and prayed for many nights together omitting no form of Devotion that might be suitable to that occasion but that the most pertinent Collect was this Grant O my God that if the Opinion of Arius must be accounted Orthodox my Soul may be taken out of the World before the day of disputation but if what I believe be the true Faith let him suffer the punishments which his Impiety merits Which acts of Mortification and Devotion were no question doubled the Eve before that fatal day when God appeared to the vindication of the eternal verity and that great disturber of Christendom by an exemplary stroak of the divine Vengeance near the publick Market which was call'd by the name of the August Emperour Constantine yielded up the Ghost the very place becoming infamous on his death no man approaching it for the ease of nature but all that past by pointed at it as the Stage whereon that Villain acted his last till a long time after a wealthy and potent Disciple of that Sect bought the place of the Republick and built a house there that the memorable accident might be buryed in the ruines of the Stage whereon it was acted but Blasphemy and an ungodly life give the Wretch a miserable immortality VI. On the introducing of a Epiph. haer 69. Socrat. l. 2. c. 6.7.8 Sozom. l. 3. c. 5 6. Phot. cod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 773. cod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 784. Gregory into the Throne of S. Athanasius when Eusebius Emesenus had refused the honour being offered him by the Synod of Antioch the people of Alexandria were so incens'd that they burnt the Temple of Dionysius down to the ground him his Patrons the Arians finding slow and negligent in propagating their Heresie and hated by the people six years after his instalment deposed in the Synod of Sardica and ordain'd George the Cappadocian in his room who and not the first Gregory as Theodoret asserts was afterwards cruelly slain at Alexandria Naz. crat 21. p. 389. Epipâ— haer 76. Socr. l. 3. c. 2. â—â—â—om l. 5. c. 7. script vit Athanas apud Phot. cod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 788. Philostorg l. 7. tom 2. p. 86. Julian Imp. Ep. 10. Am. Marcellind 22. Baron Tom. 4. an 362. p. 70 71. the particulars of which famous Attempt besides the account which we have from the Ancients may be read at large in Baronius and briefly in Billius his notes on the 21st Oration of S. Greg. Naz. VII The Argument of Scultetus mustered p. 361. to the discarding that Tract of Athanasius which contains Testimonies out of the sacred Scriptures of the Communion of the Divine Essence between the three persons in the Trinity because many passages here and in the Questions ad Antiochum are the same and therefore these stoln thence seems to me to evince the contrary that that counterfeit Author took those passages out of this genuine Treatise of Athanasius that so he might be the more readily entertain'd as the true Patriarch and though Mr. Perkins denys that the Epistle to Marcellinus concerning the Interpretation of the Psalms and the Sermon of Virginity be his yet S. Hierom's Authority weighs more with me who entitles Athanasius to two Books one de Psalmorum titulis another de Virginitate Nor is it but the most unconcluding of Arguments that the Homily de semente must be spurious because found only in an English Book Manuscripts are common enough now in this Kingdom and one Copy makes not a Book spurious for then the Oration of Athenagoras de resurrectione must not be his because a Ep. ante Athen. Nannius tells us that his Copy was the only one in Europe and the Lexicon of Hesychius must be rejected because there was never another Copy of it found but what b Manut. Epist ante Lex Hesych Bardellonus sent to Aldus Manutius but there lyes a more material and weighty Argument against the Homily de semente than what Mr. Perkins uses and that is because the Author of it whom I suppose some Eastern Prelate of the same Age mentions the Celebration of the holy duties on Saturday as well as on the Sunday Now the c Socrat. l. 5. c. 21. Sozom. l. 7. c. 19. Church-Historians inform us that Saturday was anciently a Fasting-day at Alexandria as well as at Rome this practice therefore does not suit with the usages of that Church where Athanasius was Patriarch VIII Nor is it any wonder that two so distant Churches as Rome and Alexandria should agree in those Rituals wherein they differ'd from almost all other Churches when we consider that the first planter of holy Religion in Aegypt S. Mark was S. Peter's Disciple and Amanuensis and so would be easily inclined to write after his Masters Copy The success of the Fast which was observ'd at Rome before S. Peter's Encounter with Simon Magus so fully answering expectation in the ruine of that Impostor gave an occasion to that Church to make it a perpetual sanction and of constant use which at first look'd no farther than the present exigence of the Servants of God or rather it had its Original from a cause of more general consideration that whereas the holy Jesus was crucified on Fryday and the next day the Apostles were overwhelm'd with grief for their Masters loss and fear of the Jews therefore out of a becoming sympathy and to keep the transactions of those gloomy days fresh in memory was this Fast appointed IX But the observance prevailed but in a few Churches for even in Italy it self S. Ambrose conform'd to the Oriental usages and he that fasted every day else d Paulin. in vit S. Ambr. dined constantly on the Sabbath and Lords-day and the Festivals e Illiberit Conc. can 26. nor would the old Custom be superseded in Spain by a less Authority than that of a Council And though at Alexandria they followed S. Mark 's steps yet in all f Socrat. Eccles hist l. 5. c. 21. other parts of Aegypt in the Country near that Metropolis and through all Thebais they made the Saturday a Festival and on it had their Sermons and celebrated the Eucharist And whereas in the days of a Ep. 86. ad Casul S. Austin there was no steady Rule by which those Churches acted for in one and the same Church says that Father some fasted and others dined on the last day of the Week yet it was otherwise there anciently for b Adv. Psychic c. 15. Tertullian avers that herein the Montanists those great admirers and practisers of abstinence conform'd to the Catholick Rites not to fast on any Saturday in the year but on Easter-Eve the great Sabbath day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Epistle of the Church of Smyrna more than once calls it and the Custom so prevailed over all the East c Tom. 2. p. 744. that S. Gregory Nyssen calls the two days Twin-Sisters nor can any man
