all Occasions Before I conclude my Preface I am obliged to make some kind of Answer to those who have been pleased to declare that they should have been better satisfied if I had wrote my Book in Latin Some Persons have been of that Mind because they have a greater Value for Latin since it has lasted longer and is more currant in Foreign Countries Others take it ill that I have published those things in French which as they pretend ought only to be understood by Divines These Men have told me That they could not endure to see Women and ignorant People learn the most curious Parts of Divinity And that it might prove of dangerous Consequence to instruct them throughly in the Doctrine of the Fathers As for the First I shall take care to satisfie them by translating my Book into Latin some time or other if the Publick shall think it worth being preserved For the Others As their Complaint is unreasonable so I never saw any good Reasons to hinder my publishing it in French For when the Fathers themselves wrote they made use of a Language that was understood by all the World and we live at present in an Age wherein great Numbers of their Books have been translated with Applause No Man therefore ought to take it ill that I publish an Abridgment of their Doctrine to all the World On the contrary It were to be wished that every Christian could be instructed in these Matters that they might be the better confirmed in their Belief when they see that this Doctrine has been always taught in the Church of JESUS CHRIST who is the Pillar and Ground of the Truth THE CONTENTS OF THE First Volume PREFACE PRELIMINARY DISSERTATION Sect. I. Of the Authors of the several Books of the Old Testament Pag. 1 Sect. II. Of the Canonical Books of the Old Testament of Books Doubtful Apocryphal and Lost that belonged to the Old Testament 26 Sect. III. The History of the Hebrew Text of the Version of the Septuagint and other Greek Versions of the Old Testament 35 Sect. IV. Of some Authors whose Works have a relation to the Old Testament viz Philo Fl. Josephus Justus Aristeas Aristobulus Josephus Bengorion Berosus the false Dorotheus Zoroaster c. 41 Sect. V. Concerning the Authors of the Books of the New Testament 43 Sect. VI. Of the Canon of the Books of the New Testament and particularly of those Books that were formerly doubted of 49 An Account of the Lives and Writings of the Primitive Fathers c. OF the Letter falsely supposed to be sent by Jesus Christ to King Agbarus and of that of Agbarus to Jesus Christ. Pag. 1 Of some Letters falsely attributed to the Virgin Mary 2 Of the Counterfeit Gospels 3 Of the Counterfeit Acts of the Apostles and of the false Revelations 4 Of the Epistle to the Laodiceans and some others attributed to St. Paul 5 Of the Epistle of St. Barnabas 6 Of the Liturgies that are falsely attributed to the Apostles 8 Of the Apostles Creed 9 Of the Canons and Constitutions attributed to the Apostles 13 Of the several Books attributed to Prochorus Linus and Abdias of the Acts of the Passion of St. Andrew 16 Of the Books of the Sibyls Mercurius Trismegistus and Hystaspes Of the Letters of Lentulus and Pilate concerning Jesus Christ of the Epistles of Seneca to St. Paul and of a Passage in the History of Josephus concerning Jesus Christ. Pag. 17 Hermas 26 St. Clemens Romanus 27 St. Dionysius the Areopagite 31 St. Ignatius 35 St. Polycarp 44 Papias 46 Quadratus and Aristides 48 Agrippa ibid. Hegesippus ibid. St. Justin the Martyr 50 Melito 55 Tatian ibid. Athenagoras and Hermias 56 Theophilus Bishop of Antioch ibid. Apollinarius of Hierapolis 57 Dionysius of Corinth ibid. Pinytus Philippus Modestus Musanus and Bardesanes 58 St. Irenaeus ibid. Victor Polycrates Theophilus of Caesarea and Bachillus of Corinth 61 Several Writers of whom nothing remains and who were little known amongst the Ancients ib. Serapion of Antioch ibid. Rhodon ibid. Pantaenus ibid. St Clemens Alexandrinus 62 Miltiades the two Apollonii and the two Anonymous Authors who wrote against the Heresies of Montanus and Artemo 66 Tertullian 69 Caius 86 Hippolytus 87 Geminianus or Geminus 90 Alexander ibid. Julius Africanus 91 Minutius Foelix 92 Ammonius 95 Origen 96 Ambrose and Tryphon Disciples of Origen Pag. 116 Beryllus ibid. St. Cyprian 117 Pontius 144 Cornelius ibid. Novatian 145 St. Martialis 146 Sixtus 147 Gregory Thaumaturgus ibid. St. Denys of Alexandria 149 Theognostus 153 Athenogenes 154 Denys Bishop of Rome ibid. Malchion ibid. Archelaus 155 Anatolius ibid. Victorinus ibid. Pierius 156 Methodius ibid. Pamphilus 161 Lucian ibid. Phileas 162 Zeno of Verona ibid. Arnobius 163 Lactantius 165 Commodianus 169 Julius Firmicus Maternus 170 Of the Councils held in the Three First Ages of the Church 171 Of the false Decretals attributed to the first Popes 173 Abridgment of the Doctrine the Discipline and the Morals of the Three First Ages of the Church 178 A Chronological Table of the Authors of the Old Testament A Chronological Table of the Authors of the New Testament A Chronological Table of the Ecclesiastical Authors treated of in this Volume A Table of the Books Canonical Apocryphal and Lost which belong to the Old Testament A Table of the Books that belong to the New Testament A Table of all the Works of the Authors treated of in this Volume shewing which are Genuine which Spurious and which Lost. A Table of the Works of the Authors disposed in the Order of Matters on which they treat An Alphabetical Table of Authors Names An Index of the Principal Matters A Preliminary Dissertation ABOUT THE AUTHORS OF THE BIBLE SECT I. Of the Authors of the Books of the Old Testament OF all those a Paradoxes that have been advanced in our Age there is none in my Judgment more rash and dangerous than the Opinion of those who have presumed to deny that Moses was the Author of the Pentateuch For what can be more rash than to deny Matter of Fact that has been established by express Texts of Holy Scripture b by the Authority of Jesus Christ c by the Consent of all Nations d and by the Authentick Testimonies of the most Ancient Authors e And what can be more dangerous than to bid Defiance to Antiquity and consequently destroy the Authority of those Books which are as it were the very Foundations of our Religion f And yet this they do who dare affirm that the Books of the Pentateuch are not written by Moses and endeavour to prove it by such weak Conjectures that 't is impossible for a Man of tolerable sense to be convinced by them g For allowing all that they alledge were true h they could only prove the same thing has happen'd to the Books of Moses which has happen'd almost to all the Books of Ancient Authors viz. That some few Words Names and Terms have been altered or added to render the Narrative more
it afterwards doth at first justifie the Old Testament shewing That it agreeth exactly with the New in the History Morals and Allegories and that the Church puts such a sense upon it which the Manichees themselves cannot condemn He overthroweth the Manichees Principle proving That we must Believe before we Know. To this end he supposes certain Persons having no Religion and seeking to be instructed in the True to be like those who should enquire after a Master to teach them Rhetorick or Philosphy Afterwards he observes That the only Party which these Persons are to embrace at first is to side with those who are commonly and generally approved That it is great Rashness in those who are incapable of themselves to judge of things to depart from the Common Voice to preferr the Judgment of some particular Men before that of the Multitude So that it is most rational since one Party or other is to be embraced to side with the Catholick Church especially because it forbids not those that come into her to enquire after the Truth It saith indeed That we ought to Believe But it hath an Authority so to St. Augustin Tom. VIII do for no Man can Believe but he must be persuaded That He in whom he believeth is worthy of Credit and this makes the difference betwixt a VVise and a Credulous Man But had it not been better to give convincing Reasons of Things No for all Men are not capable of Reason and some things cannot be understood without the help of a Divine Light It is very dangerous to follow those who promise to make us comprehend all things because they often boast of knowing what they are ignorant of and often make us believe so too And very shameful is that Condition for Two Reasons First Because such a Person takes no more Pains to learn being falsely persuaded of his Knowledge And Secondly Because that an inconsiderate readiness to judge of a thing is a Mark of a weak Understanding Reason makes us apprehend things Authority makes us believe but Error persuades us to affirm rashly that which is false Upon these Principles St. Augustin proves the Necessity of Faith in Matters of Civil Life as much as in Matters of VVisdom For in the first place the VVhole of Humane Society is grounded upon the Belief of some certain Things As for Example The Honour we render to our Parents is grounded merely upon our Belief That they are the Persons from whom we received Life Secondly There is no getting of VVisdom without consulting with VVise Men. But how shall we know these VVise Men except we trust Others For unless we are VVise our selves we can never know True VVisdom VVherefore we must Believe to seek after Religion For did we not believe that there is such a thing why should we seek for it All Hereticks own that we must believe in Jesus Christ But what Motives have we to believe Jesus Christ's Authority Are they not the same with those that make us believe the Church Are they not the Miracles the Sanctity both of the Doctrine and of the Morals the Publishing of the Gospel the Blood of Martyrs and some other Proofs of this nature which establish the Authority of the Church no less than that of Jesus Christ Therefore St. Augustin concludes thus Why should we make any difficulty to throw our selves into the Arms of that Church which hath always maintain'd her self by the Succession of Bishops in Apostolick Sees in spite of all the Endeavours of Hereticks condemned by her or by Peoples Faith or by the Decisions of Councils or by the Authority of Miracles It is either a matchless Impiety or a very indiscreet Arrogancy not to acknowledge her Doctrine for a Rule of our Faith For if the Spirit of Man cannot attain unto Wisdom and so to Salvation but by Faith directing our Reason is it not to be Ungrateful and neglect the Succour proffered by God to resist so weighty an Authority And truly if any Science though common and easie cannot be learned without a Teacher it is Presumption in the highest degree to refuse to learn the Sence of the Sacred Books from those that understand them and to condemn them without hearing what they say After this First Book against the Foundation of the Manichaean Heresie St. Augustin composed the Book Of the Two Souls against one principal Error of those Hereticks asserting That there were Two Souls in each Man a Good one of a Divine Substance the cause of all that is Good in us and an Evil one of the nature of Darkness proper to the Flesh which is the Principle of all disorderly Motions and of all the Evil that we doe St. Augustin proves in this Book First That the Soul being a Spirit and Life is more perfect than Corporeal Light which the Manichees believe to come from God Secondly That there is no Nature or Substance naturally Evil and that Evil consists only in the Abuse of our Liberty Some Passages in this Book attribute much to Free-Will nay there are some which may not agree well with the Doctrine of Grace and of Original Sin which St. Augustin correcteth in his Retractations There was at that time in Hippo a Priest one Fortunatus a Famous Manichee who had seduc'd many Inhabitants of that City The Catholicks engaged St. Augustin in a Conference with him What was said on both Sides was set down in Writing by Notaries and that Act preserved among St. Augustin's Writings The Dispute lasted but two Days and the Questions that were disputed about were of Nature and the Original of Evil. St. Augustin affirms That Evil proceeds from the Abuse of Free-Will The Manichee pretends That there is an Evil Nature Co-eternal with God In the first day's Conference the Manichee defended himself well enough but he could not Answer St. Augustin's Objections next day and was obliged to say That he would conferr about them with the Heads of his Sect. The Shame of being Confuted in that Conference obliged him to leave Hippo. This Conference is dated the 26th of August under the Second Consulship of Arcadius and Rufinus in the Year 392. About that time St. Augustin met with some Works of one Adimantus who had been a Disciple of Manichaeus written against the Law and the Prophets which he affirmed to contain things contrary to the Precepts of the Gospel and of the Apostles He undertook to Answer the Objections of that Heretick and to Justifie the Agreement betwixt those Passages of the Old and New Testament which he had produced as being contrary This Book is of the Year 394. St. Augustin having refuted the Disciple undertakes the Master and Answereth the Letter which he called The Epistle of Foundation shewing That Manichaeus set forth in it nothing but Falshods and Absurdities He lays down at first the Reasons for his adhering to the Church in these Terms Not to speak saith he of that Wisdom and Understanding which few Men
in reckoning up a greater number of years of the Reign of this Emperor under whom he lived than were really passed which is not credible or that he did not write these Books until after this time under the beginning of the Reign of Commodus and then he could not have had Maximinus for his Successor until the year 182 of the Vulgar Account unless he was taken in his Life-time to be his Coadjutor There is more probability that Eusebius was deceived a year or two Nicephorus in his Chronography of the Patriarchs of Antioch allows 13 years to Theophilus which agrees with our Opinion that is to say until the Years of our Lord 181 or 182. This Bishop was noe of the most vigorous Opposers of the Hereticks of his time he wrote a considerable Book against Marcion and a Treatise against the Heresie of Hermogenes d And a Treatise against the Heresie of Hermogenes Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Jerom Sub Imperatore M. Antonino Vero librum contra Marcionem composuit qui usque â—odie extat And Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Jerom Et contra Haeresim Hermogenes liber unus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Jerom Et alii breves elegantesque tractatus ad aedificationem Ecclesiae pertinentes wherein he cited the Apocalypse He likewise Composed other small Tracts for the Instruction and Edification of the Faithfull All these Works are entirely lost but we have Three Books still written by him to Autolycus a Learned Heathen of his Acquaintance who had undertaken to vindicate his Religion against that of the Christians In the first of these Books he answers the Request that had been made to him by that Heathen to teach him how to know the true God and after having declared that to attain to the knowledge of him we must be purified in mind and heart he proceeds to Treat of the Nature of God and of those things which the Divines call his Attributes as his Eternity Immensity Power Invisibility afterward he enlargeth on the Blessedness of the other Life and on the Resurrection of the Body he observes by the way that Princes ought to be honoured as having received their Authority from God and derives the Etymology of the word Christian from Unction This first Book is properly a Discourse between him and Autolycus in Answer to what this Heathen had said against the Religion of Jesus Christ. The second Book was written to convince him of the Falshood of his own Religion and of the truth of the Christians He begins with a Confutation of the Opinions that were maintained by the Pagans concerning their Gods and shews the Contradictions of the Philosophers and Poets on this Subject he explains at large the Creation of the World and that which happened in the succeeding Ages he Demonstrates that the History of Moses is the oldest and truest History that ever was and that the Poets have extracted many things from the Holy Scriptures particularly their Relations concerning the Torments of the Damned In the third Book after having proved that the Writings of the Heathens are full of an infinite number of Notions contrary to right Reason and good Manners he shews that the Doctrine and Lives of the Christians are very far from those Crimes that are laid to their Charge Lastly at the end of his Work he adds an Historical Chronology from the beginning of the World unto his Time to prove that the History of Moses is the ancientest and the truest It is apparent from this little Epitome how well this Author was acquainted with profane History These three Books are filled with a great Variety of curious Disquisitions concerning the Opinions of the Poets and Philosophers Tho' there are but few things that relate immediately to the Doctrines of the Christian Religion not that Theophilus was Ignorant of them for it appears from several passages that he was very skilfull in these Matters but in regard that he Composed this Book chiefly to convince a Pagan he insists rather in proving our Religion by Arguments from without than by expounding its Doctrines He is the first Author that hath applied the word Trinity e The word Trinity Lib. 2. p. 94. and 100. to the Three Persons of the Godhead but he calls the Third by the Name of Wisdom He asserts two things concerning the Word which seem to savour of the Arian Heresie the first is that the Word may be in a Place and the Second that he was begotten in Time but these Expressions which are common to him and many of the ancient Fathers had a different Signification f But these Expressions which are common to him with many of the ancient Fathers had a different signification They meant nothing else by the first Expression as hath been already observed but that God made himself manifest unto Men by the Word therefore when Theophilus affirms that the Word is in a place and that the Father cannot be there he intended only to declare that the Word appears unto Men in a place as he heretofore appeared unto Adam in the Terrestrial Paradise and that the Father doth not appear in that manner This is the System of the ancient Christians It would be more difficult to resolve the second Expression were it not that they themselves have explained it since they acknowledge that the Word is Eternal and that he remained in God from all Eternity as his Council Wisdom and Word But they say that the same Word who was in God in some manner went out from him when he undertook to Create the World because he began to make use of this Word in Exterior Operations and this is what they call the Procession Prolation and Co-generation of the Word which does not hinder but that the Word might be from all Eternity and eternally begotten of the Father after the same manner as we apprehend it but this is not that which they call Generation These Expressions are not only used by Theophilus but likewise by Athenagoras Tatian Tertullian the Author of the Book concerning the Trinity amongst the Works of this Father Lactantius the Compiler of the Homilies attributed to Zeno Veronensis and afterwards by Rupertus in his Commentaries on Genesis from that which was afterwards given them by the Arians Moreover these Books are full of Moral and Allegorical Expressions the style is elegant and the turn of the thoughts very agreeable that whoever reads them cannot doubt but that the Author was a very Eloquent Man They are entituled in the Greek Manuscripts The Books of Theophilus to Autolycus concerning the Faith of the Christians against the malicious Detracters of their Religion They have been published in Greek and Latin as also in Latin by Conradus Gesner and Printed at Zurich in the Year 1546 afterward they were inserted in the Orthodoxographa Printed at Basil in 1555. Fronto Ducaeus annexed them to the first Volume of the Supplement of the Bibliotheca
Philosophers believed the same things that are received by the Christians as for Instance The Immortality of the Soul the Resurrection of the Body and Hell Fire He takes occasion from thence to discourse of the Nature of Souls he pretends that they are of a middle quality between a Spirit and a Body that they are by Nature Mortal but that God of his Goodness immortalizes the Souls of those who repose their Considence in him He confutes Plato's Notions concerning the Soul's Immortality and it's Excellency Dignity Exile or Imprisonment in the Body He supposes that it is Corporeal and extraduce That Man is but very little different from the Beasts That his Soul is mortal by Nature but that it becomes immortal by the Grace of God Opinions unworthy of a Man that had been perfectly instructed in the true Religion What he at the same time observes that in the Matters of Religion we ought not to indulge a fond Curiosity not endeavour to penetrate into the Reasons of God Almighty's Conduct nor judge of it by our own Light is infinitely more worthy of a Christian Jesus Christ says he was God and I ought to tell you so though you are not willing to understand it yet he is God and speaks unto us from God He has commanded us not to perplex our selves with unprofitable Questions let us therefore leave the Knowledge of these things to God and not amuse our selves in a vain pursuit after them And yet he does not forget to answer those Questions that were ordinarily proposed by the Pagans concerning Jesus Christ. Now they often demanded the reason why our Blessed Saviour since his Coming was so absolutely necessary for the Saving of Souls from Death would suffer so long an Interval of time to pass before he came to deliver them Arnobius replies Is it possible for Man to know after what manner God dealt with the Ancients Who has told you that he never relieved them any other way Do you know how long it is since Men have been upon the Earth or in what place the Souls of the Ancients are reserved Who has informed you that Jesus Christ did not deliver them by his coming Forbear then to torment your selves about these things and meddle not with those Questions which 't is impossible for Humane Reason to resolve Be perswaded that God has shown Mercy to them Jesus Christ perhaps had taught you how and when and after what manner it was done if it would not have afforded matter to your Pride But wherefore continued the Pagans did not Jesus Christ deliver all Mankind He invites he calls upon all the World says Arnobius he rejects no body he readily receives those that come to him he only requires that Men would desire and wish for him but he constrains and forces no Man for otherwise it would be Violence and not Grace But are none but Christians delivered from Death No assuredly for Jesus Christ alone has Power to effect it But say the Pagans this is a new upstart Religion and why should we quit that of our Ancestors for it Why not reply'd Arnobius provided it is better Did we never change our Ancient Customs Did we never alter our old Laws Is there any thing in the World which had not a beginning at first Ought we to esteem a Religion for the Antiquity of it or rather for the sake of the Divinity which we honour Within less than Two Thousand Years none of the Gods that are now worshipped by the Pagans were in being whereas God and his true Religion has been from all Ages Jesus Christ had his Reasons why he appeared when he did though they are unknown to us But why does he suffer those that worship him to be Persecuted And why replies Arnobius do your Gods suffer you to be afflicted with Wars with Pestilence and Famine c. As for us 't is not to be admired that we suffer in this Life for nothing is promised to us in this World On the contrary all the Evils and Calamities which we suffer here make way only for our Deliverance In the Three following Books Arnobius falls upon the Pagan Religion and shows that the Christians had very great reason to reject a way of Worship so very foolish Extravagant and Impious In his Sixth and Seventh Books he demonstrates that the Christians did very wisely not to Build Temples or trouble themselves with the Pageantry of Statues Images and Sacrifices and that it is a ridiculous piece of Folly to imagine that God dwells in Temples that the Images are Gods or that the Divinities are contained in them Or lastly That we honour the true God when we Sacrifice Beasts burn Incense or pour out Wine in Adoration of him Thus we have considered the Subject of the Seven Books of Arnobius that are written in a manner worthy of a Professor of Rhetorick The turn of his Thoughts very much resembles that of an Orator but his Style is a little African that is to say his Words harsh ill-placed unpolisht and sometimes scarce Latin and 't is likewise evident that he was not perfectly acquainted with the Mysteries of our Religion He attaques Paganism with a greater share of Skill and Vigour than he defends Christianity and discovers the Folly of That better than he proves the Truth of This. But we ought not to be surprized at it for 't is the ordinary Fate of all new Converts who being as yet full of their former Religion know the weakness and blind-side of it better than they understand the Proofs and Excellencies of that Perswasion which they have newly embraced I will say nothing concerning the Latin Commentary upon the Psalms that carries the Name of Arnobius because it is a certain truth in which all the Learned World agrees that this Arnobius is a different Person from him of whom we have been speaking that he is of a later Date and lived after the Council of Chalcedon since he mentions the Pelagians and Predestinarians The Books of the Senior Arnobius were first published by Faustus Sabaeus and Printed at Rome by Theodorus Priscianensis in the Year 1542. out of a Manuscript belonging to the Vatican Library but with abundance of Faults that were to be found in that Manuscript Galenius who afterwards set out another Edition of them at Basil in 1546. and 1560. by Frobenius took the liberty to Correct them upon his own bare Conjecture and to insert his own Emendations into the Text. Thomasinus printed them at Paris 1570. Canterus Corrected the Edition of Gelenius and was the first Man that wrote Annotations upon Arnobius His Edition was Printed by Plantin at Antwerp 1582. in Octavo Elmenhorstius published a larger Comment upon him and reviewed his Seven Books out of an ancient Manuscript They are likewise Printed with Heraldus's Notes in the Year 1583 and 1603 at Paris 1605 and at Hamburgh 1610 Stewechius a Learned Man took pains also with the same Author and Printed him at Doway
Divine Wisdom that seems to be folly to the World In the Fourth Book He describes the Errors of the Hereticks concerning the Consubstantiality of the Word He opposes to them the Faith of the Church Answers the Passages which they alledge and endeavours to prove the Divinity of the Word by many Passages taken out of the Old Testament He continues the same Subject in the Fifth Book where he thinks That 't was the Word which appear'd to Abraham to Jacob to Moses and the other Patriarchs who is call'd an Angel because of his Ministry and not because of his Nature In the Sixth Book he proves That Jesus Christ is the Son of God By the Testimony of his Father By his own Declaration By the Preaching of the Apostles By the Confession of the Faithful By the Acknowledgment of the Devils and Jews and by the Belief of the Gentiles We must observe here That in citing a Passage of the Epistle to the Romans he appeals to the Greek Text as to the Original In the Seventh He shews that the Son of God is truly God There he observes That the Hereticks use very great Address and Subtilty to Maintain their corrupt Opinions which they falsly pretend to have from Religion That they deceive the Simple by their Expressions which are Catholick in appearance that they accommodate themselves to the Wisdom of this World That they corrupt the true Sence of Scripture Expressions by the Explications which they add as it were to give an Account of what they say He adds That 't is this which renders the Matter of the Trinity a difficult Subject to treat on For if on the one side says he I declare that there is but one God Sabellius will think that I espouse his Opinion If I say That the Son is God the modern Hereticks will accuse me of admitting Two Gods If I affirm That the Son is born of the Virgin Ebion and Photinus will make use of this Truth to Establish their Impiety But says he the Doctrine of the Church confounds all these Errors The Power of Truth is so great that even its Enemies explain it that the more 't is oppos'd the more force it gains and certainly the Church was never more Triumphant than when it was most vigorously attack'd It was never more Famous than when it was reproach'd It was never more Powerful than when it seem'd to be abandon'd She wishes That all Men would continue in her Bosom and She is never more troubled than when She is oblig'd to throw any one out and deliver him up to the Devil But when the Hereticks go out from Her or when She casts them out as She loses on one side the occasion of giving them Salvation so She gains this Advantage on the other of discovering the Happiness of those who continue inviolably fix'd in Her Communion And a few Lines after he adds All Heresies attack the Church and while they attack the Church they overcome one another But the Victory is gain'd to the Church and not to them for they all Quarrel about those Errors which are all equally rejected by the Church Sabellius for Instance does unanswerably confute the Error of Arius Arius confounds the Error of Photinus and so of the rest but in vain do they mutually Conquer one another for they are always overcome in some Article or other and the Church alone remains victorious over all Errors by professing that Jesus Christ is the true God Son of the true God born before all Ages and afterwards begotten of Mary Lastly he proves that he is God because the Name of God is given him in the New Testament and from what is there said of his Birth his Nature his Power and his Actions In the Eighth Book he shows the essential Unity of the Father and the Son and refutes the Interpretations of the Hereticks by explaining the Passages which they alledged to prove that the Unity of the Father and the Son is an Unity of Will and Judgment and not of Essence and Nature At the Beginning of this Book he observes That 't is not sufficient for a Bishop to live a Good Life but he must also teach Sound Doctrine that as his Life must be Innocent so his Preaching must be Learn'd for if he be Pious without being Learned he will not be serviceable to others and if he be Learned without being Holy his Doctrine will want Authority From whence he concludes That the Holiness of a Bishop should shine more brightly by his Learning and his Doctrine should be recommended by the Holiness of his Life Ut vita ejus ornetur docendo doctrina vivendo There is in this Book an excellent Passage for the real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist where he says That by this Sacrament we truly receive the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ who remains corporeally in us In the Ninth Book he answers the great Objections of the Arians founded upon Five Passages of Scripture whereof he explains the true sence And First of all he shews That they abuse the Passages which they alledge by perverting them from their Natural Sence That they do not explain them by their Connexion with what follows and what goes before That they attribute to the Divinity of Jesus Christ that which should only be attributed to his Humanity Upon this occasion he discourses of the Union of the two Natures in Jesus Christ and explains how by virtue of this Union those things are attributed to God which agree only to the Humane Nature and those to Man which belong to the Divinity Afterwards he explains the Passages which the Arians continually object to the Catholicks one by one The First which is taken out of the Tenth Chapter of St. Mark is the Answer which Jesus Christ made to the Rich young Man who call'd him Good Master Why callest thou me Good says he there is none Good but God from whence the Arians concluded That Jesus Christ was not truly God St. Hilary answers That he does not particularly reprove the Young Man for calling him Good but because he gives him this Title as if it agreed to him in the Capacity of a Doctor of the Law The Young Man says he not knowing that he was the Messias who came to save the lost Sheep of the House of Israel ask'd him as a Doctor of the Law and gave him the Title which the Doctors take to themselves Jesus Christ reproves this Notion and to explain to him in what sence he should be called Good he tells him None is Good but God showing by this That he was so far from rejecting the title of Good as it agreed to God that he accepted of it in that sence And therefore his Answer is one Proof of his Divinity which ought to be understood in this sence Why call you me good if you believe not that I am God There is none Good but God which supposes that he himself was God St.
4. 129. And that in one Letter of a few Lines he explains eight several Texts of Scripture l. 4. 112. so ready and familiar was it to him He sometimes unfolds those Texts which the Hereticks did abuse to uphold their Errors and maintains against their false Glosses those Texts which the Orthodox alledged He often enlarges upon such Maxims of Piety and Principles of Morality as are contained in those Texts of Holy Scripture which he quotes He likewise very commonly explains it in a Spiritual Sence that he may raise out of it some Moral Observations and useful Instructions Of his Letters of Doctrine Altho' S. Isidore hath not professedly treated of any Doctrine of Religion yet in many of his Letters we find them very strongly confirmed and proved He shews That the Heathen Religion hath evident Marks of Falshood l. 1. 95. l. 4. 27 29 30 c. And that Christianity hath all the Signs of Truth and opposes those who accuse it of Novelty l. 2. 46. He affirms That if we do but compare the Holy Scriptures with the Heathen-writers we may soon discern on which side the true Religion is l. 1. 21. That the former contain sublime Truths which beget Reverence whereas the latter are full of Fables and despicable Fooleries and Cheats l. 2. 4 5. Among the Proofs of the Christian Religion he forgets not to insert that of the confirmation of the Gospel by Miracles and the destruction of Paganism l. 1. 271. He confutes the Jews in several places not only by demonstrating That the Prophecies of the Messias are fulfilled in Jesus Christ but also by confirming the truth of the Conception of Jesus Christ in the Womb of the Virgin l. 1. 141. l. 4. 17. He proves That God hath created Angels Men and all Beings l. 1. 343. That all Things are over-ruled by Providence and not by the influences of the Stars or by Fate l. 3. 135 154 191. That Things do not come to pass because God foreknows them or foretells them but God foreknows and foretells them because they will so happen l. 1. 56. He explains the Mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation in so many Letters that it is needless to cite them all Among others these are worthy of our Consideration about the Trinity l. 1. 67 138 139 327. l. 4. 99. About the Incarnation l. 1. 323 403. He confutes the Error of the Arrians l. 1. 246 353. l. 4. 31 334. and of the Sabellians l. 3. 247. He proves the God-head of the Holy Ghost l. 1. 20 60 97 109 499 500 c. He condemns the Error of the Nestorians and shews that the name of the Mother of God ought to be given to the Virgin Mary l. 1. 54. He also opposes those who confounded the two Natures as well as the Manichees who asserted That the Flesh which appeared in Jesus Christ was a mere Phantom l. 1. 124 323 102 303. He refutes the Marcionites l. 1. 11. the Manichees l. 4. 13. the Montanists l. 1. 242. to the 246. and the Novatians l. 1. 100 338. He maintains the perpetual Virginity of Mary both before and after her Conception l. 1. 23. He is of Opinion That Jesus Christ came out of her Womb as well as out of the Sepulchre without opening the Passage l. 1. 404. He proves the Soul to be Immortal l. 3. 295. l. 4. 125. But he confutes the Doctrine of Origen about the eternal Praeexistence of Souls l. 4. 163. He also disproves the Opinion of those who believed That the Soul is part of the Substance of God himself l. 4. 124. He shews That the Resurrection of the Body is certain but the manner of it and time is uncertain l. 1. 284. l. 2. 43. He holds That after the Resurrection the Bodies of the damned shall be Spiritual as well as the Bodies of the blessed that is to say as he explains it active and of the nature of the Air. He believes That the damned shall be punished in different manners according to the difference of their Sins l. 4. 42. He defends the freedom of Man's Will l. 1. 271 303 352 363 c. He allows That Grace is necessary to perform that which is good but he will have Man on his part to use his diligence and labour that Grace may be operative The Nature of Man saith he hath received several Graces which it is in Man's power to make good use of Man's labour must concurr with Grace as the Industry of Sailers is helpful to the prosperous Winds It is of God's Providence that our help comes but we must also joyn our endeavours with it l. 2. 2. We are our selves saith he in another Letter the cause of our own Damnation and Jesus Christ is the cause of our Salvation for it is he that hath justified us by Baptism who hath delivered us from the Punishments we have deserved and hath enriched us with his Gifts but all his Graces will be of no advantage to us if we do not what we are able to do on our part l. 2. 61. Man saith he in another place stands in need of the divine Assistance to accomplish those very things which seem to be in his Power but that Grace is never wanting to those who on their part do what they are able for if the Divine Providence excites and stirs up those who have no desire to do good with what reason can it deny necessary helps for doing good to those whose Will is well enclined and do what they are able l. 4. 171. Nevertheless Man must not attribute the good he doth to himself but must referr all to the Grace of God otherwise his best Actions will be of no use to him l. 2. 265 242. In sum no Man lives upon Earth and sins not l. 1. 435. S. Isidore delivers himself upon the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper in a way altogether conformable to the Doctrine and Discipline of the present Church The Baptism of Infants saith he doth not only wash them from their natural Pollution caused by the Sin of Adam but it also conferrs Graces It not only obliterates the Sin of those that receive it but also makes them God's adopted Children l. 3. 195. The Veil that covers the Sacramental Elements doth undoubtedly overspread the Body of Jesus Christ l. 1. 123. And the Holy Spirit turns the Wine into the Blood of Jesus Christ l. 1. 314. The scandalous Life of Ministers their Sins and Impieties do not hinder the effect of the Sacraments which they administer l. 1. 120. l. 2. 37 52. l. 3. 34 394. He approves of the Honour which is given to the Martyrs and the respect which is bestowed on their Relicks He disallows not the presenting of Offerings at their Altars in honour of them but the principal respect which we can give them is to imitate their Lives l. 1. 55. l. 2. 89. He preferrs a single Life before Marriage l. 2. 133. He observes That the
without attempting any thing contrary to the Laws of the Church The next Letter written to the same Domnus furnishes us with another Proof of this Episcopal Charity Another Bishop belonging to the Patriarchate of Antioch named Petrus was deprived of the Government of his Church and likewise plundered of all his Goods This Bishop who was very aged complained heavily of this Condemnation and maintained that he was unjustly thrust out of all Domnus writing to S. Cyril and Proclus gave this Prelate the Name of a Religious and Holy Bishop S. Cyril takes occasion from hence to write in his Favour and shew Domnus That if this Bishop deserved to be deprived of his Church he also deserved to lose the Name of Bishop He then admonishes Domnus to pacify the Complaints of this Bishop and to suffer him to appear before him and his Suffragan-Bishops to be judged there according to the Custom He desires him also to give him the Liberty to reject those Bishops which may be suspected by him for saith he although we do not believe that any Bishop is an Enemy to his Brethren nevertheless to remove all Pretences of Complaint against the Sentence which shall be given it is convenient that those whom he suspects should withdraw themselves As to the Money that had been taken from him S. Cyril thinks it ought to be restored to him for Two Reasons 1. Because he ought not to be deprived after such a manner 2. Because it is an Abuse to demand an Account as they do of the Revenues of the Church of the Bishops It is sufficient that they cannot dispose either of the precious Vessels or Lands The management of the Revenues ought wholly to be trusted to them Lastly whereas it might be said That this Bishop had given a Writing in which he had renounced his Claim to his Church and so was not to be received again S. Cyril answers That he did not give it voluntarily but it was extorted from him by Force and Threatnings and since it was so such Acts of Abjuration ought not to be regarded nor ought Bishops to be suffered to give them for if they are worthy of their Ministry they ought not to renounce it if they are not worthy they ought not to be deprived by a Renunciation but by a Canonical Sentence The last Letter contains a Prescription directed to the Bishops of Libya and Pentapolis to prevent a Disorder which the Monks of Thebais complained of Some Persons newly married had a desire to be ordained Clerks or Priests and the Bishops very easily admitted them without obliging them to renounce their Marriage Others who had been expelled out of the Monasteries for their Debaucheries found means also to get themselves ordained and then got into Monasteries again where they would celebrate the Holy Sacraments and perform the Sacred Functions of the Ministry which occasioned so great Scandal that those that knew them would neither be present nor communicate at their Ministration S. Cyril to put a Stop to this Scandal ordered That every Bishop before he ordaineth a Clergyman shall inform himself of his Life If he be married or not How long since and How long he hath departed from his Wife Whether he hath not been driven out by his Bishop or expelled some Monastery And that he shall not ordain him unless he find his Conversation unblameable for saith he This is the only way of discharging our Duty and preventing that the Holy and Venerable Mysteries be not profaned by the Impurities of the Ministers He adds a Rule concerning those who being separated from the Church or Catechumens fall into a mortal Disease and orders that according to the Custom they should be allowed the Communion and Baptism This Tome concludes with a Letter of S. Cyril's to the Bishops of Africa when he sent them an Authentick Copy of the Canons of the Council of Nice The Sixth Tome begins with the Five Books against Nestorius in which he confutes what Nestorius had written against the Name of the Mother of God given to the Virgin and against other such like Expressions He recites Nestorius's Words and in answering to them labours to convince him of Error and Imposture Of Error because he divides Jesus Christ into Two and denies the Union of the Two Natures in One Person only Of Imposture in attributing to the Orthodox such Opinions as they never thought on accusing them of Teaching That the Two Natures in Jesus Christ are mingled and confounded and that the Divinity is made subject to Humane Infirmities He maintains That the two Natures remain in Jesus Christ without Mixture or Confusion but are united in so strict an Union that what only agrees to God may be predicated of Man and what agrees only to Man of God altho' the Properties of the Humanity may not be attributed to the Godhead nor the Attributes of the Godhead to the Manhood Next to this Treatise follow the Writings made by S. Cyril for the Defence of his Twelve Anathema's The First contains an Explication of the Twelve Propositions in which he rejects the bad Sence that might be put on them The Second is an Apology for the Anathema against the Objections of the Oriental Bishops The Third is an Answer to what Theodoret had written against these Anathema's Lastly The Apology of S. Cyril to Theodosius is put here but we shall speak more largely elswhere of these Treatises The Books against the Emperor Julian ought to have gone before these we have spoken of because 't is one of S. Cyril's principal Works It is dedicated to Theodosius the Emperor and divided into Ten Books In the First he proves by the Testimony of the ancient Historians and most learned Philosophers That the Jews Religion is much more ancient and rational than the Greeks That the History of Moses is true and that the Greeks have taken all their best Expressions out of the Jews Books In the next Place he undertakes to confute the Books of Julian closely and answer all his Objections He recites them at length and then answers them It seems he confuted only the First Book in which that Apostate assaults the Christian Religion in general He begins with a Comparison of the Jewish and Heathen Religion and of the Books of Moses and Plato and extols his Philosophy above the Laws of that Prophet Next he opposes the Christian Religion and propounds some trivial Objections against the History of the Gospel Lastly he makes use of the Jewish Religion and Books to overthrow the Christian Religion The Objections which he brings are weak and idle but he makes them look well by the fine and pleasant Management of them S. Cyril discovers the Weakness of them and disperses them entirely He also often opposes the Heathen Religion and establishes the Christian. This Work is written with a great deal of Elegancy but it is nothing so finely written as Julian's altho it be very learned and solid The Treatise 〈◊〉 the
