great mischief Philosophy hath always done unto Christianity well therefore might the Apostle so caution the Colossians Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit Ierom also exercising some errours of his wherein he had followed Origen thus pleads for himself Fae me inquit errasse in adolescentiâ philosophorum i.e. gentilium studiis eruditum in principio fidei dâ—â—mata ignorasse Christiana hoc putasse in Apostolis quod in Pythagorâ Platone 〈◊〉 Empedocle legeram Cur parvuli in Christo 〈◊〉 lactentis errorem sequimini Cur ab eo imputatem discitis qui necdum pietatem noveratâ— Secunda post naufragium tabula est culpâ—â— simpliciter confiteri Imitati estis errantem imitamini correctum Erravimus juvenâ—â— emendemur senes c. Now among other things Philosophy doth beyond measure advance the power of mans will and naturâ— abilities and this opinion drew on withiâ— the extenuation of Original sin and the depravation of the Doctrine of the Merit of Christ into both which this Father among the rest was but meanly insighted And this may be the reason why the Reverend Calâ—â— stiles that Doctrine of Free-will Heatheniâ— Philosophy Procul sit inquit à Christiâ—â— pectore illa de arbitrii libertate Gentilis Philâ—sophia 5. He affirms that because the 〈◊〉 hath Free-will he may repent which saying of his seems to have been the occasion 〈◊〉 that errour in Origen his Scholar that the Devils might be saved as both the Centâ—rists and also Gentian Heroet conceive who in his Education hath this Note in the Mâ—â—gin upon these words of Clement hinc 〈◊〉 Origenis 7. He also phansied that some of the Aâ—gels were incontinent and being overcome with lust they descended and discloseâ— many secrets unto those woman with whom they fell in love and whatsoever things came to their knowledge which the other Angels conceal'd and reserved unto the coming of the Lord. Besides these there are some other things wherein he is judged to be both unsound and uncertain sometimes affirming one thing sometimes another as concerning the Baptism of Hereticks which he seems altogether to condemn Also that second Marriages have imperfection in them and are not without sin yea are little better than fornication contrary to that express Text. 1 Timoth. 5. 14. I will that the younger women viz. Widows verse 11. marry Likewise concerning good works perfection and repentance he seems sometimes to contradict himself and vents very dangerous opinions adeò in multis articulis lubricus est ac saepenumerò sibi contradicit ut quid constanti sententiâ affirmet vix interdum agnoseas § 7. How long this Father lived as also when where and how he ended his days is very uncertain Histories being silent herein only probable it is that he attained unto many years and continued long after the death of his Master Pantaenus For it seems that he compiled his Book both of Stromes and Informations or Institutions if not all the rest after that time seeing he mentions him as dead and some good while before as also that he had through length of time forgotten many of those things which he haâ— heard from him He flourished saith Iâ—rom under the Emperour Severus and Autoninus Caracalla and as some report 〈◊〉 ended his Pilgrimage by a natural death 〈◊〉 Alexandria where he had long taught dying In a good old age and full of days emâ—annum 195. Tertullianus HE stiles himself in the Titles prefixed to his Books by the name of Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus perhaps to distinguish himself from some others whose names did in part agree with his own For his Country he was an African and had for the place of his Birth there the famous City of Carthage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it 's called by Strabo Rome's Corrival de terrarum orbe aemula saith Pliny that contended with it for the Empire of the world And 't is observed as memorable that in his time two of his Countrymen held the places of highest Dignity both Civil and Ecclesiastical viz. Septimius Severus and Victor both Africans the one being Emperour and the other Bishop of Rome His Father was a Centurion one of eminent Rank as bearing the office of a Proconsul who took care to have his Son from his tender years to be well educated and trained up in the Schools where having a pregnant wit and excellent parts he proved a notable proficient and soon attained unto such a measure of knowledge in Philosophy and all kind of Learning that he was by all esteemed for one of the most exquisite and best accomplished Scholars of his time He for some years professed and taught the art of Rhetorick in Carthage with approbation and applause from which after a while he proceeded to the practice of the Law to the study whereof he had formerly applied himself and became well skilled therein as Eusebius testifieth stiling him a man well experienced in the Roman Laws accuratâ legum inquit Nicephorus actorum Româ—norum peritiâ clarus performing the office of an Advocate in pleading the causes of such Clients as entertained him with much dexterity But he is designed unto a more high and honourable employment viz. to plead the cause of God and to publish the glorious mysteries of the Gospel in order whereunto the divine goodness finds out a way for the translating of him from the School of the world into the Shool of Christ by his conversion from Gentilism to Christianity As touching the time and manner thereof though nothing be lefâ— upon Record either by himself or others directly pointing it out and acquainting us therewith yet are then some things to be found from whence it may be probably conjectured that it fell out while he was yet but young and in the prime of his years For 1. He wrote a Treatise of the troubles attending Marriage cum adhuc esset adoleseens when saith Ierom he was but a young man yet Baronius conceives it most likely to have been done by him after his conversion for saith he I cannot think that Ierom would have directed Eustochium whom he wished to read that Book of his unto the writingâ— of an Heathen for her instruction in that particular 2. Ierom and others report concerning him that he continued an orthodox Presbyter in the Church usque ad statam mediamque aetatatem unto his middle age and afterwards fell away unto the Heresie of the Montanists but now evident it is that he wrote the most of his Books before that time to the doing whereof and furnishing for such a work a great deal of time must needs be requisite In the judgment of Pamelius and according to his computation he became a Christian in the third year of the Reign of Severus in which also he is of opinion that he wrote his Book de Pâ—llio or of the
in his Commentary upon the 43. Chapter of Augustin de haeresibus and Nicelas Choniates in his treasury of the Orthodox faith Lib. 4. Haeres 31. who there thus speaks of him that for natural and moral philosophy he was a Doctor acceptable unto all but for matters Dogmatical or of Faith of Theological speculation he shewed himself the most absurd of all that went before or followed after him Which also those frequent passages of Ierom do shew where he saith I commended him as an interpretor but not as a Dogmatist Again I call Origen ours for his learning and wit not for the truth of his opinions and Doctrine Lastly as I ever attributed unto Origen the Interpretation and idioms or proprieties of Scripture So I most constantly took from him truth in his opinions For this cause also having at his request sent unto Avitus his Translation of Origens books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the close of his Epistle he prescribes this as an antidote against the errors therein contained Whosoever saith he will read these books and go toward the land of promise with his feet shod lest he be bitten of Serpents and smitten with the forked wound of the Scorpion let him read this book or Epistle wherein are declared the dangerous passages contained in those books that so he may know before he begin his journy what things he must shun avoid Hence Beza gives this censure of him certainly saith he this writer is every way so impure whether he wrote so himself or whether his writings were afterward depraved that in matters controversial he deserves no authority in the Church Yet notwithstanding in the judgment of some the good that was in him exceeded the evil so that although he were guilty of the errors imputed unto him yet being a man of so much learning he deserves to be pittied whose faults saith Haymo if there be any in his books may be overcome by the Celestial splendor of those things which are faithfully written by him And saith Scultetus this age might well bear the precipitate publication of his works by Ambrose or the malevolent depravation of them if withal they had all come to our hands Many of his errors began first to be entertained by the Monks and Disciplinarians in Egypt from whose Cells being vented they spread abroad and were embraced and maintained by very many unto whom as a Sect or swarm of Hereticks deriving their errors from Origen was given the name of Origenists or Adamantians who continued long even unto the time of Gregory the great for he testifieth that some of them were remaining in his days Adversus Origenistas inquit Baronius longa admodum periculosa fuit Ecclesiae concertatio § 7. Now as touching the last scene of his life his going off the Theatre of this world I find no large mention made of it That his sufferings for Christ were neither few nor small though he suffered not martyrdom is abundantly testified So that in the judgment of Merline as also of Mirandula he came but little short of it and deserves the palm semper Deo inquit Pontius Diaconus mancipata devotio dicatis hominibus pro martyrio deputatur And saith Haymo voluntate Martyr fuit though he laid not down his life yet he lost not the Honor of Martyrdom For they were many and sore things which he did undergo even in his old age besides what in former time had beâ—ided him at what time the persecution against the Church raged under the Emperor Decius whereof Eusebius makes report in these words drawing toward the close of Origen about which the most part of the sixth book is spent what things they were saith he and how great which hapned to Origen in that persecution and how he died the spiteful Devil pursuing him with his whole troop striving against him with all might and every kind of sleight that possibly could be invented and especially against him above all the rest which then were persecuted to death and what and how great things he sustained for the Doctrine of Christ imprisonments and torments of body scourging at Iron stakes stench of close prison and how for the space of many days his feet lay stretched four paces asunder in the stocks and how that constantly he endured the threats of fire and all that the enemy could terrifie him with and what end he made after the judge had wrought by all means possible to save his life and what speeches he uttered very profitable for such as need consolation sundry of his Epistles truly faithfully and curiously penn'd do declare He lived the space of sixty nine years of which reckoning from the time that he was by Demetrius made Catechist in the School of Alexandria he spent above fifty most laboriously in teaching and writing in the affairs and care of the Church in refuting Heresies and in the exercise of Piety and many notable vertues But notwithstanding all his labours and worth his age and end as well as the former part of his life were accompanied with poverty so small recompence and reward had he from men who haply could be well contented freely to afford him their praises but kept fast their purses sic virtus laudatur alget And for this rich Ambrose above all other deserves most blame that at his death was not more mindful of his old and indigent friend Origen Hence it came to pass that he ended his days in a mean and miserable condition miserabiliter inquit Nicephorus infoelix obiit dying in the famous City of Tyre where also he was buried in the reign of the Emperors Gallus and Volusian and in the year of Christ. 256. Cyprianus § 1. CYprianus called also Thascius was born at Carthage one of the chief Cities of Africa he was very rich and of great note and power there being one of the Senatorian Order and among them held the first or chief place his breeding was liberal and ingenuous from his tender years being trained up in and seasoned with the knowledge of the Arts wherein his proficiency was such that among the rest he became an excellent Rhetorician and publickly professed and taught that art at Carhage being had in very great esteem among them but all this while an Ethnick without the knowledge of Christ yea a most bitter persecutor of the Christians withal à Magician and skilled in those curious arts though this last be very improbable in the judgment both of Baronius and Pamelius How long he continued in this condition is uncertain yet that he was well stricken in years before converted unto Christianity may be conjectured 1. Partly from his own words for while being a Gentile he thought of receiving the Christian Faith he conflicted with such reasonings as these he conceived it a hard and difficult thing as sometime did Nicodemus for a man to
meetest man for such a work with their letters that he might comfort those afflicted Churches confirm them in the truth and confute those heretical adversaries He took Rome in his way haply to confer with and crave the advice and help of Eleutherius Bishop there about this affair unto whom he had letters recommendatory from the Churches making Honourable mention of him During his absence upon this weighty occasion in the great persecution under Antoninus Verus which much raged in the Churches of France the good Bishop Photinus aged ninety years is imprisoned and being brought before the tribunal and by the President asked this question who is the God of the Christians he perceiving this demand to be made rather in way of scorn then out of a serious desire to be informed because hâ— would not cast pearls before swine vouchsafed him no other answer but this si dignus fueris cognosces when thou shalt become worthy thou shalt know With which answer as contumelious the President being highly provoked commanded the Officers to beat him which accordingly they did handling him in a most barbarous and cruel manner and afterward almost breathless casâ— him into a filthy prison wherein about two days after by a glorious death he obtained the crown of Martyrdom The Church of Lyons by this means being destitute of a Bishop none was thought moâ—â— worthy to suceed the aged Martyr then his Presbyter Irenaeus who not long after returning was accordingly chosen anâ— took upon him the Government of thaâ— Church He entred upon the administration thereoâ— in a very unquiet and turbulent time the staâ—â— of affairs being much distracted not only bâ— reason of that grievous storm of persecutioâ— they had lately been under yea which 〈◊〉 yet scarcely calmed and blown over 〈◊〉 also through the busie attempts of diveâ—â— impostours cunningly seeking to underminâ— the Doctrine of Christ. For now had thâ— Valentinian Hereticks prevail'd and spread 〈◊〉 far as France and among others bewitchâ—â— sundry eminent women with their sottâ—â— and absurd opinions by means of one Mâ—â—cus a wretched sorcerer and a wicked deceiver and abuser of the weaker Sex But 〈◊〉 such a manner did this vigilant watchmaâ— and painful Pastour bestir himself that he notably prevented the farther spreading of this Pest and recovered many of those who had been therewith infected And having happily secured his own charge he rested not here but proceeded farther affording his help by his excellent letters unto other Churches also particularly unto that of Rome out of which he endeavoured to weed those tares which the envious man had there sown their careless Bishop how unfit to be an universal overseer it seems securely sleeping the while and leaving the work that properly belonged to himself unto another The chief instruments that Satan here imployed in sowing those tares were Florinus and Blastus Presbyters of this Church but by the Bishop degraded for their impiety in commiseration of whose sad condition infected with so soul Heresies he wrote as is reported those five learned books now extant In such kind of laborious imployments did he spend much of his time under the Emperours Antoninus the whole of Commodus and a good part of Severus Reigns being very serviceable unto the Church of God in his generation not only by his preaching and disputations but also by his writings which he left behind him as singular monuments unto posterity of his zeal for the glory of God and love to his truth as a bright shining lamp lighted and set up by the Lord he diffused his Rayes for the good of many till the oyl was wholly spent and consumed In his time fell out that sharp and lasting contention between the Eastern and Western Churches about the observation of the Feast of Easter as also about the kind and manneâ— of fasting The Churches of Asia as from an ancient Tradition and herein following the examples of Philip and Iohn Apostles as also of Polycarp with others their Successors observed this Feast on the fourteenth Moon upon what day of the week soever it fell out on which day the Jews were to offer theiâ— Paschal Lamb. But the Church of Rome together with others in the West did celebrate it always upon the Lord's day and hence grew a great rent between them for those of the East refusing to leave their former usage and custom for which they had so good â— warrant and to conform themselves hereiâ— unto the other Victor who was the Bishop of Rome possessing that Chair that would afterward usurp authority over all Churches and acting accordingly in the heighth of his pride and the heat of his passion begins to threaten and thunder out his excommunication against them Hereupon Irenaeus brooking his name as a lover of peace with the Brethren of the Gallican Churches being grieved at such insolent and harsh proceedings and foreseeing the sad effects they might produce thought it their duty not to stand still as idle Spectators but to interpose at least by their Letters and to endeavour a prevention if it might be of those evils that were like to ensue and follow upon so rigorous and sharp a censure which they did accordingly dealing plainly and roundly with the proud Prelate tartly reprehending him for handling his Brethren in so unchristian a manner and that for things indifferent which he made necessary he would fall upon so extreme a course the cutting off of so considerable a part from the Body shewing withal that his excommunication was void and of no force Now so great was the authority of the man with the Bishop of Rome who had not as yet exalted himself so high that it should not be lawful for any of his Fellow Bishops to take the boldness to admonish him or to say what dost thou though he should lead thousands to Hell and such the strength of the arguments alledged that the issue was as Feuardentius relates the asswaging of his fury and the deterring of him from that rash attempt of cutting off so many famous Churches from the Body of Christ whence followed a more serene face of things and a great tranquillity to the Churches of Christ. § 2. He was a man exceeding eminent and of chief note among those of his time very ancient and not far from the days of the Apostles Honourable mention is made of him by those of the following ages for Eusebius Inter omnes coaetaneos ei palmam tribuit gives him the preheminence above all his contemporaries Others stile him an Apostolical man admirable and the light of the Western Churches an ancient man of God highly commended he is as one in whom the resplendent Beams and brightness of Apostolical Doctrine did gloriously shine forth for what he had learned and received from Polycarp and Polycarp from the Apostle Iohn he retaining it in its purity communicated iâ— unto the Church so that in all things he
