threw the great power of the Turks. Go on, my dear sir, your course is clear and your cause is a glorious one. It is one worth writing for-yes, it is worth fighting for (in the Christian sense)—yes, and it is worth dying for. Go on, then, and God will bless your efforts; good men will sustain you; you will be a glorious instrument in opening a way to every sincere inquirer after the truth, to ascertain where the true religion is domociled-and I confidently hope that you may be a means of reclaiming many from the error of their ways-that many, under Heaven's blessing, may be indebted to you for arriving at a knowledge of the true religion, which alone is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolical. Should this be the case, and I hope it may, how happy would your condition be! What a recompence for all the abuse your enemies may pour upon you! What a reward for all the patience with which you have endured the calumnies of some, the neglect of others, the treachery of one party, and the cold, calculating, and unfeeling apathy of another! Go on: the pious pray for you, the good admire you, the honest Protestant respects, and even lauds you. But there is a higher cause for gratulation. Your labours are disinterested, as we all know and candidly admit; your cause is that of truth, and religion, and justice, and social amelioration, and true felicity both for time and for eternity: God will therefore bless you and your labours: and trusting confidently under his protection, friends enough will not be wanted to sustain you, and bear you on triumphantly, uhtil you shall have attained the object so near your heart, namely, the removal of prejudice, the defence of truth, and the overthrow of bigotry, misrepresentation, and hypocrisy. I remain, sir, with feelings of respect and admiration, your very humble and devoted servant, 162, Rochdale Road. Manchester, December 26th, 1849. H. COSGROVE, Hand-loom Weaver. THE REBUILDING OF This Bramante Lazari, who died in 1514. It was continued by the renowned architect and prince of painters Raphael and Maderno, till it was finished under Paul V. by BerUrban, then by Michael Angelo, Barozzi, James de la Porta, nini, and dedicated by Urban VIII. in 1626. This grand and beautiful church is according to Jones, seven hundred and twenty-two feet long, five hundred and twenty broad, and four hundred and thirty-two feet high. Under it there is a spacious subterraneous church, with a number of elegant chapels, altars, marble statues and vaults, wherein are deposited the remains of many holy martyrs, popes, and other saints. But the richest treasure of this venerable and Paul, which lie in a sumptuous vault, that is most place consists in one-half of the precious relics of St. Peter richly ornamented with pillars of alabaster, and inclosed above with a semicircular balustrade of antique yellow and white marble, beyond the middle of the church, near the partriarchal altar, at which only the Pope celebrates mass, unless he commissions another to officiate there sacred vault is called, The Confession of St. Peter, or The Threshold of the Apostles (Limina Apostolorum), to primitive ages. The papal altar stands under the grand which devout persons have flocked in pilgrimages from the dome, and is supported by four huge pillars of gilt bronze, which are beautifully turned and ornamented with emblematical figures and festoons, and erected on four lofty square pedestals of variegated marble, that are inlaid with large cross keys of gilt bronze, representing the keys of St. Peter. On the top of the four pillars of this magnifi cent altar are placed four beautiful figures of angels, seventeen feet long, and cast of gilt bronze, each of them holding a garland of gilt bronze in one hand, and with the other supporting a square gilt bronze canopy of admirable beauty and most curious workmanship, with a bronze cross terminating the whole, at the distance of one hundred and seventy-seven palms from the floor. The most amazing part of this vast edifice is the grand dome, which is sup ported by four stupendous pillars, embellished on every side with white marble balustrades, elegant pews, shrines, medallions, pictures, busts, and statues of Egyptian marble, and a great variety of emblematical figures in mosaic, &c. The dome is four hundred and ninety-four palms high, and one hundred and ninety-two in diameter. The interior of it is finished in the highest taste, and encircled with a pallisadoed gallery, and terminates with a beautiful lantern. and spire of the neatest construction. The exterior cir cumference of this great dome is computed to measure six THE VATICAN CHURCH OF ST. PETER. hundred and twenty feet, and it appears so conspicuous It was in the year 1506, that Julius II. laid the foundation of that finished masterpiece of architecture, the Vatican Church of St. Peter in Rome, the old church being fallen to decay. The ancient regular manner of building, which effected its purposes with less materials, and observed the rules of justness and proportion in all parts, followed the fate of other polite arts and sciences in the West. The Romans learned it from the Greeks, but it began to be