90 BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF . 



the volume of church history before him, the student 

 turns to the clash of polemics and the revolutions of 

 doctrine, forgetful that those who engaged these, 

 were men of like passions and feelings with our- 

 selves, and these not unfrequently with all the chari- 

 ties that can at once adorn the Christian and the 

 man. In this last view of the subject, we have pro- 

 posed to give, in the following pages, some biogra- 

 phical sketches of the ancient fathers of the church. 



But we shall not rest satisfied in endeavouring to 

 render the theme interesting only, it should at the 

 same time become both instructive and profitable. 

 Among the least founded accusations brought against 

 the Christian sect by its early opponents, is the 

 sweeping charge of ignorance and wild enthu- 

 siasm in its champions ; the error is scarce yet 

 thoroughly corrected ; and many who would smile 

 to hear the poetic skill of Euripides, or the eloquence 

 of Demosthenes cavilled at, have heard but little of 

 their Christian rivals in Chrysostom and Nazian- 

 zenus. If the first spread of our faith was effected by 

 menu n versed in the wisdom of this world ; not so, 

 was it estabhshed in the ages succeeding them. Julian 

 the apostate confesses, that the apologists of his day 

 had learned to beat their opponents with their own 

 weapons : indeed it must be remarked, as a provi- 

 dence that watched over the infant church, that its 

 worldly arm grew stronger and more prevailing, as 

 the powers which were from above receded. Tatian 

 in Syria, Tertullian at Rome, Origen the Greek, and 

 Cyprian of Carthage ; in every quarter rose a cloud 

 of witnesses to contend against gainsayers, with all 

 the energy of faith, and all the acquirements of 

 literature. 



It will be necessary to premise something of the 

 remains whence these ruins of primitive story have 

 been gathered. Some, indeed, of the Christian fa- 

 thers have bequeathed memoirs of themselves to 

 posterity, which yet survive ; but for the greater 

 portion we must resort to less genuine authorities. 

 And first on the hst of Christian annalists, in value 