puts them among those Books which he had composed before the year 438. He therein speaks of the Law of the Emperor in which he had commanded that the Temples should be demolished pursuant to a Law of Theodosius promulgated in 426. So that this Work was framed in some of the following years It is divided into 12 Discourses of which Theodoret himself hath made an Abridgment The first is of the Credulity of the Christians and Ignorance of the Apostles Theodoret proves both of them are unjustly imputed to the Christians as a proof of the Falshood of their Religion That the wisest Persons have not always been those who have had most Eloquence and Learning That the Greeks have been taught that Wisdom by the Barbarians That Plato had acknowledged That the greatest Philosophers were not always those who were most skilful in Arts and Sciences That it was not true that the Christians believed rashly and without proof That the Heathen Philosophers required Faith and that they themselves had yielded Faith to the Poets That they had acknowledged that Faith was necessary in order to Knowledge yea that there was no part of Knowledge but required some sort of Faith in order to it In the second after he hath examined the Opinions of the Heathen Philosophers concerning the beginning of the World he makes it appear that what Moses hath said of it is much more rational than all that the Philosophers have imagined and that Plato had taken all that he hath spoken so well upon that subject out of the Books of Moses In the Third he compares that which the Greeks have written concerning their Petty-Gods with what the Christians have said of Spiritual Creatures Angels and Demons and makes it clear by that Comparison that the Doctrine of Christians is as wise and rational as the Heathens is impious and ridiculous In the Fourth he shews That what the Christians believe of the Creation of the World is far more reasonable than what Plato and the other Philosophers have taught of it In the Fifth he speaks of the Nature of Man and after he hath laid down what the Christians and Greeks think of it he shews the Difference between Light and Darkness Ignorance and Error In the Sixth he discourses of Providence for saith he it was just after I had spoken of God and the Creatures to say something of Providence in Refutation of the Impiety of Diagoras the Blasphemies of Epicurus and the Fabulous Sentiments of Aristotle by confirming the Doctrine of Plato and Plotinus upon that Subject and by proving from Reasons drawn from Nature and the Frame of the World that the Providence of God is manifested in all Creatures In the Seventh Discourse he condemns the Sacrifices of the Heathen and makes use of the Testimonies of the Prophets to prove that the Ceremonies of the old Law were intended for Persons unperfect only In the Eighth he undertakes to defend the Honour which the Christians give the Martyrs shewing by the Testimonies of the Philosophers Poets and Historians that the Greeks have honoured the Memory of Eminent Men by offering Sacrifices to them after their Death and by bestowing on them the Qualities of Gods Demi-Gods and Heroes although the greatest part of them had been Infamous and Criminals And this he does to give a clearer Demonstration that the Christians did honour their Martyrs far more deservedly He makes a Comparison between the Heathen Law-givers and the Apostles which is the Subject of the Ninth Discourse In the Tenth he compares the Predictions of the Greeks with the Prophecies of the Jews and by that Comparison demonstrates that the one promoted Falshood and Absurdities whereas the other had foretold nothing but what is true and reasonable In the Eleventh he relates what both Heathens and Christians have said concerning the End of the World and the Last Judgment Lastly in the Twelfth Discourse he shews That the Life of the Apostles and of those who have imitated them is far above the Life of other Men. In these Discourses there is a great deal of Learning Theodoret quotes above an hundred Heathen Authors in them They are written with a great deal of Art and Eloquence and may not give Place in any thing to all the Works of Antiquity composed for the Defence of Religion They are translated by Acciaolus who printed his Version at Paris in 1519. Silburgius hath published them since in Greek and Latin at Heidelberg 1592. in Folio with his own Notes full of most useful and excellent Learning Cave The Addition which is at the End of this Fourth Tome of the Works of Theodoret doth not contain forged Pieces but certain Treatises that have not yet been put in order The First is a Discourse of Charity which is a kind of a Conclusion of his History of Religion in which he extols the Charity and Love that the Martyrs of the Old and New Testament had shewn in their Sufferings The Discourse which carries the Name of a Letter to Sporatius is not a Letter but a Fragment of the Treatise of Heresies to which is joyned an Explication of the Mystery of the Incarnation We will put the Letter to John bishop of Germanicia to the other Letters of Theodoret and will elsewhere speak of the Confutation of S. Cyril's Anathematisms as also of the Discourse that he made at Chalcedon against S. Cyril when he was Deputy for the Oriental Bishops after the Council of Ephesus We have one of thâ—se Discourses entire in the Acts of the Council of Ephesus and some Fragments of Three other in the Acts of the Fifth Council Theodoret being returned to Antioch after the Council of Ephesus composed Five other Books against S. Cyril M. Mercator hath given us some Extracts of them in Latin and F. Garner hath published some Fragments of them in Greek Photius in the Forty sixth Book of his Bibliotheca makes mention of Twenty seven Books of Theodoret against several Propositions The Twenty last are Eutherius's of Tyana as we have learned of M. Mercator F. Garner believes That the Seven First Books are the Work against S. Cyril but for my part I rather believe them another Treatise of the Incarnation which he often speaks of For 1. The Work of S. Cyril was divided into Five Books this into Seven 2. Photius without doubt would have observed That these Discourses were against S. Cyril 3. The subject of these Discourses does not agree in the least with the Treatise against S. Cyril The First saith Photius is against those that say That the Word and Humanity make up but one Nature and who attribute the Sufferings to the Divinity The Second sets upon the same Errors very strongly by Testimonies of Scripture The Third is about the same Subject The Fourth contains the Opinions of the Holy Fathers about the Incarnation of Jesus Christ our Saviour The Fifth gathers together the Opinions of the Hereticks and shews that they are near-a-kin to their Error who
eminent Life by an Holy Death Lastly although S. Leo had great Quarrels with him and spake very ill of him in his Life-time yet he could not refrain speaking honourably of him after his Death The only thing that he can be reproach'd with is that he did not follow S. Austin's Opinion about Grace and having favour'd or at least being one of the principal Patrons of the Semi-Pelagians But at that Time the most Learned and Holy Persons of France were of that Opinion This was the Doctrine of the Monks of Lerins with whom S. Hilary lived yea this was the Doctrine held by the Bishops and all the Clergy of the Provinces of Vienna and Narbonne Those that maintained this Opinion were not look'd upon as Hereticks unless it were by the zealous Followers of S. Austin It is no wonder then that S. Leo does not reproach him with it I have forgotten to observe That S. Hilary was present at and subscribed first the Councils of Ries in 439. and Orange in 441. S. VINCENTIUS LIRINENSIS VINCENTIUS a Frenchman by Nation after he had spent some part of his Life among the Troubles Commotions and Waves of the World * Being a Soldier through the Impulse of the Holy Vincentius Lirinensis Spirit retreated as he himself says Into the Haven of Religion O Happy and Safe Haven for all the World And having gotten Shelter against the Storms of Pride and the Vanity of the World to retire the remaining Part of his Days and offer to God the continual Sacrifices of Humiliation that he might avoid the Sufferings of this Life and the Flames of the Life to come The Place of his Retreat was the famous Monastery of the Isle of Lerins so famous for so many Persons eminent for Doctrine and Piety which it hath produced for the Church Vinoentius the Priest was none of the least Ornaments of it S. Eucherius who tells us That he was the Brother of Lupus Bishop of Troyes compares him for the Fervency of his Devotion to the brightness of a sparkling Diamond interno gemmam splendore perspicuam And in another place commends his Learning and Eloquence Gennadius assures us That he was well skilled in the Holy Scriptures and very well versed in the Discipline of the Church He hath composed an excellent Treatise against the Hereticks in which he hath given very infallible Rules and convincing Principles to distinguish Error from Truth and the Sects of 〈◊〉 Hereticks from the Catholick Church But his Humility made him conceal his Name and he published his Treatise under the Title of a * Admonition as Gennadius ' s Commonitorium Voss. Cave Commentary made by Peregrinus against the Hereticks It was divided into two parts but the 2d being lost he contented himself to make an Abridgment of it He proposes to himself in this Commentary to gather the Principles of the ancient Fathers against the Hereticks He tells us in the Preface That it was the Usefulness of the Work it self the time and the place that he lived in and his Profession that engaged him to undertake this Work The time because all things here below being carried on with such a swiftness it is reasonable that we should snatch up something that may stand us in stead in another Life and so much the rather because the terrible expecting of the last Judgment which he thought â—igh at hand because that the Barbarians had made so great a Progress into the Empire ought to stir up the Zeal of the Faithful for Religion and the Malice of the Hereticks ought to oblige the Orthodox to stand upon their Guard The place also was very suitable for such a Work because being distant from the noise and crowd of the Cities retired in a private Village and shut up in the Cloysters of a Monastery he was able without Distraction to do that which is said in the Psalm Attend ye and see that I am your God Lastly no Employment can be more agreeable to a religious Life which he professed He therefore undertakes * Vossius in his Hiâ—â— Pel. prove him a Semi Pelagian from some places of this Treatise as also of his Objections against S. Austin to write rather as an Historian than an Author what he hath learned from the Ancients and they have entrusted to their Posterity He advertiseth us That his design was not to collect all but only to offer to our observation what there is most necessary Entring then upon his Matter he saith That he hath learned from many Learned and Holy Persons That the means to avoid Heresie and adhere stedfastly to the true Faith is to ground themselves upon two Foundations 1. Upon the Authority of Holy Scripture 2. Upon the Tradition of the Catholick Church But perhaps some will demand saith he the Canon of the Holy Books being perfect and sufficient of it self to settle all Religion why is it necessary to join the Authority of the Church with it He answers 'T is because Holy Scripture having a sublime sence is differently explained one understands it after this manner and another after that insomuch that there are almost as many Opinions about the true meaning of it as there are Persons Novatian understands it one way and Photinus another It is necessary then altogether upon the account of the subtile Evasions of so many Hereticks of several sorts in interpreting Scripture to take the sence of the Catholick Church for our Rule But yet we must be careful to choose out of those Doctrines which we find in the Church such as have always been believed in all places and by all true Christians for there is indeed nothing truly and properly Catholick as the Name in its full signification doth denote but what comprehends all in general Now it will be so if we follow Antiquity unanimous Consent and Universality We shall follow Universality if we believe no other Doctrine true but that which is taught in all Churches dispersed through the whole World We shall follow Antiquity if we depart not from the Judgment of our Ancestors and Fathers Lastly we shall follow unanimous Consent if we adhere to the Opinions of all or of almost all the Ancients But what shall an Orthodox Christian do if some part of the Church apostatize from the Faith of the whole Body of the Church There is nothing to be done but to preferr the Doctrine of the whole Body that is sound before the Error of a rotten and putrefy'd Member But what if some new Error is ready to spread it self I do not say over a small part but almost over all the Church We must then be sure to cleave close to Antiquity which cannot be corrupted with Novelty In fine if among the Ancients we find one or two Persons or perhaps a City or Province in an Error we must preferr the Decrees of the ancient and universal Church before the Rashness or Ignorance of some Particulars But if there arise any Question to
him to relinquish his Error demonstrating to him That it was not impossible for that God who had Created all Things out of nothing to change the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. He had sent another Letter some time before upon the same Subject to Paulinus Bishop of Mets that he might admonish Berenger to renounce his Error We have lost this last Letter and several others mention'd by Trithemius But the former is among the Authors who wrote upon the Eucharist Printed at Louvain in 1551 and 1561. and in the Bibliotheca Patrum Ascelin a Monk of S. Evrou in Normandy sent likewise about the same time a Letter to The Letter of Berenger to Ascelin Berenger against his Error Berenger upon his return from Normandy had a Conference with Ascelin and his Scholar William They publickly declar'd That he had acknowledg'd the Book of John Scotus to be blamable and that he durst not maintain his Error Berenger being inform'd of it wrote a Letter to Ascelin wherein he gave him to understand That he was not minded to Dispute against him in the Conference which they had together because at that time he had resolv'd not to discourse with any one about the Eucharist till he had satisfied the Bishops to whom he ought to give an account of his Doctrin That it was upon this Account that he would not so much as refute that damnable and impious Maxim maintain'd by William That every Man ought to approach the Holy Table at Easter But that Ascelin was conscious to himself that he never said John Scotus was an Heretick That all he had said about it was That he had not seen all the Writings of that Author but that what he had read of his about the Eucharist contain'd nothing in it Heretical and if he had spoken any thing which was not so exact he was ready to disown it That Lastly They could not Condemn him for having alledg'd that the substance of Bread remains in the Sacrament since 't is the Doctrin of the Fathers which he defended designing nothing else than to follow in every thing S. Ambrose S. Austin and S. Jerom and that therefore there was no Ground for what Arnulphus had said to him in Ascelin's own hearing Prithee let us alone in the Opinion we have been brought up in since he did not pretend to establish a Novelty but to maintain the Doctrin of the Fathers Ascelin return'd him this Answer That he had receiv'd his Letter with Joy hoping Ascelin's Letter to Belinger therein to have heard the News of his Conversion but that in reading it his Joy was turn'd into Sorrow perceiving that he still adhered to his old Error That he did no longer see in him that depth of Thought and that Learning which he had formerly since he had forgot the Passages of their last Conference particularly that about the Proposition made by William That every Man ought to approach the Holy Table at Easter to which he had added this Restriction Unless he were excluded from this Heavenâ—… Banquet by some Crime which ought not to be done but by the Order of his Confessor otherwise the Keys of the Church would become useless That for his part he did not repent of what he had said in that Conference since he had maintain'd a notorious and unquestionable Truth from which he would never Swerve viz. That the Bread and Wine were by the Efficacy of the Holy Spirit and the Ministry of the Priests turn'd into the real Body and Blood of JESUS CHRIST which is plainly proved out of the Holy Scriptures unless corrupted by a vicious and false Interpretation That for what relates to John Scotus he was persuaded that in looking upon him as an Heretick he did nothing unbecoming either his Priesthood or Religion since he perceiv'd that the whole aim and design of that Author is to prove That what is Consecrated on the Altar is not the true Body and Blood of JESUS CHRIST which Error he endeavours to establish by several Passages of the Fathers falsly explain'd and among others by a Prayer of S. Gregory upon which he says that this change of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of JESUS CHRIST was figurative and not real That he look'd upon Berenger himself to be a Man of more Learning than to maintain the Orthodoxy of this Expression That he had not ventur'd to defend it in their Conference that he only said he had not read the Book of John Scotus quite out That he was surpriz'd to see such a prudent Man give so large Encomiums of a Book which he had not read through That lastly for his part he was of the Opinion of Pascasius and of the other Catholicks and that he firmly believed that the Faithful receiv'd upon the Altar the real Body and Blood of JESUS CHRIST under the appearance of Bread and Wine and that this Opinion was not contrary to the Laws of Nature which depend on the Will of God nor to And here it is worth our while to observe how modest the first Advancers and Promoters of the Doctrin of Transubstantiation were in their Assertions Who did not assert any thing about it more than what we Protestants readily own viz. That the Faithful do verily and indeed receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper signified to us by the Bread broken and the Wine pour'd out the Testimony of the Gospel To conclude that the Advice which Arnulphus whom he calls the singing Man had given him was very wholsome and that he ought to follow it to be asham'd of defending a Book Condemn'd in the Council of Verceil and to keep close to the Catholick and Apostolick Tradition from which he had Swerv'd This and the former Letters were publish'd by Father Luke Dachery in his Notes upon the Life of Lanfrank About the same time Berenger wrote another Letter to Richard who was then at the Berengers Letter to Richard French Court wherein he prays him to speak to the King in his behalf that so he might remedy the Injustice which had been done him and to give him to understand that they had not done well in Condemning John Scotus in the Council of Verceil and in justifying Paschasius That the Clerks of Chartres had given him a false explication of the Opinion of S. Fulbert or rather of the Passage of S. Augustin related by that Bishop That to induce the King to hearken unto him he might inform him that John Scotus wrote his Book by the Order and at the instance of his Predecessor Charles the Great that is Charles the Bald who had charg'd him to refute by writing the Folly of Paschasius that upon this Account he was oblig'd to grant his Protection to that dead Person against the Calumnies of the living if he were minded to shew himself the worthy Successor of that great Prince While these Disputes were on
the Apostles This Canon is cited by Gregorius Pessinuntius in the second Council of Nice but it is well known that many Apocryphal Records were alledged in that Council Cf several Books attributed to Prochorus Linus and Abdias and of the Acts of the Passion of St. Andrew IN the time of the Apostles there lived a certain Person named Prochorus one of the Seven first Deacons and there is now extant a Book under his name containing the Life of St. John which Prochorus Linus Abdias c. is Printed among the Orthodoxographa and in the Bibliotheca Patrum But Baronius Bellarmin Lorinus The Master of the Palace and in a word all those that have written concerning Ecclesiastical Authors both Roman Catholicks and Protestants unanimously agree that it is a supposititious Book and unworthy of him whose Name it bears and indeed it is a Narrative full of absurd Fables and Tales It is related there that St. John cast himself at the Feet of the Apostles desiring to be exempted from going into Asia That after he was taken out of the Caldron of boiling Oyl a Church was built in Honour of him That he composed his Gospel in the Isle of Patmos c. The Stile of this Book argues its Author to be a Latin or a Greek and not an Hebrew Lastly we find therein the words Trinity and Hypostasis The two Books attributed to Linus concerning the Passion of St. Peter and St. Paul are likewise generally rejected as fictitious and full of Fables They say that Agrippa was Governor of Rome in the time of St. Peter who suffered Martyrdom without the knowledge of Nero That this Emperor was offended that he was put to Death That part of the Roman Magistrates were Christians and that the Wife of Albanus departed from her Husband against his Will following the advice of St. Peter In fine both these Books are full of Errors Falsities Fictions and notorious Untruths in the last of which mention is made of the Epistles of St. Paul to Seneca and of Seneca to St. Paul We must likewise give the same Judgment upon the Book imputed to Abdias that contains divers extremely fabulous Relations concerning the Lives of the Apostles and was Printed by it self in the years 1557 1560 and 1571 at Basil Anno 1532 and at Paris in 1583 it is also inserted in the Bibliotheca Patrum At first they tried to make it pass for a Book composed in Hebrew by a Disciple of Jesus Christ named Abdias of the City of Babylon Translated into Greek by Eutropius and into Latin by Julius Africanus but now the whole World is convinced of this Error and it is generally agreed that it was forged by an Impostor that falsly pretends to be a Disciple of Jesus Christ who nevertheless cites Hegesippus and Julius Africanus whom he could not have seen if he had lived in our Saviours time and lastly he relates many fabulous Narrations concerning the Life of Jesus Christ and his Apostles which it would be too tedious here to rehearse Men are divided in their Censures upon the Acts of the Passion of St. Andrew written by the Priests of Achaia which are inserted in the History of the Saints published by Surius Baronius Bellarmine and some other Criticks of the Church of Rome admit them as authentick but they are rejected by many The ancient Ecclesiastical Writers know no other Records of St. Andrew than those that were corrupted by the Manichees mentioned by St. Augustine Philastrius and Pope Innocent a MEntioned by St. Augustin Philastrius c. St. Aug. lib. de Fide contr Manichaeos Philastr lib. de Haeres N. 40. Innocentii I. Epist. ad Exup Gelasius in conc Roman and which are reckoned by Gelasius in the number of Apochryphal Books But it is certain that those were different from these whereof we now discourse It is also evident that these last Acts of the Passion of St. Andrew have been cited by none but Authors that lived since the Seventh or Eighth Century as by Remigius Altissiodorensis Petrus Damianus Lanfrank St. Bernard and Ivo Carnutensis which is the cause that we can have no assurance that they are very ancient Thirdly the Mystery of the Trinity is not only explained in these Acts after such a manner as gives us occasion to suspect that he that wrote them lived after the Council of Nice but he likewise propagates the Error of the modern Greeks in affirming that the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and remains in the Son It is indeed objected that there are Manuscripts wherein these words are not expressed but who knows whether they have not been omitted in some rather than added in others Therefore this History ought at least to be esteemed as a dubious Writing that cannot be applied as St. Jerome declares to prove any Doctrine of Faith The account of the Life and Death of St. Matthias was forged by an Author who pretends to have received it from a Jew that Translated it out of the Hebrew Tongue We ought also to place in the rank of Apocryphal and fabulous Books the Life of St. Mark and the History of St. Clement together with that of Apollinarius setdown in the Collection of ancient Histories compiled by Laurentius de la Barre And we need only read them over to be convinced of their falsity Of the Books of the Sibyls Mercurius Trismegistus and Hystaspes Of the Letters of Lentulus and Pilate concerning Jesus Christ Of the Epistles of Seneca to St. Paul and of those of St. Paul to Seneca And of a Passage in the History of Josephus WE joyn all these prophane Records together that have been heretofore alledged in favour of the Christian Religion that so we may examine them and although we should Sibyls reject them yet we do not believe that we do any wrong to Religion which is sufficiently furnished with solid and convincing Proofs without standing in need of those that are false or dubious We begin with the Verses that are attributed to the Sibyls which are frequently cited by the ancient Writers to convince the Pagans of the Truth of the Religion of Jesus Christ but before we proceed to Examine them it would be expedient to give some account of these Sibyls and their Books It is difficult to assign a true Etymology of the Word Sibyl Lactantius and after him St. Jerom affirm that the Sibyls were so called because they were the Interpreters of the Decrees of the Gods and that their Name consisted of two Greek Words a COnsisted of two Greek words These two words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Aeolick Dialect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lactantius Lib. 1. c. 6. Hierom. Lib. 1. in Jovin It is objected against this Etymology that the Adjective 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Three last Syllables whereof compose a Dactyl make it manifest that the word Sibylla cannot be derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the Counsel of the Gods which
Fathers For in the former profane Things were only comprised concerning the Ceremonies of the Heathens whereas the later were full of Predictions and Instructions relating to Christianity The Books of the Sibyls were never consulted among the Romans without extracting from them some Superstitions perfectly Pagan l The Books of the Sibyls were never consulted among the Romans without extracting from them some Superstitions perfectly Pagan See Livy in many places Varro de Ling. Lat. Lib. 5. Cicero in Verrina ult Tacitus Lib. 15. Suetonius in Jul. Num. 97. Plin. Lib. 5. chap. 17. Solyn Polyhist Chap. 10. Val. Maxim Lib. 1. Numb 1 and 10. Plutarch in the Lives of Publicola Fabius and Marius Pausanias in Phocaicis Capitolinus in Gordiano Trebellius Pollio in Galienis and Vopiscus in Aureliano Floriano Sext. Aurel. Victor in Claudio-Ammian Marcellin Lib. 22 and 23. Macrob. Saturnal Lib. 1. chap. 17. They were informed therein that they ought either to offer some sort of Sacrifice to the Gods or to fasten a Nail in the Capitol or to celebrate some particular Games to the Honour of Jupiter At another time it was found to be necessary to cause the Statue of Aesculapius to be brought to Rome to erect a Temple to Venus to offer Sacrifices to the Infernal Deities and to appease the Heathen Gods with peculiar and extraordinary Solemnities Lastly Nothing was ever gathered from these Books but Ceremonies that were absolutely prophane On the contrary the Fathers alledge nothing out of the Writings of the Sibyls but what relates to the Christian Religion and to the true Worship of God Is there any probability that these Prophetesses should have uttered Things so different and that they should have taught in one and the same Book the way of Worshipping the True God and the greatest superstitions of the Gentiles Who can imagine that these Books that were kept by the Romans to Authorize all their Superstitious Rites and which they esteemed as the most sublime and refined part of their Religion should contain far clearer Prophesies concerning Jesus Christ than all that was ever declared by the Jewish Prophets Moreover not only the Books of the Sibyls that are now extant speak of our Saviour in such plain Expressions as look more like a History than a Prophecy But the same thing may be said of the Books cited by the Fathers that comprehend the same Predictions and even more distinct For can there be a plainer Prediction concerning Jesus Christ than the Verses produced by Eusebius in the Prayer attributed to Constantine There is but one God who is also the Saviour Who hath suffer'd for us Who is mark'd out in these Verses The Acrostick quoted in the same place is not more obscure Can any thing be spoken more expresly concerning the Creation of the World the last Judgment and the Life Everlasting than what is produced by Theophilus Antiochenus as proceeding from a Sibyl All the other Sibylline Verses recited by the Fathers are written almost after the very same manner on every particular Subject and this obliged the Author of the Exhortation to the Gentiles attributed to St. Justin to affirm that the Sibyl had foretold the Advent of Jesus Christ in clear and evident Terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now what an absurdity is it to believe that the Heathens from whom God had concealed the Coming of his Son and whom he suffered to walk in Darkness should have more notable Prophecies among them than all those of the Jews to whose Custody he had committed the Sacred Writings and to whom he had given the knowledge of the Messiah Moreover this Argument might be urged farther and it might be demanded from whence the Sibyls could receive the knowledge of the Messiah It is alledged by some that they were Inspired by God and by others that they took from the Holy Scripture all that they uttered concerning Religion but there is no probability neither in the one nor the other Assertion For what likelihood is there that God should inspire Sorceresses and Priestesses of false Gods that deluded Mankind to cause them to adore the Daemons with which they were possessed Or who can imagine that God should make use of such Instruments to reveal his Mysteries so clearly to the World And on the other side how could they draw those Truths out of the Old Testament that are but very obscurely expressed therein and which the Jews themselves could scarcely understand It remains only for a more full demonstration of the falsity of the Sibylline Oracles that were used by the Fathers to shew that they differed very little from those that still bear the same Title To evince this it will be sufficient to observe that excepting three or four Passages all the others quoted by the ancient Authors being very numerous are expressed in equivalent Terms in the Sibylline Books that are read even at this day Now the strongest Argument that can be alledged to prove that a Work is ancient is that those Passages that have been cited by the ancient Writers are found therein Do we not frequently demonstrate the Antiquity of an infinite number of Books only because a particular Passage recited by some ancient Author is there to be found Why then may it not be concluded after the same manner that the Sibylline Books tho' forged are the same with those that were formerly extant And this Proof is of so much the more force because this may be urged not only against one single Passage but very many that are alledged by different Authors and also because the Sibylline Oracles still remain in the same Language in which they were cited Moreover it is not to be admired that there are some Passages which are not found therein and that there are others which are not Verbally expressed because some places in these Books are wanting and it hath been often observed that the ancient Writers are not usually very exact in their Quotations but adhere to the Sense rather than the Literal Expression It might likewise be added that all that is related by the ancient Fathers concerning the Books of the Sibyls that were heretofore in use is conformable to these The Author of the Exhortation to the Gentiles affirms that the Style of the Sibylline Writings was not very polite these are of the like nature they were then reported to contain divers Anachronisms and this Defect is also at present observable among them They Treated concerning Jesus Christ the last Judgment Hell c. all these Things are in like manner comprised in those that we now have in our possession Lastly these last are very ancient and belong to the time of the most ancient Fathers for some Opinons may be found there that could not be maintained but in the Primitive Ages of the Church Such are the Errors of the Millenaries That Nero is Anti-Christ that the End of the World was near at hand that it should happen in the time of Antoninus that Rome
of the Cuman Sibyl foreshewing the Birth of a new King that should deâ—oend from Heaven In short it is most certain that the Gentiles acknowledged that the Books of the Sibyls were favourable to the Christians insomuch that the later were prohibited to read them as appears from the Words of Aurelian to the Senate recited by Vopiscus I admire says he Gentlemen that you should spend so much time in consulting the Writings of the Sibyls as if we were debating in an Assembly of Christians and not in the principal place of the Roman Religion These Arguments seem to be very plausible but if we examine them we shall find that they contain nothing that is solid The Pagans never submitted to the Authority of these Books of the Sibyls that were quoted by the Fathers on the cantrary it is manifest that Celsus was perswaded that they were forged by the Christians and St. Augustine plainly declares that this was the general Opinion of all the Gentiles The Sibylâ—â—e Verses mentioned by Tully were Paracrosticks that is to say the first Verse of every Sentence comprehended all the Letters in order that began the following Verses now among all the Verses of the Sibyls only those cited by Constantine are composed in Acrosticks As for the Asseâ—tion that in the time of Pâ—â—pey Julius Caesar and Augustus there was a general report that it was â—oretold in the Sibylline Books that a new King should be born within a little while we may easily reply with Tully that the Verses attributed to the Sibyls by the Heathens were made after such a manner that any sense whatsoever might be put upon them and that perhaps mention might be made therein of a certain future King as it is usual in this kind of Prophecies Therefore when the Grandeur of Pompey began to be formidable to the Roman Empire they thought it fit to make use of this pretence to prevent him from going into Egypt with an Army And Lentulus to whom this Charge was committed being Governor of Syria vainly flattered himself with this Prediction which â—…ight peradventure be further confirmed by the Prophecies of the Jews who expected the Coming of the Messiah believing that he ought to be their King Afterwards when it happened that Julius Caesar and Augustus after him actually made themselves Masters of the Roman Empire the Prophetical Expressions of the Sibyls were interpreted in their favour neither was it necessary on this account that they should clearly point at the Coming of Jesus Christ â—s it is expressed in the Writings of the Sibyls that are alledged by the Fathers but it was sufficient that they mentioned a future King which is the usual practice of all those that undertake to utter Predictions of extraordinary Events This gave occasion to Virgil who intended in his fourth Ecâ—â—gue to compose Verses in Honour of Pollio his Patron as also to Extol Augustus at the same time and to describe the Felicity of his Reign this I say afforded him an opportunity to do it with greater Majesty to make use of the name of the Sibyl and to pronounce these Verses Ultima Cumaei venit jam carminis â—t as Magâ—… ab integro 〈◊〉 nâ—scitur or do Jam 〈◊〉 progenes Câ—… alto Jam redit Virgo redeunt Saturnia regna By which nothing else is meant but that at the Nativity of Saloninus the Son of Pollio under the Consulate of his Father and the Reign of the greatest Prince in the World the Golden Age should return as it was foretold by the Sibyl That Plenty and Peace should flourish throughout the whole Universe and that the Virgin Astrâ—â— the Goddess of Justice who had abandoned the Earth at the beginning of the Iron Age should descend again from Heaven What is there in all this that resembles the Prophecies concerning Jesus Christ Or rather what is there that is not altogether prophane and â—â—gned by an Heathen Poet who only makes use of the Sibyls Name to flatter the Ambition of Augustus and to add greater Authority and Lustâ—e to that which he says in his Commendation Lastly the Words of Aurelian do not intimate that the Christians were forbidden by the Pagans to read the Sibylline Books but only that the Christians looked upon them as prophane Writings which in no wise related to their Religion and to which they gave no Credit THE Books that are attributed to Hystaspes and Mercurius Trismegistus and cited likewise by the ancient Fathers are not more Genuine than the Verses of the Sibyls There is nothing now extant of Hystaspes and this Aâ—… was altogether unknown to the ancient Heathens but the same thing connot be said of Merâ—â—riâ—â— Sirnamed Trismegistus n Sirnamed Trismegistus In Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Egyptians call him Thaaut some affirm that he was styled Trismegistus by the Grecians because he was a great King a great Priest and a great Philosopher others as Lactantius that this Name was attributed to him by reason of his incomparable Learning who is mentioned by the most ancient Pagan Writers o Mentioned by the most ancient Pagan Writers Plato in Phaedrus declares that he invented the Characters of Letters together with Arts and Sciences Cicero in Lib. 3. de Natura Deâ—rum assures us that he governed the Egyptians and that he gave them Laws and found out the Characters of their Writings It is Recorded by Diodorus Siculus that he taught the Grecians the Art of discovering the Secrets of the Mind And we are informed by Jamblichus who quotes Manetho and Scleucus that he wrote above Thirty five thousand Volumes St. Clemens Alexandrinus in Stromat Lib. 6. makes mention of Forty two Books of this Author and gives an Account of the Subject of some of them The Works of Mercurius Trismegistus are cited as favourable to the Christian Religion by the Author of the Exhortation to the Centiles said to be St. Justin by Lactantius in the Fourth Book of his Institutions by St. Clement in Lib. 1. Stromat by St. Augustine in Tract de 5. Haeres and in Lib. 8. De Civit. Dei Chap. 23. by S. Gyril of Alexandria in Lib. 1. contra Julianum and by many others as an incomparable Person and an Inventer of all the Liberal Arts and Sciences He was an Egyptian and more ancient than all the Authors whose Works are still extant Hystaspes and Mercurius Trismegistus He is believed to be as Old as Moses he either wrote or at least it is said that he wrote Twenty five or Thirty thousand Volumes But we have only two Diologues at present under his Name one whereof is called by the Name of Poemander and the other of Asclepius who are the principal Speakers The first Treatise is concerning the Will of God and the second Treats of the Divine Power these have been cited by the ancienâ— Fathers to prove the Truth of our Religion by the Authority of so famous an Author But it is certain that they cannot be
famous Opinion or rather Dotage of Antiquity This was the opinion of S. Justin Athenagoras S. Irenaeas S. Clement Tertullian Lactantius and many other ancient Writers concerning the Temporal Beign of Jesus Christ which they fansied should happen on Earth a thousand years before the day of Judgment when the Elect should be gathered together after the Resurrection in the City of Jerusalem and should enjoy there all the Delights imaginable during these thousand years S. Irenaeus produceth a fragment taken from the fourth Book of Papias wherein he endeavours to prove this Opinion by a passage of the Prophet Isaiah And Eusebius having cited a Paragraph of his Preface to these Books in which he shews the great care that he took to be informed of the Doctrine of the Apostles by interrogating their Disciples adds That this Author hath set down many things which he pretended to have learnt by an unwritten Tradition of which sort there are several new Parables and Instructions of our Saviour Jesus Christ that are not contained in the Gospels together with other fabulous Histories among which we may reckon the Reign of Jesus Christ on Earth during the space of a thousand years after the Resurrection of the Body That which led him into this Error continueth Eusebius is that he understood the Discourses and Instructions of the Apostles too literally not understanding that a mystical sense ought to be given to this sort of Expressions and that the Apostles only made use of them as Illustrations for â—e was a Man of a very mean capacity as appears from his Books who nevertheless gave occasion to many of the ancient Fathers and among others to Irenaeus to follow this Error which they maintained by the authority of Papias Eusebius in the same place relates two Miracles the account whereof Papias declares that he had received from the Daughter of Philip the Deacon who resided at Hierapolis That a dead Man was raised at that time and that Barsabas sirnamed Justus Elected to be an Apostle together with S. Matthias having swallowed deadly Poison was not hurt by it Moreover he assures us that Papias had collected in his Books divers Explications on some words of Jesus Christ composed by Aristion a Disciple of the Apostles and the Traditions likewise of the venerable Elder S. John but omitting these things he is content only to recite a passage wherein this ancient Writer affirms that S. Mark compiled his Gospel from what he had heard S. Peter tell of the Actions and Discourses of Jesus Christ and this is the reason that he hath not observed an Historical Method That S. Matthew wrote his Gospel in Hebrew and that it was afterward Translated into Greek Lastly Eusebius affirms that he cited the first Epistles of S. Peter and of S. John and that he explained the History of a Woman that was accused before our Saviour of several Crimes which was found in the Gospel according to the Hebrews Thus we have given an account of all that is recorded by Eusebius concerning Papias Andreas Caesariensis and Oeoumenius have likewise produced some Passages d Andraeas Caesariensis and Oécumenius have likewise produced some Passages Andraeas Caesariensis in Serm. 12. in Apocalyps cites a Passage of Papias wherein he says that the disposing of Sublunary Things was committed to the Care of the Angels that are round the Earth but that they did not perform their Duty as they ought to do Oecumenius upon the Acts observes that Papias believed that Judas did not end his Life by hanging but that he was run over with a Chariot which is the Opinion of Theophylact Euthymius and Oecumneius of his Works in their Commentaries on the Holy Scripture but it is not certain whether they were Papias's or no. The Judgment that ought to be given concerning him is that which hath been already given by Eusebius that is to say that he was a good Man but very credulous and of very mean Barts who delighted much in hearing and telling Stories and Miracles And since he was exceedingly inquisitive and inclined to believe every thing that was told him it is not to be admired that he hath divulged divers Errors and extravagant Notions as the Judgments of the Apostles and hath given us fabulous Narratives for real Histories which shews that nothing is so dangerous in Matters of Religion as lightly to believe and too greedily to embrace all that hath the appearance of Piety without considering in the first place how true it is e Without considering in the first place how true it is This is conformable to an excellent Passage of S. Augustin Non sit Religio nostra in Phantasmatibus nostris melius est enim qualecumque verum quà m omne quicqùid pro arbitrio fingi potest melior est vera stipula quà m lux inani cogitatione pro suspicantis voluntate formata De ver Rel. c. 55. QUADRATUS and ARISTIDES THese two Defenders of the Faith presented Apologies for Christians to the Emperor Adrian The first was a Disciple of the Apostles a A Disciple of the Apostles Hieron Ep. 84. ad Magnum This appears from the Fragment that is set down afterward We must not confound this Quadratus with another of this Name who was Bishop of Athens and the Successor of Publius mentioned by Eusebius Lib. 4. cap. 23. S. Jerom makes no distinction between them in his Catalogue nor in his Epistle to Magnus and they are likewise confounded in the Menâ—logium Graecâ—rum But Valesâ—us clearly proves that they are different for the first was not a Bishop as appears from the Testimony of Eusebius Lib. 3. c. 37. and Lib. 4. c. 3. Besides the former Quadratus was a Disciple of the Apostles and lived in the time of the Emperor Adrian whereas the other never saw the Apostles as being Contemporary with Dionysius Corinthius under the Reign of Antoninus And it cannot be doubted but that it was the Elder who presented the Apology to Adrian and it is said that he had the Gift of Prophecy Quadratus Aristides b It is said that he had the gift of Prophecy Eâ—sebius Lib. 3. cap. 37. assures us that he was endued with the Gift of Prophecy as were the Daughters of Philip the Deacon and Miltiades in Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 17. reckons him in the number of the Prophets of the New Testament Eusebius assures us that the Apology of this Author was extant in his 〈◊〉 and that it shewed the Genius of this Man and the true Doctrine of the Apostles But we have only a small Fragment produced by Eusebius in the fourth Book of his History chap. 3. wherein the Author declares that none could doubt of the Truth of the Miracles of Jesus Christ because the Persons that were healed or raised from the Dead by him had been seen not only when he wrote his Miracles or whilst he was upon Earth but even a very great while after his Death So that there
had one and the same Faith whereas afterward the Arch-Hereticks divided the Professors of Christianity rent the Church and propagated their pernicious Errors It were a manifest Abuse of this Passage to interpret it otherwise but that after the Death of those that had heard and seen Jesus Christ in the Flesh the first Heresiarch's began openly to divulge their detestable Errors The fourth Fragment concerning Antinous whom Adrian caused to be Registred amongst the Gods is cited Book 4. Chap. 8. only to shew that Hegesippus lived after the time of that Emperor The fifth is in Book 4. Chap. 22. where Hegesippus speaks of his Journey to Rome in passing through Corinth where he saw Primus the Bishop of that City he describes the Election of Simeon in the room of S. James and makes mention of a certain Person named Thebutis whom he affirms to have been the first that rent the Church by his Errors being incensed because he was not made a Bishop he observes that this Thebutis had collected his Doctrines from the seven Sects that were among the Jews as well as the other Hereticks Eusebius adds that Hegesippus produced divers Passages out of the Hebrew and Syriack Gospels and that he speaks of several Traditions of the Jews it is likewise observed by him that he cites the Proverbs of Solomon as well as S. Irenaeus under the Name of The Book of Wisdom and that he mentions certain Apocryphal Writings composed by the Hereticks of his tme This is all that is extant of the five Books of the History of Hegesippus the order of which is also unknown to us but as far as we can judge by the remaining Fragments of this Work it was not very exact and was rather filled with feigned and fabulous Relations than with solid and real Histories We have besides under the Name of Hegesippus an History of the Wars of the Jews and of the taking of the City of Jerusalem divided into five Books which hath been often published and particularly at Colen with the Notes of Galterius in the year 1559. It was likewise printed in a Collection of the Works of the Fathers set forth by Laurentius de la Barre A. D. 1583. as also in the Bibliotheca Patrum of La Bigne c. But it is certain that this Work does not belong to Hegesippus it being evident that it was written by an Author who lived after the Reign of Constantine the Great For first The History of Hegesippus was merely Ecclesiastical whereas this is an History of the Jews copied out in part from Josephus Secondly We do not find therein any of the Passages of the true 〈◊〉 that are produced by 〈◊〉 Thirdly it is Râ—corded by thi Authâ—â— in Book 3. Chap. 5. that thâ— City of 〈◊〉 wâ—ich was 〈◊〉 as the third in 〈◊〉 and Digâ—â—ity 〈◊〉 those of the Roman Empire became the second ever since the City of 〈…〉 was called by the name of Constantinople It is plain therefore that the Author of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… Some with Gronovius attribute it to S. Ambrose by reason of the 〈◊〉 of its 〈◊〉 â—o that of the Writings of this Father others as Labbâ—â— are of opinion that it is a Greek Version and lâ—stly 〈◊〉 as Vossius and Mirâ—â—s affirm that this Book was Compiled since the time of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—â— is to say after the tenth Century because the Author discoursing concerâ—ing the City of 〈◊〉 declares that it formerly belonged to the Persians and that at present it was a 〈◊〉 against thâ—â— which may be understood of the taking of this City by the Emperor Phocas However iâ— be this Author is only a Transcriber or an Interpreter of Josephus who hath made a kind of an imperfect Epitome of his History The Latin Interpreter who hath Translated it from Josephâ—s gave iâ— the Title of Josepâ—â— or Josippi and the Transcribers not understanding this Word have substituted Igisâ—ppâ— or Egesipâ—â— in its room as it appears from some ancient Manuscripts Father Mabillon observes in his Voyage into Italy that he found in the Ambrosian Library at â—â—â—lan an ancient Manuscript of this Book wherein it is said that it was Translated by S. Ambrose in thâ— Titles whereof it is sometimes written Josippi he saw another likewise at Turâ—n that appeared to be about 700 years old and that was entituled Egesippi If these Manuscripts are as ancient as Mâ—billon would have them to be this Book must of necessity be of greater Antiquity than Vossius and Miraeus have imagined It was Printed by it self at Paris in the years 1511 1589 1610 and afterwards inserted in the Bibliothecae Patrum S. JUSTIN ST Justin was a Native of the City of Sichem otherwise called Naples of Palestine a Of the City of Sichem otherwise called Naples of Palestine In Dialog 2. a p. 212. ad p. 223. Just. Apâ—l 2 p. 53. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin the Son of Priscus Bacchius of Flavia The new â—ity â—r Naples of Syria This was one of the principal Cities of the Samaritans and it hath had four Names The first and most ancient is that of Sichem thus it is usually called in the Holy Scripture and in the Works of Josephus The Second is Maâ—oâ—ortâ—a or Mamorthâ— in Joseph Lib. 5. de bellâ— Judaico c. 4. and in Plin. Lib. 5. Nat. Hist. c. 13. The Third is Naples and the Fourth is Flavia which Name it has had ever since one of the Emperors it is not certainly known whether it were Vespasiaâ— or Domitian caused a Colony of the Greeks to be Transported thither Moreover this Name is to be found not only in the passage of S. Justin that we have even now cited but also in ancient Medals and particularly in one of Dâ—â—itian's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which even at this day bears the Name of Napolous his Father was called Priscus Bacchius he was a Grecian by Birth and Religion b He was a Greek by Birth and Religion S. Epiphanius seems to believe that S. Justin was of the Extraction and Religion of the Samaritans when he says that he passed from the Samaritâ—â— to the Christian Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But when S. Justin himself mentions his Conversion he declaâ—es that he had been Educated in the Greek Religion and that having discâ—â—ered the Falshood thereof he readily embraced the Christian. It is true indeed that he calls the Samaritans in his Dialogue and in his first Apology his Stock his Nation and the like But it was because he was horn among them in a City the Original whereof was Samaritan as S. Paul is said to be a Citizen of Rome and of the City of Tarsus tho' he was a Jew and of the Tribe of Benjamin and perhaps Epiphanius meant nothing else in this place but having in vain sought for the Knowledge of the true S. Justin. God among all the Sects of the Pagan Philosophers tho' â—â—e chiefly adhered to the Platonick was Converted
