anothers Province but where both of them preacht the Gospel in the same City and founded a Church it was divided into two Coetus or Assemblies under their respective Bishops as h In Gal. 1. 22. to 9. p. 214. Ed. Eras Seorsim qui ex Judaeis erant Ecclesiae habebantur nec his qui erant è Gentibus miscebantur S. Hierom or who-ever put out those Comments in his name So * Apud Euseb Hist lib. 2. cap. 24. Dionysius of Corinth seems to imply was his Church founded and so without doubt was the Church of Rome where Linus succeeded S. Paul and Cletus S. Peter till both the Coetus had their coalition under Clemens and that there were two such distinct parts of their first Plantation seems plain to me from Rom. 14. where the Gentile Church is advised not to censure the Jewish who observed days and abstained from meats And after this manner had the Church of Antioch its Original for it appears by Act. 15.23 that the Synodical Epistle of the Apostles was directed to the Brethren which were of the Gentiles in Antioch Syria and Cilicia who were distinct from the Jewish Converts as appears from v. 28. And this I am apt to think was the Model of Government in all Churches where those two Chiefs of the Apostles came whereas at Alexandria where they had only S. Mark for their Apostle and Instructer Epiphan Haeres 68. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had but a single Bishop So that in this City both the Apostles laying the foundation committed the raising of the Superstructure each to a distinct Successor Ignatius succeeding S. Peter Euodius S. Paul till on the death of Euodius there was a coalition of both the Coetus under the surviving Bishop And I suppose this happened providentially in all places just upon the ruine of Jerusalem under Titus that the Apostles having buried the Synagogne with honour there might no longer be the distinction of Jew or Gentile in the Lord Jesus and this may help to strengthen the Conjecture of the most learned a Ubi supr Pearson and to reconcile Eusebius and his Translator S. Hierom that Ignatius was Bishop of Antioch more than 30 years for so long he exercised the Jurisdiction after Euodius his decease as appears by Eusebius and how long before as the Bishop of the Jewish Christians is uncertain VII Sect. 2. p. 3. Mr. H. says that Ignatius is altogether the most ancient of all now extant first of Writers as I understand him in the Christian Church Where certainly he must allow us to except S. Barnabas who writ his Catholick Epistles or if that be controverted S. Clemens his Golden Remains to the Corinthians the Author whereof was martyred the third year of Trajan whereas the first of Ignatius's Epistles was not writ till an 10. of that Emperour and from this consideration we are naturally led to Sect. 3. p. 4 5 c. VIII In the Discourse of the Writings of this Martyr he at first gives them their due Eulogy Vide Baron T. 2. an 109. p. 31. and Not. ad Martyrol Feb. 1. that as a certain well-drawn Picture they do excellently represent and give us a lively Image of him and so they are in the Opinion of all Learned and Unprejudiced Persons having had the Approbation of the Holy Fathers and Ancient Councils and had our Author stopt here in a just Admiration of this holy Man and his Writings I should have been content to have seconded his Design and offer'd my Veneration and Esteem on the same Altar But what this one fit of passion gives us is by another snatch'd from us and the Epistles so commended are presently attempted to be debas'd by an heap of Inconcludencies Nor can I but a little admire that Mr. H. writing a large Diatribe à p. 4. ad p. 15. on these Epistles never remembers any Edition of them later than that of the most Reverend Vsher who by an ingenious and successful sagacity rescued this great man from the vile Abuses of his Interpolators who had interwoven their coarse Thread with his Purple never taking notice of the Edition of Isaac Vossius who out of the Medicean Library at Florence Ann. 1646. furnisht the World with a genuine Copy of the seven Epistles the same I suppose which a Pro Epist Pontif lib. 2. c. 10. comm in constit Apost l. 9. c. 17. Turrianus saw and so much and so justly boasts of terming it a most ancient and emendate Copy the number being the same with the computation of the Ancients in which also the Passages quoted by them are found which are wanting in the Vulgar Copies and which exactly agrees to those two barbarous Latine Translations which the Reverend Primate met with here in England the one in the Library of Cains College in Cambridge the other among the Books of that Prelate of Universal Learning Bishop Montague which Transcript of Vossius when it was first communicated to the World was acknowledged by b Apolog. pro sent Hieron praefat p. 40. Blondel the bitter Adversary of those Epistles to be the same which for above a thousand three hundred years since Eusebius and after him the other Fathers used and since him by Dailleé in his set Tract to evince their spuriousness of which undertaking of that Learned Frenchman Mr. H. in his Mantissa takes notice and could not but see that it had Relation to the Medicean Copy and the emendate Edition of Vossius a Book that hath been unanswerably silenc'd by the incomparable Bishop Pearson in his Vindiciae Epistolarum Ignatii a Tractate that I wonder is never mention'd in a Discourse so suitable but this is not the first over-sight Mr. H. hath been guilty of IX And if the Censure be not too severe there is some reason why this Edition purg'd of all the foisted Passages is not mention'd which is because of the Episcopacy therein asserted when by sticking to the interpolated Copies a Crime I find willingly committed by the Assemblers and Dr. Owen against Dr. Hammond by the Accurate Dailleé himself and I will not say by our Author they might decry every Sentence that made gainst their darling Discipline as foisted in contrary to the mind of the holy Ignatius this Mr. H. more than intimates in these Passages a Life of Ignat. p. 7. vide p. 14 15. They i. the genuine Epistles which he before mentions have not escaped the hands of those which have offered no small Injury to them having most unworthily corrupted these ancient Reliques partly by Addition and Interpolation of what never fell from the Pen of Ignatius and partly by Diminution and Substraction of what they saw would prove of disadvantage and prejudice to them so that even those genuine Epistles through the foul abuse that hath been offered unto them have lost much of that Authority which they had of old And I may safely dare to affirm that had not
the Government of the Church by Bishops as superiour to Presbyters been intimated in every Epistle and a submission to their Authority so instantly prest these Sacred Remains had never fallen under such rude Attacques but been reckoned among the most precious Treasures of the most Primitive Antiquity X. This set Blondel first on work says the immortal Grotius in his Epistle to Gerhard the Father of Isaac Vossius to decry these admirable Writings although in the former Edition which past through the hands of Videlius at Geneva Blondellus magnae vir diligentiae sed suae parti super aequum addictus Ignatii Epistolas quas filius tuus ex Italia attulit puras ab omnibus iis quae eruditi hactenus suspecta habuere ideo admittere non vult quia Episcopatuum vetrustati clarum praebent Testimonium Grot. Ep. Ger. Voss who could not be suspected to be partial for the Episcopal Cause there be enough left uncensur'd to shew us the Face of the Church of that Age. This also is Doctor Owen's Charge against them in his Preface to his Book of the Saints Perseverance that frequently causelesly absurdly in the midst of Discourses quite of another nature and tendency the Author of these Epistles or some Body for him breakes in on the commendation of Church-Officers Bishops and Presbyters Nor is a Apparat. ad lib. de Primat Pap. p. 55. Salmasius backward in the same Impeachment and I am apt to imagine that Mr. H. so thinks since else he would have mentioned some of those many Passages that give an account of the Church Government then in use as he hath done in the lives of some of the other Fathers where any thing might seem to make for him and which would have served as an excellent Comment on that rational Paragraph of his Preface That as to the Face and State of the Church both as to sound Doctrine and wholesom Discipline it may be presumed that they i. the Fathers were better acquainted with than most others and could give us the fullest and truest Information it having been their special work to publish and defend the one and they having had the chiefest hand in the management of the other for it was a solemn act of Divine Providence says the famous b Annal T. 2. an 109. p. 36. ex Euseb Hist Eccles lib. 3. cap. 30. Cardinal that these Epistles should be written but a greater that amidst that Tempest which wrack'd so many of the Writings of the Primitive Fathers these should escape in which we have such a lively draught of the Beauties of the Oriental Church for what the Apostles Peter and Paul taught the