1 Chron. 29. 29. Now the Acts of David the King first and last behold they are written in the Book of Samuel the Seer and in the Book of Nathan the Prophet and in the Book of Gad the Seer Theodoâ—…t and Diodorus of Tarsus seem to be of this Opinion when they say that it was the custom of all Prophets amongst the Hebrews to write down whatever happen'd in their time and that upon this score it is that the first Book of Kings is called the Prophesie of Samuel Others pretend that these Books are of a later date because we find some ways of speaking there which don 't belong to that time but perhaps they were added since and it is very probable that both these Books are very ancient However 't is certain that they were written before the Chronicles The first of these two Books of Kings contains that which passed under the Government of Eli of Samuel and under the Reign of Saul The second is the History of David's Government The two last Books of Kings contain the History of the Reign of Salomon Son of David and afterwards the Reigns of the several Kings of Israel and Judah down to the Destruction of Israel and the Captivity of Judah We don't know who is the Author of these two Books Some as the Talmudists for instance attribute them to Jeremiah others to Isaiah and the greatest part to Ezrah 'T is a Collection or an Historical Abridgment drawn out of several Memoirs and Books of the Prophets which are there frequently quoted These Four Books of Kings contain the History of almost Six hundred Years The two Books of Chronicles are called Paralipomena by the Greeks because they contain some Circumstances that were omitted in the other Historical Books The Hebrews call them Diaries and St. Jerome Chronicles 'T is commonly believed that Ezrah wrote them and that he drew this Abridgment partly from those Books of the Bible which we have and partly from other Memoirs that he had at the time of his writing St. Jerome thinks that this was the Book that is cited in the Book of Kings under the Name of The Book of the Sayings of the Kings of Judah But 't is evident that it is not and that the Book of Chronicles was written since that of Kings as we prove by the last Words of that Book where mention is made of the Deliverance of the Jews by Cyrus 'T is commonly believed that it was Ezrah who composed the first Book of those that carry his Name and indeed Ezrah speaks there in his own Person n Huetius pretends that the first Chapters of that Book were written by another Author but his Conjecture is not strong enough to make us quit the common Opinion o The second Book belongs to Nehemiah without question p for he declares himself the Author of it in the beginning of the Book and always speaks of himself in the first Person The first of these two Books contains the History of the Deliverance of the Jews from their Captivity and their Re-establishment in Judea from the first Year of Cyrus to the twentieth of Artaxerxes Longimanus for 82 or 83 Years And the second begins from the twentieth Year of the aforesaid Artaxerxes and reaches to the Reign of Darius his Son Sirnamed the Bastard which comprehends the History of the Jews for thirty or one and thirty Years 'T is commonly believed that Tobit and Tobias wrote their own History themselves q But this Opinion is very uncertain 'T is generally believed that this Book was at first writ in Chaldee that St. Jerome translated it into Latin and that this History was afterwards put into Hebrew There are two different Hebrew Editions of it one set out by Munster and the other by Fagius There is also an ancient Greek Edition out of which the Syriac Version was composed Tobit was one of the Israelites that were carried out of Samaria by King Shalmanezer The Author of the Book of Judith is yet less known as Isidore has observed Some believe it was written by Eliachim or Joachim High Priest of the Jews of whom mention is made in that Book Others say it was Joshuah the Son of Josedec the Companion of Zorobabel Others in short maintain that it was not written till the time of Antiochus Epiphanes before the Maccabees time 'T is written in Chaldee and that has made Huetius think that it was written during the Babylonian Captivity St. Jerome translated it into Latin rather following the Sense as he tells us than the bare Letter The Greek Version which we have is very different from the Latin and seems to be more literal The time wherein the History mention'd in this Book did happen is no less uncertain r Some place it before the Captivity others after and some have the boldness to say That whatever is in this Book is only a Parable and Allegory that has nothing of Historical Truth in it The time and the Author of the History of Hester are also very uncertain s St. Epiphanius St. Austin and St. Isidore attribute this Book to Ezrah Others to Joachim High Priest of the Jews Grand-Son of Josedec Most Men say that Mordecai wrote it t who is so often mentioned in it The Tâ—lmudists attribute it to the Synagogue The six last Chapters that are found in the Greek are not in the Original Hebrew Origen in his Letter to Africamus believes it was lost Grotius pretends that these Chapters were composed by the Greek Proselytes Sixtus Senensis says they were taken out of Josephus Bellarmine and some others maintain that there are two Hebrew Editions of this Book one larger than the other where these last Chapters are found and the other the same with what we have Some say the History of Hester happen'd under Darius the Son of Hystaspes others place it under Xerxes and lastly there are some who place it under Ciaxares King of the Medes The first Opinion seems to be most probable The time wherein Job lived is yet more difficult to discover and the Author of the Book who has compiled his History is no less unknown u Some as Origen St. Gregory and Suidas attribute it to Job himself Others believe that Moses was the Author of it or that he translated it into Hebrew St. Gregory Nazianzen attributes it to Salomon others to Isaiah or to some one of the Prophets All these Opinions are built but upon very slight Conjectures Wherefore 't is better in my Opinion to suspend ones Judgment than to assert any of the above-mentioned Opionions that are equally uncertain But at the same time we must not fall into the opposite Errour by saying with the Talmudists and some other Criticks that the History of Job is an entire continued Fiction x The Persons and Nations that are there called by their proper Names the Testimonies of Tobit of Ezekiel and St. James with the Opinions of the Ancient Fathers ought to convince us that the Foundation of
himself in the third Person The Disciple says he whom Jesus loved And in another place If I will that he tarry what is that to you St. Matthew relating his own Conversion speaks of himself in the third Person and some fay that St. Luke was one of the two Disciples whom our Saviour met going towards Emmaus The Praises which Moses gives himself are not excessive It was necessary that in his own Books he should take notice of the signal Favours which God had conâ—eâ—â—ed upon him as well as conceal none of his own Miscarriages Josephus and Caesar often commend themselves after the same manner Third Objection In the 12th Chapter of Genesis the Author has this remarkable Parenthesis And the Canaanite was then in the Land Which makes it evident say they that this was written when the Canaanites were no longer in Palaestine otherwise this Advertisement had been impertinent Now 't is plain they were not chased out of that Land till a long time after Moses's death and consequently he is not the Author of this Book Answer Since these words Cananaeus erat in terrâ— illâ— bear this sense it may be reasonably supposed that this Parenthesis was inserted after Moses's time This is an usual thing and it often happens that these sorts of Explications which at first were written in the Margin to illustrate the Text afterwards were inserted into the Text by way of Parenthesis But one may likewise say that these words Cananaeus auteâ— erat in terrâ— don't signifie Olim erat in terrâ but Jam tum erat in terrâ i. e. That Moses speaking of the passage of Abraham through the Land of Sichem observes that the Canaanites were then in the Land Thus the sense is natural and no ways forced Fourth Objection In Genesis ch 22. 〈◊〉 14. the Mountain Moria is called The Mountain of the Lord who will provide Appâ—llavitque Abraham nomen loci illius Dominus videt Now say they it had not this Name till after it was set apart to make a Temple there Answer But how do they know this For is not the contrary expresly attested in that place of Genesis And does it not appear that this Mountain received the name of The Lord will provide because of Abraham's Answer to his Son My Son God will provide Fifth Objection In Deuteronomy ch 3. 〈◊〉 10 and 11. where mention is made of Ogâ— King of Basan 't is said That he alone was remaining of the Race of the Giants Behold his Bedstead was a Bedstead of Iron is it not in Rabbath of the Children of Ammon Nine Câ—bits was the length thereof and four Câ—bits the breadth of it They say these words make it evident that the Author of Deuteronomy was of a later standing than Moses For in the first place why should Moses speak of this Bed to prove the Greatness of this Giant since all the Israelites might have beheld it themselves 'T is more probable to say That this was written by an Author who lived in a time when they had no knowledge of this King Secondly Why was not this Bed any longer in the Land of Basan but in Rabâ—ath of the Children of Ammon In short say they this Bed was not discovered till the time of David who subdued the Ammonites and took Râ—bbath as we find it related in the second Book of Samuel ch 12. 〈◊〉 30. Answer Supposing all this to be true 't is easily answered by saying that as for what has a relation to Og's Bed it was added in a Parenthesis But why might not Moses give an account of that Bed to prove the Greatness of that Giant even when he addressed himself to the Israelites since perhaps he was writing this Relation some considerable time after the King was â—â—ain and 't is not to be imagined that all the Israelites had seen the Bed But admit the Matter was not so yet Moses might very well make use of this Proof to make the Matter of Fact credible to Posterity Thus the Historians of our Time when they occasionally discourse of any extraordinary Thing although it is never so well known to the World yet they frequently say We have such and such Proofs of it the Monster is still kept in such a place 〈◊〉 As for what follows that this Iron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Land of Basan and not in Rabbath this is all taken upon supposition for whymight not the 〈◊〉 possess it in the time of Moses Sixth Objection The Author of the Pentateuch say they give such Names to several Cities and Countries as they had not till a long time after the Death of Moses In Genesis ch 14. 't is said That Abraham pursued the Kings who had carried way his Nephew Lot as far as Dan. Now the Name of Dan was not given to this Country till a long time after when six hundred Men of the Tribe of Dan took the City of Laish and after they had taken it gave it the Name of their Tribe as we read in the Book of Judges ch 18. The same Author likewise speaks often of the City of Hebron which was not so called till after the Death of Moses from Hebron the Son of Calâ—â— to whom Joshuah gave it formerly it was called Kirjah-Arba as we are particularly informed in Joshuah ch 14. v. 15. In Deuteronomy ch 3. v. 14. it is said That Jair the Son of Manasseh took all the Country of Argob unto the Coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi and called them after his own name Bushan-Havoth-Jair unto this day Answer We may generally answer these Objections thus by saying That these Names were changed after Moses's time to render the History more intelligible to those to whom the ancient Names of those Cities and Countries that Moses used would be altogether unknown But the first Difficulty may be cleared otherwise by saying That the Name of Dan is more ancient than they pretend That the River Jordan was so called because it has its Original from two Springs Jor and Dan. So we may say there was another City of that Name called Dan or Danna whereof mention is made in the 15th Chapter of Joshuah Verse the 49th which was in the Tribe of Judah in the Country of Sodom To the second Instance we may return this answer That it is not clearly said in the Book of Joshuah that Hebron gave his Name to the City of Kirjath-Arba but only that the City of Hebron was formerly called by that Name Which may be well enough understood of an ancient Name which it had hereâ—ofore The last Difficulty is not considerable 't is only in these Words Usque in praesentem diem Now Moses might use this Expression to demonstrate that Country more clearly or perhaps it might be added after him Seventh Objection The Author of the Pentateuch speaketh of things that happen'd after the Death of Moses in Exodus Chap. 16. Verse 35. it is said that the Children of Israel did eat Manna Forty Years until
Hamartigenia Two Books against Symmachus An Abridgment of some Histories of the Old and New Testament BOOKS Lost. The Dittochaeon A Commentary upon the Six Days Work DIADOCHUS Genuine BOOKS A Hundred Chapters concerning a Spiritual Life BOOKS Lost. Ten Definitions AUDENTIUS BOOK Lost. A Treatise of Faith against Hereticks ENDELECHIUS Genuine BOOK A Bucolick FLAVIANUS BOOKS Lost. Sermons upon different Subjects whereof Theodoret produces some Fragments St. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM's Works HOMILIES and SERMONS upon the PENTATEUCH Genuine Books still Extant SIxty seven Homilies upon Genesis Volume I. of the Eaton Edition from Page 1. to 522. and Vol. 2. of Paris from Page 1. to 725. Nine Homilies upon Genesis in the English Edition Vol. 5. from p. 1. to 38. and in the Paris Edit Vol. 〈◊〉 from p. 725. to 773. Two Fragments of Homilies Upon Adam and Abraham V. 5. Ed. Eton. p. 648. and 653. Books Spurious or Dubious Ten Homilies upon Genesis English Edition V. 1. p. 39. Hom. upon Gen. 1. God saw all his Works c. Ed. En. V. 5. p. 145. Ed. P. V. 6. p 18. Hom. upon these words Gen. 1. Let us make man after our own Image Ed. En. v. 5 p. 645. P. v. 6. p. 24. Latin Homilies 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. 11 12 13 14 and 15. upon Genesis in the Latin Edition of Lyons V. 1. p. 206 c. Hom. upon these words of Abraham Gen. 24. v. 10. Put thine hand under my thigh c. Ed. En. v. 7. p. 565. P. v. 6. p. 30. Hom. upon Adam driven out of Paradise v. 7. Ed. En. p. 37. A Sermon upon the Sacrifices of Cain and Abel upon the Giants and the Flood v. 7. Ed. En. p. 458. Sermon upon Abraham and Isaac ibid. p. 394. Hom. upon the brazen Serpent Num 21. Ed. En. v. 5. p. 669. P. v. 6. p. 49. Another Homily upon the same Ed. En. v. 7. p. 448. Upon the Books of KINGS Genuine BOOKS FIve Sermons concerning the History of Hannah and Samuel Ed. Eng. v. 5. from p. 50. to 83. and Paris v. 8. from p. 784. to 854. Three Sermons of David and Saul whereof the first is v. 8. Ed. En. p. 10. And the two others v. 6. p. 83. and 89. Ed. p. 841. 854. 864. A Sermon upon the History of Elijah and the Widow of Sarepta 1 Kings 18. Ed. En. v. 8. p. 261. P. v. 5. p. 636. BOOKS Spurious Several Sermons upon divers places of the Books of Kings upon David and Goliab Ed. L. v. 1. p. 243. A Sermon upon the words of David 2 Kings 7. ibid. p. 244. A Sermon upon Absalom ibid. p. 245. Sermon upon Elijah in Latin ibid. p. 246. and in Greek v. 6. p. 128. Ed. P. Another Sermon upon the same Ed. L. p. 248. A Sermon of the Ascension of Elijah Ed. L. v. 1. p. 248. A Sermon upon Naaman p. 249. A Sermon of Elisha p. 250. A Sermon upon Rachel and her Children Ed. En. v. 1. p. 317. Upon Jordan ibid. p. 41. Four Greek Sermons upon Job Ed. Eton v. 5. p. 949. P. v. 6. p. 76. Five other Latin Sermons upon Job Ed. L. p. 261. A Sermon upon Job ibid. 265. A Sermon upon Job and upon Abraham p. 267. Upon the PSALMS Genuine BOOKS SIxty Homilies upon Psal. 3d c. to the 13th and upon the 41st and 42d and so to the 50th upon the 100dth and 108th and so on to the 117th and from the 119th to the end v. 1. Ed. Eng. from p. 522. to 1016 and Vol. 8. p. 1. and 5. Ed. P. v. 3. p. 1. to 551. An Homily upon Psal. 13. Ed. P. v. 3. p. 833. Two Homilies upon the Title of the 50th Psal. Ed. Eton. v. 1. p. 692. Ed. P. v. 3. p. 846. and 862. BOOKS Spurious Two Latin Prefaces upon the Psalms Ed. L. v. 1. p. 269. and 270. A Discourse of the Usefulness of the Psalms p. 272. ibid. An Homily upon Psal. 1. in Greek v. 5. Ed. Eng. p. 677. In Latin Ed. L. v. 1. p. 273. An Homily upon the 9th Psalm Ed. L. p. 313. upon the 14th p. 323. upon the 22d 24 25 26. 29. 33. 37 38 39. 40. 42. 68. 71. 84. 90. 93. 95. 96. ibid. An Homily upon Psal. 4. Ed. Eng. v. 7. p. 431. The Homilies upon Psal. 51st 95th 100dth Ed. Eng. v. 1. p. 9. 11. and following Ed. P. v. 3. p. 884. Hom. upon Psalm 101st c. to 107th and the Exposition of the 119th Ed. Eng. v. 1. p. 92. Upon the words of Psal. 75. Voâ—… Reddiâ—e c. v. 7. Ed. Eng. p. 260. An Homily upon these words of Psal. 38. Man disquieteth himself in vain Ed. Eng. v. 7. p. 508. Ed. P. v. 6. p. 114. An Homily upon these words of Psal. 121st Fiat pax in virtute tua c. Ed. L. v. 1. p. 483. An Homily upon Psal. 92. Dominus regnavit c. v. 5. Ed. Eton. p. 680. Homily upon these words of the 92d Psal. Elevaverunt flumina c. Eng. Ed. v. 7. p. 256. Upon the other words of Psal. 94. Venite c. ibid. p. 561. Upon Psal. 139. Eripe me Domine c. p. 347. ibid. Upon the Books of WISDOM Spurious UPon these words of the Third Chap. of Wisdom They seemed as dead to the eyes of Fools Ed. L. v. 1. p. 555. Upon the PROPHETS Genuine BOOKS A Sermon of the obscureness of Prophecies Ed. En. v. 6. p. 649. Ed. P. v. 3. p. 799. A Sermon of the obscurity of the Old Testament Ed. En. v. 6. p. 658. P. v. 3. p. 813. A Commentary upon the first Seven Chapters of Isaiah Ed. En. v. 5. p. 100. P. v. 3. p. 554 c. 〈◊〉 Five Homilies upon the 6th Chapter of Isaiah Ed. En. v. 5. p. 127 c. to 155. Ed. P. v. 3. p. 723. to 762. An Homily upon the Seraphim upon a passage of the 45th Chapter of Isaiah verse 7. Ed. En. v. 5. p. 155. and 160. P. v. 3. p. 763. 776. An Homily upon Jeremiah Ch. 10. v. 23. Ed. En. v. 5. p. 168. P. v. 3. p. 789. BOOKS Spurious A Sermon upon these words of Is. Ch. 1. If you will hear me ye shall eat the good things of the Earth Ed. L. v. 1. p. 598. A Sermon upon Isai. Chap. 9. ibid. p. 613. A Sermon upon these words Isai. Chapter 42d Sing unto the Lord Ed. L. v. 1. p. 614. An Homily upon the Seals of the Books spoken of Isai. Chap. 46. v. 3. Ed. Eng. v. 5. p. 689. P. v. 6. p. 138. A Sermon upon Isai. Ch. 62d of the coming of Jesus Christ. Ed. L. v. 1. p. 615. An Homily upon Jerem. Ed. L. v. 1. p. 616. A Greek Homily upon Susanna Ed. Eng. v. 5. p. 703. Ed. P. v. 6. p. 141. A Latin Sermon of Susanna Ed. L. v. 1. p. 617. An Homily of the three Young Men in the fiery furnace of Babylon Ed. En. v. 5. p. 698. P. v. 6. p. 148. Homilies upon these words of the
even to the Heaven And it is for that reason that he makes use of the Term it moved which shews the Nature of the Air. Theodoret propounds also a multitude of other Questions that are curious such as these that follow Whether there be one only Heaven or many He seems to admit of no more than two He is not contented to give Solutions of his own but sometimes he relates other Mens as upon that famous Text of Genesis where it is said That Man was made in the Image and Likeness of God He cites some Passages out of Diodorus Theodorus of Mopsuesta and Origen to prove that it ought to be understood of the Soul of Man and he quotes them also tho' but seldom upon some other Questions if yet these Citations have not been added to the Text of Theodoret which is so much the more probable because they are not to be found in the Manuscript of the King's Library That he may give the true sence of Scripture he hath recourse often to the Versions of the ancient Greek Translators and likewise to the Hebrew Text which he read in the Hexapla of Origen and in the Interpretation of Hebrew words by that Father He doth not at all search into the Allegories but applies himself to the explication of the Letter and the History and ordinarily he pitches upon the most plain and natural sence As for Example when he explains what is meant by the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil he thinks it enough to say that these Names were given them upon the account of the Effects which they produced That the one preserved Life and the other made Man to know what Sin was To make it evident why our first Parents were not ashamed of their Nakedness he saith That they were like Infants being not yet defiled with Sin In sum That Custom did take away or diminish Shame as we see in Seamen who being accustomed to be Naked are not in the least ashamed when they strip themselves and as it is the fashion in Baths without which it would make some Impression He believes not That Man was created Immortal but he says That God did not pass the Sentence of Death upon him till after he had sinned That he might beget in him a greater hatred of Sin He saith That Adam being driven out of Paradise was sent into a place not much distant from it that the sight of the place might put him in mind of his Sin He quotes Theodorus who thought that by the Cherubims which were placed at the Gate of Paradise they ought not to understand Angels nor any Spiritual Essences but Apparitions and Phantoms which had the shape of Ghastly Creatures He doubts not but that Enoch was translated alive into some place to preach the Resurrection but that no Man ought to trouble himself to know where it is The Sons of God of whom it is said That they had familiarity with the Daughters of Men are not according to the Judgment of Theodoret Angels but the Posterity of Seth who marryed themselves to the Daughters of the Generation of Cain of whom were born those great Men to whom they gave the Names of Giants The reason why the first Patriarchs lived so long a time was That Mankind might be multiplied and for that reason it was That they married so many Women In the Questions upon Exodus he maintains That it was God and not an Angel which appeared to Moses in the Flaming Bush. He enlarges himself much upon these words The Lord hardned the Heart of Pharaoh that he might prove that it was Pharaoh himself that hardened his own Heart against all the Admonitions and Chastisements of God who treated him with Goodness and Mercy in sparing him And in explaining in what sence God may be said to harden his Heart he brings this familiar Example The Sun is said to melt Wax and harden Clay altho' there is but one Vertue only in it which is to make hot by the same Goodness and Patience of God two contrary Effects are wrought the one is profitable to some and the other renders others guilty which is as much as to say That it converts some and hardens others As Jesus Christ hath declared in his Gospel when he says that he came That those that see not might see and that they which see might be made blind The design of Jesus Christ was not to make those blind who could see for he wills That all Men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth but he notes by this what happened For Man being a free Agent they who have believed secure their Salvation but on the contrary they who believe not are themselves the Authors of their own Damnation It is in this sence that Judas who could see as he was an Apostle became blind 't is in this sence also that S. Paul who was blind received his sight 't is in this sence likewise that the Jews are blinded and the Gentiles see yet the World may not be deprived of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ because some Men make an ill use of it Altho' Theodoret seldom expounds any Allegories he cannot avoid doing it sometimes In speaking of the Jewish Passover he there discovers the Relation it has to the new Law which he unfolds in a very natural way The Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the old Law afford him Subjects of Allegory in his Questions upon Leviticus He also referrs many to Morality and draws Instructions for Mens manners out of the greatest part of the Ordinances of Leviticus and the Book of Numbers He hath made many such like Reflections in his Questions upon Deuteronomy He confines himself more to the Historical and Literal sence in his Questions upon Joshua Judges and Ruth which make up the Octateuch and in those which he hath composed upon the 4 Books of Kings and 2 Books of Chronicles These last are a second part of his Work and have a special Preface in which he observes after what manner the Books of Kings and Chronicles were composed These are his own Words There were saith he many Prophets who have left us no Books and whose Names we learn out of the History of the Chronicles Every one of these Prophets wrote ordinarily what happened in their time For this reason it is that the first Book of the Kings is called by the Hebrews and Syrians The Prophecy of Samuel We need only to read it and we shall be convinced of the Truth of this They then that composed the Books of Kings wrote them a long time after from these ancient Memoirs For how could they that lived in the time of Saul or David write that which happened afterward under Hezekiah and Josiah How could they relate the War of Nebuchadnezzar the Siege of Jerusalem the Captivity of the People and the Death of Nebuchadnezzar It is then visible That every Prophet wrote what passed in
intelligible to those that lived in the following Ages For example We find the Ancient Names of Cities are sometimes changed for those they received afterwards because they would have been no longer known by their Ancient Appellations There are likewise some short Explications inserted into these Sacred Books to illustrate what was said by the Author And in short some necessary Passages have been added to compleat the History These things are common and we find Examples of it in the Books of Homer Herodotus and almost all the Ancient Historians and yet no Body is inclined for all this to reject their Books as if they did not belong to those whose Names they bear Why then should we not say the same thing of the Books of the Pentateuch which have been more constantly assigned to Moses than the Poems of the Iliads or the Odysses to Homer or the Histories of Herodotus and Thucydides to those by whose Names they are known Let us examine all the Reasons that are alledged against the Antiquity of the Pentateuch since they imagine they are unanswerable which yet is very false as we shall make appear in these following Discourses and we shall see they only prove that some Names of Cities or Countries are changed some few Words inserted to explain some Difficulties and lastly that the account of Moses's Death has been put in since which was but necessary to finish the History of the Pentateuch We ought therefore to affirm it for a certain Truth That Moses was the Author of the first Five Books of the Bible called the Pentateuch There are given to each of these Five Books which have their Names in Hebrew from the first Word in each Book there are given 'em I say such Names as have a relation to the Subject The first is called Genesis because it begins with the History of the Creation of the World It contains besides that the Genealogy of the Patriarchs the History of the Flood a Catalogue of the Descendaâ—… of Noah doâ—n to Aâ—… 〈◊〉 the Life of Abrahâ—â— of Jacob and Joseph and the History of the Posâ—eâ—â—ty oâ— Jâ—â—oâ— down to the Death of Joseph So that this Book comprehends the History of 2369 Years or thereabouts following the account of the Years of the Patriarchs as we find them in the Hebrew Text. The Second is called Exodus because the principal Subject of it is the Departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt and all that passed in the Wilderness under Moses's Conduct for an Hundred forty five Years viz. from the Death of Joseph to the Building of the Tabernacle We find there a Description of the Plagues wherewith Egypt was afflicted an Abridgment of the Religion and Laws of the Israelites together with the admirable Precepts of the Decalogue The third is called Leviticus because it contains the Laws the Ceremonies and Sacrifices of the Religion of the Jews All which has a particular Relation to the Levites to whom God gave the charge of all those things that concern'd the Ceremonial part of that Religion The fourth is called Numbers because it begins with the Numbring of the Children of Israel that came out of Egypt and concludes with the Laws that were given the People of Israel during the Thirty nine Years of their sojourning in the Wilderness Deuteronomy that is to say the second Law is so called because it is as it were a Repetition of the first Foâ— after Moses has described in a few Words the principal Actions of the Israelites in the Wilderness â—e recites abundance of the Precepts of the Law i We don't certainly know when these Books were composed by Moses or which was first written However 't is very certain that Deuteronomy was written last in the Fortieth Year of the Departure out of Egypt and a little before the Death of Moses We can't so certainly tell who are the Authors of the other Books of the Bible Some of 'em we only know by Conjecture and others there are of which we have no manner of Knowledge It is not certain that the Book of k Joshuah was written by himself for as it is observed by the Author of the Abridgment of the Scripture attributed to St. Athanasius this Title is set at the Head of that Book not so much to discover the Author as to make the Subject of it known because it treats of War and other things that happen'd under the Conduct of Joshuah after the same manner as the Books of Judges of Kings of Tobit of Judith are so called because they give an Account of the Lives and Actions of those whose Names they bear But though 't is commonly believed that this Book was written by Joshuah and this Opinion seems to be countenanced by some Words of the last Chapter where it is said that Joshuah wrote all these things in the Book of the Law Nevertheless we must affirm that 't is certain that Theodoret and some others among the Ancients are not of this Opinion and that we have Reasons strong enough to make us doubt whether he is the Author or no. However it is 't is a most unquestionable Truth that this Book is ancient and that if it is not Joshuah's it was written either by his particular Order or a little after his Death It carries the History of the People of Israel Seventeen Years beyond the Death of Moses or thereabout We yet know less of the Author of the Book of Judges Some with the Talmudical Doctors attribute it to Samuel some to Hezekiah others to Ezrah In short some Persons are of Opinion that every Judge wrote his own Memoirs which were afterward collected by Samuel or Ezrah Be it as it will the Book is certainly ancient and l admit it was put into the condition we now find it by Ezrah yet we cannot reasonably question its being composed from ancient Memoirs It contains the History of what happen'd to the Israelites from the Death of Joshuah to that of Sampson We cannot precisely tell what Number of Years it takes in tho' 't is commonly fixed to something above 300 Years The Book of Ruth is a kind of an Appendix to the Book of Judges which is the reason why the Jews made but one Book of these two and for the same reason 't is commonly believed that one Author composed both 'T is certain that the History of Ruth comes up to the times of the Judges but we don't know the time exactly We may assign it to the time of Samgar Eight and twenty Years or thereabouts after the Death of Joshuah The two first Books of Kings are called by the Hebrews the Book of Samuel which has occasioned the Opinion that they were in part written by that Prophet m that is to say that he composed the Four and twenty first Chapters and that the Prophets Gad and Nathan afterwards compleated the Work This is the Opinion of the Talmudists and Isidore and is founded upon these Words of the Chronicles
had Writers that were divinely inspired Who questions it As also That it did not belong to all the World to judge who they wâ—re that were thus divinely inspired but this Province was reserved for those Persons who had the same Inspiration themselves Well then suppose it were so does it therefore follow that the Books of Moses were composed by the Keepers of Registers Does it follow that those who were appointed to write History and that too out of the publick Memoirs were divinely inspired Or lastly That all the Books of Scripture which we now have are but so many Abridgements extracted out of these Memoirs As for what remains Mr. Simon could not have cited any Author more contrary to his own Hypothesis than Eusebius and that even in this very Book De Praeparatione Evangelicâ For one of the great Principles which he there establishes in several places is the Authority and Antiquity of the Books of Moses which he always supposes to have been written by that Prophet in the same manner as we have 'em at present The Truth of this Assertion he confirms by these three Propositions which he lays down in the beginning of the 14th Book The first is That Moses is ancienter than any Greek Author The second That he has written what he had learned of his Ancestors The third That the Jews have neither added nor diminished from the Writings which he left them And now I 'll leave the World to judge whether these Principles of Eusebius agree with those of Mr. Simon The third Author cited by Mr. Simon is Theodoret It must be confessed that this Father owns as well as several other Authors have done that the Books of Kings and Chronicles were composed from very ancient Memoirs But this is not the point in Question We confess we are not assured of the Authors of those Books We acknowledge they are a Collection drawn out of old Memoirs But we demand of Mr. Simon whether it follows from hence that the Pentateuch and other Books of the Bible are of the same Nature This is a thing which Theodoret wou'd beware of saying because he owns Moses to be the Author of the Pentateuch 'T is with this Assertion he begins his Preâ—â—â—â— to the Books of Kings from whence Mr. Simon has drawn these passages which he quâ—â—â—s After having explained the Books of Moses c. To these three Authors has Mr. Simon in his Letter to Monsieur L' Abbe added the Author of the Synopsis attributed to St. Athanasius This Author follows the Opinion of Josephus and after having observed that the five first Books of the Bible do without dispute belong to Moses he says that all the following Books are not written by those whose Names they bear but that they were composed by Prophets who lived from time to time Lastly he observes when he is speaking concerning the â—â—râ—â—icles that one finds several Historical Books of the Prophets quoted there And what does all this make for Mr. Simon 's Hypothesis Have not we said the very same thing Does not all the World agree as to this particular Had Mr. Simon kept himself here no Body would have fell upon him The last Author whom Mr. Simon cites to justifie his Hypothesis is the Author of the Chroniâ—â—â— Alexandrinum This Author in the place transcribed by Mr. Simon tells us that there were some Prophets who wrote their own Prophesies themselves as David the Book of Psalms and Daniel his Prophecy and that there were others who did not write themselves but that they had Scribes in the Temple who wrote down as it were in a Journal the Words of each Prophet ...... That the Books of Kings were thus composed by parts that under Saul ' s Reign they wrote whatever passed in his time and so likewise in David ' s time and the other Kings That the Chronicles are but a Collection of Registers and several Papers of their Kings That Moses wrote the Pentateuch That Joshuah is the Author of the Book which bears his Name That the Book of Judges was written by the Scribes in the Temple from time to time as well as that of Ruth That Salomon composed the Proverbs the Canticles and Ecclesiastes This Author's Hypothesis is extreamly different from that of Mr. Simon 1. He supposeth for a certain truth that Moses was the Author of the Pentateuth and does not attribute his Works to the publick Scribes or Abbreviators 2. He does not say that these publick Scribes were inspired by God or that they wrote the History of themselves He supposes the Prophets dictated that to them as well as their Prophecies 3. He believes that the Books of Kings and Judges were the very Originals from the Prophets which were joyned together Instead of which Mr. Simon believes that these Books are Abridgments I won't lose so much time as to answer the Rabbi's and other Authors of that Stamp whom Mr. Simon has mustered up in his last Letter 'T is visible there 's not one single Author he quotes that is of the same opinion with himself For In the first place they all of 'em acknowledge That the Books of the Pentateuch ought not to be attributed to Scribes or to Prophets divinely Inspired but to Moses himself Secondly they say That the following Books were written by Persons divinely Inspired to whom they gave the name of Prophets but they don't tell us that these Prophets were Supervisors of the Registers or publick Scribes Thirdly they acknowledge That there were ancient Memoirs or ancient Histories often quoted in the Books of Kings and the Chronicles No body doubts this I have frequently observed it and have made a Catalogue of the Books that are quoted in the Old Testament But it does not fâ—llow from hence that all the Books of the Bible are Extracted from these Memoirs and Compiled a long time after Mr. Simon has given these publick Scribes authority to change to enlarge and abridge these Sacred Books as they see convenient To prove this he quotes Don Isaac Abarbinel a Learned Spanish Jew as if we were obliged to take all for Gospel that these Rabbi's have been pleased to deliver He joyns Procopius and Theodoret to this Jew as Men that have observed that the Books of Kings and Chronicles were drawn out of several other Historical Books Not to displease Mr. Simon he has mightily altered the Point for this is not the Question under debate We agree with him that the Authors of the Books of Kings and the Chronicles compiled their Histories out of Memoirs and particular Historians whom they found as Livy and Mezâ—ray made use of the ancient Historians to compose their Histories But for all this we dare not say they have changed or diminished the ancient Histories that always continued in the same condition they were in nor that they had a Privilege to do this much less that they have made any considerable Alterations or Additions to the Books of Moses Mr. Simon
