15 JUNE 1910

ANCIENT CHRISTIANITY,

AND THE

DOCTRINES

OF THE

OXFORD TRACTS.

BY

ISAAC TAYLOR,

AUTHOR OF "SPIRITUAL DESPOTISM," &c.

Fas est etenim, ut prisca illa cælestis philosophiæ dogmata processu tem.
poris, excurentur, limentur, poliantur; sed nefas est, ut commutentur; nefas,
ut detruncentur, ut mutilentur. Accipiant licet evidentiam, lucem, distinc-
tionem; sed retineant, necesse est, plenitudinem, integritatem, proprieta-
tem.-VINCENTIUS LIRINENSIS.

PHILADELPHIA:

HERMAN HOCKER,

CHESTNUT STREET.

CONTENTS.

The circumstances of the argument,.

The substance of the argument, and the dependence of the

modern church upon the ancient church,......

PAGE

21

40

93

A test of the moral condition of the ancient church,.

The third and fourth propositions, and concluding remarks, 176

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENTS.

The subject of the ancient celibacy not to be evaded. A

principal element of ancient Christianity, and inseparable

from the system,..

CONNEXION OF THE ANCIENT CELIBATE WITH THE NOTIONS

ENTERTAINED OF THE DIVINE NATURE.

The celibate the product of gnostic feeling. General prin-

ciples of the oriental theosophy, in its earlier and later

forms: opposition of the church to the series of gnostic

heresies, while it imbibed the sentiment of them. The

abstractive doctrine, and the penitential, both admitted

by the ancient church. Indications of the gnostic theo-

sophy in Athanasius, Gregory Nyssen, Gregory Nazian-

zen, Basil, and Synesius,..

CONNEXION OF THE CELIBATE WITH THE NOTIONS ENTER-

TAINED OF THE SCHEME OF SALVATION.

Combination of the Buddhist, or abstractive, and the Brah-
minical, or penitential principles in popery-and in the

B

191

206

THE INDIRECT INFLUENCE OF THE MONASTIC INSTITUTE UPON

THE POSITION OF THE CLERGY.

The ascetics constituted a class to be maintained, a class

contributing to the funds of the church, and a class to be

governed,..

THE DIRECT INFLUENCE OF THE CELIBATE UPON THE

CLERGY.

The progress of opinion, ending necessarily in the enforced

celibacy of the clergy. The fathers and the inspired wri-

ters at issue on this point,..

PAGE

508

519

THE CONNEXION OF THE ASCETIC INSTITUTE WITH RITUAL
NOTIONS AND PRACTICES.

The Nicene sacramental doctrine the consequence of the

condition of the clerical mind, and only another expres-

sion of the ascetic principle. The taste for the marvel-

lous, characteristic of the ascetic life, sought its gratifica-

tion in this line. The rites of the church, means of go-

vernment. The present feeling at Rome concerning

Oxford Tract doctrines,..

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES AND CITATIONS,.

530

547