Chapter I. Civil, religious and literary state of the world, when Christ came
1. State of the Roman empire
2. Defects in the Roman empire
3. Benefits afforded by the Roman empire
Peace reigned almost throughout the world
5. State of the other nations
6. All were given to superstition and polytheism
7. Yet they had different deities or gods
8. But this produced no religious wars
n. 1 The Egyptian religious wars considered
9. Their various kinds of deities
10. Their temples, and the statues of their deities
11. Their sacrifices and other rites
n. 3 Warburton's ideas corrected
14. Religion of the Greeks and Romans
15. Religions of other nations connected with the Romans
16. Religions of the Indians, Egyptians, Persians, and Celts
17 .Religion of the Egyptians
18. Religion of the Persians
19. All these religions affected by climate, etc
20. They did not promote virtue and moral piety, n. 3 Jul. Caesar and M.P. Cato denied a future state
21. Flagitious lives of the professors of these religions
22. Arguments of the priests in support of these religions
n. 1 Warburton's charge, that all were atheists, etc. disallowed
24. Two modes of philosophizing prevailed
n. 2 Meaning of the term gnw/sij
n. 3 St. Paul's warning against Gnosticism
25. The Greek philosophic sects
n. 1 Brucker's Historia Philosophiae commended
n. 1 Philo Judaeus an Eclectic
n. 2 Probably also the Theoretics of Justin Martyr
31. The Oriental philosophers
32. They were divided into sects
33. Yet common notions respecting God prevailed among them all
n. 1 Meaning of the term vAiw.n
34. Their ideas of matter, the world, the soul, etc.
36. Their moral discipline
37. The use of this chapter
Chapter II. Civil and religious state of the Jews when Christ came
1. The Jewish nation under Herod the Great
2. The sons and successors of Herod
3. State of the Jews under Roman government
4. Their high priests and Sanhedrim
5. The Jewish worship corrupt
6. The religion of the Jews
7. Their errors respecting God and angels
8. Their errors respecting the Messiah, the substance of religion, etc.
n. 1 They all expected a Messiah
n. 1 Why the Essenes were not mentioned in the New Testament
n. 3 The sect of Hemerobaptists considered
10. Agreements and differences among their larger sects
n. 1 Josephus' account of them-their real character
13. Division of the Essenes
14. The practical Essenes
n. 1 Philo and Josephus reconciled- a passage in Porphyry
15. The theoretical Essenes or Therapeutae-their feats and dances
n. 1 Various opinions respecting them examined
16. The moral doctrines of these sects
17. Lives of the people dissolute and perverse
18. Oriental philosophy embraced by many Jews
n. 2 They expected a Messiah
20. State of the Jews out of Palestine
Ecclesiastical history of the first century
n. 1 The exact time unknown even to the early Christians
2. The infancy and youth of Christ
n. 1 Did he labor as a carpenter?
3. John the precursor of Christ
4. The life and miracles of Christ
5. He partially seceded from the Jewish church
n. 2 The point argued; and the proof from his baptism considered
6. His election of Apostles
n. 1 Import and use of the word apostle
8. Fame of Christ out Judea
n. 2 His correspondence with Abgarus
9. The fruits of Christ's ministry
10. Christ's death which was voluntary
11. His resurrection and ascension
n. 1 The power of miracles not one of the spiritual gifts
13. The apostles first preached to Jews and Samaritans, and then to Gentiles
n. 1 Why they continued so long at Jerusalem
14. Election of the new apostle Matthias
15. Conversion of St. Paul
16. Labors and martyrdom of the apostles
n. 1 Did all suffer martyrdom?