The House of God mentioned in the Ninth Chapter may be understood well enough of the Tabernacle and Ark which was in the time of Joshuah l Be it as it will the Book of Judges is ancient To prove that this Book was not composed till after the Captivity they commonly instance in these words in Chap. 18. Vers. 30 31. Untill the day of the Captivity of the Land and in these In those days there was no King in Israel Words say they which demonstrate that this Book was written after the Captivity and in the time when they had Kings in Israel But the Captivity spoken of in this place is not that of Babylon but the Captivity that happened in the time of Heli when the Ark was taken by the Phllistines and the Idol of Micah was destroyed as it is observed in this place of the Book of Judges And as for these words In those days there was no King in Israel they don't necessarily suppose that there were any when this Author lived and perhaps they were added by Ezrah m Which has made Men think that the Books of Samuel were written by that Prophet This Opinion is not certain because Chap. 9. Vers. 9. it is said That he that is now called a Prophet was before-time called a Seer which Samuel could not say In the fifth Chapter Verse the fifth the Author of this Book relating the History of the taking of the Ark tells us that the Priests of Dagon did not tread upon the Threshold of Dagon unto this day But this might well enough be said by Samuel because that happened when he was young and he wrote not this Book till towards the end of his Life n Ezrah speaks there in the first Person He speaks of himself in the first Person Ezrah Chap. 7. Vers. 27 and 28. God hath extended his Mercy towards me before the King and I c. And Chap. 9. Vers. 5. I fell upon my Knees and spread out my Hands o The Conjecture of Huetius is not so strong as to make us quit the common Opinion He says that the Author of the six first Chapters was at Jerusalem in the time of Darius as it appears by these words in the fifth Chapter ad quod respondimus eis quâ— essent nomina Now Ezrah came not to that City till after Darius's Reign under that of Artaxerxes as is easily proved by the beginning of the seventh Chapter But 't is no hard matter to refute this Conjecture by observing that when Ezrah said Respondimus eis he only spoke in the Name of the Jews and 't is an usual thing with the Historians of any Nation to cry We did such or such a thing although the Historian had no share in the doing it p The second Book is constantly attributed to Nehemiah He begins thus The Words of Nehemiah and after the same manner Herodotus Thucydides and Timaeus c. begin their Works not to mention the Prophets The Author of Ecclesiasticus speaks of the Actions of Nehemiah Chap. 40. and the Author of the second Book of the Maccabees commends his Writings q T is commonly believed that Tobit and Tobias wrote their own History This Opinion is principally founded upon the Angels commanding them in the 12th Chapter Vers. 20. Narrate omnia mirabilia ejus In the Greek Interpreter it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Write all his wonderful Works Secondly because in the Greek and Hebrew Editions they speak of themselves in the first Person r The time wherein the History of Judith happen'd is no less uncertain Some say this History happened before the Captivity and prove it first because it is said in this Book that it happen'd a little after the City of Ecbatana was built by Arphaxad King of the Medes Now that City according to Eusebius and Herodotus was built by Dejoces who lived a long time before the Captivity Secondly King Nebuchadnezzar who sent Holofernes into Judâ—a reigned in Ninive which City was destroyed before the Captivity of Babylon Thirdly This Nebuchadnezzar they tell us is Saosdâ—thinus Grandson of Sennacherib and Son of Assaradon King of the Babylonians who gave the Name of Nebuchadnezzar to their King Fourthly They say that Eliachim or Joachim was High-Priest under Manasses as we may see in the 22d Chapter of Isaiah Those who are of the contrary Opinion return the following Answers to these Conjectures To the first they reply That Ecbatana was several times rebuilt To the second That Ninive was restored to its ancient Splendor by the Kings of Persia. To the third That the Name of Nebuchadnezzar was common to the Kings of Babylon and Assyria To the fourth That Eliachim of whom mention is made in Isaiah and in the second Book of Kings Chap. 18. was not High-Priest The Reasons which they alledge for this Opinion are as follows First That this History happen'd at a time when there were no Kings at Jerusalem and the High-Priests had the whole Authority in their Hands Now this was not before the Captivity Secondly We read that there was one Eliachim or Joachim High-Priest after the Captivity Thirdly Achior Prince of the Edomites being ask'd by Holofernes Chap. 5. Vers. 3. Who the People of Israel were He tells him That they were lately carried away Captives into a strange Land but now possessed the City Jerusalem Et plurimi eorum captivi abducti sunt in terram non suam nuper autem reversi ad Dominum Deum suum ex dispersione quâ dispersi erant adunati sunt ascenderunt Montana haec omnia iterum possident Jerusalem And in the Greek it is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et Templum Dei eorum factum est in solum Words that shew that this passage ought to be understood of the Captivity and Destruction of the Temple Lastly They add that it is said in the 16th Chapter that Judith who lived an Hundred and five Years saw no more War in Israel and in the 8th Chapter that when she went to find out Holofernes she was young and beautiful Hence they say it evidently follows that this History did not happen during the Reign of Manasses because from the War which Pharaoh Necho made in the time of King Josiah it was but Forty five or Forty six Years to the Captivity so that by this account she must have been Sixty four Years old when she went to meet Holofernes which is by no means probable These Reasons I confess are not unanswerable but however this Opinion seems to me to be most agreeable to Truth The greatest part of the Protestant Criticks as Luther Chytraeus Beroaldus Scaliger and Grotius believe that this History is a Fiction or Allegory which Grotius has very hadsomely explained but this is a rash Opinion and ought not to be followed s The time and Author of the History of Hester are still uncertain Scaliger assures us that it happened under Xerxes First he says that the Name of Assueras in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
not of the number of the 150 attributed to David but written by some Hellenist who has borrowed it out of David Isaiah and Ezekiel cc They have been cited as Books inspired by God both in the Old and New Testament The 105th the 96th and the 136th Psalms are to be found in the 16th Chapter of the First Book of Chronicles and in the 7th of the Second Book it is said that the Priests did sing the Psalms which David had composed for the Lord singing For his mercy endureth for ever This is the 136th Psalm which is yet to be found quoted in Chapters 5 and 20 of the same Book in the 3d of Ezrah in the 13th of Judith in the 33d of Jeremiah and the 3d of Daniel according to their Computation who esteem the Song of the Three Children to be part of the Canonical Scripture In Ecclesiasticus ch 47. v. 9. it is said that David praised God with all his heart and set Singers before the Altar In quorum sono dulces fecit modos I have not leisure to speak of those many passages in the Prophets which allude to several places in the Psalms In the Second of Maccabees ch 2. v. 13. there is mention made of the Psalms of David St. Matthew ch 13. v. 35. and 27. v. 35. recites the Prophecies about our Blessed Saviour contained in the Psalms Jesus Christ himself cites the Psalm Dixit Dominus c. under the name of David and in St. Luke ch 24. it is said that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning him The Acts and the Epistles of the Apostles are full of Citations out of the Psalms dd Grotius has pretended upon slight conjectures it was composed by Zorobabel This Opinion is not supported by any solid Reason He says that the Shepherd mentioned towards the end of the last Chapter is Zorobabel and his Son Abiud but he brings no Proofs to recommend this Opinion They commonly object when they would prove that this Book was not written by Salomon that there are abundance of Chaldee words to be found in it that are only to be met in Daniel Ezrah c. but perhaps these words might be in fashion amongst the Jews towards the end of Salomon's Reign or it may be they were added since One might also object this passage of ch 2. v. 8. Os regis observa which makes it credible that it is not a King that speaks but we ought to read observa as it is in the Septuagint It looks also a little strange that Salomon should so often say that he did so or so above all that were before him in Jerusalem Eccles. 1. 16. 2. 7 9. since his Father David was the first King that ever Reigned in Jerusalem ee This Book of Wisdom is commonly attributed to Salomon This is St. Cyprian's opinion in his Book of Morality of St. Augustine in his second Book of the Christian Doctrine ch 8. The ancient Versions the Rabbins Origen St. Chrysostome St. Clement of Alexandria St. Cyprian have likewise attributed it to Salomon The most ancient Fathers call the Proverbs the Wisdom of Salomon ff St. Jerome says he saw in his time an Hebrew Copy Munster and Fagius still make menon of an Hebrew Copy of this Book Buxtorf tells us he saw one that was Printed at Constantinople but 't is probable that that Text was made upon the Greek gg Some of the Ancients have attributed this Work to Salomon St. Cyprian and St. Ambrose have cited it under his name St. Hilary testifies that several Persons in his time attributed it to him This opinion is impossible to be maintained not only because we know who is the Author but also because in ch 47. there is mention made of the Prophets that lived after Salomon Eusebius St. Jerome the Author of the Abridgment attributed to Athanasius St. Epiphanius St. Chrysostom St. Austin Caesarius of Arles and many others have acknowledged the true Author of it who was Jesus the Son of Syrach St. Jerome says he lived under the High-Priest Simon the Son of Onias the Second and that he wrote this Book after the Version of the Septuagint or at least that he lived in their time And first he proves it by the Preface of his Grandson who says he collected these Books of his Grandfather in the time of Ptolomy Euergetes who immediately succeeded Ptolomy Philadelphus Secondly because he commends the High-Priest Simon the Just Son of Onias the First ch 50. and afterwards the Translator praises Jesus the Son of Sirach as one that lived in the time of that High-Priest Thirdly because ch 2. he seems to speak of the Persecution which the Jews suffered under Ptolomy the Son of Lagus and in the first year of Ptolomy Philadelphus Huetius believes that Joseph the Son of Syrach is the same with a certain Jew named Ben Sira who has written the Proverbs in Hebrew but this opinion does not appear to be well grounded hh The Son of one Amos whom we must not confound with the Prophet that bears this name The name of the Prophet is Amos and that of the Father of Isaiah is Amots The first was a Shepherd the second was of Royal Extraction The first lived in the time of Uzziah King of Judah the later is more ancient St. Jerome in cap. 1. Isaiae St. Austin in the 18th Book de Civitate Dei ch 27. St. Cyril in his Preface upon Amos and others have distinguished between these two Clemens Alexandrinus l. 1. Strom. the Author of the Life and Death of the Prophets attributed to St. Epiphanius and the Rabbins have confounded them St. Jerome tells us that the Father of Isaiah was Father in Law to Manasses ii By whose command they say he was cruelly put to death and sawn asunder with a Wooden Saw This is a common Tradition amongst the Jews and is confirmed by the Testimonies of Tertullian St. Jerome and St. Basil. kk The conjectures they bring to prove it 〈◊〉 very frivolous They say that the Prophecy of Isaiah does not begin before the 6th Chapter when after 〈…〉 said that 〈◊〉 â—â—ld his Tongue he says I heard a voice of the Lord â—aying whâ—â— shall I send In the second place they pretend that what he says in the first Chapter concerning the desolation of Judah does not at all agree with with the Reign of Uzziah and therefore 't is not the beginning of his Prophecy Thirdly we don't find say they in this Book the Life and Actions of Uzziah that were written by Isaiah as we are informed in the Chronicles Fourthly Isaiah prophesied also under Manasses but there are no Prophecies under his Name that have any relation to the Reign of that King Fifthly the order of things frequently reversed as well in Isaiah as in the other Prophets Answer To the first Objection we return this answer That the Prophet does not say he had as
which cannot be understood of the Son of Jehoiada yy Malachi whose Name in the Hebrew signifies My Angel And this has made Origen and Tertullian believe that he was an Angel Incarnate He is called an Angel by the greatest part of the Fathers and in the Version of the Septuagint but he was Angel by Office and not by Nature as he himself calls the Priests Angels Some Persons as Jonathan the Chaldee Paraphrast St. Jerome and several Jews believed that it was an Appellative Name which Ezrah assumed and that he was Author of this Book but this Opinion is established upon very weak Conjectures and besides Ezrah is no where in Scripture called a Prophet St. Jerome proves his Opinion in the first place because Malachi and Ezrah lived at the same time Secondly Because what is in Malachi is very like what we find in Ezrah And lastly Because in chap. 2. vers 7. he seems to point at Ezrah by these Words Verba Sacâ—rdotis custodiunt Scientiâ—m c. â—ut these Conjectures are light and frivolous For the first only proves that Malachi and Ezrah lived at the same time not that they were one and the same The second is not true and if it were it would prove just nothing The Words quoted in the third ought to be understood of Levi and all the Priests of the Law He adds that in Ecclesiasticus chap. 49. where mention is made of all the Prophets the Name of Malachi is not to be found To this it is answered That we ought not to be surprized because he is not Named there since in the same place there is no mention made of Daniel and several others zz The difference of the Style of the Chronology and of the History make it appear The first Book of Maccabees was written by an Hebrew the second by a Greek the second begins the History a great deal higher than the first One follows the Jewish Account the other that of Alexandria which begins Six Months after Some Persons attribute the first to Josephus others to Philo others to the Synagogue and others to the Maccabees The Phrase of the first is Jewish and St. Jerome tells us he had the Hebrew Copy of it It was Intituled The Scepter of the Rebels against the Lord or rather The Scepter of the Prince of the Children of God The second was Written by Jason as it is observed in the Preface Huetius believes that the third and fourth Chapter as well as the two last don't belong to Jason because it is said in chap. 2. vers 20. that he wrote down all that passed under Antiochus and Eupator but then the remainder which is the end and the beginning of that History ought to be understood aaa From a Sentence in Exodus This Sentence is in Hebrew Mi Camacha Be Elim Jehovah Who is like to the Lord amongst the Powers Now taking the first Letters of each Word we make Maccabee Others give a different Etymology of this Name but this is the most probable SECT II. The Canon of the Books of the Old Testament of Books Doubtful Apocryphal and Lost that belonged to the Old Testament WE call the Books of the Bible Canonical Books because they are received into the Canon or the Catalogue of Books that we look upon as Sacred a Opposite to these are those Books we usually call Apocryphal b which are not acknowledged as Divine but rejected as spurious The first Canon or Catalogue of the Holy Books was made by the Jews 't is certain they had one but 't is not so certainly known who it was that made it Some Persons reckon upon three of them made at different times by the Sanedrim or the great Synagogue of the Jews c But 't is a great deal more probable that they never had more than one Canon d or one Collection of the Holy Books of the Old Testament that was made by Ezrah after the rebuilding of Jerusalem and was afterwards approved and received by the whole Nation of the Jews as containing all the Holy Books Josephus speaking of this business in his first Book against Appion says There is nothing in the World that can boast of a higher degree of certainty than the Writings Authorized amongst us for they are not subject to the least Contrariety because we only receive and approve of those Prophets who wrote them many years ago according to the pure Truth by the Inspiration of the Spirit of God We are not therefore allowed to see great numbers of Books that contradict one another We have only Twenty two that comprehend every thing of moment that has happen'd to our Nation from the beginning of the World till now and those we are obliged firmly to believe Five of them are Written by Moses that give a faithful Relation of all Events even to his own Death for about the space of Three Thousand years and contain the Genealogy of the Descendants of Adam The Prophets that succeeded this admirable Legislator in Thirteen other Books have Written all the memorable Passages that fell out from his Death until the Reign of Artaxerxes the Son of Xerxes King of the Persians The other Four Books contain Hymns and Songs composed in the Praise of God with abundance of Precepts and Moral Instructions for the regulating of our Manners We have also every thing Recorded that has happen'd since Artaxerxes down to our own Times but because we have not had as heretofore a Succession of Prophets therefore we don't receive them with the same Belief as we do the Sacred Books concerning which I have discoursed already and for which we preserve so great a Veneration that no One ever had the boldness to take away or add or change the most inconsiderable thing in them We consider them as Sacred Books and so we call them we make solemn Profession inviolably to observe what they Command us and to Die with Joy if there be occasion thereby to preserve them Origen St. Jerome the Author of the Abridgment attributed to St. Athanasius St. Epiphanius and several other Christian Writers do testifie That the Jews received but Twenty two Books into the Canon of their Holy Volumes The Division that St. Jerome has made of them who distributes them into three Classes is as follows The first comprehends the Five Books of Moses which is called The Law The second contains those Books that he calls the Books of the Prophets which are nine in number namely the Book of Joshuah the Book of Judges to which says St. Jerome they use to joyn the Book of Ruth the Book of Samuel which we call the first and second Book of Kings the Book of Kings which contain the two last These Books are followed by three great Prophets viz. Isaiah Jeremiah and Ezekiel which are three different Books and by the twelve minor Prophets which make up but one Book The third Class comprehends those Books that are usually called the Hagiographa or Holy Scriptures the first
of which is the Book of Job the second the Psalms of David the three following are the Books of Solomon which are the Proverbs Ecclesiastes and the Canticles the sixth is Daniel the seventh the Chronicles the eighth Ezrah which is divided into two Books by the Greeks and Latins and the last is the Book of Esther Thus says St. Jerome all the Books of the Old Testament amongst the Jews just make up the number of Twenty two five whereof were Written by Moses eight by the Prophets and nine are the Hagiographa Some Persons make them Twenty four in number by separating Ruth and the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremy and placing them amongst the Hagiographa This Prologue to the Bible continues he may serve as a Preface to all those Books that we have Translated out of the Hebrew and we ought to understand that whatsoever Book is not to be found in this number is Aprocryphal From hence it follows that the Book of Wisdom commonly attributed to Solomon the Ecclesiasticus of Jesus the Son of Sirach Judith Tobit and the Pastor don't belong to the Canon no more than the two Books of Maccabees do one of which was originally Written in Hebrew and the other in Greek as the style sufficiently shews Thus we see how St. Jerome has clearly explained the Canon of the Scriptures as they are received by the Jews yet we have reason to doubt whether he has been very exact in this Catalogue since in some particulars it does not agree with Josephus For although they are agreed about the number of the Books yet they notoriously differ in the manner of distributing them Josephus places all the Historical Books to the number of Thirteen amongst the Prophets adding to St. Jerome's nine Daniel the Chronicles Ezrah and Job And consequently he sets only those in the third rank that are purely Moral Treatises as the Psalms of David and the Three Books of Salomon But besides this difference we may probably suppose that Josephus has not reckoned the Book of Esther in the number of the Canonical Books For he is of opinon that they were all written before the Reign of Artaxerxes but as for the History of Esther he believed it fell under the Reign of that King as we may see in his Antiquities 'T is therefore very likely that he never considered that Book as Canonical but that to make up the number of the 13 Books of the Prophets he reckoned the Book of Ruth separately from that of the Kings 'T is in pursuance of this Canon that Melito and the Author of the Abridgment of the Scriptures attributed to St. Athanasius reject the Book of Esther and separate the Book of Ruth from that of the Kings Some Persons pretend that he has not owned the Book of Job because he makes no mention of that History but we ought not to wonder that he passes it by since it has no relation to the Nation of the Jews and he only designed to speak of them in his Antiquities Others imagine that he acknowledged Ecclesiasticus for a Canonical Book because he has cited a passage out of it in his second Book against Appion But it is visible as Pithaeus has remarked that this Citation which is not to be found in the ancient Version of Ruffinus has been since inserted into the Text of Josephus e The ancient Christians have followed the Jewish Canon in the Books of the Old Testament There are none quoted in the New Testament f but those that were received into the Canon of the Jews and the greatest part of these g are frequently cited there The first Catalogues of the Canoncial Books made by the Ecclestastick Greek and Latin Authors comprehend no more but at the same time we ought to affirm that even those Books that have been since added to the Canon have been often quoted by the Ancients and indeed sometimes under the name of Scripture The first Catalogue we find of the Books of Scripture amongst the Christians is that of Melito Bishop of Saâ—dis set down by Eusebius in the 4th Book of his History chap. 26. It is entirely conformable to that of the Jews and contains but twenty two Books in which number Esther is not reckon'd and the Book of Ruth is distinguished from that of the Judges Origen also in a certain passage drawn out of the Exposition of the first Psalm and produced by Eusebius in his 6th Book chap. 25. reckons twenty two Books of the Old Testament but he places the Book of Esther in this number and joins the Book of Ruth with that of Judges The Council of Laodicea which was the first Synod that determined the number of the Canonical Books St. Cyril of Jerusalem in his fourth Catechetick Lecture St. Hilary in his Preface to the Psalms the last Canon falsely ascribed to the Apostles Amphilochius cited by Balsamon Aâ—astasius Sinaita upon the Hexameron lib. 7. St. John Damascene in his fourth Book of Orthodox Faith the Author of the Abridgement of Scripture and of the Festival Letter attributed to St. Athanasius the Author of the Book of the Hierarchy attributed to St. Dionysius and the Nicephori follow the Catalogue of Melito Gregory Nazianzen is of the same opinion in his thirty third Poem where he distributes the Books of Scripture into the three Classes viz. Historical Poetical and Prophetical h He reckons up twelve Historical Books namely the five Books of Moses Joshua Judges Ruth the two Books of Kings the Chronicles and Ezrah The five Poetical Books are Job David and the three Books of Salomon and there are likewise five Prophetical Book viz. the four Great and the twelve Minor Prophets Leontius in his Book of Sects follows this Catalogue and distribution only he reckons the Book of Psalms by it self St. Epiphanius in his Eighth Heresie counts twenty seven Canonical Books of the Old Testament nevertheless he adds nothing to Origen's Canon but he separates the Book of Ruth from that of Judges and divides into two the Book of Kings the Chronicles and the Book of Ezrah Several of the Latins reckon twenty four Books whether it be that they add Judith and Tobit as St. Hilary has observed of some in his time or whether they separate Ruth and the Lamentations of Jeremiah as St. Jerome has observed Victorinus upon the Apocalypse St. Ambrose upon the same Book Primasius the Author of the Poem against Marcion Bede and the Author of the Sermons upon the same Book attributed to St. Austin and several others reckon twenty four Books of the Old Testament and say they are represented by the twenty four Elders in the Revelations The first Catalogue of the Books of the Holy Scriptures where they added some Books to the Jewish Canon is that of the third Council of Carthage held Anno Dom. 397. when the Books of Judith Tobit the Wisdom of Salomon Ecclesiasticus and the two Books of the Maccabees were reckoned in the number of Canonical Books There
of Iddo of Ahijah and Jehu cited frequently in the Books of the Chronicles were Memoirs composed in all probability by these Prophets We must say the same thing of the Book of the Sayings and Acts of the Kings of Israel oftentimes cited in the Kings which is different from the Chronicles as we have already observed To these must be added the Book of Samuel cited in the first Book of Chronicles and the last Chapter The Discourses of Hosai or of the Seers that are mentioned in the second Book of Chronicles chap. 33. vers 19. The History of Uzziah written by the Prophet Isaiah and cited in the second Book of Chronicles chap. 26. vers 22. The Three Thousand Parables written by Solomon as it is said in the first of Kings chap. 4. vers 32. The Five Thousand or rather the Thousand and Five Songs with the several Volumes concerning all manner of Plants and Animals that were likewise composed by Solomon as we are informed in the same place The Descriptions of Jeremiah that are mentioned in the second Book of Maccabees chap. 2. vers 1. The Prophecy of Jonas that is lost The Memoirs of Johannes Hircanus mentioned 1 Maccab. 16. 23 24. and the Books of Jason that are mentioned in the second Book of Maccabees 'T is usually Ask'd Whether these Books cited in the Old Testament were Canonical or no This Question in my Opinion is asked to no purpose since we have not any remainders of them at present but however certain it is that they are not Canonical in the same Sense as we usually take the Word that is to say they were never received into the Canon either of the Jewish or Christian Church and no body knows whether they ought to have been admitted there in case they had been still preserved Neither can we positively tell whether they were written by the Inspiration of God or were the mere Works of Men only the latter Opinion seems to be more probable In the first place because the greater part of them having been composed before Ezrah he had without question reckoned them in the Jewish Canon if he had looked upon them to be Divine Books Secondly because we must otherwise be obliged to say that the Church has lost a great part of the Book of God Thirdly because the Apostles never cited any other Books than what we now have as Books of Scripture Fourthly because the Fathers are all agreed that these Books were Apocryphal and place the Book of Enoch cited by St. Jude in the same rank This is the Opinion of Origen of St. Jerome St. Austin and indeed of all the Fathers except Tertullian For although Theodoret and some other Greek Fathers give the Title of Prophets to the Authors of these Books that are cited in Scripture yet it does not follow from thence that they composed these ancient Memoirs by the Inspiration of God It is not necessary that all the Writings and Discourses of a Prophet should be Inspired by Heaven Upon this account St. Austin has very Judiciously observed cap. 38. l. 28. de Civit. Dei that although these Books cited in the Holy Scriptures were written by Prophets that were Inspired by the Holy Ghost yet it is not necessary to say that they were Divinely Inspired For says he these Prophets might one while write like particular Men with an Historical Fidelity and another while like Prophets that followed the Inspiration of Heaven Alia sicut homines Historicâ diligentiâ alia sicut Prophetas Inspiratione Divinâ scribere potuisse Let us now go on to the Books that are not in the Canon of the Old Testament and which we have at present The Catalogue of them is as follows The Prayer of King Manasses who was Captive in Babylon cited in the second Book of Chronicles where it is said that this Prayer was written amongst the Sayings of Hosai who has Translated into Greek the Discourses of the Seers or Prophets It is to be found at the end of the ordinary Bibles there is nothing lofty in it but it is full of pious Thoughts The Latin Fathers have often quoted it It is neither in Greek nor Hebrew but only in Latin The third and fourth Books of Ezrah are also in Latin in the common Bibles after the Prayer of Manasses The third which is to be found in the Greek is nothing but a Repetition of what we find in the two former it is cited by St. Athanasius St. Austin and St. Ambrose St. Cyprian likewise seems to have known it The fourth that is only to be had in the Latin is full of Visions and Dreams and some Mistakes 'T is written by a different Author from that of the third for besides the great difference of Style one of them reckons Nineteen Generations from Aaron down to him and the other but Fifteen The third Book of Maccabees contain a miraculous Deliverance of the Jews whom Phiscon had exposed in the Amphitheatre at Alexandria to the fury of Elephants Josephus relates this History in his second Book against Appion This Book of the Maccabees is to be found in all the Greek Editions It is reckoned in the number of Canonical Books in the last Canon attributed to the Apostles but perhaps that has been added since it 's also mentioned in the Chronicle of Eusebius and in the Author of the Abridgment of Scripture attributed to St. Athanasius This History if it be true happened about Fifty years before the Passages that are related in the other two Books and therefore ought to be the first It is without any Reason called the Book of Maccabees since it does not speak of them in the least The fourth containing the History of Hircanus is rejected as Apocryphal by the Author of the Abridgment of Scripture attributed to St. Athanasius It is mentioned by scarce any of the Ancients Perhaps it was taken out of the Book of the Actions of Johannes Hircanus mentioned towards the end of the first of Maccabees Sixtus Senensis assures us that this account very much resembles Josephus's but that he has abundance of his Hebrew Idiotisms there There is towards the end of Job in the Greek Edition a Genealogy of Job that makes him the fifth from Abraham with the Names of the Edomitish Kings and of the Kingdoms of his Friends This Addition is neither in the Latin nor in the Hebrew There is likewise in the Greek a Discourse of Job's Wife that is not in the Hebrew rejected by Africanus and St. Jerome Towards the end of the Psalms in the Greek Editions we find a Psalm that is not of the number of the Hundred and Fifty made in the Person of David when he was yet a Youth after he had Slain the Giant Goliah The Author of the Abridgment of Scripture attributed to St. Athanasius cites it and places it also in the number of the Canonical Psalms To conclude at the end of Wisdom there is a Discourse of Solomon drawn from the
out of some other Prophet that is lost Others pretend that they are cited out of the 11th Chapter of Isaiah vers 1. where it is foretold That a Branch shall grow out which they call in Hebrew Netzer Huetius thinks that this passage is taken from the 13th Chapter of the Book of Judges verse 5. where it is said that he shall be a Nazarite from the Womb. But the most probable Opinion is that of St. Jerome who supposes that St. Matthew does not cite any Prophet in particular but only all the Prophets who have predicted that our Blessed Saviour should be Holy and Consecrated to God as the Nazarites were The second passage is cited in the same Gospel chap. 27. verse 9. Then says he was fulfilled that which was spoken in Jeremy the Prophet saying And they took the Thirty pieces of Silver the price of him that was valued whom they of the Children of Israel did value and gave them for the Potters Field as the Lord appointed me This Prophesie is not to be found in Jeremiah but there is something that seems to resemble it in Zechariah chap. 11. verse 13. Origen in his 35th Treatise upon St. Matthew pretends that it ought to be said that this passage is taken out of an Apocryphal Book called The Secrets of Jeremiah or else that we must affirm that in this Gospel the Name of one Prophet is used for that of another Some other Authors say that this Prophesie has been struck out of the Book of Jeremiah Others run to Tradition which as they give out preserved this Prophesie of Jeremiah down to the time of St. Matthew It is very probable say some others that this Prophesie being composed of the Words of Jeremiah and the Thought of Zechariah has been cited only under the Name of Jeremiah as in another Place a Prophesie of Malachi being joyned to one of Isaiah is attributed to the latter But yet 't is a great deal more probable that St. Matthew having only wrote as it was spoken in the Prophet without Naming any one they added in the Text of the Gospel the Name of Jeremiah that Evangelist not being accustomed to Name the Prophets whom he cites This is St. Jerome's Solution of the matter which seems to be by far the Solidest NOTES a WE call the Books of the Bible Canonical c. Some Persons say that they are thus called because they are the Rule of Faith but the other Opinion is far more probable b Books that are called Apocryphal We don't know well why they were so called This word comes Originally from the Greek where it signifies to hide or conceal St. Austin L. 15. de Civit. Dei Ch. 23. says they are so called because the Original of them is not known Others as St. Jerome and Gelasius believe they had this Name given them because they contained the hidden Mysteries of the Hereticks St. Epiphanius imagines this distinguishing Appellation was set upon them because they were not kept in the Ark. The Signification also of this word is doubtful one while they give this Name to all Books that are not in the Canon another while only to erroneous or ill Books Some of the Fathers make three Distinctions of Books viz. The Canonical the Doubtful and the Supposisitious Consult Origen upon the fourth Chapter of St. John St. Athanasius in his Festival Letter St. Gregory in the Poem to Seleucus Eusebius and the other Fathers divide them but into two sorts Canonical and Apocryphal But then they distinguish the Canonical into two Classes Indeed generally speaking they are ranged into three Classes the Canonical of the first Rank the Canonical of the second Rank and the Apocryphal c Some Persons distinguish three Canons made at several times by the Sanedrim or the great Synagogue of the Jews Serarius makes only two The first made by Ezrah and the Synagogue in his time The second either when they sent the LXX Elders to Translate the Bible or when the Dispute about the Resurrection was so warmly discussed between the Sadducees and Pharisees Genebrard supposes there were three The first composed by Ezrah and approved of by the Synagogue The second appointed by a Grand Assembly of the Synagogue when they sent the LXX at which time as he pretends Tobit Judith Ecclesiasticus and the Book of Wisdom were added to the Canon The third at the time of the famous Controversie between the Sadducees and Pharisees when the Books of the Maccabees according to him were Solemnly approved and received d But 't is a great deal more probable that they never had but one Canon It is unquestionably true that Ezrah received and collected the Sacred Volumes and consequently that he was the Author of the Canon amongst the Jews Neither they nor the ancient Christians acknowledged any other As for the Books which as they pretend were inserted into the other Canons 't is certain they were never owned by the Jews and what they talk about the two great Assemblies of the Synagogues that were Convened upon that Occasion is all a Chimera and Fiction The Ancients themselves never make the least mention of the Approbation of the Synagogue or Sanedrim of the Jews which our Moderns boast of so mightily Some are of Opinion That Nehemiah added the two Books of Ezrah to the Canon and found their Notion upon what is said in the 2d Book of Maccabees ch 2. v. 13. that he gathered together the Books of David and the Prophets and the Books of the Kings c. But this only proves that he erected a Library as it is intimated in that place and not made a Collection of the Sacred Books Others say that we ought to attribute this Canon to Judas Maccabeus because it is said in the first of Maccabees Chap. 1. Verse 56. that Antiochus and his Ministers burnt and tore to pieces the Books of the Law And in the second Book Chap. 2. Verse 13 14. the Jews of Jerusalem acquaint their Brethren that were in Egypt that Judas Maccabeus had gathered together all those things that were lost by reason of the War This does not prove that Ezrah's Canon was intirely lost and that Judas composed another but only that he got other Copies of those Sacred Books that were burnt and torn under Antiochus and made a Collection of several pieces relating to the History of their Wars which was never received into the Jewish Canon Our Opinion is invincibly proved by the Concurring Testimonies of Josephus and St. Jerome e But it is visible that this Citation has been since inserted into the true Text of Josephus The passage which as they pretend is cited by Josephus is in Chap. 42. of Ecclesiasticus Verse 14. Better is the Churlishness of a Man than a Courteous Woman 'T is beyond dispute that it was afterwards added for Josephus proposes in that place to cite the Laws of Moses and this passage makes nothing at all to the purpose In the Ancient Version
