mortality to the human race, he ascended into heaven, in their presence, and resumed the enjoyment of that glory which he had possessed before the worlds were created.

CHAPTER IV.

Concerning the prosperous Events that happened

to the Church during this Century.

rately perished by his own hands, a man endowed with such degrees of sanctity and wisdom, as were necessary in a station of such high importance. When therefore they had assembled the Christians who were then at Jerusalem, two men remarkable for their piety and faith, were proposed as the most worthy

to stand candidates for this sacred office. These men were Matthias and Barnabas, the former of whom was, either by lot, (which is the most general opinion,) or by a plurality of voices of the assembly there present, chosen to the dignity of an apostle.*

For

I. JESUS, having ascended into heaven, soon showed the afflicted disciples, that, though invisible to mortal eyes, he was still their omnipotent protector, and their benevolent guide. About fifty days after his departure from them IV. All these apostles were men without he gave them the first proof of that majesty education, and absolutely ignorant of letters and power to which he was exalted, by the ef- and philosophy; and yet in the infancy of the fusion of the Holy Ghost upon them according Christian church, it was necessary that there to his promise.* The consequences of this should be at least, some one defender of the grand event were surprising and glorious, in- Gospel, who, versed in the learned arts, might finitely honourable to the Christian religion, be able to combat the Jewish doctors and the and the divine mission of its triumphant au- pagan philosophers with their own arms. thor. For no sooner had the apostles received this purpose, Jesus himself, by an extraordinary this precious gift, this celestial guide, than voice from heaven, called to his service a their ignorance was turned into light, their thirteenth apostle, whose name was Saul (afdoubts into certainty, their fears into a firm terwards Paul,) and whose acquaintance both and invincible fortitude, and their former back-with Jewish and Grecian learning was very wardness into an ardent and inextinguishable zeal, which led them to undertake their sacred office with the utmost intrepidity and alacrity of mind. This marvellous event was attended with a variety of gifts; particularly the gift of tongues, so indispensably necessary to qualify the apostles to preach the Gospel to the different nations. These holy apostles were also filled with a perfect persuasion, founded on Christ's express promise, that the Divine presence would perpetually accompany them, and show itself by miraculous interpositions, as often as the state of their ministry should render this necessary.

considerable. This extraordinary man, 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 possessed an invincible courage, an amazing force of genius, and a spirit of patience, which no fatigue could overcome, and which no sufferings or 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.

II. Relying upon these celestial succours, the V. The first Christian church, founded by apostles began their glorious ministry, by the apostles, was that of Jerusalem, the model preaching the Gospel, according to Christ's of all those which were afterwards erected positive command, first to the Jews, and by during the first century. This church was, endeavouring to bring that deluded people to indeed, governed by the apostles themselves, the knowledge of the truth. Nor were their to whom both the elders, and those who were labours unsuccessful, since, in a very short time, entrusted with the care of the poor, even the many thousands were converted, by the influ- deacons, were subject. The people, though ence of their ministry, to the Christian faith. they had not abandoned the Jewish worship, From the Jews, they passed to the Samaritans, held, however, separate assemblies, in which to whom they preached with such efficacy, that they were instructed by the apostles and elders, great numbers of that nation acknowledged prayed together, celebrated the holy Supper in the Messiah.§ And, when they had exercised remembrance of Christ, of his death and suftheir ministry, during several years, at Jerusa-||ferings, and the salvation offered to mankind lem, and brought to a sufficient degree of con- through him; and at the conclusion of these sistence and maturity the Christian churches meetings, they testified their mutual love, which were founded in Palestine and the adja-partly by their liberality to the poor, and partly cent countries, they extended their views, carried the divine lamp of the Gospel to all the nations of the world, and saw their labours crowned almost every where, with the most abundant fruits.

