ELIOT ' S HISTORY OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS.*

$111,,s, heels is a continuation but not a completion of the author's

ri Ned-, the " Liberty of Ancient Nations "; which it re- se iyoth,, in its merits and defects. Mr. Eliot starts with a prgeorivisve414ea,. peculiar, we believe, to himself, and, in our opin- ion, ill fohnded—that not only were the ancient nations without liberty, but that no liberty could exist except by Christianity. It would seem that if a man, chooses to advance a definition of his own tnnOing.the word "liberty," he may exclude from it what- otrefaig thinks fit ; but truth in the long run will be too strong for oidt.;e0 - The ancient Germans were personally as well as poll- flay. Very few of the ancient Christians attained any sort of liberty; as Mr. Eliot is constrained to allow : they were doubly slaves, first to the imperial power, and then to the priesthood. Neither has, the greater portion of Christendom to the present day been under free • governments, or embraced nations that can be called socially. free: Even liberty, in Mr. Eliot's very narrow and theeloOleal nation of it, might be, and indeed was, attained by the ancient.trahmins; as well as by the Stoics; if not the Cynics. "‘" It [liberty] was not the. deliverance of the subject from all external-op- pression. The slave might .remain in servitude. The inferior would con- tinue in inferiority.• No one, however low, however enslaved, was to free or to raise: himself by any outward means. Nor were the high or the mighty to be reduced by any outward means. To all the offer of liberty was made. It was the liberty to do their duty to themselves, to their fellow creatures, to their Eternal Creator. This was the liberty before which, unless embraced. by him, the ruler would eventually fall. This was the liberty by which, if embraced by them, the subjects would rise." An-erroneous theory must always reduce the value of any work as an-exposition, but it does not always diminish its literary attrac- tion., Mr. Eliot's "idea," however, affects both the plan and the execution.'' Whole chapters are constructed to carry out his parti- cular notions. 'The treatment is dashed by a similar object. Nar- rative,,with its fitting reflections, is superseded by disquisition. Mr. Eliot's grandiloquent style is a further blot.

-The subject a great one, from its intrinsic importance, and the infitienonef the events it.contains upon modern society, and indeed uponindividual life:_ The decline of the Roman Empire is in itself the most remarkable historical lesson of the ancient, possibly of the modern /World ; for the wonderful system of government that had

been its modes of action ; the causes of its decay; the vari- ous and distinguished characters who appeared upon the scene, some of them aveestling as it were with Fate to change the inevitable. This:1st/Ey, _moreover,. comes home to our business and bosoms. The lawii, the-municipal system, local self-government, to a great degree' the, Method of assessing direct taxation, and, strange to eaf, .the bureaucratic centralization of modern Europe, are all found; 'not in their germ but in their full vigour, under Imperial • The influences of the Latin language, of Roman arts, and ofRoinan discipline, have not been so formally preserved, nor do they all of necessity occupy so continuous a place in history. The hierarehal domination of old Rome is still triumphant, it may be saiiVever. Christianity : the Romish pomp, organization, and priestly, power, are but a form of Roman Paganism.

Lila a ,human) point of view, the history of early Christianity is

• atAraotive than 'that of the economy and decline of the Impe- rialpewer: Even during the time of the Apostles, heresy, cor- ruption,,SelPseeking„ and a taint of the odium theologicum, began toJaPpear.- These failings went on augmenting, with the addition of a vain desire of martyrdom, till the accession of Constantine rendered-the Christians dominant, and sealed their degradation as • fora thousand years. - During the five hundred years be- ladeen the Crunili 'ion and the age of Justinian, where Mr. Eliot closes his volumes, clerics of great acquirements, of unflinching spirit either to inflict or to bear,- of powerful rhetoric, of metaphysical extiraen,1 of political ability, and of worldly skill, are continually folind-; none: of original or universal genius, few of a genial dispo- sition,: and not very many with genuine Christianity. Through- outlhe.long list of the Fathers, the Confessions of Saint Augustine alone enjoy even what may be called a learned popularity. No one inehristendom, however, but what is more directly influenced in hie character :and condition by the history of the early Chris- tians ot,the Eoman.Empire than even by its secular character. Their history is. a remarkable and a sad example of how very little influence the.:aPirit: of the Gospel has had upon particular indi- fiduals or single generations ; though when we look back over eighteen handrediyeart-the social progress which has accompanied Cluistimoitylikmarked .indeed. ' It may toe itaid that the world has not had to wait till this time for a civiltindtstill less a religious or ecclesiastical history of the Roman gaiipire. Some -of the histories, however, are diffuse, and sinii.treatuflaingle subjects or periods. That great storehouse efivastuerudition, critical acumen, and worldly judgment, the Decline and Yell, is often allusive and condensed, dealing rather in'aeference than in-statement. The mass of people, too, must be addressed :after. then...own:fashions : they learn from new publics- tionsinotwithritanding better- works are ready to their hands. - ViWthether it: be-that the circumstance of a continuation without Mifvineresiiiteolability or variety of treatment may have given falai)* Thrfelianity nn. appearance of sinking compared with theobaerily,of itIneiefit AidlOAS, -or whether the Roman Republic 4baupdsrwftlisellaractervbetter: suited:for Mr. Eliot's pen, we are notaadrtain. diaisret4tisi hetviever, that his present work. has not so * 1"9,450500142141Militithilig; BYBauralli Eliot. 'IS two vetumes. Published by Bentley, sustained an attraction or siich striking parts as its precursor. It seems to want homogeneity f and, notwithstanding the' frequent