neglected and depraved among them in the reign of Galilen, as appears by his triumphal arch in Rome. After the inundation of the Barbarians, Gothic architecture, in which no certain rules, proportions or measures were observed, took place in the West, and was executed with wonderful success in the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries, merely by the dint of genius in masons and architects, when they got proper encouragement. The wonderful cathedral of Pisa, the so much admired Dominican convent in BoTogna, the cathedral of Sienna, which is deemed the most finished Gothic building in the world, the rich majestic cathedral of Milan, were raised in the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth ages. From that period excellent and ingenious artists, by studying the best models of ancient architecture still standing in Italy, and by conversing with. Cardinal Bessarion and other learned Greeks, restored the true taste of regular architecture. The church of St. Peter was begun by the famous -zero Vlotutavnqas as cu that it is easily discerned by travellers at the distance of twenty miles from the city of Rome. It would be an endless task to enumerate all the other ornaments and decorations of this church, which are so many and so great, that after viewing them with attention for the course of a year, new beauties will be discovered in the end. The proportions are so just, that nothing appears there long, broad, or elevated, and the enormous size is only perceived when every part is examined sepa rately. Entering into one of the ten chapels, which are in the aisles, with ten smaller domes or oval cupolas corresponding to them, you find yourself as if in a cathedral. At the upper end of the church, which is built in form of a Greek cross, the grand monument of the chair of St. Peter presents itself with an unparalleled majesty. The ornaments of it are said to have cost one hundred and seven thousand five hundred and fifty-one Roman crowns. The four feet of it are supported by four gilt bronze statues, each seventeen palms high, of four doctors of the Church, two of the Latin Church, St. Augustine and St. Ambrose, and two of the Greek Church, St. John Chrysostom and St. Atha nasius. These statues are elevated on four lofty pedestals of variegated marble, to such a height that the feet of the chair are upon a level with their heads. (To be continued in our next.) The human face is divine, when not degraded by the vices of society, 2 present. PCETRY. THE CROWN OF THORNS, 'Tis not a wreath of roses fair, That decks the Saviour's brow; That shines with glory now. But why that head hung low with cares? The sad and thorny crown. For thee, Oh man! does sorrow shade His fair and peaceful brow; For thee, that thorny crown is laid His head is circled round with grief, And bene in humble shame; And thou art decked in pleasure's wreath, Renounce thy pride, Oh child of sin! Seek not an empty praise; Look at thy model-follow Him, "Be humble in thy ways." The thorny crown! On take it now, EMIGRATION. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. FACTS AND SCRAPS. There are two kinds of geniuses, the clever and the too clever.. They who are very indulgent to themselves, seldom have much consideration for others. Little things should not be despised: many threads together will bind an elephant. There is a closer connection between good sense and good nature than is commonly supposed. None are more to be pitied than those who have the means of gratifying their desires before they have learned to govern them. The most valuable thing a man can press next to his heart, is a faithful and domestic wife-full of truth, virtue, constancy, and love. A MODERN CANNIBAL.-"Do you see that fellow loung. ing there, doing nothing?" said Owen to Jenks, the other day. "Yes, how does he live ?" "Why he's a cannibalhe lives on other people." CARDINAL POINTS FOR A DRUNKARD.-The fire car. dinal points for a drunkard are a face of brass, nerves of steel, lungs of leather, a heart of stone, and an incombus tible liver. When Jenner found all his appeals to the humanity of certain parochial authorities fail, be at last succeeded in persuading them to adopt his discovery, by proving that it would take less to vaccinate the poor than to pay for col fins for those who died of the small-pox. A SHARP LAD.-During an examination on Scripture History, at a school at the south end of Liverpool, the examiner asked, "Who hiled the children in Judæa ?" a voungsie, more smart than correct, shouted out, "Gleeson Wilson, sir!"-[Mr. M'Neile, what do you think of that? eh!] A parson was once catechizing a class of children belonging to his congregation, and coming to a little boy who was something of a rogue, asked him what he knew. "I know something replied the urchin, with a significant It look. "Well, my son, what do you know?" replied the pa son. "I know where there is a bird's nest," said the boy: but I shan't tell you, for fear you would steal the eggs." was smuggled." The Cape of Good Hope is a British colony, and comprises a large portion of South Africa. Land may be obtained on easy terms. The crown lands are sold in freehold, and by public auction, at an upset price of 2s. per acre. In its neighbourhood are found the diminutive tribe the Bushmen, the Goolahs, and the Kaffis. The particular situation of the Cape secures to it a temperature as genial as any in either hem sphere. Its eastern and western shores are laved with an immense ocean. stands about midway between England and India, and many of the vessels going out and returning, visit it. An emigrant setting out with a small capital, industrious babits, and an ordinary stock of prudence, may obtain a com- SMUGGLED TALENTS.