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by sober and friendly repasts, which thence were called feasts of charity. Among the virtues which distinguished the rising church in this its infancy, that of charity to the poor and needy shone in the first rank, and with the brightest lustre. The rich supplied the wants of their indigent brethren with such liberality and readiness, that, as St. Luke tells us, among the primitive disciples of Christ, all things were in common.§ This expression has, however, been greatly abused, and has been

his apostles, that the emperor Tiberius is said to have proposed his being enrolled among the gods of Rome, which the opposition of the

made to signify a community of rights, goods, or possessions, than which interpretation nothing is more groundless or more false; for, from a multitude of reasons, as well as from the ex-senate prevented from taking effect. Many press words of St. Peter, it is abundantly manifest that the community, which is implied in mutual use and mutual liberality, is the only thing intended in this passage.f

have doubted of the truth of this story: there are, however, several authors of the first note who have declared, that the reasons alleged for its truth are such as have removed their doubts, and appeared to them satisfactory and conclusive.*

VI. The apostles, having finished their work at Jerusalem, went to diffuse their labours among other nations, visited with that intent a VIII. When we consider the rapid progress great part of the known world, and in a short of Christianity among the Gentile nations, tire planted a vast number of churches among and the poor and feeble instruments by which the Gentiles. Several of these are mentioned this great and amazing event was immediately in the sacred writings, particularly in the Acts effected, we must naturally have recourse to of the Apostles; though these are, undoubtedly, an omnipotent and invisible hand, as its true or y a small part of the churches which were and proper cause. For, unless we suppose founded, either by the apostles themselves, or here a divine interposition, how was it possible by their disciples under their immediate direc- that men, destitute of all human aid, without tion. The distance of time, and the want of credit or riches, learning or eloquence, could, records, leave us at a loss with respect to many in so short a time, persuade a considerable part interesting circumstances of the peregrinations of mankind to abandon the religion of their of the apostles; nor have we any certain or ancestors? How was it possible, that a handprecise accounts of the limits of their voyages, ful of apostles, who, as fishermen and publi of the particular countries where they so- cans, must have been contemned by their own journed, or of the times and places in which nation, and as Jews, must have been odious te they finished their glorious course. The stories all others, could engage the learned and the that are told concerning their arrival and ex- mighty, as well as the simple and those of ploits among the Gauls, Britons, Spaniards, low degree, to forsake their favourite prejuGermans, Americans, Chinese, Indians, and dices, and to embrace a new religion which Russians, are too romantic in their nature, and was an enemy to their corrupt passions? And, f too recent a date, to be received by an im- indeed, there were undoubted marks of a cepartial inquirer after truth. The greatest lestial power perpetually attending their mipart of these fables were forged after the time nistry. Their very language possessed an inof Charlemagne, when most of the Christian credible energy, an amazing power of sending churches contended about the antiquity of their light into the understanding and conviction origin with as much vehemence as the Arcadi- into the heart. To this were added, the com ans, Egyptians, Greeks, and other nations, dis-manding influence of stupenduous miracles, puted formerly about their seniority and precedence.

VII. At the same time, the beauty and excellence of the Christian religion excited the admiration of the reflecting part of mankind, wherever the apostles directed their course. Many, who were not willing to adopt the whole of its doctrines, were, nevertheless, as appears from undoubted records, so struck with the account of Christ's life and actions, and so charmed with the sublime purity of his precepts, that they ranked him in the number of the greatest heroes, or even among the gods themselves. Great numbers kept with the utmost care, in their houses, pictures or images of the divine Redeemer and his apostles, which they treated with the highest marks of veneration and respect. And so illustrious was the fame of his power after his resurrection, and of the miraculous gifts shed upon

*Acts v. 4.

This is proved with the strongest evidence by Dr. Mosheim, in a dissertation concerning the true nature of that community of goods, which is said to have taken place in the church of Jerusalem. This learned discourse is to be found in the second volume of our author's incomparable work, entitled, Dissertationes ad Historiam Ecclesiasticam pertinentes.

The names of the churches planted by the apostles in different countries, are specified in a work of Phil. James Hartman, de rebus gestis Christianorum sub Apostolis, cap. vii. and also in that of F. Albert Fabricius, entitled, Lux Evangelii toti orbi exoriens, cap. v.

