of the Church built there 255. JESUS CHRIST His Divinity 44. Images defaced by St. Epiphanius at Anablatha Incarnation of JESUS CHRIST Explication of that Mystery 5. 7 8. 44. 47. 111. 149. 170 171. Its Causes and Effects 9. 43. Instantius a Priscillianist 190. 275. Joy of a Christian in Afflictions 151. Ischyras a false Priest His History 29. Ision a Meletian Bishop 29. Italy Council of Italy in 362. against the Synod of Ariminum 266. Ithacius or Idacius Bishop A Spanish Author Enemy of the Priscillianists 191 192. Judgment Last In what place it will be made 75. 77. Judgments Ecclesiastical 249. 257. 278 279 c. Julian the Apostate Succeeds Constantius and concerns not himself in the Affairs of the Christians 31. Sends an Order to Alexandria to drive St. Athanasius thence and what followed thereupon 31 32. Declaration against Julian 162 163. St. Julitta Her Martyrdom 151. Julius Bishop of Rome Assembles a Council at Rome and declares St. Athanasius innocent 51. His Judgment in favour of that Saint 30. 40. History of the Life of this Pope 51. His Writings ibid. His Letters upon the Incarnation and his Decretals supposititious 52. Death ibid. Just. Of the State of their Souls between their Death and the last Judgment 165. Justina an Arian Persecutes St. Ambrose 200. 223 c. Justinian Emperor Become Master of Italy Treats the Popes hardly 18. Justinian the Younger Causes Pope Sergius to be banished 19. Juvencus a Christian Poet. His Life and Writings 20 21. K. KIngs Respect and Obedience due to them 39. 41. 91 92. Ought not to meddle with Matters of Faith 41. 224 225 226. Ought to protect Religion 222. L. LAmpsacus Council there in 365. under the Emperors Valens and Valentinian 266. Laodicea Council celebrated between 360. and 370. the Canons of it received by the whole Church 268 c. St. Lawrence History of his Martyrdom 207. A good Action of his ibid. Law of the Jews but for one Nation 6. Leo Isauricus Would have killed Pope Gregory II. 19. Leontius Governor of Rome puts Pope Liberius in Prison 19. Liberius Bishop of Rome Successor to Julius 60. Imprisoned by Constantius 18. Letter to the Bishops of the East attributed to him is not Genuine 60. Maintains the Party of St. Athanasius with Vigour 61. Therefore banished ibid. He signs the Condemnation of St. Athanasius approves an Heretical Profession of Faith 62. and c. Returns to Rome and changes his Opinion 63. Defends St. Athanasius and the Faith of the Church ibid. His Death ibid. and d. Letters and Writings ibid. A Judgment upon this Bishop ibid. Liberty of the Christian Religion where first allowed 12. Licinius Emperor of the East Loses a Battel against Constantine in Pannonia 12. Second Battel in Thrace between them ibid. Publishes Edicts against the Christians and persecutes them ibid. Overcome at the Siege of Nicomedia throws himself at Constantine's Feet who gives him his Life ibid. Put to Death afterwards by Constantine at Thessalonica ibid. Longinus first took upon him the Quality of Exarch or Vice-Roy of Italy 18. Lord's Day Celebration of the Lord's Day 12. 14. f. 17. 26. Not to fast on it 203. Succeeded the Jewish Sabbath 45. Lucifer Bishop of Calaris Deputed by Pope Liberius to Constantinople 79. Assists at the Council of Milan and vigorously defends St. Athanasius ibid. His Constancy and Steadiness causes his Exile ibid. Genius and Writings ibid. Unadvisedly ordains Paulinus Bishop of Antioch 80. Separates from the Church ibid. Judgment upon his Style ibid. Subject of his Writings ibid. Lucilla a Lady of Carthage her History 89. Lucius Bishop of Alexandria an Arian Author of some Letters touching the Feast of Easter and of some Books upon several Subjects 106. Ludovicus Pius Son of Charlemaigne Sends Bernard to Rome and why 19. Luitprandus King of the Lombards 19. M. MAcarius Priest of Alexandria Defends St. Athanasius before Constantine 29. Accused of breaking a Chalice ibid. The Macarii How many of them 55. Their Works 56 57. Rules attributed to the Macarii 58. Maccabees Their Panegyrick 167. Macrobius a Donatist Priest Author of a Book addressed to Confessors and Virgins 53. Magick Canons against Magicians 269. Mamas Martyr His Panegyrick 156. Marcellus of Ancyra Wrote against his Brethren and why 3. i. 6. Life Fortune and Actions 50. St. Athanasius always defended him ibid. Fragments of his Works ibid. Judgment upon his Doctrine ibid. Refutation of his Errours 6. Marcellus Bishop in Campania Sent by Pope Liberius to the Council of Arles 61. Marcellinus Bishop of Rome Never sacrificed to Idols Marcellina St. Ambrose's Sister 210. Marriage Not forbidden 47 110. Canons against Marriages forbidden by the Laws See St. Basil's Canons of Penance 140. and c. In what manner married Persons ought to behave themselves 110. Marriage between Brother and Sister-in-Law forbidden 137. 140. Divorce 237. Polygamy forbidden 197. Of the Marriage of Children under the Power of their Parents 142. 229. Second and Third Marriages 140 141 142. Marriage with Infidels forbidden 223. Martyrs History and Commendation of the Forty Martyrs 156. Martyrs may be saved without Baptism 110. Matter not Eternal 5. Matronianus a Priscillianist 190. Maxentius Tyrant Destroys Rome afterwards Conquered by Constantine 11. Maximus Philosopher of Alexandria 186. His Panegyrick 167. Procures himself to be Ordained Bishop of Constantinople 160. His irregular Manners 169. His Writings 186. Meletius His Life Ordination and Actions 187. Melitius Author of the Sect of Melitians condemned by Peter of Alexandria 26. 242. Melitians Schismaticks 28. and f. Judgment of the Council of Nice concerning them 251. Melitine Synod there about the Year 357. 265. Metropolitan His Authority and Rights 257. 269. 277. 278. Ought not to assume the Quality of Prince of Priests or Sovereign Priest 278. Messiah Came into the World for all Mankind 6. Milan Council there in 346. To find means of terminating the Differences between the Bishops Another Council in 355 under Pope Liberius Another against Jovinian 390. Monks Institution of Monks 53. Precepts and Instructions for Monks 124. 156. A good Description of Monks anciently 164. Of their Habits and of the Austerity of their Life 165. Might be Ordained Bishops 45. Musculus a Protestant His Translation of Eusebius's History what 4. Mysteries hidden from Catechumens and Pagans 48. N. NArses Count. Delivers Italy from the Tyranny of the Barbarians 1. Nature Not Evil of its self 59. Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople His Death 195. A Judgment upon this Author ibid Neocaesarea Council there in 314. 248. Canons 248 249 c. Nice in Bithynia History of the Council of Nice and Circumstances concerning it 2. 7. 12. 15. 23. 250 c. The Nicene Creed the only Rule of Faith 42. Nicephorns Callistus composed an Ecclesiastical History and when 4. Put many uncertain and Fabulous Stories into it ibid. Nisibis a City of Mesopotamia 49. Nismes Council held in that City in the Time of St. Martin 275. Nonna Mother of St. Gregory Nazianzen 166.
they are 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 H◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon Original Sin upon the Fall of Mâ—â—â— and Angels upon the 〈◊〉 of a 〈◊〉 of Baptism and Grace upon the Distinction of Veâ—ial and 〈◊〉 Sâ—â—s upon the Eternity and the Inequâ—lity of the Pains of the Daâ—â—ed upon the Exâ—… of the VVill of God to save Men upon Fâ—â—e-Will and upon the State of Souls till the Day of Judgment Having thus explained what concerns Faith he comes to Hope and he â—â—â—th That Christians â—â—â—ght to Hope in God alone and that whatsoever we Hope for is coâ—prehended in the Lord's Prayer upon which he makes some Reflections Lastly he treateth of Charity without which he pretends That no Man can be Rigâ—…eous To which he 〈◊〉 all the 〈◊〉 of God and Advices of the Gospel This Book was written after St. Jerom's Death who dyed in 420. as is plain by the 87th Chapter where St. Augustin speaks of him as one dead The Book intiâ—â—led The Câ—â—bâ—â— of a Christian has much the same Design with the foregoing St. Augustin coâ—posed i◠〈◊〉 after he was a Bishop in a plain Stile that it might be the more proper to instill the Doctrine and Prâ—â—â—pts of Christian Religion into those Christians who were not Skilfull in the Latin Tongue He exhorts them at first to fight against the Devil Then he shews Thâ—â— Men get the Victory over him when they overcome their Passions and bring their Bodies under Subjection which is only done by submitting to God to whom every Creature ought to be subject either Willingly or out of Necessity He adds That in this Combat Man is armed with Faith and with the Assistances which Christ meâ—â—â—ed for us by his Death At last he runs through the Articles of the Creed and refutes the contrary Herâ—sâ—â—s The Book of Instruction for these that have no Knowledge of our Religion was written at the Request of a Deacon of Carthage who desired of St. Augustin Rules and a Method to Caâ—eâ—â—iâ—e his People acceptably and usefully The Father comforts him at the beginning upon his being very often not pleased with his own Discourses since it sometimes happens that a Discourse which displeases the Speaker is very acceptable to the Hearers He adviseth him to teach them cheerfully and not to be tired with it and then furnishes him with Rules how to instruct them right in their Religion He saith in the first place That perfect Instruction should begin at the Creation of the World and end with the present Age of the Church Bâ—â— for this there is no need of learning by heart or reciting all the Books of the Bible one needs only chuse the best the most admirable and most diverting Passages He layeth down in the second place his usual Rule That every thing ought to be referred to Charity That Care must be taken that the Aâ—ditor may believe what is spoken Hope what he Believes and Love what he Hopes for And he would have him inspired with a wholsome Fear of God's Judgments and kept from all prospects of temporal Interest and Advantage that he might have by being a Christian. He observes That the same Method is not to be followed with the Learned as with the Ignorant and he lays down very prudent Rules how they are to be dealt withal He shews what Things commonly tiâ—â— the Heareâ—â— and he gives excellent Remedies how they may be avoided and at last makes Two instructive Speeches one pretty long the other shorter but composed with a great deal of Art to serve for an Example or Pattern of such Instructions as ought to be given This Treatise shews That to instruct Men well in Religion is an harder Task than most Men imagine and that the Method formerly used was nobler and larger than that which is now observed This Book is of the Year 400 or thereabouts Though St. Augustin does not mention his Treatise of Continency in the Review of his Works yet he owns it in the 262d Epistle and Possidius reckons it among his VVorks This Book is a Discourse upon these VVords of the 140th Psalm Set a Watch O Lord before my Mouth and keep the Doors of my Lips O let not my Heart be enclined to any evil Thing let me not be occupied in ungodly Works with the Men that work Wickedness He shews That true Continency consists in suppressing ones Passions and he recommends the Necessity of Grace to overcome them He speaks against the Proud who excuse their Sins and particularly against the Manichees who charged their Sins upon an evil Nature that was in them This Sermon is thought to be of the Year 395. or thereabouts Both the following Treatises are written against the Errour of Jovinian This Enemy of Virginity had drawn aside several Roman Virgins from their Design of continuing so and perswaded them to marry saying to them Are you better than Susanna or Anna or so many other Holy Women Though Jovinian's Opinion was rejected at Rome yet this Heretick's Disciples gave out That none could refute him without condemning Marriage To undeceive those that were of this Opinion St. Augustin writ a Book intituled Of the Advantage of Matrimony before he undertook to speak of the Excellency of Virginity Wherein he saith first That the Union betwixt the Husband and the Wife is the most Ancient and the most Natural After that he examineth a Question rather Curious than Useful namely How Men could have had Children had they persisted in the State of Innocence He observes a Four-fold Advantage in Marriage The Society of both Sexes the Procreation of Children the good Use of Lust which is regulated by a Prospect of having Children and the Fidelity which Husband and Wife preserve towards each other He saith That every Union between a Woman and a Man is not Marriage He doth not think That this Name is to be given to that Union whose aim was only to satisfie their brutish Passion if they endeavoured to prevent their having Children He declares That Man guilty of Adultery who should abuse a Virgin when he has a Design of Marrying another As for the Young Woman he judgeth her guilty of Sin but not of Adultery if she is true to that Man and Designs not to marry when he leaveth her Nay he preferrs her before several married VVomen who abuse Matrimony by their Intemperance He doth not excuse from venial Sin either the Man or the VVoman who have another Prospect in Marriage than the begetting of Children In a word he distinguishes Three Things in Marriage The Fidelity which married Persons owe one to the other which is of natural Right the Procreation of Children which ought to be the end of Marriage and the Sacrament â—r mysterious Signification which makes it indissoluble For which Reason he determines That though humane Laws permit a Man to marry again when he is divorced from a former Wife yet it is not Lawful for Christians to whom St. Paul forbids it He concludes That Marriage is
