings — Arianism — Donatists — Eminent ministers — Chrysostom — Jerom — Augustine— Patrick — Germanus — VigUautius — Paulinus — Theodosius II. — His sister Pulcheria. At the opening of the fifth century, the Roman empire was divided into two parts ; Constantinople was the eastern capital, in which Arcadius presided as emperor ; and Rome was the western metropolis, though Honorius kept his court at Ra- venna. From this period, the power of the empire rapidly declined, and its glory departed, under a succession of feeble and luxurious princes. Out of the ruins of the western empire arose the ten kingdoms, as predicted by the apostle John, Revelation xvii. 12. Swarms of savage hordes, from the north of Europe, under the names of Goths, Vandals, Franks, Burgundians, &c., overran the richest provinces, sacking the cities, and com- mitting every species of cruelty upon the people. Some of these barbarians had embraced the name of Christ, from Arian teachers, and their unsubdued passions were unloosed with fury upon those of the orthodox faith. Those bishops who confessed the true divinity of Christ were tortured, banished, or massacred with their people, and their beautiful temples levelled with the ground. In this century, the boundaries of the church were, never- theless, extended, especially among the northern nations of Europe, and the populous tribes of Africa. 106 CHURCH HISTORY. The Burgundians, a savage people beyond the Rhine, received at least the name of Christianity. Great numbers of them applied to a bishop of France, by whom they were directed to wait seven days, to receive instruction, with fasting and prayer; after which he baptized and dismissed them. Scotland was visited by Palladius, a missionary from Rome, to suppress the Pelagian heresy, and to cany on the work of evangelization, which, it is supposed, was commenced there before the close of the second centurj% Palladius is believed to have extended his labours among the Irish. Ireland was favoured with the ministry of St. Patrick, on the decease of Palladius, and his labours and successes were equally surprising, if we may credit the common traditions. Clovis, king of the French, was converted to Christianity in a remarkable manner. He had been a pagan idolater, while his wife Clotildis was a pious Christian. She laboured to bring her husband to believe on her Saviour, but in vain, till his army was defeated in a battle with the Germans. In his dis- tress, it is said, he prayed, " O Lord Jesus, whom my wife Clotildis adores, I most earnestly implore thy help; and if thou shalt make me conquer in this battle, thou shalt be my God : I will believe in thy name ; I will worship and serve thee ; I will attend thy ordinances, and be baptized in th}'^ name." He was successful; and, with his sister, and three thousand of his soldiers, was baptized. Clovis being the only prince of his time, professing the orthodox faith, he was called " The Eldest Son of the Church," and received the title of " The Most Christian King;" a title which the kings of France still assume. The Iberians, a people on the Black Sea, became awakened to the value of the gospel by means of a pious woman, whom they had taken prisoner, she having recovered the child of their king from a dangerous illness, Abyssinia is said to have been blessed with the ministry of Frumentius, whom Athanasius ordained as a missionary to that country. The Indians on the Malabar coast enjoyed the Christian labours of Mar Thomas, a Nestorian missionary from Syria: CHURCH HISTORY. 107 but some suppose that the country had been partially evan- gelized by Thomas, the apostle. In Africa, Christianity must have spread prodigiously, as two hundred and eighty-six catholic bishops, and two hundred and seventy-nine bishops of the Donatists, w^ere present at a conference held at Carthage, A. D. 41 1. The calamities of the Christians in this century were exceedingly great ; they being the principal sufferers in the revolutions produced by the northern barbarians. In Britain the state of the churches was most afflicting ; for the king Vortigem finding himself unable to withstand his pagan adversaries, the Scots and Picts, invited the warlike Anglo-Saxons to render him assistance. Perceiving the fer- tility of the island, these auxiliaries determined on reducing it to their own authority, and a bloody war ensued, which con- tinued through the century. The Saxons being pagan idolaters, immense numbers of Christians fell victims to their ferocious bigotry, from which many fled into Wales, and into Brittany in France, where they might enjoy the privileges of their religion. In Persia the Christians were numerous, and their sufferings had been many, from the enmity of the Magian priesthood, the worshippers of fire. At one time Maruthas, bishop of Mesopotamia, acquired the favour of the Persian monarch, and hopes were entertained of his embracing Christianity; but about A. D. 414, Abdas, the Christian bishop in Saza, rashly demohshed the Pyra^um, a temple dedicated to fire. The king Isdegerdes complained to him of the injury, and ordered him to rebuild the edifice ; which he refusing, the bishop was put to death, the Christian temples were levelled with the ground, and a violent persecution followed. Vararanes, his son and successor on the throne, oppressed the Christians with still greater inhumanity, partly through the instigation of the Magian priests, and partly out of enmity to the Romans, with whom he was at war. The number of Christians who perished in exquisite tortures was prodigious. Still greater were the cruelties endured by the Christians, from the ferocious Vandal chiefs, Genseric, and his son Hun- neric. Genseric was sovereign in Spain, but he carried his power into Africa, and surprised Carthage in a time of peace. 108 CHURCH HISTORY. This tyrant was an Arian, by his profession, and his enmity against the orthodox was manifested by every species of bar- barity. The bishops he expelled from their churches, and martyred many. Hunneric banished four thousand nine hun- dred and twenty-six into the desert, after the most shocking usage in prisons and on the roads. Felix, the aged bishop of Abbirita, was tied across a mule, like a piece of timber. Of four hundred and forty-six bishops who were summoned to a conference, forty-eight died through ill usage, forty-six were banished into Corsica, three hundred and two into other peaces, and the rest made their escape. He sent executioners among the laity, by whom the faithful were whipped, hanged, and burned alive. At Tambaia, two brothers suspended with stones hung at their feet, one of them desired to be taken down that he might recant. " No, no," said the other ; " this, brother, is not what we swore to Jesus Christ : I will testify against you, when we come before his a^ful throne, that we swore by his body and blood, that we would suffer for his sake." Inspired with new courage, he cried out, " Torment as you please, I will follow my brother's example." Victorian, governor of Carthage, being known to be ortho- dox, attempts were made to gain him to the Arian creed, " Tell the king," said he, " if there were no other life after this, I would not for a little temporal honourTje ungrateful to my God, who hath granted me grace to believe in him." The king, incensed at his Christian answer, ordered him to be tormented, by which he slept in Jesus, his Saviour. Carthage, and the other African cities, it was said, needed some fiery visitation to purify the churches, and stop the pro- gress of corruption ; for they were sunk in depravity, and the most crying wickedness. Christianity had generally declined in this century. The declension may be attributed to various causes ; but it is principally charged upon the clergy, whose vices were notorious ; and to the ignorant and wicked neglect of the word and Spirit of God, through their example. The increased wealth and extensive authority of the eccle- siastics, powerfully excited avaricious and ambitious men to seek clerical promotion. Such ministers of religion, for the most part lamentably deficient in learning and other requisite CHURCH HISTORY. 109 talents, still further converted the exercises of public worship into the mere performance of fascinating- ceremonies. To engage the admiration of an ignorant populace, pictures, and statues of Jesus Christ, of the Virgin Mary, with the infant in her arms, and of numerous saints, were set up in the churches, to be admired and worshipped. An invincible efficacy, in expelling evil spirits, and healing diseases, was attributed to the figure of the cross, and to the presence of the bones of the martyrs. The riches and magnificence of the churches exceeded all bounds ; and the altars, and the chests in which the relics of the saints were preserved, were made of the richest materials; in many places they were formed of solid silver ! The people, having generally been deprived of their just right to choose their own pastors, multitudes were introduced into the body of the clergy, by the interest of the nobles, having no other view than the enjoyment of pre-eminence and worldly honour. The office of presbyter M-as looked upon of such an eminent nature, that Martin, bishop of Tours, had the audacity to maintain, at a public entertainment, that the emperor was inferior in dignity to one of that order ! These lofty assumptions produced their correspondent fruits; and the most respectable writers of this century are unanimous in declaring, that the vices of the clergy were now carried to the most enormous lengths. Such a state of things could never have been endured, had not the people, almost universally, been sunk in superstition through their ignorance of the Holy Scriptures. In this state of gloomy darkness, the clergy were looked upon as an order of persons pecuHarly sacred by virtue of their office : and those who distinguished themselves by their elo- quence or their writings were regarded with a superstitious veneration, as men full of the Deity, and were, in great numbers, canonized as saints when dead. Even at the close of the preceding century, such was the reverence paid to the clergy, that Martin of Tours was waited upon at a supper by the wife of the emperor Maximus, in the quality of a servant; the emperor consenting to her request that she might enjoy that supposed honour, in serving the haughty prelate ! 110 CHURCH HISTORY. Undoubtedly there were happy exceptions to the deplorable state of things before described : but ecclesiastical historians have been unable to make a distinct record of their extensive prosperity and evangelical purity. It is, however, probable that in many places, remote from the example of city dignitaries, there were churches of truly spiritual believers, flourishing in the beauties of gospel holiness, in the observance of Christian ordinances. The north of Africa, at the time of Augustine, and in his vicinity, appears to have been singularly distinguished in this respect. In the declension after his decease, the grievous sufferings of many, through the incursions of the Imrbarians, or the savage bigotry of the Arians, must have been the means of awakening the minds of many to a deeper sense of eternal things, and to draw them to seek their rest in the great Shepherd of Israel, waiting for his salvation- And those who sacrificed their liberties and lives, to preserve a good conscience, gave good evidence that they knew whom they had believed. Dr. Haweis says, " The Novatians w^ere stiU a body, subsisting under holy bishops. Nor can I doubt that the Nestorians, at least many of them, were partakers of the grace of God in truth, as their fervent zeal to spread the gospel of Christ strongly demonstrated."* The shocking profligacy which prevailed contributed to the amazing increase of monachism in this century ; as sincerely pious men were glad to retire to any seclusion from the com- mon scenes of depravity and corruption. These monastic institutions, of the orders of Anthony, Basil, Athanasius, and Augustine, were at first famed for their piety ; but growing rich through the superstitious retirement of wealthy men, who surrendered their property to the brotherhood, their licentious- ness at the close of this century became proverbial. To stem the torrent of wickedness several reformers arose in this cen- tury ; but they were opposed and silenced by the courtly or superstitious clergy. Among these eminent men were Chry- sostom and Vigilantius. Instead of referring to the Holy Scriptures for the autho- ritative decisions of disputes, it was common to appeal to the * Impartial History of the Church, "Vol. II., p. 26. CHURCH HISTORY. Ml writings of the early Fathers in the church. Hence, as Dr. Mosheim observes, "many audacious impostors were encouraged to publish their own writings under the name of ancient Christian worthies ; nay, under the sacred name of even Christ himself and his holy apostles ; that thus in the deliberations of councils, and the course of controversy, they might have autho- rities to oppose to authorities, in defence of their opinions. The whole Christian church was, in this century, overwhelmed with these infamous cheats, these spurious productions."* Hence also the interpolations and corruptions in the writings of the early Fathers. ^ The Arian heresy continued and prevailed in this century, \ as we have seen. The churches in the East were principally Arian ; and such generally were the newly converted nations in the north of Europe : the habits and manners of those who received that doctrine appear to have been characterized by a licentiousness and bigotry far greater than of those who ) retained the Nicene creed. The Nestorians were a considerable body in this century : they were so called from Nestorius, bishop of Constantinople. He resolutely opposed the custom which had become common, of calling the Virgin Mary "the :M other of God." For this he was anathematized, and a controversy was raised of a bitter and perplexing character, though he held, as well as his oppo- nents, the proper divinity, and humanity, and atonement, of Jesus Christ. New heresies were constantly arising ; but the most noted was the Pelagian, so called from Pelagius, a Welsh monk. This teacher denied the original corruption of human nature, through the fall of our first parents ; and with that denial he disallowed the necessity of divine grace to enlighten the under- standing, and to purify the heart. These doctrines he opposed, as being prejudicial to the interests of virtue. He maintained that the sins of our first parents were imputed to themselves alone, and not to their posterity ; that we derive no corruption from their fall, but that we are born as pure and unspotted as Adam was, when he came out of the forming hand of his Creator ; that mankind, therefore, are capable of a repentance * History of the Church, Vol. II. 112 CHtRCH HISTORY. and amendment, and of arriving at the highest degrees of piety and virtue, by the unassisted use of our natural faculties ; that external grace is indeed necessary to excite their endea- vours, but that they have no need of the internal succours of the Holy Spirit. The Novatians continued a considerable body; but they were regarded by the haughty dignitaries vnth. jealousy, and persecuted, although, as Dr. Haweis observes, their pastors were /lo^i/ 6 is hops. The Donatists were numerous in Africa, nearly or quite equal to those called Catholic. To ascertain their peculiar doctrines is impossible, though it is thought by some that they were inclined to Arianism. They refused submission to the decisions of the councils : they pleaded for the independency of their churches, and sought protection from the emperor. They were, therefore, considered as schismatics, and provoked even to madness and despair. The CircumcelUones were con- founded with them, and these had recourse to arms for their defence. At one time, it is said, that " three hundred of their bishops, with many thousands of the inferior clergy, were torn from their churches, stripped of their ecclesiastical possessions, banished to the islands, and proscribed by the laws if they presumed to conceal themselves in the provinces of Africa. A regular fine, from ten to two hundred pounds of silver, was curiously ascertained, according to the distinctions of rank and fortune, to punish the crime of assisting at a schismatic con- venticle."* There were several ministers in the church, during the fifth century, of considerable eminence. Among these the most famous were, 1 . John Chrysostom. He was born of a noble family at Antioch. After receiving a learned education, he spent some time in a retired situation, and then returned to his native city, where he was ordained to the Christian ministry. In his public exercises he was so distinguished by his eloquence, that he was surnamed Chrysostom, or " Golden-mouth." Nec- tarius, patriarch of Constantinople, dying, Chrj-sostom, whose fame was spread throughout the empire, was appointed to succeed him, through the influence of Eutropius, the chief * Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. II. CHURCH HISTORY. 113 chamberlain of the palace. Havhig entered upon his office, he reformed many of the abuses which subsisted among- the clergy, retrenched a great part of the expenses in which his predecessors had lived, and applied the surplus to the relief of the poor, and the building and support of a hospital. He sus- pended and procured the deposition of thirteen Asiatic bishops, of scandalous lives, and placed pious men in their room. He preached with the utmost zeal against the pride, luxury, and avarice of the great; and the licentious clergy hating his severe morality, conspired against him ; and as he opposed the worship of images, the empress Eudoxia, whose statue of silver was set up in the church, united with his enemies in procuring his condemnation and banishment, six years, after his elevation to that dignity. He still preached in his exile, the people flocking to hear him ; on account of which he was harassed and removed from place to place. He died through the brutality of the soldiers who were ordered to convey him into Africa, A. D. 407. A learned ecclesiastical historian makes this reflection upon the case of Chrysostom : " Behold a bishop of the first see, learned, eloquent beyond measure, of talents the most popular, of a genius the most exuberant, and of a solid understanding by nature; magnanimous and generous, liberal, I had almost said to excess, sympathizing with distress of every kind, and severe only to himself; a determined enemy of vice, and of acknowledged piety in all his intentions. Yet we have seen him exposed to the keenest shafts of calumny, expelled with unrelenting rage by the united efforts of the court, the nobility, the clergy of his own diocese, and the bishops of other diocesses."* It was said of Chrysostom, that he so highly esteemed the Epistle to the Romans, that he had it read over to him twice every week. From this fact, we need not wonder at his piety, orthodoxy, or zeal. 2. Jerome was a pious but superstitious monk, the most learned of the Fathers who wrote in Latin, He devoted the greater part of his life to the study and publication of the Holy Scriptures. For this purpose, he laboured to master the Greek, Hebrew, Chaldee, and Syriac languages. Disgusted at Rome, * Milner's Church History, Vol. II. l3 114 CHURCH HISTORY. he retired to Bethlehem, where PauHna, one of his proselytes, a pious Roman lady, erected a monastery for him, and a nunnery over which she herself presided for twenty years. Jerome added a hospital to his residence, in which persecuted Christians found an asylum. In this retreat, he rendered essential service to the cause of Christ, if not by his other writings, yet by his Latin version of the whole Old Testament, accompanied by a corrected edition of the ancient version of the New Testament. This translation is called the Vulgate, and it has been adopted as the standard Bible of the Roman Catholic church. The Latin version of the Bible by Jerome was of incalculable benefit to the church of God at the time of the Reformation. The writings of Jerome make us acquainted with the virtues of several pious ladies, especially Paulina and her daughters Eustochium and Paulina. Jerome died A, D. 420, aged ninety years. 