It is really wonderful that a man like Bishop Taylor could have read the New Testament, and have entertained a doubt as to the decided opinion of all the Apostles, that every born Jew was bound to be circumcised. Opinion? The very doubt never suggested itself. When something like this opinion was slanderously attributed to Paul, observe the almost ostentatious practical contradiction of the calumny which was adopted by him at the request and by the advice of the other Apostles. ('Acts', xxi. 21-26.) The rite of circumcision, I say, was binding on all the descendants of Abraham through Isaac for all time even to the end of the world; but the whole law of Moses was binding on the Jewish Christians till the heaven and the earth--that is, the Jewish priesthood and the state--had passed away in the destruction of the temple and city; and the Apostles observed every tittle of the Law. Ib. s. vi. p. 460. The heresy of the Nicolaitans. Heresy is not a proper term for a plainly anti-Christian sect. Nicolaitans is the literal Greek translation of Balaamites; destroyers of the people. 'Rev'. ii. 14, 15. Ib. s. viii. p. 461. For heresy is not an error of the understanding, but an error of the will. Most excellent. To this Taylor should have adhered, and to its converse. Faith is not an accuracy of logic, but a rectitude of heart. Ib. p. 462. It was the heresy of the Gnostics, that it was no matter how men lived, so they did but believe aright. I regard the extinction of all the writings of the Gnostics among the heaviest losses of Ecclesiastical literature. We have only the account of their inveterate enemies. Individual madmen there have been in all ages, but I do not believe that any sect of Gnostics ever held this opinion in the sense here supposed. Ib. And, indeed, if we remember that St. Paul reckons heresy amongst the works of the flesh, and ranks it with all manner of practical impieties, we shall easily perceive that if a man mingles not a vice with his opinion,--if he be innocent in his life, though deceived in his doctrine,--his error is his misery not his crime; it makes him an argument of weakness and an object of pity, but not a person sealed up to ruin and reprobation. O admirable! How could Taylor, after this, preach and publish his Sermon in defence of persecution, at least against toleration! Ib. s. xxii. p. 479. Ebion, Manes. No such man as Ebion ever, as I can see, existed; [3] and Manes is rather a doubtful 'ens'. Ib. s. xxxi. p. 487. But I shall observe this, that although the Nicene Fathers in that case, at that time, and in that conjuncture of circumstances, did well, &c.