XVII

CHAP. of religion is concerned: and I might have added this instance to the list of his perversions, which I formerly submitted to the judgment of the public*. The truth is, the death of Marcellus was the effect of a PARTIAL PERSECUTION: New military rules, subversive of Christianity, were introduced: Christian soldiers were ordered to sacrifice to the gods; and they could not do this without renouncing their religion:-Otherwise, it was, in those times, not uncommon for the followers of Jesus to serve in the armies.

Marcellus,

Saint

beheaded.

A. D.

298.

It was in the year two hundred and ninety-eight, called at Tangier in Mauritania, while every one was emMarcellus, ployed in feasting and sacrifices, that Marcellus the centurion took off his belt, threw down his vinebranch and his arms, and added, "I will not fight any longer under the banner of your emperor, or serve your gods of wood and stone. If the condition of a soldier be such that he is obliged to sacrifice to gods and emperors, I abandon the vine-branch and the belt, and quit the service." "We plainly see the cause," says Fleury," that forced the Christians to desert:-They were compelled to partake of idolatrous worship." The centurion was ordered to be beheaded: And Cassianus, the register, whose business it was to take down the sentence, cried out aloud, that he was shocked at its injustice. Marcellus smiled for joy, foresecing that Cassianus would be his fellow-martyr: In fact, he was actually martyred about a month after.

When I first read Mr. Gibbon's account of this transaction, I concluded that Marcellus had suffered on mere principles of modern quakerisın.—Quite unnecessary are any further remarks, on a subject, which is not in the smallest degree obscure or uncertain.

These preliminaries to the persecution, with which the next century opens, did not, it seeins, duly

* See Milner's Gibbon.

affect the minds of Christians in general; nor was the
spirit of prayer stirred
up among them;-a certain
sign of long and obstinate decay in godliness! There
must have been, in secret, a lamentable depar-
ture from the lively faith of the Gospel. Origenism,
and the learning and philosophy connected with it,
were extremely fashionable: And we conjecture,
that the sermons of Christian pastors had more, in
general, of a merely moral and philosophical cast,
than of any thing purely evangelical. In truth,
justification by faith, hearty conviction of sin,-
and the Spirit's influences, are scarcely mentioned
in all this season. Moral duties, I doubt not, were
inculcated, but professors of Christianity continued
immoral and scandalous in their lives. The state of
the Church of England from the time of Charles II.
down to the middle of the last reign,-full of party,
faction and animosities, and love of the world, yet in
its public ministrations adorned with learning, and
abounding in external morality, seems very much
to resemble that of the Christian Church in manners
and in piety, from the death of Dionysius to the end
of the century. In one instance there was a great
difference: Superstition was much stronger in the
ancient Church; but as it was enlisted in the service
of self-righteousness, and as the faith of Christ and
the love of God was, in a great measure, buried
under it, such a diversity does not affect the general
likeness.

God, who had exercised long patience, declared at length in the course of his providence," Because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused MY FURY TO REST UPON THEE

But this scene, which introduces quite a new face on the Church, and was quickly followed by several surprising revolutions, belongs to the next century,

Ezek. xxiv. 13.

CENT.

III.

CHAP.

CHAP. XVIII.

SOME ACCOUNT OF GREGORY THAUMATURGUS,
THEOGNOSTUS, AND DIONYSIUS OF ROME.

THESE three persons are all, whom I can find XVIII. belonging to the third century, to whom, according to my plan, sufficient justice has not been done already. Of the two last, indeed, I have little to say. Of the first more is recorded. Eusebius* has given a short account of him; and his life is written, at length, by Gregory of Nyssen. Cave and Fleury have collected the most material things concerning him; but the former is more to be depended on.— I wish to furnish the reader with every information that may appear valuable concerning this great man; I wish to separate truth from fiction. Considerable allowance, no doubt, must be made for the growth of superstitious credulity:-I dare not, however, reject all that part of Gregory's narrative, in which miraculous powers are ascribed to Thaumaturgus.— His very namet admonishes the historian to be cautious in this matter: and though no great stress, perhaps, ought to be laid on such a circumstance alone, it behoves us to remember that the same idea is supported by the concurrent testimony of antiquity.

