one Quintilla, who rejected baptism altogether: de Præscriptionibus Hæreticorum; a confutation of all heresies collectively, on general principles: Libri V. Adv. Marcionem, (A. D. 207,) and single books against the Valentinians, Praxeas, and Hermogenes: Scorpiace, or Scorpiacum, adv. Gnosticos, or de bono martyrii; that is, an Antidote against the Scorpians, i. e. the Gnostics, who have no martyrs among them: de Carne Christi; that Christ truly died on the cross; maintained against the Docetæ: de Resurrectione; of the same tenor with the last : de Anima; against the philosophers; their notions of the soul confuted.-In attacking the heretics, he takes much the same ground with Irenæus. - Most of his works of the third class were written after he became a Montanist, and are in defence of the rigid principles of that sect, or in opposition to the opinions and practice of Christians in general. The two first, however, were written in his early life, and are of a different character; viz. de Oratione; on prayer in general, and the Lord's prayer in particular: Liber ad Martyras; designed to comfort and animate them in their dying moments de Spectaculis, and de Idololatria; warnings to Christians against attending theatres, and other idolatrous rites: Libri II. ad uxorem; warning her against a second marriage, if she should become a widow; and especially against marrying a pagan: de Pænitentia; on penance and humiliation for sin de Patientia. All the preceding of this class were probably written before he became an avowed Montanist:-de Corona Militis; justifying and commending a soldier who refused a military crown, and was punished for it: de Velandis Virginibus; against the custom of the young ladies appearing abroad unveiled: de Habitu Muliebri; reprehension of the ladies for their attention to dress de Cultu Foeminarum; much the same; on their adorning their persons; de Fuga in Persecutione; that no one should retire for safety in time of persecution: Exhortatio Castitatis, and de Monogamia; two tracts on the same subject; namely, the criminality of second marriages de Jejuniis adv. Psychicos; against the orthodox, in defence of the Montanist principles about fasting: de Pudicitia; that offenders, especially by unchastity, should never be restored to communion in the church: de Pallio; against wearing the Roman toga, and recommending, in place of it, the Grecian us. pallium or cloak.-These are all the works of Tertullian which have reached Among his lost works, were seven books in defence of the Montanists; one on the Believer's hope; one on Paradise ; and one on Aaron's garments. The best editions of his works are by Rigaltius, Paris, 1634 and 1641, fol. and by Semler, Halle, 1769-73, 5 vols. 8vo, with a 6th vol. by Windorf, containing indices and a Glossary, 1776. (Full information upon this Father and the religion of his day, will be found in a work by Bp. Kaye, published while he held the see of Bristol, entitled, The Ecclesiastical History of the Second and Third Centuries, illustrated from the writings of Tertullian. Ed.) Besides the writers above mentioned, whose works have been preserved, there were many others in this century, of whose works we have only extracts preserved by the fathers. Of these, a catalogue, embracing such as are mentioned by Eusebius in his Eccles. History, and by Jerome, de Scriptoribus Illustribus, is here subjoined. Papias, bp. of Hierapolis in Phrygia, contemporary with Ignatius, in the beginning of the century. He wrote five books, containing traditional accounts of Christ, his apostles, and others of the primitive times. He is said to have advocated the doctrine of the Millennium. Euseb. iii. 39. Jerome, c. 18. Quadratus, bp. of Athens. He wrote an Apology for the Christians, presented to the emperor Adrian, A. D. 123 or 131. Euseb. iv. 3. Jerome, c. 19. Aristides, an eloquent Christian philosopher of Athens, at the same time presented an Apology. Euseb. iv. 3. Jerome, c. 20. Agrippa Castor, contemporary with the two last. He was "a very learned man," and wrote a confutation of the 24 books of Basilides the heretic. Euseb. iv. 7. Jerome, c. 21. Hegesippus, a converted Jew, who resided at Corinth and at Rome. He wrote, about A. D. 160, five books, now lost, of Ecclesiastical History, from the crucifixion of Christ to his own times. Euseb. v. 8. 22; and iii. 19, 20. 32. Jerome, c. 22. Melito, bp. of Sardis. He wrote an Apology, besides various short works; namely, de Pascha (the time of Easter); de Vita Prophetarum; de Ecclesia; de Die Dominica; de Sensibus; de Fide; De Plasmate; de Anima et Corpore; de Baptismate; de Veritate; de Generatione Christi; de Prophetia; de Philoxenia; a book entitled Clavis; de Diabolo, de Apocalypsi Johannis, de Corporato Deo. Euseb. iv. 26. Jerome, c. 24. Apollinaris, bp. of Hierapolis in Phrygia, A. D. 170. He wrote an Apology; five books against the pagans; de Veritate, Libri ii.; adv. Cataphrygas; adv. Judæos, Libri ii. Euseb. iv. 27. Jerome, c. 16. Dionysius, bp. of Corinth, from about A. D. 170. He was an active and influential man, and wrote valuable Epistles to several churches and their bishops; namely, to the churches of Sparta, Athens, Nicomedia, Gortyna, and others in Crete; Amastris, and others in Pontus; and to