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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43199	Ductor historicus, or, A short system of universal history and an introduction to the study of that science containing a chronology of the most celebrated persons and actions from the creation to this time, a compendious history of ... transactions ... of the ancient monarchies and governments of the world, an account of the writings of the most noted historians ... together with definitions and explications of terms used in history and chronology, and general instructions for the reading of history / partly translated from the French of M. de Vallemont, but chiefly composed anew by W.J., M.A.	Hearne, Thomas, 1678-1735.; Vallemont, abbé de (Pierre Le Lorrain), 1649-1721. Elémens de l'histoire.	1698 (1698)	Wing H1309; ESTC R15760	279,844	444

Paul here admonishes them not to suffer themselves to be seduc'd by these Philosophers and moreover to corroborate their Faith gives them a Scheme of the Christian Life they should lead XIII His Epistle to the Thessalonians written according to the Opinion of St. Chrysostom before any of the others Thessalonica was then Metropolis of Macedon This People had been converted by St. Paul and confirm'd in the same Belief by Timothy whom St. Paul sent among them afterwards He professes a great Kindness for them in this Letter which he writ from Corinth in the Year of Christ 52. and 19 Years after his Passion XIV His First Epistle to Timothy whom he stiles his natural Son in the Faith was writ from Macedon in the Year of Christ 64. St. Paul after having made this dear Disciple of his Bishop instructs him by this Letter in all the Duties of that Holy Ministry St. Austin says That those who design'd to serve the Church ought always to have before them the two Epistles to Timothy with that to Titus which all teach how the Ministers of the Gospel are to behave themselves XVI The Second Epistle to Timothy writ from Rome when he was Prisoner there the second time about the Year of Christ 65. and 32 Years after Christ's Passion and a little before his own Martyrdom It contains excellent Instructions for those that God has entrusted with the communicating of his Gospel XVII His Epistle to Titus seems to have been written from Macedon towards the Year of Christ 64. St. Paul having chosen Titus to be Bishop of the Island of Crete now Candia he here sets down the Qualifications which are requir'd to execute that Function XVIII His Epistle to Philemon was writ from his Prison in Rome in the Year of Christ 62. This Philemon was a Person of great Account in a City of the Colossians whom St. Paul had converted to the Faith Onesimus was his Slave and fled from him to visit St. Paul at Rome whom he knew to be his Master's Friend whereupon St. Paul converted baptized and sent him back to Philemon with his Recommendation in this Epistle XIX The Epistle to the Hebrews was thought to have been writ by St. Paul but some have question'd it His Design seems to have been the same that he proposed when he writ to the Romans and Galatians for in a word these Three Epistles appear to have had but one End which was to prove that true Justice did not proceed from the Law but that it is Jesus Christ that bestows it on us through Faith and Inspiration XX. The General Epistle of St. Iames. It is term'd General by reason of its being addrest to all the Faithful wheresoever dispers'd St. Iames his Intention therein was to prove That Faith without Works would not be alone sufficient for our Salvation XXI The First Epistle of St. Peter was principally design'd for the Iews whose Apostle he properly was as St. Paul was of the Gentiles He writ it from Rome which he couches under the Name of Babylon a little before his Death This Epistle consists throughout of Morality and which ought to be look'd upon as an Abridgment of a Christian and Pious Life of which it contains chiefly the Rules and Instructions XXII The Second Epistle of St. Peter was writ a very little while before the Martyrdom which hapned about the Year of Christ 66. after having been foretold it from Heaven by a Vision as he himself relates This Epistle differs from the former which only tended to advise the Faithful to live a holy and virtuous Life But in this Second Epistle he admonishes them withal against the Illusions of false Teachers by which he means as it is thought the Followers of Simon Magus and the Nicolaitans which he decries and contends with by many solid and pathetick Expressions XXIII The First Epistle of St. Iohn was addrest according to the Opinion of St. Austin to the Parthians that is to say to the Believers scattered abroad throughout the ancient Empire of the Persians and which was then in the Parthians Possession Neither the Time when nor Place where it was written is known In this Epistle St. Iohn opposes that pernicious Error of Simon Magus who was of