where should repent, and turn from their vanities unto the living God which made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein"-" because he had appointed a day in which he would judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he had ordained whereof he had given assurance unto all, in that he had raised him from the dead." Witnesses of these things, who were properly accredited of God, were now travelling through the world in all directions; and, in the measure that his wisdom saw expedient, were endowed with the power of working miracles. If idolatry and every transgression of the moral law were before inexcusable, as the Scripture assures us they were1,

because God had never left himself without witness' " of his eternal power and Godhead, and because the matter of that law' was written upon the heart of every intelligent creature,the world would now become far more inexcusable, if, persisting in their unbelief and viciousness, and their abominable idolatries, they repented not, and obeyed not the Gospel of the Son of God.

The work, therefore, in which the successors of the apostles were left engaged, was to preach the Gospel in every nation, and establish a universal church, as the God of all grace should bless their efforts. In order to trace their progress and various success, from age to age, in the different parts of the world, it will be useful so far to note, briefly, the leading events and passing occurrences of the times, as may serve to connect the history of the church of God, with the epochas and eras of the general history of mankind.

SECT. I.

The Roman empire, or what was nearly the same thing, the civilised world, had been, from a little before the birth of Christ, governed by a succession of princes who were invested with the most absolute power: the names of these emperors have all occurred in the former part of our history. Domitian, the last who was mentioned, and who is remembered in the church by his banishing of the aged apostle John to the Isle of Patmos, soon afterwards2 met with death by violence. He was succeeded by Nerva, a mild and feeble old man, whose short reign of two years was in itself of small importance in the history of the world; but his advanced age, and the necessities of the times,

led him to adopt a measure which not only restored the vigour of the Imperial government, but, in its consequences, introduced a new era, the most prosperous the Roman state was ever to enjoy. Disregarding every other motive, with the sole view of the public good, he made choice of Trajan, a favourite general in his armies, to be his colleague and successor in the empire.

66

Mr. Gibbon remarks that "The principal conquests of the Romans were achieved under the republic." Augustus relinquished the ambition of conquest"—" his moderate system was adopted by his successors; and such, with the single exception of the conquest of Britain," were the maxims of imperial polity, from the death of Augustus to the accession of Trajan. That virtuous and active prince had received the education of a soldier, and possessed the talents of a general. The peaceful system of his predecessors, was interrupted by scenes of war and conquest, and the legions, after a long interval, beheld a military emperor at their head. By the arms of Trajan, the Roman conquests were carried to their utmost extent, both in the East and in the West; and the strength and order given to the Imperial government, had a lasting effect upon the internal peace and prosperity of the empire'. Trajan, after a reign of ten years, was succeeded by Adrian, who reigned twenty years, and left his government to Antoninus Pius, who reigned twenty-four years, and his son Marcus Antoninus eighteen years*. During a happy period," observes Mr. Gibbon, " of more than fourscore years, the public administration was conducted by the virtues and abilities of Nerva, Trajan, Adrian, and the two Antonines." The infidel historian seems to single out this period, as that in which, before all others, a wise man would wish to have lived. But the annals of the church of Christ during this era, though little has been preserved, are sufficient to shew, that if the world rejoiced, they had cause to weep and lament; and could have no relief for their sorrow, but in Him who had promised to turn that sorrow into joy.

66

Under Nerva, as we have seen, the church had rest, and the last of the apostles, having been restored from exile, died in peace. But Trajan had conceived a great hatred against the Christian name, and he and his successors, how eminent soever they may appear in profane history, as civil governors, must, in

This era, introduced by the exaltation and victorious career of Trajan, I believe to have been predicted by the First Seal. Rev. vi. 2.

? A. D. 117.

general, be ranked in the history of the church, as persecutors of the flock of Christ. It is true, these princes do not always appear as the instigators of the persecution; they sometimes interfere to regulate, and even to moderate, the hatred of the world against the people of God, and to check the fury of the pagan priests and multitude; but hardly ever as protectors of the innocent, or as affording any toleration to the professors of the hated opinions.

This is shewn by the most important document now extant concerning the Christians in this age, a letter of the celebrated Pliny to the emperor Trajan, with his answer to the same. Pliny had been appointed to the government of Bithynia, in the Lesser Asia; a part of the world in which, we have reason to conclude, Christians more abounded at this time than in any other. He writes to the emperor, in order that he may resolve certain doubts, as to the proper method of proceeding against these people, having never been present at the trial of a Christian, before he came into the province. Among the questions he ventures to suggest, are the following: Whether no distinction is to be made between the young and the old, the tender and the robust ?"-" whether pardon should be granted on repentance or whether he who had ever been a Christian, should have no advantage from his having ceased to be such?""whether the profession itself, or the crimes attached to it, should be made the object of punishment?"

