took place in any one assembly? Is it not evident also that the circumstances of a world composed of kingdoms and states, not only separated by oceans, but often at war with each other, forbid the expectation that such councils could have been held? Is it not farther evident that some other directory than the decisions of such assemblies,-too often under the influence of ambition, revenge, and superstition, -was required to guide christians through the wilderness, and even labyrinth, which this world appears to be? What better directory than the sacred volume itself? Are not the prophets, evangelists, and apostles, more intelligible as well as more infallible teachers than cardinals and abbots and theological professors met in council? In short, if treason and cruelty have been enjoined by councils, -as when Innocent III. in the fourth council of Lateran, A. D. 1215, commanded that those whom he denominated heretics should be murdered by their fellow-christians, and that sovereigns should be dethroned unless they assisted in this cruel system of extermination; and if in pursuance of such decrees, thousands perished by fire and sword, in the south of France; and monarchs in Germany, England, and France, have been pronounced unworthy of their crowns

and of the allegiance of their subjects;—who would not reject the dominion of such fallible assemblies when opposed to the dictates of humanity, and the precepts of religion; and revere as the sole unerring guide, that sacred book which instructs us to "fear God, honour the King," and "love our neighbours as ourselves?"

P. 244." Paul de Samosate."-" Paul of Samosata was degraded from his episcopal character, by the sentence of seventy or eighty bishops, who assembled for that purpose at Antioch, and who, without consulting the rights of the clergy or people, appointed a successor by their own authority. The manifest irregularity of this proceeding increased the numbers of the discontented faction; and as Paul, who was no stranger to the arts of courts, had insinuated himself into the favour of Zenobia, he maintained above four years the possession of the episcopal house and office."* In the year 274, the emperor Aurelian approved of the sentence of the council, and Paul was deprived of the dignity of bishop of Antioch. He had excited the displeasure of other bishops, because "his ecclesiastical jurisdiction was venal and

* Gibbon, ii, 456.

rapacious;" and because he entertained opinions repugnant to the true and proper deity of the Son of God.

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P. 245. L'usage des lettres formées." Bingham thus describes these literæ formatæ.*

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They are generally reduced to three kinds; the epistolæ commendatoriæ, communicatoriæ, and dimissoriæ. The first were such as were granted only to persons of quality, or else persons whose reputation had been called in question, or to the clergy who had occasion to travel into foreign countries. The second sort were granted to all who were in the peace and communion of the church, whence they were also called pacificæ, and ecclesiasticæ, and sometimes canonica. The third sort were such as were only given to the clergy, when they were to remove from their own diocese, and settle in another; and they were to testify that they had their bishop's leave to depart; whence they were called dimissorie, and sometimes pacifica likewise. All these went under the general name of formata, because they were written in a peculiar form...It was the bishop's sole prerogative to grant them.....The council of Antioch allows country-bishops to write them, but expressly forbids presbyters the privilege."

• Bingham's Antiquities, i. 31.

P. 246." Rome avait beau rejeter l'épitre de St. Paul aux Hebreux."-If the church of Rome once rejected this epistle to the Hebrews, which it now receives as of divine origin, can there be a more convincing proof that infallibility does not reside in that church? What a loss would the christian church have sustained in the rejection of this epistle from the sacred canon, if this opinion of the church of Rome had been admitted by the primitive christians; and if we had no other method of ascertaining the inspiration of the sacred books than the assertion or tradition of the clergy of the church of Rome! "It is evident (says Dr. Lardner) that this epistle was generally received in ancient times, by those christians who used the Greek language, and lived in the eastern parts of the Roman empire. In particular, Clement of Alexandria, before the end of the second century, received this epistle as St. Paul's, and quoted it frequently, and without any doubt or hesitation. It is not expressly quoted as St. Paul's by any of the Latin writers in the three first centuries. However, it was known to Irenæus and Tertullian. It is manifest that it was received as an epistle of St. Paul, by many Latin writers in the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries." The apostle's name is omitted.

"It being designed," (observes Dr. Mac

knight), "not for the believing Jews alone, but for the unbelieving part of the nation, especially the learned doctors and scribes at Jerusalem, Paul might think it prudent, not only to avoid assuming his apostolical character, but even to conceal his name, which would have prejudiced the unbelieving part of the nation to such a degree, that, in all probability, they would not have read his letter."

He

P. 246....." erreurs des Novatiens."-Novatian was a learned and eloquent presbyter of the church of Rome, who introduced no errors in matters of faith, but contended for a too rigid discipline; the severity of his disposition inducing him to refuse those christians who had apostatized during the persecution under Decius, and all other heinous offenders, re-admission into the bosom of the church. strenuously but unsuccessfully opposed the election of Cornelius,a presbyter highly esteemed for his virtues, but who differed from Novatian in opinion upon this point, to the see of Rome. Novatian having separated himself from the communion of that church, Cornelius, in a council held at Rome, excommunicated both him and his partisans. A new society was in consequence formed, of which Novatian became the first bishop, and being joined by Novatus, a discontented Cartha