Church of Antioch and S. John instituted in the Churches of Asia that hath Ignatius preserved and transmitted to Posterity For that in S. John's time who dyed but eight years before our Martyr writ his Epistles the Church should be Govern'd by a Common Council of Presbyters or by every distinct Priest as absolute over his own Flock and presently on his death all the world of Christians should conspire to betray the Institution of Christ and c Chillingw of Episcopacy Sect. 11. p. 5. no man wish so well to the Gospel-Discipline as to oppose it is so wild a sancy that when I shall see all the Fables in the Mâ—tamorphoses acted and prov'd Stories when I shall see all the Democracies and Aristocracies in the World lye down and sleep and awake into Monarchies then will I begin to believe That Presbyterial or Independent Discipline having continued in the Church during the Apostles time should presently after against the Apostles Doctrine and will of Christ be whirled about like a Skreen in a Mask and transform'd into Episcopacy XI And I could wish that our Brethren of the Separation would consider how much they hereby both prejudice their own Cause since in no ancient Writer can they find so honourable a mention of the Presbyterate as in Ignatius and administer advantage to the common Enemy and how they can answer that Objection of a Ubi supr p. 39. Baronius who challenges all the Protestants to be tryed in point of Ecclesiastical Polity by this Father as if instead of a beautiful Church they had groan'd for a most deform'd Monster But blest be our great High-Priest and Bishop of Souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Greg. Naz. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Polycarp and Clemens Alex. call him that the Church of England is able to retort the Calumny and lay it at the door of the Objectors being ready to be try'd for its Discipline by the Fathers of the first Ages of the Church consonant to whom it can show three Orders of the Clergy in opposition to the defects of the Conventicle and the superfluity of the Conclave But this Question hath been so accurately handled by so many learned men of our Church that it were folly in me to light my Candle where their Sun shines XII But Mr. H. is not without his own Reasons why these Epistles are not pure though he disallow Dailleés why they should not be Ignatius's of which before we examine particulars it will not be amiss to consider how many different Copies of the Greek Epistles have been made use of for as to the three Latine ones mentioned and disallowed per ¾ b Apud Usserii prolegomen de Epist Ignat cap. 5. p. XXIX Baronius and the Roman Index clear the Martyr from being the Author of them and this I do to mind Mr. H. of another slip of his p. 8 9. from his haste or mistake of the Reverend Primate who in his c Cap. 6. p. XXXIII Dissertation prefixt to his Edition of Ignatius reckons three several Editions of these Epistles in use among the Ancients the first of the seven genuine Epistles only or six as he would have them which Eusebius c. saw and used the second of the same Epistles but interpolated and so used by Stephanus Gobarus Anastasius the Patriarch of Antioch and the Author of the Chronicon Alexandrinum for they were not the Authors of the Connection of the five spurious Epistles as Mr. H. imagines the third consisted of the genuine and supposititious Epistles all in one Volume used by Johannes Damascenus Antonius in his Melissa and Anastasius Presbyter whom I suppose Mr. H. mistook for him of the same name that was Patriarch of Antioch and so fell into his errours And I am apt to think with a Ep. 1. p. 9. ad fin vindic Pearson Isaac Vossius That the genuine Epistles were adulterated and the spurious annext under the Emperour Anastasius circ an 510. who also supprest the Gospels as if writ by Idiots and unlearned men and commanded others to be writ in their stead This third Edition b Proaem c. 6. p. 28. Bishop Pearson divides into two one whereof had only four spurious Epistles added to the seven genuine and untainted as the Medicean Copy of
S. Chrysostome decrys it from that of the Apostle they heap to themselves teachers than which there can be nothing more emphatical says he the Apostle blaming the evil custome that their teachers were ordained by their disciples And Pope c Cit. à Pamel in not ad Cypr. p. 97. Leo particularly allots all persons concerned their stations in this employ the Citizens were allowed to desire a Bishop the people to give their testimony of his life the Nobless to be Arbiters but the Clergy alone to elect and d Theodoret. hist l. 4. c. 20. Vide Liberati breviar c. 14. de Proterio Alexandr Flor. fragm apud Baron tom 12. in Append. an 813. Peter the Patriarch of Alexandria Athanasius's Successor complains of Lucius the Arian usurper of his See that he had neither the confirmation of his neighbour Bishops nor the suffrages of the Clergy nor the desires of the People as the Canons did require but that he purchas'd that honour by unjust and simoniacal means And if there did arise any quarrel the Arch-bishop of the Province was to decide the controversie or the Metropolitan or a Provincial Synod and sometimes a general Council as in the case of Meletius and Paulinus Patriarchs of Antioch and of Ignatius and Photius Archbishops of Constantinople XIII For all the publick Acts of the Church in the Apostles times and some while after were done at the publick assemblies of the same so were Ordinations Excommunications and other Ecclesiastical proceedings and so is it now used in our Church where in Ordinations the by-standers are called to testifie what they have to object against the person who is a candidate for the imposition of hands and the bannes of Matrimony are publish'd in the face of the congregation to give satisfaction to the people of their Superiors integrity and to prevent their jealousies by this Act of condescension and to oblige their superiors to that integrity by making their proceedings publick and by these means to preserve the unity of the Church but as such acts were past at the Assemblies of the whole Church so were they advised and resolved on at the Consistories of the Clergy the People having no power but a right to be satisfied of the right use of that power by them that had it e Vide Thorndyke of the right of a Ch. in a Christ State ch 3. p. 159 c. for as to Ordinations they were regularly to be made at a Synod of Bishops Hence f Ad Corinth p. 57. S. Clemens Romanus that those who were constituted by the Apostles or Apostolical men were admitted to this Office with the good liking of the whole Church which I suppose he interprets afterwards saying That they were men well spoken of by all persons For that those words cannot mean their Election by the People is plain from what immediately precedes That the Apostles in what places soever they preached made their first converts Bishops of those places not of the people already converted but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of such as should for the future believe and this they did by a peculiar afflatus and guidance of the holy spirit and by the same supernatural revelation they left a Catalogue of what persons should succeed in those Sees to prevent the quarrels that should arise about this authority XIV So Timothy was ordained by Prophecy 1 Tim. 4.14 i. not by any humane constitution but by the holy Ghost as Chrysostom and Oecumenius understand the place And so in after ages was a Nyss tom 2. p. 976. Gregory Thaumaturgus elected when he was in the Wilderness not by the People for then there were only 17 Christians in the City of Neo-Caesarea but by Phoedimus a Bishop of Amasea a neighbor City acted as I conjecture by some Prophetick and Divine impulse as b Euseb hist l. 6. c. 9. Alexander the Bishop of Jerusalem was chosen to that Patriarchate by Revelation And at other times the Emperors took on them the nomination for c Sozom. l. 7. c. 8. Theodosius the Great chose Nectarius Patriarch of Constantinople and d Id. lib. 8. cap 12. Arcadius nominated Chrysostome his Successor and Nestorius was deputed to the same honour by e Socrat. l. 7. c. 29. the Junior Theodosius when there were great disputes between Philip and Proclus for that Patriarchate And at f Hieron Ep. 85. Alexandria it was the custome from S. Mark to Heraclas and Dionysius for the Presbyters to chuse a new Patriarch out of their own College and this presently on the death of their former Bishop g Epiphan haeres 69. for peace sake that there might be no contentions among the people which custome was after ward altered to gratifie the vulgus in as much as the want of these Popular suffrages was objected against Athanasius by the Arrians from which he is cleared not only by the Prelates of his own Province in their Synodical Epistle but by h Orat. 31. p. 377. vide eund Orat. 19. p. 310. S. Chrysost de Sacerdot Tom. