(d) Eutychianism, however, with its dispropor- tionate reverence for the Divinity of Christ, proved too fascinating for the Eastern mind to be disposed of by the Council of Chalcedon. Political as well as religious causes entered into the long ' Mono- phtjsite ' controversy. The fifth (Ecumenical Council (Constantinople, 553) again condemned those who were unwilling to admit the full and perfect humanity existing in the one Person of Christ. The sixth Council (Constantinople, 681) marks the last phase of the long debate. Mono- thelitism, the last stronghold of Monophysitism, was overthro^vn by the statement of two wills in (Jhrist, human and Divine, the former perfectly subject to the latter.
The steps by which the halting theologj' of the pre-Nicene period led finally to the full statement of the Catholic faith, were alegitimate and, indeed, a necessary development. It is not one of tlie least evidences to a Divine power working in the Chris- tian Church, that, in an age of cosmopolitan super- stition and intellectual unrest, all attempts to assimilate Christianity to heathenism were re- jected, and a clearly defined and balanced state- ment of truth emerged and gained almost entire possession of the field. With all its mysterj-, the Catholic faith of Nicjea and Chalcedon was felt by the common Christian conscience alone to satisfy all the different sides of truth as they are contained in Scripture, and to do justice to all that Christians from the first had believed concerning their blaster. To-day there is practically no alternative left be- tween the Nicene Creed and humanitarianism. If the latter is true, the appearance of Christ and its subsequent effect on the world must remain an insoluble enigma, — a miracle even more difficult of credence than the stupendous statement of the Nicene formula.
ii. Devotion of the early Church to Christ. — Whatever uncertainties or faulty definitions may be detected in the statements of pre-Nicene theology, there is no uncertainty as to the attitude of the early Church towards the personal Christ. Lex supplicandi, lex credendi. In the devotion which made men and women and little children live and die for Christ, we shall find even a surer guide than in the attempts of Christian writers to explain their belief. From the very first Jesus Christ stands out in all the records of the early Church as the personal, living Master, not merely the Shepherd and High Priest of His faithful ones, but the true Lord and King of the Universe. He is the object of passionate love, obedience, prayer, and worship.
1. (a) To Clement of Rome, Christ is 'the high priest of our ofierings, the guardian and helper of our weakness' (36). Through Him the Father 'instructed us, sanctified us, honoured us' (59).
(6) The unknown author of the Second Epistle of Clement opens his sermon with a burst of enthusiastic gratitude : ' What recompense then shall we give to Him (.Jesus Christ)? or what fruit worthy of His own gift to us? And how many mercies do we owe Him ! For He bestowed the light on us ; He spake to us, as a father to his sons ; He saved us when we were perishing — He called us when we were not, and from not being He willed us to be.'
('•) The epigrammatic sentences of Ignatius glow with pas.sionate love to Christ. '.Jesus Christ" is ' our inseparable life' {Eph. 3) ; true Christians are 'arrayed from head to foot in the commandments of Jesus Christ' (ib. 9) ; faith and love in Jesus Christ are ' the beginning and the end of life ' (ib. 14). ' He that possesseth the word of Jesus is able to hearken to His .silence' (ib. 15), — a remark- able and pregnant phrase. Ignatius desires suffer- ing and martyrdom that he ' may attain Christ,'
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CHRIST IN THE EAELY CHURCH
and ' rise free in Him ' {Rom. 4. 5. 6). The blood of Jesus Christ is ' eternal and abiding joy {FhiL^ 1). Those who ' speak not concerning Jesus Christ he looks on as ' tombstones and graves of the dead, on which are inscribed only the names of men'
iib. 6). I £ I J.1
{d) The Epistle to Diognetus speaks of tlie Word, who was from the beginning, who appeared as new and yet was proved to be old, and is en- o-endered always young in the hearts of saints,— through whom the Church is enriched and grace is unfolded and multiplied among the saints, grace which confers understanding and reveals mysteries
(e) Justin Martyr describes how, after search- ino vainly for truth and satisfaction among the Stoics, the Peripatetics, the Pythagoreans, and the Platonists, he at last was led by the advice ot a certain aged man whom he met on the seashore to study the Scriptures, and to conceive a love of Christ. 'Straightway,' he says, 'a flame was kindled in my soul' (Tr^ijAo, 8).
2. Not only was Christ loved, He was also obeyed. His commandment must take precedence of every other claim. To Hermas, divorce and remarriage after divorce are as absolutely forbidden as un- chastity {Command, iv. 1). Justin Martyr similarly regards as absolute the teaching of Christ respect- ing divorce, forgiveness, charity, endurance of injuries, swearing, and civil obedience (I Apol.
15-17). ^. ,,
3. That the personal Christ was worshipped by the early Church as Lord and God is indisputable. Prayer and thanksgiving were addressed directly to Him. .