tious writings undoubtedly flowed from the fertile invention of the Gnostic sects, though it cannot be affirmed that even true Christians were entirely innocent and irreproachable in this respect.

Lord Lindsay, in his "Sketches of the history of Christian art," [3 vols 8vo, London, 1847,] vol. i, page xl, note *, gives the following notice of the apocryphal writings :

Almost all the apocryphal Gospels, Acts, &c., may be traced, generally, to the early sect of Docetæ, a branch of the Gnostics, the introducers of the Mystic philosophy into Christianity, and in particular, to a certain Leucius, said to have been a disciple (originally) of S. John, and who opposed these forgeries to the genuine writings of the Apostles, with the view of supporting the peculiar tenets of the sect, namely—that Light and Darkness, Spirit and Matter, are coeternally and coequally opposed in hostility, that Matter is essentially corrupt and sinful, and Spirit essentially pure and divine, a particle in fact of the Deity,-that our spirits being in this life imprisoned within our bodies, the flesh must be crushed to impotence if the spirit would be free,—that this depending on the will of man, an atonement for sin is unnecessary,-that, as a means to this, celibacy is to be commended and marriage depreciated,—that the blessed Mary was ever Virgin,—that the body of Our Saviour was a body only'in appearance, and that a phantom, merely, suffered on the cross-that the pains of death are unfelt and the spirit departs easily in proportion as the body is pure and uncontaminated, and that the resurrection takes place in every instance at the death of the individual, the body dropping off for ever and

resolving itself into dust, its kindred mass of corruption. The early Church, in rejecting the leading principle of the heresy, and condemning the heretics, sanctioned notwithstanding, or at least winked at the circulation of the fables devised by them in its support, * and these have become the mythology of Christianity, universally credited among the Southern nations of Europe, while many of the dogmas which they were grounded upon have, as a natural consequence, crept gradually into the faith. The Gnostics, on the other hand, were sound as regarded the divinity of Our Saviour, which was fiercely attacked by the Judaizing Ebionites. Both sects, although as yet in the germ only, were manifesting themselves during the latter years of S. John, who wrote his Gospel to vindicate the truth both from one and the other.

Leucius is said to have been Greek, and was evidently a man of genius and taste, but his writings have been so disfigured and interpolated that it is very difficult to distinguish between his own statements and those of his successors. Many indeed of the pseudo-gospels, traceable to him in their origin, are, as they now appear, puerile in the extreme†, some of them even imputing malignity to Our Saviour's childhood. The reader may consult the Histoire

Note here "The condemnation of a number of the Apocryphal writings by Pope Gelasius seems to have proved (ultimately) a dead letter."

"E. G., according to the Gospel of the Infancy of Christ,' Joseph was a very bad carpenter, and whenever he made his chests or tables too short or too long, Our Saviour would touch, or stretch out his hand towards them, and they expanded or contracted to the correct dimensions."

Critique du Manichéisme,' by the learned Beausobre, second part, second book, tom. i, pp. 337-424.

We proceed to extract the passages found in the volumes just noticed, which concern Baptism, the more immediate subject of this work.

In the "Acta Sancti Thomæ, &c. edidit Thilo," page 42 is the following passage:

Πάνυ οὖν διατεθέντες ἐν τῷ ἀποστόλῳ ὅ τε βασιλεὺς Γουνδαő φόρος καὶ ὁ τούτου ἀδελφὸς Γάδ εἵποντο αὐτῷ, μηδ' ὅλως ἀναχωροῦντες, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπαρκοῦντες τοῖς δεομένοις, πᾶσι διδόντες καὶ ἀναπαύοντες πάντας· ἐδεήθησαν δὲ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα καὶ τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ λουτροῦ δέξωνται λοιπὸν, καὶ αὐτοὶ λέγοντες αὐτῷ, “ Σχολαζουσῶν τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν, καὶ προθύμων ἡμῶν ὄντων περὶ τὸν θεὸν, δὸς ἡμῖν τὴν σφραγῖδα· ἠκούσαμεν γάρ σου λέγοντος, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς, ὃν κηρύσσεις, διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ σφραγῖδος ἐπιγινώσκει τὰ ἴδια πρόβατα.” Ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος ἔφη αὐτοῖς· “ Καὶ χαίρω καὶ δέομαι ὑμῶν λαβεῖν τὴν σφραγῖδα ταύτην, καὶ κοινωνῆσαί μοι εἰς τὴν εὐχαριστίαν ταύτην καὶ εὐλογίαν τοῦ κυρίου, καὶ τελειωθῆναι ἐν αὐτῇ· οὗτος γάρ ἐστι κύριος, καὶ θεὸς πάντων Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, ὃν κηρύσσω, καὶ αὐτὸς πατὴρ ἀληθείας, εἰς ὃν ὑμᾶς πιστεύειν ἐδίδαξα.” Καὶ ἐκέλευσε προσενεγκεῖν αὐτοὺς ἔλαιον, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ ἐλαίου δέξωνται τὴν σφρα γίδα.* Ηνεγκαν οὖν τὸ ἔλαιον, καὶ λύχνους ἀνῆψαν πολλοὺς·