a Vindication of it His works What extant and what lost His Octapla his Style and the causes of his condemnation The quarrel between S. Chrysostom and Epiphanius thereupon The Church was accustomed to Excommunicate Hereticks after their death Origen's Errors and whence imbibed An Apology for him The Platonick Opinion concerning the Resurrection His character and Encomia from all sorts of Writers Christian Jewish and Heathen Some peculiar remarks in his Life The Title of Martyr was usually given to the confessors of Old but themselves modestly resus'd it The time of his death Life of Saint Cyprian He is inconsiderately confounded with Cyprian the Magician the Servant of Justina The junior Cyprian was never Arch-Bishop of Antioch The Carthaginian Primate was made a Convert by his Country-man Caecilius who was the same person that bears a part in the Dialogue of Minutius Foelix Donatus was Cyprian's immediate Predecessor in that See Who the Libellatici properly were the different customs of the Churches of that Age in allowing or condemning the purchase of such Libels of security from the Heathen Magistrate Saint Cyprian's exemplary humility and charity The Adulteration of his works by the Romanists The Primacy of Saint Peter what His genuine Writings and style The power of the people in electing their Prelates discust They had a priviledge conceded them to except against the manners of the Candidate for holy Orders and in some places to nominate but that power on their tumultuous and disorderly proceedings soon taken from them A Vindication of his reputed erroneous Opinions That Charity purges away Sins That a man may tender satisfaction to God as well as to the Church To communicate Infants a Catholick custom Authority and Reason for it Mixing Water with Wine in the Eucharist A Discourse of the duration of Miracles in the Christian Church especially of Prophecy the cure of Daemoniacs and raising the Dead Miracles no mark of a true Church The vain and empty boastings of the Romanists in this case The time of Cyprian's Martyrdom Two Temples erected to his memory and a Festival His honourable character Saint Austin's Homily in his commendation Life of Lactantius His Country Italy The design of his Institutions to stifle the Objections of two virulent Adversaries of Christian Religion Of whom Hierocles was one but Porphyry not the other Lactantius his Errors The Fathers were not very wary in asserting the Divinity of the Son and Holy Ghost till the appearance of Arius and Macedonius The praeexistence of the soul Merit The excellency of Charity That sins of ignorance damn not Whether the wicked shall arise at the day of Judgment and how His great learning and extream poverty Life of Saint Athanasius His Baptizing his play-fellows vindicated Baptism by Laicks in case of instant necessity connived at in the Primitive Church The Schismatical Ordinations of Coluthus condemn'd and Ischyras degraded who after was made a Bishop by the Arian faction Arsenius his appearing at Tyre to the vindication of Athanasius An account of the death of Arius Gregory and George the Cappadocian usurp the See of Alexandria The last of them cruelly slain What books of this Father are genuine The Saturday was observ'd as a Fast at Rome and Alexandria and the reasons of it but as a Festival in the rest of the Christian world and the reasons of that custome it is yet so retained in all the Churches of the East and South Nine Orders of Angels anciently asserted agreeable to Scripture That the glorified Saints pray for some persons in particular The retention of Images The distinction of sins into venial and mortal Divers Orders of Monks Penance Prayers for the dead Anti-Christ who the holy Table frequently called Altar The Eucharist a sacrifice how an unbloody sacrifice The Doctrine of the Procession of the Father by the Son was the ancient belief An Historical account of the addition filioque and of the just grounds of the Greek Church to keep to the ancient Creeds The life of S. Antony writ by Athanasius The genuineness of the Epistles between Pope Marc and Athanasius controverted That Christ descended locally into Hell The Father 's not in complete bliss till his Resurrection Circumcision was a sign of Baptism Athanasius's Death and character The famous men of his name S. Greg. Nazianzen's Panegyrick on him The Life of Saint Hilary of Poictiers The legend of his Condemnation at Rome under Pope Leo. The ancient division of France rectyfied by Augustus What Countryman Saint Hilary was the great confusion in Historians when men of the same name are cotemporaries When Saint Hilary was banish'd and by whom His honourable mention in the Writings of the Ancients The Tractate de numero septenario is not his Venantius Fortunatus who and how he came to be Bishop of Poictiers Saint Hilary's Poems His Books de Trinitate are his master-piece The Epistle to his Daughter Abra. His Fragment of the Council at Ariminum His Style The Interpolation of his works That he did believe the Divinity of the holy Ghost His Errors candidly considered and apologiz'd His Opinion of the holy Spirit Of our Saviours being without passions Of our being the Sons of God by Nature How all things were created at once His Opinion of Free-will his Death and Character ERRATA Besides mis-pointings and Words printed in an improper Châ—racter the Reader is desired to Correct as follows In the Book P. 4. l. 9. for by r. to p. 10. l. 13. r. Epistle p. 16. l. 9. r. pag. ¾ p. 18. l. 23. r. whence p. 28. l. ult r. rite p. 32. l. 2. r. ancient forms p. 34. l. 17. r. there p. 36. l. 26. and 32. r. thee p. 39. l. 4. r. Obsecrationum p. 52. l. 15. r. preceded p. 102. l. 7. dele as p. 103. l. 27. after ours r. is p. 104. â— dispossess p. 114. l. 21. del of all his Congregation p. 115. l. 23 â— meet p. 138. l. 29. del that p. 139. l. 12. del and. p. 148. l. 27. r. acute p. â—49 l. 32. r. disturber p. 152. l. 32. r. the. p. 158. l. 29. r. Mistresses p. 159. l. 1. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 164. l. 1 2. r. in the next Century p. 166. l. 29. r. l. 4. p. 175. l. 26. del as he continues p. 186. l. 2. r. to partake p. 194. l. 12. r. gamala p. 196. l. 11. r. Martyr p. 198. l. 8. r. more beautified p. â—07 l. 19. for in r. out of p. 214. l. 10. r. of Saint p. 237. l. 18. for i r. first p. 241. l. 18. r. no power p. 337. l. 10. r. Eulalius p. 348. l. 26. r. before that time p. 356. l. 22. r. the Heathen Magicians p. 371. l. 24. r. Quiriacus l. 28. r. Rescripts p. 390. l. 34. r. Saturnilus p. 406. l. 34. r. Callecas p. 421. l. 5. del whereas it p. 465. l. 7. r. Raynaudus In the Margin P. 27. l. marg 8. r. Cod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 37.