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 23. who expresly and with vehemence decry such popular Elections S. Gregory Nazianzen affirming that he was advanced to the throne of S. Mark by the votes of all the People after the Apostolical and Spiritual manner but not after that ill custom which afterward crept in by blood and tyranny XV. Which mischiefs that attended these popular proceedings were enough if there were no other reason to discountenance their continuance when we remember what seditions were made at i Naz. Orat 19. p. 308. Caesarea in the choice of their Arch-bishop and at k Ruffin hist lib. 2. c. 11. Millain on the death of Auxentius but especially what scandal was given to the Heathen World in the quarrel between Damasus and Vrsicinus for the Popedome there being in this feud a Amian Marcel lib. 27. found the bodies of no less than 137 persons slain and that in the Church of Sicininus in one day and between b Symmach Epp. lib. 10. Ep. 71 72 c. Boniface and Eulatius for the same title both recorded by the Enemies of our Holy Faith In which last story among the Epistles of Symmachus who was concerned in the affair and gave the Emperor an account of it we have one writ by the Roman Clergy to Honorius and Theodosius wherein we may see the peoples interest in this affair more than what they tumultuously usurp'd while they assure those Princes c Ep. 74 p. 340. Edit Schiop that at the election of Boniface were present 9 Bishops of the Province and 70 Presbyters which subscribed and that he was chosen by the consent of the better sort of Citizens and acclamations of the common people the election which was by subscription being the act of the Priests and Bishops only XVI So much in the general and for S. Cyprian's own case that he would do nothing without
Doctrine by standing to the Challenge of the famous Jewel and the Men of the New Discipline with the same Authority in point of Government and Polity and under her protection will I shelter my self Rectè verè haec in tumulo viri summi Adami à Bodenstein Basileae in coemeterio D. Pauli leguntur being satisfied that I can say that although I have disserv'd some particular Interests Nec omnia nec omnes mihi Placuere quinam ego omnibus Non omnibus Cous senex Non Eremita Spagirus Num tu Viator omnibus Deo placere cura abi Reusner Ep. ded â—nte lib. de probation urinar yet I am not conscious to my self of having baffled my own conscience dishonour'd the Truth or offended my Saviour and if I can please him other Frowns are contemptible THE CONTENTS The Life of Saint Ignatius THe deplorable loss of the antient Histories Apologies and the Acts of the Martyrs Whether Ignatius saw Christ in the Flesh and was that little Child that he took in his Arms and blest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what He was ordain'd Patriarch of Antioch by Saint Peter Two distinct Coetus of Jews and Gentiles under their distinct Bishops at Antioch Rome Corinth and elsewhere Their coalition at Antioch under Ignatius How long he sate in that See Ignatius not the most antient of Ecclesiastical Writers The genuineness of his Epistles evinc'd The Apostolicalness of Episcopal Government and novelty of any other Church-Polity The Excellent and Primitive Government of the Church of England Four different Copies of Ignatius's Epistles which of them are dubious which spurious and which genuine That to Polycarp was one of the seven genuine The Stages of his Journey to Rome the reason of his being carried so far out of his way What the Heresie of Apollinaris was An account of the first finding a genuine Copy of these Epistles first in England then at Florence Mistakes in Quotations not unusual in the antient Writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what and who usually carried the Bishops Letters to foreign Churches The three Latine Epistles His Style and Actons very conformable to Saint Pauls Ignatius first instituted the Antiphonal Hymns at Antioch Liturgies in his time and of Apostolical Institution An account of the most remarkable Passages in his Epistles his Zeal for Martyrdome severity against Schism and Heresie and importunate pressing submission to Bishops His leisure of writing purchast from his Guards The reasons why he was Martyred not at Antioch but Rome The time of his Journey his Preparative Torments and Death Gods Vengeance on the City of Antioch His greater Bones collected and buried The Church instituted Festivals to their Martyrs Memories honoured their Reliques and God wrought Miracles by them but their adoration was still disallowed Other famous Men of the Name Saint Chrysostom's Panegyrick The Life of Saint Justin His Original He was a Samaritan by Birth not by Religion An Apostolical Person The manner of his conversion His Apology writ to Antoninus Pius An account of his Writings The Age of the Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite The Quaestiones ad Orthodoxos are Saint Justin's but interpolated The Doctrine of the immaculate conception of Reliques and Vows That Baptism is necessary to Salvation The ancient use of Chrism A dissertation concerning the use of the Cross in all holy and secular Offices Where by whom and how the Sermons of the Anâ—â—ents were managed The Chiliast-Opinion the salvability of the Heathens and the Doctrine of Free-Will considered Saint Justin's Errors in Chronology His Martyrdom The Life of Saint Irenaeus His Mission by the Churches of Lyon and Vien to Pope Eleutherius and the Asian Churches Marcus the Disciple of Valentinus a notorious Heretick Most of the antient Hereticks and persecuting Emperors accused of too much familiarity with the Prince of Darkness The Female Sex most easily imposed on by those Impostures The Devils Policy in assaulting the Church Irenaeus his adjuration of the Transcriber of his works The Greek Copy of his works not to be found The Villany of Fathering Books on a wrong Author Heresies have appeared in the World according to the methods of the Creed The necessity of Episcopal Succession Irenaeus held not two natures in Christ His other Errors apologiz'd for and vindicated That the departed Saints are not in the most perfect bliss till the day of Judgment His Character and Martyrdom Life of Saint Clemens of Alexandria The Antiquity of the Catechetick School at Alexandria Clemens his several Tutors his last Pantaenus whom he succeeded in that School The time of his being made a Presbyter of that Church A large Discourse of the extraordinary care and respects of the Ancients toward their Martyrs in visiting them in Prison in Embalming and paying other funeral Honours to their dead Bodies in honouring their Relicks holding their Religious meetings at their Caemeteria and there performing all their Sacred Offices in Celebrating their Birth-dayes and recording their last Actions in building Churches to their memories allowing them an honourable commemoration at the Altar and calling their Children by their Names What Books of his are lost and what others misfather'd on him The Excellent method of his Writings that remain His Apocryphal citations Chemnitius his severe censure of some passages in his Paedagogus The disingenuous dealing of Blondel and others with the Ancients on the account of Episcopacy The agreement of the Jesuites and Presbyterians in that case A description of S. Clemens his Gnostick in his Stromata The Judgment of Pope Gelasius invalidated in condemning the Writings of Clemens with Hermas's Pastor and S. Barnabas his Catholick Epistle His errors considered His worth and Death The life of Tertullian Tertullian's birth and Education The time of writing his Book De pallio That he turn'd Montanist sooner than is asserted after which the Books de Corona c. were writ That the Rites mentioned in that Book were Catholick usages not observances of the Montanists That Ambition sowered most of the Antient Hereticks but Tertullian's ungovern'd zeal sway'd him The Apostolical Church did not admit gross offenders to penance The necessity of single Marriage was the opinion of the Antients their reasons for it The continuance of the Spiriâ— of Prophecy in his time this inclin'd him tâ— believe the Visions of Montanus and let him into many odd Opinions The difference between the Spirit of true Prophecy and pseudo-afflatus of Maximilla c. Hiâ— justly lamented fall His Writings and Style He did not believe Montanus tâ— be the Holy Ghost That Martyrdom expiates Transgression Tertullian no Maâ—tyr The Life of Origen Origens Name and Excellencies Hâ—â— Castration The occasion of his remove 〈◊〉 Caesarea The Emperour Caracalla's spleâ—â—â— against the Alexandrians and the caâ—â—â— of it Origen took not two journeys 〈◊〉 Rome nor was ever a Scholar to Ploâ—â—nus He is too often nâ—gligently confounâ—ed with a junior Origen a Heathen His Allegorical way of interpreting Scripture whence and