-A Scotch nobleman, of no very fortable subsistence. The three great staples have been bright parts, chatting once with the Duchess of Devon, wool, wheat, and wine. The country is well suited for shire, she asked how it happened that the Scots in general sheep, the climate somewhat resembling that of Spain. made a much better figure from home than in Scotland. Very fine wheat is grown; but those who understand wine "Oh," says he, "nothing is so easily accounted for. For generally object to the flavour of the Cape wines. The the honour of the nation, pe sons are stationed at every business of wool-growing is probably the best suited at egress to see that none leave the country but men of abili The droughts which occur about every seventies." "Then" answered she, "I suspect your lordship years, and continue, perhaps, for two or three years in succession, are the great drawbacks. There is great diffi culty in these cases to prevent loss to sheep and cattle. Sheep may be bought at about 10s. per head, and full grown cattle at £2 each; but there are disadvantages, which we can briefly point out. The first is in getting really good herdsmen. The wages are 18s. a week, with provisions, and a supply of tobacco. The best course is to take a number of trusty labourers out. The business of the herdsman is to watch the flock all day, wandering with it and keeping it together, to prevent loss by panthers, hyenas, and jackals, and to secure it safely, as it is impossible to let it remain out at night. The carelessness of the herdsmen, who are quite independent of service, very often produces considerable loss. The district of Sneeuwberg is perhaps the best, so far as pasturage is concerned, for sheep farming. The diseases of sheep in South Africa are of a very fatal character. Violent inflammatory epidemics often occur, and cause great destruction. Storms a of hail, as well as of lightning, sometimes come on with ad great severity, and instances are known of 300 or 400 sheep being destroyed in one storm. A HOUSEHOLD DOG.-One day that her royal highness (the Princess Caroline) was showing a distinguished peer to a portrait which had just been hang up. It was & some new pictures in the gallery, she directed his attention striking likeness of himself. With a profound bow he acknowledged the honour conferred upon him; when, still desirous to enhance the compliment, "You see, my lord, said the princess, "I do consider you one of my great household dogs!" Here the compliment was apparently neutralised; but her royal highness meant to have said household gods.-Memoirs of T. Campbell. AGENTS. Ashton-under-Lyne-Mr. Kerrison, Printed and published by EDWARD STAVELEY, at No. 183. Great incredible number of miracles through the intercession of St. Laurence. St. Gregory of Tours, Fortunatus, and EXAMPLE OF CHRISTIAN FORTITUDE. others relate several performed in other places. It appears ST. LAURENCE, M.-A.D. 258. His face appeared to the Christians newly baptised, to be surrounded with a beautiful extraordinary light, and his broiled body to exhale a sweet agreeable smell; but the unbelievers neither saw this light nor perceived this smell. The martyr felt not the torments of the persecutor, says St. Austin, so vehement was his desire of possessing Christ; and St. Ambrose observes, that whilst his body broiled in the material flames, the fire of divine love, which was far more active within his breast, made him regardless of the pain: having the law of God before his eyes, he esteemed his torments to be a refreshment and a comfort. Such was the tranquility and peace of mind which he enjoyed amidst his torments, that having suffered a long time, he turned to the judge, and said to him, with a cheerful and smiling countenance, "Let my body be now turned; one side is broiled enough." When, by the prefect's order, the executioner had turned him, he said, "It is dressed enough, you may eat." The prefect insulted him, but the martyr continued in earnest prayer, with sighs and tears imploring the divine mercy with his last breath for the conversion of the city of Rome. This he begged Christ speedily to accomplish, who had subjected the world to this city, that his faith might, by triumphing one day in it, more easily spread itself from the head over all the provinces or members of its empire. This grace he asked of God for that city for the sake of the two apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, who had there begun to plant the cross of Christ, and had watered that city with their blood. The saint having finished his prayer, and completed his holocaust, lifting up his eyes