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A Religious and Miscellaneous Newspaper, devoted to Religion, Morality, Literature, General Intelligence, and the support of the Principles of the Christian Church, PUBLISHED WEEKLY. “-THE LORD ROD IS A SUM AID SHIELD.” $L50 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE. VOLUME IX. RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, MAY 26, 18-52. NUMBER 21. For the Christian Sun. -CHURCH HISTORY, BY N. 8UMMERBELL. *, (Continued.) Tertullian further says* “ God was not always a Father or a Judge, since he could not be a Father before he bad a Son, nor a Judge before sin. There was a time when both the Son and sin were not.”—Chap. Hi., p. 334. Lactantius—“God before making the world, produced a holy and incorruptible Spirit, which lie might call bis Son, and afterwards by him created innumerable other Spirits called An gels. Christ taught Us (that) one God alone (is) to be worship ped, neither did he ever call himself God.”—Inst. Lib. 4, p. 284. '• •» IIi]arjT, who wrote after the Council of Nice, says, “God the Father, is the cause of all, without beginning, arid solitary; but the Son was produced by the Father without time, and was created and founded before the ages. lie was not before he was horn: but he was born without time; he alone sub sists from the Father alone.”—Lib. 4 : 59. “ The Church knows ONE unbegotten God, and ONE begot ten Son of God. It acknowledges the Father without origin, and the Son from eternity; not himself without beginning.”— Priestly Cor. Chr. 1: 27. Novatinn says, “ God the Father is alone without origin ; when he himself pleased the word was born.”—lie. 1 ri. Chap. 10:81. Eusebius—“ God at his pleasure begat the Son.”—Dr. Clarke, Trin. 252. Novatu*—“ Sabellians make too much of the divinity of.the Son, wlieii they say, it is that of the Father, extending the honor beyond bounds. The Son is indeed God; but God the Father of all, is the God of all.”—Dr. Priestly, Cor. Chr. 1: 29. Epiphanius—“ There is only one God, the Father Almighty, from whom the only begotten Son truly proceeded.—Ibid, p. 30. Origen—two Gods, etc.; the reply: “ To them who charge us that we believe in two Gods, we reply, he who-'fs God of him self, is the Gon—for which reason our Savior says, (John 17 : 8,) the only true God, but whatever is God besides him, by communication of his divinity, cannot be properly called the God, but a God. Many pious persons, through fear that they should make two Gods, fall into false and wicked notions.” Ib.y p. 6. Do. p. 802. Eusebius—“If this makes them apprehend, lest we should seem to introduce two Gods, let them know, that though we do in deed acknowledge the Son to be God, yet there is absolutely but one God, even he who alone is without original, and unbe gotten.”—Clarke on the Trinity, p. 307. Tertullian—“ The unlearned, who are always the greater part of the body of Christians will have it that we worship two, and even three Gods; since the rule of faith transfers the W'orship of many Gods to the one true God; but that they are the worshippers of one God only. We say they hold the Monar chy. Even the Latins have learned to bawl out for the Mon archy, and the Greeks themselves will not understand the econ omy.”—-Ad. Praxeam, Sec. in. p. 502. Novation, A. D. 251. “Tho rule of truth teaches us to believe, after the Father, in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ; our God, yet the Son of God, of that God who is one and alone, the Maker of all things.”—Chop. 9: 2G. Eusebius of Caeserm, A. D. 815. “ The only begotten Son of God, and first-born of every creature, teaches us to call his Father the only trde God, and commands us to worship Him.”—Praep. Lib. 1: 15. “ Tho prevailing view in the Western Church came to this : ono divine essence in the Father and Son, but at the same time a subordination in relation of the Son to the Father.”—Nean der 1: 605. Holy Ghost.—“The Church Fathers conceived of the Holy Spirit as subordinate to the Father and the Son; the first of the beings produced by the Father.through the Son/^\Nean der 1: 608. \ Justin Martyr conceived of it as a Spirit “standing in some relation to the angels.” Origen describes it “ as tho only begot ten of the' Father through the Son, to whom not only being, but also wisdom and holiness,/ is first communicated by the Son; dependent on him in all these relations.”