CHAPTER IV. EVIDENCE OF THE FOURTH CENTURY, DOWN TO THE COUNCIL OF NICEA. SECTION I.-EUSEBIUS, A. D. 314.* THE evidence of Eusebius on any subject connected with primitive faith and practice cannot be looked to without feelings of deep interest. He flourished at the beginning of the fourth century, and was Bishop of Cæsarea, in Palestine. His testimony has always been appealed to, as an authority not likely to be gainsaid. He was a voluminous writer, and his writings were very diversified in their character. But in his works, historical, biographical, controversial, or by whatever name any of them may be called, overflowing as they are with learning, philosophical and scriptural, we find no single passage to countenance the decrees of the Council of Trent; not one passage is found among his writings to justify the belief that the primitive Church was wont to supplicate the Virgin Mary, either to impart to the supplicants any favour, or to pray for them. The testimony of Eusebius has a directly contrary bearing. In the opening chapter of his Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius prays, "that he might have God for his guide in the way, the power of the Lord to work with * His chief theological works were certainly written before the Nicene Council, and probably A.D. 315. him." And again, (c. v.) "Calling upon God the Father of the Word, and the heavenly Word himself, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour, to be our guide and helper in the declaration of the truth." Proceeding to the history of our Lord, and having dwelt much upon his pre-existence and Godhead, he says not one word about the mother who bare Him, beyond this, that, in giving the genealogy of Joseph, the Gospel virtually gives the genealogy of Mary. Eusebius again and again reminds us, that, though there be spiritual powers keeping their stations around their King, whom we should know and honour according to their measure of dignity, we must "render to God alone, the Sovereign King, the honour of worship,"*" confessing God alone, and Him alone. worshipping."+ Eusebius speaks of the Virgin Mary, but is altogether silent as to any religious honour of any kind being offered to her; and that in passages where he could not have omitted all reference to it, had it at all existed. In the oration of the Emperor Constantine, as it is recorded by Eusebius, § direct mention is made of "the chaste Virginity," and of "the maid who was the mother of God, and yet remained a Virgin." But the object present to the author's mind was so exclusively God manifest in the flesh, that he does not throughout even mention the name of Mary, or allude to any religious honour due or paid to her. * Demonst. Evang.; Paris, 1628, Lib. iii. c. 3, p. 106. Cantab. 1720: § 11, p. 689; and § 19, p. 703. § Augustæ Taurinorum, (Triers,) 1746; vol. i. p. 624. M SECTION II. APOSTOLICAL CANONS AND CONSTITUTIONS.* These works, though confessedly not the genuine productions of the Apostles or of their age, have been always held in much veneration by the Church of Rome. The most learned writers fix their date at a period not more remote than the beginning of the fourth century. In these are given minute rules for the conducting of public worship; forms of prayer are prescribed to be used in the Church by the bishops and clergy, and by the people; forms of supplication and thanksgiving are recommended for private use, in the morning, at night, and at meals; forms, too, there are of creeds and confessions; but not one single allusion in them is found to any religious address to the Virgin Mary, or any reference to her power, influence, merits, or intercession. Occasions most opportune for the introduction of such doctrine and practice are repeatedly recurring, but they are uniformly passed by. Again and again is prayer directed to be made to the one only living and true God exclusively of all other, and exclusively through the mediation and intercession of the one only Saviour, Jesus Christ. The Apostolical Constitutions, in which there is reference made to the mother of our Lord, can scarcely be read by any one without leaving an impression clear and powerful on the mind, that no religious honour was paid to the Virgin Mary when they were written, certainly not more than is now cheerfully paid to her by members of the Church of England. If, for example, we take * In the same volumes with the Apostolical Fathers above referred to. the prayer prescribed to be used on the appointment of a Deaconess, the inference from it must be, that others, with whom the Lord's Spirit had dwelt, were at least held in equal honour with Mary. "O Eternal God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of male and female, who didst fill with thy Spirit Miriam and Hannah and Huldah, and didst not disdain that thy Son should be born of a woman," &c. * Thus, in another passage Mary is spoken of just as other women who had the gift of prophecy; and of her equally and in conjunction with the others it is said, that they were not elated by the gift, not lifting themselves up against the men. "But even have women prophesied in ancient times,-Miriam, the sister of Aaron and Moses; after her, Deborah; and afterwards Huldah and Judith, one under Josiah, the other under Darius; and the mother of the Lord also prophesied, and Elizabeth her kinswoman, and Anna, and in our days the daughters of Philip; yet they were not lifted up against the men, but observed their own measure. Therefore, among you should any man or woman have such a grace, let them be humble, that God may take pleasure in them." + In the Apostolical Canons we find no allusion to Mary, nor indeed any passage bearing on our present inquiry, except the last clause of all, containing the benediction. Here not only is the prayer for spiritual blessings addressed to God alone, but it is offered exclusively through the mediation of Christ alone "Now may God, the only unproduced Being, the Creator of all things, unite you all by peace in the Holy Ghost, make you perfect unto every good work, not to be turned aside, unblameable, not deserving re+ Book viii. c. 2. * Book viii. c. 20. proof; and may He deem you worthy of eternal life with us, by the mediation of his beloved Son Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour, with whom be glory to Him the Sovereign God and Father in the Holy Ghost the Comforter, now and ever, world without end. Amen." Here is no prayer to Mary, no reference to her merits and intercession, no ascription of glory to her and the Saviour conjointly. God in Christ is all in all. SECTION III.-SAINT ATHANASIUS, A.D. 350.* ATHANASIUS, the renowned and undaunted defender of the Catholic faith, was born about the year 296; and, after presiding in the Church as bishop for more than forty-six years, died about A.D. 373, approaching his 80th year. It is impossible for any one interested in the question, "What is truth?" to look upon the belief and practice of this primitive Christian champion with indifference. On the subject of our present investigation, few among the early writers of the Church have been so grossly and recklessly misrepresented in his belief and in his practice as Athanasius. Bellarmin and others cite him as a witness in favour of the invocation of the Virgin, whereas a careful and upright study of his remains brings before us a man who had taken most true and scriptural views of the Christian's hope and confidence in God alone; the glowing fervour of his piety centring only in the Lord, his sure and certain hope in life and in death anchoring only in the mercies of God, through the merits and mediation of Benedict. ed. Paris, 1698. Padua, 1777.—In this edition some fragments ascribed to Athanasius, and found in certain catenæ, &c., have been introduced, some of which are of a doubtful character, and others evidently spurious. |