Pinitus, a Cretan bp., and Victor, bp. of Rome. Euseb. iv. 23. Jerome, c. 27. Tatian, a rhetorician, and disciple of Justin Martyr. After the death of Justin, he swerved from the common path, and became founder of a rigorous sect called Encratites. He flourished about A. D. 170, and wrote an Apology, under the title of Oratio contra Græcos, which is still extant, and usually printed with the works of Justin Martyr. He is said to have composed many other works; among which a Diatessaron, or Harmony of the four Gospels, and a treatise on Perfection after the pattern of Christ, are particularly mentioned. Euseb. iv. 29. Jerome, c. 29. Clem. Alex. Strom. iii. 12. Musanus, of the same age, wrote against the Encratites. Jerome, c. 31. Euseb. iv. 28. Modestus, of the same age, wrote a book against Marcion, which Eusebius says exceeded all other confutations of that heretic. Euseb. iv. 25. Jerome, c. 32. Bardesanes, a Syrian of Edessa, of the same age, an eloquent and acute reasoner. He was first a Valentinian; but afterwards wrote against that and other sects. His works were numerous, which his admirers translated from Syriac into Greek. His dialogues against Marcion, and his treatise on Fate, are particularly commended. Euseb. iv. 30. Jerome, c. 33. Victor, bp. of Rome A. D. 194–203. His zeal respecting the right day for Easter, led him to write several Epistles on that subject. Euseb. v. 24. Jerome, c. 34. Nothing of his remains; though two spurious Epistles with his name are still extant. Pantænus, a Christian philosopher of Alexandria, and head of the catechetic school there, before Clement. He was a learned and active Christian; and wrote much, particularly in explanation of the Scriptures; but none of his works remain. He visited India, or Arabia Felix, as a missionary, and had vast influence in the church. Euseb. v. 10. Jerome, c. 36. Rhodon, an Asiatic Greek, but educated at Rome under Tatian. He wrote much, and in particular, on the Hexaëmeron (the six days of creation); a treatise against Marcion; and another against the Phrygians or Cataphrygians, the disciples of Montanus. Euseb. v. 13. Jerome, c. 37. Miltiades, who flourished in the reign of Commodus A. D. 180-192. He wrote an Apology; a work against the Cataphrygians; two books against the pagans; and two others against the Jews. Euseb. v. 17. Jerome, c. 39. Apollonius, an eloquent Greek writer, author of long and much valued confutation of the Cataphrygians. Euseb. v. 18. Jerome, c. 40. Serapion, ordained bp. of Antioch A. D. 191. He wrote an Epistle concerning the Montanists, or Cataphrygians; another to Domninus, an apostate to Judaism; and a tract concerning the spurious Gospel ascribed to Peter. Euseb. vi. 12. Jerome, c. 41. Apollonius, a Roman senator and martyr under Commodus. His eloquent defence at his trial was committed to writing. Euseb. v. 21. Jerome, c. 42. Under the reigns of Commodus and Severus, or A. D. 180-211, lived several writers, mentioned summarily by Euseb. v. 27, and by Jerome, c. 46-51: namely, Heraclitus, author of a Commentary on Paul's Epistles; Maximus, who wrote on the Origin of Evil and the Creation of Matter; Candidus and Appion, who wrote on the Hexaëmeron (Gen. ch. i.); Sextus wrote on the Resurrection; and Arabianus composed some doctrinal tracts. All the preceding wrote in Greek, except Bardesanes, who composed in Syriac, and Victor, and Apollonius the martyr, who wrote in Latin. Tr.] CHAPTER III. HISTORY OF RELIGION AND THEOLOGY. § 1. Religion yet simple.-§ 2. Was gradually changed.-§ 3. This proved by an example.—§ 4. Attention to the Scriptures.—§ 5. Faults of interpreters. — § 6. State of dogmatic theology.-§ 7. Polemics of this age.-§ 8. Excellences and defects of the controversialists. — § 9. Writers on practical religion.—§ 10. Merits of the fathers in regard to practical religion.-§ 11. Twofold system of practical religion.§ 12. Hence the Ascetics.-§ 13. Causes of their rise.-§ 14. Their progress.§ 15. Origin of pious frauds.—§ 16. A Christian life, and the discipline of offenders.—§ 17. Public penitence modelled according to the rules of the pagan mysteries. § 1. THE whole Christian system was still comprised in a few precepts and propositions; nor did the teachers publicly advance any doctrines besides those contained in what is called the Apostles' Creed. In their manner of handling these doctrines, there was nothing subtle, profound, or distant from common apprehension. This will not appear strange, if we reflect that no controversy had yet been moved respecting those important points of religion about which contests afterwards arose, and that the bishops were generally plain, unlearned men, more distinguished for their piety than for their genius and eloquence. § 2. Yet insensibly, from this venerable simplicity, there was a considerable departure; many points were more critically investigated, and more artificially stated; many principles also, and these none of the solidest, were imprudently transferred from philosophy to the holier system. Of this change the reasons were chiefly two. One lay in the disposition of certain teachers, who wished to make Christianity appear in harmony with the decisions of philosophy, and thought it a fine thing to state Christian precepts in the