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The Church of the First Three Centuries: Or, Notices of the Lives and Opinions

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The Church of the First Three Centuries: Or, Notices of the Lives and Opinions This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com 6000266310 EE 3 - 16 PSULA amber A . Gece LE HELENE C II ER - : - -- - - - -- - - - - E Libris , in Bibliotheca Collegii Universitatis apud Oxonienses servatis , quos Goldwino Smith , Ejusdem Collegii Socio D . D . Cives Reipublicæ Americanæ . A . S . MDCCCLXIV . 1243 . d . 23 TIE CHURCH OF THE FIRST THREE CENTURIES : NOTICES OF THE LIVES AND OPINIONS OF SOME OF THE EARLY FATHERS , - WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY ; ILLUSTRATING ITS LATE ORIGIN AND GRADUAL FORMATION . BY ALVAN LAMSON , D . D . BOSTON : WALKER , WISE , AND COMPANY , 245 , Washington Street . 1860 . Entered , according to Act of Congress , in the year 1860 , by ALVAN LAMSON , In the Clerk ' s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts . BRARY IN 926 BOSTON : PRINTED BY JOHN WILSON AND SON , 22 , SCHOOL STREET . PREFACE . The title prefixed to the present work sufficiently indicates its purpose . Of the articles contained in it , some have a more direct reference to the opinions of Christian antiquity , respecting the Son and the Spirit , than others . In some , this topic is most largely dwelt upon ; in one or two , it is but slightly noticed ; in all , it receives more or less attention . As to the other matter contained in the volume , historical and biographical , or such as relates to the opinions , usages , and social habits , which marked the early ages , and the merits and defects of the Fathers as critics and expositors , it is sufficient to say , that I have proceeded on the supposition , that its intro duction would enhance the value and interest of the work . I have not written as the organ of any party . I have wished simply to make the volume a repository of facts , particularly connected with the opinions of Christians of the first three centuries , on the nature and rank of the Son and the Spirit ; and I have spared no pains in the endeavor to give the exact PREFACE . expressions of the great church teachers of the period included in my survey , with copious and minute refer ences . I offer the book as a help to inquirers who may wish to know what the early Fathers really thought and said . A portion of the materials was given to the public , many years ago , in the pages of a review . These materials I have elaborated with some care , dividing the whole into chapters , and omitting , changing , and adding , to render the work better suited to the end I have had in view . I have endeavored to exclude all personalities , and every thing which might give just cause of offence to any individual , or any class of Christians . With these few prefatory remarks , I leave the book to the charitable judgment of the public . CON TEN T S . JUSTIN MARTYR , AND HIS OPINIONS . CHAPTER I . Claims of Justin to our Notice . Birth , and Early Studies . Dissatis faction with his Teachers . His Despondency . His Reception of Platonism . His Conversion . His Dialogue with Trypho . Writes his First Apology . His Second . His Last Days and his Martyr dom . 1 - 11 CHAPTER II . Justin ' s Writings . Various Editions . Justin extravagantly praised . Reverence for the Fathers declines . Examination of Justin ' s Larger Apology . Popular Charges against the Christians . Justin ' s Mode of Argument . Topics and Tone of his Address . His Argument from Prophecy . Treatment of Miracles . Topics of his Second Apo logy . 12 - 21 CHAPTER III . General Defects of Justin ' s Intellectual and Literary Character . What can be said in Palliation of them . Justin ' s Opinions . His Love of the Marvellous . His Account of the Origin of Demons . Feats performed by them . Justin ' s Chronological Errors . His Carelessness in Quotations . Of no Value as a Critic and Interpreter . Specimens of his fanciful Interpretation of the Old Testament . Types of the Cross . Justin ' s Learning . Eminently Uncritical . 22 - 31 CONTENTS . CHAPTER IV . Theology of Justin . Origin of the Trinity . Justin ' s Doctrine of the Logos . His Language cited . The Logos an Attribute converted into a real Being in Time , and not from Eternity . The Son numeri cally Different from the Father . What Justin and the Fathers meant by the Generation of the Son . 32 – 39 CHAPTER V . The Views of Justin and the Fathers not derived from the Old Testa ment . Language of the Old Testament examined . Of the New . Justin ingrafted on Christianity the Sentiments of the later Platonists . Statements of learned Trinitarians . 