Romans. For that the Roman historians regarded Christians as an insignificant and contemptible faction, is evident from Tacitus, who says that "Nero inflicted the severest punishments upon those who were commonly called Christians and were detested for their infamous crimes. Their name they derived from one Christus, who, in the reign of Tiberius, suffered under Pontius Pilate." Suetonius, also, referring evidently to Christians, relates that "the Jews were expelled from Rome because of their ceaseless tumults, to which they were instigated by one named Christus."3

It would seem, therefore, that the apostles themselves adopted the name which had been imposed upon them in derision, and rejoiced to bear its reproach. From the apostles, their followers adopted it as the exclusive name of their body. They joyfully assumed the name of their Lord and Master, in accordance with the rule of the apostle-"If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf." To be denominated a Christian was, in the estimation of Christian professors and martyrs, their highest honour. This is forcibly illustrated in the narrative which Eusebius has copied from an ancient record of one Sanctus in Vienna, who endured all the inhuman tortures which art could inflict without disclosing either his name or his native land, or his condition in life, whether freeman or slave. To all the interrogations of his tormentors he only replied, in the Latin tongue, I am a Christian; affirming that his name, his country, and his kindred, all were included in this. Of the same import also was the deportment of the martyr Lucian, as related by Chrysostom." To every interrogation he replied, I am a Christian. Of what country are you? I am a Christian. What is your occupation? I am a Christian. Who are your parents? I am a Christian. And such was his reply to every question.

It was a favourite consideration with the primitive Christians, that the name of Christian happily avoids all sectarian distinctions, and indicates the oneness of their faith and knowledge. "I honour Peter," says Gregory Nazianzen," "but I am not called by his name. I honour Paul, but I am not of Paul. The name I bear is derived from no man; I am born of God." "No sect or church took their name from the apostles," observes Epiphanius." we have never heard of the followers of Peter, Paul, Bartholomew, or Thaddeus. But all the apostles, from the beginning, held one faith, and preached, not themselves, but Jesus Christ their Lord. For this reason, they all gave the church one name, derived, not

"For

from themselves, but from their Lord Jesus Christ, after they had already begun to be called Christians at Antioch." As they all had one Lord, so were they all one, and bore the common name of Christians, professing themselves to be the followers of Him, not as the head of their sect or party, but as the Author of their common faith. They even refused the name of Christ's church, claiming to be only a Christian church, i. e. a body of Christians. From this primitive church various religious sects separated themselves, who assumed the names of Manichæans, Simonians, Valentinians, Ebionites, etc.

Without attempting a full enumeration of the names which have been ascribed to Christians by the fathers, we give the following summary of the principal appellations by which they were known among themselves:

1. Catholics, denoting an adherence to the universal faith. While the church remained one and undivided, it was appropriately styled the catholic church. But after the rise of different sects, who, notwithstanding their separation from the church, still claimed to be called Christians, then did the true believers assume the name of catholics, to distinguish themselves from these heretical sects. So that the catholic church is the true church, in distinction from all heretics. None were allowed to be Christians who did not belong to this catholic church. "I am of the catholic church," said Pionius the martyr, "for Christ has no other." This name would, obviously, be claimed by all who supposed that their faith corresponded with that of the earliest ages of the church, and was such as ought to be, at all times, universal.

2. Ecclesiastics, men of the church. Eusebius, Origen, Epiphanius, and Cyril of Jerusalem frequently use this term in distinction from Jews, Gentiles, and heretics; and in such connection as not to designate by it the priesthood merely, to whom the appellation was afterwards restricted.

3. Dogmatics, oi Toù doyuάτos, men of the true faith. This

term denotes those who held fast the sound doctrines of the church. Primarily, it was applied only to religious teachers and rulers in the church, but subsequently, it was so extended as to include all who were sound in the faith.

4. Gnostics. Denoting such as are truly learned, in opposition to the pretensions of false teachers. By this name Christians especially characterized themselves as the true Gnostics, in distinction from an arrogant sect who claimed to be called by the same name.

Clemens Alexandrinus, Irenæus, and others, would intimate by this term that not merely the teachers, but all members of the catholic church were in possession of true wisdom, drawn from no corrupt fountain, and mixed with no foreign ingredient.

5. Theophoroi, Seopópoi, Christophoroi, Xpiotopópot. These epithets, originally applied as titles of honour, became, in time, proper names. The former was first conferred upon Ignatius, who is usually quoted as Ignatius ỏ xai Oɛopópos. From him, or some other ancient father, it passed into a surname; but whether from his declaration to the emperor Trajan that he bore Christ his God in his heart-or from the blessing of Christ bestowed upon him in his childhood-or from the name of Christ imprinted on his breast-or for some other reason, is not known. It is certain, however, that many other eminent Christians were so named.

6. 'IxSús, Fishes. An acrostic fancifully derived from the initials of the several appellations of our Saviour. 'Inooùs, Xpioτός, Θεοῦ Υἱος, Σωτήρ. The first letters of each are united in the word Ιχθύς.

