The religion announced by Christ among all nations was
BOOK 1 * CHAPTER 4
addition of an oath, Christ and priest after his own order but not according to the order of those who received merely the badges and emblems.
(18) Hence, also, neither does history represent him anointed corporeally among the Jews nor even as sprung from a tribe of the priesthood but as coming into existence from God himself before the morning star; that is, before the constitution of the world, obtaining an immortal priesthood, subject to no infirmity of age, to all endless ages. (19) But the great and convincing evidence of that incorporeal and divine power in him is the fact that he alone, of all that have ever existed to the present day, even now is known by the title of Christ among all men over the world; and with this title he is acknowledged and professed by all and celebrated both among barbarians and Greeks. Even to this day, he is honored by his followers throughout the world as a King; he is admired as more than a prophet and glorified as the only true High Priest of God. In addition to all these, as the preexisting Word of God, coming into existence before all ages, and who has received the honors of worship, he is also adored as God. (20)
What is most remarkable is the fact that we who are consecrated to him, honor him not only with the voice and sound of words but with all the affections of the mind so that we prefer giving a testimony to him, even to the preservation of our own lives.
The religion announced by Christ among all nations was neither unexpected nor strange.
(1) THESE MATTERS HAVE THUS been necessarily premised before our history that no one may suppose our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was merely a newcomer on account of the date at which he appeared among men in the flesh. Now, that no one may suppose his doctrine is new or strange as if springing from one of recent origin and in no respect differing from the rest of men, let us also briefly examine this point.
(2) It is evident that but a short time after the appearance of our Savior Jesus Christ had been made known to all men, a new nation suddenly came into existence; a nation confessedly neither small nor weak nor situated in a remote corner of the earth but the most populous and the most religious of all and so much the more indestructible and invincible,
EUSEBIUS' ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
as it has always had the power of God as its support. This nation, appearing at the time appointed by inscrutable wisdom, is that which among all is honored with the name of Christ. (3) One of the prophets, foreseeing with the eye of the Spirit of God that this people would arise, was so struck with amazement that he exclaimed: "Who hath heard such things as this? and who hath ever declared thus? hath the earth brought forth in a single day, and hath a nation been born at once?" (Isa. 66:8). The same prophet also gave some intimation of the name that would be introduced: "They who serve me shall be called by a new name, which shall be blessed upon the earth." (4) And indeed, though we are evidently a new people, this new name also of Christians has lately become known to all nations. The practice, however, and the walk and conversation, the principles of piety prevalent among this people have not been recently invented but were established, we may say, by the Deity in the natural dictates of pious men of old from the very origin of our race, an assertion which we shall endeavor to prove, in the following manner:
(5) That the nation of the Hebrews is not new but honored among all for its antiquity is well-known. The writings and literature of this nation concern ancient men, rare and few in number but yet excelling in piety, righteousness, and every virtue. Even before the flood, there were some who were distinguished for their virtue; and after this others, both of the sons and posterity of Noah, among whom we would mention Abraham, celebrated by the Hebrews as the founder and progenitor of their nation.
(6) Should anyone, beginning from Abraham and going back to the first man, pronounce those who have had the testimony of righteousness,
Christians in fact, though not in name, he would not be far from the truth. (7) For as the name Christians is intended to indicate this very idea that a man, by the knowledge and doctrine of Christ, is distinguished by modesty and justice, by patience and a virtuous fortitude, and by a profession of piety towards the one and only true and supreme God; all this was no less studiously cultivated by them than by us. (8) They did not, therefore, regard circumcision nor observe the Sabbath; neither do we.
Neither do we abstain from certain foods nor regard other injunctions which Moses subsequently delivered to be observed in types and symbols, because such things as these do not belong to Christians. But they obviously knew the Christ of God as he appeared to Abraham, communed with Isaac, spoke to Jacob; and that he communed with Moses and the prophets after him has already been shown.
BOOK 1 ¢ CHAPTER 4
(9) Hence, you will find, also, these pious persons honored with the name of Christ, as in the following expression: "Touch not my anointed ones [my Christs] and do my prophets no harm" (Ps. 105:15). (10) Whence we should plainly suppose that the first and most ancient religion known, that of those pious men who were connected with Abraham, is the very religion lately announced to all in the doctrines of Christ. (11) Abraham is said to have received the command of circumcision, and yet long before this, was proved to have received the testimony of righteousness through faith. "Abraham," the Scriptures say, "believed, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3). (12) Indeed, the divine communication was given to him from God, who appeared to him when he bore this character before circumcision. This was Christ himself, the Word of God announcing that all who should come in future times should be justified in a similar way, saying, "And in thee shall be blessed all the nations of the earth" (Gen. 12:3). And again, "When he shall become a great and mighty nation, in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 18:18).
(13) We may obviously understand this by its fulfillment in us; for he indeed was justified by his faith in Christ, the word of God that appeared to him; and having renounced the superstition of his fathers and the former errors of his life, confessed the one supreme God and served him by deeds of virtue and not by the service subsequently enjoined in the Law of Moses.
To him, then, it was declared that all the tribes and all the nations of the earth should be blessed in him. (14) But the course of piety which was pursued by Abraham has appeared thus far cultivated only by Christians, and that too by works more efficacious than words. (15) What, then, should prevent us henceforth from acknowledging that there is one and the same principle of life and conduct, the same course of piety common to us who have come after Christ, with those pious men who lived in times long before? It is evident that the religion delivered to us in the doctrine of Christ is not a new nor a strange doctrine; but if the truth must be spoken, it is the first and only true religion. Thus, much may suffice on this point.
LUSEBINS CHRISTIAN
VEFENSE OF OG
TESTAME!