Doctrine by standing to the Challenge of the famous Jewel and the Men of the New Discipline with the same Authority in point of Government and Polity and under her protection will I shelter my self Rectè verè haec in tumulo viri summi Adami à Bodenstein Basileae in coemeterio D. Pauli leguntur being satisfied that I can say that although I have disserv'd some particular Interests Nec omnia nec omnes mihi Placuere quinam ego omnibus Non omnibus Cous senex Non Eremita Spagirus Num tu Viator omnibus Deo placere cura abi Reusner Ep. ded â—nte lib. de probation urinar yet I am not conscious to my self of having baffled my own conscience dishonour'd the Truth or offended my Saviour and if I can please him other Frowns are contemptible THE CONTENTS The Life of Saint Ignatius THe deplorable loss of the antient Histories Apologies and the Acts of the Martyrs Whether Ignatius saw Christ in the Flesh and was that little Child that he took in his Arms and blest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what He was ordain'd Patriarch of Antioch by Saint Peter Two distinct Coetus of Jews and Gentiles under their distinct Bishops at Antioch Rome Corinth and elsewhere Their coalition at Antioch under Ignatius How long he sate in that See Ignatius not the most antient of Ecclesiastical Writers The genuineness of his Epistles evinc'd The Apostolicalness of Episcopal Government and novelty of any other Church-Polity The Excellent and Primitive Government of the Church of England Four different Copies of Ignatius's Epistles which of them are dubious which spurious and which genuine That to Polycarp was one of the seven genuine The Stages of his Journey to Rome the reason of his being carried so far out of his way What the Heresie of Apollinaris was An account of the first finding a genuine Copy of these Epistles first in England then at Florence Mistakes in Quotations not unusual in the antient Writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what and who usually carried the Bishops Letters to foreign Churches The three Latine Epistles His Style and Actons very conformable to Saint Pauls Ignatius first instituted the Antiphonal Hymns at Antioch Liturgies in his time and of Apostolical Institution An account of the most remarkable Passages in his Epistles his Zeal for Martyrdome severity against Schism and Heresie and importunate pressing submission to Bishops His leisure of writing purchast from his Guards The reasons why he was Martyred not at Antioch but Rome The time of his Journey his Preparative Torments and Death Gods Vengeance on the City of Antioch His greater Bones collected and buried The Church instituted Festivals to their Martyrs Memories honoured their Reliques and God wrought Miracles by them but their adoration was still disallowed Other famous Men of the Name Saint Chrysostom's Panegyrick The Life of Saint Justin His Original He was a Samaritan by Birth not by Religion An Apostolical Person The manner of his conversion His Apology writ to Antoninus Pius An account of his Writings The Age of the Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite The Quaestiones ad Orthodoxos are Saint Justin's but interpolated The Doctrine of the immaculate conception of Reliques and Vows That Baptism is necessary to Salvation The ancient use of Chrism A dissertation concerning the use of the Cross in all holy and secular Offices Where by whom and how the Sermons of the Anâ—â—ents were managed The Chiliast-Opinion the salvability of the Heathens and the Doctrine of Free-Will considered Saint Justin's Errors in Chronology His Martyrdom The Life of Saint Irenaeus His Mission by the Churches of Lyon and Vien to Pope Eleutherius and the Asian Churches Marcus the Disciple of Valentinus a notorious Heretick Most of the antient Hereticks and persecuting Emperors accused of too much familiarity with the Prince of Darkness The Female Sex most easily imposed on by those Impostures The Devils Policy in assaulting the Church Irenaeus his adjuration of the Transcriber of his works The Greek Copy of his works not to be found The Villany of Fathering Books on a wrong Author Heresies have appeared in the World according to the methods of the Creed The necessity of Episcopal Succession Irenaeus held not two natures in Christ His other Errors apologiz'd for and vindicated That the departed Saints are not in the most perfect bliss till the day of Judgment His Character and Martyrdom Life of Saint Clemens of Alexandria The Antiquity of the Catechetick School at Alexandria Clemens his several Tutors his last Pantaenus whom he succeeded in that School The time of his being made a Presbyter of that Church A large Discourse of the extraordinary care and respects of the Ancients toward their Martyrs in visiting them in Prison in Embalming and paying other funeral Honours to their dead Bodies in honouring their Relicks holding their Religious meetings at their Caemeteria and there performing all their Sacred Offices in Celebrating their Birth-dayes and recording their last Actions in building Churches to their memories allowing them an honourable commemoration at the Altar and calling their Children by their Names What Books of his are lost and what others misfather'd on him The Excellent method of his Writings that remain His Apocryphal citations Chemnitius his severe censure of some passages in his Paedagogus The disingenuous dealing of Blondel and others with the Ancients on the account of Episcopacy The agreement of the Jesuites and Presbyterians in that case A description of S. Clemens his Gnostick in his Stromata The Judgment of Pope Gelasius invalidated in condemning the Writings of Clemens with Hermas's Pastor and S. Barnabas his Catholick Epistle His errors considered His worth and Death The life of Tertullian Tertullian's birth and Education The time of writing his Book De pallio That he turn'd Montanist sooner than is asserted after which the Books de Corona c. were writ That the Rites mentioned in that Book were Catholick usages not observances of the Montanists That Ambition sowered most of the Antient Hereticks but Tertullian's ungovern'd zeal sway'd him The Apostolical Church did not admit gross offenders to penance The necessity of single Marriage was the opinion of the Antients their reasons for it The continuance of the Spiriâ— of Prophecy in his time this inclin'd him tâ— believe the Visions of Montanus and let him into many odd Opinions The difference between the Spirit of true Prophecy and pseudo-afflatus of Maximilla c. Hiâ— justly lamented fall His Writings and Style He did not believe Montanus tâ— be the Holy Ghost That Martyrdom expiates Transgression Tertullian no Maâ—tyr The Life of Origen Origens Name and Excellencies Hâ—â— Castration The occasion of his remove 〈◊〉 Caesarea The Emperour Caracalla's spleâ—â—â— against the Alexandrians and the caâ—â—â— of it Origen took not two journeys 〈◊〉 Rome nor was ever a Scholar to Ploâ—â—nus He is too often nâ—gligently confounâ—ed with a junior Origen a Heathen His Allegorical way of interpreting Scripture whence and