3. Augustine was a Numidian by birth, and became bishop of Hippo in Africa. His father Patricius, and his mother Monica, educated him with care in Christian princij)les. Monica especially was a person of singular piety; the precepts and example of whom Augustine disregarded for a period of thirty years, abandoning himself to a very licentious course of living. His re])entance, however, in the prime of his days, was equally remarkable. He learned by heartfelt and happy experience the powerful efficacy of sanctifying grace; and being thus brought to rejoice in the salvation of Christ, he became, if not the most eminent, one of the most holy and useful ministers of the gospel since the days of the apostles. He laboured much and successfully, both by his preaching and writings, to destroy the Pelagian heresy, which had been intro- duced into Africa by its own author. The writings of Augus- tine were many, and highly esteemed by devout men in succeeding ages, and by our Reformers. The influence of Augustine was remarkably great among the churches in Africa, which must have been exceedingly numerous, as nearl}' three hundred bishops assembled with him in conference at one time. Augustine was not free from the prevailing supersti- tions, nor from a persecuting spirit, which the Donatists bitterly experienced : but vvhen we reflect upon the age in 5 CHURCH HISTORY. 115 which he lived, his pious confession of his faults before God, the purity of his life from his conversion to his death, his inde- fatigable endeavours to spread the g-ospel so far as he under- stood it, his supreme love to the Saviour, and the rich fmit of his labours, we must acknowledge him to have been a truly pious and singularly eminent minister of Christ. He died A. D. 430, aged seventy-six years. 4. St. Patrick was a native of Scotland, and of a noble family. By banditti he was carried prisoner to Ireland, where he continued six years, and learned the barbarous language of the people. He made his escape, and formed the benevolent purpose of converting those uncivilized islanders. To qualify himself for the mission, he travelled some years upon the Continent, and pursued his studies under his mother's uncle Martin, bishop of Tours, and Germanus, bishop of Auxerre. Pope Celestine consecrated him bishop of Ireland, and changed his name from Succathus to Patrick, to indicate his patrician descent, and to give weight to his commission. With twenty assistant ministers, he pro- ceeded on his mission, and itinerated through the whole country. He founded several schools, he taught the Irish the use of letters, built many places of worship, and gathered, it is said, three hundred and sixty-five churches, over whom he ordained as many bishops. Armagh and Dublin are said to have been constituted archbishoprics by him. In about sixt}^ years, the whole population was converted at least to nominal Christianity. Extravagant and incredible are the stories which are reported of the labours and miracles of St. Patrick : but whatever allowances we may make for the superstitions of the times, it seems evident that Patrick was a great and a good man. He lived to the age of a hundred and tv/enty years, and died about A. D. 4G0, 5. Germanus, bishop of Auxerre in France, was a minister of remarkable zeal. At the recommendation of a council of bishops, A. D. 430, he visited the Britons, for the purpose of destroying the Pelagian heresy. Lupus, bishop of Troyes, accompanied him. They preached in the highways, and in the open country, to vast crowds of people. The Pelagians were induced to come to a conference, and were confuted and 116 CHURCH HISTORY. silenced by the passages of Scripture which these advocates produced in support of the doctrines of grace. These two bishops, having succeeded in their mission, returned to their flocks : but in 446 Germanus visited Britain again for the same purpose, and with good success. He died A. D. 448. 6. Vigilantius was a Spanish presbyter, a native of Gaul, a man of eminent learning and remarkable eloquence. Perceiv- ing the folly of doing homage to the relics and images of the saints, he preached zealously against them, and the other numerous superstitious customs, which superstition and false- hood had introduced, as irrational and unscriptural : but Jerome patronized such usages; and, provoked at his interference, became his opponent. This reformer, therefore, was obliged to purchase peace by observing silence. 7. Paulinus, bishop of Nola, was a native of Bourdeaux; he married Thcresia, a rich and pious lady, and retired to Barce- lona in Spain, where the people so esteemed his devotion and talents as to insist upon his ordination to the ministry. He was bishop of Nola for the last twenty-two years of his life, and died A. D. 431. Writing of his ordination he says, " The people obliged me to receive the order of the priesthood against my will. I tremble when I consider its importance, conscious as I am of my own weakness : but He that giveth wisdom to the simple, and out of the mouths of babes and sucklings perfects praise, is able to accomplish his work in me, to give me his grace, and to make me worthy w horn he called when unworthy." A man of such principles, chosen by the people to be their minister, must, we may be assured, be the instrument of great good. The emperor Theodosius II. is deserving of mention in this place. He was a feeble prince ; but his sister Pulcheria, who j)ossessed a masculine mind, sanctified by divine grace, had the chief direction of the government in her brother's name. She was his counsellor in religion. Early in the morning, the young emperor rose to unite with his two sisters in their devo- tions. He had many parts of the Word of God by heart; and, it is said, he could discourse of them with the bishops like an aged divine. He took much pains to collect the books of Scripture, with their principal commentators ; and his temper. CHURCH HISTORY. 117 though not free from the influence of superstition, indicated the genuine sincerity of his profession. Sometimes he w^as induced to attend the circus, where, on one occasion, there was a dreadful tempest ; on which the emperor suggested the pro- priety of betaking themselves to prayer: the motion was accepted, the emperor set an example of singing hymns, and the whole assembly gave themselves to devotion. This sove- i-eign made a law to prevent the Lord's day being profaned by the Jews and pagans attending the theatre. He laboured in various ways to extend the knowledge of the Christian faith, and died A. D. 450. Pulcheria gave herself in marriage to Marcian; both of whom, it is said, were as eminent for morals and piety as the superstitions of the age permitted them j and Marcian thus became emperor of Constantinople. CHAPTER V. CENTURY VI. Deplorable state of religion— Disorders increased by the northern nations- Monks — Fulgentius—Caesarius— Gregory the Great— Extension of Christian- ity—Arrival of Austin in England with forty monks— Murder of the monks of Bangor. Wretchedly deplorable was the state of the church during the sixth century. Abuses were daily multiplied, and super- stition drew from its baleful fecundity an incredible number of absurdities, which were employed to amuse the people, instead of their being instructed from the Scriptures in the doctrines of Christ. The public ministers of religion continued to degene- rate still farther from the apostolic character. They seemed to aim at nothing so much as sinlcing the multitude into the most opprobrious ignorance and superstition, to efface from their minds all sense of the excellency and beauty of genuine piety, and to substitute, in the place of evangelical principles, a bhnd veneration for the clergy, and a stupid zeal for a senseless service of ridiculous rites and ceremonies. The teachers themselves were, for the most part, grossly ignorant ,• 118 CHURCH HISTORY. almost as much so as the multitude whom they were appointed to instruct. The disorders of the empire also seriously affected the state of the church. The swarms of barbarian soldiers, by whom the western empire was overturned, contributed to confirm the ignorance and superstition which had been promoted by the licentious tyranny of the clergy ; and the small remains of piety and learning found a wretched asylum among the mul- tiplied societies of the monks. The clergy highly commended the monastic life ; and it had, therefore, an incredible number of patrons and followers. In this manner the credit and wealth of the several orders prodigiously increased in all parts of the Christian world. Some of their founders appear evi- dently to have been men of piety ; but in proportion as these communities acquired their immense riches, from the devout liberality of the opulent, they sunk into luxury, intemperance, and sloth ; and, in the end, abandoned themselves to all sorts of vices. From time to time reformers arose among them, some of whom appeared to be men of sincere piety, but a the same time lamentably ignorant of the Scriptures. These, in their uninstructed zeal, established new orders, and pre- scribed different rules of living still more severe and self-deny- ing ; but they also, in their turn, soon degenerated by the same means as the others had done. In the societies of the monks were, indeed, the most learned men of those times ; but the liberal arts and sciences received only such a degree of culture among them as just preserved them, in this dark age, from totally perishing. Many of the abbots, the heads of the monasteries, were chosen from among the nobility, as the office was both lucrative and honourable ; and these often showed the bitterest aversion towards every kind of learning and erudition, and this sometimes under pre- tence of its being pernicious to the progress of piety. Some, indeed, possessed a literary taste ; by whom the monks, inca- jmble of other services, were employed to transcribe the learned productions of former ages. To them, therefore, we are indebted for the preservation and possession of most of the ancient writings, both sacred and profane, which escaped the CHURCH HISTORY. 119 savage fury of Gothic ignorance, and which have been happily transmitted to our times. In this gloomy age there appeared but few eminent minis- ters of the church, among whom may be mentioned, as most worthy, Fulgentius, bishop of Ruspina in Africa; Caesarius, bishop of Aries in France ; and Gregory, bishop of Rome. Fulgentius was descended from a noble family at Carthage. He received a liberal education at Constantinople, and enjoyed a lucrative situation; but his religious convictions increasing, he relinquished his office, and became a monk in Africa, in the monastery built by Faustus, who had been driven from his bishopric by the persecuting Arians. Fulgentius was a great sufferer under Thrasamond, the Arian king of the Vandals ; and after he was chosen bishop of Ruspina, he was banished to Sardinia with more than two hundred Trinitarian bishops. The Arian persecutor dying, and being succeeded by Hilderic, the bishops were recalled : after which Fulgentius lived six years, a zealous opposer of the Arian and Pelagian errors, and an eminent example of piety, humility, and charity. His writings display an excellent spirit and eminent soundness in the faith, and they were useful in a considerable degree to the numerous ministers in Africa, Fulgentius died A. D. 533. Csesarius was appointed bishop of Aries at the age of thirty, and he appears to have been an extensive blessing to France. He effected several important measures of reform. In public worship, he induced the congregation to join the clergy in the singing of psalms, and exhorted them to sing M'ith their hearts as well as their voices. In a meeting of bishops, of whom Caesarius was one^ it was decreed that all country priests should receive young men into their houses, to be educated with a paternal regard, taught to learn the psalms, and to read the Scriptures, and thus to become acquainted with the Word of God, that the churches might be supplied with a succession of worthy ministers. In another council, in which Caesarius presided, it was agreed upon among other things, " We are not able, by our own natural strength, to do or think any thing which may conduce to our salvation. We believe that Abel, Noah, Abraham, and the other Fathers, had not by nature that faith that St. Paul commendeth in them, but by grace. If any 120 CHURCH HISTORY. man affirm that he can, by the vigour of nature, think any thing good which pertains to salvation as he ought, or choose or consent to the saving, that is, to evangelical preaching, with- out the illumination and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who gives to all the sweet relish in consenting to and believing the truth, he is deceived by a heretical spirit."* Men of such principles must have been blessings to their churches. Caesa- rius preached every Sunday, and on holidays ; but if he was prevented, he caused the sermons of Augustine, or Ambrose, or his own, to be read for the edification of his people. He endured much persecution, and died generally lamented, A. D. 542. Gregory was descended from a senatorial family, one of the most illustrious and wealthy in Rome. He was educated suit- ably to his rank, and he soon distinguished himself in the senate. He was raised by the emperor to be governor of Rome, at a time when it was surrounded by victorious ene- mies. In this high station, he gave universal satisfaction : but reflecting upon the vanity of worldly greatness, the empti- ness of its sweetest pleasures, and the danger of their leading to the neglect and loss of the soul, on the death of his father he renounced the world, and with his immense wealth he built and endowed six monasteries, and devoted himself to the monastic life. The bishop of Rome, kno\nng his great talents, employed him on a difficult mission to the emperor at Con- stantinople. On his return he was chosen abbot, in which office he was excessively rigorous. He was elected bishop of Rome, and set himself vigorously to exterminate the reigning immorality of the clergy, imposing upon them various monkish rules of living. He exerted himself laboriously, both by preaching and writing, for the instruction of the people, espe- cially in the observance of his newly invented ceremonies. His writings, especially his litanies and prayers, indicate serious piety ; but it was greatly tarnished by the grossest prevailing superstitions of the age. Mr. Milner says, " The Church of England is indebted to Gregory for the Litany. Galasius, before him, had appointed public prayers, composed by himself * Milner, Vol. II., p. 20, 21. CHURCH HISTORY. 121 or others. These were all placed in the offices by Gregory. And by a comparison of our Book of Common Prayer with his Sacramentary, it is evident, that almost all the Collects for Sundays, and the principal festivals in the Church of England, were taken out of the latter."* Gregory invented a long train of senseless ceremonies, and largely distributed to the deluded multitude the ridiculous and falsely pretended wonder-work- ing relics of departed saints and martyrs. Dr. Haweis ob- serves, " The ' canon of the mass,' now produced by the great Gregory, with all its pomp and fooleries, became more univer- sall}^ celebrated. Images of saints, and relics, multiplied so immensely, that there were sometimes more bones of a saint than ever belonged to a human body. And, what is ridiculous enough, the Lupercalia, or feast of Pan, with all its impurities, received a new title, as the festival of the * Virgin's purifica- tion,' v/ith all the heathen rites continued."-|' Gregory zeal- ously maintained all the extravagant pretensions of the former bishops of Rome ; though, it is said, he never abused his own power. The greatest stain upon the character of Gregory is his vile flattery of the usurper Phocas, who had gained the imperial dignity by means of the most horrible murders. Gregory died A. D. 605, having been fifteen years bishop of Rome. The boundaries of the church w^ere somewhat extended in the sixth century. Columbas, an Irish monk, is said to have laboured ^vith success in converting the Scots and Picts to the faith of Christ. Some of the Jews in Spain, several tribes of barbarians on the shores of the Euxine Sea, and some people of Germany under the names of Bohemians, Thuringians, and Boii, embraced Christianity ; but their conversions were the reception of the name of Christ, and of superstitious rites, rather than the truths of the gospel, as contained in the Scrip- tures. Two things further are particularly remarkable, as belonging to the sixth century. First, the fiery disputes between the bishops of Constantinople and of Rome, on account of the former assuming the title of " Universal Bishop." Secondly, ♦ Milner, Vol. II., p. 88. * Impartial History, Vol. II., p. 40, 41. M 122 CHURCH HISTORY. the arrival in England of Austin with forty monks, sent by Gregory the Great, for the conversion of the Anglo- Saxons. Their king Ethelbert, whose queen Bertha he had recently married, was the daughter of Cherebert, king of France; and, being a Christian, she used her influence to advance the object of Austin's mission. It is impossible to derive correct information concerning the mission of Austki : but the most probable account is, that Bertha had endeavoured to covert her husband to the Christian faith ; and in this good work, the ministers who followed her from France laboured successfully with her. Finding the harvest plenteous, while the labourers were few, she applied to the bishop of Rome for assistance ; in compliance with which, he sent Austin and his companions. The common account is, that Gregory, even while a monk, projected this mission, and offered himself to the Pope, to undertake it. The circumstance which led him to form such a purpose is said to have been as follows : — Walking one day in the market-place at Rome, he saw some beautiful youths offered for sale as slaves. On learning they were pagans, and that their countrymen were called Anglic the Latin term for the people Angles, he observed, their countenances were like ang-els ; and expressed his lamentation that they were not fellow-heirs with angels. On being told they were natives of a province called Deira, " These people," said he, " should be delivered de Dei ird" that is, " from the wrath of God." On being informed that their king was named Alle, said he, " Alle- luiah to God should be sung in those regions." When made bishop of Rome, he sent Austin and his companions, who were permitted to land, and to enter Canterbury, where the king resided ; the whole company singing a litany, and carrying a picture of Christ and a silver cross in the procession. They were successful in their mission ; for the king and some of his nobles being baptized, no less than ten thousand submitted to that rite on Christmas-day, A. D. 596 ; and the idol temples wei'e converted into Christian churches, which were amply furnished with saintly rehcs and priestly robes, a large supply of which Austin had brought with him from Rome. Many of the pagan rites were retained by order of the Pope, who CHURCH HISTORY. 123 allowed the people to " kill and eat as great a number of oxen to the glory of God, as they had formerly done to the devil." This missionary then repaired to France for episcopal con- secration, and was invested by Gregory with power over all the British aud Saxon prelates, and was thus made the first archbishop of Canterbury. Austin, and those in connexion with him, were not the only Christians in England. The ancient Britons, as we have seen, had received Christianity three or four hundred years before this time ; but they had been driven principally into Wales by the conquering pagan Saxons, by whom England was now divided into seven or eight kingdoms, of which Kent was the greatest. Augustine sought a union with those Christians hi Wales, but he was unable to effect it, as he appeared to them full of imperious pride, and desirous rather to bring them under his prelatical dominion and that of Rome. He became their enemy, and threatened them ; and, as is believed, stirred up the civil powers against them : so that, some time after Austin's decease, eleven hundred of the monks and Christians of Bangor were murdered by Ethelfrid, the Saxon king of Northumberland. CHAPTER VI. CENTURY VII. The church still degenerates — Vices of the clergy — British, Irish, and Scots — English churches— Oswald, king of Northumberland— Missionaries— Coluni- bau — Gal— Kiliau — Willebrod, &c. — Nestorians — Paulicians — Contests be- tween the bishops of Rome and Constantinople — The bishop of Rome assumes the title of Universal Bishop — Mohammed — True church — Prophecy fulfilled. The church seemed still more to degenerate in the seventh century. " In this barbarous age, religion lay expiring under a motley and enormous heap of superstitious inventions, and had neither the courage nor the force to raise her head, or to display her native charms to a darkened and deluded world. In the earlier periods of the church, the worship of Christians was confined to the one supreme God, and his Son Jesus Christ; but the Christians of this century multiplied the 124 CHURCH HISTORY. objects of their devotion, and paid homage to the remains of the true cross, to the images of saints, and to bones whose real owners were extremely dubious."