salutatio quidem ei extiterit cum his praetereunti communis I shall close his encomium in the words of Venantius who was also Bishop of Poictiers about the year of Christ 575. And a Poet of chief note according to the time he lived in He in four books of Heroick Verse wrote the life of S. Martin by whose help he had been cured as it is reported of a great pain in his eyes in the first of which books he thus speaks in the praise of our Hilary Summus apex fidei virtutis amoris Hilarius famae radios jactabat in orbem Buccina terribilis tuba legis praeco Tonantis Pulchrior electro ter cocto ardentior auro Largior Eridano Rhodano torrentior amplo Vberior Nilo generoso sparsior Hystro Cordis inundantis docilis ructare fluenta Fontibus ingenii sitienta pectora rorans Doctor Apostolicus vacuans ratione sophistas Dogmate luce side informans virtute sequaces Which may be thus Englished Hilary top of honour faith and grace Whose fame doth dart its rays in every place The laws shrill Trumpet preacher of the most High Fairer than Amber sparkling far and nigh More than refined Gold larger than Po More vehement than Rhone of swiftest flow For fruitfulness passing th' Egyptian Nile Outstretching generous Ister many a Mile Whose swelling heart freely its streams out spues And with his wit the thirsty brests bedews Doctor Apostolick skilful to unty The cunning knots of subtile Sophistry And by sound doctrine to inform aright His followers with virtue faith and light § 3. As for the Writings of this Worthy many of them have felt the force of time which hath rak'd them up in the dust so that they are withdrawn from the view and use of the present as also of some preceding Ages The little of them which with their names have been preserved unto this day is that which follows viz. 1. His commentary or tractates upon the Book of Iob which is little else than a translation of Origen For herein and in his comment upon the Psalms are to be found almost forty thousand verses quadraginta fermè millia versuum Origenis in Iob et Psalmos transtulit translated out of that Author in which he keeps to the sence though not unto his words These were extant in Ieroms time for he had the sight of them 2. His comment upon the Canticles which Ierom only heard of but it came not to his hands 3. Of Mysteries 4. Of the Septenary or uneven number a book mentioned by Ierom dedicated unto Fortunatus This book saith Victorius is extant under the name of Cyprian but that 't is rather Hilary's appears saith he from the stile Ieroms authority ascribing it to him and its dedication unto Fortunatus who was Hilary's great friend as his Poems do testifie 5. His book or commentary as Possevin calls it against Dioscorus a Physician or against Salust a Prefect wherein though it were but short yet was it a learned and accurate piece he shewed what he could do with his Pen putting out all the strength both of his wit and eloquence which is wanting not without the great loss of the History of the affairs of France and other Countries 6. His book against Valens and Vrsatius two pestilent Arians who had infected with their heresie Italy Illiricum and the East containing the History of the Acts of the councils of Ariminum and Seleucia which is lost unless perhaps it be contained in his book of of Synods 7. A defence of the Catholick Faith 8. Of heresies 9. A book of Chronicles or an history from the beginning of the world unto the time of Christ. 10. A book of hymns he was the first among the Catholicks that set forth hymns and verses Declarat inquit Erasmus phrasis et compositio Hilariani sermonis in carmine non infoelicem fuisse Et fortassis aliquot hymni quos hodiè canit ecclesia non indoctos sed incerti authoris illius sunt 11. Divers Epistles a work mentioned by Sulpitius Severus which reporteth the great age of Osius the famous Bishop of Corduba as being above an hundred year old The most of them seem to have been written after his return from banishment into France wherein condemning the Arian heresie he labours to reduce therefrom those Western Bishops who by the Eastern in the Council of Seleucia had been by cunning and craft deceived and drawn into it 12. Whereas the Centurists speak of a book of his concerning the rebaptization of hereticks I suppose it belongs not to our but another Hilary who was a Deacon in the Church of Rome and of Cyprian's mind in the point of rebaptization of those that had been baptized by hereticks and particularly the Arians He indeed wrote certain books upon this subject of whom Ierom is to be understood calling hlm the Worlds Deucalion as one that thought the whole World would have perished in the baptism of Hereticks as in a second flood had not he restored it by another Baptism There are extant to this day these following books which are generally conceived to be his 1. Twelve books of the Trinity against the Arians which he wrote when he was banished into Phrygia being the first among the Latine Fathers that dealt upon this subject A work in this regard of no small advantage unto the Reader that therein he expounds divers places not a little obscure in the Gospel of Iohn and Epistles of Paul no less happily than accurately The first of these books as it seems he writ last for it contains an account or sum of the whole work setting down particularly the subjects or contents of each of the other books It is an elaborate piece of much strength and commended even by the adversaries themselves 2. Three books or Apologues unto Constantius the Emperour who much favoured the faction of the Ariaus All which Erasmus thinks to be imperfect for saith he they promise something exact and laborious but perform not accordingly being as it were suddenly silent The first of these he conceives to have been written after the death of that Emperour because he therein deals more freely and sharply with him whereas in the other two he is more fair and moderate Baronius supposeth the first as well as the two later to have been written while the Emperour was alive and therefore that the book mentioned by Ierome to be written after the death of Constantius is not now extant because he saith that by this free confession he tended to martyrdom whereunto he exhorteth others by the like liberty of speaking which would have seemed ridiculous if the persecutor had been now dead But saith Bellarmine perhaps these different opinions may be reconciled by thus saying That at the Writing of the first Epistle Hilary thought
scuntur in Deum infantes parvulos pueros juvenes Seniores Ideò per omnem venit aetatem infantibus infans factus sanctificans infantes in parvulis parvulus sanctificans hanc ipsam habentes aetatem simâ—â— exemplum illis pietatis effectus justitie subjectionis Iuvenibus juvenis exempluâ— juvenibus fiens sanctificans Domino Sic senior in senioribus ut sit perfectus Magister iâ— omnibus non solùm secundum expositionâ—â— veritatis sed secundum aetatem sanctificans simul seniores exemplum ipsis quoque fiens c. Quia autem triginta annorum 〈◊〉 primae indolis est juvenis extenditur usque ad quadragesimum annum omnis quilibet confitebitur a quadragesimo aut quinquagesimo annâ— declinat jam in aetatem seniorâ—m quam bâ—bens Dominus noster docebat sicut Evangeliuâ— omnes seniores testantur qui in Asia apud Ioannem Discipulum Domini convenerunt id ipsum tradidisse eis Ioannem permansit autem cum eis usque ad Trajani tempora Quidem autem eorum non solùm Ioannem sed alios Apostolos viderunt haec eadem ab ipsis audierunt testantur de hujus modi relationâ— Non multum aberat a quinquaginta annis ideò dicebaut ei quinquagiâ—ta annorum nondum es Abraham vidisti Io. 8. 57. 4. Ierom and others ascribe unto him the errour of the Chiliasts or Millenaries though it be not to be found so expresly in his writings now extant All which the impudent Fryar Feuardentius glad to take yea to make an occasion that he might fall foul upon the Lutheran and Calvinian Hereticks as he calls them labours after a sort to defend him in as if they were meer calumnies and causless criminations Although some chief ones of his own Catholick faction to wit Baronius and Possevine as also Erasmus charge him with the same as well as others and who so lists to peruse his books shall find they had just cause so to do But the Antidotes as he calls his defence prefixed to his Edition of Irenaeus of such Mountebanks are no better then poyson and saith the learned Rivet I would admonish young Students to beware of the Edition of this shameless and faithless Monk as being in many things corrupted and defiled with his impious and lying Annotations Besides these there are some other things and expressions which fell from the Pen of this worthy Man that do need the friendly and favourable construction of his Reader among the rest is that passage lib. 3. cap. 21. Propter hoc verbum Dei homo qui filius Dei est filius hominis factus est Commixtus verbo Dei ut adoptionem percipiens fiat filius Dei Also that lib. 5. cap. 26. Beâ—è Iustinus dixit quoniam ante Domini adventum nunquam aâ—sus est Satanas blasphemore Deum quippe nondum sciens suam damnationem Also that lib. 4. cap. 30. Henoch sine circumcisione placens Deo cum esset homo Dei legatione ad Angelos fungebatur translatus est conservatur usque nunc testis justi judicii Dei quoniam Angeli transgressi deciderunt in judicium homo autem placens translatus est in salutem Lastly that lib. 5. Discipulorum animae abibunt in invisibilem locum definitum eis a Deo ibi usque ad resurrectionem commorabuntur sustiâ—entes resurrectionem post recipientes corpora perfectè resurgentes hoc est corporaliter quâ—madmodum Dominus resurrexit sic venient ad conspectum Dei These and such like do crave the candour and indulgence of the judicious Reader § 7. As touching his Death and Martyrdom Ado Bishop of Vienna Gregory Bishop of Turon and Baronius do report that in the persecution under the Emperour Severus which raged especially about Lyons by the command of the Emperour the said City was invironed with Soldiers who slew with the Sword all the Christians that were found therein the chief of whom was this Irenaeuâ— their Bishop who with the rest received the glorious Crown of Martyrdom At what time the slaughter was so great saith Gregory Turonens that the very streets ran with blood In what year this hapned Historians record not only Baronius conjectures that the persecution of the Christians under Severus began not until the tenth year of his Reign and that one of the first places wherein he exercised his cruelty was this City of whose constancy he had had such experience that he knew neither threats nor flatteries would make the Church there under such a Prelate to bend or yield and therefore determined to destroy them by the Sword He therefore refers the Martyrdom of Irenaeus Ad. an Dâ—m 205. Severi 11. Clemens Alexendrinus § 1. HE Stiles himself Titus Flavius Clemens for with this inscription were his books of Stromes extant in Eusebius his time and so also had Photius found in a very old Copy as he saith those books of his Entituled What country man he was by birth is somewhat uncertain only it is conjectured that he was born in Athens that City so much famed for Learning throughout the world where was the first Academy or Schools of Learning known by that name which since is become the common appellation of places of that nature Academiae nomen Athenis primùm inclaruisse apud omnes fermè authores convenit inquit Iunius Epiphonius therefore speaking of him some saith he call him Clemens of Alexandria others of Athens this latter being the place of his birth as the former of his breeding and most abode and as in the one he drew his first breath so in the other having spent the most of it he breathed out his last Being exceedingly desirous of learning and knowledge he spent his first time of study in Greece from whence going Eastward he came into Palestine and lastly from thence into Egypt setling in the famous School of Alexandria wherein he continued the remainder of his time either as a Scholar in learning or as a Doctor in teaching Whence he got that name by which to this day he is commonly call'd and known viz. of Clemens not the Athenian but the Alexandrian In this place he was first an Auditour of Pantaenus when or how he was converted to Christianity is uncertain a man very eminent both for his life and learning and this both Sacred and Secular who being at first a Philosopher of the Sect of the Stoicks and afterward converted unto Christianity was the first after the Apostles who there exercised the Office of Magister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or instructour of the Catechumens and Governour of the School or Academy Doctor Audientium as Cyprian calls this Officer the Catechist unto which function he was called by Demetrius the then Bishop of that place whose work it was to open and Interpret the Scriptures to instruct the Catechumens or young
believers in the grounds and principles of Christianity and to refute Ethnick and heretical opinions which they used to do not in Sermons and Homelies but in a Scholastical manner their Auditors being not only such as were newly converted from heathenism but also the children of believers grown up to years of understanding specially such as were intended for Ecclesiastical imployments Accordingly not only were the principles of Religion taught and the Sacred Scriptures expounded in these Christian Schools whereof this at Alexandria is conceived to have been the first and most famous being founded by Mark the Evangelist who planted the first Church in that City but those who were trained up in them did also apply themselves to the study of the liberal arts and languages in which regard Alexandria is by Gregory Nazianzen in his Oration in the praise of Caesarius called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the shop of all kind of learning Of these Schools Duarenus gives us this account Fuerunt inquit antiquitùs Ecclesiasticae scholae ad clèrìcorum aliorum egentium eruditionem institutae quibus scholis praeficiebantur magistri qui non literas modò sacras sed Grammaticam etiam liberales disciplinas docerent Erat igitur hoc munus a pastoris officio distinctum separatum Hence it is conceived our Universities took their Original in this Town viz. Alexandria Gautenus saith Heylin he should have said Pantenus read Divinity and Philosophy An. 180. from whom it is thought that the Orders of instituting Universities first began in Christendom Thus did the Ancients deem the liberal Arts to be of great use and very requisite to the preservation of the purity of Religion for which end Origen exhorted his Scholars to the diligent study of them affirming them to be very needful both for disputations and also the explication of the Sacred Scriptures And it is evident that the most famous Fathers of the Church did much excel therein being richly furnished with the knowledg of them Clemens having here spent some time in these kind of studies with great proficiency was at length made Presbyter of this Church and after a while Pantenus dying he was esteemed worthy to succeed him in the Office of Doctor or Moderator of that School in which imployment he continued long even unto the end of his days managing it with much industry and prudence to the great benefit and advantage of those that attended upon him and gaining general applause and approbation § 2. He was a man of admirable and choice endowments of nature of an acute wit most tenacious memory which he imployed and improved to the uttermost sparing neither industry nor travail for the attaining of learning and knowledge which he was very greatly desirous yea greedy of for which cause he betook him to the Schools of those men in divers provinces and countries who were most eminent and famous drawing from them what he found to be best and might most advantage him in that which he sought for Nor did he attend only upon the living but also applied himself unto and consulted with the dead diligently and judiciously perusing the Monuments of men learned in every kind that went before him as well Heathen Poets Philosophers Historians whether Greeks or Barbarians as Christian as his works full stuft with multiplicity of Authors and variety of reading do amply testifie By this means did he attain unto a great height and more then Ordinary measure of learning both Divine and Humane so that in all Antiquity he was accounted Vir celeberrimus most renowned Clarissimus horum temporum Ecclesiasticus tractator and in the judgment of Ierom than which what more accurate the most Learned of all the Ancients in whose books saith he what is there to be found unlearned yea what not extracted out of the very bowels of Philosophy they are full fraught with Learning and Eloquence Hence he is adorned by others with the titles of an egregious most Learned and most eloquent man an holy man who exceeds all others in his skill and cunning in many things of notable and almost incredible knowledge saith Gentian Hervet in Epist. ante Paedagogum in whom it so abounds that he cannot be drawn dry briefly he is saith Heinsius penu eruditionis scientiae a full store-house and plentiful magazine of Learning and knowledge so that Cyril who was afterward Bishop of the same City where our Clement was Presbyter and Professor calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eloquent man endued with multiplicity of knowledge one that dived so far into the writings of the Greeks as few of those had done who went before him His piety and zeal for the honour of God and the advancement of Christian Religion were no less than his Learning being a devout and holy Man For he was serviceable not only to the Church of Alexandria whereunto he stood in special relation but went from thence unto the Churches of Ierusalem and Antioch who by his preaching among them were not a little advantaged some being edified and confirmed in the Faith of Christ and others recovered from their errours who had been seduced by false teachers Somewhat this way sounds the testimony concerning him of Alexander at that time Bishop of Ierusalem in his congratulatory Epistle unto the Church of Antioch These lines saith he I send unto you by Clement the blessed Presbyter whom ye also know and shall now more fully recognize who coming hither by the providence and visitation of God hath confirmed and increased the Church of the Lord. Thus as a faithful servant and steward did he diligently lay out and imploy the talents that he had received for the advantage of his Lord and Master who had intrusted him with them He likewise greatly improved both the Learning and Life of his Master Pantenus who was a pious and a prudent man receiving from him not only instructions as a Doctor for his information but also an example and pattern as a president for his imitation for saith Nicephorus as he succeeded him in his place and imployment so did he also tread in his steps and observed the same manner and method both in his life and lectures § 3. He was exceeding useful unto the Church of Christ as well by his pen as by his preaching for being a man of singular and more than ordinary abilities he wrote divers books wherein he transmitted unto posterity the doctrines which he had received and taught and vigorously asserted and maintained the truth against the adversaries and opposers of it Of which writings many are lost through the injury of time and neglect of succeeding ages and some are remaining unto this day Of the first sort are such as these by Ierom and Eusebius 1. A Commentary de Paschate which saith Eusebius he composed at the instance of some friends who earnestly desired that he would commit to writing
and of light to illuminate but also and that chiefly to bring that unto some good and profitable end and issue that hath been devised by wicked men and to use those things profitably which seem to be evil Again nothing comes to pass without the will of the Lord of all It remains therefore that we briefly say that things of this Nature viz. persecutions c. do come to pass the Lord not letting or hindring them for this only salves both the Divine Providence and Goodness for we ought not to imagine that he doth effectually cause afflictions far be it from us so to think but we ought to perswade our selves that he doth not hinder those who are the authors of them but make use of the bold attempts of adversaries unto a good end 7. God who is good and gracious chastiseth for three causes 1. That he who is chastised may become better than he was 2. That such as may or shall be saved being admonished by Examples may be prepared 3. That he who is injured may not be contemned and apt or exposed to more injury 8. Speaking of the several sorts of Officers in the Church he makes mention only of those three commonly received viz. Bishops Elders and Deacons 9. Reprehension is as it were a kind of Chirurgery of the affections of the Soul and admonition is as it were a kind of dyet for the sick soul which counselleth and adviseth unto those things that are to be taken and forbids such as are to be forborn 10. He calls pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Metropolis or principal seat of Vice 11. As touching the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews because I find it recorded by Eusebius Nicephorus and others I thought good not to omit it he affirmeth it to be Pauls undoubtly whom he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the divine Apostle and therefore written in the Hebrew Tongue for the Hebrews sakes but faithfully translated by Luke who was the Disciple of Paul and published unto the Gentiles or Greeks and therefore we find in it the like phrase or manner of speech as is used in the Acts of the Apostles And that we have not the wonted superscription prefixed in this Epistle viz. Paul an Apostle c. he gives this reason of it For saith he writing unto the Hebrews because of the ill opinion they had conceived of him he very wisely concealed his name left upon the sight thereof they should be dismayed and refuse to read the Epistle And also even as Macarius the Elder said for as much as the Lord himself was the Messenger of the Almighty and sent unto the Hebrews Paul for modesties sake or out of his humility being the Apostle of the Gentiles wrote not himself the Apostle of the Hebrews partly for the honour due to Christ and partly also for that he being the Apostle of the Gentiles did freely and boldly write unto the Hebrews 12. Of the Order of the Evangelists according unto the tradition of the Elders he thus writeth The Gospels which contain the Genealogies are placed and accounted the first viz. Matthew and Luke The Gospel according to Mark was written upon this occasion when Peter preached openly at Rome and published the Gospel by lively voice many of his Auditors entreated Mark having been a hearer and follower of that Apostle a long time and one that well remembred his words to deliver unto them in writing such things as he had heard Peter Preach before which thing when Peter afterward understood to be done though he had not given command that it should be done yet being done he forbad it not Iohn last of all seeing in the other Evangelists the Humanity of Christ set forth at large being intreated by the Disciples and filled with the holy Ghost he wrote chiefly of his Divinity 13. By the Gnostick in our Author in whom this term is freequently used we are to understand the compleat and perfect Christian whom he so stiles in opposition unto those foul Hereticks and false Christians who for the excellency of knowledge which they vainly boasted of proudly assumed and appropriated unto themselves this name and title of Gnosticks or knowing men by which they are commonly known Against these he opposeth the true Gnostick for the information and description of whom he wrote his Books of Stromes as the inscription set down by Eusebius and more at large by Photius doth more than intimate though especially and particularly he discourseth upon this subject in the sixth and seventh Books wherein he treateth of the Affections Science Speech Prayers Love both to God and to the Truth of the benignity Sacrifices and Contemplation of the true Gnostick In which description he is so exact that he therein shews rather what a one a Christian should be than what any one is there being no such example to be found such as was the pourtraict of a wise man by the Stoicks and of a common-wealth by Plato whom herein our Author imitated 14. He shews whence several Heresies have their several names Some saith he take their names from the Authors of them as from Valentinus Marcion and Basilides although they boast that they bring the opinion of Mathias for both the Doctrine and Tradition of all the Apostles was one and the same Some are named from the place as the Peratici Others from the Nation as the Heresie of the Phrygians Some from their profession as the Encratitae because they abstained from Marriage Wine and the eating of Flesh others from their proper opinions as the Docitae and Haematitae Some from their hypotheses and the things which they honoured as those which are called Cainists and Ophiani Others from those things which they nefariously perpetrated and dared as those of the Simoniani who are called Entychitae Of which last Danaeus thus speaks Canistae qui ab amoribus turpissimis ita sunt appellati fuerunt tetriores quanquam Clement strom lib. 7. putat fuisse Eutychitas sed errorem subesse in condicibus impressis nemo qui aliorum de eisdem rebus scripta legerit dubitabit 15. In the first Book of Stromes undertaking to demonstrate the antiquity of the Christian Religion and that it was before the Philosophy of the Heathen he proves that Moses who flourished in the time of Inachus the King of the Argives was more ancient than any of the Greek Poets Philosophers or Wise men yea most of their gods to which end he sets down and reckons the times of the Kingdoms of the Jews Persians Macedonians and Romans and so presents us with an exact and accurate Chronology from the time of Moses unto the death of Emperour Commodus in whose Successors reigns viz. Severus for Pertinax who came between them held the Empire but a few Months he wrote these Books as Eusebius concludes for thus he Clemens writing his Books of Stromes