language of philosophers, civilians, and rabbins. The other came from the discussions with opponents and corrupters of the truth. In studying to meet these, learned men were sometimes driven by the necessities of the case itself, to state with an accuracy hitherto unknown, propositions that had never been defined before, and to keep them within certain limitations. § 3. Whoever wishes for an example, need only consider the notions which began to get afloat in this age, respecting the state of souls when separated from the body. Jesus and his apostles simply taught, that the spirits of holy men on leaving the body were received into heaven, and that those of the wicked went to hell. And this satisfied the first disciples of Christ, in whom there was more piety than curiosity. But this plain doctrine was materially injured, when Christians were induced to agree with the Platonics and others, that only the souls of heroes, and of men, without littleness or grossness, were borne aloft; while others, kept down by a weight of fleshly lusts, went off to the realms below, whence emergence into light is hopeless until every stain is purged away. From the time when this opinion began to prevail, the martyrs only were represented and believed to be happy immediately after death; to others was assigned some obscure region, in which they should be detained, either till the second coming of Christ, or at all events, till stains, which disqualify for heaven, should cling to them no more. Hence, how many and how great are the errors that have sprung! how many the vain ceremonies! how many the debasing superstitions! § 4. They all revered the holy Scriptures, as the rule of faith and truth; and, therefore, wished them to be in the hands of all. Upon translations of them into other languages, we have already spoken. We shall here speak only of the expositors. The first Christian who composed explanations of the sacred volume, was, if I mistake not, Pantanus, the master of the Alexandrian school. But Divine Providence has so ordered, that none of his writings have reached us. The Hypotyposes, also, of Clemens Alexandrinus, in which he is said to have expounded detached passages from all the sacred books, have been lost; and likewise his Commentaries on the canonical Epistles. Tatian composed a Harmony of the Gospels, which has [not] escaped the ravages of time.2 Justin 1 I have treated largely of these sentiments of the ancients, and especially of the Platonics, in my notes on R. Cudworth's Intellectual System, tom. ii. p. 1036. 2 [I cannot but think there must be a great typographical error in the original of this sentence. For it is not easy to believe, that Dr. Mosheim held to the long exploded notion, that either of Martyr explained the Apocalypse; Theophilus of Antioch elucidated the four Gospels; and [many] others expounded the Mosaic account of the creation. All these works are now lost. § 5. But this loss is the less to be regretted, since it is certain that of these expositors, no one could be pronounced eminent and luminous. They all believed the language of Scripture to contain two meanings; the one obvious, and corresponding with the direct import of the words; the other recondite, and concealed under the words, like a nut by the shell. The former they neglected, as of little value, their study chiefly being to extract the latter: in other words, they were more intent on throwing obscurity over the sacred writings, by the fictions of their own imaginations, than on searching out the true meanings of them. Some also, and this is stated especially of Clement, accommodated the divine oracles to the precepts of philosophy. Expositors of the Old Testament were met at the outset, in the excessive and almost divine authority of the Alexandrian version, known as the Septuagint, by an obstacle to the production of any thing praiseworthy and out of the common way. § 6. A system of Christian theology, so far as we can learn, was composed by no one in this age. The tracts of Arabianus, de dogmate Christiano, having been all lost, we cannot tell what they were. The five books of Papias, de Dictis Christi et Apostolorum, or, Explanatio oraculorum dominicorum, so far as can be learned from Eusebius3, must be regarded rather as a historical than a doctrinal work. Melito of Sardis is said to have written, de Fide, de Creatione, and de Veritate: but it does not appear from these titles, whether they were polemic or doctrinal treatises. Some points in theology were stated with unusual clearness by those who engaged in religious controversies. But the doctrines which were not brought into dispute, are seldom found so distinctly treated by the writers of that age, as to make it quite clear what they thought. It is not, therefore, strange, that all sects of Christians can find those Harmonies of the four Gospels, which we have in the Bibliotheca Patrum, could be the genuine work of Tatian. See Prudentius Maran, Diss. xiii. c. 12, $ 5, 6, prefixed to his edition of Justin Martyr, &c. and republished by Spren ger, Thesaurus Rei Patristicæ, tom. ii. Tr.] 3 [Eusebius, Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. c. 29. See also Irenæus, adv. Hares. 1. v. c. 33. Jerome, de Scriptoribus Illustr. cap. 18. Tr.] |