The date of their composition is a sufficient indication of the character of the theology which they contain. They are written under the assumption that the Anglican Church has a place, as such, in Catholic communion and Apostolic Christianity. This is a question of fact, which the Author would now of course answer in the negative, retaining still, and claiming as his own, the positive principles and doctrines which that fact is, in these Papers, taken to involve. PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY. CHAP. PAGE 1. WHAT DOES ST. AMBROSE SAY ABOUT IT? 339 2. WHAT SAYS VINCENT OF LERINS? 375 3. WHAT SAYS THE HISTORY OF APOLLINARIS? 391 4. WHAT SAY JOVINIAN AND HIS COMPANIONS? 401 5. WHAT SAY THE APOSTOLICAL CANONS? 417 PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY. CHAPTER I. WHAT DOES ST. AMBROSE SAY ABOUT IT? Sec. 1. _Ambrose and Justina._ No considerate person will deny that there is much in the spirit of the times, and in the actual changes which the British Constitution has lately undergone, which makes it probable, or not improbable, that a material alteration will soon take place in the relations of the Church towards the State, to which it has been hitherto united. I do not say that it is out of the question that things may return to their former quiet and pleasant course, as in the good old time of King George III.; but the very chance that they will not makes it a practical concern for every churchman to prepare himself for a change, and a practical question for the clergy, by what instruments the authority of Religion is to be supported, should the protection and patronage of the Government be withdrawn. Truth, indeed, will always support itself in the world by its native vigour; it will never die while heaven and earth last, but be handed down from saint to saint until the end of all things. But this was the case before our Lord came, and is still the case, as we may humbly trust, in heathen countries. My question concerns _the Church_, that peculiar institution which Christ set up as a visible home and memorial of Truth; and which, as being in this world, must be manifested by means of this world. I know it is common to make light of this solicitude about the Church, under the notion that the Gospel may be propagated without it,--or that men are about the same under every Dispensation, their hearts being in fault, and not their circumstances,--or for other reasons, better or worse as it may be; to all which I am accustomed to answer (and I do not see how I can be in error), that, if Christ had not meant His Church to answer a purpose, He would not have set it up, and that our business is not to speculate about possible Dispensations of Religion, but to resign and devote ourselves to that in which we are actually placed.