The FIRST COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE. It is remarkable that Dupin calls this the first council of Carthage and calls the next a few pages afterward in his work the second, and others afterwards in the fourth century the third, fourth, and fifth; and other councils, without stating the ordinal number of them, and names several other councils of Carthage in other centuries. And he does not name among his mention of councils the famous council of Carthage held 258, where the opinion of 87 Bishops was given as mentioned in the 3rd Century of this Synopsis.

He mentions it indeed in his remark on Cyprian, but not in the list of councils held in the first four centuries. In their so called the first council held 348, Dupin states that the only mention of Baptism is that at this general council of the African Bishops Gatus Bishop of Carthage asked "whether that man ought to be rebaptized who at his baptism made profession of believing in the Trinity, and the Bishops answered "God forbid, we declare that this rebaptization is unlawful, contrary to the orthodox faith and the Ecclesiastical discipline."

Of the COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE in the year 397,-Dupin states that the 34th Canon was as follows: That sick persons shall be baptized, who cannot answer any longer, when those who are by them testify that they desired it.

Of the COUNCIL OF CARTHAGE, held in the year 398, Dupin states, that at this Council the first Canon ordains that he who is to be promoted to the Episcopal Dignity shall be examined if he holds that Baptism blots out actual and original sin.

The 85th Canon ordains that the Catechumens who would be baptized, ought to give in their names; and after that be prepared for Baptism, by abstaining from wine and meat, and by imposition of hands.

The 86th Canon is that novices, or those who are newly baptized ought for some time to abstain from feasts and shows, and to live in continence. These are the only Canons that mention baptism, out of 104.

THE ABRIDGMENT BY DUPIN OF THE DISCIPLINE

OF THE 4th AGE.

Dupin states as follows:

They spoke more of grace than those who lived in the preceding ages and yet they ascribed always very much to Free Will. Original sin began to be better known.

Though there was nothing taught in the fourth age of the Church, which was not believed in the three first, yet it must be confessed that in it, the chief mysteries of religion were very much cleared up and explained &c. The Fathers of this age excluded from the kingdom of heaven, children who died without Baptism but they did not affirm that they should endure the torments of fire. They acknowledged the efficacy and necessity of Baptism, the imposition of hands of the bishop, or the anointing with holy chrism was looked upon as a sacrament, which brought down the Holy Spirit upon the baptized!

Baptism was administered to infants, and adult persons, with many ceremonies; they were dipped three times into the water. Exorcisms and anointings were in use; milk and honey were given to the Catechumens. The solemn times of administering Baptism were Easter, and Whitsunday, and also Epiphany in some Churches. The adults were prepared for receiving this Sacrament a considerable time before; there were many degrees of Catechumens as we have already observed. After Baptism, the bishop conferred the Fulness of the Holy Spirit by Imposition of hands, in the Latin Church, and by Unction in the Greek. The Times and degrees of public penance for crimes committed after Baptism, were settled by

an infinite number of Canons; yet it was always left to the discretion of the bishop to lessen or increase them.

All that Mosheim in his fourth century mentions on Baptism is as follows. In his chapter on the doctrine of the Church he says Pacian wrote a treatise on Baptism.

And in his chapter on the rites and ceremonies he says:

Baptismal Fonts were now erected in the porch of Churches, for the more commodious administration of that initiating Sacrament. Baptism was administered during the vigils of Easter and Whitsuntide, with lighted tapers, by the bishop, and the presbyters commissioned by him for that purpose.

APPENDIX.

1. NOTE ON THE WORD PRIX, TRANSLATED PRICE,

IN PAGE 459.

Although this Synopsis does not advocate any particular doctrine,—yet,—as it is possible that some persons may think that the word Prix, given by Tricalet as the translation of St Basil's word λurpov, and here translated into English "Price of our redemption," is not consistent with St Basil's other description of baptism-it may be proper to state that St Basil's word λúrρov is given in the lexicons of Schrevelius and Hedericus-thus: Aúτρov, redemptionis seu solutionis pretium, Anglice ransom : Th. Xvw, et Avтpów redimo." And by Littleton's Latin Dictionλυω, λυτρόω ary, pretium is derived from preco to pray, "quod quum soleat dari vel quod precis illud damnus ut rem quam appetimus possidere · valeamus."

Ainsworth's Dictionary has pretium, but not precium.

In Holyoke's dictionary, London 1677, is "pretium et precium &c. Tiμn, Tíμnμa, vos. Quod datur pro re empta, merces conductionis operæ, artis, et Metaph. premium quod honoris causa datur, et e contra. The price that is given for any thing that is bought, price, worth, value, money, hire: also reward or account. Pretio dare, Suet. to sell."

In Virgil pretium is prize; "Palma, pretium victoribus." En. v. 111.

In the French dictionaries, the English of Prix is price, value, rate, a prize. The first word in the translation is always price.

A learned friend of the writer's has given the following interpretation or explanation of the word Prix taken in English as Prize.

"On reflecting on the expression 'le baptême est le prix de notre redemption,' it has occurred to me that a consistent and intelligible meaning will come out by translating the word Prix by Prize. The passage so rendered will stand thus 'baptism is the prize of our redemption.*

I suggest the following explanation. Our redemption is the effect of our Lord Jesus Christ having borne in himself the penalty of our sins; Pet. 2, 24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.' Or, as it is well expressed in the prayer of consecration in the service of the Holy Communion, 'who made there by his one oblation of himself, once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world.' But the victim was to gain the prize of his sufferings endured, not for himself, but for others; and the prize was the means by which the redemption won by his sufferings was to be made available to those for whom the sufferings were endured; that is, to sinful man. One baptism for the remission of sins was ordained the means by which the redemption by our Lord Jesus Christ is gained by, and applied to those who are baptized; and thus is the prize of the act of redemption.

The Metaphor in the mind of our Author seems to have been the assimilation of our Lord's passion and crucifixion to the sufferings and struggle and combat of some beneficial being, for the good, not of himself, but of others. That in this struggle and combat, he was successful; and won the prize: and as this prize was sought, not for himself, but for others, it was in a form such that the fruit of his victory was attainable by them.

"Remporter le prix, is to gain the prize,"—and in Chambeaud and other French dictionaries, the word prix will then mean, not the price paid for, but the prize gained by, our redemption.