Cyprian, after congratulating them on their re-union with the Church, and expressing his sincere sorrow for the former defection, delivers his sentiments on the duty of Christians in this point. The flattering idea, which had seduced these good men, was a notion of constituting a Church here on earth exactly pure and perfect. The man, who sustained so much ill-will on account of discipline, may be heard with patience on this subject. Yet he was far from supposing that fallible mortals should be able, in all cases, to decide positively who were true Christians and who not, and to rectify all abuses, and to cleanse the Church of all its tares. The middle state between impracticable efforts of severity and licentious neglect was Cyprian's judgment. He thought it necessary that the lapsed should show good marks of penitence; and he held it highly culpable to separate from the visible Church, for the want of that exact purity in the members which the present state of things does not admit. But let us hear the bishop himself: The subject is not, indeed, of the first importance, but it deserves on account of its practical influence, to be deeply considered by all friends of vital godliness.

Though there appear to be tares in the Church, our faith and love ought not to be impeded by seeing them, so that we should desert our post. Our business is to labour, that we ourselves may stand a scrutiny, that when the wheat shall be gathered into the harvest, we may receive reward according to our labour. The Apostle speaks of vessels not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour and some to dishonour.

"Be it our care that we be found vessels of gold or silver: but we are not to break in pieces the vessels of earth: this belongs to the Lord alone, who has a rod of iron. The servant cannot be greater than his master: nor must any man claim to himself what the Father attributes to the Son alone: -No man should think himself capable of thoroughly purging the floor, or of separating all the wheat from the tares by human judgment. To think so is proud obstinacy and sacrilegious presumption, which a depraved madness. assumes to itself; and while some lay claim to a dominion. of this kind beyond the limits of justice and equity, they are lost to the Church; and, while they insolently extol

themselves, they become blinded by their passions, so as to lose the light of truth. With these views, we have aimed at a proper medium; we have contemplated the balance of the Lord; we have thirsted exceedingly that we might be directed both by the holiness and the mercy of God the Father; and, after a long and careful deliberation, we have settled a just mediocrity. I refer you to my own books on the subject, which I lately read here; and which, from motives of brotherly love, I have sent over to you, to read. In them there is wanting neither a due censure of the lapsed, nor medicine to heal the penitent. I have expressed also my thoughts on the unity of the Church to the best of my feeble judgment."*

There was a bishop of some note, named Antonius, who seemed disposed to embrace the Novatian schism. To him Cyprian in a long letter explains with much force and clearness the whole of his ideas on the subject. A short abridgment of it may merit perusal, because of the charity and good sense which run through it.†

He clears himself from the charge of inconsistency, by showing, in both cases, the views on which he acted under very different circumstances, formerly with strictness, now with lenity;—he informs him what had been determined both at Rome and Carthage concerning the lapsed ;-he enlarges on the virtues of Cornelius, who had ventured his life in a time of severe trial under Decius ;-he defends him against the unjust aspersions of the Novatians, and demonstrates, that very different rules and methods should be used, according to the circumstances of offenders; and that Novatian's stoicism, by which all sins are equal, was absolutely repugnant to the genius of Christianity. He supports his ideas of mercy by striking and apposite passages of Scripture. For instance; "the whole need not a physician, but the sick." What sort of a physician is he, who says, "I cure only the sound? "Nor ought we to think all those whom we see wounded by a degree of apostacy, during the deadly persecution, to be absolutely dead; but rather to lie half dead only, and to be capable of being recovered by sound faith and penitence, so as yet to display in future the true characters of confessors and martyrs."

* He means his treatises on the Lapsed, and on the Unity of the Church. + Epist. 51.

He shows that the censures of the Church ought not to anticipate the judgment of the Lord. His quotations of Scripture, in behalf of receiving penitents again into the Church may well be spared:-The Novatian uncharitableness will, in our days, scarcely find a defender.

He beautifully insists on the propriety and wholesomeness of mercy, gentleness, and charity, and exposes the unreasonableness of the present dissent from this circumstance, -that formerly, in Africa, some bishops excluded adulterers from a return into the Church,-but they did not form a schism on that account. And yet an adulterer appears to him to deserve a greater degree of severity than a man who lapses through fear of torment. He exposes the absurdity of the Novatians in exhorting men to repent, while they rob them of all those comforts and hopes which should encourage repentance. It is observable, that he alleges nothing particular against the personal character of Novatian: -but he blames Schism with an excess of severity not to be defended.