a Vindication of it His works What extant and what lost His Octapla his Style and the causes of his condemnation The quarrel between S. Chrysostom and Epiphanius thereupon The Church was accustomed to Excommunicate Hereticks after their death Origen's Errors and whence imbibed An Apology for him The Platonick Opinion concerning the Resurrection His character and Encomia from all sorts of Writers Christian Jewish and Heathen Some peculiar remarks in his Life The Title of Martyr was usually given to the confessors of Old but themselves modestly resus'd it The time of his death Life of Saint Cyprian He is inconsiderately confounded with Cyprian the Magician the Servant of Justina The junior Cyprian was never Arch-Bishop of Antioch The Carthaginian Primate was made a Convert by his Country-man Caecilius who was the same person that bears a part in the Dialogue of Minutius Foelix Donatus was Cyprian's immediate Predecessor in that See Who the Libellatici properly were the different customs of the Churches of that Age in allowing or condemning the purchase of such Libels of security from the Heathen Magistrate Saint Cyprian's exemplary humility and charity The Adulteration of his works by the Romanists The Primacy of Saint Peter what His genuine Writings and style The power of the people in electing their Prelates discust They had a priviledge conceded them to except against the manners of the Candidate for holy Orders and in some places to nominate but that power on their tumultuous and disorderly proceedings soon taken from them A Vindication of his reputed erroneous Opinions That Charity purges away Sins That a man may tender satisfaction to God as well as to the Church To communicate Infants a Catholick custom Authority and Reason for it Mixing Water with Wine in the Eucharist A Discourse of the duration of Miracles in the Christian Church especially of Prophecy the cure of Daemoniacs and raising the Dead Miracles no mark of a true Church The vain and empty boastings of the Romanists in this case The time of Cyprian's Martyrdom Two Temples erected to his memory and a Festival His honourable character Saint Austin's Homily in his commendation Life of Lactantius His Country Italy The design of his Institutions to stifle the Objections of two virulent Adversaries of Christian Religion Of whom Hierocles was one but Porphyry not the other Lactantius his Errors The Fathers were not very wary in asserting the Divinity of the Son and Holy Ghost till the appearance of Arius and Macedonius The praeexistence of the soul Merit The excellency of Charity That sins of ignorance damn not Whether the wicked shall arise at the day of Judgment and how His great learning and extream poverty Life of Saint Athanasius His Baptizing his play-fellows vindicated Baptism by Laicks in case of instant necessity connived at in the Primitive Church The Schismatical Ordinations of Coluthus condemn'd and Ischyras degraded who after was made a Bishop by the Arian faction Arsenius his appearing at Tyre to the vindication of Athanasius An account of the death of Arius Gregory and George the Cappadocian usurp the See of Alexandria The last of them cruelly slain What books of this Father are genuine The Saturday was observ'd as a Fast at Rome and Alexandria and the reasons of it but as a Festival in the rest of the Christian world and the reasons of that custome it is yet so retained in all the Churches of the East and South Nine Orders of Angels anciently asserted agreeable to Scripture That the glorified Saints pray for some persons in particular The retention of Images The distinction of sins into venial and mortal Divers Orders of Monks Penance Prayers for the dead Anti-Christ who the holy Table frequently called Altar The Eucharist a sacrifice how an unbloody sacrifice The Doctrine of the Procession of the Father by the Son was the ancient belief An Historical account of the addition filioque and of the just grounds of the Greek Church to keep to the ancient Creeds The life of S. Antony writ by Athanasius The genuineness of the Epistles between Pope Marc and Athanasius controverted That Christ descended locally into Hell The Father 's not in complete bliss till his Resurrection Circumcision was a sign of Baptism Athanasius's Death and character The famous men of his name S. Greg. Nazianzen's Panegyrick on him The Life of Saint Hilary of Poictiers The legend of his Condemnation at Rome under Pope Leo. The ancient division of France rectyfied by Augustus What Countryman Saint Hilary was the great confusion in Historians when men of the same name are cotemporaries When Saint Hilary was banish'd and by whom His honourable mention in the Writings of the Ancients The Tractate de numero septenario is not his Venantius Fortunatus who and how he came to be Bishop of Poictiers Saint Hilary's Poems His Books de Trinitate are his master-piece The Epistle to his Daughter Abra. His Fragment of the Council at Ariminum His Style The Interpolation of his works That he did believe the Divinity of the holy Ghost His Errors candidly considered and apologiz'd His Opinion of the holy Spirit Of our Saviours being without passions Of our being the Sons of God by Nature How all things were created at once His Opinion of Free-will his Death and Character ERRATA Besides mis-pointings and Words printed in an improper Châ—racter the Reader is desired to Correct as follows In the Book P. 4. l. 9. for by r. to p. 10. l. 13. r. Epistle p. 16. l. 9. r. pag. ¾ p. 18. l. 23. r. whence p. 28. l. ult r. rite p. 32. l. 2. r. ancient forms p. 34. l. 17. r. there p. 36. l. 26. and 32. r. thee p. 39. l. 4. r. Obsecrationum p. 52. l. 15. r. preceded p. 102. l. 7. dele as p. 103. l. 27. after ours r. is p. 104. â— dispossess p. 114. l. 21. del of all his Congregation p. 115. l. 23 â— meet p. 138. l. 29. del that p. 139. l. 12. del and. p. 148. l. 27. r. acute p. â—49 l. 32. r. disturber p. 152. l. 32. r. the. p. 158. l. 29. r. Mistresses p. 159. l. 1. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 164. l. 1 2. r. in the next Century p. 166. l. 29. r. l. 4. p. 175. l. 26. del as he continues p. 186. l. 2. r. to partake p. 194. l. 12. r. gamala p. 196. l. 11. r. Martyr p. 198. l. 8. r. more beautified p. â—07 l. 19. for in r. out of p. 214. l. 10. r. of Saint p. 237. l. 18. for i r. first p. 241. l. 18. r. no power p. 337. l. 10. r. Eulalius p. 348. l. 26. r. before that time p. 356. l. 22. r. the Heathen Magicians p. 371. l. 24. r. Quiriacus l. 28. r. Rescripts p. 390. l. 34. r. Saturnilus p. 406. l. 34. r. Callecas p. 421. l. 5. del whereas it p. 465. l. 7. r. Raynaudus In the Margin P. 27. l. marg 8. r. Cod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 37.
〈◊〉 and so Ruffinus after S. Hierom Translates it the Passage containing a Vindication of the Catholick Doctrine against the Docetae the Followers of Simon Magus who held That our Saviour took only a fantastick body which reading the judicious c Exercit. adv Bar. 16. n. 126. Isaac Casaubon and the immortal d Comment in Mat. 18. Grotius follow III. And yet there is no impossibility in the Assertion nor is it in it self altogether improbable though e Ubi supr Casaubon doubts of it whose Dissertation on the Subject I wish that Learned Man had lived to finish were there any thing of greater Antiquity to countenance the Tradition than Anastasius Bibliothecarius For Ignatius was martyred but eight years after S. John's Death when he had sate Patriarch of Antioch thirty years says f Chronic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— p. 66. Eusebius thirty nine as S. Hierom reckons it forty says g P. 21. Mr. H. out of Baronius at least thirty years says our most Learned h Vindic. Epist Ignat part 2. cap. 1. p. 2. Pearson Now S. John was a Man and a Disciple when this Child was taken up into the Holy Arms of Jesus and Simeon Cleophae our Saviour's Kinsman mentioned also in the Gospel who was the Second Bishop of Jerusalem was Martyred but the year before Ignatius So that nothing could hinder but that this excellent man might have been blest with the sight of Jesus as i Of Episcopacy Sect. 34. Bishop Taylor affirms did not k T. 5. Hom. in S. Ignat. p. 503. edit Savil. S. Chrysostom contradict the Opinion expresly asserting that Ignatius never saw nor converst with Christ Of which Passage the most acute l Ubi supr c. 10. p. 120. Bishop of Chester gives his Judgment that he was ignorant on what grounds that Eloquent Father built his Assertion IV. But grant we the certainty of this Position that S. Ignatius lived in our Saviour's time and might see him yet to argue from thence that he must have been that Child that Christ set in the midst of his Disciples is a wild way of arguing there being no congruity between the passages m Id. ubi supr c. 12. p. 148. c. this latter story therefore rose from another original from a mistake of that name which was always used by Ignatius as an addition to his own viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was changed into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the birth of this story must be placed higher than Nicephorus who lived but a few Centuries since circ an 1300. for we find it in Simeon Metaphrastes who lived circ an 1000. and before him in Anastasius Bibliothecarius who I suppose first learnt it from the Greeks when he was a member of the eighth General Council where the great Quarrel was decided between the most accurate Critick Photius and another Ignatius whom they stiled the junior Theophorus and the Church of Rome Canoniz'd about the Patriarchate of Constantinople in which Council Photius was depos'd and this story I believe coyned to gain some greater honour to his Opponent and the accent translated from the second to the third syllable thereby quite altering the signification of the word the one signifying actively the other passively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deum portans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à Deo portatus sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 matricida 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à matre occisus c. And this I the rather mention because Mr. H. though he calls the story a Fable yet always terms Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the use of the ancient Greeks and all Latine Translators who render it by Deifer or Deum vel crucifixum circumferens or qui Christum habet in pectore In which story what makes it most of all suspitious is that for this reason say they the Apostles made him a Bishop without laying on of hands because Christ had already laid his on him against the express testimony of S. Chrysostom Theodoret P. Foelix and other Fathers and against Reason too for had our Saviour laid his hands on him in the Rite of Confirmation as we might suppose was done Matth. 