Philosophers believed the same things that are received by the Christians as for Instance The Immortality of the Soul the Resurrection of the Body and Hell Fire He takes occasion from thence to discourse of the Nature of Souls he pretends that they are of a middle quality between a Spirit and a Body that they are by Nature Mortal but that God of his Goodness immortalizes the Souls of those who repose their Considence in him He confutes Plato's Notions concerning the Soul's Immortality and it's Excellency Dignity Exile or Imprisonment in the Body He supposes that it is Corporeal and extraduce That Man is but very little different from the Beasts That his Soul is mortal by Nature but that it becomes immortal by the Grace of God Opinions unworthy of a Man that had been perfectly instructed in the true Religion What he at the same time observes that in the Matters of Religion we ought not to indulge a fond Curiosity not endeavour to penetrate into the Reasons of God Almighty's Conduct nor judge of it by our own Light is infinitely more worthy of a Christian Jesus Christ says he was God and I ought to tell you so though you are not willing to understand it yet he is God and speaks unto us from God He has commanded us not to perplex our selves with unprofitable Questions let us therefore leave the Knowledge of these things to God and not amuse our selves in a vain pursuit after them And yet he does not forget to answer those Questions that were ordinarily proposed by the Pagans concerning Jesus Christ. Now they often demanded the reason why our Blessed Saviour since his Coming was so absolutely necessary for the Saving of Souls from Death would suffer so long an Interval of time to pass before he came to deliver them Arnobius replies Is it possible for Man to know after what manner God dealt with the Ancients Who has told you that he never relieved them any other way Do you know how long it is since Men have been upon the Earth or in what place the Souls of the Ancients are reserved Who has informed you that Jesus Christ did not deliver them by his coming Forbear then to torment your selves about these things and meddle not with those Questions which 't is impossible for Humane Reason to resolve Be perswaded that God has shown Mercy to them Jesus Christ perhaps had taught you how and when and after what manner it was done if it would not have afforded matter to your Pride But wherefore continued the Pagans did not Jesus Christ deliver all Mankind He invites he calls upon all the World says Arnobius he rejects no body he readily receives those that come to him he only requires that Men would desire and wish for him but he constrains and forces no Man for otherwise it would be Violence and not Grace But are none but Christians delivered from Death No assuredly for Jesus Christ alone has Power to effect it But say the Pagans this is a new upstart Religion and why should we quit that of our Ancestors for it Why not reply'd Arnobius provided it is better Did we never change our Ancient Customs Did we never alter our old Laws Is there any thing in the World which had not a beginning at first Ought we to esteem a Religion for the Antiquity of it or rather for the sake of the Divinity which we honour Within less than Two Thousand Years none of the Gods that are now worshipped by the Pagans were in being whereas God and his true Religion has been from all Ages Jesus Christ had his Reasons why he appeared when he did though they are unknown to us But why does he suffer those that worship him to be Persecuted And why replies Arnobius do your Gods suffer you to be afflicted with Wars with Pestilence and Famine c. As for us 't is not to be admired that we suffer in this Life for nothing is promised to us in this World On the contrary all the Evils and Calamities which we suffer here make way only for our Deliverance In the Three following Books Arnobius falls upon the Pagan Religion and shows that the Christians had very great reason to reject a way of Worship so very foolish Extravagant and Impious In his Sixth and Seventh Books he demonstrates that the Christians did very wisely not to Build Temples or trouble themselves with the Pageantry of Statues Images and Sacrifices and that it is a ridiculous piece of Folly to imagine that God dwells in Temples that the Images are Gods or that the Divinities are contained in them Or lastly That we honour the true God when we Sacrifice Beasts burn Incense or pour out Wine in Adoration of him Thus we have considered the Subject of the Seven Books of Arnobius that are written in a manner worthy of a Professor of Rhetorick The turn of his Thoughts very much resembles that of an Orator but his Style is a little African that is to say his Words harsh ill-placed unpolisht and sometimes scarce Latin and 't is likewise evident that he was not perfectly acquainted with the Mysteries of our Religion He attaques Paganism with a greater share of Skill and Vigour than he defends Christianity and discovers the Folly of That better than he proves the Truth of This. But we ought not to be surprized at it for 't is the ordinary Fate of all new Converts who being as yet full of their former Religion know the weakness and blind-side of it better than they understand the Proofs and Excellencies of that Perswasion which they have newly embraced I will say nothing concerning the Latin Commentary upon the Psalms that carries the Name of Arnobius because it is a certain truth in which all the Learned World agrees that this Arnobius is a different Person from him of whom we have been speaking that he is of a later Date and lived after the Council of Chalcedon since he mentions the Pelagians and Predestinarians The Books of the Senior Arnobius were first published by Faustus Sabaeus and Printed at Rome by Theodorus Priscianensis in the Year 1542. out of a Manuscript belonging to the Vatican Library but with abundance of Faults that were to be found in that Manuscript Galenius who afterwards set out another Edition of them at Basil in 1546. and 1560. by Frobenius took the liberty to Correct them upon his own bare Conjecture and to insert his own Emendations into the Text. Thomasinus printed them at Paris 1570. Canterus Corrected the Edition of Gelenius and was the first Man that wrote Annotations upon Arnobius His Edition was Printed by Plantin at Antwerp 1582. in Octavo Elmenhorstius published a larger Comment upon him and reviewed his Seven Books out of an ancient Manuscript They are likewise Printed with Heraldus's Notes in the Year 1583 and 1603 at Paris 1605 and at Hamburgh 1610 Stewechius a Learned Man took pains also with the same Author and Printed him at Doway
together with Sound and true Doctrine This he proves by a particular Induction of their Opinions because there is no Theology but this which teaches the Immortality of the Soul which commands Men to Adore one God only which informs them that he was the Creator of the World which teaches them that the Word is the Son of God and that the Holy Ghost is to be Worship'd with the same Worship that is due to the Father and the Son There is no other Religion but this which teaches Men that they must not Adore the Angels as Gods but honour them as the Ministers of God which gives a rational Account of the Fall of some of the Angels and instructs Man that he is made after the Image of God In a word there is none but this whose Doctrine is agreeable to Right Reason After this he subjoins a long Fragment out of a Treatise of Maximus which demonstrates that Matter is not Eternal In the Eighth Book he gives the History of the Version of the Septuagint and to prove the Authority of the Holy Scriptures he makes it appear by the Testimony of the Jews that their Law is Mystical and very Significant which he afterwards represents as worthy of all Esteem by the holiness of their Lives who have embrac'd it by the Example of the Essenes whose manner of Life he describes and by the Wisdom of Philo. In the Ninth Book he relates the Testimonies of the Pagans who have spoken in favour of the Jewish Religion and of those who allow the Truth of Moses's History In the 10th he shows that Plato and the Pagan Philosophers have taken the greatest part of what they have written from the Books of Moses In the 11th Book he demonstrates particularly that the Doctrine of Plato is agreeable to that of Moses and compares many of the Opinions of that Philosopher with those of the Jews He carries on that Comparison in the 12th and 13th Books But in the mean time he demonstrates that this Philosopher had his Errors and that no Book but the Scriptures is wholly free In the 14th and 15th Books he relates the Opinions of the Philosophers he shows their Contradictions and oftentimes confutes one of them by another From all which he concludes that the Christians had reason to forsake the Religion of the Pagans and embrace that of the Jews After he has thus prepar'd the Minds of Men to receive the Christian Religion by establishing the Authority of the Religion and of the Books of the Jews he demonstrates the Truth of it against the Jews themselves by their own Prophecies This is the Subject of his Books of Evangelical Demonstration of which there are only Ten remaining of Twenty which he compos'd In the First Book he shows that the Law of the Jews was calculated for one Nation only but the New Testament was design'd for all Mankind That the Patriarchs had no other Religion but that of the Christians since they ador'd the same God and the same Word honour'd him as they do and resembled their holy Lives In the Second Book he shows by the Prophecies that the Messias was to come into the World for all Mankind In the Third he makes it appear in favour of the Faithful that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the World and demonstrates against the Infidels that he was no Seducer as his Doctrine his Miracles and many other Reasons do evidently prove In the Fourth Book he shows that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and gives an Account of the Reasons for which he was made Man he explains the Name of Christ and cites many Prophecies wherein he was foretold by that Name In the following Books he brings abundance of Prophecies to demonstrate that the Coming of Jesus Christ the time of his Birth the Circumstances of his Liâ—â— and Passion and in a word all things that concern'd him were foretold in the Books of the Old Testament What we have of these Books ends with the last words of Christ upon the Cross And in the following Books he recited the Prophecies concerning his Death his Burial his Resurrection his Ascension the Establishment of the Church and the Conversion of the Gentiles But these are wholly lost These Books of Evangelical Preparation and Demonstration are the largest Work that has been made by any of the Ancients upon this Subject where a Man may find more Proofs Testimonies and Arguments for the Truth of the Christian Religion than in any other They are very proper to instruct and convince all those that sincerely search after Truth In fine Eusebius has omitted nothing which might serve to undeceive Men of a false Religion or convince them of the true The Treatise against Hierocles was written against a Book of that Philosopher publish'd by him under the Name of Philalethes against the Christian Religion wherein to render it ridiculous he has compar'd Apollonius Tyanaeus with Jesus Christ and says That Apollonius wrought Miracles as well as Christ and ascended into Heaven as well as he But Eusebius has prov'd in his Answer That Apollonius Tyanaeus was so far from being comparable to Jesus Christ that he did not deserve to be rank'd among the Philosophers and that Philostratus who wrote his Life is an Author unworthy of Credit because he contradicts himself very often he doubts himself of those very Miracles which he relates and he reports many things which are plainly Fabulous At the End of this Treatise Eusebius has given some Observations against Fatal Necessity In the First of the Five Books against Marcellus of Ancyra Eusebius endeavours to prove That this Bishop wrote his Book upon no other Motive but the hatred of his Brethren he charges him with Ignorance of the Holy Scriptures and rallies him for the impertinent Explications of some Greek Proverbs brought in not at all to the purpose In fine he blames him for accusing Origen Paulinus Narcissus Eusebius of Nicodemia and Asterius of Error touching the Mystery of the Trinity and endeavours to justifie their Doctrine about it In the Second Book he discovers the Errors of Marcellus and proves from many Passages of his Book That he believes the Word was not a Person subsisting before he was born of the Virgin That he denies the distinction of the Son from the Father That he is positive in asserting the Flesh and not the Word to be the Image of God the Son of God the King the Saviour and the Christ and in short That he durst affirm that this Flesh shall be destroyed and annihilated after the Day of Judgment After he has discovered the Errors and the Malice of Marcellus of Ancyra he confutes his Opinions in the Three following Books Entitled Ecclefiastick Theology and Dedicated to Flacillus Bishop of Antioch In the First Book he proposes the Faith of the Church which he explains very exactly rejecting the Errors of the Ebionites Paulianites Sabellians and Arians After this he shows that Marcellus is guilty of
subject after he hath shewn that all Christians ought to join in that Feast because all are in some measure Priests to God having received the Unction of the Holy Spirit which makes them in a sence Priests he speaks of the Prerogatives granted to S. Peter and he adds That the Right of that Power hath passed to all the Primates of the Church but it is not without good reason that God spake that to One which belongs to all because in chusing S. Peter to entrust with his Power he hath made him the Prototype of all Bishops and that this privilege granted to S. Peter meets in all those who Judge according to the Justice of that Apostle That as all the Apostles and Bishops have received the Keys in the Person of S. Peter so likewise it was for all the Apostles and all the Bishops that Jesus Christ hath Prayed when he Prayed in particular for S. Peter That his Faith fail not Lastly That S. Peter doth still take care of his Church and tho' he doth not refuse to assist all the Christians in the World yet it is to be believed that he helps in a particular manner those of the Church of Rome whom he hath preferred and among whom his Body is Buried The Fourth Sermon is almost spent upon the same matters After he hath proved that all the good that we do ought to be referred to God he demonstrates that the higher Men are promoted in the Church the more they ought to fear That all Bishops must give an Account of their Flocks That all Churches having recourse to the Holy Apostolick See God requires of his Bishop such an Universal Charity as he hath commanded S. Peter to have That it would be impoâ—…le for him to discharge so great an Office well and that he must infallibly faint under the Burden if Jesus Christ who is an Eternal Priest after the Order of Melchisedeck did not by his Divine Assistance continually aid and assist his Church That this Anniversary Festival was not appointed for Pride and Vanity but to give Jesus Christ upon that Day the Honour of what he doth in the Person of his Minister and to Celebrate the Memory of S. Peter who never ceaseth to preside over the Holy See and hath transmitted to his Successors the same Constancy which he hath received from Jesus Christ That it is to him that we are obliged for that small Power which remains yet in the Church of Roman For saith he if God hath granted to the Martyrs as a recompence of their sufferings and to make known their deserts If he hath granted them I say an Ability to relieve Men in Distress restore Health to the Sick and cast out Devils out of the Bodies of such as are possessed and to heal all manner of Diseases who can be so Ignorant or so Repining against the Glory of S. Peter as to assert That there is any part of the Church which is 〈◊〉 governed by his Care or strengthened by his Help He concludes That if all the Church acknowledge it self obliged to S. Peter the Roman Church ought more especially to 〈◊〉 all â—â—â—ens of the respect which it hath for him and make all thankful acknowledgments 〈◊〉 his Bounty That it is to this Apostle that all the Honour and Respect which is this Day given to his Successor is directed and intended The Six following Sermons are upon the Collections or Contributions which were made for the Poor upon some Sundays in the Year They are very short and much commend Alms-giving to us and shew that Gatherings for the Poor are derived to us from Apostolick Practice Next there are Nineteen Sermons upon the Fast of the Tenth Month that is upon the Ember-Week in the Month of September He observes That the Ember-Fasts were appointed to Teach us That there is no time which ought not to be employed in the doing of Good Works That this Fast in September was Instituted to give God thanks for the Fruits of the Earth which they had just gathered in and put us in mind of bestowing a part of those things which God hath given us to the Poor by abstaining from them our selves That the New Law doth not discharge Men from the obligation of Fasting but on the contrary the Fasts which it prescribes are of longer continuance than those of the Jews That the Apostles commanded it That Fasting is of great advantage but it ought to be accompanied with other Christian Vertues and chiefly Charity to our Neighbours That Almsgiving Prayer and Fasting are efficacious means to obtain remission of Sins that when we give Alms we lend our Money to God upon Usury That such Usury is allowed but 't is not permitted under any pretence whatsoever to lend to Men upon Usuries The Ten Sermons upon the Nativity contain in them more of Doctrine than Morality In them he explains the Mystery of the Incarnation confutes the Errors of the Hereticks who have opposed it and adds to the Doctrine some Moral Considerations The Eight Sermons upon the Epiphany contain some Considerations upon the circumstances of that Mystery In the Twelve Lent-Sermons he speaks of the Institution and Benefit of Fasting He believes That it was appointed principally to make Expiation for Sins and do Penance for their Sins That the Catechumens are obliged to it as well as the Faithful That Vertues must be joined with the due Observation of Fasting and chiefly Almsgiving and forgiveness of Enemies That the whole Lent and above all the last Days of it ought to be used to prepare our selves for the Feast of Easter In the Nineteen following Sermons he explains the Mystery Fruit Effects and Circumstances of the Passion of our Saviour He hath Two Sermons upon the Resurrection Two upon the Ascension of Jesus Christ and Three upon the Pentecost In these last he proves the Divinity of the Holy Spirit in the second he takes notice of some Circumstances of the Heresie of Manes The Four next Sermons are upon the Ember-days immediately after Whitsuntide which follows that Feast saith S. Leo That the Graces bestowed by Virtue of those Mysteries may be preserved by that means He speaks in these Sermons of the Benefit of Fasting The Sermon upon the Feast of S. Peter and S. Paul is looked upon and that with a great deal of Reason as one of the best Sermons of S. Leo. He shews in the beginning of it That tho' this Feast be common to all the Churches in the World it is reasonable that it should be celebrated with the greatest Solemnity in the City of Rome where these two Apostles have manifested the Light of the Gospel and where they received the Crown of Martyrdom He describes the manner how Religion was first settled at Rome and how that City which was the chief City of the Empire became the principal Church in the World He extolls the Zeal of S. Peter who came thither first of all to preach the Faith He equals