although there was no Invocation of Saints yet many Doctrines and practices were allowed and believed which laid the Foundation of Saint-Worship which was introduced soon after As 1. It was held That the Souls of the Martyrs were every where present but especially at their Tombs where several Miracles were wrought 2. Many of the eminent Fathers both for Learning and Devotion made Rhetorical Panegyricks of the Christians deceased wherein by Apostrophe's and Prosopopeia's they seemed to invoke Souls departed Thus S. Jerom in his Epitaph of Paula saith Farewel O Paula and â—y thy Prayers help the decrepis Age of him that honours thee And so Nazianzen in his Invectives against Julian saith Hear O â—â—ou Sâ—ul of great Constantine c. 3. The Christians in their Prayers at the Commemoration of the Memories of the Martyrs not only used many unwary Expressions implying a sort of Invocation of them but did formally pray to God to grant them such Blessings as they stood in need of through their Intercession for so Austin says We mention not them as Aug. in Joan. tract 84. though we prayed for them but that they may pray for us These Doctrines and Practices so prepared Men's Minds for the Invocation of Saints that about the Year 60â— S. Gregory inserted Petitions to them in the publick Litanies among the Latins as Petrus Gâ—apâ—aus had some time before among the Greeks and it was quietly received and allowed and so continued to the Times of Charles the Great and downward till the Reformation without any considerable Opposition So apt are Men to cherish Will-worship was much used Relicks and the Cross were reverenced ii Relicks reverenced Altho the Reverence of Bones and other Relicks of Saints seems as absurd a piece of Idolatrous Worship as the Heathens themselves were guilty of yet it was the first that crept into the Church through the Policy of Satan which was effected by this Means It pleased God for the Testimony of his Doctrine and Truth to work great Miracles by the dead Bodies of his Saints in witness that they had been his Messengers and Instruments of his Will But that which was intended by God for the good of Men and Conversion of Souls became a Snare to lead them into Error for their admiration of the vertue which God seemed to put into them stirred them up not only to seek for them and use them as Amulets and Remedies against all Evils and Distempers but also made them give them a singular Respect and Veneration as we may gather from S. Austin's Words I know many Aug. de Eccles Man c. 34. that worship Graves Images c. Indeed there was a Respect always paid to the Martyrs deceased by the Christians by celebrating their Memories at their Tombs upon the anniversary of their Martyrdom and by bestowing a neat and convenient Burial upon them but it was never allowed by the Orthodox Fathers to give them a Divine Honour Yea S. Gregory says That it is not lawful to bring the Greg. lib 3. ep 30. Body of the Saints into a publick view or handle them with the Hands 'T was Satan's Subtilty to insinuate Idolatry by an intemperate Devotion But in France no veneration of Images was allowed The Prohibition of contracting Marriages was extended to the fourth degree of Consanguinity Spiritual Affinity kk Prohibition of Marriage to the fourth Degree of Consanguinity Spiritual Affinity To avoid all incestuous Marriages such Canons as these prohibiting Marriage within certain degrees are very convenient to be imposed and ought to be observed And tho' indeed this may seem too strict restraining such Kindred from Marriage as the Word of God it self doth seem to permit Lev. 18. being extended to the fourth degree of Consanguinity yet 't is better to prohibit something in it self lawful where there is little or no inconvenience consequent upon it than to permit a thing which in strictness perhaps is lawful but is in appearance evil and scandalous as a Marriage-Conjunction of Persons near-a-kin is commonly accounted But as to Spiritual Consanguinity or Affinity as it is no real Relation so to hinder such as are thus allied from Marriage is an Instance of Papal Tyranny and Usurpation no Persons being really better qualified for Marriage together than such as are Brethren and Sisters in the Lord So that though the Constitution for not marrying to the fourth degree is tolerable enough yet the latter since it may produce many Inconveniences among Men deserve no Regard or Observation and it is to be believed that it had long since expired had it not been much for the Advantage of the Papal Hierarchy by creating an abundance of Dispensations began then to take Place The Celebration of Sundays was then very solemn On this Day they did forbear all manner of servile Work and Christians were obliged to be present at Divine Service which was solemnly perform'd The keeping of publick Markets was prohibited on this Day This is the number of the Holy Days then kept set down in the 158th Chapter of the first Book of the Capitularies The Festivals of Christmas S. Stephen S. John the Evangelist the Innocents the Octave of the Lord the Epiphany the Octave of the Epiphany the Purification of the Blessed Virgin eight Days at Easter the great Litany the Ascension Whitsunday S. John Baptist S. Peter and S. Paul S. Martyn and S. Andrew As to the Virgin 's Assumption it is said We leave it out to enquire into it Churches were built with as much splendor and Magnificence as the Age would permit they were decked and adorn'd the Altars consecrated and covered with Linen-Cloath the Service was performed with great Pomp. The Roman way of singing was brought into the Churches of France but they kept still their own peculiar way of Singing They took great care of the Church-Books and Singing Women were forbidden to come near the Altars and Abbesses to give the Blessing to make the Sign of the Cross upon Men's Heads and to give the Veil with the Sacerdotal Benediction Simony was severely forbidden They made Laws against Usury then not only in Ecclesiastical but Laymen There were many Hospitals for the Poor and the Sick The paying of Tithes was become obligatory and all sorts of Persons were constrained to pay them to Church-Men They were forbidden exacting any thing for the Sacraments or for Ecclesiastical Offices Church-Revenues were divided into three Parts one part was for the repairing of Churches the other for the Poor and the last for Churchmen They began to oblige the Clergy of Cathedrals to live together canonically They made divers Constitutions to keep Monks in order They forbad to receive Children without the Parent 's Consent and to veil Virgins before 30 Years of Age and Widow-Women before the thirtieth Day after their Husbands Decease They prohibited a Sort of Clerks which wore the Religious Habit and would live neither as Monks nor Clergymen The Rectors of Country Parishes
fuscari videtur It were easie to produce some Instances of this defect but it seems to me to be more expedient to leave them to the Judgment of the Readers of his Works Erasmus first published the ancient Version of the Five Books of S. Irenaeus which was at first Printed at Basil in the Year 1526. A Second Edition was likewise set forth at the same place by Frobenius in 1528. afterwards in 1533 1545 1548 1554 1560 in Folio and in 1571. at Paris in 1528 and 1563. in Octavo by Petit in a very fair Character and by the same Printer in 1567 again in Octavo These Editions were followed by those of Gallasius Minister of Geneva in the Year 1570. Lastly Feuardentius a Professor of Divinity of the Faculty of Paris a Learned Man in his time undertook this Work and Printed at Paris by Nivellae in 1575 and 1576 the Five Books of S. Irenaeus Revised and Corrected in many places from an ancient Manuscript and Augmented with Five entire Chapters which were found in his Manuscript at the end of the Fifth Book He has added at the end of every Chapter several Notes which he judged to be necessary for the better understanding of this Author they are for the most part useful and Learned but there are some which exceed the due Limits that a Commentator should prescribe to himself whose Design ought not to be to make Ostentation of his Learning or to Treat of matters of Controversie but barely to explain the Sense of his Author The second Edition of Feuâ—rdentius Printed at Colen in the Year 1596 and afterwards in 1630 and at Paris in 1639. is better than the former because it contains the Greek passages of S. Irenaeus which are extant in the Works of S. Epiphanius and some other ancient Writers To these may be added those that are Collected by Halloixius from the Writings of S. Joannes Damascenus in a Manuscript of the Cardinal de la Rochefoucauld I am of Opinion that it would be useless to make a new Edition of the Works of S. Irenaeus at least until the Greek Text shall happen to be found for to Compose one from the Version that we now have in our Possession as Halloixius proposes would be a Business scarce of any manner of use Victor Polycrates Theophilus of Cesarea and Bachillus of Corinth ST Jerome places Victor amongst the Ecclesiastical Writers because he wrote some little Pieces about the day of the Festival of Easter which he believed ought not to be celebrated upon any Victor c. other day but a Sunday Eusebius mentions but one Roman Synod published in the Name of Victor Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus wrote a Letter against the Opinion of Victor wherein he pretended that we ought to celebrate this Festival upon the 14th day after the appearance of the Moon in March upon what day of the Week soever it fell Eusebius cites part of this Letter written in the name of Polycrates in the 24th Chapter of the Fifth Book of his History wherein he asserts that St. Polycarp and several other Disciples of the Apostles celebrated the Feast of Easter on the same day as was generally observed in Asia that is to say the Fourteenth day after the appearance of the Moon in March upon what day soever it happened This difference as we have already observed raised some divisions amongst the Churches and exercised the Pens of the most Learned Bishops The Bishops of Palestine Narcissus of Jerusalem Theophilus of Cesarea Cassris of Tyre and Clarus of Prolomials wrote a Letter in the name of the Council wherein after they had proved that they derived this custom from the Apostles they gave Orders to have their Letter solemnly published and declared that they celebrated Easter after the same manner as the Church of Alexandria did Bachyilus Bishop of Corinth wrote also a Letter in the name of the Bishops of Achaid upon the same Subject and in Eusebius's time the Letters of the Bishops of Pontus of the Province of Osroene were extant But all these Books are lost and we have nothing that is ancient upon this Subject except the Fragments of a Letter of St. Irenaeus and of that of Polycrates cited by Eusebius lib. 5. c. 4. All these Letters were writ towards the end of the Reign of Commodus or the beginning of that of Severus There goes indeed under the name of Prolycrates a Book Entituled The Passion of Blessed Timothy mentioned by Sigebert and published by Stapulensis but 't is a supposititious Work and never mentioned by the Ancients Several Writers of whom nothing remains and who were little known amongst the Ancients THERE lived at this time several Writers whose Works were extant in Eusebius's time who mentions these that follow lib. 5. cap. 27. Heraclitus upon St. Paul Some Books of Several Writers c. Maximus upon that common Question among the Hereticks From whence proceeds Evil and About the Creation of Matter The Commentaries of Appion and of Candidus upon the Hexameron Sextus ' s Book concerning the Resurrection A Treatise of one Arabianus and the Writings of several others whose time says Eusebius we are not able to find out there being no Traces or Signs of it and lastly the Discourses of several Authors whose Names we don't so much as know who though they were Oxthodox and of the Church as appears by their Explication of the Scriptures yet they were for the most part unknown and without reputation because their Books carried not the Names of their respective Authors To these we must add a certain Person named Judas who Composed a Dissertation upon the Seventy Weeks of Daniel wherein he has composed a Chronology that reaches down to the Tenth year of the Emperor Severus and would persuade the World that Anti-Christ was then at hand So much had the persecution raised against the Christians at that time troubled the Church SERAPION of ANTIOCH SErapion the Eighth Bishop of Antioch was advanced to this Dignity in the Tenth year of the Emperor Commodus in the year of our Lord 191. He wrote a Letter to Caricus and Pontius Serapion of Antioch against the Sect of the Montanists a Fragment whereof Eusebius has cited wherein he opposes the Authority of Apollinarius Bishop of Hierapolis and the a The Subscriptions of two Bishops of Thrace These Subscriptions occasioned Baronius to imagine that a Council was held upon this Subject but they are only the Subscriptions of the Letters of two Bishops of Thrace who wrote to the Asiaticks concerning this new Sect as the Church of France had done and therefore there is no necessity of saying that there was a Council assembled upon this occasion Subscriptions of two Bishops of Thrace to the Montanists There was also in the time of Eusebius another Letter of his addressed to Domninus who of a Christian turned Jew to reduce him from his Apostacy and a Book concerning the Gospel falsely attributed to St. Peter
by Photius and even by Eusebius in the Sixth Book Chapter 31 of his History If that Passage which is not to be found in Ruffinus's Version nor in S. Jerom be not foisted in But it is more likely that this is the Work of another Africanus g Is the Work of another Africanus These Books Entituled Cesti were Discourses containing nothing but prophane Learning they were so called à Cesto Veneris They treated of Herbs and particularly of those that had any Faculty in procuring Love The Author of this Book was of Lybia he called himself Sextus Africanus or rather Africanus Cestus He was probably a Heathen as the Title and the Subject of his Work sufficiently shew There is a Book attributed to one Africanus cited by Politian under the Name of Cestus being a Manuscript in the King's Library but not the same which Photius speaks of It was lately published We do not know whether he of whom we speak wrote any thing else nor when he died MINUTIUS FELIX MInutius Felix a famous Lawyer at Rome a A Lawyer at Rome Not only Lactantius and S. Hierom assure us that he was of this Profession but this likewise appears by the beginning of his Dialogue where he says That it being Vacation time he had no Business at the Hall who lived in the beginning of the Third Century b In the begining of the Third Century The Ancients do not fix precisely the time wherein he lived S. Hierom in his Catalogue wherein he keeps the Order of Time places him between Tertullian and S. Cyprian It is evident that Minutius has taken several Thoughts from Tertullian and that S. Cyprian in his Book Of the Vanity of Idols has transcribed in several Places the Words of Minutius This makes it probable that he was an African and his Style savours a little of Africa wrote an excellent Dialogue Entitulled Octavius in defence of the Christian Religion Minutius Felix 'T is a Conference between a Christian whom he calls Octavius c Octavius He is also called Januarius and Cecilius is named Natalis and Minutius Felix Marcus It would be rather to divine than to believe that these were the Januarius and Natalis Bishops of Africa who lived in S. Cyprian's time It would have been more likely that Octavius and Caecilius were imaginary Names in the Dialogue if we had not been told that they are their proper Names and a Heathen named Cecilius where Minutius sets as Judge Cecilius speaks first against the Christian Religion and begins by laying down this Maxim that every thing is uncertain and doubtful and that therefore it is a great piece of Rashness especially in the Christians who are an ignorant and stupid sort of People to pretend to establish their Opinions as certain and Infallible Truths That there being no Providence that governs the World and all things being dubious it is the best way to stick to the Religion of our Ancestors That the Roman Empire was first established and afterwards arrived to its present Height by the Religion of the Gods that they never contemned the Omens and Presages of the Sooth-sayers without repenting of it and that their Oracles certainly foretold things that were really to come to pass Afterwards he attacks the Religion of the Christiand in particular he accuses them of worshipping an Asses Head adoring Crosses and other things which were yet more dishonorable He upbraids them for those Crimes of which the Heathens them-were justly accused to wit the Murthering of Children the Committing of Incests He reprehends in them as a Crime that excessive Love which they had one for another He finds fault with them because they had no Temples Altars nor Statues He tells them that they can neither see themselves nor shew to others that God whom they adore that they feign that he sees all things but that it is impossible that he should be able to take care of every particular thing if he has the Charge of the whole Universe lying upon him He pretends that it was to no purpose that the Jews adored and honoured this God He scoffs at the Hopes of the Christians He looks upon the Resurrection Hell and Heaven to be Fables like those of the Poets He says that Men being necessarily Good or Evil 't is ridiculous to believe that God will punish or reward them for their Actions He examines the Condition of the Christians in this Life which is to be Poor Ignorant subject to Diseases persecuted exposed continually to Racks and Tortures Which shews says he that their God either cannot or will not relieve them and by consequence that he is Impotent or Malicious That on the contrary the Romans who do not adore the God of the Christians are not only Powerful and Lords of the whole World but they likewise enjoy all those Pleasures from which the Christians are forced to abstain He concludes by advising the Christians not to seek any more after Heavenly Things and not to flatter themselves vainly with the Knowledge of them maintaining that all things being uncertain and doubtful it is better to suspend our Judgments than to judge rashly for fear of falling into Superstition or utterly destroying all Religion After some Reflexions of Minutius Felix Octavius answering Cecilius's Discourse observes how he has argued after a very inconstant manner sometimes admitting a Deity and sometimes seeming to doubt thereof Which he has not done says he out of any Craft or Cunning this sort of Artifice not suiting with his Candid and Frank Temper but that has happened to him which usually happens to a Man who is Ignorant of the Way when he sees several Paths he stands in suspence not daring to chuse any and not being able to follow them all In like manner as he adds he who has no certain Knowledge of the Truth is always in doubt and suffers himself to be led by the first Suspicion without being able to stop himself He afterwards reprehends all the Reasonings of Cecilius and he answers every one in particular After having shewn that Poverty and Ignorance which was upbraided to the Christians could be no ways prejudicial to the Truth he proves the Divine Providence by the Order and Beauty which is seen in the Universe and by the admirable Perfections of all the Creatures And he shews that it could be no other than God who has created all things governing them by his WORD ruling them by his Wisdom and bringing them to perfection by his Power That he is not to be seen because he is more subtile than the Sight That he is not to be comprehended because he is greater than all the Senses That he is infinite and immense That the Bounds of our Understanding are by much too shallow to have a perfect Knowledge of him That it is only he who comprehends himself that it is impossible to give him a Name suitable to his Perfections And yet that all Men do naturally know him