of S. Justin was perfectly skilled in the Christian Philosophy and yet more in the Profane he had acquired an universal Learning and a perfect knowledge of History but he hath taken no care to adorn the Natural Beauty of Philosophy with the Artificial Ornaments of Eloquence Therefore his Discourses tho' very Learned have not the Elegancy and Grace of Eloquent Discourses This Character appears throughout all his Works which are extreamly full of Citations and of passages taken from the Holy Scriptures and profane Authors with little Order and without any Ornament He had joined to his exquisite Skill in the Pagan Philosophy an admirable knowledge of the Sacred and Prophetical Writings as also of the Principles of the Christian Religion that there is scarce any one of the ancient Fathers who ever Discoursed more accurately than he hath done of all its Mysteries It is true indeed that as to the Doctrine of the Trinity r he seems to differ from us in following the Platonick Maxims but it will appear to those who shall thoroughly examine his Opinions and those of the ancient Fathers that in the main they agree with ours s In the main they agree with ours We need only examine his Discourse concerning the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity in his Apology to the Emperour p. 36 93 94. as also concerning the Divinity of the Word p. 67 96. and in his first Apology p. 44 45. and more especially his Declaration concerning the Word in his Dialogue p. 267. where he not only confutes the Opinion of those that imagined that Jesus Christ was a mere Man but he likewise proves that he is really God and in p. 358. where he plainly asserts that the Word was begotten of the Father without dividing his Substance and that they are only different in the manner of Expression He asserts with many of the ancient Writers that the Souls of Men after their Separation from the Body shall wait for the Day of Judgment to be either entirely happy or miserable t To be either entirely happy or miserable In his Dialogue p. 223. he declares that the Souls of the just and of the wicked wait for the day of Judgment in a place where they suffer more or less proportionably to the good or evil that they have done in the World but at the same time he acknowledgeth that during this interval they shall receive Punishments or Rewards according to their Deserts Moreover he believes according to the Opinion of the most part of the primitive Christians that the Just after the Resurrection shall remain for the space of a Thousand years in the City of Jerusalem where they shall enjoy all lawful Pleasures u Where they shall enjoy all lawful pleasures See p. 306. of his Dialogue This Opinion is common to him and almost all the ancient Fathers and it was a fancy set on foot by Papias and from him spread among the Primitive Christians of the vanity whereof we are at present convinced He seems to have thought that the Souls of the wicked should at last become capable of dying x That the Souls of the wicked should at last become capable of dying We find this notion in the beginning of his Dialogue p. 222 223 and 224. where the old Man that instructs him refutes the Opinion of Plato that Souls are incorruptible of their own nature and maintaining that they are so only through grace from whence he concludes that the Souls of the wicked are only tormented as long as it shall seem good to the Will of God insomuch that after many Ages they shall cease to be tho' in other places y Although in other places c. In his Apology to the Emperor p. 57. he affirms that the torments of the Damned shall not only last for a thousand years as these mentioned by Plato but that they shall be everlasting Observe likewise what he says concerning these torments in p. 64 65 66. and in other places wherein he always calls them Eternal opposing this word Eternal to the Pains that shall one day have an end he affirms that their torments shall be eternal He has a peculiar Opinion concerning the Souls of the righteous which he affirms to have been before the coming of Jesus Christ under the power of the Devil who could cause them to appear whensoever he should think fit z Who could cause them to appear c. He asserts this in speaking of Samuel whose Soul the Witch really caused to return according to his Opinion in Dialog p. 332 and 333. He hath asserted as S. Irenaeus assures us aa According to the testimony of S. Irenaeus This passage is set down above that the Devils were ignorant of their Damnation until the coming of our Saviour nay he goes further in his Apology to the Emperor affirming that they are not as yet thrust down into Eternal Flames bb That the Devils are not as yet thrust down into Eternal Flames We find this in his Apology to the Emperor p. 71. c. Lastly he seems not to despair of the Salvation of those who have lived Vertuously among the Gentiles having only the knowledge of God without that of Jesus Christ. cc Having only the knowledge of God without that of Jesus Christ. In his second Apology pag. 83. he declares that they that lived according to the Principles of Natural Reason as Socrates Heraclitus Azarias Misael c. might be called Christians and he seems to suppose that they were saved by living up to the Law of Nature These are almost all the particular Points wherein he hath departed from the present Opinions of the Catholick Church The Works of S. Justin were first Printed all together in Greek dd The Works of S. Justin were first printed all together in Greek I do not speak of the several Editions of the Versions which are common and whereof there are three besides that of Langus The first was Composed by Picus Mirandula and printed at Basil by Henry Peter in the years 1528 and 1551. The second by Perionius and Printed by Nivelle at Paris in 1554. The third by Gelenius was Printed at Basil in 1555. Lastly a Translation of all the Works of Justin was set forth by Langus and Printed at Basil in 1565 and at Paris in the same year and in 1578 together with large Commentaries The Book of the Confutation of the Opinions of the Aristotelians was translated by Postellus printed by it self by Nivelle in 1552. A Greek Edition of his Apologies and several other little Tracts of the Greek Fathers were Printed at Rome by Zannerus The Exhortation to the Greeks in Greek is Printed by it self by Guillard at Paris by Robert Stephen in the years 1551 and 1571 except the Second Treatise against the Gentiles and the Epistle to Diognetus which were printed by themselves by Henry Stephen in the years 1592 and 1595. This Edition was soon followed by that
Epistle to the Corinthians which had been for a long time constantly read in the Church of Corinth as he testifies in these Words We have even now passed the Lords Day when we perused your Epistle which we shall hereafter read continually as we do that of St. Clement that we may be replenished with Precepts and wholsom Instructions Afterward he observes that his Letters were corrupted by Falsifiers in these Words I wrote several Epistles at the Entreaty of the Brethren but the Ministers of the Devil have filled them with Tares by retrenching and adding many things they may well expect this terrible Sentence Cursed be he that adds or diminisheth any thing from my Words Wherefore it is not to be admir'd that some have presumed even to corrupt the Sacred Writings since they have done it in Books of much less Authority Besides these Epistles there is another Extant written to Chrysophora his faithful Sister to whom he gave Instructions suitable carefully nourishing her with spiritual Food These are the Contents of this passage of Eusebius concerning the Epistles of St. Dionysius which I have set down entire because he hath made use of the same Method as we should have done in case those Epistles had been still Extant Moreover Eusebius in his 2d Book Chap. 25. recites another Fragment of his Epistle to the Romans wherein it mention'd the Death of St. Peter in the City of Rome in these Words Thus says he as I may so say by your Exhortations you have mixed the Grain that sprung from the Seed of St. Peter and S. Paul that is to say the Romans and the Corinthians for these two glorious Apostles entring into our City of Corinth instructed us in dispersing the spiritual Seed of the Gospel afterwards they passed together into Italy and having given you also the like Instructions they suffered Martyrdom with you at the same time This is all that we certainly know concerning the Life and Writings of Dionysius Bishop of Corinth In the Menologium of the Greeks he is reckoned among the Martyrs a He is reckoned among the Martyrs On the 29th of November 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on this day Dionysius Bishop of Corinth died by the Sword Glycas affirms that he suffered Martyrdom under the Reign of Antoninus Pius and yet it is certain that he lived under Marcus Aurelius but since neither Eusebius nor S. Jerom take any Notice of the matter I am apt to believe that the Latin Church hath done more prudently in placing him in their Martyrology in the Rank of the Confessors Pinytus Philippus Modestus Musanus and Bardesanes AT the same time lived Pinytus Bishop of Gnossus in the Island of Crete who replyed as we have even now observ'd to S. Denys of Corinth in an Eloquent and Learned Epistle Philippus Pinytus c. Bishop of Gortyna mentioned likewise by the later wrote a Treatise against Marcion as well as Modestus a As well as Modestus S. Jerom affirms that in his time there were other Tracts extant under the Name of Modestus but that they were rejected by the learned as Supposititious but less accurate Among these may be reckoned Musanus who wrote a Work against the Encratites and Bardesanes b Bardesanes Porphyritis Lib. de Abst. cites one Bardesanes a Babylonian who he says lived in the time of his Fore-fathers and writ concerning the Brachman and Indian Philosophers But he must needs have been another Person the Syrian who Composed two Tracts translated into Greek by his Disciples the First against Marcion and other Hereticks and the Second concerning Fate this last was dedicated to the Emperour Antoninus c Was Dedicated to the Emperor Antoninus It is asserted by S. Jerom that he presented it to him but it is more probable that being Translated it was afterwards delivered by others for since he wrote in Syriack it is not credible that he presented or even Dedicated his Book to the Emperor on the contrary he Composed it at the Entreaty of his Friends and in the form of a Dialogue Besides he wrote other Treatises upon the Persecution that was then raised against the Christians of Syria Eusebius observes that this Author having been engaged in the Sect of the Valentinians tho' he had acknowledged and retracted the most part of his Errors yet he retained some of them wherefore he is accused by S. Jerom of being the Deviser of a new Heresie Tho' he owns that Bardesanes was endued with a very quick Apprehension and was extremely vehement in his Disputes S. Epiphanius likewise makes him to be the Ring-leader of an Heresie Bardesanes says he in Haeres 56. is the Author of the Heresie of the Bardasianites he was a Native of Mesopotamia and an Inhabitant of the City of Edessa moreover he was a very good Christian d A very good Christian. S. Epiphanius is deceived for it is otherwise affirmed by Eusebius that he was at first a Valentinian and that his Errors were the remainders of this Heresie and wrote many useful Books being well skill'd in the Greek and Syriack Tongues e Being well-skilled in the Greek and Syriack Tongues He did not understand Greek since as Eusebius assures us his Disciples Translated his Works He was intimately acquainted with Abgarus Prince of Edessa and assisted him in his Studies he lived until the time of Antoninus Verus and Collected many things concerning Fate against the Astronomer Abidas There are also other Works written by him agreeable to the Faith He Courageously withstood Apollonius the Friend of Antoninus f The Friend of Antoninus Neither is there much certainty in this Relation who advised him to deny that he was a Christian and undauntedly replyed that he did not fear Death which he could not avoid tho' he should do that which the Emperor required But at last this Man adorned with so many Vertues fell into Heresie suffering himself to be infected with the Errors of the Valentinians inventing divers Aeones and denying the Resurrection of the Dead He acknowledged indeed the Law and the Prophets together with the whole New Testament but then he admitted several Apocryphal Books along with them Eusebius in Lib. 6. Praeparat Evangl produceth an excellent Fragment of the Writings of this Author against Fate whereby it is evident that it was written in the Form of a Dialogâ—â— He proves in this Fragment that Men are not Conducted by Nature and Necessity as brute Beasts but by Reason and with Liberty because altho' the Nature of all Men be the same yet there are infinite numbers of Manners Customs Laws and Religions among them that are different even in the same Country and under the very same Climate which cannot proceed but from the different Choice that is made by them Afterwards having alledged many Examples to evince this Truth he adds What shall we say of the Society of Christians who are dispersed throughout all the Cities of the World and who cannot
Lib. 1. Stromat p. 274. He says that he had two in Greece one of Coelosyria and the other of Egypt And two others in the East whereof one was an Assyrian and the other of Palestine and descended from the Hebrews But that at last he found out one in Egypt who was more Excellent than all the rest This last was Pantaenus whom he often mentions in his Book of Institutions We do not know who were the other four Baronius believes that the Assyrian was Bard-sanes and he of Palestine Theophilus of Caesaria but Bardesanes was not properly an Assyrian and Theophilus of Caesaria was rather S. Clement's Companion than his Master Valesius thinks with greater probability that Tatian was the Assyrian and Theodotus the Hebrew under whose Name there is a Fragment of the Institutions at the end of the Works of S. Clement was after him or rather at the same time with him Master of the School at Alexandria and Catechist of the S. Clement of Alexan. Catechumens c Catechist of the Catechumens c. Eusebius Book 5. Chap. 10. and Book 6. Chap. 6. and S. Jerom in his Catologue We have already said that Pantaenus left the School of Alexandria to his Care when he went to preach to the Indians and it is probable that after his return they both taught in the same School belonging to the Church of that City He flourished under the Emperors Severus and Antoninus Caracalla and it plainly appears that he lived till the Reign of Heliogabalus or Alexander Severus that is till about the Year Two hundred and twenty from the Birth of Christ d About the year two hundred and twenty from the Birth of Christ. It is generally believed that he died about the year 200 from the Birth of Christ but he must needs have lived longer for Pantaenus who was his Master lived to this time and the Ancients assure us that he survived him He wrote his Stromata in the time of the Emperor Severus As he was endowed with extraordinary Learning and a singular Talent in Writing so he Composed several considerable Works which discover great Industry and Study This is plain by the Catalogue which is left us of them by Eusebius and S. Jerom. The Eight Books of Stromata Entituled the Commentaries or Stromata of Titus Flavius Clemens concerning true knowledge Eight Books of Hypotyposes or Instructions an Exhortation to the Gentiles quoted in the Seventh Book of the Stromata Three Books commonly called the Pedagogue and a Book Entituled What rich man can be saved a small Treatise concerning Easter a Discourse of Fasting another of Slander an Exhortation to Patience written to the Catechumens a Book Entituled The Ecclesiastical Rule against the Jews Dedicated to Alexander Bishop of Jerusalem Besides these Books S. Clement in his Second Book of the Pedagogue Chap. 10. tells us that he wrote a Book of Continence and in his Third Book Chap. 8. a Book concerning Marriage Of these Works we have still Three remaining that are very considerable The Exhortation to the Gentiles the Pedagogue the Eight Books of the Stromata and the little Tract Entituled What rich man can be saved which Johannes Mattheus Cariophylus Arch-Bishop of Iconium published from a Manuscript of the Vatican Library whence Father Combeâ—is made a new Version which he set forth together with the Original Greek in the last Volume of his Supplement to the Bibliotheca Patrum It was Printed also at Oxon in Twelves 1683. Doctor Cave says that it was published formerly under Origen's Name being Printed by Michael Gheislerus with Origen's Commentaries upon Jeremiah The Exhortation to the Gentiles is a Discourse written to convert the Pagans from their Religion and to perswade them to embrace that of Jesus Christ. In the beginning of it he shews what Difference there is between the Design of Jesus Christ and that of Orpheus and those ancient Musicians who were the first Authors of Idolatry by telling us that these drew in Men by their Singing and the sweetness of their Musick to render them miserable Slaves to Idols and to make them like the very Beasts and Stocks and Stones which they adored whereas Jesus Christ who from all Eternity was the WORD of God always had a Compassionate tenderness for Men and at last took their Nature upon him to free them from the Slavery of Daemons to open the Eyes of those that were blind and the Ears of those that were deaf to guide their Paths in the way of Justice to deliver them from Death and Hell and to bestow on them everlasting Life to put them in a Capacity of leading a Heavenly Life here upon Earth and Lastly that God made himself Man to teach Man to become like unto God Having thus represented the Advantages of the Christian Religion he exhorts them in a few words to embrace Vertue Justice Temperance and to imitate the Example of Jesus Christ that so they may become worthy of eternal Salvation He afterwards shews the Falshood of the Pagan Religion First by discovering the Infamy and Vanity of their Mysteries which he enumerates and describes exactly Secondly by shewing the Original of Idolatry and after what manner Men first invented those false Deities Some says he contemplating the Stars and admiring their Courses deifyed them so the Indians adored the Sun the Phrygians the Moon and others gathering with Pleasure the Fruits that grow out of the Earth made a Deity of Corn which they call Ceres and another of the Vine and that they call Bacchus Others dreading Punishments Afflictions Miseries and Calamities invented particular Deities who were either the Instruments of sending them upon mankind or else of diverting them from Men some Philosophers following the Fancy of the Poets made Deities of the Passions such as Love Hope and Joy and others placed the Vertues in the Rank of Gods representing them by external Shapes Hesiod and Homer in their Accounts of the Generation of the Gods and Descriptions of their Actions have given Rise to a new sort of Theology Lastly the common People have made Gods of those from whom they have received any considerable Benefit After having thus discovered the Original of Idolatry he shews the Folly of it by proving that the Principal Gods as Jupiter Mars Vulcan Aesculapius c. were Men like others and that we know their Country their manner of Living and Employments and that we may see their Sepulchres to this Day That the Poets have set down their Loves their Wounds and their Crimes That the wisest of the Heathens have owned the Falshood of these Deities That the several Religions of the Pagans destroy one another That it is a strange kind of Blindness to adore Statues as real Deities Then he goes on to the principal Design of his Work which is to exhort men to adore the true God and to embrace the Religion of Jesus Christ he shews that the wisest of the Philosophers as Plato Cleanthes Pythagoras and Xenophon
of his first Book of Illustrious Men. In the Poem against Marcion hh In the Poem against Marcion Tertullian in his Book De Animâ chap. 57. says that it was not the Soul of Samuel but only a Phantasm which the Witch raised up and the Author of the Poem in his third Book supposes that it was Samuel himself that was raised to acquaint Saul what was to befall him Tertullian in his Book of Praescriptions makes S. Clemens to succeed S. Peter but this Author places him the Fourth making two Popes of Cletus and Anacletus there are some Opinions different from those of Tertullian There is likewise a Poem to a Senator in Pamelius's Edition one of Sodom and one of Jonas and Ninive in the Bibliotheca Patrum of which we do not know the Authors the first is ancient and the other two seem to be written by the same Author Besides S. Jerom affirms that Tertullian writ several other Treatises which were lost in his time and amongst others a Book Of the Habits of Aaron whereof this Father speaks in his Letter to Fabiola He quotes likewise a Book Of the Circumcision another Of those Creatures that are Clean and of such as are Unclean a Book concerning Extasie and another against Apollonius Tertullian himself cites several other Treatises of his own composing as in his Book Of the Soul a Discourse concerning Paradise and in his Book Of the Testimony of the Soul chap. 2. a Discourse Of Destiny and in another place a Book concerning The Hope of the Faithful and another against Apelles He had also composed a former Work against Marcion which being lost in his own time he was obliged to write a new one Lastly he wrote the Discourses Of Baptism Of Publick Sights and Spectacles and that wherein he proves That Virgins ought to be veil'd in Greek But we have said enough of Tertullian's Works as to what relates to Criticism and Chronology we will now look upon them with relation to what they contain And considering them thus we may distinguish them into three Classes The first comprizing those which were written against the Gentiles The second those which were made against Hereticks And the third those which relate to Discipline and Manners The first Book of this first Classis is his Apology against the Gentiles wherein he shews the Injustice of those Persecutions and Sufferings which they inflicted on the Christians and the Falshood of those Accusations which were laid to their Charge and at the same time proves the Excellency of their Religion and the Folly of that of the Heathens He begins by shewing that there is nothing more unjust or opposite to the very intent and design of Laws than to Condemn without Understanding and to Punish without considering whether there be any just Ground for such a Condemnation And yet that this is put in practise every day against the Christians that they are Hated Condemned and Punished merely upon the account of their being Christians without eve◠considering or giving themselves the trouble to be informed what it is to be a Christian. That there are indeed some Laws made by the Emperors which forbid Men to be Christians but that these Laws are Unjust subject to Alteration made by Evil Emperors and contrary to the Opinions of the Justest and Wisest amongst them He afterwards confutes the Calumnies which were spread abroad against the Christians as that they used in their Night-Meetings to cut a Child's Throat and to devour it and that after they had put out the Candles they had filthy and abominable Conversations amongst themselves He shews that there is not only so much as the least Proof of these Crimes alledged against them but that their Life their Manners and the Principles of their Religion were directly opposite to these Abominations We are says he beset daily we are continually betrayed we are very often surprized and oppressed even in the very time of our Meetings But did they ever find this Child dead or a dying Was there ever any one that could be a Witness of these Crimes Has ever any one of those who have betrayed us discovered these things Besides he presses the Heathens further by shewing that these Crimes were frequently committed amongst themselves that they have slain Children in Africa in Honour of Saturn and that they have sacrificed Men in other places that their Gods have been guilty of a thousand shameful and abominable Practises whereas the Christians are so far from killing a Child and drinking its Blood that they do not so much as eat the Flesh of those Beasts that have been strangled and that they are such inveterate Enemies to all kind of Incests that there are several amongst them who preserve their Virginity all their Lives After having thus confuted those Calumnies which were set on foot on purpose to render the Christians odious he gives an Answer to that Objection which was made to them That they did not own the Pagan Deities and that they did not offer up Sacrifices to them for the Prosperity of their Emperors from whence they concluded that they were guilty of Sacriledge and Treason He answers in a word that the Christians did not pay any Honour to the Gods of the Heathens because they were not true Gods and he appeals for a Testimony of this to the Consciences of the wisest of the Heathens themselves He evidently demonstrates that their pretended Gods were Men and for the most part Criminals that were dead and that their Images cannot be Adored without the greatest Folly and Madness in the World that even the Wisest of the Heathens despised them He occasionally confutes what has been objected by some to the Christians that they worshipped an Asses Head and adored Crosses And from thence he takes occasion to explain the Doctrine of the Christians We Adore says he One only God the Creator of the World who is Invisible and Incomprehensible who will Recompence Good Men with Everlasting Life and Punish Wicked Men with Eternal Torments after he has raised them from the Dead He proves this Truth by the whole Creation which so evidently demonstrates that there is a God That it is says he the greatest Wickedness that can possibly be conceived not to acknowledge him of whom 't is impossible that we can be ignorant even by the very Dictates which Nature inspires into all Men which oftentimes cause them to Invoke the True God as when we say If God thinks good if God pleases God sees us and the like And this he calls The Testimony of a Soul that is naturally Christian Testimonium Animae naturaliter Christianae Lastly by the Antiquity of the Books of Moses which are more ancient than all the Writings of the Greeks and by the Authority of the Prophets who foretold those Things that were to come to pass Then after having proved the Unity of God which the Jews acknowledge as well as the Christians he goes on to that Faith
but can never be really so Christianus videri potest miser non potest esse He adds that they abstain from Pleasures from publick Sights and from the Pomps of the World because all these things are contrary to good Manners and that their Life is more unblameable than that of the Philosophers who seem to be wise by their Discourses and by their outward Appearance but were by no means sound at the Bottom After Octavius had thus answered all the Objections of Cecilius the last acknowledges himself convinced by his Arguments I do not expect says he the Determination of our Arbitrator we are equally victorious Octavius triumphs over me and I triumph over Error I submit my self therefore to God I acknowledge his Providence and I do publickly declare that the Religion of the Christians among the Number of whom I place my self from this present is the only way that discovers the Truth This Dialogue is Elegant the Expressions are Select the Words proper the Turn agreeable the Reasons are set forth to advantage and beautified with a great deal of Learning In a word this small Treatise shews as Lactantius has observed that Minutius had been a very excellent Defender of Religion and of the Truth had he entirely applied himself to this Study But this is rather the Production of one who would divert himself from Business than a Book written with great Assiduity and Diligence He flourishes upon his Subject without treating of it thoroughly He takes more pains in shewing how ridiculous the Opinions of the Heathens are and in confuting them by their own Authors than in explaining and proving the Doctrine of the Christians Besides he does not appear to be very well skilled in the Mysteries of Religion and he seems to have believed that the Soul should die with the Body d That the Soul shoulâ—…ie with the Body He says That there is nothing after Death as there was nothing before the Production and that being made of nothing it shall likewise be renewed of nothing This Discourse passed a long time for the Eighth Book of Arnobius for it being found together with the seven Books of Arnobius in an ancient Manuscript of the Vatican Library it was printed four times e Four times The first by Sabaeus according to the Manuscript of Rome in the Year 1542. The second in Germany by Gelenius The third in Holland at Leyden in the Year 1552. The fourth at Basil by Erasmus in 1560. under his Name before any Body knew its true Author The Learned Lawyer Balduinus was the first that found out this vulgar Error and caused this little Treatise to be printed by it self in the Year 1560 at Heidelberg with a learned Preface wherein he restores it to its true Author But though we owe to this famous Lawyer the Honour of having first made this Discovery yet 23 years after Ursinus causing Arnobius's Works to be printed at Rome whether he had not seen Balduinus's Edition or whether he had a mind to attribute all the Honour of this Observation to himself separated this Book of Minutius from those of Arnobius without taking any notice that it had been done before ascribing to himself by this means the whole Credit of the Discovery Some time after in the year 1603 Wowerius caused it to be printed at Basil by Frobenius with very useful Notes for the understanding of this Author In 1610 it was printed at Francfort in Octavo according to Balduinus's Edition Afterwards Elmenborstius caused it to be printed at Hambourg with some new Observations in the year 1612 adjoyning thereunto the Preface of Balduinus The Year following Heraldus the Lawyer published at Paris an Edition of Minutius in Quarto which was more correct than the others Lastly Rigaltius revising it very diligently from a Manuscript in the King's Library being the same which was in the Vatican put it forth in the Year 1643 with very learned and curious Notes and it was re-printed at Amsterdam in 1645 together with Julius Firmicus This Edition of Rigaltius was followed in the Edition of S. Cyprian of 1666 to whose Notes they have added part of those of Wowerius Elmenâ—orstius Oizelius and those lately made by Priorius Lastly All these Notes were printed together with the Text after the manner which they call Variorum in the Year 1672. S. Hierom says That in his Time there was a Book concerning Destiny attributed to Minutius Felix but though this might be the Work of an eloquent Author yet it was not written with the same Style with this Dialogue It is true that Cecilius promises in this Dialogue to treat more largely of Destiny upon another occasion but to tell whether he did it or no or whether this Treatise that was extant in S. Hierom's Time was the same which he promised or rather whether this Promise gave occasion to some other Author to forge a Discourse thereof under Minutius's Name are things which we cannot positively determine AMMONIUS Ammonius AMMONIUS a Christian Philosopher the Master of Plotinus and Origen a Master of Plotinus and Origen Porphyry says in Plotinus's Life That this Philosopher when he was twenty years old came to hear Ammonius that he was his Disciple for eleven years and that he had another Disciple named Origen But as we shall observe elsewhere this is a different Person from the famous Origen Nevertheless Eusebius assures us That our Origen was likewise his Scholar and it seems undeniable and we must needs confess that there were two Origens who were Disciples to Ammonius flourished in Alexandria b Flourished in Alexandria There was another Ammonius a Philosopher likewise who lived after the Council of Chalcedon He was somewhat older than Origen and a Platonist where he publickly taught Philosophy in Alexander Severus's Reign Porphyry falsly accuses him for having quitted the Christian Religion in which he had been educated for it is certain as Eusebius and S. Hierom observe That he always continued stedfast in the Doctrine and Precepts of Christianity Witness says Eusebius those excellent Works that he has left behind him which are so many authentick Monuments of his Faith and his Ability as the Book intituled The Agreement between Moses and Jesus Christ and all the other Pieces which may be found in the Hands of studious Persons In the Number of these Works we may reckon a Gospel composed out of all the Four which was a kind of Harmony and Concord which he had drawn up with a great deal of Pains and Study as is testified by Eusebius in his Epistle to Carpianus placed at the beginning of his Canons upon the Evangelists Which has given occasion to S. Hierom to affirm that Ammonius writ Canons like those of Eusebius But they were not properly speaking Canons which Ammonius composed for the Canons were no more than Indices of the Places of the Gospels which are contained in One Two Three or Four of the Evangelists whereas Ammonius's Harmony or Concord
often cites our Author against divers Hereticks Lib. 1. cap. 2. He says that he wrote against Menander In the 4th Chapter against Basilides and Isidorus in the 7th against the Helcesaites Eusebius says concerning these last That it was in his Homilies In the 19th Chapter against Appelles in the 3d Book Chap. 2. against the Nazareans He attributes to him in the 5th Chapter the little Labyrinth against Theodotus which is by another Author but we must not therefore think that he composed so many express Treatises against these Hereticks they are only some Passages of his Works where he confutes several Errors whilst he is writing upon other Subjects The Chief of all these Books is the Discourse against Celsus divided into eight Books which were published in Greek long since with the Translation of Gelenius and the Notes of Haeschelius and of one Christoph. Persona printed at Rome in the Year 1471 and afterwards very correctly in England in â—658 The Exhortation to Martyrdom has â—een lately published by Wâ—â—stâ—nius the Greek Professor as Basil together with the Letter to Africanus concerning the History of Susanna which was formerly set forth in part by Haeschelius in the Year 1602. We have likewise the Version of the four Books de Principâ—â—s composed by Ruâ—â—inus But he has taken so much Liberty aa But he has taken therein so much Liberty He declares it himself in his Preface where he says that he has retrenched and added several things concerning the Trinity The Passages out of these Books related in the Apology are quite different from this Version as well as those which are in the Phâ—lâ—â—â—lia that we cannot discern what is Origen's own There are some Latin Fragments of the Books of the Resurrection cited in the Apology of Pamphilus which we have only in Latin The Letter to S. Gregory Thaumaturgus is entire in Greek in the Philocalia Ruffinus relates a Fragment of a Letter to those of Alexandria where he complains that they had corrupted his Books S. Hierom accuses him for having omitted that in this same Letter Origen railed at Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria and at those others who had condemned him Eusebius also produces as we have already said some Fragments of two Letters The Book of Prayer which Hiietius had promised has been lately published in Greek and Latin in England This Work was addressed to Ambrose and Tatianus and it may be divided into three Parts In the first he treats of the Necessity the Advantage and the good Effects of Prayer In the Second he discourses of the different kinds of Prayer and particularly explains the Lord's Prayer In the Last he speaks of the Circumstances and Conditions which ought to precâ—de accompany and follow our Prayers Lastly We may joyn to Origen's Works the Philocalia which is a Collection of several Passages of Origen relating to the Holy Scripture made by S. Basil and S. Gregory Nâ—zianzen and published by Tarinus in the Year 1618 and the Book of the Apology of Pamphilus of which we have the Translation done by Ruffinus which is amongst S. Hierom's Works in the Fourth Tome We ought also to have reckoned here the Dialogue against Marcion which bears his Name if it was not more probable that it was composed by another Author bb If it was not more probable that it was composed by another Author This Dialogue is a Dispute against the Marcionites and the Valentinians wherein he introduces Origen defending the Doctrines of the Church Mâ—gethius and Marcus taking the Part of the Marcionites Droferius Valens and Maximus that of the Valentinians and Eutropius as a Judge between them We have three different Versions of it that of Perinius that of Picus printed in 1655 and that of Humfredus in 1557 which is much the exactest But it has Whom our Author 〈◊〉 ... by this English-man I know not â—etâ—tenius the Greek Professor at Basil was the first that published it at Basil Gr. Lâ—t in 1674. 40. been lately published in Greek by a Learned English-man who pretends that it is Origen's Hiâ—etius after Halloixius and Rivet believes that it is not Origen's and this Opinion seems the most probable 'T is indeed cited in the Philocalia as a Work of Origen's But it is possible that S. Gregory and S. Basil might have been deceived because it bears his Name or that believing that this Book containing nothing but Origen's Opinions and going under his Name they might quote it in a Work wherein they made a Collection of his Opinions Besides it appears by the Title that they had taken this Passage from Eusebius who relates it word for word as it is in the Philocalia in his 7th Book de Praeparatiâ—â—e Evangelicâ as taken from the Treatise of one Mâ—ximus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say concerning Matter and at the end they add the following Remark This is extracted from Eusebius ' s Book De Praeparatione Evangelicâ the Author thereof is Maximus a famous Writer among the Christians as Eusebius observes but it is likewise found almost in the same Tâ—rms in Origen ' s Dialogue against the Marcionites and other Hereâ—ickâ— in which Megethius is the Disputant and Eutropius the Judge This Observation makes it appear that the Authors of the Philocaliâ— believed that this Passage did really belong to Maximus relying upon Eusebius's Authority but having also found it in a Dialogue which bears Origen's Name they believed that they might cite it as his without examining whether he was the Author of it for 't is a thing very unlikely to affirm that Origen had taken this Passage from Maximus to insert it into his Dialogue since it is already in Eusebius in form of a Dialogue though the Names be suppressed So it seems that we may say that Maximus was the Author of this Dialogue wherein he introduces Origen disputing against the Hereticks and Eutropius as Judge But there are considerable Difficulties raised against this Hypothesis The first That Maximus was more ancient than Origen as appears by Eusebius who in the first Book of his History Chap. 27 places him amongst the Authors who flourished under the Emperours Commodus and Severus The Second is That it is not likely the Treatise of Maximus should be this Dialogue because it was Entitled concerning Matter and he only proved therein that Matter was a created Substance whereas this Dialogue contains several other Points of Religion We may answer to the first Reason That Eusebius was not exact in setting down the Times of Authors and especially of those about whose Lives he was not particular The second Objection is more difficult though we may say that Eusebius having extracted out of this Book of Maximus only what relates to the Original of Evil and the Creation of Matter he gave it the Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde sit malum though it treated of other Subjects besides that this Dialoguew as chiefly designed to confute the Error of the
Hom. 35. Luc. 3. per. He says however concerning that to the Hebrews that the Thoughts of this Epistle are St. Paul's but that it was Composed by some other Person and that there is none but God who knows the Author of it though some attribute it to S. Clemens others to S. Luke He says that there is but one Epistle of S. Peter which was received by all the Churches but that we may grant the Second likewise to have been his He says the same thing of the Two last Epistles of S. John He cites the Epistles of St. Jude and St. James in his Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans He likewise quotes the Revelations and attributes them to St. John Besides these Books he often cites Apocryphal Writings as the Gospels according to the Aegyptians and according to the Hebrews the Book of Hermas the Epistle of S. Barnabas the Book of Enoch and even some Heretical Books as the Apocalypse of S. Paul a Book conterning the Twelve Apostles the Doctrine of S. Peter the Acts of S. Paul the History of Isaiah and and some others Origen had very quick Parts a very strong and Extensive Phancy but he relied too much on the Vivacity of his Genius and often lost himself out of too great earnestness to fathom and subtilize every thing He had a very happy invention and a much more happy delivery of what he had invented But he had not that exactness in his Inventions nor all that Gracefulness in the Delivery as might be wish'd He carried on his Work with so great ease that he is said to have Dictated to Seven or Eight Persons at a time and he was so ready in Expressing himself that he made the greatest Part of his Homilies Extempore Upon which account his Style was not very Correct nor Coherent He had a vast Memory but he often trusted too much to it He was a Person of most profound Learning and he particularly Studied Plato's Philosophy which he understood to Perfection and indeed he was too much addicted to it for a Christian. He understood likewise the Maxims of the other Philosophers He had apply'd himself mightily to the Study of Humane Learning He was neither Ignorant of History nor Mythology and he had as great knowledge in all the Profane Sciences as those who had Studied nothing else all their whole Lives But he particularly excell'd in the knowledge of the Holy Scripture to the Study of which he entirely addicted himself He had Learned it all by heart and that he might not neglect any thing which might be of use for the understanding the Letter thereof he carefully Examined all the Versions of the Bible which were in his time and compared them all together with the Hebrew Text adding thereto a Literal Commentary upon the most difficult Places He was not very well skill'd in the Hebrew yet he knew enough of it to understand it and to observe the Differences of the Text and the Translations but he did not keep to the Literal Explication of the Bible He thought it necessary for the setting off of the Holy Scripture to the best advantage which appeared but plain and simple to the Heathens and for the rendring it of greater use to all the World to give Mystical or Allegorical Interpretations of every thing in it And herein imitates the way of Philo and Aristobulus and followed the Genius and Manner of the Platonists We have already taken notice that Hippolitus explained the Scripture Allegorically and that it was in imitation of him that Origen undertook this way of Writing St. Clement of Alexandria his Master is also full of Allegories and 't is not to be denied but that the Hellenistical Jews and the Primitive Christians made very frequent use of them But Origen has carried on an Allegory as far as it can possibly go and he has furnished Matter to all the Greek and Latin Fathers who have imitated him and have hardly done any thing else than copy him This way of explaining the Holy Scripture by continual Allegories seems to me to be very defective For though it may be good sometimes to awaken if I may so say the Auditor and to direct him by such kind of Allegories yet they become useless and tedious when they are perpetual and the Mind which requires great Application for the comprehending of them is tired and soon looses the Consequence both of Reasoning and Thought Besides that by minding only the Allegorical Sense we neglect the Literal which is oftentimes more excellent and of greater Advantage than all the Allegories in the World that divert the Mind without instructing it and strike the Imagination without affecting the Heart Lastly If in explaining the Holy Scripture we should only stick to the Allegory as Origen has done it might give occasion to believe that the Scripture taken barely in the Literal Sense would be but of very little Advantage which is a very great Error 'T is therefore a very ill way of defending Origen in this Point to say with a modern Author that he seems to have been excusable in this because he had learned by Experience that the Letter of the Scripture was but of little use for Instruction For this is to make him assert a thing which is very false the Letter of the Scripture being of exceeding use for Instruction and even more profitable than any Allegory which is not to be us'd but only now and then to awaken the Auditors Origen's Books against Celsus are an excellent Work and stored with extraordinary Learning He answers the Objections of Celsus who of all the Heathens that have written againg the Christian Religion had made the most cunning ones and proposed them the most maliciously very solidly He establishes by convincing Proofs the History of Jesus Christ his Miracles his Divinity and Resurrection He confutes the Calumnies and Impostures of Celsus and of the other Heathens against the Chri-Christians and Lastly he proves the Truth and Excellency of the Doctrine and Religion of Jesus Christ. This Book is written very Politely and with great Care and Exactness 'T is not only the best of Origen's Works but also the most accomplish'd and best Composed Apology for the Christians which we have of all the Antients The Books of Principles were likewise written with great Care and they had been of very great use if he had contented himself to explain the Principles of Religion according to Scripture and Tradition without mixing therewith his own Philosophical Notions His Commentaries upon the Scripture are more Polite than his Homilies they are full of Learning but they are not very Exact and we may observe therein a great many Fancies which are useless obscure and perplexed Often after having begun one Explication he passes to another without finishing the first His Homilies are plainer and intelligible but their style is less Elegant The Treatise concerning Prayer is an Excellent Piece of Devotion It contains a great many
