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redeemed us from death, and snatched us from the jaws of Satan. In fact, HE fuffers these things to happen, in order that our faith may be tried, and that it may be seen whether we be willing to do for another what every one would wish to be done for himfelf, were he a prifoner among the barbarians. For who, if he be a father, does not now feel as if his fons were in state of captivity? Who,—if a husband, -is not affected as if his own wife were in that calamitous fituation? This muit be the cafe, if we have but the common fympathy of men.-Then how great ought our mutual forrow and vexation to be on account of the danger of the virgins who are there held in bondage! Not only their flavery, but the lofs of their chastity is to be deplored the BONDS of barbarians are not fo much to be dreaded as the lewdnefs of men, left the members of Christ dedicated to him, and devoted t for ever to the honour of continency, fhould be defiled and infulted by libidinous favages.

Our brethren, ever ready to work the work of God, but now much more quickened by great forrow and anxiety to forward fo falutary a concern, have freely and largely contributed to the relief of the diftreffed captives. For, whereas the Lord fays in the Gofpel, "I was fick, and ye vifited me;" with how much stronger approbation would he fay, "I was a captive, and ye redeemed me!" and when again he fays, "I was in prison, and ye came to me;" how much more is it in the fame spirit to fay, "I was in the prifon

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with him maintained in the foul by faith, and the returns of love anfwerable to his loving kindness, thefe are the principles of Christian benevolence.

+ Voluntary celibacy, I apprehend, was in growing repute in the Church at that time. St. Paul's advice in the 7th of firft Cor. had then many followers, but monaftic vows had yet no existence.

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of captivity and lay fhut up and bound among barbarians, and ye freed me from the dungeon of flavery: Ye shall receive your reward of the Lord in the day of judgment!"

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Truly we thank you very much that ye wished us to be partakers of your folicitude, and of a work fo good and neceffary;-that ye have offered us fertile fields in which we might deposit the feeds of our hope with an expectation of an exuberant harveft. We have fent a hundred thoufand fefterces, the collection of our clergy and laity of the Church of Carthage, which you will difpenfe forthwith according to your diligence. Heartily do we wish that no fuch thing may happen again, and that the Lord may protect our brethren from fuch calamities. But if, to try our faith and love, fuch afflictions fhould again befall you, hefitate not to acquaint us; and be affured of the hearty concurrence of our Church with you both in prayer and in cheerful contributions.

That you may remember, in your prayers, our brethren, who have cheerfully contributed,-I have fubjoined the names of each; I have added alfo the names of our colleagues in the ministry, who were present and contributed, in their own names and in that of the people; and, befides my own proper quantity, I have fet down and fent their respective fums. We wish you, brethren, always profperity."

About this time, Cyprian wrote to an African bishop, named Cæcilius, for the purpose of correcting a practice in the adminiftration of the Lord's Supper, which had crept into fome Churches, -of ufing water inftead of wine.-With argu

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About 7811. 55. fterling.-See Notes to Epif. 62, Oxford

ments drawn from the Scriptures, he infifts on the neceffity of wine in the ordinance, as a proper emblem of the blood of Chrift.-But let it fuffice to have barely mentioned this fubject.

The appointment of Stephen to the bishopric of Rome was foon followed by the death of Gallus; who was flain, in the year two hundred A. D. and fifty-three, after a wretched reign of eighteen 253.

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CHA P. XIII.

THE PACIFIC PART OF VALERIAN'S REIGN.

UNDER

NDER Gallus the peace of the Church of Chrift feems to have been very short and precarious. But his fucceffor Valerian, for upwards of three years, proved their friend and protector. His houfe was full of Chriftians, and he appears to have had a strong predilection in their favour.

The Lord exercises his people in various ways. There are virtues adapted to a ftate of profperity as well as of adverfity.-The wifdom and love of God, in directing the late terrible perfecutions, have been plainly made manifeft by the excellent fruits. Let us now attend to the transactions of Christians during this interval of refreshment.

The affairs of Cyprian detain us long, because his eloquent pen continues to attract us; and because we would not lofe a faithful and an able guide, till we are compelled to leave him.Probably, there were many before his time, whofe Chriftian actions would have equally deferved to be commemorated: But the materials of information fail us: The fine compofitions of this bishop are ftill, however, a capital source of hiftorical inftruction.

During the tranquillity under the emperor Valerian, a council was held in Africa by fixty-fix bithops with Cyprian at their head. The object of this

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affembly was, doubtlefs, the regulation of various matters relating to the Church of Chrift.-Thefe bishops had, unquestionably, each of them, a small diocefe; and with the affiftance of their clergy, they fuperintended their refpective jurifdictions according to the primitive mode of Church-government. The face of Africa, which is now covered with Mahometan, idolatrous, and piratical wickedness, afforded in those days a very pleafing spectacle; for we have good reafon to believe that a real and falutary regard was paid to the various flocks by their ecclefiaftical fhepherds. But, we have no particular accounts of the proceedings of this council beyond what is contained in a letter of Cyprian, to which I fhall presently advert. He mentions two points, which engaged their attention ;-but, it is very likely, that matters of greater importance than either of those points were then reviewed :-The fynod was worthy of the name of Chriftian: many of the bishops then prefent had faithfully maintained the caufe of Chrift during fcenes of trial the most severe that can be imagined; and I know no ground for fufpecting the clergy of thofe times to have been influenced by fchemes of political ambition for increafing their wealth or power.

A prefbyter, named Victor, had been re-admitted into the Church without having undergone the legitimate time of trial in a ftate of penance, and alfo without the concurrence and confent of the people. His bifhop Therapius had done this arbitrarily and contrary to the inftitutes of the former council for fettling fuch matters. Cyprian, in the name of the council, contents himfelf with reprimanding Therapius; but yet confirms what he had done, and warns him to take care of offending in future.

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