Edition When we suppose that there have been such publick Scribes we ascribe to them all the Historical part of the Pentateuch and to Moses all that belongs to the Laws and Ordinances and 't is this which the Scripture calls the Law of Moses And so one may say in this sense that all the Pentateuch is really and truly written by Moses because those persons that made the Collection lived in his time and what they did was by his particular Direction He says the very same thing in his 2d Chap. p. 17. 'T is therefore not improbable that there were in Moses ' s time such sort of Prophets who were necessary to the State because they preserved the most considerable Actions that passed in their Commonwealth This being granted we shall distinguish in these five Books of the Law that which was written by Moses from what was written by the Prophets and publick Scribes We may attribute to Moses the Commandments and Ordinances which he gave the People in lieu of which we may suppose these same publick Scribes to have been the Authors of the greatest part of this History In the seventh Chapter p. 50. he adds As for what concerns the Books of Moses such as they now are in the Collection which we have the Additions that have been made to the ancient Acts hinder us from discerning what is truly his and what has been added by those who succeeded him or by the Authors of the last Collection Besides this Compilation being now and then Epitomized out of the ancient Memoirs one cannot be assured that the Genealogies there are set down in their full length and extent From these Principles of Monsieur Simon it follows in the first place that Moses is not the Author of the greatest part of the Pentateuch for the Controversie here is not about some few Passages that are of small consequence but even those that make up the Body and principal Part of the Pentateuch Moses according to his Notions being only concerned about the Laws and Ordinances has no share in any thing besides and so the History of the Creation and of the Deluge in a word all Genesis and whatever has a relation to the Historical part is taken away from Moses It is to no purpose to say as he has done already p. 3. That one may say that all the Pentateuch is Moses ' s because they that made the Collection lived in his time and did nothing but by his order For would it not be a Jest to ascribe to Moses the Works of the publick Scribes of his time If this were really true a Man might ascribe all publick Registers to those Kings and Princes in whose time and by whose order they were compiled But what is a great deal more surprizing Monsieur Simon or at least one of his Zealous Defenders abandons this Hypothesis as not to be maintained and acknowledges that there is no convincing proof to make us believe there weresuch publick Scribes divinely inspired in the time of Moses This is taken notice of in a Marginal Note of the 17th Page of his Critical History and the same Edition that we cited before We find in truth says the Author of that Remark this sort of publick Scribes in the time of the Kings amongst the Hebrews … but we find no Foot-steps of them in the Books of Moses The Author of the Answer to a Letter which Monsieur Spanheim wrote against F. Simon confesses the same thing If you now demand of me what is my Opinion concerning these publick Scribes I answer That it would be very hard to reject 'em totally… In the mean time I don't altogether agree with him as to the time wherein he pretends that these Prophets were Established in the Jewish Commonwealth for the Reasons he brings and indeed the greater part of his Authorities clearly suppose that this happened after Moses If this Letter was Monsieur Simon 's as the World was inclined to believe he cannot possibly excuse himself from having dealt very treacherously in a matter of the highest consequence about Religion since he has established the truth of the Pentateuch upon a supposition which he himself acknowledges to be either false or uncertain But suppose this Letter was not his it shows at least that those persons who are the most favourable to his Hypothesis freely own 't is impossible to prove there were any of these publick Scribes divinely Inspired in Moses's time and consequently that Monsieur Simon who has grounded the validity of the Pentateuch upon this Hypothesis has done it upon a very weak Foundation even in the judgment of those Criticks who stand up the strongest for him Thus Monsieur Simon alledges this Conjecture as only a matter of probability In the second place Monsieur Simon has of himself ruined whatever he says of the Antiquity and Authority of the Pentateuch by confidently asserting as he has done in the third passage we quoted that the Pentateuch in the condition we find it in at present is only an Abridgment of the ancient Acts that were made in the time of Moses and that 't is impossible to discern what is ancient and what is not Is not this formally to deny that Moses was the Author of the Pentateuch and that the Books which we now have are not so ancient as is pretended In a word he establishes the Authority of the Books of Scripture upon the pretended Inspiration of certain Scribes or Keepers of the publick Registers whom he believes to have been from time to time among the Jews Now nothing is more uncertain than the Existence or Inspiration of these publick Scribes as we shall shew in the following Pages b By express Texts of Holy Scripture It is very certain that Moses wrote the Law and that in Scripture we are to understand the Pentateuch by the Law Exod. 24. v. 4. and 7. Moses wrote all the Words of the Law and took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the audience of the People Deut. 31. v. 19 and 22. Moses therefore wrote this Law and gave it to the Priests the Sons of Levi… and to all the Elders of Israel In Exodus ch 17. v. 14. God commanded Moses to write the Law and give it to Joshuah And in the Book of Joshuah ch 1. v. 7 and 8. God tells him That the Volume of the Law which he received from Moses ought to be always in his mind This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night… that thou mayst observe to do according to all the Law which Moses my Servant commanded thee Now tho' the Word Law may indeed be applied to one part of the Pentateuch yet we ought to take notice that it is generally taken in Scripture for the whole Pentateuch And 't is certain that in the 31st Chapter of Deuteronomy where it is said Moses therefore wrote this Law it is meant of all this Book
The first Proof is That it is certain that the Gospel was Preached later in France than in the other Regions of the World and that there was no Persecution in that Country before that of Valerian as it is expresly attested by Sulpicius Severus an Author who lived in the Fourth Century Now if St. Dionysius the Areopagite had been in 〈◊〉 the Christian Religion would have been introduced there very early and there would have been many Martyrs in that Kingdom before the Perfecâ—tion of 〈◊〉 Secondly It is eviâ—â—nt that 〈◊〉 was the first that propagated Christianity in France that during his Life and that of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Faith was only established in the Proâ—â—â—â—â—s of 〈◊〉 and Lyâ—â—â— and that there were no Martyrs but in these two Churches in the time of the Persecution of 〈◊〉 Aurelius therefore there were no other Churches then planted among the Gaâ—ls And indeed â—â—seâ—iâ—s mentions no other Churches or any other Maâ—â—yrs in 〈◊〉 no more than the Christians of the Church of Lyâ—â—s in the Epistâ—â— that they wrote concerning their Martyrs called by them Protâ—-Maâ—â—yrs Thirdly it is related by 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 in the first Book of his History chap. 2â— on the credit of an ancient Author that composed a Treatise concerning the Passion of St. Satâ—rniâ—s that St. Denys and his Companions the Apostles of France 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the 〈◊〉 of the Emperor 〈◊〉 about the year of our Loâ—â— 250 to â—…blish the Faith of Jesus Christ in that Country which was almost entirely extinct after the death of St. 〈◊〉 Fourthly there are great numbers of Martyrologies in which the Festivals of St. Diâ—â—ysius the Aâ—â—â—pagite and of St. Denys the Apostle of France are described as on two different days and wherein the place and circumstances of their Martyrdom are distinguished We may likewise draw the same Argument from the ancient Brâ—viâ—riâ—s Missâ—ls Kalâ—ndars and Lâ—itâ—niâ—s in which St. Denys the Apostle of France is reckoned after the Saints that suffered under Marcus Aurelius Fifthly the Author of the Life of St. Fujâ—ianus Fulbertus Carnutensis and Lethaldus distinguish two Denys's Sixthly the opinion of those that affirm that S. Dâ—â—ys the Apostle of France is the same with the Areopagite was unknown before the Ninth Century neither doth the Monk that wrote the Life of our St. Denys in the year 750 say one word concerning this matter â—ilduiâ—â—s who is the first that mentions it is a very fabulous Author who tells abundance of Lies and cites a Book written by one named Viâ—bius which is plainly forged on the credit of which wretched Author he builds up the Opinion of those that confound the two St. Denys's that there is scarcely any one tho' never so incredulous that can question it I could also very willingly forbear to give any Account of the Books that are attributed to him or to shew how they have been forged were it not that the Design of my Work obligeth me to this undertaking therefore I shall do it with as much Brevity and Moderation as is possible We must observe First that the manner of the first appearing of those Books ought to be suspected for it is certain that being unknown to all Antiquity they were first quoted by the Severian Hereticks in a Conference holden between them and the Orthodox Bishops at Constantinople in the Palace of the Emperor Justinian 532 Years after the Nativity of Jesus Christ. The silence of all the ancient Ecclesiastical Writers is without doubt a very great prejudice to them for who can imagine that so considerable an Author as S. Denys if these Books had been really Composed by him should have been unknown to Eusebius and S. Jerom. And who can believe that if they had known them they should take no notice of them when they Composed an exact Catalogue of all the Authors of whom they had any knowledge not omitting even those that had so little Reputation that they were scarcely heard of in the World Is it possible that Eusebius in making mention of Dionysius the Areopagite in two several placâ—s should not have observed according to his usual Method that he had written several Books S. Jerâ—â— in his Epistle to Magnus doth not omit the Testimony of one single Author to prove that it is lawful to make use of profane Books whereas the Writings of S. Denys might have served as a notable Proof why then doth he not speak so much as one word concerning them He gives us an Account in his Catalogue of Quadratus Bishop of Athens and of Aristides the Athenian Philosopher is it possible that S. Denys should be more obscure than these two Writers or less esteemed by S. Jerom How could it happen that all the ancient Writers that mention S. Dionysius the Areopagite as Dionysius Corinthius S. Chrysostom S. Ambrose S. Augustine and the Author of the Dialogues ascribed to S. Caesarius the Brother of S. Gregory Nazianzen should give us no Intimation of these Books In short why were these Books which contain many things relating to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Christian Church and that would have been of great Authority as proceeding from so ancient and considerable an Author as S. Dionysius the Areopagite never cited either for or against any Heretick or for the Illustration of any point of Discipline before the sixth Age of the Church Furthermore admitting that they had appeared even at that time as Books of whose Antiquity and Truth there could be no scruple if they had been then produced by the Orthodox as antient Records if they had been rejected by none would not this be a matter of great moment But who are they that produce them they are Hereticks who have been used to quote counterfeit Records How do they cite them As uncertain Books sicut suspicamini say the Catholicks To what end do they produce them To establish their Errors Against whom do they cite them Against the Orthodox And what do they reply This ought to decide the Controversy let us then hearken to them and let us give Credit to their Testimony rather than to that of the Hereticks How can you prove say the Orthodox Bishops to the Severian that these Records which you affirm to belong to S. Dionysius the Areopagite are Genuine as you imagine for if they were his they could not have been unknown to S. Cyril of happy Memory but why do we only mention S. Cyril If S. Athanasius had believed that they had been written by S. Dionysius would not he have made use of their Authority in the Council of Nice to prove the Consubstantiality of the Trinity against the blasphemies of Arius If they have not been cited by any of the ancient Writers how can you demonstrate that they were written by him Thus the Orthodox then argued but having since perused these Books and finding nothing therein that is contrary to the Catholick Faith they admitted them without much Examination tho' there have always been some