towards heaven, gave up the ghost, from the sacramentary of Pope Gelasius, that his feast has been kept with a vigil and an octave at least ever since the fifth age. In the reign of Constantine the Great, a church was built over his tomb, on the road to Tibur, which is called St. Laurence's without the walls; it is one of the five patriarchal churches in Rome. Seven other famous churches in that city bear the name of this glorious saint. In St. Laurence we have a sensible demonstration how powerful the grace of Jesus Christ is, which is able to sweeten whatever is bitter and harsh to flesh and blood, If we had the resolution and fervour of the saints in the practice of devotion, we should find all seeming difficulties which discourage our pusillanimity to be mere shadows and phantoms. A lively faith, like that of the martyrs, would of the world, and measure the goods and evils of this life, make us, with them, contemn the honours and pleasures and judge of them, not by nature, but by the light and principles of faith only; and did we sincerely love God, as they did, we should embrace his holy will with joy in all things, have no other desire, and find no happiness but in it. If we are dejected or impatient under troubles, indulge murmurs and complaints, or call ourselves unhappy in them, it is evident that inordinate self-love reigns in our hearts, and that we seek our own inclinations more than the will of God. The state of suffering is the true test of our love, by which we may judge whether in duties that in them our own will. If self-love discovers itself in our are agreeable to nature we love the will of God, or only do sufferings, all the rest of our lives is to be suspected of the that faith and divine love are the principles of our actions, same disorder; nor can we easily give any other evidence TRUTH. ST. PETER. (Continued from our last.) How different are now his modesty, fear, and humility from his former presumption! He dares not answer that he loved his master more than the others did, because he presumes not to judge of their hearts, and is mistrustful of the sincerity of his own, having now learned the whole extent of true humility. The vehemence of his love goes much beyond what any words could ever express. Yet he says only with trembling, that he loved; this he speaks as one most earnestly imploring the divine aid, that he might be enabled to love his master with his whole strength. Prudentius doubts not to ascribe to his prayer the entire conversion of Rome, and says, God began to grant his request at the very time he put it up; for several senators, who were present at his death, were so powerfully moved by his tender and heroic fortitude and piety, that they became Christians upon the spot. These noblemen took up the martyr's body on their shoulders, and gave it an honourable burial in the Veran field, near the road to Tibur, on the 10th of August in 258. His death, says Prudentius, was the death of idolatry in Rome, which from that time began more sensibly to decline; and now, adds the same father, the senate itself venerates the tombs of the apostles and martyrs. He describes with what devo-"Do not you see," says St. Chrysostom, "that the better tion and fervour the Romans frequented the Church of St. Laurence, and commended themselves in all their necessities to his patronage; and the happy success of their prayers proves how great his power is with God. The poet implores the mercy of Christ for himself, and begs he may obtain by the prayers of the martyrs what his own cannot, St. Austin assures us that God wrought in Rome an he is grown, the more modest and timorous he is become? He does not speak arrogantly, or contradict; he is not, self-confident; therefore is he disturbed." By this triple public testimony of his love, he was to repair the scandal of his former denial. "Let him confess by love who had thrice denied through fear," says 8t. Austin, By the ardour of his zeal and love was he to be qualified for, the commission which he received hereupon to feed Christ's sheep and lambs, that is, his whole flock; for he who enters the sanctuary under the least partial influence of any other motive than that of love, is a base hireling, and a slave of avarice and vain glory, not a pastor of souls, or minister of Christ. St. Peter's greater love for Christ, and zeal for the interest of his glory, raised him to the high charge with which he was intrusted by his Divine Master. Upon this passage, St. Chrysostom writes as followeth, "Why does Christ, passing by the rest, now speak to Peter alone? He was eminent above the rest, the mouth of the disciples, and the head of that college. Therefore Paul came to see him above the rest. Christ says to him, If thou lovest me take upon thee the government or charge of thy brethren. And now give the proof of that fervent love which thou hast always professed, and in which thou didst exult. Give for my sheep that life which thou professedst thyself ready to lay down for me." Jesus, after this, foretold St. Peter his martyrdom by the cross; and this apostle was well pleased to drink the bitter cup, and to make his confession as public as his denial had