Cloak and so continued year after year to put forth some or other of his Labours unto the time of his defection which fell out in the eighteenth year of that Emperour's Reign so that he remained in the Church after his conversion about fifteen years before he arrived unto his middle age and therefore could be of no great age when first he gave up his name to Christ. That which gave the occasion of his relinquishing the Heathenish and embracing the Christian Religion some conceive taking a hint hereof from a passage of his own to have been this viz. that the Devils being sometimes adjured did though unwillingly confess that they were the Gods of the Gentiles This put him upon the search and study of the Scriptures whose great antiquity as transcending all other writings in this regard asserted their authority and the truth of the predictions contained in them testified by answerable events was a sufficient argument of their Divinity which two duly considered could not but prove strong inducements to perswade him that the Doctrine and Religion therein taught and discoursed must needs be the truest and above any other most worthiest to be believed and embraced To which he added as no small help hereunto the diligent perusal of those writings of his Predecessors wherein they had testified against the Gentiles their profane practices and abominable Idolatries Having after his conversion spent some time in Carthage where he was promoted unto the degree and office of a Presbyter he afterward came to Rome in which City he was had in great estimation being famous among those learned men who flourished there at that time Upon what occasion he came to Rome and how long he made his abode there is uncertain Pamelius conceives thâ—â— his Book de coronâ militis was there writteâ— in the sixteenth year of Severus in the eighteenth year of whose Reign he made his defection from the Church upon which he was excommunicated and consequently in alâ— likelyhood then left that place returning again unto Carthage But how long or short soever his continuance was there it proveâ— too long for him in regard of the mischiâ—â— that there betided him for in this place 〈◊〉 was that he split and dashed himself upon the Rock of Montanism either through 〈◊〉 overlargeness of the Sails of self-conceit 〈◊〉 the impetuous gusts of his own passions Ierom and divers other Historians do agree in this that his defection took beginning from the envy conceived against and contumelies cast upon him by the Romish Clergy moved hereunto either by his Learning and Virtue wherein haply he might go beyond and out-shine them and so seem to detract from their worth and eclipse their Glory or for that being extremely studious of continence and chastity they thought him to lean toward and too much favour though closely the Heresie of Montanus or lastly because in some of his Books he had too sharply reprehended the vices which he had observed among them hereupon being a man of a cholerick and violent spirit impatient and unable to brook and bear such injuries Cum ingenio calamo omnia vinceret impatientiam vincere non potuit inquit Scultet Miserrimus ego inquit Tertullianus ipse semper aeger caloribus impatientiae patientiae sanitatem suspicem necesse est he openly joyned himself unto that Sect which being once faln to he as zealously laboured to defend and plead for as he had formerly opposed it proving as vehement an adversary of the Orthodox as he had been of the Hereticks Some conceive the occasion of his fall might be because that after the death of Agrippinus he suffered a repulse and was put by the Bishoprick of Carthage Sic Valentinus cum cujusdam Ecclesiae Episcopatum ambiret ipsius non fuisset habita ratio offensus hac re veteris cujusdom opinionis praestigias adversus orthodoxos docere caepit hoc videlicet pacto sui contemptum ulturus whereunto may be added as a step to his fall that he was a man of an easie belief and of no great judgement saith Rivet insomuch as he was apt to give credit unto the feigned Relations of every silly woman and to prefer them before the most certain and Catholick Doctrines These things thus making way for it the work became the more facile and easie whereof one Proclus was the unhappy instrument reputed a most eloquent man and one of the more moderate followers of Montanus with this Man being then at Rome Tertullian grew familiar having him in admiration for his eloquence and Virgin old age ut Proculus inquit nostrae Virginis senectae Christians eloquentiae dignitas loqui autem eum de Pâ—culo seu Proclo Montanistâ apparet inquit Pâ—melius de quo suprà auctor lib. de praescriâ—â— advers haeretic Proclus making his advantage hereof soon deceived him telling him that the Doctrine which he professed he had received not from Man but from the Paracleâ— that descended first upon Montanus he highly commended chastity injoyned fasting to be observed in the strictest manner as by the instinct of the spirit multiplyed watchings and prayers and so much extolled martyrdom that he held it unlawful to fly or use aâ— means for the preservation of life What 〈◊〉 thus confidently taught and delivered was â—â—greedily taken in by Tertullian in so much â— he quickly became giddy yea even drunkâ— with his Fanatical opinions which as he entertained with facility so did he retain theâ—â— with pertinacy in whom we find this verified that eminent gifts may occasion a 〈◊〉 fall but cannot keep him from falling it being Grace alone that makes the soul steddy and secures it against all the impetuous blasts of temptation Great parâ—s expose men to hazard 1. Through pride which is too often the companion of them and begotten by them hence they soar aloft prying into things secret not content to walk in the common and safe road they would as he Acts 8. 9. be some body more than ordinary and so transcending the limits of sobriety they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon which precipice being once gotten they soon fall into the snare of the Devil 2. Through envy which for the most part follows them as the shadow the substance this blasting their reputation and being as a dead fly in the pot of their precious ointment they betake them unto factions chusing rather to side with the erroneus in esteem then with the orthodox in disgrace 3. Through ambition they would fain be as eminent in place as in parts accounting themselves injured when others are preferred before them hence it comes to pass that sometime in way of discontent and by way of revenge they have deserted yea set themselves against the truth because they would make opposition against those that have stood in their way and crost them in their expectations By this means he lost both his
repute and also his place in the Church which excommunicated and owned him no longer Hence also it came to pass that having erred so fouly his writings were of little authority and lost much of their esteem being prohibited to be read by Gelasius and because absurd opinions were in them mingled with other things they were by the orthodox condemned and reckoned in the number of Apocryphal books He was saith Bellarmine an arch Heretick and in matters dogmatical of very small account Ierom therefore being by Helvidius prest with the authority of Tertulian in his heat thus â—oundly replies I say no more of him but that he was no man of the Church Nevertheless that especially for which he was adjudged and proceeded against as an Heretick was this that betaking him to the Cataphrygians or Montanists whom before he had opposed he began to condemn second marriages contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle 1 Tim. 5. 14. as no better then fornication which opinion he was the rather moved to embrace saith Rhenanus because he thought that the last day which elegantly he calls diem expeditionis lib. 1. ad uxorem was near at hand as also did Ierom and other of the Ancients grounding upon that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 29. 〈◊〉 time is short it remaineth that they that 〈◊〉 wives be as though they had none 〈◊〉 hereto he added which compleated his fault that being divided from the Cataphrygians he â— length gathered conventicles of his own and became the Authour of that sâ—ct which from him are called and known by the name of Tertullianists Doubtless the fall of this worthy Man struck a very great fear with admiration into the hearts of the faithful when they saw one so eminent and learned such a lover of truth and in every regard so accomplished to miscarry In this sad condition did he remain unto the end of his life for ought that appears in History to the contrary which mentions his fall but not his rise and recovery herein greatly to be pittied that having with so much zeal and strength maintained the Doctrine of Christianity against the adversaries thereof he should at length unworthily desert the truth and become a champion of the grossest errours It is iniquity and maketh a Man a transgressor to build again the things which he had destroyed and a point of greatest folly to begin in the spirit but to end in the flesh let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Yet I shall not omit to give you the judgement and charitable thoughts of the learned Daille concerning him We are to take notice saith he that his Montanism put no separation at all betwixt him and other Christians save only in point of Discipline which he according to the severity of his nature would have to be most harsh and rigorous for as for his Doctrine it is very evident that he constantly kept to the very same rule and the same Faith that the Catholicks did And this is evident enough out of all those books which were written by him during the time of his being a Montanist wherein he never disputeth or contendeth about any thing save only about Discipline § 2. He is a very ancient Authour neaâ— neighbour unto the Apostles times the very first among all the Latin Fathers and Ecclesiastical Writers whose works are come to our hands then whom the Christian World scarce hath an Elder who preceeded all the Councils those in the Acts only excepted and the first that strenuously asserted and vindicated the Doctrines of the Gospel against all the cunning cavils and bold attempts of prophane Hereticks He was a Man of a sharp wit and vehement spirit very bold and undaunted which he notably discovered in his plea and Apology for the Christians wherein he budgeth not a jot from that constancy that became him not caring and little curious to curry favour as knowing well he had a just and honest cause in hand Vehementi ardore magnoque affectu pro orthodoxâ religione scribit disputaâ— pugnat ut liqueat eum nihil fingere verae pietatis atque Martyrii amantibus semper gratissimus So accomplisht was he and exactly skilful in all kind of Learning as no Man more in the judgement of Ierom in so much as he accounted that what himself had was but very little in comparison also I pray saith he to Fabiola ne meam 〈…〉 comparetis compare not my drop to his stream vir undecunque doctissimus being excellently insighted into Philosophy a most accurate disputant throughly exercised in the Art of Rhetorick and most compleatly furnished with the knowledge of all Antiquity He had diligently perused all sorts of Authors a large Catalogue whereof is set down by Pamelius Grammarians Poets Historians Philosophers Mathematicians Orators Civilians c. from whence this industrious and busie Bee as from so many flowers gathered that honey wherewith his Hive was so replenished He was no less acquainted with the Greek then with the Latin Tongue as appears from his being conversant in Authors as well Greek as Latin the most of Ecclesiasticks that had gone before him having written in Greek Shortly in the judgement of Erasmus he was inter Latinos Theologus multò omnium doctissimus After his conversion he bent his studies to Divinity and spent night and day in reading not only Ecclesiastical Writers but chiefly the sacred Scriptures wherein his books shew him to be more than ordinarily versed in citing whereof he follows the Interpretation of the Septuagint in the old Testament and the Greek Text in the new in translating whereof in a peculiar manner and different from all others it 's very manifest that he was no mean Grecian but familiarly acquainted with that Tongue He had a notably faculty in teaching and could do much that way wherein as also in writing he excelled both in fulness and gravity yet would he sometimes have such sprinklings of the salt of his wit among as that he would move laughter in his Auditors with his merry conceits whom herein Ierom too often imitates He was as eminent and as exemplary in his life as other ways non loquitur solùm magna verùm etiam indubiè vixit not only speaking great things but without doubt acting and living accordingly as Minutius Felix his contemporary in his Octavio speaks of the Christians of that time non eloquimur magnâ— sed vivimus Of a comely behaviour innocent and harmless ubique mirum magnumque animi Zelum in Deum spirat full of zeal toward God and of great austerity insomuch as his over-valuing of continence watchings fastings c. gave Proclus his Seducer no small advantage and became one of those baits whereby he was at length insnared These things had made his name and memory
sweet and precious amongst Men unto this day had not the dead fly corrupted and marr'd the savour of the fragrant oyntment Let Vincentius Lyrniensis be heard an ancient Father too and if any thing be wanting above he will supply it and make his encomium full He is saith he accounted the chief among the Latins for who more learned then this Man who more exercised in things both divine and humane In the wonderful vastness and capacity of his mind he comprehended all Philosophy and all the sects of Philosophers the authors and assertors of those sects together with all their Discipline all variety of History yea of all kinds of study Was not his Wit so weighty and vehement that he propounded almost nothing to himself to be overcome and master'd by him which he either brake not through with the sharpness or else dashâ— in pieces with the ponderousness of it Moreover who can set forth the praises of his speech which is so invironed with I know not what strength of reason that whom he could not perswade he doth even force to yeild to his consent in whom there are as many sentences as words and as many victories as reasons as Marcion Apelles Praxeas Hermâ—genes the Jews the Gentiles Gnosticks and others knew full well whose blasphemies he overthrew with the many and mighty mounts and batteries of his Volumes as it were with certain thunderbolts And yet even this man by much more eloquent than happy not holding the ancient Faith even he also became in Ecclesiâ magna tentatio a great temptation in the Churcâ— of God § 3. As he was a Man of great abilities sâ— was he of no less industry as appears by those lasting monuments of his learned and elaborate Volumes Acutus Scriptor gravis inquit Danaeus qui totum hominem desideret imò etiam saepè ingenii communem captum superet who was had in great estimation especially by holy Cyprian so that he suffered no day to pass without the diligent reading and perusal of some part of him testifying the extraordinary respect which he bare toward him by the words he was wont to use when he called for him saying Da Magistrum reach hither my Master whom also in many things he imitated borrowing even his words and expressions from him and transcribing many passages out of him which he inserted into his own books many other also of the Ancients that followed him made use of him viz. Ierom Ambrose Fortunatus Basil Isidore c which plainly shews that they had him in great veneration As the ancient Ethnicks honoured Homer the Prince of Poets and particularly Arcesilaus the Academick who was so delighted with and studious of him that he would always read somewhat of him before he went to sleep as also in the morning when he arose saying that he went ad Amasium to his beloved Of his works some are wanting but the most remaining unto this day Of the first sort are 1. His Treatise of the troubles attending marriage unto a Philosopher his friend which he wrote when he was but young â—um adhuc esset adolescens lusit in hac materiâ before as Pamelius thinks but in the judgement of Baronius after his conversion 2. His book of the Garments of Aaron which Ierom mentions in his Epistle to Fabiola 3. Of the hope of the faithful wherein he declares himself to be a Millenary himself mentions it advers Marcionem lib. 3. 4. Of Paradise which he thus speaks of himself habes etiam de Paradiso a nobis libellum quo constituimus omnem animum apud inferos sequestrari in die Domini 5. Against Apelles who with Lucian the Heretick having been the Disciple of Marcion and falling upon errours of his own differing from his Master became the author of a Sect that from him have the name of Apelletiani as Tertullian stiles them or Apelleiani as Epiphanius or Apellitae as Augustine or Apelliaci as Rhenanus alluding unto them as the denyers of the Flesh of Christ which was their errour Quasi sine pelle sive cute hoc est carne ut Horatius Iudaeum vocat Apellam quòd sine pelle sit nempe quòd praeputium non habeat Against these Hereticks did Tertullian write this Book inscribed adversus Apelletianos 6. Six Books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Rapture which saith Pamelius seem rather to have been written in Greek than Latine and a seventh which he wrote particularly against Appollonius who with Victor are the only two Latin Fathers that preceded Tertullian who hath the third place among them in Ieroms Catalogue wherein he endeavours to defend whatever the other reproved him for These were written after his defection against the Church containing in them divers of his wild Montanistical conceits which therefore may well be wanting without any detriment the bad by much over-weighing the good that was in them they might haply be suppress'd by some who wished well unto the peace of the Church and surely the loss of them would have proved a gain had the errours contained in them been with them buried in everlasting oblivion It 's a mistake of Platina to say that he wrote six Books of Ecstacy against Apollonius whereas 't was only a seventh So it is also of Honorius Augustodunensis who reckons but five of Ecstasie and six against Apollonius and of Trithemius who records but one of each which he saith he had seen so that they seem to have been extant even unto his time 7. A Book against Marcion as he himself intimates written by him in his yonger years somewhat overhastily as Ierom speaks of an Allegorical exposition of the Prophet Obadiab composed by himself in his youth liberè profiteor illud fuisse puerilis ingenii in libris quoque contra Marcionem Septimius Tertullianus hoc idem passus est 8. Of the submission of the Soul 9. Of the superstition of that age these two saith Gothfredus among the rest were in the Index of the Books of Tertullian which was prefix'd unto that Ancient Manuscript out of which he took those two Books of his ad Nationes which he published 10. That the Soul is corporeal volumen hoc suppressum putamus inquit Rhenanus To which added 11. De Fato 12. De Nuptiarum angustiis ad Amicum philosophum 13. De mundis immundis animalibus 14. De circumcisione 15. De Trinitate 16. De censu animae adversus Hermogenem which Pamelius hath in his Catalogue also 17. Trithemius sets down in his Catalogue a Book of his Contra omnes Haereses which begins with Divorum Haereticorum 18. The Book of English Homilies tom 2. part 2. against the peril of idolatry mentions his Book Contra coronandi morem which I find no where else spoken off unless it be the same with his Book De coronâ Militis 19. Bishop Andrews in
