NOTICE CONCERNING THE WRITINGS OF ORIGEN WITH REFERENCE TO BAPTISMThere are a few passages, namely, Homil. 8, on the 12th and 13th chapters of Leviticus; Homil. 14, on the 2d chap. of Luke; Comment. on the 6th chap. of the Epistle to the Romans, from which some who at this day uphold infant baptism suppose they can draw something to show that Origen was not a stranger to their views, but that he sanctioned them. But various eminent writers deny, yea, completely refute this, it being proved that these passages do not belong to Origen, but to Ruf$nus, the priest at Aquileia, who, it is stated, more than one hundred and fifty years.after Origen's time translated the works of the latter from the Greek into Latin, adding from his own, that is, out of his own mind the abovementioned passages, and, on the other hand, leaving out other matters. To this explanation we assent. See Ruflnus' prefatory and concluding remarks on Origen's Commentary to the Epistle to the Romans. Also, Erasmus' account of the life of Origen, prefaced to the works of the latter, according to J. Mehrn., Bapt. Hist., pp. 283 and 291. Also, H. Mont. Nietigheyd van den Kinder-loop, pages 29-34, and 42, 43. Besides this, various gross errors have of old been imputed to Origen, as, for instance, that he believed, that the evil spirits would ultimately be saved. However, he himself desires this in a certain letter written to those of Alexandria, in which he complains of the shamelessness of his adversaries, * At this time Origen taught that we must appeal to the Holy Scriptures; for without these no credence can be given to what we say. On"Jeremiah, Homil. 1. ' See, Samuel Veltius, in"Geslachtregister der," etc., page 115. who dared in his life time to defame him with slanders which not even an insane man would utter. What, then, must have been the treatment his writings received after his death!, "We may plainly see," says Jacob Mehrning,"from what we still have of the writings of Origen, that many ignorant and grossly erring spirits have sought to palm off to the simple-minded, their own whims under the name of this eminent man, who by Jerome (in Prefatione ante Ezechidem) is called the second master of the church after the apostles." Bapt. Hist. pp. 288 and 289. Also, H. Mont. Nietigh., pages 35, 36.
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