of Jesus Christ which is peculiar to the Christians He says that the Christians do not look upon him as a mere Man but as God who is the WORD of God begotten of the same Substance that he is thus God and the Son of God and that his Father and He are One that the WORD coming down into the Womb of a Virgin as was formerly foretold took Flesh upon him and was born God-Man He only desires them to consider it as a Fable like theirs till he has proved it by Invincible Arguments Which he presently does by the Authority of the Prophets who have plainly foretold Jesus Christ by the Miracles which he wrought by that extraordinary Eclipse which happened at his Death that is taken notice of in the very Records of the Heathens and lastly by his Miraculous Resurrection And all these Things says he are Authorized by the Testimony of Pilate who being already a Christian in his Heart wrote them to Tiberius Caesar and the Caesars had then been Christians if it had been possible either that the World could subsist without Emperors or that the Emperors could be Christians He adds to these Proofs that of the Establishment of the Church notwithstanding Persecutions and that which may be drawn from the Confession of the Heathen Gods that is to say the Daemons who submitted themselves to Jesus Christ and were against their wills driven out of the Bodies of those that were Possessed only by the Name of Jesus Christ. And here he makes a Digression to prove that the Romans owed not their Greatness and Prosperity to their Gods from whence he concludes that the Christians are not guilty of Treason since the Gods whom they will not own have not any Power to Succour and Preserve the Emperors But says he we Invoke for their Prosperity the Eternal the True and the Living God who gave them their Life and their Empire who alone has power over them and who alone is above them and after whom they are the Chiefest They are Great only because they acknowledge themselves Inferior to him Ideo magnus est quia Coelo minor est 'T is this God to whom the Christians pray with their whole Hearts for all the Emperors that he would grant them a long Life a peaceable Reign a faithful Council valiant Soldiers an obedient People and in a word all that a Man and an Emperor can possibly desire He adds that the Christians have greater Obligations upon them for the Performance of this than other Men. First because the Holy Scripture enjoyns them to it and Secondly because being perswaded that the World should end together with the Roman Empire they desired to retard those Calamities which were to happen at the end of all Things by praying for the Preservation of the Empire That it is true that the Christians do not swear by the Genii of the Caesars nor by their Health which is more precious than those Genii who are only Daemons and that they do not Solemnize the Festivals of the Emperors but that this is only for fear of falling into Idolatry That in other things they are more Obedient and better Subjects than other Men though they have the Power in their hands if they had a mind to defend themselves We have been says he but a little time in the World yet we are to be met with in all places you may find us in the Cities in the Villages in the Armies in the Courts of Justice in the Senate and in the Markets We have left you your Temples alone to your selves What Wars might not we be capable of Undertaking And with what Resolution might not we carry them on though we had not near so many Troops as you we who die daily with so much Joy were it not a Law amongst us to suffer our selves rather to be killed than to kill others Si non apud istam Disciplinam magis liceret occidi quam occidere But how could the Heathens object That the difference of Religion could cause any disturbance in the Commonwealth or make Parties and Factions He says that the Christians have no Ambition nor Pretentions in this World as they are Christians are so far from forming any Parties against the Government that they think upon nothing less than State-Affairs And that he might perswade the whole World of this Truth see the Description which he makes of the Christians of his time and of their Assemblies We make up says he a Body that is united by the Bond of the same Religion the same Discipline and the same Hope We assemble our selves and compose if I may so say a Body of an Army to force Heaven by our Prayers and this Violence is very acceptable to God We pray not only for our selves but also for the Emperors for their Ministers for the Magistrates for the good of the State for the Peace and Quietness of the Empire and lastly for the retarding the end of the World Besides we assemble our selves to Read the Holy Scriptures according to our different Wants and Necessities for our Instruction and Information in our Duty These Sacred Oracles are of signal Use for the preserving our Faith the confirming our Hope and the regulating our Manners by the Meditation upon its Precepts And 't is in these Assemblies that the necessary Exhortations and Reproofs are to be expected The Judgments which are there delivered are given with all the Equity and Circumspection imaginable because those who pass Judgment are verily perswaded that Almighty God takes notice of them Their Censures are all Divine and 't is a great Presumption of God's future Judgment against any One when he has committed any Sin for which he deserves to be separated from the Communion of Bread and from Prayer and the Assembly of the Faithful and in a word to be deprived of all manner of Communion of holy Things Those who preside among us are the most Ancient and such whose Probity is very well known and this Honour is not to be purchased for Money but it is bestowed upon pure Virtue for all those Concerns which relate to God are not to be valued at a Price If we have any kind of Treasure it is not to be look'd upon as a Blessing that is any ways dishonourable to our Religion as if it was to be purchased upon any account Every one contributes according to his Ability what Alms he pleases and when he pleases which yet is commonly done Monthâ—y None are compelled every one gives freely what he will These Contributions are the Contributions of Piety for we do not employ them in making merry Meetings or in other unnecessary Expences But to maintain and bury Orphans and poor People to relieve old Men and infirm Persons to assist the Faithful who are exiled into the Islands or condemned to work in the Mines or confined in Prison for having embraced the Faith of Jesus Christ. We all call our selves Brethren not only because we are
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
1634. in Octavo Thysius afterward revised his Edition and caused it to be Printed at Leyden by le Maire with the Notes of several others 1652. and 1657. in Quarto Lastly Priorius Printed the Books of Arnobius against the Gentiles at the end of St. Cyprian's Works at Paris by Dupuis in 1666. LACTANTIUS LUcius Caelius a Lucius Caelius This is his proper Name There are some Manuscripts where he is called Cecilius 'T is supposed that he was Surnamed Firmianus from his Country and Lanctantius from the sweetness of his Elocution but this is not certain Firmianus Surnamed Lactantius was b Converted in his Youth See the Seventh Book of his Institutions Chapter the last the Third Chapter of his Epitome l. 2. c. 10. where he seems to reckon himself in the Number of those who after they had acknowledged their Errour were converted to the Truth St. Jerome tells us That he was the Disciple of Arnobius Converted in his Youth to the Christian Lactantius Religion He Studied Rhetorick in Africk in the School of Arnobius but far surpassed his Master in Eloquence Whilest he was there he writ a Book Intituled Convivium or The Banquet which acquired him so great a Reputation in the World that he was sent for to Nicomedia to teach Rhetorick there But meeting with sew Scholars there because it was a Grecian City where they had no very great value for the Roman Eloquence he gave himself altogether to the writing of Books St. Jerome informs us That he wrote a Poem in Hexameter Verse wherein he gave a Description of his Voyage and another Piece which he called The Grammarian but imagining that he was obliged to employ his Learning and Time upon a better and higher Subject he entred the Lists in behalf of Religion The First Treatise which he composed after this manner was that about the Work of God He afterwards undertook his Seven Books of Institutions c About the Year of our Lord 320. Lanctantius was at Nicomeida at the time of Dioclesian's Persecution in the Year 302. as he himself tells us Lib. 5. of his Instit. Chap. 2. He tarried there till the Persecution was over afterwards he went to France where he wrote his Book of Institutions for he speaks of the Persecutors in the Beginning of his First Book as if he were then in another Country he therefore wrote it in the time of the Persecution carried on by the Emperour Licinius which began in the Year 320. So that the Name of Arians that is to be found in some Manuscripts of his Books might perhaps have been added since about the Year of our Lord 320 in which he strenuously defends the Christian Religion and likewise Answers all those that had written against it After he had finished them he abridged them and added the Book concerning the Anger of God to the rest He likewise wrote Two Books to Asclepiades and Eight Books of Epistles Four to Probus Two to Severus and Two to Demetrianus but all these Books that were extant in St. Jerome's time are lost at present We have only recovered one Small Treatise concerning Persecution mentioned by St. Jerome which Baluzius has lately Published under the Title of De Mortibus Persecutoruns He Promises several other Works of the same Author as his Disputes against the Philosophers against the Jews and against the Hereticks but there is no reason to believe that Lactantius ever composed these Pieces since St. Jerome doth not mention them at least that they were contained in his Epistles Constantine afterwards took him to be Tutor to his Son Crispus to instruct him in all manner of Learning In the midst of all these Honours he was so very Poor that he often wanted Necessaries being very far from making any pursuits after Pleasure This is all that we know of the History of this great and excellent Person but even this very Circumstance alone as we find it related in Eusebius's Chronicon may pass for an extraordinary and magnificent Commendation of him and ought to inspire us with no mean Idea of his Piety For he must certainly have been a very Vertuous Man that could live poorly in a Court that could neglect the Care even of Necessary things in the midst of Plenty and Abundance and had not the least taste of Pleasures when he resided amongst Persons that were overwhelmed in them We are now to consider the Subject of the Seven Books of Lactantius which besides the general Title of Divine Institutions have each of them a particular Inscription that acquaints us with the Matter whereof it Treats The First is Intituled De falsa Religione of false Religion The Second De Origine Erroris of the Original of Errour The design of Lactantius in these Two Books is to demonstrate the falsity of the Pagan Religion In the first after he has informed his Reader of the Reasons that moved him to undertake such a Work and has made his Addresses to the Emperour Constantine he shows that there is a Providence in the World and that it is God who Rules and Governs it He particularly enlarges upon this Second Proposition and makes it evident by several Arguments by the Authority of the Prophets that have Established it and by the joint-Testimonies of the Poets of the Philosophers of Mercurius Trismegistus of the Sybils and the Oracle of Apollo and there is only one God that Governs the World And lastly towards the latter Part of this Book he demonstrates the Falsity of the Pagan Religion by showing that the Gods to whom they paid their Adoration were Mortal Men and not only so but for the most part wicked and profligate Wretches In the Second Book he goes on to confute the Pagan Religion and directs his Discourse chiefly against the Idols and Representations of their Deities and plainly proves that it is the highest Degree of Madness and Stupidity to pay Adorations to them as Divine Beings After this coming to assign Reasons for the Prodigies and Oracles which the Pagans attributed to their Idols he rises as high as the Creation of the World to furnish himself with a fit occasion of discoursing about the Nature of Daemons to whom he ascribes all those wonderful miraculous Effects Lastly he shews That the principal Cause of the Errours and Malice of Men is owing to the perpetual Temptations and Snares of the Devil as also to the abandoning of Cham and his Posterity The Third Book is Intituled De falsa Sapientia Of false Wisdom because it is chiefly levelled at the Pagan Philosophers the Vanity of whose Philosophy he endeavours to expose and discover From hence he draws this Conclusion That the only Wisdom of Man is to know and worship God The Fourth is concerning true Wisdom and 't is in this Book chiefly that he lays open the Doctrine of the Christians In the beginning of the Book he shows That the Philosophers were not able to find out the true Wisdom because they
Impostures and Tricks That he allow'd the People to Abuse and use Violence to the Christians and reserved to himself the ways of moderation to allure and perswade them That he changed his Court and gain'd the Souldiers over to his side That he removed Christians from all Offices that he entic'd some by Hope of Rewards and seduc'd others That he sent some of them into Banishment and in spite of his affected Gentleness he had exercised the greatest Cruelties upon others He adds That this Tyrant had a Design to shut out Christians from all Protection of the Law and to forbid them to make use of it alledging this for a Reason That their Law commanded them to bear Injuries patiently and to render Evil for Good St. Gregory answers this Raillery by saying That if Christians had a Law which oblig'd them to bear with Evil yet there was no Law in the World which permitted any to do it And besides that there were among Christians Two sorts of Precepts that some of them do so oblige that it is absolutely necessary to obey them but there are others which do not oblige but Christians are free to fulfil or not fulfil them that all the World cannot arrive at that perfection which consists in the observation of Evangelical Counsels and that one may be Sav'd by observing only what is commanded as necessary to be done In this place he makes a Digression about the Moderation which Christians observ'd when they were in Power and this he opposes to the Cruelties which the Pagans have exercis'd There was a Time says he to the Pagans when we had the Authority in our Hands as well as you but what have we done to those of your Religion which comes near to what the Christians have suffer'd from you Have we taken your Liberty from you Have we stirr'd up the Fary of the Mobile against you Have we put Governours in places on purpose to condemn you to Punishment Have we attempted the Life of any Person Have we remov'd any Body from the Magistracy or from their Offices In a word Have we done any of those things to you which you have made us suffer and which you have threatned against us I cannot conceive how St. Gregory could reconcile all these things with what he had said before that Constantius did very ill to suffer Julian to live and leave the Empire to him because he was an Enemy to the Christian Religion and was to Persecute it and that in this Constantius made a very ill use of his Gentleness and Goodness Afterwards he speaks of the Prohibition which Julian had given to Christians to study humane Learning It belongs to us says he to Discourse it belongs to us to understand the Greek Tongue as it belongs to us to Adore the Gods But as for you Ignorance and Barbarism is your Portion and all your Wisdom consists in saying I believe St. Gregory answers him that the Pythagoreans who had no other Reason to give for what they Affirm'd but the Authority of their Master would not have jested in that manner upon what the Christians answer when they are askt about their Doctrine This is what I believe that this only signifies that 't is not lawful to doubt of what is written by Persons Divinely inspir'd and that their Authority is of greater force than all the Reasons and Arguments of the World but that it does not follow from thence that Eloquence Terms of Art and Skill in Languages belong only to those who Profess to acknowledge many Gods For says he if this be so either the Greek Tongue is confin'd to the Religion or to the Nation It cannot be said that 't is confin'd to the Pagan Religion For Where is that Commanded Who are the Priests that have enjoyn'd us to study humane Learning as an Action of Religion Neither can it be said that 't is confin'd to the Nations that profess to Adore false Gods For it will not follow because the Greek Tongue has been us'd among those that profess the Pagan Religion that therefore it is so confin'd to them who profess that Religion that others cannot make use of it This is as if one should say that working in Gold cannot be exercis'd but by Painters because there were some Painters that were Goldsmiths likewise He concludes that Languages cannot be confin'd to a Profession nor an Art nor a Religion but that they are common to all those that can make use of them He adds several Curiofities about the Invention of Letters and Sciences about the Origin of Sacrifices about Pagan Ceremonies and the infamous Actions which the Poets attributed to their false Gods He occasionally answers an Excuse which the Pagans make to cover the Folly of their Poets alledging that they invented what they said concerning their Divinities to please the People but that under these Veils there was a secret Sence and hidden Mystery St. Gregory confesses that there may be in Religion hidden Mysteries and such Discourses as all the World does not understand and he acknowledges that there are some of this nature among Christians but then he maintains that the Veils Representations the Appearances and the Figures which conceal these Mysteries and Truths ought to have the Character of Honesty and not of Infamy That otherwise this was to do like one that would conduct a Man to a fine City through a Bog or that would bring a Man into Harbour by leading him over the Rocks And besides that there was no Example produced by the Poets which excited to Vertue but on the contrary they inclin'd all Men to Vice whereas the Christian Religion teaches nothing but Vertue and Perfection The 4th Oration is also an Invective against Julian There St. Gregory represents the visible Judgments which God had made use of to punish his Impiety as well as the sensible manner of protecting his Church and defeating the Designs of this impious Man He relates first that when Julian would have had the Jews rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem there arose such a Storm as drove away those that undertook the Work and that having retir'd into a neighbouring Temple there came forth a Fire which consum'd them He adds that there appear'd a Sign of the Cross in the Heavens which was a Mark of the Victory which Jesus Christ had gotten over these Impious Men and that all those who saw it or spoke of it found their Clothes mark'd with this Sign He says that this Miracle was so publick that many who saw it embrac'd immediately the Christian Religion and were Baptiz'd But if the Power of God appear'd in this Miracle his Vengeance clearly appeared in the miserable Death of Julian Before he departed to march against the Persians he made a Vow That if he return'd Conqueror he would reduce all Christians under the Power of the Devil But God who confounds the Designs of the Wicked did not suffer him to return from this Journey For being unseasonably engag'd