contumeliously calls the Orthodox accounting those to be carnal who rejected the prophesie of Montanus and those only spiritual alluding unto 1 Cor. 2. who received and embraced it Herein he defends the set Fasts and stations observed by the Montanists Of the name Psychicus Baronius gives us this account Ignominiae causâ— Orthodoxos Psychicos nominare fuit ut autor est Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 1. Valentini haeresiarchae inventum qui Psychicos nominabat homines qui non essent sicut ipse ut aiebat spirituales Transiit vox eadem ad Cataphrygas qui aequè omnes non suscipientes Paracletum Psychicos appellabant 29. Of prayer which Hilary calls volumen aptissimum wherein he commendeth and commenteth upon the Lords Prayer adding somewhat of the adjuncts of prayer The title and subject hereof seem to intimate that it was a mistake in Sixtus Senensis to imagine that he wrote two books upon this subject one whereof he intitles in orationem dominicam the other de oratione 30. An Apology against the Gentiles in the behalf of the Christians wherein he notably and at large defends their innocency clearing them of the crimes falsely charged upon them and fully evincing the groundlesness of the adversaries hatred to and unjust proceedings against them imitating herein Iustin and Aristides who had undertaken the same task before him who yet he far transcends both in sharpness of wit and soundness of Learning how boldly doth he stand up against the Gentiles how constantly maintain the purity of our faith what Authors doth he not read which of their disciplines doth he not touch so that this book alone is abundantly sufficient to convince the pertinacy of the Gentiles It contains in it saith Ierom cunctam saeculi disciplinam wherein he is more elegant than ordinary the strength whereof was such that in likelyhood it was the thing that prevaii'd to the mitigation of the enemies fury and in some measure the cessation of the persecution then raised against the Christians It was written by him as both Pamelius and Baronius conjâ—ctâ—â—â— in the seventh year of the Emperor Severus An. Christi 201. Of the excellency hereof Prateolus thus speaks proculdubiò inquit verum est quum acris ardentis ingenii non ferens gentilium insolentiam atque saevitiam quâ in Christianos ferebantur omnes ingenii sui nervos in borum defensionem intendit incomparabiles interim eruditionis eloquentiae suae opes isthic oftentans 31. Ad nationes libri duo set forth and published singly by Iacobus Cothofrâ—dus I.C. which by divers arguments he would prove to be Tertullians also that they were written before his Apologetick as a Prodrome or preparatory to it as his book de testimonio animâ— followed after and was added as a third way whereby he attempted the Gentiles viz. by testimonies drawn from the soul and by those forms of speech wherein they named God in common use among them He also shews it to differ from his Apologetick because in these books he directs himself unto the Nations in general but in that only unto the Governors and Presidents of the Roman Empire besides these are purely Elenctical wherein he undertakes not to defend the cause of the Christians as in the other he doth but reproves the iniquity of the Nations against the Christians and shews the vanity of the Gentile Gods Ierom mentions these books contra gentes as distinct from his Apology quid inquit Tertulliano eruditius quid acutius Apologeticus ejus contra gentes libri cunctam saeculi continent Disciplinam Of these following it is doubted whether they be his or no. 1. An Epistle concerning Judaical meats wherein he shews that the difference between clean and unclean meats injoyned unto the Jews is taken away and abolished under the Gospel Pamelius thinks this Epistle to be none of his but rather Novatians whose name therefore he prefixeth to it thus Novatiani Romanae Ecclesiae presbyteri de cibis Iudâ—icis epistola It seems saith Bellarmine to have been sent by some Bishop unto his own people but Tertullian was no Bishop yet I determine nothing Both the Stile saith Rivet and the Texts of Scripture otherwise Translated then in Tertullian as also that the Author remembers his withdrawing in the time of persecution which Tertullian is every where against plainly shew it to be none of his 2. Of the Trinity concerning which Ruffin and others do report that certain of the Macedonian Hereticks who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finding somewhat in Tertullians book of the Trinity which was for their advantage inserted it among the Epistles of Cyprian causing them to be dispersed about Constantinople and sold at a low rate that so being the more bought up and read what was unsound therein might be the sooner embraced for the Authority of so great an Author by which means as they supposed their cause would be credited and promoted But saith Ierom there is no such matter for that book of the Trinity is neither Tertullians nor Cyprians but Novatians as both by the title and propriety of the stile doth evidently appear characterem alium genus dieendi nitidius in eo notat Laurentius Hence Ierom speaking of Novatian He wrote saith he grande volumen a great volum of the Trinity making as it were an Epitome of Tertullians work upon this subject which many ignorantly think to be Cyprians this piece of Novatians exceeding in bulk that of Tertullians now extant it must needs refer unto some book of his on that subject now wanting unless we will make which is absurd the Epitome to be larger then the book it self whose compend it is Bellarmine supposeth it to be beyond all doubt that this book is none of Tertullians because the heresie of Sabellius which began almost an hundred years after Tertullians time is therein by name refuted with whom Pamelius accords adding this as another reason of his confidence that the Author in the sixth Chapter denieth Corporeal Lineaments in God which Tertullian more then once affirms How ever it be it is a learned and elegant book though yet there are some things to be found in it not agreeable to the Christian Faith and I conclude saith Sculteius that whoever was the Author it is written according to the genius of Tertullian and therefore deservedly set forth under his name seeing it agrees so well with that Noble work of his against Praxeas Baronius tells us that those of the Eastern Church did receive it as the legitimate writing of Tertullian 3. Of Repentance wherein he discourseth of the excellency and utility thereof perswading to beware of recidivation and returning unto sin again after repentance particularly directing himself unto the Catechumens who for that they believed their sins would be all blotted out and wash'd away in Baptism were not so careful as
they should have been to abstain from it Est autem hic commentarius ejusmodi ut theologi eum debeant ad unguem ediscere nam egregium monumentum est antiquitatis tam sanctè docet tam piè suadet tam instanter urget rem ecclesiasticae disciplinae summopere necessariam In the argument of this book Rhenanuâ— that expert Antiquary solertissâ—nus Tertulliani interpres hath spoken so much and so freely against the Auricular Confession of the Romish Synagogue crudelis illa conscientiarum carnificina that cruel rack of consciences that the Council or rather that politick and pack'd Conventicle of Trent took order that the most part of it should be expunged as unskilful rash false heretical and otherways scandalous as they did also by somewhat contained in the argument of his book de carne Christi because it suited not with their Doctrine of the perfection of the Virgine Mary a short way were it as safe and honest to make all sure But this book also in the judgment of the quick-sighted Erasmus grounded upon the difference of the stile from that of Tertullian is none of his but of some other very studious in our Author and living about the same time to whom Rhenanus subscribes though the author use many words and figures agreeable to and borrowed from Tertullian I am of opition saith Daille that both the birth and fortune of that piece de paenitentiâ hath been if not the very same yet at least not much unlike that of the Trinity though Pamelius and Baronius be of another mind and would fain it should be his 4. His Poems which are diverse according to Pamelius viz. 1. Against Marcion 5. books 2. Of the Judgement of the Lord. 3. Genesis 4. Sodom 5. His Poem to a Senator that turned from the Christian Religion to the service of Idols But should we reject them all as Apocryphal seeing neither Ierom nor Eusebius make any mention of them together with Iuret's Ionab and Nineveh notwithstanding the Authority of his old Manuscript I suppose that neither our Authour nor the Commonwealth of Learning would at all be injured hereby Pamelius tells us that in his Edition of Cyprian's works he had entituled them unto him as the composer of them but thinks it not amiss to follow the censure of Sixtus Senensis who ascribes the Poem of Sodom unto Tertullian induced hereunto by the fidelity as he supposeth of some Manuscripts and because the stile is the same with that of the other he concludes that all three were his viz. Genesis Sodoma ad Senatorem A weak ground for him to change his mind and build such confident conclusions upon as well may we deny them to be either Tertullians or Cyprians and so leave him to seek a Father for them § 4. For his stile and manner of writing he hath a peculiar way of his own sâ—us quidam est character saith Erasmus sufficiently elegant ejus opuscula eloquentissimè scripta inquit Augustinus eloquentiâ admodum pollens est full of gravity and becoming a Learned man creber est in sententiis sed difficilis in loquendo very sententious and of much strength and vehemency but hard difficult and too elaborate varius est inquit Rhenanus in phrasi in disputationibus dilucidior simplicior in locis communibus velut de pallio c. est durior affectatior Not so smooth and fluent as many others and therefore not in so much esteem as otherwise he might have been His expressions saith Calvin are somewhat rough and thorny and therefore dark and obscure certè magis stridet quà m loquitur idem in Epist. 339. Phraseos Character inquit Zephyrus minùs semper câ—mptus multùmque brevis obscurus fuisse videtur Commata enim potiùs habet qùam â—olâ— frequentes periodos qualia decent gravi vehementique stilo quo semper ipse usus est So that durè Tertullianicè loqui to speak harshly and like Tertullian are equivalent phrases And the causes whence this proceeded might be chiefly these four 1. His Country being an African of the City of Carthage which was a Province of the Roman Empire Now those that were Provincials scarce any of them could attain unto the purity of the Latin Tongue except such only as were brought up at Rome from their child-hood as was Terence our Authour's Countryâ—man Romam perductus cum in tenerâ aetate foret comoedias sex composuit easque ab Apollodoro Menandro Poetis Graecis in Sermonem Latinum convertit tantâ Sermonis elegantiâ proprietate ut eruditorum judicio nihil perfectiùs aut absolutiùs in eo scribendi genere habitum sit apud Latimos Cicero in Epist. ad Aâ—â—icum refert Terentium esse optimum autorem Latinitatis The same Author elsewhere speaking of the difference in this language among those living in several Countries thus observes Romani omnes inquit in suo genere pressi elegantes proprii Hispani autem florentes acuti qui ad peregrinum inclinent Punici Carthagiuenses duri audaces improbi palam aberrantes vitium virtuti praetulerunt ut Tertullianus Apuleius Cyprianus It 's also the observation of Loys le Roy in his discourse of the variety of things Every thing saith he by how much the farther it is from its original spring is the less pure as the Gauls Spaniards and Africans did not speak Latin so purely as the Romans for although their words were Latin yet they retained the phrase of their own Country insomuch that speaking Latin they were always known for Strangers Perturbatissime loquitur Tertullianus inquit Ludovicus Vives ut Afer And in the decrees of the Africans many whereof Augustin relates you may perceive saith Erasmus an anxious affectation of eloquence yet so as that you may know them to be Africans 'T is no wonder then Ierom should say that the stile of Tertulâ—ian and also of other Africans was easily discerned by Nepotian and it appeareth by Augustin in sundry places that the Roman Tongue was imperfect among the Africans even in the Colonies 2. His calling and profession for before his conversion he had studied and practised the Law wherein he was very skilful hence it comes to pass that using many Law terms juris verborum erat retinentissimus and phrases borrowed from thence his Language comes to be more perplex and obscure It 's apparent saith Danaeus from his continual stile and manner of speaking that he was a most expert Lawyer and by reason of the unusual novelty of his words his stile is very obscure saith Sixtus Senesis 3. His constitution and natural temper for words are the mind's Interpreters and the clothing of its conceptions wherein they go abroad which therefore are in a great measure fashioned by it and receives a tincture from it Hence
it is that most Mens stiles do differ as well as their faces suus cuique stilus est inquit Erasmus quisque suum quendam habet gustum peculiarem every one hath somewhat peculiar to him in this particâ—lar Accordingly our Author being a Man â—cris vehementis Ingenii of a rough sharp and vehement spirit makes use of a stile answerable viz. quick and crabbed and consequently harsh and obscure which he did of purpose affecting it as most agreeable to his Genius so that his expressions are such even in things that are plain and easie This Rhenanus renders as the reason why his writings had so many faults or Errataes in them viz. â—eglectus autâ—ris quo multis annis non est lectotum manibus tritus ipsâ—m dicendi gâ—nus affectatum Africanum affectati stili durities molestiam addit quod etiam magis effecit ut minùs legâ—retur quà m quidvis aliud Which betided the Poet Persius qui consulâ—ò est obscurus suisque scriptis caliginem tenebras exindustriâ objecit for being by one taken in hand and perceived to be so dark and cloudy he was fairly laid aside with such like words as these Si nolâ—t intelligi non legetur 4. His converse in the Greek Authors whom he diligently read being very skilful in that Tongue idenim temporis nihil extabaâ— inquit Rhenanus apud Latinos in sacris praeter testamentum utrumque tantum Victor Apollonius scripserant opuscula hence it is that transcribing much from them he retains their phrases though he quote not his Authors which was the manner of the first ages viz. to cite none by name but the sacred Scriptures only especially if they had drawn the Water out of the Wells of the Greeks and imitates their manner of speaking By his assiduous perusal of their Books saith Pamelius adeò Graecas loquendi formulas imbiberit ut etiam Latinè seribens illarum oblivisci nequiret he so drank in their forms of speech that when he comes to write in Latin he cannot forget them and both himself and Rhenanus have taken notice of many phrases in him which he borrows from the Greeks and wherein he conforms unto them Most of these I find observed by that Learned French-man Mr. Iohn Daille in his choice Treatise concerning the right use of the Fathers What shall I say saith he of Tertullian who besides his natural harshness and roughness which you meet with in him throughout and that Carthagmian spirit and genius which is common to him with the rest of the African writers hath yet shadowed and over-cast his conceptions with so much learning and with so many new terms and passages out of the Law and with such variety of all visions subtilties and nice points as that the greatest stock both of learning and attention that you can bring with you will be all little enough to fit you for a perfect understanding of him § 5. This father is full fraught with and abounds in grave and excellent sentences some few whereof I shall here insert which may serve a little to acquaint us with the state of those times in reference unto both the Doctrine and Discipline then professed and practised in the Chuches of Christ. 1. Take a view of his Symbol or Creed containing a summary of the faith which was generally received and maintained in his time Altogether one the only immoveable and irreformable rule as he stiles it which is this To believe that there is but one God nor he any other beside the Creator of the world who made all things of nought by his word first of all sent forth Colos. 1. 16 17. That word to be call'd his Son in the name of God variously seen by the Patriarchs always heard by the Prophets last of all brought down by the Spirit of God the Father and Power into the Virgin Mary made flesh in her womb and of her born a man and that he is Jesus Christ moreover that he preached a new law and a new promise of the Kingdom of Heaven that he wrought or did wonders was fastned to the Cross arose the third day that being taken up into heaven he sate down on the right of the Father sent the power of the Ghost in his stead that he might guide or act believers that he shall come in glory to take the Saints into the fruition of eternal life and heavenly promises and to adjudge the wicked unto perpetual fire a resurrection of each part being made with the restitution of the flesh This rule instituted by Christ as shall be proved hath no question made of it among us but which Heresies bring in and which makes Hereticks A compend or brief hereof is to be seen in the beginning of his book of the veiling of Virgins as also in that against Praxeas the Heretick unto which he subjoyns these words This Law of Faith remaining other things that concern discipline and conversation do admit of a newness of Correction the grace of God working and making a proficiency unto the end So that where there is a consent in the fundamental and substantial truths of the Gospel differences in things of less moment may be born with nor should they cause divisions among Christians That rule holding here that Opinionum varietas opinantium unitas non sunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He adds that this rule hath ran down from the beginning of the Gospel even before any heresie sprung up insomuch as from hence this appears to be a firm Truth id esse verum quodcunque primum id esse adulterum quodcunque posterius Again The Church acknowledgeth one God Creatour of the universe and Jesus Christ of the Virgine Mary the Son of God the Creator and the resurrection of the flesh it mingleth the Law and the Prophets with the Evangelical and Apostolical writings and from thence drinks in that faith It signs with water clotheth with the holy Ghost which Pamelius understands of confirmation feeds with the Eucharist exhorteth with Martyrdom and so receives none against this institution 2. He prescribes and lays down this for a sure rule by which the truth may be known viz. If the Lord Jesus Christ did send out the Apostles to Preach other Preachers are not to be received then those whom Christ did institute because neither doth any other know the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son hath revealed him neither doth the Son seem to have revealed him unto any others save to the Apostles whom he sent to Preach Now what they have preached i.e. what Christ revealed to them ought no other way to be proved then by the same Churches which the Apostles themselves founded preaching unto them as well by a lively voice as they say as afterward by Epistles If these things be so it is then evident that
Nature Substance or Essence which term he therefore useth lest he should seem to make God an empty Phantasm and meer nothing And indeed comparing this expression with divers passages in the works of our Author we shall find there was cause why he should conceive this to have been his meaning and that he had ground sufficient for so friendly a construction of his words As where he saith the very substance is the body of every thing Also every thing that is is a body in its kind nihil est incorporale nisâ— quod non est Nothing is incorporeal but what is not Again who will deny God to be a body though he be a Spirit For a Spirit is a body of its kinds in its shape and fashion The less reason had Alphonsus de Castro to make Tertullian the first Author of the Heresie of the Anthropomorphites though they might abuse these expressions of his and by them be confirmed in their opinion confidering withal that those Scriptures upon which they built their gross conceits of God art otherwise understood by him than they were by them e. g. where the Scriptures do speak of the eye ear hand and feet of God they understood them literally but he metaphorically and as spoken after the manner of men to our capacity For faith he by those expressions the Divine operations are declared but not corporeal lineaments given or ascribed unto God For by the eye is signified that he seeth all things by the ear that be heareth all things c. this therefore made him not an Heretick Another such expression is this that the father was before the Son and that the son had his original or beginning when the Father would that he should proceed from him Yet doth he in the same Book assert the Eternity of the Son saying That he was always in the Father nor can time be assigned unto him who was before all time Again the Father is the whole Substance but the Son a derivation or portion of the whole Of which words Bellarmine gives this favourable interpretation Haec verba inquit intelligi debent de sola distinctione personali quem iu toto libro intendit vocat autem Filium portionem Patrem totam substantiam quia Pater est fons principium aliarum personarum in eâ ratione majoritatem quandâ—m habet These and other the like dangerous expressions are scattered up and down his Books in regard whereof Rhenanus saw cause why he should in the Margin against the last mentioned passage warn the Reader that here and elsewhere Tertullian is to be read with caution Again Here and elsewhere saith he let the Reader remember that he is perusing Tertullian Yet again Divines saith he are to be admonished that they do interpret some things more commodiously or aptly then they sound and indulge something to antiquity 2. He delivereth and laboureth to maintain many unsound Opinions and gross Errours which are carefully to be avoided and rejected as what is sound and Orthodox in him to be embraced the good is not to be neglected for the bad nor the bad to be received for the sake of that in him which is good I think saith Ierom that Origen for his Learning is sometime to be read in the same manner as Tertullian Novatus Arnobius Apollinarius and some other Ecclesiastical Writers both Greek and Latin viz. So that we chuse the good in them and refuse the contrary according to the Apostles saying Prove all things hold fast that which is good We are to make use of him as Cyprian did who honoured him with the Title of Master though he took a great deal of delight in the wit of that learned and zealous man yet did he not follow Montanus and Maximillia with him And this gives a hint of his foulest Errour which I shall mention in the first place 1. He became a follower of Montanus whose gross and sottish Errours having once entertained he for ought that appears to the contrary persisted in unto the end of his days stiling and owning the blasphemous Heretick together with his Female consorts Priscilla and Maximilla sor the Paraclete or Comforter whom Christ promised to send distinguishing him from the holy Ghost contrary to that clear Text Ioh. 14. 26. The Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name c. This say his followers descended upon the Apostles but the Paraclete upon Montanus and his Minions whose Prophesies or rather idle Dreams and Fancies they much magnified wherein second Marriages are condemned and Fastings and Martyrdoms are exacted which things Tertullian being overmuch taken with and approving of he thereupon embraced that new Prophesie A strange thing that so learned and eminent a man should give credit unto such foolish and frantick conceits Especially considering that not long before himself had ranked the followers of Montanus viz. Proclus and Aeschines amonst the most notorious Hereticks whom he chargeth with this blasphemy as he call it that they say the holy Ghost was in the Apostles but not the Paraclete and that the Paraclete had spoken more in Montanus than Christ had delivered in the Gospel and not only more but better and greater things Erasmus conceives that he did this contra mentis suae sententiam appellans Montanum omnis veritatis deductorem For he could not be perswaded that a man of so piercing a judgement and so exercised and versed in the Sacred Scriptures did ever believe that Montanus was the holy Ghost or Paraclete whom Christ promised unto the Apostles 2. He advanceth the freedom of mans will after the fall so highly that even Pelagius himself would scarce dare to do it with the like Liberty e. g. The Law saith he would not have been given to him that had not the obedience to the Law in his own power And a little after thus So we find the Creator propounding unto man or setting before him good and evil life and death exhorting and threatning which he would not have done unless man had been free and voluntary to obey or contemn Again Behold saith he the Kingdom of God is within you Who will not so interpret it within you i. e. in your own hand and power if you hear and do the command of God Also that the Patriarchs Noah and Abraham were just by the righteousness of the Law of Nature 3. He condemns second Marriages accounting them no better than Adultery and worthy of Excommunication May we not say saith he that second Marriage is a kind of Adultery c. Also he calls the lawful company of Man and Wife contumelia communis A common contumely or reproach 4. He denys that it is lawful for a Christian to flee in time of persecution being immoderate in the praise of Martyrdom as if it merited pardon