17. The churches founded by the apostles
n. 3 Vanity of modern churches in claiming apostolic origin
18. The writings of the apostles
n. 2 Their authority, and the time of their collection
20. Causes of the progress of Christianity
n. 1 False causes assigned
21. The first Christians generally of low condition
n. 1 Yet some had opulence, rank, and learning
n. 2 Superstition always hard to be eradicated
22. Christ respected by the Gentiles
n. 1 Pictures of him-Tiberius said to honor him
23. The Jews the first persecutors of Christianity
24. The foreign Jews hostile to Christians
25. Overthrow of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation
26. The ten persecutions of the Christians
n. 1 The number of persecutions not easily defended
27-30. Causes of the persecutions
31. Calumnies on the Christians
32. The martyrs and confessors
33. The number of the martyrs
n. 2 Disputes on this subject; how settled
34. The persecution under Nero
35. Extent of this persecution
n. 1 Its confinement to Rome, not proved
36. The persecution under Domitian
n. 1 Its probably origin political
n. 2 Conjecture respecting John's being cast into boiling oil
n. 4 Domitian examined Christ's relatives
37. Constitution of the church of Jerusalem
n. 1 Its worship as described -Acts, 2:42
n. 2 They probably assembled on Sundays
n. 3 Probably divided into several congregations
n. 4. Their community of goods
n. 5 The VII deacons, a learned dissertation
n. 6 the apostles acted only with consent of the brethren
38. The presbyters of the primitive church
n. 1 Terms bishop and presbyter denote the same
n. 2 Distinction of teaching and ruling elders doubtful
39. Election of presbyters, and their stipends
n. 2 Some countenance for the right of presentation
n. 1 They were not mere expounders of Scripture
n. 2 Seminaries for educating ministers
41. The origin of bishops
n. 2 They were first styled Angels
n. 3 The church of Jerusalem, probably, first had bishops
42. Rights and duties of the first bishops
43. Rural bishops, and diocesan
44. Deacons and deaconesses
n. 1 Their origin discussed
45. The organization of churches
n. 1 The clergy and laity early distinguished
n. 2 The faithful and catechumens not distinguished for a time
n. 4 Provision for the poor of the church
Excommunication a reasonable thing
46. The teachers and ministers
47. Order of proceeding in their assemblies
n. 1 Pliny's account of it
Why called prava and immodica superstitio
n. 2 All persons not allowed to teach at their pleasure
48. All the primitive churches independent
n. 1 Churches founded by apostles respected and revered
n. 2 No ecclesiastical councils-churches had different tenets and regulations
n. 3 The meeting at Jerusalem (Acts 15) not a council
49. They had few men of learning
50. The genuine writings of Clemens Romanus
51. Spurious works attributed to him
52. Ignatius and his epistles
n. 3 Controversy respecting these epistles
53. Polycarp and Barnabas
n. 1 He was probably the brother of Pius, bishop of Rome
n. 2 The writer a deliberate imposter
55. Origin of controversies in the church
56. The first controversy respected the Law of Moses
n. 1 The meeting about it at Jerusalem, not a council-F. Paul Sarpi and J. H. Boehmer refuted
57. Progress of this controversy
n. 2 Secession of the Ebionites and Nazarenes
59. Controversy respecting the way of salvation
n. 1 Other minor controversies, noticed in Paul's epistles
60 a. Heretics mentioned by the Apostles
n. 2 Hermogenes, Phygellus, Demas, and Diotrephes, not heretics
Case of Diotrephes examined
60. b The Gnostic heretics
n. 3 Rise of the first Gnostic sects
61, 62. Nature of the Gnostic discipline
n. 1 Gnosticism not founded on Platonism
n. 2 Fruitless attempts of some to defend Gnosticism
63. The arguments used by Gnostics
n. 1 Dositheus was a delirious man
n. 2 Were there two Simons?
n. 3 Simon not a corrupter, but an oppose of Christianity
n. 4 The Gnostics did not respect him
n. 2 His death, and the statue of him
n. 3 The Nicolaitans of Rev. 2:6, not probably, the Nicolaitans of Clement Alex
n. 2 A full account of him
Ecclesiastical history of the second century
1. Extensive propagation of Christianity
n. 1 Statements of the early fathers examined
2. Mission of Pantaenus to India
n. 1 He went, probably, to the Jews in Arabia Felix
Origin of the Gallic, German, and Anglican churches
n. 1 Opinions concerning the Gallic churches examined
n. 2 Gaul and Germany had the same apostles
n. 3 Origin of the British church examined
4. The number of Christians in this age
n. 2 Discussion of the subject
5. Causes of the rapid progress of Christianity
n. 2 Miracles still continued-Middleton
6. Human means of the progress
n. 1 Translation of the New Testament- the versio Itala
7. Disengenuous means sometimes used
n. 1 The spurious Sibylline verses
n. 3 The Poemander, etc. of Hermes Trismegistus
n. 4 Montanus accused of forging the Sibylline verses
8. State of the Christians under Trajan- the populace urge persecution