of Ruffinus this Quotation is not to be found which makes it evident that it has been added since f There are no others cited in the New Testament but those that were received into the Canon of the Jews Some Persons say that the Book of Wisdom is cited by St. Paul Rom. 11. in these words Who hath known the Mind of the Lord Or who hath been his Counsellor Which they say are the very same in effect with those in Wisdom Chap. 9. For what Man can know the Counsel of God But this passage cited by the Apostle is to be found word for word in Isaiah Chap. 40. Vers. 13. where the Greek Terms are the same that are used by St. Paul St. Basil L. de Spir. Sancto Ch. 5. Tertullian in his fifth Book against Marcion Ch. 14. St. Ambrose or rather the Author of the Commentaries upon St. Paul that are falsly attributed to him Peter Lombard and several others observe that it is taken out of Isaiah 'T is also pretended that the passage in his Epistle to the Hebrews where it is said that Enoch was translated that he might not taste of death is taken out of that Book But it is in Genesis Chap. 5. Vers. 25. It is likewise said that there are several Allusions in the Gospel and the Epistles of the Apostles to some places in Ecclesiasticus the Book of Wisdom Judith and Tobit Every one abounds in his own sense and can find out what Resemblances or Allusions he pleases but it is not necessary that two Persons that have happen'd upon the same thought should take it one from the other St. Justin and the Ancients don't accuse the Jews for not acknowledging all the Books of Holy Scripture for Canonical Theophilus says that Zechariah is the last of the Prophets and concludes the Holy Scripture with Ezrah g A great part of these are quoted there These are all Books that are cited there Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua the second Book of Samuel the first of Kings Job the Psalms the Proverbs Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Jonah Micah Haggai Habakkuk Nahum Zechariah Malachi h Gregory Nazianzen distributes the Books of Scripture into Historical Poetical and Prophetical This Distribution in my Opinion seems to be the justâ—â—t and most natural i By that of the Roman Council held under Gelasius Anno Dom. 494. There is mention made in this Catalogue but of one Book of Ezrah and one Book of Maccabees although the Number of Books is not exactly distinguished in all the rest For Example Regnorum libri quatuor Esdras liber unus Maccabaeorum liber unus In some Manuscripts Job is not mentioned there and they read Maccabaeorum libri â—uo k St. Jerome who frequently rejects it as Apocryphal and puts it out of the Canon not only of the Jews but the Christians also Every time that St. Jerome treats expresly obout the Canonical Books in his Prologues to the Kings to the Books of Salmon Ezrah and Esther in his Epistles 7 and 103 to Paulinus in his Commentary upon Ezekiel in l. 17. ch 43. he always rejects those Books that are not to be found in the Canon of the Hebrews as Apocryphal and only fit to be considered as such But when he speaks without making any manner of reflection he frequently cites these very Books as parts of the Holy Scripture and attributes the same Character to the Book of the Wisdom of Salomon although it is certain that he believed the contrary In his Prefaces before Judith and Tobit as if he had a mind to restore the Reputation of these Books he speaks very advantageously of them l The Books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus Besides several Allusions to the Scripture which might be produced but don't prove that they were cited from thence St. Barnabas cites a passage drawn out of the Book of Wisdom Chap. 2. Vers. 12. and another out of Ecclesiasticus Chap. 4. Vers. 36. Clemens Romanus in his Epistle to the Corinthians has quoted the Book of Wisdom Chap. 11. Vers. 22. Tertullian likewise has quoted the same Author in his Book against Marcion towards the end and in his Prescriptions Clemens Alexandrinus has also quoted him frequently St. Cyprian very often quotes these two Books and ascribes them to Salomon Origen mentions the Book of Wisdom under the Name of Scripture in Epist. ad Hebr. in his third Book against Celsus and in his eighth Homily upon Exodus as he also cites Ecclesiasticus Tom. 2. upon St. Matthew Treatise the 24th And Eusebius l. 6. of his History Chap. 13. says That although St. Clement cites these Books yet they are for the most part rejected St. Hilary cites them upon the Psalm 104. St. Basil also cites them sometimes and particularly in his fifth Book against Eunomius So does St. Jerome frequently in his Commentary upon Psalm 73. in his 16th Book upon Isaiah and in his 33d Book upon Ezekiel and in his second Book upon Isaiah St. Austin does the same in abundance of places They are likewise cited by the Author of the Book of Divine Names and of the Hierarchy in the last Book Chap. 2. in the first Chap. 4. In the Letter of the Council of Sardica set down by Theodoret Hist. l. 2. c. 8. By Anastasius Sinaita lib. 9. In Exam. Orat. 2. De incircumscripto and Quest. 8. and 10. By Johannes Damascenus l. 4. Of the Orthodox Faith Chap. 16. In his third Oration of the Nativity and in his Sermon of the Dead But to cite a Book as Gretzer observes is not to declare it to be Canonical These Books are thrown out of the Canon by those very Persons that cite them under the Name of Scripture and they that attribute them to Salomon when they cite them at other times formally deny it Some seem to think that the Book of Ecclesiasticus is cited by those who produce this Sentence as from the Scripture Do nothing without advice Such as St. Basil in his short Rules Quest. 104. Eusebius de Praep. Evang. Lib. 12. Cassian Conference 2. Boniface Epist. 98. The council of Ephesus in the Epistle to the Synod of Pamphylia But the same Sentence is in substance in the 13th Chapter of the Proverbs Vers. 16. and is word for word in the 24th Chapter Vers. 13. of the Septuagint Version from whence these Fathers quoted it as well as Isidore Pelusiota who frequently uses it The Proverbs likewise are very often cited by the Ancients under the Name of Wisdom by Melito in his Catalogue Proverbia quae Sapientia for so it ought to be translated and not Proverbia Sapientia by Origen Hom. 17. upon Genesis upon Exodus and Numbers by the Author who has written under the Name of Dionysius of Alexandria against Paulus Samosatenus by the Author of the Constitutions frequently by St. Basil Const. Monast C. 3. and 16 by Gregory Nazianzen Orat. 1. and 26. And by Gregory Nyssene in his Book of The Life of
AFRICANUS of Palaestine flourished under the Emperor Heliogabalus and Alexander Severus from the Year 218 till about the Year 230. MINUTIUS FELIX a Lawyer of Rome flourished towards the beginning of the third Century AMMONIUS a Philosopher of Alexandria flourished under the Emperor Severus ORIGEN an Alexandrian Catechist of that School afterwards Presbyter born about the Year 185. settled Catechist about the Year 203 and flourished till the Year 252. died in the Year 252. BERYLLUS Bishop of Bostra in Arabia Converted by Origen under the Emperor Gordian in the Year 238. St. CYPRIAN an African Bishop of Carthage Converted by Caecilius in the Year 246. governed the Church of Carthage from the Year 248. to the Year 258. under the Emperors Philip Decius Gallus Volusian and Valerian Suffered Martyrdom in the Year 258. PONTIUS of Africa Disciple of St. Cyprian under Volusian CORNELIUS Bishop of Rome Consecrated in the Year 251. NOVATIAN a Roman flourished under the Emperor Philip created Anti-Pope in 251. and wrote in 253. St. MARTIALIS a Greek came to Tholouse in the Year 250. SIXTUS Bishop of Rome chosen Bishop in the Year 254. GREGORY THAUMATURGUS born at Neocaesarea a City in Pontus of a Noble Family afterwards Bishop of that City Born about the Year 215. Converted by Origen whose Disciple he was Chosen Bishop in the Year 240. flourished under the Emperors Gordian Philip Gallus Volusian Decius Valerian and Gallienus for 25 years Died in the Year 265. DIONYSIUS Disciple of Origen Catechist and Bishop of Alexandria chosen Bishop in the Year 247. flourished under the same Emperors for seventeen years THEOGNOSTUS of Alexandria Time uncertain ATHENOGENES Time uncertain DIONYSIUS Bishop of Rome governed that Church from the Year 258. to the Year 270. MALCHION Presbyter of Antioch disputed against Paulus Samosatenus in the Year 270. ARCHELAUS a Syrian Bishop in Mesopotamia flourished under the Emperor Probus towards the Year 280. ANATOLIUS of Alexandria Bishop of Laodicea in Syria under the same Emperor and his Successor Carus VICTORINUS Bishop of Passaw at the same time PIERIUS Presbyter and Catechist of Alexandria under Carus and Dioclesian about the Year 285. METHODIUS Bishop in Lycia afterwards of Tyre in Palaestine under the same Emperors suffered Martyrdom in 302 or 303. PAMPHILUS Presbyter of Caesarea in Palaestine suffered Martyrdom under Maximinus LUCIAN Presbyter of Antioch died under the same Emperor PHILEAS of Thmuis a City of Aegypt died under the same Emperor ZENO Bishop of Verona died in Julian the Apostate's time ARNOBIUS an African Professor of Rhetorick at Sicca a City in Numidia flourished under Dioclesian towards the end of the third and beginning of the fourth Centuries L. CAECILIUS FIRMIANUS sirnamed LACTANTIUS according to some an Italian to others an African studied in Africa afterwards went to Nicomedia where he taught Rhetorick and at last Tutor to Crispus He wrote in Latin flourished under Dioclesian and Constantine from the Year 302. till towards the Year 330. COMMODIANUS a Latin Author probably an Italian in the time of Pope Sylvester JULIUS FIRMICUS MATERNUS a Latin Author Bishop of Milain according to Baronius under Constantius and Constantine Sons of Constantine the Great He wrote about 340 or 350. A TABLE of BOOKS that belong to the Old Testament Canonical Apocryphal and Lost. Canonical Books unanimously received by Jews and Christians THE five Books of Moses The Book of Joshua The Book of Judges The Book of Samuel i. e. the first and second Books of Kings Isaiah Jeremiah Ezechiel The Twelve minor Prophets The Book of Job The 150 Psalms The Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Daniel of Solomon The Chronicles Ezra divided by us into Two Books Those Books thus divided are 22. Books owned by some Jews as Canonical and rejected by others Esther Ruth Baruch Books rejected by Jews and most Primitive of the Christians as Apocryphal and afterwards received by the Church Tobit Judith Wisdom Ecclesiasticus The two Books of Maccabees The History of Susanna Bell and the Dragon Books cited in the Old Testament which are lost The Book of the Covenant Exod. 24. This does not seem to be a Book by it self but only those Laws which are set down in the 10 21 22 and 23d Chapters foregoing for the People promised in the same Verse That all which the Lord hath said they would do and be obedient Exod. 24. 7. which words refer to the Laws set down above that God delivered to Moses upon the Mount The Book of the Wars of the Lord Numb 21. 14. The Book of Jasher Josh. 10. 13. 2 Sam. 1. 18. The Books of Nathan Gad Shemaiah Iddo Ahijah Jehu Chron. The Book of Samuel 1 Chron. 29. 29. This also seems to be no other than the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament in which as every one knows there is a very particular Account of David's Life from his Unction by Samuel till his Death The Sayings of Hozai or as our Translation renders it of the Seers 2 Chron. 33. 19. The Discourses of Uzziah 2 Chron. 26. 22. This is obscurely expressed He means the Life of Uzziah written by the Prophet Isaiah Three thousand Proverbs of Solomon 1 Kings 4. 32. A thousand and five Songs Ibid. Several other Discourses of his Ibid. The Descriptions of Jeremiah Matth. 2. 17. What our Author means here I cannot tell The Evangelist quotes the Prophet Jeremiah 31. 15. and the sence of the words in the Prophet agrees with that of those in the Evangelist exactly The Memoirs of Hyrcanus The Books of Jason Apocryphal Books not dangerous The Prayer of King Manesses The Third and Fourth Books of Esdras The Third and Fourth Books of the Maccabees The Genealogy of Job and a Discourse of his Wife The 151st Psalm Other Apocryphal Books of the same Nature which are lost The Book of Enoch The Book of the Assumption of Moses Books forged by Jews and Hereticks Fabulous and Erroneous which are lost The Generations of Creation of Adam The Revelation of Adam A Book of Magick by Cham. The Assumption of Abraham The Book of the Twelve Patriarchs A Book of Jannes and Jambres A Book written by King Og. Jacob's Ladder The Genealogy of the Sons and Daughters of Adam With several others Greek Translations An old Version of the Bible or of some part of it The Translation of the LXX Interpreters Aquila's Version Theodotion's Version Symmachus's Version A Fifth and a Sixth Version A Seventh upon the Psalms Authors whose Books have a Relation to the History of the Old Testament Genuine Philo. Josephus Justus Forged or Doubtful Aristeas Aristobulus Joseph Bengorion Pseudo-Berosus Manetho Metasthenes Pseudo-Dorothens Zoroaster Sanchoniathon Philo Byblius The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs A TABLE OF BOOKS that belong to the New Testament Books owned as Canonical at all Times and by all Christians THE Four Gospels Thirteen Epistles of St. Paul The first Epistle of St. Peter The first Epistle of St. John The Acts of the Apostles This by a Mistake is omitted in
Geminus 90. Genealogy of Jesus Christ 92. George of Amiens Capuchin published a trifling Edition of Tertullian 86. God His existence naturally known 74 76. His Attributes ibid. Providence 73. Worship ibid. Gospel Etymology and Signification of the Word P. 43. a. b. Of the four Canonical Gospels ibid. Their Order ibid. Some forged and why 3. One according to the Egyptians ibid. According to the Hebrews ibid. Believed by some to be the Original of St. Matthew ibid. Proofs to the contrary ibid. The Proto-Evangelium of St. James ibid. The Gospel of Nicodemus ibid. Others forged by Hereticks 4. The Hebrew Original of St. Matthew 3. Grace of Jesus Christ 64. Gregory Thaumaturgus Name Birth and Education 147. Origen's Scholar ibid. Afterwards made Bishop of Neocaesarea ibid. His Books ibid. His Canonical Epistle ibid. Supposititious Books attributed to him 148. H. HAbakkuk P. 6. Haggai Time when he prophesied P. 6. tt Hebrew Character before and after the Captivity P. 35. b. c. Language when disus'd by the Jews ibid. a. Syriack called Hebrew ibid. f. g. Points when invented ibid. h. Hegesippus when he lived 48. a. His Conversion ibid. b. Life 48 49. Writings and Fragments ibid. He mentioned the first Heretick that ever was in the Church ibid. History of the Jews falsly attributed to Hegesippus ibid. His Genius ibid. Heraclitus author 61. Heresies Their use 77. Owe their Original to Philosophy ibid. An infallible Rule to confute them 68 77. Their Novelty 77. Hereticks Their Genius 68. Hermas His true Name 26. b. Who he was ibid. The judgment the Ancients passed upon his Book and how it ought to be esteemed 27. Hermias 56. Hermogenes Heretick 78. Hexapla and Terrapla of Origen how ordered P. 38 78 97. Hippolytus Where Bishop 87. a. His Martyrdom ibid. b. Books 88. Others attributed to him ib. 89. e. f. g. h. His Paschal Cycle 89. i. Fragments of his Works 90. Histaspes An unknown Author 22. Books attributed to him Supposititious 23. Hoseaâ— His Prophecy P. 5. oo I. SAint James His Writings P. 45. r. 49. James the Brother of John converted his Accuser 65. Idols Punishments inflicted by the Church upon those that Sacrificed 121 122. Idolatry confuted Jesus Christ proved Messiah 76 135. Truly God-Man and really Incarnate 43. Some of his Words not in the 4 Gospels 41. Miracles unquestionable 48. Of David's Family 49. His descent into Hell 68. Believed by St. Irenaeus to have lived 50 Years ibid. Origen's Opinion concerning him 107 108. Letter written by him to Agbarus forged 1. Jeremiah Life and Writings P. 4. The Fifty Second Chapter not Written by him ibid. St. Ignatius called Theophorus and why 35. a. Whose Successor and how long Bishop ibid. His Martyrdom ibid. Testimonies of the Ancients concerning his Letters ib. 36. Catalogue of Editions 36 37. e. f. Judgments and Opinions concerning them 37 38. Which ought to be rejected ibid. Which interpolated 38. Seven Genuine by Vossius and Usher's Editions ibid. Their Antiquity asserted 39 to 42. Objections answered ibid. The Order in which they were Written 42 43. An Abridgment of them 43. Imposition of Hands 121. Incarnation Doctrin of the Ancients about it 180. Indulgences 121 181. Job a real History P. 3. x. y. z. Author of the Book P. 3. u. Genealogy P. 4. y. z. Joel His Prophecy P. 5. pp. St. John His Beginning P. 44. Thrown into boiling Oyl then Banished into Patmos where he is said to have written the Revelation ibid. Wrote his Gospel at Ephesus ibid. and three Letters ib. History of a Young Man Converted by him 65. Jonah P. 5. ss Josephus His Works P. 41. Censure upon his Style ibid. Upon the Passage in him concerning Jesus Christ 25. Joseph Bengorion A Supposititious Author Life Style and Works P. 41. Joshua P. 2. k. S. Irenaeus Life Time when by whom Taught 58. a. b. c. d. When went into France ib. By whom ordained Bishop of Lyons 59. g. When sent to Rome ibid. h. His Book against Heresies when Composed Why and in what Language 59. i. k. l. m. Catalogue of his other Books 67. Letters to Victor ibid. Martyrdom ibid. Fragments and Abridgment of his Works 59 60. Particular Opinions ibid. Style Learning and Genius ibid. 61. Editions of his Books ib. Isaiah His Writings P. 4. hh ii kk Judas Author wrote upon Daniels Weeks 61. Saint Jude his Epistle P. 45. Judges Book so called P. 2. l. Judgment to come 180. Ecclesiastical ones ought to be determined in their own Province 143. Judith Her History when by whom Written P. 3. r. Anciently rejected as Apocryphal P. 29. Said by St. Jerome to have been received by the Council of Nice ibid. Reasons to the contrary ibid. Received by the Latin Church by the Councils of Carthage and Trent ibid. Julius Africanus Countrey and Employment 91. a. b. His Chronicon e. f. Other Books ibid. His Opinion to reconcile the Genealogy's of J. C. and of the History of Susanna ibid. 92. Not the Author of the Cesti 92. g. Julius Firmicus Maternus wrote a Book of the Errors of prophane Religions 170. Who he was and when he Lived ibid. a. b Several Editions of this Book 171. Abridgment of it ibid. S. Justin. Country and Profession 50. a. b. Apologies when Written and to whom 51. Death 50 51. g. h. i. k. l. Dialogue with Tryphon 51. Other Works ibid. 55. Supposititious 55. Censure upon his Genius and Style ibid. Particular Opinions and Errors ibid. r. s. t. u. x. y. z. aa bb cc. Editions of his Books 55. bb Design of a new Edition 55 56. Justus of Tiberias wrote a History of the Jews P. 41. K. KIngs Who writ the Book so called P. 2. Two first Books called the Books of Samuel ibid. L. LAbyrinth Book so called by whom written 87. La Cerda Jesuit Commented on Tertullian 85. Lactantius Life and Employments 165. His Book of the Workmanship of God ibid. Seven of Institutions ibid. First of false Religion ibid. Second of the Original of Error c. 166. His other Books 167. Poems falsly attributed to him ibid. His Eloquence 168. Editions of his Works 169. Laodiceans Epistle to them forged and why 5. Lentulus Letter to the Senate 23. Leonidas Father of Origen Martyr 96. Linus not the Author of the Acts of the Martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul 16. Liturgies Their Original 8. One falsly attributed to St. James 8. Troofs of its being spurious 9. Why different in different places 8. Severally falsly attributed to the Apostles and others 8. Lucian Martyr 161. Lucius P. His Election and Martyrdom 118. Saint Luâ—e Of what Profession and Country P. 43. i. Not J. C's but St Paul's Disciple ib. 〈◊〉 Wrote him Gospel when he journey'd with St. Paul P. 44. Upon what occasion it was Written P. 43 44. Luxury Condemned 136. M. MAccabees P. 29. zz aaa Whether Canonical P. 6. Of the 3d and 4th Books P. 31. Malachi P. 6. yy The last Prophet ibid. Malchion's dispute with
by a Synod of Western Bishops tho' they were condemn'd in it and explains the Faith of the Church about the Incarnation and plainly rejects not only the Errors of Apollinarius but also those that have been since publish'd by Nestorius by Eutyches and by all the other Hereticks He gives to the Virgin the Name and Title of The Mother of God Afterwards he refutes the Objections of Apollinarius and observes another Error of this Author concerning the Trinity He affirms towards the end of this Letter that we ought not to communicate with this Heretick In the 2d Letter he discovers the Tricks and Subtilties which the Apollinarians used to make People believe that they were Orthodox Towards the end of this Letter he has these excellent Words O strange folly He pretends to preach that Wisdom which has been discover'd since Jesus Christ. What pity ' t is For if the Gospel was not known till about 30 Years ago then the Gospel was of no use for 400 Years that the Church has been establish'd In vain have Christians believ'd and so many Martyrs suffer'd in vain have so many Holy Bishops govern'd the Church The Paraphrase upon Ecclesiastes was written by St. Gregory Thaumaturgus as we have observ'd in speaking of this Father's Works But we must add here to what we have said in that place to prove it that not only St. Jerom testifies in his Book of Ecclesiastical Writers that St. Gregory Thaumaturgus wrote a Treatise upon Ecclesiastes but that he cites this Treatise as his in his Commentary upon the 4th Chapter where he quotes a Passage which is Word for Word in the 4th Chapter of this Paraphrase The Poems of St. Gregory Nazianzen were the Fruits of his last Retirement he wrote them in the last Years of his Life In them is to be found all the Fire and Vigour which one would desire in the Works of a young Man and all the thoughts which the practice of Vertue for the space of many Years could inspire into an old Man of consummate Piety The 1st is a Poem which contains the History of his own Life from his Birth till his departure from Constantinople There never was any thing of this Kind written more pleasantly more elegantly and more naturally than this Life is In the first part he describes his publick and known Actions where he says many things which are very useful to explain the History of the Council of Constantinople and the Divisions of the Eastern and Western Churches and there also he discourses against the Ignorance the Pride and the corrupt Manners of the Bishops of his time In the 2d Part he describes the Dispositions of his Mind The former part relates to History and this to Morality and as there are in the former part many Circumstances that belong to Ecclesiastical History so this contains many Christian and Moral Thoughts The former is written in Iambick Verse the latter in Hexameters In his Poem of the praise of Virginity he handles with much Wit and Eloquence the Question about the Preheminence of Celibacy above Marriage and that he may explain this Question the more pleasantly after he has enlarg'd upon the Praises of Virginity he makes an excellent Prosopopoeia wherein he brings in married Persons and those who observe Celibacy speaking for both their Opinions each of them says all that can be said on their side in favour of their State but the latter have the better The 3d. Poem contains many Precepts for Virgins he recommends to them Silence Modesty Retirement Labour and other Vertues necessary for a Virgin These Two Poems are in Hexameter Verse In the 4th Poem he bewails in general the Misery of Mankind caus'd by the Sin of Adam and relates some Circumstances of his own Life This is in Elegiacks In the 5th having described the Crosses and Sicknesses which he had endur'd in his Life he submits himself to the Will of God and offers to him the remainder of his painful Life The 6th is upon the Vanity and Uncertainty of this Mortal Life In the 7th he bewails his Miseries and prays to God to deliver him from them The 8th is upon the same Subject In the 9th he describes a Dream which he had about the Church of Anastasia In the 10th after having described the Likeness and Hypocrisy of the Bishops of his time he congratulates himself upon his departure from Constantinople The 11th Poem describes the Vices of wicked Bishops and deplores the Division of the Church there he observes that Persecutions encreased the Church but Abundance and Riches have done it great Prejudice In the 12th which is addressed to the Bishops of the Council of Constantinople he describes after what manner he was forc'd away from that City and testifies his joy for that God had recall'd him to his Retirement In the 13th he describes the Misery and Weakness of Humane Nature He continues the same Subject in the 14th wherein he describes the Miseries of Life and the Horror of Death to teach Men to Love nothing but Jesus Christ and to have no Affection for any thing but the Treasures in Heaven The 15th is also upon the same Subject wherein he represents the Uncertainty and Instability of this Mortal Life and of Worldly Riches to convince Men that there is nothing Solid here below but the Love of Jesus Christ. The 16th contains the Beatitudes of the Gospel and the Rules of a Christian Life In the 17th he wishes many Imprecations upon himself if he should wander from the Faith of Christ and the Precepts of the Gospel The 18th is against the Desires of the Flesh. The 19th is against the Devil The 20th is an Exhortation which he made to himself to stir himself up to Conversion The 21st is an Imprecation upon the Devil and an Invocation of Jesus Christ. The 22d is a Prayer to God to be deliver'd from this Life of Sin and Death The 23d is a Reflection upon the Uncertainty of Life and the Contempt we ought to have of it The 24th and 25th is upon the Weakness and Misery of our Nature The 26th is of the Desire of God The 27th and 28th is a Lamentation upon the view of his own Miseries and Sins The 29th is a Prayer to Jesus Christ. The 30th is a kind of Epitaph The 31st is a Prayer of a Penitent Person The 32d is a Farewell to the Devil In the 33d he makes a Catalogue of the Books of the Holy Scripture He distinguishes those of the Old Testament into Historical Poetical and Prophetical he reckons 12 Historical viz. The Five Books of Moses Joshua Judges Ruth the Two Books of Kings the Chronicles and Ezra He reckons Five Poetical the Book of Job the Psalms of David Ecclesiastes the Proverbs and the Song of Solomon and Five Prophetical which are the 12 lesser Prophets that make but one Book only Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel and Daniel which in all make the number of 22 Books according to the
But nothing is more pleasant than his Invention of the Heresy of the Puteorites which he founds upon that Passage of Jeremy They have forsaken me the Fountain of Living Water to make to themselves broken Cisterns That which he founds upon the 8th Ch. of Ezekiel is not better grounded Never any but he mentioned the Herefies of Judas of the Passalorinchites the Rhelorians the Discalceati and some others Of one and the same Heresy he many times makes many and in a word he reckons the number of Heresies not by the Sects but by every particular Opinion In our days he might have multiplied at a much greater rate the number of Heresies by counting as many Errors as have been invented by one or other and sometimes he puts in the number of Heresies those Opinions that are true or at least problematically disputed c He puts in the number of Heresies those Opinions that are true or at least problematical As in Heresy 26 that the Soul of Samuel was brought back by the Witch of Endor in the 59th the Error of the Millenaries in the 79th that the Elements shall not perish in the 88th that the Epistle to the Hebrews may be St. Luke's or St. Barnabas's in the 63d that there are more than 7 Heavens in 94 that there is no other Earth but this in 96 that the likeness of Man to God may be explain'd with relation to his Body in 97 that the Breath which God inspir'd into Man was his Soul in 101 that Earthquakes are natural Effects in 102 and 111 that the Names of prophane Gods may be given to the Stars in 110 that the number of Years since the Creation is not certain in 126 that David was not the Author of all the Psalms in 129 that the Stars are fasten'd to Heaven in 137 and those that follow that we may follow another Version besides that of the Seventy and some others in the 56th he condemns those that admit Ecclesiasticus as a Canonical Book And therefore we need not wonder that he made so numerous a Catalogue of Heresies which he also multiplied by mentioning one and the same Heresy many times The Stile of this Author is mean and flat he had no great Learning and has committed many gross Faults d Many gross Faults There are an infinite number of them in this Book take some few of them He places the Ophites the Gaianites and the Troglodites among the Hereticks which were before Jesus Christ which is an Error in Chronology He says the Samaritans came from a King call'd Samarius the Son of Canaan What a strange Mistake is here He says that Mercurius Trismegistus came to the Celtae and taught them to adore the Sun He affirms that the God Accaron was a Fly He supposes that not only Simon Magus Basilides c. but also Cerdon Marcion and many other Hereticks publish'd their Errors while the Apostles were alive a wonderful Mistake in Chronology There are many more in it of this Nature in this little Tract which is not written with any exactness Yet there are some remarkable things in it e There are some remarkable things in it He confirms in many places the Immortality and Spirituality of the Soul and chiefly in Heresy 122. In Haeres 87. he admits as Canonical the Two Epistles of St. Peter that of St. Jude and the Three Epistles of St. John He explains the Mystery of the Trinity in Haeres 91 92. He discourses of Grace in Haeres 97. He says very curious things about the Diversity and Gift of Tongues in Haeres 103 104. He rejects in 105 the Opinion of those who thought that the Day of Judgment should happen 363 Years after Jesus Christ. In 106 he rejects the Opinion of those who imagin'd that the Sons of Men spoken of in Genesis were Angels In the 112 he laughs at those that say there are many Worlds In Haeres 116. he plainly admits Original Sin In 121 he rejects the Opinion of those who believ'd that Jesus Christ descended into Hell and preach'd the Gospel there to all the Damned and that those of them who believ'd in him were sav'd In 129 he explains the Eternal Generation of the Word In 124 he teaches that Men ought to run in the Ways of Vertue and to desire what is Good but they ought not to do it with Pride and Haughtiness for they should acknowledge that they cannot deserve Salvation by their own Works but by the Mercy of Jesus Christ that it is indeed in our Power to run but we ought to hope for greater things from God and therefore we ought not to magnify our selves and say I can be a Martyr I can be an Apostle but we must add If Jesus Christ will Because it is from him that we obtain these Graces and they are not to be acquir'd by a vain Presumption In Heresy 144 he observes that the Church celebrates Four Solemn Fasts before Christmas before Epiphany before Easter and before Whitsunday I leave the other Observations to those who will take the pains to read this little Tract whose brevity is one of its best Qualities This Treatise was printed at Basle in 1528 and at Helmstadt in 1611 and in 1614 and with St. Austin's Book of Heresies in several places and in the Bibliotheca Patrum TIMOTHY of Alexandria TIMOTHY the Successor of Peter of Alexandria who was present at the Second Council of Constantinople wrote the Lives of the Monks of Egypt which is mention'd by Sozomen Ch. 29. Timothy of Alexandria of B. VI. of his History Facundus in Ch. 2. of B. IV. cites a Letter of the same Timothy address'd to Diodorus of Tarsus We have now the Responses or Canon-Laws of this Bishop upon which Balsamon has written Commentaries The Questions that were propos'd to him were Questions about Customs and Practices of the Church and his Answers are very Judicious In the First he says that those young Catechumens ought to be Baptiz'd who being present in the Church with the Faithfull had receiv'd the Eucharist The Second and Third concern those that are possess'd by an Evil Spirit he says that those Catechumens ought not to be baptiz'd who are afflicted with this Evil until the Point of Death As to the Faithful he would have them permitted from time to time to approach the Holy Mysteries provided the Devil do not seduce them to discover these Mysteries or to blaspheme them In the 4th he says that those Catechumens may be Baptiz'd who have lost their Wits by Sickness In the 5th he counsels married Persons to abstain from the use of Marriage on that day in which they intend to Receive the Communion In the 6th and 7th he would not have Women Baptiz'd nor Receive the Communion but at certain times In the 8th he exempts Women newly brought to Bed from the Fast of Lent Because says he Fasting was not appointed but to afflict the Body and therefore where the Body is
Antioch was the First who in the Year 413 inserted the Name of S. Chrysostom into the Diptychs and who by that means was re-admitted to communicate with Pope Innocent Acacius of Beraea likewise received Letters of Communion from the Pope upon condition that he should not shew any hatred against S. Chrysostom afterwards About the Year 428. Attiâ—â—s Bishop of Constantinople inserted the Name of S. Chrysostom into the Diptychs and exhorted S. Cyril of Alexandriâ— to do the same This Bishop scrupled it at first But at last 〈◊〉 Isâ—odore Pelusiota persuaded him to do it Thus all the Churches did right to the Memory of S. Chrysostom and Peace 〈◊〉 â—estored The Number of S. Chrysostom's Works is 〈◊〉 great that the Ancient Criticks durst not pretend to make a Catalogue of them S. Isâ—odore and 〈◊〉 look'd upon it as almost impossible George and Nicephorus say that he composed above a Thousand Volumes Suidas and â—â—ssâ—â—dorus affirm that he wrote Commentaries upon the â—… From all which it is evident that how many soever of S. Chrysostom's Works are â—… they are fewer than they have been and so much the rather because among those that we have some are none of his though they bear his Name The 65 Homilies upon Genesis are the First of S Chrysostom's Commentaries of the Bible according to the Order of the sacred Books the Thirty two first were preached in Lent in the third Year of his being Bishop This Subject was â—â—terrupted by the Festivals for he was to preach upon the Passion of Jesus Christ. After Easter he undertook to expound the Acts of the Apostles and was near a Year about that Work Afterwards he betook himself to his former Task and finished his Exposition of Genesis in Thirty four Homilies These Homilies are Commentaries upon Genesis rather than Sermons And he applies himself particularly to explain the Text of Scripture literally The Examples of Vertues or Vices spoken of in the Text which he expounds are commonly the Subject of his Homilies The Style is plain and without those Figures and Ornaments which are to be found in his other Sermons The Nine Sermons of S. Chrysostom upon single passages of Genesis are more florid and contain more moral Thoughts The First is upon the first Words of Genesis In the Beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth in it he treats of Fasting and Alms-deeds The Second is upon these Words of the first Chapter v. 26. Let us make Man after our own Image There he gives the reason why Moses speaking of the Creation of Man uses the Expression God said Let us make whereas he said of the Creation of other things God said Let them be And there he shews wherein this Resemblance with God consists In the Third he makes some further Reflexions upon Man being like God and upon the Dominion given to him over other Creatures and there he answers the Question Why Beasts fall upon and kill Man and confesses that it is because Man by Sin has lost the Empire he had over them S. Austin quotes this Homily in his First Book against Julian and produces a passage out of it to prove Original sin In the Fourth the three kinds of servitude which Mankind is fallen into by sin are discoursed of which are the Subjection of the Wife to her Husband that of one Man to another and that of Subjects to their Princes He insists much upon this last and occasionally speaks of the Attention Men ought to give to Sermons In the Fifth he shews that those who live well purchase their Liberty and declaims against those that refuse to assist the Poor The Sixth Seventh and Eighth are concerning the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In the First he shews that Adam knew Good and Evil before he tasted the Fruit of that Tree In the Second he says that it is so called because Evil is more perfectly known after Commission there he also explains those Words of our Saviour to the good Thief This Day shalt thou be with me in Paradise The Third is about God's forbidding Man to eat of the Fruit of the Tree The Ninth is upon the Names of Abraham and Noah where he discourses of brotherly Correction The Tenth Homily upon Genesis in the English Edition is not genuine it has the same Preface with the Third Homily upon David and Saul it is written in a swelling Style and full of Metaphors and quite different from the first Part. The following Sermons are upon the History of Hannah Samuel's Mother in the first Book of Samuel but it treats of several Subjects The Preface to the First is upon the Fast of the last Lent and upon the Sermons which he had made since against the Gentiles and after Flavianus his return upon the Feasts of the Martyrs and against swearing After this he resumes the Subject of Providence which he was entred upon he demonstrates That it is God who gave unto Man the knowledge of the things which he ought to know That sickness and death have their use He takes notice that the Love which Parents have for their Children is an effect of Providence and that Mothers are not less concerned in the Education of their Children than Fathers And upon occasion of this last Reflection he relates the History of Hannah and he speaks of it in the following Sermon and thereupon he Discourses of Moderation of Modesty and the Reverence due to Priests and of Grace before and after Meat In the Third he speaks of the Obligation which lies upon Men to give their Children good Education In the Fourth upon the second Part of Hannah's Song he reproves those who neglect Divine Service to go to Plays and publick Shows and discourses of the usefulness of Prayer In the Fifth he shews their Errour who go to Church only upon great Festival Days He expounds the rest of Hannah's Hymns and he speaks of the Advantage of Wealth above Poverty These five Discourses were preached by S. Chrysostom in Antioch about Whitsuntide after Flavianus his Return In this last Sermon he mentions a Discourse upon the first Part of Hannah's Hymn not extant There are three Sermons about David and Saul In the first after a Declamation against those that frequent Plays to the neglect of Holy Worship and a Declaration that they should be excommunicated he treats of patience and forgiving of Enemies proposing for an Example David's Action who would not kill Saul though God had delivered him into his Hands In the second that Action is commended and preferred before all the other great Actions of that King He prosecutes the same Argument in the third Discourse where he also complains of those that were given to Plays He observes that it is as great an Act of Vertue to bear an Injury patiently as to give Alms. At the End of these there is another Sermon against Idleness which hath no relation to the Rest. The Homilies upon the Psalms are Commentaries rather