—Neander 1: 609. __ In this chapter I have given the words of tric/principal f ath ers of the first Centuries. Condemned opinions of TnE first three centuries, respect ing God and TnE Son of God. The original meaning of the word heresy, is choice. On its passing from philosophy over into religion, it came to signify the opinions of one, who, not satisfied with the religion of the Apostles, chose to add to it, substract from it, change or alter it to suit his view. The word is never spoken of in the New Testament ns applied to Christians in a good sense ;'but we are commanded to reject the heretic, without reference .to the comparative good or evil of his heresy. The earliest fathers strongly opposed heresy—but never permitted personal sever it.y. • .In looking over the rejected opinions concerning our divine Lord and Savior, it is not to ho»]fresnmed that every thing condemned is heresy—by no means. Error, itself may be clear ly distinguished from heresy. But, to one idea, I will direct ® the notice of the reader, viz: That tho doctrine of one God, the Father, and one Lord Jesus Christ, tho true Son of the Father has never been condemned by any Council or Church ; but that almost every other idea attached to, or relation suppo sed to exist, between the Futher and tho Son, has been con demned. 1. “Ebionites.—No tradition respecting the founder of a sect oalled Ebion. is supported on grounds of authentic history. Origen was the first to give tho correct derivation of tins word from the Hebrew, poor—which may signify tho meagre nature of their faith, as hinted by Origen and others—for they be lieved in the simple humanity of Christ—or, the poverty of their circumstances—for they were of the ancient Jewish con gregations, and poor'in this world’s goods—or, ns they them selves professed, from the poverty of their spirit.”—Matt, v: 3. Neander 1—350. Mosli. 1-67-71. 2. “Arteman, in the 2d contury, taught that the ancient Chris ians, up to Victor, of Romo, 13th Bishop, all hold that Christ was simply a man. He was easily confuted.” 3. “Paul, of Snmosata Bishop of Antioch, condemned by a Counoil in Antioch, A. D. 269, held that the Son and Holy Ghost existed in God, as reason and activity in man. That Je sus was born a very man, but that this Logos doscondod upon him, by whioli he wrought miracles; and thus he might, though not, properly, be called God.”—Mosli. 1: 95. Condemned by a Counoil at Antioch, A. D. 269. 4. “ Noetus, of Smyrna, taught that the Supreme God, the Father, united himself to Jesus, the man, and was crucified. Hawies i : 199. The followers of Noetus were also called Fat ripasians, because they held that God, the Father, suffered,”— Mosh. 1 : 95. 5. Praxeas.—“ The heresy of Praxeas consisted in making the Father, Son, and Iloly Ghost, all one and the same.” “ Ter tullian informs ns, that Praxeas first brought this evil from Asia into the Roman World, and seduced many.” Milnor 1: 143. O. OttUeiHUH, ui auiun, ui«uup ui uttu:c, juuiiiiiuiivxx, *»***« there was no distinct personality between the Father and Son but that a certain energy, or portion of the divine nature, pro ceeding from the supreme parent, united to the Son of God, the man Jesus. He was coufnted by Dyonysius of Alexan dria.” Waddington, 78. 7. “Beryllus denied the pre-existence of Christ as a person. -Ho was confuted by Origen, and returned to the true doctrine.” Mosh. 1: 95. 8. “Montanists, from Montanus, in Asia Minor,' A. D. 170, who professed to hh the Paraclete, or Comforter; the same who had descended on the Apostles. Ilis morality and self-denial was apparently very strict. Condemned by the Asiatic Councils.” Waddington 78. Tertullian was a defender of the above sect. 9. “Novatian, a Presbyter of Rome, austere, learned and tal ented. He refused to readmit to Church fellowship those who had apostatized in persecution, yet did not deny the possibility of tlieir salvation, butnyould even re-baptize those of other so cieties who had received such penitent apostates. Cornelius, of Rome, the principal opponent of Novation had motives for personal enmity against him.” Ilawies 1: 200. Wad. 79. “ One principal objection against Novatian, was, that being penitent on a sick bed, lie was baptized merely by aspersion, sprinkling—and the Roman Clergy had decided, that no person, thus baptized, only by sprinkling on a sick bed, should bo or dained.”—Neander li _23S. 10. Gnosticism, or Gnostics—knowing. Some suppose that this sect existed, previous to Christianity, and that they merely adopted such parts of the Christian religion as suited them, and engrafted it on to their system. That knowledge existed previous to Christianity, is true. That Christianity was en grafted on to this knowledge, is also true; and that many of the converts, Jewish, Oriental, Grecian, and Barbarian, retain ed many of their old opinions, is also true. Further than this is not true. Tlieir name denoted knowledge, as professed to have the true knowledge of Christianity, and regarded other Christians as simple, ignorant, and barbarous, They have been regarded by some as the only philosophers-of the times. Cer tainly- they are very ignorant who suppose that the Apostles wrote against the Gnostics, when they spake of a false Gnos is. I will now give an explanation of terms of the Gnostic sys tem: 1. Primitive Father. By this term they alluded to the ori ginal source of all, being the underived and infinite Jehovah. 2. yEons—that is, eternal beings, the gods; children, or off spring of the primitive; not by creation, but “ emanation;” an evolution of numbers out of the original unity; an eradiation of light from an original light; or, as expressed in the Nieene creed —God of God—light of light. 