Favour address'd to Cynegius the Praetorian Prefect wherein he testifies his Indignation against the manner of treating them and ordains That the Bishops Gregory of Spain and Heraclides of the East who are mentioned in their Petition and all those who communicate with them be suffered to live in quiet This Petition must have been presented after the Year 383 because Arcadius to whom it is address'd was not admitted a Partner of the Empire till that Year and the Rescript must be before 388 which was the Year wherein Cynegius died It seems to have been presented while Damasus liv'd who died in the Year 384. There is some probability that Faustinus presented the Confession of Faith which goes under his Name in the Roman Code publish'd by Monsieur Quesnel at the End of the Works of St. Leo along with this Petition I know very well that this Learned Man pretends that this Confession of Faith was made about the Year 379 before the Council of Constantinople but his Conjectures are not convincing He attributes to the Priest Marcellinus the Confession of Faith which precedes this in the New Code but this also is a Conjecture that is not absolutely certain The Stile of Faustinus in his Treatise of the Trinity is very plain and simple He contents himself with producing Passages of Scripture from which he draws consequences to prove the Doctrine of the Church and with answering the Objections of the Arians but the Stile of his Petition is swelling and pathetical In it you Every Reader must needs see that these Reflections were inserted here more for the sake of the Protestants than of the Luciferians Either all Abuses ought always to be tolerated or a Reformer is not to be blamed upon the score of his Office And when Men set up for Reformers the Cause only is to be considered not the Pretences which if it be just they have no reason to be ashamed of any of these things here urged against them as Marks of Obloquy if their Numbers are small they ought to shew by a proportionable firmness of Mind that they place their Confidence in a Being that is Superiour to any Powers here below and if they find Fault with the multitude who do not joyn with them they Act according to their own Principles since all Men who think themselves to be in the Right must believe that their Adversaries are mistaken their standing to their own Assertions cannot reasonably be Interpreted to be injurious to Men in Eminent Places Constancy Contempt of the World of Life Riches and Honours are Vertues which when Supported by a good Cause are glorious Ingredients in the Characters of the greatest Saints and therefore are favourable Prejudices for all those Reformers in whom they are to be found if they are too apt to attribute the ill Successes of their Enemies to Divine Vengeance they are not Singular since all Parties and even all Religions constantly practise it if they are hardly used they may reasonably complain of their Usage and Mr. du Pin knows that his Church has always taken very particular Care that her Adversaries should never complain against her for Persecuting without Just Cause whilest they believe themselves to be in the right Reformers as all Men naturally do will aggravate their Sufferings that they may lay load upon their Persecutors and last of all every Man is tempted to think his Adversary's Zeal for Religion to be only Hypocritical If we consider what good Success these Two Luciferian Priests had in their Business we ought not hastily to condemn them Theodosius the Great always shew'd an unshaken Zeal for the Orthodox Faith and his Carriage towards St. Ambrose who censured him for his hasty and cruel Orders against the Thessalonians was an Evidence how very much he Reverenc'd the Orders and Discipline of the Church and besides if we reflect upon the Accounts which Ammianus Marcellinus gives us of the Differences between Damasus and Ursicinus they will seem to plead for Ursicinus's Party His being a Heathen is no prejudice against him in this Matter because he was not a Bigot against the Christian Religion so that it rather gave him the Advantage which all Neuters have of judging impartially of both sides may see the Humour and Genius of all Reformers who Glory in their small number who blame the Multitude who rend in Pieces the Reputation of those who are promoted to Dignities who testify their Indignation against the Higher Powers who make a show of much Firmness and Constancy of a great Contempt of this Life of Honours and Riches who look upon themselves as unblameable and attribute to the Divine Vengeance all the Fatal Accidents which happen to those that are not their Friends who are always complaining of being Persecuted and ill used who exaggerate the Evils which they justly suffer and affect to show a great Zeal for Plety and Religion PHILASTRIUS PHILASTRIUS Bishop of Brescia flourish'd under the Elder Theodosius and was one of the Bishops in the Council of Aquileia St. Austin says That he had seen him sometimes with Philastrius St. Ambrose We have his Life written as is thought by St. Gaudentius his Successor He died before St. Ambrose about the Year 387 a About the Year 387. The Author of this Life says That he died before St. Ambrose In Heresy 63 't is said that he wrote in the Year 430 but 't is plain that this was the Mistake of a Figure and that they put a C for an L which would make it just 380. He wrote a Treatise of Heresies wherein he reckons 20 Heresies before the Birth of Jesus Christ and 128 afterwards to the Year 380 in which he wrote and tells in a few Words the principal Errors of each of them St. Austin observes at the beginning of his Book about Heresies that it was a surprizing thing that Philastrius who was much less learned and less exact than St. Epiphanius should reckon up many more Heresies than he did from whence he concludes that these two Authors could not have the same Notions of Heresy because indeed it is very difficult to give a just Definition of it Wherefore adds St. Austin in giving the Catalogue of Heresies we must carefully avoid these two opposite extremes whereof one is to make those Heresies that are not and the other is to omit those Heresies which really are such 'T is a rare thing for those who make the Catalogues of Heresies to fall into this last Fault but the first is very common and Philastrius was more subject to it than any body For he feigns a multitude of Heresies that never were b Heresies that never were As the Nazareans the Heliognosts the Adorers of Mice the Muscaronnites the Troglodites in the Old Testament the Fortunatians the Baalites the Celebites the Molochites the Tophites making several Sects of Hereticks of the Abominations committed by the Jews and the Sacrifices of the People that were their Neighbours
is famous for the several Questions it has occasion'd The most natural Sence that can be given to it is this We Ordain That the Ancient Custom shall be observ'd which gives Power to the Bishop of Alexandria over all the Provinces of Egypt Libya and Pentapolis because the Bishop of Rome has the like Jurisdiction over all the Suburbicary Regions for this Addition must be supplied out of Ruffinus We would likewise have the Rights and Privileges of the Church of Antioch and the other Churches preserved but these Rights ought not to prejudice those of the Metropolitans If any one is Ordain'd without the consent of the Metropolitan the Council declares That he is no Bishop But if any one is Canonically chosen by the Suffrage of almost all the Bishops of the Province and if there are but One or Two of a contrary Opinion the Suffrages of the far greater number ought to carry it for the Ordination of those particular Persons This Canon being thus explain'd has no difficulty in it It does not oppose the Primacy of the Church of Rome but neither does it Only so far as it may by a Negative Argument be hence very strongly concluded That the See of Rome then claimed none but Privileges common to it and other Metropolitical Sees establish it It preserves to Great Sees their ancient Privileges that is the Jurisdiction or Authority which they had over many Provinces which was afterwards call'd the Jurisdiction of the Patriarch or Exarch In this sence it is That it compares the Church of Rome to the Church of Alexandria by considering them all as Patriarchal Churches It continues also to the Church of Antioch and all the other Great Churches whatsoever Rights they could have but lest their Authority should be prejudicial to the ordinary Metropolitans who were subject to their Jurisdiction the Council confirms what had been Ordain'd in the Fourth Canon concerning the Authority of Metropolitans in the Ordination of Bishops This Explication is easie and natural and we have given many proofs of it in our Latin Dissertation concerning the ancient Discipline of the Church The 7th is That since by ancient Tradition the Church of Elias or of Jerusalem has been honoured this Prerogative of Honour shall be continued to it but without prejudice to the Rights of its Metropolis The 8th declares That the Novatians who return to the Church may continue in the Clergy after they have receiv'd Imposition of Hands and made Profession of following the Discipline of the Church That if a Novatian Bishop in a City where there is a Catholick Bishop return to the Church he shall not take the place of the Catholick Bishop but continue in the Presbytery unless the Catholick Bishop will allow him the Name of a Bishop But if he will not this Novatian Bishop shall continue Priest or Suffragan The 9th or 10th Ordains That those Priests shall be degraded who are found either to have Sacrificed or to have been guilty of other Crimes before their Ordination The 11th imposes a Penance of Ten Years upon those who voluntarily renounce the Christian Religion without being forced either by the loss of their Estate or danger of their Life The 12th imposes Thirteen Years Penance upon those who having shown their Zeal for the Faith did afterwards apostatize to obtain Offices Nevertheless it permits this Penance to be shorten'd in favour of those who testify much Grief and Remorse The 13th renews the ancient Law which Ordains That dying Persons shall not be deprived of the last and most necessary Viaticum that is of Absolution but upon condition That if the sick Person recovers his health he shall be placed only in the Rank of those who are present only at the Prayers of the Church It leaves it at the discretion of the Bishop to give or to refuse the Communion to dying Persons who desire it The 14th turns back those Catechumens to the place of Hearers who Apostatized when they were ready to receive Baptism and enjoins them to continue in that place for Three Years before they can be restor'd to the place wherein they were before The 15th forbids the Translations of Bishops and Priests and Ordains That those who shall be Translated shall return to their First Church The 16th forbids the receiving of Priests Deacons or Ministers of another Church without the consent of their Bishop The 17th Ordains That Clergy-men who are Usurers or who take sordid Gain shall be deposed The 18th forbids Deacons to give the Eucharist to Priests because it is against the Canons and contrary to Custom and they have not the power to Offer nor to Give the Body of Jesus Christ to those who do offer It forbids them also to take the Eucharist before the Bishops and advertises them that they are but inferiour Ministers to Priests That they ought to receive the Eucharist after them from the hand of a Bishop or a Priest That 't is not lawful for them to sit in the place of Priests and threatens those who do not obey this Rule with the deprivation of their Ministry The 19th Ordains That the Paulianists shall be re-baptiz'd who return to the Church and that if there be found any who had the Name of Clergy-men among these Hereticks who are worthy of Orders the Bishop shall Ordain them after they have been baptiz'd but if they be not found worthy of Holy Orders they shall be deposed It Ordains the same thing of Deaconesses who are reckoned among the Clergy tho' they never receiv'd Imposition of Hands that they shall be placed among the Laity The last Canon abolishes the Custom of some Churches wherein they kneeled on Sunday and Whit-sunday and Ordains for keeping Uniformity that they shall pray to God standing at this time in all Churches We must add to the History of this Council Two remarkable Stories related by Socrates and Sozomen which Socrates says he learn'd from an old Man who assisted at this Council The First is concerning Acesius a Novatian Bishop who being asked by the Emperour whether he approv'd the Decision of this Council answer'd him That he had receiv'd from his Ancestors the Faith which they had decree'd and that he always celebrated Easter on the Day which they had appointed The Emperour having afterwards ask'd him Why then did he separate from the Communion of the Church He alledg'd the Indulgence which the Church had given from the time of Decius and said that those who had faln into Crimes ought never to be receiv'd into the Communion of the Church and that they ought to expect pardon from God only who only could grant it them The Emperour hearing this Answer answer'd him pleasantly O Acesius take then a Ladder and mount up to Heaven alone The other Story concerns Paphnutius a Bishop in Egypt who oppos'd the Canon which was propos'd in the Council for obliging Bishops Priests and Deacons to observe Celibacy This good Man said that tho' he had
disapproved upon S. Jerom's Word In his management of his Quarrel he is deserted by the Papists because they condemn the Errors of Origen as well as he and therefore they cannot with any Decency excuse his Carriage towards Rufinus but in his Controversies with Jovinian and Vigilantius concerning Virginity and Invocation of Saints he is applauded by them only the wiser men amongst them are a little out of Countenance at his Heat It is a Misfortune that Jovinian's and Vigilantius's Books are lost and there is Reason to believe from those other Disputes wherein S. Jerom was ingaged that if we knew what they said for themselves instead of thinking them Hereticks we should esteem them illustrious Defenders of the Christian Religion against that Superstition which an immoderate Zeal for a Monastical Life did at that time introduce into the Church Jovinian indeed is accused of maintaining That a Christian who is baptized cannot fall away from Grace which is a very great Error but it had no relation to his other Opinions and since Obstinacy is necessary to make a man a Heretick it would be rashness to call Jovinian a Heretick of whom we know nothing but what we have from his Enemies And now to return to our Subject S. Jerom going on to justifie himself of those things which they reproached him withal namely of commending Origen sets forth some Examples of great Men that might be commended for their Learning who did hold very remarkable Errors S. Cyprian saith he took Tertullian for his Tutor as appears by his Writings and yet did not approve the Dreams of Montanus and Maximilla as he did Apollinarius hath written very convincing Books against Porphyrius and Eusebius writ a most useful History of the Church The former erred concerning the Mystery of the Incarnation and the latter defends the Opinions of Arius He owns that he was Apollinaris's Disciple Didymus's Scholar yea that he hath had a Jew for his Master that he collected carefully all Origen's Works and read them exactly but affirms that he never followed his Errors Lastly to make short he saith that if he may be believed he never was an Origenist and that tho he had been yet now he ceaseth to be so Upon this Principle he exhorts others to imitate him and to condemn his Errors after that he gives Origen high Commendations rejecting his Opinions He refutes what Rufinus had asserted that the Errors which were found in Origen's Works had been added and laughs at the Liberty which he had taken to expunge what he thought fit Last of all he affirms that the first Book of the Apology for Origen which bore the Name of Pamphilus was not that Martyrs but Didymus's or at least some other Author's This Letter is written near 150 years after Origen's Death that is in the year 399. The Sixty sixth Letter to Rufinus wherein he complains of his Preface is written at the same time He speaks to him as to a person with whom he would not quite fall out he telleth him that he knew not with what Spirit he writ that Preface but that all the World saw how it was to be understood that he might have been even with him by commending him after the like malicious Manner but that he chose rather to justify himself of the Crime laid to his Charge than offend his Friend that he intreated him to cite him no more after the same manner that he undertook to write to him about it as to his Friend rather than to ingage with him publickly To let him know that he would do nothing that might check that sincere Reconciliation which he had made with him he exhorts him on his part to do the same least saith he that biting one another we do not mutually consume one another Rufinus who was not of a Temper to lie still without replying