Authority and others of a less perfects and others lastly which are of none at all The Authors of these Books are known either by their Titles or by the beginning of their Works Moses is the Author of the Pentateuque Joshua of the Book which goes under his Name Samuel of the first Book of the Kings There are Books in it whose Authors are altogether unknown as the Book of Judges of Ruth and the last Book of Kings Among these Books there are some written in Verse as the Psalms the Book of Job and some places of the Prophets and others in Prose The Order of the Books of Scripture is not different from ours This is what concerns the External Surface of the Scripture As to the Substance of the things which it teaches the Author observes that there are in it some Names that agree to the Essence and others to the Persons of the Trinity and among these there are some which precisely denote them and others only consequentially because they signifie the Operations which are attributed to them He gives Examples of them and shows what is common to the three Persons and what is particular to each Lastly he speaks of the Attributes which agree to God In the second Book he makes a particular Ennumeration of what the Scripture teaches concerning the Creatures and explains after what manner God governs them From thence he passes to what concerns the World to come He treats of the Figures of the Law and the fulfilling of Prophecies concerning Jesus Christ. Lastly he enquires How it may be prov'd that the Books of our Religion are Divinely inspir'd And he answers That it may be known by the Truth of them it self by the Order of Things by the admirable Agreement of Precepts by the Simplicity and Purity wherewith they are written That to these Characters we must add the Qualities of those that wrote them and who preach'd the Doctrine which they contain because it was not possible without the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Men should write of Divine things that simple Men should write of things so Sublime that Men so ignorant and plain should discover Truths so great and Subtil That the success of their Preaching was also a proof of the Truth of their Doctrine For how was it possible that Persons so despicable should Convert the whole World Reform the Doctrines of the Philosophers and Confound their Adversaries without the Assistance of a visible Protection from God Lastly That the Accomplishment of Prophecies and the Miracles which produc'd a Belief of our Religion were convincing Proofs of its Truth and that if at present no Miracles are wrought it is because there is no need of them because the Establishment of this Religion is a Miracle more then sufficient to prove it This is what is most useful in this Treatise which is to be found in the Bibliotheques of the Fathers LIBERATUS Liberatus LIberatus a Deacon of the Church of Carthage and a Defender of the three Chapters is the Author of an Historical Memorial of the Contests that arose about the Heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches He begins with the Ordination of Nestorius and ends at the fifth Council i. e. in 553. This Memorial therefore was not written by Liberatus till after the Year 560. It contains some very useful particulars of this History which are no where else to be found and Extracts of the Authentick Acts to justifie what he affirms This Work was publish'd by F. Garner in 1675. It is also in the fifth Tome of the last Collection of the Councils VICTOR of Tunona VIctor Bishop of Tunona in Afric was also one of the zealous Defenders of the three Chapters for which reason he was banish'd into Egypt and afterwards shut up in a Monastery at Constantinople Victor of Tunona Isidore of Sevil informs us That he made a Chronicon from the beginning of the World to the first Year of the Empire of Justin the younger wherein he plac'd in Order the Consuls the most memorable Events of War and the Holy Fathers of the Church We have nothing now remaining but one part of this Chronicon which begins where that of St. Prosper ends i. e. in the Year 444 and ends at the Year 565. In it he particularly describes what concerns the History of Eutyches and the Affair of the three Chapters Canisius was the first that caus'd it to be printed at Ingolstadt in the Year 1600 and since that Scaliger has inserted it into his Treasure of Time PAULUS SILENTIARIUS PAulus Cyrus Florus Chief of the Silentiarii of the Palace flourish'd towards the middle of the sixth Age. He made a long Poem containing a Description of the Temple of Sancta Sophia Pauluus Silentiarius which is printed at the end of the History of Cinnamus He wrote also many other excellent Poems says Dr. Cave out of Agathias De Rebus Justiniani Hist. Lit. p. 416. PELAGIUS the First PElagius after he had been a long time at Constantinople return'd into Italy with Pope Vigilius and was Ordain'd after the death of this Pope by two Bishops in the presence of a Priest of Pelagius I. the Church of Ostia This extraordinary Ordination and the suspicion that went about of him that he had been the cause of the death of his Predecessor induc'd many to separate from his Communion and brought upon him the hatred of the People To purge himself he mounted into a Chair after a solemn Procession from the Church of St. Pancratius to that of St. Peter and swore upon the Holy Evangelists and the Cross That he was no wise guilty of that whereof he was accus'd the People were satisfy'd with this Oath and with the Prohibition he made against giving Money for Ordinations Altho there was nothing remarkable that happen'd in the Church during the Pontificat of this Pope which lasted almost five years yet he has written many Letters The first address'd to Vigilius is a supposititious Piece made up of Passages patched together which are taken out of St. Leo Itachius the date whereof is false The second is address'd to Count Narses He prays him to assist Peter the Priest and the Deacon Projectus whom he had sent to Prosecute two Bishops of Italy who disturb'd the Order of the Churches and would appropriate to themselves all the Ecclesiastical Revenues In the third he exhorts the same Count to employ the Authority which his Office gave him for correcting and punishing the Bishops of Istria Liguria and the Country of Venice who had separated Agnellus from the other Churches for the Affair of the three Chapters He remarks That if they had any Complaints to make against the Decision of the Council of Constantinople they should send Deputies to the Holy See and not rend in pieces the Body of Christ by their Separation In the fourth Letter he inveighs vehemently against the same Bishops for their boldness in excommunicating Narses He exhorts him to
Probus's of S. Columbanus's Jonas's and of S. Arnoldus Paul the Deacon's The Martyrology of Bede as we now have it is not in the same Purity in which he Composed it but several things have been added since as is usual in Works of that Nature Bollandus and his Followers do likewise assert That it is not of Bede's Writing but Florus's a Deacon of Lyons under whose Name 't is found in several Manuscripts The Treatise of Holy Places is made up several large Relations and particularly from those of Arculphus a Bishop of France written in three Books by Adamannus To this small Tract is annexed a large Collection of Hebrew Names both Proper and Appellative and others put in an Alphabetical Order and Explained This Tome ends with a Book Entitled Collections taken out of the Fathers containing Sentences Questions and Parables This Treatise is a Miscellaneous Rapsody without either Order or Method and Unworthy of the Name of Bede The fourth Tome of Bede's Works contains his Commentaries upon some part of the Books of the Old Testament of which the Catalogue followeth An Explication of the three first Chapters of Genesis taken out of S. Basil S. Ambrose and S. Austin A Literal and Allegorical Commentary upon all the Penteteuch Four Books containing an Allegorical Explication of the Books of Samuel i. e. of the First and Second Book of the Kings Thirty Questions upon the Books of Kings Three Books of Allegorical Explications of the two Books of Esdras A short Allegorical Exposition of the History of Tobit An Allegorical Exposition of the Book of Job Divided into three Books This Work is not Bede's but some other Authors and he himself cites it in his Book of * De ratione Unciarum Ounces under the Name of Philip of Syda A Commentary upon the Proverbs of Solomon in three Books Seven Books upon the Canticles The first contains an Extract of S. Austin's Books against Julian a Summary of all the Chapters applying them to the Church and the Text of the Canticles The five following Books contain a Commentary upon the Text taken out of the Antient Commentaries The last is made up of Collections of passages out of S. Gregory upon the Canticles This Tome concludes with three Books wherein he Explains Allegorically the Relation which Moses gives in Exodus of the Building of the Ark the Tabernacle and Priest's Garments Trithemius makes mention of a Commentary of Bede's upon the Proverbs and he himself speaks of another upon Ecclesiastes but these Works are not Published no more than his Explication of all the Prophets The fifth Tome contains his Commentaries upon the New Testament viz. Four Books upon the Gospel of S. Matthew Four Books upon S. Mark Six Books upon S. Luke A long Comment upon the Acts of the Apostles at the end of which is a small Treatise of the Names Places and Cities spoken of in that History A Commentary upon the Catholick Epistles Bede made a Preface to this Commentary giving an Account of the Order and Inscription of those Epistles but it never was Printed with his other Works but being lately found in a MS. belonging to Caius College in Cambridge it hath been Printed in Dr Cave's Historiâ Literariâ among Bede's Works A Commentary upon the Revelation The Commentaries upon all Saint Paul's Epistles which are taken out of Saint Austin's Works are reserved for the Sixth Tome There are several Opinions about the Author of this Commentary Some attribute it to Peter an Abbot of the Province of Tripolis others to Florus a Deacon of Lyons and others continue them to Bede It is certain that all these three did make Comments upon these Epistles taken out of S. Austin Cassiodâ—rus assures of the first Wandelbert of the second and Bede says it of himself in the Catalogue of his Works at the end of his Church-History of England and after him Hincmarus and Lupus Ferrariensis testifie the same to us But to which of these they ought to be attributed it would be hard to know unless it were discovered by the Antient MSS a By the Antient MSS. F. Mabillon quotes two MSS. of 800 years old wherein he finds under the Name of Bede a clear different Commentary from that which is printed under his Name This bears the Name of Florus in the Ancient MS of Corbey It carries the same name in the MS. used by Trithemius and in another quoted by F. Mabillon In an Ancient MS. Collection of Canons this Collection is cited also under the name of Florus In some MSS it carries the name of Bede and Florus Lastly Florus made another Commentary upon S. Paul taken out of the Works of 12 other Fathers without any mention of S. Austin which proves that he had already Collected the Testimonies of this Father in another Work in which this Commentary Printed under the name of Bede is attributed to Florus and where we find the true Commentary of Bede bearing his own Name as F. Mabillon hath observed in the first Tome of his Analecta This Tome contains also some Retractations and Additions to some places of his Commentary upon the Acts Six new Questions and the Translation of S. Chrysostom's Sermons in praise of S. Paul made by Anianus The Seventh Tome contains 33 Homilies fitted for the Summer 32 for the Summer-Festivals of the Saints 15 for the Winter 22 for Lent 16 for the Winter-Festivals of the Saints and seueral Sermons attributed to Bede Common places upon several Moral Points taken out of the Holy Scripture and Fathers An Allegorical Treatise of the Valiant Woman by which he understands the Church A small Tract of the Offices of the Church and some Fragments of an Allegorical Exposition upon the Proverbs The Eighth Tome contains divers Treatises omitted in the former Tomes An Allegorical Explication of the Temple of Solomon with reference to the Church of which it was a Figure Another Exposition upon the three first Chapters of Genesis Several Questions upon Genesis with Answers to them taken out of S. Ambrose S. Austin S. Iâ—dore but more especially out of S. Jerom. The same sort of Questions upon Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy the Books of Joshua Judges and Kings Divers Questions upon the Scripture A Commentary upon all the Psalms A small Treatise upon these Words of Psalm the 52. The Lord looked down from Heaven to see if there were any upon Earth that would understand and seek after God Some Notes upon Boethius's Treatise about the Trinity Meditations upon the Passion of Christ for the seven hours of the day Bede's Penitential Entitled Remedies against Sin Dacherius hath Printed in the Tenth Tome of his Spicilegium a Martyrology which sets down in Heroick Verses the chief Festivals of the Saints through the Year It bears Bede's Name and the Author was certainly an Englishman a Monk of the Monastery of Jarrow and Cotemporary with Bede and indeed is much like the Stile and Genius of this Author There were
his Collection of Maxims taken out of the Fathers The Life and Miracles of S. German of Auxerre The Life of S. Caesarius in Verse Works lost A Collection of Maxims and other Remarkable things out of the Fathers dedicated to Hildeboldus Bishop of Auxerre DRUTHMARUS Monk of Corby Genuine Works which we have A Comment upon S. Matthew's Gospel Two Expositions of some Places of the Gospels of S. Luke and S. John REMIGIUS Monk of Auxerre Genuine Works Commentaries on the Psalms An Explication of the 12 small Prophets An Exposition of the Canon of the Mass. Works lost Comments upon S. Matthew and the Canticles A Book of Offices A Treatise of Festivals An Answer to Walo Bishop of Autun Some other Works and Letters THEOPHANES CERAMEUS Genuine Works Several Homilies upon the Gospels and Festivals of the Year Two Sermons upon the Cross. AIMONIUS a Monk of S. German des Prez Genuine Works An Account of the Translation of the Body of S. Vincent Two Books of the Miracles of S. German Bishop of Paris A Book of the Translation of the Reliques of S. George a Monk S. Aurelius and S. Natalia and two Books of the Miracles done by them ABBO a Monk of S. German des Prez Genuine Works Two Books of the Siege of Paris by the Normans Five Sermons VVorks lost The third Book of the Siege of Paris Several Sermons WOLFADUS a Monk of Hatennede Genuine VVorks The Life of S. Walpurgus and three Books of his Miracles HEREMBERT Monk of Mount Cassin A Genuine VVork A Chronological History of that Monastery ALTMANNUS a Monk of Hauteville A Genuine VVork A Letter to his Bishop VVorks lost The Lives of S. Memnus S. Navardus Sindulphus and S. Helena and the History of the Translation of her Reliques The Complaint of France harrassed by the Normans ALDREVALDUS or ALBERTUS a Monk of Fleyry Works in M. S. A Collection of Passages out of the Fathers upon the Eucharist against J. Scotus A Book of the Miracles of S. Benedict and An History of the Translation of the Bodies of S. Benedict and S. Scholasticus from Mount Cassin to Fleury STEPHEN V. Pope Genuine Works which we have Three Letters and a Fragment of a fourth A Spurious VVork A Letter in Favour of the Church at Narbon RICULPHUS Bishop of Soissons A Genuine VVork A Pastoral Letter ELIAS Patriarch of Jerusalem A Genuine VVork A Letter to Charles the Gross DAVID NICETAS Paphlago Genuine VVorks The Life of S. Ignatius Patriarch of Jerusalem Several Panegyricks in honour of the Saints ALFREDUS King of England Genuine VVorks Translations of divers Books into the Saxon Tongue A Nameless Author A Genuine VVork A Book of Synods called Liber Synodicus FORMOSUS Pope A Genuine VVork A Letter to Stilianus A Spurious VVork A Letter to the Bishops of England STEPHEN VI. Pope Spurious VVorks Two Letters to the Archbishops of Narboâ— AUXILIUS a Priest ordained by Formosus Genuine VVorks Two Treatises about the Ordinations made by Formosus to prove the validity of them REGINO Abbot of Prom. Genuine Works A Collection of Canons A Chronicon Works lost Several Sermons and some Letters ASSERIUS a Bishop in England Genuine VVork The History of Alfred King of the West Saxons LEO the Wise Emperor of the East Genuine Works Nineteen Sermons A Discourse upon the Life of S. J. Chrysostom A Sermon upon S. Nicolas VVorks lost Several Sermons Some Moral Precepts and Proverbs A Treatise about the manner of drawing up an Army in Battalia ADELINUS Bishop of Seez Genuine VVorks The Lives of S. Opportuna and S. Gondegrand A TABLE of the Acts Letters and Canons of the COUNCILS held in the Ninth Century Councils Years Acts Letters Petitions and Canons AN Assembly called by Charles the Great 801 Constitutions A Council at Altino 802 A Synodical Letter A Council at Aix-la-Chapelle 803 Constitutions A Council at Clovesho 803 Acts and Decrees An Assembly at Salz 804 Constitutions An Assembly at Osnabrug 804 An Edict about the Teaching of Schools A Council at Thion-ville 805 Constitutions Another Assembly 805 Constitutions given to Jesse Bishop of Amiens A Council at Constantinople in Favour of Joseph the Steward 806 Acts are lost Some Constitutions taken out of the Canons Another in Favour of the Marriage of Theodota 809 Acts lost A Council at Aix-la-Chapelle 809 A Conference between the Deputies of the Council and the Pope An Assembly of the same Year  Constitutions A Council at Arles Rheims Mentz Tours Challon Constantinople against Silaeus Constantinople of the Iconaclasts 813 26 Canons 813 44 Canons 813 55 Canons 813 57 Canons 813 66 Canons Constitutions taken out of these Councils 813 Acts. 814 Acts lost A Council at Aix la-Chapelle Celcehith Aix-la-Chapelle 816 A Rule for Canons and Canonesses and some Constitutions made afterward 816 11 Canons 817 A Rule for Monks containing 80 Articles Divers Assemblies held under Lewis the Godly 819 Constitutions A Council at Thionville Attigny Clovesho Paris Rome 821 4 Canons and 5 Constitutions 822 Acts. 822 Acts. 824 Letters and other Writings made about the Worship of Images 826 â—8 Canons An Assembly at Ingelâ—eim 826 The Laws of Lewis the Godly published after the Assembly A Council at Paris Mentz â—yons Thoulouse Noion 829 Some Orders in 3 parts Orders and Constitutions lost   831 Acts lost An Assembly of Bishops at Worms Compeign S. Dennis 829 Constitutions made to confirm the Canons of the 4 precedent Councils 833 Acts. 834 Acts lost A Council at Thionville at Aix-la-Chapelle at Lyons at Paris 835 Ebbo's Confession 836 Rules in 5 parts 836 Acts lost 838  A Synod at Rheims 842 Constitutions Ecclesiastical A Council at Constantinople against the Iconoclasts 842 Acts lost An Assembly at Couleine in the Diocess of Mans 843 6 Canons A Council at Aurillac 843 4 Canons An Assembly at Thoulouse 843 9 Constitutions A Council held at Thionville Verneuil Beauvais Treves Lyons Meaux Paris Epernay Mentz Mentz Quiercy Pavia Sens Soissons Quiercy Sens 853 Verbery Rome Attigny Valence 844 6 Canons 844 12 Canons 845 8 Canons 845  845  845 80 Canons 846  846 19 Articles 847 21 Canons 848 A Letter to Gotteschalcus 848 The Judgment against Gotteschalcus 850 25 Canons 850 A Letter to Ercanrous 853 13 Canons and the Acts about Ebbo 853 4 Constitutions 853  853 A Synodical Letter 853 Confirm'd 38 Canons and made 4 Canons 854 Constitutions 855 23 Canons An Assembly of Bishops at Bonnevil 856 A Petition to the King Council at Quiercy 857 2 Constitutions A Synod of the Clergy of Rheims 857 Some Ordinances A Council held at Quiercy Constantinople against Ignatius Metz Langres Savonieres Aix-la-Chapelle Coblentz Toul Constantinople against Ignatius Sabloniere Pista Rome against Photius 858 A Letter to Lewis the German 859  859 Instructions to the Deputies for Lewis of Germany 859 10 Canons 859 13 Canons A Petition against Wenilo Archbishop of Sons a Letter to him Two Letters to the Churches of Britain
Errors in treating of the ineffable Mysteries of the Holy Trinity and of the Incarnation according to the uncertain Scholastick Method and Aristotle's Principles with which they were intoxicated There are indeed sufficient Grounds for this Censure on Three of these Authors but he had no reason to fall foul upon Peter Lombard whose Work is only a Collection of Passages of the Fathers in which Aristotle is not cited However it must be acknowledg'd that the Master of the Sentences as well as the others started a great number of Opinions that were not approv'd by the succeeding Divines and of which the Doctors of the Faculty at Paris made a Catalogue in the Twelfth Century under this Title Articles in which the Master of the Sentences is not generally follow'd CHAP. XVI Of the Commentaries on the holy Scripture compos'd in the Twelfth Century and of the Three famous Commentators Rupert Abbot of Duyts Hugh and Richard of St. Victor A New Method of commenting upon holy Scripture was likewise introduced in this Century A new Method of Commenting on holy Scripture The Ancient Fathers in their Commentaries on the sacred Books were wont to explain the Text either Literally or Allegorically in reference to the Instruction of the People and the Ecclesiastical Authors of the Eighth and Ninth Centuries who wrote on the Bible only made it their Business to compile or collect divers Commentaries of the Fathers of which they compos'd Catena's or continued Collections of Commentaries Some also then brought in the use of Glosses for the Explication of the Letter but in the Century we now speak of they began to explain holy Scripture almost after the same manner as they treated of Theological Matters that is to say according to the Principles of Logick discussing divers subtil Questions concerning the Doctrinal Points and producing a great number of Common Places This Method was follow'd by RUPERT Abbot of Duyts near Colen in his Commentaries on Rupert Abbot of Duyts the holy Scripture where he proposes to treat of the Holy Trinity and its Works and divides them into Three Parts the First of which is extended from the Creation of the World to the Fall of Adam the Second from the Fall to the Passion of Jesus Christ and the Third to the Day of the last Judgment The First Period of Time is appropriated to the Father the Second to the Son and the Third to the Holy Ghost The First Part contains Three Books of Commentaries on the Three first Chapters of Genesis The Second comptehends Six other Books on the Remainder of Genesis Four on Exodus Two on Leviticus as many on Numbers and Deuteronomy One on Joshua One on the Book of Judges One on some Places of the Books of Kings and Psalms One one Isaiah One on Jeremiah One on Ezekiel Two Books on Daniel Zachariah and Malachy One Book on the History of the Macchabees and another on some Places of the Four Gospels The Third Part relating to the Works of the Holy Ghost being divided into Nine Books is not a continued Commentary on any particular Book but on divers Passages of Scripture chosen by him with respect to the Matters of which he design'd to treat The Commentaries of this Author on the 12 lesser Prophets and on the Book of Canticles are more continual come nearer to the Form of Commentaries and recede less from the manner of Writing in use among the Ancients but they are extremely mystical and full of too subtil Reflections and of Remarks which have not all the Accuracy that might be expected The Thirteen Books of the Victory of the Word of God contain a great Number of Questions and Common Places on divers Passages of Scripture The Commentaries of the Glory and Dignity of the Son of God on St. Matthew and the Commentary on St. John's Gospel and his Revelation are very like those on the lesser Prophets The Treatise of the Glorification of the Trinity and of the Procession of the Holy Ghost divided into Nine Books contains the Explication of many Passages of Scripture that have some relation to the Questions which he proposes concerning the Three Divine Persons and more especially that of the Holy Ghost As for his Treatise of Divine Offices it is a Work of another Nature in which he treats of the Divine Service and of its Ceremonies and gives mystical Reasons of them He there seems to start a particular Notion concerning the Eucharist viz. That the Bread is made the Body of Jesus Christ by the Hypostatical Union with his Soul nevertheless some Authors have vindicated the Assertion and affirm that it may be explain'd in a good Sense but we shall not now examine this Question The most part of Rupert's Works are dedicated to Cuno Abbot of Siegberg and afterwards Bishop of Ratisbon to whom he was recommended by Berenger Abbot of St. Laurence at Liege in which last Monastery Rupert sometime resided in Quality of a Monk His Works were printed at Colen A. D. 1578. in Three Volumes and in Two at Paris in 1638. He himself gives us a Catalogue of them in the Preface to his Treatise of Divine Offices He there makes mention of all those that are still extant and we have every one of them except his Treatise of the Glorious King David of which he had then only compos'd Eleven Books There are Two sorts of Commentaries on the holy Scripture that bear the Name of HUGH OF Hugh of St. Victor St. VICTOR the former are certain Literal and Historical Annotations on the Text to which is prefix'd a Critical Preface concerning the sacred Writers and the Books written by them The others are Allegorical Commentaries intermixed with a great number of Questions and Common Places These last are call'd A Volume of Extracts and divided into XXIV Books The Ten first of these which are inserted in the Second Tome of the Works of Hugh of St. Victor contain general Remarks on the Arts and Sciences The Nine following which are in the first Tome comprehend variety of Allegories and Questions relating to the Histories of the sacred Books from the Creation of the World till the time of the Macchabees that is to say to all the Historical Books of the Bible The Tenth is a Collection of Moral Homilies on Ecclesiastes In the Four last are compris'd divers Questions relating to the Four Gospels To these are annexed to render the Work compleat Explications of the same Nature but more at large on all the Epistles of St. Paul These XXIV Books of Commentaries are attributed by Trithemius and several other Authors to Richard of St. Victor and the First Part is to be seen under his Name in a certain Manuscript very near his time which is extant in M. Colbert's Library some part of it is also printed among the Works of that Author However it is affirm'd by some Persons that this Work cannot belong either to Hugh or to Richard by reason that in the
this History is real and true But the manner wherein 't is related the Conversation that is held with the Devil the Prolixity of the Discourses of Job's Friends and of what Job himself delivered in his miserable estate ought to make us acknowledge that this History is mightily amplified and adorned with several feigned Circumstances to render the Story more useful and agreeable 'T is commonly believed that Job lived before Moses or at least in his time and that the History related in this Book happen'd during the time when the Israelites were in the Desert because there is not a Word spoken there about the Written Law Some there are who make Job to descend from Nahor the Brother of Abraham but yz others from Esan The last Opinion seems to me to be the most probable because 't is supported by the Authority of a very ancient Addition which is to be found at the end of the Greek Edition of the Book of Job Though the Psalms are commonly called The Psalms of David or rather The Book of the Psalms of David yet 't is certain as St. Jerome has observed in many places that they are not all of 'em his a a and that there are some of them which were written long after his Death 'T is therefore a Collection of Songs that was made by Ezrah It is a difficult matter to say who are the Authors b b and to distinguish those that were made by David from those that were composed by others But whoever were the Author 't is certain as Theodoret has judiciously observed that they were composed by Persons inspired by God and that they are cited under that Character both in the Old and New Testament c c The Authors of the following Books are better known the Proverbs or Parables belong to Salomon whose Name is written in the beginning of that Book The Proverbs of Salomon the Son of David 'T is observed in the 25th Chapter that the following Parables are still Salomon's but that they were collected by some Persons chosen by the King Hezekiah These are also the Proverbs of Salomon which the Men of Hezekiah King of Judah copied out The 30th Chapter begins with these Words The Words of Agur the Son of Jakeh which shew that this Chapter is an Addition made to the Proverbs of Salomon by one Agur as is easie to be proved because this Chapter is entirely separated from the rest and besides is written in another Style In short the last Chapter is entituled The Words of King Lemuel We ought therefore to conculde from what has been said that the 24 first Chapters are Salomon's Originally that the five following ones are Extracts or Collections of his Proverbs and that the two last Chapters were added afterwards The Book of Ecclesiastes is ascribed to Salomon by all Antiquity And yet the Talmudists have made Hezekiah the Author of this Book and Grotius upon some slight Conjectures pretends it was composed by Zorobabel It begins with these Words The Words of the Preacher the Son of David King of Jerusalem Which may be applied to Hezekiah as well as to Salomon But what is said of that Wisdom in several places which was peculiar to him and in the second Chapter of his Riches and Power determines that we ought rather to understand it of Salomon The Song of Songs that is to say a Song by way of Excellence is allowed to be Salomon's by the Consent of the Synagogue and the Church The Talmudists attribute it to Ezrah but without any Grounds The Book of Wisdom is commonly said to be Salamon's e e but this Opinion is not very probable For 1. This Book is not to be found in the Hebrew 2. It was never received into the Hebrew Canon 3. 'T is evident as St. Jerome has observed that the Style is extreamly different from that of Salomon and that it was composed by a Greek The same St. Jerome observes that it was commonly attributed to Philo which we are to understand of an older Philo than him whose Works we have However it appears plainly that it was composed by a Hellenist Jew who had a mind to imitate the Books of Salomon from whom he has borrowed abundance of Thoughts The Preface which is before the Book of Ecclesiasticus and the Fifth Chapter of that Book inform us that the Author thereof was a Jew named Jesus the Son of Syrach who composed it in Hebrew and which was translated into Greek by his Grand-Son St. Jerome tells us he saw in his time an Hebrew Copy of it f f Some of the Ancients attribute it to Salomon g g perhaps because of the resemblance of the Subject and the Thoughts which is so great that 't is visible he design'd to imitate him and that several Thoughts are taken from him The Books of the Prophets carry the Names of their Authors undisputed Isaiah is the first and most excellent of the Prophets He was the Son of Amos whom we are by no means to mistake for the Prophet of the same Name h h He Prophesied from the end of the Reign of Uzziah to the time of Manasses by whose Command they say he was cruelly slain and sawn asunder with a Wooden Saw i He himself collected into one Volume all those Prophecies which he delivered under Uzziah Jotham Ahas and Hezekiah Kings of Judah Besides these he wrote a Book of the Actions of Uzziah which is mention'd in the 2d of Chron. Chap. 26. Verse 22. Some Apocryphal Books are ascribed to him amongst others that famous one so often quoted by Origen and another intituled The Ascension of Isaiah which St. Jerome and St. Epiphanius mention and a later one likewise called The Vision of Isaiah Some have pretended that this Book of Isaiah which we have is only compiled out of the Works of Isaiah but the Conjectures which they bring to prove it are extreamly frivolous k k Jeremiah born in a Village near Jerusalem of Sacerdotal Extraction began to Prophesie about the end of the Reign of Josiah when he was very young and continued his Prophecies till after the Captivity of the Jews in Babylon He was not carried away with the other Jews into that City but tarrying in his own Country to lament its Destruction he was afterwards taken Prisoner and carried into Egypt along with his Disciple Baruch where as 't is commonly believed he was stoned to Death The Fathers think that he always lived in the state of Celibaâ—y We are told in the beginning of the 36 Chapter that King Jehoiachim having burnt the Book of his Prophecies this Prophet composed a new Volume larger and stronger than the former He afterwards added those Prophecies which he made till the Babylonian Captivity and those which he delivered in Egypt In the 50th and 51 Chap. he foretels all that was to come to pass in Babylon and these he transmitted thither by Saraiah the Son of Neriah The 52d Chapter does not belong to him for his
extreamly different from the Style of the Pentateuch Origen rejects this Opinion Tom. 5. in Johannem where he formally denies that Moses wrote any other Books besides the Pentateuch St. Gregory who attributes it to Salomon brings nothing to prove this conjecture of his Those that ascribe it to Jeremiah justifie themselves by the Conformity of the Style and the Syriack Words that occur so frequently there Codurcus makes an Edomitish Prophet Author of it but upon very frivolous idle Surmises Some attribute it to the Captive Jews in Babylon without any Foundation so that we can say nothing of the Author of this Book but that he is altogether unknown x Who say that the History of Job is wholly feigned This is the Opinion of the Talmudists of Maimonides and several Rabbins but Ezekiel ch 14. v. 14. Tobit ch 2. v. 12. and St. James in his Epistle speaks of him as a Man that really was The proper Names of Job of his Friends of his Country of the Number of his Children serve to shew that it is a true History St. Cyprian in his Treatise of Patience St. Jerome in his Ep. 103 St. Basil Homily the 4th St. Austin in his Sermon 103 and all the Fathers speak of him after this manner 'T is alledged against this Opinion that the proper Names of this Book have Mystick Significations That Job signifies a Man in Grief Uz Counsel Zophar one that is Watchful Eliphaz the Law of God Elihu God himself To this it is answered That most Hebrew Names have such sort of Significations All the other Objections only prove That this History is delivered Poetically This is really true in this History that there was a certain great Person named Job who was reduced to the extremity of Misery by the loss of his Goods and his Children heighten'd by a very severe fit of Sickness that he supported himself under all these Afflictions with incredible Patience and at last was restored to a prosperous Condition Upon the Occasion of this remarkable Event some one or other composed the Book of Job the Discourses of his Friends the Answers of Job c. yz Some Persons make Job to have descended from Nahor the Brother of Abraham This is the Opinion of Bellarmine who makes him the Grandson of Nahor and older than Moses He concludes that 't is probable he lived long and that he lived not in Moses's timē but he produces no Authorities to back this Opinion Amongst the Grand-Children of Esau there is one called Jobab which Name is easily formed into that of Job Hence it is that some People believe he was one of the Descendants of Esau and an Edomite This is particularly observed in the Greek Addition which is without question very ancient since Theodotion has acknowledged it Grotius believes that in chap. 26. vers 12. there is mention made of the Drowning of the Aegyptians in the Red Sea but that is not certain Castellio assures us that in chap. 28. vers 28. there is a passage taken out of Deut. chap. 4. vers 56. but these two passages are different The first is Ecce timor Domini ipsa est Sapientia The Second is Haec est enim vera Sapientia Intellectus Grotius adds That this Book was written after David and Salomon but before Ezekiel pretending that as it is quoted by that Prophet so there are several passages in it drawn out of the Psalms and the Books of Salomon but this is not evident and it should rather seem that David and Salomon borrowed some of their Thoughts out of Job although it is not necessary either to say one or the other aa 'T is certain as St. Jerome has observed that all the Psalms were not written by David St. Jerome Epist. ad Cypr. Scimus errare eos qui Psalmos omnes David arbitrantur non eorum quorum nominibus Inscripti sunt Epist. ad Sophronium Psalmos eorum testamur Autorum qui ponuntur i◠titulis scilicet Asaph Idithum filiorum Chore Emon Esraitae Mosis Salomonis reliquorum quos Esdras uno volumine comprehendit This is also the Opinion of Origen of St. Hilary and the Author of the Abridgment attributed to St. Athanasius St. Augustine in his Exposition of the second Psalm seems to be of that opinion But in his Book of Heresies Heresie the 26th he takes the other opinion to be the more probable of the two Theodoret also is doubtfull in the matter as he testifies in his Preface upon the Psalms Some others of the Fathers seem to have been persuaded that they were all composed by David as St. Chrysostome Euthymius Cassiodorus and particularly Philastrius who in Heresie the 126th reckons all those for Hereticks that doubt the truth of it Nevertheless it is very certain that they were not all written by David for in the first place there are some of them that bear other names and secondly some passages are to be found there which happened after David's death as in Psalm the 137th where mention is made of the Captivity of the Jews in Babylon One may observe the same thing in Psalm the 64th and 124th bb It is difficult to name the Authors of them St. Jerome pretends that these Psalms belong to those whose names they carry but this is not certain 'T is I believe it should be 5 instead of 50 because the 146th Psalm has this Title in the LXX of Haggai and Zechariah believed that the fifty next immediately after that that carries for it's Title the return of Haggai and Zechariah were written by those Prophets The Author of the Abridgment commonly attributed to St. Athanasius believes that all the Psalms entituled to David ipsi David are nevertheless done by some other hand Our Blessed Saviour cites the hundred and tenth Dixit Dominus which is found to have that Title under the name of David Matt. 22. v. 42. The hundred and thirty seventh Psalm carries the name of David and Jeremiah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which makes it apparently thus to be understood A Psalm of Jeremiah composed in imitation of David The 64th Psalm in the Vulgar Translation bears the name of Isaac and of Ezekiel the 70th that of the Sons of Jonadab and the chief Captives The Jews make Salomon the Author of the 92d and of several others Origen says that the 90th was composed by Moses whose name it bears and the Jews tells us he made it upon the occasion of a Sedition that happened amongst the Children of Israel upon the return of those that were sent to discover the Land of Promise St. Jerome is of the same opinion The ten following Psalms are also attributed to Moses not only by the Jews but even by St. Hilary and Jerome This cannot possibly hold true of the 99th where mention is made of Samuel Some of the Rabbies attribute the 92d to Adam as the Talmudists do some to several of the ancient Patriarchs There is a Greek Psalm which is