references, we suspect that both facts and CI:Inclusions are' coloured by the medium through 'Which they have Passed. No man, of course, would attempt any part of the history of the downfall of ancient and the growth of modern civilization, without consult- ing its classical interpreters, from Gibbon to Guizot, or those an- tiquarians who have illustrated special subjects ; but the work should display the result of his own original reading. This is hardly the case with Mr. Eliot.' He has indeed his own opinions; but the tone is that of a compiler. The age is not reflected in the narrative, except so far as palpable facts are concerned. The more the details of religious history are examined, the more we believe it will be found that few ages have been without Scriptural Christians, who have resisted the corruptions of the priesthood,—for corruptions began long before the ascendancy of the Popes. The time of the following is the fourth century.

" The reaction was not entirely confined to the Arian Christians. About the time when Constantine was succeeded by his sons, a Christian of Meso- potamia made himself remarkable for the earnestness with which he urged re- form amongst the clergy of his province. Udo, in the Roman tongue Audius, was too severe both in habits and in principles to bear with the pretensions

and the excesses of those who professed to be his teachers. The higher they

were in rank, the deeper appeared to him the disgrace into which they were precipitating themselves and all dependent updn them. Layman though he was, he braved the.most towering prelates, in their strongholds, charging them with avarice and luxury, sometimes, with sin and heinous shame. How just, as well as how, bold he was in..arraigning them, may be gathered from the fact that they found no other means of averting his rebukes than by excommunicating him. At, this, his followers, determined in character, however inconsiderable in nuMber, united in proclaiming him their Bishop. As such, he was ordained by some of the neighbouring prelates who had ap- proved of hie exertions to restrain, the extravagance of their colleagues. The more, ardently he was supported, the more fiercely was he assailed. Nor was it long before sentence a banishment was obtained against him from 'the Sorereign. Transported beyond the Northern frontiers, Udo spent the remainder of his life in working conversions amongst the Gothic tribes of Scythia.

" Udo had attempted reaction against the indulgences of the Catholic leaders. The austerities to which many of them inclined were vote success- fully opposed by a'Conneil al Gang's, in Asia Minor. It appears from the canons of the Council that tee spirit against which they were directed had worked strange effects Malaita Christiana 'He,' begins the first canon, ' who shall discountenance matrimony, or teach the faithful wife that she cannot enter into the kipsdem of !leaven, let him be anathema.' The same judgment is pronouriceld upon the woman who, from a horror of the mar- riage-state, deserts her husband,' and upon 'all who abandon their children under pretence of devntfon.' Children are forbidden to neglect theirpw- rents, while slaves are warned against 'throwing up their service, addita‘ fusing to obey their masters with readiness and with respect.' The Council is equally earnest in combating the monastic tendencies of the times. ' They who should inculcate,' declares, one of the canons, disrespect towards the honse of -God or its assemblies, " they,' declares another, who shall insult others for making festivals' with the brethren, Must be anathematized.' "It was easier fot a Connell thus to denounce excessive severity than for a single layman, like Ude of hieSopotamia, to censure excessive licentiousness. But neither,Udo nor-the Council of Gangra could achieve any extensive re- action against the course of the hitherto dominant Chriatians."-

The name of Basil is well known to the world, if not the parti- culars of his life. Here is an example of his courage, if it may not rather be called confidence, since the real danger was