has given of this Letter demonstrates that St. Cyprian understood the Institution of the Eucharist to be only Mystical Caecilius desired to know what St. Cyprian thought of a Custom newly taken up of using Water alone in the Morning when they administred the Lords Supper It was in dangerous times when by their Breaths the Christians might have been discovered if they should have drank Wine so Early This Innovation of theirs does not seem to have proceeded from a wilful Contempt of the command of Christ but from the Notions they had always been instructed in concerning the Eucharist They believed that the Lord's Supper was only a commemorative Sacrifice and so they thought the Death of Jesus Christ could equally be remembred by Water in a Morning as by Water and Wine together in an Afternoon The Question then is whether if St. Cyprian had believed that Jesus Christ was Corporeally present in the Sacrament he would have used such Mystical Arguments to persuade them to break off so unwarrantable a practice He ought according to Roman Catholick Principles to have confuted their Error by a right Explication of the Nature of the Eucharist He ought to have shewed them that it was not a Mystical but a Real Sacrifice and that Jesus Christ is as literally offered up in that Sacrament as he was upon the Cross and especially he ought to have told them that Water could not have served instead of Wine because upon Consecration it could not have been Transubstantiated into the Blood of Christ and so by consequence it had been no true Sacrament for want of that real Presence since Jesus Christ had never given his Ministers a Power to turn any thing besides Wine into his Blood upon Pronouncing the words of the â—nstitution Whereas here St. Cyprian owns the Eucharist to have been a Mystical Sacrifice and gives this as a principal Reason why Water alone without Wine is ineffectual because there was a positive Institution from which the Church had no Warrant to recede This is further confirmed by his secondary Arguments In the first place he says there must be Wine Quia non potest videri Sanguis ejus quo redemti vivificari sumus esse in Calice quando Vinum desit Caâ—ici quo Christi sanguis ostenditur Because says he his Blood by which we are redeemed and quicknâ—d cannot seem to be in the Cup if the Wine that represents the Blood of Christ be not in the Cup. If St. Cyprian had believed Transubstantiation he ought to have said That the Blood of Christ is not in the Cup unless Wine had been put into it But he says It cannot seem to be there i. e. cannot be Typically represented by Water so well as by Wine This is no force upon his Words because he afterwards brings several Texts out of the Old Testament to prove that the Blood of Christ was represented by Wine and not by Water and that Baptism only was typified by Water by the Prophets This Reasoning does not agree with modern Glosses no Man ever searches for a mystical Reason when he can give a plain one Wine after Consecration is not a Figure of Christ's Blood but the Blood it self according to the Church of Rome And it is improper to say that the Blood of Jesus Christ could not seem to be in the Cup if the Wine did not represent it if the Wine were believed to be the real Blood To be and to be Represented are very different things And though St. Cyprian calls the Eucharist a Sacrifice yet since he describes it as a Commemorative one by which we are Mystically united to Jesus Christ by Faith in him it is impossible to gather from thence that he believed any other Presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament then that which is taught by the Church of England Hitherto we have not been willing to interrupt the order of the Letters by mingling them with his other Books according to the Series of the time they were written in because we could not possibly have made an Abridgement of them without breaking the Continuation of the Letters but nothing hinders us now from doing it We shall carefully set down the years wherein they were composed and this will be full as well for the Chronology of them as if we had introduced them among the Letters It is probable that St. Cyprian's first Book I mean after his address to Donatus is bb A small Treatise intituled of the vanity of Idols This Book is cited by St. Jerome Epist. 84. ad Magmon Cyprianus quod Idola Dii non sunt quâ brevitate quâ historiarum omnium scientiâ quò verborum sensuum splendore perstrinâ—it It is probable that it was written in the year 247. That small Treatise Intituled The Vanity of Idols wherein he refused the Pagan Religion which he had lately quitted This Treatise may be divided into three Parts In the first he proves that the Deities of the Heathens are not true Gods In the second he shews that there is only one God And lastly in the Third he shews that Jesus Christ is the word of God who was sent to bring Salvation to Men. The two first parts are almost word for word taken out of Minutius Felix and the last out of Tertullian cc The first Books of the Testimonies to Quirinus These Books are not only cited by Bede and by Gennadius but also by St. Jerome advers Pelag. and by St. Austin lib. contra duas Epist. Pelag. c. 8. 10. who testifies that Pelagius the Heretick had made a Collection of several Testimonies out of the Scripture to imitate or rather to compleat the work of St. Cyprian St. Jerome cites the third Book He and St. Austin have drawn some passages out of it so that though they are not to be found in several Manuscripts yet we are not in the least to doubt of them Quirinus to whom this Work is addressed was in all probability a Neophyte when it was written to him for St. Cyprian calls him his Son and tells him in his Preface that he sent him these Testimonies to give him the first tinctures of the Faith and that he presented him with a little Water drawn out of the Divine Fountains which he might make use of till he could go to drink of them himself at the Spring-Head The first Books of the Testimonies to Quirinus were also in all probability writ by St. Cyprian before he was Bishop when he wholly employed himself in Reading and Studying the Holy Scriptures These Books are a Collection of several Texts out of the Bible and principally the Old Testament upon different Matters In the first Book he cites those passages that prove that the Jewish Law was to be only for a time that it ought to be Abolished and the Jews to be rejected That Jesus Christ was to come to establish a New Temple and New Sacrifices a New Priesthood and a New
divided into Four Canons in the First of which he discourses about the Fast which the Ancient Christians observed before Easter and tells us That some Christians fasted Six days before Easter others Two others Three after an extraordinary manner That we ought not to break our Fast before Midnight and that those that were able to hold on till Easter-morning were more generous That there were some Persons who though they did not fast at all nay had spent the Four first days of the last Week in sumptuous and delicate Entertainments yet imagined they did Wonderful things in fasting only two days But that they were not to be compared with those that fasted several In the second Canon he says That Women ought not to enter into the Church or receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ while they have their Courses but to offer their Prayes to God at Home since none by right ought to enter the Sanctum Sanctorum that is not pure in Body and Spirit In the Third he particularly Counsels those that are superannuated to abstain from the use of Marriage that they may the better attend their Devotions In the Fourth he leaves those Persons that have had an Illusion in the Night-time at liberty to receive or forbear the Eucharist following the Dictates and Motions of their own Conscience Anastasius of Nice in his 23d Question upon Genesis cites a Passage drawn out of a Book of Dionysius of Alexandria against Origen but there is no ground to believe that it was written by our Dionysius who was so far from being his Adversary that he was both his Disciple and Defender He died in the Year 264 after he had held the See of Alexandria Seventeen years and had one Maximus for his Successor The Style of this Author is Pompous and Lofty he is excellent in his Descriptions and Exhortations in his Polemical Discourses he falls upon his Adversaries with all the Vigour imaginable he perfectly well understood the Opinion the Discipline and Precepts of the Church he had sound piercing Judgment he was very moderate very discreet and ready to take Advice In short the Loss of his Works is one of the most considerable Losses we could have sustain'd in this kind THEOGNOSTUS THEOGNOSTUS of Alexandria is an Author unknown to Eusebius and St. Jerome whom St. Athanasius cites with Commendation and whose Books were extant in Photius's time who read them over We don't precisely know the time when he liv'd though we cannot doubt but he was some time after Origen and long before the Council of Nice Photius informs us That he composed Seven Books Entituled Hypotyposes that is to say Instructions and he gives us this Account of that Work In the first Book he treats of the Father and endeavours to shew That he is the Creator of all things against the Opinion of those that suppose Matter to be Eternal In the Second Book he advances some Arguments whereby he pretends it necessarily follows that the Father had a Son but speaking of this Son he says That he is a Creature above all Creatures that have Reason He likewise attributes to the Son of God several other Qualities of the like Nature as Origen has done Whether he was of the same Opinion or whether he speaks after that manner rather by way of Disputation than a Design to propose his own true Doctrine or in short whether he was somewhat mistaken in the Truth and that to accommodate himself to the weakness of his Auditors who having no Knowledge of the true Religion were not capable of comprehending a perfect Instruction he supposed it most expedient to give them an imperfect Knowledge of the Son of God than not to speak of him at all But though a Man may follow this Method in a Dispute or in a Discourse when he is constrained to say the same things often that are not altogether conformable to his own Opinion of the matter yet 't is a Weakness to make use of this Pretence to excuse those Errours that are published in any Book where we are obliged to speak the Truth to all the World In the Third Book speaking of the Holy Ghost he brings some Arguments to prove that there is an Holy Ghost but in the rest he falls into the same Extravagancies with those of Origen in his Book of Principles In the Fourth Book he talks erroneously about Angels and Daemons and assigns small Bodies to them In the Fifth and Sixth he treats of the Incarnation and uses all his Endeavours to demonstrate after this manner That it was possible for God to make himself Man This Book likewise is full of several groundless Fancies As for Example when he has a mind to prove that the Son of God is circumscribed in Place by our Imagination though in Truth he cannot be known there In the Seventh Book which he wrote concerning the Creation of God he discourseth of matters of Religion after a manner conformable to the Doctrine of the Church and especially of the Son of God of whom he treats in the Last Part. His Style is elevated and very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Discourses have the Beauty of Old Athens but without Affectation so that in his Compositions he does not go very far from the ordinary manner of Conversation and yet he avoids saying mean things Thus I have shown you what Photius has informed us of this Author St. Athanasius calls him an Admirable Man Studious and Eloquent and is so far from accusing him for having any Unorthodox Sentiments about the Divinity of the Word that he cites him as a Witness of Consubstantiality Learn says he O Arians ye Rebels to Jesus Christ that the Eloquence of Theognostus has made use of the Word Substance for behold after what manner he discourseth in his Second Book of Instructions The Substance of the Son is not a strange Substance he was not produced of nothing but was begotten of the Substance of the Father as the Raye is of the Light or a Vapour of Water Theognostus for the Vapour is not Water not is the Ray Light but neither one nor the other is a Stranger to that which produces it Thus the Son is as it were the gentle running of the Substance of the Father yet so as that the Father suffers no Division For as the Sun is not diminished though it produces Rayes continually so likewise the Father is not diminished in begetting the Son who is his Image This Passage and the Authority of St. Athanasius ought to convince us that Photius has wrongfully accused Theognostus to have erred concerning the Divinity of the Son upon the score of a few Expressions that did not agree with those of his own Age without taking notice that though the Ancients have spoken differently as to this Point yet the Foundation of the Doctrine was always the same and that it is an horrid Injustice to require them to speak as nicely and with as much precaution
never searched after it amongst the Jews and because it is inseparable from the Worship and Knowledge of the true God He afterwards explains the Doctrine of the Christians with relation to Jesus Christ and evidently proves That the Pagans themselves acknowledged that he was the Word and Wisdom of God existing before the World That this Word was begotten of God after an incomprehensible manner That he descended from Heaven and was born of a Virgin according to the Predictions of the Prophets that the Gentiles might know the true God He then gives an Account of the Life the Miracles and Death of Jesus Christ and shows That it was necessary for him to undergo the infamous Punishment of the Cross. He afterwards demonstrates That though the Christians do acknowledge that the Son is God as well as the Father yet they worship but one God That the Father and Son are one Spirit and one Substance and one God which 〈◊〉 illustrates and explains by the Comparisons of a Fountain and its Stream of the Sun and its Rays c. Towards the End he declaims in general against Heresies and tells us That the Catholick Church only has retained the true worship of God That it is the Sourse of Truth the Habitation of Faith the Temple of God That those Men who never enter into it or who depart from it are out of hopes of obtaining Everlasting Salvation That no Man ought to flatter himself whilest he continues stedfast in his Obstinacy since his Eternal welfare is concerned in the Matter which he will be in danger of losing unless he takes particular Care That though all the Sects of Hereticks pretend and boast to be the Church yet there is but one properly so called which heals the Wounds of Man by the wholsome Remedies of Confession and Repentance In the Fifth Book that treats of Justice He shews that the Pagans have no such thing as true Justice That 't is impossible to find it any where but in the Christian Religion That it is a great Injustice to pâ—…secute the Christians because of their Persuasion and that though they were in an Errour yet their Adversaries ought to recover them out of it by the force of Reason and not of Punishments That we cannot and that we ought not to constrain Men to be of any Religion which is a thing not to be defended by Killing of others but by Dying for it our selves not by Cruelty but Patience That that the Sacrifices which are extorted from Men by Violence neither signifie any thing to those that offer them nor to those that cause them to be offered nor to the Gods themselves That 't is a surprizing thing that the Pagans could suffer the Superstitions of the Egyptians and the Atheism of the Philosophers and yet should bear such an incurable hatred to the Religion of Jesus Christ In short That though God sometimes permits Truth and Justice to be persecuted yet he never fails at last to punish Persecutors with the utmost Severity The Sixth Book treats of the true worship of God He distinguisheth between Two sorts of Worship True and False and Two sorts of Ways One that leads to Hell and the Other that leads to Heaven He tells us That this last is a difficult Way that we must pass through Poverty Ignorance and a long Series of Sufferings before we can arrive at Virtue That the Philosophers search'd after it to no purpose since they neither knew what was Good or what was Evil having no Knowledge of God who was the Author of Good nor of the Devil who is the Author of Evil That the Law of God is made clear and manifest to us That this Law contains two Principal Heads The First of Piety The Second of Humanity That Piety consists in worshipping God and that Humanity which is also called Mercy and Charity consists in our mutually assisting one another to our utmost Endeavours since we are descended from the same Father That if we would acquit our selves of this Duty we ought to bestow Alms to relieve the Sick and Necessitous to protect Orphans and Widows to redeem Captives and bury the Dead and that the Apprehension of becoming poor ought not to hinder us from giving considerable Alms because they blot out and efface our Sins He afterwards discourses about the Passions and demonstrates contrary to the Sentiments of the Philosophers That Mercy or Compassion is not a Vice but a Virtue and that Fear and Love which are Vices when they carry a Man to Earthly things are Vertues when they move him towards Heaven From hence he proceeds to the Precepts of Justice that are less general such as are the following ones Not to Lye not to be guilty of Usury not to exact Gifts from the Poor not to revenge our selves of our Enemies to speak well of those that revile us to moderate our Passions and to refrain from the pursuit of Sensual Pleasures After he has thus show the way of Justice he says That if it should happen that a Man should forsake this way by falling into some Sin yet he ought not to despair but turn away from his Evil Practices and satisfie God who knows our secret Thoughts In one word That the Sacrifice which we are to present ought to be Spiritual and that we ought to offer him the Purity of our Hearts and the Praises due to his Divinity The Last Book of his Institutions treats about Happiness and a happy Life He shows that this supposes the Immortality of the Soul which he demonstrates by several Arguments and likewise that thiâ—… Mortal Life can never be Happy unless we take care to preserve Justice He afterwards discourseth of the End of the World which he imagines must happen Six Thousand Years after its Creation d Six Thousand Years after its Creation So that he seems to have thought that there were no more than 200 Years to reckon from his own time to the Day of Judgment and of the Signs that shall precede it amongst which he reckons the Destruction of the Roman Empire and of the last Judgment wherein he tells us God shall as it were weigh both Good and Evil and that those who have committed more Evil than Good shall be condemned to Everlasting Punishment That on the contrary those who are altogether Just shall not in the least manner feel the Divine Fire but that those who are in a middle condition shall be examined by it and so purified from their Sins That after this Solemn Trial is over Jesus Christ shall Reign a Thousand Years upon Earth with the Just and when that Course of Time is finished the World shall be renewed all Mankind shall be raised again and God shall make the Just like to Angels that they may be in his Presence and serve him during a happy Eternity but that he will throw the Wicked head-long into Everlasting Fire He concludes all with exhorting Mankind to be Converted and Repent while
du Pin. Books doubted of at first by several but soon received as Canonical by the Catholick Church The Epistle to the Hebrews The Epistle of St. James The second Epistle of St. Peter The second and third Epistle of St. John The Epistle of St. Jude something later The Revelation which was not universally received of a long time Apocryphal Books not full of Errours The Letter of J. C. to Agbarus The Letters of the V. M. The Gospel according to the Aegyptians The Gospel according to the Hebrews The Proto-Evangelium of St. James The Gospel of Nicodemus The Ancient Acts of Paul and Theolâ— The Epistle to the Laodiceans The Letters of St. Paul to Seneca The Epistle of St. Barnabas The Liturgies Of St. Peter Of St. Mark Of St. James Of St. Matthew The Canons and Constitutions of the Apostles The Book of Prochorus The Book of Abdias The Ancient Acts of the Passion of St. Andrew Erroneous Books Forged by Hereticks The Gospels Of St. Thomas Of St. Matthias Of St. Bartholomew Of the Twelve Of Philip. Of Judas Of Thaddaeus Of Barnabas A Book of the Childhood of Jesus Christ. A Book of the Genealogy of Mary The Acts Of St. Peter Of St. Paul Of St. Andrew Of the Apostles Of St. John Of St. Philip. Of St. Thomas The Doctrine and Sermons of St. Peter The Clementines The Memoirs of the Apostles The Travels of the Apostles A Book of the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. The Life of the Virgin Mary Questions of the Virgin Mary Revelations Of St. Peter Of St. Paul Of St. Thomas Of St. Stephen Other Supposititious Books favourable to Religion A Letter of Agbarus to Jesus Christ. Letters of Lentulus and Pilate concerning Jesus Christ. The Sibylline Oracles The Books of Hermes Trismegistus The Books of Hystaspes Seneca's Letters to St. Paul A Passage of Josephus concerning Jesus Christ which we cannot tell whether it be Supposititious or no. A TABLE Of all the Ecclesiastical Writers Mentioned in this Volume Names of Authors Genuine Books still Extant Books lost Supposititious Books HERMAS A Discourse entituled Pastor divided into three Books   St. CLEMENT Two Epistles to the Corinthians  The Conferences of St. Peter and Appion Recognitions Apostolical Constitutions Clementines DENYS the Areopagite   Books of the Celestial and Ecclesiastical Hierarcy A Discourse of the Names of God A Discourse of Mystical Theology Ten Letters St. IGNATIUS Epistles to the Smyrnaeans to St. Polycarp to the Ephesians to the Magnesians to the Philadelphians to the Trallians to the Romans According to Vossius's and Usher's Editions  Five spurious Greek Letters to Maria Cassobolita to the Tarsians to the Antiochians to Hero the Deacon to the Philippians Three in Latin one to the V. M. the other two to St. John St. POLYCARP Epistle to the Philippians Some Letters to the Neighbouring Churches A Letter to St. Denys the Areopagite A Discourse of the Union of St. John Dr. Cave produces a Quotation out of Holloixius's Life of St. Polycarp which says This Book was concerning St. John's Death They both mean the same Book because they say from Halloixius that it is extant in the Library of the Abby of Fleury I believe it is false printed in Mr. Du Pin. PAPIAS  Five Books entituled Explications of the Discourses of our Saviour  QUADRATUS ARISTIDES  Two Apologies for the Chrians  AGRIPPA HEGESIPPUS  A Discourse against Basilides An Ecclesiastical History divided into five Books  JUSTIN Martyr Two Apologies The Second Part of the Book of the Monarchy of God A Conference with Trypho the Jew Two Orations against the Gentiles doubtful A Letter to Diognetus doubtful These are owned by Doctor Cave A Discourse against Heresies particularly against Marcion Two Books against the Gentiles one called The Psalmist A Book of Collections concerning the Soul Besides these Dr. Cave mentions An Exposition of the Revelations A Commentary upon Hezameren Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Discourse upon the Resurrection Letters to Zena and Serenus Owned by Dr. Cave as Genuine A Confutation of some Arostotelian Opinions Owned likewise by him Questions and Answers to the Questions of the Orthodox An Exposition of the Faith concerning the Trinity MELITO  Two Books of Esther One of the Lives of the Prophets One of the Church Of the Lord's Day Of the Nature of Man Of the Creation Of the Obedience of our Senses to the Faith Of the Soul the Body and the Spirit Of the Truth Of Baptism Of the Generation of J. C. Of Prophecy Of Hospitality A Book entituled The Key Of the Devil Of the Revelations Of God Incarnate Collections out of the Scripture An Apology for the Christian Religion  TATIAN A Discourse against the Gentiles A Gospel composed out of the four A Discourse of Evangelical Perfection  ATHENAGORAS Apology for the Christians A Discourse of the Resurrection  A Romance of True and Perfect Love in French said to have been Translated out of Greek Huetius in his Discourse of the Original of Romances thinks that this Book might possibly have been composed by Philander who imposed upon M. Fumâ—e as if it had been really written by Athenagoras This Dr. Cave says is very improbable But if we consider how extremely particular this Author is in his Description of those Buildings he mentions how very improbable it is that Athenagoras should have brought in his Melangenia describing Jupiter Hammon's Temple more like an Architect than an Historian we can hardly conceive it to have been written by a Greek Besides the Architecture it self is so very exact according to the Rules of the Five Orders the Four Ancientest whereof were introduced first by the Greeks that it is not likely that one of that Nation who knew very well that Jupiter Hammon's Temple was never raised by Men that were acquainted with their Models of Building would ever have described it as Built after such a manner if he he had thought fit to have described it at all So that though we cannot certainly tell whether Philander who wrote Commentaries upon Vitruvius was the Author of this Romance or no yet these Reasons seem to make it more than probable that it was not written by Athenagoras especially since a Greek Copy was never yet produced and that none of the Ancients ever quoted it either as his or as belonging to any Body else And I do not doubt but Dr. Cave would have been of the same Opinion if he had read the Book over himself HERMIAS A Discourse to shew the Ridiculousness of the Opinions of the Pagan Philosophers   THEOPHILUS Three Books to Autolycus A Discourse against Marcion A Discourse against the Heresie of Hermogenes And some other little things Since the first Edition of Mr. du Pin's Bibliotheque was published Mr. Dodwell set out the Chronological Fragments of Bishop Pearson with Additions of his own to the late Bishop of Chester's Discourses concerning the Succession of the first Bishops of
together with Sound and true Doctrine This he proves by a particular Induction of their Opinions because there is no Theology but this which teaches the Immortality of the Soul which commands Men to Adore one God only which informs them that he was the Creator of the World which teaches them that the Word is the Son of God and that the Holy Ghost is to be Worship'd with the same Worship that is due to the Father and the Son There is no other Religion but this which teaches Men that they must not Adore the Angels as Gods but honour them as the Ministers of God which gives a rational Account of the Fall of some of the Angels and instructs Man that he is made after the Image of God In a word there is none but this whose Doctrine is agreeable to Right Reason After this he subjoins a long Fragment out of a Treatise of Maximus which demonstrates that Matter is not Eternal In the Eighth Book he gives the History of the Version of the Septuagint and to prove the Authority of the Holy Scriptures he makes it appear by the Testimony of the Jews that their Law is Mystical and very Significant which he afterwards represents as worthy of all Esteem by the holiness of their Lives who have embrac'd it by the Example of the Essenes whose manner of Life he describes and by the Wisdom of Philo. In the Ninth Book he relates the Testimonies of the Pagans who have spoken in favour of the Jewish Religion and of those who allow the Truth of Moses's History In the 10th he shows that Plato and the Pagan Philosophers have taken the greatest part of what they have written from the Books of Moses In the 11th Book he demonstrates particularly that the Doctrine of Plato is agreeable to that of Moses and compares many of the Opinions of that Philosopher with those of the Jews He carries on that Comparison in the 12th and 13th Books But in the mean time he demonstrates that this Philosopher had his Errors and that no Book but the Scriptures is wholly free In the 14th and 15th Books he relates the Opinions of the Philosophers he shows their Contradictions and oftentimes confutes one of them by another From all which he concludes that the Christians had reason to forsake the Religion of the Pagans and embrace that of the Jews After he has thus prepar'd the Minds of Men to receive the Christian Religion by establishing the Authority of the Religion and of the Books of the Jews he demonstrates the Truth of it against the Jews themselves by their own Prophecies This is the Subject of his Books of Evangelical Demonstration of which there are only Ten remaining of Twenty which he compos'd In the First Book he shows that the Law of the Jews was calculated for one Nation only but the New Testament was design'd for all Mankind That the Patriarchs had no other Religion but that of the Christians since they ador'd the same God and the same Word honour'd him as they do and resembled their holy Lives In the Second Book he shows by the Prophecies that the Messias was to come into the World for all Mankind In the Third he makes it appear in favour of the Faithful that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the World and demonstrates against the Infidels that he was no Seducer as his Doctrine his Miracles and many other Reasons do evidently prove In the Fourth Book he shows that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and gives an Account of the Reasons for which he was made Man he explains the Name of Christ and cites many Prophecies wherein he was foretold by that Name In the following Books he brings abundance of Prophecies to demonstrate that the Coming of Jesus Christ the time of his Birth the Circumstances of his Liâ—â— and Passion and in a word all things that concern'd him were foretold in the Books of the Old Testament What we have of these Books ends with the last words of Christ upon the Cross And in the following Books he recited the Prophecies concerning his Death his Burial his Resurrection his Ascension the Establishment of the Church and the Conversion of the Gentiles But these are wholly lost These Books of Evangelical Preparation and Demonstration are the largest Work that has been made by any of the Ancients upon this Subject where a Man may find more Proofs Testimonies and Arguments for the Truth of the Christian Religion than in any other They are very proper to instruct and convince all those that sincerely search after Truth In fine Eusebius has omitted nothing which might serve to undeceive Men of a false Religion or convince them of the true The Treatise against Hierocles was written against a Book of that Philosopher publish'd by him under the Name of Philalethes against the Christian Religion wherein to render it ridiculous he has compar'd Apollonius Tyanaeus with Jesus Christ and says That Apollonius wrought Miracles as well as Christ and ascended into Heaven as well as he But Eusebius has prov'd in his Answer That Apollonius Tyanaeus was so far from being comparable to Jesus Christ that he did not deserve to be rank'd among the Philosophers and that Philostratus who wrote his Life is an Author unworthy of Credit because he contradicts himself very often he doubts himself of those very Miracles which he relates and he reports many things which are plainly Fabulous At the End of this Treatise Eusebius has given some Observations against Fatal Necessity In the First of the Five Books against Marcellus of Ancyra Eusebius endeavours to prove That this Bishop wrote his Book upon no other Motive but the hatred of his Brethren he charges him with Ignorance of the Holy Scriptures and rallies him for the impertinent Explications of some Greek Proverbs brought in not at all to the purpose In fine he blames him for accusing Origen Paulinus Narcissus Eusebius of Nicodemia and Asterius of Error touching the Mystery of the Trinity and endeavours to justifie their Doctrine about it In the Second Book he discovers the Errors of Marcellus and proves from many Passages of his Book That he believes the Word was not a Person subsisting before he was born of the Virgin That he denies the distinction of the Son from the Father That he is positive in asserting the Flesh and not the Word to be the Image of God the Son of God the King the Saviour and the Christ and in short That he durst affirm that this Flesh shall be destroyed and annihilated after the Day of Judgment After he has discovered the Errors and the Malice of Marcellus of Ancyra he confutes his Opinions in the Three following Books Entitled Ecclefiastick Theology and Dedicated to Flacillus Bishop of Antioch In the First Book he proposes the Faith of the Church which he explains very exactly rejecting the Errors of the Ebionites Paulianites Sabellians and Arians After this he shows that Marcellus is guilty of
was dearest to him in this World He confutes the Opinion of the Pharisees who held that Men are raised again from the dead to eat and drink and enjoy the same Pleasures which they â—…d in this Life The Fourth Tract is a Discourse upon the Day of the Ascension of Jesus Christ wherein he proves the Truth of his Resurrection and Ascension by the Constancy of the Martyrs and Apostles and by the wonderful Promulgation of the Gospel He observes how impossible it was that ever the Apostles should undertake to Preach the Christian Religion and succeed in their Attempt if God had not encourag'd them by his Spirit and dispos'd the Hearts of Men to receive their Doctrine In this Discourse he describes also the Martyrdom of St. Romanus Deacon of Antioch In the Six following Tracts he discourses of things Spiritual and Invisible and in the First he shows That God is Incorporeal and Invisible and demonstrates that things Incorporeal and Invisible are infinitely more Excellent than those that are Material and Earthly In the Second and Third he proves That the Soul of Man is Immortal and Spiritual and describes the great Advantages it gives a Man above the Beasts The Fourth Tract is concerning the Thought of Man which has these Remarkable Properties First That it knows it self and Secondly That it resists and checks the Motions of Lust. In the Fifth He goes on still to prove That God is Invisible and Incorporeal and takes Notice as he goes along That Angels are Spiritual In the Sixth He answer some Passages of Scripture which seem to attribute Members to God The following Discourse is concerning the Advantages of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and the great Benefits it hath procur'd to Mankind There he explains that saying of our Saviour I came not to bring Peace but War by shewing That Jesus Christ came indeed to bring Peace but Men being unwilling to receive it there must be War by necessary consequence as arising only from the bad Disposition of their own Hearts Towards the end of this Discourse he praises those that suffer for the Religion of Jesus Christ and continues the same Subject in the following Discourse wherein he shews upon occasion of those Words of our Saviour Preach ye upon the House-tops what has been said to you in secret That nothing can dispense with a Christian's suffering for the Religion of Christ. He adds That tho' there be no Persecution yet we are oblig'd to suffer and to be as one may say continually Martyrs because we are always to fight against the World and our selves The Two last Discourses are concerning good Works in the First of which he recommends it to Christians if they would be happy to follow after that which is Good and shun that which is Evil. And in the Second he exhorts them to the practice of good Works and chiefly to giving of Alms. This is the Subject of those Discourses which are more concerning Doctrines than Morality wherein there appears a great deal of Wit good Sence and Eloquence but little of Order and Method Eusebius was one of the most Learned Men of all Antiquity as both his Friends and Enemies do equally acknowledge r Eusebius was one of the most Learned Men of all Antiquity as both his Friends and Enemies do equally acknowledge See here a part of the Testimonies which the Ancients have given to the Learning of Eusebius Constantine in his Epistle to those of Antioch and in a Letter which he wrote to himself praises his vast Learning St. Basil in his Book of the H. Spirit Ch. 29. calls him an Author worthy of Credit because of his Universal Learning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Jerom tho' the great Enemy of Eusebius could not forbear often-times to praise his Learning to confess that he priz'd his Books and to say in his Second Book against Ruffinus That he was a most Learned Man Vir doctissimus Eusebius doctissimum dico non Catholicum The most Learned Eusebius I call him most Learned but not Catholick It is not to be wondered at that Ruffinus his Friend gives him the same Title Antipater of Bostria tho' he did not favour him yet gives him the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. one very knowing in most Matters and further says of him That he had read all the Books of the Ancients examin'd and explain'd all their Opinions and that he had written himself most useful Books Philostorgius praises him for his History Socrates and Sozomen vindicate him Victorius calls him a most Learned Man Gelasius the Pope durst not reject his History because of it's great Learning and singular usefulness for information Pelagius assures us That there is no History that deserves greater Esteem than that of Eusebius Photius who censures the Stile and Doctrine of Eusebius nevertheless commends his Knowledge and Learning I take no Notice of the Testimonies of Modern Authors of whom it may be said without fear of mistaking That there was no Man of so great Reading and Learning amongst all our Greek Authors Almost all his Books are the effects of prodigious Labour and very long and laborious Enquiries And yet it must be confessed that he had great Helps by the Memoirs of those who had written before him upon the same Subjects whose Works he makes no scruple to Transcribe He did not much Study to polish his Discourses which is the common Fault of almost all those that make Knowledge and Learning their chief Business His Stile is neither Elegant nor Grateful as Photius has many times observed but dry and barren and extremely unpleasant He is very proper to teach those who apply their minds seriously to Study and search after Truth and love to consider it absolutely naked despoil'd of all the Ornaments of Language but he is not at all proper to entice those who are taken with the manner of Expressing things and the force of Eloquence I shall not here add any thing to what I have said concerning his Learning But as to what concerns his Person he seems to have been very impartial very sincere and a great Lover of Peace Truth and Religion For altho' he maintain'd an intimate Correspondence with the Enemies of St. Athanasius it does not appear that he was his Enemy nor that he sided much with any Party in the Controversy of the Bishops of that time He was present indeed in the Councils wherein unjust things were done to Eustathius and St. Athanasius but it does not appear that he gave any Signs of an angry Temper nor that he serv'd the Passions of other Men. He was not the Author of New Confessions of Faith neither did he carry on any Plot to the Destruction of St. Athanasius or the Ruin of his Party but he only desir'd to accommodate Differences and reconcile the two Parties He did not abuse the Credit which he had with the Emperor to Advance himself nor to Destroy his Enemies as Eusebius of
had us'd to him this Year 370 by Order of the Emperour Valens 'T is probable that the Letter 409 wherein he thanks an Eastern Bishop call'd Innocentius for what he had written to him is also of the same Year for 't is likely that this Bishop wrote to him a little after his Ordination and that St. Basil took no long time to Answer him The Deacon Dorotheus departed in the Year 371 but his Journey had not all the Success that might have been hop'd for However the Western Bishops wrote a Letter to the Bishops of the East which was sent to them by St. Athanasius but the Contents are not known It appears also by the Letters of St. Basil That there came from the West a Deacon nam'd Sabinus who carried the Letters of the Bishops of Illyricum Italy and Gaul The Eastern Bishops answer'd the Letter of those of the West which they received by St. Athanasius and that which was brought them by Sabinus There Answers are the Letters 61 and 69. In Letter 61 after they have testified their Joy that they had when they understood that the Western Bishops were all at present United in one and the same Doctrine they desire of them help and relief in their Miseries which they describe in a most lively and natural manner Our Miseries say they are known to you though we should not write them being publish'd over all the Earth The Doctrine of our Fathers is despis'd The Tradition of the Apostles is overthrown The new Inventions of some particular Persons prevail in the Churches They treat Religion as Sophisters not as Divines The Wisdom of this World Domineers and the Glory of the Cross is abhorr'd The true Pastors are driven away and ravening Wolves are entred into their places who tear the Flock of Christ in pieces The Churches are abandon'd The Desarts are fill'd with desolate Christians The Old Men sigh when they compare the times past with the present and the Young Men find themselves miserable because they never saw the Good things of which they are now destitute These things ought to affect those who have any love for Jesus Christ and his Church But what we have said of them is very far short of the Truth wherefore if you have any Charity for us if you be of the same Mind if you have any Bowels of Pity come speedily to our help Arm your selves with Zeal for Piety and deliver us from this Raging Tempest At the end of this Letter they make a short Confession of their Faith wherein they acknowledge that the Holy Spirit is ador'd together with the Father and the Son And they conclude with the Approbation of what the Western Bishops had done in Conformity to the Canons The Second Letter upon the same Subject is written in the Name of Meletius Eusebius of Samosata St. Basil and many other Eastern Bishops to the Bishops of Italy and Gaul that is the 69th among those of St. Basil. There they give a Description of their Miseries yet more large and more moving than the former and conjure the Western Bishops to help them and bring them relief and to send to them speedily a great number of Deputies who may take their Seats in a Synod hoping by this means that they may restore the Faith of the Council of Nice destroy Heresy and re unite the Orthodox who at present are divided in Communion though they hold one and the same Doctrine They compare the state of the Churches of the East to that of Jerusalem during the Siege of Vespasian and they say That as the Jews ruin'd themselves then by their Intestine Seditions while the Enemies Army reduced them to the last Extremity so their Churches were now brought to Desolation not only by the War of the Hereticks who openly attack'd them but also by the Divisions of the Orthodox That if they desire Assistance of the Bishops of the West it was for this particular Reason That Peace might be restor'd and in this they say consisted the Relief of their Churches They conclude their Letter with saying That they commend and approve the Confession of Faith that was made by those of the West and that they consented to all that they had lawfully and canonically determin'd in their Synodical Epistle These two Letters were sent by Sabinus who they say is a Witness of all that they affirm St. Basil wrote particularly by the same Sabinus to Valerianus Bishop of Illyricum or rather of Aquileia the Letter 324 wherein he Thanks him for the Charity he had testified in the Letter he had written and prays him to assist with his Prayers the Eastern Churches that were afflicted with Heresy and Schism These are all the Letters of St. Basil written in this Year 371 concerning the Union of the East and the West The Letters which he wrote in favour of Eustathius of Sebastea against Theodotus of Nicopolis are also of this Year 371 because he was at Difference with the former in the Year 372. The First Letter written upon this Subject is the 26th address'd to Eusebius of Samosata He acquaints him That Meletius and Theodotus of Nicopolis invited him to be present towards the Middle of June at a Synod which was to be held at Phargama He prays St. Eusebius to be present there He sent him this Letter by Eustathius of Sebastea and tells him That he waited for an Answer Eusebius came not to this Synod but Eustathius was present there and St. Basil before he did Communicate with him would have assurance of his Doctrine and having had two Conferences with him he made him agree to the Doctrine of the Church Being thus perswaded that he was Orthodox he joyn'd his Prayers with those of this Bishop to thank God who had given them Grace to think and speak after the same manner The Design of St. Basil was to have a Confession of Faith drawn up by Theodotus or those of his Party which Eustathius should Sign But Theodotus without enquiring into the Conduct of St. Basil refused to admit him to his Synod because he had communicated with Eustathius St. Basil being to go into Armenia passed by a Country House of Meletius called Getasa where Theodotus was present and after a free Conference between them it was agreed That if St. Basil could make Eustathius sign a Confession of Faith which plainly contain'd the Doctrine of the Church he should then continue in his Communion but on the contrary he should separate from him if he refus'd to sign that Confession Meletius and his Priest Diodorus having approved this Proposal it was also agreed to by Theodotus who invited St. Basil to go with him to Nicopolis But when he was arrived there he would not communicate with him contrary to his Word which he pass'd to him which obliged St. Basil to withdraw and to go to Satala there to regulate some Affairs of Armenia and Ordain some Bishops He wrote from thence to Count Terentius the 187