Isaac Vossius and the Latine Copies of the Primate and those used by Damascene and Antonius but the other Edition which was made use of by Anastasius Presbyter and Ado Vâ—ennensis and of which sort were the first Greek Copies that ever appeared in Print set out by Pacaeus and Gesner had the seven interpolated Epistles and five supposititious that to the Philippians being last added XIII Having thus rectified the mistake of the Editions we may now follow Mr. H. who still walks after the Primate's light and therefore reckons the Epistle to Polycarp among the spurious Epistles expresly against the mind both of c Apud eund ibid. p. 21 22 c. Eusebius and S. Hierom and he that will believe Honorius Augustodunensis an Author so many years younger and so many other ways inferiour to the aforenamed Fathers hath my consent to love his fancy and to me the reading of the most Learned d Exercit. 16. n. 126 Isaac Casaubon which the Primate makes an Argument against the Epistle to Polycarp is an Argument that it is genuine For if you read the words as Casaubon would have you propriè ad Polycarpum c. in a Parenthesis then the Passage mention'd by S. Hierom must not be look'd for in the Epistle to Polycarp but in that to the Smyrneans where it is to be found But besides what the judicious Isaac Vossius and Bishop Pearson have observed we need no other Conviction than this That whereas none of the supposititious Epistles were otherwise in the Medicean Copy than in the Vulgar this Epistle to Polycarp in the Florentine M S. is free from the Interpolations of the former Editions intimating That this was a true Birth of the Father and fell into the same vile hands that abused the rest and might have escaped that hard Sentence p. 6. That it ought to be reckon'd among the second sort of Ignatius's Epistles XIV P. 7. He re-enforces the Centurist's Argument against these Epistles because the Martyr was not carryed the nearest way to Rome whereas the Stages mention'd in his Epistles are the same with these mention'd in the ancient piece called Martyrium Ignatii set forth by the Lord Primate and agreeable to S. Paul's Stages who went from Antioch to Seleucia Act. 13.4 from Troas crossing the Helespont to Neapolis Act. 16.11 and from thence to Philippi v. 12. When S. Ignatius went on foot through Macedonia to Epidamnum where he took Ship and sailed to Rhegium and from thence to Puteoli and so to the Roman Port which were also S. Paul's Stages Act. 28.13 14. And for his being at Smyrna the Metropolis of the Lydian or Proconsular Asia it was the common Road of all the Presidents of Syria when they went to their Charges or return'd from them and the course which Vespasian took with his Army when he went to the Siege of Jerusalem And to him who shall consider the Reasons which the Ancients give for this designed undertaking there will be no occasion of doubting a To. 5. p. 502. Ed. Savil. S. Chrysostom in his Encomium of this Worthy a Discourse which is never here mention'd though so pertinent to the purpose the Author whereof was a great Admirer of Ignatius and a Presbyter of that Church of Antioch of which he was Patriarch tells us That it was no contemptible specimen of the Devil's Policy so to deal with the Bishops design'd for Martyrdom at once to take them unprovided of Necessaries and to wear them out with the length of the Journey And b Act. S. Ignat apud Sur. Febr. 1. Simeon Metaphrastes assures us That it was the Advice of Trajan's Council to send him a long way about to Rome that by the length of the Journey he might be inforc'd to rellish the tediousness of his bitter Sentence and this also c Ubi supr S. Chrysostom confirmes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they set him a Course to run forward and back-ward seeking only to prostitute his Constancy and subdue his Resolution as in a Id. To. 7. Epist 13. ad Olympiad p. 92. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another place he says of himself in his Banishment That God had so order'd it in appointing him such variety of tedious Removes such long and intricate Wandrings that his happiness might be the greater where he gives a third Reason of this Designation That by this means the Martyr might enhance his Crown of Glory And to answer the Magdeburg Centurist's this is enough if not too much if we subjoin the good Remarque of b Animad on Dr. Owen Ch. 2. Sect. 2. N. 24. Dr. Hammond that in matters of Fact the Occasion and Motives whereof are not always visible to every man placed at a great distance from them it is unreasonable to fancy and conjecture what is probable or improbable and accordingly to reform the Records of Antiquity from our own guesses XV. His next proof consists of the Exceptions muster'd from the Epistles against themselves Of which the first p. 8. is taken out of the Epistle to the Philadelphians in which there is mention made of the Heresie of Apollinaris that in Christ there was no Humane Soul To which I might answer That c Haeres 77. Epiphanius who may be presumed to know the Heresie of that very learned man living in the same Age with him tells us that Apollinaris granted that Christ had the Soul but denyed that he had the Mind of a Man according to the notion of the junior Academy that put a difference between the Mind and Soul But there is no need of this solution while the Edition which d P. 102. Ed. Usser Mr. H. makes use of tells him That those words are interpolated and so he might have found them in red Letters and then the bare denying of the Passage to be Ignatius's is a sufficient Vindication though if we had granted them to be in the true Copy yet perchance this would not have made the Copy spurious since the Heresies concerning our Saviour were so multiplyed in the first saeculum that there hardly appear'd a new one in the fourth of which the Seeds were not sown long before of which Heresies our Martyr takes especial notice of two in these Epistles the first of the Docetae whose Father was Simon Magus that denyed the reality of Christ's Birth Death and Resurrection affirming that he assumed only a fantastick Body the second of the Ebionities who denyed our Saviour to be God and urged the observance of the Ceremonial Law The former Heresie the Disciples of Menander had scattered over all Asia says e Haeres 51. Epiphanius and probably Saturnilus one of his Scholars had sown the Seeds of this Doctrine at Antioch for that was his Birth-place says a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Menandro vide Iren. lib. 1. c. 22. Theodoret and among his Errours the same eminent Bishop of Cyrus reckons one somewhat like that of Apollinaris That