been, that he might make some reparation for his former sin. His singular affection for St. John prompted him to ask what would become of him, and whether he should not bear him company; but his master checked his inquisitive curiosity. Christ appeared to the apostles, assembled together on a certain mountain in Galilee, where he had appointed to meet them, and gave them a commission to preach the gospel throughout all nations, promising to remain with his Church all days to the end of the world. He manifested himself also to five hundred disciples at once. When the apostles had spent some time in Galilee, they returned to Jerusalem, where, ten days before the feast of Pentecost, Christ favoured them with his last appearance, and commanded them to preach baptism and penance, and to confirm their doctrine by miracles. Faith being essentially dark, mysterious, and supernatural; and the dispensations of providence, and of the divine grace and mercy being above the reach of human reason, the great and necessary knowledge of these most important saving truths can only be conveyed to men by the divine revelation. This in the new law of the gospel, was immediately communicated to the apostles, with a charge that they should promulge and propagate it in all the rations of the earth. Poor, illiterate men, destitute of every human succour, were made the instruments of this great work; and at their head was placed an ignorant fisherman, whose knowledge, when he was called to the apostleship, did not reach beyond his nets and boat. Yet this little troop triumphed over the wisdom of philosophers, the eloquence of orators, the authority of the greatest princes, the force of customs, policy, interest, superstition, and all the passions of men; over the artifices and persecutions of the whole world confederated against them. So powerful was the Spirit of God which enlightened their understandings, and spoke by their mouths; such was the evidence of their testimony, confirmed by innumerable incontestable miracles, and by the heavenly temper and sanctity which their words and actions breathed; and, lastly, sealed by their blood. So bright and illustrious in this holy religion were the indications of its divine original, that he who takes an impartial review of them, will be obliged to cry out with Hugh of St. Victor, and Pius of Mirandula, "If I could be deceived in thy faith, thou alone, O Lord, must have been the author of my error, so evident are the marks of thy authority which it bears." To all who sincerely seek after truth, this revelation is a pillar of light; though to the perverse, God often turns it into a cloud of darkness. Their pride and passions are haunts to which the beams of this sun, though most bright and piercing, are impervious. The extraordinary gifts and graces by which the apostles were qualified for this great function, were the fruit of the descent of the Holy Ghost, who shed his beams upon them on Whitsunday. After the ascension of Christ, they waited the coming of that Divine Spirit in retirement and prayer. In the meantime St. Peter proposed to the assembly the election of a new apostle, whereupon St. Matthias was chosen. The prince of the apostles having received the Ho'y Ghost, made a sermon to the Jews, who were assembled about the disciples upon the fame of this prodigy, and he converted three thousand by the mildness and powerful unction of his words. "We should have a share of this courage; and the ardour of the Holy Ghost would make everything easy to us, if we were worthy to receive it, and if we drew this grace down upon us as the apostles did by assiduity in prayer, and by our charity towards our brethren," says St. Chrysostom. We have great reason to admire the change which the grace of the Holy Ghost wrought in St. Peter, both in the intrepidity and courage which he showed, and still more in his humility, patience, and meekness. He appeared always so ready to yield to every one, and to humble himself before all the world, that he seemed to forget the rank which he held in the Church, only when God's honour called upon him to exert his authority; and the natural warmth and vehemence of his temper was no more to be discerned in his actions, only in the fervour and constancy with which he underwent all manner of labours and dangers for the cause of God and his Church. The new converts received with the faith a share of the same Spirit. They persevered in the participation of the holy mysteries and in prayer, and selling all their possessions, gave the price to the apostles to be distributed among the poor brethren. Their humility, simplicity of heart, meekness, patience, and joy in suffering were such, that they seemed on a sudden to be transformed into angels, to use the expression of St. Chrysostom, so perfectly were they disengaged from the earth. The abundant effusion of the Holy Ghost, the advantage of persecutions, and the inflamed words and example of the apostles effected this change in their hearts, by the power of the right hand of the Most High. The preaching of the apostles received a sanction from a wonderful miracle, by which St. Peter and St. John raised the admiration of the