Opinion That Faith was sufficient to save us without good Works XXIV The Second Epistle of St. Iohn was a private Epistle sent to a Christian Lady by him sirnam'd The Elect. He therein altogether overthrows the Impiety of Basilides and his Disciples who taught That Iesus Chrict was not truly Man but only a Fantom and consequently his Passion not real XXV The Third Epistle of St. Iohn is addrest to one Caius whom that Saint commended for the Purity of his Faith and Charity both towards his Brethren and Strangers XXVI The General Epistle of St. Iude call'd also Thadeus was written after the Death of the greater part of the Apostles to exhort Believers to apply themselves stedfastly to the Doctrin of Jesus Christ which they had preached to them He therein falls upon the Followers of Simon and the Nicolaitans who contenting themselves with a barren Faith and without good Works introduc'd into the Church a sort of Libertinism and corrupted Morals XXV The Apocalypse or Revelations of St. Iohn was written in the Isle of Pathmos where this Apostle was confin'd by the Emperor Domitian about the Year of Christ 94. and Two before he writ his Gospel S. Austin acknowledges this Book is very hard to be understood because there are very few clear Things in it which might serve to enlighten the Obscure nevertheless there are some plain and profitable Instructions to be met with in several Places and chiefly in the 2d and 3d Chapters which might be term'd the Gospel of Christ risen from the Dead by reason of many Doctrins therein mentioned which Christ pronounced after his Resurrection and which the Evangelists had omitted Thus you have a Catalogue and an Account of all the Sacred Books Therein are contain'd the Precepts of Eternal Life And as they are to be ranked among the number of Fools that contend with Reason and such among Hereticks as dispute and oppose the Christian Doctrins So says St. Austin are those always to be rang'd with Infidels who reject the Holy Scriptures Contra rationem nemo Sobrius Contra Scripturam nemo Christianus Contra Ecclesiam nemo Pacificus senserit Lib. 4. de Trinit cap. 6. By the Truth and Piety of these admirable Books the Authority of the Holy Scripture subsists and it is a kind of Impiety to call any of its Authors in question But nevertheless we are not bound to have the same Veneration for the other Ecclesiastick Writers Such only as have been immediately Inspir'd by God Almighty are to be look'd upon as Infallible and those alone are they which have been acknowledg'd by the Canon of the Holy Scriptures As for other Authors however Holy they might be yet we do not rely implicitly upon what

Relation there are many surprizing Stories of wonderful Austerities and Examples which would be dangerous to imitate Several learned Men are of Opinion that this Palladius was likewise Author of the Life of St. Chrysostome X. Paul Orosius a Spanish Priest of the City of Tarragon and Disciple of St. Austin flourish'd under the Emperors Arcadius and Honorius The City of Rome having been taken in the Year 410. by Alaric King of the Goths the Pagans had a mind to render the Christians Odious by accusing them of being the cause thereof as likewise of all the other Calamities which befel the Roman Empire It was upon occasion of this Reproach that Paul Orosius at the Request of St. Austin undertook their Defence by shewing that all Ages have produc'd the like Misfortunes and that the Empire of Rome has never been more free from 'em than since the Birth of Christ. This Work says Du Pin is a kind of Vniversal History divided into VII Books which is not ill writ and yet not over-exact for there are many gross Faults to be met with both in the History and Chronology XI Theodoret Bishop of Cyrus a City of Syria was born in Antioch The Greek Church never had a Prelate more Learn'd and of a better Judgment He was elected into this See about the Year 423. And in 431. he assisted at the Council of Ephesus He wonderfully refuted the Heresies of his time both with Tongue and Pen. Those Works we have of his sufficiently convince us of his deep Learning and great Parts He wrote V Books of Ecclesiastical History which begun with the Heresy of Arius and proceeded on to the time of Theodosius the Younger which likewise Gennadius says he continu'd to the reign of Leo in V other Books but which however are now lost Vtinam quis tantum Thesaurum eruat e Tenebris sicubi adhue delitescunt says Father Labbe the Jesuit Among the other Works of Theodoret there is his Monastical History containing the Lives of the most famous Anchorets of his Time This Book is entituled Philotheus that is as Nicephorus explains it The History of the Beloved of God Herein are related great and wonderful Examples of Virtue XII Socrates say the Schools learnt Grammar at Constantinople under the care of Ammonius and Helladius both Natives of Alexandria He has written an Ecclesiastical