Plato that he had rather err with Origen than be of a right judgement with others Thus far Vincentius Origen thus every way excellent was withal a wonderfully industrious and laborious Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit Athanasius wholly spending his time and improving his vast abilities in the work of the Lord and for the behoof of the Church and this he did partly by Preaching for which employment he was compleatly furnished being so familiarly acquainted with and ready in the holy Scriptures which he abundantly made use of beautifying and adorning therewith as with so many precious gems his discourses throughout Gentium Testimonia â—usquam adhibet nisi quoties id res ipsa postulat quum nullum autorum genus non exactè tenuerit sed totus hujus Sermo inquit Erasmus Sâ—crorum Voluminum sententiis undique seu gemmeis emblematibus distinctus est sed adeò commodé in loco insertis ut nihilo seciùs curâ—â—t oratio dicas esse non ascita sed ibi nata 〈◊〉 aliunde quaesita sed suâ sponte praesto esse And this he did the rather and I therefore add it because it is a notable testimony that the Scriptures at that time were read by all sorts of persons in the vulgar Tongue or that in use among them because in that Age the common people did understand the words of the Scripture being frequently exercised in the reading of the sacred Volumes For then even Weavers and Spinsters had those Books at home which as often as they had leasure they carefully perused neither to the understanding of them was their need of any other Language than that which the illiterate vulgar did make use of and certainly that reading brought this profit with it that they sate in the Church more docil or teachable before him that expounded the mysteries of the Scriptures unto them He had an admirable faculty of speaking ex tempore as he did many of those Homilies which were thought worthy of the publick view such were his six and twenty Homilies upon Ioshua Oratiunculâ—s viginti sex in Iesum Nave quas ex tempare in Ecclesiâ peroravit Adamantius senex ex Graeco Latinè tibi pro virium meâ—rum parvitate disserui inquit Ruffinus Also his explanation of the Epistle to the Romans His sixteen Homilies upon Leviticus c. quotidiâ— quasi ex tempore Scripturas ad populum enaâ—rabat Of which kind of speaking Meriâ— Casaubon thus reports in his Treatise of Enthusiasm For that faculty of the Sophists saith he of extemporary speaking upon any subject it was their common profession that is most certain and it was accordingly performed by many of them with singular dexterity to the great amazement of all their Auditors such was Callisthenes the Sophist or Philosopher The Tarsenses of Asia are by the Ancients noted as for their love to Learning in general so particularly to have excelled in this faculty And Quintilian a sober solid Man makes this a chief end and fruit of long pains and exercises in the Art of Rhetorick to attain to such a faculty as to be able upon any sudden occasion to speak pertinently without any premeditation thus he Origen was also very zealous and lively in his delivery for he loved the things which he spake and of such we use to speak with affection and delight His Sermons were commonly short for he would never exceed an hour lest he should cloy his Auditors judging it better to preach often than long In reproving he always remembred Christian moderation sharp he would be yet never bitter but for nothing he would more blame them then for seldom and slack coming to the hearing of the Word and for oscitancy when they came accounting diligence or negligence this way one principal note of proficiency or deficiency in Piety He observed this method First plainly and briâ—fly to expound the History then would he stir them up to observe the Mystical and Allâ—gorical sense and lastly handle some moral places making application of what he had delivered and unfolded Partly also by writing did he improve his abilities and dictating unto those that wrote whereunto of himself he was backward but set upon it by the inst gation of Ambrâ—se Christianae fidei confâ—ssor iâ—signis inquit Trithemius qui etiam ad offâ—cium diaconâ— tus meruit promoveri vir certè doctissimus librorum studiosus amator who pressed him hereunto above measure giving him no rest and exacted from him a continual or daily task His works were innumerable written by himself and others from his mouth many whereof Ierom saith he had gotten together and perused but not all For who of us saith he can read so much as he wrote Some affirm as from Ierom that he composed six thousand Volumes though yet Ierom himself deny it For saith he look over the Catalogue of his Books contained in the third Volume of the life of Pamphilus written by Eusebius and you shall not find the third part of that number yet did he utter above a thousand Tracts in the Church and besides set forth Commentaries innumerable in a word no man ever wrote more for which cause Suidas stiles him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Composer Ierom in his Epistle unto Paula the Mother of Eustocbiuâ—â— now not extant reckons up all the Monuments of Origens Wit comparing him unto that learned Varro who by that time he had arrived unto the age of eighty four years which yet it seems he exceeded for Pliny mentions the eighty and eighth of his age had written four hundred and ninety Books of whom Terentianus a Carthaginian Poet thus speaks Vir docâ—â—â—â—mus undecunque Varro qui tam multa legit ut aliquando scribere vacasse miremur 〈◊〉 multa scripsit quà m multa vix quemquam legere potuisse credamus Such another was Didymus of Alexandria sirnamed also Chalcenterus Nobilis grammaticus qui Iulii Caesaris evo floruit quod indefesso labore libris assideret who is reported to have written above three thousand and five hundred Books as Meursius and Suidas four thousand saith Seneca but withal handling such trivial things quae inquit erant dedâ—scenda si scires that it cannot be said of him as Erasmus of Origen In Origene nihil ineptum aut redundans Briefly his Works were such and so many That saith the learned Daille had we them all intire they would perhaps be able to give us more light and satisfaction about the present Controversies in Religion than all the rest of the Fathers His Works on the Scriptures are by Ieroâ— distinguished into three sorts or classes nullam scripturae partem ille praetermisit in quâ non scripserit inquit Erasmus the first sort he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ociosa i. e. brief Annotations upon obscure and difficult places when
malo amissum and not much unlike our Learned Whitaker His labour saith he was incredible in gathering together all these Editions which being all thus brought into one body proved a most Divine Work the loss whereof is a great detriment to the Church and well might Ambrose say of him Multorum interpretationes diligenti discussit indagine 4. He also set forth another Translation for daily use composed of the Septuagint and that of Theodotion being a third from them both it a ut nova videretur inquit Bellarminus which may be said to be not so much a Translation as an Emendation of the Septuagint Wherein he added some things out of Theodotions Translation which he found wanting in the Septuagint and these additions he noted with an Asterisk or shining Star but those passages quae Hebraicè nou erant dicta which were not to be found in the Hebrew he pierced through with a Spit or Spear Of which Ierom thus speaks Vbicunque virgulae i.e. obeli sunt significatur quòd Septuaginta plus dixerint quà m habetur in Hebraew ubi autem asterisci i.e. stellulae praelucentes ex Theodotionis editione ab Origine additum est Again Sed quod majoris est andaciae in editione Septuaginta Theodotionis editionem miscuit Origines asteriscis videlicet designans quae minùs fuerant virgulis quae ex superfiuo videbantur apposita Isidore gives us this account of the notes Asteriscus inquit apponitur in iis quae omissa sunt ut illucescant per eam notam quae de esse videntur Obelus apponitur in verbis vel sententiis superfluè iteratis five in iis locis ubi lectio aliquâ falsitate notata est This work he undertook because the Septuagint had been through the carelesness of Notaries and Transcribers not a little corrupted and depraved Cum manum inquit Masius Septuaginta interpretationi admovere ausus est Origenes erat etiam tum perverfissima And though some have judged it rather a corruption than a correction of the Septuagint yet was it indeed a diligent collation of those two interpretations and a Work very profitable unto all it being a most accurate restitution of the Septuagint to its purity Concerning which Emendation Andreas Masius a man saith Daille of singular and profound Learning yet of such candor and integrity as renders him more admired than his Knowledge doth thus speaks In correcting and conserving that interpretation of the Septuagint to their no small praise did Helychius take great pains Lucianus more Origen most of all by whose industry he saith he was provoked to deliver unto the age wherein he lived the Septuagint Translation sound and intire in that one History of Iosuah as Adamantius had done the whole throughout This Edition was afterwards so far approved of that it quickly filled all Libraries and was received and made use of in their daily readings by all the Churches of of Palestine and Syria so that it was accounted as the vulgar Translation 2. He wrote ten Books of Stromes in imitation of Clemens his Master whose Work so intitled consisteth of eight Books wherein comparing the Scriptures and Philosophers together he confirms the Doctrine of Christianity by the sayings of those Heathens but the two last of these Books were spent in the exposition of the Prophesie of Daniel and the Epistle to the Galatians 3. His Books of the Interpretion of Hebrew names contained in the Scriptures mentioned by the Author of the answers unto certain questions propounded by the Orthodox falsely ascribed unto Iustin Martyr which Ierom who herein imitated him reckons among the excellent Monuments of his Wit wherein he took pains as a Christian to supply what Philo as a Jew had omitted 4. Of the Resurrection two Books 5. Of Prayer 6. A Dialogue between him and one Candidus a Defender of the Valentinian Heresie In whom saith Ierom I confess I have beheld as it were two Andabatae or blind-folded Champions encountring each other Of Baronius thus Non inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tantùm pluribus scatebat erroribus sed blasphemiis refertissimus dialogus ille erat quocum Candido haeretico de dogmatibus fusiùs desputavit 7. Of Martyrdom or a Book of Martyrs which he dedicated unto Ambrose and Protoctaetus Ministers of Câ—sarea for that they both suffered no small affliction enduring most constantly examination and confession in the time of Maximinus the Emperour a cruel persecutor who out of spite that he bare unto the house of Alexander his Predecessor which harboured many of the faithful gave commandment that the Governors only of the Churches as principal Authors of the Doctrine of our Saviour should be put to death Of which Book saith Vincentius Bellovacensis scribit tantâ dictrictâ spiritus virtute ut ejus sententiis tanquam validissimis nervis multos ad martyrium stabiliret 8. Above an hundred Epistles which being scattered here and there were collected and comprised by Eusebius in several volumes to the end they should be no more dispersed 9. Five Books against Hereticks 10. An Epitome of the History of Susanna Moreover he commented upon most of the Books of the Old and New Testament of which Works of his besides those now extant these are recorded in several Authors viz. I. Vpon the Old Testament 1. A continued explanation of the four first Chapters of Genesis in thirteen Tomes but twelve saith Eusebius 2. One Book of Annotations upon Exodus also the like upon Leviticus 3. One Homily upon the Song of Hannah 1 King 2. 4. One Homily upon Solomon's judgement between the two Harlots 2 King 3. 5. Many Homilies or Tracts upon the Books of Iob. 6. A brief exposition or an Enchiridion upon the whole Book of Psalms also larger explanations thereupon at the request of Ambrose He was the first saith Ierom that commented upon the whole Psalter Trithemius saith that he wrote one hundred and fifty Tracts upon the Psalms which equals the number of them 7. A Commentary upon the Proverbs of Solomon 8. Explanations upon the Book Ecclesiastes Kimedoncius cites a Testimony out of Origen Homil. 1. in Ecclesiasten 9. Ten Books of Commentaries upon the Canticles five whereof he wrote at Athens the other five returning from Cesarea A worthy Work requiring much time labour and cost to translate for which cause Ierom omitted it and would not attempt or adventure upon it In this Work containing well nigh twenty thousand Verses he discourseth so magnificently and clearly saith Ierom that as in the rest he overcame all others so in this he overcame himself 10. Annotations upon the whole Prophesie of Esay also continued explanations from the first Chapter unto the thirtieth of which thirty Tomes came to our hands saith Eusebius together
with two Books upon the thirtieth Chapter 11. A huge number of Homilies upon Ieremy the most whereof are lost 12. Upon the Lamentations nine Tomes Of which saith Eusebius we have seen five 13. Upon Ezekiel twenty and five Tomes the which he wrote being at Athens besides many Homilies 14. Upon the twelve Minor Prophets many Tracts Whereof saith Eusebius we have found twenty and five in the whole which Ierom saith he found copied out by Pamphilius among these were one upon Hosea of which Ierom thus Origenes parvum de hoc Prophetâ scripsit Libellum cui hunc titulum imposuit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. quare in Osee appellatur Ephraim volens ostendere quaecunque contra eum dicuntur ad haereticorum referenda personam c. II. Vpon the New Testament 1. Upon Matthew one Book containing his Scholia or brief Annotations upon obscure places Also twenty five Homilies upon divers places of the Gospel Six and twenty saith Trithemius and Nicephorus speaks of five Books of his upon Matthew 2. Upon Luke five Tomes and many Homilies 3. Upon the Epistle to the Galatians five Tomes also one Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of choice passages besides not a few Homllies 4. Upon the Epistle to the Ephesians three Volumes or Commentaries of which Ierom makes mention in these words Illud quoque 〈◊〉 praefatione commoneo ut sciatis Origenem tria â—â—lumina in hanc Epistolam conseripsissc quem nos ex parte secuti sumus 5. Upon the Epistle to the Colossians three books 6. Upon the first Epistle of the Thessalonians divers books for Ierom maketh mention of the third volumn upon this Epistle wherein saith he he discourseth with much variety and prudence 7. Upon the Epistle to Titus one book 8. Upon the Epistle to the Hebrews many books all which through the injury of time and violence of his adversaries are lost and now not to be found The books that are extant at this day under his name are these following 1. Seventeen Homilies upon the book of Genesis which are said to be interpreted by Ierom whose name is prefixed to them but falsly as Crynaeus supposeth for indeed it was done by Ruffinus as appears by the liberty that he takes to add detract and change what he pleased which it seems was his manner sed haec non est inquit Erasmus libertas interpretis sed licentia potiùs contaminantis scripta aliena Again Ruffino peculiaris est ista temeritas viz. ea quae vertiâ— truncare augere immutare ex alieno opere suum facere cujus unicum studium fuisse videtur omnes illustrium autorum libros attrectando contaminare Haâ— aâ—rte vir glorie cupidus putavit se reperisse viam quâ vel invitis omnibus tereretur manibus hominum Certainly saith the Learned Daille he hath so filthily mangled and so licentiously confounded the writings of Origen which he hath translated into Latine that you will hardly find a page where he hath not either cut off or added or at least altered something A soul fault in a translator in whom fidelity as the chief vertue is required and most commendable Such is his dealing in this kind that the Reader is often uncertain whether he read Origen or Ruffine Which thing Ierom often and tartly taxeth him for and particularly for his unworthy translation of his book of principles or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he calls and that fitly enough and not without â—est cause an infamous interpretation Let it suffice once for all to have given this hint of the manner of Ruffine in his translation of divers books of Origen And that this translation of these Homilies upon Genesis is his appears from what Ruffine himself hath said in his Peroration added unto the Commentary upon the Epistle to the Romans wherein he professeth that he translated Origen upon Genesis And probable it is that the transcribers prefixed Ieroms name as the more gracious and acceptable Grynaeus hath taken pains for the benefit of the Reader to set down as he hath done before all the rest of the works of Origen in his Edition of them the several Theological Common places handled in these homilies adding moreover that by them the diligent Reader will confess that he hath light upon a rich storehouse of Christian Philosophy replenished with all kind of Spiritual treasures 2. Upon Exodus thirteen Homilies translated also by Ruffinus though for the gaining of the more credit unto them the name of Ierom be here also prefixed as the interpretor of them 3. Upon Leviticus sixteen Homilies eighteen say some where the same craft is made use of in the alteration of the name of the translator as in the former By some over-bold impostor these are ascribed unto Cyril of Alexandria under the title of so many books or a Commentary whereas it is manifest they are not Commentaries but Homilies for the Author excuseth his brevity to his auditors by reason of the straits of time and that he intended not a large exposition of the words but to touch some few things briefly for their edification The stile saith Bellarmine and similitude of the Doctrines contained in them shew them plainly to be Origens 4. Upon Numbers twenty eight Homilies some say but twenty six Cent. 3. cap. 10. Sixt. Senens lib. 4. and Scultetus in Medulâ which its likely was translated by Ierom because Ruffine speaking of his translation of Genesis Exodus Leviticus Iosuah and Iudges makes no mention of Numbers and saith Erasmus out of Gennadius Ruffine translated all of Origen except what was done by Ierom. Yet that there are some additions of the interpretor in this piece is apparent saith Grynaeus in homil 2. in cap. 2. Yea these Homilies by their phrase seem to be the work of some Latine Author for in Chap. 12. he expounds the difference between excudere and excidere which could have no place in a Greek 5. Upon Iosuah twenty and six Homilies where we have also the name of Ierom as the interpretor instead of Ruffine as also a Preface pretended to be his but so frigid and and foolish that a more certain argument cannot be desired to perswade us that neither the one nor other is Ieroms and Erâ—smus gives instance in divers particulars 6. Upon Iudges nine Homilies where we have the same mistake of the interpretor liber inquit Grynaeus satis bonus Here also the Etymology of rex à regendo gives cause to suspect that these came out of the same shop with those upon Numbers 7. Upon the book of the Kings or one Homily upon the first and second Chapters of the first of Samuel 8. Upon the book of Iob a large explation divided into three books from the beginning of the History unto