* The lordly ambition of the Roman Pontiffs excited general abhorrence. " The progress of vice among the clergy was truly shocking : neither bishops, presbyters, deacons, nor even the cloistered monks, were exempt from the general conta- gion ; as appears from the unanimous confession of all the writers of this century that are worthy of credit. In those very places wliich were consecrated to the advancement of piety, and the service of God, there was little else to be seen Ijesides ghostly ambition, insatiable avarice, pious frauds, into- lerable pride, and a superstitious contempt of the natural rights of the people, with many other evils still more enor- mous."-}- There were, however, some happy exceptions to this corrupt state of things. The ancient Britons, the Scots, and Irish, persisted long in the maintenance of their religious liberty ; notwithstanding the efforts of Laurentius, the second arch- bishop of Canterbury, Mellitus, bishop of London, and Justus, bishop of Rochester ; and neither promises nor threats of the legates of the Popes could engage them to submit to the decree and authority of the Roman prelates. Mr. Milner, therefore, calls them Schismatics ! In their churches, religious liberty appears to have been attended with a considerable effu- sion of the Holy Spirit. The English churches continued subject to the bishop of Rome, and efforts were made to extend Christianity by their ministers. Eadbald despised Christianity, the people relapsed into idolatry, and the bishops were about to abandon the coun- try ; on which Eadbald repented of his wickedness, submitted to baptism, and became a zealous supporter of the faith. He gave his sister Tate in marriage to Edwin, king of Northum- berland, on condition of his receiving Christianity, to which he consented ; and Paulinus was consecrated bishop of the north of England by Justus of Rochester. Edwin and all his nobles, with many of the people, and Coifi, the chief priest of * Mosheim's Ecclesiastical Historj', Vol. II., p. 176. t Il)id., p. 171. CHURCH HISTORY. 125 the idolaters, embraced the doctrine of Paulinus, and were btiptized in a wooden building at York, A. D. 627. After six years Edwin w^as slain in battle, and his queen, with Paulinus, returned into Kent, leaving James, his deacon, to keep alive the Christian profession. Oswald, his nephew, a pious prince from Ireland, at length succeeded Edwin. He laboured to evangehze his subjects, assisted by Aidan, an Irish missionary, to whom Oswald him- self acted as an interpreter in his preaching. The prejudices of the excellent Mr. Milner led him to denominate Aidan a schismatic : and yet he says, " The cha- racter of this missionary would have done honour to the purest times. Aidan himself was a shining example of godliness. He laboured to convert infidels, and to strengthen the faithful. He gave to the poor whatever presents he received from the great, and employed himself with his associates in the Scrip- tures continually. He redeemed captives with the money which he received from the rich ; he instructed them after- wards, and fitted them for the ministry."* The labours of such a man must have been inspired of God, and by his special grace made effectual to the salvation of many souls. Columban, another Irish missionary, at the close of the last century, succeeded in extinguishing idolatry from a great part of France; and, after diffusing the gospel among the people, he proceeded to carry the lamp of sacred truth among the Boii, the Franks, and other German nations. Gal, one of his companions, preached the gospel among the Swiss, and their neighbours. Kilian, from Scotland, laboured among the eastern Franks ; from whom, great numbers are said to have embraced Christianity. Kilian and his com- panions, were murdered, in consequence of their declaring it unlawful for Gosbert to have his brother's wife. Gosbert the duke promised to obey the truth ; but Geilana, in his absence, was thus avenged on the preachers, who had pointed out her sin. Willibrod, by birth an Anglo-Saxon, accompanied by eleven, of his countrymen, at the close of this century, crossed the » Milner's Church Histoiy, Vol. HI., p. lOG, 107, 31 3 126 CHURCH HISTORY. Channel, on a mission to the Netherlands. His success he reported to the Roman Pontiff, by whom he was ordained, A. D. 696, archbishop of Utrecht, where he died at an advanced age, while his associates carried the gospel into Westphalia, and the neighbouring countries. Rupert, bishop of Worms, was a successful missionary in Bavaria, assisted by twelve labourers. Emmerman, a Frenchman, laboiu*ed pros- perously in the same field ; but he was murdered by Lambert, son of the Duke Theodo. It cannot be denied, that some of these missionaries were influenced chiefly by ambition, seeking worldly establishments; and Willibrod is considered as one of that class : but, without doubt, others were holy men of God, and the means of spread- ing the precious seed of evangelical truth, and of kindling a fire of divine love among guilty men, bringing them to realize the salvation which is in Christ Jesus. There are some pleasing evidences of the Nestorians, who monly called a Bull,* for the condemnation of Luther's writings, which were ordered to be burnt by the common executioner. Maximilian, the emperor, died early in 1519, and Charles V. succeeded him in the empire. The Pope laboured to prevail on the new emperor to second his views in destroying Luther ; but he, being under great obligation to the elector of Saxony, was induced to be cautious in such a procedure : yet the reformer was again required to retract his o])inions, which were denounced as blasphemous heresies ; and, within sixty days from the date of the Bull, June 15, 1520, to appear at Rome, and cast himself upon the mercy of the Pope. Eckius brought this famous Bull into Germany in October ; but Luther regarded it with the utmost contempt, and showed its iniquitous charac- ter, and the wicked designs of its authors, in several learned tracts, which were immediately and very extensively circulated. Besides, on an appointed day, he assembled a vast concourse of people of all ranks, without the walls of Witteniberg, by making known his intentions ; and having kindled a fire of an immense pile of wood, in the presence of the multitude, and of the professors and students of the viniversity, who had walked in procession to the place, he committed to the flames the Pope's Bull, together m ith the volumes of the pontifical decre- tals, and of the canon law : thus formally renouncing all con- nexion with the Roman Pontifi^. This bold action of Luther was performed, December 10, 1520, to the utter astonishment and confusion of his enemies. • So termed from bulla, *' a knob," in which form tiie wax of tlie seal to a Pope's decree was moulded. CHURCH HISTORY. 193 The effect of this daring step of the reformer was wonder- ful ; it led universally to the investigation of his doctrine, and greatly promoted its reception ; while it added strength to the vindictive rage of the domineering Leo, and of his haughty prelates. As Charles V, had been recently elected emperor of Germany, the Pope, by political and other considerations, endeavoured to prevail on him to seek the destruction of Luther. The emperor was induced to call an assembly of the princes of the empire, to meet at Worms A. D. 1521, to con- sider the "hundred grievances" of which the people had so justly complained by various memorials; and Luther was summoned to appear before this celebrated diet, to undergo an examination of his doctrines and conduct SECTION III.— GERMANY (Continued.) Luther defends himself before the emperor at Worms — He is concealed by the elector of Saxony — He translates the New and Old Testaments into German — War of the peasants — Several princes embrace Luther's doctrine — Decree of the diet at Spires — Protest of the princes — Origin of the name Protestants — Diet of Augsburg — League of Smalcalde — Anabaptists — Death of Luther. From several causes the diet was delayed ; but Luther con- tinued in his evangelical course, assisted by zealous and able coadjutors. A popish historian of that period states, " Luther, in his sermons, attacked the vices of men with great acrimony : he likewise published, in the German and Latin languages, a number of religious books ; for example. Expositions of th<> Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments ; of certain por- tions of the Epistles and the Gospels ; of the Song of the Blessed Virgin ; of the PsaJms, and particularly of the Epistle to the Galatians. Moreover, he lived a moral Hfe, and was not given, in the smallest degree, to covetousness or any other vice ; he was universally held to be a good, and great, and even a sainted man ; insomuch that it was the custom to paint his portrait with rays of glory around his head, as if he had been a canon- ized saint ! " Though the emperor had granted him a "safe-conduct," his friends, remembering the fate of Huss, expressed serious appre- 194 CHURCH HISTORV. hensions for his safety : but Luther declared his resolution to obey the imperial mandate, " even if," says he, " I should meet at Worms as many devils as there are tiles on the houses." He hastened to Worms, where he was received with extra- ordinary marks of respect and admiration by all ranks ; and many noblemen visited him at his apartments, wondering at the man who could dare, in such a manner, to set himself in opposition to the dread authority of his Holiness the Pope ! With his stores of learning and apostolic courage, in the presence of the emperor and the imperial princes, Luther defended his principles and writings, confirming them by the testimonies of the Word of God- He delivered his defence before the assembly, first in the German language, and again by their command in Latin. In vain were both arguments and arts employed to induce him to submit to the Pope, as he firmly declined to give up a single point, unless he were con- vinced of its error by the plain declarations of the Holy Scriptures. The emperor could not be prevailed upon to sacrifice his honour in violating his passport granted to Luther, though greatly urged to it by the prelates. Charles referred them to the perfidious conduct of the emperor Sigismund, in the case of Huss ; and, by his authority, Luther was permitted to depart from the city : yet, either from a superstitious or political regard to the Pope, the diet condemned him as an obstinate heretic. Before he retired from Worms, a plot had been formed against the life of Luther, wliich, being known to the elector of Saxony, that generous friend caused him to be seized on his way home, and conveyed to the castle of Wartenburg, where he was concealed until, the storm had a little subsided. During this retirement of Luther, the work of reformation and evangelical instruction was carried forward by his zealous and learned colleagues; nor was Luther himself idle in his retreat, which was indeed remarkably providential ; for there, durino- his nine months' relaxation from active conflict, he com- pleted the translation of the New Testament into the German language ; and, after his return, with the assistance of others, he translated the Old Testament, and published the whole Bible for the general edification of his countrymen. This was CHURCH HISTORV. 195 the most eminent service to the church of Christ which could have been rendered by Luther j and the direct means of estabUshing the cause of God and truth, to which his former labours had been devoted. Such was the rapid progress of scriptural knowledge among the people, by means of the Bible laid open in the vulgar tongue, the frequent preaching, the judicious commentaries, and the various writings, of Luther and his coadjutors, that the greatest part of Germany appeared to be dissenters, and prepared to separate from the papal communion. Many of the free cities embraced the doctrines of the reformers, and the same principles were extensively spreading in the neighbouring nations. Erasmus, the most celebrated scholar of that age, was hired by the Pope and some English prelates, to employ his pen in confuting the doctrines of Luther: this the learned man attempted, but the controversy was rather favourable to the reformed cause, as it drew from Luther some of his most able writings. The noble work of the reformers was considerably injured by the excessive zeal of Carolostad, in his violent demolition of the images which for ages had been worshipped in the churches. The war of the peasants, in 1-525, was also inju- rious to the sacred cause: as, when it spread into Saxony, Muntzer, an enthusiastic man, became the head of the rebellion. Robertson, the historian, observes, " These commotions hap- pened at first in provinces of Germany where Luther's opinions had made little progress ; and, being excited wholly by political causes, had no connexion with the disputed points in religion. But the frenzy reaching at last those countries in which the Reformation was established, derived new strength from cir- cumstances peculiar to them, and rose to a still greater pitch of extravagance." The most absurd notions were put forth by Muntzer, Stubner, Stork, and Callaup ; and they were eagerly embraced by the ignorant, infuriated multitudes, who had risen against their feudal oppressors. The German princes united their forces to suppress these insurgents. An immense body of them was defeated by the Saxon princes and their confederates, in a battle near Mulhausen. Muntzer, their leader, was taken and put to death. No less than fifty 196 CHURCH HISTORY. thousand lives are computed to have been sacrificed in this war. The principles and practices of Muntzer and his asso- ciates, though charged upon Luther by the papists, were uniformly condemned by him and by Melancthon ; and Frede- rick, the elector, who died May 5, 1525, wrote to his brother and successor, the day before his death, in these remarkable terms : " The princes have applied to us for our assistance against the peasants j and I could wish to open my mind to them, but I am too ill. Perhaps the principal cause of these commotions is, that those poor creatures have not been allowed to have the Word of God preached fully among them." Pope Leo X. died in 1522. Adrian VL succeeded him; but died in the following year. Clement VIL then ascended the papal throne. Both these Pontiffs demanded, at the diet of Nuremburg, that the decree of Worms against Luther should be executed : but political difficulties arising, no decisive measures were taken to gratify their bigotry. An ecclesiastical platform, drawn up by Luther and Me- lancthon, at the desire of John, the new elector, was published by heralds throughout his dominions, and the churches were supplied with learned and pious ministers. Resolutions favourable to the reformers were passed at a diet held at Spires, in 1526; as it was unanimously agreed that every state should be allowed to pursue its own measures in religion till a general council should be called. The emperor quarrelled with the Pope ; took and plundered Rome, and made Clement VIL prisoner, in 1527. By these means the cause of the reformers was but little hindered, and about half of Germany revolted from the papal system, and embraced the doctrines of the Scriptures. Charles V., being at length recon- ciled to the Pope, and desirous of strengthening his own interests among the princes of the empire, called another diet at Spires in 1529, to consider the state of religion. These two sovereigns united their power to destroy the liberty and beauty of scriptural religion ; but their interests were widely different. The decisions of the former diet were revoked ; and by a small majority it was resolved, as the emperor had demanded, that those who had obeyed the decree issued against CHURCH HISTORY. 197 Luther, at Worms, should persevere in the observance of it ; that no farther innovation should be made in religion ; that the celebration of the mass should not be opposed ; and that the Anabaptists should be capitally punished. " The elector of Saxony, the marquis of Brandenburg, the landgrave of Hesse, the dukes of Lunenburg, the prince of Anhalt, and the deputies of fourteen imperial cities, entered a solemn protest against this decree, as unjust and impious," April 19, 1529. From this memorable circumstance, those who have since dissented and separated from the Romish com- munion have been distinguished by the name of Protestants. " Not satisfied with this declaration of their dissent from the decree of the diet, the Protestants sent ambassadors into Italy, to lay their grievances before the emperor, from whom they met with the most discouraging reception." He even caused them to be arrested, which inflamed the minds of the Pro- testants, and led them to deliberate on an alliance, to defend themselves by arms against the menaces of the emperor. An appeal to arms could not obtain the sanction of Luther, and in this opposition he was joined by Melancthon and Bugenhagius. Jealousies existing between the Pope and Charles, on account of their opposite schemes of policy, the emperor appointed another diet to be held in 1530, at Augsburg; at which, for political reasons, he was anxious to terminate the disputes about religion. The celebrated summar}^ called " The Con- fession of Augsburg," drawn up by Melancthon, under the direction of Luther, was read to the diet, as the doctrine of the Protestants. It is said that the duke of Bavaria, having asked Eckius whether they could refute this doctrine out of the Holy Scriptures, " No," replied the learned papist ; " by the Holy Scriptures we cannot overthrow it, but we may by the Fathers." On this the archbishop of Mentz said to the catholic duke, " See how finely our divines support us I The Protestants prove what they say out of the Holy Scriptures ; but we have our doctrine without Scripture." Through the influence of the Pope's nuncio, the Confes- sion was disallowed; and the Protestant princes, refusing- submission to the papal dictates, were alarmed by the passing of a dreadful decree, condemning those who rejected tlie s 3 198 CHURCH HISTORY. decisions of the established church. The sovereign bigotry of the Roman Pontiff, and the insatiable ambition of the political emperor, led them to conspire for the extirpation of the obnox- ious doctrines which, they were aware, favoured liberty both civil and religious. Threatened thus with destruction, the Protestant princes united in their own defence, and formed the famous " League of Smalcalde." Charles V., fearing this confederacy, relented from his rigorous measures, negotiated with the princes, and terms of pacification were agreed upon at Nuremburg, which were solemnly ratified at the diet of Ratisbon, 1531. " Thus, by their firmness in adhering to their principles, the Protestants obtained terms which amounted almost to a toleration of their religion; all the concessions were made by Charles, none by them ; and the Protestants of Germany, who had hitherto been viewed only as a religious sect, came henceforth to be considered as a political body of no small consequence." The fanatic Muntzer, who had headed the peasants, and was cut off in 1525, left several disciples, who in 1534 pro- ceeded to shocking excesses. " Two Anabaptist prophets, John Matthias, a baker, of Haerlem, and John Boccold, or Beukels, a journeyman tailor, of Leyden, possessed with the rage of making proselytes, fixed their residence in Munster, an impe- rial city of Westphalia. Having secretly called in their asso- ciates from the neighbouring country, they suddenly took possession of the arsenal and senate-house in the night-time, and running through the streets with drawn swords, and hor- rible bowlings, cried out alternately, ' Repent, and be baptized,' and ' Depart, ye ungodly.' The senators, the canons, the no- bility, together with the more sober citizens, whether Papists or Protestants, terrified at their threats and outcries, fled in confusion, and left the city under the dominion of a frantic multitude, consisting chiefly of strangers." The most absurd extravagances were practised in new modelling the government of the city ; and the bishop of Munster approaching with an army, Matthias soon fell a sacrifice to his own rashness ; and Boccold was declared, by the deluded multitude, " King of Zion," and ordained of God, "to sit on the throne of David." Kneeling down, Boccold "accepted the heavenly call, which 1 CHURCH HISTORY. 