by the Authority of a Council they so highly reverenced In short wou'd St. Hilary have contented himself with saying that some Persons added this Book to the Canon and not rather have openly declared when he was speaking of the Canonical Books that the Church received it St. Jerome himself if he had been assured of this business wou'd he have rejected this Book so often and not alledged this Catalogue of the Council of Nice which ought to have been the infallible rule for him to follow We must therefore say that this Father received this Information from another But if the Council of Nice reckoned not this Book of Judith in the number of Canonical Books yet the Latine Church has since done it by the Council of Carthage by the Mouth of Innocent the First by the Roman Council under Gelasius and by the Council of Trent which followed the Decree of Eugenius The Book of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus l in the antient Catalogues are placed in the number of those Books that are very profitable but not Canonical Nevertheless these Books are cited by St. Barnabas by Clemens Romanus by Tertullian in his third Book against Marcion and in his Book of Prescriptions by Clemens Alexandrinus by St. Cyprian in several places likewise frequently by Origen by St. Hilary upon the 140th Psalm and according to some by St. Basil by St. Ambrose by St. Jerome and St. Austin but it does not follow that all these acknowledged them for Canonical On the contrary Origen St. Jerome and St. Hilary ranked them amongst the Apocryphal Books And St. m Basil plainly says in the Preface to his Commentary upon the Proverbs That there are but three Books of Solomon and he sufficiently shews in several other places that he did not own the Books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus for Canonical Books Philastrius and Ruffinus reject them as well as St. Hilary who has written a Letter about them to St. Austin Theodoret is of the same Opinion in his Preface to the Canticles One cannot say that of St. Cyprian St. Ambrose and St. Austin who seem to own them for Canonical as it has been determined by the Council of Carthage by Innocent the First by the Roman Council under Gelasius by the Decree of Eugenius and by the Council of Trent To conclude the two Books of Maccabees are not entred into the Canon of the Books of the Holy Scripture in the Catalogues of Melito of Origen of the Council of Laodicea of St. Cyril of St. Hilary of St. Athanasius of St. Jerome and others whom we have Named In Eusebius's Chronicon they are opposed to the Canonical Books in these words That which we have hitherto reported of the Annals of the Jews is drawn out of the Holy Scripture that which follows is taken out of the Books of the Maccabees Josephus and Africanus Tertullian in his Book against the Jews relates the History of the Maccabees but yet he does not cite the Books of the Maccabees as Books of Scripture St. Cyprian quotes them very often under that Character and so does St. Ambrose and St. Chrysostome St. Jerome himself who rejects them in several places cites them sometimes as Books of Scripture St. Austin quotes them in his Book of the concern which we ought to have for the Dead to prove that we may offer Sacrifice for the Deceased and he assures us l. 18. de Civit. Dei that although these Books were never received as Canonical by the Jews yet they were acknowledged for such by the Church But in his first Book against Gaudentius taking occasion to speak of the action of Râ—zias who killed himself he thus delivers his Thoughts about the Books of the Maccabees The Jews don't receive these Books of the Maccabees as they do the Law the Prophets and the Psalms but the Church receives them and they are not unprofitable provided one Reads and Understands them with some sort of Moderation and they deserve esteem particularly for the History of the Seven Maccabees In the last Canon attributed to the Apostles we find the three Books of Maccabees reckoned amongst the Canonical Books but there is reason to believe that this passage has been added because they are not acknowledged for Canonical Books by Nicephorus Johannes Damascenus and several others who have owned the Authority of the Apostolical Canons They are received by the third Council of Carthage and by Innocent the First There is but one of them approved by the Roman Council under Gelasius It is a very surprizing thing that after all these Authorities St. Gregory the Great should thus Speak of them in the Nineteenth Book of his Morals We don't without Reason says he produce Testimonies drawn out of those Books that are not Canonical since they have been Published for the Edification of the Church We ought to make the same Reflection upon all the rest of the Greek and Latin Ecclesiastical Writers whom we have cited and who since the Decisions of the Councils of Carthage and Rome and the Declaration of Innocent the First reckon but Twenty two or Twenty four Canonical Books of the Old Testament Which makes it evident that these Definitions have not been followed by all Authors and all Churches till at last it was intirely determined by the Council of Trent I shall not speak of the Histories of Susanna and Bel that are in Daniel and have been rejected as false or as Apocryphal by several of the ancients since I have already discoursed largely about them Besides these Books that were at last received into the Canon of the Books of the Old Testament there are many others that either were not admitted into the Jewish Canon although they were more Ancient or that having been composed since have been esteem'd and cited by some Christian Authors but never found any place in the Canon or those lastly that were supposititiously obtruded upon the World by Hereticks and by consequence were always rejected In the first place there are several Books cited in the Old Testament that have been totally lost long since and are not Named in the Jewish Canon The first of these Books as they commonly pretend is the Book of the Battels of the Lord that is cited in the 21st Chapter of Numbers vers 24. But it is not certain as we have elsewhere observed that there is any mention made of a Book in this place we ought to pass the same Judgment upon the Book of the Covenant that is mentioned as they assert in Exodus chap. 24. but is in reality nothing else but the Body of the Laws which Moses received from God and delivered to the People Neither is there any greater certainty that the Book of Jasher cited by Joshuah chap. 10. vers 13. and in the second Book of Samuel chap. 11. vers 18. was an Historical Book although I confess there is some reason to believe it was But one cannot hardly doubt that the Books of Nathan of Gad of Shemaiah
Bede But it is at present generally agreed that this Book as not being cited by any of the ancient Writers and containing many untruths and absurdities is a counterfeit Work Melito lived under the Reign of Marcus Antoninus he presented his Apology in the Second year of this Emperor that is to say in the Year of our Lord 182. and died before the Pontificate of Victor as appears from the Epistle of Polycrates to this Pope wherein he mentions him as already dead in these Words Why should not I speak of Melito whose Actions were regulated by the Motions of the Holy Ghost who lyes enterr'd at Sardes where he expects the Judgment and Resurrection This shews that Melito was esteemed as a Prophet that is to say as a Man inspired by God according to the Testimony of Tertullian produced by S. Jerom. If the same Tertullian had not assured us that this Author wrote Elegantly and was a good Orator it would be very difficult to give any Judgment concerning his Style by that little of his Writings which is yet extant TATIAN TATIAN Sirnamed the Assyrian a Sirnamed the Assyrian At the end of his Treatise against the Gentiles he declares that he was born in Assyria and that he had been instructed in the Theology of the Grecians from the Name of his Country was an able Orator and S. Justin's Scholar He remained in the Communion of the Church during the Life of his Master but after his Martyrdom being puffed up with Pride which often attends the Opinion Tatian of Knowledge he became Head and Author of a new Sect b Of a new Sect. S. Irenaeus Lib. 1. Euseb. Lib. 4. c. 29. S. Jerom in Catalogo which was called the Heresie of the Encratites or of the Continent because these Sectaries condemned Marriage as also the use of diverssorts of Meats and Wine leading a sober and austere Life in appearance besides this they maintained some of the Errors of the Valentinians and affirmed that our Fore-Fathers were Damn'd This Sect was afterwards augmented by Severus c This Sect was afterward augmented by Severus S. Epiphanius affirms that Severus lived before Tatian but he is mistaken from whom they took the Name of Severians these later rejected the Epistles of S. Paul and the Acts of the Apostles But to return to Tatian he having got a great facility in writing Composed a great number of Books and among others an excellent Treatise against the Gentiles which is most esteemed of all his Works as also a Gospel Collected from the Four Evangelists There is yet extant the Treatise of Tatian against the Gentiles which was first Printed at Zurick in the Year 1646. together with the Version of Conradâ—s Gesner afterwards inserted in the Bibliotheca Patrum and Lastly annexed to the Works of S. Justin the Title thereof is as follows The Discourse of Tatian against the Gentiles proving that the Greeks are not the Inventors of any of the Sciences as they boast themselves to be but that they were all invented by those whom they call Barbarians This is indeed the Subject of the beginning of his Discourse but then he adds that the Greeks corrupted the Sciences which they received from the Barbarians and more especially Philosophy Afterwards he proceeds to the Explication and defence of the Christian Religion he Treats of the Nature of God of the Word of the Resurrection of the Body and Freedom of the Soul He confutes the Opinion of Fate he discourseth of the Nature of the Soul and of Devils discovering the Snares that they lay for Men. He intermixeth all these things with several Satyrical Reflections on the ridiculous Theology of the Pagans and the corrupt manners of their Gods and Philosophers shewing at the same time that the Writings of Moses are more ancient than all other Histories and giving an admirable Description of the Holy Conversation of the Christians This Work is extremely full of profane Learning and the Style thereof is Elegant enough but exuberant and not very elaborate and the Matters therein contained are not digested into any Order It was certainly Composed by Tatian before he fell into Heresie tho' after S. Justin's Death since he doth not condemn the State of Matrimony in that Book d He doth not condemn the State of Matrimony in that Book On the other hand Pag. 168. he seems to approve it He argues concerning the Generation of the Word in such Expressions as do not agree with our manner of explaining it but they may be interpreted in a Sense which is not Heretical e A Sense which is not Heretical He asserts that the Word was begotten in the time of the Creation of the World altho' he was from all Eternity calling the Generation of the Word his Application if we may so term it to the exteriour Works He adds that the Word was not begotten by way of Separation but after the same manner as one Fire is lighted or kindled by another so that God did not remain without the Word but that the Word proceeded from him and remained in him altogether or at the same time this he explains by the instance of human Speech These are the Principles of some of the ancient Christians The Version of this Treatise was Printed together with the Greek Text at Basil in the Years 1564 1569 1575 15â—â— and at Geneva in 1592. He maintains that the Angels and Devils consist of Bodies and Souls He denies the Immortality of the later affirming that they die and that they shall hereafter rise again with their respective Bodies which is a considerable Error As for the Gospel that was Compiled by Tatian S. Epiphanius in his Description of the Heresie of the Nazarenes hath confounded it with that which was Entituled The Gospel according to the Hebrews and indeed they had this in common that the Genealogy of Jesus Christ was not in either of them But the Gospel according to the Hebrews was older than Tatian's besides the later was only a kind of a Catena or Concordance wherein this Author had gathered together what he judged proper to be Collected out of the Four Evangelists S. Ambrose seems to mention it in the Preface to his Commentaries on S. Luke when he declares that some Writers had made one single Gospel out of the Four by Collecting those passages which they believed to be most favourable to their Opinions and omitting the rest The Gospel of Tatian was Composed after this manner in which he retrenched the Genealogy of Jesus Christ together with all that which relates to his human Nature and his Extraction from the Stock of David Baronius thought that that was the Work of Tatian which is in the Seventh Tome of the Bibliotheca Patrum under the Name of Ammonius but this is a distinct Book for as Valesius observes it is an Historical Epitome of the Gospels written by an ancient Orthodox Author containing many passages wherein Jesus Christ is
called the Son of David whereas Tatian's Gospel was a Rhapsody of the passages taken out of the four Evangelists on purpose to induce us to believe that our Saviour was not descended from the Lineage of David Tatian lived after the Death of S. Justin and died about the time when S. Irenaeus wrote his Book concerning the Heresies S. Clement in the Third Book of his Stromata cites a Treatise of this Author Entituled Of Perfection according to the Saviour written by him after his Fall into Heresie he produceth a passage out of it against Marriage which he confutes in Pag. 460. ATHENAGORAS and HERMIAS ATHENAGORAS an Athenian Philosopher lived in the time of the Emperor Marcus Antoninus Athenagoras Hermias to whom he presented an Apology for the Christians a In the time of Emperor Marcus Antoninus c. He joyns Lucius Aurelius Commodus with Marcus Labbé affirms that it was Lucius Verus but it is more probable that it was Commodus the Son of Antoninus and that this Apology was presented after his being taken into the Government about the Year 178. This Work and its Author were unknown to Eusebius S. Jerom and Photius but it is cited by S. Epiphanius in the Heresie of Origen In this Apology he refutes the three principle Calumnies that were alledged against the Christians as 1. That they were Atheists 2. That they eat humane Flesh. 3. That they committed horrible Crimes in their Assembles To the first Accusation he makes Answer that the Christians were not Atheists since they acknowledged and adored one God in Three Persons and lived Conformably to his Laws and Commandments believing that he sees and knows all things that they refused to worship Idols and to offer Sacrifice to them as being persuaded that they were not Dieties He replys to the two last Objections in shewing that the Life Laws and Manners of the Christians were very far from Murther and those infamous Crimes whereof they were accused He plainly Establisheth the Unity of the Essence of God and the Trinity of the three Divine Persons He affirms that the Word that remained in God from all Eternity departed from him if we may use such an Expression to create and govern all things He maintains the worship of Angels and declares that they were created to take care of Affairs here below He asserts that the Devils were ruined through the Love that they bore unto Women he admits Free-will in its utmost Latitude he makes divers Descriptions of the Holiness of the Conversation of the Christians he commends Virginity he condemneth second Marriages calling them an honest Adultery Lastly he Treats of the Resurrection and of the last Judgment There is another Treatise of this Father extant concerning the Resurrection of the Dead wherein he endeavours to prove that it is not only not impossible but even extremely credible These two Books are written in a Dogmatical style they were Printed separately in Greek and Latin b In Greek and Latin At Paris in Quarto by Veke Ann. Dom. 1541 and in Octavo by Stephen with Nannius's Translation in 1557. Also by Plantin at Antwerp in 1560 1583 and 1588. The Translation of Suffridus was Printed at Colen with Commentaries in 1567 and 1573. Nannius's Version of the Treatise concerning the Resurrection was published at the end of the Works of Philo at Basil 1561 and in 1558 by Episcopius as also at Colen in 1599. There is a Version of the Treatise of the Resurrection by Ficinus and Printed at Basil in 1516 and another of Valetus in Italian Printed at Venice in 1556. The Apology was Printed in Latin at Paris in 1498 in Greek and Latin in 1577. In Latin at Basil 1565. Translated by Gesner and there again in 1558 in Octavo at Zurick in 1599. The Book concerning the Resurrection of the Dead was Printed in Latin at Paris in 1498 at Basil in 1561. In Greek and Latin in Venice in 1498 and 1550. At Basil in 1593 and 1653. At Paris in 1615 1618 and 1636. The Translations which are at the end of S. Justin are Nannius's of the Treatise of the Resurrection and Gesner's of the Apology Athenagoras has also been Printed at Oxon Gr. Lar. in 12 o. 1682 and at Leipzick 1684 in Oct. cum Not is Var. Translated by Gesner Nannius Marsilius Ficinus and Suffridus and are inserted in the Bibliotheca Patrum as also in Greek in the Supplement to the Bibliotheca and Lastly after the Works of S. Justin with the Annotations of Gesner and Henry Stephen there is another imperfect Tract annexed to them which is a continual Series of Satyrical Reflections on the Opinions and Philosophical Notions of the Gentiles Composed by Hermias a Christian Philosopher But this Author is not known nor the precise time when he wrote however it is not to be doubted but that he is ancient and that he lived before the Pagan Religion was extirpated This little Book was Printed by it self in Greek and Latin at Basil Anno Dom. 1553. THEOPHILUS Bishop of ANTIOCH THEY that imagine a They that imagine c. This was the Opinion of Gulielmus Tyrius who in S. Bernard's time wrote the History of the Crusade See lib. 4. c. 9. It is a gross error for according to this account Theophilus must have lived above 150 years that this Theophilus whom we speak of is the same with him to whom S. Luke dedicates the Acts of the Apostles are grosly mistaken for this Man was so far from being Contemporary with S. Luke and the Apostles that he was not Ordained Bishop Theophilus Bishop of Antioch of Antioch b Ordained Bishop of Antioch He was the sixth The first according to the testimony of Eusebius was Evodius the second S. Ignatius the third Hero the fourth Cornelius the fifth Heros and Theophilus the fixth S. Jerome indeed declares in one place that he was the seventh but he is mistaken Eusebius in his Chronicle and in his History refers his Ordination to the eighth year of the Reign of the Emperor Marcus that is the 170 after Christ according to the common computation until the Year 170. after the Nativity of Jesus Christ and he governed this Church Twelve or Thirteen Years until the beginning of the Reign of Commodus c Until the beginning of the Reign of Commodus Eusebius affirms that Maximinus was his Successor in the seventeenth year of Marcus Antoninus but in the Chronology of the Emperors composed by Theophilus at the end of his third Book to Autolycus he reckons nineteen years and ten days of the Reign of Verus that is to say of the same Emperor Antoninus and it cannot be affirmed that 16 years ought to be put instead of 19 as it is in the Translation for by computing the total Sum of the years of the Emperors which amount to 237 years and one day it is apparent that there must of necessity be 19. From whence it follows that either he was mistaken
of his first Book of Illustrious Men. In the Poem against Marcion hh In the Poem against Marcion Tertullian in his Book De Animâ chap. 57. says that it was not the Soul of Samuel but only a Phantasm which the Witch raised up and the Author of the Poem in his third Book supposes that it was Samuel himself that was raised to acquaint Saul what was to befall him Tertullian in his Book of Praescriptions makes S. Clemens to succeed S. Peter but this Author places him the Fourth making two Popes of Cletus and Anacletus there are some Opinions different from those of Tertullian There is likewise a Poem to a Senator in Pamelius's Edition one of Sodom and one of Jonas and Ninive in the Bibliotheca Patrum of which we do not know the Authors the first is ancient and the other two seem to be written by the same Author Besides S. Jerom affirms that Tertullian writ several other Treatises which were lost in his time and amongst others a Book Of the Habits of Aaron whereof this Father speaks in his Letter to Fabiola He quotes likewise a Book Of the Circumcision another Of those Creatures that are Clean and of such as are Unclean a Book concerning Extasie and another against Apollonius Tertullian himself cites several other Treatises of his own composing as in his Book Of the Soul a Discourse concerning Paradise and in his Book Of the Testimony of the Soul chap. 2. a Discourse Of Destiny and in another place a Book concerning The Hope of the Faithful and another against Apelles He had also composed a former Work against Marcion which being lost in his own time he was obliged to write a new one Lastly he wrote the Discourses Of Baptism Of Publick Sights and Spectacles and that wherein he proves That Virgins ought to be veil'd in Greek But we have said enough of Tertullian's Works as to what relates to Criticism and Chronology we will now look upon them with relation to what they contain And considering them thus we may distinguish them into three Classes The first comprizing those which were written against the Gentiles The second those which were made against Hereticks And the third those which relate to Discipline and Manners The first Book of this first Classis is his Apology against the Gentiles wherein he shews the Injustice of those Persecutions and Sufferings which they inflicted on the Christians and the Falshood of those Accusations which were laid to their Charge and at the same time proves the Excellency of their Religion and the Folly of that of the Heathens He begins by shewing that there is nothing more unjust or opposite to the very intent and design of Laws than to Condemn without Understanding and to Punish without considering whether there be any just Ground for such a Condemnation And yet that this is put in practise every day against the Christians that they are Hated Condemned and Punished merely upon the account of their being Christians without eve◠considering or giving themselves the trouble to be informed what it is to be a Christian. That there are indeed some Laws made by the Emperors which forbid Men to be Christians but that these Laws are Unjust subject to Alteration made by Evil Emperors and contrary to the Opinions of the Justest and Wisest amongst them He afterwards confutes the Calumnies which were spread abroad against the Christians as that they used in their Night-Meetings to cut a Child's Throat and to devour it and that after they had put out the Candles they had filthy and abominable Conversations amongst themselves He shews that there is not only so much as the least Proof of these Crimes alledged against them but that their Life their Manners and the Principles of their Religion were directly opposite to these Abominations We are says he beset daily we are continually betrayed we are very often surprized and oppressed even in the very time of our Meetings But did they ever find this Child dead or a dying Was there ever any one that could be a Witness of these Crimes Has ever any one of those who have betrayed us discovered these things Besides he presses the Heathens further by shewing that these Crimes were frequently committed amongst themselves that they have slain Children in Africa in Honour of Saturn and that they have sacrificed Men in other places that their Gods have been guilty of a thousand shameful and abominable Practises whereas the Christians are so far from killing a Child and drinking its Blood that they do not so much as eat the Flesh of those Beasts that have been strangled and that they are such inveterate Enemies to all kind of Incests that there are several amongst them who preserve their Virginity all their Lives After having thus confuted those Calumnies which were set on foot on purpose to render the Christians odious he gives an Answer to that Objection which was made to them That they did not own the Pagan Deities and that they did not offer up Sacrifices to them for the Prosperity of their Emperors from whence they concluded that they were guilty of Sacriledge and Treason He answers in a word that the Christians did not pay any Honour to the Gods of the Heathens because they were not true Gods and he appeals for a Testimony of this to the Consciences of the wisest of the Heathens themselves He evidently demonstrates that their pretended Gods were Men and for the most part Criminals that were dead and that their Images cannot be Adored without the greatest Folly and Madness in the World that even the Wisest of the Heathens despised them He occasionally confutes what has been objected by some to the Christians that they worshipped an Asses Head and adored Crosses And from thence he takes occasion to explain the Doctrine of the Christians We Adore says he One only God the Creator of the World who is Invisible and Incomprehensible who will Recompence Good Men with Everlasting Life and Punish Wicked Men with Eternal Torments after he has raised them from the Dead He proves this Truth by the whole Creation which so evidently demonstrates that there is a God That it is says he the greatest Wickedness that can possibly be conceived not to acknowledge him of whom 't is impossible that we can be ignorant even by the very Dictates which Nature inspires into all Men which oftentimes cause them to Invoke the True God as when we say If God thinks good if God pleases God sees us and the like And this he calls The Testimony of a Soul that is naturally Christian Testimonium Animae naturaliter Christianae Lastly by the Antiquity of the Books of Moses which are more ancient than all the Writings of the Greeks and by the Authority of the Prophets who foretold those Things that were to come to pass Then after having proved the Unity of God which the Jews acknowledge as well as the Christians he goes on to that Faith
Church That the Gentiles ought to believe in him and through his means to obtain Remission of their Sins In the second he urges those places that concern the Mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and particularly those that shew that Jesus Christ is the Wisdom and Word of God who took our Nature upon him to redeem Mankind with the Prophecies wherein it is foretold that he was to be born of the Race of David in the City of Bethlehem That his first coming was to be without Glory That the Jews were to Crucifie him That he should rise the Third Day and come at last to Judge the World dd Has been composed since these In the Preface of the first Book he only speaks of two Books and the third is not to be found in some ancient Editions but it is cited as we have observed by St. Jerome and St. Austin Retract lib. 2. c. 1. advers Pelag. c. 9. de Proedestin Sanct. c. 3. and 't is properly speaking a work by it self For the two first were written to instruct Quirinus in the first grounds of the Christian Faith and the design of this is to teach him the precepts of Morality Some few Texts of Scripture may have been since added to it which follow the Vulgar Latin This Treatise might perhaps be written in the year 249. The Third Book was Composed after these upon a quite different Subject It is a Collection of several Testimonies taken as well out of the Old as the New Testament containing many Precepts of Morality that either have a relation to Christian Virtues such as are the Fear and Love of God Patience under Sufferings Martyrdom and Virginity or that dissuade from Vices such as Anger Evil Speaking Pride the superfluous Ornaments of Women and the inordinate love of Riches Or Lastly those that lay down the manner how Christians ought to behave themselves towards their Superiours so that we may justly say of this Treatise that it is a very useful Collection of all the Morality in the Holy Scriptures The Book of the Discipline or the Conduct and Apparel of Virgins seems to be the first Work that St. Cyprian composed ee After he was Ordained Bishop He was then a Bishop for he speaks to them as having Authority over them and calls himself their Father Pontius insinuates That it was not composed till after his Retirement for to prove that St. Cyprian's Retirement was of great advantage to the Church because of the Books he wrote during his Solitude he places the Book about the Conduct of Virgins in this number Who is it says he who has taught the Virgins to preserve Discipline to wear modest Apparel agreeable to their Condition But Pontius in this place enumerates the works of St. Cyprian like a Rhetorician since the first he mentions is the Epistle to Donatus which was certainly written before his Confinement and in all appearance the Luxury of Women the use of frequenting Baths and the other Irregularities he reprehends in that Treatise better agree with a time wherein the Church had long enjoy'd Peace Be it as it will Pontius always places the Book of the Conduct of Virgins first after he was ordained Bishop The Design of it is to instruct the Virgins with the care of whom he was intrusted to preserve in their Habits and the whole tenour of their Life a truly Christian Modesty He begins with recommending Discipline that is to say a good conduct as being the Guardian of Hope the Anchor of Faith and the Guide to the way of Salvation He shews by several Texts of Scripture that it is of great necessity and afterwards addressing himself to the Virgins and extolling their Condition he exhorts them to maintain this Discipline with the greatest exactness as having more need of it than any Persons besides He convinces them that Christian Continence can by no means suit with prophane Ornaments that their Wealth did not excuse this vanity of Dressing that God gave 'em Kiches not to throw away upon idle Superfluities but to employ them to good uses to feed and relieve the Poor that a great Fortune unless employed after this manner does only become a great Temptation that although these Ornaments that Virgins made use of did not of themselves destroy them yet they ought to abstain from them since they had proved the ruine of others by drawing the Eyes of young Men after them and by that means kindling the fire of Love in their Hearts that rich Attire and care in Dressing only became prostitutes and that the Scripture always speaks of them after this manner that they abused the works of God to set themselves out and that they disfigured the Image he made by the Painting and Curling and abundance of other Ornaments After this he advises the Virgins carefully to avoid all those things that might injure their Chastity and severely reprehends those who were not ashamed to go to publick Baths though they did it without entertaining the least ill design In short after having given these Instructions to the Virgins he takes occasion to speak of the great advantages of Virginity and tells them it was the nearest State to that of Martyrdom that Virgins avoid the Curse pronounced against the first Woman that they are equal to the Angels that Virginity is not of absolute necessity but that it is a great deal more excellent than any other Condition At last he concludes with desiring the Virgins to remember him when they should receive the Recompence of their Virginity Tantum mementote time nostri cum incipiet in vobis Virginitas honorari Words which make it appear that in St. Cyprian's time they believed that the Saints interceded for us before God The Treatise concerning those that had fallen away in the time of Persecution and that of the Unity of the Church were composed in the year 251 immediately after the Persecution of Decius This last was writ upon the occasion of the Schism of the Novatians and the Faction of Felicissimus and the first was writ against those of the Faction of Felicissimus that rashly granted the grace of Reconciliation to all that had fallen in the Persecution He Read both these Books in an African Council held that very year and afterwards sent them to Rome as he testifies in his Fiftieth Letter according to Pamelius's Order In his Treatise concerning those who had fallen away during the Persecution he begins with giving Thanks to God that Peace was restored to the Church and makes an honourable Elogium of the Holy Martyrs and Confessors He deplores the lamentable fall of those Persons that had Apostatized and observes that GOD never permits a Persecution but to punish the Corruptions and Vices of the Christians He detests the crime of those who had presented themselves before the Magistrates to deny the Faith of Jesus Christ and carried their Children to the Altars of the Gods to make them if it were possible partakers