a Spiritual Sence of a State of Righteousness and Holiness In the Homily upon the Words of the Proverbs Give no sleep unto your Eyes publish'd by Cotelerius St. Basil exhorts to Watchfulness and the Practice of Good Works His Homilies upon the Psalms are written in the same Stile but they are more fill'd with Morality He departs sometimes from the Literal Sence and does not always apprehend the true Sence of the Prophet Yet he does not make use of obscure and forc'd Allegories but all that he says is Intelligible Natural Useful and Pleasant The Commentary upon Isaiah is not so lofty nor so full of Morality but 't is very Intelligible and very Learned The Five Books against Eunomins are a most compleat Work of Controversy he recites the Arguments and Words of this Heretick and refutes them very solidly and very clearly In the Two first Books he refutes the principal Arguments which this Heretick used to prove that the Son was not like to his Father He answers them very clearly and discovers the Falshood of this Heretick's Reasonings In the Third he answers the Objections which he made against the Divinity of the Holy Spirit In the Fourth he proves that the Son of God is not a Creature but is truly God And Lastly in the Fifth he proves the same thing of the Holy Spirit He handles the most intricate Matters of Theology in a manner very Learned and Profound and yet without perplexing and entangling them with the Quirks the Difficulties and Terms of the Schoolmen He proves also the Trinity of Divine Persons and their Equality in the 16th Homily upon the Beginning of the Gospel of St. John and in the Book against the Sabellians He particularly Establishes the Divinity of the Holy Spirit in the Treatise of the Holy Spirit address'd to Amphilochius He compos'd it upon occasion of a Complaint that some Persons had made against him that at the Conclusion of his Sermons he had said Glory be to the Father and to the Son with the Holy Ghost instead of saying as some do In the Holy Ghost Amphilochius had ask'd him the proper Signification of these Terms and the Difference between the one and the other Expression St. Basil commends him for this Exactness and observes that 't is very useful to search out the proper Sence of the Terms and Expressions which we use In the 2d Chapter he makes this Observation That those who will use different Terms in Glorifying the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost do it for no other End but to conclude from thence the Dissimilitude and Inequality of the Three Persons of the Trinity In the 3d. Chapter he shews That the difference of these Terms of whom by whom in whom have no place but in Philosophy and we ought not to use them when we speak of the Three Divine Persons In the 4th he shows That this Particle of whom signifies in Scripture the Efficient Cause since 't is said that all things are of God In the 5th he shows That the Scripture says of the Father by whom and of the Son of whom and that it uses the same Expressions when it speaks of the Holy Ghost In the 6th he answers those who affirm That we cannot say the Son of God is with his Father because he is after his Father St. Basil maintains that the Son of God is not at all inferiour to the Father neither in respect of Time nor in respect of the Place he holds nor in respect of Honour and Glory being Eternal as the Father Infinite as the Father and having a Glory and Majesty equal to that of the Father In the 7th he proves That this Expression with the Son is not New That the Church has used it to denote the Majesty of his Divine Nature as she has also used that other by the Son to signify the access which we have to God the Father by his Son and therefore we ought to use the former Expression when we sing the Praises of God and the latter when we thank him for the Favours he has done us He explains this Distinction in Ch. 8. and there he recites many Names of Jesus Christ. In the 9th he explains his Judgment concerning the Divinity of the Holy Spirit which he received by Tradition and which is agreeable to the Doctrine of the Holy Scripture He proves that the Holy Spirit is a Spiritual Person Eternal Infinite Unchangeable c. who strengthens us and gives us Life by his Gifts In the 10th and 11th he refutes those that would not joyn the Holy Spirit to the Father and the Son He proves the contrary by the Institution of Baptism and accuses those that would not add the Holy Spirit to the Father and the Son Of Violating the saving Sacrament of Baptism Of Prevaricating in the Vow which they had made and of Revolting from the Religion which they had once professed In Chapter 12. he answers the first Exception of his Adversaries who said That Baptism given in the Name of Jesus Christ was sufficient St. Basil answers First That the Name of Jesus Christ denotes the whole Trinity because it signifies the Anointed of the Lord. Now he says that the Word Anointed designs him that does Anoint and him by whom he is anointed Secondly That Faith is inseparable from Baptism because Faith is perfected by Baptism and Baptism supposes Faith That the Profession of Faith precedes Baptism which is as it were the Seal of it Lastly He maintains that 't is not sufficient to Baptize in the Name of Jesus Christ but that we must invoke the Three Persons of the Godhead according to Inviolable Tradition and that we ought to add nothing to nor take any thing from this Invocation In the 13th he refutes a Second Answer of his Adversaries who say That tho' the Holy Spirit were oftentimes in Scripture joyn'd to the Father and the Son yet it would not follow from thence that he was equal to them since the Angels are there sometimes joyn'd with God St. Basil answers That there is a great Difference between the manner in which the Scripture speaks of Angels and of the Holy Spirit because it considers the former merely as Ministers whereas it considers the Holy Spirit as the Fountain of Life and joyns him with the Father because of the Unity of Essence In the 14th he resolves also a third Difficulty It was objected to him That tho' Men be baptiz'd in the Name of the Holy Spirit yet it does not follow that the Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and the Son since 't is also said in Scripture That they were all baptiz'd into Moses in the Cloud St. Basil answers That this Expression of St. Paul signifies only that Moses and the Cloud were the Figure of the Baptism of Jesus Christ but that the Truth is much more Excellent than the Type In the 15th he answers a fourth Sophism We are baptiz'd in Water said the Hereticks and yet
has plainly owned it to be false when he says in Heres 75 that Prayers for the Dead could expiate some Sins tho' they could not blot out great Crimes The Fifth Dogm of the Church which Soultetus opposes by St. Epiphanius is the Vow of Continence But the Passages which he alledges are so far from opposing it that they plainly discover that it was used in the time of this Father and that the Church punish'd those very severely who violated it The last is about Baptism administred by Women St. Epiphanius in Heres 76 says that it was not lawful for them to baptize Do not we say so also But does it follow from thence that their doing of it in a case of necessity is not valid This is what Scultetus should prove but it is not the Question of St. Epiphanius These are the false Consequences which Scultetus urges to oppose the Doctrine of the Church But he does so grosly calumniate us by charging upon us the detestable Opinions of some Hereticks that he must have renounced all kind of Modesty to affirm such manifest Untruths with so much boldness First of all He accuses us of making Women the Ministers of Baptism as the Marcionites did But where is it found that Women do Administer Baptism in our Churches They never do it but in great necessity And 't is no Heresy to say That in this Case all Sorts of Persons may Administer it 't is no part of the Error of the Marcionites or the Collyridians Secondly He charges us with trusting to Revelations and Miracles as the Nazarenes did But is it an Error to believe that there have been and that there may be Revelations That Man must have no Religion who says the contrary The Hereticks are to blame for reigning false Miracles but the Catholicks are not to blame for Believing true ones Thirdly He compares Transubstantiation to the Enchantments of Marcus who having put white Wine into a Glass made one part of the Liquor appear Red as Blood another of a Purple colour and a Third of a Blew But what Affinity is there between our Holy and Sacred Mysteries and the Diabolical Actions of these Ministers of Daemons What Relation has our Doctrine to these Impieties The other Accusations of Scultetus are no less Calumnious For do we offer the Sacrifice of the Mass in honour of the Virgin as the Collyridians did Do we teach that Concubinate is lawful as Aëtius did Do we adore Idols The Images to which we pay a bare External Respect are they the Images of Simon and Helena and other Hereticks Are they not the Images of Jesus Christ and the Saints to whose Persons only all our Worship is referred Do we condemn Marriage and the use of Meats as Tatian and the Encratites did Do we believe that the Souls of the Wicked may be delivered out of Hell In short Is there any Similitude between all the Errors of the Hereticks related by St. Epiphanius and the Doctrines of the Church Do not we Believe what the Church Believed in his Time Do not we Practise what she Practis'd On the contrary are not they the Innovators of our Time who take part with the Hereticks of that Time against the Church Do not they deny with Aetius the distinction of Bishops and Presbyters Do not they find fault with Prayers for the Dead and the Honour which is given to Saints Do not they condemn the Celibacy of Priests the Vow of Virginity the Monastick State the Ceremonies the Sign of the Cross the Solemn Prayers These are the Errors which St. Epiphanius condemns in the Hereticks of his Time and which he refutes by the Practice and Tradition of the Church And therefore that may justly be charged upon the Sect of Innovators which Scultetus has unjustly charged upon Us That their Doctrine is a Garment patched together and made up of many Pieces and many Shreds Who is most in the right Scultetus or our Author will not be hard to judge to any one who is acquainted with undisguised Popery I say undisguised because Mr. Du Pin goes upon the palliating Principles laid down by the Bishop of Meaux There is no question but the Seeds of those Corruptions began to spring up in St. Epiphanius's Time which afterwards grew so high in the Church yet tho' they honoured the Dead who died in the Lord and prayed for those who were Guilty of lesser Sins they neither called upon the former nor believed a middle State for the latter if St. Epiphanius's Authority be decisive in those places which are faithfully urged by Scultetus In the case of Images in Churches Mr. Du Pin gives it up because St. Epiphanius says expresly that it was against the Word of God Contra auctoritatem Scripturae In the Matter of the Real Presence our Author and Petavius before him lay great Stress upon a Passage in the Anchoratus Sect. 57. wherein speaking of the Sacrament as Christ's Body he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that does not Believe it to be the real Body of Christ as he said himself is fallen from Grace and Salvation Now to know the full meaning of St. Epiphanius in these Words we are to go back to the beginning of Sect. 55. There he raises a dispute of the meaning of Adam's being created after the Image of God since there is so great disparity between their Natures And he finds that this cannot be Physically understood because to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are very different things yet since it is said in Scripture we ought to believe it Now to prove this Assertion he urges the Institution of the Lord's Supper Our Saviour said says he of the Bread This is my Body and yet it is not like Flesh in the least so as to resemble Christ's Humane Nature nor like the invisible Godhead so as to resemble his Divinity But because he has said it we must not dispute it since if we should dispute it we should fall away from Grace and Salvation This Illustration therefore cannot in reason be carried farther than the Original Question which it was designed to illustrate wherefore seeing that St. Epiphanius confessed that when we say that Man is created after the Image of God we do not mean that he is created after the Nature of the Invisible Incomprehensible and Spiritual God it is plain that his illustration of the Eucharist is equally figurative as this Expression of Man's Nature which he is now explaining But it is needless to run through all the rest of the Articles here particularly named St. Epiphanius's Authority is decisive of neither side if it were we must believe that Divorces are lawful for other Causes besides Adultery and that such Divorces perfectly dissolve the Marriage Bond for this was his Opinion as appears from Heres 59. Sect. 4. of ancient Heresies The Stile of St. Epiphanius is neither beautiful nor lofty on the contrary it is plain
Variety of Conceptions and Figures He extendeth his Matters by an infinite Variety of Expressions He is very ingenious in finding out Similitudes between things abundant in Examples and Comparisons His Eloquence is popular and very proper for Preaching His Style is natural easie and grave He equally avoideth Negligence and Affectation He is neither too plain nor too florid He is smooth yet not effeminate He useth all the Figures that are usual to good Orators very properly without employing false strokes of Wit and he never introduces into his Discourses any Notions of Poets or prophane Authors neither does he divert his Auditory with Jests His Composition is Noble his Expressions Elegant his Method Just and his Thoughts Sublime He speaks like a good Father and a good Pastor He often directs his words to the People and expresses them with a Tenderness and Charity becoming an holy Bishop He teacheth the principal Truths of Christianity with wonderful Clearness and diverts with a marvellous Art and an agreeable way of ranging his Notions and persuades by the strength and solidity of his Reasons His Instructions are easie His Descriptions and Relations pleasant His Inducements so meek and insinuating that one is pleased to be so persuaded His Discourses how long soever are not tedious there are still some new things which keep the Reader awake and yet he hath no false Beauties nor useless Figures His only Aim is to convert his Auditors or to instruct them in necessary Truths He neglects all Reflections that have more subtilty than profit He never busies himself to resolve hard Questions nor to give mystical Sences to make a shew of his Wit or Eloquence He searcheth not into Mysteries neither endeavours to comprehend them He is contented to propose after an easie way palpable and sensible Truths which none can be ignorant of without danger of failing of Salvation He particularly applies himself to moral Heads and very seldom handleth speculative Truths He affects not to appear Learned and never boasts of his Erudition and yet whatever the Subject be he speaks with Terms so strong so proper and so well chosen that one may easily perceive he had a profound Knowledge of all sorts of Matters and particularly of true Divinity He proveth the truth of the Christian Religion by the strongest the most probable and sensible In lib. Quod Christus sit Deus In Orat de S. Babylâ contra Gentes In exposit Ps. xliv Hom. contra Judaeos Hom. 4. in illud Vid. Dominum lib. Quod unus Christus sit Deus Reasons He urgeth Miracles Prophecies and other Proofs of the truth of Religion but particularly insists upon the miraculous Establishment of the Church and in this Argument he triumphs He shews that it is impossible that the Doctrine of Jesus Christ could have been received and believed all the world over notwithstanding the opposition of Secular Powers the Contradictions of the Wise men in the World and the endeavours of Devils had it not been supported by the power of God himself For says he there is need of more than humane Ability to produce such wonderful Effects both in the Earth and upon the Sea and to oblige Men already prejudiced by extravagant Opinions and prepossessed with prodigious Malice to such Actions yet Jesus Christ delivered all mankind not only Romans but Persians also and all other barbarous Nations from their Calamities And to bring about these Wonders he made use of no Arms and was at no expence raised no Armies and fought no Battles but by eleven Men who at first were unknown despicable ignorant Ideots poor naked and without Arms He persuaded different Nations and made them embrace an high Philosophy not only relating to the Government of this present Life but also to things to come and Eternity self His power over all minkind was such as that it made them abolish the Laws of their Fathers renounce their ancient Customs and follow new ones He spoiled them even of the love of those things they were most fond of to fasten their Affections upon such things as are most difficult and painful But the Promulgation of the Gospel and the setling of the Church are not the only Proofs of the truth of our Religion the Stedfastness and perpetuity of the Church is also in S. * In Ps. xliv Chrysostom's Opinion an invincible Argument of it For he addeth that it is not only a thing worthy of Admiration that Jesus Christ should settle his Church over all the Earth but also that he should render it invincible against so great numbers of Enemies as assaulted it on every side The Gates of Hell that cannot prevail against it are the Dangers which seem to hurry it to the very Gates of Hell Doe you not perceive the truth of that prediction of Jesus Christ .... Tho' Tyrants took up Arms against it tho' Soldiers conspired her Destruction tho' the People raged furiously tho' a contrary Custom opposed it self tho' Preachers Philosophers Magistrates and rich Men stood up to destroy it The Divine word breaking with greater force than fire it self consumed these Thorns cleansed these Fields and disseminated the Seed of preaching over the whole Earth And though such as believed the Gospel were shut up in Prisons sent into Banishment spoiled of their Goods thrown into the Fire cast into the Sea and exposed to all manner of Torments Reproaches and Persecutions and tho' they were treated every where as publick Enemies yet they multiplyed daily their being persecuted increased their Zeal ..... Those Rivers of Blood caused by the Massacres of the Faithful before their Eyes excited their Piety and the Pains they endured inflamed their Zeal This same Saint observes in another place that Christians are never so disorderly in their Behaviour Orat. contra Gentiles de S. Babyla and so cold in their Devotion as when he that sits on the Throne is of their Religion Which saith he justifies that this Religion is not established by the Powers of the World and is not upheld and preserved by Earthly force S. Chrysostom's way of dealing with Hereticks is not less rational than that which he useth towards Heathens and Jews He expoundeth the Mysteries very plainly and proveth them by Testimonies of Holy Scripture and the Authority of the Church not pretending to penetrate or give the Reasons of them and to answer those Difficulties which have no other Foundation but humane Reasonings He confesses that he does not understand the Reasons of what he believes Orat. 1. de incompreh Homil. 24. in Joannem I know saith he that God is every where and entire in every part of the World but I know not how this can be I doubt not but that God is without beginning but I conceive not how that is for humane Reason cannot comprehend a thing that hath no beginning I know that the Son is begotten of God the Father but I cannot imagine how that was done He believes that
of the First Man's Sin committed with full liberty This first Sin deserved the following There remained yet a considerable Difficulty Why the Innocent Soul becometh subject unto Sin by it's Union with the Body To explain this St. Augustin mentions four several Opinions concerning the Original of Souls The First is That the Soul is formed from the Parents The Second is That God creates new ones at Mens Birth The Third is That Souls being created beforehand God causeth them to enter their respective Bodies The Fourth is That they come down into the Bodies of their own accord Now he judging all these Opinions equally probable and that it was as yet undecided he endeavoureth to prove that a Reason may be given for Original Sin what Opinion soever one holds of the Original of the Soul He cometh at last to that particular Difficulty concerning the Children that die as soon as they are born As for those that have received Baptism though without knowledge he saith That it is Piously and Justly believed for these are the terms he makes use of Satis pâ—â— recteque Creditur that the Faith of those who present the Child to be baptized supplies for that of the Child As to the Pain and Sorrow which they suffer having not deserved them by their Sins St. Augustin saith That God hath his Ends in permitting their Sufferings and that perhaps he will recompence them for these Sufferings as the Church believeth of the holy Innocents killed by Herod who are reckoned among the Martyrs having thus salved these Difficulties he makes other useless Queries concerning the Sin of Adam St. Augustin observes in his Retractations that he designed nothing in these Books but to oppose their Opinion who deny the original of Evil to be from Free-Will pretending that if this were true God must be the Author of it introducing thereby an Eternal and Immutable Subsistency o Evil That he did not enlarge upon it nor treat of Predestination or Grace whereby God prepares the Wills of Men that they might make good use of their Liberty Yet when there was occasion to speak of it he says something by the by without making any stop to defend it Wherefore Pelagius and the Pelagians alledged several Expressions in favour of Free-Will which St. Augustin had used in his Books But St. Augustin shews That what he said of Free-Will is consistent enough with his System of Grace and that he established all the Principles of it This he proves by Passages taken out of these Books where he affirms That every good thing comes from God and that Man cannot be delivered from Ignorance and the necessity of Sinning but by God's help The two Books upon Genesis against the Manichees were composed by St. Augustin after his return into Africa about the Year 389. There he refuteth those impertinent Objections which the Manichees made concerning the Three first Chapters of Genesis by giving a reasonable Exposition of them He insists most upon the literal sence but sometimes he goes out of the way and only gives an Allegorical one As St. Augustin designed to benefit all Men by this Book and particularly to inform the common People that were abused by the Manichees so he writ it with all the clearness and simplicity he could In his Retractations he explaineth some Passages that were misconstrued by the Pelagians especially two one against the Necessity of Grace and the other against Original Sin The Books of the Manners of the Church and of the Manichees were composed at Rome by St. Augustin soon after his Baptism about the Year 387. as himself witnesseth in his Retractations It is very probable that he revised them after his return into Africa seeing he mentions them in the first of those Treatises lately named His design was to confound the Insolence and Vanity of the Manichees who gloried in a vain Temperance and under that Pretence exalted themselves above the Catholicks Wherefore in these two Books he shews the opposition of the true Christian's Manners to those of the Manichees proving how much the counterfeit Vertues which these made their boast of were inferior to the real Vertue of Christ's Disciples In the Book of the Manners of the Church he layeth down as the first ground of Morality That God alone is the Soveraign Good of our Souls from which truth he inferrs That all things must have respect to God and that we are to love him above all things and proves this first Principle of Christian Ethicks by Testimonies of the Old and New Testament He shews That all the Vertues are but so many different Expressions of this Love That Temperance is that love which keeps it self pure and uncorrupt for God Fortitude is a love that endureth all things with ease for God's sake Justice is a love that serveth God only and by reason of that procures Good to all Creatures that are subjected to him Prudence is a love which has a light to distinguish that which may help to bring us to God from that which may hinder us in that way even the love of our Neighbour is not a Vertue but so far as it relates to God He alone that loveth God is capable of loving himself and his Neighbour as he ought to do This Reflection giveth St. Augustin an Opportunity of speaking of the Duties of Society and of what Christians owe one to another Lastly as Examples do often affect more than Precepts so he produces several Precedents of vertuous Men in the Church that he may raise a higher Notion of the Manners of the Catholicks He sets forth the Examples of Hermits Monks and Nuns who have quite severed themselves from the World to spend their Lives in constant Abstinence and in Exercises of Piety He adds the Example of several vertuous Ecclesiasticks and of many holy Prelates who kept themselves pure in the midst of a corrupt Age and of an infinite Number of Christians that led most exemplary Lives He concludes this Book by shewing That the Examples of Evil Catholicks can be no pretence for Hereticks to separate from the Church and that the Notions of the Manichees touching Marriage are contrary to those of the Apostles He observeth much the same Method in his Book of the Manners of the Manichees He begins it by refuting their Doctrine about the Nature and Original of Good and Evil Afterwards he discovers their impious and superstitious Practices in such a manner as renders them ridiculous and abominable and then gives a relation of the Disorders whereof the greatest part of that Sect had been Convicted The Book of true Religion is the last of those which St. Augustin writ before he was a Priest He therefore made it about the Year 390. there he shews both the Excellencies and the Duties of the true Religion That the Christian Religion is the only true one and he refutes the Errors of other Religions and particularly of the Manichees concerning the two Natures He speaks of Jesus
independent upon the Imagination To the latter That there are Three sorts of Images or Phantoms in our Imagination that some are transmitted by the Senses and these represent such things as we have seen and felt That the Second that are formed by Imagination represent such things as we never saw and which perhaps are not but which we fansie or suppose to be or to have been And that the last arise from the Consideration of some Speculative Truths as Numbers and Dimensions That without doubt the first sort do not proceed from Sense but we must grant that the Second have their Original from Sense since they represent nothing but what is true That the last though they seem to spring from the Reasons and Principles of Sciences which lead not into Error yet are false because they represent Spiritual Things as if they were Corporeal and Extended Whence he concludes That the Soul doth not imagine the things that it does not see and that it doth not feel but either by lessening or by encreasing the Images of what it hath seen or felt The following Letters to the Thirteenth are directed to Nebridius though the Years are not precisely known it is certain that they were written before St. Augustin was Ordained because Nebridius died before that time In the Eighth Nebridius asketh St. Augustin How Daemons can make us Dream St. Augustin answers him in the Ninth That they do it by stirring those Parts of the Body which can make an Impression upon the Soul after the same manner as Musical Instruments excite in us certain Thoughts Passions and Affections In the Tenth St. Augustin proposes to Nebridius To live together retired And he setteth forth the Advantages of Solitude In the Eleventh he endeavours to explain that Question in Divinity How the Three Persons being inseparable the Son alone was made Man Having diligently studied how to answer it he tells Nebridius That the understanding of Mysteries is got only by Piety That this is the surest way to compass it and therefore that Men ought chiefly to give up themselves to the Practice thereof He had also handled that Question in the Twelfth Letter but it is imperfect In the Thirteenth he advises Nebridius not to think any longer that the Soul hath another thinner Body than that which we see it being impossible to resolve that Question since our Senses cannot discern such a Body and Reason cannot discover any such thing to us In the Fourteenth he answers Two other Questions proposed by Nebridius The First concerning the Sun which is of small importance and hath no difficulty The Second deserves more Reflection Nebridius asks St. Augustin Whether the Knowledge of God includeth not only a general Idea of Mankind but also an Idea of every Man in particular St. Augustin answereth That in the Creation God had only a Prospect of the general Idea of Mankind but yet that there is in God a particular Idea of every Man He clears his Answer by this Example The Idea of an Angle is one single Notion as well as that of a Square so when I design to make an Angle one only Idea offers it self and yet when I go about to describe a Square I must have in my Mind the Notion of Four Angles joined together Even so each Man was Formed after the particular Idea of a Man but in the Creation of People it is no longer the particular Idea of one Man but the general Idea of many seen and conceived all at once This is refined Metaphysicks The Fifteenth Letter is written to Romanianus to whom St. Augustin promiseth his Book of The True Religion which he finished not long before he was Ordained Priest Which proves That this Letter was written about the Year 390. He exhorts Romanianus to renounce the Cares of the World and to seek after solid and lasting Goods The Sixteenth Letter is a Discourse written by Maximus a Grammarian of Madaura who disputeth against the Christian Religion He owns That there is but One Sovereign Being and One only God but pretends That it is the same God whom the Heathen worship under several Names which signifie his several Attributes He cannot endure that in the Christian. Religion they should preferr Martyrs of obscure and strange Names before those Immortal Gods whose Names are so famous He desires of St. Austin to let him know who that particular God is whom the Christians suppose to be present in secret and retired places St. Augustin answereth this in the Seventeenth Letter discovering the Falshood of this Pagans Rallery by other Ralleries that are more Spiritual At the latter end of his Letter he declares That among Christians and Catholicks the Dead are not adored And That no Divine Honours are done to any Creature but only to God who created all things Thefe Letters were written before the Worship of the Gods was prohibited by the Imperial-Law of the Year 391. whil'st St. Augustin was retir'd at Tagasta near Madaura and before he was a Priest namely about the Year 390. It is believed that the Eighteenth Nineteenth and Twentieth Letters were written before St. Augustin was Ordained Priest because he gives himself no Title in the Inscription and because they seem more florid than those which he wrote after he was in Orders The Eighteenth is directed to Coelestinâ—â—s There he distinguishes Beings into Three Natures The First Moveable in Place and Time and that 's Body The Second Moveable in Time but not in Place and that is the Soul And the Third is Immoveable in Time and Place and this is God The First is incapable either of Happiness or Unhappiness The Last is essentially Happy The Middle Being is Unhappy when it cleaveth to the Beings of the First sort but Happy when it carries it self to the Supreme Being In the Nineteenth Letter he exhorteth Caius to whom he sendeth his Works to continue in those good Dispositions of Mind wherein he left him In the Twentieth he giveth Antoninus Thanks for his Love and for the good Opinion he had of him with excellent Instructions desiring the Conversion of his whole Family St. Austin was Ordained Priest by Valerius Bishop of Hippo who being a Greek and not able to speak Latin fluently enough to Preach to the People cast his Eyes upon St. Augustin to Preach in his room St. Augustin being sensible how hard it was to discharge the Duties of that Station entreateth Valerius in the Twenty first Letter to let him withdraw for a time that he might fit himself by Study and Prayer for the Employment which he had laid upon him This Letter is very instructive for those that are to be promoted to Ecclesiastical Dignities It begins with this curious Reflection That there is nothing more acceptable especially at this time than the Dignity of a Priest a Bishop and a Deacon nothing more pleasant and easie than the Exercise of these Offices when Men will do things only of Course and flatter
Donatists desiring to be all there made a Solemn Declaration The Catholick Bishops gave their Consent by the 129th Letter The time of these Two last cannot be doubted seeing they relate to the Conference at Carthage appointed the 14th of October 410. and began the 1st of June 411. The 130th is directed to the illustrious and pious Lady Proba Falconia the Widow of Probus Praefectus Praetorio and Consul in 371. who withdrew into Africa after the taking of Rome This Holy Widow having desired St. Augustin to write to her concerning Prayer this Saint gives her by this Letter excellent Instructions about the manner how we ought to Pray and the necessary Disposition to do it well He discourses there of the Contempt of Riches of renouncing the World of that true Happiness which ought to be pray'd for and of love of our Neighbour He proves That true Praying is from the Heart He explains in few Words the Lord's Prayer shewing That it contains what we are to Pray for He observes that we may desire to be delivered from Pain Sickness and Afflictions but that we are not to desire with impatience nor to think that God regards us not when we obtain not that ease which we desire This Letter is full of very Christian and Sublime Maxims and Notions very useful for Pious Persons The 131st to the same Lady hath nothing Remarkable he thanks her for enquiring after his Health In the 132d Letter St. Augustin exhorts Volusian to whom it is written to read the Scriptures and to propose to him those Difficulties which he shall meet with In the 133d Letter St. Augustin entreateth Marcellinus not to punish those Donatists with Death who had confessed their Crimes by Torture and to have respect in the Choice of Punishments to that Meekness which the Church professeth to exercise towards all Men. The next Letter contains the like Entreaties to the Proconsul Apringius Both these were written after the Imperial Law against the Donatists was enacted in 412. By the 135th Volusianus desires a Solution of the Difficulties proposed against the Christian Religion which centred all in this Objection How God should so humble himself as to become Man With this Letter came another from Marcellinus which is the 136th wherein he desireth St. Augustin to answer the Questions made by Volusianus adding some other Objections of the Enemies of the Christian Religion They said That God had abolished the Old Law either out of Inconstancy or because he was weary of it That the Doctrine of the Gospel was contrary to States and that the Christian Emperors had done great Dis-service to the Affairs of the Common-wealth St. Augustin in the 137th answereth Volusianus his Questions He lays down this Rule at First That though there are such Deep Things in the Scripture that a Man may daily make new Discoveries how Learned and Quick soever he be yet it is not difficult to arrive to the Knowledge of what is necessary to be known to be Saved Afterward he answereth Volusianus his Question concerning the Incarnation shewing That though the Word was made Man yet he did not give over the Care of Things upon Earth nor ceased to be every where and to Govern all Things That the Union of the Soul with the Body which daily happeneth is not less difficult to be comprehended than that of God with Man which happened but once to save Men from their Sins Here he lays down very powerful Arguments to perswade Men to believe the Incarnation of Jesus Christ as The Original of the People of Israel God's Dealings with them his chusing them to be his beloved People the Laws and Ceremonies of the Old Testament which had all a relation to Jesus Christ the Predictions of the Prophets the Life Actions and the Death of Christ the Establishment of the Church its Encrease and Preservation the greatness and sublimity of the Morals that were taught in it the plain Stile of the Scripture which makes it accessable to all Mankind though there are such Depths as few Minds can penetrate and other such Considerations which are sufficient to prove the Truth of the Christian Religion In the following Letter St. Augustin replies to the Objections made by Marcellinus The First is about the Alteration of the Old Law which they imputed either to Envy or to Inconstancy in God St. Augustin saith That God is unchangeable in all that concerns himself and that as he hath given Precepts and Ordinances for the Good of Man so it is for the same End that he sometimes changeth them as he judgeth it may be more convenient for them The Second Objection proposed by Marcellinus seems more difficult They accused Christ's Doctrine as inconsistent with the Well-being of the State because it forbids rendring Evil for Evil Commands turning the other Cheek giving the Cloak also to them that offer to take our Coats and to go Two Miles with him that forceth us to go one These Precepts say they are contrary to the Practice of Common-wealths For who is he that will suffer his Enemy to take away his Goods Who doth not seek to return Evil for Evil to Barbarians who come to lay the Provinces of the Empire waste St. Augustin refutes this Objection showing that this Maxim here looked upon as contrary to the good of the State was a Maxim of the Old Romans who thought it worthy of their Greatness and profitable for the Common-wealth to forgive Injuries That Cicero exalting Caesar for a great Prince commendeth him for his readiness to forgive Injuries That such Things are read with Admiration in Profane Writings whilst they are despised in Christian Books where they are more Plainly and more nobly expressed He proves afterwards That these Divine Books are so far from being contrary to the Happiness of Governments that they are most proper to maintain Peace and Concord That however they are not to be understood literally and that we are not absolutely forbidden to defend our selves or to punish Crimes but only that Men should not act by a Principle of Revenge but with a Design to do good to him that offends us So that these Precepts of Jesus Christ have respect to the Disposition of the Heart rather than to what is done outwardly and tend only but to preserve Patience and Charity in their Hearts leaving us the Liberty to do what we think may conduce most to the Advantage of those to whom we desire to do Good Having alledged both Christ's and St. Paul's Example to justifie such a Carriage he adds That this hinders not the Execution of Justice against Evil Doers provided it be done with a Spirit of Charity That War it self may be managed with the same Spirit when Men desire to Conquer with a Design to do Good to the Vanquished and keep them from doing Hurt Then he answereth Marcellinus's last Objection shewing That the Christian Emperors ought not to be charged with the decay of the Empire the Heathen
be subject to its own Metropolitan Nothing can be more contrary than the Opinions of Zosimus and Boniface concerning the Dignity and Jurisdiction of the Church of Arles Zosimus is persuaded That the Bishop of Arles ought to ordain all the Bishops of Seven Provinces and Boniface declares That that is a violation of the Canons The former saith That the Bishop of Arles is the sole Metropolitan and the latter affirmeth That none can be Metropolitan of Two Provinces Zosimus is of Opinion That the Pretensions of Hilary of Narbon and of the other Metropolitans of the Seven Provinces that they have a Right to ordain the Bishops of their respective Provinces are extreamly rash On the contrary Boniface maintains That it is a well-grounded Right and that the Pretension of the Church of Arles to ordain in those Provinces is a breach upon the Canons to which opposition must be made The one forbids Hilary of Narbon to ordain the Bishops of his Province when he asks it of him The other enjoins him to do it without asking Can there be a greater contrariety of Opinions betwixt Popes who succeeded each other immediately This made St. Leo say in the Epistle to the Bishops of Provincia Viennensis That the See of Rome had taken away from Patroclus what it had given him by a more just Sentence than that by which it was granted ID IPSUM QUOD PATROCLO A SEDE APOSTOLICA TEMPORALITER VIDEBATUR ESSE CONCESSUM POSTMODUM ESSE SENTENTIA MELIORE SUBLATUM Is it because those Popes thought themselves absolute Masters of these Things If so Why should they alledge the Canons and profess to observe them Is it because they believed that Privileges attended the Persons of Bishops and not their Churches Wherefore then did Zosimus exalt the Dignity and Antiquity of the Church of Arles so high because it was founded by Trophimus We are therefore to conclude That there is no other Reason of that contrariety besides the difference of the Opinions of the Two Popes But which of the Two was in the Right and which in the Wrong is a great Business to be decided which we shall find afterwards sharply debated in the time of St. Leo. In the mean time we may observe That the common Right was on Boniface's side and that we do not see any Privilege authentick enough or any Custom sufficiently established whereby we should allow to the Church of Arles what Zosimus grants to it There are besides Five of this Pope's Letters to Ruffus Bishop of Thessalonica and to the Bishops of Illyricum recorded in the Council that was assembled under Boniface II. in 531. Boniface I. was peaceable Possessor of the See of Rome until the Year 423. though there were still some Christians of Eulalius's Party SYNESIUS SYNESIUS originally of Cyrene a City of Pentapolis a Platonick Philosopher and Disciple of the famous Hypatia having spent part of his Life in worldly Employments Synesius was converted and chosen Bishop of Ptolemais in the Year 420. He was hardly brought to accept of that Office which seemed to him to be contrary to that Philosophical Life wherein he had lived till then Neither could he resolve to leave his Wife nor was he yet fully persuaded of all the Articles of the Christian Religion He believed that Souls were created before Bodies and could not conceive that the World was to have an end He did not believe the Resurrection of the Dead as it is believed in the Church imagining That what is said in the Scripture had some mystical and secret Sence He urges these Reasons in his 105th Letter to prevent their ordaining him Bishop Baronius thinks That he did not really hold such Opinions but that he feigned to have them to avoid the Episcopal Function But this Conjecture is not at all probable because he affirms with an Oath that he expressed his real Sence Wherefore it is better to say with the Ancients that Synesius's Merit and the need which the Churches of Africa stood in of his Protection in a most difficult time superseded these Considerations in hopes that being ordained Bishop he would submit his Opinions to those of the Church It is related in the Pratum Spirituale that when he was Bishop a very remarkable Thing happened to him which shews That he had altered his Opinion concerning the Resurrection of Bodies A Heathen Philosopher one Evagrius Synesius's old Friend came to Cyrene Synesius used all his Endeavours to convert him After several Sollicitations to that purpose this Philosopher declared to him at last That the Resurrection of the Body was one of those Things which he was most displeased with in the Christian Religion Synesius affirmed That whatsoever the Christians taught was true and never left him till he had Converted and Baptized him This Man sometime after his Baptism having given Synesius a Summ of Money to distribute to the Poor demanded a Bond to repay it him again in the next Life Synesius readily gave him one The Philosopher kept it and some time before his Death commanded his Children to put it into his Coffin Three Days after he appeared to Synesius in the Night and bad him come to his Grave and take his Bond because he was pay'd and to assure him of it he had signed a Discharge with his own Hand Synesius not knowing that his Children had put the Bond in his Coffin having sent for them and learned of them how the business had been carried telling them withal what had happened went to this Man 's Grave with his Clergy and the chief Men of the Town and caused the Coffin to be opened where they found the Bond with a Receit newly written in Evagrius's own Hand at the Bottom The Author of the Pratum Spirituale relates this History as having learned it of Leontius of Apamea who came to Alexandria in the time of the Patriarch Eulogius to be Ordained Bishop of Cyrene adding That that Man certified That this Bond was still kept in the Vestry of the Church of Cyrene This may give some Credit to a Story which would deserve none were it solely grounded upon the Testimony of the Author of the Pratum Spirituale who is known to be of no great Authority However Evagrius and Photius affirm That Synesius was no sooner Ordained Bishop but he yielded to the Opinion of the Church concerning the Resurrection Synesius's Treatises are Philosophical Discourses written with great nobleness and loftiness The Catalogue of them is as follows A Discourse of reigning well spoken in the presence of the Emperor Arcadius about the Year 398. when he was Deputy of his own Province that was wasted by the Barbarians Incursions to obtain some Succours and some â—ase of the Emperor Synesius speaks there of Government with a wonderful freedom and declaims openly against Courtiers against the Luxury and Ambition of Princes He lays down most excellent Instructions for Kings He shows what are the truly Royal Vertues and the Qualities of a
Friendship A Book of the Substance of Love A Book of the Love of God Soliloquies A Book of Meditations A Treatise of Contrition of Heart The Manual The Looking-glass The Looking-glass of a Sinner The Ladder of Paradise A Treatise of the knowledge of Life A Book of the Christian Life A Book of wholsom Instructions A Book of the twelve Abuses of the Age. The Combat of Virtues and Vices A Book of Sobriety and Charity A Book of true and false Repentance A Treatise of Antichrist A Treatise upon the Magnificat A Treatise of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin A Discourse concerning the Visitation of the Sick Some Sermons Sermon to the Brothers Hermits TOME VII Genuine Twenty two Books of the City of God TOME VIII Contains his Writings against Hereticks Genuine A Treatise of Heresies to Quodvultdeus A Treatise against the Jews A Treatise of the Usefulness of Faith A Treatise of two Souls A Conference with Fortunatus A Treatise against Adimantus A Treatise against the Epistle of the foundation of the Manichees Thirty three Books against Faustus a Manichee A Conference with Felix A Treatise of the Nature of Good A Book against Secundinus Two Books against the Adversary of the Law and the Prophets A Treatise against the Priscillianists and the Origenists An Answer to a Discourse of an Arian A Conference against Maximinus Fifteen Books of the Trinity Supposititious A Discourse of five Heresies A Trial between the Church and the Synagogue The Book of Faith A Memorial of the manner of Receiving the Manichees A Book of the Unity of the Trinity A Treatise of the Essence of the Divinity A Dialogue of the Unity of the Holy Trinity A Book of Ecclesiastical Doctrines TOME IX Contains the Treatises against the Donatists Genuine A Hymn against the Donatists Three Books against the Epistle of Parmenian Seven Books of Baptism Three Books against Petilianus A Letter to the Catholicks against Petilianus Four Books against Cresconius A Book of one Baptism against Petilianus An Abridgment of the Conference of Carthage A Discourse address'd to the Donatists after the Conference of Carthage A Conference with Emeritus Two Books against Gaudentius WORKS Lost. A Book against the Epistle of Donatus Two Books against the Donatists A Book against Centurius A Book of the Proofs and Testimonies against the Donatists A Treatise against a Donatist Advertisements to the Donatists A Discourse addressed to Emeritus Supposititious A Sermon concerning Rusticianus A Book against Fulgentius TOME X. Contains the Treatises against the Pelagians Genuine Three Books of Merits and of the Remission of Sins A Book of the Spirit and of the Letter A Treatise of Nature and Grace A Book of the Acts of Pelagius A Treatise of the Grace of Jesus Christ. A Treatise of Original Sin A Treatise of the Perfection of Justice Two Books of Marriage and of Concupiscence Six Books against Julian Four Books to Boniface A Book of Grace and Free-will A Treatise of Correction and Grace A Treatise of the Predestination of the Saints A Treatise of the Gift of Perseverance Six Books of the second Work against Julian Four Treatises of the Origin of the Soul Supposititious A Treatise entituled Hypognosticon A Treatise of Predestination and Grace A Treatise of Predestination ZOSIMUS Genuine WORKS The First Letter to the Africans The Second Letter to the Africans The Third Letter to the Africans A Fragment of a Letter to all the Bishops against Coelestius and Pelagius A Letter to the Bishops of Gaul of the Privileges of the Church of Arles A Letter to the Bishops of Gallia Viennensis and Gallia Narbonensis A Letter to Hilary of Narbon Two Letters to Patroclus A Letter to the People of Marseilles A Circular Letter against Ursus and Tuentius A Letter to Hesychius Bishop of Salona A Letter to the Clergy of Ravenna A Letter to the Bishops of Byzacena very doubtful BONIFACE I. Genuine WORKS A Letter to the Emperour A Letter to Patroclus and to the Bishops of the Seven Provinces of the Gauls Letters to Hiary of Narbon SYNESIUS Genuine BOOKS A Discourse of the manner of Reigning well A Discourse to Poeonius A Book entituled Dion Prusaeus A Panegyrick upon Baldness Two Books of Providence A Discourse of Dreams One hundred and fifty Letters WORKS lost Cynegeticks A Table of the Acts Professions of Faith and Canons of the Councils mentioned in this Volume Councils Years held in Acts Professions of Faith and Canons Of Rome under Innocent  A Preface and sixteen Canons Oâ— Mâ—â—â—vis 402 Five Canons Of Constantinople and of Ephesus 400 401 Acts of this Council in Palladius In the Suburbs of Chalcedon 403 Acts of this Council an Abridgement of them in Photius Oâ— Carthage 403 Acts related in the Acts of the 3d. Conference of Carthage Of Carthage 404 Acts of this Council in the Code of the Canons of Africa Of Carthage 405 An Abridgment of the Acts in the same Code Of Carthage 407 Twelve Canons in the same Code Of Carthage 408 Deputations mention'd in the African Code Another of the same Year   Of Carthage 409 A Declaration in the African Code Of Carthage 410 Deputation ibid. Of Ptolemais 411 See the 67th Letter of Synesius Of Carthage 411 Acts. Of Zerta 412 The 141st Letter among those of St. Augustin First of Carthage against Coelestius 411 Fragment of the Acts of this Council in St. Augustin Book 2. Of Nature and of Grace Conference of Jerusalem 415 Acts. Of Diospolis 418 Acts in St. Augustin in the Book of the Acts of Pelagius Second of Carthage against Coelestius and Pelagius 416  Of Milevis 416 Letters 175th 176th and 177th amongst those of St. Augustin Of Carthage 417 Letter to Zosimus and a Collection of some pieces Of Carthage 418 Eight Canons against the Errours of Pelagius and Ten Canons concerning Discipline Of Tella or Zella 418 Some Canons Of Carthage concerning Apiarius in the Year 418 Acts. Letter to Zosimus Another in 419  Of Ravenna 419 Acts Thirty three Canons six other Canons Letters to Boniface and to Coelestine Of Carthage in the Year 420  Of Constantinople 426 A Synodical Letter Of Carthage against Leporius 427 Profession of Faith and Letter to the Bishops of Gaul Of Constantinople 428  A Table of all the Writings of the Ecclesiastical Authors mentioned in this Volume according to the Order of their Arguments Treatises for the Christian Religion against the Pagans and Jews ST Chrysostom's Treatise against the Gentiles Prudentius's two Books against Symmachus St. Chrysostom's six Sermons against the Jews A Discourse against the Jews and Gentiles St. Augustin's Book of the true Religion and of the manners of the Church His twenty two Books of the City of God His Treatise against the Jews His Letters 16th 17th 91st 232d 233d 234th 235th Treatises against Hereticks St. Augustin's Treatise of Heresies MANICHEES St. Augustin's two Books upon Genesis against the Manichees His Book of the Manners of the Church and