18. yet this hinders not the reiteration of the same Rite to another end and purpose in Ordination V. We are told p. 2. that Theodoret and to him might have been joined S. Chrysostom and others records that S. Peter ordained Ignatius his Successor whereas Eusebius and Dorotheus affirm that Euodius preceded him in that Chair and that it is true Ignatius was the third Bishop there if we reckon S. Peter for one but because he made a small stay there the Catalogue begins in Euodius and so ignatius is justly reckoned the second Bishop But this doth not salve the Objection how he could be ordain'd by S. Peter as his Successor and yet Euodius come between them who on all hands is acknowledged to have been Bishop of Antioch and to have dyed long before Ignatius his Name being inserted in that large interpolation of the a p. 97. ed. Uâ—â—er Epistle to the Philadelphians as also in the spâ—rious b p. 157. Epistle to the Church of Antioch which tells us of his Ordination to the Government of that See by the Apostles The first that I find bidding any thing toward a solution of this Question is c â—â—â—â—ent 〈…〉 lib. 7. c. â—6 Turrianus and out of him d Not. in Mâ—râ—yrel Feb. 1. p. 9â— 100. Baronius who inform us that on the dissention that happened at Antioch between the Jews and Gentiles hinted Galat. 2. each party had their own Bishop allotted them but on the re-union-of the Churches they were again setled under one Prelate and that during this breach Ignatius having been ordained by S. Peter and Euodius by S. Paul contrary to the e Lib. 7. c. 46. Apostolical Constitutions which say that Ignatius was S. Paul's Successor and Euodius S. Peter's on the re-union Ignatius modestly gave place to Euodius till his death and then succeeded him as Clemens being ordain'd at Rome by S. Peter did to Linus and Cletus and so was both the Second and Third Bishop of that See On this ground as I suppose the Learned f Dissert de Episcopat 4. c. 10. Dr. Hammond hath built the Opinion which I profess to embrace and which excellently solves the Question VI. Whereas in the dispersion of the Apostles the g Gal. 2.7 Gospel of the Circumcision i. the Conversion of the Jews was S. Peter's Province and that of the Uncircumcision or the Gentiles was S. Paul's accordingly they applyed themselves to the persons design'd for their peculiar Flock on which account S. Peter writes his first Catholick Epistle to the Jews disperst in the several parts of Asia whose Diocesan he properly was and not to the Gentiles and S. Paul writing to the Hebrews conceals his name lest he might be censur'd as a busie man in
his misapprehension of the Primate who in his c Pag. CXXIX 18th Chapter of his Prolegomena tells us of three several Copies of these Epistles in Greek whereof one was made use of by this Antiochus but not a word of the three additional Latine Epistles till chap. 19. where he briefly mentions them Nor could any thing but my promise have reconciled me to so barren and unprofitable an Employ as the rectifying such mistakes as these are amounts to XXII We are next inform'd that Ignatius's stile was lively and fiery and such as became a Martyr for Martyrs said d Life of Iren. p. 62. ex Erasm Epist ante Irenaei Opera he out of Erasmus have a certain serious bold and Mascusine kind of speech and very truly Ignatius his way of Writing is very like S. Paul's and I may say of that Apostle and our Martyr as e Orat. in fun S. Basilii To. 2. p. 918. Gregory Nyssen does of his Brother S. Basil and that Apostle of the Gentiles that there was in them the same measure of holy love Thus when he was condemn'd to be led bound to Rome f Martyr Ignatii p. 4. he heartily thankt God that thought him worthy with the Apostle Paul to be bound with Iron Chains and when he came in sight of Puteoli he made haste to leave the Ship g Ibid. p. 7. desiring to tread in the steps of that holy man and this he wishes might also happen to him in Heaven h Epist ad Ephes p. 40. that he might be admitted to the pleasure of walking and conversing with him whensoever he should see God And as he was an Imitator of him in his actions so also in his way of Writing having digested the Epistles of the Apostle and made his sense his own quoting him on all occasions and whatever Dailleé may object this to me is a strong argument that he was an Apostolical Prelate who was so intimately acquainted with S. Paul's Writings and what nobler Pattern could he propose to himself than that elegant and rational Apostle And this himself in the a Pag. 64. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inscription of his Epistle ad Trallianos calls the Apostolick Character and of it I could give some Iustances but that I am deterr'd because it hath been undertook by that excellent person the Bishop of Chester who I wish had publisht that Commentary of his which he b Ubi supr p. 203. promist wherein all the passages in Ignatius should be reduc'd to their Originals and collated with the words and sentences of S. Paul Nor is the conjecture incomparably bold if we assert that whereas these Epistles were annext to that of Polycarp which they follow in the Lord Primates Edition they might also be publickly read in the Church as well as that Epistle or the other of St. Clemens to the Corinthians XXIII And here it seems to me very proper to insert somewhat of the Orders and Institutions of that Age particularly of that Question which hath been and is so much discuss'd whether Ignatius saw that Vision which Socrates records and which occasioned the introducing the Antiphonal Hymns into the Church for c Hist Eccl. lib. 6. cap. 8. Socrates who is the only Historian of the Ancients that relates it tells us of a great Tumult that happened at Constantinople under S. John Chrysostom by reason of the Arians singing alternately some Psalms of their own in dishonour of our Saviour and S. Chrysostom's introducing others instead of them and thence takes an occasion to give an account of the Original of the practice That S. Ignatius saw a Vision of Angels praising the holy Trinity with alternate Hymns like that of the Prophetick Vision Is 6.3 and that thereupon he introduc'd this Custom into the Church of Antioch and from thence it was propagated to other Churches This Story out of Socrates hath since found a place in the d Lib. 10. cap. 9. Tripartite History in the life of S. Chrysostom writ by e Tom. 8. Op. Chrysost p. 199. Georgius Patriarch of Alexandria in the acute Critick f God 75. p. 141. Edit Haeschel Photius and others But the Antiquity of the Custom having been by many disputed and its Eopcha set as low as Flavianus and Diodorus in the Fourth Century I think my self bound to adjust its due Age. The praising God in Holy Songs was certainly as ancient as the Church Christian and it hath been the common practice of the Hereticks in all Ages to corrupt the allowed Hymns or to introduce new ones of their own So Harmonius the Son of Bardesanes and after him Paulus Samosatenus and then Apollinaris writ many such Psalms wherein they infus'd the Venome of their Heresies a Baron Tom. 2. an 264. p. 654. in opposition to whom Ephrem Syrus made others for the Churches of Syria and Gregory Nazianzen silenc'd Apollinaris which was also done in the Western Churches by Ambrose Damasus Paulinus Prudentius and others And it was particularly laid to the charge of Paulus Samosatenus by the b Apud Euseb l. 7. c. 24. Council of Antioch in their Synodical Epistle that he had exploded the Hymns that were used to be sung to our Saviour's honour as a Novel Custom and introduc'd by men of Yesterday and provided light and idle Women in the midst of the Church in the most Solemn Feast of Easter to sing impertinent Songs to his own praise and this passage may serve to answer that place in c Hist lib. 2. c. 24. Theodoret That the Church of Antioch had their Custom of singing their Antiphona's from Flavianus and Diodorus who introduc'd it in opposition to Leontius the Arian Bishop of that City in the Reign of the Emperour Constantius just after which time it was introduc'd at Rome by d Platin. in Damaso Pope Damasus and at Millain by e Ambros Cont. Auxent Aug. Confes l 9. c. 6 7. c. S. Ambrose the usage having been begun by Ignatius at Antioch in contradiction to the Docetae and Ebionites who did assert the same or like Heresies with Arius denying the Divinity of Christ Afterward the Right was discountenanc'd by his Successor Paulus Samosatenus and so came to be dis-us'd till Flavianus restor'd the ancient and laudable practise whom by a mistake f Hist lib. 3. c. 13. p. 47. Philostorgius and g Apud Nicet Thesaur Orthodox fid lib. 5. cap. 30. Theodorus Mopsuestenus make the Author of the Gloria Patri For I am sure it was no Novelty in h Tom. 2. Epist 62. ad Neo-Caesar p. 843 844. S. Basil's time who being opposed by some of the Followers of Sabellius and Marcellus for obliging his Churches to such Hymns pleads for himself That he had the Example of the Churches of Aegypt Lybia Thebes Palaestine Arabia Phaenicia Syria Mesopotamia and several other places and methinks it could not be an Universal Practice of a sudden