History in VII Books which either begins or ends that of Eusebius that is from Constantin and continues to the 17th Consulship of Theodosius the Younger which begins with Festus in the Year 439. so that this History of Socrates comprehends the space of 140. Years Photius says it is very Uncorrect as to its Stile and less Authentick in expounding the Doctrin of the Church He gives us a great deal of reason to believe that he was byass'd to the Errors of the Novatians in that he extreamly commends the Bishops of that Persuasion and blames the Catholicks with a great deal of Vehemence XIII Sozomen Native of Salamis in the Island of Cyprus frequented the Bar for some time at Constantinople He has written IX Books of Ecclesiastical History from the third Consulship of Crispus and Constantin Junior both Sons of Constantin the Great and both Emperors to the seventeenth Consulship of Theodosius Junior that is to say from the Year 324. to the Year 429. We have lost a Continuation of this History for near 20 Years It is somewhat strange that Theodoret Socrates and Sozomenes should all Three undertake the same Work at the same time The reason I suppose must be that they did not like each others Works For it is certain says Nicephorus Writing upon this Subject that the Readers and Writers are often of different Opinions Also these Historians might well be presum'd to favour the Party they Adher'd to XIV Victor of Vtica a Bishop of Africa in the fifth Century of the Church has written an Account of the African Persecution by the Vandals in III Books the beginning whereof shews that it was compos'd in the Year 487. under the Reign of the Emperor Zeno about 60 Years after the Vandals had pass'd from Spain to Africk over the Streights of Gibraltar You shall there meet with a List of the African Bishops which were then involv'd in that Persecution among which Victor himself was not spar'd by the Tyrant Huneric XV. Cassiodorus was Chancellor and chief Minister to Theodoric the Goth and several other Kings of Italy From the Age of 20 Years he was rais'd to all the great Employments in the State all which he acquitted with that Address that he might well serve for a Model to the most refin'd Politicians that succeeded him Under the Reign of Vitigius perceiving the Power of the Goths begin to decrease in Italy he retir'd from the World to his Monastery of Viviers which he had caus'd to be Built on the Extremities of Calabria Amidst his most Burthensom Employments he did not omit Writing several excellent Books of which we shall only mention those that relate to History His Chronicle dedicated to King Theodoric was compos'd while he was a Minister of State says Father St. Marthe in his Life of Cassiodorus It is very much Abridg'd containing only the Names of the Consuls and their principal Actions Vossius after Ioseph Scaliger calls this Chronicle Farrago Cassiodori Chronicon tantum farrago est Which Injury against so great a Man the learned Benedictin that was Author of his Life could not endure They find Fault with him says He for not being exact in Chronology in a work which was purely Chronological It is therefore that they fall upon this great Person with so much Gall and Fury They particularly accuse him of being deceiv'd in counting the Consuls from the Emperor Tiberius to Dioclesian but they might be answer'd that he was not deceiv'd only by depending on the Authority of Eusebius he reckon'd the Consulship of Junius Brutus an Olympiad sooner than he ought That the multitude of Consuls amounting to 25. made in one Day caus'd a great Confusion among Historians and that in a Word the Faults of Cassiodorus are for the most part to be imputed to his Copyers c. He has also written a History consisting of three Parts and drawn out of three Authors viz. Socrates Sozomenes and Theodoret all which he has reduc'd into XII Books All these three Historians he got his Friend Epiphanius the School-Divine to Translate and out of them he afterwards compos'd a Body of History selecting out of each what he found most Excellent and Proper for his Purpose He likewise writ a History of the Goths in XII Books of which we have reason to regret the Loss and whereof we have now remaining only what Iournandez Bishop of Ravenna has preserv'd and which is to be found among the Works of Cassiodorus King Athalaric own'd that this Work was of a profound Reach that its Author had therein rescu'd from Oblivion several ancient Gothish Monarchs which were quite forgot