has given of this Letter demonstrates that St. Cyprian understood the Institution of the Eucharist to be only Mystical Caecilius desired to know what St. Cyprian thought of a Custom newly taken up of using Water alone in the Morning when they administred the Lords Supper It was in dangerous times when by their Breaths the Christians might have been discovered if they should have drank Wine so Early This Innovation of theirs does not seem to have proceeded from a wilful Contempt of the command of Christ but from the Notions they had always been instructed in concerning the Eucharist They believed that the Lord's Supper was only a commemorative Sacrifice and so they thought the Death of Jesus Christ could equally be remembred by Water in a Morning as by Water and Wine together in an Afternoon The Question then is whether if St. Cyprian had believed that Jesus Christ was Corporeally present in the Sacrament he would have used such Mystical Arguments to persuade them to break off so unwarrantable a practice He ought according to Roman Catholick Principles to have confuted their Error by a right Explication of the Nature of the Eucharist He ought to have shewed them that it was not a Mystical but a Real Sacrifice and that Jesus Christ is as literally offered up in that Sacrament as he was upon the Cross and especially he ought to have told them that Water could not have served instead of Wine because upon Consecration it could not have been Transubstantiated into the Blood of Christ and so by consequence it had been no true Sacrament for want of that real Presence since Jesus Christ had never given his Ministers a Power to turn any thing besides Wine into his Blood upon Pronouncing the words of the â—nstitution Whereas here St. Cyprian owns the Eucharist to have been a Mystical Sacrifice and gives this as a principal Reason why Water alone without Wine is ineffectual because there was a positive Institution from which the Church had no Warrant to recede This is further confirmed by his secondary Arguments In the first place he says there must be Wine Quia non potest videri Sanguis ejus quo redemti vivificari sumus esse in Calice quando Vinum desit Caâ—ici quo Christi sanguis ostenditur Because says he his Blood by which we are redeemed and quicknâ—d cannot seem to be in the Cup if the Wine that represents the Blood of Christ be not in the Cup. If St. Cyprian had believed Transubstantiation he ought to have said That the Blood of Christ is not in the Cup unless Wine had been put into it But he says It cannot seem to be there i. e. cannot be Typically represented by Water so well as by Wine This is no force upon his Words because he afterwards brings several Texts out of the Old Testament to prove that the Blood of Christ was represented by Wine and not by Water and that Baptism only was typified by Water by the Prophets This Reasoning does not agree with modern Glosses no Man ever searches for a mystical Reason when he can give a plain one Wine after Consecration is not a Figure of Christ's Blood but the Blood it self according to the Church of Rome And it is improper to say that the Blood of Jesus Christ could not seem to be in the Cup if the Wine did not represent it if the Wine were believed to be the real Blood To be and to be Represented are very different things And though St. Cyprian calls the Eucharist a Sacrifice yet since he describes it as a Commemorative one by which we are Mystically united to Jesus Christ by Faith in him it is impossible to gather from thence that he believed any other Presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Sacrament then that which is taught by the Church of England Hitherto we have not been willing to interrupt the order of the Letters by mingling them with his other Books according to the Series of the time they were written in because we could not possibly have made an Abridgement of them without breaking the Continuation of the Letters but nothing hinders us now from doing it We shall carefully set down the years wherein they were composed and this will be full as well for the Chronology of them as if we had introduced them among the Letters It is probable that St. Cyprian's first Book I mean after his address to Donatus is bb A small Treatise intituled of the vanity of Idols This Book is cited by St. Jerome Epist. 84. ad Magmon Cyprianus quod Idola Dii non sunt quâ brevitate quâ historiarum omnium scientiâ quò verborum sensuum splendore perstrinâ—it It is probable that it was written in the year 247. That small Treatise Intituled The Vanity of Idols wherein he refused the Pagan Religion which he had lately quitted This Treatise may be divided into three Parts In the first he proves that the Deities of the Heathens are not true Gods In the second he shews that there is only one God And lastly in the Third he shews that Jesus Christ is the word of God who was sent to bring Salvation to Men. The two first parts are almost word for word taken out of Minutius Felix and the last out of Tertullian cc The first Books of the Testimonies to Quirinus These Books are not only cited by Bede and by Gennadius but also by St. Jerome advers Pelag. and by St. Austin lib. contra duas Epist. Pelag. c. 8. 10. who testifies that Pelagius the Heretick had made a Collection of several Testimonies out of the Scripture to imitate or rather to compleat the work of St. Cyprian St. Jerome cites the third Book He and St. Austin have drawn some passages out of it so that though they are not to be found in several Manuscripts yet we are not in the least to doubt of them Quirinus to whom this Work is addressed was in all probability a Neophyte when it was written to him for St. Cyprian calls him his Son and tells him in his Preface that he sent him these Testimonies to give him the first tinctures of the Faith and that he presented him with a little Water drawn out of the Divine Fountains which he might make use of till he could go to drink of them himself at the Spring-Head The first Books of the Testimonies to Quirinus were also in all probability writ by St. Cyprian before he was Bishop when he wholly employed himself in Reading and Studying the Holy Scriptures These Books are a Collection of several Texts out of the Bible and principally the Old Testament upon different Matters In the first Book he cites those passages that prove that the Jewish Law was to be only for a time that it ought to be Abolished and the Jews to be rejected That Jesus Christ was to come to establish a New Temple and New Sacrifices a New Priesthood and a New
contempt of Riches but I cannot forget that place where he says That he broke in pieces the Sacred Vessels to redeem Captives He justifies himself in this Action or rather he draws from it a great deal of Glory The Church says he was founded without Gold if she has it now 't is to give it and not to keep it 't is for assisting the Poor with it in their great Necessities What would be said of a Bishop who to preserve the lifeless Vessels would suffer the living Members of Christ to perish Would he say I am afraid lest the Temple of the Lord should be spoil'd of its Ornaments Might it not be answered to him That 't is not necessary that the Sacraments of the Altar should be administred in Gold or Silver That the Redemption of Captives was an Ornament much more pleasing in the sight of God That those Vessels could not be put to a nobler Use than when they are employ'd to redeem the Lives of Christians That the true Treasure of the Lord is that which has the same effect with his Blood That then a Vessel is known to be truly the Lord's when there is a double Redemption to be observ'd in it that is when the exteriour Vessel redeems from the Enemy those whom the Blood of Jesus Christ had redeem'd from Sin He justifies also this Conduct by the Example of St. Laurence who show'd the Poor when the Treasures of the Church were demanded of him At last He concludes That tho' it be a Crime to break the Vessels of the Church to turn them to our own Profit yet on the contrary it is an Act of Charity and Vertue to do it to distribute them to the Poor to redeem Captives or to build a Church when such things are necessary He adds That he used that Precaution as to take first the Vessels which were not Consecrated and afterwards to break and melt those that were lest any should turn the Sacred Chalices to profane Uses He concludes this Book with recommending to the Clergy to keep with Faithfulness and Courage what is deposited in the Churches by Widows and relates some Examples of the Boldness wherewith some have defended these things against those who came to invade them And here I must resume the 24th Ch. of which I have said nothing St. Ambrose there describes the chief Duties of Clergy-men towards others in a few Words We must says he prepare our selves by good Actions and by a good Intention to receive Offices and chiefly those of the Clergy We must not carry our selves proudly in them nor estrange our selves from them by negligence we must equally shun Ambition and the Affectation of refusing them Simplicity and Uprightness comprehends all and these are of themselves commendable enough In the Exercise of his Ministry he must neither be too severe nor too remiss lest he should seem either to exercise his Authority with Dominion over the Flock or else to neglect the Duties of his Ministry he must endeavour to oblige all the World A Bishop should consider and protect the Priests and the other Clergy-men he should not be offended if they purchase Esteem either by their Charity or their Fasting or their Piety oâ— their Learning But these ought not to exalt themselves much less employ their own Merits to diminish the Reputation of their Bishop The Wicked must not be defended nor Holy Things given to those that are unworthy of them but neither are we to reprove and condemn any Person till he be convicted of a Fault For if Injustice be otherwise above all things offensive it is insupportable in the Church where every thing should be regulated according to Equity where Impartiality should be observed The Powerful and Rich ought to have no more Authority than the Poor because the Rich and Poor are all one in Jesus Christ. The most Holy should attribute nothing more to himself than others for the more Holy he is the more Humble he ought to be When we Judge we ought not to have any respect of Persons Favour should have no place in our Judgments but only the Justice of the Cause Nothing does more wound the Reputation and Credit which we may have than to betray the Cause of the weak in Favour of those that are more Powerful to reprove a Poor Man that is Innocent severely and to excuse a Rich Man that is Guilty 'T is true that we are naturally inclin'd to favour Great Persons lest they find that Injustice has been done them and afterwards revenge themselves upon us But First if you be afraid of making your self Enemies do not meddle with judging or opposing You can say nothing when a Matter of Interest is under debate tho' it were better done to protect Justice but when the Cause of God lies at stake or it is to be fear'd that the Impious will be admitted to the Communion of the Church then it is a very heinous Sin for Clergy-men to use Dissimulation In the First Chapter of the Third Book St. Ambrose shows That this Maxim of Scipio That he was never more busy nor less alone than when he was by himself was ancienter than Scipio and that it was verified in a more Illustrious manner in Moses Elias Elisha and the Apostles who did so many wonderful things when they seem'd to mind nothing He adds That a Just Man is never alone because he is always with God That he is never idle because he is always meditating That he seems to be unknown and yet is Famous That when he is thought to be Dead he then enjoys a more happy Life That he is never more joyful than when others think him to be under Affliction That he is never richer than when he is poor because he places all his Happiness in Justice and Honesty He observes afterwards That the Comparison which the Philosophers make between the Good of Honesty and of Profit has no place among Christians because they acknowledge nothing Profitable to be Good which is not also Honest. He distinguishes two sorts of Good and of Duty that which is more and that which is less perfect In short he maintains That a Just Man ought never to seek his own Profit by doing Injury to others but on the contrary that he ought to seek the Good of others above his own He enlarges upon this Maxim and proves that for any Man to do Injury to his Neighbour for his own Profit is contrary to the Example and to the Law of Jesus Christ to the Law of Nature to the Dictates of Conscience and to the Civil Laws Pursuant to this Principle he determines that a Christian in a Shipwrack ought not to snatch from his Brother the Plank which he has taken to save himself and that he ought not to fight against a Robber who would set upon him and lays it down for a General Maxim That 't is never lawful to preserve our own Life by putting another to Death The Philosophers