'T is entituled in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latin De ventriloquo which cannot be rendred in English but by a Circumlocution that is to say The Discourse which those Pronounce who have a Devil in their Belly To understand this we must observe that the Ancients believ'd That the Daemon which the Pagans honour'd under the Name of the God Python entred into the Bowels of the Priests and Priestesses and by strange agitations excited in them a kind of Fury which made them say many things which were taken for Predictions For which reason the Women that profess'd to Divine things to come were call'd Pythonisses Such was she to whom Saul address'd himself for consulting Samuel whose History is the Subject of this Dissertation and therefore I have entituled it Concerning the Pythoniss cited by St. Jerom was publish'd in Greek in the Year 1629 and translated into Latin by Allatius together with a Discourse of this Author upon the same Subject The Question there treated of is Whether the Witch mention'd B. I. of Kings Ch. 28. did really bring back the Soul of Samuel into this World to speak unto Saul Eustathius maintains the Negative against Origen who had taught the Affirmative in one of his Homilies And after he has related in a pleasant manner all the Circumstances of the History he refutes the Explication of Origen He lays it down for a Principle that the Devil cannot bring back Souls from the other World He says It is ridiculous to give him this Authority over the Souls of the Just and that there is none but God only who is Lord over them He demands of Origen Whether the Witch made Samuel appear in Body and Soul together or if she only brought back his Soul and then he shews that neither the one nor the other is probable He rallies Origen for attributing to the Holy Spirit the Words which the Witch pronounc'd when she was acted by an Evil Spirit He maintains that Saul did not at all see the Ghost of Samuel but only was astonish'd with the extraordinary Speeches and violent Motions of the Witch and therefore cast himself down upon the Ground to worship He proves That 't is contrary to common sence to say as Origen does That the Gods which the Witch says she saw ascending out of the Earth were the Souls of the Just and the Angels He observes that the Prediction of the Pythoniss was found to be false and tho' it had been true it would not therefore follow that it was from the Holy Spirit since the Devil has often made such like Predictions which Chance and the Circumstances of things that are known to him have sometimes verified He does also make it appear from the Circumstances of this Prediction That it was an Imposture of the Devil and that it cannot be attributed to the Holy Spirit without some kind of Impiety After this he answers the chief Objection of Origen taken from the Scripture which gives the Name of Samuel to that Apparition To which he says That he was astonish'd at an Author who durst explain the whole Scripture Allegorically treat as a Fable the History of Moses concerning the Terrestrial Paradise and give Mystical Sences to all the Histories of the Old Testament that he should endeavour to put off for Truth the Fictions of a Woman acted by an Evil Spirit He shews That when the Scripture gives the Name of Samuel to this Apparition 't is not to be understood as if Samuel himself in Body and Soul were there but only that this Woman made him believe by the Representation which she gave Saul of this Spectre that this was the Prophet Samuel whom he desir'd to consult In short he demonstrates from all the Circumstances of this Story That there was nothing real in this Apparition but that it was only an Apparition represented in the imagination of Saul and this Prophetess by the Devil which possess'd them This is the Sentiment which Eustathius confirms in this Dissertation which is short beautiful and very close for as he says nothing superfluous so he omits no Proof which might be of Advantage to his Opinion There appear in it much Learning and a well-poiz'd Judgment and one may venture to say That there are few Works of this nature in all Antiquity so perfect as this Discourse Yet I think he has treated Origen a little too harshly in a Question that does not at all belong to Religion but is purely Critical To conclude The Opinion of Eustathius is since his time grown the more common Opinion n The Opinion of Eustathius is since his time grown the more common Opinion St Justin in his Dialogue against Tryphon is of the same Opinion with Origen and concludes That all Souls even those of the Just fall under the Power of Daemons But Tertullian is of Eustathius's Opinion in his Book of the Soul Ch. 57. where he says expresly That we must not believe that it was the Soul of Samuel which the Pythoniss brought back from the other World but that 't was only a Cheat of the Devil Since Eustathius's time there are but few Authors of Origen's Opinion excepting Sulpitius Severus St. Austin makes a Problem of this Question in his Letter to Simplicianus but he inclines to Eustathius's side Eucherus Bede St. Anselm Rabanus and St. Thomas follow St. Austin Theodoret and some others have said That God form'd this Apparition of Samuel or that he made an Angel appear under the form of Samuel St. Basil is of Eustathius's Opinion in his Commentary upon Ch. 8. of Isaiah but he seems to approve the contrary Opinion in his Letter to Eustathius the Physician St. Gregory Nazianzen touches both these Opinions in his first Oration against Julian But Gregory Nyssen in a Letter written on this Subject expresly refutes the Opinion of Origen and proves that of Eustathius 'T is no wonder that Methodius and St. Jerom condemn Origen's Opinion but 't is surprizing that Philastrius has tax'd it of Heresy Haeres 28. The Author of the Question ascrib'd to St. Austin Quest. 52. The Author of the Questions concerning the wonderful things in Scripture B. II. Ch. 2. and of the Questions of the Old and New Testament attributed to St. Austin Quest. 26. Isidore B. VIII Ch. 8. of his Origines Zonaras Hist. Tom. 1. Syncellus in his Chronicle and many others approve the Opinion of Eustathius The Modern Commentators are much divided about it And indeed the Opinion of Origen may better be maintain'd when 't is suppos'd That 't was by the Permission of God and not by the Power of the Devil that the Pythoniss brought back the Soul of Samuel and so it seems to be more agreeable to the Letter of Scripture but the other is more rational and explains the Matter in Dispute more naturally and I must confess that 't is more probable than the other tho' I cannot affirm any thing for certain in this Matter We cannot give
divided into Thirty Chapters wherein he handles many Questions more Curious than useful concerning the Creation of the World the Formation of Man the Nature and Origin of his Soul concerning the Resurrection and the Structure of a Humane Body Theâ—e he teaches That the Soul is a Spirit which is equally in all parts of the Body he refutes the Opinion of Origen concerning the Pre-existence of Souls before the Body and maintains that they are form'd in the same Moment with the Body He thinks That in the State of Innocence there would have been no Generation but that Men would have multiplied by some other means The Two following Homilies about the Formation of Man are St. Basil's as we have already observ'd There is also a Homily in the Second Volume upon the same Subject wherein he explains all the Sencès in which it can be said That Man was created after the Image and Likeness of God We may place among the number of Commentaries upon the Old Testament the little Tract of the Witch of Endor wherein he explains a part of the 28th Chapter of the First Book of Samuel and proves that it was not truly the Soul of Samuel that appear'd to Saul but that it was the Devil who assum'd the Likeness of this Prophet The Book of the Life of Moses is an Allegorical Explication of all the Actions of this Lawgiver to the Jews from whence he draws either Moral Instructions or some Reflections upon Religion upon which account 't is also entitled Of a perfect Life The Two Treatises upon the Inscriptions of the Psalms are more useful than the preceding In the First he treats of the End the Order and the Distribution of the Psalms He affirms That their End is to teach the way of Vertue which leads to Happiness That they are useful and delightful to all sorts of Persons in what State and Condition soever they be and whatsoever their Disposition be He divides the Psalms into Five Parts the First ends at the 40th Psalm the Second at the 71st the Third at the 88th the Fourth at the 105th and the Fifth continues to the End of the Psalms He is of Opinion that the Psalms contain'd in the First Part were compos'd to dissuade Men from Vice and induce them to Vertue That those which are in the Second represent the Thirst and Ardour of those who have any Knowledge of Vertue and any relish of its Sweetness That those of the Third Part describe the State of those Persons who are advanc'd to the Knowledge of Divine Things That those of the Fourth raise Men's Minds above all things in this World That those of the Fifth elevate a Man to the highest top of Perfection There is more Wit than Solidity in these Reflections as well as in the Interpretations of the Titles or Inscriptions of the Psalms which he has given in his Second Part and are almost all of them Allegorical The same Judgment ought to be made of his Homily upon the 6th Psalm which follows this Treatise The Eight Homilies upon Ecclesiastes are less forc'd more useful and more natural Those upon the Canticles are wholly Allegorical but this Book cannot otherwise be explain'd He wrote also upon the Proverbs as he testifies at the beginning of the Homilies upon Ecclesiastes but that Commentary of his is lost Possinus has promised his entire Commentary upon Ecclesiastes The First Discourse of Prayer is concerning the Necessity of it and the manner wherein we ought to pray The Four other Discourses are an Explication of the Lord's Prayer as the following Treatise is an Explication of the Beatitudes He always interweaves his Moral Reflections with a multitude of Allegories Comparisons and Histories which render them less profitable and more tedious In the Homily upon the Words of Chap. 15. of the 1st Epistle to the Corinthians When all things shall be subdued unto God even the Father then shall the Son himself also be subject unto him which is the First in the Second Volume he refutes the Consequences which the Arians draw from this Passage and shows That by the subjection of the Son we must not understand a State of Servitude but the Immortality and Happiness of the Humane Nature of Jesus Christ. The Longest and most Excellent of all the Dogmatical Works of St. Gregory Nyssen is his Treatise against Eunomius divided into Twelve Books c His Treatise against Eunomius divided into Twelve Books There are some who have reckoned Thirteen but they have inconveniently divided the Fifth Book into Two These Books are quoted according to the present Division by Theodoret and the Sixth Council St. Jerom in his Catalogue Testifies That St. Gregory Nyssen read this Division of his Treatise to him wherein he refutes a part of what this Heretick had asserted in his Apology in answer to St. Basil. St. Gregory compos'd this Book after the Death of this Father as we learn from the Letter at the beginning of it which is address'd to his Brother Peter of Sebastea At the beginning of the First Book he defends the Person and Conduct of St. Basil against the Calumnies of Eunomius He describes the Life of this Heretick and that of his Master Aetius and afterwards refutes the impious Reasonings of this Heretick and explains the Passages of Scripture which he alledges to prove his Errors Photius assures us That in this Book St. Gregory did far excell the other Two Authors which have written against the same Book of Eunomius as well for the Beauty and Sweetness of his Eloquence as for the Strength and Multitude of his Arguments He particularly praises the last Book which in his time was consider'd as a distinct Treatise His great Catechetical Discourse is an Excellent Treatise of the Manner in which the Jews Pagans and Hereticks are to be Instructed to Convince them of the Truth of our Religion St. Gregory Nyssen observes in the Preface That the Reasons which are to be used against Pagans who deny the Unity of God are different from those that must be alledg'd against the Jews who oppose the Trinity and that the Method which is to be follow'd in refuting the Hereticks who oppose the Divinity of One of the Three Persons should be different from that which is observed in proving the Trinity against the Jews That in Disputing both against the one and the other we must use Principles agreeable to Reason in which they and we are agreed That when one Disputes against an Atheist he must prove the Existence of a God by the Creation of the World and when he has to do with a Pagan who admits many Deities he must prove to him that there is but One because God must be absolutely perfect and there can be no more of this Nature but One. With respect to the Jew he would have us endeavour to make him understand the Divine Word by comparing it with the Word of Understanding or the Reason that is in Men and give him
their Sex of which St. Ambrose makes them asham'd in Chap. 18. The Treatise of Naboth and the Poor for so it ought to be call'd according to the ancient Manuscripts and according to the Custom of St. Ambrose is a Discourse full of Zeal against the Rich and Powerful who oppress the Poor preach'd by St. Ambrose upon the History of the Oppression of Naboth by King Ahab This Saint there shews that there are Ahabs and Naboths at all times The History of Naboth says he at the beginning of his Discourse is ancient if we consider the time wherein it was Transacted but in Practice it happens daily tempore vetus est usu quotidiana For who is the Rich man that does not desire other Mens Goods Is it not daily seen that the Rich would take from the Poor the little Estate that they have and drive them away from the Inheritance of their Ancestors Where is there one found that is content with what he has There has not been one Ahab only in the World he is born in it every day there has not been one Naboth only kill'd there are some such every day oppress'd Every day the Poor are over-whelm'd driven away persecuted and reduc'd to die by Famine by the Injustice of the Rich. He declaims afterwards against this Barbarity and shews the Rich by the Example of Ahab that they are more unhappy with all their Riches than the most Miserable and the most Poor in their Wants He cries out against those sumptuous Feasts and needless Expences which they make by which they waste the Blood and Substance of the Poor Here he relates a frightful Story of a Rich Man who to procure good Wine to his Table forc'd a Poor Man to sell his Son and then he brings the Parable of the Rich Man mention'd in the Gospel of St. Luke Ch. 12. who purposed to pull down his Barns that he might build larger and shews from hence how far the Slavery Blindness and Misery of Rich Men extends Afterwards he returns to his History of Ahab and having represented the horribleness of the Action of Ahab and Jezabel he exhorts Rich Men not to imitate it by teaching them the use they ought to make of their Riches which is described in Psalm 75. He concludes with this Remark that God pardon'd Ahab for this Crime but this miserable Man brought upon himself Destruction by new Crimes 'T is thought that this Treatise was compos'd about the Year 395. The Book of Tobit is chiefly written against Usury which St. Ambrose condemns most severely There he describes the Miseries to which Usurers reduce the Poor and the Artifices they use to ensnare young Heirs Usury according to him is all that is receiv'd above the principal It is condemn'd by the Divine Law in the Old and New Testament If it was permitted to the Israelites with respect to Strangers it was only with reference to them whom they might lawfully kill He refutes those by name who restrain the Prohibition of Usury only to the Poor and rejects the Reasons of Interest which may be alledg'd to excuse it Erasmus doubted whether this Book were St. Ambrose's or no but it was a doubt very ill grounded for St. Austin cites it It has St. Ambrose's Stile it contains his Doctrine which is also to be found in short in his 23d Letter to Vigilius and it contains many Passages translated out of St. Basil according to the Custom of St. Ambrose This Book was written about the Year 386. The Four Books of the Intercession of Job and David that is of the Complaints which Job and David made for the Miseries and Weakness of Mankind are in this Edition replac'd here in their natural Order In the two First Books he enlarges upon the Complaints contain'd in the First Chapters of the Book of Job and in the Psalms particularly in the 72d and 42d In the Two last he answers the Complaints of those who tax Providence because the Wicked are happy in this Life and the Just miserable He proves that the Happiness of the Wicked is not true happiness and that the Calamities Miseries and Misfortunes of the Good do not at all render them unhappy In the Book entituled the Apology of David he saves the Honour of this Holy King not by justifying his Crimes of Adultery and Murder which are used to render him odious but by shewing that he rose again from his Fall by a quick and sincere Repentance that it was for our Instruction that God permitted him to fall into Sin and that he made amends for his Fault by a great number of good Actions And therefore he explains the 5th Psalm that it may serve as an Apology for this Holy King These Sermons were preach'd soon after the Death of Gratian in the Year 385. The Benedictines have plac'd here among these Works of St. Ambrose which are Genuine the Second Apology for David but it is confess'd in the Preface that it has been question'd and that there is reason for doing so Indeed it is observ'd that in all the Manuscripts that have been seen this Book goes under the name of St. Ambrose and the Conjectures which some Criticks have alledg'd to show its imposture are rejected But then they find the Stile is different from St. Ambrose's and the Author uses a different Version of Scripture and sometimes the Vulgar Latin and he speaks of Two Sorts of Wills and Operations in Jesus Christ in such a manner as favours very much of the Times of the Monothelites They add that this Author only Copies and Enlarges upon what St. Ambrose had said before The Second Apology contains a great part of what is in the First And what probability is there that St. Ambrose should twice repeat the same thing The Subject of both is the same The Author undertakes to show that no Man ought to be offended with any thing that is related in Scripture and that David fell into the Crimes of Murder and Adultery His Defence is divided into Three Parts In the First he shows that the Fall of David must be attributed to the Infirmity of Humane Nature and that his Amendment was the effect of his Vertue In the Second he says that David fell to instruct the Jews that they should continue no longer in their blindness In the last Christians are instructed in the Mysteries which is typify'd by David's Fall The Author enlarges upon common Places and employs part of his Discourse in Refutation of the Hereticks and chiefly of the Arians and Manichees This Treatise is composed of popular Harangues The Expositions of some particular Psalms are not a formal Commentary upon them but a Collection of Homilies upon the Psalms preach'd or compos'd upon several Occasions However it appears by the Preface to the Commentary upon the First Psalm that St. Ambrose had a Design to Expound all the Psalms The Homily upon the First Psalm was preach'd about the Year 390 after the Institution
The Second the Polemical The Third the Orations Epistles and Sermons and the Last the Commentaries upon the Old and New Testament These Four Tomes make Two Volumes This Edition was many times re-printed at Basle and once at Paris by Chevallon in 1529. The Edition of Erasmus being full of Faults Johannes Costerius a Regular Canon of Lovainâ— took the Pains to Correct the Text of St. Ambrose by many Manuscripts and caused it to be printed a new at Basle in 1555 by Episcopius At last Gillotius having gathered together a much greater Number of Manuscripts caused the Works of St. Ambrose to be printed at Paris by Merlinus in the Year 1568. This Edition tho' more correct than all the rest was little minded and in a manner wholly eclipsed by the Reputation of the Roman Edition which followed soon after Cardinal Montaltus who was afterwards Sixtus V. desiring to purchase a Reputation among Learned Men undertook it while he was but a Cordelier and General of his Order and caused Four Volumes of it to be published when he was Cardinal in 1579 1580 1581 and 1582 which he Dedicated to Gregory XIII The 5th and 6th appeared under the Pontificate of Sixtus V. in 1585 and 1587. This Edition was after that the Pattern and Original which was follow'd in the Edition at Paris begun in 1586 and in all the other following Editions which are very numerous 'T was believ'd that a Book publish'd with so much ostentation valued so much by the Publisher printed in so fine a Character and with so much care must needs be very correct and perfect and yet this Edition has many essential Defects which disfigure it The first and most considerable is that the Roman Correctors took the liberty to change cut off and add what they thought fit tho they had no ground to do so from the authority of any Manuscript They carried it so far as that they did not content themselves with changing those Terms which appear'd to them harsh and substitute others according to their fancy but they also blotted out or added whole Lines and Periods which made a perfectly new Sence and altogether different from the Authors as may be seen by comparing the ancient Editions and the last with this Roman Edition Secondly They have inserted into the Commentaries the whole Text of the sacred Books which hinders the reading the Commentary of St. Ambrose without interruption Thirdly The Order which they have observ'd in ranging the Books is not natural They have placed some Letters amongst the Treatises upon the Holy Scripture they have separated Books that ought to follow one upon another as the Complaints of Job and David whereof one is placed in the First Tome and the other in the Second they have joined together some Treatises which should be separated they have rank'd the Letters in a very inconvenient Order In a word by too much refining they have corrupted all as Faber says in a Letter to Fronto Ducaeus where he observes the Faults of the Roman Edition of St. Ambrose I have found says he to him that nimis fuere ingeniosi in alieno opere as in the Books De interpellatione sanctorum Job David which they have separated and placed the one in the First Tome and the other in the Second to do which they were forc'd quaedam interpolare minime probabili exemplo They have done the same in priore Apologia David and in the Second that which is yet worse for because it is said in the 8th Ch. that the History of David with Bathshebah is not a History which shows that this Book is none of St. Ambrose's but some Origenists who Allegorizes almost all the Bible as also it seems by the reading of it to be collected and made up out of Two or Three Sermons they have taken away Five or Six Lines which are found in all the ancient Editions Fourthly They have made a particular Class of some supposititious Books and yet they have left a great number of them amongst St. Ambrose's Genuine Works There are some of them whose Forgery is so manifest that they cannot be pardoned such as the Books de Arbore interdicta de dignitate hominis de Vocatione Gentium the Epistle ad Demetriadem in Symbolum Apostolorum and many others They must be very ignorant who believed that these Books were written by St. Ambrose and very impudent who left them among his Genuine Works when they had a Design to make a distinct Class of those that were supposititious In short the Authors of this Edition have made no Notes or mark'd in the Margin any different Readings they have only added at the end the Theological and Scholastical dissertations of one Ferdinand Wellofillus which are a Collection of common Places and Passages of the Fathers upon different Questions which are of no use at all for understanding the Text of St. Ambrose Now to commend the Edition of the Benedictines I need only say that they have avoided all the Faults of the Roman Edition For First they prescrib'd it to themselves as an inviolable Law that they would put nothing into the Text which should not be approved by the authority of one or more Manuscripts and they have chang'd nothing without acquainting us with the Manuscript upon whose authority they did it Secondly They have taken out the Text of the Bible and left the Commentary of St. Ambrose continued after the same manner as he compos'd it excepting only the distinction of Chapters which is a great ease to the Reader Thirdly The Order which they observed in ranging the Books is plain and natural Besides this they have noted the Chronology of each Discourse and rang'd the Letters according to the order of their Dates Fourthly They have not placed any Book that is manifestly supposititious among those that are Genuine They have only left among them the Second Apology of David and the Books of the Sacraments because many learned Men believe them still to be St. Ambrose's tho' it is very probable that they are not Lastly they have prefix'd to every Chapter most useful Arguments wherein they discover the time of each Work and give the Contents of it They have also placed at the bottom of the Pages such Notes as contain not only the different Readings of the Manuscripts but also very useful Explications of difficult places in the Text whose Sence they have discovered by the most diligent Enquiries with all possible exactness without diverting to Questions which are of no use for understanding the Text of their Author All which give us occasion to say That this Edition of the Works of St. Ambrose is as perfect as it can be and comes no ways short of the late Edition of St. Austin St. EPIPHANIUS ST EPIPHANIUS was born about the Year 332 in a Village of Palaestine near the City of Eleutheropolis and pass'd his Youth in the Monastick Discipline with St. Hilarion Hesychius and St. Epiphanius
BOOKS Lost. Short and Sententious Tracts in form of Dialogues EVAGRIUS of Antioch BOOKS Lost. Treatises of which we know nothing St. AMBROSE Genuine BOOKS still Extant A Treatise of the Creation of the World composed of Nine Sermons and divided into Six Books Upon the Terrestrial Paradise Upon the History of Cain and Abel divided into 2 Books Of the Ark and of the Life of Noah not perfect Two Books upon the Life of Abraham A Treatise of Isaac and the Soul A Treatise of the Benefits or Advantages of Death A Treatise of forsaking the World Two Books of Jacob and a happy Life A Discourse of the Life of the Patriarch Joseph A Discourse upon the Benedictions of the Patriarchs The Book of Elias and of Fasting A Treatise of Naboth and the Poor A Treatise upon Tobit Four Books concerning the Intercession or the Complaints of Job and David The first Apology for David An Explication of Twelve Psalms viz. Psal. 1. 35 36 37 38 39 40. 43. 45. 47 48. 61. A Book upon Psalm 119. A Commentary upon the Gospel of St. Luke divided into Ten Parts Three Books of the Offices of Ministers Three Books concerning Virgins to Marcellina A Treatise concerning Widows A Treatise of Virginity A Discourse of the perpetual Virginity of Mary An Exhortation to Virginity A Book of Mysteries Two Books of Pennance Five Books concerning Faith or of the Trinity Three Books of the Holy Spirit A Treatise of the Incarnation Ninety two Letters Funeral Orations upon Valentinian and Theodosius Hymns for the Office and upon the Six Days of the Creation BOOKS Lost. Part of the Treatise of the Ark and of Noah A Treatise upon the Incarnation whereof Theodoret quotes a Fragment A Treatise upon the Sacraments and of Philosophy A Commentary upon Isaiah Instruction to Fritigildis Another Instruction to Pansophius Cassiodorus mentions some Homilies upon the Book of Wisdom a Commentary upon all the Prophets and a Commentary upon the Epistles of St. Paul A Commentary upon all the Psalms according to Trithemius Supposititious WORKS A Second Apology for David Commentaries upon the Canticles A Treatise of the Fall of a Virgin consecrated to God Several Hymns upon Festivals All his Sermons upon the Year and upon the Feasts A Discourse upon the Dignity of Humane Nature A Sermon upon the Forbidden Fruit. The Treatise of the Forty two Mansions or Encampments of the Children of Israel A Commentary upon the Epistles of St. Paul A Commentary upon the Apocalypse The Harmony of the Evangelists St. Matthew and St. Luke concerning the Genealogy of our Saviour A Treatise upon the Creed A Discourse of the Divinity of the Son A Treatise entituled Of the Mystery of Easter A Discourse to a Virgin consecrated to God A Discourse of the Vocation of the Gentiles An Epistle to Demetrias The 29. 34 35. and 55. Letters The preparatory Prayers for saying of Mass. The Book of the Combat between Virtues and Vices The Exposition of Faith A Treatise of the Holy Spirit A Book of Penance A History of the Life and Manners of the Brachmans St. EPIPHANIUS Genuine BOOKS still Extant The Book against Heresies Entituled Panarium The Recapitulation or Abridgment of his Book of Heresies A Discourse of Faith entituled Anchoratus A Treatise of Weights and Measures The Physiologus A Treatise of the Twelve precious Stones A Book of the Life and Death of the Prophets A Letter to St. John of Jerusalem Nine Sermons dubious PHILO CARPATHIUS Supposititious BOOK A Commentary upon the Canticles Q. JULIUS HILARION Genuine BOOK still Extant A Chronicon or a Treatise of the duration of the World A TABLE of the Acts Professions of Faith and Canons of the Councils mentioned in this Volume Councils Years held in Acts Professions of Faith and Canons OF Sinuessa 303 Supposititious Acts. Of Cirtha 305 Acts in St. Augustin Of Alexandria 306 Â Of Elvira 306 81 Canons Of Carthage 307 Fragments of its Acts in Optatus and St. Augustin Of Rome 313 Some Fragments of its Acts in Optatus Of Arles 314 22 Canons and a Letter to St. Sylvester Of Ancyra 314 25 Canons Of Neocaesarea 314 15 Canons Of Alexandria 322 Â Of Bithynia 323 Â Of Alexandria 324 Â Of Nice 325 A Profession of Faith a Decree concerning Easter Of Antioch 330 25 Canons and a Letter to the Egyptians Of Caesarea 334 Â Of Tyre 335 Â Of Jerusalem 335 A Synodical Letter in Favour of Arius Of Constantinople 336 Â Another of Constantinople 338 Â Of Alexandria 340 A Synodical Letter in Favour of St. Athanasius Of Rome 341 A Letter written by Pope Julius in the Name of the Council in 342. Of Antioch 342 Three Professions of Faith and 25 Canons Another of Antioch 345 Â Of Milan 346 A Profession of Faith Of Cologne 346 Supposititious Acts. Of Sardica 347 20 Canons Two Synodical Letters one by the Bishops of the West another by those of the East and a Profession of Faith made by some Bishops Of Sirmium I. 349 Â Of Sirmium II. 357 A long Profession of Faith Of Arles 353 Â Of Milan 355 Doubtful Acts taken out of the Life of Eusebius Vercellensis Of Beziers 356 Â Of Sirmium III. 357 A Second Profession of Faith Of Antioch 358 A Letter to Ursacius and Valens Of Ancyra 358 A Synodical Letter a Profession of Faith and 18 Anathematisms Of Sirmium IV. 358 A Collection of Prefessions of Faith Of Sirmium V. 359 A Profession of Faith with the Names of the Consuls Of Ariminum 359 A Catholick Definition a Condemnation of Ursacius Valens and Germinius A Letter to the Emperor before his Subscription to the Profession of Faith of the East a Letter to the Emperor after his Subscription Of Seleucia 359 Â Of Constantinople 360 Â Of Melitine 357 A Profession of Faith Of Antioch 361 A Letter to the Catholicks of Antioch written by St. Athanasius Of Alexandria 362 Â Of Paris 362 A Letter of this Council Of Italy 362 A Letter to the Bishops of Illyricum Of the Egyptian Bishops at Antioch 363 A Letter to Jovian Of Antioch 363 A Letter containing a Profession of Faith Of Lampsacus 365 Â Of Singidunum 366 Letter to Germinius Of Illyricum 366 A Synodical Letter confirmed by an Edict of the Emperour Of Asia 366 Â Of Sicily 365 Â Of Tyana 368 Â Of Gangra 370 A Letter and 20 Canons Of Laodicea 370 60 Canons Of Rome under Damasus 360 and 370 Â Of Rome against Ursicinus 372 A Letter to the Bishops of Illyricum Of Valence 372 A Synodical Leter and four Canons Of Antioch 378 A Profession of Faith call'd The Tome of the Western Church signed in this Council Of Constantinople 381 382 383 A Profession of Faith and 7 Canons Of Aquileia 381 Acts of the Council a Letter to the Bishops of the East Of Saragossa 381 8 Canons Of Sida 383 Â Of Bourdeaux 384 Â Of Capua 390 Â Of Rome and Milan 390 Â Of Sangarus 390 Â Of
Novatian Character of that Heretick 83. Refutation of his Doctrine ibid. 216 c. O. OPtatus Bishop of Milevis Time when he lived 87. Died in the Reign of Valentinian ibid. c. Number of his Books 87. and d e. Abridgment of his Books against the Donatists 87 88 c. Judgment upon his Stile and Doctrine 96. Editions of his Books 97. Oresiesis Successour to St. Pachomius Treatise concerning the Instruction of Monks 55. P. St. PAcianus Bishop of Barcelona Time of his Death 81. An Extract of his Writings 81 82. A good saying of his 82. His Doctrine 84. Editions of his Works 85. St. Pachomius Author of a Monastick Life 54. Country and Relations ibid. Life and Time of his Death 55. Rules and Letters ibid. Palaemon Hermit Master of St. Pachomius 54. Pamphilus Martyr Friend to Eusebius 1. and a. And not his Brother 1. a. Suffered two Years Imprisonment and after Martyrdom 1. Composed Apologies for Origen with Eusebius 2. Life written by Eusebius 3. Parmenian a Donatist his Mistakes 88. Paris Council of Paris in 362. where Auxentius Ursacius Valens and Saturnus were condemned 266. Patrophilus an Arian Bishop Enemy to Eusebius Vercellensis 186. Paul I. Pope wrote to Pepin 19. Paul of Emisa Assists at the Council of Seleucia 59. St. Jerom's Judgment upon his Works ibid. Paulinus of Antioch His Ordination unlawful 136. Penance Which is true 77. Absolution to be granted to Sinners 82 83. and c. Necessity of Penance ibid. 180. Qualities of true Penance 83. 118. 217. Publick Penance 84. 217. and c. Canons of St. Basil concerning Penance 140. and c. Canons of St. Gregory Nyssen upon the same Subject 181 182. Canons of Peter of Alexandria concerning Penance and Idolaters 26. Canons of the Council of Elvira concerning Penance and Depriving of those that are guilty of some Crimes of Communion even when they are dying 242 c. Other Canons of the Councils of the Fourth Century See the Extract of the Councils If a Judge who has condemned Criminals to Death ought to do Penance 227. Pepin besieges Padua 19. and afterwards causes Astolphus to raise the Siege of Rome and obliges him to execute the Treaty of Peace ibid. Persecution Flight in Persecution 26. 40 41. Of the Arians against the Church 41. 71. c. To be suffered with Constancy 151. Peter Bishop of Alexandria under the Emperour and in what time he suffered Martyrdom 25. and a. The Acts of his Martyrdom doubtful 25. and b. His Canons are drawn from one of his Discourses upon Penance 26. Peter another Bishop of Alexandria Successor to St. Athanasius 105. Driven away by Palladius Governour of the Province and retires to Rome ibid. Fragments of his Letter 106. Death ibid. Phaebadius Bishop of Agen. His Steadiness in the Council of Ariminum 85. Subscribes nevertheless a Profession of Faith made by the Arians 86. Laments his Fault and Repairs it ibid. Writes a Book against the Second Sirmian Creed ibid. Philastrius Bishop of Bressia His Life 193. Judgment upon his Treatise of Heresies 194. Philo-Carpathius A Supposititious Author 240. Philostratus An Author not to be credited 6. Photinus Bishop of Sirmium His Country Errour Writings Condemnation 98. Pilgrimage Use and Abuse of Pilgrimages 182. Plato His Doctrine agreeable to Moses's but not free from Errour as that of the Holy Scripture 6. Popes Popes never received from Constantine the Empire of Rome 18. and c. Subject to the Grecian Emperours ibid. Obliged to the Kings of France for their Temporalities 19. At last became Sovereigns of the City of Rome and by what Degrees ibid. Prayer What it is to Pray 151. Priests Formerly presided in the Assemblies of the Faithful in some Churches 48. Praetextatus Governour of Rome banishes Ursicinus by the Emperour's Order 120. Priscillian History of that Heretick 190. Councils celebrated against him and his Followers 274. Providence of God extends to all Creatures 206. Psalms Usefulness of Psalms 45 46. Division of the Psalms 177. Remarks upon the Psalms 75 76. R. RAchifius King of the Lombards 19. Rapes Forbid and Punished by the Ecclesiastical Laws 137. 141. Reformers Character and Genius of the Reformers 193. Religious Persecuted well receiv'd at Constantinople by St. Chrysostom Cause of Theophilus's hatred to that Saint 234. Religion Christian. Proofs of it 5 6. 15. 42. 178. Edicts of Constantine for Religion 15 16. Relicks Respect due to them what 90 96 226. Repentance See Penance Resurrection Proofs of the Resurrection 8. 112. Rheticius Bishop of Autun Life and Writings 21. Rhodanius Bishop of Tholouse 262. Riches Their Use 75. 77. 151. 203. St. Romanus a Deacon of Antioch Martyr 9. Rome Council held there in 313 in favour of Caecilian 246. Another in 341 under Pope Julius for St. Athanasius 253. Another in 370 under Damasus 270. Another in 372 against Ursicinus ibid. Another in 390 against Jovinian and his Followers 275. Ruffinus Judgment upon his Translation of Eusebius's History 14. S. SAbinus a Macedonian Author 198. Saints Veneration and Prayer to Saints 8. 156. 237. Sangarus Council of the Novatians there in 390. 275. Saragossa Council of Saragossa in 347. 274. Sardica Council there in 347. 259. Its Canons and Letters ibid. c. Saturninus Bishop of Arles Sided with the Arians Scaliger Joseph First Collected the Greek Fragments of Eusebius's Chronicon 5. Scripture Holy Canonical Books of the Sacred Scripture 45 46. 111. 270. 279. The Rule of Faith 47 48. Seleucia Council of Seleucia in 359. History of it 264. and c. Septuagint History of their Version 5. 111. Serapion Bishop of Thmuis different from him of Arsinoe 58. His Life and Writings ibid. Sergius Pope By whom Banished 19. Servatio Bishop of Tongres By surprisal Signs a Profession of Faith made by the Arians 86. Silverius and Vigilius Popes ill used by Justinian 18. Simony Receiving Money for the Administration of the Sacraments to be Detested 137. Sin against the Holy Ghost In what Sence unpardonable 46. Distinction of Sins 83 84. Singing the Prayers in Churches 133. Singedunum Council there in 366. Composed of Arian Bishops 267. Sinuessa Council held there in 303. The Acts of it Suppositious 241. Siricius Pope Successor to Damasus 196. Abridgment of his Letters ibid. and 197. Sirmium I. Council of Sirmium in 349. 261. II. Council there in 351. 262. III. In 357. 263. IV. In 358. ibid. V. In 359. ibid. Socrates Historian Begins his History where Eusebius ends 4. Solitude It s usefulness 124. Soul Immortal and Spiritual 9. 47. 110. 236. Book of the Soul by Eustathius of Antioch 22. Question concerning the Soul of Samuel 24. Grace and an inclination to Sin to be found at the same time in the same Soul 57. Of it's Nature 57 58 74 79. 174. 177. 179. 183. 201. Sozomen Historian Begins his History where Eusebius Ends his 4. Stephen II. Pope makes a Truce with the King of the Lombards 19. Has Recourse to Pepin ibid. Sida in Pamphylia Council there in 383 against the Massalians or
