I am happy to know that my respected Father belongs to this latter class, it is not probable that he would ever have gone so deeply into the subject before us, but from the circumstance of a sudden and most severe bereavement which threatened to absorb his mind in the memory of the past, and to disqualify him for the discharge of those active duties of life which were still before him. It was necessary by a strong effort to control the mind and under what influences can the wounded spirit find true comfort or regain its wonted elasticity, excepting those which spring from religious exercises and the contemplation of spiritual things?

:

The investigation of the solemn truth so positively enunciated that, "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," was congenial to one who longed to be re-united to a spirit which he believed already a tenant of that better land.

A small but well selected library of old divines, inherited from clerical ancestors, among whom Squire and Stillingfleet might be mentioned, had long before acquainted my father with the various opinions which theologians entertained on the words of our Lord to Nicodemus, and on the efficacy of baptism generally: and, without anticipating the labour he was about to impose on himself, he commenced, with the books of divinity he possessed, to collate the opinions of many authors on this question. Feeling increased interest in the subject, and deriving great mental benefit from it, he soon had to look for authorities beyond those in his own possession. The extensive collection of divinity to be found in Mr Darling's

circulating Library, and the shelves of the British Museum were now explored, and many other available sources resorted to, in order to obtain a view which might claim catholicity. Thus sixteen years have passed away in the same undeviating and uninterrupted employment, the manuscript gradually increasing volume by volume till his friends wondered at the perseverance and unflagging interest which a single subject of a metaphysical nature had inspired.

In the mean time peace of mind has been restored, and the revered octogenarian, now believing himself to be on the eve of departure for that better land, and humbly trusting that the train of thought on which he has so long dwelt, has better qualified him to meet the object, who was instrumental to its birth, wishes,—not from motives of interest or of vanity, (both of which, if entertained, would probably be disappointed,) but with a desire of being useful to the divinity student,-to lay the result of his investigation before the public.

The work in manuscript has been nearly completed to the end of the 16th century; and would be comprised in three thick octavo volumes; but the first only of these has been printed, and whether the others will ever appear depends on the estimate which the public may form of this exemplar.

The Chronological arrangement which has been adopted not only offers a facility for reference, but also affords an interesting view of any variations of opinion at different epochs; at the same time it should be premised that there is a difficulty in following the exact chronological order

arising from the impossibility of ascertaining with certainty the precise date at which some of the authors flourished. Hence the chronology may vary a little from that laid down by

others.

Independently of its direct purpose, the work will be found interesting, as presenting a catalogue of the Fathers and early ecclesiastical writers of the first ages, with some brief memoir of their lives, the scope and intent of their writings, and a notice of the various editions which have been published. Some of the quotations bear so slightly on the subject that they may appear scarcely worth recording, but they may save the future student the time and patience required to look through a voluminous author, whose works have been perused to cull even this little. The object throughout has been to give the words of the author in the language in which he wrote, and as it is sometimes doubtful whether the Greek or the Latin was the original, in such cases both have been given; also where an ancient Latin translation is found of a Greek original it has been added with a view to throw light on the author's meaning, whoh is not unfrequently obscure. Occasionally, whether from corruption of the text, or from the confused ideas of the writer himself, no translation has been attempted, as in the quotation from the contemplations ascribed to Dionysius the Areopagite, p. 137. The opinions of the eighty seven Bishops at the Conncil of Carthage were originally delivered in Latin, The ecclesiastical student will be aware that there was no great difficulty in assembling so many heads of the Church at that period, when the custom prevailed of bishops subdividing their

Dioceses in order to obtain a majority of votes on the questions which then agitated the Christian Church.*

This flourishing Church has so completely passed away, that the sites of the places whence the eighty seven bishops derived their titles are unknown, nor is it possible even to give their names with certainty, when the nominative case is not used in the original.

It is to be regretted that the quotations in the original language have not in all cases been obtained, but the difficulty of tracing them has not unfrequently baffled the patience of the compiler. Nor would he venture to affirm that he has succeeded in adducing every important opinion on the subject which the authors he has quoted have expressed, but he can unhesitatingly assert that he has withheld none from feelings of partiality or bias.

His object from the outset has been not to advocate any par ticular system, or to be champion of any school, but to assist an unprejudiced enquirer after truth; and half a century passed in the practice of the law, where conflicting evidence is continually presented, and patient sifting care is required before an opinion can be formed, had well adapted his mind for a research of this nature. As the light which he has brought to bear on the subject is, after all, only derived from fallible man, the work is well introduced by the opinions of various authors

"It is also very observable that in Asia Minor a tract of land not much larger than the isle of Great Britian (including but two dioceses of the Roman Empire) there were almost 400 bishops, as appears from the ancient Notitia of the Church." Bingham's Antiquities, II, xii, § 2,

of consideration, taken indiscriminately in reference to party, on the amount of authority and weight which is due to the carly ecclesiastical writers. The work, however is not strictly confined to their opinions; a somewhat wider range has been taken : the singular notice of baptism by Josephus, the spurious writings of the Sybilline oracles, and the apocryphal Gospels have been quoted, not as possessing authority, but as exponents of what we may consider the popular opinions of the day. The Apocryphal Gospels are so scarce, that some allowance on the score of literary curiosity may be made for their introduction.

It will be observed that the extracts are often of considerable length, embracing much which at first sight may appear irrelevant matter, but I think a little reflection will show that all tends to throw light either upon the subject itself, or upon the author's own mind, style, and mode of reasoning. Nor is it altogether immaterial to the question, to observe the additions, "the daubing with untempered mortar," which thus early disfigured the beautiful simplicity of the Sacrament of Baptism. See the account of exorcisms and anointing with oil in St Cyril, page 422-430, and the supposed emblematic intent of the different parts of the ordinance in the Apostolic Constitutions (so called) p. 72. The direct allusion by Irenæus to infant Baptism, p. 303, and by St Jerome, p. 442, amidst so much relating to the baptism of adults is valuable.

Thus, though much may appear, especially in the first part of the work, as trifling or beside the question, yet a careful perusal cannot fail to leave a decided impression on the mind;