of the Manners of the Manichees Of the Usefulness of Faith Of Two Souls Conference with Fortunatus and Felix Against Adimantus Against the Epistle of the Foundation of the Manichees Against Faustus Thirty three Books Of the Nature of Good Against Secundinus Against the Adversary of the Law and the Prophets Two Books Letters 79th and 236th ORIGENISTS Anastasius's Letter to John of Jerusalem and a fragment of a Synodical Letter of his against Origen John of Jerusalem his Apology Theophilus's Paschal Letters St. Jerom's Apologetick to Domnion and Pammachius Letters to Apronius and Avitus against the Errours of Origen His three Books of Apology against Rufinus 〈◊〉 Invectives of Rufinus against St. Jerom. His Apology to Pope Anastâ—sius 〈…〉 Augustin's Freatise against the Origenists and Prisâ—… His 237th Letter against the Priscillianists His 265th Letter against the Novatians ARIANS 〈…〉 Jerom's Treatise against Helvidius His two Books against Jovinian with his Apology to Pammachius His Treatise against Vigilantius and two Books against the same Dialogue against the Lucifâ—rians 〈…〉 Augustin's Answer to the Discourse of an Arian His Conference against Maximinus His Letters 238th 239th 240th 241st and 242d PELAGIANS 〈…〉 Jerâ—â—'s Letter to Câ—esiphon and three Books of Dialogues against the Pelagians 〈…〉 Aâ—gustin's Treatise against the Pelagians contained in the tenth Tome of his Works whereof see the Catalogue in the preceding Table His Letter 140th and others noted in the Table of Letters disposed according to their Arguments by the Benedictines 〈◊〉 of the Council of Carthage of the Year 4â—8 Acts of the Council of Diospolis of the Conference of Jerusalem and of the Councils of Carthage and Mileâ—… against Pelagius and Coelestius DONATISTS St. Augustin's Treatises against the Donatists contained in the ninth Tome of his Works See the Catalogue as above His other Treatises and Letters against the same Hereticks whereof there is a Table at the end of the ninth Tome His Letter 23d and others marked by the Benedictines in the Table of Letters Treatises upon the Articles of Religion St. Chrysostom's six Discourses of the incomprehensible Nature of God His Treatise of the Divine Providence to Stagyrius Treatise of Virginity â—…us's Explication of the Creed The Confeâ—sions of Faith of Pelagius and Coelestius St. Augustin's Treatises of the true Religion and the Manners of the Church his explication of the Creed Manual to Laurentius Dâ—scourse of the Instruction of the Ignorant Discourse of the Belief of things we cannot comprehend Treatise of Faith and Good Works Treatise of the Usefulness of Faith Letters upon dâ—vers Articles of Religion marked in the Catalogue of the Benedictines his Books of Retractations Upon the Trinity St. Jerom's two Letters to Damasâ—s upon the Hâ—postaâ—es St. Chrysostom's Sermon concerning the Consubstantiality A Treatise of Isaac a 〈…〉 〈◊〉 vpon the Trinity and the 〈◊〉 St. Augustin's fifteen Books upon the Trinity Upon the Incarnation Fragments of Homilies of Flavianus and Antiochus produced by Theodoret. Fragments of Theodorus Mopsuestenus St. Chrysostome's Letter to Caesarius against the Errors of Apollinaâ—is where also the Eucharist is spoken of Upon different Subjects St. Chrysostom's Homily concerning the Resurrection of the Dead his Sermon concerning Daemons St. Paulinus's Twelfth and Forty second Letters concerning the Fall of Man and the Merits of Jesus Christ. St. Augustin's Books against the Academicks his Treatise of Blessedness Treatise of Immortality and of the quantity of the Soul Discourse of Musick Book of a Master Three Books of Free will Answers to several Questions Answers to the Questions of Simplicianus and Dulcitius Two Discourses against Lying Another Discourse concerning the Pâ—…diction of Daemons Four Books concerning the Origination of the Soul Treatises concerning the Discipline of the Church The Canonical and Paschal Letters of Theophilus The Letters of Pope Innocent I. Some of St. Chrysostom's Sermons upon the chief Feasts of the Year St. Chrysostom's Defence of a Monastick Life Comparison between a Monk and a King Books of the Priesthood Two Discourses to Theodoruâ— Three Treatises of Compunction of heart Treatise of Virginity Two Discourses against Women's â—ohabiting with Clerks Discourse to a Nun against Raillery Two Discourses to a Young Widow Homily of Anathema and some others of his St. Jerom's Letters contained in the first Tome of his Works Treatises against Jovinian and Vigilantius Several Letters of St. Paulinus and particularly the 1st 2d 45th 46th 22d 23d 26th 29th 30th 32d 38th Letter of Bachiarius concerning Penance Ursinus's Treatise against the Reiteration of Baptism conferr'd by Hereticks St. Augustin's Treatises concerning Continence and the benefits of Marriage of Holy Virginity of the advantages of Widowhood of adulterous Marriages of the labour of Monks and of the care they ought to have for the Dead his Answers to the Questions of Dulcitius Letters marked in the Table of the Benedictins The Letter of Pope Zosimus and Pope Boniface I. Synesius's Letters and particularly the 5th 9th 11th 12th 13th 57th 58th 79th 89th 66th 67th 76th 95th and 105th Canons of the Councils related at the end of this Volume Books of Morality and Piety 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fragments of Books of Evagrius Ponticus â—…urses of Mark the Hermit 〈…〉 Psychomachia Cathemerinon and Hamarâ—… 〈…〉 Hundred Chapters of a Spiritual Life 〈…〉 among the Works of St. Chrysostom 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Sermons with the Extracts of Phoâ—… â—…ks â—…tters contained in the first Tome of â—…ks 〈…〉 â—â—â—mons whereof see the Catalogue in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—â—scourses of Piety and Morality see the Ca 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 part of his Letters 〈…〉 Seven Letters â—… part of the Letters of St. Paulinus 〈…〉 〈◊〉 13th 22d 23d 30th 32d 〈…〉 〈◊〉 to Aâ—â—thius entituled the Eccleâ—… 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—o Câ—lancia attributed to St. Pauâ—… â—… Thirty two Poems 〈…〉 Demetrià s and some others in St. 〈…〉 â—…s â—…manners of the Church 〈…〉 Bâ—… 〈…〉 â—eligion most part of â—â—s Sermons chiefly those of the â—… â—â—ird and 〈◊〉 Clâ—…s Treâ—… of 〈◊〉 and Good Works 〈…〉 â—anual â—o Lâ—…ius â—… Comâ—…at 〈◊〉 of Patience 〈…〉 Letters mentioned in the Table of the â—… 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 particularly that of the 〈◊〉 of well 〈◊〉 and those concerning Proâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 particularly the 95th 〈…〉 and Discourses upon the Holy Scripture BOOKS of Criticism 〈◊〉 's Tâ—…se of the best manner of Translating his Book of the Names of Countries and Cities spoken of 〈◊〉 Scripture Explication of the proper Names of the Hebrews Explication of the Hebrew Alphabet Book of the Tradition of the Jews â—… Letters upon divers critical Questions â—… â—… to Minerius and Paulinus Verâ—…s of the Text of the Bible from the Sepâ—…t and from the Hebrew â—… Harmony of the four Gospels St. Chrysosioâ—…'s Homily upon the beginning of the Acts of the Usefulness of reading the Holy Scripture and 〈◊〉 others St. â—â—gustâ—â—'s four 〈◊〉 of the Christian Doctrine his 〈◊〉 â—…ks of particular ways of speaking used in 〈◊〉 â—…en 〈◊〉 Books of the Bible and Questions upo◠〈◊〉 same Books â—… 〈◊〉 Scripture â—…
it self and all the Beings which are in the World The Angels also are Creatures But we must not think that they are of a carnal Nature like ours nor subject to the same Passions They are Immortal and Spiritual God hath created Millions of them Their Business is to sing the Praises of God yet he believes that there are some who are charged with the care of Nations and particular Men. The Devils are not Sinners by Nature God created them in a state wherein they might do good or evil They fell voluntarily into Sin through Pride and God punished them for their Sin by casting them from their first Estate Man is also the Work of God who hath formed him by his Almighty Hand he is made up of a Body and a Spiritual and Reasonable Soul which is Immortal God created it when the Body was formed All things are governed by Divine Providence we are not ruled by Destiny There are three sorts of things in the World which are worthy of Consideration real good things which consist in Vertue real Evils which consist in Vices and things indifferent which may be good or evil-according as we make use of them as Riches and Poverty Prosperity and Adversity Health and Sickness If we may believe Theodoret the Goods and Evils of the first sort are in our Power he holds That it is in our Power to be Vertuous or Sinners but as to all other things God disposeth of them as he pleaseth for Reasons to us unknown The Word of God his only Son was made Man to restore our decayed Nature and as the whole Man had sinned he assumed our Nature entire He did not take a Body to cover his Divinity but a Soul and Body like to ours nor did he put off that Nature at his Resurrection He came to teach Men a more perfect Law than that of Moses but yet not contrary to it in the least Baptism came in place of the Jewish Washings This Ordinance which is of marvellous Virtue was not established for the remission of Sins past only but also to make us hope for the good things promised by making us Partakers of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and rendring us the Children of God Heirs of his Kingdom and coheirs with Jesus Christ For Baptism is not only a Rasor as I may say to cut off Sins past For if that were so why should we baptize Children in their Infancy says Theodoret here who have nothing of Sin This is Pelagianism if he doth not understand it of actual Sins This Sacrament of Baptism gives us the hopes of the Resurrection which we expect The Soul is not raised that shall only be reunited to its Body which shall be formed anew The Unbelievers shall be raised from the Dead as well as Believers the Sinner as well as the Just. All Men shall receive at the day of Judgment either a Reward of their Veâ—… or a Punishment for their Sins The Reward of the Saints shall have nothing temporal or peâ—â—shing in it It consists in the enjoyment of Eternal Goods Christ's millenary Reign is a Fable This Eternal Life is free from Temptation and Sin and full of ineffable Joy Before all tâ—is shall the coming of Jesus Christ in Glory be which shall follow the coming of Antichrist Theodoret after he hath spoken of that which concerns the Faith of the Creed passeth to the Articles which relate to Mens manners The first is of Virginity God hath not commanded it but yet he gives it such Commendation as it deserves that he may encourage Men to embrace it Marriage is not forbidden but the end of it ought to be for the Procreation of Children Second Marriages are not prohibited neither but Fornication and all other Uncleannesses are condemned by the Evangelical Law Theodoret goes on next to Repentance and after he hath observed That the Scripture doth not only forbid Sin but also affords a Remedy for the Cure of those who have committed it by exhorting to Repentance he faith That there is also a Medicine for Sins committed after Baptism but that they cannot be cured as before by Faith alone we must make use of Tears Weeping Groans Fastings Prayers and a Satisfaction proportionable to the greatness of the Sin that we have committed And as to those who are not so disposed the Church doth not despair of them but admits them to Communion These saith he are the Laws of the Church about Repentance Lastly as concerning Abstinence the Church doth not forbid the use of Wine and Flesh as some Hereticks do but leaves us at Liberty that they that will may Abstain She obliges no Man to embrace a Monastick Life but that is entirely free These are the Articles of Doctrine of the Church which Theodoret opposes to the Errors of the Hereticks and which he proves by express Testimonies of Holy Scripture excellently well chosen In speaking of Providence he referrs us to what he hath said in the ten Books which he hath written upon that Subject He cites them also in his Commentary upon the 67th Psalm and speaks of them in his 133d and 182d Letters This makes it evident That altho the Discourses of Providence are put after the Treatise of Heretical Fables yet they were composed a long time before about the year 433. These are the Discourses or Sermons which he recited probably at Antioch In the five first he proves a Providence by the admirable Position of the Heavenly Bodies by the wonderful Order of the Elements by the Contexture of the Parts of Man's Body by the invention of Arts and by the dominion of Man over the Beasts In the 6th 7th and 8th he answers some Objections which may be made against Providence by shewing That Poverty Bondage and other Misfortunes to which Men and even the Just are subject have Profit in them In the 9th he shews That the practice of Vertue is not unprofitable altho' very often it is not recompensed in this World because it shall be rewarded in another Life In the last after he hath observed That God hath always loved and taken care of all Men he shews That this Love appears plainly in the Incarnation of the Son of God and all that Jesus Christ hath done for them These Discourses are written with a great deal of Generosity and Eloquence They have been published by Majoranus at Rome in 1545. and translated by Gualter at Tigur in 1546. Afterward at Paris 1630. in Octavo Dr. Cave There is not less Eloquence and much more Learning in the 12 Discourses concerning the * De curandis affectionibus Graecoâ—um Dr. Cave Cure of the false Opinions of the Heathens where he proves the truth of our Religion and vinces the Heathens of Falshood by comparing them together Theodoret undertook this Work to satisfie some Objections which had been made to him He speaks of it in his Letter to Renatus and in that which he wrote to S. Leo and he
joined these Two Punishments together These Conjectures are certainly very probable and make me of F. Quesnel's Judgment who thought this Letter forged or at least that it is another Leo's and the Names of the Consuls have been added to it This last is so much the more probable because it is cited by Gratian under the Name of Pope Leo the 12th Quaest. 2. cap. 52. sine exâ—â—ptione The Eighteenth Letter is written to Dorus Bishop of Beneventum and dated the 8th of March in the Year 448. He reproves that Bishop for having disturbed the whole Order of Priests by preferring a younger Priest before the more aged He commands That the more Ancient should tâ—ke their Places unless it were those Two who had consented That the Person of whom he speaks in this Letter should be preferred before them tho' they were Elder than he The Nineteenth Letter dated Jame 1. 448. is an Answer to a Letter that Eutyches had written to S. Leo before he was condemned by Flavian He had told him That some Persons did revive the Nestorian Errors again S. Leo returns him Answer That he commended his Care and tells him That he would provide a sure Remedy when he should be informed more at large who they are that have attempted it The following Letters for the most part concern the Affair of Eutyches and the History of the Councils of Constantinople under Flavian of Ephesus under Dioscorus and of Chalceden We shall put off speaking of these till we shall make a particular Relation of that Affair We shall satisfie our selves to speak in this place of those that have no reference to it Of this sort is the Thirty Sixth Letter to the Bishops of the Province of Arles He congratulates them for that according to the desire of the Clergy Nobility and People they had with one consent ordained Ravennius Bishop of Arles in the room of Hilarius whom he calls a Bishop of blessed Memory This Letter is dated Aug. 449. The Thirty Seventh Letter is written to Ravennius to congratulate his Promotion to the Bishoprick of Arles He tells him That he was much rejoyced at it not only for his own sake but upon the Account of the Church of Arles for it is an Honour as well as an Advantage to the Faithful to have a Bishop who can help them and give them an Example He says That he hath heretofore experienced his Moderation Ravennius having been sent to Rome heretofore by Hilarius his Predecessor He exhorts him to join Authority with that Moderation to mingle Justice with Lenity to avoid Pride to love Humility and to keep himself within the bounds prescribed by the Laws of the Church Lastly he desires him to inform him often of his Government The following Letter is also directed to Ravennius to whom he wrote about a Vagabond named Petronianus who being in France boasted himself to be a Deacon of the Church of Rome He gives him notice That he was a Cheat and desires him to write to all the Bishops of his Province That they should not receive him into Communion It is dated the 26th of Aug. 449. but it is not very certain that it is really S. Leo's The Bishops of the Province of Arles having receiv'd a Letter from S. Leo concerning the Ordination of Ravennius thought that they had a favourable opportunity given them of obtaining of S. Leo a restitution of the Rights belonging to the Metropolis of Arles They preferred a kind of Petition to him in which after they had shewn what respect they owed to the Holy See and thanked S. Leo for the approbation he had given to their Election of Ravennius they prayed him to restore the Privileges of the Church of Arles which had been diminished by S. Leo's last Declarations To prove the Prerogatives of that Church they alledge 1. The Antiquity of the Church of Arles which they say was founded by Trophimus to whom they attribute the first planting of Religion in the Province of France called Narbonne They observe That Trophimus was sent by the Apostle S. Peter which ought to be understood according to the ordinary manner of Speaking used at that time by the Bishops of Rome Successors of S. Peter and the Apostles 2. They confirm the Dignity of the Church of Arles by the Privileges which the Popes themselves had granted to it 3. As also by the Privileges which the Emperors Constantine Valentinian and Honorius had bestowed upon the City of Arles 4. They alledged That the Bishop of Arles was in the present possession of three Provinces adjoyning to Vienna as subject to his Care and besides these which he governed by his own Authority he had the Inspection over all France as Apostolick Vicar to enforce them to observe the Rules of the Church Moved by these Reasons they entreated him to render to the Church of Arles all his Prerogatives The 50th Letter to the Bishops of the same Province is an Answer to the precedent Petision or the Judgment which S. Leo gives upon their Demand After he hath declared the Joy that he did conceive for the kindness which the French Bishops had for Ravennius he says That the Bishop of Vienna had prevented him from granting their Petition having sent Letters and Deputies to complain That the Bishop of Arles had ordained the Bishop of Vasio He adds That having considered the Reasons on both sides he had found That the Cities of Arles and Vienna having always been very famous had disputed about their Church-Privileges That sometimes one was Superior and sometimes the other got uppermost so that he must not leave the Church of Vienna without any Prerogative especially since he had lately honoured it with the Power which he had taken away from Hilarius Bishop of Arles He therefore grants him four Suffragan-Bishops which are Valentia Tarentum Geneva and Gratianople and leaves the other under the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Arles who will be as we require him saith he so great a Friend of Peace and Concord that he will not think that taken from him that is given to his Brother The Fifty First Letter is directed to Ravennius He sends to him his Letter to Flavian and exhorts him to get himself a Name in the beginning of his Episcopacy by defending the Catholick Faith about the Incarnation 'T is dated May 5. 450. The Seventy Sixth Letter is also written to the same Bishop but upon another Subject He gives him notice on what day the Feast of Passover was to be celebrated in the year 452. and commands him to publish it to all the French which shews That he acknowledged him his Vicar among the French This Letter is followed by a Letter of Ceretius Salonius and Veranus French Bishops in which they thank S. Leo That he had sent them his Letter to Flavian and pray him to review and correct the Copy which they had taken of it This Letter is not so considerable as the next to it
Solitary Life The Desart is the Temple of God In the Desart God is found The earthly Paradise is the Figure of it Moses saw God in the Desart The People of Israel were delivered by passing through the Desart The Red-Sea opened it self to give them a free Passage into the Desart and afterward closed again to prevent their return from thence In the Desart they were nourished with the Heavenly Food and quenched their Thirst with the miraculous Water In the Desart they received the Law David was preserved in the Desart Elias Elisha and the Prophets dwelt in Desarts Jesus Christ was baptized in the Desart There it was that Angels ministred unto him where he fed 5000 Men. It was upon a Mountain in the Wilderness that his Glory appeared He prayed in the Desart The Saints retired themselves into the Desart The Habitation of Desarts is to be preferr'd before all others there God is more easily found there we converse more familiarly with him there we live more quietly and free from Temptations The Praises of Desarts in general are attended by the particular Commendations of the Desart of Lerins That is a sweet Place full of Fountains over-spread with Herbs abounding with most pleasant Flowers grateful as well to the Eyes as Smell an abode fit for Honoratus who first founded the Monasteries and had Maximus for his Successor blessed Lupus his Brother Vincentius and Reverend Caprasius and many other Holy Old Men who dwelt in separate Cells have made the Life of the Aegyptian Monks to flourish among us Lastly After he hath spoken of their Vertues he congratulates Hilarius That he was return'd again to such a Charming and Delightful Dwelling The Second Work is a * Epistola de contemptu mundi saecularis Philosophiae Dr. Cave Treatise of the Contempt of the World dedicated to his Kinsman called Valerian who was of an Illustrious Family to exhort him to fly from the World He represents to him the two principal Duties incumbent upon Man 1. To know and worship God 2. To take Care of the Salvation of his Soul That these Two Duties are inseparable because no Man can be careful of his Soul unless he worship God nor honour God unless he take care of his Soul That it is more reasonable to be sollicitous for the Safety of our Souls than our Bodies because the Life of the Soul is Eternal whereas the Life of the Body must have an end and for that Reason we must labour in this Life for Eternity That it is easy to obtain the Eternal Happiness which we desire provided that we contemn this miserable Life That the World hath Two principal Attractives to allure us to it Riches and Honour but that we ought to tread them both under our Feet That Riches are ordinarily the Causes of Injustice that they are uncertain that we must necessarily leave them at our Death That Honours are common to the Good and Evil that Fortune hath her flittings and nothing is stable and permanent but true Piety That the true Honours and Riches are celestial That it is impossible to make a serious Reflection upon the shortness of Life and the necessity of Death but we must think that these are not the only good Things for our Salvation That we ought not to follow the Examples of those who lead a worldly Life but to propound to themselves the Lives of them who renounce the World that they may lead a truly Christian Life although they were Persons of Quality and might have enjoyed Honours and Riches S. Clemens S. Greg. Thaumaturgus S. Basil S. Greg. Nazianzen S. Paulinus of Nola S. Hilary Bishop of Arles and Petronius are those whom S. Eucherius propounds to Valerian he mentions the excellent Orators who renounced the Honours which they might have hoped for in the World yet laid aside all their Glory to write for Religion such as Lactantius Minutius Foelix S. Cyprian S. Hilary S. J. Chrysostom and S. Ambrose He propounds to him also the Examples of Holy Kings Lastly He makes use of the whole Frame of Nature and all the Visible World to prove that the only Employment of Man ought to be to honour the Creator of all Things After all these Considerations he discovers to him the Vanity of all Philosophical Knowledge and shews him that there is no true Wisdom taught nor any true Happiness to be found but in the Religion of Jesus Christ. This Writing is dated in the 1085th Year from the first Building of Rome which is the 432. of our common Aera These Two Treatises are written in a Style very Clean and Elegant the Matter is Spiritual and the manner of handling it very agreeable It may be said that these little Books are not inferior in the Politeness and Purity of Language to the Works of those Authors who lived in those Ages when Language was in greater Purity They have been printed distinctly at Antwerp in 1621. This Treatise to Valerian was printed at Basil with Erasmus's Notes who commends it to us as one of the most elegant Pieces of Antiquity anno 1520 and 1531. It was also publish'd by Rosoeidus with Notes at Antwerp 1620. together with the former in the Praise of Solitude which Genebrard put out at Paris 1578. His other Treatises are not so Profitable nor so Elegant as the former by a great deal His Treatise of * De formulis spiritualis intelligentie Cave Spiritual Terms and Phrases directed to Veranus is a Collection of Mystical and Spiritual Reflections upon the Terms and Expressions of Holy Scriptures in which there is very little Solidity His first Book of Instructions contains the Explication of several Questions which he proposes to himself out of the Old and New Testament Some of them are very well resolved and we may find in them some very good Remarks The Second Book contains 1. The Explication of the Hebrew Names 2. The Signification of some Hebrew Terms which are often met withal in the Bible such as Amen Hallâ—… c. 3. The Explication of some special Phrases 4. An Explication of the Names of Nations Cities and Rivers which are not known 5. Of the Hebrew Months and Festivals 6. The Names of Idols 7. The Explication of their Habits and Cloathing 8. Of Birds and Beasts 9. A Comparison of the Jewish Weights and Measures with those of the Greeks and Latins and the Signification of some Greek Names The Usefulness and Worth of this Critical Work may be easily known but the composing of it is very hard S. Eucherius hath not examin'd these Things throughly but contents himself to give the Meaning of every Thing in short without troubling himself to prove them He hath taken the greatest part of what he discourseth of out of several Authors He discusses them very often well enough but he is mistaken in many Places Gennadius makes mention of these Books The Commentaries upon Genesis and the Books of Kings which go under the Name of
their stead to the Provincial Synods which ought to be held twice a Year They give notice of the next Council and charge Hilary to give notice of the time to those Bishops that were absent The last Canon appoints that if a Bishop lose his Senses or * Speech Tongue it shall not be lawful for his Priests to perform the Episcopal Functions in his presence but he shall send for a Bishop who shall perform the Episcopal Functions in his Church The COUNCIL of VASIO THIS Council is much like the precedent held at Vasio in 442. It made X Canons The I imports that the French Bishops need not be examined before they be received The Council of Vasio to the Communion it is sufficient that it be not known they are excommunicated The II commands that the Oblations of such Penitents as dying suddenly could not receive the Sacraments of the Church should be received and accepted and their Memory ought to be celebrated at the Altar since if they had lived they ought not to be kept from the Eucharist The III orders that the Priests or Ministers should every Year desire the Chrism of their own Bishop about the Feast of Easter and either go themselves to fetch it or send their Sub-Deacon for it if necessary business will not permit them to go The IV is that they shall be expelled the Church as Infidels who keep back those Legacies which dying Persons have bequeathed to the Church The V is that if any Person doth not submit to the Sentence of his Bishop he shall have relief from a Synod In the VI it is proved by the Testimony of the first Letter to S. Clement that Christians ought not to hold any familiar Correspondence with the Enemies of Religion The VII to prevent too much rashness in condemning the Guilty enjoyns the Bishops to be gentle although they believe that a Person hath deserved to be separated from the Church for a time and content themselves at the intreaty of others to reprove and threaten him and if they think any Person to deserve Condemnation for a great Crime they ought to consider that they should do it as being their Accusers The VIII Canon imports that if a Bishop knows the Crime of another but cannot prove it he ought not to divulge it but only to endeavour by private reproof to amend him whom he believes to be guilty But if he prove obstinate and will not reform the Bishop may by his own Authority separate him from his Communion although he continue in Communion with others that know not of it The IX and X Canons were made to prevent that such Persons as have out of Charity taken upon them the care and charge of Foundlings should not be deterred from so great a piece of Charity through fear of being proceeded against by Law as it often happens and being accused to have stolen them The Council decreed according to the Law of Honorius that they who find out-cast Children should give notice of it to the Church and that there may be no cheat about it the Council adds that it shall be published at the Altar on Sunday that an out-cast Child is found that if any Person shall own it within 10 Days it shall be restored but afterward such a Demand shall not be received or allowed I do not speak of the other Synod held under Hilary Bishop of Arles against Proclus and Chelidonius because we have nothing more of them than what is said in the Life of that Author The II COUNCIL of ARLES THIS Council was held at Arles some time after the Council of Vasio we have 56 Canons made by this Council of which this is the Summary 1. A Novice must not be chosen to be Ordained a Deacon or Priest The II Council of Arles 2. No Man may be made a Priest who is Marryed unless he will renounce the use of Marriage which they call by the Name of Conversion 3. A Person in Holy Orders above a Deacon ought not to cohabit with any other Woman beside his Grand-Mother his Daughter his Niece or Wife 4. He ought not to get any Woman into his Chamber whether bond or free 5. A Bishop must not be Ordained without his Metropolitan or his Letter nor unless there be at least three Bishops present and the others be summoned and if there be any difference among them about it the Metropolitan shall follow the plurality of Voices in the Election 6. A Bishop Ordained without the consent of his Metropolitan ought not be a Bishop 7. They who not being able to subdue the Lusts of the Flesh have made themselves Eunuchs ought not to be received into the Clergy 8. He that receives a Person Excommunicate shall give an account before a Council 9. A Novation may not be received to Communion unless he renounce his Errour 10 and 11. The 11 Canon of the Council of Nice shall be observed against them that fall into Idolatry 12. They that die in the state of Penance shall be received to Communion and their Oblations received 13. Clergymen shall not leave their Churches upon any Account whatsoever and if it be found that one remaining in another Church be Ordained by the Bishop of that Church without the consent of his own Bishop that Ordination shall be void and null 14. If a Clergyman puts out Money to Usury or farmeth of another or does any scandalous business he shall be deposed and excommunicated 15. That a Deacon ought not to sit down in the Church or distribute the Sacrament in the presence of a Priest if he doth he shall be degraded 16. That the Paulianists and Photinians ought to be baptized 17. As to the Bonosiaci who baptize as well as the Arians in the Name of the Trinity it is sufficient to admit them into the Church by Chrism and Imposition of Hands 18. The Synod shall meet according as the Bishop of Arles pleases to command 19. They that shall absent themselves or go away before the Council is ended shall be separated from the Communion of the other Bishops 20. Stage-Players and Comedians shall be kept from the Sacrament as long as they act 21. A Penitent may not Marry or keep any suspicious Company 22. Persons Married may not be put into a state of Penance 23. If a Bishop neglect to root out such Superstitions as are found in his Diocese he is guilty before God and if the Author of them doth not amend he shall not come to the Sacrament 24. They that bring false Accusations against their Brethren for capital Crimes shall be debarred of Communion till Death if they do not make a satisfaction proportionable to the greatness of their Crime 25. They who having made Profession of Religion do after apostatize from it and do not fly to Repentance as a Remedy shall not receive the Sacrament till they have done it and shall never be admitted into the Number of the Clergy 26. Such
Bishop of Ravenna his Life and Writings 119 the Editions of his Works 120. Petrus Mongus his Letter to Acacius 138. Petrus a Priest of the Church of Edessa his Quality and Writings 146. Piety that only is stable and firm 117. Pinuphius Abbot his discourse of Repentance 13. Plato he hath taken out of Moses all that he speaks about the Original of the World 72. Pollutions the causes of Night Pollutions 13. Polygamy of the Ancient Patriarchs why pardonable 6. Possidius a censure upon the Life of S. Austin composed by this Deacon 21. Potentus a Bishop why sent into Africa by S. Leo 83 Prailus Bishop of Jerusalem Ordained Domnus although a Person twice Married 77. Practises different Practises of the Church 53. Predestinations where there be any 165. Predestination Objections and Answers about 124. Preachers the difference between good and bad 184. Preaching reserved to Bishops only in some Churches 53. Priesthood to be preferred before Civil Powers 7. Priests ought not to be put to publick Penance 84. are subject to the Laws of Continency ibid. the Duties of Priests in the Administration of the Sacrament of Penance 6. Provision Things do not come to pass before God foresees them but he foresees them because they will come to pass 5. Prayers four sorts of Prayers 12. Priscillianists their Sect called A Jaques 93. their Errors described by S. Leo ibid. The Author of this Sect punished with Death ibid. Proba Falconia her Poem upon the Life of Christ and the Judgment which S. Jerom gave of it 143. Proclus how he was Ordained Bishop of Constantinople 48. the Number and Description of his Sermons ibid. his Volume 211. Projectus a French Bishop condemned by Hilary Bishop of Arles 90. Prophets what their Office is 60. they have fore-told nothing but what is true and reasonable 73. S. Prosper his Life Doctrine and Writings 122. he is not the Author of the Book of the Vocation of the Gentiles nor of the Epistle to Demetrias 128. Proterius Bish of Alexandria killed by the People 141 Providence 72 127 146. Provinces Suburbican 92. Prudens Bishop of Troyes 103. Psalms their Profit 59 c. Publius the Society which he established 65. Pulcheria the Empress 96 97 98. R. RAbulas Bishop of Edessa his Zeal for the Egyptian Bishops 211 218. condemned by the Bishops 204 Rape Ravishers Excommunicated 241 245. Ravennius Ordained Bishop of Arles 94 c. Religion Christian the Truth proved 572. Heathen confuted ibid. Reliques a Monk doubts where true 67. Resurrection 5 187. certain but not as to the manner and time 5. Renatus a Priest of the Church of Rome Theodoret's Letter to him 78. Revenues of the Church how what use the Bishops should make of them 159 177 185. Clergy that have Estates ought not to live of them ibid. 187. they may not take the Bishops Revenue ought to be managed by a Steward ibid. 241. Rheginus Bishop of Constantia in Cyprus he was on S. Cyril's side His Discourse in the Council of Ephesus about the Deposition of Nestorius 47. Riches the cause of Injustice ordinarily 117. Ries a Council held in that City in 439. about the business of Armentarius the History of it 243. Romanus a Monk his way of living 66. Rome as famous for the Martyrdom of S. Lawrence as Jerusalem for S. Stephen's 110. A Council held in this City under Pope Hilarius 249. Rufinus where he which is the Author of the Doctrine of Pelagius and made the Confessions of Faith be the Priest of Aquileia 20. Rufinus Bishop of Samosata he was present at the Council of Chalcedon 80. Rufus a Count he carried the Order to Theodoret to stay at Cyrus and not to go from thence 76. Rusticus a French Bishop S. Leo's Letter to him 97. Rusticus Bishop of Narbonn S. Leo advises him not to relinquish his Bishoprick 84. S. SAbboth what is the meaning of the second Sabboth after the first 4. Sabinian Bishop of Paros his Cause 240. Saints Honour to Saints and their Reliques 6 187. the Honour and Invocation of Saints 68. Salamanus a Monk of great Virtue 66. Solomon in what order to read his Books 4. Salonius where he was Bishop 149. his Writings ibid. Salvian a Priest of Marseille his Life and Writings 146. his Style and Genius 147. the Edition of his Works 148. Samuel the Abridgment of his Works 150. Sarabaites who 13. Holy Scriptures Dispositions necessary for the profitable reading of it 3. it is full of Light and Obscurities ibid. its Style is plain and natural 4. the Qualifications of him that undertakes to explain them ib. the manner of explaining them well 5. several places of Scripture explained ibid. the best way of Commenting 58. we must use them to prove Doctrines of Faith 45. the Books of Scripture which have been lost 59. Rules for the understanding of Holy Scripture 115. Sedulius a Censure upon his Poem 51. Seleucia a City of Isauria 139. Semi-Pelagians their Complaints 126. Septimus d'altimo S. â—eo's Letter to him 87. Serapsori an Abbot 12. Serenus an Abbot his Discourse about the Temptations of the Devils 11. Servus-Dei his Treatise of the sight of God 154 155. Service Divine one way of celebrating in a Province 249. Siagrius who he was and his Writings 144. Sees four Apostolick Sees 180. Simplicius Pope his Life and Letters 159. Simeon the Aged his Miracles 65. S. Simeon Stylites his Life and by whom written 67. his Letters 145. Simeon Bishop of Armda 77. Simony forbidden 6. condemned in the Council of Chalcedon and in another at Constantinople 141. Sixtus III. his Life and Letters 47. he wished for Peace between S. Cyril and the Eastern Bishops and rejoyced when 't was made 47. his Letters about the Affair of Nestorius and John Bishop of Antioch 207. his Death 48 81. Socrates who 53. his History ibid. c. Solitaries their Austerities V. Monks 67 68. Solitude the Happiness of it 117. Sons of God how we are to understand that Text where it is said That they went down to the Daughters of Men 139. Soul It is not a part of the Divine Substance 5. the Immortality of the Soul ibid. the Prae-existence of Souls opposed ibid. its Nature 150. Proofs of the Immortality and Spirituality of the Soul 151. c. The Opinions of Nemesius and Aeneas Gazaeus about the Nature and Original of the Soul 187. Faustus and Gennadius thought it Corporeal although it be Immortal 166 185 186. Other Opinions of Gennadius about the Original of the Soul 185. Sozomen his Life and a Censure upon his History 54. Subdeacons obliged to Caelibacy 85. Stewards of Churches not to give account to Ecclesiastical Judges 101. Syda a City of Pamphilia 51. Syrus wrote against Nestorius 149. T. TEmples Christians had none in the Apostles time since they have been very Magnificent 6. a lofty Church built at the expence of the Poor is a sin ibid. Temptations divers Temptations of the Devil 11. Testament Old what is the
Authority and others of a less perfects and others lastly which are of none at all The Authors of these Books are known either by their Titles or by the beginning of their Works Moses is the Author of the Pentateuque Joshua of the Book which goes under his Name Samuel of the first Book of the Kings There are Books in it whose Authors are altogether unknown as the Book of Judges of Ruth and the last Book of Kings Among these Books there are some written in Verse as the Psalms the Book of Job and some places of the Prophets and others in Prose The Order of the Books of Scripture is not different from ours This is what concerns the External Surface of the Scripture As to the Substance of the things which it teaches the Author observes that there are in it some Names that agree to the Essence and others to the Persons of the Trinity and among these there are some which precisely denote them and others only consequentially because they signifie the Operations which are attributed to them He gives Examples of them and shows what is common to the three Persons and what is particular to each Lastly he speaks of the Attributes which agree to God In the second Book he makes a particular Ennumeration of what the Scripture teaches concerning the Creatures and explains after what manner God governs them From thence he passes to what concerns the World to come He treats of the Figures of the Law and the fulfilling of Prophecies concerning Jesus Christ. Lastly he enquires How it may be prov'd that the Books of our Religion are Divinely inspir'd And he answers That it may be known by the Truth of them it self by the Order of Things by the admirable Agreement of Precepts by the Simplicity and Purity wherewith they are written That to these Characters we must add the Qualities of those that wrote them and who preach'd the Doctrine which they contain because it was not possible without the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Men should write of Divine things that simple Men should write of things so Sublime that Men so ignorant and plain should discover Truths so great and Subtil That the success of their Preaching was also a proof of the Truth of their Doctrine For how was it possible that Persons so despicable should Convert the whole World Reform the Doctrines of the Philosophers and Confound their Adversaries without the Assistance of a visible Protection from God Lastly That the Accomplishment of Prophecies and the Miracles which produc'd a Belief of our Religion were convincing Proofs of its Truth and that if at present no Miracles are wrought it is because there is no need of them because the Establishment of this Religion is a Miracle more then sufficient to prove it This is what is most useful in this Treatise which is to be found in the Bibliotheques of the Fathers LIBERATUS Liberatus LIberatus a Deacon of the Church of Carthage and a Defender of the three Chapters is the Author of an Historical Memorial of the Contests that arose about the Heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches He begins with the Ordination of Nestorius and ends at the fifth Council i. e. in 553. This Memorial therefore was not written by Liberatus till after the Year 560. It contains some very useful particulars of this History which are no where else to be found and Extracts of the Authentick Acts to justifie what he affirms This Work was publish'd by F. Garner in 1675. It is also in the fifth Tome of the last Collection of the Councils VICTOR of Tunona VIctor Bishop of Tunona in Afric was also one of the zealous Defenders of the three Chapters for which reason he was banish'd into Egypt and afterwards shut up in a Monastery at Constantinople Victor of Tunona Isidore of Sevil informs us That he made a Chronicon from the beginning of the World to the first Year of the Empire of Justin the younger wherein he plac'd in Order the Consuls the most memorable Events of War and the Holy Fathers of the Church We have nothing now remaining but one part of this Chronicon which begins where that of St. Prosper ends i. e. in the Year 444 and ends at the Year 565. In it he particularly describes what concerns the History of Eutyches and the Affair of the three Chapters Canisius was the first that caus'd it to be printed at Ingolstadt in the Year 1600 and since that Scaliger has inserted it into his Treasure of Time PAULUS SILENTIARIUS PAulus Cyrus Florus Chief of the Silentiarii of the Palace flourish'd towards the middle of the sixth Age. He made a long Poem containing a Description of the Temple of Sancta Sophia Pauluus Silentiarius which is printed at the end of the History of Cinnamus He wrote also many other excellent Poems says Dr. Cave out of Agathias De Rebus Justiniani Hist. Lit. p. 416. PELAGIUS the First PElagius after he had been a long time at Constantinople return'd into Italy with Pope Vigilius and was Ordain'd after the death of this Pope by two Bishops in the presence of a Priest of Pelagius I. the Church of Ostia This extraordinary Ordination and the suspicion that went about of him that he had been the cause of the death of his Predecessor induc'd many to separate from his Communion and brought upon him the hatred of the People To purge himself he mounted into a Chair after a solemn Procession from the Church of St. Pancratius to that of St. Peter and swore upon the Holy Evangelists and the Cross That he was no wise guilty of that whereof he was accus'd the People were satisfy'd with this Oath and with the Prohibition he made against giving Money for Ordinations Altho there was nothing remarkable that happen'd in the Church during the Pontificat of this Pope which lasted almost five years yet he has written many Letters The first address'd to Vigilius is a supposititious Piece made up of Passages patched together which are taken out of St. Leo Itachius the date whereof is false The second is address'd to Count Narses He prays him to assist Peter the Priest and the Deacon Projectus whom he had sent to Prosecute two Bishops of Italy who disturb'd the Order of the Churches and would appropriate to themselves all the Ecclesiastical Revenues In the third he exhorts the same Count to employ the Authority which his Office gave him for correcting and punishing the Bishops of Istria Liguria and the Country of Venice who had separated Agnellus from the other Churches for the Affair of the three Chapters He remarks That if they had any Complaints to make against the Decision of the Council of Constantinople they should send Deputies to the Holy See and not rend in pieces the Body of Christ by their Separation In the fourth Letter he inveighs vehemently against the same Bishops for their boldness in excommunicating Narses He exhorts him to