I find that he was 56 Years of Age in the Year 1508. LX. Iohannes Trithemius Abbot of Spanheim and of the Order of St. Bennet had a perfect Knowledge both of divine and humane Sciences which appears by his Works amongst which there are several that appertain to History There is First his Chronicle of the Origin of the French and their Kings which comprehends the space of 1189. Years being from King Marcomire to Pepin Next we have his Chronicle of the Reigns and Succession of the several Dukes of Bavaria and Counts Palatin Then there is his Catalogue or Account of illustrious Personages which have been most famous in Germany with several others which I have omitted only I must take Notice that his Stenographia occasioned him to be Accus'd of Magick by those only who had not sufficiently consider'd the nature of his Work which contain'd some surprizing Methods of writing after an uncommon Manner Those who have given themselves the Trouble to consider of this Book have Laugh'd at the Ignorance of these People who thought it Consisted only of Speeches to raise the Devil LXI Hector Boetius a Scotch Doctor of Aberdeen Study'd at Paris at the same time with Erasmus He has written the History of Scotland in XIX Books which Iohn Ferrier a Piemonteze continu'd Boetius compos'd also an History of the Bishops of Aberdeen 'T is said he was alive in 1526. but the exact time when he dy'd is unknown LXII Centuriae Magdeburgenses In the last Age a certain number of very learned Men being Protestants of the City of Magdeburg in Germany set themselves to work to compile a general Ecclesiastical History Which with unexpressible Labour and Judgment they brought to Effect and beginning at the Apostolick Age shewed the Doctrin and Discipline of the Church in every Age of it as also the Changes that happen'd in every part of it This Work which the learned Bishop Montague calls an Herculean Labour for it was the first of the kind is a very compleat Account of all Ecclesiastical Affairs and has deserv'd a very large Encomium from the abovemention'd judicious Prelate as may be seen in the Preface to his Apparatus But it must however be confess'd that this Work hath a share in humane Frailty and is not entirely free from Faults LXIII Caesar Baronius a Cardinal was born at Sora in the Kingdom of Naples He has been famous both for his Piety and Learning He for twenty Years together held Conferences in the Church of the Oratory at Rome concerning Church-history He compil'd Annals of the Church which we have now Extant in XII Volumes He liv'd in the Thirteenth Century that is to say in the Year 1198. He undertook this great Work to oppose the Centuriators of Magdebourg Pope Clement VIII made him Cardinal in the Year 1596. and he would have been Pope had it not been for the Spanish Faction who always oppos'd him because he had mention'd little or nothing of them in his Ecclesiastical History the Sixth Volume of which they caus'd to be Burnt He dy'd the 30th of Iune in the Year 1607. when about 69 Years Old His History is on all Hands granted to be a very good and useful Work and were it not for his excessive partiality would be the most excellent in it's kind Henry Spondanus has made an Abridgment and Continuation of the Annals of Baronius They have also been continu'd by Father Brovius a Polish Fryar of the Order of St. Dominic as likewise by Father Olderic Riwald a Priest of the Oratory at Rome And Father Bisciola and divers others have also made Abridgments of him LXIV Anthony Godeau Bishop of Erasse and afterwards of Venice has been one of the most famous Prelates of this Age. He has written a History of the Church of which I shall say little because it is in every Bodies Hands only I must Affirm that it is Manag'd with a great deal of Judgment and Candour and worthy of an Author who was a Member and first Encourager of the Royal Academy in France We could not better close this Account of Ecclesiastical Writers than with the illustrious Name of Bishop Godeau who has done so great an Honour to his Country and particularly to the Clergy of France He dy'd the 21st of April in the Year 1672. I do not pretend here to have given an exact Account of Ecclesiastical Writers but I have nevertheless made it my business to follow those Catalogues that have been left us by Cardinal Bellarmin and Father Labbe under the Title of Index Historicorum Ecclesiasticorum Also I may well have fail'd in ranging them in that due Order which true Chronology would require yet I have chiefly follow'd Bellarmin except in Honorius of Autun's Life whom this Cardinal and Vossius make to be famous about the Year 1220. when he flourish'd about the Year 1120. which is an Error of full a hundred Years CHAP. VI. Of the most considerable both Greek and Latin Authors of Civil History BY the little I have said concerning each Ecclesiastical Writer it may sufficiently appear that the major part of Church-Authors have either wanted Ability or Sincerity to relate things as they ought yet at the same time however great their Incapacity or want of Integrity might be it will be as readily own'd that their Faults have been nothing in respect of those of the Civil Historians Among these you shall every where meet with the Violation of these two grand Maxims which an Historian ought chiefly to have regard to which are Never to tell a Lie Nor