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THE CHURCH-AND WHAT IT IS.

(Continued from page 240.)

IN finishing the account of the third century, we must make a slight reference to some of the heresies which sprung up, as also to the corruptions of the visible church. Many of the heresies that previously infested the church, continued also during this century; and especially that which arose out of the mixture of philosophy and vain deceits. In addition to these, there were two other heresies that chiefly attract attention; the one originated by Manes, and called Manicheism. He was a person of considerable learning, and by his reformed mixture of Christianity with Magianism, he excited not only the contempt of the Christians, but also the violent opposition of the Persian king, who caused him to be put to death about the year 276, for his opposition to the established religion of the country. His leading heresy was the ascribing the origin of evil to matter, which he made to be the antagonism to the Deity. As a consequence, he rejected the Old Testament, denied the resurrection of the body, also the incarnation and sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is no marvel when men leave the inspired word of God, as the alone and infallible source of truth, that they should fall into a species of Manicheism; for it is utterly impossible that mere unassisted human reason could ever by searching find out the Almighty. The knowledge of God is purely and entirely a matter of revelation; and we therefore protest most decidedly against the view lately promulgated, of considering the Bible as a book useful for the people: this is a wretchedly low view to take of it. It is the word of the ever-living God, and without it we could never know anything of God; remove this as our firm foundation, and instantly the flood-gates are open to views similar to those of Manes. The other heresy that I shall here refer too, is that of Sabellius, an African bishop or presbyter. He denied the distinct personality of the second and third persons of the Trinity, and maintained that a certain energy only, proceeding from the supreme parent, or a certain portion of the Divine Nature, was united to the Son of God, the man Jesus. And in the same manner he considered the Holy Ghost to be a portion of the Everlasting Father. This heresy, like the former, springs from the pride of human reason, which will not bend itself to the simplicity of a little child; but seeks to pry into the why and the how, beyond what it hath pleased our God to reveal. "Secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children." The distinction of persons is practically and actually set forth in such passages as the following-" Through Christ we have access by one Spirit unto the Father." With reference to the corruption of the Church in this century, we extract the following remarks of Waddington, Dean of Durham-" As it rose in rank, it lost that perfect equality among its members which formed the very essence of its ori

ginal and best character; false learning corrupted its simplicity, and wealth undermined its morality. If it gained in prosperity and worldly consideration, it resigned the native innocence and freshness of childhood. But in closely attending to its history, we observe that it becomes thenceforward the history of men rather than of things; the body of the Church is not so much in view, but the acts of its ministers and teachers are continually before us. We read little of the clergy of the first two centuries; they appear to have discharged their pastoral duties with silent diligence and disinterested piety. We learn their character, for the most part, from the effects of their labours; and we find its ample and indisputable record in the progress of their religion, and in the virtues of their converts."

With reference also to the growth of the episcopal power in this century, Waddington writes-" It appears that the more important churches were severally superintended by a bishop possessed of a certain, but not very definite degree of authority; and that he ruled in concert with the body of presbyters; and even consulted on matters of great moment the opinion of the whole assembly. The provincial synods composed of those bishops, assisted by a few presbyters, now began to meet with great regu larity in the Spring and Autumn of every year, and to publish canons for the general administration of ecclesiastical affairs. The metropolitans gradually rose in consequence. Their dignity seems to have been conferred for life; but their legitimate power was confined to the calling and presiding in councils, and the fraternal admonition of offenders. Still it was the natural consequence of this system, that these occasional presidents should insensibly assert a general pre-eminence over the other bishops, which it would become their next step to dispute with each other; and that the other bishops being now constantly distinguished from their presbyters by these synodical meetings, should assume both over them and the people a degree of ascendancy not ori ginally acknowledged, but which it would not be difficult by degrees to convert into authority." Some assumption of the ensigns of temporal dignity the splendid throne, the sumptuous garments, the parade of external pomp-indicated a departure from apostolical simplicity, and a contentious ambition succeeded to the devoted humility of former days. And though we believe this evil to have been exaggerated by all the writers who have dwelt upon it, since the abuses which we have noticed could scarcely be carried to violent excess by an order possessing no legally recognized rights or property, we may still be convinced by the institution of certain inferior classes in the ministry, such as subdeacons, acolnthi, readers, exoreists, and others, that the higher ranks had made some advances in luxurious indolence. Of these new offices, that of reader is presumed to have been the oldest, as it is mens tioned by Tertullian; but the others must have followed soon afterwards, for though the first place in which they are mentioned together is in the epistle of Cornelius, bishop of Rome (251, A.D.), cited by Eusebius, we find frequent and familiar notice of the acolyths in the writings of Cyprian.