immediately put pen to Paper to write against S. Jerom. Paulinianus who was then in the West having found a Way to get the Extracts of Rufinus his Book before it was quite published sent them to his Brother who besides was informed by Pammachius and Marcellinus of the principal Heads contained in Rufinus's Answer and so he composed immediately his first Apology divided into two Books In the First he answers Rufinus's Calumnies The First was that he had translated into Latin the Books of Origen's Principles without altering S. Jerom answers that he did it to show the falsity of Rufinus his Translation and to shew Origen's Errors and so his Translation could hurt no body since it appeared that it was made only to condemn the Errors of that Book To justifie Origen's Doctrine about the Trinity Rufinus had quoted the First Book of Pamphilus's Apology S. Jerom affirms that it was not composed by that Martyr Rufinus laid before him the Praises which he had given to Origen He answers as he did before that he had commended his Learning but not his Doctrine as he had commended Eusebius and Apollinaris without approving their Errors Rufinus charged him with publishing Errors and Contradictions in his Commentaries He says that he did it without approving of them that he has collected in his Commentaries the Notions and Words of others observing that some understood those passages in one Sence and others in another that so the prudent Reader may chuse what is truth and reject what is false and that in this Case none can Tax him with Errors and Contradictions who barely relates the Notions and different Expositions of others This he proves by the Example of the ablest Commentators of profane Authors Rufinus had found fault that he had variously translated the Twelth Verse of the second Psalm where the vulgar Translation saith Embrace the Discipline by rendring it according to the Hebrew sometimes worship the Son sometimes worship ye only S. Jerom tells him That he had kept to the Sence rather than to the Letter translating the Hebrew word Nashecu which signifieth Kiss or Embrace by this term Worship ye That as to the other word Bar which hath several Significations for it signifies the Son or a handful of pickt Ears of Corn he had followed the former Signification in his Commentary and that in his Version to prevent the Jews accusing Christians of falsifying the Holy Scripture he adher'd to the latter Signification which both Aquila and Symmachus followed Rufinus found fault likewise with several passages in S. Jerom's Commentary upon the Epistle to the Ephesians in which he had abridged the Commentaries of Origen S. Jerom defends himself by saying that he produced Origen's Opinions without approving of them since he observes at the same time that those Explications were not his own Lastly Rufinus upbraided S. Jerom that he was naturally given to Calumniating and speaking evil of every Body That he reproved other Mens works out of Envy Yea he laid Perjury to his Charge because having protested before the Judgment Seat of Christ as he says in his Book of the Instruction of Virgin
independent upon the Imagination To the latter That there are Three sorts of Images or Phantoms in our Imagination that some are transmitted by the Senses and these represent such things as we have seen and felt That the Second that are formed by Imagination represent such things as we never saw and which perhaps are not but which we fansie or suppose to be or to have been And that the last arise from the Consideration of some Speculative Truths as Numbers and Dimensions That without doubt the first sort do not proceed from Sense but we must grant that the Second have their Original from Sense since they represent nothing but what is true That the last though they seem to spring from the Reasons and Principles of Sciences which lead not into Error yet are false because they represent Spiritual Things as if they were Corporeal and Extended Whence he concludes That the Soul doth not imagine the things that it does not see and that it doth not feel but either by lessening or by encreasing the Images of what it hath seen or felt The following Letters to the Thirteenth are directed to Nebridius though the Years are not precisely known it is certain that they were written before St. Augustin was Ordained because Nebridius died before that time In the Eighth Nebridius asketh St. Augustin How Daemons can make us Dream St. Augustin answers him in the Ninth That they do it by stirring those Parts of the Body which can make an Impression upon the Soul after the same manner as Musical Instruments excite in us certain Thoughts Passions and Affections In the Tenth St. Augustin proposes to Nebridius To live together retired And he setteth forth the Advantages of Solitude In the Eleventh he endeavours to explain that Question in Divinity How the Three Persons being inseparable the Son alone was made Man Having diligently studied how to answer it he tells Nebridius That the understanding of Mysteries is got only by Piety That this is the surest way to compass it and therefore that Men ought chiefly to give up themselves to the Practice thereof He had also handled that Question in the Twelfth Letter but it is imperfect In the Thirteenth he advises Nebridius not to think any longer that the Soul hath another thinner Body than that which we see it being impossible to resolve that Question since our Senses cannot discern such a Body and Reason cannot discover any such thing to us In the Fourteenth he answers Two other Questions proposed by Nebridius The First concerning the Sun which is of small importance and hath no difficulty The Second deserves more Reflection Nebridius asks St. Augustin Whether the Knowledge of God includeth not only a general Idea of Mankind but also an Idea of every Man in particular St. Augustin answereth That in the Creation God had only a Prospect of the general Idea of Mankind but yet that there is in God a particular Idea of every Man He clears his Answer by this Example The Idea of an Angle is one single Notion as well as that of a Square so when I design to make an Angle one only Idea offers it self and yet when I go about to describe a Square I must have in my Mind the Notion of Four Angles joined together Even so each Man was Formed after the particular Idea of a Man but in the Creation of People it is no longer the particular Idea of one Man but the general Idea of many seen and conceived all at once This is refined Metaphysicks The Fifteenth Letter is written to Romanianus to whom St. Augustin promiseth his Book of The True Religion which he finished not long before he was Ordained Priest Which proves That this Letter was written about the Year 390. He exhorts Romanianus to renounce the Cares of the World and to seek after solid and lasting Goods The Sixteenth Letter is a Discourse written by Maximus a Grammarian of Madaura who disputeth against the Christian Religion He owns That there is but One Sovereign Being and One only God but pretends That it is the same God whom the Heathen worship under several Names which signifie his several Attributes He cannot endure that in the Christian. Religion they should preferr Martyrs of obscure and strange Names before those Immortal Gods whose Names are so famous He desires of St. Austin to let him know who that particular God is whom the Christians suppose to be present in secret and retired places St. Augustin answereth this in the Seventeenth Letter discovering the Falshood of this Pagans Rallery by other Ralleries that are more Spiritual At the latter end of his Letter he declares That among Christians and Catholicks the Dead are not adored And That no Divine Honours are done to any Creature but only to God who created all things Thefe Letters were written before the Worship of the Gods was prohibited by the Imperial-Law of the Year 391. whil'st St. Augustin was retir'd at Tagasta near Madaura and before he was a Priest namely about the Year 390. It is believed that the Eighteenth Nineteenth and Twentieth Letters were written before St. Augustin was Ordained Priest because he gives himself no Title in the Inscription and because they seem more florid than those which he wrote after he was in Orders The Eighteenth is directed to Coelestinâ—â—s There he distinguishes Beings into Three Natures The First Moveable in Place and Time and that 's Body The Second Moveable in Time but not in Place and that is the Soul And the Third is Immoveable in Time and Place and this is God The First is incapable either of Happiness or Unhappiness The Last is essentially Happy The Middle Being is Unhappy when it cleaveth to the Beings of the First sort but Happy when it carries it self to the Supreme Being In the Nineteenth Letter he exhorteth Caius to whom he sendeth his Works to continue in those good Dispositions of Mind wherein he left him In the Twentieth he giveth Antoninus Thanks for his Love and for the good Opinion he had of him with excellent Instructions desiring the Conversion of his whole Family St. Austin was Ordained Priest by Valerius Bishop of Hippo who being a Greek and not able to speak Latin fluently enough to Preach to the People cast his Eyes upon St. Augustin to Preach in his room St. Augustin being sensible how hard it was to discharge the Duties of that Station entreateth Valerius in the Twenty first Letter to let him withdraw for a time that he might fit himself by Study and Prayer for the Employment which he had laid upon him This Letter is very instructive for those that are to be promoted to Ecclesiastical Dignities It begins with this curious Reflection That there is nothing more acceptable especially at this time than the Dignity of a Priest a Bishop and a Deacon nothing more pleasant and easie than the Exercise of these Offices when Men will do things only of Course and flatter
King's Library The Psalter of Pope John made at Vienna John the XXIId is thought to be the Man meant by that Title The following Treatise upon the Magnificat is a Fragment of the Treatise of Hugo de S. Victore upon this Hymn That of the Virgin 's Assumption is a Sermon of some Author of the Twelfth Century or thereabouts which teacheth that the Blessed Virgin is in Heaven both Soul and Body Both the Discourses concerning Visiting the Sick contain useful Rules to teach Priests how they should behave themselves towards Sick Persons but they are very late Both the Discourses of the Comfort for the Dead are of the same Nature and it may be of the same Author The Treatise of Christian Behaviour is a Collection of Notions taken out of St. Eloi or Eligius Bishop of Noyon and Caesarius The Discourse upon the Creed is likewise a Collection of Remarks drawn out of Rufinus Caesarius St. Gregory Ivo Carnutensis and others The Sermon upon Easter-Eve about the Paschal-Lamb and that upon the * What this Book upon the 41st Sermon shou'd be I cannot tell it is false Printed in all probability but not having this Benedictine Edition of St. Augustin by me I could not alter it 41st Sermon are among the Books falsly attributed to St. Jerom. The three Sermons to the Novices concerning Unction Baptism and washing of the Feet are not like St. Augustin's Writings though they are attributed to him in very ancient Manuscripts The Treatise of the Creation of the first Man is inserted entire into the Book of the Spirit and the Soul It is among St. Ambrose's VVorks entituled a Treatise of the Dignity of the first Man and among Alcuinus's it is intituled Thoughts of the Blessed Albinus a Levite upon these words of Genesis Let us make Man after our own Image The Sermon of the Vanity of this present Age is inserted into the Treatise of Christian Behaviour The Author of the Sermon upon the contempt of the World is not known That about the Advantage of Discipline belongs to Valerianus Cemeliensis It is not known who was the Author of the Sermons of Obedience Humility Prayer Alms and that of the Generality of Alms-deeds The small Discourse of the Twelve Prayers spoken of in the 21st Chapter of the Revelations belongs perhaps to Amatus a Monk of Mount-Cassin or rather an Extract of Bede's Commentary upon that Passage in the Revelations Finally The Sermons to the Brethren that live in the Wilderness are the Work of some Modern Monk who was so imprudent as to publish them under St. Augustin's Name though it be as clear as the day that they are not of this Father Baronius observes That they were Compos'd by an Impostor and that they are full of Fables Falsities and Lyes Bellarmin saith That the Stile of them is Childish Course and Barbarous There are several Passages out of St. Augustin Caesarius and St. Gregory It is probable that the Author was a Flemming The SEVENTH TOME THE Seventh Volume contains St. Augustin's great Work of the City of God He undertook Tom. VII it about the Year 413. after the taking of Rome by Alaric King of the Goths to refute the Heathens who attributed that Misfortune to the Christian Religion This VVork held him several Years by reason of many intervening Businesses which he could not put off so that he did not finish it before the Year 426. It is divided into Two and twenty Books whereof the first Five refute those who believe that the worship of the Gods is necessary for the good of the VVorld and affirmed That all the Mischiefs lately happened proceeded from no other cause but the abolishing of that Religion The next Five are against those who confessing that the same Calamities have been in all Ages yet pretend that the worship of the Heathen Divinities was profitable to a future Life Thus the Ten first Books are to Answer both those Chimerical Opinions which are contrary to the Christian Religion But lest they should reproach him with having refuted the Opinions of others without establishing the Christian Religion the other part of this VVork is allotted to that purpose and it consists of Twelve Books though he sometimes establisheth our belief in the former Ten and so in the Twelve others he sometimes correcteth the Errors of our Adversaries In the Four first of these Twelve he describes The Original of the two Cities the one of God and the other of the VVorld In the Four next their Progress And in the Four last their Ends And so though all the 22. Books do equally treat of both Cities yet this VVork has its Name from the better and they are commonly called The Books of the City of God This is the Account which St. Augustin gives both of the Subject and of the Occasion of these Books in his Retractations Let us now examine more particularly what is most remarkable in each Book for it is a VVork made up of a great variety of very learned and very curious things In the First Book he shews That instead of imputing to the Christians the Desolation and the taking of Rome the Heathen ought rather to ascribe to the special favour of Jesus Christ That the Barbarians only out of reverence to his Name spared all those that had retired into the Churches He pretends That there are no Examples in the VVars of the Heathen to shew That the Enemies who spoiled a Town taken by Storm spared those who took Sanctuary in the Temples of their Gods This puts St. Augustin upon asking why this Favour of God was extended to those Ungodly Men that fled into the Churches who feigned themselves to be Christians and why the good were involved in the same Mischief with the wicked He confesses That both the Good and the Evil Things of this VVorld are common both to Good and Evil Men but the difference consists in the Use which they make of them He observes That perhaps good Men probably are punished with the wicked because they took no care to reprove St. Augustin Iâ—me VII and to correct them and that however good Men lose nothing by losing the good things of this World That a Christian ought to be easily conforted for want of Burial seeing that this doth him neither good nor hurt And he comforteth the Virgins that had been ravished in that disorder shewing That they lost neither the Chastity of the Soul nor the Purity of the Body He excuseth those that killed themselves rather than endure that dishonour But he shews at the same time That this Action so much admired by the Heathen is contrary both to Reason and to the Laws of Nature and that it is never lawful to kill our selves upon any account whatsoever He answers the Examples of some holy Women who threw themselves into the River to escape the Violence of those that would have ravish'd them He saith That they might have been induced to that by