things God conceded that there this holy man should end his daies And that this was the reason I will evince from the manner of his Death for he was not executed without the Walls in a Cave or the Prison or in a Corner but in the midst of the Theatre the whole City sitting and looking down upon him he underwent his Martyrdom the wild Beasts being let out upon him that in the sight of all men erecting a Trophee against the Devil he might make all the Spectators ardently in love with his Combats while â—e did not only dye with much Generosity and Courage but with much Complaisance and Delight not as one ††〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that must be driven out of this life but as one that was invited to a better and more spiritual life so willingly did he behold the Beasts And whence is this manifest from the Words which dying he spake for when he heard that this sort of Punishment was appointed him he said Oh that I could enjoy those Beasts for they which love as he did whatsoever they suffer for those whom they love they undergo it with pleasure neither do they seem to have their desires satisfied but when the undertaking becomes more difficult so therefore did it fall out with this holy man for he made haste to imitate the Apostles not only in their Death but in their readiness and hearing that when they were beaten they went about with joy he would emulate his Masters not only in their end but in their joy too for this reason did he say of the Beasts ††〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I long for them and thought that the Mouths of such Creatures were more gentle than the Tongue of the Tyrant and with much reason for the Tongue of the Tyrant called him to Hell but the mouths of the wild Beasts carried him to an Heavenly Kingdom After that therefore he there ended his life or rather went thence unto Heaven he return'd to us a Crowned Champion For this also was an Act of the Divine Providence to bring him back again to us and to distribute the Martyr among the Cities Rome received his Blood when it was shed and you are honoured with his Reliques you enjoyed his Episcopal Care and they his Martyrdom They saw him striving and overcoming and crowned and you have him with you continually God separated him from you for a little while and hath again be stowed him on you with greater honour and as Borrowers pay back what they have received with Interest so God making use of this Honourable Treasure for a while at a distance from you and exhibiting him to that other City Rome hath again restored him to you with greater pomp For ye sent him forth a Bishop but ye receive him a Martyr ye sent him forth with Prayers but ye receive him with Crowns and not you only but all the Cities that lye betwixt Antioch and Rome for how were they affected do you imagine when they saw the Reliques carryed by what genuine pleasures did over-flow their Souls how did they rejoyce and with what Congratulations every where meet this Conquerour For as a generous Wrestler having thrown all his Antagonists goes off the Stage with much splendour and applause and is triumphantly received by the Spectators who suffer him not to tread on the ground but aloft on their Shoulders carry him home filling the Air with a thousand Encomia of his Atchievements so did all the Cities from the Metropolis of the Empire to this place entertain this holy man and carrying him on their Shoulders transported him to this City making Panegyricks on the Conquerour praising the Combatant and langhing at the Devil because his Sophistry was turn'd to his own disadvantage and the same thing befell him which he thought to have done to our Martyr In that time of his Translation he brought help and instruction to all those places and since then unto this present hath enrich'd your City And as a lasting Treasure drawn out every day and yet never spent makes all that have recourse to it more happy and rich â—o doth our blest Ignatius send home all that come to him filling them with Eulogies with boldness with strong resolutions and much courage We do not only therefore go to him to day but every day gathering from him spiritual fruits for certainly he that comes hither by Faith shall infallibly reap signal benefit for not only the bodies but the Sepulchres of the Saints are filled with spiritual Graces for if this happened to Elisha that when a dead man touch'd his Bones the bonds of death were loosed and the man again entered on the enjoyments of life how much rather now when the Grace is more copious and the Essicacy of the Spirit greater may that man which toucheth this Depository with Faith draw thence abundance of strength For for this reason hath God permitted us the Reliques of Saints being willing to induce us to the same Zeal with them and to afford us a certain Harbour and secure help against all the Evils that every day surround us Wherefore I beseech you all if any man be weak or under any Distemper if any man be grieved or under any other necessitous Circumstances that concern this life or troubled at the weight of his Transgressions let him come hither with Faith and put off all these Incumbrances and he shall return with much satisfaction having disburthen'd his Conscience at this very sight only but in an higher measure is it peculiarly necessary that those who are exempted from such miseries should come hither Is any Man's mind full of Serenity is he honourable powerful and full of a holy confidence in God Neither let him slight this advantage for coming hither and beholding this holy man his good things shall dwell constantly with him if he be perswaded to take an account of the State of his own Soul by comparing it with the brave Atchievements of this excellent person and suffer not his mind to be transported with Pride at the remembrance of his performing of his Duty For it is no small matter for Men in Prosperity not to be puffed up with the remembrance of their serene Days and happy Enjoyments but to understand how to bear moderately their successes so that this Treasure is useful this place of refuge fit for all persons to those that are troubled that they may be delivered from their Temptations to those that are happy that they may be confirmed in their state of felicity to those that are sick that they may recover their health and to those that are well that they may not relapse All which things having spoken let us set the greater value on this acquaintance full of pleasure full of delight that here we rejoicing and trading for Heaven together may be able there to dwell in the same Tabernacle with these Saints and be their Fellow-commoners in Glory by the assistance of their Prayers