He was born at Neocæsarea, the metropolis of Cappadocia. His father, zealous for paganism, took care to educate him in idolatry, and in the learning of the Gentile world.--He died when his son was only fourteen years of age.-The mother of Thaumaturgus took care, however, to complete his education and that of his brother Athenodorus, who was afterwards a Christian bishop, as well as himself.—He travelled to Alexandria to learn the Platonic philosophy, where he was equally remarkable for strictness of life and Book 6. Chap. 29.

Wonderworker.

for close attention to his studies. The renowned Origen, at that time, gave lectures in religion and philosophy, at Cæsarea in Palestine. Thaumaturgus, his brother Athenodorus, and Firmilian, a Cappadocian gentleman, with whom he had contracted an intimate friendship, put themselves under his tuition. This same Firmilian is the Cappadocian bishop, whom we have, repeatedly, had occasion to mention. The two brothers continued five years with Origen, and were persuaded by him to study the holy Scriptures; and no doubt is to be made, but that the most assiduous pains were exerted by that zealous teacher to ground them in the belief of Christianity. On his departure he delivered an eloquent speech in praise of Origen, before a numerous auditory:—a testimony at once of his gratitude and of his powers of rhetoric.

There is still extant a letter written by Origen to Gregory Thaumaturgus*, in which he exhorts him to apply his knowledge to the promotion of Christianity. The best thing in it is, that he advises him to pray fervently and seriously for the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

Being now returned to Neocæsarea, he gave him self much to prayer and retirement; and, doubtless, was, in secret, prepared and disciplined for the im portant work to which he was soon after called. Neocæsarea was a large and populous city,-full of idolatry,--the very seat of Satan; so that Christianity could scarcely gain any entrance into it. Phadimus, bishop of Amasea, a neighbouring city, was grieved to see its profaneness; and hoping much from the piety and capacity of young Gregory, he took pains to engage him there in the work of the ministry. Gregory, from pure modesty, endeavoured to elude his designs; but was at length prevailed on to accept the charge.

The scene was arduous. He had a Church to
Origen Philocal. C. 13.

CENT.

III.

XVIII.

CHAP. found, before he could govern it. There were not above seventeen professors of Christianity in the place. His name sake of Nyssen seems to have been imposed on by the superstitious spirit, then too prevalent, when he tells us that Gregory Thaumaturgus received, in a vision, a creed from John the Evangelist and the Virgin Mary. But, as he assures us, that the original, written with his own hand, was preserved in the Church of Neocæsarea in his time; and, as this is a matter of fact of which any person might judge;-as the creed itself contains nothing but what is very agreeable to the language of the fathers of the third century;-and, as we have already seen the exact and steady pains with which they guarded the doctrine of the Trinity against he resies, I do not hesitate to conclude that he either actually composed the creed in question, or received it as his own;-at the same time the intelligent reader, when he has considered its contents, and the consequences deducible from them, need not be in the least surprised at the industry* with which, in our times, its credit has been impeached. The whole creed is as follows, and merits our attention the more,―because the orthodoxy of Gregory has been unreasonably suspected, against the express testimony of Eusebius,-who, we have seen above, ----represents him as one of the opposers of Paul of Samosata, at the first council.

"There is one God,-The Father of the living Word, of the subsisting wisdom and power, and of HIM, who is his eternal express Image: The perfect Father of Him that is perfect: The Father of the only-begotten Son. There is One Lord, the only Son of the only Father; God of God; the Character and Image of the Godhead; the energetic Word; the comprehensive Wisdom by which all things were made; and the Power that gave Being to all crea tion: The true Son of the true Father: The Invis • See Lardner's Credibility,