righteousness and of contempt both of the grace of Christ and of the work of the Holy Ghost. We are sure, that the former mean no opposition to the free gift of God, because they are humble: whereas, it is but too evident that the latter do,—because they are proud, and scorn the whole work of the Spirit of God in the formation of the new creature. It had been well, however, if holy men had never given a handle to the profane to adulterate the doctrines of the Gospel. But I have before observed, that Cyprian's views of grace were not equally clear with those of the first Christians: Yet, on every fundamental principle, he speaks as the Oracles of God; and in his addresses to Pagans, Christians, or Jews, he is always fervent and zealous. His tract on Patience, as a practical performance, and that on the Lord's Prayer, as a doctrinal one, deserve the highest praise. In general, his works are excellent in their kind, and he must have a poor taste indeed in godliness who will not find the perusal of them refreshing to his soul. Nevertheless, Cyprian shines much more in practical than in speculative divinity. The shortness of his Christian life and the pressure of his employments will easily account for this.

I wish it were as easy to clear the doctrinal character of Origen from reproach. The ancients themselves were much divided in their views of his opinion concerning the Son of God. It is certain that the Arians of the fourth century seemed to receive some countenance from him; and men, who had so very little assistance from precedents, were glad to catch at the shadow of an argument drawn from his illustrious name. But what, if his Arianism were indeed full and confessed on all hands,-What would such a fact avail as an argument,-I say not against the Scriptures,but against the joint consent of the whole Church for three hundred years? Even the very opposition made against his character by many, shows how zealous the Church had ever been in the defence of the doctrine of the Trinity. Here is open a wide field of controversy; but little profit is to be expected from traversing it. The writings of Origen against Celsus, in which he ably defends Christianity against philosophy and paganism, and the Philocalia of the same author, furnish sufficiently decisive passages against Arian

tenets,—if they were not embarrassed by others of a more doubtful cast.

It is probable, however, that one who thought so rapidly, wrote so much, and had his eyes so steadily fixed on his philosophy, must have dropped many things, which he would not have seriously maintained if he had ever carefully reviewed them. That he never meant to hold any thing different from the orthodox creed, may be inferred from the pains which he took against heretics, as well as from his general character. Some, therefore, of his indefensible sentences ought to be considered as containing queries and conjectures rather than settled opinions. Athanasius must be allowed to have been a judge of this matter; and HE believed him to be sound, and quoted his writings to prove our Lord's co-eternity and co-essentiality with the Father. And he, likewise, observes-that what things Origen wrote by way of controversy and disputation are not to be looked on as his own sentiments.*

After all, the best defence of this great man consists in the general holiness of his life, and in his patient suffering for the faith of Christ in old age: And I rejoice that, amidst all the trash with which his writings abound, we have yet this unquestionable testimony-that he "kept the commandments of God, and had the faith of Jesus." The loss of his voluminous commentaries, and of his other numerous works, is, perhaps, not much to be regretted. There are two sentences † in them which merit particular attention. He thus speaks on the words, Rom. iii. "we conclude, that a man is justified by faith," &c. "THE JUS

TIFICATION OF FAITH ONLY IS SUFFICIENT; SO THAT IF ANY PERSON ONLY BELIEVE, HE MAY BE JUSTIFIED, THOUGH NO GOOD WORK HATH BEEN FULFILLED BY

HIM;"—and again, on the case of the penitent thief, “he was justified by faith without the works of the law; because, concerning these, the Lord did not inquire what he had done before; neither did he stay to ask what work he was purposing to perform after he had believed ;-but, the man being justified by his confession only, Jesus, who was going to paradise, took him as a companion, and carried him there."

* Cave's Life of Origen, [p. 237.]

+ See Bishop Beveridge on the Articles of the Church of England.

Thus, the precious doctrine of justification, though much sullied and covered with rubbish, was yet alive, in the third century, even in the faith of the most dubious characters among the Anti-Nicene fathers. This it was that kept Origen, with all "his hay and stubble,"* firm on Christian foundations, and distinguished him radically from an adversary of Christ.