wherein by the Bishops of the Island assembled it was decreed that none should read the works of Origen The like was also done shortly after in a Synod convened by Theophilus himself in his own Province Upon which divers of Origens followers fled from thence unto Constantinople imploring the aid of Chrysostom who admitted them to communicate with him and this was it that occasioned the great contention between Chrysostom and Epiphanius upon his coming thither so that they parted in great heat He was also anathematized together with those that adhered unto him and held his errours by the fifth general Council which was held at Constantinople under Iustinian the Emperour wherein they stile him the abomination of desolation Malè sanum impium Deoque repugnantem and his opinions deliramenta insanias exclaming thus against them O dementiam inscientiam hominis insani Paganorum disciplinae explicatoris mente caecutientis studentisque Christianorum fidei miscere fabulas c. Epiphanius calls him Dei Ecclesiae hostem as also the Father of Arius and root of other Heresies He utters many things saith Photius blasphemously and other very absurd and full of impiety Ierom also is very sharp against him though one that admired his wit and parts in plerisq inquit haereticum non nego and tells us that with a sacrilegious Tongue he blasphemeth that his Opinions were venemous dissonant from the holy Scriptures and offer violence unto them professing that he was always an adversary to his Doctrines Yet withal he thus adds I am not wont saith he to insult over the errours of those whose wit I admire and if any one shall object or oppose to us his errours let him hear this freely that sometime even great Homer himself may nod or slumber let us not imitate his Vices whose Vertues we cannot follow Caesarius the brother of Nazianzen stiles him that impious Origen and his Doctrines pestiferous yea â—ugae trifles and toys And among the later Writters Beza saith of him that he was a select instrument of Sathan and stiles him Impurissimus ille Scriptor quem exoptem velex lectorum manibus excuâ—i aut summo cum judicio à studiosis tractari On the other side some did no less magnifie and admire him pleading and apologizing in his behalf Basil Chrysostom Nazianzen and Ierom did most highly esteem the Doctrine Allegories and Tropologies of Origen extolling him unto heaven with their praises those that did apologize for him were among other Pamphilus the Martyr and Eusehius commonly sirnamed Pamphili for the singular friendship that was between them by whom were written six Books in defence of Origen which Ierom calls latissimum elaboratum opus five whereof were the 〈◊〉 labour of them both and the sixth of Eusebius alone after the death of Pamphilus as appears from the word of Eusebius himself lib. 6. cap. 20. Quae inquit de ejus gestis sunt ad cognoscendum necessaria ea ex Apologia quae à nobis Pamphili sancti nostri temporis martyris operâ adjutis elucubrata est illam enim ego Pamphilus quo ora malevolorum obtrectatorum â—amae Origenis detrahentium obturaremus mutuis vigiliis accuratè eleboravimus licet facilè colligere Photius gives us this account here of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. Lecti sunt Pamphili martyris Eusebii pro Origene libri sex quorum quinque sunt a Pamphilo in carcere praesente etiam Eusebio elaborati Sextus verò postquam jam Martyr ferro privatus vitâ ad unicè desideratum Deum migrarat ab Eusebio est absolutus These were seconded by Ruffine who undertook the same task setting forth an Apology for Origen or rather the Apology of Eusebius for so it s commonly called by him translated into Latin unto which he added a Volume of his own bearing this title of the adulteration of the Books of Origen These were followed by some learned men of the latter times viz. Iohannes Picus the noble Earl of Mirandula and Phaenix of his time Vir ingenii penè prodigiosi in omni artium scientiarum linguarum varietate usque ad miraculum exculti Also Gilbert Genebrard a Parisian Divine and Professor there of the Hebrew Tongue And Iacobus Merlinus Victurniensis Sacrae Theologiae Professor who endeavours to vindicate both the holiness of his life and the soundness of his Doctrine Moreover such an equipoise was there in him of good and evil that with Sampson Solomon and Trajan though I conceive the medley is as Monkish as the scruple he is put into the number of those concerning whom 't is equally difficult to determine whether they were saved or not But surely that bold Shaveling went too far beyond his bounds who in his Book intituled Pratum Spirituale which is supposed to be written by Abbot Iohn Moschus reports that a certain brother doubting whether Nestorius were in an errour or no was by one appearing unto him for his satisfaction conducted to Hell where among other Hereticks he saw Origen tormented in those flames the Earl of Mirandula is of a contrary judgement But the Jesuit Possevine plainly tells us that whosoever was the Author many of the relations in that Book deserve but small credit being indeed little better than down right lyes among which he gives an instance in this not unlike that of Origen that in a Vision Chrysostom should be seen placed in heaven above all the Doctors and Martyrs But enough of such stuff However evident it is that he was very erroneous yea scarce any one of the Ancients more whether we respect the multiplicity or quality of his errours So that as the Orthodox that came after him were much beholding unto him as of great advantage to them in the interpretation of the Scriptuâ—es So did the Hereticks take from him the hints of many of their foulest Heresies for which cause as Epiphanius calls him the fountain and Father of Arius so did the Errour of Pelagius saith Ierom spring from him Doctrina tuâ— Origenis ramusculus est Yea there is scarce any sect that had not its rise and beginning from him The grounds whereof as Vincentius Lyrinensis conceives were such as these His abusing the grace of God too insolently his overmuch indulging his own wit and trusting to himself his undervalueing the simplicity of the Christian Religion his presuming himself wiser then others and his interpreting some Scriptures after a new manner contemning Ecclesiastical traditions and the Authority of the Ancients Epiphanius imputes it unto this because he would suffer no part of the holy Scriptures to pass without his interpretation therefore he fell into error Yet do his Apologisers labor to free him laying the fault of the errors fathered upon him unto the charge of others Ruffine pleads in his behalf that he was abused by
be born again that he should by the washing of water put off what he was before and have his mind changed How saith he can such a conversion be possible that so suddenly that should be put off which was genuine and natural and through length of time and old age had taken such deep rooting Hence it appears saith Baronius that he was senescens near unto and upon the verge of old age when he was about to give up his name to Christ. 2. Partly also from the time that he sate Bishop of Carthage which is generally conceived to be about the space of ten years and not above for he was chosen unto the office about the year 249 and suffered martyrdom an 259. Now both Baronius and Pamelius as also before them Pontius his Deacon and companion in his exile who wrote the story of his life do all affirm that he was made Bishop shortly after his conversion and while but Neophytus Novellus a Novice in Christianity and newly come to the Faith The instrumens by whom he was converted was one Caecilius a Presbyter who partly by his pious conversation which was very exemplary he being a just man and in honour as well as age a true Presbyter and partly by his perswasions upon which his eloquence did set such an edge that they were of great force and pierced deeply prevailed with him and brought him unto the knowledge and profession of Christianity It seems the special portion of Scripture that wrought upon him was the prophecy of Ionab which haply Caecilius was unfolding and preaching upon at that time for so much Ierom intimates where he saith Blessed Cyprian having been before an assertour of Idolatry at length hearing the Sermon of Ionab was converted and brought unto repentance It is not unlikely that he had been before prepared and somewhat inclined unto the Christian Religion by reading the Books of Christians and particularly of Tertullian his Country-man unto whom he was much addicted and greatly admired him for had it not been so Baronius seeth not how unless you will ascribe it to a miracle he could in so short a time attain unto such a height of knowledge both in Doctrine and Discipline as should furnish him for so high a function in the Church His love and affection unto his Caeeilius ever after was so great that he respected and and reverenced him not as a friend and equal only but as a spiritual Father and one by whom he had received a new life which he gave clear testimony of unto the world by prefixing his name unto his own so that unto this day he is called and commonly known by the name of Caecilius Cyprianus as did Eusebius in after times annex the name of Pamphylus unto his own for the love that he bare unto that Martyr But a very little time did intervene between his conversion and advancement unto the chief Dignity in the Church so great was his growth in the faith that in a short space he attained unto such maturity as few perhaps do arrive at Herein he was singular there having been scarce the like example before which Pontius speaks of as a thing almost incredible Nemo inquit metit statim ut sâ—vit Nemo vindemiam de novellis scrobibus expressit Nemo adhuc unquam de noviter plantâ—tis arbusculis matura poma quaesivit In illo omnia incredibilia occurrerunt Praevenit si potest dici res enim fidem non capit praevenit inquam tritura sementem vindemia palmitâ—m poma radicem Baronius sets down the story of his addition unto the Church and ascending unto the Episcopal Chair as the occurrents of the same year Unto this Dignity of sitting at the Helm in the first and principal of the African Churches was he elected by the unanimous consent of the whole Clergy and people none contradicting but the unhappy Presbyter Felieissimus with a few of his Associates the seat being being vacant by the decease of Donatus Agrippinus or some other for 't is uncertain who was his immediate predecessour Being called unto and having undertaken so weighty a charge as a careful Pastour he bestirs himself accordingly and in the first place and while as yet the peace of the Church lasted he applyed himself with all his might to restore the Discipline delivered by the Lord whereof he was a great lover and advancer and which long tranquillity had corrupted unto its ancient purity But this continued not long for a very sore porsecution ensued very shortly after under the Emperour Decius which mightily wasted the Church of Christ the violence whereof reaching as far as Carthage Cyprian felt amongst the rest attaining not long after he was made Bishop as Pamelius gathers from the words of Pontius who saith it sell out statim eftsoon after the Glory of Proscription unto which was added that not satisfying the people their violent clamour often repeated in the Theatre requiring him to be cast unto the Lions To avoid the violence of this storm he withdrew not so much out of fear as for divers other weighty reasons as 1. In obedience to God whose providences spake out no less than his command what he should do as he himself speaks You shall saith he in an Epistle to the Clergy hear all things when the Lord shall bring me back again unto you who commanded me to withdraw Of which Pontius gives us a larger account 'T was fear indeed saith he moved him so to do but it was that just fear lest he should offend God that fear which would rather obey God than be so crowned for his heart being in all things devoted unto God and his faith subject unto divine admonitions he believes that if he had not obeyed the Lord requiring him then to hide he should have sinned in his very suffering 2. Lest by his presence he should stir up envy of the people who could less away with him than any other of the Presbyters and so the sedition already begun among them should grow unto a greater height 3. The Church could not have been deprived of him but to her exceeding great detriment especially at that time there being none so able to afford that comfort encouragement direction correction and restoring which multitudes in the Church did then stand in need of Well well therefore saith Pontius and truly by divine providence it came to pass that a man so necessary in many regards should be delayed the consummation of Martyrdom Yet it seems that some were unsatisfied with and calumniated this his action which he therefore took occasion to clear and vindicate in divers of his Epistles whereby he gave satisfaction unto the Clergy of Rome who took it well and judged what he did to be warâ—antable During the time of this his secession which was about the space of two years he
be none of Cyprians 3. Of the praise of Martyrdom unto Moses and Maximus wherein pennis eloquentiae se mirificè extulit But the stile is so elaborate and unequal that Erasmus supposeth no man is of so dull a scent but he must needs perceive it to be far different from that of Cyprian He thinks it therefore to be an Essay of some one that would exercise his pen wherein he shewed more care then wit and more affectation then ability Cardinal Baronius is very angry with him for this his censure calling him Mome telling us that he that will prudently compare it with the Apologetick unto Demetrian or his Epistle unto Donatus will easily perceive by the same lineaments of their faces that they proceeded from the same Author But the wit and wisdom of Erasmus dictator ille rei literariae and his ingenuity in this kind are sufficiently known and approved of by the Learned And as he was able so was he no less diligent in comparing one thing with another that he might the better give a right judgment So that the cavil might well have been spared and deserves little to be regarded as issuing rather from heat and interest then from candid and impartial animadversion The truth is both the Cardinal and the Canon Pamelius looked on it as advantageous and making somewhat for their market affording them a considerable authority for the Doctrines of Purgatory and the Invocation of Saints who therefore strain hard and would fain perswade us that it is Cyprians though they be levissima argumenta very trivial and slender arguments whereby they endeavor to make it appear so to be 4. Unto Novatian the Heretick that hope of pardon ought not to be denied unto the Lapsi such as fell in time of persecution which saith Erasmus the stile will not suffer us to believe that it is Cyprians But withal it is so Eloquent and Learned that he judgeth it not altogether unworthy of Cyprian yet rather thinks that Cornelius Bishop of Rome wrote it which conjecture he grounds upon the words of Ierom whom herein Honorius Augustodunensis follows and explains saying Cornelius wrote a very large Epistle unto Novatian and Fabius 5. Of the Cardinal or Principal works of Christ unto his ascension unto the Father which besides the Preface consisteth of twelve Chapters or Sermons 1. Of the Nativity of Christ. 2. Of his Circumcision 3. Of the Star and Wisemen 4. Of the Baptism of Christ and manifestation of the Trinity 5. Of his Fasting and Temptations 6. Of the Lords Supper and first institution of the Sacrament consummating all Sacraments wherein is comprehended the sense and consent of Orthodox Antiquity and the Catholick Church concerning the Lords Supper 7. Of washing the Disciples feet 8. Of Annointing with Oyl and other Sacraments 9. Of the passion of Christ. 10. Of his Resurrection 11. Of his Ascension 12. Of the Holy Ghost All these are urged as the authority of Cyprian by divers Romish Champions for the maintenance of many of their unsound Doctrines though it be doubted of by themselves for sundry weighty reasons among the rest these following 1. The stile is lower than Cyprian's useth to be 2. The Author in serm de tentatione sâ—ith that the Devil fell from Heaven before the creation of man contrary unto the opinion of Cyprian in his Treatise de telo invidiâ 3. In the Preface he gives unto Cornelius Bishop of Rome the Title of sublimitas veâ—ra your Highness whereas Cyprian always stiles him brother and Collegue The stile saith Erasmus argues it to be none of Cyprian's though it be the work of some learned man whereof that age had store Non Cypriani quidem inquit Casaubonus sed non indignus Cypriano And Bellarmin himself elsewhere affirms that the author of these Sermons without doubt lived long since Cyprian yea after the time of Augustine and taxeth the boldness of him that first put Cornelius his name in the fore front of this Book But in a very ancient Manuscript in the Library of All-Souls Colledge in Oxford the Author is called Arnaldus Bâ—naâ—illacensis who lived in the time of Bernard unto whom he hath written one or two Epistles and the Book is dedicated not unto Cornelius who lived about the year of Christ 220. but unto Adrian the Fourth who lived about the year 1154. and succeeded Eugenius the Third unto whom Bernard wrote his Book of Consideration Also that Learned Antiquary the Reverend Vsher saith he hath seen besides the abovenamed another Manuscript in the publick Library at Oxford wherein this Book bears the name of the said Arnaldus as the author thereof Taking it then for granted that it is none of Cyprian's let us give it its due in the words of Scultetus It is a Book full of Religious Piety and of great use to Preachers for they are popular declamations which do breath affections stirred up by the spirit of God 6. Of Dicers which Game he proves by many arguments to be unworthy of a Christian especially an Ecclesiastical man But it certainly appears to be none of his by the stile and seems to be written in the corrupter times of the Church Bellarmin and Pamelius speak doubtfully of it the former supposing it rather to be written by some one of the Bishops of Rome as plainly appears from the Author 's assuming unto himself the Presidentship of the universal Church and to be Christ's Vicar which indeed none ever dared to do but that proud Prelate of Rome 7. Of the Mountains Sina and Sion against the Jews being a mystical interpretation of them the stile shews it to be none of his as both Bellarmin and Pamelius confess yea it is altogether different both from the stile and also the Genius of Cyprian and is stuffed with such allegories and expositions of Scripture as are far from the Learning Piety and Simplicity of this Blessed Martyr 8. As for those Poems viz. Genesis Sodoâ—â— ad Senatorem Pamelius hath adjudged them rather unto Tertullian because of the stile and because Cyprian was never ranked among the Christian Poets but only by Fabricius he might have added Gyraldus so that he leaves the matter doubtful And saith Bellarmin we have no certain ground whence to conclude it So also for the Hymn de Pascha in many Manuscripts it is ascribed â—nto Victorinus Pictaviensis But saith Bellarâ—in of them Opera sunt gravia docta S. Cyprianâ— digna To which I add the Verses de Sanctae Crucis ligno which Lilius Gyraldâ—s ascribes unto Cyprian being sixty nine Heroicks in number Quos inquit ego legi si semel legatis iterum saepe legetis But as I find them no where else mentioned as Cyprian's so I conceive Pamelius would not have failed to rank them among the rest had he seen