8. Pleroma—the whole emanation world, as distinguished from the temporal world—that is the spiritual, heavenly world. 4. Creation, malter, &c.—Matter is necessarily evil, and opposed to Spirit. It always existed, yet was inert and dead, possessing no active power until acted upon by Spirit, 5. The divine emanations of wojis become feebler the far ther removed from the original parent. Hence the extremity of the series is imperfect, and sinks from the pleroma—spiritual world, into the chaos, or bordering void; kindles with its own native fire life in the inert matter, and is itself corrupted with the connection, and a new world starts into being beyond the pleroma. This answers to our world of evil spirits, Satan, &c. From this time two kingdoms existed; or the kingdom of light, and the kingdom of darkness—i. e. heaven and hell, or Gods, and devils, 6. As to the Creator of the World, they differed in this idea. Some supposed that a revolted won formed it for a separate kingdom; but others and perhaps orignally the ma jority, supposed that God the Supreme, appointed one of tit©— rouons, called demiurge, fo create it as His representative. 7. They supposed that the great mass of the Jews never rose above the knowledge of the demiurge to that of the invisible supreme, iney sam— #> “ Ah far as the Supremt’'08on who appeared in Christ is exalted above the angels and the demiurge, so far does Chris tianity transcend Judaism, and the whole earthly creation.” 9. In Christ, the Supreme God, through his liighest gEon, lot himself down at once to this inferigtsystom, to draw up ward to himself those higher and kindred spiritual natures which are here held in bondage. • • • 10. Christ was this Supremei__iEon—the first...emanation. from the primitive Father, who united himself with the man Jesus, at his birth, or baptism, and left him at his crucifixion— Jesus tlio very man, or the man in appearance, only suffer ing. V 11. Man consisted of matter necessarily evil, and of a srnrit which was an emanation, or at least the offspring of God, through some remote link in the chain of emanation from the original parent—the primitive Father. Thus they made the soul a part of God, which longed to be relieved from this mate rial body, and rise again to its native pleroma—so that they not only held to two Christs, a divine and human—or, two intel lectual and personal natures, making not one but two Christs, God and man, but they also thus distinguished, though not in so clear a manner, between the spirit and body in man. 12. They made knowledge in religion the principal thing, yet neglected not practical duty. I have here stated the primi tive and leading principles of tho Gnostics. They held also manj’ other peculiar principles; also sects among them differed much from these. Whoever wishes to investigate the subject farther can consult Neander 1: 3G6. 18. Sahians were originally tho disciples of John tho Baptist, who, contrary to the spirit of thoir Master, became hostile to Christianity. Norberg published thoir most important religious book, from which we discover that they became Gnostics.— They held that Fetahil was the world builder, whose awkward ness accounts for all its imperfections. They taught that the seven star spirits, and twelve star spirits of the zodiac, who sprang from a connection between Fetahil and the spirit of darkness, play an important part in all evil, and originated both Judaism and Christianity. Nearider 1: 376, and 383. 14. The Manichean system originated with Mani, of Persia, lie was educated in the religion of Zoroaster, and afterward embraced Christianity. He first appeared as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, near the close of the reign of King Sapor I., A. D. 270. lie was a profound mathematician and a talented painter, ana was altogether,a man ot superior parts, lie conciliated tlie favor of his Prince, hut fleil for safety from the Maginns. After the death of Sapor in 272, he returned to Persia, hut final]}', after a disputation with the Magians, refusing to recant, he was flayed alive, and his skin stuffed and hung before the gates of the city, in 277, to terrify his followers. His Views were strange, lofty, wild, and in general so foreign to Christi anity, as to deserve no-place here. With him Christianity was the soul of nature, or rather nature was a development of " Christianity. Ilis was that form of Gnosticism which attribut ed to Christ a shadowy body, not a real one. His true body was seen at the transfiguration. i Condemned in the Roman Empire, A. D. 296. Among those ancient systems, almost every form of modern theology on the divinity, is condemned. The nearest idea to truth is that of the Gnostics, in holding Christ as the first emanation from the primitive Father, and as much above demiurge, and the other icons, (angels,) as Christianity is above. Judaism, or the mate rial world; but those erred who denied the reality of his flesh. In condemning the systems which I have noticed, the ancient Church condemned the following theories: 1. Ilumanitarianism, or Socinianism, held by the Ebionites. 