certain that the Arians claimed Origen, and adduced his authority for their tenets; and also that he denied the eternity of future punishments; and in many respects was regarded as heterodox by numbers. That he was a Pelagian, in the strictest sense of the term, there can be no reasonable doubt; and it is indisputable that he, perhaps more than any other man, corrupted Christianity by vain philosophy: for his extraordinary learning and talents, his high character, his indefatigable diligence, and his exemplary conduct in many things, put far more in his power, than almost any other man ever had.

[Not referring the due glory to Him who con'tributes the far greater share, both in the acqui'sition of virtue, and in the perseverance in it.'1

"Forasmuch as all men are conceived and born ' in sin,' it occurs to inquire, not how it comes to pass that multitudes choose those self-indulgent ways of sin, which lead to destruction; but how it is that any are induced to choose the humbling, self-denying path of life eternal. It is not wonderful, that of free agents, by nature children of 'wrath,' and "alienated from God" and holiness,

many" should choose "the broad way;" but that any should "enter in at the strait gate," and tread "the narrow way" to life and salvation. All being sprung from the same stock, and partakers of the same fallen nature; it cannot reasonably be supposed that some in themselves so entirely differ from others, (without any divine influence,) as to make a directly contrary choice; “choosing "the good and refusing the evil." Education, instruction, argument, and persuasion, fail in so very Origen. Ref. 340.

1

many instances, that they by no means, at their greatest advantage, constitute an adequate cause of this difference between some and others of the human race. But the scripture ascribes it to regeneration by the Holy Spirit, to a new creation, a resurrection from the death of sin," according "to the working of the mighty power of God, "which he wrought in Christ, when he raised "him from the dead." Thus "a new heart" is given, a new judgment formed, new inclinations produced; and, consequently, a new choice is made. Thus "God worketh in us both to will "and to do, of his good pleasure." "He circum"cises our hearts-to love the Lord our God." He "inclines our hearts unto himself." "His

" people become willing in the day of his power." No compulsion is used, no interruption is given to free agency. The unregenerate and the regenerate alike, choose according to the prevailing inclinations of their hearts: but the new heart given by special grace has holy and heavenly inclinations, which no mere man by nature ever had, since Adam sinned.

And is there any real Christian who, reflecting on his former sins, and on all that has passed in his heart, respecting the service of God, and especially, as to the salvation of the gospel; and looking around on such, as were formerly associated with him, and his chosen companions in sin and folly; and as still continue to live in rebellion, unbelief, ungodliness, and wickedness; who will deliberately say, The honour of making me to differ from what I once was, and what they now Eph. i. 19, 20. ii. 1-5, 10.

are, is exclusively my own, the fruit of a right use. of my free will? In this respect I owe no gratitude to God; it is all my own doing? Will he even say, To myself primarily this change is owing, and only to God as aiding my good inclinations, which were owing to myself? Surely even the Pharisee, with his formal, " God I thank "thee, that I am not as other men," acknowledging in words to whom the glory of every thing good was due, will rise up in judgment against such nominal Christians as do not, even in words, "give God the glory!"]

CYPRIAN. That in baptism the old man dies, ' and the new man is born, the blessed apostle 'shews and proves, when he says, he has saved us 'by the washing of regeneration. If regeneration 'be in the washing, that is, in baptism.''

Cyprian certainly thought that an extraordinary efficacy attended the due administration and due reception of baptism: and he seems to have been confirmed in the sentiment by what he experienced in his own case. Yet, had he not previously been a penitent believer, his baptism would have been attended by an insincere profession, to which we have no reason to think God gives any special blessing: but, if he was a penitent believer when baptized, whatever or however he, and many others, have spoken on the subject, he was previously regenerated: for "whosoever "believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of "God," and the blessing which he received was the increase of his faith and love, and the confirmation of his hope, and of his purpose of devoting

himself wholly to God our Saviour," the Father, "the Son, and the holy Spirit," into whose name he was baptized. Cyprian, no doubt, spoke of regeneration as in baptism: but he did not mean the external administration alone, the outward sign apart from the thing signified; but of the two as going together. It appeared to me a 'harsh and difficult thing, as my manners then ' were, to obtain what divine grace had promised, namely, that a man should be born again; and 'that, being animated to a new life by the salu

tary washing of regeneration, he should strip 'himself of what he was before, and, though the 'body remained the same, he should in his mind 'become altogether a new creature. How can so 'great a change be possible, said I, that a man 'should, suddenly and at once, put off what nature ' and habit have confirmed in him?'...' After the 'filth of my former sins was washed away in 'the 'laver of regeneration,' and divine light from ' above had infused itself into my heart, now pu'rified and cleansed; after, through the effusion ' of the Holy Spirit from heaven, the new birth 'had made me a new creature indeed; immediately, and in an amazing manner, dubious things began to be cleared up; things once shut 'were opened; dark things shone forth; and 'what before seemed difficult, and even impossible, now appeared easy and practicable. I saw that, which was born after the flesh, and had ' lived enslaved by wickedness, was " of the earth earthly;" but the new life, now animated by the 'Holy Ghost, began to be of God.'1

6

Cyprian in Milner's Ecclesiastical History, vol. I. p. 369, 370

LACTANTIUS. 'Lactantius's esteem and autho'rity in the church of God is but very small; for'asmuch as he was uninstructed in the scriptures, ' and was furnished with a small share of Chris'tian learning.'1

EUSEBIUS. In the quotation from Eusebius, I feel myself opposed as a Christian, but not as a Calvinist for were I an Anticalvinist, unless I were also a Pelagian, I must decidedly protest against many of his tenets. He, who forgets or denies our fall in the first Adam, is not likely to keep any fast hold of our recovery in "the second "Adam, the Lord from heaven." The Arians ' and Unitarians have always laid claim to him, ' and of their opposers many have given him up. '-He seems to have been neither an Arian, nor 'an Athanasian, but one who endeavoured to steer ' a middle course, yet inclining more to the Arians

than to the Athanasians. When he died, Aca'cius succeeded him in the see of Cæsarea; a 'learned man, who had been his disciple, and his 'intimate friend, and who was of the Semiarian party.' The pure Arians-and the Homoiou'sians, or Semiarians, (such as Eusebius, and Macedonius,) both alike denied the divinity, and ' asserted the creation of the Holy Ghost.'3 Eusebius's character as a scholar, and a faithful historian, I am not concerned with; but as authority in doctrinal discussions he is entitled to no regard. -I cannot think that Anticalvinists in general

3

Nelson's Life of Bishop Bull.

Jortin's Remarks, vol. ii. p. 252, 254.

Bp. Pearson on the Creed-Art. "I believe in the Holy "Ghost."