ON THE

STATE OF CHRISTIANITY

DURING THE FIRST THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS

"THE COMMENTARIES ON THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHRISTIANS BEFORE THE
TIME OF CONSTANTINE THE GREAT,"

BY JOHN LAURENCE VON MOSHEIM, D. D.

LATE CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GOTTENGEN.

In two Volumes.

VOL. II.

VOLUME I. TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN,

BY

ROBERT STUDLEY VIDAL, Esq. F. S. A.

VOLUME II. TRANSLATED, AND BOTH VOLUMES EDITED,

BY

JAMES MURDOCK, D. D.

NEW-YORK:

PUBLISHED BY S. CONVERSE.

1851.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one,

By JAMES MURDOCK,

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Connecticut District.

www

D. FANSHAW, Printer and Stereotyper, 35 Ann, corner of Nassau-street.

CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

The Ecclesiastical History of the Third Century,

Page.

1-411

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§1. Christianity propagated in Arabia : Origin,

2. Christianity propagated among the Goths: Ulphilas,

3. Christianity propagated in Gaul, Germany, and Scotland.-General view,

n. (1) (2) The first preachers to the Gauls, .

n. (3) The first preachers to the Germans,

4. Causes of the progress of Christianity: Miracles and Virtues of Christians,

5. Persecution under Severus: at first light.-General view,

n. (1) Christians often bought exemption from it,

6. Severus prohibited conversions to Christianity.-General view,

n. (1) Tenor of his edict, p. 8.-Why so many suffered, p. 10.—Cause

of the Edict,

7. State of Christians under Caracalla and Heliogabalus.-General view,

n. (2) Mother of Heliogabalus, pious: he indifferent to Christianity,

n. (3) Heliogabalus disposed to tolerate Christianity,

8. State of Christians under Alexander Severus-General view,

n. (1) His mother, Julia Mammæa, favored Christians,

n. (2) Whether Alexander was a Christian, discussed,

n. (3) The old persecuting laws unrepealed,

9. The persecution under Maximin.-General view,

n. (1) It reached only the clergy,

n. (2) Not many put to death,

n. (3) Other causes produced persecution,

10. Tranquillity under Gordian and Philip.-General view,

n. (1) Philip's reported conversion, examined,

11. Persecution under Decius.-General view,

n. (1) Cause of the persecution,

n. (2) Tenor of the edict, p. 28.-executed diversely, p. 29.-

It introduced new modes of proceeding,

n. (3) Numerous apostasies, p. 31.-The Libellatici, who?

12. Contests respecting the lapsed.-General view,

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n. (3) Martyrs and Confessors absolved the lapsed,

n. (4) Cyprian opposed to the practice,

13. Contest between Cyprian and Novatus.-General view,

n. (1) Its origin obscure, p. 46.-Novatus gave ordination, p. 46.-

He fled to Rome, .

14. Schism of Felicissimus at Carthage.-General view,

n. (1) A party opposed to Cyprian,

n. (2) Character of Felicissimus, and grounds of his opposition,

Proceedings of Cyprian, p. 54.-Novatus withdrew,

n. (3) Council condemned Felicissimus,

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