conceal a Truth If History were to be written only by honest Men it is certain that it would never stray from these essential Rules This Caution was once observ'd at Rome insomuch that the care of History was a publick Employment and entrusted only to great and learned Pens But at length with the Caesars Luxury and Flattery got the upper Hand and then we saw that Function which was look'd upon before as Sacred and August Usurp'd by Persons of neither Birth nor Merit Suetonius after Cornelius Nepos observes that the first mean Person that had the boldness to meddle with History was one Otacilius who from a Porter by means of his great Parts came to be Tutor to Pompey the Great as likewise that before him there were none that offer'd at writing History but those that were most considerable in the Common-wealth If I were allow'd here to Speak my Mind I should affirm that what has contributed most towards the corruption of History is the Complaisance that some particular Writers have had to publish Princes Lives whilst they Liv'd or soon after their Deaths Such Relations are Fruit which ought to ripen a long while before it is serv'd up to the Table For in Truth a Historian neither writes as he would nor he ought of a Prince that is living because there are few Princes that would suffer themselves to be represented as they live Truth

wiser for they did not allow every Body to compile their Histories The Pontiffs who had the care of Divine Worship and the Ceremonial part of their Religion had likewise the Charge of making their Annals wherein they were to take notice of the most famous Occurrences in their State from Year to Year This Cicero acquaints us with when he says Erat Historia nihil aliud nisi Annalium confectio cui rei Memoriae Publicae causa ab initio rerum humanarum usque ad Publ. Mutium Pontificem Maximum res omnes singulorum Annorum mandabat literis Pontifex Maximus Lib. 2. de Orat. These Annals also were very plain They contain'd no more than a Summary Account of Matters without entring into many Particulars It was the Genius of the antient Romans to affect Plainness They were more intent upon deserving Praise than hearing it and they never complimented one Man with what was only due to the whole Place A Glimpse of this primitive Simplicity may appear in their Fasti Consulares which was scarce any more than a downright Catalogue of the Roman Consuls These Reasons which we have given to doubt of the Truth of History ought not nevertheless to extinguish in us all sort of Belief for what Historians have written There are Rules before prescrib'd to direct us in antient History which are the very Quintescence of Criticism that is whatever good Sense or a sound Judgment could invent to precaution a heedless Reader against either the Ignorance Negligence or Insincerity of a Writer Into how many Errors would a Man fall if he had not some sort of regard to these Rules But since it is absolutely necessary for every body to be acquainted with the worth of an Historian before they read him I shall proceed to draw some faint Sketches of those that have been most famous in the World since it is my Intention here to be exact but not tedious CHAP. V. The most Celebrated Authors that have written of Church-History THE History of the Church under the Law is contain'd among the sacred Writers which we are never to question as we have said before yet whatever Esteem we may have for these Historians we are by no means forbid to make use of our Reason when we read 'em but are allow'd to Condemn or Approve 'em as we think fit Over and above the Books of the Bible which treat of the old Iewish Church we have also the Writings of Philo and Iosephus both which we shall say something of by reason of the excellency of their Works 1. Philo was a Iew of Alexandria who liv'd under the reign of Caius Caligula and who was Head of an Embassy which the Iews dispatch'd to that Emperor Amongst other Things he writ the life of Moses and Ioseph as also a Relation of his Embassy to Rome wherein he did not succeed Caligula being extreamly offended that the Iews had refus'd to have his Statue in their Synagogue This Author is altogether Platonick for he imitates so exactly Plato's Style that he has been term'd by some The Iewish Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut Plato Philonem aut Philo Platonem imitatur In his Book he explains the Bible allegorically He is Eloquent and very Diffusive and his Moral comes very near that of the Christians 2. Iosephus surnam'd Flavius on account of the Emperor Vespatian was a Iew of the sacerdotal Race of the Asmonians He was born in the 37th Year of our Saviour and dy'd in the 93d He has written the History of the Iews from the Creation of the World to the twelfth Year of them This Work he entitles The Iewish Antiquities He has also written an Account of the Iewish Wars with the Romans and of the Sacking of Ierusalem He