This is particularly mentioned by Eusebius, Hist. Ecl. lib. vii. cap. xviii. and by Irenæus libi e, xxv.

the foretelling of future events, the power of discerning the secret thoughts and intentions of the heart, a magnanimity superior to all difficulties, a contempt of riches and honours, a serene tranquillity in the face of death, and an invincible patience under torments still more dreadful than death itself; and all this accompanied with lives free from stain, and adorned with the constant practice of sublime

tum referre voluit in numerum Deorum; as also a very *See Theod. Hasæus, de decreto Tiberii, quo Chris learned letter, written in defence of the truth of this fact, by the celebrated Christopher Ielius, and published in the Bibliotheque Germanique, tom. xxxii. We may add to this note of Dr. Mosheim, that the late learned ous pamphlet on this subject, entitled, Disquisito Historiprofessor Altmann published at Bern, in 1755, an ingeni co-critica de Epistola Pontii Pilati ad Tiberiun, qua Christi Miracula, Mors, et Resurrectio, recensebantur which some have attributed to Pilate, and which is extant This author makes it appear, that though the letter. in several authors, be manifestly spurious, yet it is no less certain, that Pilate sent to Tiberius an account of the death and resurrection of Christ. See the Biblioth. des Sciences et des beaux Arts, published at the Hague, tome vi. This matter has been examined with his usual diligence and accuracy by the learned Dr. Lardner, in the third volume of his Collection of Jewish and Heathen Testimonies to the truth of the Christian Religion. He thinks that the testimonies of Justin Martyr and Tertul. lian, who, in apologies for Christianity, presented or at least addressed to the emperor and senate of Rome, or to magistrates of high authority in the empire, affirm, that Pilate sent to Tiberius an account of the death and resurrection of Christ, deserve some regard; though some writers, and particularly Orosius, have made such alterations and additions in the original narration of Ter tullian, as tend to diminish the credibility of the whole. I

*The martyrdom of Stephen is recorded in the acts of the Apostles, vii. 55; and that of James the son of ZebeI. THE innocence and virtue that dis-dee, Acts xii. 1, 2; that of James the Just is mentioned tinguished so eminently the lives of Christ's by Josephus in his Jewish Antiquities, book xx. chap. viii. and by Eusebius, in his Eccles. History, look ii. chap. *See Pfanner's learned treatise, De Charismatibus xxiii. sive Donis miraculosis antique Ecclesiæ, published at Francfort, 1683.

sword, and the greatest part of those that remained to groan under the yoke of a severe bondage. Nothing can be more affecting than the account of this terrible event, and the circumstantial description of the tremendous calamities which attended it, as they are given by Josephus, himself a Jew, and also a spectator of this horrid scene. From this period the Jews experienced, in every place, the hatred and contempt of the Gentile nations, still more than they had formerly done; and in these their calamities, the predictions of Christ were aniply fulfilled, and his divine mission farther illustrated.

quire, how it happened that the Romans, who were troublesome to no nation on account of its religion, and who suffered even the Jews to live under their own laws, and follow their own method of worship, treated the Christians alone with such severity. This important question seems still more difficult to be solved, when we consider, that the excellent nature of the Christian religion, and its admirable tendency to promote both the public welfare of the state, and the private felicity of the individual, entitled it, in a singular manner, to the favour and protection of the reigning powers. A principal reason of the severity with which the Romans persecuted the Christians, notwithstanding these considerations, seems to have been the abhorrence and contempt felt by the latter for the religion of the empire, which was so intimately connected with the form, and indeed, with the very essence of its political constitution; for, though the Romans gave an unlimited toleration to all religions which had nothing in their tenets dangerous to the commonwealth, yet they would not permit that of their ancestors, which was established by the laws of the state, to be turned into derision, nor the people to be drawn away from their at

