versant even in the philosophy of the human mind, who is not aware that something beyond demonstration is needful, to convince a man of the truth of that which he exceedingly desires may not be true.

The only impression which the quotations from this ancient father have made on my mind is this; that he is far more heterodox than I had supposed him to be. There are in Clement many opinions, neither scriptural, nor agreeing with what we reverence next to scripture, the articles, liturgy, and homilies of our church: and likewise, as far as these quotations go, there is an almost total want of those peculiar principles of Christianity, which distinguish it from natural religion. Very few things are advanced, which, with a trivial variation, a moralizing heathen might not have said. There is nothing concerning man as a fallen creature, as lost, and in perishing need of a Saviour; scarcely any thing concerning the person and offices of Christ, our Prophet, Priest, and King; his atonement, righteousness, and intercession; justification by faith, the work and influences of the Holy Spirit, or our renewal and sanctification by him. In short, the deficiencies render the whole more incompatible with the creed and experience of a pious Anticalvinist, than any positive statements contained in it render it opposite to the tenets of Calvinism.

TERTULLIAN. Besides Tertullian's own vehement and rigid disposition, the ill usage, which 'he received from the ecclesiastics of the church ' of Rome, contributed to make him a Montanist. 'Thus he lost the title of saint.- Charity bids

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us suppose, that he lost not what is infinitely 'more important. Several have thought too hardly concerning him, never considering that, with 'all his abilities, he was deficient in judgment, ' and had a partial disorder in his understanding, 'which excuses almost as much as downright frenzy. He was learned, for those times, acute, and ingenious; and somewhat satirical, hasty, credulous, impetuous, rigid and censorious, fanati'cal and enthusiastical; and a bad writer, as to 'style, not perhaps through incapacity of doing 'better, but through a false taste, and a perverse 'affectation.'' M. de Balsac says, that the obscurity of Tertullian is like the blackness of ebony, which casts a great splendour.'—It ‘can'not be denied, that Tertullian hath some unwar'rantable notions, common with other writers of 'those times; and some more peculiar to himself. 'But he lived in an age when faith was yet green ' and tender, when the church had not publicly ' and solemnly defined things; when the philosophy of the schools was mainly predominant; and ' men ran immediately from the stoa, and the academy, to the church.'2-Now, if this was indeed the case, why are we, with the holy scriptures in our hands, and abundant opportunities and advantages of every kind for understanding them, to be sent to school to the very men of whom even their firmest advocates say such things as these?

ORIGEN. The quotations from Origen occupy almost nineteen pages: but, except a few texts from scripture, most of them evidently misapplied, there is nothing peculiar to Christianity, 'Jortin's Remarks, vol. ii. p. 2, 3.

2 Dr. Cave.

as distinguished from natural religion or pagan philosophy, in the whole. Original sin is throughout virtually denied. So far is renewal to holiness by the Holy Spirit from being adduced, that the Holy Spirit is not once mentioned. The words 'our Saviour' occur; but nothing is spoken of him, as our Prophet, our Priest, or our King; nothing concerning his person, or the doctrine of the Trinity; nothing concerning the atonement and intercession of Christ; nothing concerning justification, or the nature and effects of faith. If then, in refuting Calvinism, our common Chris'tianity' must be kept out of sight, however Calvinists may grieve in one view, they cannot, in another, but rejoice that their tenets, and the grand doctrines of Christianity in other respects, are considered as intimately connected with each other. Origen traded greatly in the writings of 'the heathens, and was infinitely solicitous to "make the doctrines of Christianity look as little unlike, as might be, to their best and beloved 'What Marcellus, bishop of Ancyra, 'long since objected against him is unquestionably true: that, coming fresh out of the philosophical schools, and having been a long time trained up in the principles and books of Plato; 'he applied himself to divine things before he 'was sufficiently disposed to receive them; and ' fell upon writing concerning them, while secular learning had yet the predominancy in his mind: ' and so he unwarily mingled philosophic notions ' with Christian principles, further than the analogy of the Christian faith would allow.' It is

' notions.'

'us suppose, that he lost not what is infinitely more important. Several have thought too hardly concerning him, never considering that, with 'all his abilities, he was deficient in judgment, and had a partial disorder in his understanding, 'which excuses almost as much as downright frenzy. He was learned, for those times, acute, and ingenious; and somewhat satirical, hasty, credulous, impetuous, rigid and censorious, fanati'cal and enthusiastical; and a bad writer, as to 'style, not perhaps through incapacity of doing better, but through a false taste, and a perverse 'affectation.'' M. de Balsac says, that the obscurity of Tertullian is like the blackness of ebony, which casts a great splendour.'—It ‘cannot be denied, that Tertullian hath some unwar'rantable notions, common with other writers of 'those times; and some more peculiar to himself. 'But he lived in an age when faith was yet green ' and tender, when the church had not publicly ' and solemnly defined things; when the philoso'phy of the schools was mainly predominant; and 'men ran immediately from the stoa, and the aca'demy, to the church.'2-Now, if this was indeed the case, why are we, with the holy scriptures in our hands, and abundant opportunities and advantages of every kind for understanding them, to be sent to school to the very men of whom even their firmest advocates say such things as these?

ORIGEN. The quotations from Origen occupy almost nineteen pages: but, except a few texts from scripture, most of them evidently misapplied, there is nothing peculiar to Christianity, 1 Jortin's Remarks, vol. ii. p. 2, 3.

2 Dr. Cave.

as distinguished from natural religion or pagan philosophy, in the whole. Original sin is throughout virtually denied. So far is renewal to holiness by the Holy Spirit from being adduced, that the Holy Spirit is not once mentioned. The words 'our Saviour' occur; but nothing is spoken of him, as our Prophet, our Priest, or our King; nothing concerning his person, or the doctrine of the Trinity; nothing concerning the atonement and intercession of Christ; nothing concerning justification, or the nature and effects of faith. If then, in refuting Calvinism, our common Christianity' must be kept out of sight, however Calvinists may grieve in one view, they cannot, in another, but rejoice that their tenets, and the grand doctrines of Christianity in other respects, are considered as intimately connected with each other. Origen traded greatly in the writings of 'the heathens, and was infinitely solicitous to "make the doctrines of Christianity look as little 'unlike, as might be, to their best and beloved ' notions.' 'What Marcellus, bishop of Ancyra, long since objected against him is unquestionably true: that, coming fresh out of the philosophical schools, and having been a long time 'trained up in the principles and books of Plato; 'he applied himself to divine things before he ' was sufficiently disposed to receive them; and ' fell upon writing concerning them, while secular learning had yet the predominancy in his mind: ' and so he unwarily mingled philosophic notions 'with Christian principles, further than the ana'logy of the Christian faith would allow.'-It is

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