This is First of all to persuade those that are present that the Souls of the Dead are still alive and that they are not annihilated Secondly To make us apprehend that there is good hopes of those that are dead Moreover Prayers are not only useful to the Living but also to the Dead tho' they do not blot out all their Sins yet they serve to expiate some of those which they committed in this Life We mention Sinners and Righteous Men Sinners to implore the Mercy of God for them Righteous Men such as the Fathers the Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles the Evangelists the Martyrs the Confessors the Bishops the Hermites and all Christians that Jesus Christ may be distinguished from all his Creatures and that we may learn to give to him the Worship that is due to him only being persuaded that we ought not to equal Mortal Men to the Lord whatsoever Righteousness and Holiness they have After this he distinguishes Two Sorts of Saints those that are on Earth and those that are in the Heavenly Jerusalem and he adds that the Church does well to observe a Custom which she has received by Tradition That the Laws of our Fathers cannot be subverted nor the Commands of our Mothers despised without impiety according to the Words of Solomon Hearken my Son to the Commands of your Father and do not reject the Admonitions of your Mother Jesus Christ our Father has taught us his Doctrine by Writing and by Tradition The Holy Church our Mother has Laws which cannot be destroyed nor abrogated Nothing is greater nor more admirable than those Laws and all those who would oppose them are self-convicted of an Error Can there be any thing more agreeable to the Doctrine of the Church or more contrary to the principal Errors of the Innovators But says Scultetus these Arabian Women who offered Sacrifices to the Virgin did not believe her Eternal or Infinite But tho' these Women did not it may be think so yet they gave her that Worship which is due only to a sovereign and infinite Being by offering Sacrifices unto her and placing all their Religion in doing so The Second Objection of Scultetus is about the use of Images which St. Epiphanius condemns in his Letter to John of Jerusalem and which he seems also to reject as contrary to the Law of the Gospel We have already answered this Objection by saying That indeed St. Epiphanius seems to have disallow'd the use of Images because this Custom was not then established in his Country But 't is certain and Baillee himself does not deny it that 't was then establish'd in other Churches Moreover we must not wonder that St. Epiphanius speaks of it as a Practice contrary to the Gospel For 't is well known that those who speak against Customs that were not established in their own time do sometimes make use of Expressions too vehement in rejecting them as for Example St. Cyprian condemning the practice of those who did not put Water into the Chalice makes no scruple to say that their Custom was contrary to the Law of Jesus Christ. Many other Examples may be brought of this nature and the Calvinists themselves must acknowledge that the same is to be said of the Words of St. Epiphanius since they cannot affirm that the use of Images whereof St. Epiphanius speaks in this place is This Excuse is not defensible The New Testament is as severe against Idolatry as the Old was and more if we consider upon how much nobler Foundations it is constituted Neither is this only a Matter of Discipline or if it is yet it is not an indifferent thing The Church of Rome was very sensible of this when she removed the Second Commandment out of the Catechisms by which she orders her People to be instructed If the Abuses occasioned by placing of Images in Churches had never been more dangerous than they were in St. Epiphanius's time this Plea might have been valid for those Churches which still desired to retain them or if the Church of Rome in her Offices Catechisms and Directions to her Priests to guide them in their Sermons and Exhortations to the People had taken all possible care to obviate all Objections whatsoever which could have been raised she could then have justly urged it But Mr. Du Pin knows very well that her constant connivance if not Command has long ago precluded her from all Pretences of this nature She knows also that the Laiety in all Countries of the Communion of the Church of Rome where they have not been over-aw'd by a promiscuous conversation with Protestants have without check paid as gross Acts of Worship to senseless Images of sometimes fictitious Saints as ever the Heathens of old paid to the Images of Jupiter or Apis and lastly he knows that his Church is in this Point wholly inexcusable because it has establish'd and still maintains a Custom not mentioned at least if not expresly forbidden in Scripture unknown to the purest Ages of Christianity opposed as contradictory to the Law of God at its first appearance by Men eminent for Piety and Learning in the Time when they lived and received as Saints by the Catholick Church after their Deaths and abused by the ignorant People to the basest Idolatry and Superstition in all Countries where-ever it has been allowed contrary to the Gospel The Third thing which Scultetus pretends to find in the Books of St. Epiphanius contrary to the Doctrine of the Church is the condemnation of the Sacrifice of the Mass. He endeavours to prove that St. Epiphanius never taught it because he says in Heres 55. and 42. That Jesus Christ came to abolish the Sacrifices of the Old Law by one Sacrifice only The meanest Writer of Controversies would easily answer this Objection by saying First That St. Epiphanius in this place speaks only of the Sacrifices of the Old Law to which he opposes that of Jesus Christ upon the Cross and that he does no ways exclude the unbloody Sacrifice of the Eucharist Secondly That the Sacrifice of the Eucharist properly speaking is not different from that upon the Cross and that it is always the same thing which is offered tho' after a different manner Thirdly That St. Epiphanius acknowledges that the Priesthood of Melchisedeck and consequently the Sacrifice continued under the New Law The Fourth Objection of Scultetus is about Purgatory He affirms that St. Epiphanius did not own it because he says in Heres 59. That no Man can change his Condition after his death and that then there is no more room for any one to repent and to merit Glory But does it follow from this Proposition which all Catholicks acknowledged that those who died in a State of Damnation could no longer hope for Salvation Does it follow say I that those who died in the Guilt of some small Sins could not be purified from it after their deaths All the Catholicks deny this Consequence and St. Epiphanius
Charles Martel Maire of the Palace or General of France 19. Charles the Bald. Gives up to the Romans the Right of Soveraignty 19. Suffragans how Ordained 129 130. Their Power 249 250. 257. Christian. The Name useless to those who lead a Life unworthy of a Christian 142. Christophorson Judgment upon his Translation of the Ecclesiastical History 4. Church Authority and Mark of the Catholick Church 81 82 111. But one Catholick Church spread over the whole Earth 90 112. Principal Mark of that Church 90 91. Churches of the East Divided upon occasion of that of Antioch 123. 130. 130 137 c. 187 188. Church of Rome It s Authority 90. Churches Principal and their Rights Church of Jerusalem Establishment of their Dignity 107. 252. Churches of Gaul Difference for Primacy 285. Circus Canon against those which run in the Circus 247. Ciriha City of Numidia 〈◊〉 there in 305. The Names of the Bishops that assisted in it 241. Clergy Canons concerning the Qualities Life and Manners of Priests Bishops and other Clerks 141 142 143. 205. 207. 247 248 249 250. 268. 270. 273. 276 277. 280 281. 284 285 c. Not subject to Publick Penance 26. 143. Immunities and Exemptions 15 16. Edicts of Constantine in their favour ibid. Cologne Council of Cologne in 346. against Euphratas 258. Communion How it ought to be Received 114. Of Frequent Communion 137. Confirmation Given by the Bishop with the holy Chrism conferrs the Holy Ghost 85. Constantius Emperour of the East 30. Causes Pope Liberius to be imprisoned 18. Constantinople Council there in 336 against Marcellus of Ancyra 255. Another in 338 against Paul Bishop of that City ibid. Another in 360. by the Acacians 265. Constantine the first Christian Emperour 11. His Parents ibid. Proclaimed Emperour by his Souldiers ibid. Defeats the Tyrant Maxentius ibid. Goes to Milan to Celebrate the Marriage of his Sister with Lioinius 12. Quarrels with him ibid. His care for the Church and what belonged to it ibid. Assembles a Council at Rome ibid. Gives Judgment at Milan in favour of Caecilian against the Donatists ibid. Declares War against Licinius ibid. Makes Laws in favour of the Christians and for the Celebration of the Lord's Day ibid. Abrogates the Edicts of Licinius against the Christians ibid. Labours to appease the Quarrel between Alexander and Arius ibid. Assembles a Council of both the East and West at Nice where he Assists What pass'd there ibid. What he did at Jerusalem 13. His Zeal for the Christian Religion ibid. Unblamable if he had not Favoured the Bishops of Arius's Party against St. Athanasius ibid. He recalls to Tyre the Fathers of the Council of Jerusalem and Why ibid. Banishes St. Athanasius to Triers ibid. His Baptism ibid. In what Place and by whom ibid. His Death and how long he Reigned 14. His Character ibid. Is put among the Saints by the Greeks 14. Account of his Speeches by Eusebius 14 15. Discourse upon the Feast of Easter 15. Letters ibid. and 16. Edicts in Favour of the Christian Religion 16 17. Suppositions donation 17 c. Constantius Chlorus The only Emperour in the Tenth Persecution that did not persecute the Christians 11. and a. Constans Emperour Protector of St. Athanasius Died in 350. 31. Consubstantial When and where that Word was first used 2. Councils History and Abridgment of the Councils held in the Fourth Century 241 c. to the end Councils of Cabarsussa and Bagais in 393 and 394. 277. Councils of Constantinople I. In 381. 271. II. In 382 ibid. III. In 383. 272. Another in the Year 394. 285. Cousin President His French Translation of Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History and his Judgment upon that Author 4. Creed Of the Creed of St. Cyril 110. Cross. Sign of the Cross 111. 115. Apparition of a Cross 12 115. Invention of the true Cross 13. St. Cyprian the Martyr His Character by St. Gregory Nazianzen 166. Cyprus Council of Cyprus in the Year 399 where the Books of Origen were Condemned 285. St. Cyril of Jerusalem Life and Ordination 107. Judgments for and against him ibid. 115. His Quarrel with Acacius who Assembled a Council against him in which he is Deposed and upon what Pretence 107. And is so again in the Council of Constantinople ibid. His Successors ibid. Catechetical Lectures justified ibid. d e f. Letters attributed to him 115. Judgment upon his Stile and Doctrine ibid. Different Editions of his Works ibid. D. DAmasus Pope His Ordination disturbed by Ursicinus 120. His Genuine Letters 121. Supposititious Letters 122. Poems and Epigrams ibid. Editions of his Works ibid. Council under Damasus 270. Tome sent to the East by Damasus 271. Deacons Canons concerning them 247. 248. 253. 257. 261. 269. 276. 278. 280. 284. 285. Dead Prayer of the Church for the Dead 8. 237. 238. 289. Dedication Dedication or Consecration of a Church necessary before Celebration in it 39 40. Deposition What is necessary for the Deposition of a Bishop 285. Desiderius King of the Lombards invades the Exarchate of Ravenna 19. Destiny Against Destiny 6. 15. 179. 188. 206. Dianius Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia enemy to St. Athanasius 122. 132. Dictinius Errors and Writings of this Priscillianist 191. Didymus of Alexandria His profound Learning 103. Catalogue of his Works ibid. Abridgment of his Book of the Holy Ghost ibid. c. Excellency of that Book 104. Commentaries upon the Canonical Epistles 105. Treatise against the Manichees ibid. Diodorus of Tarsus His Life 188. His Writings ibid. His Doctrine 125. 189. Dionysius of Alexandria His Opinion upon the Trinity 42. Discipline of the Church Canons concerning the Discipline of the Church 140 141. 195 196 197. 242. c. to 245. 247 248 c. 252 256 c. 260. 267 268. 273. 276 c. 280. 283 c. Abridgment of the Discipline of the Church in the Fourth Century 287 c. to the end Regulation of the Discipline of the Church See the Extract of the Canons of the Councils from p. 241. to the end Diviners Canons against those who pretend to Divination 143. 249. Divine Qualities necessary in a Divine 170. Divinity of the Jews by whom embraced 5. Doctrine Abridgment of the Doctrine of the Church in the Fourth Century 287. Donatists History of them 12 c. 15 c. 241. 246. Refutation of their Error 87 88 c. Convicted of delivering up the Scripture and of making a Schism 89 90. Judgment given against them 90 c. Several Books against them 93 94 95 96. Donatus Bishop of Carthage chief of the Donatists not Bishop of Calama 66. and a. Writ several little Treatises ibid. and b. Duties of Christians and principally the Ecclesiastical 205 c. Drunkenness A Discourse against this Vice 153. E. EGypt Council of the Bishops of Egypt in 363 held at Antioch 266. Elvira Council held in that City in the Year 305. The time of this Council not certainly known nor the Name of the City 242. and a. b. St. Ephrem
after the Words of the Priest are no longer common * Not common but holy Bread because still Bread and Wine Bread and Wine but the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. He adds in the One hundred forty and fourth Letter That the Christians were nourished with this Body and Blood He commands them to receive it in a state of Holiness and to shew with what Reverence it ought to be approached He tells us in the Two hundred ninety and fourth Letter of the same Book That S. Chrysostom celebrating the Divine Mysteries saw the Angels assisting the Bishops Priests and Deacons at the Distribution of the adorable Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. He often recommends Penance In the Two hundred forty and third Letter of the Third Book he admonishes a Priest not to deal too roughly with a Person who had confessed his Sin publickly and advises him to give him Absolution not requiring any other Penance not that he thought that he ought always so to deal with Offenders for on the contrary he acknowledges that it is good and necessary for a Sinner to fast watch to lie on the Ground to cover himself with Sack-cloath and Ashes and Lastly to perform rigorous Penance But he requires that it be remitted for the sake of those who are not able to endure those Austerities and that Absolution be given them immediately after the Confession of their Crime He observes upon that occasion That a Priest ought to be active to plant the Vine of the Lord and slack to pluck it up He dislikes the cruel Treatment of Sinners lest thereby they be driven to Despair In the One hundred and ninetieth Letter of the Second Book he reproves a Bishop who would not receive Hereticks into the Church And to render him inexcusable he relates a Story which he says happened in the Apostles Time to one Carpus a Bishop who having used too much Rigour toward the Younger sort who had sinned was rebuked miraculously He speaks of the Usefulness of the Sign of the Cross and commands Christians to make it often in Letter Eighty seven Book One and in Letter Three hundred and four Book Two In Letter Sixty four Book Four inscribed to Olympiodorus and recited in the Second Council of Nice he blames this Lord That he had caused the Shapes of Beasts and other strange Figures to be painted upon the Walls of the Church He tells him That we may only paint the Cross in the Chancel and round the Church place Pictures of the History of the Old and New Testament that those that cannot read may learn the History of the Bible The Iconoclasts had falsified this Passage and whereas it is said in that place That we may paint Pictures they put instead of it We must white-over the Walls of the Church The Last Letter contains the Relation of a Miracle done by the intercession of a Martyr called Plato who freed the Son of a certain Monk of Mount Sinai from the Captivity he was in an History which proves that the Intercession and Invocation of Saints was in use at that Time I have forgotten to observe what S. Nilus maintains in Letters Two hundred sixty and nine and Two hundred and seventy Book One That Mary the Mother of Jesus Christ was always a Virgin before after and in her Delivery He exhorts Men to labour yet acknowledges That all our Labour is of no use without the Assistance of God These are the principal Points of Doctrine which may be gathered out of S. Nilus's Letters There are an infinite Number of Moral Points which it would be too long to recite particularly It may suffice to say that he commends Charity Peace Vigilance Mortifications Watchings Obedience Humility Alms-givings and other Christian Vertues He gives also many useful Counsels to those who profess a Religious Life and who may be very serviceable to Superiors as also to those who are charged with the Government of others Read upon this Subject Letter Three hundred and three Book Three and Letter One Book