n. 3 The persecution in Bithynia under Pliny
9. Trajan's law relating to Christians
n. 1 Trajan's feelings and aims
10. The Effects of Trajan's law
Martyrdom of Simeon and Ignatius
Some Christians sought martyrdom, and wished the law more severe
n. 2 Trajan scrupulously adhered to his law
n. 3 The judges discouraged the zeal for martyrdom
11. State of the Christians under Hadrian
Clamor at the games for blood
n. 1 The magistrates yield to the popular clamor
12. Hadrian's new law favoring Christians
n. 1 Import of this law examined
n. 3 Hadiran's respect for Christ
13. Barchochba and enemy to Christians
Jerusalem destroyed, and Aelia Capitolina built on its site
14. State of the Christians under Antoninus Pius
n. 2 His edict to the Commons of Asia
15. State of the Christians under Marcus Aurelius
n. 1 He was a very cruel persecutor
n. 2 Horrid crimes charged on Christians
n. 3 Infamous proceedings at Lyons
n. 4 Remarks on this emperor and his course
16. Sufferings of Christians under M. Aurelius
Martyrdom of Justin, Polycarp and Pothinus
n. 3 The persecution of Lyons
17. Miracle of the thundering legion
n. 1 Discussion respecting this miracle
18. State of Christians under Commodus and Severus
n. 3. Inhuman cruelties inflicted on them
19. The philosophers hostile to Christianity
Celsus, Crescens, and Fronto
n. 1 Celsus was a modern Platonist
Why the philosophers attacked Christianity
20 The government of the church
21. Deference paid to the Apostolic churches
n. 2 Passages of Irenaeus and Tertullian on the subject examined
22. The churches confederated
n. 1 A passage in Tertullian considered
23. Effects of this union of churches
n. 1 A degree of independence still remained
n. 2 Priority of Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria
n. 3 The power of these bishops limited
The hierarchy of slow growth
24. A parallel drawn between the Christian and the Jewish priesthood
n. 2 This gave rise to tithes and first fruits
25. The Christians began to cultivate philosophy
n. 1 Justin and others retained the philosophic garb, etc
n. 2 Alexandria the cradle of Christian philosophers
Pantaenus, Athenagoras, and Clemens Alex
n. 3 Clemens Alex. Origen, Justin, etc. were of the eclectic school
26. Contentions respecting the use of philosophy in religion
n. 1 Disquisition on the subject
27. The school of Ammonius Saccas
28. The philosophy of Ammonius was an attempt to bring all sects of philosophy and all religious into harmonious union
n. 1 The Emperor Julian's opinion of this system
n. 2 It borrows much form the Oriental speculation
n. 3 Yet claims to be Platonic
29. The theoretical or speculative philosophy of Ammonius
n. 1 It is founded entirely on the Egyptian discipline
n. 3 The Egyptian discipline is kindred with that of Plato
n. 4 Difference of the Ammonian from the eclectic scheme
Bodily mortifications a leading feature
n. 3 Frequent use of Christian terms and phrases and why
n. 4 Theurgy what and whence
31. His views of the prevailing religions
The pagan mythology allegoric
32. His tenets respecting Christ
n. 1 Christ a great philosopher and Theurgist
n. 2 He harmonized Christianity and paganism
n. 3 Compared Christ with Appollonius Tyanaeus, Pythagoras, etc.
33. His forced interpretations of Scripture
n. 1 Four senses of Scripture-literal, allegorical
n. 2 Egypt the birth-place of most of these fancies
34. Christianity began to be modified by philosophy
n. 1 Some leading doctrines explained Platonically
n. 2 Various species of secret discipline or gnw/sij described
n. 3 Secret discipline more comprehensive than mystic theology
35. Moral theology assumed a two-fold character
n. 1 Asceticism advanced much in this century
n. 2 Mysticism, its origin, and early history
n. 3 Monks, their origin and classification
36. Form of public worship changed
n. 1 Pagan terms and forms introduced
n. 2 Introduction of heathen rites-writers on the subject
37. The Christian writers of this century
n. 1 The works of Irenaeus
n. 2 The works of Justin Martyr
n. 3 The works of Clemens Alexandrinus
n. 4 The works of Theophilus, Tatian, and Athenagoras
n. 5 The works of Tertullian
38. Rise of Christian sects
n. 1 Why the Jewish Christians renounced the Mosaic Law in the time of Hadrian
39. The Nazarenes and the Ebionites
n. 1 The Gospel of the Nazarenes
n. 2 The tenets and character of the Nazarenes
n. 3 Their views of Christ
n. 4 Their opinion of the Mosaic law
n. 1 Origin and import of the name
n. 2 Their sentiments and practice
41. The sects generated by the Oriental philosophy
42. They cause contentions
n. 1 The sects among them less numerous than represented
44. The philosophy of Saturninius
n. 1 Saturninus not a disciple of Menander
n. 2 His discipline examined
n. 3 He the first Gnostic who divided mankind into the good and the bad
45. The theology of Saturninus
n. 1 All Christians supposed the pagan gods to be real beings
n. 2 Consectaries form the doctrine of Saturninus
n. 3 Did he require celibacy and self-mortification from all?
