IL

CENT. state, governed by its own laws, which were either enacted, or, at least, approved by the society. PART II. But, in process of time, all the Christian churches

of a province were formed into one large ecclesiastical body, which, like confederate states, assembled at certain times, in order to deliberate about the common interests of the whole. This institution had its origin among the Greeks, with whom nothing was more common than this confederacy of independent states, and the regular assemblies which met, in consequence thereof, at fixed times, and were composed of the deputies of each repective state. But these ecclesiastical associations were not long confined to the Greeks; their great utility was no sooner perceived, than they became universal, and were formed in all Origin of places where the gospel had been planted [o]. To councils. these assemblies, in which the deputies or commissioners of several churches consulted together, the name of synods was appropriated by the Greeks, and that of councils by the Latins; and the laws that were enacted in these general meetings, were called canons, i. e. rules.

The autho

bishops

by these councils.

III. These councils, of which we find not the rity of the smallest trace before the middle of this century, augmented changed the whole face of the church, and gave it a new form; for by them the ancient privileges of the people were considerably diminished, and the power and authority of the bishops greatly augmented. The humility, indeed, and prudence of these pious prelates prevented their assuming all at once the power with which they were afterwards invested. At their first appearance in these general councils, they acknowledged that they were no more than the delegates of their respective churches, and that they acted in the name, and by the appointment of their people. But they soon changed

[o] Tertullian, Lib. de Jejuniis, cap. xiii. p. 711.

PART II.

changed this humble tone, imperceptibly extended CENT. the limits of their authority, turned their in- ́ Il. fluence into dominion, and their counsels into laws; and openly asserted, at length, that Christ had empowered them to prescribe to his people authoritative rules of faith and manners. Another effect of these councils was, the gradual abolition of that perfect equality, which reigned among all bishops in the primitive times. For the order and decency of these assemblies required, that some one of the provincial bishops met in council, should be invested with a superior degree of power and authority; and hence the rights of Metropo- Metropo litans derive their origin. In the mean time, the litans. bounds of the church were enlarged; the custom of holding councils was followed wherever the sound of the gospel had reached; and the universal church had now the appearance of one vast republic, formed by a combination of a great number of little states. This occasioned the crea-tion of a new order of ecclesiastics, who were appointed, in different parts of the world, as heads of the church, and whose office it was to preserve the consistence and union of that immense body, whose members were so widely dispersed throughout the nations. Such was the nature and office of the patriarchs, among whom, at length, ambition being arrived at its most insolent period, formed a new dignity, investing the bishop of Rome, and his successors, with the title and authority of prince of the patriarchs.

drawn be

and the

IV. The Christian doctors had the good for- An artful tune to persuade the people, that the ministers of parallel the Christian church succeeded to the character, tween the rights, and privileges, of the Jewish priesthood: Christian and this persuasion was a new source both of ho- Jewish nours and profit to the sacred order. This notion priesthood. was propagated with industry some time after the reign of Adrian, when the second destruction of Jerusalem

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II.

CENT. Jerusalem had extinguished among the Jews all IL hopes of seeing their government restored to its PART II. former lustre, and their country arising out of

ruins. And, accordingly, the bishops considered themselves as invested with a rank and character similar to those of the high-priest among the Jews, while the presbyters represented the priests, and the deacons the Levites. It is, indeed, highly probable, that they, who first introduced this absurd comparison of offices, so entirely distinct, did it rather through ignorance and error than through artifice or design. The notion, however, once introduced, produced its natural effects; and these effects were pernicious. The errors to which gave rise were many; and one of its immediate consequences was, the establishing a greater difference between the Christian pastors and their flock than the genius of the gospel seems to ad

it

mit.

The princi- V. From the government of the church, let us pal writers. turn our eyes to those who maintained its cause by their learned and judicious writings. Among these was Justin, a man of eminent piety and considerable learning, who, from a Pagan philosopher, became a Christian martyr. He had frequented all the different sects of philosophy in an ardent and impartial pursuit of truth; and finding, neither among Stoics nor Peripatetics, neither in the Pythagorean nor Platonic schools, any satisfactory account of the perfections of the Supreme Being, and the nature and destination of the human soul, he embraced Christianity on account of the light which it cast upon these interesting subjects. We have yet remaining his two apologies in behalf of the Christians, which are most deservedly held in high esteem; notwithstanding that, in some passages of them, he shews himself an unwary disputer, and betrays a want of acquaintance with ancient history.

Irenæus,

II. PART II.

Irenæus, bishop of Lyons, a Greek by birth, CENT. and probably born of Christian parents, a disciple also of Polycarp, by whom he was sent to preach the gospel among the Gauls, is another of the writers of this century, whose labours were singularly useful to the church. He turned his pen against its internal and domestic enemies, by attacking the monstrous errors which were adopted by many of the primitive Christians, as appears by his five books against heresies, which are yet preserved in a Latin translation [p], and are considered as one of the most precious monuments of ancient erudition.

Athenagoras also deserves a place among the estimable writers of this age. He was a philosopher of no mean reputation, and his apology for the Christians, as well as his treatise upon the resurrection, affords striking proofs of his learning and genius.

The works of Theophilus, bishop of Antioch, are more remarkable for their erudition, than for their order and method; this, at least, is true of his three books in defence of Christianity, addressed to Autolycus [9]. But the most illustrious writer of this century, and the most justly renowned for his various erudition, and his perfect acquaintance of the ancient sages, was Clemens,

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[p] The first book is yet extant in the original Greek; of the rest, we only have a Latin version, through the barbarity of which, though excessive, it is easy to discern the eloquence and erudition that reign throughout the original. See Hist. Litteraire de la France.

[9] Theophilus was the author of several works, beside those mentioned by Dr. Mosheim, particularly of a commentary upon the Proverbs, another upon the Four Evangelists, and of several short and pathetic discourses, which he published from time to time for the use of his flock. He also wrote against Marcion and Hermogenes, and, refuting the errors of these heretics, he quotes several passages of the Revelations.

CENT. Clemens, the disciple of Pantænus, and the head of the Alexandrian school, destined for the inPART II. struction of the catechumens. His Stromata, Pedagogue, and Exhortation, addressed to the Greeks, which are yet extant, abundantly shew the extent of his learning, and the force of his genius; though he is neither to be admired for the precision of his ideas, nor for the perspicuity of his style. It is also to be lamented, that his excessive attachment to the reigning philosophy led him into a variety of pernicious

errors.

Hitherto we have made no mention of the Latin writers, who employed their pens in the Christian cause. And, indeed, the only one of any note, we find in this century, is Tertullian, by birth a Carthaginian, who, having first embraced the profession of the law, became afterwards a presbyter of the church, and concluded by adopting the heretical visions of Montanus. He was a man of extensive learning, of a fine genius, and highly admired for his elocution in the Latin tongue. We have several works of his yet remaining, which were designed to explain and defend the truth, and to nourish pious affections in the hearts of Christians. There was, indeed, such a mixture in the qualities of this man, that it is difficult to fix his real character, and to determine which of the two were predominant, his virtues, or his defects. He was endowed with a great genius, but seemed deficient in point of judgment. His piety was warm and vigorous, but at the same time, melancholy and austere. His learning was extensive and profound; and yet his credulity and superstition were such as might have been expected from the darkest ignorance. And with respect to his reasonings, they had more of the subtilty that dazzles the imagination,