4. If we compare the public life of these two men, the Grecian shines in a scholastic, the Roman in a pastoral capacity. Origen appears as an author, and moves in a sphere calculated for the learned. Cyprian is a preacher, and, like the Apostles, addresses equally all sorts of men. The latter, on account of the pride of corrupt nature, was most likely to be regarded by the poor: He valued not refinement of composition: His aim was to reach the heart and the conscience, and to reduce every religious consideration to real practice. Origen, however, was usefully employed in untying knotty speculations, in refuting heresies, and in recommending Christianity, or something like Christianity, to the learned world. No doubt, his labours would be of some advantage amidst the mischief which the accommodating scheme produced; but the pastoral exhortations of Cyprian, as they would not be received at all by prejudiced philosophers, so, where they were received, left effects of unadulterated piety, through the divine influence that attended them. As a Christian bishop, scarcely any age has seen his superior in activity, disinterestedness, and steady attention to discipline. He was equally remote from the extremes of negligent remissness, and impracticable severity: and he possessed a charity and a patience unwearied, and ever consistent. He may safely be recommended as a model to all pastors, and particularly to those of rank and dignity throughout Christendom. Whoever feels a desire to serve God in the most arduous and the most important of all professions, may profitably,-next after the study of the sacred oracles, give days and nights to Cyprian's writings. All his genuine compositions, if you except his correspondence and controversy with Stephen of Rome,-deserve a diligent perusal; yet no man must be expected to relish them

thoroughly, unless he himself has experienced the new birth unto righteousness. A truly regenerated person will not only relish them, but also will not fail to be affected with a generous glow of the purest godliness, upon reading them with care and attention. The frequency of such bishops in Europe is devoutly to be wished! What avail good sense, taste, learning, without Christian simplicityand a heart above the world, its flatteries or its frowns! Contemplate-study the character of the prelate of Carthage, and you will learn what Christian bishops once were, and what they still ought to be.

5. But the chief point of view in which the contrast between these two persons is most striking, is in the consequences and fruits of their labours and their writings. Before Cyprian's time, Africa appears to have been in no very flourishing state with respect to Christianity. Within twelve years he was the instrument of most material service in recovering many apostates, in reforming discipline, and in reviving the essence of godliness. His example was most powerful and effectual among them for ages. The honours paid to his memory demonstrate this: Moreover, it is certain, that his diocese, once the scene of Punic greatness, continued, long after, one of the most precious gardens of Christianity, as I shall have abundant occasion to show in the course of this History,-if I should be permitted to continue it. But the mischiefs of Origen's taste and spirit in religion were inexpressible. Talents and learning are coveted by mankind; he, however, who possesses much of them, has the more abundant need to learn humility and divine caution. For, if he do not evidently benefit mankind by them, he is in danger of doing much mischief. No man, not altogether unsound and hypocritical, ever injured the Church of Christ more than Origen did. From the fanciful mode of allegory, introduced by him and uncontrolled by Scriptural rule and order, arose a vitiated method of commenting on the sacred pages; which has been succeeded by the contrary extreme -namely, a contempt of types and figures altogether; and, in a similar way, his fanciful ideas of LETTER and SPIRIT tended to remove from men's minds all just conceptions of genuine spirituality. A thick mist for ages

pervaded the Christian world, supported and strengthened by his absurd allegorical manner of interpretation. The learned alone were considered as guides implicitly to be followed; and the vulgar,-when the literal sense was hissed off the stage, had nothing to do but to follow their authority wherever it might conduct them. It was not till the days of Luther and Melancthon, that this evil was fairly and successfully opposed.

If I have carried the parallel to a greater length than the just laws of history allow, the importance of the case is my apology. Let the whole be attentively weighed by the serious reader, in connexion with two passages of St. Paul: the first of which is, "I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, lest your minds be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ;"-and the second "Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?"

CHAP. XVI.

OTHER PARTICULARS OF VALERIAN'S PERSECUTION.

IT has been already mentioned, that Cyprian heard of the death of Sixtus,* bishop of Rome, a little before his own martyrdom. In pursuance of the cruel orders of Valerian, for carrying on the persecution, that prelate had been seized with some of his clergy. While they were carrying him to execution, Laurentius, his chief deacon, followed him weeping, and said "Whither goest thou, Father, without thy son?" Sixtus said, "You shall follow me in three days." We may suppose him to have been possessed with the spirit of prophecy in saying this, because we are certain that miraculous gifts were as yet by no means extinct in the Church: But, perhaps, the declaration was not out of the reach of common sagacity from the circumstances of affairs.

After Sixtus' death, the Prefect of Rome, moved by an idle report of the immense riches of the Roman Church, * [Or Xystus.]

+ [Ambros. in Lib. 1. off. c. 41, and in lib. 2. c. 28, et Prudent. in lib. de Coron. ap. Ruinart in Act. Sin. p. 163.]

[August. Op. v. 7. P. 2. p. 1226, &c. (Ed. Ven.) See Fleury, b. 7. c. 39.]