III. The Scriptures were further depreciated and set aside by the fabrication and countenance of gospels and other supposititious works in the name of the apostles and their cotemporaries, marked by extreme meanness of conception, abounding with gross errors, and adapted to lead to low and false apprehensions of the government of God, the work of redemption, and the nature of piety.1

IV. The attempts of Clemens Alexandrinus, Origen, and others, to accommodate the facts and truths of revelation to the doctrines of philosophy, led not only to a formal neglect of them, but still more to exhibitions which misrepresented their nature. They were often treated as substantially the same, their dogmas as alike authoritative, and salvation as attainable by the one as well as the other. The attempt moreover to incorporate them, maids, no other answer can be given than that they are mysteries that are incomprehensible by us." De Princip. lib. iv. c. 11.

He proceeds to exemplify his theory of a secondary and a spiritual meaning, and represents that God chose to veil the knowledge which he reveals of himself and his administration, under visible symbols, such as the creation of the world and of man, the obedience of the righteous and the sins of the wicked, that none but the studious and wise may comprehend them; that deep mysteries lie enveloped in the Old Testament in the histories of the wars of the Israelites and others, in which the vanquished and victors are commemorated; and finally, that the written law is rather a mere prophecy than an expression of the truth itself, and is to be divested of the integuments in which it is wrapped, in order to a full discovery of its meaning. De Princip. lib. iv. c. 14.

Irenæus represents the multitude of books that were forged and circulated to excite the wonder of the unlettered as innumerable. Contra Hæreses, lib. i. c. 17. Eusebius also speaks of them as numerous, unapostolic in style, and absurd and impious in their sentiments. Hist. Eccl. lib. iii. c. 25. That they yet had a vast influence, and on the church, is apparent from the complaints of Irenæus and other fathers, and the fact that several of them, as the false gospels and acts, the Sibylline Verses, the Recognitions of Clemens, the Apostolical Canons and Constitutions, and the letters ascribed to Ignatius, were regarded as of authority, and quoted by men of learning and eminence for many ages. See Jones on the Canon. Casaub. Exercit. in App. Baron, no. x. p. 65. Moshemii Dissert. de Causis Suppos. Librorum.

* Clemens Alexandrinus devoted a large part of the first and sixth books of his Stromata, to the commendation of the Greek philosophy; representing a knowledge of it as not only useful, but almost indispensable to an understanding of the gospel, and exhibiting it as a revelation from God as well as the Scriptures, and a law and rule of justification to the Gentiles, as the Old Testament was to the Israelites. "We cannot err in saying that all things that are necessary and useful to life come from God, and especially that the philosophy given to the Greeks as a peculiar covenant, is the foundation of that of Christ.". -Stromat. lib. vi. p. 648. "The law to the Jews, but philosophy to the Greeks until the advent of Christ, when all were called into the church by the teaching of faith."—Strom. lib. vi. p. 650. "Before the advent of Christ, philosophy was necessary to the Greeks in order to justification, and still subserves the piety of those who found their faith on demonstration; for it led the Gentiles to Christ as the law did the Hebrews, and prepared the way for that which is perfected under him.”—Stromat. lib. i. p.

led to the discussion of numerous questions that have little connection with theoretical or practical religion, and drew the attention of the church from realities to shadows; from the wisdom of God to the folly of men.

V. Not only were vain and dangerous speculations thus obtruded into theology, but conceptions were formed also of the sacraments of the gospel, that were false and pernicious. Such were the views that were entertained of baptism.

It was held as early as the age of Justin Martyr that remission of sins was conferred in baptism on those who were already regenerated: "We will also state how having been renewed through Christ, we consecrate ourselves to God. They who are persuaded of the truth of what we teach and relate, receive it with faith, and promise as far as they are able, to live accordingly, are taught fasting to ask of God forgiveness of their former sins, and we unite with them in those acts. Then they are led by us where there is water, and begotten again with the new generation with which we were ourselves rebegotten; for this washing with water is done in the name of God the Father of all, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit; for Christ said, Except ye be begotten again, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." By the new generation by water he

