of his writings; yet, he is cited by Athanafius as a witness of the Son's confubftantiality with the Father. "For, as the Sun is not diminished," fays he, "though it produces rays continually, fo likewife the Father is not diminished in begetting the Son, who is his image." It is certain that this is Trinitarian language; and, though neither Theognoftus nor Gregory, nor fome others of the ancient fathers fpake always of the perfons of the bleffed Trinity, with fo much exactnefs as afterwards was done, it would be an extreme want of candour to Fank them with Arians, Sabellians, or the like, when there is the cleareft proof that the foundation of their doctrine was really Trinitarian. Before this important article of faith had been contradicted, men did not perceive the neceffity of being conftantly on their guard refpecting it: but when the herefies were formed, they felt themfelves, urgently, called upon to express themselves with the most diligent precifion. The want of attending to this juft diftinction has nutsed several unreasonable cavils in the minds of those who eagerly catch at every ftraw to fupport heretical notions. Nothing is known of the life of Theognoftus. The proofs of his eloquence and capacity are clear and ftrong*. The injuftice of the late attempts made to invalidate the evidences of the antiquity and of the uninterrupted prefervation of the doctrine of the Trinity within the three first centuries, requires me to mention one inftance more, which, added to the many already mentioned, will, I think, authorize me to draw this conclufion,--that during the first three hundred years after Chrift, though the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity was varioufly oppofed, yet the whole Chriftian Church constantly united in preferving and maintaining it, even from Du Pin, 3d Century. the the Apostles' days, as the proper sphere, within which all the truth, and holiness, and confolation of genuine Christianity lies; and, one may defy its boldest enemies to produce a single inftance of any real progress in Chriftian piety, made in any place, where this doctrine was excluded. We have before observed, that Dionyfius of Alexandria, through his zeal against the fentiments of Sabellius, became fufpected of Arianifm; and, that he fully exculpated himself. A Roman fynod had been convened on that account; and Dionyfius of Rome*, in the name of the Synod, wrote a letter, in which he proves, that the Word was not created, but begotten of the Father from all eternity; and diftinctly explains the mystery of the Trinity. Such extreme nicety of caution in fteering clear of two rocks like thofe of Sabellianifm and Arianifm, between which, it must be confeffed, the paffage is narrow and ftrait, demonftrates,-that the true doctrine of the Trinity in Unity, which, with so much clearness, as to the existence of the thing itself, though, neceffarily, with perfect obfcurity as to the MANNER of the exiftence, difcovers itself every where in the Scriptures, was even then understood with precifion, and maintained with firmnefs throughout the Church of Chrift. • Du Pin, ibid. VOL. I. CHAP. CHA P. XIX. THE FURTHER EXTENSION OF THE GOSPEL HE power of real Chriftianity is always the ftrongest and the cleareft in its beginnings or in its revivals. Exactly contrary to the process in fecular arts and fciences, the improvements of following ages, unless they be favoured with fresh effufions of the Holy Spirit, are, in reality, fo many depravations of what was excellent in its infancy. For these reasons, the object of this chapter would fall exactly within the defign of the author of this hiftory; and it would be a great fatisfaction to his mind, to be able to explain, AT LARGE, the extenfion of the Gospel in the third century. But we must be content with fuch materials as we have, and let the reader fupply, from his own meditations, as much as he can, whatever he may think defective in the following feanty account. A.D. In the reign of Decius, and in the midft of his 2 50. perfecution, about the year two hundred and fifty, the Gofpel, which had hitherto been chiefly confined to the neighbourhood of Lyons and Vienne, was confiderably extended in France. Saturninus was the first bishop of Toulouse, and at the fame time feveral other Churches were founded;-as at Tours, Arles, Narbonne, and Paris. The bishops of Toulouse and Paris afterwards fuffered for the faith of Chrift; but they left Churches, in all probability, very flourishing in piety*. And France, in general, was bleffed with the light of falvation. Germany Book 1, Greg. Tours France, C. 30, Fleury 13, B.6. Germany was alfo, in the courfe of this century, favoured with the fame bleffing, especially thofe parts of it which are in the neighbourhood of France. Cologne, Treves, and Metz, particularly, were evangelized*. Of the British ifles little is recorded; and that little is obfcure and uncertain: It is rather from the natural course of things and from analogy, than from any pofitive unexceptionable teftimony, that we are induced to conclude that the Divine Light must have penetrated into our country. During the miserable confufions of this century, fome teachers from Afia went to preach the Gofpel among the Goths who were fettled in Thrace. Their holy lives and miraculous powers were much respected by these barbarians; and, many of them, from a ftate perfectly favage, were brought into the light and comfort of Chriftianity t. The wisdom and goodness of God fo ordered events, that the temporal miferies, which afflicted mankind in the reign of Gallienus, were made fubfervient to the eternal interefts of his cruel, blind, and infatuated creatures. The barbarians, who ravaged Afia, carried away with them into captivity feveral bishops, who healed diseases, expelled evil fpirits in the name of Chrift, and preached Chriftianity. They were heard, in fome places, with respect and attention; and became the inftruments of the converfion of numbers. This is all that I can collect of the extenfion of the Gospel among the barbarian ravagers. • See Mofh. 3d Century. + Sozomen, B. 13. 11. Ibid. B. 2. C. 5. 002 CHAP. CHAP. XX. A SHORT VIEW OF THE EXTERNAL STATE OF THE CHURCH IN THE THIRD CENTURY. T is the duty of Chriftians to fhine as lights in the world, in the midst of a CROOKED AND PERVERSE NATION. That this was actually the cafe, even in the third century, though much less so than in the two former, and, toward the latter end of it with a very rapid diminution of the glorious brightness of the Gofpel,-the course of the foregoing narrative has, I trust, made apparent. Thofe, with whom the real condition of the reft of mankind in thofe times, is familiar, will fee this in the strongest light. For three centuries, luxury, attended by every abominable vice that can be conceived, had been increafing in the Roman empire. There want not lamentable proofs that the fevere fatires of Juvenal were but too well founded. ALL FLESH HAD CORRUPTED THEIR WAY. With the lofs of civil liberty, even the old Roman virtues of public fpirit and magnanimity, though no better, as Auguftine fays, than fplendid fins in their nature, - had vanished. Civil broils and diftractions 'continually prevailed for the greatest part of this period, and increafed the quantity of vice and mifery. The best time was, doubtless, during the reigns of Trajan, Adrian, and the Antonines: But, even under those princes, the standard of virtue was extremely low. The moft |