Cause of all things XXVIII VVhen it is said Seek those things that are above the meaning is those things that are great and sublime by their excellency XXIX Man may make use of all things but he ought only to enjoy God and the use which he makes of all things ought to have a Relation to God Whosoever uses the Creatures otherwise abuses them XXX This Question is not St. Augustin's it is a definition of Vertue out of Tully XXXI Whosoever conceiveth a thing conceives it as it is and he who conceives it not as it is doth not conceive it at all There are no different degrees of Conception XXXII We are afraid of losing what we love and we are afraid that we shall not obtain what we desire If we desire to be without fear How can we fear that we shall not be freed from fear XXXIII Men should not desire precisely to be free from fear because rash and stupid Men are without fear we should have a reason why we are not afraid XXXIV VVe ought to love what we possess No man can know and love Happiness without being happy Happiness therefore is an eternal love and knowledge of a good thing which cannot be taken away from us XXXV To preserve and increase Charity we must oppose and lessen Lust. This is to be begun by impressing a Dread of God's Judgments to destroy the habit of Sin After that we ought to discover both the Beauty and Excellency of Vertue to manifest the difference betwixt the Old and the New Man to propose Christ's Life as an Example to make use of his Exhortations Instructions and Promises to consider the vast number of those that followed and imitated him to set forth the Vertues both of Saints and of Martyrs as Patterns and at last to oppose Pride and Ambition and to inspire the fear and the love of God I omit the following Questions because they are obscure and contain nothing remarkable The XLVth Is against Judicial Astrology The XLVth Is concerning Plato's Idea's The XLVIIIth Is expressed in these terms We believe Three sorts of Things The First Are such Things as are believed and not conceived as History The Second Are both believed and conceived at the same time as the reasonings of Men. The Third Are Things believed but not conceived at that time though they are conceived afterwards Such are Divine Instructions which are conceived by none but those that have Pure Hearts In the LI. Question He explains in what sence it is said That Man was created after God's Image and Similitude And in the LII he proveâ— That what is said in Genesis That it repented God to have made Man is not to be understood literally In the LIII He justifies the Command which God gave the Jews to borrow of the Egyptians rich Vessels to carry them away â—y saying That God made use of them to Punish the Egyptians But that from thence it cannot be inferred That Men may deceive because the People of Israel was not capable of Evangelical Perfection The Resolutions of the following Questions are Mystical and Moral Explications of several Passages both of the Old and of the New Testament The LXXX Is against the Error of the Apollinarists The two Books of Questions directed to Simplicianus Bishop of Milan who succeeded St. Ambrose in the Year 397. are the first which St. Augustin writ after he was made a Bishop In the first he discourseth upon two Passages of the Epistle to the Romans upon what is said Ch. 7. of the man who being under the Law doth not what the Law requireth And upon what is written in the 9th Chapter of Jacob's being call'd and Esau's being rejected He proves in this First Book with great strength the Necessity of Grace to every Good Work even for the beginning of Faith and a Free Call He saith himself both in his Book of Predestination and in that of the Gift of Perseverance That he began then to see clearly into those Matters which he had not taken right in his former Books Yet he understands the first Passage in the Romans of a man under the Law who is yet without Grace whereas he believed afterwards that it was rather to be understood of that man who being Spiritual in his Superior part finds himself carnal by the desires and motions of the Inferior The Second Book contains the Resolution of Five Questions about particular Passages in the Old Testament The First is of what Spirit that which is said in the First Book of Kings That the Spirit of God entred into Saul is to be understood Whether it was the Holy Ghost or the Evil Spirit wherewith he was possessed afterwards After several Reflections and Digressions St. Augustin concludes That it must be understood of the Spirit of God and that Saul was filled at first with the Spirit of God for a time and afterwards was possessed with an evil Spirit Yea he thinks That Saul had a Spirit of Prophecy at the time when he persecuted David and he proves That this Gift of the Holy Ghost may be found in Wicked Men. The Second Question is upon those words attributed to God in the First Book of Kings Ch. 15. It repenteth me that I have set up Saul How God's Repenting can agree with his Prescience St. Augustin answers That the Repentance ascribed to God is not accompanied with regret as that of Men is it is only an Alteration of Will This Question puts him upon discoursing of God's Knowledge The Third Question is about the Story of the Witch of Endor St. Augustin does not decide whether it was the Soul of Samuel or a Phantome that appeared to Saul he thinks the latter to be more probable Both the other Questions are about two Passages in the Books of Kings which have not much difficulty The last is concerning the Spirit of Error whereby God permitted King Ahab to be deceived Dulcitius a Tribune in Africa having proposed Eight Questions to St. Augustin about some Matters which he had already treated of he Collected in this Book which he sent in Answer to his Questions what he had said in his other Works The First Question was Whether the Baptized that die in Sin shall at any time be delivered from Damnation St. Augustin answereth No and expounds a Passage of St. Paul 1 Cor. Ch. 3. v. 11. where he speaks of the Fire which is to Purifie the Faithful by consuming the Evil which they shall have built upon the sound Foundation of Faith He understandeth by Fire that Affliction in this Life which Purifies the Faithful from light Sins He adds That we may believe that some such thing is done also in the other Life towards those who die before they are cleansed from those light Sins But he affirms That none can believe without Impiety that this can be apply'd to such as die with the guilt of those Sins that exclude Men from the Kingdom of God This Answer is taken out of
his time and that others making a Collection of their Memoirs have composed the Books of Kings And after these came other Historiographers who made a Collection of what the first had forgotten of which they composed the two Books of Chronicles This is the manner in which Theodoret thinks That the Books of Kings and Chronicles were composed We will not stay longer to speak in particular of those Questions which may be easily run over The Translation of the Questions upon the Octateuch was made by Johannes Picus President of the Inquests of the Parliament of Paris who first published them in 1558 at Paris Gentian Harvet Canon of Rheims translated the Questions upon the Chronicles and Kings The Commentary of Theodoret upon all the Psalms is an excellent Work He saith in the Preface That he had always a design to bestow his Labour upon the Book of Psalms it being a Book which of all the Books of the Bible is most in use among the most pious Persons and principally among the Religious That the Psalms being continually in the Mouths of the Faithful that sing them it would be a thing of great advantage to make them easie to be understood that they might receive a double benefit by their Prayers That this reason had caused him to take up a Resolution to begin his Commentaries upon Holy Scripture with that Book but his Friends having demanded of him some Commentaries upon other Books of Holy Scripture he was obliged to satisfie them before he composed this Commentary In sum That it ought not to be imagined that his Labour would be unprofitable because others had written before him upon the same Subject d Others had written before him c. Those whom he hints by the by without naming them are Apollinarius whose Commentaries were full of Allegories Theodorus of Mopsuesta who was too much pleased with the Explications of the Jews and S. Chrysostom whose Commentaries are too large that having read many Commentaries he did find some of them full of tedious Allegories and others did so much apply the Prophecies to the Histories of their own time that they seemed rather to be made for Jews thanChristians That he had endeavoured to avoid the two opposite Extreams by referring to the ancient Histories what at present agreed to them and not applying to other Persons as the Jews do to cover their own Infidelity the Prophecies that are to be understood of JesusChrist and what is spoken in the Psalms concerning theChurch and the Preaching of theGospel That he had avoided the prolixity of others and had gathered into a few words what was profitable That he first gave the subject of every Psalm and then proceeded to the Interpretation of the Text That we ought to know above all things that a Prophecy is not designed only to fortel what shall happen but also to be an History of what is present and past since Moses hath written an History of the Creation not from the Records of Men but by the Inspiration of the Spirit that he therein declares the things that happened in his time as the Plagues of Pharaoh and the Manna And lastly That he hath foretold things to come as the coming of Jesus Christ the dispersion of the Jews and salvation of the Gentiles That David also who is the first that wrote after Moses speaks of the Benefits that God had bestowed upon Men a long time before and foretels what should come to pass in after Ages That his Psalms do not only contain Predictions but Instructions and Precepts That he sometimes lays down Morals and sometimes Doctrine That he sometimes bewails the calamities of the Jews and in other places promises Salvation to the Gentiles But that he foretels the Sufferings and Resurrection of Jesus Christ in so many places and so many ways that whosoever reads them with attention will find them easily That some did believe That David was not the Author of all the Psalms but there were some that belonged to other Persons And in this sence they explained the Inscriptions and attributed some to Jeduthun others to Ethan and others to the Sons of Care and Children of Asaph whom the History of the Chronicles tells us were Prophets As for me saith he I will affirm nothing concerning it For what is it to me whether all or only some part of them be David's since it is evident that they were all written by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost We know that David was a Prophet and that the History of the Chronicles gives the Name of Prophets to the other Now the Office of a Prophet is to speak as the Spirit gives him utterance as it is written in the Psalms My Tongue is as the Pen of a ready Writer Nevertheless he thinks it safest to follow the Judgment of the greatest number who attribute them to David He speaks then of the Inscriptions of the Psalms and says It is great rashness either to reject them wholly or to change them since they have been received in the time of Ptolomy translated by the LXX together with the Holy Text which had been reveiwed and confirmed by Ezra He undertakes afterwards to give the meaning of them The word Diapsalma according to some notes an Intermission of the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit according to others a change of the Prophecy and in others Judgment a different Psalm Aquila hath translated the Hebrew word Ever a Particle which in that place signifies a connexion of that which follows with what went before But Theodoret after he hath related the different Opinions of others will not recede from the Translation of the LXX and will have it that the word Diapsalma denotes the change of the Song altho' he will not have this Explication received as absolutely certain confessing That none can know the true sence of that Term but he who composed the Psalms and he to whom it shall please God to reveal it He in the last place observes That the Psalms are not ranked according to the order of time in which they were made since there are some of the latter Psalms which relate to the Histories which went before those of which he speaks in the former As for Example the 3d. is upon Absolom and the 141st upon Saul He believes that the disorder is not David's but theirs who have disposed the Psalms into the form they now are F. Garner hath published in his Supplement which he made to the Works of Theodoret another Preface upon the Psalms attributed to Theodoret but it is evident that 't is none of his since the Author therein promotes things which do not agree with what Theodoret says in this last There are likewise some Fragments of his Commentary upon the Psalms recited by him in it which belong to some more Modern Author who quotes the words of Theodoret's Commentary and adds to it other Authors or his own proper Opinions Theodoret follows in his Commentary the Method which he
of it and make very pertinent Applications His Stile was very Polite At the desire of Venerius Bishop of Milan he selected out of Scripture They are extant in Bern. Guido proper Lessons for all the Festivals of the Year with Responses and Psalms suitable to the time and to the Lessons The Necessity of this Work is generally acknowledged by all Readers because when they make use of it it prevents confusion and delay and is of great use in instructing the People and rendering the Solemnization of the Feast more Venerable He hath also composed and directed to Eustathius that Holy Man's Successor a great and Elegant Treatise of the Sacraments divided for conveniency sake into many parts according to the different Offices Times Lessons and Psalms which are sung in the Church but which all along inclines us to Pray to God and thank him for his Benefits This Work shews him to be a Man of great Sence and very Polite Eloquence 'T is said also that he Preached some Homilies they are lost Dr. Cave which are as I understand in some Pious Men's Hands but I have never read them He Died in the Reign of the Emperors Leo and Majorian i. e. about the Year 460. This is what Gennadius tells us of this Author in Ch. 79. of his Book of Ecclesiastical Writers VINCENTIUS VINCENTIUS a Priest of France but distinct from Vincent the Monk of Lerins was very well versed in Scripture and had acquired an Ability of Reading and Writing in a Vincentius very Elegant Stile He hath written a Commentary upon the Psalms I have heard him read to Cannatus something of this Work in the presence of that Servant of God and he promised us that if God gave him Strength and Health he would do the like upon the whole Psalter We have taken all this from Gennadius He places this Author immediately after Musaeus SYRUS SYRUS or Cyrus of Alexandria a Physician by Profession Of a Philosopher he became a Monk He knew exactly how to Write well He composed a Treatise against Nestorius Syrus and confuted him with a great deal of Strength and Eloquence but he was carried too far against him and opposed him rather by Syllogisms than by Testimonies of Scripture He also declined to the Judgment of Timotheus and thought himself not obliged to follow the Council of Chalcedon's definition which ties to believe that there are Two Natures in Jesus Christ after the Incarnation He flourished under the Emperor Leo. This is taken out of Gennadius Ch. 81. for we have not the Treatise it self SAMUEL THE Relation which Gennadius gives of this Author is this He saith That Samuel a Priest of the Church of Edessa wrote in the Syrian Tongue several Books against the Samuel Enemies of the Church principally against the Nestorians Eutychians and Timâ—theans all different Hereticks which he hath often described as a Beast with Three Heads and confutes them by the Doctrine of the Church and the Authority of Holy Scripture demonstrating against the Nestorians That the Word is God-Man and not a mere Man born of the Virgin against the Eutychians That God took real Flesh in the Womb of the Virgin that he had it not from Heaven and that his Flesh was not formed out of condensed Air and against the Timotheans That the Word was made Flesh but so that he retain'd his Substance as well as the Humanity its Nature He was made One Person by the Union and by the mixture of the Two Natures He is said to be yet at Constantinople for it was in the beginning of the Empire of Anthemius that I heard this news of him and his Works Anthemius began his Reign in the Year of Christ 467. CLAUDIANUS MAMERTUS CLAUDIANUS MAMERIUS a Priest of the Church of Vienna and Brother of the Bishop of that City commended by Sidonius Apollinaris hath composed Three Books Claudianus Mamertus Of the State or Nature of the Soul which are found in Biblioth Patr. Tom. 6. Gennadius informs us That he wrote some other Treatises and that he is the Author of the Hymn upon the Passion which begins with these Words Pange Lingua Gloriosi which others attribute to Venantius Fortunatus but besides that Gennadius and the Ancient Scholiast restore it to Claudius Mamertus it likewise appears that this is that Hymn which Sidonius extolls in Ep. 3. Lib. 4. The Books of the Nature of the Soul are a confutation of Faustus Reiensis who had made a little Book in which he maintain'd That God only is Incorporeal and that all Creatures and the Soul of Man it self are Corporeal To prove this he brings the Authority of S. Jerom and Cassian Afterwards he makes use of several Reasons The Soul says he is in a place it hath its dimensions It is therefore Corporeal Its Thoughts and Fancy can extend themselves to things far distant but its Substance is inclosed in the Body for 't is that which animates it and gives it Life So long as Lazarus's Soul was in his Body he Lived but as soon as it was departed from it he Died and he received a new Life when Jesus Christ made his Soul return again to his Body The same may be said of the Soul of Jesus Christ. In a word how can it be said That a Substance which is contained in the Flesh which preserves the Life of it and that Dies by the separation is not in a place If the Soul hath not a determinate place how can it be said that the Souls of Sinners are in Hell and of Just Men in Heaven What is that Chaos that separates them Why are not they also happy Are not also the Angels in a determinate place Are not they said to ascend and descend Lastly If any Creature be not in a place it must be said to be every where Now nothing is in all places but God These are the Reasonings which Faustus of Ries uses in that little Book which he Published without putting his Name to it as Mamertus upbraids him in the beginning of his Confutation He knew not whose it was or at least doth not say he did 'T is from Gennadius that we learn that it was Faustus's of Ries It is evident by Mamertus's Answer That we have not that Writing perfect for in the first part he had asserted That the Divinity suffered in Jesus Christ not in its own Nature but by a Compassionate Sense This Mamertus confutes in the first place shewing That that Expression is false and new because it cannot be said in any sense that the Divinity of Jesus Christ hath endured Grief altho' it may be asserted by reason of the Unity of the Two Natures in One Person that God suffered In the next place he proves That the Soul is Incorporeal because it was made in the Image of God He confesses that all things that are invisible are not Spiritual and gives for an Example of it the Judgment of the Senses which is invisible but
lost A Paraphrase upon the eight first Books of the Bible A Paraphrase upon the Prophesie of Daniel and Zachary Three Books on praise of Cyprian the Martyr A Supposititious WORK Homer ' Cento's PROBA FALCONIA Her Genuine WORKS Virgil's Cento's TYRSIUS RUFUS ASTERIUS His Genuine WORK c. A Conference in Verse about the Old and New Testament PETRONIUS WORKS lost The Lives of the Egyptian Fathers A Treatise about the Ordination of a Bishop CONSTANTIUS His Genuine WORK c. The Life of S. German Bishop of Antisiodorum PHILIPPUS WORKS lost A Commentary on Job His Letters to his Friends SIAGRIUS WORKS lost A Treatise about the Faith in the Trinity Another Treatise of Faith and the Rules of Faith ISAAC WORS lost See the Catalogue p. 213 214. A Supposititious WOKR A Treatise of the contempt of the World which is the Work of another Isaac more Modern S. SIMEON STYLITES His Genuine WORKS c. A short Discourse and some Letters MOCHIMUS A WORK lost A Treatise against Eutyches ASCLEPIUS WORKS lost Some Writings against the Arians and Donatists PETRUS WORKS lâ—st Treatises upon different Subjects Psalms in Verse PAUL His Genuine WORKS c. Two Books of Virginity His Treatises of the contempt of the World Of the Institution of a Christian Life or the Correcting of Manners SALVIAN His Genuine WORKS Eight Books of the Government of God and of Judgment Four Books of the Catholick Church under the Name of Timotheus WORKS lost Three Books of the advantages of Virginity A Book to Claudian upon the end of Ecclesiastes A Book of Letters Several Homilies A Treatise in Hexameter Verse upon the Hexa ëmeron A great number of Discourses on the Sacrament Supposititious WORKS Three Books of Questions to reconcile the Old and New Testament ARNOBIUS Junior His Genuine WORK c. A Commentary upon the Psalms HONORATUS Bishop of Marseilles His Genuine WORK The Life of S. Hilary Bishop of Arles under the name of Reverentius WORKS lost The Lives of the Saints and several Homilies SALONIUS and VERANUS Genuine WORKS A Letter to S. Leo. A Mystical Exposition An Explication of Solomon's Proverbs PAULINUS of Perigueux His Genuine WORKS Six Books of the Life and Miracles of S. Martin MUSAEUS A WORK lost A Treatise upon the Sacraments VINCENTIUS A WORK lost A Commentary upon the Psalms SYRUS A WORK lost A Treatise against Nestorius SAMUEL WORKS lost His Treatises against the Nestorians and Eutychians CLAUDIANUS MAMERTUS His Genuine WORKS c. Three Books of the Nature of the Soul The Hymn Pange Lingua PASTOR A WORK lost A Treatise in the form of a Creed containing the Articles of Faith VOCONIUS A WORK lost A Treatise against the Enemies of the Church EUTROPIUS WORKS lost Two Consolatory Letters to two Sisters disinherited EVAGRIUS A WORK lost A Disputation betwixt a Jew and a Christian. TIMOTHEUS A WORK lost A Treatise upon the Nativity of Our Lord. EUSTATHIUS His Genuine WORK c. A Translation of 9 Homilies of S. Basil upon the Hexaëmeron THEODULUS WORKS lost Several Works and particularly a Concordance of the Old and New Testament EUGENIUS His Genuine WORK A Confession of Faith and a Petition to Hunnericus CEREALIS A Genuine WORK A Confession of Faith SERVUS-DEI A WORK lost A Treatise about seeing God with our bodily Eyes IDACIUS His Genuine WOKRS c. A Chronicon from the Year 381 to 467. A Calendar of the Consuls from Anno. 245. to 468. VICTORIUS A Genuine WORK c. The Paschal Cycle GENNADIUS Patriarch of Constantinople His WORKS lost A Literal Commentary upon Daniel Some Homilies A Treatise to Parthenius Another Treatise cited by Facundus ANTIPATER of Bostra A WORK lost A Confutation of Eusebius's Defence of Origen HILARY Bishop of Rome His Genuine WORK c. Twelve Letters SIMPLICIUS Bishop of Rome His Genuine WORKS c. Eighteen Letters FAUSTUS Bishop of Ries His Genuine WORKS A Letter to Lucidus the Priest A Treatise of Grace and Free-will to Leontius Bishop of Arles A Letter to Gratus A Treatise concerning the Generation of the Son the Incarnation and of the Nature of the Soul A Letter to Felix Two Discourses to the Monks Some other Discourses A Letter to Paulinus Five Letters to Ruricius WORKS lost A Treatise about the Spirit Another Treatise in form of a Dialogue RURICIUS and DESIDERIUS Genuine WORKS Some Letters APOLLINARIS SIDONIUS Three Panegyricks A Collection of Poems Letters divided into several Books JOANNES TALAIDA A WORK lost An Apology addressed to Gelasius JOHN a Priest of Antioch A WORK lost A Treatise against those that assert that there is but one Nature in Jesus Christ. JOANNES AEGEATES A WORK lost His Ecclesiastical History beginning at the Deposition of Nestorius and ending at that of Peter Fullo VICTOR VITENSIS His Genuine WORK c. The History of the Persecution of the Vandals VIGILIUS TAPSENSIS His Genuine WORKS c. 12 Books of the Trinity A Writing against Varimadus A Treatise against Falicianus Two Conferences between Arius and Athanasius Five Books against Eutyches A Treatise of Faith against Palladius FAELIX III. Bishop of Rome His Genuine WORKS c. Fifteen Letters Supposititious WORKS Three Letters in Greek Two Writs to Summon Acacius A Letter of a Council in Rome to the Clergy and Monks of Bithynia An Unknown AUTHOR who wrote in 486. A Genuine WOKK c. A Memoir about the Affair of Acacius GELASIUS I. Fifteen Letters Some Formula's or Commissions A Letter to Rusticus A Treatise upon the binding power of an Anathema A Discourse against Andromachus about the Lupercalia A Treatise against the Pelagians A Treatise against Eutyches and Nestorius His judgment upon Apocryphal Books WORKS lost Other Treatises upon several Subjects Some Hymns ANASTASIUS II. His Genuine WORKS c. A Letter to the Emperor A Letter to Lewis King of France Some Fragments of a Letter to Ursicinus PASCHASIUS the Deacon His Genuine WORKS c. Three Books of the Godhead of the Holy Spirit JULIAN POMERIUS His Genuine WORKS Three Books of the Contemplative and Active Life WORKS lost A Dialogue of the Nature of the Soul divided into Eight Books A Treatise to Principius about the contempt of Worldly things A Treatise about the Institution of Virgins A Treatise of Virtues and Vices GENNADIUS a Priest of Marseille His Genuine WORKS c. A Treatise of the Ecclesiastical Writers A Treatise of the Ecclesiastical Doctrine WORKS lost Eight Books against all the Heresies Six Books against Nestorius Three Books against Pelagius A Treatise of the Millennium and the Apocalypse of S. John NEMESIUS His Genuine WORK A Treatise of the Nature of Man AENAEAS GAZAEUS His Genuine WORK c. A Treatise of the Immortality of the Soul and of the Resurrection GELASIUS CYZECENUS His Genuine WORK c. The History of the Council of Nice AN UNKNOWN AUTHOR Who lived about the end of the Fifth or beginning of the Sixth Age and wrote some Books under the Name of Dionysius the Areopagite Of
Bishop of Ravenna his Life and Writings 119 the Editions of his Works 120. Petrus Mongus his Letter to Acacius 138. Petrus a Priest of the Church of Edessa his Quality and Writings 146. Piety that only is stable and firm 117. Pinuphius Abbot his discourse of Repentance 13. Plato he hath taken out of Moses all that he speaks about the Original of the World 72. Pollutions the causes of Night Pollutions 13. Polygamy of the Ancient Patriarchs why pardonable 6. Possidius a censure upon the Life of S. Austin composed by this Deacon 21. Potentus a Bishop why sent into Africa by S. Leo 83 Prailus Bishop of Jerusalem Ordained Domnus although a Person twice Married 77. Practises different Practises of the Church 53. Predestinations where there be any 165. Predestination Objections and Answers about 124. Preachers the difference between good and bad 184. Preaching reserved to Bishops only in some Churches 53. Priesthood to be preferred before Civil Powers 7. Priests ought not to be put to publick Penance 84. are subject to the Laws of Continency ibid. the Duties of Priests in the Administration of the Sacrament of Penance 6. Provision Things do not come to pass before God foresees them but he foresees them because they will come to pass 5. Prayers four sorts of Prayers 12. Priscillianists their Sect called A Jaques 93. their Errors described by S. Leo ibid. The Author of this Sect punished with Death ibid. Proba Falconia her Poem upon the Life of Christ and the Judgment which S. Jerom gave of it 143. Proclus how he was Ordained Bishop of Constantinople 48. the Number and Description of his Sermons ibid. his Volume 211. Projectus a French Bishop condemned by Hilary Bishop of Arles 90. Prophets what their Office is 60. they have fore-told nothing but what is true and reasonable 73. S. Prosper his Life Doctrine and Writings 122. he is not the Author of the Book of the Vocation of the Gentiles nor of the Epistle to Demetrias 128. Proterius Bish of Alexandria killed by the People 141 Providence 72 127 146. Provinces Suburbican 92. Prudens Bishop of Troyes 103. Psalms their Profit 59 c. Publius the Society which he established 65. Pulcheria the Empress 96 97 98. R. RAbulas Bishop of Edessa his Zeal for the Egyptian Bishops 211 218. condemned by the Bishops 204 Rape Ravishers Excommunicated 241 245. Ravennius Ordained Bishop of Arles 94 c. Religion Christian the Truth proved 572. Heathen confuted ibid. Reliques a Monk doubts where true 67. Resurrection 5 187. certain but not as to the manner and time 5. Renatus a Priest of the Church of Rome Theodoret's Letter to him 78. Revenues of the Church how what use the Bishops should make of them 159 177 185. Clergy that have Estates ought not to live of them ibid. 187. they may not take the Bishops Revenue ought to be managed by a Steward ibid. 241. Rheginus Bishop of Constantia in Cyprus he was on S. Cyril's side His Discourse in the Council of Ephesus about the Deposition of Nestorius 47. Riches the cause of Injustice ordinarily 117. Ries a Council held in that City in 439. about the business of Armentarius the History of it 243. Romanus a Monk his way of living 66. Rome as famous for the Martyrdom of S. Lawrence as Jerusalem for S. Stephen's 110. A Council held in this City under Pope Hilarius 249. Rufinus where he which is the Author of the Doctrine of Pelagius and made the Confessions of Faith be the Priest of Aquileia 20. Rufinus Bishop of Samosata he was present at the Council of Chalcedon 80. Rufus a Count he carried the Order to Theodoret to stay at Cyrus and not to go from thence 76. Rusticus a French Bishop S. Leo's Letter to him 97. Rusticus Bishop of Narbonn S. Leo advises him not to relinquish his Bishoprick 84. S. SAbboth what is the meaning of the second Sabboth after the first 4. Sabinian Bishop of Paros his Cause 240. Saints Honour to Saints and their Reliques 6 187. the Honour and Invocation of Saints 68. Salamanus a Monk of great Virtue 66. Solomon in what order to read his Books 4. Salonius where he was Bishop 149. his Writings ibid. Salvian a Priest of Marseille his Life and Writings 146. his Style and Genius 147. the Edition of his Works 148. Samuel the Abridgment of his Works 150. Sarabaites who 13. Holy Scriptures Dispositions necessary for the profitable reading of it 3. it is full of Light and Obscurities ibid. its Style is plain and natural 4. the Qualifications of him that undertakes to explain them ib. the manner of explaining them well 5. several places of Scripture explained ibid. the best way of Commenting 58. we must use them to prove Doctrines of Faith 45. the Books of Scripture which have been lost 59. Rules for the understanding of Holy Scripture 115. Sedulius a Censure upon his Poem 51. Seleucia a City of Isauria 139. Semi-Pelagians their Complaints 126. Septimus d'altimo S. â—eo's Letter to him 87. Serapsori an Abbot 12. Serenus an Abbot his Discourse about the Temptations of the Devils 11. Servus-Dei his Treatise of the sight of God 154 155. Service Divine one way of celebrating in a Province 249. Siagrius who he was and his Writings 144. Sees four Apostolick Sees 180. Simplicius Pope his Life and Letters 159. Simeon the Aged his Miracles 65. S. Simeon Stylites his Life and by whom written 67. his Letters 145. Simeon Bishop of Armda 77. Simony forbidden 6. condemned in the Council of Chalcedon and in another at Constantinople 141. Sixtus III. his Life and Letters 47. he wished for Peace between S. Cyril and the Eastern Bishops and rejoyced when 't was made 47. his Letters about the Affair of Nestorius and John Bishop of Antioch 207. his Death 48 81. Socrates who 53. his History ibid. c. Solitaries their Austerities V. Monks 67 68. Solitude the Happiness of it 117. Sons of God how we are to understand that Text where it is said That they went down to the Daughters of Men 139. Soul It is not a part of the Divine Substance 5. the Immortality of the Soul ibid. the Prae-existence of Souls opposed ibid. its Nature 150. Proofs of the Immortality and Spirituality of the Soul 151. c. The Opinions of Nemesius and Aeneas Gazaeus about the Nature and Original of the Soul 187. Faustus and Gennadius thought it Corporeal although it be Immortal 166 185 186. Other Opinions of Gennadius about the Original of the Soul 185. Sozomen his Life and a Censure upon his History 54. Subdeacons obliged to Caelibacy 85. Stewards of Churches not to give account to Ecclesiastical Judges 101. Syda a City of Pamphilia 51. Syrus wrote against Nestorius 149. T. TEmples Christians had none in the Apostles time since they have been very Magnificent 6. a lofty Church built at the expence of the Poor is a sin ibid. Temptations divers Temptations of the Devil 11. Testament Old what is the
Verses as for Example Those that meet iâ— the Crown about his Head read round make exactly this Verse Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium In the other Tables he represents many different things upon the Cross as the Angels the Virtues the Elements Ciphers Mystical Numbers Gifts of the Holy Ghost the Beatitudes Books of Moses Names of Adam Allelujah Amen c. In the last he represents a Cross at the foot of which is Painted a Monk Worshipping it and in it these Words Rabanum memet clemens rogo Christe tuere O Pie Judicio This first Book is explained by a second which contains 28 Chapters in Prose Rabanus undertook this Work at thirty years of Age and presented it a great while afterwards to Gregory the Fourth to whom it was recommended as a wonderful piece of Art by Alcuinus who had been Rabanus's Master These are the Contents of the first Tome of Rabanus's Works the second consists of four Books of Commentaries upon Genesis four upon Exodus seven upon Leviticus with an Abridgment of them by Strabo his Scholar four upon Numbers and as many upon Deuteronomy All these Commentaries are Dedicated to Freculphus Bishop of Lysieux at whose desire he undertook them Rabanus in his Epistle entreats him to Examine them and tells him That he ought not to expect any thing extraordinary from one that was more fit to Work for his Living than to write Books for the use of the Learned and besides whose charge of Abbot allowed him but little Leisure The third Tome contains two Books of Commentaries upon Judges Dedicated to Humbertus Bishop of Wirtzbourg One on the History of Ruth four on the four Books of Kings Dedicated to Hilduin four others upon the two Books of Chronicles Dedicated to Lewis Emperour of Germany One Commentary upon the History of Judith and another upon Hester These two are Dedicated to the Empress Judith A Comment upon the Canticles which is Composed into Morning Hymns for every day of the Week Dedicated to Lewis King of Germany Three Books of Commentaries on the Proverbs of Solomon as many on the Book of Wisdom and two upon Ecclesiastes These two last are Dedicated to Otgarus Arch-Bishop of Mayence The fourth Tome consists of nineteen Books of Commentaries upon the Prophesie of Jeremiah and his Lamentations twenty upon Ezekiel Dedicated to the Emperour Lotharius And two more on the two Books of Maccabees the first is to Lewis King of Germany and the other to Geroldus Arch-Deacon of that Kings Chappel The fifth Tome contains eight Books of Commentaries upon the Gospel of St. Matthew Directed to Aistulphus Arch-Bishop of Mayence and lastly thirty Books of Commentaries upon the Epistles of St. Paul written at the request of Lupus of Ferrara and Dedicated to the Bishop Samuel Many Homilies upon the Sundays Feasts and Holydays of the year and also upon divers points of Morality Dedicated to Aistulphus and Lotharius A Treatise of Allegories upon all the Scripture where after having explained the difference between Tropology Analogy and Allegory he ranks in Alphabetical Order many words of the Holy Scriptures to all which he gives an Allegorical or Mystical Sense Those Authors that have mentioned Rabanus's Works add to these several other Commentaries upon Joshua Esdras Tobit Job the Psalms Isaiah Daniel the Minor Prophets the Gospels of St. Mark St. Luke and St. John the Acts of the Apostles and Canonical Epistles and some others which have never yet been Printed All these Commentaries consists of nothing else but Collections out of other Mens Works which be Copy'd from them without any exact choice or distinction The Sixth Tome of Rabanus's Works contains many Books the first and most considerable of all these is his Treatise of Instruction of Clerks divided into three Books He Compos'd it for the Monks of Fulda who propounded to him divers questions about their Duty and Dedicated it in the year 819. to Aistulphus Arch-Bishop of Mayence The first Book treats of the several Ecclesiastical Degrees and Habits of Clergy-men also of the four Sacraments of the Church as Baptism Chrism the Body and Blood of Christ and the Service of the Mass according to the Roman Order The second is upon the Liturgy it self the Canonical Hours Fasts Confessions Penance Holy-days the rule of Faith and about Heresies the last is of Ecclesiastical Knowledge and Studies In the first after having observed that the Church is an Assembly of Believers he divides it into three sorts of Members first Lay-men secondly Monks and thirdly Clerks He observes That the Clergy are admitted into it by Shaving the Crown which is a Ceremony that demonstrates that they ought then to part with all Vice and Disorderly Living It seems they did not then content themselves to cut off a little Hair but Shav'd all the top of their Heads leaving only a circle round about which Rabanus believes to have been a mark of the Royalty of the Christian Priest-hood He reckons up eight Ecclesiastical Orders the Porter the Querister the Reader the Exorcist the Acolythus the Sub-deacon the Deacon the Priest and Bishop He says That this last must be Ordained not by one Bishop only but by all those of his Province least so great Power being trusted to a single Person he should undertake any thing prejudicial to the Faith He adds That in Consecrating him he has a Staff put into his Hand to admonish that he is not only to Guide but Correct the People committed to his charge and a Ring to denote either the Honour of the Priesthood or the Secrets he is to keep He counts three sorts of Bishops first Patriarchs secondly Arch-Bishops or Metropolitans and thirdly single Bishops He adds moreover Suffragans which he compares to Christs Disciples who could do nothing without their Masters Orders These sorts of Bishops were Establish'd for the sake of the Poor in the Country that they might not be depriv'd of Confirmation which these Suffragans had power to confer upon them tho they were Ordained by one Bishop onely as the Priests are He tells us that these last were also called Bishops and that they had the power almost equal to theirs for they could Consecrate the Eucharist confer Baptism and Preach But nevertheless they had not the chief Dignity of Priesthood Pontificatus Apicem since they could not anoint the Forehead with Chrism and bestow the Holy Ghost which two only belong to the Bishops as it appears by the Acts of the Apostles neither can they confer Holy Orders which is also reserved to the Bishops The Deacons are Ministers of Sacred Things they have right to Baptise they are necessary in the service of the Altar for the Priest cannot take the Chalice from thence but must receive it from the Hands of the Deacon The Sub-deacons are under them these take the Offerings of the People and carry them to the Deacons who place them upon the Altar they are oblig'd to live unmarried These are not Ordain'd by
