THE PASTOR'S LEAF.

A FAULT DETECTED.-One thing which has contributed to the inefficiency and unpopularity of our sermon literature is, that religion has been too much insulated. Taken out of nature and society, it has been set up as a solitary divinity, and adored with a sort of unnatural dread, or ascetic reverence. Hence sermons formed under the influence of such a system, have been devout enough—no, not devout, for there is life and power in devotion-but solemn enough, and quite unnatural. They have not blended easily with human life. Divorced from the great interests of the race, they have failed to seize the common mind with any thing like vital force. They do not seem to belong to us at all; and if read, are read rather as a penance than a pleasure. R. TURNBULL.

PREACHING TO THE RICH.-The apostles were permitted to be taken prisoners, and to be carried before kings and governors, which seemed to be the only way in which the Gospel could be made known to men in those upper regions of society. On one occasion a governor trembled ; and on another, a king declared that he was almost persuaded to be a Christian. J. CAMPBELL.

PREACHING CHRIST.-No preaching is to me, like the preaching of Christ crucified, and Christ glorified. It is always beautiful; it is always enkindling; it always warms my heart, and raises my soul to heav en in wonder, love and praise. J. PADWICK.

IMPORTANCE OF SPIRITUALITY.-When earthly things engross a minister's attention, he will think more of this world than the next, and his preaching will savor more of the casket than the jewels. If he is not a spiritual man himself, he has no reason to suppose the Lord will bless him with a spiritual people. R. HILL.

LOVE TO PREACHING.-I do not wish for any heaven on earth, besides that of preaching the precious Gospel of Jesus Christ to immortal souls. H. MARTYN.

1:26 BASIL, JEROME, AND THE GREGORIES OF THE FOURTH CENTURY.

BASIL, JEROME, AND THE GREGORIES OF THE
FOURTH CENTURY.

BY THE EDITOR.

Ir is a remarkable fact, which has been verified in all ages of the world, that when Christianity has been especially favored by the State, the love of many has waxed cold. Religion has been deprived of that life and power, which have appeared in times of persecution. The fourth century, particularly after Constantine the Great ascended the imperial throne, was a time when Christianity was in repute. It was even cherished as the religion of the empire, and multitudes of worldly men pressed into the church, actuated by unholy motives. Many real Christians became estranged from their first love, and though Christianity was ex ternally prosperous, internally it was full of bitterness and wrath. Still there were persons distinguished for learning, if not for piety. There were individuals, however, who were really worthy the name of Christians, though comparatively few.

Basil the Great, though a rigid ascetic and a zealous monk, held a high rank among ancient divines. He was born at Cæsarea in Cappadocia, about A. D. 329, and thoroughly educated in the arts and sciences, at Constantinople and Athens. In 355, he returned to Cappadocia, taught rhetoric for a time, and then spent thirteen years in a monastery in Pontus. In 363, he was called to Cæsarea, and ordained as a Presbyter. A. D. 370, on the death of Archbishop Eusebius, he succeeded him. He still dressed like a monk and observed the rigid habits of that order. He did much to reform the morals of the clergy in that corrupt age, and restore discipline in the churches. He is said to have died in the triumphs of faith A. D. 379, aged fifty. Among his writings, there are extant nearly one hundred discourses, sermons, and homilies, three hundred and sixty-five epistles, and other writings. His treatise on the Holy Spirit, is considered as one of his best. This celebrated father we are forced to claim as a Baptist divine. He says in one place, "We, being baptized into death in symbol, should die to sin, and by the ascent from the baptism, being raised as from the dead," &c., clearly intimating that immersion in his estimation, was the proper mode of baptism. Again he says: "We are baptized into water."* This is as

* Barrisóμeda rìs dwp. Basil, De Soiritu Sancto, Chap. 15.

BASIL, JEROME, AND THE GREGORIES OF THE FOURTH CENTURY. 127

plain as language can be, and needs no comment. He says, concerning believers' baptism, "Must the faithful be sealed with baptism? Faith must needs precede."

*

Gregory Nazianzen was a contemporary, and intimate friend of Basil. He was born about A. D. 325, at Nazianzus, in Cappadocia, and educated at Cæsarea of the same province, Cæsarea in Palestine, Alexandria, and Athens. He returned to Nazianzus A. D. 356, was baptized at the age of about thirty, living in a very retired manner. He was opposed to becoming an ecclesiastic; but his father compelled him in 361, to be ordained as a Presbyter. He was offered a bishopric by Basil; but re. jected it, with indignation. Afterwards, however, he consented to be ordained as assistant to his father, after whose death, he spent three years in retirement at Seleucia. In 379, he went to Constantinople, and was instrumental in converting many Arians. The emperor Theodosius, offered him the patriarchal chair; but he chose to return to Nazianzus. He there, for a short time, discharged the duties of a bishop, and then retired altogether from public life. After seven years of retirement, during which, he was much engaged in literary pursuits, he closed his earthly pilgrimage about A. D. 390. His writings consist of fifty orations or sermons, nearly two hundred and fifty epistles, and about one hundred and forty poems. As an orator, he is considered as superior to Basil, in vividness of imagination, strength and elegance.