for when Maximus says of those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my love is crucified that perhaps it was a familiar sentence to him so it looks says that eminent Prelate and might be used by him in his speeches as well as writings and adds that Dailleé's argument from thence that because the words are in one of his Epistles therefore they could not be spoken by him though it be the same argument which himself after uses is a frivolous distinction and unworthy of Dailleé But who will believe continues he that this was a familiar expression of Ignatius I answer S. Hierom did and Sophronius and I think S. Chrysostom Simeon Metaphrastes Baronius the Lord Primate and others But who can imagine that ever these words were spoken by him before his Condemnation I answer that no man certainly is so mad as to suppose this Apophthegm used before his Sentence but that between it and his Execution in which time he writ all his Epistles both that speech My love is crucified and this I am Gods Corn c. might be frequent in his mouth as testimonies of his courage and love to Heaven first written by him and afterward on all occasions spoken which at last that a Ubi supr p. 87. si quâ—â— fuerint post ea decantata c. excellent man seems to grant And this answer both vindicates the Ancients and yet gives no assistance to Dailleé's Hypothesis and of this opinion after I had finisht this did I find the Learned b Life of S. Ignat. sect 8. p. 106. Dr. Cave to whose industry and diligence the Church owes the reparation of many of her ancient ruines XXXI In his Epistles I am accosted with unaccustomed demonstrations of Christian gallantry and an ardent zeal and such longings for Martyrdom as argue a soul strongly transported with the love of Jesus and immortality an infinite care of his disconsolate and widowed Church of Antioch which in every Letter he recommends to the prayers and assistances of those Churches to whom he writes but especially to S. Polycarp but above all a most holy vigour and earnestness against Heresie and Schism there being not one Epistle wherein he takes not care to condemn the Heresies of that age to discountenance Schism and Faction and passionnately to recommend Obedience to the Prelates of the Church And since The View of Antiquity handling this subject ex professo hath given us so poor an account I will take leave to transcribe a few passages to that purpose XXXII The great design of his Epistle to the Romans is to engage the Christians of that Church Epist ad Rom. p. 21 23 24 25. Ed. Usser Lond. 16â—7 not to use any means to hinder the consummation of his course by Martyrdom telling them that such an act of Charity would be a great piece of injustice to him that he never till the sentence of condemnation past on him began to be a true Disciple of Christ beseeching them by their prayers to hasten the day of his dissolution assuring them that he would invite the wild beasts to devour him that neither the fire nor the Cross nor the teeth of those ravenous and untamed Lyons that neither the breaking of his bones the racking of his joints the bruising of his body and on the head of all this the utmost torments that Satans malice could inflict would signifie any thing so he might enjoy his Master Jesus that were he Lord of the ends of the earth and all the Kingdoms of the world combined into one Empire for him they neither could tempt nor profit him that he had rather dye for his beloved Jesus than be Monarch of the Vniverse for what is a man profited to gain the world and lose his soul that he longed for no one but him that dyed for him and rose again that he was a passionate lover of death for his love was crucified that he was not satisfied with corruptible nourishment or the pleasures of this life but only desired the bread of God which came down from heaven the bread of life which is the flesh of Jesus Christ the Son of God born in the latter age of the world of the seed of David and Abraham that he longed for no other drink but his blood the great testimony of the invincible Charity of Jesus and the means of attaining to life Eternal Which last passage I am inclinable to believe hath its relation to that good old Custom of giving the Sacrament of the Eucharist as a Viaticum to dying persons XXXIII Id. ad Ephes p. 7 8. Against the Heresies of the Age he is very smart Be not deceived my Brethren Adulterers shall not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and if they shall dye who do these things in the flesh how much more they who by impure Doctrines corrupt and prostitute the honour of the holy and chaste Faith for which Jesus was crucified Such a polluted person shall be thrust into unquenchable fire and all they that hearken to him I beseech you therefore Brethren and yet it is not I but the Love of Christ which intreats you make use of no other but Christian Food and abstain cautiously from the strange Plant which is Heresie There are many Time-servers who embrace the Lord Jesus and believe proportionably to the advantages they receive by the Faith Men that give an envenom'd draught Ad Trallian p. 18. mingled with what makes it luscious and palatable which he that is ignorant greedily swallows to his own Damnation keep your selves charily from such which is easily done if you avoid Pride and self-conceit and unite your selves inseparably to the Lord Jesus to your Prelate and to the Ordinances of the Apostles Ad Smyrn p. 35. Of which Hereticks he tells us that they denyed the Passion and Resurrection of our Saviour and as they had forfeited the Faith so they had lost their Charity took no care of the Poor of the Widows or the Orphans had no Prayers or Celebration of the Eucharist among them of whom though Mr. H. p. 19. tells us that Menander Basilides and others are named by Ignatius yet I must aver that though he means them yet he no-where expresly mentions them but rather professes Ibid. that he will omit the giving a particular account of them not thinking it fit to remember the names of such Infidels till they had repented XXXIV Nor is his Pen less keen against Schism Ad Phâ—adelph p. 28. 30. You being children of the light flye all Schisms and false Doctrines where your Shepherd is there do ye as Sheep follow him for there are many Wolves Abstain from all noxious Plants which the Son of God never cultivated because they were not planted by his Father Be not deceived Brethren if any man be a follower of a Schismatick that man hath no inheritance in the Kingdom of God for where there is division and wrath in that place God hath no residence