the disturbances of the Church Tert. adv Valentin c. 4. p. 139. solent amini pro prioratu exciti praesumptione ultionis accendi Id. de baptism p. 273. Ed. Rhen. aemulatio enim schismatum mater est the baffled pretender out of revenge venting his malice against the Church that slighted him So b Hegesip apud Euseb lib. 4. c. 21. when S. Simeon Cleophae was admitted to the Episcopal Chair at Jerusalem in the room of S. James the Just Thebuthis began to corrupt the Church by introducing Heresie because he was not made S. James's Successor So c Tert. adv Valent. c. 4. p. 251. Edit Paris 1664. Valentinus broach'd his new Hypothesis and the d Apollinaris apud Euseb l. 1. c. 15. Theodoret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 3. sect Montanus ambition of Montanus first occasioned his deserting the Church e Cornel. apud Euseb hist lib. 6. c. 35. Novatus turn'd Schismatick being denied the Popedome f Theodoret. ubi supr lib. 4. sect Arius Arius became the Father of that most pernicious Heresie of his because Alexander was preferred to the Patriarchate of Alexandria and himself slighted and g Socrat. Eccles hist lib. 1. cap. 24. Asterius became his follower because on the account of his sacrificing in the days of persecution he was denied a Bishoprick which he greedily gap't after h Theodor. Eccl. hist l. 5. c. 4. Apollinaris also expos'd his Darling Dogma failing of the Bishoprick of Laâ—dicea i August de haeres cap. 69. Donatus his for missing the See of Carthage and k Epiphan haeres 75. Aërius on the same score turn'd Leveller and because being only a Presbyter he could not be a Bishop was resolved if he could have done it that no Bishop should have been greater than a Priest as Marcion forbad honest Marriage when himself had been cast out of the Church for prostituting the Chastity of a Virgin and I have it from a very worthy person that Hugh Broughton the Patriarch of the Puritans his own Brother should aver that he first went over to the discontented party having been denied some valuable preferment which he desired in the Church and l Doctrin fid lib. 2. cap. 6. Waldensis quotes the Bishop of Salisbury affirming in a full Assembly of the Clergy of the Province of Canterbury that Wickliff aim'd at the Mitre of Worcester and being deceived of his expectations grew discontent nay even the very Conventicles of the Hereticks were subdivided by this spirit of ambition for m Sâ—crat lib. 7. c. â— Sabbatius made a new Schism among the Schismatical Novatians being strongly possest with this Daemon and the desires of a Crosier VIII But this thought I cannot be perswaded to entertain of Tertullian so great a lover of Mortification and Abstinence and one that so little valued external grandeur and the pompous shadows of honour I am therefore inclin'd to believe that it was a passionate and ungovern'd zeal which sway'd him and that his intentions were very just and honourable but misguided that his aim was though he took a wrong course to keep up the reputation of the Primitive Severities and holy Discipline of which he was an eager Assertor for we cannot find him charg'd with any erroneous sentiments in matters of Faith but a scrupulous studiousness to maintain the antient practices a Rigalt not in Tertull adv Prax. p. 501. quae Tertulliani dicuntur haereses c. his greatest Heresies were no other than a stronger love of Martyrdome than ordinary greater frequency in fastings and stricter holiness an injunction of continuing in the estate of Coelibate or at most a contentedness with one Marriage And if these were his Vices good God what can we call his Virtues for it is probable that he held the Opinions of Montanus as that Impostor first propos'd them to the World in a taking dress and such as was very agreeable to the severer sort of Christians not as they were afterward adulterated by his followers the Phrygians acu Phrygiâ interpolatum as Mons Rigaud elegantly terms it whose additional dotages occasion'd his separation from them and setting up his own Congregation of Tertullianists and yet these Phrygians if we may take b Lib. 4. c. 23. Socrates's testimony were the most regular in their lives of all the Asiaticks men very temperate and chaste never heard to swear or seen to be angry or delighted with the toys and pleasures of the world and this I suppose inclin'd them so easily to become Novatians which Schism renewed the discipline of Montanus but was not so fully agreed among themselves in some particulars for the c Apud eund lib. 5. c. 21. Novatians in Phrygia did condemn second Marriages those at Constantinople did neither allow nor disallow them but the Occidental Disciples of that Sect publickly approv'd them IX Nor did Tertullian in this case want enough to plead in his own behalf he being the Champion of the Apostolical Institution but the Church on the principles of Christian prudence remitting her former strictnesses allowing second Marriages dispensing with extraordinary fastings and receiving Penitents before the times of extremity for it appears to have been the Opinion and Practice of the most Venerable Antiquity that gross sinners as Apostates Murtherers Adulterers and such like should be wholly excluded from Penance And this makes d de pudicit p. 555. Ed. Paris Tertullian object to Pope Zepherinus the corruption of the antient discipline and e Ep. 52. p. 59. S. Cyprian confesses that many of his Predecessors did deny communion to such Offenders and the judicious f Of the right of a Church in a Christ Sâ—ate ch 1. pag. 19 c. Thorndike says That if we compare the writings of the Apostles with the Original practice of the Church it will appear that those rigours were brought in by them and that these were the sins unto death which might not be pray'd for abating by little and little till that Discipline was lost but that the Reformation of the Church consists in the retaining it And this he there proves largely and so saves me the labour X. And for the noted Dogma which Mr. H. p. 118. adventures to say made him a Heretick g De Monogam p. 533 Tertullian's argument to prove the unlawfulness of second Marriages is taken from that of the Apostle that a Bishop must be the Husband of one Wife i. as the Fathers generally understood it only once married not the Husband of two Wives either together or successively but says Tert. all the Lords people are his Priests a Royal Priesthood and therefore must so abstain Nay among all the Fathers Monogamy was lookt on as one of the excellent Counsels of Scripture if not as an obligatory Precept and had Tertullian only recommended but not enjoyn'd it I know no man could have blam'd him and in truth in Tertullian's sense the Opinion was countenanc'd