Stability of the Monastick Life Two Dialogues concerning Religion A Relation of certain Miracles Divers Works printed among those of other Authors THIERRY Abbot of St. Trudo Genuine Works still in our Possession The Lives of St. Bavo St. Trudo St. Rumoldus and St. Landrada Works lost The Life of St. Benedict An Account of the Translation of his Body The Life of St. Amelberga The Histories of the Old and New Testament in Verse PETER Chartophylax or Keeper of the Records of the Church of Constantinople Genuine Pieceâ— that we have Answers to certain Cases relating to Church-Discipline INGULPHUS Abbot of Croyland A Genuine Work An History of the Abbey of Croyland GEORGIUS CEDRENUS a Greek Monk A Genuine Piece His Annals or Epitome of History from the Creation of the World to A. D. 1057. ROSCELIN a Clerk of the Church of Compiegne A Piece that is lost A Treatise of the Holy Trinity PAUL Provost of Benrieden Genuine Works An History of the Actions of Pope Gregory VII The Life of St. Herlucia CONRAD Monk of Bruvilliers A Genuine Piece The Life of St. Wolphelin Abbot of Bruvilliers GEFFRY de MALTERRE a Monk of Normandy A Genuine Work still extant An History of the Conquests of the Normans BERTULPHUS or BERNULPHUS a Priest of Constance His Genuine Works A Continuation of Hermannus Contractus's Chronicle Some other small Tracts WILLIAM of Apulia A Genuine Piece A Poem on the Conquests of the Normans NALGOD a Monk of Cluny Genuine Works The Lives of St. Odo and St. Mayol OTHLO Monk of St. Boniface A Genuine Piece The Life of St. Boniface GREGORY Cardinal A Manuscript Work A Collection of Canons call'd Polycarp PETER de HONESTIS a Clerk of Ravenna A Genuine Piece still extant A Constitution for Canons THIBAUD or THEOBALD a Clerk of the Church of Etampes A Genuine Piece A Letter to Roscelin inserted in the Third Tome of the Spicilegium by Father Luke Dachery EADMER a Monk of Canterbury and the Pupil of St. Anselm Genuine Works The Life of St. Anselm An History of Novelties divided into 6 Books A Treatise of the Excellency of the Virgin Mary Another of her Cardinal Virtues A Discourse on Blessedness A Collection of Similitudes taken out of Saint Anselm's Works Manuscript Works A Treatise of Ecclesiastical Liberty The Lives of St. Wilfrid and St. Dunstan Divers Letters GISLEBERT or GILBERT a Monk of Westminster A Dialogue about Religion between a Christian and a Jew BERNARD a Monk of Cluny A Manuscript Work Customs of the Order of Cluny BERNARD a Clerk of the Church of Utrecht A Work that is lost A Commentary on the Eclogues of Theodulus ADAM Abbot of Perseme Genuine Pieces still extant Letters publish'd by M. Baluzius Works lost Sermons and Commentaries on the Holy Scripture ALBERT a Benedictin Monk of Mets. A Piece that is lost An History of his Time ERARD a Benedictin Monk Works lost A Commentary on the Pentateuch Divers Homilies BERTHORIUS Abbot of Mount Cassin Works lost Several Treatises of Philosophy and Physick A Discourse to his Monks GONTHIER or GONTHERIUS a Monk of St. Amand. A Work that is lost A Relation of the Martyrdom of St. Cyricius in Verse ANASTASIUS a Monk of St. Sergius at Anger 's A Genuine Piece still extant A Confession of Faith BAUDRY Bishop of Dol. A Genuine Piece The Epitaph of Berenger GAUNILON an English Monk A Genuine Work A Treatise of the Demonstration of the Existence of God NICETAS SERRON Archbishop of Heraclea Genuine Works A Commentary on St. Gregory Nazianzen's Homilies A Commentary on the Poems of the same Saint A Supposititious Work A Catena on the Book of Job SAMUEL of Morocco a Converted Jew A Genuine Piece A Treatise to shew that the Messiah is come ALGER a Deacon of Liege and afterwards Monk of Cluny His Genuine Works still extant Three Books of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of JESUS CHRIST A Preface to his Treatise of Mercy and Justice A Manuscript Work A Treatise of Mercy and Justice Works lost An History of Liege Divers Letters NICOLAS Bishop of Methone A Genuine Piece A Treatise of the Eucharist Manuscript Works Several Treatises of the Procession of the Holy Ghost against the Latins SAMONAS Archbishop of Gaza A Genuine Piece A Dialogue between a Christian and a Saracen about the Eucharist A TABLE of the Acts Letters and Canons of the COUNCILS held in the Eleventh Century Councils Years Acts Letters Petitions and Councils A Council at Compiegne 1000 Mention made of that Council in the first Letter of Pope Sylvester II. A Council at Dortmund 1005 Mention made of that Council by Dithmar A Council at Francfurt 10â—6 Acts. A Council at Eenham in England 1010 Acts containing divers Constitutions A Council at Leon 1012 Seven Canons and forty Constitutions An Assembly in England 1012 King Ethelred's Laws A Council held at Pavia Orleans Selingenstadt Arras Bourges Limoges 1014 1024 A Discourse against the Incontinence of Clergy men Eight Decrees against Clerks who keep Concubines The Emperor's Edict for the Confirmation of those Decrees 1017 The History of that Council 1023 Twenty Canons and a Form for the holding of Synods 1025 Acts with the Letter of Gerard Bishop of Cambray and Arras 1031 XX Canons A Declaration that Saint Martial should bear the Name of an Apostle 1031 Acts. An Assembly in England 1032 King Canui's Laws Councils held in divers Provinces of France 1040 Mention made of those Councils by the Contemporary Authors Councils at Rome 1046 Mention'd by the Contempory Authors A Council held at Rome against Simony Rome Pavia Mentz Rome against Berenger Brione Verceil Paris 1047 Mention made of it by Peter Damian 1049 Mention'd by Peter Damian and Hermannus Contractus 1049. Mention made of that Council by Hermannus Contractus 1049 Referr'd to by Hermannus Contractus and Adam of Bremen 1050 The History of that Council referr'd to by Lanfranc 1050 The History of it cited by Durandus Abbot of Troarn 1050 The History of it referr'd to by Lanfranc Letters by Ascelin and Berenger concerning that Council 1050 The History of it by Durand Abbot of Troarn A Council held at Coyaco Rouen Siponto Rome Mantua Rome Narbonne Florence Lyons Tours Lisieux Toulouse Rome Rome Melfi Benevento Tours Rome Rouen Challon Mantua Rome Another Council at Rome in the same year Elna Mentz Windsor Mentz Winchester Rouen Erfurdt 1050 XIII Canons 1050 A Letter containing 19 Rules 1050 Mention'd in the Life of Pope Leo IX by Guibert 1051 Mention made of that Council by Peter Damian and Herminnus Contractus 1052 Mention'd in the Life of Pope Leo IX by Guibert 1053 Referr'd to by Herminnus Contractus and in a Letter by Pope Leo IX 1054 An Ecclesiastical Constitution 1055 The History of that Council by Leo of Ostia 1055 Acts. 1055 The History of that Council referr'd to by Guirmond and Lanfranc 1055 The History of that Council 1056 XIII Canons 1057 Mention'd in a Letter by Pope Stephen IX 1059 Berenger's
of Repentance and of the Priest's Power of binding and loosing and of the Use that they ought to make of it The same Subject is farther handled in the Seventh Part where he also treats of the Fruits of Repentance of Church-Discipline of Ecclesiastical and Civil Power of the Distinction of Sacred Orders of the Qualities of Ministers and of Marriage In the Eighth Part he treats of the Eucharist of the last Judgment and of the State of the Blessed and Damned Spirits This Author is somewhat obscure but argues with a great deal of Judgment His Style is not altogether rude neither is it perplexed with Scholastical Terms and Distinctions He does not start any Subtil and Metaphysical Questions but only such as relate to Points of Doctrine Discipline or Morality neither does he resolve them by Principles of Logick or Philosophy but by Passages of the holy Scripture and according to the received Doctrine of the Church and of the Fathers which he makes use of as a firm Basis or Ground-work He sometimes produces certain particular Opinions which nevertheless are common to him with many of these Ancient School-men and he is one of those who have maintain'd the fewest erroneous or dangerous Opinions In the First Part he says that the Father and the Son are Two Principles of the Holy Ghost but this Expression may be taken in a good Sense and he never asserted that the Father and the Son were Two Principles or Essences of a distinct Substance but Two Persons who produced a Third by an Action which although really the same may be virtually distinct He shews in discoursing of the Sacrament of Penance that it does not take away the Guilt of Sin but only remits the Punishment and that the Priest's Absolution is a Declaration that the Penitent is absolv'd from the Guilt of his Sin and that he is free'd from the Punishment due to it by the Satisfaction made by him to God An Opinion which the Author holds in common with many Ancient School-Divines There are also found in his Book some other Opinions which are not approv'd and amongst others That the Union of the Word was not made with an animated Body but with the Mass of Flesh of which the Body was first form'd and afterwards the Soul That the Torments of the Damned may be diminished That the Devils are not as yet cast into everlasting Flames and that they Sin'd even at the very instant of their Creation That if the First Man had not committed Sin those who are Damned would not have been brought forth into the World That the Saints do not really descend on Earth in Apparitions And that St. Benedict had a clear Knowledge of God in this World even such as the blessed Spirits have in Heaven This Author is one of those who have most peremptorily affirmed That the Souls are immediately created by God at that instant when they are united to their Bodies and that the Angels are pure Spirits He likewise maintains That the inward Intention of the Minister is not necessary for the Validity of the Sacrament that without the Love of God Sin could not be forgiven that Infants dying without Baptism are damn'd and that for that Reason they are not bury'd in consecrated Ground For matter of Discipline it may be observ'd That Confession made to Laicks for Venial Sins and even for Mortal ones in case of necessity when there was no Priest present was in use at that time That not only the Communion but also Absolution was also deny'd to Criminals condemn'd to Death That Priests were wont to Discipline their Penitents That Parents were prohibited to enter the Church till their Children were Baptiz'd That it was permitted to receive but not to exact Money for the Administration of the Sacraments and even for the Celebration of Mass That Fast was usually broke at Noon or at the Hour of * One of the Canonical Hours None but that there was no Collation That the Custom of Fasting on Fridays was observ'd although not reputed to be of very great Antiquity and that Saturday-Fasts were not so regularly kept That in many Churches some repast was taken on Holy Thursday in the Evening and that this Custom began to prevail That Baptism even that of Infants was reserv'd for Solemn Days That the Participation of the Cup in the Communion among the Laity was still in use but seldom put in practice And that the Belief of the corporal Assumption of the Virgin Mary was established by the Custom of the Church This Work by Robert Pullus was published by Father Mathoud of the Congregation of St. Maur illustrated with learned and curious Notes and printed at Paris A. D. 1655. The Ecclesiastical Writers who cite this Author mention some other Works compos'd by him particularly a Commentary an the Psalms of David another on the Revelation of St. John a Treatise of the Contempt of the World Four Books concerning the Sentences of the Doctors a Volume of his Lectures and several Sermons We have none of these Works printed neither is it known whether any of them be still extant in Manuscript except certain Sermons which were in Petavius's Library PETER OF POITIERS made use of a more Scholastick Method than any of the above-mention'd Peter of Poitiers Chancellor of the Church of Paris Authors He succeeded them in the Divinity-Chair of the Schools at Paris and was promoted to the Dignity of Chancellor of the Church of that City which he enjoy'd during 38 Years He compil'd his Collection of the Sentences in the Year 1170. dedicated it to William Archbishop of Sens and died in 1200. In Doctrinal Points he follows the Master of the Sentences but uses a quite different Method as to the manner of handling the Matters For he explains and resolves all the Questions by the Principles of Philosophy and treats of them as a Logician with formal Arguments after a very dry and uncouth Manner This Work was set forth by Father Mathoud at the end of that of Robert Pullus Peter of Poitiers likewise wrote certain Allegorical Commentaries on the Books of Exodus Leviticus and Numbers a Commentary on the Book of Psalms and other Works some of which are to be found in the Libraries ROBERT DE MELUN liv'd at the same time and in the end of his Life was ordain'd Bishop Robert de Melun Bishop of Hereford Gautier Regular Canon of St. Victor of Hereford A. D. 1163. His System of Divinity in Manuscript is kept in the Library of St. Victor at Paris and often cited by Father Mathoud in his Notes on Robert Pullus GAUTIER or GAUTERIUS a Regular Canon of St. Victor in the end of this Century took upon him to confute the new Method of these Divines and compos'd a Work which he call'd A Treatise against the Four Labyrinths of France viz. Peter Abaelard Gillebert de la Porrée Peter Lombard and Peter of Poitiers whom he accuses of having asserted many Heresies and
Prince of Antioch and desiring the Pope to protect him and send him some assistance against the Saracens The Pope makes answer in the two hundred and fifty third Letter that he will send to his Legates upon the place to judg in all these Differences and that in the mean while he 'll order the Earl of Tripoli not to meddle By the two hundred and fifty fourth Letter he order'd the Lords and People of Armenia to assist their King in making war against the Saracens and by the next he sends him the Standard of St. Peter to encounter the Enemies of the Cross. By the two hundred and fifty seventh he revok'd a Judgment given by the Bishop of Sidon in Syria who was commissioned by the Holy See against the Templers And by the two hundred fifty ninth he order'd the King of England to restore the Templers a Castle which belonged to them In the two hundred and sixtieth he appointed Commissaries to inform of the matters for which the Abbot of Pomposa was accused In the two hundred and sixty first to the Bishop of Rossano he answer'd divers Questions which this Bishop had proposed to him 1. That the Kindred of a Woman might marry the Kindred of her Husband 2. That although a Husband and Wife are Godfather and Godmother to a Child yet they do not thereby contract any such Compaternity as can hinder them from living as Man and Wife 3. That the Latin Priests might neither have Wives nor Concubines 4. That he might force the Abbots and Priests to come to his Synod 5. That the Chaplains of the Castle of Rossano had nothing to do to judg of the validity or invalidity of Marriages In the two hundred and sixty second he gave some Lands to the Judg of the Archbishop of Fermo's Temporal Jurisdiction or his Theologal In the two hundred and sixty fifth he order'd That a Clergyman who had gained a Commission about an Affair that had been decided before by telling a false Story should have no advantage by this Commission In the two hundred and sixty sixth he gave a Lord notice to receive the Legate which he sends him with all due respect The two hundred and sixty seventh is a Mandate for a Canonship in the Church of Breuil In the two hundred sixty eighth and two hundred and seventy second he enjoins the Abbots of Citeaux and Premontre to give the fourth part of the Estates of their Abbys towards the Holy War By the next two he required of all the Bishops of Europe supplies of Men and Mony for that War and of all the Faithful the same in the two hundred and seventy first In the two hundred and seventy third he appointed the Archbishop of Tyre and the Bishop of Sidon his Commissaries to judge in a Suit between the Church of Tripoli and the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem about a Church The two hundred and seventy fifth and sixth are written about the Process concerning the Prebends of the Church of Padua The two hundred and seventy seventh is written about the Election of an Archbishop of Capua by two thirds of the Chapter maugre the opposition of the Pope's Legate and some Canons the Pope found no fault in the form of the Election and because he was not yet satisfied that the Person elected was thirty years old he puts off the Confirmation of the Election and in the mean while till the thing was settled appointed the elected Person who was Subdeacon of Rome to administer both Spirituals and Temporals The two hundred and seventy eighth is also written about the removal of the excommunicated Bishop of Hildesheim because he would without the permission of the Holy See take the Bishoprick of Wirtzburg The Pope gave order to the Bishop of Bamburg to inform whether he observed and was obedient to the Interdict that he might know whether it was fit to pardon him By the two hundred and seventy ninth he confirmed the Institution which the Bishop of Amiens had made of four Religious in a Church In the two hundred and eightieth he advised the Lords and Magistrates of Sicily to labour with his Legate to promote the good of that Realm By the two hundred eighty first he confirmed an Agreement made between the Templers of Sclavonia and the Monastry of St. Cosmus and St. Damienus of the same Country In the two hundred and eighty second he declar'd null a Resignation made for fear of the King of England In the two hundred and eighty third he finished a Suit that had been depending at Rome about the Election of the Bishop of Sutri The four following are the same with some before By the two hundred and eighty eighth he confirmed the new Bishop of Hildesheim who was chosen in the place of him who would remove to Wirtzburg and declar'd null all the Alienations that the latter had made of the Possessions of the Church of Hildesheim In the two hundred and eighty ninth he empowered some Abbots in his name to present to the vacant Prebends of the Archbishoprick of Magdeburg which the Archbishop and Chapter had neglected to fill within the time appointed by the Council of Lateran Monsieur Baluze takes notice after this Letter that this second Book of the Register of Pope Innocent's Letters is not compleat because Roger of Hoveden quotes a Letter of this Pope's of the year 1199 about Giraudus Bishop of St. Davids which is not to be found among these and he adds for a Supplement some Letters which he had taken from divers places The first which is the two hundred and ninetieth of this Book is addressed to the Clergy of the Diocess of Penna in the Province of Abruzzo whom he orders to submit to the Jurisdiction and Justice of the Bishop as well in what respects their Tithes and Incomes as what concerns the Causes of Marriage and Penance The two hundred and ninety first is a Confirmation of the Privileges of the Church of Volterra The two hundred and ninety second is a Protection granted to a Priest In the two hundred and ninety third and fourth he exhorted all the Princes of Germany to labour for the Peace of the Empire and for an Accommodation between Otho and Philip. By the two hundred and ninety fifth he commits to the Bishop of Verceil and the Abbot of Lucedia the Judgment of a Process between the Monks and Canons of Milan The two hundred and ninety sixth is a Confirmation of the Privileges of the Abbey of Mariadura By the two hundred and ninety seventh he takes the Earl of Montpellier into his protection and tells him in the next that he will send him Legates to labour for the destroying of Heresy The two hundredth and ninety ninth and three hundredth are written about the Removals of Bishops He of the Isle of Lesina upon the Coasts of Dalmatia had been required for the Archbishoprick of Zara and before this Demand was admitted in the Court of Rome he had
Years after in 1384. He was buried in his Cathedral Church on the Left side of the Choir ROBERT GERVAIS Born in the Diocess of Nismes a Friar-Preacher was made Bishop of Senes Robert Gervais by Urban V. in 1369. hath Composed in 1388. a Treatise of Schism against John de Lignano and Baldus who defended Bartholomew de Bari which is in MS. in Mr. Colbert's Library Cod. 2761. and another Treatise Intituled The Royal Mirrour published about the beginning of the Reign of Charles VI. which is in MS. in the same Library JORDANUS SAXO or de SAXONIA Sirnamed Quedlinburgensis an Hermit of S. Augustin flourished Jordanus Saxo. about the middle of this Age and died in 1380. He wrote a Summ of Sermons for all the Sundays in the Year printed at Strasburg in 1483. and Sermons for all the Saints Days printed at Paris in 152â— He also wrote a Treatise of the Four Communions necessary for them that profess a Monastick Life and a Collection of divers Pieces for the Hermits of S. Augustin viz. Twenty two Sermons for the Friars Hermits attributed to S. Augustin and some others The Rules of the same Saints and the Life of S. Monica taken out of his Works These two Treatises are in MS. in the Library of the great Augustines at Paris Some also attribute to Jordanus a Chronicle of the Translation of the Roman Empire to the Germans printed at Basil in 1559. Trithemius makes mention of a Commentary of this Author 's upon the Revelation and an Apology for his Order PHILIP CABASSOLAS of Cavaillon in Provence Canon Archdeacon Provost and lastly Bishop Philip Cabassolas of that City in 1334. made Chancellor to Joanna Queen of Sicily by her Husband Robert in 1343. and after sent upon several Embassages honoured with the Dignity of Patriarch of Jerusalem in 1366. and charged with the Care of the Bishoprick of Marseille the same Year appointed Legate to the Pope at Avignon the following Year and lastly created Cardinal-Priest of the Title of S. Peter and S. Marcellinus Sept. 22. by Urban V. the same Year and privileged in 1370. with the Title of S. Sabina died in 1382. Aug. 27. There are in the Library of S. Victor two Books of the Life and Miracles of S. Mary Magdalen which bear the Name of this Cardinal GERHARDUS MAGNUS or GROOT of the City of Deventer Studied Divinity at Paris and Gerhardus Groot obtained a Cap at the Age of Eighteen Years returning into his Country he was made Canon of Utrecht and Aix-la-Chapelle but he left his Benefices to establish at Deventer the Clerks or Friars of the Community for the Instruction of Youth He died Aug. 20. 1384. in the 44th Year of his Age. He Composed divers small Tracts of which there are only Three printed among the Works of Thomas à Kempis which are A Declaration of the manner of Preaching with Truth Some Conclusions and Propositions Of the Study of the Holy Scriptures His other Small Works are found in the Libraries in Flanders Albertus Miraus gives us this Catalogue of them Some Treatises of Contracts and Usury Of the Instruction of Novices Of the Reward of a Pastor's Labour The Inconveniences of Marriage De Focariis Against the Encompassing of Utrecht Of Poverty Of the Four sorts of thingâ— which are fit Subjects of Meditation Of Detraction Some Sermons upon the Nativity of our Saviour on the Sunday called Dominica in Ramis or Palm-Sunday and on other Subjects A Letter about Schism and some others Of Simony Of Benefices with Cure Of the Company and Exercises of the Devout Of the Agreement of the Evangelists about the Passion of our Saviour A Commentary upon the Lessons read at the Burial of the Dead A Treatise of Compunction and the Instruction of Scholars 'T is to be hoped that these Works will be shortly published PETRUS de NATALIBUS Bishop of Jesol in the Province of Grado has Composed a Catalogue Petrus de Natalibus of Saints to May 26. 1382. printed at Strasburg 1502. at Lyons 1542. Dr. Cave places this Author in 1470. and says he brings down his Catalogue of Saints to 1482. which if true our Author is under a Mistake JOANNES RUYSBROKIUS or de RUSBROEK A Village upon the River Senna between Brussels Joannes Ruysbrokius and Hall a Priest of Brussels and first Prior of the Monastery of Canons-Regular of Wavre in the Forest of Soigni was one of the most Eminent Monks of his time and upon that Account Sirnamed The Divine or Contemplative Doctor He died Dec. 2. 1381. in the 88th Year of his Age. He Composed in Dutch several Mystical Works which are translated into Latin by Surius who caused them to be printed at Colen in 1552. and 1609. The Titles of them are as follow The Summ of a Spiritual Life The Mirrour of Eternal Salvation A Commentary upon the Tabernacle of Moses and all its Parts A Treatise of the Cardinal Virtues A little Book of Faith and the Last Judgment A Treatise of the Four Temptations Of the Works of the Seven Vigils Of the Spiritual School Of the Seven degrees of Love Three Books of the Spiritual Marriage Of the Perfection of the Sons of God The Reign of the Lovers of God A Treatise of Contemplation and Seven Letters of Piety Two Spiritual Songs Samuel or of Deep Contemplation A short Prayer The Treatise of Spiritual Marriages has been opposed by Gerson because in it Ruysbrokius says That the Soul which Contemplates God fully becomes one with God himself Gerson thoughâ—â—his Doctrine was Erroneous and condemned in Amaury John de Schoâ—awe undertook the defence of Rusboâ—k and made an Apology for him and Gerson afterward asserts that he can't be excused because he has said in another place That the Creature shall never lose its essence but he maintains that the words he cited out of the Third Part are apt not only to lead the simple but more understanding Persons into Errour and he observes that Contemplative Persons are very apt to advance Errours and it is not fit that they should either teach or write without much Precaution and unless their Works be examined by learned Men for otherwise their Books are full ordinarily of Falsities and corrupt Explications which often mislead the simple PHILIP de LEYDE or de LEYDIS an Hollander made Doctor of Law at Orleans and Professor Philip de Leyde at Paris was afterward Canon of S. Mary de Conde and lastly Canon and Grand-Vicar of Utrecht where he died June 8. 1386. He wrote a Treatise of the Care of a Commonwealth and the Lot of Sovereigns published by Joannes Severinus and printed at Leyden in 1516. He also Composed some Lectures upon the Third Book of the Decretals BONAVENTURE of Paduâ an Hermit of S. Augustine a Doctor of Paris and chosen General Bonaventure of his Order in 1377. was made Cardinal-Priest of the Title of S. Cecilia by Urban VI. in September in the next
He died at last in the City of Aquila in Abruzzo May the 20th 1444. he was Canoniz'd by Nicolas V. in 1450. The Works of this Saint are divided into Four Tomes the 1st contains Sixty one Sermons under the Title of the Quadragesimale of the Christian Religion The 2d another Quadragesimale Entituled The Eternal Gospel The 3d. two Advents one upon the Beatitudes and the other about Inspirations two Quadragesimale's one Entituled Of the Spiritual Combate and the other Seraphim and some particular Sermons A Treatise of Confession the Mirror of Sinners a Treatise of the Precepts of the Rule of Minors a Letter to the Regulars of his Order in Italy containing some Regulations Aspirations to God for all the days of the Week a Discourse by way of Dialogue between the World and Religion before the Pope a Treatise of Obedience by way of Dialogue Father La Haye does not think that the two Quadragesimale's which are in this Tome are truly St. Bernardin's because they are of another Stile and are written with less Exactness Elevation and Judgment The last Tome contains Sermons upon other Sundays of the Year and the Festivals of our Lord and the Saints with a Commentary upon the Revelations The Treatise of the Conception of the Virgin mention'd by Trithemius and other Authors is not St. Bernardin's The Sermons of this Saint are not of a sublime Stile but they contain a solid Morality and well drawn out into Particulars and the Author does not fall into such false and Childish Thoughts as other Predicants have done These Works have been Printed at Venice in 1591. by the Care of Rodulphus Bishop of Sinigaglia and at Paris in 1636. by the Care of Peter de lay Haye in 2 Volumes in Folio Augustine of Rome of the Order of the Hermites of St. Augustine was chosen their General Augustine of Rome Archbishop of Nazareth in the Year 1419. made Bishop of Cesena in 1431. and afterwards Archbishop of Nazareth in the Kingdom of Naples and died in 1443 or 1445. He wrote many Books a Treatise upon the four Books of the Sentences Commentaries upon the Epistles of St Paul and the Revelations a Book of Original Sin a Book of Free-Will a Treatise of the Power of the Pope a Treatise of the Divinity of Jesus Christ and of his Church a Treatise of Jesus Christ as Head of the Church a Treatise of his Charity towards the Elect and of his Infinite Love 'T is not known where these Works are Bellarmine says That the three last are in the Index of Prohibited Books which makes it credible that they have been printed Possevin affirms That he saw in the Library of the Augustines at Padua a Manuscript containing this Author's Commentaries upon St. Paul's Epistles the Canonical Epistles and the Revelations William Lyndwood a famous English Canonist in the University of Oxford flourish'd under William Lynwood Bishop of St. Davids the Reign of Henry V. King of England and was sent by this Prince Ambassador into Spain and Portugal in 1422. After the Death of this Prince who died in France in the Castle of Vincennes he forsook the Court and retir'd into England where he was made Bishop of St. David's in 1434. and died in the Year 1446 He wrote a Collection of the Constitutions of the Archbishops of Canterbury from the time of Stephen Langton to Henry Chichely divided into five Books printed at Paris in 1505. at London in 1557. and at Oxford in 1579. and Dr. James in his Tract of the Corruption of the Fathers p. 201. adds that Lynwood being sent Ambassador from Henry VI. to the Council of Basil presented an Appeal in the King's Name to the Fathers of that Council against the Pride and Arrogance of the Popes and asserted that the Kings of England own no Superior oâ— Earth in Temporals which Appeal says he is hitherto fradulently leâ—â— out by all the Editors of the Councils 1663* Alexander Carpenter so call'd because he was the Son of an English-man of that Trade Alexander Carpenter an English man flourish'd about the Year 1430. and wrote a Treatise Entitled Destructorium Vitiorum printed at Nuremburg in 1496. and at Venice in the Year 1582. under the Name of Alexander the English-man About the same time flourish'd Raymund of Sabunde or Sebeyde a Spaniard Professor at Tholouse Raymunde of Sabunde Professor at Tholouse who is the Author of a Treatise Entitled The Natural Theology of Men and Creatures or a Treasure of Divin Considerations printed at Daventer without Date at Strasburg in 1496. at Paris in 1509. at Lyons in 1540. at Venice in 1581. at Frankfurt in 1631. He put the same Work in the form of a Dialogue Entitled The Violet of the Soul which differs not from the former but only as it the Form printed at Colen in 1501. and at Lyons in 1568. This Work of Natural Theology was translated out of Spanish into French by Montague who shews a greater value of it than it deserves It is a Work that contains many wild and metaphysical Discourses and Reflections upon Religion and Christian Morality Peter of Jeremy of Palermo entred into the Order of Friars Predicant at Bologne and returning Peter of Jeremy a Dominican into Sicily he founded there and reform'd many Monasteries of his own Order after which he return'd anâ— died at Bologne in 1452. He was famous for Preaching and has left us Sermons for the whole Year and upon the Festivals of the Saints an Explication of the Lord's Prayer an Explication of the Decalogue a Treatise of the Passion of Our Lord and a Treatise of Faith These Works were printed at Hagenau in 1514. John of Ragusio of the Order of Friars Predicant was present at the Council of Basil and made there a long Discourse about Communion under both kinds against John of Rocksana John of Ragusio a Dominican After this he went over to the Party of Pope Engenius who made him Bishop and sent him to Constantinople in the Quality of Legat to the Emperor John Palaeologus His Discourse is at the end of the Acts of the Council of Basil. Henry Kalteisen a Native of Coblentz of the Order of Friars Predicant a Doctor of Colen Henry Kalteisen Archbishop of Nidrosia and of Caesarea was appointed by the Pope to Preach the Croisade against the Bohemians He was present at the Council of Basil where in a Discourse that lasted three Hours he refuted Ulrick a Priest of the Sect of the Orphelines concerning Preaching of the Word of God His Design is chiefly to shew That mere Priests ought not to thrust themselves upon the Office of Preaching without a Mission He was honour'd with the Dignity of being Master to the Sacred Palace in 1440. and waâ— made Inquisitor General in Germany In the Year 1452. he was Consecrated by Nicholas V. Archbishop of Nidrosia or Drant in Norway and of Caesarea and he died October the 3d in 1465. The
according to the Certificate of Father Breidendâ—nch Subprior of this Monastery and of a Notary go under the Name of Thomas a Kempis a Manuscript in the Library of Afflighew cited by Sanderus upon the Testimonial of Father Cambiere a Benedictine Regular of that Abbey which goes under the Name of Thomas a Kempis a Manuscript in the Monastery of Canons-Regulars of Maseyke quoted by Rosweidus which was written in 1477. by Cornelius Offermans which goes under the Name of Thomas a Kempis a Manuscript in the Library of David Ehinger of the City of Kirchen in the Dutchy of Wirtemberg quoted by Prosper Farandus which contains three Books of the Imitation with the Name of Thomas a Kempis upon which it is observ'd that this Book is of the Author's hand who wrote it in 1425. But since there is now no such Manuscript neither is it said with what hand this is observ'd no great matter can be built upon it A Manuscript in the Library of Ausburg attested by the Surrogat Bishop of that City without any Date wherein the Imitation carries the Name of Thomas a Kempis a Manuscript in the Library of Ausburg which contains four Books of the Imitation under the Name of Thomas a Kempis as the Catalogue printed in 1633. gives ground to believe and wherein there is no more but the last joyn'd to the other Treatises of Thomas a Canon-Regular of Mount-Saint-Agnes in a Volume on the 1st Page whereof it is observ'd That this Book was for the Use of Friar John Lefort a Reader of Divinity and that it was given in 1490. in the Octave of St. Martin by John Carpenter Provincial of the Order of the Carmelites To these particular Manuscripts of the Imitation of Jesus Christ which go under the Name of Thomas a Kempis we may joyn the Ancient Collections of the Works of this Author among which the Imitation is plac'd The 1st is a Manuscript in the Library of the Monastery of St. Barbe of the Carthusians of Collen containing divers Treatises the Titles whereof are at the Top viz. The Mirrour of Henry of Hesse the Book of discerning Spirits by the same and afterwards Some Tracts of a Devout Regular where some Person has added on the Margin whose Name is Thomas Kempis of a Convent near to Zwoll Of the Sacrament of the Altar Of the seven things which most pleased God in his Elect The Breviloquium of Spiritual Exercises A Treatise of some Vertues The Soliloquy of the Soul by way of Dialogue The little Book which is call'd Qui sequitur me Towards the end of the Book about the Sacrament of the Altar 't is observ'd That this Treatise was written in 1447. on St. Simon and St. Jude's Day The two first Treatises of this Manuscript which are Henry Hesse's and the last which is the first Book of the Imitation are written in a different hand from the rest which are written in a hand resembling that in which the Catalogue is written This was the Judgment of men well vers'd in these matters But the Name of Thomas a Kempis appears to be written lately There are also two other Collections alledg'd one which is in the Monastery of Benedictines of Mount Blandin near Gant which according to the Certificate of Father Vanheul Library-keeper to this Abby authoriz'd by the Dean of the Church of Gant contains many Works of Thomas a Kempis which begin with the Sermons to the Novices together with their Preface which is Entituled Here begins the Prologue of that devout Man Friar Thomas Kempis a Priest a Canon-Regular profess'd who died in the Monastery of St. Agnes near Zwol after this follow the Sermons There are many other Works of the same Author among which is found that of the Imitation This Manuscript has no Date and there was never any Judgment given of its Antiquity The third Collection is that which is found in the Library of the Benedictines of St. Martin at Tournay which is alledg'd by Chifletius it contains the Book of the Discipline of those who are in the Cloyster Spiritual Exercises the Treatise of a Man's Acknowledgment of his own Frailty A short Advertisement of the Spiritual Exercise Useful Advices for a spiritual Life this is the 1st Book of the Imitation Advertisements which carry a man inward that 's the 2d Book and at the end is written with the same hand and in Red Friar Thomas a Kempis Canon-Regular of the Monastery of St. Agnes near Zwoll in the Diocese of Utrecht wrote the Tracts above recited This Manuscript is without Date To these Collections we may add the Manuscript Catalogues of Books wherein the Imitation is found commended under the Name of Thomas a Kempis such as that of the Library of Endovia which is join'd to another Catalogue of Sancta Maria of Arnhem dated in the Year 1472. A Catalogue of the Books of about a hundred Libraries of Germany which contain short Characters of Authors wherein there is found at Page 302. what follows Friar Thomas a Kempis of the Diocess of Collen a Canon-Regular at Mount St. Agnes near Zwoll of the Diocess of Utrecht being well vers'd in the Holy Scripture has Compil'd many Tracts which are witnesses of his Devotion and useful for Regulars viz. Advertisements for a Spiritual Life otherwise call'd of the Imitation of Jesus Christ Advices which lead to an inward Life and of inward Conversation of Internal Consolation or Speech of the Holy Communion or the Preparation of a Man for the Communion There is another Catalogue joyn'd to the preceeding wherein at the Letter T. there is put under the Name of Thomas a Kempis the four Books of the Imitation together with the Book of the Three Tabernacles and of Mary and Martha these three Catalogues are in the Library of St. Martin of Louvain There is also a Catalogue in the Library of St. Maria of Arnhem dated in 1496. wherein the four Books of the Imitation are found under the Name of Tho. a Kempis Three ancient Catalogues in the Library of the Monastery of St. John Baptist de Rebdorf containing the Titles of all the Works of Thomas a Kempis among which are found the Books of the Imitation whereof one bears date 1488. and goes under the Name of Friar Nicolas Numan of Frankfurt a Regular of Frankendal An Observation which is at the end of the Monastery of St. Catherine of Ausburg wherein are the Lives of Gerard and Florence in German wherein 't is observ'd that this Book is Thomas a Kempis's who wrote a Devout Book of the Imitation of Jesus Christ. The General Answer which is given to all these Manuscripts is this that being all later than that of Antwerp in 1441. which has the Name of Thomas a Kempis at the end of it altho' it be only in the quality of a Transcriber and not of the Author it was very possible that one of these might be taken for the other and that the Book might be ascrib'd to Thomas