in God that they worship God and their Desire is that all Men would worship him that they require of us neither Adoration nor Sacrifices and that God doth not expect from us Sacrifices like those of the Heathen but a Sarcifice of Union such as the Church celebrates in the Eucharist and which the Faithful know That the Miracles which were wrought by the interposition of Angels not of Daemons whose Prodigies are nothing but illusions These Miracles I say were wrought by God's Power to make himself known unto Men That the invisible God becomes visible by the ministry of his Angels whom he made use of to deliver his Law to the World That it is so true that no Sacrifice is to be offered to any but God that Jesus Christ as Man would be made a Sacrifice himself and not receive one from any Body else That God alone can purifie Men of their Sins as the Platonists themselves acknowledge that so it was necessary that God should be made Man to be a true Mediator That the just Men under the old Law were not Saved but by Faith in this Mediator That Pride alone keeps the Platonists from owning the Incarnation That the Soul is not Co-eternal with God as they imagine And Lastly That the Means of delivering the Soul which they sought after to so little purpose is nothing but the Christian Religion In the 11th Book St. Augustin finds the Original of both Cities in the diversity of Angels which gives him occasion to treat of the Creation of the visible World which was immediately preceded by that of the invisible that is of the Angels whom he created all in a State of Righteousness from which some are fallen through their own fault He makes some digressions to speak of the Trinity and of several Circumstances of the Creation of the VVorld Having proved in the 12th That the difference of good and evil Angels doth not proceed from their Nature but from their VVill because God created nothing but what was both Good and Perfect He comes to discourse of Mankind and proves That Men are not from Eternity but that God created Man in time And he mentions something concerning the Fall of the First Man whereof he speaks more at large in the 13th Book where he shews That the death both of Body and Soul was the Consequence and the Punishment of Adam's Fall There one may meet with several curious Notions concerning Death and several Reflections upon the Resurrection and the Quality of glorified Bodies He goes on in the 14th Book to speak of the Fall of the First Man and of the lamentable Consequences that attended it and particularly of irregular Desires and shameful Passions He enquires VVhether the First Man was subject to Passions and how he could Sin being free from them Lastly He asketh several Questions rather nice than necessary how Men should have had Children in the Earthly Paradise had they continued in the State of Innocence The Fifteenth Book is the first of those wherein he examineth the Progress of both the Cities He finds the History of it in the Old Testament where he shews who were the Citizens of both those Cities This Book prosecutes this History from the Creation to the Flood On the one side we see Abel and Isaac and on the other Cain and Esau And both these Cities may be taken notice of in the Marriages of the Sons of God with the Daughters of Men. The Church is represented by Noah's Ark. There are in this Book curious Allegories and several Reflections upon the History of Genesis Amongst other Things he examines the length of the Lives of the First Patriarchs and the Difference betwixt the Translation of the Septuagint and the Hebrew Text about the Number of the Generations In the 16th Book he carries on the History of both Cities from Noah to Abraham and from Abraham to the Kings of Israel He doth not find that the Scripture takes notice of any that served God from Noah to Abraham He speaks of the Posterity of the Children of Noah of the Confounding of Languages of the Antiquity of the Hebrew Tongue and of the Multiplication of Mankind He questions whether there be Antipodes In the rest of the Book he clears the History of Abraham and of his Posterity which is explained with relation to the City of God In the 17th taking a View of the History both of the Kings and of the Prophets he relates and expounds the Prophecies which are in the Books of Kings in the Psalms and in the Books of Solomon which relate to Christ or his Church Now as he had quitted the History of the City of the World when he was come to Abraham so he resumeth it in the beginning of the 18th Book which contains an Abridgment of the History of the Principal Monarchies in the VVorld the times whereof he makes to agree with the History of the Bible and he omits not to speak of the Fabulous Histories and of the Metamorphoses Afterwards he quotes the Sibylline Oracles but he insists most upon the Predictions of the Prophets which he produces in all their Particulars He speaks also of the Books of the Maccabees and having made some Reflections upon the Authority of the History of the Canonical Books and of the Translation of the LXX he describeth in few words the Fall of the Jewish Empire and so he comes to the Nativity of Jesus Christ the Dispersion of the Jews the Settlement of the Church the Persecutions and Heresies which immediately followed St. Augustin makes very ingenious Reflections upon all these Articles and concludes this Book by showing That the End of the VVorld is Unknown and he refutes a false Prediction which the Heathens published That the Christian Religion should last but Three hundred sixty five Years The 19th Book treateth of the End of both Cities Each one aims at the chiefest Good but the Inhabitants of the Terrestrial know so little of it that their Philosophers the Wisest among them could never agree wherein it consisted Varro reckoneth Two hundred eighty eight different Opinions of Philosophers about it The Christian Religion discovers the Falsity of all those Opinions by letting Man know That he cannot be Happy in this Life but only in Hope because he cannot enjoy here Peace and perfect Tranquility The 20th Book contains a Description of the Last Judgment of the Renewing of the World of the Resurrection and of the Heavenly Jerusalem The 21st treateth of the End of the Earthly City and represents the Horror of the Torments of Daemons and Damned Men and of the Eternal Fire of Hell St. Augustin refutes the vain Reasons of those that doubt of it and the Fancy of some who affirmed That those Torments should have an End and that Men should be kept from them by the Intercession of the Saints by the Use of Sacraments and by Almsdeeds The Last Book is concerning the Happiness which the Saints shall enjoy to Eternity The
him That he submits to the Judgment of the Bishop of Alexandria and that he hath followed it in the Letters which he hath written to all the Bishops of the West to give them notice of the day of that Feast He also thanks the Emperor for expelling Carosus and Dorothaeus from their Monasteries In the second he makes answer to Julian's Letter who had written to him That Carosus had professed the Orthodox Faith but was yet at variance with Anatolius That John was sent into Aegypt to restore the Faith and settle Peace there He desires Julian to let him know what success he shall have there and tells him That he is much troubled for the condition of the Bishop of Antioch if what his Accusers say be true He adds That he hath so great confidence in the Piety of the Emperor that he doth not doubt but that he will hinder the establishment of Heresie In the 114th he exhorts Anatolius to labour with all his Might to extinguish the remainders of the Heresie The last of these Letters is dated March 13. We have nothing more of that year nor the next because Rome having been taken by the Vandals S. Leo was so busy about the Affairs of his own Church he had no leasure to take care of others Besides that in the trouble he then was it was hard to send or receive Letters from distant Countries But as soon as he began to be a little at rest he then began afresh to give Marks of his Pastoral Care and Vigilance over the Church The Hundred and Fifteenth Letter to the Emperor Leo dated June 9. Anno 457. is the first He prays the Emperor to protect the Faith and not permit the Authority of the Council of Chalcedon to be questioned particularly at Alexandria where according to the account he had received from Anatolius it was strongly opposed To him also he directs the following Letter of July 11. S. Leo praises him because he was troubled to see the Church of Alexandria reduced to so lamentable a Condition through the Outrage of the Hereticks That the Emperor Marcian was taken out of the World just when he was using Remedies for it but God be praised he had left a Son from whom the Orthodox Religion might expect the same protection That he had written to him for that reason That he ought to join with him in endeavouring to maintain the Decisions of the Council of Chalcedon and prays him to let him know what he could do with him thereupon The Hundred and Seventeenth is of the same date In it he tells Julian That he wondred he did not write to him but being informed by Anatolius's Letter that he was gone to Alexandria he had written to the Emperor to pray him to restore Peace to that Church and to Anatolius that he should use his Interest with the Emperor upon that Subject He commands him to join his Sollicitations with Anatolius to uphold the Decrees of the Council of Chalcedon and ordain an Orthodox Bishop at Alexandria in the place of Proterius The Hundred and Eighteenth Letter dated Aug. 23 457. is directed to Basilius Bishop of Antioch In the beginning he complains That this Bishop had not given him notice of his Ordination He exhorts him to join with him and other Bishops that are Orthodox to defend the Catholick Faith with Courage because he is perswaded That the Emperor and Lords of the Court will not undertake to innovate any thing when they see the Orthodox Bishops firm and united In the Hundred and Nineteenth Letter he exhorts Euxithius Bishop of Thessalonica and Juvenal Bishop of Jerusalem to be resolute and not suffer that any Council be assembled to disannul what hath been done in the Council of Chalcedon He sent these Letters to Julian and Aetius that they might deliver them to the Metropolitans to whom they are directed and by that means all the Bishops may know it This appears by the 120th and 121st Letters In the Hundred and Twenty Second Letter he congratulates the Emperor Leo that he declared himself for the Council of Chalcedon and exhorts him to further the Peace of the Church This Letter is dated Sept. 1. 457. He comforts the Bishops of Aegypt who had been banished from their Churches for the Orthodox Doctrine in the following Letter This is of Octob. 11. The Hundred and Twenty Fourth Letter is to Anatolius After he hath thanked him for his care in writing to him the News he exhorts him to oppose the Temptations of Hereticks vigorously but he reproves him for suffering the Clergy of Constantinople to have Commerce with the Enemies of the Catholick Faith This Letter is dated the 11th or 14th of October In the Hundred and Twenty Fifth Letter to the Emperor Leo he endeavours to shew the Emperor That he ought not to revive again the Questions about the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and that he ought to hold to the decision of the Council of Chalcedon He exhorts him to apply Remedies to the Distempers of the Church of Alexandria and not suffer the Enemies of the true Faith to thrust themselves into the Government of that Church That having receiv'd Petitions from both Hereticks and Catholicks he easily discerned to which of them he ought to lend his Assistance since on the Hereticks part there is nothing but Violence and Sacrilege who have put to death an Innocent Bishop casting his Ashes into the Air overturning the Altars laying open the Mysteries to Parricides and Wicked Men casting down the Oblation and destroying the Holy Oyl That after all this they had the boldness to demand a Council That the Emperor ought not to suffer this Impudence but rescue the Church of Alexandria from the Oppression in which it was That he had sent him a Letter treating of Matters of Faith to instruct him fully in the Doctrine of the Church Lastly he complains That some of the Clergy in Constantinople held Heretical Opinions He accuses Anatolius of Negligence in not punishing them and exhorts the Emperor to banish them out of the City He recommends to him the Bishop Julian and Aetius the Priest This Letter is dated Decemb. 1. In the Hundred and Twenty Sixth Letter he desires Anatolius to join with him in perswading the Emperor to maintain the Decisions of the Council of Chalcedon oppose the Hereticks and restore the Peace of the Church of Alexandria He tells him That he was very Joyful to hear that there were but four Bishops of Aegypt who were guilty of the same Crime with Timotheus and who were of his Party That he must do his endeavour to help the other Bishops of Aegypt who are under Persecution and assist those who are withdrawn to Constantinople That their Presence is very necessary to divert the Emperor from calling a new Synod He admonishes him not to suffer Atticus and Andrew two Clergy-men of Constantinople to persist in their speaking against the Council of Chalcedon He likewise makes smart Reflections
eminent Life by an Holy Death Lastly although S. Leo had great Quarrels with him and spake very ill of him in his Life-time yet he could not refrain speaking honourably of him after his Death The only thing that he can be reproach'd with is that he did not follow S. Austin's Opinion about Grace and having favour'd or at least being one of the principal Patrons of the Semi-Pelagians But at that Time the most Learned and Holy Persons of France were of that Opinion This was the Doctrine of the Monks of Lerins with whom S. Hilary lived yea this was the Doctrine held by the Bishops and all the Clergy of the Provinces of Vienna and Narbonne Those that maintained this Opinion were not look'd upon as Hereticks unless it were by the zealous Followers of S. Austin It is no wonder then that S. Leo does not reproach him with it I have forgotten to observe That S. Hilary was present at and subscribed first the Councils of Ries in 439. and Orange in 441. S. VINCENTIUS LIRINENSIS VINCENTIUS a Frenchman by Nation after he had spent some part of his Life among the Troubles Commotions and Waves of the World * Being a Soldier through the Impulse of the Holy Vincentius Lirinensis Spirit retreated as he himself says Into the Haven of Religion O Happy and Safe Haven for all the World And having gotten Shelter against the Storms of Pride and the Vanity of the World to retire the remaining Part of his Days and offer to God the continual Sacrifices of Humiliation that he might avoid the Sufferings of this Life and the Flames of the Life to come The Place of his Retreat was the famous Monastery of the Isle of Lerins so famous for so many Persons eminent for Doctrine and Piety which it hath produced for the Church Vinoentius the Priest was none of the least Ornaments of it S. Eucherius who tells us That he was the Brother of Lupus Bishop of Troyes compares him for the Fervency of his Devotion to the brightness of a sparkling Diamond interno gemmam splendore perspicuam And in another place commends his Learning and Eloquence Gennadius assures us That he was well skilled in the Holy Scriptures and very well versed in the Discipline of the Church He hath composed an excellent Treatise against the Hereticks in which he hath given very infallible Rules and convincing Principles to distinguish Error from Truth and the Sects of 〈◊〉 Hereticks from the Catholick Church But his Humility made him conceal his Name and he published his Treatise under the Title of a * Admonition as Gennadius ' s Commonitorium Voss. Cave Commentary made by Peregrinus against the Hereticks It was divided into two parts but the 2d being lost he contented himself to make an Abridgment of it He proposes to himself in this Commentary to gather the Principles of the ancient Fathers against the Hereticks He tells us in the Preface That it was the Usefulness of the Work it self the time and the place that he lived in and his Profession that engaged him to undertake this Work The time because all things here below being carried on with such a swiftness it is reasonable that we should snatch up something that may stand us in stead in another Life and so much the rather because the terrible expecting of the last Judgment which he thought â—igh at hand because that the Barbarians had made so great a Progress into the Empire ought to stir up the Zeal of the Faithful for Religion and the Malice of the Hereticks ought to oblige the Orthodox to stand upon their Guard The place also was very suitable for such a Work because being distant from the noise and crowd of the Cities retired in a private Village and shut up in the Cloysters of a Monastery he was able without Distraction to do that which is said in the Psalm Attend ye and see that I am your God Lastly no Employment can be more agreeable to a religious Life which he professed He therefore undertakes * Vossius in his Hiâ—â— Pel. prove him a Semi Pelagian from some places of this Treatise as also of his Objections against S. Austin to write rather as an Historian than an Author what he hath learned from the Ancients and they have entrusted to their Posterity He advertiseth us That his design was not to collect all but only to offer to our observation what there is most necessary Entring then upon his Matter he saith That he hath learned from many Learned and Holy Persons That the means to avoid Heresie and adhere stedfastly to the true Faith is to ground themselves upon two Foundations 1. Upon the Authority of Holy Scripture 2. Upon the Tradition of the Catholick Church But perhaps some will demand saith he the Canon of the Holy Books being perfect and sufficient of it self to settle all Religion why is it necessary to join the Authority of the Church with it He answers 'T is because Holy Scripture having a sublime sence is differently explained one understands it after this manner and another after that insomuch that there are almost as many Opinions about the true meaning of it as there are Persons Novatian understands it one way and Photinus another It is necessary then altogether upon the account of the subtile Evasions of so many Hereticks of several sorts in interpreting Scripture to take the sence of the Catholick Church for our Rule But yet we must be careful to choose out of those Doctrines which we find in the Church such as have always been believed in all places and by all true Christians for there is indeed nothing truly and properly Catholick as the Name in its full signification doth denote but what comprehends all in general Now it will be so if we follow Antiquity unanimous Consent and Universality We shall follow Universality if we believe no other Doctrine true but that which is taught in all Churches dispersed through the whole World We shall follow Antiquity if we depart not from the Judgment of our Ancestors and Fathers Lastly we shall follow unanimous Consent if we adhere to the Opinions of all or of almost all the Ancients But what shall an Orthodox Christian do if some part of the Church apostatize from the Faith of the whole Body of the Church There is nothing to be done but to preferr the Doctrine of the whole Body that is sound before the Error of a rotten and putrefy'd Member But what if some new Error is ready to spread it self I do not say over a small part but almost over all the Church We must then be sure to cleave close to Antiquity which cannot be corrupted with Novelty In fine if among the Ancients we find one or two Persons or perhaps a City or Province in an Error we must preferr the Decrees of the ancient and universal Church before the Rashness or Ignorance of some Particulars But if there arise any Question to