*Thilo the editor subjoins here the following note:

'Hic sine dubio locus est, qui Turibio, Asturicensi episcopo, occasionem dedit credendi, Manichæos oleo baptizare solitos esse. Nam in epistolis ad episcopos Idacium et Ceponium, inter Leonis M. epistolas, T. I, p. 232, edita, hæc scribit: illud autem specialiter in illis Actibus, qui S. Thoma dicuntur, præ cæteris notandum atque execrandum est, quod dicit eum non baptizare per aquam sicut habet Dominica prædicatio atque traditio, sed per oleum solum; quod quidem isti nostri (Priscillianist) non recipiunt, sed Manichæi sequuntur; quæ hæresis iisdem lbris utitur, et eadem dogmata et his deteriora sectatur.' Fidem habuit Turibio Fabricius, qui ejus testimonio fretus in Abdiæ hist. Apost., i-ix, c. 17, p. 720, baptismum oleo administratum, Eucharistiam pane et aqua, respici notat, ubi hæc regis Indici ad Treptiam uxorem verba leguntur: Nondum plenam circa te magus ille (Thomas) adeptus est potestatem? Nam quod

νὺξ γὰρ ἦν. Καὶ ἀναστὰς ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐσφράγισεν αὐτούς· ἀπεκαλύφθη δὲ αὐτοῖς ὁ κύριος διὰ φωνῆς λέγων· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί. Οἱ δὲ φωνῆς μόνον ἤκουσαν αὐτοῦ, τὸ δὲ εἶδος αὐτοῦ οὐκ εἶδον· οὐδέπω γὰρ ἦσαν δεξάμενοι τὸ ἐπισφράγισμα τῆς σφραγῖδος. Λαβὼν δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος τὸ ἔλαιον, καὶ καταχέας ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀλείψας, καὶ χρίσας αὐτοὺς ἤρξατο λέγειν· “ Ελθὲ τὸ ἅγιον ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα· ἐλθὲ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ ὑψίστου καὶ ἡ εὐσπλαγχνία ἡ τελεία· ἐλθὲ τὸ χάρισμα τὸ ὕψιστον· ἐλθὲ ἡ μήτηρ ἡ εὔσπλαγχνος· ἐλθὲ, ἡ οἰκονομία τοῦ ἄῤῥενος· ἐλθὲ ἡ τὰ μυστήρια ἀποκαλύπτουσα τὰ ἀπόκρυφα· ἐλθὲ ἡ μήτηρ τῶν ἑπτὰ οἴκων, ἵνα ἡ ἀνάπαυσις σοι εἰς τὸν ὄγδοον οἴκον γένηται· ἐλθὲ, ὁ πρεσβύτερος τῶν πέντε μελῶν, νόος, ἐννοίας, φρονήσεως, ἐνθυμήσεως, λογισμοῦ·

in oleo, pane et aqua magica consummet, audivi.' Etiam Tillemontius, ut alios taceamus, Turibii traditionem credulus repetiit in comment. hist. Eccles. T. I. P. iii, p. 989. Contrariam sententiam defenderunt, Manichæosque illa culpa liberaverunt Bellesobrius in hist. Manich. T. I. p. 415. sqq. et Moshemius in Comment. p. 894. Et hoc quidem argumentis idoneis satis demonstratum est, Manetis discipulos in baptismo administrando nullam aliam aquæ loco adhibuisse materiam. Alia vero quæstio est de ritu baptismi in nostris Actis tradito, quæ libro nondum edito non potuit dirimi a viris doctis."