66

Pliny says, he "greatly hesitated on these points," which plainly discovers what he had found to be the common practice; and though his mind in some degree revolted from it, he hardly durst express his disapprobation. He tells the emperor the mode of proceeding which he had for the present adopted; a mode sufficiently harsh, and clearly indicative of the general abhorrence in which the Christian name was held!

"I have asked them whether they were Christians? If they confessed, I have asked them a second and a third time with a threat of punishment: if they persevered, I have ordered them to be led to execution. For of this I had no doubt, that, whatever it was they persisted in maintaining, such stubbornness and unbending obstinacy ought to be punished." The pagan magistrate, it is evident, could form no conception of a man's making it a point of conscience not to deny his religion at the peril of his life. "There were others," he continues, "possessed of a

A. D. 106 or 107.

similar madness, whom because they were Roman citizens, I ordered to be sent to Rome. Soon after I had taken this business in hand, however, criminations, as is usual, multiplied upon me, and many particular cases occurred. A list without a signature, containing the names of many persons, was presented: those who denied that they were, or had been Christians, when they had repeated after me the invocation of the gods, and had supplicated with wine and incense your image-which, for this purpose, I had ordered to be brought among the statues of the deities, and when they had cursed Christ,-none of which things, it is said, those who are real Christians can possibly be compelled to do, them I dismissed: others named by the accuser, at first said they were Christians, but afterwards denied it; declaring that they had indeed been Christians, but had ceased to be so ;some three years since, some more, some even twenty years ago: all worshipped your image, and the statues of the gods: these too cursed Christ." They continued, however, to affirm that this had been the whole of their offence or error, that they had been accustomed to assemble together on a stated day"-the Lord's day, no doubt" before it was light, and recite a hymn together or chant in responsive choirs-to Christ as to a god1. That they bound themselves, indeed, by a solemn oath,"-to their Leader-" not," as their accusers asserted, "to commit any wickedness ;" but-" not to steal, or rob, or commit adultery, not to violate a promise or deny a pledge. That after this, their custom had been to separate, and again to assemble together to eat food, but of a common and harmless kind;" that is, not as the pagans reported, that in these feasts the Christians ate their children, and were guilty of every abomination ;" and that they had desisted from the practice altogether, after my edict, according to your order, forbidding associations."

These common meals were clearly the Christian love-feasts, which are mentioned in the epistle to the Corinthians, and which, if Paul had abolished them, for special reasons, at Corinth, were still, it seems, in use in this part of the world. The Christians, however, deemed it proper to obey the command of the

The expression is" carmen dicere secum invicem," which has been thought capable of more than one interpretation. Mosheim thinks it might refer to a form of prayer, similar to that now in use, of repeating the words after the minister, with the concluding Amen. Perhaps it was that mode of singing, which Eusebius describes as used by the primitive Christians, in their vigils; one singing a part and the whole assembly uniting in the chorus. Lib. xi. 17.

civil magistrate, in the discontinuance of these feasts, as they formed no essential part of their religious profession, though they were ready to go to prison and to death rather than deny their Master.

The virtuous Pliny, for his character has been blazoned with all the virtues of the pagan morality, could hardly credit this account of the inoffensive nature of a religion, so much the object of public odium. He tells the emperor," I believed it, therefore, to be the more necessary, in order to find out the truth, to subject to torture, two attending females, whom they called deaconesses1; but I could discover nothing else but an erroneous and immoderate superstition. Deferring, therefore, the investigation, I have had recourse to your advice; for it appeared to me a thing worthy of consultation, especially on account of the number of persons involved. For many persons, of every age, and of every class, and of both sexes, are already, and many more will be, endangered. The contagion of this superstition has spread, not only through the towns, but also through the villages and country. That it may be stopped and corrected seems possible: so far is certain, that the temples, lately almost desolate, now begin to be frequented; the sacred solemnities, for a long time intermitted, to be again observed; and the victims, which heretofore could scarcely find a purchaser, now every where to be bought up. From whence it may easily be supposed, how great a multitude might be recovered if this repentance were accepted."

The emperor's answer fully approves of what Pliny had done. He directs that the Christians should not be sought after by the magistrate; but, if any are brought before him and convicted, that they should be punished. If, however, they denied that they were Christians, and would give the requisite proof of this, by supplicating the gods, whatever suspicions attached to them for their former conduct, this retractation was to secure their pardon. The mode of crimination by an anonymous libel, he reprobates in all cases. But the crime of being a Christian, was still, on conviction, a capital offence by the laws of the empire; nor would accusers fail to be found against a people who had so many malicious and interested enemies.

Simeon, the son of Cleophas, bishop of Jerusalem, suffered

1 For the institution of these, whose office would still be of the utmost benefit to the younger females, instructed in the church of Christ, see St. Paul's first epistle to Timothy, chap. iii. 11. compared with chap. v. 3. &c.