From another circumstance we are led to remark the strictness of discipline which then prevailed in the purest Churches. Several persons, who stood firm for a time in persecution, and afterwards fell through extremity of torment, were kept three years in a state of exclusion from the Church; and yet they lived all that time with every mark of true repentance. Cyprian being consulted,* decided that they ought to be re-admitted to communion.

The appearance of a new persecution from Gallus now threatening the Church, Cyprian, with the African synod, wrote to Cornelius on the subject of hastening the reception of penitents, that they might be armed for the approaching storm.†

In the mean time Felicissimus finding, after his condemnation, no security to his reputation in Africa, crossed the sea to Rome, raised a party against Cornelius, and by menaces, threw him into great fear. Cyprian's spirit seems more disturbed on this occasion ‡ than I have seen reason to observe in any of his epistles. He supports the dignity of the episcopal character in a style of great magnificence; but it is evident, that continual ill treatment from seditious chaEpist. 52. + Epist. 53. [Epist. 54.]

*

racters had led him into some degree of impatience: The language he uses concerning the authority of bishops, would sound strange to our ears, though it by no means contains any definite ideas contrary to the Scriptures. The whole epistle is calculated to rouse the dejected spirit of Cornelius; and shows much of the hero-less of the Christian. He confesses-that he speaks grieved and irritated, by a series of unmerited ill usage. He takes notice that at the very time of writing this, he was again demanded by the people to be exposed to the lions. He speaks of the ordination of Fortunatus and also of Maximus, by the schismatics, in a contemptuous manner. It is very evident, that, on the whole, he triumphed in Carthage among his own people. His great virtues and unquestionable sincerity secured him their affections; but they seem not to have been sufficiently patient and discreet in the re-admission of offenders: He complains that, in some cases, they were violent and resentful;-and in others precipitately easy and favourable. The eloquence, and even the genuine charity of this great man, appears throughout this fifty-fourth epistle; but it is deficient in the meekness and the moderation, which shine in his other performances.

CHAP. XI.

THE EFFECTS OF THE PERSECUTION OF DECIUS IN THE

EASTERN CHURCH.

THE Eastern and Western Churches were, in those times, divided from each other by the Greek and Roman language, though cemented by the common bond - of the Roman government, and much more-of the common Salvation. It will often be found convenient to consider their history distinctly. The gentile Church of Jerusalem still maintained its respectability under Alexander its bishop, who has been mentioned above.* He was again called on to confess Christ before the tribunal of the president at Cæsarea; and, in this second trial of his faith, having acquitted himself with his usual fidelity, he was cast into pri

Euseb. b. 6. from c. 39 to the end.

His venerable locks procured him neither pity nor respect; and he finally breathed out his soul under confinement.

At Antioch, Babylas after his confession dying in bonds, Fabius was chosen his successor. In this persecution the renowned Origen was called to suffer extremely. Bonds, torments, a dungeon, the pressure of an iron [collar,] the distension of his feet for many days, the threats of burning, and other evils were inflicted by his enemies, all which he manfully endured: and his life was still preserved; for the judge was solicitously careful that his tortures should not kill him. "What words he uttered on these occasions, and how useful to those who need consolation, many of his epistles," says Eusebius, "declare with no less truth than accuracy!" If the words here alluded to were now extant, more light, I apprehend, might be thrown on the internal character of Origen, in respect to experimental godliness, than by all his works which remain. These show the scholar, the philosopher, and the critic:-Those would have displayed Origen dies, the Christian. This great man died in his seven- aged 70. tieth year, about the same time as the emperor Decius.

By and by I shall find occasion to insert an estimate of his character.

Dionysius was at this time bishop of Alexandria,—a person of great and deserved renown in the Church. We are obliged to Eusebius for a few fragments of his writings, some of which being historical, must be here in- Account of Dionysius, serted. In an epistle to Germanus he writes bishop of thus: 66 Sabinus, the Roman governor, sent an Alexandria. officer to seek me, during the persecution of Decius, and I remained four days at home, expecting his coming: he made the most accurate search in the roads, the rivers, and the fields, where he suspected I might be hid. A confusion seems to have seized him, that he could not find my house; for he had no idea that a man, in my circumstances, should stay at home. At length, after four days, God ordered me to remove ; and, having opened me a way contrary to all expectation, I and my servants and many of the brethren went together. The event showed that the whole was the work of Divine Providence.-About sun-set, I was seized,

*

[Euseb. vi. c. 40.]

+ By a vision or some other Divine manifestation, I suppose.