irs in ancient times, whether in
friend or foe, Jew or Pagan, Montanist or Novatian; though I find surely
enough, and in plenty, the general characteristics, which are
conspicuous in their philosophy, of self-will, eccentricity, and love of
paradox.

So far from it, that if we wish to find the rudiments of the Catholic
system clearly laid down in writing, those who are accounted least
orthodox will prove as liberal in their information about it as the
strictest Churchman. We can endure even the heretics better than our
opponents can endure the Apostles. Tertullian, though a Montanist, gives
no sort of encouragement to the so-called Bible Christians of this day;
rather he would be the object of their decided abhorrence and disgust.
Origen is not a whit more of a Protestant, though he, if any, ought,
from the circumstances of his history, to be a witness against us. It is
averred that the alleged revolution of doctrine and ritual was
introduced by the influence of the episcopal system; well, here is a
victim of episcopacy, brought forward by our opponents as such. Here is
a man who was persecuted by his bishop, and driven out of his country;
and whose name after his death has been dishonourably mentioned, both by
Councils and Fathers. He surely was not in the episcopal conspiracy, at
least; and perchance may give the latitudinarian, the anabaptist, the
Erastian, and the utilitarian, some countenance. Far from it; he is as
high and as keen, as removed from softness and mawkishness, as ascetic
and as reverential, as any bishop among them. He is as superstitious (as
men now talk), as fanatical, as formal, as Athanasius or Augustine.
Certainly, there seems something providential in the place which Origen
holds in the early Church, considering the direction which theories
about it are now taking; and much might be said on that subject.

Take another instance:--There was, in the fourth century, a party of
divines who were ecclesiastically opposed to the line of theologians,
whose principles had been, and were afterwards, dominant in the Church,
such as Athanasius, Jerome, and Epiphanius; I mean, for instance,
Eusebius, Cyril of Jerusalem, and others who were more or less connected
with the Semi-Arians. If, then, we see that in all points, as regards
the sacraments and sacramentals, the Church and its ministers, the form
of worship, and other religious duties of Christians, Eusebius and Cyril
agree entirely with the most orthod