Baptism This also was the Opinion of Origen S. Basil Orig. hom 5. in Josh to 1. fol. 154. L. ed. Merlin Basil exhort ad Baptis init Naz. tom 1. Orat. 40. p. 658. Athan. tom 2. quaest 38. ad Antioch p. 345. Gregory Nazianzen and others as well as of Athanasius So that I cannot but wonder at this extravagant Censure but all this stir about this dangerous Opinion arises at last such is Mr. H's unhappiness from a mistake of Scultetus out of whom this whole discourse of this Father's failings is transcribed for e Synthes doct Athanas c. 17. p. 157. he makes this to be our Patriarch's Errour not that the Sacraments of the old Testament were Types of the Sacraments of the new but that Circumcision and the Sabbath c. did only typifie but not confer grace contrary to that of the Apostle Rom. 4.11 who calls Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Abraham's Faith XLII That Virginity is an Example of Angelical Purity is plain from that of S. Matthew 22.30 that the Saints shall be like the Angels and that explain'd by they shall neither marry nor be given in Marriage nor was it amiss to say that they are marryed to Christ who disengage themselves from the World the more readily to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes and such admirable chastity cannot fail of getting it self veneration and respect every where and this may serve to apologize for the excessive praises of Virginity to which the Ancients every where give an extraordinary Eulogy XLIII The death of this great man happened not an Chr. 371. as Mr. H. wrongly quotes Baronius but an 372. Maii. 2. p. 297. annal to 4. an 372. pag. 33½ as the Cardinal both in his Martyrology and Annals doth fix it and his Festival was celebrated in both Churches on the second of May but in the Oriental Churches he had two Holy-days the last on the 18th of January a Festival dedicated to him and his Successor S. Cyril it being the day as Baronius conjectures of his Consecration to the Patriarchate of Alexandria and in the same celebrated Historian you may find that his Body was afterward brought into Europe and deposited at Venice he is styled in the Coptick Kalendar publish'd by a De Spâ—â—drio l. 3. c. 25. p. 398. Mr. Selden Athanasius the Apostle by b Chruâ—â—p 314. cais Scalig. Nicephorus the Patriarch of Constantinople Athanasius the Martyr and to this day by all the Greeks Athanasius the great XLIV Of this name were many famous men Prelates of the Church c Basâ—â— 53. 67. Soâ—on l. 6. c. 12. Philostorg l. 5. tem 1. one a Bishop of Ancyra a Contemporary with our Patriarch the d Phâ—â—esiorg l. 3. tom 15. p. 50. second an Arian of the same Age Bishop of Anazarbum in Cilicia a e Menolog Cr. Aâ—g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 third Bishop of Tarsus a Martyr under the Emperour Valerian a f Evâ—gr hist lib. 3. c. 23. fourth this eminent Confessor's Successor in his own See circ an 490. whose immediate Predecessor was Peter Mongus but he was a Heretick and a great Patron of the Acephali There were also many others of the name whom I purposely omit And having thus tyred my Reader I leave him to refresh himself with the Panegyrick of the most Eloquent S. Gregory of Nazianzum On the great Athanasius Arch-Bishop of Alexandria Greg. Naz. Tom. 1. Orat. 21. p. 373. c. 'TO praise Athanasius is to make a Panegyrick on Virtue for when I name that admirable man it is the same as if I celebrated Virtue while a Constellation of those best qualities did shine in him or to speak more truly do still exert their Lustre for all they that have lived according to the Laws of God do still live to God although they have left this evil World For which reason God is called the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob not the God of the dead but of the living and when I write an Encomium of Virtue I shall magnifie God whose Donative to the Sons of men Virtue is that by that congenial light men may be led to the knowledge and embracing of himself For whereas the largesses of Heaven are many and eminent and beyond description the greatest and most merciful of his Favours are the Inclinations which he works in us towards himself and the Familiarity he blesseth us with For what the Sun is to sensible Beings that is God to rational Creatures the one sheds his Rays on the visible the other illustrates the invisible world the one illuminates the eyes of the body that it may see Heaven the other the Opticks of the mind that it may contemplate God And as the Sun whereas it confers on the eyes and all things visible powers that the one may see the other be seen while it self is the most beautiful and accomplish'd of visible Objects so God as he gives power to understand and a possibility of being comprehended is himself still the chiefest and most perfect of Intellectual Beings in whom all our desires terminate and above whom they cannot soare for neither can the most Philosophick aspiring and curious Intellect aim at any thing more sublime than God for he is the choicest of admirable Beings whom when men enjoy their Speculations are at their height for that man that breaks through his earthly Prison by the assistance of reason and contemplation and dispelling all carnal Clouds and Mists can converse with God and be united to the most illustrious light as much as humane frailty is capable of that man is happy both in that he can ascend to that glorious place and also there enjoy that Union with the Divine Nature which true Philosophy procures and a mind exalted above this inferiour world to the contemplation of the Unity of the Trinity But he whose Soul is debas'd by its Society with the Body and is yet immers'd in Clay so that it cannot look upon the Beauties of Truth nor exalt it self above earthly things though its Original were from Heaven and its Native tendencies thither that man is in my esteem blind and miserable though blest with the affluence of Worldly Felicities and so much the more wretched in that he is mock'd by his prosperity and deluded into the Opinion that there can be any thing good besides the chiefest and truest good gathering evil Fruit of an evil Sentiment to be confined to darkness to feel him as a consuming Fire whom he would not entertain as a comfortable light This was the study only of a few of the former Ages and the present saeculum for there are few Servants of God though all are his Creatures this wisdom being courted by a small company of Law-givers and Captains Priests Doctors and the rest of the Society of Spiritual persons and among them by this venerable Patriarch whom we now applaud And who were those brave Souls that
