y give utterance to his
own impressions, for a whole African synod concurred in his statement.
Subsequent writers of unimpeachable credit refer to the canons of
councils of which we otherwise know nothing, and though we cannot now
ascertain the exact time when these courts assembled, there is no reason
to doubt that at least some of them were convened before the middle of
the second century. Thus, when Jerome ascribes the origin of Prelacy to
an ecclesiastical decree, he alludes evidently to some synodical
convention of an earlier date than any of the meetings of which history
has preserved a record. [609:1]

Did we even want the direct testimony just adduced as to the government
of synods in the former part of the second century, we might on other
grounds infer that this species of polity then existed; for apostolic
example suggested its propriety, and the spirit of fraternity so
assiduously cherished by the early rulers of the Church must have
prompted them to meet together for the discussion and settlement of
ecclesiastical questions in which they felt a common interest. But
whilst Christianity was still struggling for existence, it was not in a
condition to form widely spread organizations. It is probable that the
business of the early Church courts was conducted with the utmost
secrecy, that they were attended by but few members, and that they were
generally composed of those pastors and elders who resided in the same
district and who could conveniently assemble on short notice. Their
meetings, in all likelihood, were summoned at irregular intervals, and
were held, to avoid suspicion, sometimes in one city and sometimes in
another; and, except when an exciting question awakened deep and general
anxiety, the representatives of the Churches of a whole province rarely,
perhaps, ventured on a united convention. Our ignorance of the councils
of the early part of the second century arises simply from the fact that
no writer appeared during that interval to register their acts; and we
have now no means of accurately filling up this blank in the history.
But we have good grounds for believing that Gnosticism now formed the
topic of discussion in several synods. [609:2] The errorists, we know,
were driven out of the Church in all places; and how can we account for
this general expulsion, except upon the principle of the united action
of ecclesiastical judicatories? Jerome gives us to understand that their
machinations led t