people. These two apostles going to the temple at three o'clock in the afternoon, which was one of the hours for public prayer among the Jews, they saw a man who was lame from his birth, and was begging alms at the gate of the temple, which was called The Beautiful; and moved with compassion St. Peter commanded him, in the name of Jesus Christ, to arise and walk. These words were no sooner spoken, but the cripple found himself perfectly whole, and St. Peter lifting him up, he entered into the temple walking, leaping, and praising God. After this miracle St. Peter made a second sermon to the people, the effect of which was the conversion of five thousand persons. Upon this the priests and Sadducees, moved with envy and jealousy, prevailed upon the captain of the guard of the temple to come up with a troop of soldiers under his command, and seize the two apostles, and put them into prison, upon pretence of a sedition. (To be continued in our next.) FALSEHOOD. (Concluded from our last.) The apostle St. Paul they declared an apostate and deceiver; they therefore rejected his works. He was they said, by birth not a Jew but a Gentile, and had become a proselyte in the hope of obtaining in marriage the daughter of the high-priest; in his disappointment and revenge, he wrote against circumcision, the Sabbath, and the whole.. law. St. Peter, and after him St. James, the brother (or cousin) of the Lord, were their ideal of perfection, and both are represented in their apocryphal books as Jewish ascetics. They themselves adopted the ascetic life of the ancient Essenians; they abstained from all flesh, and from all food proceeding frem animals; they bathed daily in flowing water, to which they attributed the virtue of purifying them from every stain; they refused to take oaths, that Etion could even bear to hear the name of St. Paul. It should *At page 11, second line of the article "Falsehood," it is said be-COULD NOT. which they considered unlawful. They avoided all intercourse with strangers, as they would have considered themselves thereby defiled. Celibacy was at first in great esteem amongst them, but in the time of St. Epiphanius it was no longer practised; they then recommended early marriage, and permitted divorce and second espousals. They had elders and synagogues, baptism and sacred evening meals, at which they drank only water, which, according to St. Epiphanius, they honoured as almost divine. They forbade the use of wine, as being the production of an evil prin. ciple. The Ebionites had their own gospel, which they named "The Gospel of the Hebrews." If it be true that the gospel of St. Matthew was the foundation of this book, it had been modified by great changes and frequent omissions, to suit the principles of the sect. The subject of the first and second chapters of St. Matthew was wanting; the cir cumstances attending the baptism of our Saviour were dis. figured, and, as they rejected the use of animal food, instead of what we read in Luke xxii. 15, they wrote, "Have I ever at any time desired to eat the paschal lamb with you?" Amongst other apochryphal works, they possessed also a history of the Apostles, and a doctrinal work attributed to St. James, in which he is made to inveigh against the temple and the sacrifice, against the sacred fire, and the altar of incense. They had also a book of the “Travels of St. Peter," Either this, or another work of the same nature. was known under the name of the "Clementine Homilies" and contained the pretended travels of St. Clement, with the Apostle St. Peter, the instructions delivered by the latter, and his disputations with Simon Magus, and the philosopher Appian. This work, which was written in the second century, evidently contained the principles of the Ebionite doctrines, but with some modifications; whence we may conclude, that they are the doc trines of a sect of Ebionites differing from those described by St. Epiphanius. According to this book, there exists a primitive religion, which from the beginning was announced by Adam, the first of the prophets, then by the patriarchs, and by Moses; but was afterwards disfigured by the admission of many strange additions made in writing. To restore this religion to its primeval purity, and to separate that which was false from that which was true, contained in the pentateuch, was the object of the coming of Christ. His doctrine was therefore no more than the ancient Mosaic law, as the divine spirit which appeared in Adam and Moses, was the same which dwelt in Jesus. From this cause, the disciple of Moses was equal to the disciple of Christ, each should respect the other, and confess that both were equally in the possession of the truth. In this system, Christ is accounted only as a prophet or teacher: his sacrifice of redemption is not mentioned, and his death is considered as purely accidental. The apostle St. Paul is not named throughout the entire work, although there are several polemical allusions to his writings. In this we can easily perceive an uniformity of teaching in the Clementine Homilies with the doctrines of the sect of the Ebionites, of which St. Epiphanius has written, as also in the rejection of