vanity and a lie, and turned into derision all the absurdities of pagan superstition. It waged an exterminating war against all the sacrifices, temples, images, oracles, and sacerdotal orders of Greece and Rome; cut off an immense multitude of priests, of augurs, attendants and artists, from their ordinary means of subsistence; and was so simple in its form of worship, having no visible symbol of Deity, as to appear to the common people, little better than Atheism. By the Heathen, therefore, the Christians were accounted a detestable race; and the ingenuity of the priests was employed in increasing the public prejudice against them, by representing them as the cause of all the judgments of Heaven which descended upon mankind.

Ten general persecutions they are said to have suffered in the early ages of the Church; besides many that were limited to particular provinces. This exact number, however, it is difficult for us to verify; but we can specify two before the close of the first century, and others at the commencement of the second, in which the number of martyrdoms was prodigiously great, and the sufferings of Christians were beyond description.

The first persecution commenced under Nero, about the year of our Lord 64, and continued about four years. This inhuman monster set fire to the city of Rome, that he might have the pleasure of seeing the conflagration. The odium he incurred nearly cost him his head. To clear himself, he charged it upon the Christians, and inflicted upon them the most awful sufferings. The following account given by Tacitus, an heathen historian, is entitled to the fullest credit, and gives us many interesting and valuable particulars. But neither the emperor's donations, nor the atonements offered to the gods, could remove the scandal of this report, but it was still believed that the city had been burnt by his instigation. Nero, therefore, to put a stop to the rumour, charged the fact, and inflicted the severest punishments for it upon the Christians, as they were commonly called; a people detestable for their crimes. The author of this sect was Christ, who was put to death by Pontius Pilate. The destructive superstition which was by this means suppressed for the present, soon broke out again, and not only overspread Judea, where it first arose, but reached even to Rome, where all abominations from every quarter are sure to meet and to find acceptance. Some who confessed themselves Christians, were first apprehended, and a vast multitude afterwards upon their impeachment, who were condemned, not so much for burning the city, as for being the objects of universal

hatred. Their sufferings and torments were heightened by mockery and derision. Some were enclosed in the skins of wild beasts, that they might be torn in pieces by dogs; others were crucified; and others, being covered with inflammable matter, were lighted up as torches at the close of the day. These spectacles were exhibited in Nero's gardens, where he held a kind of Circensian show, either mixing with the populace in the habit of a charioteer, or himself contending in the race, Hence it came to pass that, criminal and undeserving of mercy as they were, yet they were pitied as being destroyed merely to gratify his savage and cruel disposition, and not with any view to the public good."

Tacitus had the common feeling about Christianity as a destructive superstition, and about Christians as undeserving of mercy; but his testimony shows the extent and horror of the persecution, and the pity excited in the minds of the people. This persecution ceased at the death of Nero, who destroyed himself; he having been condemned by a decree of the senate, to be whipped to death.

In this persecution Paul and Peter suffered martyrdom. The former, after his two years imprisonment at Rome, once more visited and confirmed the Churches; but, returning to Rome, about the year 65, he found no mercy from Nero. He had converted to the faith the tyrant's concubine and cupbearer, and had displayed before him the terrors of the judgment. Such a man was not to be tolerated. He was slain with the sword, by Nero's order.

Peter probably* came to Rome, about the year 63. Here he wrote his two epistles. During the violence of persecution, the brethren begged him to retreat. But he chose to remain, warned of his end, it is reported, in a vision by Christ. He was crucified with his head downward-a kind of death which he requested, because he had denied his Lord and Master.

A second general persecution broke out about 94 under Domitian; a princc greatly resembling Nero. in his temper and conduct. He almost extirpated the Church by his cruelties. Forty thousand Christians were put to death. By him the Apostle John was banished to the isle of Patmos, where he had his revelations. By him also Flavius Clemens, a man of consular dignity, and Flavia Domitilla, his niece or wife, who had become distinguished Christians, were put to death.

* It is thought by many that Peter never came to Rome, but spent his life in the East.

Opposition of a deadly character also arose against the Church, from another quarter, in the early stage of its existence. Pretended friends rested in her bosom, who propagated doctrines utterly subversive of the Gospel of Christ. Ter

tullian and Theodoret reduce them to two classes, the Docetae and the Ebionites. The former denied the supreme divinity of Christ, and also that the Son of God had any proper humanity, and asserted that he died on the cross in appearance only. The latter asserted that Jesus Christ was a mere man, though of a most excellent character They both denied atonement by his blood, and expected justification, by their own works. Among the former were the Nicolaitans, whom Christ himself mentions to John with utter abhorrence. They had many disgusting peculiarities; allowed a community of wives, and indulged themselves without restraint in sensual pleasures. Against these heresies, John wrote his epistle in which he fully asserts the real proper divinity of the Saviour. The Ebionites considered the law of Moses as obligatory upon all men, and as bringing salvation. They by their activity and zeal in propagating error and perplexing the early Christians, drew from Paul some of his best epistles. The watchfulness and power of the Apostles, and the care shown by the friends of truth and godliness, to keep themselves distinct from all who perverted the Gospel, preserved the churches from destruction.