We cannot give up this father to the Predobaptists. He believed, however, that baptism was a saving ordinance, and that infants when dangerously sick should be baptized. He says in one of his discourses, that it would be "better that they should be sanctified without their knowing it, than that they should die without being sealed and initiated." Again: they who die unbaptized, without their own fault, go neither to heaven nor hell; but if they had lived piously to a middle place.'" In oration forty, he maintains that while the term baptism, indicates burial, it indicates that as the candidate is buried in water, there was also a burial of his sins. The instance cited by Dr. Woods, in his work on infant baptism, in which Gregory compares Basil to Samuel, and speaks of his being "consecrated to God in his infancy from the womb, and carried to the steps in a coat," proves nothing. There is no evidence, that there is any reference to baptism, as Dr. W. supposes. The prevailing and almost universal mode of baptism was then immersion, though infant sprinkling had begun to be practised to a limited

* Dupin. Cent. iv. p. 159 Gen. Biog. Dict. art. Greg. Naz. † Orat. xl. p. 653.

128 BASIL, JEROME, AND THE GREGORIES OF THE FOURTH CENTURY,

extent, in case of sickness, or extreme danger, that the soul of the candidate might be saved. Gregory Nazianzen undoubtedly maintained, as Baptists do at this day, that believers' immersion was the only valid baptism, excepting in the cases mentioned above.

. Jerome of Stridon, in Dalmatia, whose real name was Hieronymus Stridonesis, was born about A. D. 331, of Christian parents. His father Eusebius, gave him the best advantages in respect to education. He studied at Rome, and at the age of 32 was baptized. He traveled extensively in Gaul and Syria, and in 374, retired into the wilderness near Antioch, and spent about four years in the character of a learned hermit. About 379, he was ordained at Antioch, a Presbyter. He next went to Constantinople,and enjoyed the instructions of Gregory Nazianzen two or three years. There, he translated some of the Greek fathers, and among them, the second part of Eusebius' Chronicon, and continued it down to A. D. 378. About 382, Damasus, bishop of Rome, induced him to undertake a correction of the vulgar Latin Bible. He afterwards went into Syria, and was enthusiastic in endeavoring to promote monkery. He took up his residence, in 386, at Bethlehem, the birth-place of our Saviour, and spent the remainder of his life in a monastery, in theological controversies, and in the preparation of books. He is believed to have died A. D. 420, aged ninety years.

Jerome is considered as the most learned Latin father, particularly in sacred literature. He was familiar with Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, a powerful writer, an acute reasoner, and a severe and abusive controversialist. He translated the whole Bible from the original He brew and Greek, and wrote commentaries on all the prophets, and on a part of the New Testament. From the fact that Jerome was baptized at the age of thirty-two, it is evident that he was not sprinkled in his infancy. He speaks of those "who refused to give baptism to their chil dren."* He was doubtless immersed himself, as a believer, and maintained that immersion alone was valid baptism, unless in cases of danger. ous sickness.

Gregory Nissa was the younger brother of Basil the Great, and was probably born about A. D. 331, at Caesarea in Cappadocia. At the age of about forty-one he was made bishop of Nissa in Cappadocia. He opposed the principles of the Arians, was persecuted and finally driven from his bishopric by their machinations. For several years, he wandered from place to place, until about the year 378, when he was re

* Ep. ad Lactam.

stored to his ecclesiastical office. He was considered as highly orthodox, and was appointed by the council of Antioch in 379, to visit the Arabian churches, and restore order in them. He is reported to have made the new draught of the Nicene creed, at the general council in Antioch, (381), which was universally adopted by orthodox theologians. He probably died about A. D. 394 or 395. He was an able writer and polemic. His works consist mostly of discourses, eulogies, letters and homilies.

His testimony, in respect to baptism, is decidedly in our favor. though he held to trine immersion. He says: 66 Being thrice overwhelmed in the water, and again raised from it, we imitate the burial and resurrection of Christ." Again; "coming to the water we conceal (εxxquлтоμεv) ourselves in it, as the Saviour concealed himself in the earth."† 'All the dead are buried under ground, in place of which, water is used in baptism." These passages show, beyond a doubt, not only that Gregory believed immersion to be the proper mode of baptism; but, that in his estimation, it was the usual mode, in which the ordinance was administered. Sprinkling and pouring, however, were practised, in his day, in cases of necessity, to save the souls of those near to death, baptism being considered, as we have before intimated, a saving ordinance.

TRUTH AND SINCERITY.

Our whole behavior to We should never deceive

WE should labor to excite in children a destestation of all that is mean, cunning, or false, and to inspire them with a spirit of openness, honor and candor, making them feel how noble it is, not merely to speak the truth, but to speak the simple unadulterated truth, whether for or against themselves. But to effect this, our example must uniformerly concur with our instructions. them should be fair and without artifice. them, never employ cunning to gain our trouble. For instance, we should never assure a child that the medicine he is to take is pleasant, when it is not. Artifice is generally detected even by children. There is much in the old proverb, a cunning trick 'a helps but once, and hinders ever after.'

ends, or to spare present

Great caution is required in making promises; but when made, children should see that we are rigid in performing them our word passed must not be broken.

* Orat. Categ. 35. † De Bap. Christi.