cient to give celebrity to any publication, but whom I am not permitted to mention.

Though an Ecclefiaftic of the Church of England, I have endeavoured to treat every fect of Chriftians with candour; and I can truly say that I love and refpect them all. Nothing would give me more pain than the consciousness of having misrepresented any. I have in general extracted my account of their tenets from their own writers; and if I have been guilty of any mistake, it has been folely for want of perfect information concerning them.

G. G.

CONTENTS

OF

VOL. I.

THE FIRST CENTURY.

CHAP. I.

General View of the Hiftory of Religion previous

to the Birth of Chrift.

Two Syftems of Religion prevalent from the early Ages, both

derived from the fame Source-Origin of Paganifm-Miftakes

concerning the ancient Traditions-Worship of the Heavenly

Bodies-Applying the Titles of the Gods to the early Mo.

narchs-Local Deities-Idolatry-Nature of the Jewish Re-

ligion-State of the World at the Birth of Chrift-Social

Genius of Polytheifm-Grecian Philofophy-Epicurean—

Peripatetics Stoics-Platonics-Oriental Philofophy-Re-

ligious State of Judea Pharifees-Sadducees-Effenes-Civil

State-Herod-Profligacy of the Nation

--

CHAP. II.

page 1

General State of the Church in the First Century.

Character of the Evangelifts-Miraculous Powers-Infpiration

-Fates of the Apoftles-Time and Circumftances in which

the Evangelical Writings were compofed-Deftruction of

Jerufalem-Firft Perfecutions-under NERO and DOMITIAN

VOL. I.

pa. 30

A

viii

CONTENTS.

CHAP.

III.

Doctrine, Government, and Difcipline of the

Church.

Faith of the Primitive Chriftians-Ecclefiaftical Government

neceffary to the Support of a visible Church-Bifhops, Prefby-

ters, Deacons, Deaconeffes-Forms of Worship-Sacraments

-Excommunication

page 43

CHAP. IV.

Of the Sects which exifted in the First Century.

Jewish Chriftians-Gnoftics-Cerinthus-Simon Magus and

Little Ufe made of human Learning in this Century-Clemens

-Barnabas-Papias-Ignatius-Public Schools

pa, 63

THE SECOND CENTURY.

CHAP. I.

General State of the Church in this Century.

Caufes affigned for the rapid Progrefs of Chriftianity-Tranfla-

tion of the Scriptures into Latin-Trajan-Platonifm-Alex-

andrian Chriftians-Origin of Monkery - Perfecutions -

Adrian-Antoninus-Rebellion of the Jews-Martyrs-In-

quiry concerning the ceafing of Miraculous Powers pa.

68

Of Doctrine, Government, Rites, and Ceremonies.

Creed of the Church in this Century-Corruptions-Simple

Structure of the Apoftolic Churches-Functions of the Bi-

fhops-Metropolitans-Mode of adminiftering the Sacrament

-Baptifm-Festival of Eafter-Christmas-Fafts-Mar-

riage-Ecclefiaftical Cenfures-Controverfy concerning Eafter

CHAP. III.

page 83'

Of the Sects which appeared in the Second

Century.

Gnoftic Chriftians-Marcionites - Encratites-Carpocrates--

Valentinian Herefy-Montanus-Praxeas-Jewish Chriftians

-Nazarenes or Ebionites

CHAP. IV.

Of Learning and Learned Men.

pa. 96

Acceffion of learned Perfons to the Church-Juftin Martyr-

Polycarp-Irenæus-Clement of Alexandria-Hegefippus

Aquila-Theodotion-Symmachus-Dionyfius-Theophilus

-Tertullian.-Pagan Writers-Plutarch, Epictetus, Anto-

pinus, Lucian

pá. 104

THE THIRD CENTURY.

CHAP. I.

General State of the Church in this Century.

Rapid Succeffion of the Roman Emperors-State of Chrifti-

anity under Severus - Perfecution

-

Alexander Severus-

CONTENTS.

Maximin-Philip and Decius-Decian Perfecution-Gallus

and Gallienus Valerian-Perfecution - Virtues of Chrif-

tians

-

-

page 197

CHAP. II.

Doctrine, Government, and Difcipline of the

Church during the Third Century.

Doctrines Creed of Tertullian-Platonic Chriftians-Monk-

ery-St, Anthony-Opinións concerning the State of the

Soul-Public Edifices erected for the Chriftian Worship-

Encroachments of the Clergy-New Orders of Clergy-Co-

piatæ Parabolani -Acolythifts-Exorcifts-Notaries-Ca-

techumens-Baptifm, Confirmation, &c.-Penitential Difci-

pline-Fafts-Accommodation of Chriftianity to the Prejudi-

ces of the People-Mysteries
pa. 115

CHAP. III.

Of the Sects which appeared in the Third

Century.

Manichæans-Noetians and Sabellians-Paul of Samofata-

Novatians

CHAP. IV.

pa. 130

Of Learning and Learned Men in the Third

-

Century.

Origen Cyprian bifhop of Carthage-Gregory Thaumatur

gus-Dionyfius of Alexandria-Methodius of Tyre-Por

phyry-Serapion-Minucius Felix-Julius Africanus-Hefy-

chius-Lucian-Pamphilus, &c.-Apoftolical Conftitutions

-Longinus-Dion Caffius

pa. 138