Four In several Places he extols the State and Condition of the Monks and observes very well in Letter One That Princes and great Personages are obliged to desire the Help of their Prayers to obtain the Graces they stand in need of Among all the Excellencies that we have taken notice of in S. Nilus's Letters there are some false Notions forced Allegories impertinent Comparisons and Apocryphal Stories This for example is laughed at by S. Jerom and that with good reason He says in Letter Two Book One That Palaestine was the Place of Adam's Habitation that he dyed in Mount Calvary and that from thence it had that Name for Men wondring to see a bare Skull in that Place called the Place Calvary S. Jerom says fitly That that Explication is plausible and pleases credulous People but is by no means true Favorabilis interpretatio mulcens aurem populi non tamen vera Yet Origen S. Ambrose and S. Epiphanius in Haer. 46. agree to it But S. Jerom's Opinion who assures us That 't was the Place of Execution of Malefactors is much more probable The Author of the Confessions of Faith attributed to RUFINUS F. SIRMONDUS published in 1650. a long Confession of Faith which bears the Name of Rufinus and which Joannes Diaconus hath attributed to him that was a Priest The Author of the Confessions of Faith c. of Aquileia But this learned Jesuit at the same Time assures us That it cannot be his because it expressly contradicts the Doctrine of Origen which Rufinus never condemned In the Manuscripts of the Abby of Corby Pelagius is said to be the Author of that Writing which he published under Rufinus's Name F. Garner hath also put out since another Confession of Faith much shorter than the former made up of Twelve Anathema's which is found at the beginning of the Collection of Pieces composed by Marius Mercator This also condemns the Opinions of Origen and particularly that of the Pre-existence of Souls which the Priest of Aquileia never would condemn So that this cannot be Rufinus of Aquileia's no more than the former Nevertheless it appears to be him to whom it is commonly attributed and not another Rufinus as F. Garner affirms 1. Because the Author who hath preserved it hath put it at the end of Anastasius's Letter to Rufinus of Aquileia 2. Because the same Author tells us That it is this Rufinus which is spoken of in Anastasius's Letter by this Title Incipit fides ejusdem Rufini Here begins the Sum of Rufinus ' s Faith 3. Because it is said of the Author of that Confession of Faith That he held and defended heretofore the Doctrines which he now condemns This agrees to Rufinus who had defended the Opinions of Origen 4. Because the Opinions of Origen condemned in that Confession of Faith are the very same that Rufinus is accused to have held and about which he defends himself in his Apology to Pope
S. Paul 〈◊〉 S. Peter in desert and says That these two Apostles were as the two Eyes of the Body of the Câ—… of which Jesus Christ is the Head That their Call Travails and End made them eâ—… He concludes saying That he doth not doubt but that these two glorious Apostles do endeavour by their Prayers to move our Lord to Mercy There was heretofore another Sermon upon this Feast but F. Quesnel hath rejected it in his Appendix because all of it except the beginning is taken out of the 3d. Sermon of S. Leo â—â—on the Anniversary of his advancement to the Popedom The following Sermon is on the Octavo of the preceding Feast if we may believe the Title 〈◊〉 it appears by the Body of the Sermon That it was made upon another Subject and apparently at another time after that Rome was freed from the Vandals S. Leo therein condemns the Romaniâ—… Superstition who after they were delivered by the help of the Saints and the Mercy of God did celebrate their * Ludi Circenses in honour of Neptune or as others of Juno Minervd Jupiter Cirque-shews with a great deal of Pomp and State The Eighty Second Sermon is upon the Feast of the 7 Macchabees which was joined to the â—east of the Dedication of some Roman Church He exhorts the Faithful to imitate these Generous Martyrs in conquering the Persecutions of their Spiritual Enemies He highly praises the Person that had built the Church which was dedicated and takes an occasion to admonish the Christians That they ought to build a Spiritual Temple in themselves S. Leo makes an Observation in the beginning of his Panegyrick of S. Lawrence That the Martyrs are those who have most exactly imitated the Charity of Jesus Christ That our Lord in dying for us hath redeemed us and that the Martyrs shew us by their death that we ought not to fear Tortures That among all the Martyrs there is none that was more cruelly Persecuted and shewed more Constancy than S. Lawrence That as he was a Minister of the Sacraments the Persecutor was animated by a double Motive and put on by two different Passions Being Covetous of Money and an Enemy to the true Religion his Avarice put him upon seizing the Treasures of the Church and his Impiety upon destroying the Christian Religion He could not make S. Lawrence deliver up the Treasures of the Church but he must at the same time make him renounce his Religion He demands of him then the place where the Treasures of the Church were Our Saint shews him the Flocks of Poor which were maintained and cloathed out of the Church's Revenues The Tyrant being disappointed of his hopes was all in a fury and prepared the most cruel Torments and after he had torn and mangâ—ed his Body with many Blows he broiled his Body upon a Grid-Iron But the more cruel his Tortures were the greater was the Glory of this Martyr So that Rome hath been as famous for the Martyrdom of S. Laurence as Jerusalem for S. Stephen We hope adds this Father that we shall be helped by his Prayers and his Intercession The Nine following Sermons are upon the Summer Ember-days He exhorts the Faithful to Fasting and shews the Advantage of it and requires them always to join Fasting and Abstinence together He recommends the Love of God The Ninety Third Sermon is against the Error of Eutyches The Ninety Fourth contains some Reflections upon the Mystery of the Incarnation upon the occasion of the Transfiguration of our Lord. In the Ninety Fifth he explains the Degrees of Blessedness set down in the Sermon of Jesus Christ upon the Mount The Ninety Sixth upon the Feast of S. Peter's Chair is newly published out of a Manuscript of the King's Library It is S. Leo's Stile F. Quesnel observes in this place That there are many Prayers in the Missal and Roman Pontifical which are S. Leo's Stile In this number he puts the Prefaces of the Mass and hence he adds two of them the one for the Mass of Consecration of Bishops the other for the Ordination of a Priest with a Prayer of the Arch-Deacon to the Bishop upon the reconciling of Penitents These Pieces are taken out of the Pontifical but 't is not certain that they are S. Leo's The Appendix contains 3 Sermons falsly attributed to S. Leo and 2 others made up of little pieces taken out of this Father The 1st is upon S. Vincent The 2d upon the Nativity of our Lord. The 3d. upon the Ascension The 4th upon the Feast of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and the Last is a Treatise against the Errors of Eutyches and other Hereticks We do not here speak of the Books of the Calling of the Gentiles the short Heads about Grace and Free-will nor of the Epistle to Demetrias Works which Father Quesnel hath put under S. Leo's Name in the beginning of his Works because we will allow a Chapter by it self for the Examination whether they are S. Leo's or not The Stile of S. Leo is polite and over-elegant His Discourse is made up of Periods whose Parts are well distinguished and measured He has a Rhyming Cadence of words which is very wonderful it is swelled with noble Epithets fit Appositions suitable Antitheses and admirable endings of Periods this renders it pleasant to the Ear and that sets such a lustre upon it as is dazling and ravishing But this Stile not being natural is found sometime intricate and obscure and keeps the Reader or Hearer in suspense The Elegancy of these sort of Discourses arises from nothing but the ranging of the words which makes a wonderful Cadence If we will alter it and express the same sence in other words we shall perceive no such Beauty as we admired before Nevertheless S. Leo's sence is very good he is exact in Points of Doctrine and very skilful in Discipline but he is not very full of Moral Points he treats of them very dryly in a way that rather diverts than affects He was zealous for the Rights and Privileges of his See and sought all opportunities of advancing and enlarging them as much as possible This design is very apparent in all his Writings but we must own that he used his Power with a great deal of Meckness and Moderation being perswaded That the only use of it was to provide that the Laws of the Church he duly observed and that nothing be commanded or allowed contrary to the Decrees of the Councils These were his Principles He greatened his Authority but it was for Edification and never for Destruction He had a great Veneration for Emperors and Kings He medled not with Civil Affairs Lastly it may be said That the Church of Rome never had more Grandeur and less Pride than in this Pope's time The Bishop of Rome was never more honoured more considerable and respected than in this Pope's time and yet he never carried himself with more Humility Wisdom Sweetness and Charity
only endeavour to find out the Truth and to maintain Charity IBLIOTHECA PATRUM OR A NEW HISTORY OF Ecclesiastical Writers TOME V. CONTAINING An Account of the LIVES and WRITINGS of the Primitive FATHERS that Flourished in the Seventh and Eighth Centuries of Christianity with Censures upon all their BOOKS determining which are Genuine and which Spurious S. ISIDORE of Sevil. S. ISIDORE the Son of Severianus and Grand-Child of Theodorick King of Italy was born at Sevil. He succeeded his Brother S. Leander in the Bishoprick of S. Isidore of Sevil. that City about the Year 595. He held a Council in 623. and died in 636. having governed the Church of Sevil Forty Years This Bishop was a Man of great Reading and profound Learning and has written upon divers Subjects His Works may be divided into Five Classes The First comprehending those which concern Arts or Sciences The Second his Commentaries upon the Scripture The Third his dogmatical Tracts The Fourth his Treatises of Church-Discipline And the last his Works of Morality or Piety The Book of Etymologies or of Origin's is the largest of those of the First Class He wrote it at the Request of Braulio Bishop of * Caesar-Augusta Saragosa who divided it into Twenty Books and made up what Isidore had not finish'd This Work is an Epitome of all Arts and Sciences he explains the Terms lays down the Principles and shews what is most in use in each of them What relates to Ecclesiastical Matters is as follows In the Sixth Book he maketh a Catalogue of the Books of the Old and New Testament In which he places in the Fourth Classis of the a Canonical Books Tobit Ecclesiasticus As the Jews never acknowledged these Books to be Canonical so neither did the Primitive Church of Christ. S. Cyprian or rather Rufinus in his Tract De Expos. Symb. having reckon'd up the Cypr. de exp symb Books in Order which made up the Canon in his Time and omitting those which were accounted Apocryphal says Haec sunt c. These are the Books which are received into the Canon by the Church the other Books meaning Tobit c. are not Canonical The same Catalogue of Canonical Writers do Origen in Eusebius Hist. Eccles. l. 6. c. 25. and the Council of Laodicea c. 59. give Conc. Laod. anno 320. Euseb. Hist. Eccl. l. 3. c. 15 16. Aug. de civ Dei l. 18. c. 36. Hieron praef in Macc. Conc. Flor. Trident. us So that there can be no doubt but for the First Four hundred Years and more the Canon was exactly the same that we now have Indeed the Apocryphal Books were read in the Churches of the purer Ages to the Novices and Catechumens as were also Clemens and Ignatius's Epistles and Hermes's Book called Pastor yea and some of the later Fathers as S. Jerom Austin and Innocent give them very honourable Titles calling them Sacred Divine Canonical but then they mean not by Canonical as the Church of Rome doth Canones Fidei a perfect Rule both for Faith and Manners but Canones Morum Historiae profitable to Instruction and to inform Men in the History of the Jewish Church And so far is this Doctrine of S. Isidore Orthodox in the Judgment of the Church of England our Mother Art 6. Canonical Books of the Old Testament Ecclesiasticus the Book of Wisdom Judith Tobit and the Two Books of the Maccabees He distinguisheth Thrâ—â— Sâ—…es of the Scripture the Historical Moral and Allegorical He speaks of the Authors of the Canonical Books and of those that have composed Harmonies of 〈◊〉 Gospels He reckons up but Four General Councils He makes a Paschal Cycle In fine he treats of the principal Festivals of the Jews and Christians and of the Administration of the Sacrament He saith it is called a Sacrifice because it is made sacred by a mystical Prayer in remembrance of the Passion of our Lord. He definâ—th b A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 â—â—â—y in â—pious and good Sence be said to communicate Sanctifying Grace and Holiness Conc. Trid. sess 7. c. 8. not ex opere operato as the Church of Rome teacheth but ex opere operaâ—tis being moral Instruments of conferring and conveying the Grace of God to the Souls of all worthy Partakers of them God being-pleased-by-and-with them to work Spiritual Graces and Endowments in us Non propter 〈◊〉 Sacramenâ—… quae saâ—â—imus sed propter vim fidei in Christo qua illis Communicamus Not through any vertue in the Sacraments which we receive but through Faith in the Receiver 〈◊〉 Sacrament the Sign of an Holy Thing communicating Holiness He places in that rank Baptism Chrism and the Eucharist which are saith he Sacraments because under the Veil of corporeal things the divine Vertue does secretly operate Salvation To the Unction he joyns the Laying on of Hands which brings down the Holy Ghost He speaks of Exorcism He makes the Apostles Authors of the Creed which he thinks to have been called a Symbol because it is the Badge whereby Christians know one another He speaks of Prayer of Fasting and of Penance which he says is a voluntary Punishment for ones Sins He defines Satisfaction the Exclusion of the Causes and Occasions of Sin and the Cessation of Sinning He calls Reconciliation the End of Penance He distinguisheth two sorts of Exomologesis or Confession the one of Praise the other of Sins and saith both the one and the other are chiefly made to God Lastly he makes mention of the Rogations or Litanies In the Seventh Book he treats of the Names and Attributes of God Chap. 1. Of the Son of God of his Qualities of his metaphorical and natural Names Chap. 2. Of the Holy Ghost Chap. 3. Of the Trinity and of the appellative and relative Names of the Persons Chap. 4. Of Angels and their different Orders Chap. 5. He explains also the Names of the Persons mention'd in the Bible he gives the Definition of the Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles the Martyrs the Clerks and Monks In the Eighth Book he speaks of the Church of Heresy of the Number of the Sybils c. The Three Books of the Differences of Names or of the proper Signification of Words written by the same Author are a grammatical Work and the Book of the Nature of Things to King Sisebut a Physical Treatise of which we have nothing here to say To this Classis of S. Isidore's Works may be added his Historical Tracts which are a Chronological Abridgment from the beginning of the World down to * To the 17th Year of the Empire of Heraclius and to the Year 626. Heraclius's Empire An History of the Goths from the 176th Year of Christ to the Year 610. with an Epitome of the History of the Vandals and Sueves The Treatise of Ecclesiastical Writers which we have defended in the Preface of the preceeding Volume and the Treatise of the Life and Death of certain Saints The Treatises that S.