Solitary Life The Desart is the Temple of God In the Desart God is found The earthly Paradise is the Figure of it Moses saw God in the Desart The People of Israel were delivered by passing through the Desart The Red-Sea opened it self to give them a free Passage into the Desart and afterward closed again to prevent their return from thence In the Desart they were nourished with the Heavenly Food and quenched their Thirst with the miraculous Water In the Desart they received the Law David was preserved in the Desart Elias Elisha and the Prophets dwelt in Desarts Jesus Christ was baptized in the Desart There it was that Angels ministred unto him where he fed 5000 Men. It was upon a Mountain in the Wilderness that his Glory appeared He prayed in the Desart The Saints retired themselves into the Desart The Habitation of Desarts is to be preferr'd before all others there God is more easily found there we converse more familiarly with him there we live more quietly and free from Temptations The Praises of Desarts in general are attended by the particular Commendations of the Desart of Lerins That is a sweet Place full of Fountains over-spread with Herbs abounding with most pleasant Flowers grateful as well to the Eyes as Smell an abode fit for Honoratus who first founded the Monasteries and had Maximus for his Successor blessed Lupus his Brother Vincentius and Reverend Caprasius and many other Holy Old Men who dwelt in separate Cells have made the Life of the Aegyptian Monks to flourish among us Lastly After he hath spoken of their Vertues he congratulates Hilarius That he was return'd again to such a Charming and Delightful Dwelling The Second Work is a * Epistola de contemptu mundi saecularis Philosophiae Dr. Cave Treatise of the Contempt of the World dedicated to his Kinsman called Valerian who was of an Illustrious Family to exhort him to fly from the World He represents to him the two principal Duties incumbent upon Man 1. To know and worship God 2. To take Care of the Salvation of his Soul That these Two Duties are inseparable because no Man can be careful of his Soul unless he worship God nor honour God unless he take care of his Soul That it is more reasonable to be sollicitous for the Safety of our Souls than our Bodies because the Life of the Soul is Eternal whereas the Life of the Body must have an end and for that Reason we must labour in this Life for Eternity That it is easy to obtain the Eternal Happiness which we desire provided that we contemn this miserable Life That the World hath Two principal Attractives to allure us to it Riches and Honour but that we ought to tread them both under our Feet That Riches are ordinarily the Causes of Injustice that they are uncertain that we must necessarily leave them at our Death That Honours are common to the Good and Evil that Fortune hath her flittings and nothing is stable and permanent but true Piety That the true Honours and Riches are celestial That it is impossible to make a serious Reflection upon the shortness of Life and the necessity of Death but we must think that these are not the only good Things for our Salvation That we ought not to follow the Examples of those who lead a worldly Life but to propound to themselves the Lives of them who renounce the World that they may lead a truly Christian Life although they were Persons of Quality and might have enjoyed Honours and Riches S. Clemens S. Greg. Thaumaturgus S. Basil S. Greg. Nazianzen S. Paulinus of Nola S. Hilary Bishop of Arles and Petronius are those whom S. Eucherius propounds to Valerian he mentions the excellent Orators who renounced the Honours which they might have hoped for in the World yet laid aside all their Glory to write for Religion such as Lactantius Minutius Foelix S. Cyprian S. Hilary S. J. Chrysostom and S. Ambrose He propounds to him also the Examples of Holy Kings Lastly He makes use of the whole Frame of Nature and all the Visible World to prove that the only Employment of Man ought to be to honour the Creator of all Things After all these Considerations he discovers to him the Vanity of all Philosophical Knowledge and shews him that there is no true Wisdom taught nor any true Happiness to be found but in the Religion of Jesus Christ. This Writing is dated in the 1085th Year from the first Building of Rome which is the 432. of our common Aera These Two Treatises are written in a Style very Clean and Elegant the Matter is Spiritual and the manner of handling it very agreeable It may be said that these little Books are not inferior in the Politeness and Purity of Language to the Works of those Authors who lived in those Ages when Language was in greater Purity They have been printed distinctly at Antwerp in 1621. This Treatise to Valerian was printed at Basil with Erasmus's Notes who commends it to us as one of the most elegant Pieces of Antiquity anno 1520 and 1531. It was also publish'd by Rosoeidus with Notes at Antwerp 1620. together with the former in the Praise of Solitude which Genebrard put out at Paris 1578. His other Treatises are not so Profitable nor so Elegant as the former by a great deal His Treatise of * De formulis spiritualis intelligentie Cave Spiritual Terms and Phrases directed to Veranus is a Collection of Mystical and Spiritual Reflections upon the Terms and Expressions of Holy Scriptures in which there is very little Solidity His first Book of Instructions contains the Explication of several Questions which he proposes to himself out of the Old and New Testament Some of them are very well resolved and we may find in them some very good Remarks The Second Book contains 1. The Explication of the Hebrew Names 2. The Signification of some Hebrew Terms which are often met withal in the Bible such as Amen Hallâ—… c. 3. The Explication of some special Phrases 4. An Explication of the Names of Nations Cities and Rivers which are not known 5. Of the Hebrew Months and Festivals 6. The Names of Idols 7. The Explication of their Habits and Cloathing 8. Of Birds and Beasts 9. A Comparison of the Jewish Weights and Measures with those of the Greeks and Latins and the Signification of some Greek Names The Usefulness and Worth of this Critical Work may be easily known but the composing of it is very hard S. Eucherius hath not examin'd these Things throughly but contents himself to give the Meaning of every Thing in short without troubling himself to prove them He hath taken the greatest part of what he discourseth of out of several Authors He discusses them very often well enough but he is mistaken in many Places Gennadius makes mention of these Books The Commentaries upon Genesis and the Books of Kings which go under the Name of
Published by F. Labbe is the Genuine Chronicon of S. Prosper and that M. Pitthaeus's is the same Chronicon to which some other Person hath made an Addition For to think That there were Two Authors of the same Name and at the same time who have made Two Chronicon's which begin and end at the same Year is very improbable to me F. Sirmondus hath Published a little Book intitled * Confessio Fidei Cave Printed alone Paris 1619. The Confession of S. Prosper 'T is a small Book of little consequence and unworthy of this Father He made also a Paschal Table but we have it not Trithemius places among the Works of S. Prosper a Summary of Three Hundred Questions but he seems to me to mean his Book of Maxims taken out of S. Austin which perhaps was much larger than now it is And indeed This Book begins with the same words which Trithemius cites as the beginning of the Summary of S. Prosper He also attributes to him a Treatise of Famous Men The History of the taking of Rome and some Letters But since Trithemius doth not say That he ever saw these Works and he is not very Ancient we câ—â—not much depend upon his Testimony concerning them The Chronicon of S. Prosper Teaches us That he survived the Year 455 and Victorius writing his Paschal Rule in 457 speaking of him as a Person then Dead makes the time of his Death evident to us Gennadius says That S. Prosper's Stile is Scholastick and that there is great force in what he says Nervosus Assertionibus He treats of very difficult matters with much subtilty and clearness He imitated S. Austin but was more concise His Discourse is neither Beautified nor Pompous but Masculine and Vigorous These are the chief Editions of this Father's Works 1. At Lyons in 1539 Folio 2. At Louvain in 1566 Quarto 3. More large and correct at Doway in 1577 Octavo But some preferr the Edition at Cologne in 1609 Octavo These works are also Printed with S. Leo's at Paris in 1671 and several times since Besides these Editions they were Printed at Cologne in 1565 Quarto And 1618 Octavo At Lyons 1639. And in Biblioth Patrum Tome VIII P. 1. Of the Author of the Books Of the Calling of the Gentiles And Of the Epistle to Demetrias THE Author of the Books Of the Calling of the Gentiles hath been a long time sought after by the Learned At first they were attributed to S. Ambrose upon the Authority of The Author of the Books Of the calling of the Gentiles c. some Manuscripts but that Opinion was soon abandoned when it was considered that not only the Pelagian Heresie is therein spoken of which sprang up after the Death of S. Ambrose but also the Contest which arose in the Church about the Doctrine which S. Austin had maintain'd in opposing those Hereticks Afterwards they were imputed to S. Prosper because they were found under his Name in some * Very ancient MSS. as one in the Library of the Monks of Louvain another in Card. Cambray's Library and a third in the Library of the Abby of â—oniff at Namur Voss. Manuscripts and had great Affinity with the Questions of which he treats But many Criticks say This is also a mistake and that they are not this Fathers some because the Stile is different from his others because their Doctrine is contrary to this Yet since there is no Manuscript to be found wherein they are attributed to any other Authors they set themselves to guessing Some as Latius and Vossius have judged them that Hilary's who wrote to S. Austin which some have confounded with Hilary Bishop of Arles Others as Erasmus have believed them to be Eucherius's and find them much like his Stile Lastly F. Quesnel ventures to assert That they are S. Leo's having discovered as he imagines an exact agreement in the Stile and Doctrine of these Two Books and S. Leo's Works He seems to have sufficiently proved these Two points and many Persons are of his Opinion but M. Abbot Anthelmi hath contradicted it making a long dissertation on purpose to beat down that Opinion and at last returns to the common Opinion and maintains that these Books are S. Prosper's Of all these Opinions none deserve Examination but those which attribute this Book to S. Prosper or S. Leo all the other are manifestly false or groundless S. Ambrose cannot be the Author because he was Dead when these Questions were under debate The Stile of these Books and of Eucherius's Works is not so exactly alike as that they can be attributed to that Author upon that ground only They cannot be Hilary Bishop of Arles's who was not of S. Austin's Opinion about Grace but rather of their Judgment who are opposed in that Work Neither Hilary's Bishop of Syracuse nor Hilary's who was the Companion of S. Prosper if these Two are Two distinct Persons since the Stile of those Letters which they have written to S. Austin has no resemblance to the Author 's of this Book Nor can they rationally be said to be * Vâ—ssius seems to think it the most probable conjecture that these Books are Prosper's of Orleans and Dr. Cave is fully of his Opinion Prosper's Bishop of Orleans since he was so far from being able to write a Treatise of this Nature that he was forced to desire Sidonius Apollinaris to write the Life of Anianus his Predecessor not thinking himself Learned enough to undertake to do it himself Nor Lastly Are they * Dr. Cave and Vossius make this the same with Prosper of Orleans S. Prosper's who subscribed the Councils of Carpentoractum in 527 and Vasio in 529 because the Work Of the Calling of the Gentiles is cited under the Name of this Author by Pope Gelasius in his small Tracts against the Pelagians for this Pope being Dead in 496 there is no probability that he should cite an Author that Lived till 529. The main Question then which will deserve our Inquiry is reduced to this Whether this Work be S. Prosper's or S. Leo's or some other Author's which is unknown to us Let us consider the Reasons alledged on both sides First then it is pleaded for S. Prosper That this Treatise bears the Name of this Father in many Manuscripts That Hincmarus in his Book of Predestination cites it under the Name of S. Prosper That the Doctrine of this Treatise is very conformable to the Doctrine of this Father that the Stile is very like his and that the same Expressions are very often met with in them As for Example S. Prosper saith in his Poem That Rome being become the Head-Church in the World hath made her self Mistress by Religion of all that which she could not Conquer by her Arms. The Author of the Book Of the Calling of the Gentiles hath the same Expression and uttered almost in the same Words Ch. 16. lib. 2. S. Prosper in the Eighth Sentence of his
same matter nor is it at all surprizing to meet with the same Sence and the like Expressions If we would search S. Austin's Works as diligently as M. Anthelmi hath taken the pains to do S. Prosper's I do not question but we might have as good success in comparing the Phrases of the Books of the Calling of the Gentiles with his and there are also Parallel Places where the Sentences of S. Prosper which he compares with those of the Books of the Calling of the Gentiles are taken out of S. Austin or are found in the same Terms in the Works of that Father But it is needless to go to Particulars because notwithstanding all those long and tedious Parallels the difference between the Stile of the Books of the Calling of the Gentiles and S. Prosper's Works is easie to be perceived for the reason which we have already several times repeated We have now no more to do but to examine the Conjectures by which F. Quesnel hath been induced to attribute the Work of the Calling of the Gentiles to S. Leo. His principal or rather his only Argument is the agreement of Stile which he thinks he hath found between this Work and S. Leo's Writings For having read the Works of this Father over and over again and rendred his Stile familiar to him he acknowledged him as he says in the Books of the Calling of the Gentiles He perceived immediately his Modes of Speech his pleasant Words his Transitions his Figures his Fancy his exact Periods his rhyming Cadences his Apostrophes his Interrogations and Paraphrases And coming afterward more strictly to examine this Work he found 1. That the time did very well agree to S. Leo's Age who might have composed it under the Popedom of Sixtus the Contests about Grace having already been very much agitated 2. That the Country of this Author did also suit with S. Leo That he was not an African since he never quotes S. Austin That 't is not likely that he was a French Man Gennadius not having mentioned him That he is rather an Italian The Purity of his Stile shews it and this is confirmed by a Testimony out of Chap. 33. Lib. 2. where he sayâ— The Barbarians coming to the Assistance of the Romans have received that Religion in our Country which they could never have come to the knowledge of in their own which signifies That the City of Rome was the Country of this Author To this we may add That these Books were never cited in Africa That they were never seen in France till the ninth Age whereas we find them cited in 496 by Pope Gelasius as a Work known and received at Rome 3. This Author cites the Holy Scriptures after S. Leo's manner They both of them use S. Jerâ—m's Version they cite the same Texts and use them in a particular way 4. They express their Doctrine about Grace after the same manner They both acknowledge a general Grace and call the Elements and Creatures the Leaves and Volumes wherein the Eternal Law is written 5. They have often the same Thoughts They speak alike of the foundation of the Church of Rome That God hath chosen it to be the Head-Church of the World and that he permitted the Roman Empire to be extended over all the Earth that Religion might enlarge it self the more easily and that it hath entred into those places where the Roman Empire had gained no Power Compare Chap. 1. Serm 