has likewise written his own life two excellent Tracts against Appion a Pagan and one concerning the Martyrdom of the Maccabees Photius says that Iosephus writ Nicely that he knew how to charm his Readers and that he has all along judiciously embelish'd his History with florid Descriptions and eloquent Harangues St. Ierom calls him the Titus Livius of the Greeks and Erasmus says That his History of the Death of the Maccabees is a Masterpiece of Eloquence Authors of the Church-History I. Hegesippus was a Iew that embrac'd Christianity He came to Rome in the Pontificat of Pope Anicetus and continu'd there till the time of Elutherius that is from the Year of Christ 165 to 180. He is the first Author which has compos'd a Body of Church-History which he divided into V Books and in which he relates the most remarkable Occurrences in the Church from our Saviour's Passion to the time wherein he wrote We have only some Fragments of this Work now remaining which Eusebius has Collected and inserted into his History Under the Name of Hegesippus goes an History of the Iewish Wars and of the Destruction of Ierusalem divided into V Books But says Du Pin it is certain that this Work does not belong to Hegesippus but to an Author who liv'd since Constantin Some attribute this History to St. Ambrose because of a Manuscript of it which the famous Father Mabillon found in the Library given by that Saint at Milan and which was therefore suppos'd to have been a Translation of his II. Iulius Africanus was born in Palestine He was deputed by the Emperor Alexander Son of Mammeus to settle the City of Emmaus which was afterwards call'd Nicopolis He wrote a Chronicle from the beginning of the World to the 3d Year of the Emperor Heliogabalus which he divided into V Books and wherein he briefly relates all the memorable Occurrences down to his Time This Work we have not at present under the Name of Africanus but Eusebius has got it almost all in his Chronicle with some few Additions and Corrections III. Eusebius of Caesarea was born in Iudea towards the end of the Empire of Galienus He was chosen Bishop of Caesarea in the Year of our Lord 313 or 314. He has compos'd several learned Treatises but we shall mention none but those which relate to History 1. His Chronicle which is an Abridgment of Universal History from the Creation of the World to the time when he liv'd which was about the 20th Year of the Reign of the Emperor Constantin This Work contains a great deal of Learning and had no doubt a prodigious deal of Pains and Study bestow'd upon it St. Ierom translated it through tho' we have his first Part but very imperfect 2. His Ecclesiastical History divided into X Books is the chief of all his Works He has there taken notice of all the most memorable Things that have hapned in the Church from the time of our Saviour down to when he wrote He there gives you an exact Account of the several successions of the Bishops in the chie●est Cities of the World as likewise of the best Church-Authors and their Books He also reckons up all the Heresies that have crept

into the Church and particularly mentions what relates to the Iews He there describes the several Persecutions of the Martyrs their Contests and Disputes concerning Ecclesiastical Discipline and in a Word whatever else relates to the Affairs of the Church Without this History we could never have had the least knowledge of the first Ages of the Church for those who have writ after him have only began where he ended Du Pin after having affirm'd that this History of Eusebius was not so compleat as could have been Wish'd Adds moreover That his Defects have not been sufficient to obscure his Merit The Learned Henricus Valesius has translated him into Latin which he has join'd to the Greek Text. And some Learn'd Gentlemen of the University of Cambridge have made a Translation of him into English for the benefit of such as understand neither Latin nor Greek IV. St. Epiphanius was born in the Year of Christ 332. in a Village of Palestine He spent his Youth under the Monastick Tutelage of St. Hilarion and several other Monks of Palestine About the Year 366. He was elected Bishop of Salamis Metropolis of the Island of Cyprus The Book he wrote is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which being against Heresy is to be look'd upon as a Treatise belonging to Ecclesiastical History This Tract is divided into three Parts The First contains the Heresies that have been before Jesus Christ which St. Epiphanius has reckon'd up to be 46. The Second consists of 23. and the Third of 11. So that thus this Book comprehends in all 80 Sects or Heresies This St. Epiphanius was an Implacable Enemy of the followers of Origin V. Rufinus a Priest of Aquilea flourish'd at the same time with St. Ierom to whom after having been a great Friend he became an inveterate Enemy He had a more than ordinary Esteem for Origin He set himself to