40 - 50 CHAPTER VI . The Inferiority of the Son uniformly asserted by the Ante - Nicene Fathers . Concessions of Trinitarians . The Father and Son not numerically one , nor equal . Proofs from Justin . The Son not an Object of direct Address in Prayer . Sum of the Argument . Disin genuous Use made of two Passages from Justin . The Spirit an Influ ence . Justin ' s Account of the Humanitarians of his Day . 51 - 62 . CHAPTER VII . Justin ' s Account of the Christian Rites as administered in his Day . Baptism . The Lord ' s Supper . Sunday Worship . Calumnies of the Jews . The Memory of Justin . 63 - 68 CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA , AND HIS TIMES . CHAPTER I . Martyrdoms after that of Justin Time of Clement . Alexandria . Biography of Clement . Pantænus . Clement ' s Conversion . Be comes Head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria . Was there in 211 . Disappears from History . Direction of Studies in the Alexandrian School . Clement ' s Writings . 69 – 75 CONTENTS . vii CHAPTER 11 . Clement ' s Theology . He did not ascribe to the Son a distinct Personal Subsistence from Eternity . The Fathers , between Justin Martyr and Clement , declare the Inferiority of the Son . Tatian , Theophilus of Antioch , Athenagoras , Irenæus , Tertullian . Clement asserts his Infe riority in strong Terms . Antiquity of Christianity . Inspiration of Plato and the Philosophers . Influence of the Art of Sculpture among the Greeks . 76 - 93 CHAPTER III . Clement ' s Pædagogue . His Precepts of Living . Social Life among the Egyptians in his Day . Food . Use of Wine . Convivial Entertain ments . Music . Garlands . The Ladies of Alexandria . The “ fine Gentlemen ” . 94 - 105 CHAPTER IV . Clement ' s Stromata : its Character . Mysteries and Allegories . Clement ' s Idea of the true Gnostic , or perfect Christian . Knowledge . Motives . Grand Conceptions of God . Prayer . The whole Life a Festival . Spirituality . 106 - 116 ORIGEN , AND HIS THEOLOGY . CHAPTER I . The Alexandrian Theology . Birth and Parentage of Origen . His Childhood . He pants for the Honors of Martyrdom . Reduced to Poverty , and becomes a Teacher . At the Head of the Catechetical School . His Self - denial . Studies . Biblical Criticism . 117 – 125 CHAPTER II . Influence of Ambrose . Origen ' s immense Labors . His Arabian Jour ney , and Visit to Palestine . Reception by the Palestinian Bishops . Anger of Demetrius . Origen ' s Journey to Greece . Ordained in Pa lestine . Deposed and excommunicated . 126 - 131 viii CONTENTS . CHAPTER III . Origen retires to Palestine . New Pupils . His Critical and Theological Studies . Imprisoned , and put to the Rack . Dies at Tyre . His Me mory long persecuted . Question of his Salvation . His Intellectual Character . Merits and Defects as an Expositor . 132 – 138 CHAPTER IV . Writings of Origen . Commentaries . Principles of Interpretation . His Book “ Of Principles . ” His “ Hexapla . ” His Work against Celsus . 139 – 145 CHAPTER v . Inferiority of the Son . Hippolytus , a new Witness . Origen asserts that the Father and Son are two distinct Beings ; that the Father is greater than the Son . Specimens of his Language and Reasoning . Christ is not an Object of Supreme Worship , and not to be addressed in Prayer . The Spirit below the Son . Eternal Generation . The Material Creation eternal . The Logos Doctrine and the Roman Church . Artemon . Death of Christ . 146 – 158 CHAPTER VI . Origen ' s System of Rational and Animated Natures . All Souls pre - exist ent . Purpose of the Material Universe . The Stars animated , and will be judged . Tutelar Spirits . Demons . Present Condition the Result of former Trial . Extent of Christ ' s Redemption . Celestial Natures . Origin of Sin . Human Ability . No unconditional Elec tion . 159 - 166 CHAPTER VII . Origen ' s Views of the Future . The Resurrection . Form of the Future Body . The Final Consummation will be the Perfection and Happi ness of all , including Fallen Spirits of Darkness . Matter to become spiritualized . Variation in his Opinions . Perpetual Lapses and Returns . Fate of the Origenian Doctrines . Appealed to by the Arians . Condemned a Century and a Half after Origen ' s Death . Origenism finds Shelter in the Monasteries . Freedom of Theological Speculation . 167 – 178 CONTENTS . x ARIUS , AND THE ARIAN CONTROVERSY . CHAPTER I . Conflict of Doctrine . Belief of the Ante - Nicene Fathers . Further Ex amples . Gregory Thaumaturgus , Dionysius of Alexandria , Cyprian , Theognostos , Pierius , Methodius , Lactantius . Account of Arius . Origin of the Controversy . Popularity of Arius . He is expelled from Alexandria , and retires to Palestine . How received by the Bishops there . Eusebius of Nicodemia . Palestinian Council . War of Words . 179 – 192 CHAPTER II . Constantine interferes . Council of Nice . Its Character . Opinions of Arius . Proceedings of the Council . Difficulty in framing a Symbol . Eusebius of Cæsarea offers a Creed . Result
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