S8 TUIIiD PERIOD. A.D. 311-590.
Less iin})ortaiit, but still noteworthy and jjeeuliar, is the apologetic work of the Gallic presbyter, Salviajs'us, on provnlence and tiie government of the world.' It was composed abont the middle of the fifth century (440-455) in answer at once to the charge that Christianity occasioned all the misfortunes 3f the times, and to the doubts concerning divine providence, which were spreading among Christians themselves. The blame of the divine judgments he places, however, not upon the heathens, but upon the Christianity of the day, and, in forcible and lively, but turgid and extravagant style, draws an extremely unfavorable picture of the moral condition of the Christians, especially in Gaul, Spain, Italy, and Africa. His apology for Christianity, or rather for the Christian faith in the divine government of the world, was also a polemic against the degenerate Christians. It was certainly unsuited to convert heathens, but well fitted to awaken the church to more dangerous enemies within, and stimulate her to that moral selfreform, Avhich puts the crown upon victory over outward foes. " The church," says this Jeremiah of his time, " which ought everywhere to propitiate God, what does she, but provoke him to anger ? ^ How many may one meet, even in the church, who are not still drunkards, or debauchees, or adulterers, or fornicators, or robbers, or murderers, or the like, or all these at once, without end ? It is even a sort of holiness among Christian people, to be less vicious." From the public worship of God, he continues, and almost during it, they pass to deeds of shame. Scarce a rich man, but would commit murder and fornication. We have lost the whole power of Christianity, and offend God the more, that we sin as Christians. "We are
' Of this book : " Dc giibeniatiojic Dei, et dc justo Dei pracsentiqnc judicio," It-aao Taylor has made very hirge use in his interesting work on " Ancient Christianity " (vol. ii. p. ?A sqq.), to refute the idealized Puscyitc view of the Niccne and post- Nicene age. But he ascribes too great importance to it, and forgets that it is .an uubalaiici!(l picture of the shady tide of the church at that time. It is true as far as it goes, and yet leaves a false impression. There arc books which by a partial and one-sided representation make even the truth lie.
'' " Ipna Dei ecclcsia quae in omnibus esse debet pliicatrix Dei, quid est aliud quant exaccroatrix Dei ? aut, prater paucissimos quosdam, .jui mala fugiunt, quid est a^uC pcne omiiis ccetus Christianorum, quam sentina vitiorim?" (P. 91.)
§ 12, Augustine's city of god. 89
worse tlian the barbarians and heathen. If tlie Saxoi. is wild^ the Frank faithless, the Gotli inhuman, the Alanian drunken, the Hun licentious, they are by reason of their ignorance far less punishable than we, who, knowing the commandments of God, commit all these crimes. He compares the Christiana especially of Rome with the Arian Goths and Yandals, to the disparagement of the Romans, who add to the gross sins of nature the refined vices of civilization, passion for theatres, debauchery, and unnatural lewdness. Therefore has the just God given them into the hands of the barbarians and exposed them to the ravages of the migrating hordes.
Tliis horrible picture of the Christendom of the fifth cen tury is undoubtedly in many respects an exaggeration of ascetic and monastic zeal. Yet it is in general not untrue ; it presentu the dark side of the picture, and enables us to understand more fully on moral and psychological grounds the final dissolution of the western eim^ire of Rome.
CHAPTER m.
AIJ,IAI^C£ OF CHr RCII AXD STATE AND ITS rNFLUENCE ON PUBLIC MOKAJ.S AND RELIGION.
SOURCES.
The cliurch laws of the Christian emperors from Constantine to Jnstinian, collected in the Codex Theodosianus of the year 438 (edited, with a learned commentary, by Jac. Gothofredus, Lyons, 1G68, in six vols. fol. ; afterwards by J. D. Ritter, Lips. 1736, in seven vols. ; and more recently, with newly discovered books and fragments, by G. Haenel, Bonn, 1842), and in the Codex Justinianeus of 534 (in the numerous editions of the Corpus juris civilis Romani). Also Eusebius : Vita Constant., and H. Eccl. 1. x. On the other hand, the lamentations of the church fathers, especially Gueoouy Naz., Chkyso.stom, and Augustine (in their sermons), over tlie secularized Christianity of their time.