UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN, founded H. Micklejohn, D.D. Church-Hist.

HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT.

[The historical department of the Ecclesiastical Register is this year furnish ed by the Rev. Hugh Pearson, M. A. St. John's college, Oxford. We beg leave to return our thanks to that gentleman for this history: our readers will not fail to observe, that it unites qualities the most essential in a work of this nature; accuteness of remark, and simplicity of style; felicity in arrangement, and accuracy of statement.

Having thus in our first volume availed ourselves of the labours of Mr. Pearson, to present our readers with a comprehensive though brief history of the progress of Christianity from the earliest period, to the present times, we beg leave to state, that it is our intention to select in future years, 'some important event or era in Ecclesiastical History, of which to give as ample a detail as our limits will admit.]

A BRIEF HISTORIC VIEW

OF THE

PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL,

IN DIFFERENT NATIONS SINCE ITS FIRST PROMULGATION.

Abusque Eoo cardine ad ultimam

Metam occidentis sidera permeans

Obliqua, vitali calore

Cuncta creatque, fovetque, alitque. G. BUCHANAN.

THE state of the world at the introduction of Christianity was such as at once evinced its necessity, and presented the most favourable opportunity for its extensive propagation.

The various nations, of which the Roman empire was composed, were sunk in the grossest superstition, and debased by the prevalence of the most pernicious vices.* The utmost of

* The author deemed it unnecessary, in so brief a sketch of the progress of christianity, as that to which he is confined, to dwell more largely on the moral and religious state of the Gentile world. Those who are conversant with the classical writers of antiquity must be fully aware, both of the general corruption of manners, which prevailed even in the most enlightened and civilized of the heathen nations, and of the erroneous, unsatisfactory, and contradictory sentiments of the Grecian and Roman philosophers, on the principal subjects of morality and religion. For a full discussion of all these points, the author would refer to the elaborate work of Dr. Leland, on the advantages and necessity of the Christian Revelation, and to Mesheim's Eccl. Hist. vol. i. chap. 1.

what mere human wisdom could do towards the moral improvement of the world had been fairly tried during the long course of four thousand years; and the result of that protracted trial had served to prove, that the world by its own wisdom knew not God, and was unable to discover and enforce the principles of true religion and virtue. The Jews, the only people to whom a divine communication had been made, were in a state of degeneracy and corruption: it was time therefore that the supreme Governor of the universe, who, for wise though mysterious reasons, had so long permitted this ignorance, should at length introduce some clearer and more effectual manifestation of his will, to correct the errors of mankind, and to rescue them from the corruptions and misery in which they were involved.

For the successful promulgation of such a divine revelation, the political situation of the greater part of the world afforded peculiar advantages. Nations differing widely from each other, both as to their language and their manners, were comprehended within the vast limits of the Roman empire, and united together in social intercourse. An easy communication was thus opened to the remotest countries; and the most ignorant and barbarous people had gradually felt the civilizing influence of the laws, the commerce, and the literature of the Romans. At the birth of Christ, the empire was, moreover, in a state of greater freedom from wars and dissensions, than it had been during many preceding years; as if the tranquillity which it then enjoyed had been designed not only to facilitate the progress of his religion, but to be descriptive of the benign and peaceful effects which it was intended. to produce among mankind.

For such beneficent purposes, and at such an auspicious period, the Son of God descended upon earth, and assumed our nature. It would be foreign to the purpose of this brief view of the progress of Christianity, to dwell on the succeeding history of Christ himself. Suffice it to say, that, during the course of his ministry upon earth, our Lord demonstrated the truth of his divine mission by a series of unquestionable miracles; delivered to his disciples the leading doctrines and precepts of his religion; and, shortly afterhis ascension, qualified them, by the effusion of the Holy Ghost, for the great and important work of propagating his religion throughout the world.

It was the express command of Christ, that " repentance "and remission of sins should be preached in his name among "all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." This is a passage of scripture, which, as it has been justly observed,* at once points out what the christian religion is, and where we may look for its commencement. The first christian church was accordingly established at Jerusalem; but within a short time after the memorable day of Pentecost, many thousands of the Jews, partly natives of Judæa, and partly inhabitants of other Roman provinces, were converted to the faith of Christ. The persecution which soon after succeeded the death of the protomartyr St Stephen, was the occasion of propagating the gospel throughout Palestine. The apostles alone ventured to remain. at Jerusalem. The rest of the disciples dispersed themselves into the several parts of Judæa, Galilee, and Samaria; and wherever they went, they successfully preached the doctrine of Christ.

While the apostles and others were thus diligently employed, in propagating the gospel, Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the infant church. But in the midst of his career, he was suddenly converted to the faith of Christ, and commissioned as his apostle to the Gentiles. Independently of the miraculous gifts with which this extraordinary man was endowed, his natural talents were of the highest order, and he had made considerable attainments both in Hebrew and Grecian learning. He possessed also a spirit of indefatigable labour, and of invincible fortitude and patience, which admirably qualified him for the arduous office to which he was called. To the eminent abilities and exertions of this great apostle must accordingly be attributed much of the unparalleled success of the gospel at its first publication.

About this time, the churches throughout Judæa, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed an interval of repose from the persecution of the Jews, and were in consequence considerably strengthened and enlarged. At this favourable con un ture, Saint Peter leaving Jerusalem, where, with the rest of the apostles, he had hitherto remained, travelled through all quarters of Palestine, confirming the disciples, and particu

* Milner's Church History, chap. i.

larly visited Lydda, Saron, and Joppa, the inhabitants of which places almost universally received the gospel.*

Hitherto Christianity had been preached to the Jews alone; but the time was now arrived for the full discovery of the divine purpose to extend the knowledge of it to the Gentiles. This important event took place at Cæsarea, the residence of the Roman governor, about seven years after the ascension of our Lord. During the transactions which have been just related, some further circumstances took place respecting the extension of Christianity. When the disciples, who were driven from Jerusalem on the death of St. Stephen, had passed through Judæa and Samaria, they travelled as far as Phoenice, Cyprus, and Antioch, as yet confining their labours to the Jews. At length, however, some of them, on their arrival at Antioch, addressed themselves to the Greek+ inhabitants of that city, and a great number of them were in consequence converted to the faith. Intelligence of this event being communicated to the church at Jerusalem, the apostles immediately sent Barnabas, to confirm the work of their conversion; who, finding so promising a field for apostolical labours, went to Tarsus, and brought back with him the converted Saul. At Antioch they continued a year, forming and establishing the first Christian church among the heathen; and in this city the disciples were first denominated Christians.

The subsequent history in the acts of the apostles is almost exclusively confined to the travels of St. Paul and his fellowlabourers, which are so universally known, that it would be superfluous to enter into any minute detail of them. It may be sufficient to observe in the words of the apostle himself, that "from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, he "fully preached the gospel of Christ." This comprehensive circuit included Syria, Phoenicia, the rich and populous provinces of Asia Minor, and of Macedonia and Greece; in which extensive districts, the cities of Antioch, Lystra, and Derbe, of Thessalonica and Philippi, of Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus, particularly witnessed his zeal and activity in the christian cause. Nor were these the boundaries of his minis

*Acts ix. 35.

i, e. Heathens. See the various reading.