says That as Christ was really and substantially born of the Virgin so likewise w Christians do truly receive under the Mysteries the Lord's Body and Blood De veritate Carnis Sanguinis tho' 〈◊〉 appearance of the Bread and Wine remain This and such like Expressions which might be produced in great Numbers from the Books of the Ancients who unanimously teach That in the Sacrament is the Body and Blood of Christ. And tho' before the Consecration it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meer Bread and Wine yet afterward 't is verily the Body of Christ. Truly his Flesh truly his Blood are really no more than the very words of Christ This is my Body This is my Blood and are only true in a figurative Sence i. e. by a Change of Condition Sanctification and Usage In which Sence the Church of England thus delivers herself in the Catechize That the Body and Blood of Christ is verily and indeed taken and received by the Faithful in the Lord's Supper For we are so certain That to eat Christ's Body Spiritually is to eat him Really that there is no other way to eat him Really but by Spiritual Manducation Christ is as really present Spiritually as Corporeally and we receive it as well by Faith as by Bodily Eating There can therefore be no Grounds from the Words of this Father to inferr a Transubstantiation in the Sacrament since they may be better understood of the Spiritual Presence Nay these Expressions The appearance of Bread and Wine remain under the Mysteries plainly shew this to be the Sence They are to the Sences Bread and Wine to the Soul they are really the Body and Blood of Christ on them we feed by Faith And thus we must understand the Expression of the same Father p. 37. seq ad w Christians do truly receive under the Mysteries the Lord's Body and Blood tho' the appearance of the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Men would abhor drinking Blood and eating Flesh but there can be no doubt but it is verily received De veritate Carnis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He confesseth the Apostles did not receive 〈◊〉 Fasting but he says That 〈◊〉 all that they ought not to find Fault with the Custom of the Universal Church which requires That it be always received Fasting because the Holy Spirit whereby she is 〈◊〉 in Honour of so great a Sacrament would have Christ's Body to enter into the Christian's Mouths before any other Meat was received in and it is upon that Account that this Practice is observed every where Lastly he treats of the Question of frequent Communion and enquires whether it be good to Communicate every day Thereupon he says That there be some Persons who wish That they would make choice of those days in which Men live more Soberly and Godly but others think That if they be not guilty of any Sin that deserveth being debarred from the Altar put to Penance and then reconciled by the Bishop's Authority they may come very often to the Sacrament He leaves every one at his Liberty to do as he shall think best according to his Godly Motions and propounds after S. Austin the Examples of Zacchaeus and the Centurion He warns Christians that if they exclude themselves from the Eucharist they shall perish with Hunger but yet if they come to it unworthily they shall Eat and Drink their own Damnation Lastly he does vehemently urge great Sinners to Repentance and to procure their own Separation from the Altar by the Judgment of the Bishop and prays them to consider That that State of Separation is an Image of the final Judgment when they see the Just coming to the Eucharist whilst themselves are excluded from it In the beginning of that Homily there are some Periods taken out of a Sermon of Caesarius of Arles but in that time they commonly used that Bishop's Sermons In the Ninth Homily he exhorts Sinners to cure themselves of their Sins by Repentance In the Tenth he speaks also of the Ceremonies of the Thursday before Easter that on that day they set some Prisoners at Liberty The Eleventh Homily is also upon the Thursday before Eastor he speaks to the Faithful and the Penitents To the first he recommends Faith and Charity towards God and their Neighbours on which Vertue he bestows a large Encomium and recommends the forgiving of Enemies He speaks of the Practice of the Church to say every day x Canonical Hours The Ancients had their several Hours for Prayer and Devotion both by Day and Night in imitation of the Apostles This must be acknowledged on an hands Tertullian mentions them as of common use among the Christians in his time 〈◊〉 semper â—…que omni tempore orandum est tamen â—â—es 〈◊〉 ut insigniores in 〈◊〉 human 〈◊〉 itae soleâ—…ores 〈◊〉 in precibus Divinie quod 〈◊〉 Danielis argumentum ter die Orantis As Daniel prayed three times a day so did Dan. 6. 10. the Christians in the first devout times The same also doth S. Jerom deliver as an Hieron ad Eustâ—… Apostolical Tradition Tria sunt tempora quibus 〈◊〉 flectenda sunt Genus 〈◊〉 Horam Sextam Nonam Ecclesiastica Traditio intelligit Denique 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus super Apostolor sexta 〈◊〉 volens comedere ad Orationem ascendit in Canaculum Nonâ— Pâ—â—rus Joannes ascenâ—… in Templum Wherein S. Jerom tells us That it was an Ecclesiastical Tradition to Act. 2. 1 15. 10. 9. 3. 1. be observed by the Christians in imitation of the Apostles to Pray at the Third Sixth and Ninth Hours And so also the same Father prescribes Hours of Prayers Hieron ad Eustoch Athan. de Virgin Basil. Quaest. 37. in the Night and particularly enjoyns Mid-night so to be observed But as their Hours for Prayers were but Three by Day and Two or Three by Night so they were for private not publick Devotion freely and voluntarily performed not imposed and being thus used are highly to be approved But as they have since degenerated into Ceremony and Superstition and have not only received an Addition of four Hours more to make them up seven but are imposed on the Priests only in the Ramish Church and by them are made a Burden Pol. Virg. l. 6. c. 2. or a Task rather than a Duty they have been justly abolished by our Reformers not but that 't is lawful and commendable for any pious Persons to follow the old Apostolick Custom if they see it helpful to Devotion the Canonical Hours He stirs up all Christians to Prayer Fasting and Repentance he prescribes to Sinners the Confession of their Sins in order to doing Penance for them and at last directs his Speech to Penitents after this manner To those Persons saith he who stand here in a Penitential Habit with a foul mournful Countenance their Hair torn and flying abroad testifying as far as we can judge by their Actions That they have lamented
she be poor and orders him to send the Inventory which he shall make to the Metropolitan In the Tenth they declare the Sons of Clergymen who were obliged to Celibacy uncapable of Inheriting The six following Canons are concerning Ecclesiastical Persons or such as are made free by the Churches and are not now in use The Seventeenth and last lays an Obligation upon the Jews who are newly converted to be present on their ancient Feast-days in the Towns and Assemblies of Christians kept by the Bishop They conclude with making pious Wishes for King Receswinthe They appoint the next Council on the 1st of November following This Council is signed by Eugenius of Toledo and 15. Bishops by 3 Abbots by the Deputy of a Bishop and 4 Lords Therefore we ought not to wonder that these Councils should make Laws about Political Matters because they are properly Assemblies of the States authorized by the Prince in which the Civil Authority was joyned to the Ecclesiastical Power Council X. of Toledo in 656. THIS Council was held a Month later than it had been appointed It made seven Canons Council X. of Toledo In the 1st the Festival of the Virgin was appointed to be kept eight Days before Christmas By the 2d the Clerks or Monks which shall be found to have violated the Oaths taken to the King and the State are deprived of their Dignity yet so as that it shall be free for the Prince to restore them to it if he thinks fit By the 3d Bishops are forbidden to give Parochial Churches or Monasteries to their Kindred or Friends to enjoy the Revenues of them In the 4th it is ordered That Women who have embraced the state of Widowhood ought to make Profession of it in Writing before the Bishop or the Presbyter to take the Habit of it to keep it on always and to wear a Veil of a Black or Violet Colour The 5th decrees that those who leave the Habit of Widowhood after they have worn it shall be excommunicated and shut up in Monasteries The 6th orders That those Children whom their Parents caused to take the Tonsure or the Religious Habit shall be obliged to lead a Religious Life That nevertheless Parents cannot offer their Children before they be ten Years old and after that Age the Children's Consent is necessary The last Canon contains an Advertisement to disswade Christians from selling their Slaves to the Jews There was presented to this Council a Confession in Writing from Potamius Bishop of Braga who was accused of many Crimes They brought him before the Council he owned that Writing declared himself deeply guilty of those Faults and said that nine Months since he had relinquished the Government of his Church and shut himself up in a Prison to do Penance The Council being informed that he had had the carnal Knowledge of a Woman they declared That although according to the Ancient Rules he was to be wholly degraded and deprived of his Dignity yet out of compassion they left him the Title and the degree of a Bishop but they would have him to do Penance all his Life-time and they did chuse Fructuosus Bishop of Dumes to govern the Church of Braga in his room This Decree is put after the Canons of the Council and to it is annexed another Decree disannulling the Bequests of a Will made by Recimer Bishop of Dumes to the Prejudice of his Church This Council is subscribed by 3 Metropolitans Eugenius of Toledo Fugitinus of Sevil Fructuosus of Braga by 17 Bishops and 5 Bishops Deputies A Conference held in Northumberland in 664. THE chief occasion of this Conference related by Beda l. 3. c. 25. of his History was the Dispute about Easterday Colman maintained the Practice of the Britains and Wilfride A Conference in Northumberland that of the Râ—… King 〈◊〉 was present at it Wilfride founded his Practice upon the universal Custom of the Church which kept Easter on the same Day excepting the Picts and the Britains Colman would have defended their Practice by the Authority of S. John But Wilfride shewed him that he did not agree with this Apostle who kept Easter without staying for the Sunday which they did not follow seeing they staid till the Sunday next after the fourteenth Moon That they did not agree with S. Peter neither for this Holy Apostle kept Easter between the 15th and the 21st Moon whereas they would keep it from the 14th to the 20th so that they did sometimes begin this Feast at the end of the thirteenth Moon Colman alledged for his Defence the Authority of Anatolius Columba and the Ancients of his Country Wilfride answered That they did not agree with Anatolius who made use of the Cycle of nineteen Years which they were strangers to because that Author's Opinion was not that Easter was necessarily to be kept before the 21st Moon but that he had mistaken the fourteenth Moon for the fifteenth and the twentieth for the twenty first As to Columba and his Successors he would not condemn them that he was persuaded they might be excused for their Simplicity in a Time when no Body was able to instruct them But as for them they could have no Excuse if they refused the Instructions given them However that Columba's Authority was not to be preferred before S. Peter's to whom Christ gave the Keys of the Church and said Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church The King struck with these last Words ask'd Colman if it was true that Christ said so to S. Peter Column having confessed it was true the King said That seeing S. Peter was the Door-keeper of Heaven he would not contradict him but would obey his Statutes This Decision was approved by the Company Colman and his Men withdrew refusing to yield to the Practice of the Romans about the keeping of Easter and the Tonsure about which there was also a Contest Men take such delight in Disputes about small Things Council of Merida Concililium Emeritense THIS Council made up of the Bishops of the Province of Portugal was assembled by the Order of King Receswinthe in the Year 666. After having prayed for the King Council of Merida they recited the Creed with the addition of the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son Then they decree That on Holy Days they shall say Vespers in their Churches before they sing what they call the Sound that is the Venite exultemus which is thus called because it was sung with a loud sounding Voice In the third Chapter they ordain That whenever the King shall go to the Army the Bishops shall offer every Day the Sacrifice and put up prayers for him and his till his Return The decree in the fourth That Bishops after their Ordination shall give a Writing whereby they shall bind themselves to a chaste sober and honest Life The Metropolitans were to send this Writing to the Bishops of their Province and the Bishops