means, not the renovation of the mind which is the work of the Spirit, but simply the introduction of one already renewed into the church by baptism, entrance on a new life as a subject of Christ, and attainment thereby of the forgiveness of all former sins. "The name of the Father of all is pronounced over him who desires to be rebegotten and repents of his sins, in order to his obtaining remission of his former offences." "And this washing is called illumination, inasmuch as they are enlightened who have learned these things." It was regarded as a symbol or expression of the knowledge and faith which they professed. 282. Origen, the disciple of Clemens, adopted this theory, and followed it in his speculations, treating the doctrines of the Greek philosophy as a key to the histories and doctrines of the Scriptures, and employing them to solve the mysteries of the divine administration. He introduced accordingly into his theology a great number of false, absurd, and impious conjectures and dogmas, which obscured, adulterated, or set aside the truth, and formed emphatically another gospel ; and he was followed by a vast crowd of disciples and imitators for several ages. See Moshemii de rebus Christ. ante Constant., sec. iii. pp. 604–629. Dupin, Biblioth. Nova, tom. i. pp. 190-224. Thus within a little more than a century of the death of the last apostle, did the ministers of the church begin to neglect and depreciate the Scriptures, and adopt that wisdom by which the world knew not God, as a more efficacious instrument of leading them to salvation. 1 Justini Mart. Apolog. i. c. 61, pp. 256-258. 2 Ibid. c. 61, p. 258.

3 Ibid. c. 61, p. 260.

"After we have thus washed him who has believed and assented to our faith, we conduct him to the assembly of the brethren, and together offer fervent prayer for ourselves and him who has been enlightened and all others wherever they are, that having learned the truth we may have the blessedness to be found in our works, good citizens, and observers of the commandments, so that we may obtain eternal salvation."

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Clemens Alexandrinus held that illuminating and sanctifying influences of the Spirit were conferred in the baptism of the believer, as well as remission of sins. "Immediately therefore after having been rebegotten, we obtain that perfection after which we earnestly endeavor. For we are illuminated, that is, with the knowledge of God." 'Being baptized we are enlightened; being enlightened we are adopted as sons; being adopted we are perfected; and being perfected we are made immortal. He says, 'I said ye are gods, and all the sons of the Most High.' This work is variously denominated grace, illumination, perfection, and the bath; the bath by which sins are washed away, grace by which the penalties of sin are removed, illumination by which we obtain the holy and saving light-that is, by which we see clearly that which is divine; and finally it is denominated perfection, inasmuch as it has nothing wanting, for what does he lack who knows God?" It is in this relation accordingly doubtless, as attended with enlightening and sanctifying influences, that it is spoken of in the fable of John and the robber as a perfect protection against sin.*

Tertullian also represents the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, as well as the remission of sins, as conferred in baptism. He exhibits the water as imbued with a miraculous power by the descent of the Spirit into it at its consecration, in virtue of which, in its application in the rite, it exerted a purifying influence on the soul, like that of water on the body. "Once we enter the bath, once sins are washed away, so that it is not necessary to repeat the rite." "All waters acquire by the invocation of God the sacramental virtue of sanctification; for the Spirit immediately descends from heaven, rests on them, and sanctifies them by itself, and being thus sanctified by union with the Spirit, they acquire the power of sanctification.... For as the waters of Bethesda were imbued with a medicinal virtue by the

Pædagog. lib. 1. c. 6, p. 92.

Clem. Alexand. lib. quis dives, c. 42.

5 Semel ergo lavacrum inimus, semel delicta diluuntur, quia ea iterari non opor

intervention of the angel, so the Spirit is diffused through the waters of baptism, and the person to whom they are applied, is spiritually purified by them." That he did not regard it as regeneration, but as a rite by which those who had already believed were to be admitted to the church, and made partakers of gifts which were bestowed on those only who made a profession of their faith, is indicated by the caution which he teaches should be used in its administration.2

Origen likewise regarded the remission of sins and the sanctifying influences of the Spirit, as given in baptism to those who were prepared by repentance to receive it, but not to others. "Come, ye catechumen, repent that ye may obtain baptism to the remission of sins. He receives baptism to the remission of sins, who ceases to sin. But if any one comes to the baptistery sinning, he does not obtain remission. Come not to baptism therefore I pray you without wariness, and a diligent scrutiny, but first exhibit the fruits that become repentance.' 193 "All are not laved unto salvation. Prepare yourselves while catechumen that ye may come to the baptistery and be washed to salvation; and not like those who are washed, but not to salvation; receiving the water, but not the Spirit. He who is laved to salvation, receives not only the water but the Holy Spirit."4

