A CRITICAL HISTORY

OF

CHRISTIAN LITERATURE AND DOCTRINE

FROM THE DEATH OF THE APOSTLES

TO THE NICENE COUNCIL.

BY T. COMBE, M.A., E. PICKARD HALL, AND H. LATHAM, M.A.

CONTENTS.

BOOK II. THE APOLOGISTS.

CHAPTER I.-INTRODUCTION.

General view of the writers. The era Apologetic. Apologies

real defences of accused persons. Persecutions not from

the supreme authorities. No good reason for blaming

Marcus Aurelius. Spirit of the Roman government.

The causes of persecution. Accusations made against

Christians atheism, licentiousness, eating of human flesh.

Defence of Christianity. Treatment of mythology; the

nature of mythology; disbelief of it by philosophers; by

poets; belief of the masses. Ancient explanations of

mythology. Agreement of Apologists with heathen poets

and philosophers. Philosophy the antagonist of Chris-

tianity. Christians sympathized most with Socrates and

Plato. The prevalent philosophies Epicurean and Stoic.

Neo-Platonism not yet manifest. Evidences of Chris-

tianity. Contests with the Jews; with heretics. The

character of the Gnostics. Doctrines of the Apologists.

No scruples in unfolding them to heathens. They know

nothing of original sin. No theory of the death of

Christ or of the Holy Spirit. They discuss the Logos.

Statement in the Gospel of John. Philo's opinions.

Divinity of the Logos. Eternity of the Logos. Influence

of heathen philosophy on Apologists. Constitution of the

Church. Opinions on morals. Works relating to the

subject

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