2. That Christ existed in God as a faculty; as reason in man. Paul of Samosata. 3. That the Supreme God united himself to Jesus, and was crucified. Noetus. 4. That the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, were all but one, and the same. Praxeas. 5. That there was no distinct personality between the Father and the Son. Sabellius. 6. That Christ had no pre-existence as a person. Beryllus. 7. Sprinkling for/baptism. Novation. 8. That the divine Christ was not that Jesns, who was seen by men, but a distinct personal nature—the two nature scheme., Gnostics. • 0. That Christ possessed not a real body. Mani. These being condemned, we have the Christian doctrine de monstrated negatively, as it is in what the ancient Church be lieved positively—that is: Christ not being a human being simply, but divine and pre existent,; and that he is not a part of God’s self, blit a distinct person, and not one and the same as the Father, must be the divine Soil of God; for every other view of the matter has been condemned—but this, NEVER!!! While there is no way of illustrating or explaining upon that system which denies tlie Son, without falling into the one or the other of the above systems, which have been condemned as heretical. That there is one God the Father, no Council lias dared to deny—and that there is one true Son of God,, has ever prevailed—for, on this Rock the Church is built, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it. Eminent Christian Pbeaciiebs of the CnciSTiAX Onrnrn SUBSEQUENT TO T1IE APOSTOLIC AGE. 1st. Justin Martyr, A. D. 163.-—“Thft father-of tlie Church stands first in the ranks of the Alexandrian School. lie was a native of Xeapolis, in Samaria, had a learned education, and. went to the famed school of Alexandria for improvement.”— Jlames 1: 160. See also 167. _Ilis conversion. “ This great man was born at Xeapolis. Af ter receiving a philosophical education, he traveled in his youth to Alexandria. He gave himself up to the tuition of the Sto ics, till he found that they could learn him nothing more of God. Next he sought truth of a Peripatetic, next of a Pytha '"'~g«rean, and last of a Platonic philosopher. ’While thus engag ed, he says, ‘as I was walking near the sea, I was met by an aged person of venerable appearance, whom I beheld with much attention. We soon entered into conversation, and upon my professing a love for private meditation, the venerable old man hinted at the absurdity of mere speculation. I expressed my ardent desire to kuow God. He pointed to The Writings of the Hebrew prophets. Ho added,, above all .things.nifty that the . gates o*f light may. pe opened to you, for they are hot discerni ble, nor to be understood by any one, except God and his Christ enable a man to understand.’ After further conversation, he left me. I saw him no more; but immediately a fire waa.kin.^. dled in my soul, and I had a strong affection for tire prophets, and for those men who are the friends of Christ. I weighed within myself the arguments of the aged stranger; and, in the end, I found the divine Scriptures to be the only sure philosophy.” Mil nor says of his converson, he has shown us enough to make it evident, that conversion was then looked upon ns an inward spiritual work in the soul. Coming to Rome, ho met and refuted Mnrcion, the Gnostic. In A. D. 140, ho published his excellent Apology. Xot long after, ho went to Ephesus, where his dialogue with Trypho the Jew oecured. He afterwards returned to Rome, where he had frequent con tests with Creseens the philosopher, and soon after published his second Apology for the Christians. The sincerity, of his Christian attachments outweighed every argument, and ho was thrown into prison for the crime of being a Christian, with six of his companions. The Prefect inquired in what kind of learning ho had been educated, and he related his experience. The Governor replied— Prefect. Wretch! art thou captivated with that religion? Justin. I am, I follow the Christians, and their doctrine is right. Pro. What is their doctrine ? Jns. We believe the one only God to be the Creator of all things, visible and invisible; and we confess our Lord Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, foretold by tho prophets of old; and that he is now the Savior, teacher, and Master of those ! who are dnly submissive to his instruction, and, that he will hereafter be the Judge of mankind, &c. Pre. Where do the Christians usually assemble ? Jus. The God of the Christians is not confined to any place, Pre. In what place do you instruct your scholars ? ' Jcs. The place where I dwell, Pre. If I scourge thee from head to fo^t, thinkest thou that thou wilt go to heaven? <, Jus. I expect to enjoy the portion of all time Christians. Pre. I)o you think that you will go to heaven and receive a reward ? Jus. I know it! and have a certainty