read and translate his Books and undertook his defence against all those that Accus'd him This Zeal of his towards Origin was the chief cause of his Disagreeing with St. Ierom who had taken the contrary side Amongst all the Books of his Composing we shall only take notice of those two of Ecclesiastical History which he has added to the Translation of Eusebius He there continues the History of the Church to the Death of the Emperor Theodosius These Books were Dedicated to Chromacius of Aquilea and were writ about the time that Alaric King of the Goths ravag'd Italy They are indifferently well Penn'd yet there are considerable Faults to be found in the History VI. St. Ierom was born in the City of Strigna or Stridon situate upon the Confines of Pannonia and Dalmatia in the Year of Christ 345. His Father Eusebius sent him to Study at Rome under the celebrated Donatus where he soon made a considerable progress in Letters He receiv'd the Orders of Priesthood at Antioch from the Hands of Paulinus then Bishop of that City He has writ a great number of Books amongst which is to be found A Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers from the time of Iesus Christ down to his own when he wrote He compos'd this Tract at the request of Dexter Prefect of the Pretorium and in imitation of Suetonius and other Prophane Authors who have compil'd the Lives of the Philosophers and other famous Men. We have also his Chronicle which we must not look upon as a bare Translation of Eusebius St. Ierom having therein alter'd and added many Things Nay he has moreover continu'd this Chronicle from the 20th Year of Constantin to the sixth Consulate of Valens and second of Valentinian that is down to the Year 378. VII Sulpicius Severus a Priest of Agen equally famous for his Birth Genius and Piety who flourish'd about the same time with St. Ierom and Rufinus He was a Disciple of St. Martin whose life he wrote The chief of his Works is his sacred History consisting of two Books both which contain a well penn'd Epitome of the most remarkable Occcurrences in the Jewish and Christian Churches from the Creation of the World to the Consulship of Stilicon and Aurelian that is to say to the Year of Christ 400. He has all along imitated Salust for Brevity but infinitely surpasses him in clearness and beauty of Expression We have not any Abridgment of History says Mounsiuer Du Pin so well Digested and elegantly writ as this Epitome yet its Author is not always exact for he has committed several Errors in the History especially in that of the Church This Author has enlarg'd very much upon the Priscillianists and of all Writers gives us the best Account of them VIII St. Austin was born in Tagasta a City of Numidia under the Empire of Constantius the thirteenth of November in the Year of Christ 354. He became a Convert in the 32d Year of his Age and was ordain'd Bishop of Hippo in 395. and afterwards Dy'd as piously as he had Liv'd the 20th of August in the Year 430. being about 76 Years old Altho' there be a great many things throughout his whole Works that relate to Ecclesiastical History Yet we shall here mention only his small Treatise of Heresies written in the Year 428. at the request of the Deacon Quovult Deus to whom also it is Dedicated This Tract is no more than a brief Account of the several Sects of Hereticks and their principal Errors He begins with the Sinonians and ends with the Pelagians there being in all 88 Heresies You shall scarce meet with any thing in this whole Book but what is taken either from St. Epiphanius or Philaster Monsieur Du Pin speaking of this last who has reckon'd up 20 different Heresies before the Incarnation of Christ and 120 since his Birth to the Year 380. says That his Stile is Mean and Groveling that he had little or no Learning that he has made several considerable Mistakes in this small Treatise which is written with no manner of exactness and wherein are abundance of Errors The same Opinion Cardinal Bellarmin has of him in his Book De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis Father Labbe would have this Author's Works read with a great deal of Caution and St. Austin says That St. Epiphanius had writ better than Philaster but that nevertheless he was a Person of singular Piety and good Morals IX Pallades a Native of Galatia left his Country about 20 Years old to retire among the Hermits of Egypt He was ordain'd Bishop of Hellenopolis in the Year 401. and afterwards chosen Bishop of Aspon a City of Galatia and dependent on the Metropolitan See of Ancira He was a great Friend of Rufinus a Defender of Origin an Allie with Pelagius and Enemy to St. Ierom. In the Year 421. He writ a History of the Lives Actions Miracles and Sayings of the most Holy Monks that he had met with in Egypt Lybia Thebais and Palestine This History was Addrest to one Lausus which gave occasion afterwards for Naming it The Lausian History In this