Isidore writ upon the Bible which may make up the Second Classis of his Works are these Some Prolegomena's wherein he treats of the Authors of the Books of the Old and New Testament some Annotations upon the Pentateuch upon Joshua upon the Books of Kings and upon Ezra wherein he maketh some Remarks Literal or Moral which are often grounded upon Names which he explains according to his Fancy or upon Observations of little solidity a Book of Allegories on the Octateuch which is a compendious Collection of Allegorical Expositions made by the Fathers before him and a Commentary upon the Song of Solomon which he expounds of the Church and of Jesus Christ with great perspicuity and brevity Of the Dogmatical Tracts of S. Isidore we have none remaining but two Books against the Jews written to his Sister * Florentina Dr. Cave Florentia in which he hath gathered some Passages of the Holy Scripture to prove our Religion The First of these two Books is upon the Passion the Resurrection the Reign of Christ and upon the Judgment The Second is upon the Calling of the Gentiles and the establishing of the Church The Proofs he brings are solid and his Reflections judicious Among his Books of Discipline that of the Ecclesiastical or Divine Offices is the most considerable It is divided into Two Books In the First he treats of the Parts and Ceremonies of Divine Service he confesses in the Primitive Church Prayers were read with a plain turn of the Voice more like pronouncing than singing He distinguisheth two Sorts of Hymns those of the Scripture of which the Holy Ghost is the Author and those of Men's Composition He saith S. Hilarius was the first that made any of them and that after him S. Ambrose did also compose some which have been recited in the Church of Milan and from thence passed down to the other Western Churches And further says That S. Ambrose first establish'd the Use of Anthems and that Responses were invented in Italy He distinguishes Seven Parts in the c Mass or Canon The Word Missa or Mass is an old Latin Word and signifies generally the whole Service Ambr. lib 5. Epist. 33. Hâ—… in Psal. 65. of the Church but more especially the Holy Sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood It was called Missa or demissio because no Man was suffered to remain in the Church that could not or would not receive the Sacrament and therefore such Persons as had a Mind to see and hear but not receive were all without exception dismissed by the Deacon after the Sermon was ended with these Words Ite missa est Go ye are dismiss'd And if any delayed they were urged to depart by the Deacons and Exorcists saying aloud Si quis non communicet det locum Whosoever will not receive let him go out The Roman Church puts a different Sence upon this Word Mass understanding by it that Solemn Service wherein they do pretend to offer unto God the Body and Blood of his Son as a propitiatory Sacrifice for the Sins both of the Quick and Dead Isidore here takes it in the first Sence calling it Ordo Precum i. e. The Form of Prayers But M. Du Pin by joyning it with the Word Canon a Word of a much later use and which signifies in the Roman Church the Rule or Form of celebrating their Mass seems to bring it over to the latter but against the Sence of S. Isidors of Sevil Mass or the Canon which he believes was d Established by S. Peter But Erroneously for in the Apostle's time the Holy Sacrament was celebrated without any Ceremonies or Prayers save that at the Consecration of the Elements the Priest repeated the Lord's Prayer over them And this S. Jerom says was done by the Institution of Christ himself Dominus docuit Apostolos ut Orationem Dominicam dicerent super Sacrificio Corporis And Innocent Hieron câ—nt Pelag. l. 3. III. himself tells us That S. Peter celebrated the Sacrament at Antioch with three Prayers only Primus B. Petrus Apostolus Missam Antiochiae dicitur celebrâ—sse in qua tres tantum Orationes in primordio nascentis Ecclesiae dicebantur So that it is absurd to think S. Peter the Author of so long an Office establish'd by S. Peter 1. The Admonition to the People to stir them up to Pray 2. The Prayer to God that he would receive the Prayers and Oblations of his People 3. A Prayer for the Living who offered the Sacrifice and e Prayers in the Sacrament for the Dead It is evident from some very Ancient Records of the Church That it was a Custom among the Christians Ab Antiquo to pray for the Souls of the Faithful departed in the dreadful Mysteries Whether it were decreed by the Apostles themselves as S. Chrysostom Chrys. Hom. 3. in Epist. ad Philip. Nazianz. Orat. 7. in Caes. Ambr. de ob Val. Theod Aug. Confess l. 9. c. 13. Liturg. in Bur. of the Dead S. Chrys. Hom. 32. in Mat. Ephrem lib. de poen c. 2. plainly tells us it was in his Comment on the Philippians may be a very great doubt but it is certain it was in use about 200 years after Christ. This is proved from Tertullian De Monog c. 10. who thus speaks Let the Faithful Widow pray for the Soul of her Husband c. And to the same Effect in Coron Mil. c. 3. So also S. Cyprian Ep. 66. Euseb. de Vit Constant. l. 4. c. 7. and Epiphanius Haer. 3. c. And this we find practised by many of the most eminent Fathers of the Church Nazianzen prayed for his Brother Caesarius Ambrose for the Emperors Valentinian and Theodosius and S. Austin for his Mother Monica But all the Prayers made for the Dead by the first Christians contained no other Petitions for them than what are very Warrantable and Pious and which our Liturgy seems in a great Measure to authorize viz. That God would hasten his Kingdom and speedily give them a Consummation of Bliss not imputing to them their Sins in the day of Judgment to which they joined a thankful Remembrance of their Vertuous and Holy Examples which they begged Grace to imitate These with the Alms to the Poor which generally accompanied them were the Oblationes pro Mortuis spoken of by the Fathers The Romish Church hath abused this Custom by praying for Persons who died in their Sins whom they suppose to be detained in their feigned Purgatory which is both contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive Church for they acknowledge no such place as Purgatory nor Remission of Sins after Death The Sacrament a Sacrifice The Sacrament was called a Sacrifice by the Primitive Fathers not because S. Chrys. Hom. 17. in Epist. ad Hebr. Iren. l. 4. c. 33. Aug. de Civ Dei l. 10. c. 20. Cypr. Serm. 1. de Eleem. Aug. Ep. 122. Christ is really Sacrificed for the Sins of the Quick and Dead in those
that were brought him He abandons Gotteschalcus and condemns the rashness and temerity of that unhappy Monk but defends the Opinion of S. Austin about Predestination and Grace and after he hath produced seven Rules and several Passages of the H. Fathers to prove that the Prescience and Predestination of God are infallible he concludes that none of those whom God hath Predestined from all Eternity to his Glory through his free goodness shall perish and none of those whom God hath Predestined to Eternal Death through his just Judgment having foreseen their Sin shall be saved not that they are unavoidably Sentenced to Damnation by the power of God but because they deserve it by the malignity of their Will which is unconquerable and unchangeable This was the sense of Remigius upon two of the Propositions which Hincmarus reproved Gotteschalcus for Concerning the third which respected the Will of God to save all men he says that 't was a difficult Doctrine to resolve but 't is certain that all are not saved and that all that God Will shall come to pass How then can he Will all men should be saved when 't is plain all men are not He finds this difficulty resolved four ways in the Writings of the Fathers 1. They say that All is put in that place for all sorts of Persons 2. For all those that are saved because there is none saved but by him 3. Because he inspires his Servants with desires and wishes that all men should be saved 4. That he will have all men to be saved as Creator because he hath given them a Will by which they may be saved if they please He saith that this last Explication hath many difficulties attending it because God doth not expect the Will of Man to save them but prevents them with his Grace Yet he confesses that according to some Fathers it may be said that God as Creator would have all Men to be saved but at the same time as he is Judge he will not have them saved who dye in their Sins either Original or Actual So that 't is not true that God doth not accomplish his Will that he hath that all Men should be saved because of the opposition of Man's Will to his but because he will not have it fulfilled himself that he may punish their Sins He adds that these things are so obscure and intricate that he is not willing to contend much about them nor define them rashly but contents himself to hold what is certain without engaging in these fruitless Disputes Nor is he more willing to deliver his Opinion rashly about the 4th Question concerning Christ's dying for all Men but would search diligently in the Scripture what he ought to believe Wherefore after he has recited several Texts which prove that Jesus Christ died for the Redemption of Men and of the World he saith that in the Order of Reconciliation the first Men are the Elect of whom none can perish The second are the Faithful who haue received their Baptism sincerely and whose Sins are Pardoned by Grace but do not persevere The third are such as yet remain in their Infidelity but shall soon be called through the Mercy of God The fourth are those that will remain always in their Infidelity and shall not receive Grace either for a time or in the end He acknowledges and proves by the Authority of the Fathers that Jesus Christ died for the three first but maintains that properly speaking he died not for the Wicked who were Dead before his coming without the knowledge of the true Religion nor for Infidels which are Born since or shall be Born in future Ages He adds nevertheless that he finds some Fathers who assert that Jesus Christ died for those Infidels that were never Baptized nor Converted which expression he says may be Tolerated for Peace sake though it be not exact nor true That Men ought not to condemn one another in Questions of this nature because there may be some things which we know not because of our ignorance Concerning the last Proposition he says that he much wondders that any Man should hold that since the fall of Adam Men can't use their free-will to do good He says if they had added Without Grace the proposition had been Orthodox but to say it in general as supposing that Grace alone does all the good we do is a propotition which he never heard of before nor understood and which the Hereticks themselves never yet asserted He owns that the Free-will may be said to be dead and perished by the Sin of the first Man provided it be not meant that the Nature and Essence of the Will is not perished but that the good which is in the will i. e. the faculty of inclining it self to good and that it hath need of the immediate Grace of Jesus Christ to incline it to good Remigius Archbishop of Lyons after he hath thus treated of the Doctrine contain'd in the Letter of Hincmarus passes to the Judgment and Person of Gottteschalcus He finds fault that he was first of all condemned by the Abbots and Monks which were of the Council to undergo their Regular Discipline and afterwards was judged by the Bishops He says that according to the ancient usage since he was accused of Heresie he ought to have been judged by the Bishops only He complains of the Cruelty with which their Sentence was executed And as to the Heads of his Doctrine related by Hincmarus he says That the first and second were agreeable to the Doctrine of the Church and Fathers That the 3d and 4th were not to be condemned and as to the 5th if it were true that he asserted it in those terms it deserves to be condemned In fine That he deserved to be condemned for his imprudence and troublesomeness for his talkativeness and inconstancy That nevertheless they ought not for all that to condemn the Truth nor use him with so much severity and cruelty as they had done Then he confutes what Hincmarus had said concerning the will of God to save all Men against the Predestination of the Wicked to Damnation and concerning Free-will He also Answers the Letters of Pardulus and Rabanus This Answer was accompanied with another small Treatise from Remigius Entitled A Resolution of the Question in which he endeavours to confirm the Principle of S. Austin That all the Generation of Mankind is corrupted by the Sin of Adam and subject to Damnation of whom some are chosen through mere Mercy others left through just Judgment the one are elected through the free Mercy of God to glory the other predestined for their own or first Mans Sin to Damnation This Treatise of Remigius with some other Tracts of his are extant in the Biblioth Patrum Tom. 15. and is put out by Mauguin in Collect. Script de Praed Got. This Answer not being such an one as Hincmarus expected he endeavoured to establish his The Articles of Quiercy Doctrine
Church which they had usurped The Lords would not agree to the Restitution of them The Emperour thought to accommodate the matter between the Bishops and Nobles by causing a part to be restored only but the Nobles not contented with it declared at Length that they would not hear of any accommodation and complained grievously against Agobard as a Man whohâ—d raised a question which was fit to trouble both Church and State In this Book he defends himself by bringing Authorities out of the Old and New Testament to shew that it is a great Crime to meddle with the Goods Consecrated to the Temple Altars maintenance of Ministers and relief of the Poor To them he joyns the Authority of the Canons and chiefly those of the French Church He observes that some would not receive them because the Popes and Emperours Deputies were not present at the Councils that made them but 't is his Judgment that where-ever Orthodex Bishops are met in the name of Jesus Christ for the good of the Church the Decisions they make ought to be respected and followed which says he is established upon the Authority of the Popes who have ordained that every two Years two Councils shall be held in every Province and have commended great Councils Lastly Agobard not only condemns the â—ay-men who make use of the Revenues of the Church to maintain Doggs and Horses and great Retinues of Servants or to satisfie their Pleasures and Passions or spend them in Sports and superfluous Gallantry but he involves in the same Condemnation the Bishops Abbots and Clergy-men who put those Revenues to any other use tâ—…n is allowed by the Laws of the Church and Doctrine of the Fathers Agobard's Treatise against the Judgment of God i. e. the proofs made of Mens Innocency either by single Combat or by holding a red-hot-Iron or by standing immoveable by a Cross or by any other proof of like Nature contains several Maxims taken out of the Holy Scripture and chiefly out of the New Testament by which he proves that this usage is contrary to the Gospel Christian Charity Right Reason and the Principles of our Religion In his Discourse of the Faith Agobard runs through the chief Articles of our Belief as the Trinity Incarnation Redemption the Union of Jesus Christ with his Church the Necessity of the Grace of Jesus Christ to doe Good and Resist Temptations Patience in Adversity Obligation to Prayer c. and sets down on every point Texts of Scripture or Fathers 'T is rather a Sermon than a Doctrinal Treatise The Letter of Lamentation about the Division of Europe Dedicated to Lewis the Godly was Written by Agobard in 833. when that Emperour made War against his Children Agobard who wished for peace although he was of Lotharius's party sent this Letter to him He first of all represents to him that it is the duty of a faithful Subject and chiefly of a Prelate to admonish his Prince when he sees him ready to engage in a bad Cause where his Soul is endanger'd He calls God to witness that this was the onely cause of his Writing to Lewis the Godly Lastly After he hath lamented the Calamities and Disorders which the War had caused he tells him That he did some time since part his Countrey between his Children and made Lotharius a Partner in the Empire That it was done with all the Solemnity possible and with the consent of the Nobles and Bishops That to consult the Will of God about it he had commanded a Fast continual Prayers and Alms for three days That the thing being finished he sent the Act to Rome to have it confirmed by the Pope Lastly That he obliged them all to Swear that they approved the Election of Lotharius and Division of the Empire That at first all Letters and Edicts bore the Name of the Two Emperours in the front of them but afterward he put out the Name of Lotharius without any Reason and attempted to dispossess him of it He beseeches Lewis the Godly not to persist in that design He lets him know that the Oath he had taken obliged him to be of Lotharius's party and he endeavours to terrifie that Prince who was of a fearful spirit by threatning the Judgments of God and hatred of Men upon him About the same time he sent a Treatise to Lotharius Entituled A Comparison between the Ecclesiastical and Civil Government in Answer to an Order which the Emperour had given to the Nobles as well of the Clergy as Laity to be ready to fight for him the one with the Sword and the other with the Tongue Agobard tells him That he ought in War to put his trust in God's help more than his own Forces and that in all Disputes we should seek for Truth rather than Eloquence Since he was one of those that Lotharius had Commanded not daring to come himself he Admonished him by Writing of the Respect he ought to give the Holy See and to perswade him to it he Cites a Passage of Pope Pelagius against some Bishops who would not recite the Pope's Name at Mass And another passage out of St. Leo about the Primacy of Peter Agobard touched upon this string because Lotharius carried Pope Gregory the IVth along with him to Authorize his own party and make his Father 's odious He knew what the other Bishops of France said That if he came to Excommunicate them he should return Excommunicated himself Si Excommunicaturus verniret Excommunicatus abiret Agobardus That if Gregory came with an ill design to foment the War he deserved to be sent away with Disgrace but he maintains that if he came to procure the Peace and Quiet of the Empire they ought to obey him and not resist him Now he affirms that this is the end of his Voyage since he came to settle what was done by the will of Lewis and consent of all the Members of the Empire and confirmed by the Authority of the Holy See He adds That he had received Letters from him commanding that Prayers and Fasting be made for the Restoration of the Peace and Agreement of the Empire and in the Emperour's Family Lastly Agobard exhorts Lewis the Godly to be of that Mind This Writing is followed by a Letter or rather a Fragment of a Letter of Gregory the Fourth to the Bishops of France who would not receive him It serves for an Answer to a Letter which they Wrote to him In the beginning of it he finds fault that they had called him Father and Pope in the Superscription of their Letter He requires them to give him the Name of Father as if the Bishops were not his Brethren and had not that Title given upon many occasions yea in those very Letters he sent to them The Second thing that Gregory finds fault with in the French Bishops Letter is That they declare their Joy for his Arrival being perswaded that it would be profitable for their Prince and his
and advertises him that he may nevertheless with good Works * Merit Pardon Heaven Under the word merit which is often met with in the Fathers The Church of Rome which generally conches her new and false Doctrines under old Names would have us understand a Merit ex condigno whereby we deserve Heaven as a just reward of our Works whereas they mean a Merit of impetration as a conditional qualification for happiness merit Heaven He Counsels him not to be surprized at the attempts of his Enemies but to be encourag'd by the truth of the Gospel and to believe in his Judge and his King who has given him a Crown on Earth and promised him one in Heaven He tells him that if the Conspiracy of his Enemies have done him any wrong he should trouble himself but little about it but be thankful to his Defender and Saviour Jesus Christ who afflicts nd chastizes all those that he loves He exhorts him in fine not to seek after any Revenge but heartily to forgive all such as have offended him This Treatise is Elegant and well Written M. Balusius has also Published in the first Tome of his Miscellaneous Works his Treatise about the account of Time directed to Macarius Rabanus writ this when he was a private Monk in the year 820. This Book is written by way of Questions and Answers It treats of all that relates to the Kalendar as Days Months Years Epacts Cycles and Easter These Matters tho they be very obscure are here treated of with a great deal of Exactness and Method The same M. Balusius hath put out in another of his Works viz. his Collection of some ancient Acts which he has put at the end of his Capitularies a Letter of Rabanus's to Regenbaldus Suffragan of Mayence about some Questions that Regenbaldus had propounded to him about several cases The first is concerning a Person who having beaten his Wife had caused her to bring forth a dead Child He answers he ought to be dealt with as a Man-slayer The second is about a Person who having been bit by a Dog applyed immediately some of his Liver to the Wound as most likely to heal it He excuses him that did this through Ignorance but he says he ought to be forwarn'd of committing the like again The third is concerning such as are guilty of the Sin of Bestiality He condemns them to suffer the Punishments specified in the ancient Canons The fourth is Whether it be lawful to eat the Calves brought forth by Cows polluted with the Abominations of Men He Answers that that is not forbid to his knowledge The fifth is concerning the Penance of those that have voluntarily involuntarily or otherwise killed their Parents and other Relations He refers these to what has been said about Homicides In the Conclusion he tells this Suffragan that he may moderate Canonical Punishments with Prudence and Discretion There is at the end of the eight Volume of Councils in the last Edition another Letter of Rabanus's to the same Reginbold or Reginbald about other questions of like nature with the former The first is concerning those that carry away and sell Christians to Pagans He Answers that they ought to be subjected to the Penance for Homicides The second is about Infants who are stifled by lying with their Fathers and Mothers He says that although these Children came by their Death contrary to the knowledge of them that were the cause of it nevertheless they ought not to be exempt from doing some Penance and if they knew it they ought to have been punisht as Homicides The third is about the degrees of Consanguinity within which it is forbid to Marry He sends him upon this question the letter which he writ to Humbert The fourth is concerning the Sins of Fornication or Adultery amongst Relations Rabanus hereupon quotes divers Canons The fifth is whether it be lawful to Pray for a dead Slave who had run away from his Master Rabanus says that we ought not to refuse to Pray for him if he had committed no other Crime but withal that we ought to admonish other Slaves not to commit the like The sixth is concerning a Man who pleading to be a Priest althó he was none had Administred the Sacrament of Baptism Rabanus says it ought not to be reiterated if it was Conferred in the Name of the Holy Trinity The last is about those that eat Flesh in Lent and who swear by Relicks Rabanus answers that they do very ill and that they ought to be made to do Penance for their Crime Walafridus Strabo so called as some think because he was Squint-Ey'd a Monk of Fulda a Scholar of Rabanus afterwards Dean of St. Gallus and Abbot of Richenou followed and imitated Walafridus Strabo his Master not only i◠Composing a Glosse upon the whole Bible Collected principally out of his Commentaries but also in making a Treatise about the Beginning and Progress of Divine Worship Dedicated to Reginbert in which he explains particularly what relates to the Ceremonies of the Church This Work has been Printed in the Collections of Writers concerning Divine Offices by Cochlaeus at Mentz 1549. and Hittorpius at Paris 1610. and also in the Bibliotheca Patrum Tom XV. The principal Points which he handles in this Book are these He says about the Original of Altars and Temples that Noah Abraham and Isaac erected them in Honour of God That Moses was the first that Built a Tabernacle for the People to Worship God in That Solomon afterwards Built a Temple which was preserved a great while by the Jews That Pagans and Authors of false Religions have imitated in this the Worship of the True in Honouring Devils and False Gods with the like Ceremonies That when Christians who are the true Worshippers of God in Spirit and Truth began to set up Places for their Worship they always sought out pure places distant from the noise and hubbub of the World where they might quietly offer God their Prayers Celebrate the Holy Mysteries and Comfort one another That they have sometimes made use of their houses for that purpose but the number of them encreasing they were forced to build Churches That oftentimes to avoid Persecution they have met together in Caves Caverns Church-yards and other private places but at length Religion being fully establisht they Built new Churches and turn'd the Temples of their False Gods into those of the True That they then did not much mind in what Scituation their Churches were built although the common custom has been since to turn towards the East to Pray That at first they had no Signal to call them to the Assemblies That some were led thither by their Devotion others had notice of the Day and Hour at their last Meeting and others by reading it upon certain Tables set up in their Assemblies for that purpose That they afterwards made use of an Horn and Trumpet and at last of Bells the larger of which
The CCVIIth is a Letter of Thanks to the Bishop of Worcester In the CCVIIIth Letter Ivo reproves Geofrey Abbot of Vendome that having quitted that place and retir'd into a private Cell he entertains there Monks that are disobedient to and abuse their Abbot and that he hinders those who hold Estates of the Abbot from doing homage to him In the CCIXth he represents to Hugh Earl of Troyes that the Consultation intended to be held at Sens about the validity of the King's Marriage with the Marquess Boniface's Daughter the Earls Kinswoman will neither be honourable nor of any advantage to her It will be to no purpose because the Marriage will certainly be declar'd Null by the Bishops and Lords of the Realm nor will it be for her honour because it will occasion the illegitimacy of her Birth to be talk'd of so that Ivo advises the Earl to hinder if he can all debates about that matter In the CCXth he writes Pope Paschal word that Odo Bishop of Cambray complains of his Holiness for turning out of the Arch-Deaconry of his Church one who was a zealous friend of the Holy See and putting in one who is an Enemy to it In the CCXIth to Ralph Arch-Bishop of Rheims he deduces the Genealogies of the Earl of Flanders and the Daughter of the Earl of Rennes to shew they are nearly Related The CCXIIth to Geofrey Bishop of Beauvais is about the validity of a Donation granted to the Monastery of St. Simphorien In the CCXIIIth to John Bishop of Orleans he proves that the Regular Clergy may have Cure of Souls and Parishes committed to them In the CCXIVth to Bruno Arch-Bishop of Treves he bemoans the sad State of Religion under the unhappy divisions between the Church and the Civil Government The CCXVth is a Letter of compliment and friendship to Thomas Arch-Bishop of York In the CCXVIth and CCXVIIth Letters he give Richard Bishop of Albane Legate of the Holy See an account of the dispute between the Monks of Bonneval and those of Blois which he tells him he had us'd his best endeavours to accommodate but could not yet effect it In the CCXVIIIth he writes to Gualon Bishop of Paris that the Canon of that Church who had lately been Married ought to loose his preferment and be degraded from being a Clergy-man but that his Marriage must remain good and valid In the CCXIXth he justifies himself to Pope Paschal for having divided part of a Prebend of his Church among the Canons by dayly distributions for the Encouragement of such as assisted constantly in performing Divine Service In the CCXXth to Hildebert Bishop of Mans he shews that when an appeal is made from one Judge to another the party concern'd is within five days after he appeals to get a Letter from the first Judge to the other he appeals to who is not else oblig'd to take cognizance of the Matter He asserts also in this Letter that it is not in the power of any Bishop to give up the Estate of a Religious Society to the sole disposal of the Abbot In the CCXXIst Letter to John Bishop of Orleans concerning a free-man's having Married a Slave without knowing her to be so Ivo says that by the Civil Law the Marriage is void and he may quit her and marry another Woman but that by the Laws of God and of Nature they ought to keep together or at least if he put her away he may not marry again In the CCXXIId to the Clergy of Autun he inquires if a Woman that has been guilty of Adultery must necessarily be Divorc'd from her husband and concludes that in strictness she ought but by the wisdom of the Gospel such a Temper was prescrib'd as may reconcile her to her husband In the CCXXIIId to Owen Bishop of Eureux he perswades him to Excommunicate and deny Christian Burial to such as embezil the Patrimony of the Church In the CCXXIVth he tells Guy Abbot of Molême that one of his Monks having been with him and acknowledged with great Sorrow that he took Orders for the sake of Temporal gain only though by the Rigour of the Canons he ought for ever to be turn'd out of the Clergy yet having express'd true Repentance for his Sin he thinks he may be permitted to retain his Orders and to Exercise the Functions of them In the CCXXVth to Daimbert Arch-Bishop of Sens he delivers his judgment that a certain person who came and confess'd that before he was Married he had Carnal knowledge of his Wife's Sister ought to be deem'd ever after infamous and his evidence not to be heard against any man that he ought also to be Divorc'd from his Wife and live the rest of his Life unmarried but that his Wife should have her Portion back again CCXXVIth he requests Bernier Abbot of Bonneval to receive kindly one of his Monks who was sorry for having left his Monastery and beg'd leave to come into it again The CCXXVIIth is a Letter of Condoleance to Pope Paschal and acquaints him that being desirous of bestowing a Prebend in his Church upon Guarin he is oppos'd therein by the Dean and Chapter In the CCXXVIIIth to Gonhier a Priest Ivo answers a Scruple he had propos'd to him viz. How to reconcile these words of the Prophet Ezechiel At what time-soever a sinner shall Repent and turn from the Evil of his ways he shall save his Soul alive or be forgiven with the Sentence and discipline of the Ecclesiastical Canons which suspends for some time even penitents from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and how it comes to pass that those whom Christ who is the head immediately releases the Church who is the body should detain under the Penalty of sin This difficulty Ivo says 't is Easie to solve if we consider the manner of God's remitting sins and the frailty of Mankind that God who knows the heart forgives the sin as soon as he sees the heart is converted but that the Church which knows not the inward thoughts of a Man cannot absolve a sinner till his Conversion be made evident by Publick Signs of it In the CCXXIXth to Lisiard Bishop of Soissons he declares that a Man who defames a Married Woman to any of her Relations by saying he had Carnal knowledge of her before her Marriage ought not to be admitted in Court as an evidence against her because he is criminal himself by his own Confession In the CCXXXth to Hildebert Bishop of Mans he asserts that a Jewish Woman who turns Christian may not quit her husband nor Marry another at least unless her husband were her near Relation In the CCXXXIst to Pontius Abbot of Cluny after giving some mystical reasons of the Elevation of the Chalice and the Host and the Signs of the Cross made upon those occasions he delivers his opinion that a Monk who was forc'd to make himself an Eunuch to prevent Epileptick fits he was subject to may notwithstanding be allow'd
that the Apostolick See which had received all power of Jesus Christ for edification and not for destruction should order so horrid and pernicious a thing to humane kind because this would be a manifest Abuse of its Power that therefore one is so far from being obliged to obey such Commands as these that it is ones duty to oppose them tho they were published by an Angel from Heaven and that it is really an Act of Obedience not to receive them and therefore that the Commissaries of the Holy See could do nothing herein against him In one word he concludes That the Power of the Holy See being given only for edification and not destruction and the things hereby ordered tending manifestly to destruction and not edification it was impossible they should be granted by the Holy See This Letter of Robert's related by Matthew Paris being carried to Rome put the Pope in such a passion that he could not forbear expressing himself in very hard Terms if we may believe the above-mentioned Author who makes him speak thus What a doting old deaf impertinent Fellow is this that daresthus rashly and impudently call my Conduct in question By St. Peter and St. Paul were it not for the respect I have for his Ingenuity I would so utterly confound him that he should become the Talk and Astonishment and Example of all the World and should be lookt upon as a Prodigy Is not his Master the King of England who can with the least sign of Ours cast him into prison and cover him with Shame and Infamy Our Vassal or rather Our Slave But the Cardinals says the same Author represented to him how unfitting it was to act any thing against this Bishop that what he said was true and could not be refuted that he was a true Catholick and a very holy Man that he had more Piety and Religion than the best of them that he was of so exemplary a Life that there was not a Prelate of greater merit than he that all the Churches of England and France could bear witness to this that the truth of his Letter which was already no secret might raise the Court of Rome a great many Enemies that he had the name of a great Philosopher a Man well read in Greek and Latin zealous for the Truth and had professed Divinity and preached it with no small Reputation that his Life was blameless and that he was a Persecutor of Simoniacks Upon these accounts they advised the Pope to let it pass and make as if he had never seen the Letter But another English Historian named Henry of Knighton says that the Bishop was excommunicated But let it be how it will he remained steddy to his opinion and died in it on the 9th of October 1523 giving this Character of it to Master John of St. Giles a Dominican that it was a Heresy and an Opinion contrary to Holy Scripture to think that the Cure of Souls might be entrusted with a Child or that the Vices of the great ones were not openly to be reproved He composed many Discourses in which with a great deal of Liberty he checks the Vices and Disorders of the Clergy and some Letters which Mr. Brown has taken care to have printed in the second Volume of Fasciculus Rerum expetendarum printed at London in 1690. There was likewise printed at London in 1652 a Work of this Author 's about legal Observations He made a Commentary upon the Works of St. Dionysius the Areopagite whereof that which belongs to the Book of mystical Divinity was printed at Strasburg in 1502. He likewise translated into Latin the Testament of the twelve Patriarchs printed at Paris in 1549 and in the Bibliotheca Patrum In the Libraries of England there are many other Works of this Author to be met with among the rest A Treatise about Confession another upon Marriage a Work of the Pastoral Care Constitutions about Penance A Work of Piety with this Title The Moral Eye another with this The Doctrine of the Heart A Book of Meditations A Treatise upon the Articles of Faith Another upon the Precepts of the Decalogue c. Letters and Sermons not to speak of his profane Works as his Abridgment of the Sphere printed at Venice in 1508 and his Commentary upon Aristotle's Analyticks printed likewise at Venice in 1504 1537 and 1552. By what we have said of the Life and Writings of this Author it is plain enough what his Genius and Character was and that he had great Learning and Knowledg joined with an ardent Piety and a Zeal for the heat of it perhaps hardly excusable WILLIAM a Native of Auvergne chosen Bishop of Paris in 1228 died in 1240 is one William of the most considerable Authors of this Age for true Knowledg and solid Parts He has sufficiently shewed them both in his Works by keeping close to that which regards Piety and the Conduct of human Life without running out upon Questions of meer speculation This is the Scope to which his Principles tend and the Design which he proposed to himself in the greatest part of his Works The first of which is a Treatise intituled Of Faith and Laws in which after having shewn that the Knowledg of true Religion is the most excellent of all Knowledg and the most useful he demonstrates Faith to be the Foundation of all Religion which consists in the Belief of those things which God hath revealed to us although they be not evident Then he discovers the Causes of Error and Impiety which are 1. The ignorance of the true extent of human Knowledg 2. The distance of it from the things which we ought to believe 3. The subtilty of those things 4. Their height 5. The folly of Men who would fain by the natural Force of their Parts comprehend that which is incomprehensible 6. The want of Proofs 7. The neglect of begging help and necessary assistance of God Then he distinguishes two sorts of Articles of Faith namely those which he calls Radical and Primitive which are the Belief of William of â—aris the Existence of a God and the Trinity of Persons and those which he calls consequential and derivative which comprehend all the Articles of Christian Faith which God has revealed to his Church Then he passes on to Laws and after having spoken of the Law of Nature he with some largeness treats of the Law and Commandments of God in the Old Testament He refutes by the by the Laws and Religion of Mahomet and sets upon the Opinion of those that hold that any one may be saved in his own Law and his own Religion he stoutly encounters the different sorts of Idolatry and passing on to what concerns the Christian Religion he shows the necessity of a new Law and what the Spirit and Worship therein required is This Treatise is followed by a long Work upon the Virtues in which after having spoken of natural Virtues he shows that they are
in 1482. See the Judgment that Gerson gives of this Author and his Works in his Treatise about the Books which Monks ought to read In my opinion says he one of the best Authors that a Man can read is Eustachius for so one may translate his name of Bonaventure he is the Man of all the Catholick Doctors not to derogate from the rest that seems to me the most proper and safe for the enlightning of the Judgment and inflaming the Heart To be convinced of this one need not read any more than two of his Works I mean his Breviloquy and his Itinerary which are written with so much art and brevity that nothing can be beyond them and though they are more difficult and scarce than his other Works yet all Christians ought to search and examine them Mystical Theology being proper for the Faithful In another place in his Book of the examination of Doctrines he says That if any one should ask him which of the Doctors he thought most proper for the instruction of the Faithful his Answer should be without detracting from the rest St. Bonaventure because he is solid safe pious just and devout and keeps as far as he can from Niceties not meddling with Logical or Physical Questions which are alien to the matter in hand disguised under Theological Expressions as too many do and because by clearing the Understanding he sets off Religion and Piety in their true Colours which is the reason adds he that the indevout Schoolmen which the more is the Pity make the greater number cast him by though there is nothing more noble more divine more conducive to Salvation and fitter for Divines than the Doctrine of this Author Trithemius makes almost the same Judgment of him in these words St. Bonaventure wrote many very deep and devout Works all his Expressions are full of heat and inflame the Hearts of those that read him as well as inlighten their Minds by a holy Light for his Works surpass all those of the Doctors of his time in their usefulness the Spirit of the Love of God and of Christian Devotion shining through them He is deep without Prolixity subtile without Nicety eloquent without Vanity his words are full of spirit yet not bombastick which is the reason that such as are touched with the Love of God read him with the more safety understand him with the greater ease and remember him with the greater profit Many Authors teach Doctrine and others preach Devotion but there are very few to be met with who have joined these two things together in their Writings But in St. Bonaventure they are united for his Devotion instructs in Doctrine and his Doctrine inspires with Devotion So that whoever desires both Knowledg and Devotion cannot do better than apply himself to the reading of his Works Much of the same opinion is St. Antoninus who remarks That such as desire Divine Knowledg more than Aristotelical Vanity find his Works easy to be understood Indeed the greatest part of St. Bonaventure's Works are mystical and spiritual they make eight Volumes printed at Rome in 1588. The first contains Commentaries upon some Books of the Old Testament viz. A sort of Preface intituled Principles of the Holy Scripture Thirty three Sermons upon the Six days Work or the Creation of the World Explications or Postilles upon the Psalms upon Ecclesiastes upon the Book of Wisdom and upon the Lamentations of Jeremy The second Volume contains Commentaries upon the Gospels of St. Mathew St. Luke and St. John with Conferences upon the last of them The third is Sermons of time and of the Saints The fourth and fifth are Commentaries upon the four Books of the Master of the Sentences The sixth Tome contains the first and second parts of his Opuscula the Titles of which are Of the reducing of Arts to Divinity The Breviloquy The Centiloquy The Quiver An Explanation of the Terms of Theology An Abridgment of the Books of the Sentences Four Books of Sentences in Verse Of the four Cardinal Virtues Of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit Of the three Ternaries of Sins Of the Resurrection from Sin to Grace The Diet of Salvation Of the Hierarchy of the Church Those of the second Part are the Soliloquâ— Meditations upon the Life of Jesus Christ Of the seven Degrees of Contemplation Of the five Feasts of the Child Jesus The Office of the Passion The Elogy of the Cross The Wood of Life The Mirror of the Praises of the Virgin The Crown of the Virgin The Compassion of the Virgin The Nightingale of the Passion of our Lord fitted to the seven hours On the seven Words of our Saviour on the Cross The Great Psalter of the Virgin The Little Psalter on the Salutation of the Angel and the Salve Regina The seventh Tome contains the third Part of his Moral Opuscula which are Of the ordering of a Christian Life Of the Government of the Soul The Mirror of the Soul Of the ten Commandments Of the degrees of Virtues The Itinerary of the Spirit of God Of the seven Paths of Eternity The Spur of Divine Love The Fire of Love The Art of loving The Book of Spiritual Exercises The Fasâ—iculary The five and twenty Memorials The Confessional Of the manner of confessing Of Purity of Conscience Of the Priests Preparation for the Mass An Explication of the Mass Of the six Wings of the Cherubims and the six Wings of the Seraphims The eighth Volume contains the Opuscula which concern the Religious the Catalogue of which I shall set down A Treatise of the threefold Estate of Religiouses The Mirror of Discipline for Novices which some call in question The twenty steps of Novices Of Advancement in Religion Of the Contempt of the World Of the Reformation of the Spirit The little Alphabet of a good Monk which is Thomas a Kempis's Of the Perfection of a Religious Life An Explanation of the Rule of the Minor Friars Questions about this Rule Why the Minor Friars preach Of the Poverty of Jesus Christ That Jesus Christ and his Apostles went barefoot An Apology for Evangelical Poverty A Treatise against the Reviler of the Order of St. Francis An Apologetick against the Adversaries of the Order of Minor Friars A Treatise intituled De non frequentandis quaestionibus Conferences to the Brothers of Tholouse which are not St. Bonaventures A Treatise of the Reform of the Minor Friars address'd to the Provincials of the Order In this Tome there is an Appendix containing An Abridgment of Theology Treatises upon the Essence Invisibility and Immensity of God and a Work of Mystical Divinity The Life of St. Francis related by Surius in October 4. is likewise ascribed to St. Bonaventure St. THOMAS of Aquino Sirnamed the Angelical Doctor of the House of the Earls of Thomas Aquinas Aquino descended from the Kings of Sicily and Arragon was born in 1224 in the Castle of Aquino which is in the Country of Lavoro in Italy
sets down Four infallible Signs whereby to discover them taken out of the same Gospel They love the first Places in the Feasts the chief Seats in the Synagogues to be saluted in publick Places and to be call'd by Men Rabbi He afterwards explains those Tokens after the following manner On the First says he it ought to be observ'd That they may be said to love the First Places in Feasts who frequent the Tables of Kings Princes and Prelates who are the first at them to get the best of the Treat which is unbecoming Regulars and especially Preachers c. He likewise adds another Proof of the Love they have to the Uppermost Places in Feasts viz. The Curiosity they have of diving into the Affairs of Great Men and of intermeddling with them Upon the second token which is the Loving of the Uppermost Seats in the Synagogues he observes That they are justly to be charg'd with this who get themselves to be nominated by the Secular Powers for to Preach in Churches on the Great Festivals without having any deference to the Authority of the Bishops and other Prelates who intrude themselves into the Ministery without being Call'd thereto and who aim more at shewing their own Parts and Eloquence that at Preaching the Word of God Upon the Third Sign or Token of Loving to be Saluted in the Publick Places he applies it to the Regulars who get themselves to be summon'd into the Consistories of Princes and Prelates who frequent them who concern themselves in giving their Judgments and Counsels in them in order to attract the Respect of those who have any Business there Lastly on the Last Token viz. Their Desire of being Call'd Rabbi Rabbi he Observes That it is very Applicable to the Regulars who make use of Excommunication and raise a Scandal in the Church in order to obtain the Quality of Masters This Discourse is only an Introduction of that which William of Saint Amour establishes in his Book concerning the Perils of the Last Times In the First Chapter he Proves from that Place of St. Paul 2 Tim. 2. 1. That at the Latter End of the Church there should happen Perilous Times In the Second he describes the Characters of those who shall be the Cause of those Perils as they are set down in the same Place Men Lovers of themselves Coveteous Boasters Proud Blasphemers Disobedient to Parents and Superiors Unthankful Unholy Unnatural false Accusers Incontinent without Charity Traytors Heady High-minded Lovers of Pleasure more than Lovers of God Such as creep into Houses c. He adds That they are those false Teachers and false Prophets foretold by our Saviour which he applies to those who Preach without a Call without a Mission and without the leave of the Curates under Pretence That they have Permission from the Pope or the Bishop He observes That he would not Dispute the Authority of the Pope or of the Diocesan Bishop but that the Licence which they Grant to some to Preach signifies only in case they be Invited thereto since the Bishops themselves can do nothing out of their own Diocess unless call'd by their Brethren and that 't is not to be suppos'd That the Pope Grants a Power to a great many Persons of Preaching to one and the same Auditory if they be not invited to it by the Curates In the Third he demonstrates what those Characters were by which those Dangerous Men shall sow those Disorders Namely a semblance of Piety Religion and Charity which shall make them to pass for true Christians In the Fourth he explains the Perils to which the Faithful shall be expos'd by the Imposture of those false Preachers who shall resist the Truth as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses that is to say who shall seduce Princes and the Christian People by their shew of Wisdom and shall divert them from obeying the Counsels of their Lawful Superiors in order to follow their Corrupt Maxims and Morals In the Fifth he shews the ways which they shall make use of to seduce them viz. by creeping into Houses by making them discover their Secrets in Confessions by seducing Women and the Simple by making themselves Lords and Masters of their Souls and by forcing them to make Vows and by diverting them from the Submission which they ow to their Pastors In the Sixth he says that those who shall not foresee those Perils shall be in danger of perishing by them He proves in the Seventh That those who are the Cause of them shall perish In the Eighth he endeavours to prove by the Signs set down in Scripture That these Perils are not far off In the Ninth he shews That it chiefly belongs to the Prelats to foresee discover and divert those Perils In the Tenth he demonstrates the Punishments to which they are liable in this World and the next if they do not oppose them In the Eleventh he proves That tho' those Perils have been foretold yet they might be diverted for a time if vigorously oppos'd In the Twelfth he explains the Methods which ought to be made use of in order to divert them Which are 1. To consider who those Persons are who creep into Houses and whether there be any such in the Church 2. When one shall have discover'd them to inform others of them 3. To Injoyn them to avoid such 4. To hinder them from Preaching and Teaching 5. To oblige those who are of their Sect to withdraw themselves from them 6. To hinder others from entring into their Sect and in general to shun the False Prophets the Idle who will not work with their Hands and the Inquisitive He in this place oppugns the Practice of begging when one is strong and Lusty and when a Man may get his Living by his Labour and says That 't is a piece of Injustice In the Thirteenth he examines among what sort of Persons we ought to search after these Seducers and pretends That 't is not among the Pagans nor among the Wicked or Ignorant Christians that this Search ought to be made but amongst the Wise Persons among those who profess to follow the Dictates of Jesus Christ who seem to be most Holy and most Prudent that one would think them to be the Elect of Jesus Christ. In a word in the last Chapter he reckons up Forty one Marks to distinguish the False Apostles from the True of which says he some are Infallible and others Probable In the beginning he protests that he had no Design of advancing any thing against any particular Person or against any State or Order of Men but only in general to declaim against the Sins of the Wicked and the Perils of the Church However 't is easy to see that he means the Dominican Friars and that 't is at them he aims and whom he sets upon in this Book which he submits to the Correction of the Church This Treatise is follow'd by two Pieces wherein he resolves two Queries viz. In the First