of it, which excludes all doubt. Pre. All go together, and sacrifice to the gods. Jus. No man whose understanding is sound, will desert the true religion. Pre. Unless you comply you shall be tormented without mercy. “ All replied, we are Christians, and cannot sacrifice to idols.” They were then scourged and beheaded, and their dead bodies intered by their Christian friends. “ His character. Thus slept in Jesus the philospher Justin, A. D. 163. He is the first Christian since the Apostle's days, who added to an unquestionable zeal and love for tire Gospel, the character of a man of learning and a philosopher. His re ligion was the effect of serious and long deliberation. He ex amined the Various philosophic sects to find out God; and is God true happiness. He tried and found them all wanting. Ho sought him in the Gospel—hp found him there; he Confess ed him; he gave up every thing for him; he wqs satisfied with his choice; but he never explicitly owns the doctrine of elec tion.” (Calvinism.)—See Jlilnor 1: 103—109. “He seems to confess Jesus as the true Cod, but,we wish for a more explicit testimony—an Arian might do the same.”— Haviies, 1: 168, 109. Irenmus yyas a Greek, A. D. 178. “ He with singular blessing spread the knowledge of salvation in Gaul. The labors’Of his ministry were great, and his writings still greater; but he quits the scriptural ground of God’s election!” . (Calvinism.)—Ifaw ies, 1: 170. “He was a disciple-of St.John he succeeded as Bishop of Lyons, in 109. Accurately versed as he was in Grecian litera ture, he also took pains to learn the barbarous dialect of Gaul, &c., for the love of souls, lie describes the faith of the Gauls, who belie ve in Jesus without paper or ink, having the doctrine of salvation written on their hearts by the Holy Ghost, and faith fully keeping np the ancient tradition concerning one God the Creator, and his Son Jesus Christ.” Such was the universal Christian faith.—Miluor 1: 139. That Iren,-eus believed that this Son of God was divine, and not simply the birth in this world, is proved by his own blessed language: “If any one asks us, how is the Son produced from the Father, &c., no oiie knows, &c., hut the Father who begat, and the. Son who is begotten.”—Lib. 2, chap. 48, p. 176. (To be continued.) COMMUNICATIONS, For the Christian Sun. “The Door into the Church.” Brother Hayes: In compliance with your request, in the Sun of April 2Sth, I will now offer a few thoughts in reference to the Church Door. Before describing the “ Door,” it may be well to inquire, what is the Church ? A door is the entrance into a build ing, and we must know the building if we would find the door. Whoever builds the church, of course may select the door, and if any men have a Church of their own, or under their control, they can have such a door as they choose. And it so happens that irater is the door into some Churches, but probably paper constitutes the doors of more —men coming in bv their creeds.- . But I suppose your inquiry was in reference to tho— “ Church of Christ.” I think it is clear that Baptism, or any Church rule or rite, or, anything that man can open or shut, cannot'be the door into the Church of Christ. As the door is the entrance, all who pass through it are in the building, and all who do not pass through it are out of the , building. Hence, if Baptism*'is the door,into Clu wt’S’* Church, all baptized persons are in that Church, and all unbaptized persons are out of it—no one can be baptized without being Christ’s, nor be Christ’s, without being bap-_ tized. If a hypocrite, or any unconverted man—any one that Christ did not receive—was ever baptized, then bap tism was not the door to him, for he was out of Christ’s Church, though he had been baptized. So if Christ ever received a disciple, before baptism, that ordinance was not the door to him, for he was in the iChurch before passing through that door. Again, if water baptism is the door, then men are ap pointed Door-keepers, and whomsoever they put through, however unfit, is in the Church ; and whomsoever they re ject, or whoever neglects to call on them, however worthy, is out of the Church; and Christ himself cannot admit a member without their help, nor keep out one they put through the door. If men can put bad men through the door of Christ’s Church, (and certainly they can baptize them,) and reject good men, they mavjhdxAhe Lord him self and damn and save whom they Will A But I suppose there is no intelligent man that strictly believes that bap tism is the door iuto the Church of Christ, except those who believe in baptism foV the remission of sins, though some may make it the door into their branch of it, yet re ceive members that others put through their door. But let us consider, more’ distinctly, what is the Church of Christ? Is it not the full company of all who are re
The Christian Sun (Elon College, N.C.)
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May 26, 1852, edition 1
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