46. The philosophy of Basilides
n. 1 General account of him and his writings
n. 2 He discarded an evil god and evil angels
n. 3 Character and sexes of his aeons
n. 4 He held to 365 heavens, and 365 orders of angels
n. 5 His Abraxas critically examined
n. 6 His ideas of the Creator of the world
n. 7 He held that man has two-souls-a rational and a brutal
n. 8 He pretended to possess many ancient prophecies
47. The theology of Basilides
n. 1 Believed each country to have its guardian angel
n. 2 His idea of Christ, as stated by Iranaus and Clemens Alex
n. 3 His ideas of the New Testament and a twofold discipline
48. The moral doctrine of Basilides
n. 1 As a moralist he was strict
n. 2 Yet some of his followers were dissolute
n. 3 His idea of martyrs, and their obligations
49. The system of Carpocrates
n. 2 His ideas of the soul
Irenaeus's statement examined
51. The moral discipline of Carpocrates
n. 1 Reported as very corrupt
n. 2 The apotheosis of his son Epiphanes
n. 3 Claimed to possess traditional revelations
52. The system of Valentinus
n. 1 Little known- he is said to have been a disciple of St. Paul
n. 2 Why he became a heresiarch
53. The aeons of Valentinus
n. 1 Whence he derived his system
n. 2 How he differed from other Gnostics
n. 3 His system not reconcilable with Christianity
n. 1 All Gnostics made God imperfect, and of course the aeons also
n. 1 Achamoth not the creator of matter, but the architect
56. The Valentinian idea of creation
n. 2 Men have two bodies and two souls-bodies will not be raised
n. 2 Christ's body different from ours -he truly died
n. 3 Christ made no expiation-he only made God known
n. 4 His system and that of Manes much alike
n. 5 Morals of Valentinians
58. Minor sects of the Valentinian school
n. 1 They all denied the Jewish law to be from God
n. 2 Difference between Ptolomy and Secundus
59. Marcus and Colarbasus
n. 1 Extravagances of Marcus discussed
n. 1 The man and his tenents imperfectly known
n. 2 He but partially renounced his errors
n. 3 Had peculiar notions about the origin of the world
n. 4 His doctrine hitherto misunderstood
61. Tatian; in part a Valentinian: used water in the Eucharist
n. 2 His history not given by the ancients
n. 4 Wine in ill repute among the Orientals
n. 5 The austere Syrians favored Tatian's views
62. The Ophites or Serpentarians
n. 1 Minor Gnostic sects named by the ancients dubious
n. 1 Cerdo little known-sources of knowledge of these men
n. 2 Marcion's excommunication, as stated by Epiphanius
n. 3 His interpretation of new wine in old bottles
64. The system of Marcion
n. 1 It probably much resembled that of Manes
n. 2 The creator was neither the good nor the evil god
n. 3 An attempt to elucidate his system
65. Marcion's ideas of Christ
n. 2 Jesus was not the Messiah foretold
n. 3 Christ's sufferings only apparent
n. 4 Singular idea of Christ's descent into hell
n. 5 The Gnostics recognized two kinds of moral discipline-points in which they all agreed enumerate
66. The heresy of Montanus
n. 1 History of Montanus and his sect
n. 2 Probably he did not claim to be the Holy Spirit
n. 3 Victor of Rome, for a time, regarded him as a prophet
n. 4 His sect existed in the fifth century- edicts against them
n. 5 Tertullian's defense of them is a defense of himself
67. The errors of Montanus
n. 1 He was in general orthodox; but he claimed to be the Paraclete sent forth to teach purer morality
n. 2 His improvements in morals chiefly external
n. 3 The churches excluded him, as one guided by the devil
n. 4 His prophecy of a future judgment considered
n. 1 Tertullian, his enemy our only source of knowledge of him
n. 2 Held but one person in God
69. Theodotus and Artemon
n. 1 Their opinions of Christ dubious
n. 2 Held matter to be eternal, yet subject to God's power
n. 3 Believed the soul to be material
n. 4 Was sound respecting Christ
three persons of this name
71. Controversy on the Paschal festival
n. 1 The nature and causes of this controversy
72. Termination of this controversy
n. 4 Excommunication of the Asiatics by Victor of Rome