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66 Credibility of the Gospel History.
the Revelation. Though he has not quoted all the books of
the New Testament, because, it is likely, he had not occasion
so to do in this one treatise, yet it may be well supposed his
canon differed very little from ours, if at all. And he has
given many proofs, in a short compass, of his high respect
for the books of the New Testament, and for the doctrine
contained in them.
YI. In the late editions of St. Cyprian's works is a treatise"
of some anonymous author, first published by Rigal-
tius, entitled, Ofrebaptizing ; or. Of the' baptism of heretics :
that they ought not to be baptized again, who have been once
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. This writer is placed
by Cave at the year 253. Of this book Du Pin speaks to
this purpose :
' The^ treatise of the baptism of heretics, pub-
' lished by Rigaltius, against the sentiment of St. Cyprian, is
* the work of an ancient author, Avho lived before the time of
' St. Augustine, and probably at the time with St. Cyprian.'
Of this piece Fleury'' expresseth himself in this manner:
' The opinion of St. Stephen, and the gTeatest part of the
' churches, was at that time defended by a certain author,
' whose treatise remains, but whose name we know not. He
' speaks y as being' a bishop : and he, perhaps, was St. Stephen
' himself, or some one of his successors.' The Benedictine*
before cjuoted delivers his judgment as follows :
' That the
' author of this piece was a bishop : and that in the work itself
' are plain marks of his MTiting in the third century, and
' whilst the controversy about the baptism of heretics was on
' foot, and probably whilst Cyprian was still living.' Cave
not only admits the episcopal character of this author, and
that he was contemporary with Cyprian, but is likewise*
inclined to think him to have been of the same country.
1. This book is a good deal larger than any one of the
four preceding- pieces : it affords a very valuable testimony
to the books of the New Testament.
2. St. Matthew's gospel is not expressly quoted in this
" Anonymi liber de Rebaptismate. Non debere denuo baptizari qui semel
in nomine Domini [nostri] Jesu Christi sint tincti. ' De baptismo
hsereticoirum. * Nouv. Bib. des Auteurs Ec. St. Cyprien. p. 173.
Amst. " Fleury's Eccl. Hist. Book vii. ch. 31, p. 438, English
version. ^ Et ideo cum salus nostra in baptismate Spiritus, quod
plerumque cum baptismate aquae conjunctum, sit constituta, siquidem per nos
baptisma tradetur, integre et solenniter et per omnia quae scripta sunt adsignetur,
atque sine ulla ullius rei separatione tradatur : aut si a minore clero per neces-
sitatem traditum fuerit, eventum expecteraus, ut aut suppleatur a nobis, aut a
Doraino supplendum reservetur. p. 26. b. ed. Ox. confer ibid. Rigaltii notas.
^ Vit. S. Cyprian, sect. xxxv.
* Denique stilus, totaque scribendi ratio, Tertulliani vel Cypriani aetatem,
quin et gentem, satis aperte prodit. H. Lit. P. i. p. 93.