199 he solemnly protested had been revealed to himself." By tiiis fanatic king and his subjects, " every excess was committed of which the passions of men are capable, when restrained neither by the authority of laws, nor the sense of decency ; and, by a monstrous and almost incredible conjunction, voluptuousness was engrafted on religion, and dissolute riot accompanied the austerities of fanatical devotion." Luther was grieved beyond expression to hear of these enormities, in those who professed to regard the Scriptures ; and after denouncing both their principles and practices, " called upon the states of Germany to put a stop to their frenzy, no less pernicious to society than fatal to religion." The princes united, besieged and took the city, and Boccold, after enduring tortures the most exquisite and lingering, M^as put to death at Munster in 1535, aged only twenty years! The political circumstances of the ambitious emperor not allowing him to give much attention to the affairs of religion in the empire, Luther was enabled to proceed in his labours o. reformation, until the year 154G, when he died in peace, at Eisleben, his native town, on the 1 8th of February, aged sixty- three years. To that place he travelled, though ill, for the pur- pose of arbitrating in a dispute between the counts of Mansfield, respecting the mines in which his father's labours had supported him in his infancy. Some of the last words of this great man were, " O my heavenly Father, eternal and merciful God, thou hast revealed to me thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I have preached him, I have confessed him, I love him, and I wor- ship him, as my dearest Saviour and Redeemer : — him, whom the Pope and the wicked persecute, despise, and blaspheme." He then repeated, three times, the words of the psalm, " Into thy hands I commit my spirit: God of truth, thou hast redeemed me;" and fainting, he departed to his God and Saviour ! The report of his death filled the Roman Catholics with excessive joy, which they expressed with indecency and ex- travagance, while it damped the spirits of his followers ; both forgetting, that the doctrines which Luther had preached were not the inventions of human policy, and could not die with him ; but substantially the restored principles of " the glorious 200 CMURCH HISTORV. gospel of the blessed God," in the preservation of which, om- nipotent grace is engaged by an everlasting covenant, for the salvation of the church of Christ, which he has redeemed out of all nations. SECTION IV.— GERMANY (Continued.) War upon the Protestants by the emperor — The Interim — Consequent persecu- tions— Maurice turns against the emperor — Peace of religion — Toleration granted by it — Charles V. resigns his throne to his son Philip — Genuine reli- gion among the Lutherans — George, prince of Anhalt — Melancthon — Wes- sonbechius — Clotzius — Cureus. Before the decease of Luther, matters were approaching to a crisis between the emperor and the Protestants ; and, having concluded a war with the Turks, he turned his arms against them. Having gained over Maurice, duke of Saxony, Charles marched against the elector, defeated and took him prisoner, 1547. He bestowed the dominions of the captive prince on his ambitious nephew, Maurice, as the reward of his treachery in abandoning his uncle. Philip, landgrave of Hesse, M^as prevailed upon, by his son-in-law Maurice, to submit to the emperor, on condition of pardon ; but he treacherously de- tained him a prisoner, with John Frederick. The emperor led about the two captive princes as monuments of his triumph, and treated the Protestant leaders with the utmost contempt ; but, being thwarted by the political contrivances of the Pope, in 1548, he appointed three divines to draw up a platform of religion, which was called the Interim. This formula, though somewhat yielding, was essentially popish, but expressed in ambiguous language. Charles proceeded to enforce this rule upon the Protestant clsrgy ; those who refused to subscribe he imprisoned, and led them in chains after him when he departed from Augsburg, Bitter and cruel were the persecutions v/hich followed. Melancthon lamented this desolation, saying, " Up- wards of four hundred pastors in Suabia, and the circles of the Rhine, are driven from their stations ; and there is but a single officiating minister at this moment in Tubingen, who conforms to the book published at Augsburg : it had the effect of driving CHURCH HISTORY. 201 away all the pastors and teachers." The Saxon divines, under the direction of Maurice, yielded to the Interim, with Melanc- thon's qualifying distinction, " as a rule in things indifferent;" and the crafty elector was appointed by Charles generalissimo, to enforce the Interim at Magdeburg. This service was soon accomplished, and thus the emperor was deceived, until all arrangements had been made, and to his utter surprise and astonishment, Maurice declared war against him ! The elector was received joyfully in all the towns in his march against the emperor ; their deposed magistrates he reinstated, and restored the ejected ministers of the gospel. By rapid marches he advanced to fall upon the emperor at Inspruck, from which he with difficulty escaped in the most miserable condition, only a few hours before Maurice entered, leaving all his baggage a prey to the soldiers of the elector, 1552. The emperor being defeated in all his schemes of aggran- dizement, was necessitated to yield to the demands of Maurice ; who, having obtained the electorate, which had been the chief object of his ambition, now insisted on the unrestricted toleration of the Lutherans ; the release of the landgrave ; and a redress of the grievances of Germany. The toleration was granted by the famous " Pacification of Passau," 1552, and at length it was solemnly ratified, September 25, 1555, at Augsburg. The principle articles of this " Peace of Religion" were, " that for the future, no attempt shall be made towards termi- nating religious differences, but by the gentle methods of persuasion and conference : — that popish ecclesiastics shall claim no jurisdiction over Protestants : — that states and free cities shall have right to choose their own form of religious doctrine and Nvorship, and those who dissent shall have leave to retire with their property." This treaty was the founda- tion of religious toleration in Germany ; altogether offensive to the Pope and his court, and granted by the emperor Charles V. only as a measure of absolute necessity. The difficulties that were to be surmounted before this equitable decision could be procured, the tedious deliberations, the vio- lent animosities, and the bloody wars, which were necessary to engage the popish part of the German states to consent to 202 CHURCH HISTORY. conditions so rational, demonstrate to us the ignorance and superstition of these miserable times, and furnish the most evident proofs of the necessity of the Reformation. The Peace of Religion being ratified, Charles V., the am- bitious emperor of Germany, to the astonishment of all Europe, resigned his hereditary dominions, and retired into private life. He was induced to take this extraordinary step through chagrin at the failure of his latter military operations ; the declining state of his health, by which he was incapable of renewing his despotic projects; and the haughty behaviour of his son Philip. He executed the deeds of resignation with all the pomp of imperial greatness ; and, laying aside the robes of royalty, he retired early in 1556 to a monastery at Pla- centia, in Spain, and died in 1558, aged fifty-eight years. It is said, that in his retirement he inclined to the Protestant doc- trines. He amused himself with mechanical contrivances ; and, as he could not bring any two clocks to keep time exactly alike, he reflected on his own folly in shedding so much blood, to force men to a uniformity of opinion on the profound mys- teries of religion. The latter days of this or'ce dreaded emperor were distinguished by the most weak and pitiable timorousness, and the most extreme MTctchedness of a gloomy superstition. A great part of Germany was blessed with the privileges of the Reformation, and enjoyed the free use of Luther's trans- lation of the Scriptures, his larger and smaller catechism for children, the force of doctrine in the Augsburg confession, a multitude of evangelical \mtings, doctrinal, practical, and devotional, and the faithful ministry of the gospel. Great numbers of sinners were converted to God, like as in the apostolic age ; brought into the church of Christ, and saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation. Before the close of the century, however, an evident declension from the soundness of doctrine prevailed in the Lutheran churches ; yet the power of experimental Christianity was realized by many, as will be evident by a few brief notices of some of the distinguished persons of those days. George, prince of Anhalt, was converted by means of Luther's writings ; and, conversing with learned men, and prayerfully CliURCH HISTORY. 203 reading the Holy Scriptures, M^hich he could do in the He- brew and Greek, he embraced the doctrines of the Reforma- tion, and became a Protestant bishop. He was a man of eminent piety and meekness, and he died in 1553, after repeating- the words of Christ, " God so lovod the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son," &c., and, " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Melancthon was the faithful friend and learned colleague of Luther for many years, in carrying on the work of reforma- tion. He was a man of unusual moderation, and sterling piety. A short time before his death, he wrote the reasons why he wished to leave this world, and enter heaven. Among others, he expressed the following : — " I shall cease from sin — I shall be freed from the vexatious disputes of divines — I shall come to the light — I shall see God — I shall look upon the Son of God — I shall learn those mysteries which I could not understand in this life." To his anxious attendants, inquiring if he wished any thing, he replied, " Nothing but heaven," and begged they would not disturb his delightful repose. He died 1560. Wessonbechius, a lawyer of Wittemberg, was a diligent reader of the Psalms and the New Testament. He died 1556, in the full assurance of hope, after repeating the words of the apostle, " O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death ! I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." To his friend, he said, " Now the Lord hath given me a sight of the everlasting joy in which I shall be quickly, and which my great longing is to have hastened." In expiring, he exclaimed, " I am in covenant with Jesus." Clotzius, chancellor to the landgrave of Hesse, when dying, expressed himself thus : " The whole of my life is placed in God. — O let thy servant depart in peace. Thou art my sure anchor, my salvation, and only refuge. Now the honours of this world, and all momentary things, yea, life itself, is dis- tasteful, in respect of those eternal joys for w^hich I breathe, and to which I joyfully hasten." Joachim Cureus, a physician of eminence, after a life of 204 CHURCH HISTORY. devotedness to God, died 1573. Among other of his dying expressions, are the following : — " I am oppressed. Lord, but it is enough that thy hand hath done it. My body now suffers because of sin, but my soul is raised up and com- forted with the assurance of eternal life. — Now my heart is quite inflamed with the views of everlasting life. — With desire to come to thee, my soul hopes for joy. O dissolve me, that I may come to thee ! As the traveller in the dark night looks for the rising sun, so do I earnestly look for that bright- ness which is in the immediate vision of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. — I shall see my exalted Saviour in the flesh ; and there bless him for all the blessings I have had from him. Now I die, witnessing to the truth of the prophets and apostles, and adhering to the Augustan Confession, and blessing the Lord, who, in his marvellous goodness, hath made the light to arise in so much darkness." SECTION v.— GERMANY (Continued.) Orthodoxy of the churches of the reformers — Antinomians— Socinians — Men- nonites. Among the multitudes who separated from the Romish com- munion, there were some who held the most extravagant and unsound opinions. But the pious part of the reformers, in the different nations, were agreed on all the fundamental prin- ciples of Christianity. From the testimony of the Scriptures they embraced the doctrines concerning the guilt and corruption of human nature — the tme and essential divinity of Jesus Christ — his incarnation, substitution, and death, as a propitiation for sin — justification by faith in his righteousness and atonement — regeneration and sanctification by the gracious operations of the Holy Spirit — and the necessity of personal holiness, as the characteristic of the adopted children of God. The lawless Antinomians abused these holy doctrines; maintaining " that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law ;" and, therefore, they, perverting the truth, dis- CHURCH HISTORY. 205 allowed the obligations of holiness, and the authority of the moral law. Lelius and Faustus Socinus, who were learned physicians, revived the heresies of Ebion and Cerinthus, which had been refuted and condemned by the apostle John. Their name gave a denomination to a small sect which, after its founders, was called Socinians. It has been observed already, that early in the Reformation there arose a sect in Germany by which infant baptism was rejected as unscriptural. They were called Anabaptists from their baptizing anew those who joined them. At first their leaders were outrageously fanatical, seeking to destroy all civil government: but they were moderated and reformed by the zealous and indefatigable labours of the pious Simon Menno, and became especially numerous in Holland. CHAPTER II. SWITZERLAND. Zuinglius expounds the Scriptures — Opposes induloa-nces — Other reformers — Wolfgang— Capito and CEcolampadius — Nine popish cantons take up arms against the Protestants — Zuinglius murdered — BuUinger. While Luther was labouring to promote the noble work of reformation in Germany, God graciously caused the light of evangelical truth to shine upon Switzerland. Several eminent men arose in succession to bless the cantons of that favoured land. In 1516, Zuinglius, a canon of Zurich, of learning perhaps superior to Luther, and of like intrepidity of s}>irit, expounded the Scriptures, and testified against the abomina- tions of popery. Samson, an Italian monk, selling indulgences in Switzerland in 1517, roused the indignation of Zuinglius, who, being encouraged by some learned colleagues, who had been educated in Germany, boldly opposed the impious traffic. Pope Adrian in vain endeavoured to gain Zuinglius by promises. He employed Faber, afterwards bishop of Vienna, 206 CHURCH HISTORY. to dispute with him ; but the reformer, appealing to the Word of God, was unconquered. He pubhshed his sentiments in 1523, in sixty-seven particulars, all confirmed by passages of Holy Scripture. At Basil, in 1520, Wolfgang, Capito, and CEcolampadius, introduced the doctrines of the Reformation with success. In 1522, Hofraeister published them in Scaphaeusen, and Haller maintained them in Berne. The cantons of Zurich, Basil, Berne, Schaffhausen, and also parts of Aphenzel and Glaris, having embraced the Reform- ation, were obnoxious to the nine popish cantons, who took up arms to compel them to return to the Catholic church. They were resisted by the troops of the reformed party. Zuinglius accompanied them as chaplain, in 1531, and fell in one of their engagements. The papists found him lying among the wounded, with eyes uplifted to heaven ; and, as he would not comply with their wishes, to confess to the Virgin Mary, they murdered him. The same year, many having perished on both sides by the sword, a peace was concluded on the condition that each canton should retain its own form of religion. The celebrated Helvetic confession of faith was prepared and adopted by their synod in 15G6. Zuinglius was succeeded in the church of Zurich by Bul- linger, a man worthy of that age. After labouring for the faith of Christ, he died in the assured hope of glory, in 1575. Death approaching, among other delightful things he said, " I rejoice exceedingly to be taken from this corrupt age, to get to my Saviour Christ. I am sure that I shall see my Saviour Christ, the saints, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and all the holy men who have lived from the beginning of the world. Since I am sure to partake of their felicity, why should not I be willing to die, to enjoy their perpetual society in glory?" CHURCH HISTORY. 207 CHAPTER III. FRANCE. Waldenses numerous in France — They send to Luther— Queen of Navarre favours the Protestants — They flourish — Francis I. a persecutor— Calvin — Increase of the Protestants in France — Massacre of the Protestants under Charles IX. — Pope Gregory XIII. offers a solemn mass for his bloody work — Henry IV. grants protection by the Edict of Nantz. At the commencement of the sixteenth century, it was found that the persecuted Waldenses, though they had been so dreadfully oppressed, were not wholly extirpated. They estimated their own numbers at eight hundred thousand per- sons. Hearing of the fame of Luther, and having learnt that his doctrines were agreeable with the Scriptures, they entered into a correspondence with him. His recently pub- lished writings were sought, by which their own minds were established in the truth, and their active graces encouraged. Thus the doctrines of the Reformation were embraced by multitudes in the southern parts of France; among whom learning had begun to revive, under the patronage of Fran- cis I. Margaret, his sister, the queen of Navarre, at an early period afforded protection to the reformers to the extent of her power. The reformed doctrines were countenanced by the bishop of Meaux, who encouraged James le Fevre, d'Etaples, William Farel, and Gerard le Roux, in preaching the gospel. Many embraced the truth, but a persecution arose, and the mem- bers of the church, formed at Meaux, were scattered through the nation. In 1524, John le Clerc, founder of the reformed church at Metz, endured many torments for the gospel, and was there burnt alive. Numerous sacrifices of the same kind were made by the superstitious bigotry or the popish policy of Francis, who, in 1535, assisted in person, bareheaded, in a grand procession at Paris, while he witnessed the burning of six of his Protestant subjects. The queen of Navarre protected James le Fevre, Gerard 208 CHURCH HISTORY. le Roux, and John Calvin, in their labours to spread the light of divine truth. Calvin was singularly endowed, by the Father of lights, for eminent services in the church of Christ. He was a man of extraordinary genius, immense learning, and flowing eloquence; to which were added the most elevated piety, and indefatigable industry. All his talents were consecrated to the cause of Christ, from 1534, when he embraced the doctrines of the Reformation. He endured various persecu- tions from the king of France ; to whom he dedicated his famous work, entitled, " Institutes of the Christian Religion," and in 1536, settled at Geneva. His numerous, learned, and orthodox commentaries, and other writings, rendered his name high authority ; and, by his learning and wisdom, he became the principal director to all the reformers, in every nation throughout Europe, after the death of Luther. It seems probable, that in France the Protestants were almost as numerous as in any other kingdom. In 1570, it is reported, there were two thousand one hundred and fifty congregations in France, some of them containing two thou- sand members ! But they were not allowed to increase without molestation. It is believed, that in no country have there been persecutions of a more barbarous character than in France. Volumes might be filled with the most affecting instances of martyrdom. Francis I. was the rival of Charles V., and the destructive wars between these two monarchs, led them frequently to court the assistance of the Pope, sacrificing the Protestants in their several states, to propitiate his favour. The French king, to gratify his Holiness, showed his zeal for the church by dreadful persecutions of the Waldenses, and of those em- bracing the reformed doctrines. In the height of his zeal, he was heard to declare, "that if he thought the blood of his arm was tainted with the Lutheran heresy, he would cut it off; and that he would not spare his own children, if they entertained sentiments contrary to those of the Catholic church." Under such a king dissenters must necessarily suffer: a long succession, therefore, of the most shocking martyrdoms tried the faith, and exemplified the patience of CHURCH HISTORY. 