Montacut vid. Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To. 6. p. 449. de S. Timothee the Divine expostulate with Julian Dost thou not reverence those that were sacrific'd for Christ Dost thou not fear those great Champions S. John S. Peter and S. Paul and those that both before and after them were in jeopardy for the truth by whom the Daemons are dispossest and Diseases cured who appear in Visions and foretell futurities whose bodies when reverently toucht do the same things which holy Souls do dost thou not venerate but dishonour those And after this manner speak the other Sages of the Church S. a Tom. 1. Hom. in S. Julit p. 370. Basil and S. b Cat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 18. Cyril of Jerusalem and to omit S. Ambrose and S. Hierom c I. C. D. l. 25. c. 18. S. Austin gives several instances of these stupendious productions but I will content my self with that excellent passage of d L. 1. Ep. 55. Magna in exiguo sanctorum pulvere virtus Paulin. natal 9. S. Faelic p. 665. Isidore the Pelusiot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If any man be offended that we honour the Dust of the Bodies of the Martyrs for their great love to God and admirable constancy in the Faith let him ask those that have been cured thereby and understand to how many Diseases it hath brought remedy so shalt thou not only not deride what we do but be encouraged to imitate us And it is very observable that generally the Fathers in this case instance in that particular of Elisha 2 Reg. 13.21 into whose Grave the dead man being thrown revived So do the * Ubi supr Apostolick Constitutions * Ubi supr S. Basil and * Ubi supr S. Chrysostom but particularly e Catech. 18. S. Cyril of Jerusalem The dead man who was thrown into the Tomb of Elisha when he touch'd the dead body of the Prophet revived and the dead Body of the Prophet did the Office of a living Soul and that which had no life gave life to him that was departed it self yet continuing among the dead And why so lest if Elisha should have risen it might have been attributed only to his Soul and to demonstrate that in the absence of the Soul there is great Virtue in the Bodies of the Saints because of those Souls that so long inhabited and actuated those Bodies Nor let us fondly distrust the truth as if this could not be done for if handkerchiefs and Aprons being without the Body when toucht by the Sick freed them from their Infirmities how much more should the Reliques of the Prophet raise the dead XLIII Of these miraculous Efforts at the Tombs of the Martyrs the case of S. Babylas is a famous instance and I mention it the rather because he was Patriarch of this very See of Antioch and was buryed in the same place with S. Ignatius in the Daphnaean Suburb and that the miracle fell out in that Age of the Church when the Truth could not want Historians it being recorded by f Hist Lib. 10. cap. 35. Ruffinus g Lib. 3. cap. 9. 10. Theodoret h Lib. 5. cap. 18 19. Sozomen i Lib. 3. cap. 16. Socrates and k Lib. 1. cap. 16. Evagrius and as to the substance of the Story by the Heathens m Orat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. p. 185. Libanius n Histor lib. 22. Marcellinus and o In Misopogon pag. 96. Julian himself but above all by p Orat. 1. 2. in S. Babylam Tom. 5. p. 438 c. Tom. 8. Orat. 8. de Laudib S. Pauli p. 44. S. Chrysostom who was born at Antioch and at this same time bred a Scholar under Libanius and but twenty years after the Fact was done relates this story in a set Oration and calls all persons to witness whether he spake truth or not and in his second Oration in praise of this Martyr enervates all the material Passages of his Masters Oration on this subject Nay Julian's own Historian giving the world an account of the very day that it happened viz. the 22th of October An. Chr. 362. the Story is thus a Baron Tom. 4. an 362. p. 4â…˜ Not. ad Martyrol Jun. 24. The Bones of S. Babylas the Martyr were by the order of Gallus who was by Constantius created Caesar buryed at Daphne near the famous Oracle of Apollo which Oracle Julian before his fatal expedition into Persia consulting as he did almost all the Tripods of the World was told that Apollo could not give him any Answer because some persons were buryed near that Temple which when Julian heard he commanded the Christians to remove the Bodies of S. Babylas and his Martyred Companions which they did with great Pomp and Ceremony transport into the City singing the Psalms of David before the Chariot and interposing this Versicle between every Verse Confounded be all those that worship Graven Images Neither did the Oracle after this prove vocal having only foretold its own Funerals but in a small time the Temple was burnt by Fire from Heaven and the famous Image of Apollo reduc'd to Ashes only says S. Chrysostom a few Pillars and other Ruines were left standing as Trophies of the Victory of the Martyr and though the burning the Temple was fathered by Julian on the Christians yet the Priests that kept it when put on the Rack would on all sides confess nothing but that the Fire fell from Heaven Thus is the story attested on all hands only I cannot assent to b â—ol suprâ— Evagrius that not the Servants of Christ but Julian himself was compelled honourably to Translate the Body from that place and to erect a Church to his memory before the Gates of the City which remained to his time the Apostate designing by this act of Counterfeit Piety that the silenc'd and baffled Daemon might be set at liberty while the Divine Providence so ordered it that the Martyrs Reliques might find a becoming Receptacle Nor were these wonderful Operations transacted in a Corner but in the publick view of Mankind which Miracles whether wrought immediately by God or by the Ministry of the Glorified Souls of the Martyrs or the help of Angels neither durst c De 〈◊〉 Dei lib. 22. cap. 9. S. Austin nor dare I pretend to determine XLIV Wonderful was the Zeal of those early days in meeting and caressing these sacred remains of their slain Brethren with so much joy and satisfaction as this story and S. Chrysostom's Panegyrick tell us but above all d Tom. 2. adv Vigil p. 123. S. Hierom who condemns Vigilantius for being grieved that the Dust of the Martyrs was covered with a fine Vail and not wrapt up in Hair-cloth or thrown on a Dung-hill and adds was the August Constantine guilty of Sacriledge when he translated the holy Reliques of S. Andrew S. Luke and S. Timothy to Constantinople Or is
〈◊〉 7. p. 537. that if the Neighbour of an Elect person sin the good man himself is the offender for if the holy man had demean'd himself as the word or right reason directed his evil Neighbour would have stood in so much awe of his pious and well-governed life that he durst not offend XXXII Sect. 5. p. 94. Mr. H. reckons that passage of the Paedagogus as an excellent sentence that this is to drink the blood of Christ to be made partaker of the incorruption of the Lord which h De fundam S. Caenae p. 109. Chemnitius but I remember that he was a Lutheran calls a Novel Opinion and never heard of and in good truth if it be allowable to make Allegorical interpretations of the plain words of the Sacraments what evils may not thence ensue so in i Lib. 2. c. 2. the same Book S. Clem. thus expounds our Saviours words This is my blood i. the blood of the Vine which is shed for the remission of sins for as Wine refresheth the heart and maketh merry so the remission of sins is the glad tidings of the Gospel which Position the same learned Lutheran terms but too severely a prophane as well as a Novel Assertion And having thus mentioned his Censure I leave the Reader to judge XXXIII And so must I beg him to determine between me and Mr. H. in another question of moment relating to the Government of the Primitive Church by Bishops of which I find him tacitly endeavouring to supplant the belief and insinuating as if in those early days there was no difference between a Bishop and a Presbyter while here p. 99. he quotes Clemens that there were in his time only three Orders Bishops Elders and Deacons as if that mixt and amphibious Animal call'd a Lay-Elder had been in those Primitive days a Church-officer who was never heard of till yesterday and as if Bishops were no more than Parish-Ministers and Deacons their Church-wardens and so he explains himself commonly Bishop or Pastor p. 2.17.21 c. and p. 6. Pastor Overseer or Bishop and p. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Pastor or Chief President which word a Resp ad Sacar cap. 25. annot in Phil. 1 1. in 1 Tim. 1.19 in Apocal. 2.1 Beza is willing to acknowledge that it did antiently signifie a Bishop in the sense of the Church of England and which b Tom. 5. p. 499. S. Chrysostom twice in one page uses to denote the Eminency of S. Ignatius's Archiepiscopal and Patriarchal Dignity and had Mr. H. Englisht the Fathers as they explain'd themselves in those early days he might better have rendred it in some places Bishop or Elder c Hier. ad Ocean To. 2. p. 325. the one being a name of their Age the other of their Authority Nor can I but admire the prejudices of some men who in this case appeal to Antiquity as Salmasius Blondel and others have done forcing it to speak the sense of the Vestry Tribunal by the most unreasonable deductions I will only instance in that of d Praefat. ad Apolog. p. 59. Blondel who has found out a new Heresie of Aerius unknown to all former Ages till this infallible Dictator in Divinity appear'd not that he affirm'd that Bishops and Presbyters were the same Order for that says he was the Opinion of S. Hierome and all the Antients but that from these premises he argued a necessity of separation and that no man could safely communicate with any of the other Opinion a device not worth the confutation which having to shadow of Antiquity to countenance it hath yet grown into practice at Geneva if we may believe Danaeus a Professor there who as Beza calls the Episcopal Government under the Papacy a devillish tyranny e Danae Isag part 2. lib. 2. c. 22. so affirms that it was their custome to re-ordain by their Presbytery any that came over to them and had been ordain'd by a Popish Prelate before as if every irregularity in the Ordainer blotted out the Character and their ill Government if nothing else were enough to countenance a Schism XXXIV I had therefore once thoughts to have deduc'd the Episcopal Pre-eminence through the three first Centuries from the works of those ten Fathers of