IV. However virulent the Jews were against the Christians, yet, on many occasions, they wanted power to execute their cruel purposes. This was not the case with the heathen nations; and, therefore, from them the Christians suffered the severest calamities. The Romans are said to have pursued the Christians with the utmost violence in ten persecutions;* but this number is not verified by the ancient history of the church; for if, by these persecutions, auch only are meant as were extremely severe and universal throughout the empire, then it is certain, that these amount not to the number above mentioned; and, if we take the provin-tachment to it. These, however, were the two cial and less remarkable persecutions into the account, they far exceed it. In the fifth century, certain Christians were led by some passages of the Scriptures, and by one especially in the Revelations, to imagine that the church was to suffer ten calamities of a most grievous nature. To this notion, therefore, they endeavoured, though not all in the same way, to accommodate the language of history, even against the testimony of those ancient records, from which alone history can speak with authority.‡

things which the Christians were charged with, and that justly, though to their honour. They dared to ridicule the absurdities of the pagan superstition, and they were ardent and assiduous in gaining proselytes to the truth. Nor did they only attack the religion of Rome, but also all the different shapes and forms under which superstition appeared in the various countries where they exercised their ministry. Hence the Romans concluded, that the Christian sect was not only insupportably daring and arrogant, but, moreover, an enemy to the public tranquillity, and ever ready to excite civil wars and commotions in the empire. It is probably on this account, that Tacitus reproaches them with the odious character of haiers of mankind,* and styles the religion of Jesus a destructive superstition; and that Suetonius speaks of the Christians, and their doctrine, in terms of the same kind.

V. Nero was the first emperor who enacted laws against the Christians. In this he was followed by Domitian, Marcus Antoninus the philosopher, Severus, and the other emperors who indulged the prejudices they had imbibed against the disciples of Jesus. All the edicts of these different princes were not, however, equally unjust, nor framed with the same views, or for the same reasons. Were they now extant as they were collected by the celebrated lawyer Domitius, in his book concerning the duty of a proconsul, they would undoubtedly cast a great light upon the history of the church, under the persecuting emperors. At present, we must, in many cases, be satisfied'cient to bring upon them the reproaches of an with probable conjectures, for want of certain evidence.

VI. Before we proceed in this part of our history, a very natural curiosity calls us to in

*The learned J. Albert Fabricius has given us a list of the authors who have written concerning these persecutiona, in his Lux Evangelii toti Orbi exoriens, cap vii. † Rev. xvii. 14.

Sec Sulpitius Severus, book ii. ch. xxxiii. as also Augustin, de Civitate Dei, book xviii. ch. lii.

The collection of the imperial edicts against the Christians, made by Domitius, and now lost, is mentioned by Lactantius, in his Divine Institutes, book v. chap. xi. Such of these edicts as have escaped the ruins of time, are learnedly illustrated by Franc. Balduinus, in his Comment. ad Edicta veterry Principum Romanorum de Christian's

VII. Another circumstance that irritated the Romans against the Christians, was the simpli city of their worship, which resembled in nothing the sacred rites of any other people. They had no sacrifices, temples, images, oracles, or sacerdotal orders; and this was suffi

ignorant multitude, who imagined that there I could be no religion without these. Thus they were looked upon as a sort of atheists; and, by the Roman laws, those who were chargeable with atheism were declared the pests of human society. But this was not all: the sordid in

*Annal. lib. xv. cap. xliv.

In Nerone, cap. xvi. These odious epithets, which Tacitus gives to the Christians and their religion, as likewise the language of Suetonius, who calls Christianity a poisonous or malignant superstition (malefica superstitio,) are founded upon the same reasons. A sect, which could not endure, and even laboured to abolish, the religious practices of the Romans, and also those of all the other nations of the universe, appeared to the short-sighted and superficial observers of religious matters, as the determined enemies of mankind.

terests of a multitude of lazy and selfish priests were immediately connected with the ruin and oppression of the, Christian cause. The public worship of such an immense number of deities was a source of subsistence, and even of riches, to the whole rabble of priests and augurs, and also to a multitude of merchants and artists. And, as the progress of the gospel areatened the ruin of that religious traffic, this consideration raised up new enemies to the Christians, and armed the rage of mercenary superstition against their lives and their cause.*

