the faith of the moft dubious characters among the Ante-nicene fathers. This it was that kept Origen, with all his hay and ftubble, firm on christian foundations, and diftinguished him radically from an enemy of Chrift.

Yet

IV. If we compare the public life of these two men, the Græcian fhines in a fcholaftic, the Roman in a paftoral capacity. Origen appears as an author, and moves in a fphere calculated for the learned. Cyprian is a preacher, and like the Apoftles addreffes equally all forts of men. Yet, through the pride of corrupt nature, he was most likely to be attended to by the poor; refinement of thought he valued not; to addrefs the heart and confcience, and to reduce every religious confideration to real practice, this was his aim. Origen was usefully employed in untying knotty fpeculations, in arguing down herefies, and in recommending chriftianity, or fomething like chriftianity, to the learned world. No doubt his labours would be of fome ufe amidst the mischief which the accommodating fcheme produced; but the-paftoral labours of Cyprian, as they would not be received at all by prejudiced philofophers, so where they were received, left effects of unadulterated piety, through the Divine influence that attended them. As a chriftian bishop, hardly any age has feen his fuperior in activity, difinterestednefs, fteady attention to difcipline, equally remote from extremes of negligent remiffness and impracticable feverity; a charity and a patience unwearied, and ever confiftent. He may fafely be recommended as a model to all paftors, and particularly to thofe of epifcopal rank, through Christendom. Whoever of them feel a defire to ferve God, in the most arduous and the most important of all profeffions, next after the study of

the

the facred Oracles, may profitably give their days and nights to Cyprian. All his genuine writings, the correfpondence with Stephen of Rome, and what relates to the controverfy between them excepted, deserve to be ftudiously perufed: his letters most of all; yet unless a man has himself experienced the New Birth unto righteoufnefs, he cannot be expected to relish them much; if he is regenerated indeed, it is fcarce poffible for him not to feel a generous glow of the pureft godliness from the reading of them with care and attention. That fuch bishops were more frequent in Europe is devoutly to be wifhed. What avails good fenfe, tafte, learning, without chriftian fimplicity, and a heart above the world, its flatteries or its frowns! Whoever would fee what chriftian bifhops were once, and ftill ought to be, let him contemplate the prelate of Carthage.

V. But the chief point of view in which the contrast between thefe two perfons is moft ftriking, is in the confequences and fruits of their labours and their works. Before Cyprian's time Africa appears to have been in no very flourishing state with refpect to christianity. Within twelve years he was the instrument of most material service in recovering many apoftates, in reforming difcipline, and in reviving the effence of godlinefs. His example was most fragrant among them for ages. The honours paid to his memory demonftrate it. Certain it is, that his diocefe, once the fcene of Punic greatnefs, continued long after one of the moft precious gardens of chriftianity, as I fhall have abundant occafion to fhew in the course of this hiftory, fhould I be allowed to continue it. But the mischiefs of Origen's tafte and spirit in religion were inexpreffible. Talents and learning!He who poffeffes much of them has more abunIi2

dant

dant need to learn humility and divine caution. If he does not much benefit mankind by them, he is in danger of prejudicing them much. No man, not altogether unfound and hypocritical, ever more hurt the church of Chrift than Origen. From the fanciful mode of allegory introduced by him, uncontrouled by fcriptural rule and order, arose a vitiated method of commenting on the fcriptures, which has been fucceeded by a contempt of types 'and figures altogether, juft as his fanciful ideas of letter and fpirit tended to remove from men's minds all right conceptions of genuine fpirituality. A thick mift for ages pervaded the christian world, fupported by his abfurd allegorical mode. The learned alone were looked at as guides im plicitly to be followed; and the vulgar, when the literal fenfe was hiffed off the ftage, had nothing to do but to follow the authority of the learned. It was not till the days of Luther and Melancthon that this evil was fairly and fuccefsfully oppofed.

If I have carried the parallel to a greater length than the juft laws of hiftory allow, the importance of the cafe is my only apology. Let the whole be confidered in connection with two paffages of St. Paul: "I am jealous over you with a godly jealoufy, left your minds be corrupted from the fimplicity that is in Chrift;" and "hath not God made foolish the wifdom of this world?"

CHAP.

CHAP. XVI.

OTHER PARTICULARS OF VALERIAN'S PERSECUTION.

has been already mentioned that Cyprian heard of the death of Sixtus, bishop of Rome, a little before his own martyrdom. In purfuance of the cruel orders of Valerian, for carrying on the perfecution, he had been feized with fome of his clergy. While they were carrying him to execution, Laurentius, his chief deacon, followed him weeping, and faid, "Whither goest thou, father, without thy fon ?" "Sextus faid, "You fhall follow me in three days." We may suppose him to have been poffeffed with the fpirit of prophecy in faying 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 fagacity from the circumftances of affairs.

After Sixtus's death the Prefect of Rome, moved by an idle report of the immenfe riches of 'the Roman church, fent for Laurentius, and ordered him to deliver them up. Laurentius replied, "Give me a little time to fet every thing in order, and to take an account of each particular." The Prefect granted him three days time. In that space Laurentius collected all the poor who were fupported by the Roman church, and going to the Prefect, faid, "Come, behold the riches of our God; you shall fee a large court full of golden veffels." The Prefect followed him, but feeing all the poor people he turned to Laurentius with looks full of anger. "What are you displeased at?" faid the martyr; "the gold you fo eagerly defire is but a vile metal taken out of

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Aug. Vol, 9, p. 52.-See Fleury, b. 7.

the

the earth, and ferves as an incitement to all forts of crimes; the true gold is that Light whose difciples these poor men are. The mifery of their bodies is an advantage to their fouls, fin is the true disease; the great ones of the earth are the truly poor and contemptible. These are the treafures which I promised you, to which I will add precious ftones. Behold thefe virgins and widows; they are the church's crown; make ufe of these riches for the advantage of Rome, of the Emperor, and yourself."

Doubtlefs had the Prefect's mind been at all

difpofed to receive an inftructive leffon, he had met with one here. The liberality of chriftians in maintaining a great number of objects, and looking for no recompence but that which fhall take place at the refurrection of the juft, while they patiently bore affliction, and humbly refted on an unfeen Saviour, was perfectly agreeable to the mind of him who bids his difciples in a well-known parable to relieve those who cannot recompenfe them*. How glorious the fcene, at a time that the reft of the world were tearing one another in pieces, and philofophers aided not the miferies of men in the leaft! But as the perfecutors would not hear the doctrines explained, fo neither would they fee the "Do you precepts exemplified, with patience.

mock me?" cries the Prefect; "I know you value yourselves for contemning death, and therefore you fhall not die at once." Then he caused him to be ftripped, extended, and fastened to a gridiron, and in that manner to be broiled to death by a flow fire. When he had continued a confiderable time on one fide, he faid to the Prefect, "Let me be turned, I am fufficiently broiled on one fide." And when they had turned him he faid, "It is enough,

Luke xiv. 12-15.