209 the church in France. But then* most dreadful sufferings were endured in 1572. The pages of history do not record such another instance of monstrous treachery and malignant barbarity, as were perpetrated that year in France, under the cloak of the religion of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. The Pope and his agents influenced the king of France to resolve upon exterminating, by one decisive effort, all the dissenters of the Romish church. For this purpose, many of the prin- cipal Protestants were invited to Paris, under a solemn oath of safety, to celebrate the marriage of the king of Navarre with the French king's sister. The queen dowager of Na- varre, a zealous Protestant, was destroyed before the marriage was solemnized, by means of poison concealed in a pair of gloves ! The inhuman butchery commenced, at the tolling* of the bell on St. Bartholomew's-day, by the murder of Admiral Coligni, who had been shot at and wounded two days previously. The hypocritical king of France visited him, and declared that the admiral's wound was his own. The shocking work was conducted by the duke of Guise, urged on by Charles IX., the king himself, in person. In the space of three days, ten thousand Protestants were sacrificed to popish bigotry in Paris alone, by every kind of savag-e destruction ; no distinction being made on account of rank or learning, sex or age. The massacre extended to all places in which these scriptural dissenters were known or suspected ; and it is calculated, that not less than a hundred thousand were at this time destroyed. This horrible tragedy was well known to have been con- trived by the Fathers of the Romish church. Medals to com- memorate it were struck at Paris. The annunciation of this shocking deed was received by the clergy in Spain, and at Rome, with expressions of unbounded exultation. The man who brought the news to Rome was rewarded with a thousand crowns ; and when the letters of the papal legate, residing at the French court, were read in the assembly of cardinals, it was decreed, that the Pope should march with his cardinals to the church of St. Mark, to offer solemn thanks to God for so signal a blessing conferred on the See of Rome ! T 3 210 CHURCH HISTORY. Persons of rank were not spared in this sacrifice made to bigotry. Even the Protestant king of Navarre, and the prince of Conde, were devoted to the same destimction : but their lives were spared on their professing themselves recon- ciled to the Romish church ; the king of France with a ter- rible oath, proposing to them, " mass, death, or the bastile for life." It is collected from authentic records, that during forty years, in the middle of this century, not less than a million of Protestants were, in France, sacrificed to the unrelenting tyranny of the papal power ! These inhuman proceedings excited the sympathy of the Protestant states, especially England, where great numbers enjoyed a secure asylum, v.ith liberty of religious worship. Many escaped to Geneva and Switzerland ; and not a few tm-ned papists : but there yet remained a considerable number, of whom some were persons of rank, and who took up arms to defend themselves in the fortified towns. In 1598, Henry IV., of Navarre, succeeded to the throne of France, and granted the famous " Edict of Nantz." This decree was called " Irrevocable ;" by which they were allowed liberty of conscience, the free exercise of their religion, and access to all places of trust and dignity. With this security, the Hugonots, as these dissenters were called, became prodi- giously increased, to the serious mortification of the bigoted partizans of Rome. CHAPTER IV. NETHERLANDS. Writings of the Reformers circulated in the Netherlands— Persecutions— llaiiy JIartyrs — Cruel bigotry of the Emperor Charles V. — His son Philip — Protest- ants increase — Murders of the Duke of Alva— Revolt of seven provinces — United provinces— Simon Menno. Luther's writings, at an early period, were extensively cir- culated in the Netherlands, where many received his doc- trine. As these provinces belonged to Charles V., that emperor prohiljited all books containing any allusion to the CHURCH HISTORY. 211 Scriptures; and commissioned Francis Vander Hulst, hi3 chancellor in Brabant, in 1521, to see that his orders were obeyed. Erasmus designates him as " a great enemy to learn- ing," and his colleague, Van Egmont, " a madman into whose hands they had put a sword." They executed their commis- sion with a furious zeal, imprisoning many on the mere suspi- cion of heresy. CorneHus Grapheus, secretary to the city of Antwerp, saved his life by recanting on the scaffold. The Austin friars of that city were discovered possessing the works of Luther; and many of them were imprisoned. Three of them were con- demned to the flames in 1 523. Henry Voes and John Esch were executed together, singing the " Te Deura " till they expired : the third was put to death in the prison. They were executed at Brussels, where their principles had not been embraced : but this lesson of pious constancy, in suffering for Christ, led many in that place to entertain Lutheranism. Holland, Zealand, and Flanders, generally embraced the doc- trines of Luther : many of the divinity professors and persons of eminence favoured them, and their cause was espoused by persons of all ranks. John Van Backer, a young priest, was strangled and burnt in 1525 ; but, in passing to the place of execution, his companions in prison for the gospel encouraged him by hymns, and shouts, and clapping of hands. His con- stancy affected the judges, and led them to spare the lives of the others. Year after year, the emperor ordered placards to be pub- lished against the Scriptures. Men who were convicted of relapsing to Lutheranism were to suffer by the sword, and women w^ere to be buried alive ! Philip succeeded his father, Charles V., and laboured with superlative bigotry to extirpate all who refused subjection to the Pope. But truth advanced, though the inquisition was employed v.ith all its awful terrors. The reformed continued to increase, and in 1563 they pub- lished their Confession of Faith. In 1566 they held their first public meeting, in a field near the city of Horn ; where, to satisfy the eagerness of the people to hear the Word of God, the ministers preached for four hours. 212 CHURCH HISTORY. " The duke of Alva, of infamous memory," was sent with an army to destroy them ; and he " poured out the Protestant blood as water on every side ; while one hundred and twenty thousand fled from the persecution." Roused with indignation at such barbarities, William, prince of Orange, undertook the deliverance of his native country ; which he accomplished with troops levied among the refugees and German Protestants. The mortified king of Spain recalled the duke of Alva ; but " the monster boasted that he had deli- vered into the hands of the executioner above eighteen thou- sand heretics and rebels, besides those who died in the war !" The civil war terminated in the formation of a new Protestant state in Europe, under the title of " the Seven United Pro- vinces." The Protestants of the Netherlands were Calvinists, and their form of ecclesiastical government was modelled upon the Presbyterian plan. The cause of trutli was seriously injured by the Anabaptists, who overran the Netherlands. Their enormities were con- demned by Calvin, as well as Luther. Rejecting the obliga- tions of the Divine law, they seemed actuated by a diabolical spirit ; endeavouring to massacre both priests and magistrates. About forty of them attempted to set on lire the city of Ley- den ; but the mob not assisting them, they were apprehended, and fifteen men and five of the women were executed in 1535. This sect was reformed by Simon Menno, who had been a Romish priest, until he was converted to the faith of Christ in 1530. He was induced to assume the office of a public teacher in 1536; and afterwards he appeared as their principal leader. Menno was a man of genius and superior talents, possessing a natural and persuasive eloquence : he was a person of probity, of a meek spirit, gentle in his manners, and apostolical in his zeal ; labouring in several neighbouring countries to promote evangelical religion, which he recommended both by precept and example : he condemned the extravagancies of the first Anabaptists, the prelatical claims, and the popish superstitions, and aimed at nothing more than what appeared to him its scriptural purity. For more than thirty years, Menno laboured in the ministry, both by preaching and writing ; and, under CHURCH HISTORY. 213 his zeal and prudence, this denomination increased in the United Provinces into numerous churches. Menno died at the seat of a nobleman in the duchy of Holstein, in 1561, greatly and deservedly honoured. CHAPTER V. Light of the Reformation penetrates Italy — Peter Martyr — Bernard Ochino — Many martyrs— Testimony from Fox. Italy itself, " the seat of the beast," the peculiar province of the Pope, was penetrated M'ith the light of the gospel at the Reformation ; and, notwithstanding the vigilance of the papal emissaries, and the terrors of the inquisition, many received the truth in the love of it, to their salvation. In all the provinces of Italy, but more particularly in the territories of Venice, Tuscany, and Naples, the dogmas of Rome sunk in the estimation of the people ; and great num- bers, of all ranks, expressed their aversion to the papal yoke. Peter Martyr, who afterwards was one of the learned pro- fessors in the university of Oxford, and Bernard Ochino, were the chief instruments in exposing the enormities of the reign- ing superstition, and in promoting the knowledge of the pure gospel in Italy. The emperor Charles V. heard Ochino preach at Naples ; and he is said to have declared, that " he preached with such spirit and devotion as was sufficient to make the very stones to weep." Romish bigotry quickly employed a host of inquisitors, w^ho immediately spread horror throughout Italy, and in a few years succeeded in destroying the fruit of the Reformation in that country. At Rome, and in other cities, numbers suffered on account of their faith. Galeacius, firmly established in the Protestant doctrine, was burnt as a heretic, after having suffered for several hours chained to the stake, where it was hoped that his wife would prevail with him to recant his opinions, and deny the gospel. 214 CHURCH HISTORY. Encenas, a Spaniard, was sacrificed in like manner, at the stake. Dr. Mollius laboured in preaching, especially lecturing upon the epistle to the Romans, very extensively and successfully, and died triumphing in the gospel of Christ. He was strangled, and then burnt. Faninus, an eminent scholar, while in prison, was induced by his wife and children, with other friends, to recant. Being distressed at having denied the doctrine of Chris he re solved on making known the gospel at all hazards. Throughout Ro- mania he preached the truth with great success ; but he was apprehended, and after about three years' imprisonment, he was burnt at the stake. To the officer who brought the order of Pope Julius III., that he should be executed, he preached a long sermon on the felicity of a future life; and on being asked how he could leave his wife and little children, Faninus replied, " That he left them with an overseer, who would see to them sufficiently." Delivered to the secular magistrates, his words, gestures, and countenance, declared such constancy of faith, and modesty of manners, and tranquillity of mind, that those who before had believed him to be the most dangerous heretic, began to commend him. Such grace and sweetness distinguished his speech, that while speaking of the blessed Word of God, the wives of the magistrates being present, could not refrain from weeping. Even the hardened execu- tioner wept ! Galeazius Tricius, a man of property, was burned at Pom- pea : he died in a manner worthy of his Christian profession. Venice was sanctified by the blood of many martyrs. Fran- cis Spinola, a man of learning, encouraging Sega, a fellow- prisoner, who complained that his soul was distressed by the tidings that he was to suffer that evening, said, like a servant of Christ, " Fear not, it will not be long before it will feel those joys which will endure for ever." Sega, being in the boat, on his way to the place of execution, a friar exhorted him to return into the right way : to whom he replied, " I am already in the way of our Lord Jesus Christ." Spinola went to the place of drowning, expressing a cheerful hope of eternal happi- ness at God's riffht hand. CHURCH HISTORY. 215 Anthony Ricetti, in his reply to his son, who entreated him to abandon the Protestant profession of the faith, said, " I am resolved to sacrifice every thing in this transitory world for the sake of salvation in a world that will last for eternity. A Christian is bound to leave, not only goods and children, but life itself, for the glory of the Redeemer." Pomponius Algerius, a native of Capua, a student at the university of Padua, embraced the gospel, and diffused the knowledge of it among his fellow-students. He was appre- hended by order of the magistrates of Venice, and by them he was sent to Rome, where he was burnt in the presence of admiring crowds. A letter from a Catholic, dated 1560, mentions the execution of eighty-eight, slaughtered at one time. It was addressed to a nobleman — " Hitherto, most noble lord, I have certified you, what here daily hath been done about these heretics. Now cometh next to signify unto your lordship, the horrible judg- ment begun this present day, being the 11th of June, to be executed early in the morning against the Lutherans ; which, when I think upon, I verily quake and tremble. For they being all thrust up in one house together, as in a sheep-fold, the executioner cometh in amongst them, taketh one and blindfoldeth him with a muffler about his eyes, and so leadeth him forth to a larger place near adjoining, where he command- eth him to kneel down ; which being so done, he cutteth his throat, and leaving him half dead, and taking his butcher's knife and muffler, all of gore and blood, which the Italians call beuda, cometh again to the rest, and so leading one after ano- ther, he dispatched them all, which were to the number of eighty-eight. This spectacle to behold, and doleful and horri- rible it was, I leave to your lordship's judgment, for to write of it, I myself cannot choose but weep ; neither was there any of the beholders present, who seeing one die, could abide to be- hold the death of another. But so humbly and patiently they went to death, as is almost incredible to believe. " It is moreover appointed, (and the carts be come already,) that all those so put to death should be quartered, and so con- veyed in the carts to the hithermost parts of Calabria, where they shall be hanged upon poles to the highways, and other 216 CHURCH HISTORY. places, even in the confines of the same country ; unless the Pope's Holiness, and the lord viceroy of Naples, shall give it in commandment to the lord marquis of Buccianus, governor of the said province, to stay his hand, he will proceed with the rack and torture, that he will nigh dispatch them all. This day is also determined, that a hundred of the more ancient women should appear to be examined and racked, and after to be put to death, that the mix'iure may be perfect, for so many men so many women. And thus have you that I can say of this justice. Now, it is about two of the clock in the after- noon, shortly we shall hear what some of them said, w hen they went to execution. There be certain of them so obstinate, that they will not look upon the crucifix, nor be confessed to the priest, and they shall be burnt alive. The heretics that be apprehended and condemned, are to the number of one thousand six hundred ; but as yet, no more, but these afore- said eighty-eight are already executed!"* Further details would exceed our limits, but by such horrible means was the light of the gospel extinguished in Italy ! CHAPTER VI. BOHEMIA, MORAVIA, POLAND, PRUSSIA, HUNGARY, AND TRANSYLVANIA. Hussites and Moravians — Oppressed by Lewis and Ferdinand — Poland visited by Zuinglian Ministers— Other Preachers— Union of the Protestants- Prussia — Various Protestant preachers — Persecutions — Hungary and Tran- sylvania. Divine light has been widely diflfused by means of the Waldenses, and the Bohemian or Moravian brethren, who de- scended from the purer class of the Hussites. Luther's minis- terial labours w^ere soon heard of by these people; and so early as the year 1522, they sent deputies to him to recom- mend themselves to his friendship. Having examined their confession of faith, and finding scarcely any thing to which he * Fox's Martyrs. CHURCH HISTORX. 217 could object, Luther manifested much good-will to them. By the kings of Bohemia, Lewis and Ferdinand, these descendants of the Hussite confessors were grievously oppressed; yet, like the Hebrews in Egypt, " the more they were afflicted, the more they grew and multiplied." After the death of Luther, and their expulsion from their country in 1547, a new direction was given to their religious connexions, and the Bohemian brethren were scattered widely into the sur- rounding countries. Poland was visited, during the life of Luther, by some of his disciples, as well as by some Zuingiian divines from Switzerland ; and now three classes of reformers were found in this country, each of which adopted the fundamental prin- ciples of tlie Reformation, but diiFering in their views of the Lord's Supper. These classes were the Bohemian Brethren, the Lutherans, and the Zuinglians. Though instigated by the Pope, Sigismund Augustus, king of Poland, w^as not greatly disposed to persecute them, and they very much in- creased. Aware of the advantages which a people must derive from a full toleration in religion, he pronounced in 1563 a solemn promulgation of religious liberty. For the purpose of strengthening their religious bonds, and of defending themselves with the greater vigour against the papists, the Bohemians and Zuinglians, in 1555, commenced a union in the synod of Chrenick and Gulochow, and finished it in that of Gosmiuick. They then endeavoured to bring the Lutherans to unite with them, and agreed upon articles of confederation, in a synod, held at Sendomir in 1570, express- ing the disputed points, which each party might regard as im- portant, in moderate terms. These articles were repeatedly ratified in succeeding synods, until 1595, but perfect cordiality was not manifested by the Lutherans. Prussia, now a kingdom, at the time of the Reformation only a dukedom, received the light of evangelical truth from the Lutheran divines. Its vicinity to Saxony favoured the introduction of the doctrines taught by the reformers. Polentz, bishop of Samland, countenanced the gospel preachers, among whom were Sperat, Brisman, and Poliander, whose success in the ministry of the gospel was remarkable. 