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only in cities, but in country villages. Evaristus governed the Church in Rome, Cerdo in Alexandria, Ignatius in Antioch, Symeon in Jerusalem, Publius in Athens, Polycarp in Smyrna, and Papias in Hierapolis. Christianity was increasing and flourishing; but grievously afflicted on one side by the malice of Jews and Pagans, and no less wounded on the other by heretics, namely, Simonians, Menandrians, Ebionites, Cerinthians, and Nicolaitans.

Continuation of}

Miracles.

78. Before we advance into the second century, it will be well to say a few words upon the question of the continuation of miracles. Three opinions with regard to this question have been maintained-(1) That the power of working miracles still exists in the true church: this is the opinion of Romanists. (2) That this power ceased at the death of the Apostles. (3) That it gradually died away after the time of the Apostles. This last opinion seems the most consonant with what one would naturally expect to be the case. It does not, indeed, appear at what period of time miraculous powers were withdrawn: but those who believe that God neither bestows less than is necessary, nor more than is sufficient, will easily conceive that when by supernatural means Christianity was widely diffused, and mankind were disposed to receive the Gospel with less aversion, the powers which were no longer necessary were no longer given.

NERVA.

presided over the principal Churches at the end of the first century? What was the state of Christianity? Mention the heresies which prevailed.

78. What opinions have been advanced with regard to the continuation of miracles? Why should we expect miracles to be withdrawn after the time of the Apostles?

TRAJAN.

Trajan, fourteenth)

Emperor of Rome.

79. Nerva died in the year 98, and was succeeded by Trajan, a Spaniard by birth. The character of Trajan was for the most part that of a mild and virA.D. 98. tuous Prince; yet his zeal for Paganism proved detrimental to the religion of Christ, and his character is sullied by the martyrdom of Ignatius. During Nerva's reign, Christianity had been allowed to spread with little or no opposition, and the fury of its enemies, for a while held in check, was ready to burst forth upon that emperor's death. Popular tumults against the Christians were therefore common in Trajan's reign, especially in the eastern part of the empire. Symeon, second Bishop of Jerusalem, is supposed to have suffered martyrdom in this reign, about the year 104. His death may be attributed to the jealousy of the Roman government against the line of David, which both Vespasian and Domitian had endeavoured to extirpate. He was denounced to Atticus, the President of Syria, by some Jewish sect, for being of the posterity of the kings of Judah; and after enduring tortures with a fortitude which extorted the admiration of his enemies, he was crucified in the 120th year of his age. Clement, as we have related, is also said to have suffered in the reign of Trajan. The emperor himself does not appear to have been personally connected with the death of either of these eminent persons.

Pliny's Letter, and
Trajan's Rescript.

80. Popular commotions against the Christians were prevalent about this time in the eastern parts of the

79. What was the general character of the emperor Trajan? Name any celebrated Christians who died during this reign. Mention any circumstances at the commencement of it that were likely to excite opposition to the Gospel. 80. For what reason did Pliny consult Trajan concerning the Christians?

empire. The younger Pliny was Proprætor of Pontus and
Bithynia, and in the exercise of his office the Christians
were brought before his tribunal. Not having been present
at any such examinations before, the multitude of criminals
and the severity of the proceedings against them seem to
have greatly struck him, and caused him to hesitate about
how far he ought to go without consulting the Emperor.
Accordingly, in the year 111 (some say 107)
A.D. 111.
he wrote to the Emperor for instructions,* in-
forming him that "those who persisted in declaring them-
selves Christians, he ordered to be led away to punshment"
(this is, to execution), and that "the contagion of this
superstition had seized, not cities only, but the smaller towns
also, and the open country." In his reply, the Emperor
ordered that the Christians were "not to be sought for or
molested upon anonymous accusation;" but if impeached
and convicted, they were to be executed, unless they pur-
chased pardon by denying their religion and offering sacri-
fice to the Gods. Thus, although Trajan's edict set bounds
to the fury of the enemies of Christianity, it made per-
severance in the Christian religion a capital offence. This

* From this letter we learn something of the mode of worship of the Christians at the beginning of the second century. Pliny says, "they were wont to meet together on a stated day, before it was light, and sing among themselves alternately a hymn to Christ, as a God, and bind themselves by an oath, not to the com

| mission of any wickedness, but
not to be guilty of theft, or rob-
bery, or adultery; never to falsify
their word, or deny a trust com-
mitted to them when called upon
to return it. After these things
were performed they separated,
but met together again to a meal,
which they ate in common without
disorder."