CHAPTER VI.

General state of the Church from the first century to Constantine. Extension of the Gospel. Change of means. Persecution in Bithynia. Pliny's letter to Trajan. Writings of Clement. Death of Simeon. Martyrdom of Ignatius. Favourable decree of Adrian. Sufferings under Barchobebas. Favourable decree of Antonius Pius. Persecutions under Marcus. Justin Martyr. Polycarp. Persecutions in France. Rest to the Churches under Commodus. Corruptions of the second century. Increase of Rites and Ceremonies. Easter.

THE history of the Church of Christ, from the close of the first century to the commencement of the fourth, is one of continual enlargement, but of gradual and deep declension in doctrine and holy practice; and of awful suffering from the fires of

persecution. It was not, as it had been under the ancient dispensation, a distinct nation, governed by its own rulers and laws, appointed by God; but it was composed of a vast multitude, who lived in all parts of the Roman empire, who had been persuaded to renounce idolatry, and enlist under the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ; and who were united in small associations or churches-each enjoying the ministration of the Gospel and Christian ordinances from a stated pastor. At an early period. these churches associated in the various provinces and districts for their mutual support and edification; and it became one of the natural consequences of frequent assemblies of their pastors and delegates in council, for him, who was stationed in the metropolis, to gain and hold a kind of pre-eminence over his brethren in the surrounding country, and to be their presiding elder and overseer Hence the parity which Christ had established among his ministers, was destroyed; and the office of Bishop was established, which, before the close of the period above alluded to, became one of immense power in the Church.

Every year, converts to Christianity were prodigiously multiplied, until one of the Fathers could say, We have filled all your towns, cities, islands. castles, boroughs, councils, camps, courts, palaces, senate, forum:" but we have no means of correctly ascertaining the exact time when the Gospel was carried to various distant nations, or who were, in all cases, the favoured instruments of disseminating the truth. We have already seen with what amazing rapidity it spread during the ministry of the Apostles. But it is not like an art or a science which mankind find useful to themselves, and which is no sooner known by one nation, than it is carefully sought for and possessed by every other. It must be carried to the world, and pressed upon their notice by those who possess it; and it will be carried by those only who are constrained by the love of Christ. Had the Church retained her first zeal and love, not a nation nor family would long have remained without the Gospel. But her love and zeal subsided, until few efforts were made to bring men to the acknowledgment of Christ, except for purposes of worldly ambition. It is certain, however, that Christ was known and worshipped as God, among the Franks, Germans, Spaniards, Celts, Britons, and throughout the East, before the close of the second century; and that, at the end of the period we are considering, Christianity became the acknowledged religion of the whole Roman empire.

As the Church advanced in age, and became widely extended,

the means of increase and strength were in some respects changed. The Apostolic office had ceased. The sacred canon being closed. prophets were no more. As the Gospel was received by different nations, among whom preachers were raised up, there was no farther use for the miraculous gift of tongues. And as it was essential that the world should be convinced by miracles that Christ and the first promulgators of truth only, were inspired from heaven, the power of healing diseases and interrupting the established laws of nature was soon withheld; at what exact period, has been the subject of much dispute, but is of little moment. One thing is certain, that men are converted by the Gospel, by evangelical truth, and not by miracles; and that, as far as true religion was spread, and men were gathered into the kingdom of God, it was by the preaching of Christ and him crucified. This remained the standing means of salvation.

Copies of the sacred Scriptures were multiplied and circulated to as great an extent, as they could be in an age when the art of printing was unknown, and the mass of Christians were neither learned nor wealthy. The Latin versions were chiefly used; because that language was generally spoken throughout the Roman empire.

Most of the emperors who reigned in the second century, were of a mild and lenient character; and, under their administration, the churches enjoyed many seasons of tranquillity, though occasionally, they were called to pass through the fire. Before the close of the first century, Nerva had granted toleration to the Church, and restored the Christian exiles. But his successor, Trajan, renowned for his philosophic virtues, if he did not issue edicts against the Christians, suffered the populace to wreak their vengeance on them, and destroy them at their pleasure.

A violent persecution raged in Bithynia. Not knowing what course to pursue, Pliny, governor of the province, addressed a letter to the emperor, which, as it gives such an account of the Christians as a heathen of intelligence and candour would form, e and an official relation of the persecutions of the age, deserves, together with the answer of Trajan, a place in every ecclesiastical history. It was probably written in the year 106 or 107, soon after the death of the apostle John.

C. PLINY TO Trajan, Emperor.

"Health. It is my usual custom, Sir, to refer all things, of

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