An Ecclesiastical History, Ancient and Modern, from the Birth of Christ to the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century Volume 1; In Which the Rise, Progress, and Variations of Church Power Are Considered in Their Connexion with the State of Learning and Philo (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1803 Excerpt: ... who thought it unlawful to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord on any day but Sunday, as that was the day on which this glorious event happened. Hence arose sharp and vehement contentions between the Asiatic and western Christians. About the middle of this century, during the reign of Antoninus Pius, the venerable Polycarp came to Rome to confer with Anicet, bishop of that see, upon this matter, with a view to terminate the warm disputes it had occasioned. But this conference, though conducted with great decency and moderation, was without effect. Polycarp and AniCet were only agreed in this, that the bonds of charity were not to be broken on account of this controversy; but they continued, at the same time, each in their former sentiments, nor could the Asiatics be engaged by any arguments to alter the the rule which they pretended to have received Cent. by tradition from St John -. Part II. XI. Towards the conclusion of this century, ---v---' Victor, bishop of Rome, took it into his head to vau p.mciforce the Asiatic Christians, by the pretended au-p-uy t'-thority of his laws and decrees, to follow the ruleTidsiid which was observed by the western churches in Roman, this matter. Accordingly, after having taken the advice of some foreign bishops, he wrote an imperious letter to the Asiatic prelates, commanding them to imitate the example of the western Christians with respect to the time of celebrating the festival of Easter. The Asiatics answered this lordly summons by the pen of Polycrates, bishop of Ephesus, who declared in their name, and that with great spirit and resolution, that they would by no means depart, in this matter, from the custom handed down to them by their ancestors. Upon this the thunder of excommunication began to ro...