Acts impeaches the Athenians of was applicable to the Christian World that they had no leasure for any thing but to hear or talk News what holy Jeremy can sufficiently bemoan our confusions and horrid obscurities though he alone knew how to suit his Lamentations to so dismal an occasion ' This furious and insolent Assault on the Church was first made by Arius whose name implies his madness who suffered the just punishment of his petulant and ungovern'd Tongue dying in an impure and stinking place bursting asunder like Judas and being a Sufferer like that Traytor as he had sin'd like him in betraying the eternal Word but this did not affright others from courting the same distemper who methodiz'd and form'd it into an art of Impiety who deny any thing of generation to appertain to the Divinity and banish from it the very names of being begotten or proceeding honouring the Trinity only with the Communication of the Divine name to all the three persons and hardly allowing them that But this blest Soul this zealous man of God and great Trumpet of the Truth thought not so but foreseeing that this lessening of the Trinity into one person was a piece of the Atheism and Heresie of Sabellius who first invented this Scheme of contracting the Deity and that the distinguishing and dividing the substance was to make a Monster of the Divinity he kept this course carefully to assert the Unity with respect to the Divinity and piously to teach the Trinity of persons with respect to their properties neither confounding the persons by asserting the Unity nor dividing the substance by asserting the Trinity keeping himself still within the limits of Piety and shunning any extravagant inclinations to either side and for this reason he in the holy Synod of Nice in that Assembly of choice men which the holy Ghost had there congregated as much as in him lay opposed the growth of this disease when as yet he was no Bishop but one of their principal Assistants for at that time Virtue made a man as honourable as a Dignity but when this Spark was blown up into a great flame by the breath of Satan and spread it self far for here the Tragedy began that hath since fill'd the World many and various Engines were employed to ruine this great Assertor this generous Champion of Jesus for the strongest Souldiers are made Aggressors of him that most couragiously resists and on every side dangers flow in upon him for wickedness is very inventive of mischief and daring in its assaults for how could it be expected that they should be favourable to men that durst abuse their God but there was one effect of their animosity that produc'd the most violent Consequences for I my self shall contribute a few materials to the compleating the Drama But here my Country the beloved place of my Nativity merits pardon for the Crime is not imputable to the place but to the Inhabitants for Cappadocia is every where famous for Holiness and Religion but these men are unworthy the name of Sons of the Church but ye have heard that a Bramble grows at the root of a Vine and that Judas the Traytor was one of the Disciples nor are there wanting that affirm that a Namesake of mine was not altogether innocent in this Affair who being at that time resident at Alexandria on the account of his studies and treated with as much kindness by this Patriarch as if he had been his darling Son in as much as he was one to whom he intrusted his greatest concerns he as it is reported takes up resolutions of resisting his Father and Benefactor And whereas others were the Authors of the Tragedy yet men say that the hand of Absolom was with them if any of you remember that hand with the cutting off of which this Saint was belyed or the dead man yet living whom he was said to murder or his unjust banishment he understands what I say But this I willingly forget for this is my judgment in dubious things to be more inclinable to a charitable construction and rather to absolve than condemn a Criminal For a profligate man is easily induc'd to condemn the innocent but the good not so apt to censure the Villain for he that is not vicious is not suspicious of others but what I now speak of is not rumour but palpable matter not a bare suspicion but a firm and publick perswasion A Cappadocian Monstre born in the utmost Borders of our Country of a scandalous Family and a worse mind no Freeman born but of a mixt Generation as Mules are at first a Servant at another mans Table a Wretch that might be hired for a Crust of Bread inclinable to say or do any thing to fill his Belly afterward when he perniciously intruded himself into employment in the Common-wealth he was intrusted with the mean and most sordid Office of a Sutler to supply the Army with Swines flesh in which when he had broken his trust sacrificing all things to his own Belly and had nothing left him but himself he bethinks him of running away and shifting from one Country and City to another as Vagrants do at last to the ruine of the Churches Interests like one of the Plagues of Aegypt he wanders into Alexandria here he ends his Exile and begins mischief being eminent in nothing else neither for his learning nor acceptable and pleasant Converse much less for putting on the Mask of Piety and Religion but fitted for all sort of Villany and Disturbances Ye all know what Tumults he raised against this Saint for the Righteous are many times delivered into the hand of the Ungodly not to create honour to the Wicked but to experiment the courage of the good man that the Sinner may dye an evil and unusual death as the Scripture assures us but holy men are in this life derided as long as God hides his Countenance while there are laid up great Treasures for both against those future days when every Word Deed and Thought shall be weighed in the just Balance of God when he shall arise to judge the Earth recollecting mens Designs and Actions and detecting those secrets which have been laid up and sealed in Heaven This both the the Sufferings and the Discourses of Job may perswade us who was a great lover of truth a man unblameable just and pious and Master of many other Virtues as holy Writ testifies and yet was he assaulted with such various and cruel Instruments of Satan's Malice that had begg'd liberty to plague him that of all the men which since the beginning of the World have fallen into Adversity and many as it is probable into Torments and Vexations no man yet can compare Sufferings with him for he lost not only his Wealth and Cattel a beautiful and numerous progeny which all men earnestly covet and that in so short a space that there was no more left for his sorrows to interpose between his last and the