218 CHURCH HISTORY. Nicholas AmsdorfF, bishop of Nuremburg, was a zealous Lutheran. But, in Prussia, these devoted labourers were severely persecuted. Leonard Keyser, though only a student, was burnt; and also Peter Spengler, a faithful minister of Schalet. This useful man, after having preached a discourse on the words in John xvii. 21, " That they all may be one ; as thou. Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us," was drowned in the river. Hungary and Transylvania were partly enlightened by the Waldenses and Hussites ; and, at an early period, they were visited by some of the disciples of Luther, by whom numbers were engaged to renounce the errors of popery, and to embrace the truth of the gospel. The writings of Luther were eagerly sought, and diligently read ; and by the labours of Cyriac and his colleagues, large additions were made to the true church of Christ. Matthias Devay, assisted by several others, Zuinglians, were very successful in their ministry, and they were strength- ened in their work by Szegedin and other Calvinists. Differ- ences existed among these classes of Protestants in their view of the eucharist, and some uncharitable contentions ensued ; but, notwithstanding these, a large measure of eminent piety existed among these several denominations. CHAPTER VIL SWEDEN, DENMARK, AND NORWAY. Popery in Denmark and Sweden— Gustavus Vasa Ericson supports Protestant preachers — Public conference between popish and Protestant preachers— Domination of popery abolished— Denmark— Christian II. from policy coun- tenances the reformers— Frederick secures liberty in Denmark for every subject to choose his religion— Christian III. completes the Reformation. No countries, at the period of the Reformation, were more o-rievously oppressed by the power of the papacy than Den- mark and Sweden. The national wealth was swallowed up by the clergy, who had degraded the ancient nobility, and reduced them almost to poverty. The episcopal revenues equalled, or even exceeded those of the sovereign ; and the CHURCH HISTORY. 219 bishops possessed castles and fortresses, by which they set at defiance the power of the king. Their wealth occasioned the most shocking corruptions of manners; which, indeed, prepared the way for the Reformation, when their pernicious domination was overthrown. The Reformation was effected in both these countries under the patronage of the sovereigns. Gustavus Vasa Ericson, after many difficulties and sufferings, delivered his country from the usurpation and cruelties of Chris- tian II., king of Denmark, and was elevated to the throne in 1520. Having become acquainted with the Reformation, dur- ing the period of his exile, he favoured the Lutheran doctrines, which had been introduced iiito Sweden by Olaus Petri, and his brother Laurentius, both students under the great German reformer. Gustavus supported these zealous men in their labours, who, with the assistance of Lawrence Andreas, made a translation of the Scriptures into the vulgar tongue. The popish bishops opposed this work ; but the king urged them to j)ublish a translation of their own, that the people might be able to ascertain the truth. Peter Gallius, a zealous defender of popery, complaining of the new doctrines, Gustavus appointed a public conference between him and Olaus, which took place, and by it the Pro- testant cause was eminently served, as the Lutheran advocate gained a complete victory. The following year, 1527, Gus- tavus completed the Reformation at an assembly of the states. On that occasion, he is said to have declared, in reference to the popish opposition, " that he would lay down his sceptre, and retire from his kingdom, rather than rule a people enslaved to the order and authority of the Pope, and more controlled by the tyranny of their bishops, than by the laws of the monarch." The domination of popery was at once abolished, and the Reformation was established with but little difficulty. With the Lutheran doctrine, a reduced form of episcopacy was retained, and Laurentius Petri was appointed archbishop of Upsal. Denmark received the light of the Reformation about 1521. Christian II., though a monster of cruelty, desired to have his 220 CHURCH HISTORY. subjects instructed in the doctrines of Luther. He is believed to have desired this change, not from any love to the gospel of Christ, but that he might attain to the supremacy both in church and state, and that it might afford him a pretext for depriving the bishops of their extravagant authority and their great possessions. Christian first invited Martin Reinard, a pupil of Carlostadt, from Saxony, in 1520, and appointed him professor of divinity at Hafnia, This worthy divine dying the following year, the Danish monarch invited Carlostadt himself to fill that office. He accepted it, but stayed only a short time. In 1523 Chris- tian II. was deposed and banished, and his uncle Frederick, duke of Holstein, placed on the throne. He was a moderate prince, encouraging the Lutheran preachers, but suffering no violence to be used by either party. Frederick nobly served the cause of the Reformation by procuring an edict from the states that assembled at Odensee in 1527, which secured liberty to every subject of Denmark to choose his own religion. The Protestant ministers laboured with such zeal and suc- cess, that the Danes generally embraced their doctrine, doubt- less, many of them to the saving of their souls. Christian III., a prince equally distinguished for his piety and prudence, was honoured to complete this good work in Denmark. He commenced by a wise and righteous policy, taking the ill-gotten possessions from the clergy, and restoring them to the despoiled families and individuals who were their rightful ovmers. He then appointed for the whole kingdom a system of doctrine, discipline, and worship, drawn up by Bugenhagius, whom he had sent for from Wittemberg, on account of his eminent piety, learning, and moderation. All these arrangements received the solemn sanction of the states in 1539, in an assembly at Odensee. Norway, being incorporated with Denmark, shared in its fortune for- several centuries before this period, and the Lutheran doctrine was promulgated in that barren country fro ra Denmark. CHURCH HISTORY. 2-21 CHAPTER VIII. SPAIN AND PORTUGAL, Light from the Waldeiises penetrates Spain — Several chaplains and officers iu the army of Charles V., carry the gospel from Germany— Chaplains of the emperor martyred after his death — Prince Don Carlos put to death in prison for the gospel — Divines of Isidore college — Female martyrs in Spain. Darkness of the most gloomy character brooded over Spain and Portugal, at the period of the Reformation. Some zealous preachers had arisen in the middle of the fifteenth century, enlightened, it is supposed, by the Waldenses, from the south of France : but they were persecuted by the inquisitors, and some of them were burnt alive at Valladolid. By these shock- ing measures the light of eternal life was extinguished. Charles V., king of Spain and emperor of Germany, having constant intercourse with those countries in which the re- formers were carrying on their successful labours, brought his soldiers and chaplains into contact with the truth, and some of them received it as taught by Luther and his colleagues. In his zeal for popery, he called several of his most famous divines from Spain to confute the German reformers : but their attempts were vain as endeavouring to change the course of nature. Some of them carried back the Scripture doctrines, which their evidence had compelled them to embrace, and so preached the gospel of salvation to their countrymen. Juliano Fernando, a man of rank, obtained an edition of the Bible printed in Germany, which he conveyed to Spain for general circulation among the people. Truth, in this manner diffusing its sacred light, roused the vigilant agents of that dreadful tribunal, and the number of victims of the Inquisition was prodigious. Eight hundred are enumerated as prosecuted in a short period. Single executions would not satisfy the bigots ; twenty were honoured in martyrdom in one fire ! Charles V. himself, after the abdication of his crowns, is known to have inclined to the doctrines of the reformers; though while in his prosperity he had cruelly persecuted their preachers. There is little to doubt that he died believing iu u 3 22-2 CHURCH HISTORY. those saving truths : for many of the texts which Luther and the Protestants brought to prove the justification of a sinner by faith alone, were found written with his own hand, and stitched to the hangings and curtains of his bed. Besides, on his decease, the divines, who accompanied him in his retreat, were seized by the inquisitors. Pontius, his confessor, in whose arms he expired, was soon after thrown into prison on suspicion of heresy, and in that confinement he terminated his life. After his death he was condemned as a heretic, and his body was burnt, together with his books, which he had written against the Romish church. Dr. Augustine Cazella, one of the chaplains of the late em- peror, with thirteen others, among whom were his brother Francis, and his sister Blanche, and Herezulo, a lawyer of eminence, were burnt at the stake at Valladolid. Leonora, his mother, whose house was the place at which these reformers met for worship, died in prison. Leonora, the widow of Herezulo, after several years' imprisonment, shared the fate of her husband with the like constancy and Christian temper. Prince Don Carlos, son of Philip, king of Spain, had wit- nessed some of the executions of these good men; and mani- festing an inclination for the Protestant faith, by order of his own father, he was immured in a prison, and there privately put to death, as is believed, on a charge of heresy, which the Protestant faith was then called ! The college of Isidore, in the city of Seville, was honoured to furnish a noble company of martyrs. Numbers were awa- kened by the preaching of Dr. Egidius, whom Charles Y. had nominated bishop of Tortoza. But before his consecration to the episcopal dignity, he was imprisoned in the Inquisition. Dying in confinement, his bones were burnt as those of a here- tic. John Gonsalvo, converted by the ministry of Dr. Egidius, was a zealous preacher of the gospel, for which he was con- demned to the flames, and his sister with him. On the way to the place of execution, he sang part of the fifteenth Psalm ; and, exhorting his sister, he was heard to say, " Be of good courage, my dear sister, and hold fast the faith ;" on which account he was strangled. In the same city, Garcias Arias Blancao, a monk of St, Isidore, a violent persecutor, was con- ClIURCIi HISTORY. 223 verted to the true faith of Christ, and suffered at the stake. William Rove, one of the assistants of Tindale, in making the first English translation of the Bible, and Nicholas Burton, both Englishmen, were put to death in Portugal, for their attachment to the religious principles of the reformers. But the immortal honours of martyrdom were not limited to men : some of the noble army were furnished by women. Maria Bohonguia, a young lady of singular learning and piety, by reading the Latin Bible, had acquired much of it by heart, but for which she was sacrificed at the stake : her sister Jane, sunk under the severity of her tortures, and died in prison. By such measures of cruelty, bigotry prevented the Reformation in the proud kingdom of Spain. Mosheim ob- serves, " The Inquisition, which could not gain any footing in tlie kingdom of Naples, reigned triumphant in Spain ; and by racks, gibbets, stakes, and other such formidable instruments of its method of persuading, soon terrified the people back into popery, and suppressed the vehement desire they had of chang- ing a superstitious worship for a rational religion." CHAPTER IX. ENGLAND. SECTION I.— HENRY VIII. Lollards — Cardinal Wolsey — Henry VIII. ^^^ites against Luther— Declared Defender of the Faith — Quarrels with the Pope — Act of Parliament declares the king Head of the church of England — Lord Cromv/cU— Dr. Cranmer — Suppression of the monasteries— State of the nation— Cranmer made arch- bishop of Canterbury — Tindale translates the Bible— Its publication in Eng- land—Chained in the churches for general reading — Divine knowledge in- creased—Scriptures again suppressed. The Lollards, the followers of Wyckliffe, were far from extinct in England at the commencement of the sixteenth cen- tury. In the early part of it, the names of several were recorded who sealed their attachment to the truth of Christ by the blood of martyrdom, before Luther arose as a reformer in Germany. Dissent from the superstitions of the church of 2"24 CHURCH HISTORY. Rome was visited with the severest penalties ; and for teach- ing their children the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments, six men and a woman were brought to the stake in 1519, at Coventry, where all that was mortal of them perished. Cardinal Wolsey was then at the height of favour with the king, being his prime minister, as well as the papal legate. Luther's writings were eagerly and extensively read in Eng- land ; to prevent which, copies of them were publicly burnt by the cardinal after a solemn and pompous procession to St. Paul's in London. This measure awakened a spirit of inquiry for them, or made the people far more eager to read them, espe- cially after the king had become the antagonist of Luther, in 1521, by a book published in defence of the seven sacraments of the Romish church. The Pope was unbounded in his praises of the work ; and, as an acknowledgment, conferred on Henry the title which our kings at present take, " Defender of the*^ Faith." Strange as it may appear, the same Henry VIIL, "De- fender of the Faith" of the church of Rome, commenced, in a few years after, the Protestant Reformation of England ! Poli- tical motives determining the Pope to deny the king his repeated solicitation for a divorce from his queen, he threw otf the papal supremacy, and assumed to himself both the title and the authority of sole head of the English church. This new head of the church of England, however, did not reform the abuses of its constitution, nor restore the purity of Scripture doctrine. The principal alteration which he made in the constitution of the English church was, the transfer of the supremacy from the Pope to the king. The numerous antiscriptural popish dignities of the clergy were still retained. The doctrines of the Reformation were allowed only in part to be published. Denying transubstantiation, and teaching even the Lord's Prayer in English, were accounted crimes, for which, and similar repeated heresies, many devout and excel- lent Christians were brought to the stake by means of those inhuman beings, bishops Bonner and Gardiner. After the death of the ambitious prime minister, cai'dinal Wolsey, several beneficial alterations in the forms of religion CHURCH HISTORY. 225 were made from time to time, under the king-'s direction, he being in a great degree influenced by lord Cromwell, an able and upright statesman, and Dr. Cranmer, a man of distin- g'uished piety and zeal. Henry's extravagancies had drained his treasury, and made him necessitous ; and as the monks and friars were the greatest enemies to the claims of the king as the head of the church, and their lives being notoriously profligate and immoral, he at once suppressed all the monasteries throughout the kingdom ; seizing, for the use of the state, their splendid shrines and ill- gotten revenues, to an immense amount. This procedure, with some political measures of the past reign, threw such swarms of idle vagrants about the country, subsisting by begging, or robbing and plundering all they met, whether in woods or highways, that, during the reign of this reforming king, no less than seventy-three thousand persons were capitally convicted and executed ! Cranmer, being greatly in favour, was created archbishop of Canterbury; and he prevailed v/ith the king to sanction a translation of the Holy Scriptures, many copies of which had already been secretly circulated throughout the kingdom. This translation of the Scriptures had been made by the learned and pious William Tindale, who retired to the Con- tinent to accomplish that noble and benevolent work. He finished the Testament in 1526; and by the assistance of several lofty minds, the whole Bible in 1535. At the close of his important labours, being betrayed by Philip, an Englishman employed for that purpose by the papists, he triumphed in martyrdom, near Antwerp, in 1536, praying in the spirit of his Master, Christ, " Lord! open the eyes of the king of England." Tindale had been assisted by John Frith, 'William Roye, and John Rogers, who afterwards died martyrs, and by Miles Coverdale, the two latter of whom assisted Cranmer in pre- paring the new edition published in 1540. A copy of this Bible was ordered by the king to be chained, for general use, in every parish church in the kingdom, where crowds of people flocked to learn the true way of salvation, while one read for the instruction of the attentive multitude ! By this means evangelical knowledge and the power of god- 226 CHURCH HISTORY. liness evidently increased among the people ; but the work of reformation rather declined in the latter years of the king's life, partly through his capricious tyranny, and partly through the bigotry of the dignified clergy, all of whom, with very few exceptions, were papists, and consequently hostile to the pub- lication of the Scriptures. In 1543, therefore, it was enacted, " that the Bible shall not be read in English in any church. No women or artificers, apprentices, journeymen, serving-men, husbandmen, or labourers, shall read the New Testament in English. Nothing shall be taught or maintained contrary to the king's instructions. If any spiritual person shall be con- victed of preaching or maintaining any thing contrary to the king's instructions, made or hereafter to be made, he shall for the first offence recant, for the second bear a faggot, and for the third be burnt ! " SECTION II.— EDWARD VI. Piety of the king — The regents favour the Reformation — Exiles return to England — Ignorance of the clergy — Homilies prepared as a substitute for preaching — Liturgj- compiled from the popish mass-book — Itinerant preachers appointed to publish the gospel at fairs— Cranmer afraid to carry the Reform- ation to the standard of the Scriptures — The popish prelacy and clerical orders retained in the church of England — Dissenters called Puritans— King Ed- ward laments the imperfection of the Reformation — Still it is an incalculable blessing to the nation — Puritans— Lamentable conduct of Cranmer in perse- cuting—Tenderness of Edward— English reformers not all pious— Death of Edward. Edward VI., in the eleventh year of his age, ascended the throne of his father, Henry VIII. According to the writers of different parties, and who knew the young king, he was the wonder of his age for talents, and learning, and solid piety. He was a decided patron of the Reformation, which was sui> ported by his uncle, the duke of Somerset, lord protector of the king; by Cranmer; and by the greatest part of those whom Henry had left regents during the minority of Edward. The majority of the bishops and clergy were opposed to any alteration in religion : but the government was in the hands of those who were reformers. The work of reformation was CHURCH HISTORY. 