This deterioration in the character of the ministers, was attended by a corresponding change in the ceremonies of the Church. The division of the people into two classes, the faithful and the catechumens, was the practice if not the invention of the third century; and it seems to have been borrowed from the Pagan principle of initiation. The outward distinction between those classes was this :-after the performance of public worship, the latter was dismissed, while the former, the true and initiated Christians, remained to celebrate the mysteries of their religion and this term is by some thought to have expressed not only the administration of the sacraments, but also the delivery of some doctrínal instructions. Although Cyprian in many places seems extravagantly to exalt the bishops, and the Church as necessarily connected with them, yet in other places he seems very much to modify this power. For instance:"As to what our brother presbyters have written me, I am unable alone to return any answer; since it has been a rule with me from the very beginning of my episcopacy, never to act on my own private judgment without your counsel and the consent of the people. As our common honour requires, we will deliberate in common." We also find very doubtful passages on the subject of baptismal regeneration, as also on the power of the sign of the cross. It seems also to have been the custom to exercise persons before they were baptized. Also in a council held in Spain towards the end of this century, the celibacy of the clergy was enforced. Such evident seeds of corruption do we find to have been prevalent thus early in the history of Christianity; but in a very short time we shall find these evil seeds springing up into full-grown plants.

We shall now proceed with the history of the fourth century, which opens with one of the fiercest Pagan persecutions that ever raged; and it was also the last general one inflicted by Pagan authority. Not only were numbers of all ranks and ages put to death, but the most cruel torments were invented, in order to try utterly to root out the Christian name. The places of worship everywhere belonging to Christians were demolished, and the Holy Scriptures everywhere sought for that they might be destroyed. Altars to the false gods were everywhere erected, and all persons compelled to sacrifice or else exposed to cruel deaths and torments. Even in the courts of justice these altars were erected, and no person was received as a witness who refused to sacrifice; and generally, all Christians were denied the benefits of the laws. In fact, no better description could be given of this persecution than that recorded in the end of the 11th of Hebrews. At the time it broke out the Roman empire was under the government of two emperors, Dioclesian in the East, and Maximian in the West, who associated with themselves in the government Galerius and Constantius. In the year A.D. 302, Dioclesian and Galerius met at Nicomedia, and the latter urged on the former to the most decisive measures against Christians, which at length were commenced by the destruction of the church in that city. Two fires shortly after broke out in the palace, which was attributed to the Christians, but without any evidence; and now the greatest rage

was manifested everywhere against all who bore the Christian name, except in Gaul and Britain, where Constantius ruled. He so far yielded to the desire of the emperors, as to destroy their places of worship; but does not seem to have persecuted their persons. It is said that he called the servants of his household together, and told them of the emperor's edict, that all who would not renounce the Christian name were to be dismissed his service; but that contrary to all expectations, he retained those who were faithful to their God, and dismissed the apostates, for he judged that those who were unfaithful to their God, would also be disloyal to their prince.