flemines augures item reges sacrificuli quique sunt sacerdotes antistites religionum Convocent nos ad concionem cohortentur nos ad suscipiendos cultus Deorum persuadeant multos esse quorum numine ac providentiâ regantur â—â—nia ostendant origines initia sacrorum ac deorum quomodo sint mortalibus tradita qui sons quae ratio sit explicent proferant quae â—â—rces in cultu quae poena in contempta maneat quare ab hominibus se coli velint quid illis si beati sunt humana pietas conferat Quae â—mnia non asseveratione propriâ nec enim â—â—let quicquam mortalis hominis authoritas sed divinis aliquibus testimoniis confirment ficuti nos facimus Doccant isti hoc modo si qua illis fiducia veritatis est loquantur audeant inquam disputare nobiscum aliquid ejusmodi jam profecto ab aniculis quasâ— conâ—emnunt à pueris nostratibus error illorum ac sultitia irridebitur c. § 3. Of the books that he wrote many have been devoured by time which hath left scarce any thing of them remaining besides the names of which I find mentioned 1. His Symposium or banquet which he wrote in Africa while he was but a youth in the Schools or say the Centurists unto the youths of Africa and as Trithemius hath it in Hexameter verse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or his journey from Africa unto Nicomedia in Hexameter verse this shews him to have been also an excellent Poet of which I conceive Damasus is to be understood if not rather of his Epistles or of both who gives us an account of the number and nature of them thus I confess unto you that those books of Lactantius which you sent me of late I therefore willingly do not read because in them many Epistles are extended unto the space of a thousand verses or lines and they do rarely dispute of our Doctrine whence it comes to pass both that their length begets a loathing in the Reader and if any be short they are more fit for the Schools then for us disputing of verse or meeter of the Situation of Regions or Countries and Philosophers 3. His book which he Entituled Grammaticus 4. Ad Asclepiadem lib. 2. apud Trithemium l. 1. 5. Of Persecution 6. Four books of Epistles unto Probus 7. Two books of Epistles unto Severus 8. Two books of Epistles unto Demetrian his Auditor or Scholar All these Ierom reckons up in his Catalogue He also make mentions of the eighth book of his Epistles unto Demetrian so that it seems he wrote so many unto him Unless we may suppose that all his Epistles were gathered into one volume which make up the number of eight books whereof the two last and so one of them the eight were unto Demetrian 9. His book of Paradise in Hexameter verse All these are lost and perished none of them being now to be found Those that at this day are extant under his name are these that follow viz. 1. Seven books of Institutions against the Gentiles which with an high and Heroick Spirit he wrote under Constantine the Great for so he himself speaks Hoc opus inquit nunc nominis tui auspicio inchoabimus Constantine Imperator maxime Baronius calls them luculentissimos libros That which occasioned the writing of them was the cunning and calumniating books especially of two great enemies of Christianity the one whereof professing himself a man of chief note among the Philosophers wrote three books against the Christian Name and Religion whom Baronius supposeth to be Porphyrius an Apostate who at this time excelled among the Platonicks and set forth bitter Commentaries against the Christians which then no other Philosopher did And therefore by Cyril not unjustly stiled the father of Calumnies The other being of the number of the judges and one that was the principal Author of the persecution then raised against the Christians in the City of Nicomedia and whole province of Bithynia wrote two books not against the Christians lest he should seem enviously to inveigh against them but unto the Christians that he might be thought gently and with humanity to advise them which books he intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baronius thinks his name to be Hierocles a crafty fellow concealing the wolf under the sheeps skin that by his fallacious title he might ensnare the Reader To confute these and to render the truth oppressed with reproaches more illustrious and shining with her own beauty Lactantius undertook this Noble task of Writing his seven most excellent books of Institutions Thus Baronius in annal ad an 302. § 43. ad 61. Of which in general Lactantius himself thus speaks Quanquam inquit Tertullianus candem causam plenè peroraverit in co libro cui Apologetico nomen est tamen quoniam aliud est accusantibus respondere quod in defensione aut negatione solâ positum est aliud instituere quod nos facimus in quo necesse est totius doctrine substantiam contineri non defugi hunc laborem ut implerem materiam quam Cyprianâ—s non executus est in eâ oratione quâ Demetrianum sicut ipse ait oblatrantem atque obstrepentem veritati redarguere conatur Loctant Institut Lib. 5. cap. 4. The several books are Entituled by these several Names 1. Of False Religion wherein he shews the Religion of the gods to be false After the proem asserting providence and that there is but one God which he proves by the testimonies and Authorities of the Prophets Poets Philosophers Sibyls and of Apollo also refuting the Gentile gods and their Religion in the general and of the Romans in particular he proveth that they were born at a certain time lived most wickedly and at length did undergo the Law of all Mortals Of this and his book de opificio dei Chytraeus thus speaks Prima pars operis inquit quae Ethnicas idolomanias Philosophicas de deo summo bono opiniones taxat liber de opifieio Dei in structurâ corporis animo humano eruditus lectu utilissimus est 2. Of the Original of error and that the Religion of the Gods is vain which he evinceth by divers arguments shewing that the causes of all errors in this kind are these two First The defection of Cham and the posterity of pious Noah from God Secondly The cunning and craft of the Devil Thirdly Of false Wisdom wherein he demonstrate the vanity of Philosophy and Philosophers instancing in the Epicures Stoicks Pythagoreans and the rest shewing how false their chief tenets and opinions be and lastly that Philosophy is not true wisdom 4. Of true Wisdom which comprehends the Doctrine of Christ his Person Name Nativity two Natures Miracles and Passion and afterward he declares the causes of Heresies to be Avarice Pride Ignorance of the Scripture and admiration of false Prophets 5. Of Justice that 't is not to
Ecclesiastical History Lastly Arius herein is made to impugne the Divinity of the holy Ghost calling him a meer creature which Heresie he is not charged withal nor was it broached or maintained by him but brought in by some of his followers Bellarmine knows not whether to stile it a disputation or a Dialogue between Athanasius and some Arian nor whether it were written by Athanasius or some other 7. An enarration of those words of Christ Matt. 11. 27. All things are delivered unto me of my father c. against Eusebius and his followers I find this Enarration to be much larger in the Latine Parisian Edition by Articus Albulei Printed An. One thousand five hundred eighty one then in the Greek and Latine Edition Ann. One thousand six hundred twenty seven the former to have annexed unto it a Compendium taken out of the above written against those who say that the holy Ghost is a creature which Compend is mentioned by the Centurists Bellarmine and Possevine 8. An Epistle or as others an Oration against the Arians unto Adelphius a Brother and Confessor 9. An Epistle or Oration unto Maximus a Philosopher of the Divinity of Christ of this the Centurists make some question whether it be his or no. 10. An Oration or Epistle unto Serapion Bishop of Thmuis a City of Egypt ordained by Athanasius and his familiar friend who for the elegancy of his wit was surnamed Scholastiâ—ns 11. A second Epistle unto the same Serapion both against those that make the holy Ghost to be a creature 12. A third Epistle unto the same Person upon the same subject which Scultetus with Erasmus conceives to be the work of some idle and witless man who would fain imitate Athanasius his book unto Serapion It contains a strange heap of places and confusion of reasons together with a irksom repetition of things before spoken of Besides the Author cites a place out of the Prophet Micah which is no where to be found it 's therefore ranked and justly among the suspected works of Athanasius by the Centurists and Mr. Perkins 13. Certain testimonies out of the Sacred Scriptures concerning the natural Communion of the Divine essence between the Father the Son and the holy Ghost Collected not by Athanasius but some other as appears in that the compiler hath transcribed divers things verbatim out of the questions unto Antiochus whereof Athanasius is not the Author 14. An Epistle shewing that the Council of Nice well perceiving the craftiness of Eusebius did in congruous and pious words expound their decrees against the Arian Heresie 15. Five Orations against the Arians ' wherein he useth great strength of Argument fortifyed with clear testimonies and demonstrations from the Sacred Scripture So that these alone may abundantly suffice for the confutation of all Arianism yea he that shall say that Gregory the Divine and Basil the Great did from this fountain derive those egregious and pure streams of their books against the same Heresie verily he shall not say amiss 16. An Epistle concerning the Opinion of Dionysius somtime Bishop of Alexandria wherein he proves the Arians did belie him in affirming that he was an assertor of their opinion 17. An Epistle unto all the brethren every where throughout Egypt Syria Phoenicia and Arabia ranked among those that are suspected 18. A refutation of the Hypocrisie of Meletius Eusebius and Paulus Samosatenus concerning the consubstantiality of the Father and the Son it 's suspected 19. An Epistle unto the Antiochians which seems to be a fragment of some intire book 20. An epistle unto Epictetus Bishop of Corinth against the Apollinarists it is the most famous among all his Epistles The Orthodox in the time of Cyril of Alexlexandria made much use of it in confuting the heresie of Nestorius to avoid the dint and force thereof those hereticks did boldly adulterate it substracting some things and putting in other that it might seem to favour of the doctrine of Nestorius So much Cyril gives us to understand his words are these Cognovimus quod celeberrimi patris nostri Athanasii ad beatum Epictetum epistolam orthodoxè loquentem nonnulli a se corruptam ediderunt ita ut hinc multi laedantur Epist. 28. Again speaking of this Epistle Quia ex eâ inquit Nestorius arguebatur cum legentes eam defensores rectae fidei cohiberent etiam eos qui probantur similia sentire Nestorio correptionem suae confutationis ex eâ impii formidantes machinati sunt â—cerbissimum quiddam et haeretica pravitate digâ—issimum Praefatam namque adulterant epistolam sublatis ex eâ quibusdam aliis suppositis ediderunt ita ut putaretur ille similia Nestorio sapuisse in Epist. ad successum Episcopum posteriori 21. A Sermon of the incarnation of the Word of God against Paulus Samosatenus it 's doubted of whether it be his or no. 22. A Sermon or Tome of the humane nature assumed by the only begotten Word against the Arians and Apollinarius 23. An Epistle or Treatise of the incarnation of Christ against Apollinarians 24. An oration or treatise of the healthful coming of Christ against Apollinarius it is perplex intricate and obscure and by Cook it is thought to be supposititious The Sermons against Apollinarins do excel in grace and ornament say the Centurists 25. An oration of the eternal substance of the Son and holy Spirit of God against the company or followers of Sabellius 26. An oration that Christ is one 27. An Epistle unto Serapion concerning the death of Arius 28. An Apology unto the Emperour Constantius wherein he freeth himself from divers imputations and defends his flight into the Wilderness 29. An Apology for his flight 30. Another Apology for his flight wherein he professeth his innocency 31. An Epistle unto the Africans which is Apologetical 32. A Catholick Epistle unto the Bishops of Aegypt Syria Phaenicia and Arabia exhorting them to leave the Arians and to joyn with the Orthodox 33. An Epistle unto all those who any where do profess or lead a solitary life The former part whereof only viz. from the beginning unto those words The Grace of our Lord Jesus Crist be with you Amen is the Epistle unto the Monks and ought to be placed before the five orations against the Arians as a dedicatory Epistle unto those Books The following part thereof is without doubt a fragment suspected whether his or no of some other work wanting a beginning to make up which defect that Epistle was added unto it Herein he recounts his own and the Church's calamities Athanasius ipse inquit Possevinus labores persecutiones suas ubere epistolâ ad solitariam vitam agentes ob oculos ponit quamobrem et illam perlegisse neminem penitebit 34. The protestation of the people of Alexandria ferè nihil continet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 35. An epistle concerning the Synods
rhetorical flourish and because the Treatise it self is justly suspected not to belong unto Athanasiùs I shall forbear to set it down as being unworthy to be ascribed unto so grave and found an Author 3. He seems to assert the worshipping or adoration of the Saints thus If saith he thou adore the man Christ because there dwelleth the Word of God upon the same ground adore the Saints also because God hath his habitation in them It is strange say the Centurists that so great a Doctor should so write but they do erre saith Scultetus not considering that he there speaks upon the suppositition of Samosatenus who thought that Christ as man was to be adored because of the Word dwelling in him which is the thing that Athanasius denyeth convincing Samosatenus of falshood from an absurdity that would follow For seeing the Word dwelleth also in the Saints it would thence follow that they are to be worshipped which Athanasius in the same place affirmeth to be extreme impiety And indeed he expresly elsewhere saith that adoration belongeth unto God only § 7. As touching his death it was very remarkable in this regard that in the midst of a most vehement storm and tempest the cruel persecution under the Emperour Valens he should so quietly arrive at the haven For being forc'd to hide himself as hath been said in his Fathers monument about the space of four months the people that greatly loved him and had him in very high esteem grew so impatient of his absence from them that they began to be tumultuous threatning to burn the ships and publick edifices unless Athanasius were permitted to return unto them again The Emperour hereupon fearing what the issue might be gave way to their fury being a hot and hasty kind of people and suffered him to enjoy his Bishoprick again from that time tempering himself from troubling Alexandria and the Country of Aegypt By this means it came to pass that after so long labour and sweat for Christ so many encounters for the Orthodox faith so frequent and famous flights and banishments having given many things in charge unto Peter his successor he did at Alexandria in peace and a good old age pass from this vale of trouble unto the rest above after he had governed that Church by the space though not without intermissions of forty and six years in the seventh year of the Emperour Valens and of Christ about 371. Hilarius Pictaviensis § 1. HE was born in France and yet not Gallus as himself answered Leo Bishop of Rome in a certain Council asking him at his entrance in a proud insulting manner Tune es Hilarius Gallus At ille Non sum inquit Gallus sed de Galliâ ac si diceret non sum natione Gallus sed de Galliâ praesul Erat enim gente Aquitanicus pontificali autem dignitate praeminebat Gallis for he was Bishop of Poâ—ctiers the chief City of the Celtae or Galli For France of old was divided into three parts or Provinces viz. Belgicam Aquitanicam bodie Guienne vocatur Celticam Now the inhabitants of this later were properly those called Galli ipsorum linguâ Celtae nostrâ inquit Caesar Galli appellantur So doth Sulpitius Severus distinguish his Country men into these three sorts Aquitanes Galli and Brittaines the two former are so far differing the one from the other saith Strabo both in habit and Language that the Aquitanes are more like unto the Spaniards then unto the Galli It is reported of him that in his younger years applying himself unto study and not profiting as he desired which made him to doubt whether he should ever attain unto that which he aimed at he left the Schools purposing to fall upon some other course and passing along by a certain well in the way walled up with great stone he observed that those stones were much worn and hollowed in some places by the often rubbing of the Rope upon them wherewith they used to draw the water Hereupon he fell into this consideration with himself if this Cord that is much softer hath by frequency of fretting made this hard stone hollow then surely may I also by continuance of time both profit and perfect or accomplish my desire Accordingly he betook him again unto the Schools where by assiduity and constancy in study he at length became a most Learned and accurate Scholar He seems to have been at first an Ethnick at what time perceiving and considering with himself how vain the opinions and conceits were which the Philosophers had of the gods musing much hereupon he at length light upon the books of Moses the Prophets and the Apostles by the diligent perusal whereof he came to the knowledge of the truth and to embrace the Christian Religion being now well stricken in years yet in a short time did he so much profit in the Doctrine of Christianity that he was deservedly esteemed a chief Doctor and pillar of the Catholick Church His Country men coming to understand of his great worth soon advanced him unto a high degree of dignity though a married man he being by them chosen to be Bishop of Poictiers chief City of the Province of Poictou About this time the persecution under the Emperor Constantius grew very hot in so much that many eminent Bishops for holding fast and sticking close unto the Catholick Faith were exiled and driven into banishment Hereupon Hilary with divers other Gallicane Bishops convening together with mutual consent did by a Decree separate Saturninus Valens and Vrsatius who were violent Arians from their Communion adding withal that if any being admonished to shun their society did not herein obey the sentence of the Catholick Bishops they should be excommunicated Saturninus who was Bishop of Arles a factious and mischievous man took this very grievously that he should be Anathematized and excluded from Communion with the rest of the Bishops yet after this was he sor heinous crimes cast out of the Church wherefore by the favor of Constantius he procured Synods to be congregatted at Byterris and at Arles Cities of France unto which the Catholick Bishops should be forced to come Hilary being one of those who were present in these Synods fearing least by the subtilty of the Arians as was their manner the Orthodox through simplicity might be circumvented offereth a libel to be read wherein the close conveyances crafty fetches and blasphemous Heresies of the Arians were laid open and discovered unto all But the adversaries withstanding the Reading thereof prevailed so far that Hilary refusing to subscribe unto their ambiguous and captious contessions and decrees for he was very circumspect and quick sighted to discern and avoid their cunning devices and impostures was banished into Phrygia in the East where he continued for the space of three whole years and upward In the fourth year of his banishment the Emperor commands a Synod of the
him to have been dead though indeed he were then alive 3. His book against the Arians or agaâ—nst Auxentius Bishop of Millain written unto the Bishops and people detesting the Arian heresie which by Ierom is stiled an elegant book wherein he accuseth the said Bishop as infected with Arianism To which is annexed an Epistle of Auxentius wherein he cleareth himself as not guilty of the crime laid to his charge 4. His book of Synods unto the Bishops of France whom he congratulates that in the midst of so great tumults as are in the world they had kept themselves free from the Arian faction wherein he declares in what meetings of the Bishops the Arian heresie had been condemned This book as himself testifieth he translated out of Greek but with this liberty that neglecting the words he kept still to the sense and where the place invites him so to do he adds and intermingles somewhat of his own Of which Chemnitius thus speaks He gathered together saith he the opinions of the Greeks concerning the Trinity and unless he had collected the decrees of the Eastern Synods we should have known nothing of them as touching their opinions and doctrinâ—s 5. His commentary upon the Gospel of Matthew which he divided into thirty and three Canons by which name it is called of some Going through almost the whole of that Evangelist in a succinct and brief but learned and solid explanation Being more delighted with the allegorical than literal sense herein imitating Origen out of whom I doubt not saith Erasmus he translated this whole work it doth so in all things savour both of the wit and phrase of Origen For as it containeth many choice things which do proclaim the Author to have been most absolutely skilled in the sacred Scriptures so is he sometimes too superstitious and violent in his allegories a peculiar fault to be found in almost all the commentaries of Origen 6. His commentary upon the Psalms not the whole but upon the first and second then from the one and fiftieth unto the sixty and second according to Ierom's reckoning but as now extant in Erasmus his edition from the one and fiftyeth unto the end of the sixty and ninth which addition Sixtus Senensis saith he had read being printed Also from the hundred and nineteenth unto the end of the book only that upon the last Psalm is imperfect the last leaf saith Erasmus in the manuscripts being either torn or worn away as it oftentimes falls out This work is rather an imitation than a translation of Origen for he adds somewhat of his own some do affirm that he set forth tractates upon the whole book of the Psalms and that it was extant in Spain But commonly no more is to be found than the above mentioned as also his book of the Synods being very large Ierom transcribed with his own hand at Triers for he had him in very high esteem There are also some books abroad under his name which are justly suspected and taken for spurious As 1. An Epistle unto Abram or Afram his Daughter which is a mere toy of some idle and unlearned man it hath nothing in it worthy of Hilary much less that which follows viz. 2. An Hymn which hath in it neither rhythm nor reason yet doth Ierom testifie of Hilary that he wrote in verse and perhaps some of those hymns which at this day are sung in the Church whose Author is unknown may be his He was so far skill'd this way that Gyraldus gives him a place and ranks him among the Christian Poets Bellarmine and Possevin had but small reason upon so slender a ground as they have to affirm both of these to be his without doubt 3. A book of the unity of the Father and the Son which whether it were his or no seems very uncertain seeing Ierom makes no mention of it It seems to be a rhapsody of some studious man taken partly out of the second but for the most part out of the ninth book of the Trinity who omitted and added what he pleased With this as a distinct book from it Bellarmine joyns another of the essence of the Father and the Son which yet I find not named by any other Author Indeed there is an appendix unto the former of the various names of Christ which Bellarmine mentions not the phrase whereof differs much from Hilary's The Author whereof would fain imitate Hilary which he was not negligent in the performance of They are grave and learned books saith Bellarmine of his two and not unworthy the spirit and eloquence of Hilary 4. An Epistle unto Augustine concerning the remains of the Pelagian heresie which cannot be Hilary's because that heresie was not known in his time 5. Another Epistle unto Augustine being the eighty and eighth in number among Augustines in which he propounds certain questions to be resolved but neither this nor the â—ormer are our Hilary's who was dead before Augustine became a Christian and yet in his answer he stiles him his Son They both seem to belong unto another Hilary that was afterward made Bishop of Arles who together with Prosper of Aquitain defended the cause of Augustine against the French Semipelagians The former of the Epistles gave occasion unto Augustine to write his treatises of the predestination of the Saints and of the good of perseverance to which are prefix'd this Epistle together with one from Prosper concerning the same matter 6. A fragment concerning the things that were done in the Council of Ariminum rejected by Baronius 7. An heroick Poem stiled Genesis written unto Pope Leo who lived Ann. 440. at what time Hilary had left this life And therefore it cannot be his but may better be ascribed unto the abovenamed Hilary Bishop of Arles 8. A fragment of the Trinity which contains his creed but of little credit as being no where else mentioned It might happily be an extract out of his work upon this subject § 4. As for his stile it is perplex and thâ—rny such as should he handle matters in themselves very clear yet would it be both hard to be understood and easie to be depraved Very lofty he is after the Gallicane manner for this seems to be peculiar unto the wit and genius of that nation as appears in Sulpitius Severus Eucherius and of late the famous Budaeus adeo sublimis ut tubam sonare credas non bominem adeò faeliciter elaboratus ut eruditum lectorem nunquam satiet trivialiter literatos procul submoveat and being adorned with the Flowers of Greece he is sometimes involved in long periods so that he is far above the reach of and in vain perused by unskilful Readers which yet Sixtus Senensis thinketh ought to be referred unto his books of the Trinity wherein he imitated Quintilian both in his
