perfect examples for their encouragement and imi tation. On another hand it is neceffary to obferve, that, if fuch be the all-wife ceconomy of the Almighty to put the fidelity of many of his fervants to the teft, by conducting them through the fiery trials of perfecution, he nevertheless views with deteftation the hands that inflict thofe feverities on them. The perfecutions crown the faith and fortitude of the fufferers. But the perfecutors are guilty of malice and cruelty, and in confequence draw the divine venger ance upon them. And thus it happened to the heathen Roman emperors and people, who for fpilling the Chriftian blood, felt, as we have seen, the weight of God's judgments. Many examples likewife of this fort in prior ages are recorded in holy writ. Among others, Sennacherib, the Affyrian king; Nabuchodonofor the Babylonian, and Antiochus the Syrian, were punished by the hand of God for their malicious attempts and inhumanities, against his people, the Jews. The course of his providence we fee is the fame under the Chriftian difpenfation. For from the Apocalypse we learn, that feven vials of the wrath of God are poured out for the punishment of the enemies of the Chriftian Church. Ought not this reflection be fufficient to deter the evil-minded from directing their malice and power against the people of that community? II. In the fecond Age of the Church, which begins about the year 320 and contains nearly 100 years, we fee rise up a scene of a different kind. This age may be ftyled the age of herefy. In the preceding period we faw a ftrenuous conteft, between religion and idolatry, between Chriftianity and paganifm, or as one may fay, between the Almighty and Sa through want of courage, and infinite prejudice had enfued upon all his pofterity, it would feem that almighty God defigned, that fault should be retrieved, as far as poffible to human nature, by the eminent fortitude of his new fervants, the Chriftians whom for that purpose he made pafs through most fevere perfecutions, the acuteft tortures, and death itfelf in its moft dreadful fhapes. Thus the earth was bathed with Chriftian blood, but the fouls of the generous victims went to fhare immortal glory and power with the Lamb: "And I faw feats," fays St. John, "and they fat upon them, and judgment was given unto them, and the fouls of them that were beheaded for the teftimony of Jefus, and for the word of God. . . . .And they lived and reigned with Chrift a thousand years," Apoc. xx. 4. The fpirit of the Chriftian doctrine was no lefs manifest in thofe that were left on the ftage of life. They appeared by the fanctity of their conduct to form a new community entirely different from the reft of mankind, and they practifed fuch transcendent virtues as before were deemed impoffible. Some entered into courses of the fevereft aufterities, of mortification and fafting. Others retired into remote folitudes, confecrating their whole time to God,. with little or no allowance to nature; fpending days, weeks, and years, in contemplating the perfections of the Supreme Being, in meditating on his bountiful difpenfations to mankind, and in aspiring after that fate of blifs which they hoped to fucceed to after the prefent life. Thus the infancy of the Church was decorated with all the higheft ornaments of religion. This was the age of Chriftian perfection and Chrift fet up the most eminent models of all the virtues human nature is capable of, that he might make appear to the world the power of his grace, the excellence of his doctrine, and that all future ages might have before their eyes perfect examples for their encouragement and imi tation. On another hand it is neceffary to obferve, that, if fuch be the all-wife ceconomy of the Almighty to put the fidelity of many of his fervants to the test, by conducting them through the fiery trials of perfecution, he neverthelefs views with deteftation the hands that inflict thofe feverities on them. The perfecutions crown the faith and fortitude of the fufferers. But the perfecutors are guilty of malice and cruelty, and in confequence draw the divine venge, ance upon them. And thus it happened to the heathen Roman emperors and people, who for fpilling the Chriftian blood, felt, as we have seen, the weight of God's judgments. Many examples likewife of this fort in prior ages are recorded in holy writ. Among others, Sennacherib, the Affyrian king; Nabuchodonofor the Babylonian, and Antiochus the Syrian, were punished by the hand of God for their malicious attempts and inhumanities, against his people, the Jews. The course of his providence we fee is the fame under the Chriftian difpenfation. For from the Apocalypfe we learn, that feven vials of the wrath of God are poured out for the punishment of the enemies of the Chriftian Church. Ought not this reflection be fufficient to deter the evil-minded from directing their malice and power against the people of that community? II. In the fecond Age of the Church, which begins about the year 320 and contains nearly 100 years, we fee rise up a scene of a different kind. This age may be ftyled the age of herefy. In the preceding period we faw a ftrenuous conteft, between religion and idolatry, between Chriftianity and paganifm, or as one may fay, between the Almighty and Sa ... through want of courage, and infinite prejudice had enfued upon all his pofterity, it would feem that almighty God defigned, that fault fhould be retrieved, as far as poffible to human nature, by the eminent fortitude of his new fervants, the Chriftians whom for that purpose he made pafs through moft fevere perfecutions, the acuteft tortures, and deathi itfelf in its moft dreadful fhapes. Thus the earth was bathed with Chriftian blood, but the fouls of the generous victims went to fhare immortal glory and power with the Lamb: " And I faw feats," fays St. John, "and they fat upon them, and judgment was given unto them, and the fouls of them that were beheaded for the teftimony of Jefus, and for the word of God. . . . .And they lived and reigned with Chrift a thousand years," Apoc. xx. 4. The fpirit of the Chriftian doctrine was no lefs manifest in thofe that were left on the ftage of life. They appeared by the fanctity of their conduct to form a new community entirely different from the rest of mankind, and they practifed fuch transcendent virtues as before were deemed impoffible. Some entered into courses of the fevereft aufterities, of mortification and fafting. Others retired into remote folitudes, confecrating their whole time to God,. with little or no allowance to nature; fpending days, weeks, and years, in contemplating the perfections of the Supreme Being, in meditating on his bountiful difpenfations to mankind, and in aspiring after that fate of blifs which they hoped to fucceed to after the prefent life. Thus the infancy of the Church was decorated with all the highest ornaments of religion. This was the age of Chriftian perfection and Chrift fet up the most eminent models of all the virtues human nature is capable of, that he might make appear to the world the power of his grace, the excellence of his doctrine, and that all future ages might have before their eyes perfect examples for their encouragement and imitation. On another hand it is neceffary to obferve, that, if fuch be the all-wife ceconomy of the Almighty to put the fidelity of many of his fervants to the test, by conducting them through the fiery trials of perfecution, he neverthelefs views with deteftation the hands that inflict thofe feverities on them. The perfecutions crown the faith and fortitude of the fufferers. But the perfecutors are guilty of malice and cruelty, and in confequence draw the divine venge, ance upon them. And thus it happened to the heathen Roman emperors and people, who for fpilling the Chriftian blood, felt, as we have seen, the weight of God's judgments. Many examples likewife of this fort in prior ages are recorded in holy writ. Among others, Sennacherib, the Affyrian king; Nabuchodonofor the Babylonian, and Antiochus the Syrian, were punished by the hand of God for their malicious attempts and inhumanities, against his people, the Jews. The course of his providence we see is the fame under the Chriftian difpenfation. For from the Apocalypfe we learn, that feven vials of the wrath of God are poured out for the punishment of the enemies of the Chriftian Church. Ought not this reflection be fufficient to deter the evil-minded from directing their malice and power against the people of that community? II. In the fecond Age of the Church, which begins about the year 320 and contains nearly 100 years, we fee rife up a scene of a different kind. This age may be ftyled the age of herefy. In the preceding period we faw a ftrenuous conteft, between religion and idolatry, between Chriftianity and paganism, or as one may fay, between the Almighty and Sa |