whom Mr. H. writes the Lives but on maturer thoughts I conceived it to be unnecessary only I will mind my Reader that f De praescript adv haer p. 39. F. Edit Rhen. Tertullian reckons it as a mark of a Heretick that he is a man that pays no reverence to his Prelate and close the Paragraph with the counsel of a Tom. 1. p. 955. Ed. Paris 1627. S. Athanasius to Dracontius who refused this holy Office If the Institutions of the Church displease thee and thou imagine that there is no reward annext to the just discharge of this duty thou despisest that Saviour who gave being to this Jurisdiction Such thoughts are unworthy a sober and wise man for those things which our great Master hath ordain'd by his Apostles cannot but be good and practicable and notwithstanding any opposition shall continue firm I shall end this Section when I have mention'd that Mr. H. b P. 45. alibi in his Book of Confirmation hath rob'd the Bishops of their power in Confirmation that he might confer it on every Presbyter and ranking the Papist and Prelatical party together hath called their ways of proof blasphemous Arguments not considering that the concurrent suffrage of Antiquity makes the c Bishop Taylor of Confir sect 4. Bishop the only Minister of this Rite and that herein the Jesuite and Presbyterian are united more genuinely than the Romanist and Prelatical For when Smith Bishop of Chalcedon was sent into England by Vrban 8. as an Ordinary here the Jesuites would never submit to him and at last wrought him out of the Kingdom and presently publisht two Books in English against Episcopal Government and Confirmation disputing both into contempt d Mystery of Jesuitism let 3. p. 150 151. which Books having been sent by the English Clergy to the Sorbon there were thirty two Propositions in them censured and condemn'd by that Colledge Febr. 15. 1631. XXXV The design of S. Clemens in his Stromata is to instruct his Gnostick i. his accomplisht Disciple a man extraordinarily acquainted with the Principles of Christianity in which sense e Apud Socrat hist Eccles lib. 4. c. 18. Evagrius entitles one of his Books which he writ of the Monastick Institution Gnosticus wherein he calls the Society of more eminent and contemplative Monks the Sect of the Gnosticks for much after that rate that Plato does instruct his wise man does this Alexandrian Presbyter instruct his Gnostick whom he presumes to be a man elevated above the common pitch and fit to be intrusted with the Mysteries of Scripture such as he and his Scholar Origen were pleas'd in their Allegorizing way to make describing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
them to have been two distinct persons for as to the fancy of a Not. in Naz. Orat. 18. tom 2. p. 687. Billius that there were two Cyprians both born at Carthage and both Bishops there and that the latter of them spending much time at Antioch and there growing famous was thence called Antiochenus as Pomponius though born at Rome was called Atticus for a like reason it savours of more love to the Fathers credit which he is willing to vindicate than to reason or the truth of History But this hath been sufficiently cleared by a Martyâ—olog Sept. 14. Sept. 26. Baronius b Vit. Cypr. ante opera Pamelius c Life of S. Cypr. sect 1. p. 252 253. Dr. Cave and others and before them all by the most accurate Critick d Cod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 215 216 Photius who gives us an account of the life of the Martyr of Antioch out of the Empress Eudoxia's three Oratitions on him not intermixing the smallest memoire relating to our Primate of Carthage though I must dissent from him in his making him Arch-bishop of Antioch for his acts in Latine make him no more than a Deacon nor is there any such name to be found among the Patriarchs of that See in the Catalogue of Nicephorus nor yet of Anthimus his predecessor nor does the Church History mention any other Bishop of that name under Dioclesian but e Euseb lib. 8. cap. 6. Anthimus Bishop of Nicomedia who was then beheaded while that cruel persecutor resided in the City of his Episcopal charge and when probably the junior Cyprian also was adorn'd with the same Crown II. The visible instrument of the conversion of this great man was Caecilius a Presbyter of Carthage the same as I conjecture with him of that name who bears a part in the Dialogue of Minutius Foelix his name and employ his Country and Religion conspiring to make good the conjecture for that he was no Roman is plain by the narration which he gives of himself f Pag. 3. Ed. Oxon. 1627. that he left his Country and Relations to see Minutius at Rome and g Pag. 6. for that purpose took a voyage which by the strongest probability must have been from Africk for Octavius not only calls Serapis and Osiris his Deities h Pag. 64. tui Serapidis sive Osiridis i.e. peculiar to that part of the World where he was born but Fronto by the name of i Pag. 100. tuus Fronto whom Caecilius himself stiles k Pag. 26. Cirtensis noster whereas it is well known that Cirta was a City of Numidia on the Mediterranean the Metropolis of the Country and the seat Royal of Massinissa Colonia Cirta Sitianorum cognomine as all the old Historians and Cosmographers stile it which say some is Constantina the Metropolis of Bugia others Teddeles the Metropolis of the Kingdom of Telensin They were therefore both of them Africans and both Christians for Caecilius in the end of that dialogue was a Convert both Marryed a Minut. p. 3. Caecilius leaving his Wife and infant-children behind him when he came to Rome and b Pont. vit Cypr. S. Cyprian on the death of his Converter being made a Guardian for his Family both of the same profession Rhetorick and it is probable that S. Cyprian succeeded him in his School at Carthage as says c Tom. 2. an 250. p. 440. Baronius who also would have him to be the same Caecilius who was made a Tutor to Diadumenus son to the Emperor Macrinus This was the good man whom providence thought fit to commission for the conquest of Cyprian he was the Jonah who preach'd repentance to him and enclined him to embrace the Laws of Jesus by the same methods as the Prophet made Proselytes among the Ninivites not that when Cyprian heard him Caecilius was preaching on that Prophecy as Mr. H. p. 250. avers which S. Hieroms words without some straining will not bear but that an extraordinary influence such as the Sermon of Jonah at Ninive is requisite to the conversion of the great and wise men of the World since the Apostle says not many wise not many mighty are called III. At his advancement to the See of Carthage of which he was the most famous d Conc. C. P. in Trull can 2. Arch-bishop I suppose Mr. H. need not as he does p. 251. doubt whether he succeeded Donatus Agrippinus or some other For e Epist 55. S. Cyprian himself mentions Donatus as his immediate Predecessor as Fabianus preceded Cornelius And whereas f De bapt contra Donat lib 2. cap. 7 8 9 S. Austin frequently calls Agrippinus his Predecessor he intends it only of one who sate in that Episcopal throne before him without relation to him who sate last there And if Agrippinus were the first in the African Churches who asserted the Doctrine of re-baptization as both S. Austin and S. Cyprian intimate then he must have been antienter than Tertullian especially if that story be true that that most learned Father was sowr'd into Montanisme by missing the Bishoprick of Carthage on the death of Agrippinus g Ep. 73. p. 105. S. Cyprian glorying that many years were past since the Prelates under Agrippinus determined this point which would hardly amount to so long a space if S. Cyprian immediately succeeded him IV. Who the Libellatici were in the Primitive Church hath been a disputable question Baronius and after him Mr. H. p. 255. appropriating the term to such as privately denying the name of Christ were by virtue of a Libel of security exempted from publick sacrificing and the rage of persecution but will by no means allow the title to be applicable to those that did neither sacrifice nor anathematize their Saviour but only paid a great sum to be exempted from the penalty of the Law whereas a Ep. 52. p. 58. de laps p. 145. S. Cyprian peculiarly calls these the Libellati but this mistake proceeds from not distinguishing the b Vid. Dr. Cave's Prim. Chr. part 3. c. 5. several sorts of Libellatici the last sort of which were those who in nothing complyed with the Heathen rites only paid a great sum to the greedy Magistrate and by that means smooth'd the ruggedness of his temper and took off the edge of his fury the man being Non tam crimine quà m errore deceptus says this Father not so much guilty of a crime as a mistake V. These in some Churches were injoyned penance as in the Church of Carthage in Cyprian's time but at other times in the same and other Churches were not only allowed but advised to such a purchase of their freedom and security c Epist Canonic Can. 12. p. 25. Ed. Paris 1622. S. Peter the Patriarch of Alexandria and a Martyr under Dioclesian in his discourse of penance freeing the act from irregularity That it was no sin to sacrifice their money to the