OF THE NAMES OF REPROACH WHICH THE JEWS, INFIDELS, AND HERETICS CAST
UPON THE CHRISTIANS.
"Besides the names already spoken of, there were some other reproachful
names cast upon them by their adversaries, which it will not be improper
here to mention. The first of these was Nazarens, a
* The edition from which these Extracts are taken it in one
vol. 8vo, London, 1708, and begins at p. 13.
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name of reproach given them first by the Jews, by whom they are styled
the sect of the Nazarens, Acts xxiv. 5. There was indeed a particular
heresy, who called themselves [--------]: and Epiphanius* thinks the
Jews had a more especial spite at them, because they were a sort of
Jewish apostates, who kept circumcision and the Mosaical rites together
with the Christian religion: and therefore, he says, they were used
to curse and anathematize them three times a day, morning, noon, and
evening, when they met in their synagogues to pray, in this direful form
of execration,' [--------], 'Send thy curse, O God, upon the Nazarens.'
But St. Jerome** says this was levelled at Christians in general, whom
they thus anathematized under the name of Nazarens. And this seems
most probable, because both as St. Jerome*** and Epiphanius himself****
observe, the Jews termed all Christians by way of reproach, Nazarens.
And the Gentiles took it from the Jews, as appears from that of
* Epiphan. Haer. 29. n. 9.
** Hieron. Com. in Esa. xlix. t 5. p. 178. Ter per tingulos
dies sub nomine Nazaienorum maledicunt in synagogis suis.
*** Id. de loc. Hebr. t. 3. p. 289. Nos apnd veterei" quasi
opprobrio Nazaraei dicebamur, quos nunc Christianos vocant.
**** Epiphan. ibid.
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Datianus the praetor in Prudentius*, where speaking to the Christians
he gives them the name of Nazarens. Some** think the Christians at first
were very free to own this name, and esteemed it no reproach, till such
time as the heresy of the Nazarens broke out, and then in detestation
of that heresy they forsook that name, and called themselves Christians.
Acts xi. 26. But whether this be said according to the exact rules of
chronology, I leave those that are better skilled to determine.
Another name of reproach was that of Galilaeans, which was Julian's
ordinary style, whenever he spake of Christ or Christians. Thus in
his Dialogue with old Maris a blind Christian bishop, mentioned by
Sozomen***, he told him by way of scoff, "Thy Galilaean God will not cure
thee." And again, in his epistle**** to Arsacius high-priest of Galatia,
"The Galilaeans maintain their own poor and ours also." The like may be
observed in Socrates(v), Theodoret (vi),
* Prudent. ---------]. Carm. 5. de S. Vincent.
Vos Nazareni assistite,
Rudemque ritum spernite.
Id. Hymno 9. de Rom. Mart.
** Junius, Parallel, lib. 1. c. 8. Godwyn, Jew.
Rites, lib. 1. c. 8.
*** Sozom. lib. 5. c. 4.
**** A p. Sozom. lib. 5. c. 16.
(v) Socrat. lib. 3. c. 12.
(vi) Theodor. lib. 3. c 7. & 31.
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Chrysostom*, and Gregory Nazianzen**, who adds, that he not only called
them Galilaeans himself, but made a law that no one should call them by
any other name; thinking thereby to abolish the name of Christians.
They also called them Atheists, and their religion the Atheism or
Impiety, because they derided the worship of the heathen gods. Dio***
says, Acilius
Glabrio was put to death for atheism, meaning the Christian religion.
And the Christian apologists, Athenagoras**** Justin Martyr(v),
Arnobius(vi), and others, reckon this among the crimes which the
heathens usually lay to their charge. Eusebius says(vii) the name was
become so common, that when the persecuting magistrates would oblige
a Christian to renounce his religion, they bade him abjure it in
this form, by saying among other things, [--------] 'Confusion to the
atheists, Away with the impious,' meaning the Christians.
To this they added the name of Greeks and Impostors. Which is noted by
St. Jerome(viii) who says
* Chrys. Horn. 63. torn. 5.
** Naz. i. Invectiv.
*** Dio in Domitian.
**** Athen. Legat. pro Christ.
(v) Just. Apol. i. p. 47.
(vi) Arnob. lib. i.
(vii) Euseb. lib. iv. c. 15.
(viii) Hieron. Ep. 10. ad Furiara. Ubicunque viderint
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wheresoever they saw a Christian, they would presently cry out,
'[--------], 'Behold a Grecian impostor.' This was the character which
the Jews gave our Saviour, [--------]' that deceiver*, Matt, xxvii. 63.
And Justin Martyr** says, they endeavoured to propagate it to posterity,
sending their apostles or emissaries from Jerusalem to all the
synagogues in the world, to bid them beware of a certain impious,
lawless sect, lately risen up under one Jesus, a Galilaean impostor.
Hence Lucian*** took occasion in his blasphemous raillery to style
him The crucified sophister. And Celsus**** commonly gives him and his
followers the name of [--------] 'deceivers.' So Asclepiades the judge
in Prudentius**** compliments them with the appellation of sophisters;
and Ulpian(v) proscribes them in a law by the name of impostors.