" Aniidst these hurrying shadojvs, the Catholic prelates maintained their authority against all threatening powers. To do this in the West, where the Emperor Valentinian upheld the Catholic cause, was comparatively easy. But in the East, where the Emperor Valens espoused the Arian side, it required all the resolution of the Catholic leaders to defend themselves against actual oppression. " Basil had been Bishop but a few months, when ho received the orders of Valens to communicate with the Arians under penalty of expulsion from Ctesarea. To the Priefect bearing the Imperial commands Basil courageously refused obedience. 'Dan thou not fear the Emperor ?' asked the enraged minister. Why should I ?' rejoined the undaunted Bishop. 'Confiscation and banishment; torture-and death, cannot reach me. How can one be in dread of confiscation, who bath nothing besides these worn garments, and a few volumes ? I can suffer no banishment, for I am bound to no place ; nor do I think this country or any other to belong to me, but rather to God, whose stranger and sojourner I am. As for torture, how can I, without strength of body, suffer more-than the first strokes ? These are all that you can really inflict upon me. Death itself will be my benefactor, by sending me sooner to God, whom I live for and serve. Indeed, being already dead in most respects`, I -have for a long time back been hastening unto Him.' " The Praifect exclaimed, that no one had ever before used such boldness of speech in his presence. 'Probably,' replied Basil, because you have ne- verlpefore encountered a Bishop ; for he would have spoken in the same man- ner, had he been contending for the same things. On other points,' he add- ed, ' we are submissive, and more humble than any other class, inasmuch as our religion commands us to refrain from even knitting our brows, not only against such magistrates as you, but also against any one of your in- feriors. But when the question relates to our Deity, we disregard all things else, looking to Him alone.' "The Prefect returned to meet his master, then on the way to Caesarea. 'We are routed,' he said, and by the head of yonder church. He is a man superior to threats, stubborn to arguments, and inaccessible to persuasions. Some one of a weaker sort must be tried, not he.' Valens, far from giving way to what he considered the impiety as well as the seditiousness of the Catholic prelate, sent others of his officers to overawe Basil. He was finally summoned into the presence of Valens. But neither the displeasure of the Sovereign nor the imitative hostility of his attendants intimidated the stead- fast Bishop. Nothing would prevail on him, as his words and his acts de- clared, to admit to his communion a party of blasphemers, as he considered the Arians. " Constantine, or any one of his sons, would have ordered so contumacious a subject as Basil into exile. Valens did not venture upon proceeding openly with any measures against the imposing prelate. A stratagem suggested it- self. The Emperor should appear, Arian as he was, at the altar of_the church in which Basil officiated. Should the Bishop assent, as his antago- nists believedhe would, to communicate with the Arian Sovereige, he could no 'anger refuse to communicate with the Arian 'subjects. Accordingly, on the festival of 'the Epiphany, Valens proceeded with 'glands and courtiers to the principal church of Gesarea. The ,Bishop wasatea Upright, Such, says his fraud of Nazianzus, as the Sc,. ture,depic Samuel,' neither

movement nor expression betraying that he had regarded the entrance of the Sovereign. At the end of the sermon, Valens advanced towards the chan- cel : but such was the awe inspired by the Bishop in the attending clergy, that not one of them dared unbidden to receive the oblations of the Arian Emperor. He himself, says the admiring narrator, was so greatly agitated, that he would have fallen, had he not been supported by one of the priests. As soon, apparently, as he recovered himself, Valens withdrew ; wondering, doubtless, as much as his attendants, how he could yield so entirely to one of his own subjects. Doubtless, also, he went meditating upon the means to be employed in subjugating the Bishop who had dared to prove that the Im- perial authority was irresistible no more."

When allowance is made for the difference in times, circum- stances, and the power of rulers, the following mode of levying taxes under Constantine very closely resembles ours. In the land- tax it is identical ; the amount, whatever it be, assessed on the dis- trict, must be raised, though individual officers in our time are not responsible.

" The great prop of the Imperial administration was the municipal insti- tution of the Curia. Of this body the members, entitled Curials or Decurions, were the opulent inhabitants of every town or district where such inhabitants remained. To these were assigned charges originally of a local character. The celebration of the great festivals was one of their first duties. Another was the provision of quarters for the troops. A more important service was rendered in maintaining the public peace. The later obligation of the Cu- rials was to serve as the assessors and collectors of the Imperial taxes. This it was which gave them the foremost place amongst the supporters of the Government.

" Large as was the territory upon which the taxes were to be laid, and enormous as were the taxes themselves, the system of taxation was both sim- ple and secure. The amount being determined by the Sovereign or by his officers, it was divided into assessments upon the municipal bodies through- out the empire. Under their direction, the taxes were laid on individuals from whom it was the office of the Curia to collect the returns. Difficulties inevitable in the collection of tribute from a people harassed by invasions, seditious, and continual calamities, led to the imposition of a more onerous charge upon the Curia. Its members, jointly and severally, were declared responsible for the taxes which they had hitherto been obliged merely to as- sess and to gather in as best they could. Henceforth, the contributions which any taxpayers failed to make were supplied by the Canals ; or if a deficiency occurred amongst themselves, they were bound to discharge the arrears of their colleagues. The object of imposing this responsibility upon the mem- bers of the Curia was not to lighten the trials of their fellow subjects, but to meet the constantly-recurring demands of their Sovereign."