But by a large part of the bishops of that and the following age, it was not only held that sanctifying influences and the remission of sins were conferred in baptism whenever rightly administered and received, but the still more erroneous and dan- . gerous doctrine that it is a spiritually regenerating rite, and its mere reception thence made an absolute ground of reliance for

1

Igitur omnes aquæ de pristina originis prærogativa sacramentum sanctificationis consequuntur invocato deo. Supervenit enim statim spiritus de cœlis et aquis superest, sanctificans eas de semetipso, et ita sanctificatæ vim sanctificandi combibunt.... Igitur medicatis quodammodo aquis per angeli interventum, et spiritus in aquis corporaliter diluitur, et caro in eisdem spiritaliter mundatur.-De baptismo, c. 4. It was not rashly to be conferred on whoever desired to receive it. The reason that the Eunuch was immediately baptized by Philip was, that he gave evidence of a true faith, and Paul was not baptized until it had been revealed that he was a chosen vessel. Discretion was therefore to be used in its administration, and it was judicious to delay it according to the condition, disposition, and age of each person, and especially the young. Ceterum baptismum non temere credendum esse sciunt, quorum officium est.-Itaque pro cujusque personæ conditione ac dispositione, etiam ætate cunctatio baptismi utilior est, præcipue tamen circa parvulos.-De baptismo, c. 18.

* Venite catechumeni, agite pœnitentiam, ut in remissionem peccatorum baptisma consequamini. In remissionem peccatorum ille accipit baptisma qui peccare desistit. Si quis enim peccans ad lavacrum venit, ei non fit remissio peccatorum Homil. xxi. in Lucam. tom. iii. p. 957.

Homil. vi. in Ezek. tom. iii. p. 378.

salvation. Thus Cyprian, "Inasmuch as the second birth in which we are born unto Christ through the bath of regeneration is spiritual, it were incongruous to say that any one may be spiritually born among heretics, with whom it is acknowledged the Spirit is not. For water alone cannot cleanse away sin and sanctify the man, unless it have the Holy Spirit. It must of necessity therefore be conceded that the Spirit is there, where it is asserted that baptism is, or else that there is no baptism where the Holy Spirit is not; inasmuch as baptism is not possible without the Holy Spirit. But what is it to assert and contend that they may be sons of God, who are not born in the church? For baptism is that by which the old man dies and the new is born, manifestly from the apostle's declaration, he saves us through the bath of regeneration.' But if regeneration is by the bath, that is by baptism, how is it possible that a sect that is not the spouse of Christ, can bear sons to God through Christ? For it is the church alone that is united to Christ that can spiritually bear sons, as the same apostle teaches in the saying, Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it, purifying it in the bath of water."

The same views were held also by Firmilian, bishop of Casarea Cappadocia : "Let us not forget that according to the Song of songs, the church is a garden enclosed, a sealed fountain, a paradise of apples. But how can they who have never entered that garden, nor seen the paradise planted by the Creator, give any one from the fountain which is enclosed in it and sealed with God's seal the living water of saving baptism? Moreover, as Noah's ark which saved those only who were within it, all who were without being destroyed, was a mere symbol of the church of Christ, we are taught thereby to inculcate the unity of the church, as Peter also indicates in saying, 'in like manner baptism saves us'-showing thereby as they who were not with Noah in the ark, not only were not purified and saved by the water, but instantly perished in the deluge, so also now whoever are not in the church with Christ, will perish without, unless they are turned to the sole and saving bath of the church through penitence."

He ascribes the same view also to Stephen, the bishop of

1 Baptisma enim esse, in quo homo vetus moritur, et novus nascitur, manifestat et probat beatus apostolus dicens ; Servavit nos per lavacrum regenerationis. Si autem in lavacro, id est in baptismo est regeneratio, quomodo generari filios deo hæresis per Christum potest, quæ Christi sponsa non est. Ecclesia est enim sola, quæ Christo conjuncta et adunata spiritaliter filios generat.-Epist. 74, c. 5, 6. Cypriani Epist. 75, c. 15.

2