Sabbath nor the Jews to labour or trade on the Lord's Day not to eat in Lent with them not to eat any Flesh they have killed nor drink any Wine that they sell. Lastly not to converse familiarly with them nor trade with them because they daily Blaspheme the Name of Christ. Then he describes the insolence of the Jews because they found themselves upheld by the Authority of the Commissioners He beseeches him to hear the humble entreaty of Himself and Brethren and rectifie this disorder To this Petition he joyns a Letter written in his Name and in the name of Bernard Arch-bishop of Vienna and another Bishop called Eaof or Taof in which they produce the Authorities of the Fathers and Scripture to justifie the Severity they treated the Jews withall They relate the example of S. Hilary who would not salute them of S. Ambrose who writes that he would rather suffer Death than rebuild a Synagogue of the Jews which the Christians had burnt They add to these two Fathers S. Cyprian and S. Athanasius who wrote against the Jews Then they alledge the Canons of the Councils of Spain and Agda which forbid Christians to eat with the Jews and the Constitutions of the first Council of Masco which declares that according to the Edict of Childebert it is not permitted to the Jews to be Judges or Receivers of the publick Revenues nor to appear in publick in the H. Week and renew the prohibition given the Christians not to eat with them This is Confirmed by the Canons of the First and Third Councils of Orleans and the Council of Laodicea which forbids Christians to converse with them They forget not the Action of St. John who fled from the Bath in which he saw Cerinthus the Heretick entered who was an Heretick of the Sect of the Jews They accuse the Jews of their time to be worse than Cerinthus because they believed God Corporeal and had gross and false Notions of the Divinity allowed an infinite number of Letters and believed the Law to be written several Years before the World were perswaded that there are several Worlds and Earths introduced many Fables about the old Testament and uttered Blasphemy against Jesus Christ published the false acts of Pilate used the Christians as Idolaters because they hated the Saints and did infamous Actions in their Synagogues from whence they conclude that if they ought to separate themselves from Hereticks they ought with more Reason to have no commerce with the Jews which they maintain by several passages of H. Scripture 'T is very probable that Agobard went to Court about this Business He applyed himself to Three Persons who were in great Favour at Court viz. Adelardus Abbot of Corbey Vala the Son of Bernard Brother of Pepin and a Relation to the Emperour and Helesacharius Abbot of S. Maximus at Treves having complained before them of those that defended the Jews they brought him into the King's presence to relate it but he received no Satisfaction and was ordered to with-draw Being returned he consulted those Three Persons by a Letter what he should do with those Jewish Slaves who desired to become Christians and be Baptized He shews by several Reasons that he could not refuse to do it and that the Jews might have no ground of Complaint he says that he offer'd to pay them for those Slaves what was ordered by the ancient Laws But since the Jews would not receive that Price because they were perswaded that the Court Officers were their Friends he prays them to whom he wrote to direct him what to do upon that occasion about which he was much perplexed fearing on the one Side Damnation if he denyed Baptism to the Jews or their Slaves who desired it and on the other Side being fearful of offending the great Men if he granted it to them In Agobard's Letter to Nebridius Arch-bishop of Narbonne he shews how dangerous it is to hold a familiar converse with the Jews and tells him that he hath admonished his People of it all along his Visitation of his Diocess and boldly opposed the attempts of the Emperour's Commissioners Agobard presented another Petition to Lewis the Godly in which he prays him to abolish the Law of Gundobadus which ordered that private Contentions and Differences should be decided by a single Combat or some other proofs rather than by the Deposition of Witnesses He shews that that Law which was made by an Arrian Prince is contrary to the Spirit of the Gospel to that Charity that Christians ought to have one for another and to the peace both of Church and State He observes that it came neither from the Law nor Gospel That the Christian Religion was not established by such sort of Combats but on the Contrary by the Death of him that preached it That the most Wicked and Guilty have often overcome the more Just and Innocent He adds that Avitus Bishop of Vienna who had some Conferences about Religion with Gundobadus and converted his Son Sigismond disallowed this Custom He complains of the little Regard had to the Canons of the Church of France Lastly he says he could wish that all the Kings Subjects had but one Law but because he believed that impossible he desired he would abolish at least that Custom which was so unjust and so prejudicial to the State In the Treatise of the Privileges and Rights of the Priest-hood dedicated to Bernard Bishop of Vienna Agobard Treats of the Excellency of the Priest-hood He says that all Christians being Members of Jesus Christ who is our Chief Priest are Kings and Priests of the Lord. That in the beginning of the World the First Born were Priests and Sacrificers There he produces several Examples taken out of the Holy Scripture and many Authorities to shew that God hath often heard wicked Priests and had no regard to the Sacrifices of good ones because he looks chiefly upon the Dispositions of the Heart of those for whom they offer Sacrifices and that otherwise 't is not the Merit of the Priest nor his Person that God respects but his Ministery and Priest-hood For this Reason it is that wicked Priests may administer Sacraments which the most H. Lay-men cannot do And upon this account Men ought to hear and believe what the Priest teacheth if he do not corrupt the Doctrine of Jesus Christ for if he teach any thing that Christ hath not Commanded he that hears him saith Agobard is a Leper that follows another Leper a Blind Man lead by another Blind Man and consequently both of them ought to be driven out of the Camp and shall both fall into the Ditch This gives him occasion to cite several Texts of Scripture to exhort the Priests of the New Testament to behave themselves worthy of their Ministery and to complain of the Irregularities of his time He observes that the Great Lords of his time kept Domestick Priests in their Houses not to obey them but to employ them
Subjects and that they would have paid their Respects to him had they not been prevented by an Express Order from the Emperour He complains That they preferred the Order of their Prince before their Respect due to him and maintains that the Matter of Fact was not true for they had notice of his Arrival before they had any such Command from the Emperour He adds That they ought to know that the Spiritual Government of Souls is more excellent than the Temporal Government of Princes as S. Gregory Nazianzen boldly told the same Emperour That they ought to imitate the Liberty of Gregory the Great who told the Emperour That he was one of his Sheep and that he ought to hear and believe him in things that belong to the Faith That in stead of those foolish flatteries which The Works of 〈…〉 the one an Epitaph upon Charles the Great 〈…〉 Reliques 〈…〉 Cyprian S. Speratus and â—… Agohard Writes â—… but something flat and without Ornament 〈…〉 Citations long passages of Scripture and Fathers 〈…〉 Argues very rationally about the Matters he Treats of and Writes 〈…〉 in the Doctrin of the Fathers and Discipline of the Church His Works are published by 〈◊〉 Massonus and Printed at Paris in 1605 in Octavo out of a MS. which he found by chance in a â—…ers-Shop at Lyons which he designed to use as Wast-paper and which his Brother after his Death put into the King's Library But though Massonus was a very Learned Man yet he left many Faults in his Edition which have been since Corrected by M. Baluzius in his Edition of Agobard's Works Printed by Maguet at Paris 1666 in Two 〈◊〉 Octavo Revised by the same MS. with great exactness who hath added a Treatise of Agobard's to it against the Book of Offices made by Amalarius taken out of a MS. which was communicated to him by F. Chiffletius This Edition is put into the last Edition of the Biblioth Patrum Tom. 14. p. 2â—4 Amolo Amulo or Amulus a Deacon of the Church of Lyons under Agobard succeeded him in 841. He was in great Reputation and Favour with Charles the Baâ—… He was President in a Amulo Council held at Lyons 845. We have already spoken of this Letter to Gotteschalcus about the Question of Predestination and Grace But we must here give an Extract of another Letter Written to Theobaldus or Theobaldus Bishop of Langres who consulted him about some Abuses committed in the Church of S. Benignus at Dijon as to the Relicks shewed then Two Monks had brought some Bones of a pretended Martyr which they said came from Rome and some other place of Italy but that which was most pleasant was that these impudent Monks were not ashamed to say That they had forgotten the Name of the Saint As if says Amulo it were credible that they could be ignorant of the Name of a Saint famous in the place from whence they had him or could forget his Name in the way whom they looked upon as their Patron and whom they ought continually to Pray to The Bishop of Langres used much prudence upon this occasion and imitating S. Martin in a like Case determined That they ought not to receive those Relicks which were not well-Attested but yet they might not use them with contempt Then he thought it â—it to oblige those who had brought them to procure Authentick Proofs from the place where they had them Indeed one of them went away with a pretence to get some proofs but never returned and the other died a little time after at Dijon Nevertheless they laid up these pretended Relicks in the Church by the Body of the Holy Martyr and affirmed they did many Miracles No Sick persons were cured by them but on the contrary some Women fell upon the ground beat themselves if they were Plagued by them This brought many to that place Amulo observes that there were many persons who were seized with the same Distemper and upon that account were obliged to stay in the Church or to return again as soon as they were gone out of it That this Distemper happened in other places particularly in the Village of 〈◊〉 in the Dioces of Autun where the Bodies of the Holy Martyrs Andochius Thyrsus and Felix lay Amolo hereupon advises the Bishop of Langres to remove these Bones out of the Church and Bury them in some decent place at a distance from it in the presence of some few persons for sayâ—… They are the Bones of some Saint we ought not to deprive them of all Respect but yet we ought not to give an occasion to the People to fall into an Error and Superstition Nor may we fear adds he least our scrupulousness be the cause of Scandal since God hath commanded us to be sincere and prudent in things which concern his Service Whereupon he 〈◊〉 the Example of S. Martin and the Decree of Pope Gelasius He says That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Miraculous Câ—â—es done in the Church of S. Benignus they ought to be attributed to God and the Merits of his Saints without approving other Signs done in the Church or â—…where That it is likely that the fallings and beatings of Men and Women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the wickedness of those miserable Beggars who pretended themselves to be so afflicted onely to get Money That he never heard any such Miracles spoken of as to make Sound-Men Sick part Daughters from their Parents and Women from their Husbands by obliging them to continue in the Church and hindring their return to their Houses That these things are the effect either of Humane Malice or Diabolical Illusions Upon this occasion he relates two Examples of things of like nature which happen'd under his Predecessor Agobard of which he found out the Cheat. He advises the Bishop of Langres to banish that Superstition out of his Diocess to perswade the people from it and exhorts them earnestly not to assemble so unprofitably in that place but every one to remain in his Parish and frequent the Service of that Church where he received his Baptism as well as the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ where he useth to hear Solemn Masses from whose Priest they receive Penance are assisted in their Sickness and are Buried after their Death to whom they pav their Tithes and bring their Offerings to which they go to hear Saving Instructions That in these Churches it is they must meet to pay their Vows and Prayers to God to beg the Prayers of the Saints to give Alms to the poor Widows and Orphans That this is the Lawful and Regular Discipline of the Church and the ancient practice of the Faithful That if it happens that Christians fall into any Weakness or Sickness they ought to follow the Command of St. James to call the Priests to Pray over them and anoint them with Oil in the Name of the Lord. He doubts not but if this were put in practice all these pretended Miracles would cease And he
had cited to the Synod to be held at Rome the beginning of the next Lent Sigefroy Arch-bishop of Mayence and the Bishops of Bamberg Strasbourg and Spires to give an account of their advancement to the Episcopacy and of their Morals He desires that he would oblige them to come and send Deputies along with them who should give in their Testimony of their Lives and Conversations This Letter is dated December 7th 1074. There is likewise another Letter of the same date directed likewise to Henry wherein he expresses a great deal of Affection to him and prays him not to hearken to their Counsels who were willing to sow Dissensions between them He tells him of the Afflictions which the Eastern Christians labour'd under and assures him that he had provided several Italian Lords to go to their Assistance and that he had already Fifty thousand Men who were ready to follow him if he would Head them and March as far as our Saviours Sepulcher That he is the more inclin'd to undertake this because it would be a means of reuniting the Greek Church to the Latin and of reducing the Armenians and all the other Orientals into the Bosom of the Church But forasmuch as it was a business of great Consequence he ask'd his Advice and Assistance and declares that if he should go he would leave him Protector of the Church of Rome These two Letters are the Thirtieth and one and Thirtieth of the Second Book Some Days before this the Pope had summon'd to the Synod of Rome by the Twenty eighth and Twenty ninth Letters of the Second Book Liemar Arch-bishop of Breme Sigefroy Arch-bishop of Mayence Otho Bishop of Constance Garnier of Strazbourg Henry of Spires Herman of Bamberg Imbric of Augsburg and Adelbert of Wirtzbourg The Pope's Decree against those who were guilty of Simony and against the Clerks who either kept Concubines or were Marry'd remov'd in Germany Italy and France a great many Ecclesiasticks out of their Places who were found guilty of Simony or of having unlawful converse with Women These Men not only complain'd of this Yoke which the Pope would impose upon them but they likewise inveigh'd against him and accused him of advancing an insupportable Error and such as is contrary to the Words of our Saviour who says that all Men are not able to live continently and contrary to the Words of the Apostle who enjoins those who cannot live continently to Marry They added that this Law he would impose on them which oblig'd them to live like Angels by offering force to the ordinary course of Nature would be the Cause of great Disorders That moreover if the Pope persisted in his Resolution they had rather renounce the Priesthood than Marriage and let him see if he could get Angels to take care of their Flocks since he would not make use of Men. This was the Language of these corrupted Ecclesiasticks according to the account of an Historian of that time But the Pope for his part press'd the Execution of his Decree and wrote very warm Letters to the Bishops to oblige them to take strict care of it The Arch-bishop of Mayence doing his utmost therein found how difficult it was to root out an Abuse so inveterate and so general as this was and before he proceeded against the Refractory he gave them six Months time to reclaim Lastly having call'd a Synod at Erford in October he told them in express Terms that he was oblig'd to put the Pope's Decree into Execution and that they were oblig'd either to renounce their pretended Marriages or else their Attendance on the Altar When they found they could not by their Prayers prevail upon him to alter his Resolution they withdrew from the Council in a great Rage threatning the Arch-bishop either to turn him out or to kill him The Arch-bishop to pacify them order'd them to be call'd back again and promis'd when an Oportunity should offer he would send to Rome and endeavour to work the Pope over to another Mind The next Day he proposed to them the Question about the Tenths The Decree of Gregory met with no less opposition in France Flanders England and Lombardy than it did in Germany as we are inform'd by several Letters sent by this Pope to the Princes and Bishops of these Countries and this opposition rose so high at Cambray that they caus'd a Man to be Burnt who had asserted that those who were guilty of Simony and the Marry'd Priests ought not to celebrate Mass or any Divine Office and that no Man ought to assist them therein This we find related in the Twentieth Letter of the Fourth Book This Opposition did not discourage Gregory VII in the least on the contrary he wrote several Letters to the Bishops and Princes whereby he enjoyns them to put his Decree in Execution and not to tolerate Clerks guilty of Simony nor such as were Marry'd or kept Concubines Upon this Head we may consult the Thirtieth Letter of the First Book directed to the Arch-bishop of Salzbourg dated November 15 1073. the Five and fortieth of the Second Book directed to Radulphus Duke of Saubia and to Berthold Duke of Carinthia dated January 11 1075. the Sixty first directed to Dietwin or Theodwin Bishop of Liege whom he charges with Simony The Sixty second directed to Sicard Bishop of Aquileia dated March 23. The Sixty sixth to Burchard Bishop of Halberstat of the same Month The Sixty seventh to Anno Arch-bishop of Cologn The Sixty eighth to the Archbishop of Magdebourg bearing the same date The Tenth and Eleventh of the Fourth Book directed to the Count and Countess of Planders dated November 2 1076. the Twentieth of the same Book Lastly he order'd an Apology of his Decree to be issued out in the nature of a Manifesto wherein he very much exalts the Authority of the Holy See and the Decretals of his Predecessors The Synod call'd at Rome by the Pope the Year before was held there about the end of February this Year He therein Excommunicated Five Persons belonging to King Henry's The Council of Rome in the Year 1075. Court who were the Instruments of that Prince in selling of Benefices He suspended from their Episcopal Functions Liemar Arch-bishop of Breme Garnier Bishop of Strazbourg Henry of Spires and Herman of Bamberg He likewise therein suspended William Bishop of Pavia and Cunibert Bishop of Turin and depos'd Dennis of Placentia without any hopes of being reestablish'd Some of these Bishops went to Rome for Absolution The Bishop of Bamberg was likewise in the way thither and sent Deputies beforehand by Presents to corrupt the Bishops who were his Judges but seeing he had no hopes left he return'd again after promise made of retiring into a Monastery Upon his return instead of performing his promise he enter'd again into the possession of his Church and committed there new irregularities This oblig'd the Pope to renew his sentence of Condemnation issu'd out against him and