whom formerly he had followed he forthwith fell upon this course and so became a Christian. As touching the former of these Relations it is nothing improbable that the admirable and extraordinary constancy of Christians in their greatest Sufferings for Christ might be an inducement unto him to enquire after the Doctrine and Religion which they professed the truth whereof they could so willingly and chearfully seal with their blood a notable demonstration of the excellency and divine original thereof and so might it make way to his conversion Many instances might be given of the strange effects that such Spectacles have produced in the hearts of those that have been the Spectators Trajan himself who moved the persecution against the Christians hearing good Ignatius at that time when the Lions were ready to be let loose upon him to utter those words I am the wheat of Christ whom the teeth of wild Beasts must grind to make me pure Bread for God With admiration breaks out into these words Grandis est tolerantia Christianorum Great is the patience of the Christians Who of the Greeks would suffer so much for his God To whom Ignatius meekly replyed Not by mine own but by the strength of Christ do I undergo all this But as for the latter whether he had such an apparition or no and directions given him by his old man what course he should take that he might come to the knowledge of the truth Penes lectorem esto I leave unto the prudent Reader to judge yet was not Augustin's tolle lege altogether unlike it neither are Histories wholly barren and silent in relations of the like kind The gravity and piety of the Author may justly challenge from us a suspension at least of our censure and stir us up to take notice of the variety of ways that God hath who can if in his infinite wisdom he see it meet go out of the way of his ordinary providence to bring his great counsels to pass and the things he hath purposed to his chosen from eternity After that he had once given up his name to Christ he became a most notable Champion and Defender of the Christian Faith against the Enemies thereof in every kind especially the Heathen Philosophers the bitter opposers of it with whom he maintained with a great spirit many sharp conflicts and disputes for the vindication of it from their calumnies for which work he was singularly furnished and instructed being well studyed and exercised in the Doctrine of the Gentiles and eminently skilled in Philosophy as the very addition to his name more than intimates being commonly stiled Iustin the Philosopher Moreover he was very ready and expert in the Scriptures as may be eminently seen in his Colloquies with Triphon the Jew whom as another Apollos and eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures he mightily convinced that Jesus was the Christ and had undoubtedly won him to embrace the Faith had he not rather chosen to imitate the inbred obstinacy of his Nation than yield to manifest and invincible truth as saith the publisher and perfecter of that Latine Translation and Edition which Gelenius had began and enterprised but could not finish being prevented by death § 2. He was an holy man and a Friend of God leading a life very much exercised in virtue an eminent lover and worshipper of Christ which he abundantly manifested in being one of the first that in those times of hot persecution wherein the very name of Christian was accounted a crime sufficient for them to be proceeded against with utmost rigour took unto him the boldness to be the Christians Advocate a Title peculiarly given to one Vetius Epagathus who being moved with indignation at the unjust proceedings used against the Christians desired that he might be heard in their behalf undertaking to prove that no impiety was to be found in them for which cause he was afterward stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Advocate of the Christians publickly to plead their cause to clear their innocence and to vindicate them from the groundless calumnies wherewith they were aspersed by their Adversaries in his Learned Apologies which he tendred unto the Emperours and Senate of Rome As did also about the same time Aristides and Quadratus who all three presented their Apologies unto the Emperour Adrian the like did Athenagoras unto Aurelius Antoninus and Commodus the next succeeding Emperours Wherein having with singular zeal broken the Ice they were afterward followed by divers amongst the rest Apollinaris Bishop of Hierapolis Apollonius a Noble-man and Senator of Rome Melito Bishop of Sardis Tertullian c. He was one that had attained the height and top of Philosophy both Christian and prophane abounding in the riches of Learning and History but little studious to set out the native beauty of his Philosophy with the borrowed colours of the Art of Oratory and therefore though his Books be otherwise full of strength and stuffed with knowledge yet have they but little relish or savour of the sauce of Art nor do they with winning inticements and cunning insinuations allure vulgar Auditors So much he himself freely confesseth I shall saith he deal with you out of the Scriptures not shewing much Art in the choice and quaintness of words for I am not endewed with such a faculty only God hath given me grace to understand the Scriptures So that there is to be found in him more solidity and strength of argument than of the flowers and flourishes of Rhetorick And yet is not this later altogether wanting in his writings in the judgement of the Author of the Parisian Edition For that he was an Oratour saith he is apparent from hence that his Apologies for the Christians prevailed so far with the Emperours that the rigour and cruelty that was formerly exercised toward them was much mitigated and abated which to effect no small piece of Rhetorick was requisite The success whereof Eusebius gives us an account of to this purpose The Emperour upon the receit of his Apology became more mild setting forth his decree at Ephesus wherein among other these words concerning the Christians are to be read Concerning these Men many of the Presidents of the Provinces have heretofore written to my Father Adrian to whom he wrote back again that such should not be molested unless they were found to have attempted something against the Roman Empire And many have informed me also concerning them to whom I returned a like answer as my Father had done If therefore hereafter any one shall persist to occasion trouble unto such as such Let him that is accused be freed from the accusation and let the accuser undergo punishment § 3. Of the Books which he wrote in the general Eusebius thus speaks Iustin hath left behind him unto Posterity many Monuments of a mind accurately instructed and full fraught with profit in every kind which seem to
be the first after the Apostolical times that have come to our hands Of these some are lost and perished only we find the names or titles of them recorded by himself and others of this sort are as Ierom hath them 1. A Volume against the Gentiles wherein he disputeth of the nature of Devils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de exilio daemonum of the Exile of Devils saith Suidas 2. A fourth Volume against the Gentiles which he entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a refutation Trithemius calls it castigationum lib. 1. 3. Of the Monarchy of God of which more anon 4. A Book which he called Psaltes 5. Of the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Scholastical discourse wherein various questions being propounded he annexed the opinions of the heathen Philosophers which he promised to answer and to give his own judgement concerning them in a certain other Commentary 6. Against Marcion the Heretick lib. 1. saith Trithemius how many for number it 's uncertain Books saith Photius necessary to be read stiled by Ierom insignia Volumina famous and excellent Volumes 7. Against all Heresies or Sects as Suidas a profitable work saith Photius 8. A Commentary upon Genesis 9. A Commentary upon the Apocalypse so Ierom in the life of the Apostle Iohn Being banished saith he into the Isle of Patmos he wrote the Apocalypse which Iustin Martyr and Irenaeus do interpret 10. Possevine saith that in the Catalogues of Greek Manuscript Books which came to his hands is to be seen such an Inscription as this Iustini Philosophi Martyris Explicatio in St. Dionysii Areopagitae Episcopi Atheniensis Hierarchiam Ecclesiasticam mysticam Theologiam 11. An Epistle ad Papam mentioned by himself in his Epistle to Zena and Sirenus The Books now extant under his name are of two sorts 1. Some genuine and by all granted to be his viz. 1. Paraenesis his exhortation to the Grecians wherein he exhorts them to embrace the Christian Religion as being of greater Authority and of more antiquity than the Heathenish and in the end shews them the way how they may attain it 2. An Oration unto the Greeks wherein he lays down the reasons why he forsook their Rites and invites them to embrace the Christian Religion Yet is neither of these mentioned by Eiâ—sebius or Ierom. 3. His first Apology unto the Senate of Rome which Bellarmine conceives to be the later and not given up unto the Senate as our Books have it but unto Marcus and Lucius the Successors of Pius and that this common deceit was hence occasioned because the first Apology as they are usually placed wants the beginning and therefore it could not be known unto whom it was directed Herein 1. He complains of their most unjust proceedings in punishing the Christians meerly for the name 2. He makes answer unto those things which were objected to them by the Gentiles 3. He requests them that to their decree if they should publish any thing concerning this thing they would publickly annex this Apology that the innocency of the Christians might be known unto all 4. His second Apology which he tendred unto Antoninus Pius to his Sons and to the whole Senate and people of Rome which Baronius calls fortem gravem Apologiam a strong and grave Apology first named both by Eusebius and Ierom and therefore likely to be the first of the two The sum whereof Baronius gives us in these words Multa exprobrat de iniquissimis in Christianos judiciis c i. e. He much upbraids them for their most unjust proceedings against the Christians viz. for that without any inquiry into cause or matter they were adjudged to death as the most impious and flagitious of all Men and that for no other reason but because they were Christians the very name being accounted crime enough Wherefore he doth notably clear them from the several calumnies cast upon them and fully demonstrates their innocency by many arguments particularly that they were not such as they were commonly fam'd to be viz. Atheists because though they worshipped not the gods of the heathen yet they knew the true God and performed that service that was agreeable unto him Also that they looked not for an earthly kingdom as was suspected of them for which cause the Romans stood in fear of a Rebellion and their defection from them but a Divine and Heavenly that made them most willing to run the hazard and suffer the loss of this present life which they never could do were they possessed with any desires of reigning in the World Moreover he wipes off those blasphemies wherewith the Christians were loaded for their worshipping of a crucified Man by such as were altogether ignorant of the mystery of the Cross of Christ. Shewing that the Religion of such as worshipped the gods was but a vain and sordid superstition He likewise Learnedly and copiously discourseth of the Divinity of Christ and of his incarnation or assuming our Nature and unfolds many things of the mystery of the Cross and by many clear and convincing arguments proves the verity of the Christian Faith withal insinuating their harmless Life exact observance of chastity patience obedience peaceableness gentleness and love even to their very enemies Lastly he lays before them the Rites or manner observed by the Christians in their sacred Mysteries viz. Baptism and the Lord's Supper c. because of the slanders that were raised and scattered abroad concerning them as if horrible and abominable things were practiced by them such indeed as are not to be once named among them in their secret meetings upon such occasions All which he performed with such admirable liberty and boldness as became so zealous and Advocate in so good a cause wherein the magnanimity of his Spirit moved with an holy indignation may evidently be discern'd by the seriousness of the matter contained in it and the solidity of the arguments by which what he undertook is fully proved 5. A Dialogue or Colloquy with Tryphon a Jew which Morel calls Illustris disputatio a notable disputation in Ephesus a most famous City of Asia with Tryphon the chief of the Jewish Synagogue continued by the space of two whole days for the truth of the Christian Religion wherein he proves the Jews to be incredulous contumacious blasphemers of Christ and Christians Infidels and corrupters of the Scriptures falsly interpreting the words of the Prophets and most clearly demonstrates by innumerable testimonies fetched from the old Law that Jesus our Saviour is the true Messiah whom the Prophets foretold should come 6. An Epistle to Zena and Serenus which comprehends the whole life of a Christian man whom he instructs in all the duties belonging to him of which yet Bellarmine makes some doubt whether it be his or no. 7. An Epistle unto Diognetus wherein he shews why the Christians have left the Jews and Greeks
comprised in the first Volume a Chronicle containing the times unto the death of Commodus so that it is evident saith he that he finished his Books under Severus 16. He thus descants upon those words of Christ Matth. 10. 23. When they persecute you in this city flee ye into another he doth not here perswade to fly as if to suffer persecution were evil nor doth he command us fearing death to decline it by flight but he wills us that we be to none the authors or abettors of evil he requires us to use caution but he that obeys not is audacious and rash unadvisedly casting himself into manifest perils Now if he that kills a man of God doth sin against God he also is guilty of that Murther who offers himself to Judgement And such a one shall he be accounted that avoids not persecution presumptuously offering himself to be taken He it is that as much as in him lyeth helps forward the impiety of him that persecutes Much like to this is that of Athanasius Numb 11. vid. 17. Behold O man saith he for how small a matter the Lord doth give thee Land to till Water to drink another Water whereby to send forth or export and to return or import thy Commodities Air wherein to breath a House to cover thee from the injury of the weather Fire wherewith to warm thee and whereat to imploy thee a World wherein to dwell all these things so great so many thy Lord hath as it were rented out unto thee at a very easie rate a little Faith a little Thanks so it be true so they be hearty And most unkind thou if thou denyest him that rent the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof if then thou dost not acknowledge thy Lord being compassed round with his blessings he will then say unto thee Get thee out of my Land and from out of my House touch not my Water partake not of my Fruits If I have rented these out unto thee for so small a matter a little thanks and thou dost deny me that little thou hast in so doing forfeited the whole and I will require the forfeiture at thy hands § 6. These and many such like excellent passages do his Writings abound with but yet there are intermixed and scattered up and down such things as are neither sound nor savâ—â—ry which are therefore carefully to be heeded and avoided In so much as for this cause Pope Gelasâ—us did providently require saith Baroâ—ius that the works of this Clement should be branded with the note of Apocryphal wherein notwithstanding he may justly be accounted more wary than wise for were this ground sufficient to reject the labours of the ancients because among much good grain there is some chaff to be found none of them would be remaining or of any credit at this day Let us rather sever the Gold from the Dross than dam up the Mine and let what 's bad be suffer'd to continue for the sake of what is good and useful in them rather than what 's good be rejected for the bads sake Nevertheless it may not be amiss to give notice of what will not endure the test and trial lest through inadvertency and because of the antiquity and authority of the Author that should be esteemed and taken up for sound and current which upon examination will prove adulterate and unpassable Of which sort are these that follow 10. It is a ridiculous thing saith be to imagine that the Body of our Saviour as a body did stand in need of necessary aids and Ministries that it might continue for he did eat not for his bodies sake which was upheld by an holy Power but lest it might occasion those with whom he conversed to think otherwise of him as indeed afterward some were of opinion that he appeared only in a Vision and Phantasm For to say it once for all he was void of passion being one whom no motion of affection could take hold of neither pleasure nor grief A strange and gross conceit and directly contrary to clear Texts of Scripture 2. That Christ ought to preach but one year only he fondly gathered from Luke 4. 19. he hath sent me To preach the acceptable year of the Lord and supposeth that he suffer'd in the thirtieth year of his age Both which as his errours Casauboâ— maketh mention of and how manifestly repugnant they both are to the History of the Evangelists is obvious to every observing eye 3. He is of the mind that Jesus Christ descended into Hell for this cause that he might preach the Gospel unto the dead and that these are the bodies spoken of Matth. 27. 53. 53. that arose at the time of Christ's passion that they might be translated unto â— better place Yea that the Apostles as well as the Lord himself did preach the Gospel unto those that were dead Chemnitius thus reports it Clemens Alexandrinus inquit multa citat ex apocryphis quibus peregriâ—s dogmata stabilire conatur Vt ex libro Pastoris Hermae probat Apostolos post mortem praedicasse illis qui anteà in infidelitate mortui fuerâ—nt illos conversos vivificasse He thought that no man was saved before the coming of Christ but that those who lived piously and righteously by the Law or by philosophy were accounted righteous yet wanted Faith wherefore in Hell they expected the coming of Christ and the Apostles and that by their preaching they were converted to the Faith and so saved 4. He frequently asserteth the freedom of man's will in spirituals e.g. Yours is the Kingdom of Heaven if directing or turning your free-will unto God you will believe only and follow that short way that is preached unto Again neither praises nor dispraises neither honours or rewards nor punishments are just if the soul have not free power to desire and to abstain Also because it is in our power to obey or not to obey that none may pretend ignorance the divine word gives a just call unto all and requires what every one is enabled to perform Lastly defection going back and disobedience are in our power as is also obedience And in this particular he erred not alone the two immediately preceding and divers other of the Ancients being of the same judgement the ground whereof may be conceived to be this because many of them had been in their first years brought up in the study of Philosophy and of Philosophers being converted became Christians this made them attribute so much even too much unto Philosophy which proved the occasion of many errours in them Hence it is that Tertullian calls Philosophers Patriarchas haereticorum and Rhenâ—nus having shewn of how great advantage the Philosophy of Platonicks was unto Valentinus who had been of that Sect in the hatching of his wild and sottish Heresies breaks out into these words See saith he how