they prevent their punishment by apostacy; under another, we see inhuman magistrates endeavouring to compel them, by all sorts of tortures, to renounce their religious profession. X. All who, in the perilous times of the church, fell by the hand of bloody persecution, and expired in the cause of the divine Saviour, were called martyrs; a term borrowed from the sacred writings, signifying witnesses, and thus expressing the glorious testimony which these magnanimous believers bore to the truth. The title of confessor was given to such, as, in the face of death, and at the expense of honours, fortune, and all the other advantages of the world, had confessed with fortitude, before the Roman tribunals, their firm attachment to the religion of Jesus. Great was the veneration that was paid both to martyrs and confessors; and there was, no doubt, as much wisdom as justice in treating with profound respect these Christian heroes, since nothing was more adapted to encourage others to suffer with cheerful ness in the cause of Christ. But, as the best and wisest institutions are generally perverted, by the weakness or corruption of men, from their original purposes, so the authority and privileges granted, in the beginning, to martyrs and confessors, became in process of time, a support to superstition, an incentive to enthusiasm, and a source of innumerable evils and abuses.

VIII. To accomplish more speedily the ruin of the Christians, all those persons whose interests were incompatible with the progress of the gospel, loaded them with the most opprobrious calumnies, which were too easily received as truth, by the credulous and unthinking multitude, among whom they were dispersed with the utmost industry. We find a sufficient account of these perfidious and illgrounded reproaches in the writings of the first defenders of the Christian cause. And these, indeed, were the only arms the assailants had to oppose the truth, since the excellence of the Gospel, and the virtue of its ministers and followers, left to its enemies no resources but calumny and persecution. Nothing can be imagined, in point of virulence and fury, that they did not employ for the ruin of the Christians. They even went so far as to persuade the multitude, that all the calamities, wars, tempests, XI. The first three or four ages of the church and diseases that afflicted mankind, were judg-||were stained with the blood of martyrs, who ments sent down by the angry gods, because the Christians, who contemned their authority, were suffered in the empire.‡

IX. The various kinds of punishment, both capital and corrective, which were employed against the Christians, are particularly described by learned men who have written professedly on that subject.§ The forms of proceed-|| ing, used in their condemnation, may be seen in the Acts of the Martyrs, in the letters of Pliny and Trajan, and other ancient monuments. These judicial forms were very different at different times, and changed, naturally, according to the mildness or severity of the laws enacted by the different emperors against the Christians. Thus, at one time, we observe appearances of the most diligent search after the followers of Christ; at another, we find all perquisition suspended, and positive accusation and information only allowed. Under one reign we see them, on their being proved Christians, or their confessing themselves such, immediately dragged away to execution, unless

This observation is verified by the story of Demetrius the silversmith, Acts xix. 25, and by the foilowing pasare in the 97th letter of the xth book of Pliny's epistles; The temples, which were almost deserted, begin to be frequented again; and the sacred rites, which have been lng neglected, are again performed. The victims, which h we had hitherto few purchasers, begin to come again to

the market," &c.

See the laborious work of Christ. Kortholt, entitled, Paganus Obtrectator, seu de Calumniis Gentilium in Christianos; to which may be added, Jo. Jac. Huldricus, de Calumniis Gentilium in Christianos, published at Zu

rich in 1744.

suffered for the name of Jesus. The greatness of their number is acknowledged by all who have a competent acquaintance with ancient history, and who have examined that matter with any degree of impartiality. It is true, the learned Dodwell has endeavoured to invalidate this unanimous decision of the ancient historians,* and to diminish considerably the number of those who suffered death for the gospel; and, after him, several writers have maintained his opinion, and asserted, that whatever may have been the calamities which the Christians, in general, suffered for their attachment to the Gospel, very few were put to death on that account. This hypothesis has been warmly opposed, as derogating from that divine power which enabled Christians to be faithful even unto death, and a contrary one embraced, which augments prodigiously the number of these heroic sufferers. It will be wise to avoid both these extremes, and to hold the middle path, which certainly leads nearest to the truth. The martyrs were less in number than several of the ancient modern writers have supposed them to be, but much more numerous than Dodwell and his followers are willing to believe; and this medium will be easily admitted by such as have learned from the ancient writers, that, in the darkest and most calamitous times of the church, all Christians were not equally or promiscuously disturbed, or called before the public tribunals. Those who were of the lowest rank of the people, escaped the best; their obscurity, in some measure, screened them from the fury of per

* See Dodwell's Dissertation, de Paucitate Martyrum in his Dissertatione Cyprianicæ.