227 prosecuted with vigour, under the direction of the king and council, assisted by Cranmer and a few select divines. Those who in the late reign had been imprisoned on account of religion, were released ; the persecuting laws were repealed ; the pious exiles returned, and learned reformers from the Con- tinent were invited into England. Such was the gross ignorance of the clergy throughout the kingdom, that few of them were capable of preaching or pray- ing; twelve homilies were therefore composed for them by Cranmer, to be read instead of preaching ; and for the public service of devotion, forms of prayer were prepared, which, to win the people, were translated principally from the popish mass-books then in use. By this means the reformers hoped gradually to w^ean the people from their old superstitions. In the mean time, some of the most eminent preachers in the universities were commissioned to itinerate, for the purpose of preaching in the churches, and in the fields at fairs, where multitudes became acquainted with the gospel of Christ to the salvation of their souls. Hugh Latimer and John Knox, the reformer of Scotland, were distinguished in this service. The reformers, in regulating the church of England, acknow- ledged the Scriptures to be the only rule both of doctrine and worship ; and to this standard they were generally desirous of reducing their ecclesiastical work. But they were afraid to proceed so far, especially with regard to the numerous orders of dignified clergy, and the ceremonies of public worship. Cranmer and his colleagues admitted, that only two orders of ministers in the church are sanctioned by the Scriptures, bishoj^s or presbyters, w^ho are pastors of single congregations, and deacons, officers chosen to manage the secular aftairs of those congregations. But still the numerous clerical orders of the popish system were retained in the church of England ; and, in the preface to one of the service-books, the reformers signified that they " had gone as far as they could in reforming the church, considering the times they lived in, and hoped they that came after them would, as they might, do more." It is said by a contemporary writer, " that Cranmer had drawn up a book of prayers a hundred times more perfect than that which was then in being ; but the same could not take place, 223 CHURCH HISTORY. for that he was matched with such a wicked clergy and con- vocation." King Edward, in his diary, lamented that " he could not restore the primitive discipline, because several of the bishops, some for age, some for ignorance, and some for their ill name, and some out of love to popery, were unwilling to it." The present measure of reformation, however, was an un- speakable blessing to the nation ; as by reading the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue, the pure doctrine of salvation by the mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ was made familiar to the people, who became intelligent converts from the delusions of popery. In reforming religion in England, those great men who were the labourers, were not unanimous in relation to their work ; several of them, Rogers and Hooper, with the king, wishing every unscriptural service and ceremony abolished. Dissenting from the rule, which was retained, of wearing the ridiculous clerical habits, some refused to wear them, as being grossly superstitious and popish. As these dissenters wished primitive purity, both in doctrine, worship, and discipline, they were denominated Puritans; and though they were generally of the number of the most learned and pious, they were doomed to suffer many inconveniences from those who insisted on perfect uniformity. Hooper refused to put on the popish habits ; and this was the cause of much hard usage to himself and his non- conforming brethren, and he was committed to the Fleet prison by Cranmer and Ridley, where he lay for several months ; but the affair was at length compromised, and, from his known orthodoxy and piety. Hooper was consecrated bishop of Gloucester. The conduct of Cranmer, in some particulars, was glaringly inconsistent. He had been a papist, a Lutheran, and now was a Calvinist in doctrine, and in each change he had been guilty of inexcusable cruelty. While he was a Lutheran, he consented to the burning of John Lambert and Anne Askew, for those very doctrines for which he himself afterwards suffered. He bore hard on the papists, stretching the law to keep their most active leaders in prison; and in 1549 he was guilty of the blood of a poor frantic woman, Joan Bocher, more fit for 1 CHURCH HISTORY. 229 bedlam than a stake. When the warrant for burning this poor woman as an Anabaptist was presented to king- Edward, to his eternal honour, he refused to sig-n it ; and Cranmer had much difficulty in persuading him to compliance, arguing from the practice of the Old Testament in stoning blasphemers, which rather silenced than satisfied the young and tender- hearted monarch. And when at last he yielded, he told the archbishop, with tears in his eyes, that if he did wrong, since it was in submission to his authority, he should answer for it to God; and though Cranmer was astonished at Edward's answer, yet he suffered the sentence to be executed ! From these facts, however, it is not to be inferred, that cruelty was a distinguishing characteristic of Cranmer. It is generally allowed, that he was a man of remarkable mildness and charity. Reli- gious liberty was not understood in that age, and some of the most excellent and pious men of those times, thought it right to punish those M'ho departed from the true faith. But to esteem all those who embraced the reformation, as belonging to the true church of Christ, would be a serious mistake. We must be guided by our Saviour's maxim, so far as we can apply it, " By their fruits ye shall know them." Political and interested motives, without the least sense of religion, influenced many who were numbered among the clergy. Yet, at this time, there were not a few in England who were " burning and shining lights " in their day, fervent in prayer, evangelical in doctrine, laborious in the discharge of their ministry, and illustrious examples of purity in their lives. There were others, and it is believed a large majority, who, while they complied with the most powerful party, professing zeal for the doctrines of grace, dishonoured them by an unfruitful, or even by a scandalous course of living. Edward VI. ardently desired the perfect and permanent establishment of the Reformation in England ; but this talented and religious prince died of consumption, January 6, 1553, in the seventeenth year of his age. Some of his last words were, " Lord God, deliver me out of this miserable and wretched life, and take me among thy chosen ; howbeit, not my will, but thine be done. Lord, I commit my spirit unto thee ; yet for thy chosen' s sake, send me life and health, that I may tmly 230 CHURCH HISTORY. serve thee. O my Lord God, bless my people, and save thine inheritance. O Lord God, save thy chosen people of England, defend this realm from papistry, and maintain thy true religion, that I and my people may praise thy holy name, for Jesus Christ his sake." SECTION III.— MARY. Mary a bigot papist — She adopts every measure to re-establish popery — Prisons filled with Protestants— Many flee abroad— Mary marries Philip of Spain- Persecution rages— Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley, degraded — John Rogers, the first martyr of this reign — Number of martyrs— Their character— Their behavioiir — Fox's " Book of Martyrs." Edward was succeeded on the throne of England by his sister Mary. She vi^as a consistent papist, and she submitted her conscience to be directed wholly by the Romish priests. Mary was a princess of the greatest superstition, bigotry, and cruelty, and a most determined and active enemy to the prin- ciples of the Reformation. Her reign was, in almost every respect, calamitous to the British nation. It exhibits a genuine picture of popery when united with ignorance and arbitrary power, and the record of it will be transmitted to posterity, characterised as the " bloody." As by the parliament of her father, Henry VI II., it had been enacted, that the sovereign is the supreme head of the Church of England, Mary took advantage of it immediately, and published a royal order prohibiting public preaching. By the same authority the popish mass was restored ; the married clergy were expelled from their livings, unless they put away their wives ; and the preachers were imprisoned. Many of the reformers, aware of the gathering storm, withdrew to foreign lands, at least to the number of eight hundred ; besides many hundreds of noblemen, merchants, and other persons of property, and foreign Protestants, who had settled in England. Most of those remaining at home, who had been distin- guished in the promotion of the Reformation, were soon apprehended, and the Tower was full of prisoners. Cranmer and Ridley, Latimer and Bradford, were privileged for a time CHURCH HISTORY. 231 to be confined in the same room. This afforded them an opportunity mutually to support and strengthen each other in their glorious course, and their correspondence shows the reality of their spiritual consolations. The queen, in 1354, married Philip, king of Spain, who, like herself, was a papist, and the most bigoted prince of that age. He brought into England an incredible quantity of money ; by which a parliament devoted to the court was procured. The laws against the Pope's authority in England were repealed ; and those against heresy, and for burning heretics, were revived. All was consternation among the professors of the reformed doctrines, and the terrible effects of these alterations were fatally experienced by those who adhered to the truth and doctrines of the gospel, as contained in the Holy Scriptures. After exposing archbishop Cranmer, and bishops Latimer and Ridley, to the most brutal scorn of the university of Oxford, to which place they were removed from the Tower, under pre- tence of disputing publicly concerning the peculiar points of doctrine between the Catholics and Protestants, the ruling- clergy commenced the bloody work of burning the servants of Christ. As their ancestors in persecution had thought and acted, so they determined. Their policy was to cut off both root and branch of Protestanism. They weakly reasoned, as many before had ignorantly done, that the horrors of the stake would terrify the most confirmed "gospeller" into an abjuration of his faith, and to a compliance with all the rites of popery. John Rogers, who had been appointed dean of St. Paul's, a famous preacher, was made the first example of their malicious zeal. He had assisted Tindale on the continent, ia the glorious work of translating the Scriptures, and now he joyfully sealed the precious doctrine of their sufficiency for salvation by the shedding of his blood. His murder in Smith- field was conducted with much formality by the sherifl^s of London, in the presence of an immense crowd of people. He was denied the favour of an interview with his weeping wife and his ten children ; but they accompanied him from the prison door to tha place of execution. It cannot be exactly ascertained how many suffered martyr- 232 CHURCH HISTORY. dom in this reign. No less than two hundred and seventy- seven, in different parts of the kingdom, are enumerated ; though some supposed there were four hundred, including those who died through imprisonment. Of these martyrs it is said, five were bishops, twenty-one clergymen, eight gentlemen, eighty-four tradesmen, a hundred husbandmen, labourers, and servants, fifty-five women, and four children. Besides these, there were fifty-four under prosecution, seven of whom were whipped, and sixteen perished in prison : the rest were patiently waiting for their fiery translation, but were mercifully released through the queen's death ! The characters and behaviour of the martyrs, especially their evident piety, patience, and triumph in death, excited a sur- prising interest among the people ; and many became, by this means, far more inclined to favour the truth. Archbishop Cranmer, bishops Ridley, Latimer, and Hooper, and Rogers, Laurence, Taylor, Philpot, and Bradford, were men of great fame for learning ; they were great preachers, men of scriptm'al piety, and of holy lives. These, and the martyrs generally, were favoured in their sufferings with the divine consolations of the Holy Spirit ; so that they preferred enduring the most grievous torments, to making a recantation of their principles, by doing which, many of them might have obtained their liberty. Our readers, especially our young friends, ought to be well acquainted with the history and principles of these holy men of God, these noble witnesses for the truth of Christ ; because the liberty and security which we now enjoy are some of the fruits of their labours and sufferings. But for more full information on these subjects, we must refer them to the detailed accounts in the " Book of Martyrs," by John Fox, who lived through the reign of queen Mary : or to the works c^* the reformers, published by the Religious Tract Society. CHURCH HISTORY. 233 SECTION IV.— ELIZABETH. Character of Elizabeth— She restores Protestantism — State of religion in this reign — Elizabeth fond of pomp and the popish ceremonies — Puritans perse- cuted— Several refuse bishoprics on account of the ceremonies — Others accept them in hope of a more scriptural reformation — Court prelates — Act of uniformity — Grievous persecutions — The court clergy procure the establish- ment of the Star Chamber and High Commission Courts — Manner of perse- cution—Deprivation of many eminent clergymen— Their sufferings— Illegal courts. Mary was succeeded in 1558 by her sister Elizabeth, a woman of extraordinary talents for government. These she employed successfully to advance her kingdom against the Pope, the French, and the king of Spain. Elizabeth was feared by all the sovereigns of Europe. She restored the Reformation, which her sister had laboured to destroy ; and she afforded efficient assistance to the Protestants in Germany, France, Scotland, and the Netherlands. Elizabeth, however, possessed no small measure of the bigotry of her father; and she exercised her power principally in supporting her royal prerogative, both in civil and eccle- siastical affairs, against all who presumed to dispute her decisions. The state of religion in England, during the reign of Eliza- beth, was far from being flourishing. On her accession to the throne the queen abolished the Pope's supremacy ; though she strongly inclined to the rites, discipline, and doctrines of the Catholics. This was evident to all, and she publicly thanked one of her chaplains for preaching in defence of the real pre- sence in the sacrament ! Elizabeth always affected great mag- nificence, and many of the popish ceremonies w^ere too conge- nial to her mind for her to allow of their abolition. Thinking that her brother had gone too far in stripping the ordinances of public worship, she could not be prevailed upon to go to the same extent of his reformation. Popery being again overturned, the exiles hastened back from the continent, professing the utmost Chistian charity towards each other : but only those who were willing to yield X 3 234 CHURCH HISTORY. their consciences to the decisions of the queen, and to comply with her serai-popish establishment, could obtain promotion, or even allowance in their ministry. The Puritans were dis- countenanced, forbidden to preach, and persecuted. Bishoprics were refused by Whitehead, Gilpin, Sampson, Miles Coverdale, the assistant of Tindale in translating the Bible, and who had been bishop of Exeter in the time of Edward, and John Knox, the reformer of Scotland, on account of the popish habits and ceremonies. Many who did accept them, did it with trem- bling, from the necessity of the times, indulging a vain and fruitless hope, that Elizabeth would yet be induced to amend the system. Among the latter were Parker, Grindal, Pilking- ton, and Sandys. It may appear strange that the pious reformers should be persecuted in a Protestant state : yet such was the melancholy fact. They were desirous of having the affairs of religion regulated by the decisions of the Holy Scriptures, as the only law of Jesus Christ : but to this law the queen would by no means yield. Some of the newly-created bishops, though agreed in opinion with the Puritans, thought it most prudent to comply with the queen's wishes, hoping that by degrees they should be able to effect a more evangelical reformation. But the court prelates, being chiefly zealous to advance their own order, carried matters with a high hand, and within six months after the queen's accession, they procured an act of parliament to enforce perfect uniformity in all the rites and ceremonies of public worship ! This Act of Uniformity, passed early in 1559, produced grievous effects in the church throughout this reign, because it served as a legal sanction to the inhuman persecutions of some of the bishops and archbishops. These, by injunctions to their clergy, by spies and informers, unworthy the proceed- ings of mere politicians, much less the character of Christian ministers, brought ^reat numbers before the " Star Chamber," and the " Court of High Commission," by whose authority they were imprisoned under pretence of disobedience to the queen's majesty, and of treating her authority with contempt. The popish clergy generally yielded full conformity to every thing that was required of them by their superiors ; but a con- CHURCH HISTORY. 235 siderable number of the most learned and pious could not in conscience adopt all the ceremonies, and obey the authoritative injunctions. The London ministers first were summoned before six of the bishops, when the lay chancellor addressed them, — " My masters, and the ministers of London, the coun- cil's pleasure is, that strictly ye keep the unity of apparel like this man, [pointing to Mr. Cole canonically habited,] as you see him : that is, a square cap, a scholar's gown, priest-like, a tippet, and in the church, a linen surplice : and inviolably observe the rubrick of the common Prayer, and the Queen's Majesty's injunctions, and the Book of Convocation. Ye that will presently subscribe, write, Volo. Those that will not subscribe, write. Nolo. Be brief; make no words." And when some would have spoken, the answer was, " Peace, Peace. Apparitor, call the churches. Masters, answer pre- sently, sub pcena conte7nptus, and set your names." Some yielded without objection, but others would not; and though the best preachers were among them, as acknowledged by the archbishop, they were suspended and deprived ; many of them having wives and children, were reduced to great distress ; some of them were taken as tutors to noblemen, while some again, like the persecuted apostles, continuing to preach the gospel to their people, were thrown into prison. The Protestant church of England thus became, in spii it and in practice, a correct counterpart of much in the worst operations of popery. It appears astonishing, that any professing to be the disciples of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, having his gospel in their hands, his example before their eyes, and avowedly governed by his Word, should, in direct opposition to his precepts, be- come persecutors. More especially that they should be per- secutors of men, whom themselves acknowledged to be pious, conscientious, and harmless ; and persecute them for a differ- ence of opinion on mere ceremonies ! Archbishops Parker and Whitgift were cruel enemies and oppressors of the Pu- ritans, who, from the late act, w^ere called Nonconformists ; employing the most dishonourable methods to hunt and im- prison them, by means of spies and informers ; and making new articles, contrary to the laws of the land, for their more 1 236 CHURCH HISTORY. certain conviction on being examined. The two courts already mentioned, favoured their unfeeling bigotry. Many of the Nonconformists petitioned in vain for liberty, after lying in prison for several years ; and many died through long con- finement, without being brought to trial, while their families were utterly ruined. The prelates carried their tyranny to such lengths, that the ministers of the queen's council some- times remonstrated with them on account of their proceedings, as both cruel and illegal. « The Star Chamber," and the " Court of High Commis^ sion," should be better known to all our young readers, that they may more dearly prize our present liberties. The former was a tribunal justly characterized in our days as " infamous," consisting of certain noblemen, bishops, judges, and counsel- lors, of the queen's nomination, by whom cases were decided without the intervention of a jury. In the latter part of this, and the following two reigns, this court sat constantly, and was so unmerciful in its decisions and punishments, that the whole nation exclaimed against it as a mark of the vilest slavery. The Court of High Commission was a new tribunal, erected for the purpose of discovering, as well as of punishing, the Nonconformists. Instead of producing witnesses in open court, to prove the charge alleged against a person, these ecclesiasti- cal commissioners assumed a power of administering an oath ex officioy by which the prisoner was obliged to answer all questions the court should put to him, and even to accuse himself, or his dearest friend or acquaintance. If he refused to swear, he was imprisoned for contempt; and if he took the oath, he was convicted from his own confession ; and the term of his imprisonment was determined, not by any law, but at the pleasure of the commissioners. Many were imprisoned for refusing to take the oath ; but to give a detail of the sufferings of the more conscientious part of the clergy, as inflicted by the High Commission and diocesan courts, would require volumes ! CHURCH HISTORY. 