It would be vain and useless to give merely the names of those who suffered, or to give a detail of the horrible barbarities exercised against them. I shall merely give a few extracts from the history of Eusebius, who was a contemporary, as a specimen of what was endured. The records left of anything like genuine religion, are far less than during any previous persecution; although doubtless there were numbers of those thus martyred who were enabled to witness a good confession before men. I cannot, however, suppose that they were necessarily true Christians because they thus suffered; numbers rushed voluntarily into it, and others committed suicide in order to avoid the gross and indecent barbarities that they were exposed to, and such zeal as this is certainly not according to knowledge. Whilst then on the one hand numbers apostatized from the Christian religion, under the power of which they never really were, others who knew as little of its real power, endured much for not parting with the name of a Christian, and yet in the absence of any testimony as to this their martyrdom being a fruit of true and lively faith. We can no more concede to such a place in the real church of Christ, than we can to those who apostatized. We do not say that they were not in reality members of the Church of Christ, but in most cases we have no evidence to prove that they really were; and we cannot allow that martyrdom alone is a sufficient proof -for it is written, "Though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (i.e. love) it profiteth me nothing" (1 Cor. xv.) The devil seems to have made a last desperate effort for the revival of Paganism, hoping through the general degeneracy amongst those who bore the Christian name, soon to gain an easy victory; but in this he was foiled, and he seems instantly to have changed his plans, and by a flood of worldly honour and riches, to attempt to smother that which he could not snatch away. So busy is ever this great adversary in devising and plotting against the Lord's anointed. The martyrdom of Peter, one of the emperor's household, is thus described by Eusebius :-" He was publicly brought forth, and commanded to sacrifice. On his boldly refusing, he was ordered to be hoisted up on high naked, and his whole body to be scourged, and the flesh rent in pieces with the lash of the whip, till he should be compelled to yield. The afflicted victim endured all this till his bones lay all bare. They then poured vinegar mixed with salt into his wounds; still he remained constant in his refusal, and rejoiced in his sufferings. His tormentors then prepared a gridiron,

with hot burning coals, and he was laid on it to be consumed over a slow fire, so that he might be kept lingering as long as possible in the extremity of torture. All was in vain-he was faithful unto death. In the year 305, Dioclesian resigned the empire, and compelled Maximian to do the same; and the two Cæsars became the emperors, Galerius in the East, assisted by Maximian his nephew, and Constantius in the West

From this time the persecution, comparatively speaking, ceased in the West, under the milder rule of Constantius; but in the East it raged with redoubled fury. Eusebius thus gives a description of it in Thebais, in Egypt:-"No speech can sufficiently declare the punishments and torments endured by the martyrs throughout Thebais. Their bodies were torn in pieces by shells of sea-fish, instead of the claws of wild beasts. Other martyrs were torn asunder by trees bent from their natural position, fastened to their legs, and suddenly let go. Every method of brutal indecency was also had recourse to, to shock the constancy of the Christian women in their martyrdom. All this mischief continued not a few days, or a short time, but for many years. Sometimes more than ten, at other times more than twenty were executed; at others again thirty, sixty, and even a hundred, in one day, of men, women, and very little children, after the bitter taste of various torments, were put to death. I myself being then present at an execution, saw with my own eyes a great multitude, whereof some were burnt, others beheaded until the sword became blunt, and the tormentors wearied, so that others took their places in their turns. There I beheld the bright and noble countenances, the heavenly courage and boldness of those who built their faith on Jesus Christ our Saviour." Constantius died at York in Britain, A.D. 306. His son and successor, Constantine, was a kind of hostage with the other emperor, Galerius. On hearing of his father's illness he escaped with difficulty, but arrived at York previous to his father's death. He succeeded to the empire of the West, but not without rivals at the first. This brings us to a most eventful part of the history of the world and of the Church of Christ. And whatever opinion may be formed of the advantages or disadvantages of Christianity becoming the established religion under this emperor, still it must be owned that he was an illustrious instrument in the hand of the God of Israel, for putting a stop to this furious persecution, which threatened to exterminate the Christian name. Constantine instantly published a full toleration to the Christians, which was extended to Italy as soon as he conquered it from his rival. Galerius, like Herod, was smitten of God with worms, and after suffering the most excruciating torments, died A.D. 312. Moved by his sufferings, a short time previous to his death, he published an edict to stay the persecutions. His nephew, Maximian, revived the persecution in Syria and Egypt, which remained under his control; but Licinius succeeded to the rest of the Eastern empire. Maximian induced the Pagan inhabitants of every city and village to petition him for the expulsion of the Christians; and in every village heathen rites and sacrifices were

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