Give the subject of Pliny's letter to Trajan, and of Trajan's answer. What is the principle on which Trajan acted towards the Christians? What Roman laws could be made available for the punishment of Christians? [Note.] What accounts are given by Pliny of the nature of the public worship of the Christians in the second century? By what emperor were authoritative instructions respecting the Christians first issued ?

G

TRAJAN.

TRAJAN. was the first legal enactment by a Roman emperor authorizing persecution of the Christians: they might, however, have been made amenable to the ancient laws against secret assemblies, associations, and public entertainments, of which the emperors generally were jealous, as capable of being converted to seditious purposes.

81. Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis in PhryMillenium. } gia, and one of St. John's disciples, flourished in the reign of Trajan. He was the first propagator of the doctrine of a Millenium, or temporal reign of Christ on earth for a thousand years, when the elect shall be gathered together, after the resurrection, in Jerusalem. Papias, having been a disciple of St. John, was supposed best to know the Apostle's mind as to the thousand years mentioned in Revelations [c. xx.] Hence, the doctrine of a Millenium was much in vogue for two or three centuries, and those who held it were termed Millenarians and Chiliasts. It was held, not only by the Gnostic heretics, especially the Cerinthians, and by the Montanists, but likewise by Justin Martyr, Irenæus, Tertullian, and others: but the notions of these latter were not of that gross and sensual kind which have been ascribed to Cerinthus and his followers. Origen powerfully refuted the millenarian doctrine. 82. Towards the latter end of Trajan's Saturninus, or Saturnillus, of Antioch, began to propagate, in several parts of Syria, the

Saturninus. }

reign,

A long catalogue of semi-
Christian sects which began to

show themselves about this time might be gathered out of the

81. Who was the first propogator of the doctrine of a Millenium? What was the doctrine of the Millenium? By what Christian writers was it maintained? Who refuted it ?

82. When did Saturninus flourish? Give an account of the doctrines which he propagated.

absurdities of Simon Magus and Menander, adding others of his own. He supposed two first causes of all things, the good God, and matter, which is in its nature evil; and affirmed that the world and men were made by seven angels, and that God, pleased with the work, imparted rational souls to the men, who before had only animal life. To these good men the Lord of matter, or Satan, opposed another sort of men, to whom he imparted a malignant soul. Hence the difference between good and bad men. The creators of the world having revolted from the supreme God, he sent down Christ, clothed with a fallacious body, to destroy the kingdom of the Lord of matter, and point out the hard and difficult way of returning back to God. Saturninus denied the resurrection of the body, and inculcated abstinence from marriage. By his austerity of life and great show of virtue, he drew many after him.

83. Basilides, another disciple of MenanBasilides. } der, flourished at Alexandria whilst Saturninus flourished in Syria. He enlarged upon the innovations of former heretics, imagining a series of Gods proceeding from one another, and from them angels who created each a heaven, until there were 365 heavens and as many orders of angels. Over these he placed a Prince or Lord, named Abraxas, which in Greek contains letters that make up the number 365. The angels of the lowest heaven created the earth and men, and their Prince chose the Jewish nation for his subjects, gave them a law by Moses, and designed

writings of the ancients; but of the greater part of them we know no more than their names, and

perhaps it was only in name that
many of them differed from each
other.

83. Where, and at what time, did Basilides flourish? What was his system? Can you name any Christian who wrote against his errors ?

TRAJAN.

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