237 SECTION v.— ELIZABETH (Continued.) Review of the Articles and Liturgy— Parties — Puritan objections— Arguments of the Conformists— Nonconformists' defence— Origin of modern Independ- ents— Clergymen ejected— Dutch Anabaptists— Two of them martyred — Appeals to the queen to spare them. In 1562 a convocation of the clergy was called to review the Articles of the church of England. They had been drawn up by Cranmer, and ratified by the parliament in the reign of Edward VI. They were reduced from forty-two to thirty- nine, as at present. A remarkable clause, not found in Edward's articles, was inserted in the twentieth article; but how it was added or by whom, is not known : it was a piece of policy suited to the times to insert secretly in that article, " The church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies, and hath authority in controversies of faith. " The rites and ceremonies of the church came next under review, and the Puritans determined, if possible, by petition and remonstrance, to get these removed. Their petitions, though signed by a very great number of pious and learned theologians, were rejected by the convocation, after much warm discussion : the decision against them, however, was by a single proxy vote, fifty-eight being for adopting the prayer of the petitioners against the rites and ceremonies, and fifty-nine for continuing them. By so slender a majority was the ques- tion decided in favour of the present liturgy of the episcopal church, and the Nonconformists were compelled to form them- selves into a separate body." It must be observed here, that the Nonconformists were far more cordially attached to the doctrinal parts of the articles of the church of England, than the conforming clergy, as a body : but they objected to wear the popish clerical habits ; — to the church as a political corporation, being the creature of the state, by which its doctrines were defined and its ceremonies appointed ; — to the power of the bishops, they being elevated to the dignity of barons and lords, claiming superiority and exercising authority over their brethren in the ministry ; — to the long list of clerical orders ; — to the destructive power of 238 CHURCH HISTORY. the prelates in their spiritual courts ; — to kneeling at the Lord's Supper; — and to the reading of church lessons from the Apocrypha : all of which they maintained were contradictory to the institutions of the apostles of Christ, as contained in the New Testament, and subversive of pure Christianity. They objected to the many repetitions in the forms of prayer, not adapted to the existing circumstances of the congregations; and especially as free prayer — not the reading of forms — was the only manner of the first Christians, and still was the cus- tom of other Protestant churches : they objected to singing the prayers, as was the custom in cathedrals, as popish, and to several expressions in the baptismal and burial services. The ruling clergy justified their severities by pretending that the discipline of the church was not to be directed by the Scriptures, but by the writings of the primitive Fathers : that the things against which the Nonconformists objected were matters of an ividifferent nature, which the queen's authority was sufficient to establish, and to which they were bound to submit as to the laws of the land. But the Nonconformists replied, they were not matters of an indifferent nature which the queen's authority could ordain, and to which, as to the laws of the land, they were bound to yield obedience. They further contended, that the things opposed by them were contrary to the Scriptures, and that compliance would be sinning against the authority of Jesus Christ, whose word was alone binding upon them, independ- ently of any law, or of the contradictory decisions of the fathers. They declared they would cheerfully engage to render unreserved obedience to the sovereign, in all things of a civil nature, but could not submit their consciences even to royal authority. The ruling prelates then charged the dissenters with obstinacy, deserving severe punishment : but they replied, that such a charge was not founded in truth, any more than the charge of the papists against the Protestants was true, when they rejected the popish impositions ; or of the pagans against the primitive Christians, when they were in like manner accused of obstinacy. They seriously declared, that their firmness was only a pious determination to hold sacred the inspired decisions of the Word of God. CHURCH HISTORY. 239 After the ratification of the Articles, the bishops vigorously enforced subscription to them, and the liturgy, with the cere- monies of the church. In 1564, appeared the advertisements prepared by archbishop Parker with the concurrence of the other bishops, in order to secure a perfect uniformity in eccle- siastical matters. Conformity was enforced with so much severity, that several beneficed clergymen of the diocese of London, with others of the people, determined to separate from a church which allowed them no liberty in ceremonies ; that they might avoid those rites, which they believed to be antichristian and super- stitious, as they were acknowledged by all to be unscriptural. Hence originated the Congregational Independents in England. Assemblies were held by these Dissenters as Providence afforded them opportunities, in private houses ; or, like the Hebrews when persecuted, " in dens or caves of the earth," in fields or woods near the metropolis. In 1567, they hired a building in the city, with the intention of having a sermon and the Lord's Supper ; but they were surprised, and most of them taken by the officers, and sent to different prisons : they were continued in confinement till about two years after, when twenty-four men and seven women of that congregation were liberated by order of the council. From 1540 to 1574, a considerable number of ministers dis- tinguished for their learning and piety were deprived, excom- municated, or imprisoned, for refusing to subscribe to the ceremonies, and to observe them. " It is said, that in some counties nearly all the most faithful pastors were ejected ; whUe others of grossly immoral habits, and concealed Papists, were suffered to hold their livings, because they conformed." By proclamation, the queen commanded, that " all who should be found nonconformable in the smallest matter, should be immediately apprehended and cast into prison ; that all who should forbear coming to Common Prayer, and receiving the sacraments according to the said book, should be immediately presented and punished ; and that all, who should use any other rites, either in private houses or in public assemblies, or who should maintain in their houses any persons guilty of these things, should be punished with the utmost severity." 240 CHURCH HISTORY. The year 1375 is distinguished by a transaction, which reflects imperishable dishonour on the queen and the prelates. A congregation of Dutch Anabaptists being discovered at some place near Aldgate, twenty-seven persons were seized and committed to prison. Four recanted their opinions ; and, according to the custom of popery, they M^ere required to bear faggots on ther shoulders during sermon at Paul's Cross, as a token of their having received mercy from the church, when they deserved the stake! Eight w^ere banished; and two, who refused to recant their alleged errors, were ordered, as obstinate heretics, to suffer at the stake ! On this occasion, the Dutch residents in London, who were allowed to hold their meetings for religious worship according to the national plan, interceded with the queen, and entreated her to spare their deluded countrymen. But she gave them a positive refusal to their request. John Fox, though a Nonconformist, was a favourite with the queen, on account of his Martyrology, and he, in Latin, made an application to her on their behalf: but though his arguments appear sufficient to convince the most perverse judgment, and his appeals to her compassion, as a woman, appear calculated to soften the hardest heart, no- thing availed with the virgin queen ! A clergyman of our times asks, " What are we to think of those evangelical prelates, who sat in the High Commission Court and at the council table, a part of whose office it was to advise the queen ? Alas I that none could be found, who, on such an emergency, would give her correct information respecting the will of Christ, and assure her, that ' He, the Son of Man, was not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them ! ' A death-like silence reigned, and the law took its course." CHURCH HISTORY. 241 SECTION VI.- ELIZABETH (Continued.) Archbishop Wliitgift — Clergy ejected— Giles Wigginton — Independents — John Udall, Penry, Greenwood, and other Independents, martyred — Their number — Mr. Attorney Morrice— Some exiles remain at Geneva to make a new trans- tion of the Bible — True church in England — Survey of the parishes — The queen's opinion of preaching — Piety of the Nonconformists — Some pious bishops license the nonconforming clergy as lecturers — Prophesyings — Arch- bishop Grindal's defence of them — He prefers sermons above reading prayers and homilies. John Whitgift was consecrated archbishop of Canterbury in 1583, on the decease of the pious Grindal. After his eleva- tion he published three articles for every c'erg-yman to sub- scribe, declaring from his heart, his approbation of the whole Common Prayer, and the manner of ordaining bishops, priests, and deacons ; and that he will use no other than the public prayers. Numbers of pious clergymen were deprived through the imposition of these articles. Accounts state that sixty- four ministers were suspended in Norfolk, sixty in Suifolk, and thirty-eight in Essex, besides those in other counties. In be- half of these, several noblemen interceded with the queen and the archbishop, testifying that they were the most faithful, laborious, and useful preachers, while the ignorant and vicious M^ere retained. But their applications were fruitless ; though Burleigh, the lord-treasurer, reminded the archbishop that these vehement proceedings resembled the policy of the Romish Inquisition, instead of the actions of ministers of Jesus Christ. Among the numerous cases of prelatical oppression, that of Giles Wigginton, the laborious vicar of Sedburgh, in York- shire, may serve as an example. After having suffered many hardships in prison, for his nonconformity to the ceremonies, his health being greatly impaired, he was deprived of his " living." But having gained his liberty, and a partial renovation of his health, he visited his beloved flock, preaching to them from house to house the gospel of Christ, for which he was appre- hended and imprisoned in Lancaster castle. From this place he wrote to his patron. Sir Walter Mildmay, one of the privy council, entreating his influence in procuring his release, and the 242 CHURCH HISTORY. further reformation of the church. He says, " I was arrested at Burroughbridge by a pursuivant, and brought to this place, a distance of fifty miles, in this cold winter. I am here within the iron gate, in a cold room, among felons and condemned prisoners, and, in various ways, worse used than they, or recu- sant papists." Three things he mentions as lying near his heart, and as indispensable to the best interests of his countrj^- men. First, that faithful ministers may not be silenced by the prelates. Second, that real Christians may not be brought into trouble for rejecting the inventions of men. Third, that a learned and godly minister may be appointed to every con- gregation. Mr. Stubbs, a Puritan of Lincoln's Inn, having written a book against the danger which might attend the marriage of the queen with the duke of Anjou, a popish prince, was con- demned to lose his right hand as a libeller. The instant the blow was struck, he took off his hat with his other hand, and waving it in the air, cried, " God save the queen." On one occasion, lest the queen should yield to the Puritans, archbishop Whitgift threw himself on his knees before her majesty, and implored her to uphold the sinking church, and not suffer any alteration that would give men occasion to say, that she had maintained an error. Notwithstanding all the terrors employed against them, and the sufferings which were endured by surprising numbers, the Nonconformists greatly increased, including most of the popu- lation who were seriously disposed. The Independents were very numerous in 1586, when Robert Brown, a young clergyman of high family and daring character, preached their doctrines fearlessly through the country. From this man they were called Brownists.* Many * Brown was educated at Cambridge, but became a Nonconformist about 1580; and after officiating for some time to a congregation of Dissenters at Norwich, he went to Holland, and obtained leave to found an Independent church at Middleburgh. He returned to England in 1589, again conformed, and obtained preferment in Northamptonshire, the living of a church. He was a man of turbulent passions ; and, for an assault, he was committed to the county gaol, in which he died in 1630, aged eighty years, a dishonour to the Christian name. CHURCH HISTORY. 243 were the martyrs among the Independents. John Udall, one of their ministers, was tried in ]591, for having published a defence of their principles, entitled," A Demonstration of the Discipline which Christ hath prescribed in his Word for the Church, in all Times and Places, until the World's End." One of the judges telling him that his book was replete with sentiments inconsistent with established institutions, tending to the overthrow of the state, and the raising of rebellion, Udall replied, " My lords, that be far from me ; for we?teach that, re- forming things amiss, if the prince will not consent, the wea- pons that subjects are to fight with, are repentance and prayers, patience and tears." The judge offered him his life if he would recant ; and added, that he was now ready to pronounce sen- tence of death. " And I am ready to receive it," cried the magnanimous confessor; "for I protest before God, not know- ing that I am to live another hour, that the cause is good, and I am contented to receive sentence, so that I may leave it to posterity how I have suffered for his cause." Udall was condemned; but powerful friends at court ob- tained for him a conditional pardon, the terms of which were not adjusted before he died in prison ! Penry, Greenwood, Barrow, and Dennis, of w^hom the first two were clergymen, and the others laymen, were soon after tried on similar charges, and perished by the hands of the executioner. In vain a pardon was offered them on condition of recanting. Several others were hanged for dispersing the writings, and several for attending the ministry, of the Brownists. Queen Elizabeth being informed, by Dr. Reynolds, of the calm piety which these martyrs had displayed, and how they had blessed and prayed for their persecuting sovereign, her heart was touched with remorse, and she expressed regret at ha^ ing taken away their lives. But, urged forward by Whitgift, her haughty spirit soon arose to its usual elevation; and in 1593, only a few months after their martyrdom, a severer law was passed against the Puritans. Sir Walter Raleigh opposed the bill in the House of Commons ; on which occasion it was, that he stated, that the number of professed BroMuists alone amounted to twenty thousand in England ! Mr. Attorney Morrice, in 1592, moved in the House of 244 CHURCH HISTORY. Commons, to inquire into the proceedings of the bishops, and against the ex officio oath, in which he was supported by Sir Francis Knollys, treasurer of the queen's household, and by other distinguished persons ; but the queen imperiously forbad the House to meddle with ecclesiastical matters, it pertain- ing to her prerogative, as head of the church, to attend to those things ; and she charged the speaker, on his allegiance, not to read the motions ; and Morrice, for his presumption, though he is spoken of as a respectable character, was arrested ; and for several years he was imprisoned in Tutbury castle. Several of the Puritan exiles did not return, but remained at Geneva, to finish their translation of the Bible begun in the late reign. The translators were Coverdale, Goodman, Gibbs, Samson, Cole, Whittingham, and John Knox, of Scotland. They compared Tindal's old English Bible, first with the Hebrew, and then with the best modern translations ; and divided the chapters into verses, which the former translators had not done. Being published at Geneva, it was denominated the Geneva Bible. It was not allowed to be used or printed in England until 1576, on the death of archbishop Parker, because, in its notes, some reflections were made upon the hierarchy of the English church. This translation, however, was chiefly used in families ; and more than thirty editions of it were printed in as many years ; — such was the demand for it on account of its division into verses, marginal readings, annotations, and other useful helps. The condition of the true church of Christ in England, in the reign of Elizabeth, for the most part was truly deplorable; for the greater number of the clergy consisted of the ignorant Catholics, who conformed to all the alterations and changes of the times, but were unable to preach. Mr. Strype, a faithful historian, and himself a Churchman, gives an affecting account of it. He says, " The substantials being lost in contending for externals, the Churchmen heaped up many benefices upon themselves, and resided upon none, neglecting their cures. Among the laity, there was little devotion : the Lord's day was greatly profaned and little observed ; the common prayers were not frequented ; some lived without any service of God at all ; many were mere heathens or atheists : the queen's court CHURCH HISTORY. 240 was a harbour for atheists and epicures, and a kind of lawless place, because it stood in no parish." Suspensions of the nonconforming ministers, when it was found they omitted an}^ of the habits or ceremonies in perform- ing public worship ; fines and imprisonments of them for that offence continued with such rigour, that in a survey made by order of parliament in 1586, it was found there were no more than two thousand ministers, to serve nearly ten thoiisand parishes ; and few of those ministers were capable of preaching. Many churches, even in London, were shut up for want ot ministers, to the great grief of pious men, and the inexpressible pleasure of the papists, who exulted at seeing the reformers weakening their own hands, by silencing such numbers of the most useful and popular preachers, while the country was so seriously in want of them. " It was the opinion of the queen, that learning was per- nicious to the laity ; and she said that two or three preachers were sufficient for a whole county." Bishop Sandys, in a sermon before the queen, told her majesty, that " many of the people, especially in the northern parts, perished for want of saving food." « Many there are," says he, " that hear not u sermon in seven years, I might safely say in seventeen — their blood will be required at somebody's hands." The bishop of Bangor declared that he had " but two preachers in all liis diocess." It might be imagined, that such a course of persecuting jiolicy would have destroyed the Dissenters ; but the spirit of nonconformity did not only exist, it very greatly increased in the nation, notwithstanding the various and grievous oppres- sions which its conscientious advocates endured. Among them especially the church of Christ flourished ; just as it lia