After about two pages more on the subject of water and oil,' as used in Baptism, the note continues :

"His enarratis diligenter disquirendum est, quinam sint ritus baptismales ab auctore Actorum traditi. Et primum quidem id dubitare non licet, quin nomen σφραγίδος et verbum σφραγίζειν locis laudatis ad baptismum referantur, atque igitur erraverit Ricardus Simon, qui in Observv. nov. p. 8. illo nomine Confirmationem significari notavit. Antiquissima enim est atque frequentissima illa baptismi et rituum baptismalium appellatio apud ecclesiæ catholicæ doctores. Vid. Clementis R. epist. ii. c. 8, Hermæ Pastor. 1. III. simil. ΙΧ. c. 16, Cotelerium ad Constitut. Apost. 1. II. c. 39, et Suicerum in Thesauro eccles. s. v. oppayis. Etiam Gnostici eam usurpaverunt, quod pluribus testimoniis paulo infra probabitur. Auctor ipse Gundaphorum et Gad diserte potentes facit τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ λουτροῦ; atque antea §. 25, Thomas Iesum precatur : δέξαι τὸν βασιλέα καὶ τὸν τούτου ἀδελφὸν, καὶ κατάμιξον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν σὴν ποίμνην, καθαρίσας αὐτοὺς τῷ σῷ λουτρῷ, καὶ ἀλείψας αὐτοὺς τῷ σῷ ἐλαίῳ ἀπὸ τῆς περιεχούσης αὐτοὺς πλάνης.

κοινώνησαν μετὰ τούτων τῶν νεωτέρων· ἐλθὲ τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα, καὶ καθάρισον τοὺς νεφροὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ ἐπισφράγισον αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄνομα πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύ

ματος.

σε

Καὶ σφραγισθέντων αὐτῶν ὤφθη αὐτοῖς νεανίας λαμπάδα ἀνημμένην κατέχων, ὡς καὶ τοὺς λύχνους αὐτοὺς τῇ τοῦ φῶτος αὐτῆς προσβολῇ ἀμαυρωθῆναι. Καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἀφανὴς αὐτοῖς ἐγένετο. Εἶπε δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος πρὸς τὸν κύριον· “Αχώρητον ἡμῖν, κύριε, τὸ φῶς σού ἐστι, καὶ οὐ δυνάμεθα φέρειν αὐτό· μεῖζον γάρ ἐστι τῆς ἡμετέρας ὄψεως.” Αὔγους δὲ γενομένου καὶ διαφαύσαντος, κλάσας ἄρτον κοινωνοὺς αὐτοὺς κατέστησε τῆς εὐχαριστίας τοῦ κυρίου. Ἔχαιρον δὲ καὶ ἠγαλλιῶντο, πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ ἕτεροι πιστεύσαντες προσετίθεντο, καὶ ἤρχοντο εἰς τὸ καταφύγιον τοῦ σωτῆρος. Ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος οὐκ ἐπαύετο κηρύσσων, καὶ λέγων αὐτοῖς· “Ανδρες καὶ γυναῖκες, παῖδες καὶ κόραι, νεανίσκοι καὶ παρθένοι, ἀκμαῖοι καὶ γηραλέοι, οἵ τε δοῦλοι οἵ τε ἐλεύθεροι, ἀπέχεσθε τῆς πορνείας καὶ τῆς πλεονεξίας, καὶ τῆς ἐργασίας τῆς γαστρός· ἐν γὰρ τούτοις τοῖς τρισὶ κεφαλαίοις γίνεται πᾶσα ἀνομία. Η γὰρ πορνεία πηροῖ τὸν νοῦν, καὶ τοὺς τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμοὺς σκοτίζει, καὶ ἐμπόδιον γίνεται τῆς τοῦ σώματος πολιτείας εἰς ἀσθένειαν μετατιθοῦσα ὅλον (τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ εἰς νόσον ἐμβάλλουσα ὅλον τὸ σῶμα). Ἡ δὲ ἀπληστία εἰς φόβον καὶ αἰσχύνην καθίστησι τὴν ψυχὴν, ἐν τοῖς τοῦ σώματος ὑπάρχουσα, καὶ διαρπάζουσα τὰ ἀλλότρια, (καὶ ταύτην ὑποψίαν ἔχουσαν ἡ ἀποδίδουσα ἀλλότρια τοῖς

Præterea tota illius narrationis utriusque series flagitat, ut de baptismo cogitemus. Qui miraculosis per Apostolum beneficiis affecti et ad sacra Christiana conversi sunt, primum baptismo initiantur, atque deinde statim in communionem sacræ cœnæ vocantur. Conferri potest similis relatio in Epit. de Gestis Petri c. 69. Maxime vero, quæ de fine et efficacia sigilli prædicantur, baptismum intelligendum esse confirmant. Præter abolitionem peccatorum et salutis recuperationem hæc duo præcipue notanda sunt, quod deus dicitur illo quasi signo suos dignoscere, et quod eadem σφραγὶς dæmonum malorum potentissima formido habetur. Utramque vim et Catholici et Gnostici baptismo tribuerunt."

The notes extend to about twenty pages more, on the same subject, and, though there is too much matter to insert here, yet the curions reader will derive both instruction and interest from a perusal of the whole in the learned editor's original work.