the divinity of Christ, in the belief of his birth according to the ordinary laws of nature, in the con. demnation of sacrifices and oaths, in their esteem of daily bathings, and in the declaration that the pentateuch had been falsified by interpolations. We find also the dualism of the Ebionites, their disregard of the prophets, all of whom they rejected, except Adam, Moses, and Jesus. Of the apostles, none are named but Peter and James, the latter of whom they extolled as an observer of the law in its purity, to whom was given the power of proving and confirming all other apostles or teachers. The author of the Clementines considers the Mosaic law as limited in its destination; it is holy, but exacts not observance from all; the Gentile need follow only the doctrines of Jesus; he may not, however, hate or despise Moses, or his law. Finally, it is worthy of remark, that the late origin of the doctrine, and of the sect which professed it, may be learned from the internal evidence of the work. Another Judaizing sect, differing from the Ebionites, was that of the Nazarites. They are first called by this name by S. S. Epiphanius and Jerome. By the more ans cient Fathers they are, without distinction, called Ebionites. They named themselves Nazarites, as this was the first appellation by which the disciples of Christ were known, and as the word Christian belonged to a language which to them was foreign. They also dwelt on the opposite side of the Jordan, in Berea, Decapolis, and Basanitis, or Cocabe. They separated themselves, however, from the Ebionites, principally because they acknowledged St. Paul to be the apostle of the Gentiles, and consequently that the Mosaie law, which they themselves continued to observe, was not obligatory on the Christians converted from Paganism; they received also the whole of the Old Testament, and admitted the super-natural birth of the Messias. By the Jews, and by the Pharisees in particular, they were hated and condemned, not only because they believed Jesus to be the Messias, but because they declared the Pharisees to be morally, spiritually dead, and to have buried themselves and their followers in darkness. They applied the severest threats of the prophets to these hypocrites; and the prediction of Isaias (chap. sini. 14,) that the Emmanuel should be "for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence to the two houses of Israel;" they applied to the two famed schools of Shammai and Hillel. But, despite those doctrines, they were far removed from the pure faith of Christianity; they had in fact deformed it, by uniting with it the more ancient Jewish theosophystic principles, for they were descended from the Essenians, or some other Jewish sect connected with them. This is evident from the fragments, which have been preserved by St. Jerome, of their Hebrew gospel. In these Jesus is represented as a man, who, before his baptism in the Jordan, was not free from sin, and upon whom the spirit of God first descended at his baptism. This is the narration : But it came to pass, after the Lord had ascended from the waters, the fulness of the Holy Spirit came upon him, and said, " My son, in all the prophets I awaited thy coming, that I might dwell within thee: thou art my beloved dwelling place, my first born son, eternally thou shalt rule." In another place, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit his mother. The third Judaizing sect, the Elxaites, or Elkesaites, seem to have differed but little from the Ebionites; they sprung from one of the parties among the Jews which bore the same name. They existed in the second century, but did not find admission into any Christian community before they third, when Origen attacked them in a public discourse, and Alcibiades, of Apamea, opposed them. They believed, as Theodoret informs us, in two Christs-the one superior, the other inferior,-the man Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, which resided first in Adam and the patriarchs, and was afterwards united with Jesus. They possessed a book, which, as they pretended fell from heaven, and to which, or to its doctrines, they attributed a sin-remitting power : they also rejected St. Paul, but their peculiar tenet was, that in the time of persecution it was lawful to deny Christ. and to sacrifice to the idols, provided the heart remained faithful. This, and the magic art, astrology, and the invocations of the dead, which they practised, would induce us to suppose that they had almost abandoned Judaism, and had borrowed more from heathenism than any other of the sects. They asserted that a constant revelation, of which the organs were persons of the family of their founder, existed amongst them. In the time of St. Epi phanius there were two sisters, descended from Elxai, who were esteemed by the sect as prophetesses, and reverenced with almost divine honours. Fontenelle lived to be nearly one hundred years old: lady of nearly equal age said to him one day in a large company, "Monsieur, you and I stay here so long that I have a notion that death has forgotten us.", "Speak' as low as you can, madame," replied Fontenelle, "lest you should remind him of us." W |