of these religious Soldiers obliged Frederick to leave Rome only laying all the Country about it waste his Army dispersed themselves all over Italy and whereever they came made havock of the Goods of the Church of Monasteries and religious Orders The Pope to oppose this Torrent published plenary Indulgences for all those that would undertake the Holy War against Frederick and call'd a General Council at Rome to make a more solemn matter of his Deposition Frederick that he might put by this thrust and prevent the sitting of this Council takes care to have all passages by Sea and â—…nd well guarded for the stopping those Prelates that would come to it The Pisans who were let to guard the Sea Coasts having met with the Genoese Galleys which were bringing a good number of Cardinals Bishops and other Prelates to the Council set upon them and having taken them brought all the Prelates to Frederick who put them all in prison Much about the same time Frederick took a Castle of Campania and in it many of the Pope's Relations whom he caused all to be hanged Gregory could not bear up under the grief of so many dismal Misfortunes and so falling sick died at Rome the 30th of September in the year 1241. Pope Celestin the Fourth who succeeded him seemed very inclinable to a Peace but living The Election of Celestin IV. and Innocent IV. but eighteen days had not time to make any thing of it After his death the Holy See was vacant nineteen months because of the Imprisonment of the Cardinals but Frederick having at last set them at liberty at the request of Baldwin Emperor of Constantinople they chose Cardinal Sinibaud a Genouese Pope who took the name of Innocent the Fourth This Pope it was hoped would conclude the Peace having been a Friend of Frederick's while he was Cardinal and indeed he said as much at the beginning of his Popedom and made use therein of the mediation of Baldwin 'T was agreed that the Pope and Frederick should have a meeting at Castellane but the Pope not willing to trust him being afraid of being taken Prisoner never came to the place or if he did made great haste away again took ship at Civita Vecchia and passed into France where being kindly received by order of King St. Louis he seated himself at Lyons and thither call'd a General Council citing Frederick to make his appearance This Council began about the end of the month of June in the year 1245. Baldwin Emperor A General Council at Lyons in the year 1245. of Constantinople assisted there in person with the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Antioch and the Archbishop of Aquileia or Venice notwithstanding the opposition of some took his place among the Patriarchs The Kings of France and England sent thither their Deputies so that what with Cardinals Archbishops Bishops and the Deputies of those that could not come themselves there were present about a hundred and forty six The Emperor Frederick did not appear himself but sent Thadaeus of Sessa with a joint Deputation to act in his name with the Bishop of Strasburg Hugh General of the Teutonic Order and Peter des Vignes The Pope assembled the Prelates on the Monday after the Feast of St. John Baptist to consider of the things which should be proposed in Council The Patriarch of Constantinople laid open the miserable estate and condition of the Latins in the East and the great danger that the City of Constantinople was in To this the Pope said not a word Then another proposed the Canonizing of St. Edmond Archbishop of Canterbury but the Pope put that off till another time Then Thadaeus proposed an Accommodation with Frederick declaring That he was ready to make peace and be reconciled to the Pope That he profered to reunite all Greece to the Holy See to oppose the Progress of the Tartars and Saracens by carrying on a War against them at his own charge to restore to the Church of Rome whatsoever he had taken from it and to make the Pope full satisfaction To this the Pope made answer That there was no reason to trust him that had often cajol'd them with as fair promises as these which he had broken and that he did this only for the present to evade the Judgment of the Council and moreover that Thadaeus had no special Order to make any such Proposals Then the Bishop of Beritus made a Discourse upon the apparent danger that the Holy Land was in and read a very mournful Letter from the Christian Lords that remained in Palestine to desire some Supplies These were the Preliminaries of the Council whose first Session was upon St. Peter's Eve After the Pope had sung the Veni Creator wherein he was assisted by all present and had made a Prayer for the Assistance of the Holy Spirit he preach'd a Sermon wherein he took for his Text those words of the 94th Psalm In the multitude of the Sorrows that I had in my Heart thy Comforts have refreshed my Soul He told them that he had five Sorrows the Cause of the first was the Irregularity of the Clergy and Laity that of the second was the haughty Insolence of the Saracens that of the third the Schism of the Greeks that of the fourth the Cruelty of the Tartars and lastly that of the fifth the Persecution of the Emperor Frederick He enlarged upon every one of these heads First he exclaim'd against the Irregularities of the Clergy and common Christians Secondly he laid forth the Cruelties that the Saracens had exercised against the Faithful when they took the Holy City and the Sepulchre of our Lord. Thence he passed on to the Progress that the Emperor of the Greek Hereticks had made insomuch that the City of Constantinople it self was in danger Fourthly he spoke of the Destruction that the Tartars had made in Hungary where they had put ev'ry thing to fire and sword And Fifthly of the Persecution that he pretended Frederick had raised against the Church of the Injuries that he had done his Predecessor Pope Gregory and of those that he was every day labouring to do him while he boasted that 't was not the Church but the Persons of the Popes that he aimed at which was absolutely false seeing that during the Vacancy of the Holy See he was so far from ceasing from Hostilities that he took that advantage of oppressing the Church and Clergy the more About the end of his Discourse he exhibited against Frederick a particular Charge of Heresy and Sacrilege for having built a City upon Christian Ground which he peopled with Saracens only to curry favor with the Sultan of Babylon and the Saracen Princes for keeping Saracen Ladies for his Mistresses and for having broke the Oath he had taken To prove this last Accusation he caused the Edict of Frederick which was called the Golden Bull and other Declarations of his to be read wherein he promises Obedience and Allegiance to
choose his Successor a Rule which it is very dangerous to break Nevertheless Agobard enjoyed his See peaceably till he was put out by Lewis the Godly for taking part with his Son Lotharius and having been one of the Principal Authors of his Deposition at an Assembly of Bishops held at Compeigne in 833. for Lewis the Godly punishing the Injustice and Violence which had been done to him by Lotharius and the Bishops of his party had a Process drawn up against them at a Council of Thionville held in 835. Ebbo who was Arch-bishop of Rheims was forced to confess his fault and submit himself to his Deposition Agobardus who fled into Italy with the other Bishops of his party was cited to the Council three times and not appearing was Deposed The Examination of their cause was began the next year at an Assembly held near Lyons but was left undetermined by reason of the absence of the Bishops to whom alone it belonged to depose their Brethren Lastly The Children of Lewis the Godly having made peace with him they obtained that Agobardus should be Restored and he was present at a Synod held at Paris by the Order of Lewis the Godly He likewise obtained the favour of that Emperour with whom he Died at Xaintonge in 840 on the 15th day of June This Bishop had no less share in the Affairs of the Church of his time than in those of the Empire and hath shown by his Writings and Government that he was not more Learned and Skilful in Divinity than expert in Politick Affairs The Catalogue and Extract of his Works follow His Treatise against Felix Orgelitanus is dedicated to Lewis the Godly In it he explains the Tract of Felix which he Composed by way of Question and Answer and published against what Agobardus had asserted in the City of Lyons where he was then in banishment after the Recantation he had made of his Error at the Council of Aix la Chapelle Agobard observes that Felix had suppressed several Expressions which he had used before and had added new Errors He acknowledged that that Bishop lived a very Holy Life but says that we must judge of a Man's Faith not by the Holiness of his Life but of his Manners by his Faith Non est vitâ hominis metienda fides sed ex fide probanda est vita He excuses the plainness of his Style and prays them who will take the pains to read his Writings to content themselves with the consideration of the passages of the Fathers which he hath cited and to compare Felix's Opinion with them After he hath spoken in general of the Error of Nestorius and Eutychius he says that he hath heard that Felix in his Life-time did Teach That Jesus Christ as Man was ignorant of many things as of the place where Lazarus was Buried because he asked his Sisters where they had laid him the Day of Judgment the Discourse which the Disciples that went to Emmaus had together the Love St. Peter had for him That Agobard knowing that he Taught these things found them out reproved him for them explained those places to him and sent him several passages of the Fathers contrary to those Errors that having read them he promised to amend them that things remaining thus he did not think it his Duty to publish the Errors asserted by him because it did not concern him to doe it But after his Death some of the Faithful told him That he had asserted That it was not certain that the Son of God Suffer'd or was fixed to the Cross but that ought to be affirmed of the Manhood onely which he had assumed an Error which arises from the ignorance of the Substantial Union of the Word with the Flesh although he seemed to admit but one Person onely in the Person of Jesus Christ. He shews that Nestorius spake after the same manner He consults that Assertion of Felix That in the Nativity of the True Son of God of the Substance of his Father his Nature preceded his Will so that he is necessarily the Son of God but in his Humane Nativity it was from his Will and not from Necessity That he was the Son of God Agobardus affirms that this Expression makes Jesus Christ to be believed not to be the true and natural Son of God He also blames Felix for teaching that though the Virgin Mary be the Mother of God yet she is otherwise the Mother of the Man than of God He says that this Expression is not only new and not heard of before but impious That the Virgin can't be one way the Mother of the God-head and another of the Manhood in Jesus Christ since she was the Mother of a God-man at the same time and the Divinity and Humanity make but one Person in Jesus Christ. He also opposes that opinion of Felix that Jesus Christ was different ways the Son of God according to his different Natures That according to his Divinity he was a Son by Nature in Truth and Substance whereas according to his Humanity he was a Son only by Grace Election Will Predestination and Assumption From this Principle he draws this Consequence That since Jesus Christ is a Natural Son in one Sense and an Adoptive in another we must acknowledge two Sons and two Persons 'T is true that Felix disowns this Consequence but Agobard affirms it to follow directly from his Doctrine and says that Nestorius used that very Expression He confutes this principle and the Consequences Felix draws from it by several passages of the Fathers And Lastly answers to those that Felix had alledged to prove the Adoption of Jesus Christ shewing that the Fathers never said that Jesus Christ was an Adoptive Son but that the Humane Nature was adopted by the Divine i. e. the Divine Nature was united with the Humane so that the Person made up of both Natures was the true and natural Son of God and not meerly by Adoption and Grace The Book of Agobard concerning the Insolence of the Jews is a petition addressed to Lewis the Godly in which he Complains that the Commissioners which he had sent to Lyons took part with the Jews against the Church and had sealed Letters and Ordinances bearing his Name which were favourable to them They had carryed the Business so far that they spoke openly in favour of the Jews and so threatned some Bishops Agobard who was absent when this happened being gone to the Monastery of Nantonē to accommodate a difference that had happened among the Monks wrote about it to the Commissioners but they had no regard to his Letters whereupon he addressed himself to the Emperour and represented it to him that the Jews did persecute Him and his Fellow-Bishops because he preached to the Christians that they should not sell any Slaves to the Jews nor suffer the Jews to sell Christians into Spain nor keep Christians for their Houshold Servants not to suffer Christian Women to keep the Jewish