the rest he thought himself obliged to lay before them for discharge of his Conscience three Things on the behalf of his Order The First That he believed there were no Churches except Cathedrals which had better Ornaments more Reliques or where they performed Divine Service better than in those of his Order The Second That no Religious Order was more Charitable than theirs in regard they had a general Rule in all their Houses of giving Alms three times a Week to all that presented themselves to receive it The Third That he knew no Order nor Nation which exposed their Lives more freely for the Defence of the Faith against the Enemies of the Christian Religion and which was more fear'd by the Infidels The Commissioners told him that this was to no purpose without Faith He replied that was true but that he believed in God in a Trinity of Persons and all that which is of Faith that he was perswaded there was but one God one Faith one Baptism one Church and that when the Soul shall be separated from the Body we shall know the Good and the Bad and that every one shall know the Truth of what passes at present Nogaret affirmed to him that their Order had obeyed Sultan Saladin and that this Tyrant had upbraided them with the Vice of Sodomy He excused the Agreement he made with Saladin from the Necessity they were in to preserve the Towns and Castles which they could not have Defended if they had not Compounded with him A great many other Templars of several Provinces in the Kingdom being after this by the King's Order at Paris brought before the Commissioners the Articles were read to them upon which they were Impeached and about which they were Examined Threescore and Fourteen maintain'd the Innocence of their Order and declared they were ready to defend it and named Peter of Bononia for their Proctor publickly averring that all those shameful foul unreasonable detestable and horrid Articles upon which they were Impeach'd were so many Falsities Lyes and Slanders forged by their Enemies and attested by false Witnesses that their Order was pure without Stain and free from all Crimes they demanded their Liberty to be in a Condition to defend it and leave to go in Person to a General Council they answer'd to the Depositions of their Brethren who had confessed these Crimes That it was 〈◊〉 Confession which fear of Death and Torments had extorted from them or that they had done it to save themselves being corrupted by Intreaties or Promises In fine they intreated that Justice might be done them and they deliver'd from the Oppression they lay under Bononia by Virtue of this Power with Nine other Templars presented a Memorial in which he declares as well for himself and these Eight Knights as for the rest they are ready as well in the general as in particular to defend themselves in a General Council or any where else when they shall be set at Liberty They protest that whatever any of their Brethren have said against their Order ought not to hurt nor prejudice them they desired that the Brethren of their Order who had quitted their Habit should be put into Prison That when any of their Brotherhood shall be Examined no Lay Man be present they say it is strange more credit should be given to the false Depositions of some few extorted by Fear or surprized by Promises than to those of so many Martyrs who suffer with Constancy Torments and Imprisonment They add that out of the Kingdom of France none of the Templars had said any such thing of their Order which makes it plain that those who have deposed these things in France have been constrain'd by force or wrought upon by Money That in defence of their Order they say plainly it is founded on Charity and Brotherly Love in honour of the Virgin Mary and to defend the Holy Church and the Christian Faith and to destroy the Enemies of the Cross principally in the Holy Land that their Religion is pure and without spot before God that the Rules and the Discipline of it are and ever have been most exactly observed that it hath been approved and honour'd with many Privileges by the Holy See that those who enter into it make Four principal Vows of Poverty of Obedience of Chastity and of Warfare to Conquer or to Preserve the Holy Land that they are admitted with a Kiss of Peace that the Habit is deliver'd to them together with a Cross which they always carry in honour of JESUS CHRIST crucified that they are instructed in their Rule and the Customs which they observe by the Church of Rome and the Holy Fathers that such is the Ceremony of the Profession which is observed and hath always been generally observ'd through their whole Order that the heinous and abominable things charged on them are Lyes invented by Apostates from their Order expell'd for their Crimes who have been suborned by others and have deceived the King and the Pope that many of those who have Confessed through fear of Torments are ready to retract if they had freedom to speak the Truth and did not fear being burnt for contradicting their Oaths One of these Eight Templars added That all the Depositions made use of against them are void because that by a special Privilege none of their Number ought to Answer unless before the Pope and that no one can renounce that Privilege That particular Persons ought not to be admitted to give Testimony against their Order and that those who had been Sworn were forc'd to speak what they knew not The Commissioners replied That it was not in their Power to set them at Liberty because it was not they who had put them in Prison but they were the Pope's Prisoners in whose Hands were the Revenues of their Order that they had been very much traduced that in respect to the Privileges which they alledged they took not place in Point of Heresie that for themselves they had no other Charge but to inquire into Matters of Fact comprehended in the Memorial sent them by the Pope So the Commissioners began their Inquisition notwithstanding the Declarations of these Templars who moreover gave in another Memorial in which they set forth that they had observed no judicial Form in making ready their Process that several Violences had been exercised upon them they had been Arrested put in Prison their Estates had been seized without any reason they had been compelled by force of Torture or by Promises or by Rewards to Swear false things against their Order that all the reasonable Presumptions were on their Side 1. Because it was not to be believed that any Body should have been so much a Fool as to engage or continue in an Order so abominable And 2. Because their Order was made up of People of Quality of good Morals who would never have suffered these Disorders They demanded a Copy of their Commission the Articles of their
had in his Estate Dionysius King of Portugal by advice of the Pope instituted in his Kingdom an Order of Knights of Christ which was approved by Pope John XXII and founded out of the Goods of the Templars whose principal Imployment was to make War upon the Moors In England it was resolved in a Parliament held in the Year 1324. that the Estates of the Templars should be united to the Order of Hospitallers which gave occasion to some English of that Order to think they were discharged from their Vows and at liberty to Marry which the Bishops of England opposed It is one of the famous Questions in History to wit whether the Templars were Guilty of all Arguments which may be alledged for the justification of the Templars the Crimes whereof they were accused and justly condemned or whether they were imputed to them falsely and whether they were not compelled by the violence of Torments and Fear to confess things which they had not done to grow rich by their Spoils and seize on their Effects as some Historians have asserted It may be alledged in their Defence 1. That the Informers were two Wretches condemned for their Crimes no way worthy of Credit who thought of this Project to rescue themselves from the Punishment to which they were condemned 2. That the Crimes whereof they stand accused are so horrid and execrable and at the same time so extraordinary that they must if Guilty have lost not only all sense of Honour and Religion but also Modesty Common Sense and Understanding Now is it credible that a vast Number of Men of all Nations and Degrees spread throughout all Christendom should all fall into so horrid an Excess of Wickedness and Extravagance and that neither Religion nor Shame nor fear of Discovery nor any distast which any of the Order might have taken should induce none of them to reveal their Actions This Silence is strange if the Thing be true A Silence which lasted for almost an Hundred Years which was observed religiously by all those of the Order During this time many Malecontents left the Order how could it possibly be that not one of them to justifie his Desertion should offer for a Reason the Disorders he had there met with How could an infinite Number of People who presented themselves to be admitted with a good intent and not being yet corrupted resolve at their Admittance to make so damnable a Profession and therein persevere 3. That they confessed not these Crimes but for fear of Torments wherewith they were threatned and in hopes which were given them of being well used and likewise rewarded for their Confession that such as refused to own them were put to the Rack that Torments might force from their Mouths the Confession of what was False that notwithstanding there were some who would never Swear against their Order and honourably asserted their Innocence that the greater part of those who were Cowardly enough to yield to Fear or be wrought on by Promises had recanted and persisted in that Recantation to their Death ever protesting that they had been imposed upon or that they had spoken falsely and that these Confessions were extorted from them by Threats or Promises or by Violence that they had shewn as much Constancy in this Retractation as they had testified Weakness and Change from their former Deposition In fine that they chose rather to be Burnt alive and going to Execution they declared aloud that they died innocent the time in which the fear of Hell and the Judgment of God before whom they must appear forces the Truth from the Heart and Tongue of the most Wicked 4. That there were found no other Witnesses against them than themselves that 't was only in France where they were constrained to confess these Crimes that every where besides whatever Prosecution was made against them they were not found Guilty of these Crimes neither did they confess them 5. That their Judges were Parties That Philip the Fair had a Mind to this for a long time accusing them of raising and fomenting Sedition against him that he was the particular Enemy of the Great Master that he owed them Money that he desired to enrich himself with their Spoils as it came to pass that he engaged himself in the Prosecution of this Affair with Zeal and Partiality that he practised unheard of Cruelties on the accused that the Pope was unwilling at the first to enter on this Business as being acquainted with the Injustice of it but that at the last he suffered himself to be prevailed with by the importunity of the King of France and the offers he made him to leave the disposal of the Templars Possessions to his Holiness that in fine the Pope the King of France and other Princes found the Destruction of this Order would turn to Account and made Advantage of their Estates in whole or in part 6. That the Proceedings against them were Irregular and against the Forms prescribed by the Law that at the first they were arrested upon slight Suspicions by the Authority of the King and without having consulted the Pope unto whom alone it belonged to judge them because of their Privileges that the first Examinations were taken either by the King's Officers or by the Inquisitor that their Proceedings were not against the whole Order that they were not Summon'd nor their Process prepared according to Form that the Pope acknowledged all these things in declaring that he could not of right give a definitive Sentence against this Order according to the Inquest and the Method wherein the Process was prepared Non per modum definitivae Sententiae cum eam super hoc secundum inquisitiones processus super his habitos non possumus ferre de jure That he Condemn'd them nevertheless and Abrogated their Order by way of Provision as if the utter abolishing of an Order could be decreed by Provision when 't was acknowledged it could not be decreed of right It may be answer'd to these Arguments That in Matters of Fact we are not to make use of The Reasons which pâ—… the Juâ—â—ice of abâ—lishing the Order 〈◊〉 Tâ—… Conjectures and Reasonings against the Depositions and Confessions themselves of the Criminals upon which they were legally Condemned That we have the Interrogatories of a vast number of Templars who have Acknowledged the Crimes whereof they were accused That it matters not who are the Informers provided that in the Sequel the Fact be Evident that the Crimes whereof they are accused are in good earnest very heinous but Men that give themselves over to their Passions and Lusts are capable of all of them and there is no disorder so strange into which they may not fall That those whereof the Templars are accused are of two Sorts Impieties and a kind of Idolatry and the Vice of Sodomy that the Commerce which they had with the Saracens might engage them in the former which is the more Extraordinary
Postill upon the Epistles and Gospels of the Year printed at Paris in 1509. and at Strasburg in 1513. and 1521. The two Dominicans called Joannes Parisiensis both Doctors and Professors of Divinity of John of Paris a Dominican the Faculty in Paris must be distinguished The former lived in the Thirteenth Age about the Year 1220. He was Sirnamed Pungens Asinum the Ass-pricker and is mentioned by Joannes de Salagnac speaking of the Authors of his Order who lived before the time of S. Thomas He Founded two Chapels to S. Eustathius and is meant in an Information made in 1221. as the Records of those times make it evident It is undoubtedly he that Composed the Commentary upon the Sentences of which Trithemius speaks The other John of Paris was not a Licentiate in Divinity till 1304. when he brought himself into a great deal of Trouble by asserting That Transubstantiation was not a Point of Faith and that the Real Presence of the Body of Christ in the Sacrament might be explained after another manner viz. By supposing that the Bread being united with the Word mediante corpore Christi becomes the Body of Christ or that the Change be made after some other manner This new Doctrine which had never been taught in the Schools of Paris before made a great Noise and was opposed by Three other Divines who maintained That Transubstantiation was an Article of Faith according to the Decretal in the Chapter Firmiter John of Paris nevertheless maintained his Opinion with great Resolution and not only wrote a Book to prove it but defended it several times before many Doctors and Batchelors of Divinity and more particularly before William D' Orillac Bishop of Paris who having examined that Doctrine and taken advice with Giles of Rome Archbishop of Bourges Bertrandus Bishop of Orleans William Bishop of Amiens and several other Doctors injoined Silence to Friar John of Paris under the Penalty of Excommunication and strictly forbid him to Teach or Preach any more in Paris John of Paris appealed from this Sentence to the Court of Rome and went to Pope Clement V. then at Bourdeaux who appointed him Judges but he died before the Matter was decided upon S. Maurice's Day Jan. 15. 1306. The Book which John of Paris wrote about Transubstantiation was Intituled The Determination of Friar John of Paris Preacher of the Manner how the Body of Jesus Christ is in the Sacrament of the Altar different from that which hath been commonly held in the Church 'T is nothing else but the very same Explication of his Opinion which he delivers to the Assembly of the Doctors of Divinity abovementioned It was found in MS. in the Library of S. Victor and has been often quoted about that Point by the Authors of the Reformed Religion It hath lately been published by Mr. D Allix entire with a large and learned Preface and printed at London in 1686. There is a Treatise concerning the Regal and Papal Power printed at Paris in the Year 1506. and in the Collection of Goldastus's Monarchia S. Rom. Imp. Tom. 2. p. 107. which bears the Name of John of Paris It was written upon the Account of the Difference between Pope Boniface VIII and Philip the Fair. This Author observes in his Preface that they who seek to avoid one Errour often fall into another and thereupon brings an Example from the Controversie which was between the Monks and Seculars concerning Confession and the Administration of the Sacraments The one saith he asserted That the Monks ought not to meddle with them at all because they renounced all Secular Affairs The other said That they properly belonged to them by their Order The Truth lies in the middle between these two Errors which is That it is not altogether unfit that they should do it although they have no right to it upon the account of their Order And much the same thing happens in this Question about the Spiritual and Temporal Power concerning which there are contrary Errors The first of them is the Error of the Waldenses who hold that Clergymen ought not to have any Power or Temporal Estates the other is something like the Opinion of Herod who thought that Jesus Christ was Born to be an Earthly King so these Men suppose that the Pope as Pope hath a Power in Temporal Things above Kings The True Opinion lies between these two Errours and is this That the Successors of the Apostles may exercise a Temporal Jurisdiction and enjoy Temporal Estates by the Allowance and Grant of Princes but it does not belong to them as the Vicars of Jesus Christ and Successors of the Apostle To prove this Proposition he shews 1. That the Regal Power is founded upon the Law of Nature and Law of Nations 2. That the Priesthood is a Spiritual Power given by Jesus Christ to his Church to Administer Sacraments 3. That 't is not Necessary that all the Kings upon Earth should depend upon one Person only as all the Ministers of the Church upon one Head 4. That the Regal Power was erected before the Priesthood in time but the Priesthood is before the Regal Power in Dignity 5. That the Pope has not the sole Jurisdiction over the Churches Revenues but they belong to Bodies and Societies which possess them and that the Pope can't dispose of them as he pleaseth nor deprive the Owners of them without a just Cause That he may much less dispose of the Goods of Laymen but only in case of urgent Necessity to use censures to oblige them to assist and help the Poor or the Church in their Needs 6. That he hath no Jurisdiction over the Temporal Goods of Laymen nor any Secular Power because Jesus Christ as Head of the Church had none himself nor did give any to his Apostles but all the Power that he has given to the Church is purely Spiritual yea even that which belongs to the Exterior Ecclesiastical Court which may concern it self only in Spiritual Causes That the Pope may indeed Excommunicate an Heretick King and inflict Ecclesiastical Censures on him but cannot depose him He Answers all the Objections that may be made to this Doctrine and at last shews that the Pope may be judged and may either resign or be deposed Besides these Treatises of John of Paris Mr. Baluzius assures us that there are in the Library of Mr. Colbert Cod. 3725. three Sermons preached by this Monk at Paris the one in Advent the other on the Second Sunday in Lent and the Third on the First Sunday after Easter Some Englishmen also tell us That there is in the Library at Oxford a MSS. which contains a Treatise which proves the Truth of the Christian Religion from the Testimony of the Heathens and some other Treatises about the Confessions of Monks Some also attribute to him a Book Intituled The Correction of the Doctrine of S. Thomas against William de la Mare printed under the Name of Aegidius Romanus or
contains the Life of Scotus and the Testimonies of Eminent Men about his Works his Speculative Grammar which some have falsly attributed to Albert of Saxony a Monk of the Order of S. Augustine His large Questions upon all Logick with the Commentaries of Maurice de Porto Archbishop of Tuam which were before printed at Venice in 1512. and 1600. The Second Tome contains his Commentaries upon the Eight Books of Aristotle's Physicks with the Notes of Francis de Pitigianis of Aretium in Italy which had been printed before at Venice in 1504. and 1597. and after at Lyons 1597. Lucas Waddingus proves that they are not Scotus's There are in the same Tome some imperfect Questions upon Aristotle's Books de Animâ With the Notes of Hugh Cavell Archbishop of Armagh The Third Tome contains divers Treatises of Philosophy The Fourth Tome has his Commentaries upon Aristotle's Physicks with his Metaphysical Conclusions and Questions The Six following Tomes contain his Commentaries upon the Four Books of the Sentences which he made at Oxford with the Notes of Cavell Lichet Poncius and Hiquaeus These Books had been printed before at Venice in 1516. and 1597. at Antwerp in 1620. and elsewhere The Eleventh Tome contains Four Books called Reportata Parisiensia which are an Abridgement made at Paris of his Larger Comment with the Notes of Cavell and Waddingus who observes that this Work is much inferior to the former in Stile and Doctrine It hath been printed by it self at Paris in 1519. and 1600 and at Venice in 1597. The last Tome contains his Quodlibetical Questions with the Notes of Cavell and Lichet which had been before printed at Paris in 1519. Trithemius makes mention of some Sermons of Scotus's upon Time and upon the Saints a Commentary upon the Gospels and Epistles of S. Paul with some other Treatises Bale also attributes to him a Commentary upon Genesis a Treatise of the Perfection of the Monks in which this Question is treated of Whether the Condition of Prelates ought to be preferred before the State of Monks but time must bring them forth to light with many others Works which lie yet undiscovered The Famous Raimundus Lullus descended of a Noble Family in Catalonia was Born in the Raimundus Lullus Isle of Majorca in the Year 1236. He spent the first part of his Life in the Court of James King of that Isle and did not retire from the World till he was Forty years old to enter which is hardly credible into the Order of Grey-Friars From that time he began to Study with so great Diligence that in a little time he made a great Progress in the Oriental Tongues and Liberal Sciences He found out afterward a New Method of Arguing and did all he could to get a Permission to teach at Rome but not obtaining it of Pope Honorius IV. he resolved to put in execution a Design which he had of a long time conceived to Convert the Mahometans Being therefore arrived according to this Resolution at Tunis he had a Conference there with the Sarazens in which he was in great danger of losing his Life and had not been saved but upon Condition that he should depart out of Africa and if ever he returned should be put to Death He then came to Naples where he taught his Method till the Year 1290. when he went again to Rome 〈…〉 get Leave to teach in that City but Beniface VIII who was then in the Holy See deâ—… him From thence he went to Genoa where he Composed several Works and passing from thence through Majorca he came to Paris where he taught his Art Then he returned to Majorca where he had frequent Disputations against the Sarazens Jacobites and Nestorians Then he returned to Genoa and Paris to confirm his Disciples in his Doctrine and again desired a Permission of Pope Clement V. to teach at Rome and being again refused he returned into Africk where he was put in Prison but being delivered from thence at the intreaty of the People of Genoa he Landed at Pisa having lost all his Books in his Voyage by a Shipwreck He then set himself to Preach up the Holy War and having gathered a good Summ of Money in Italy for that end he came to Pope Clement V. at Avignon but not meeting with a kind Reception from him he returned to Paris where he taught till the Council of Vienna to which he went and was earnest with them to establish Colleges in all places where he had taught the Oriental Tongues to Unite all the Military Orders of Monks into One to undertake the Holy War and to Condemn the Writings of Averrhoes but these Propositions were not regarded by the Council The rest of his Life is very fabulous Some say that after he had travelled into France and Spain and Sailed into England to sollicit those Kings to undertake the Holy War where he exercised Chymistry he returned into Majorca from whence he again passed into Africa and was Imprisoned there by the Sarazens who treated him so ill that he died of his Blows as he returned in a Genoa Ship June 29. 1315. in the 80th Year of his Age. The Knowledge and Learning of Raimundus Lullus was as extraordinary as his Life He found a Secret by ranging certain general Terms under different Heads in a Method which he had contrived to make such an Hotch-potch Language fit to talk of all manner of Things and yet the Hearers shall understand nothing particularly by it So that after a Man has heard a Lullist talk a long time upon any Matter he is no wiser nor learned than he was before They that will take the Pains to learn this Method may read his Introduction which is the First of his Works and his Cabala which is his Second in which he explains himself in a brief manner He has written also his Principles of Philosophy which are nothing else but Logick accommodated to his Method his Rhetorick his Great Art which contains an Application of his Method to all sorts of Subjects His Book of the Articles of Faith in which he proves Religion by Reason These Works are printed with some Commentaries of the Lullists at Strasburg in 1651. But there are a great Number of other Works written by this Author printed severally in divers places and among others The Philosophy of Love which is one of his principal Works Composed in 1298. and printed at Paris in 1516. A Treatise of Substance and Accident in which he undertakes to prove the Trinity by Reason Composed in the Year 1313. and printed at Valentia in Spain in 1520. A Tract of the Nativity of Jesus Christ Composed in 1310. and printed at Paris 1499. His Treatise called Blanquerna or of the Five States of Men viz. Married Monks Prelates Cardinals and Popes printed at Valentia in Spanish in 1521. A Treatise of Prayers Meditations and Contemplations or Of the Lover and Loved printed at Paris in 1505. The Praise of the Virgin or the Art
with the Catholick Church nor Profession be made of believing in the Roman Church as one believes in the Catholick Church Thus you see what he offers in the Treatise of the Primacy set forth by Salmasius But he destroys these Principles in his Letters which he wrote to the Greeks while he was in the West for he there maintain'd that every Church ought to be Subject to the Church of Rome and her Bishop who hath received his Ordination from JESUS CHRIST that his Decrees ought to be consider'd as the Divine Scriptures that we owe them a blind Obedience that it belongs to him to correct all other Bishops and to examine their Judgments and to confirm them or make them void that he has right to ordain other Patriarchs that St. Peter received this Primacy from JESUS CHRIST that his Successors have ever enjoyed it that the Schism of the Greeks took beginning but Four Hundred Years ago that since this time the Greek Church is fallen to decay and sensible she is reduced to the last Extremity that the Latines cannot be accused of Heresie for using Wafers nor for holding the Procession of the Holy Ghost seeing they follow in it the Opinion of the ancient Doctors of their Church and the Practice of their Ancestors and that the Greeks who obstinately assert that the Holy Ghost proceeds only from the Father are not only Schismaticks but also Hereticks seeing they deny a Truth grounded upon the Holy Scriptures and on the Tradition of the Fathers GREGORY ACINDYNUS followed not the example of Barlaam in his Union with the Latines Gregorius Acindynus a Greek Monk but remain'd concealed in Greece continually writing against the Palamites Gretser has set forth two Books of Acindynus concerning the Essence and Operation of God written against Palamas Gregoras and Philotheus printed at Ingolstadt in the Year 1626. Allatius has published in his Graecia Orthodoxa i. e. Orthodox Greece a Poem in Iambick Verse made by Acindynus against Palamas and two Fragments against the same in one of which he makes mention of Five Volumes which he wrote against Barlaam to defend the Monastick Discipline of the Greeks The Works of GREGORY PALAMAS which are extant follow Two Prayers upon the Transfiguration Gregory Palamas Archbishop of Thessalonica of our Lord wherein he explains his Doctrine of the Light which appear'd on Mount Tabor that it was Uncreated and is not of the Essence of God set out in Greek and Latin by Father Combefisius in his Addition to the Bibliotheca Patrum A Prosopopoeia which contains two Declamations one of the Soul against the Body which she accuses of Intemperance and Disobedience and the other of the Body which defends it self against the Soul together with the Sentence given by a third Party set forth in Greek by Turnebus printed at Paris in the Year 1553. and in Latin in the last Bibliotheca Patrum Two Discourses of the Procession of the Holy Ghost against the Latines printed at London The Confutation of the Expositions of Johannes Veccus on the Procession of the Holy Ghost set forth in Greek and Latin together with the Answers of Cardinal Bessarion by Arcudius and printed at Rome in 1630. He made a great many Works for the Defence of his Opinions whereof divers are cited by Manuel Calecas and by other Greeks which wrote against him and among others A Treatise of Divine Participation A Catalogue of Absurdities which follow from the Opinion of Barlaam Dialogues Letters Discourses c. of which the Extracts are to be seen in Manuel Calecas There is in the Library of Ausburgh a Treatise in MS. of Palamas on the Transfiguration of our Lord more large than the Prayers beforementioned The other Authors who have written for or against Palamas shall be inserted in the Succession of Greek Authors of this Century which we proceed to recite according to the Order of the times NICEPHORUS the Son of Callistus Xanthopylus a Monk of Constantinople a studious and laborious Nicephorus Callistus a Greek Monk Man undertook under the Empire of Andronicus the elder to Compose a New Ecclesiastical History which he dedicated to that Prince it was divided into Twenty three Books began at the Birth of JESUS CHRIST and ended at the Death of the Emperor Leo the Philosopher that is to say at the Year 911. we have no more than the Eighteen first Books which end with the Emperor Phocas that is to say in the Year of our Lord 610. He collected his History out of Eusebius Socrates Sozomen Theodoret Evagrius and other good Authors but he has mixed it with a great many Fables and has faln into many Mistakes the style is not disagreeable and is Correct enough for his time The only Copy of this History which was in the Library of Matthias King of Hungary at Buda was taken by a Turk and Sold at an Auction in Constantinople where it was bought up by a Christian and after carried to the Library of the Emperor at Vienna where it is at this present Langius has translated it into Latin printed at Basil in 1553. at Antwerp in 1560. at Paris in 1562. and 1573. and at Francfort in 1588. and Fronto Ducaeus hath since published it in Greek and Latin printed at Paris in the Year 1630. Father Labbe has set out a Catalogue of the Emperors and Patriarâ—… of Constantinople collected by Nicephorus in his Preliminary Treatise of the Byzantine History printed at Paris in 16â—8 and there was printed at Basil in 1536. An Abridgment of the Scripture in Iambick Verse which aâ—… bears the Name of Nicephorus There is exâ—… under the Name of ANDRONICUS of Constantinople a long Dialogue between a Andronicus the Elder a Greek Emperor Jew and a Câ—…n wherein the Christian proves the principal Points of the Religion of JESUS CHRIST by Quotations out of the Old Testament This Work is published in Latin in the Translation of Liveneius by Stuart and printed at Ingolstadt in the Year 1616. and in the Bibliothecis Patrum It is doubtful who is the Author but the time is certain for the Author counts 1255. Years from the Captivity of the Jews which reckoning since the taking of Jerusalem by Titus fall in the Year 1527. from JESUS CHRIST which makes it appear that Liveneius is deceived in ascribing this Work to Euthymius Zigabenus who died before that time The Politick Verses which he found in the Front of the Book seem to intimate that this Andronicus was of the Family of the Commeni but one may likewise understand them otherwise and perhaps not much strain his Faith The Greek Original is in the Library of the Duke of Bavaria where also are to be found other Dialogues which â—…ry the Name of Andronicus the Emperor viz. A Dialogue between the Emperor and a Cardinal concerning the Procession of the Holy Ghost a Dispute of the Emperor 's with one Peter an Armenian Doctor a Treatise of the two Natures in JESUS CHRIST
He wrote this Treatise before he was Cardinal during the Council of Basil and in it he handles these Questions with much moderation The Principal Points which he establishes in it are these that the Church is the Union of all Souls with Jesus Christ its Spouse that there are in this Church different Degrees that altho' it be united yet it may be divided into Militant Dormant and Triumphant that the two last parts are made up only of the Predestinate and that the first is a mixture of those who are good and evil That the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy has its degrees resembling those Nicholas of Câ—… a Cardinal of the Angels That there is but one sâ—… Chair in the Church which is fill'd by all the Bishop's Successors to St. Peter among whom the Bishop of Rome is the first That the Roman Church is taken in different senses sometimes for the Pope and the Clergy and the Diocese of Rome sometimes for those who belong to that Patriarchate and sometimes for the Universal Church because the true Church is at present reduc'd to the Patriarchate of Rome that in this last sense only 't is Infallible that regularly it belongs to the Pope to call a General Council and to preside in it That to the end a Council may be General it must be compos'd of Five Patriarchs and be kept publickly and that its â—…cisions may be Infallible 't is necessary that it should be free and that they be made with common consent upon which chiefly depends the Authority of the Council That the Canons of theâ—… Councils do not oblige particular Churches till after their Acceptance That the Validity of the Council does not depend at all upon the Pope That an Universal Council is above him whose Laws he can neither change nor repeal That Provincial and National Councils have 〈◊〉 their own Authority That the Pope has a Right to judge in difficult Cases to receive Appâ—…s from the Judgments of particular Churches to take Care of the Universal Church Lastly That his Primacy is of Divine Right and that he receiv'd it from Jesus Christ with the consent of the Church That the Imperial Power does not at all depend upon that of the Pope That 't is not he who has translated the Empire from the Greeks to the Latins nor created the Electors That the Power of the Empire is Sovereign That he receiv'd it immediately from Jesus Christ That he can Call Councils by way of Exhortation be present at them maintain Order in them and cause their Decrees to be put in Execution Lastly He proposes divers Regulations for the Reformation of the Empire and concludes with shewing That nothing 〈…〉 more contrary to the good of the Church than a Discord between the Empire and the Priesthood He follows the same Principles in a Letter in 1442. to Roderick Ambassador of the King of Castile at the Diet of Frankfurt The two next Letters are address'd to the Bohemians about the Communion of the Laity under one kind and there he makes it appear That the Church has Power to take away the Use of the Cup and that no more Grace is receiv'd by Communicating under both kinds than under one the three other Letters are also address'd to the Bohemians about the Peace and Unity of the Church and the seventh is also about Communion in one kind The Treatise of the Agreement or Peace of Faith is a Dialogue between Persons of many Religions and Nations about Matters controverted in Religion In fine the last Work of the Tome is a Treatise which he wrote about the Alcoran Entitled The Alcoran sifted wherein he does not only prove the falshood of this Book but also makes use of such places which are to be met with in it as favour the Christian Religion to persuade the Mahometans to embrace it There is at the end of this Tome a little piece Entitled A Conjecture upon the 〈◊〉 Times wherein he relates what is said in Scripture about the last Times without determining any thing precisely as to the time that the World shall yet last The last Tome contains his Works of Mathematicks Geometry and Astronomy which shew his profound Knowledge in these Sciences so that each Tome of his Works have their peculiar Characters Metaphysicks reign in the first Theology in the second and Mathematicks in the third As to the Style it â—s clean and easie without Affectation and Ornament This Cardinal knew the Oriental Languages and it cannot be deny'd but that he was a Man of profound Learning and a sound Judgment His only Fault was That he was too Abstract and too Metaphysical in many of his Works All his Works are printed at Basil in 1565. Julian Caesarin of an Illustrious Family in Rome being appointed Cardinal-deacon with the Julian Caesarin a Cardinal Title of St. Angelo in the Year 1426. and afterwards Cardinal-priest with the Title of St. Sabina and lastly Cardinal-bishop of â—…scati was sent by Martin V. against the Bohemians and appointed to assist in the Quality of Legat to the Holy See at the Council of Basil. Eugenius IV. confirm'd him in these Employments and he presided at the beginning of the Council of Basil. He would not Dissolve it as he had receiv'd Orders from the Pope but when the Greeks arriv'd he left the Council of Basil and went to Ferrara where he was at the Head of the Latins who were appointed to Confer with the Greeks There are two Letters of this Cardinal address'd to Pope Eugenius to dissuade him from the Dissolution of the Council printed in the Collection of Gratius and elsewhere a Discourse which he made in the Council of Basil against the Bohemians and many Discourses which he spoke at Ferrara and Florence He was Eloquent Learned and a Great Politiciâ—n At the same time flourish'd Nicholas Tadeschus a Sicilian commonly call'd Panormitanus because Nicholaus Tedeschus Panormitanus Arch-bishop of Palermo he was Abbot of an Abby of the Order of St. Benedict in Palermo and afterwards Arch-bishop of that City He is one of the most famous Canonists we have He was present at the Council of Basil and had a great Hand in what was done there against Pope Eugenius in recompence for which Service he was nam'd Cardinal by Foelix V. in 1440. But at last he was oblig'd by the Orders of the King of Arragon his Master to return to his Archbishoprick where he died of the Pest in 1445. His Works are A great Commentary upon the five Books of the Decretals printed at Venice in 1492. and at Lyons in 1586. Some Commentaries upon the Clementines and their Glosses 118 Counsels and 7 Questions printed also at Lyons in 1584 and 1586 A Treasure of Canon-Law and some other Treatises But the most curious of all his Works is his Treatise of the Council of Basil against Pope Eugenius wherein he gives a History of all the Transactions in that Council until the Suspension of Eugenius
have confest that there was but One true God and that even the most ancient Poets as Aratus Hesiod Euripides and Orpheus have been obliged to acknowledge the same and that the Sibyls the Prophets and the Books of Scriptures teach only the Worship of One God Afterwards he is very earnest to persuade Men to embrace the Christian Religion in Consideration of the great Advantages that it carries along with it towards the Attainment of eternal Salvation which they cannot otherwise hope for and for preserving themselves from eternal Torments which they cannot possibly avoid but by believing in Jesus Christ and by living conformably to his Laws If you were permitted says he to purchase eternal Salvation what would you not give for it And now you may obtain it by Faith and Charity There is nothing can hinder you from acquiring it neither Poverty nor Misery nor Old Age nor any other State of Life Believe therefore in One God who is God and Man and receive eternal Salvation for a Recompence Seek God and you shall live for ever Thus he concludes with a long Exhortation wherein he most earnestly presses Men to quit their Idolatry and Vices and to live and believe as the Christians do The Second Book Entituled the Pedagogue is a Discourse entirely of Morality It is divided into three Books In the first he shews what it is to be a Pedagogue that is to say a Conductor Pastor Book I. or Director of Men He proves that this Quality chiefly and properly belongs only to the WORD Incarnate He says that it is the part of the Pedagogue to regulate the Manners conduct Chap. 1. Chap. 2. Chap. 3. Chap. 4. the Actions and cure the Passions That he preserves Men from Sins and heals them when they have been already Guilty That the WORD performs these Functions by forgiving our Sins as he is God and instructing Us as he is Man with great Sweetness and Charity That he equally informs Men and Women the Learned and the Ignorant because all Men stand in need of Instruction being all Children in one Sense Yet however that we must not think that the Doctrine of the Christians is Childish and Contemptible But that on the contrary the Quality of Children which they receive in Baptism renders them perfect in the knowledge of Divine Things by delivering them from Sins by Grace and inlightning them by the Illumination of Faith And that so we are at the same time both Children and perfect Men and that the Milk wherewith we are nourished being Chap. 5. Chap. 6. Chap. 7. both the Word and the Will of God is a very Solid and Substantial Nourishment That the WORD guided the Jews in the Old Testament by Fear but that after it was Incarnate it has changed this Fear into Love That Reproaches Afflictions and Punishments which the WORD makes Chap. 8. use of to chastise Men are not Signs of his bearing any hatred towards them but Effects of his Justice and of the Care which he takes to Correct them That it is the same God the Creator of the World who is both Good and Just that punishes and shews Mercy That he is good upon his own Chap. 9. Account and just as to Men That Reproofs and Chastisements are for their Good that there are two kinds of Fear the Fear which Children have of their Father or Subjects of their King and the Fear which Slaves have of their Master That both these Sorts of Fear are profitable to Men but that the First is by much the most perfect That the WORD inclines Men to good by its Exhortations and prevents them from Sinning by its Threatnings That he performed the Function of a Chap. 10. Pedagogue by Moses and the Prophets and that he is at last come himself to give Men suitable Remedies to their several Miseries and to Conduct them according to the Dictates of right Reason Last Chap. That the whole Life of a Christian is a continued Series of Actions conformable to Reason and that Sin is produced by the going out of that way In the 2d and 3d. Book of the Pedagogue S. Clement descends to the Recapitulation of humane Actions and gives Rules for Temperance and Christian Modesty In the former of these he shews Book II. Chap. 1. Chap. 2. Chap. 3. Chap. 4. Chap. 5. Chap. 6. Chap. 7. that the End and Design of Eating ought not to be Pleasure but Necessity and that therefore we must avoid Excess both in the Quantity and the Quality of our Meat That Wine is not to be Drunk but with great Moderation and that young Persons particularly ought wholly to abstain from it He finds great Fault with Luxury in Houshold-stuff and Moveables He is of Opinion that Vocal and Instrumental Musick ought to be banished from the Christian Festivals and that we should only celebrate therein the Praises of God He is against immoderate Laughter and uttering such Words as are unseemly He requires that exact Modesty be observed in the Countenance and in Discourse he reprehends those who put Crowns and Garlands upon their Heads and who perfumed themselves with Balm He allows but little Sleep and that in such Beds that are neither too Chap. 8. Chap. 10. Chap. 11. and 12. Book III. Chap. 1 2 3 4 and 5. stately nor too delicate That it is not lawful to Marry but with a Design of begetting Children That we should not make use of Clothes but for the sake of Decency He declaims against Luxury of Apparel against precious Stones against Fantastical Dresses in Men or Women and against publick Baths He describes and enveighs against all these things better than ever Juvenal or any of the ancient Satyrists had done before him He intermixes his Satyr with several Curious Instructions and descends to particulars like a Casuist He passes in the next Place to the Precepts of Vertue opposite to the Vices he has been reprehending Chap. 6. Chap. 7. and 8. Chap. 9 and 10. Chap. 11. Last Chap. He shews that there is none but the Christian who is truly rich That he ought to live in an entire Frugality That he must not make use of any Exercises and Pleasures no farther than is absolutely necessary for his Health He adds moreover divers Instructions more particularly suited to the Women to perswade them to carry themselves always Civilly and Modestly and more especially in Churches Lastly he makes a Collection of several Places of Scripture which relate to Morality and the Conduct of our Life and concludes by exhorting Men to hearken unto and to obey the Precepts of Jesus Christ their Supreme and Sovereign Pedagogue to whom he Addresses a Prayer praising him with the Father and the Holy Ghost and returning him Thanks for making him a Member of his Church These Books are very profitable for those that study Morality and if the Casuists of our Times had perused and considered them well they had not faln