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The names Christian, Christiana, Christopher, Theophilus, and the like, so common in every age of the church, though adopted for convenience, by implication denote, also, devotedness to the service of Christ, and the acknowledgment of his name and his divinity.

§ 2. NAMES OF REPROACH AND DERISION CONFERRED ON CHRIS

TIANS BY THEIR ENEMIES.

THESE are, indeed, without number. Such hatred and contempt were felt for Christianity and its professors, both by Jews and Gentiles, that they seized every opportunity to expose the disciples of Christ as dangerous and contemptible men. The reproachful epithets cast upon them, with few exceptions, relate only to the first centuries of the Christian era, and are chiefly interesting to the historian and antiquarian. And yet they are of importance as illustrating the condition of the primitive church.

1. Jews. By the Romans, Christians were at first regarded as a Jewish sect, like the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. As such, they were accordingly denominated Jews, and despised as a superstitious and misanthropic sect. The name itself was a term of contempt; the Jews being universally despised as a superstitious and misanthropic race. After they began to be distinguished from the Jews,

they were described by Suetonius as a class of men of a new and mischievous superstition. Genus hominum superstitionis novæ et maleficæ.1

2. Nazarenes. Both Jews and Gentiles unitedly denominated the Christians Nazarenes. The word is variously written Nazarenes, Nazerenes, Nazirenes, Nazorenes, and Nazurenes; but the signification was the same, and always implied reproach and contempt. (Acts xxiv. 5.)

3

3. Galileans. This name was probably derived from Acts ii. 7. It is so represented in the writings of Justin Martyr. Gregory Nazianzen, however, ascribes the origin of this reproachful epithet to Julian the apostate. He uniformly denominated both Christ and his followers Galileans; and made a law requiring that they should not be called by any other name. He died with these remarkable words on his lips: Ah! thou Galilean! thou hast conquered.1

4. Greeks. In direct opposition to Julian, Christian converts were by the ancient Romans styled Greeks; which with them was a proverbial phrase, expressive both of suspicion and contempt, as an impostor. Whenever they saw a Christian in the highway, they were wont to exclaim, Ah! a Greek impostor. Christ himself was regarded as an impostor. (Matt. xxvii. 63.) The practice of some Christians in wearing the Grecian pallium instead of the Roman toga had also some influence in attaching to Christians this epithet.

5. Magicians. By heathen nations, the Author of the Christian religion was styled Magician, and his followers magicians. Our blessed Lord was generally believed by the heathen to have practised magical arts, by which he was supposed to have deceived the people.

Of other names which the malice of their persecutors invented or applied to them on particular occasions, the following is a brief summary.

Sibyllists. From their being charged with corrupting the Sibylline books. A favourite insinuation of Celsus.7

Sarmentitii. Derived from the fagots, sarmenta, with which the fires were kindled around them at the stake.8

Semarii. From the stake, semaxis, to which they were bound. Parabolani, naрá30201. From their being exposed to ravenous beasts. This was the name of those who were accustomed to fight with wild beasts.

Biadávatoi, self-murderers. Alluding to their fearlessness of

death.

"ASɛol, Atheists.10 Their renunciation of the errors of polytheism was regarded as a denial of the existence and providence of God.

Νεώτεροι,

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NEάTEρOL," Novelli, novissimi, nuperrimi, &c., new lights, innovators. Authors of a new and barbarous superstition.

12

ΣTarpoλατpaι, worshippers of the cross. (2 Cor. i. 18.) From the frequent use of the sign of the cross.

Plautinæ prosapiæ13 homines et Pistores, men of the race of Plautus, bakers. Plautus is said to have hired himself to a baker to grind in his mill.

Asinarii,14 worshippers of an ass. From an old prejudice against the Jews, of uncertain origin. Creduli, Simplices, Stulti, Lucifugæ, Stupidi, Fatui, Imperiti, Abjecti, Hebetes, Idiotæ, etc. Credulous, simpletons, fools, infatuated, skulking, stupid, abject, ignorant, etc.

Christians were also denominated worshippers of the sun, in consequence of their turning to the east in prayer. Many other causes may have contributed to the same result; their reverence for Christ, the Light of the world; their observance of the Lord's day, Sunday, dies solis; and looking for the appearing of Christ in the east, at his second coming.

§ 3. DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE CLERGY AND THE LAITY.

THE first instance of the distinction of the clergy and the laity as separate orders of men in the Christian church, occurs in Tertullian, at the beginning of the third century.* In this passage and the context, the laity appear as a distinct order, relatively opposed to the clergy, though still entitled, under certain circumstances, to enjoy the prerogatives and perform the office of priests. The term clergy, qui sunt in clero, appears in another treatise from the same author of about the same date.1 The clergy, in the ecclesiastical phraseology of this age, are a class of men chosen to be the teachers and guides of their brethren, withdrawn from secular pursuits and devoted to the contemplation of heavenly things. The apostles often distinguish between the teachers and the

* Differentiam inter ordinem et plebem constituit ecclesiæ auctoritas.-Exhort. ad Castitat. c. 7.