ne? Oh sweet exchange! oh unsearchable wisdom! oh unexpected
benefits! that the sin of many should be hidden by One righteous, and
the righteousness of One justify many sinners." [458:5]

The Church of the second and third centuries was not agitated by any
controversies relative to grace and predestination. Few, probably, were
disposed to indulge in speculations on these subjects; and some of the
ecclesiastical writers, in the heat of controversial discussion, are
occasionally tempted to make use of language which it would be difficult
to reconcile with the declarations of the New Testament. All of them,
however, either explicitly or virtually, admit the necessity of grace;
and some distinctly enunciate the doctrine of election. "We stand in
especial need of divine grace, and right instruction, and pure
affection," says Clemens Alexandrinus, "and _we require that the Father
should draw us towards himself_." "God, who knows the future as if it
was already present, _knows the elect according to His purpose_ even
before the creation." [459:1] "Your power to do," says Cyprian, "will be
according to the increase of spiritual grace.... What measure we bring
thither of faith to hold, so much do we drink in of grace to inundate.
Hereby is strength given." [459:2] It is worthy of note that those
writers, who speak most decidedly of the freedom of the will, also most
distinctly proclaim their faith in the perfection of the Divine
Sovereignty. Thus, Justin Martyr urges, as a decisive proof of the
impious character of their theology, that the heathen philosophers
repudiated the doctrine of a particular providence; [459:3] and all the
ancient fathers are ever ready to recognise the superintending
guardianship of God in the common affairs of life.

But though the creed of the Church was still to some extent
substantially sound, it must be admitted that it was already beginning
to suffer much from adulteration. One hundred years after the death of
the Apostle John, spiritual darkness was fast settling down upon the
Christian community; and the fathers, who flourished towards the
commencement of the third century, frequently employ language for which
they would have been sternly rebuked, had they lived in the days of the
apostles and evangelists. Thus, we find them speaking of "sins
_cleansed_ by repentance," [460:1] and of repentance as "_the price_
at which the Lord has determined to grant forgiveness." [460:2] We read
of "_sins cle