1. of S. Peter and S. Paul in S. Leo with Chap. 16. Lib. 2. of the Calling of the Gentiles They both say That S. Peter hath taken his Soundness and Constancy from the principal Rock S. Leo A principali Petra soliditatem virti tis traxit nominis The Author of the Books of the Calling of the Gentiles Lib. 2. Chap. 28. Ab illa principali Petra communionem virtutis sumpsit nominis the same Fancy Stile and Expression 6. The Stile of the Book of the Calling of the Gentiles is exactly like S. Leo. We have already observed That it is Elegant and Polite full of Antitheses and Rhymes that his Sentences are proportion'd and divided into equal Parts which is as we have noted the Description of S. Leo's Style 7. Not only the Style is very exactly alike but they use often the same Words and that peculiar ones We may see a large List of them p. 375. of the Second Tome of Father Quesnel's Edition He joyns to it in the following Pages a comparison of many Phrases and thinks that by this he hath invincibly prov'd That the Work Of the Calling of the Gentiles is Saint Leo's But his Adversary undertakes to prove Two Things against him 1. That all his Conjectures are weak 2. That there are Arguments which clearly shew and put it out of question That the Books Of the Calling of the Gentiles are not S. Leo's But since it is needless to enter upon a Discussion of the First if the Last be well proved therefore I will begin with the Latter Let us then take a View of the Reasons which do invincibly prove according to M. Anthelmi that S. Leo is not the Author of the Books Of the Calling of the Gentiles The First is taken from the Friendship that was between S. Leo and Cassian Is it credible that he would desire Cassian to write in the Name of the Church against Nestorius as he did and would have had so much Respect for him if he had thought him in an Error And would he have written the Books Of the Calling of the Gentiles against his Doctrine if he had known that he had forsaken it as F. Quesnel maintains I believe that he hath no Proofs and that it is not probable that Cassian changed his Opinion I own that S. Leo was one of his Friends but this is no Proof that he was of his Judgment nor can any Man be invincibly convinc'd thereby that he did not write the Books Of the Calling of the Gentiles All his Days he did write against his best Friends when he found them not of his Opinion All that he could do for his Friend was to direct him not to attack him directly to treat him mildly and instruct him rather than oppose him Now this is what the Author of the Books Of the Calling of the Gentiles does The Differences between S. Austin's Scholars and their Adversaries were never look'd upon as Heretical S. Prosper though he was zealous for S. Austin's Doctrines yet owns that those whom he oppos'd were Orthodox Christians and ought for all that to be reckon'd in the Church The Author of the Books Of the Calling of the Gentiles speaks in a more moderate way and account of those Contests as about some hard Questions which were debated among found Christians Cassian and the rest of his Party defended their Sentiments with much Calmness without Passion or Obstinacy All which evinceth that S. Leo might very well make use of Cassian to write against
Authority and others of a less perfects and others lastly which are of none at all The Authors of these Books are known either by their Titles or by the beginning of their Works Moses is the Author of the Pentateuque Joshua of the Book which goes under his Name Samuel of the first Book of the Kings There are Books in it whose Authors are altogether unknown as the Book of Judges of Ruth and the last Book of Kings Among these Books there are some written in Verse as the Psalms the Book of Job and some places of the Prophets and others in Prose The Order of the Books of Scripture is not different from ours This is what concerns the External Surface of the Scripture As to the Substance of the things which it teaches the Author observes that there are in it some Names that agree to the Essence and others to the Persons of the Trinity and among these there are some which precisely denote them and others only consequentially because they signifie the Operations which are attributed to them He gives Examples of them and shows what is common to the three Persons and what is particular to each Lastly he speaks of the Attributes which agree to God In the second Book he makes a particular Ennumeration of what the Scripture teaches concerning the Creatures and explains after what manner God governs them From thence he passes to what concerns the World to come He treats of the Figures of the Law and the fulfilling of Prophecies concerning Jesus Christ. Lastly he enquires How it may be prov'd that the Books of our Religion are Divinely inspir'd And he answers That it may be known by the Truth of them it self by the Order of Things by the admirable Agreement of Precepts by the Simplicity and Purity wherewith they are written That to these Characters we must add the Qualities of those that wrote them and who preach'd the Doctrine which they contain because it was not possible without the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Men should write of Divine things that simple Men should write of things so Sublime that Men so ignorant and plain should discover Truths so great and Subtil That the success of their Preaching was also a proof of the Truth of their Doctrine For how was it possible that Persons so despicable should Convert the whole World Reform the Doctrines of the Philosophers and Confound their Adversaries without the Assistance of a visible Protection from God Lastly That the Accomplishment of Prophecies and the Miracles which produc'd a Belief of our Religion were convincing Proofs of its Truth and that if at present no Miracles are wrought it is because there is no need of them because the Establishment of this Religion is a Miracle more then sufficient to prove it This is what is most useful in this Treatise which is to be found in the Bibliotheques of the Fathers LIBERATUS Liberatus LIberatus a Deacon of the Church of Carthage and a Defender of the three Chapters is the Author of an Historical Memorial of the Contests that arose about the Heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches He begins with the Ordination of Nestorius and ends at the fifth Council i. e. in 553. This Memorial therefore was not written by Liberatus till after the Year 560. It contains some very useful particulars of this History which are no where else to be found and Extracts of the Authentick Acts to justifie what he affirms This Work was publish'd by F. Garner in 1675. It is also in the fifth Tome of the last Collection of the Councils VICTOR of Tunona VIctor Bishop of Tunona in Afric was also one of the zealous Defenders of the three Chapters for which reason he was banish'd into Egypt and afterwards shut up in a Monastery at Constantinople Victor of Tunona Isidore of Sevil informs us That he made a Chronicon from the beginning of the World to the first Year of the Empire of Justin the younger wherein he plac'd in Order the Consuls the most memorable Events of War and the Holy Fathers of the Church We have nothing now remaining but one part of this Chronicon which begins where that of St. Prosper ends i. e. in the Year 444 and ends at the Year 565. In it he particularly describes what concerns the History of Eutyches and the Affair of the three Chapters Canisius was the first that caus'd it to be printed at Ingolstadt in the Year 1600 and since that Scaliger has inserted it into his Treasure of Time PAULUS SILENTIARIUS PAulus Cyrus Florus Chief of the Silentiarii of the Palace flourish'd towards the middle of the sixth Age. He made a long Poem containing a Description of the Temple of Sancta Sophia Pauluus Silentiarius which is printed at the end of the History of Cinnamus He wrote also many other excellent Poems says Dr. Cave out of Agathias De Rebus Justiniani Hist. Lit. p. 416. PELAGIUS the First PElagius after he had been a long time at Constantinople return'd into Italy with Pope Vigilius and was Ordain'd after the death of this Pope by two Bishops in the presence of a Priest of Pelagius I. the Church of Ostia This extraordinary Ordination and the suspicion that went about of him that he had been the cause of the death of his Predecessor induc'd many to separate from his Communion and brought upon him the hatred of the People To purge himself he mounted into a Chair after a solemn Procession from the Church of St. Pancratius to that of St. Peter and swore upon the Holy Evangelists and the Cross That he was no wise guilty of that whereof he was accus'd the People were satisfy'd with this Oath and with the Prohibition he made against giving Money for Ordinations Altho there was nothing remarkable that happen'd in the Church during the Pontificat of this Pope which lasted almost five years yet he has written many Letters The first address'd to Vigilius is a supposititious Piece made up of Passages patched together which are taken out of St. Leo Itachius the date whereof is false The second is address'd to Count Narses He prays him to assist Peter the Priest and the Deacon Projectus whom he had sent to Prosecute two Bishops of Italy who disturb'd the Order of the Churches and would appropriate to themselves all the Ecclesiastical Revenues In the third he exhorts the same Count to employ the Authority which his Office gave him for correcting and punishing the Bishops of Istria Liguria and the Country of Venice who had separated Agnellus from the other Churches for the Affair of the three Chapters He remarks That if they had any Complaints to make against the Decision of the Council of Constantinople they should send Deputies to the Holy See and not rend in pieces the Body of Christ by their Separation In the fourth Letter he inveighs vehemently against the same Bishops for their boldness in excommunicating Narses He exhorts him to
their beards and the Crowns of their heads letting the hair grow that is about their Temples and the under-part of their heads That others shave off one part of their hair and keep on the other In fine That the Custom of the Clergy is not uniform in this matter but different and that there had never been any dispute on this occasion that the Apostle St. Paul seems to condemn those Men who in shaving their heads put themselves under a necessity of Covering them with a Veil That nevertheless they are not to be blam'd who do it out of Humility That he does not accuse the Greeks nor should they find fault with the Custom of the Latins who imitate the Nazarites in shaving their Beards and cutting their Hair Aeneas makes use of this Example and of some passages in the Fathers that speak of it to justifie the Custom of the Romans and adds That it might more reasonably be objected to the Greeks as a Fault that they suffer their hair to grow sic comam nutriant against the prohibition made by the Apostle and the Church The Fifth Article is concerning the Celibacy of Priests Ratramnus says That if the Greeks seem'd Superstitious in the other Objections they are either very blind or were worthy Compassion in this blind if they do not see that Continency is very much to be commended in Ministers of the Altar and worthy of compassion if knowing it they condemn what they are sensible in their own Consciences deserves to be prais'd He makes it appear that the Latins do not by this condemn Marriage but that they prefer Continency and esteem it more becoming Priests who ought onely to be taken up with Divine Service Then he quotes some Canons which oblige Bishops and Priests to Continence Aeneas after he has alledg'd the Texts of St. Paul in praise of Celibacy cites the Canons of Councils Decretals of Popes and Passages of Fathers in Favour of Celibacy The Sixth Article is touching the Prohibition to Priests of the Roman Church to Anoint the Foreheads of those that are Baptiz'd with Chrism Ratramnus says That there is no better ground for this Objection than for the other since the Greeks have no other reason for doing it besides the Custom of their Church and no Law at all On the contrary he maintains that the Custom of the Romans is grounded upon the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles where the Imposition of Hands for bestowing of the Holy Ghost is reserv'd to the Apostles and consequently to Bishops who are much above Priests and who have particular Offices as conferring Holy Orders Consecrating the Holy Chrism Holy Oils c. He adds That it was upon the account of their Dignity that it was forbidden to Priests to Anoint the Forehead of the Baptized with Holy Chrism He affirms That this was establish'd by St. Sylvester as it is Written in the Pontifical and quotes a Passage of Pope Innocent on this Subject These two Authorities are likewise urg'd by Aeneas with a passage of Gelasius The Seventh Objection which the Greeks make against the Latins is false in matter of Fact They charge 'em with ordaining Bishops and Deacons without conferring on them the Order of Priesthood Ratramnus denies that this is practis'd in the West He owns that their Deacons are chosen in order to be made Bishops but he makes it appear that this is not contrary to the Canons of the Church whereas the Greeks violate 'em in choosing Lay-men to make 'em Bishops Aeneas does not absolutely deny that there are some among the Latins who allow of this Ordination but he excuses their Practice upon this account that it seems that he who receives the Pontifical Benediction is likewise honour'd with the other Benedictions and that it may be they believ'd according to S. Jerom that the Ministery of a Priest makes part of a Bishop on which he quotes the passage in S. Jerom on the Epistle of Titus The Eighth Objection of the Greeks is against the Primacy of the Patriarch of Rome to whom they wou'd prefer or at least equalize the Patriarch of Constantinople because that City was then Equal if not Superiour to Rome Ratramnus asserts this Primacy Because Jesus Christ who is the Head of the whole Church said to St. Peter Thou art Peter and upon This Rock will I build my Church And St. Paul tell us That he was among the Gentiles as St. Peter among the Jews That these two Apostles having receiv'd of Jesus Christ the Supremacy of the Church Quos ambos Ecclesiae principatum à Christo positos were sent to Rome as appears both by undoubted History and by the Monuments of their Martyrdom That it was reasonable that the Prince of the Apostles should be sent to the Chief City of the World to the end that as it had subdued all the World to its Empire it should likewise preside over all the Kingdoms of the World by its Primacy of Religion and the Dignity of Apostleship He alledges some Passages of Councils and Popes to establish this Preheminence of the Church of Rome He affirms That the Popes were always Presidents at General Councils by their Legates He makes it appear that the Patriarch of Constantinople is neither to be preferred nor equalled with that of Rome and that he ought to be satisfied with the second place which was allowed him by the Council of Constantinople without entrenching on the Rights of other Churches and the Determination made by the Council of Nice Aeneas makes a Collection of the Canons of some Councils and the Decretals of Popes about the Prerogatives and Dignity of the Church of Rome He quotes some Spurious Tracts attributed to S. Sylvester as also the Donation of Constantine and ends his Treatise with an Invective against the Condemnation of Ignatius and the Advancement of Photius to the Patriarchate of the Church of Constantinople The Greeks made two more Objections against the Latins which these two Authors think worth their Answering because they plainly appear to be false however they ought not to be forgotten The First is that they made use of River-water to make the Chrism The Second is that they offer'd a Lamb at Easter with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ according to the Custom of the Jews Walafridus Strabo relates that there were some particular persons who Consecrated and offer'd a Lamb at Easter An example of this usage is found in the Life of S. Uldarick and a Prayer is to be seen in the Roman Order for the Benediction of the Lamb on Easter-day but this was not a general Custom nor Authoriz'd by all the Latin Churches There is much more of Argument in Ratramnus's Work than in Aeneas's which is little else but a Collection of passages on the Questions propos'd CHAP. XI Several Constitutions made in Ecclesiastical Assemblies about the Discipline of the Church NO Princes and Bishops were ever so careful in making Rules for the Discipline
they treated of several matters The Bishops approved of the Excommunication of Lambert and Adelbert and declared that they would look upon all those as Excommunicated who had been so by the Pope They pronounced an Excommunication against those that had invaded the Goods of the Church They confirmed the Judgment given against Formosus They made a Canon forbidding all Christians to Marry a Second Wife while the First is living and Bishops removing from one Church to another and in the conclusion made Seven Canons In the First it is commanded that Secular Noble-men should pay respect to the Bishops by not sitting down before them and that Lay-men should not meddle with Church Revenues The Second enforces the same prohibition The Third orders that the Canons made the year before at Ravenna should be observed The Fourth enjoyns the Bishops to assist each other in the defence of the Revenues and Interests of their Churches The Fifth requires that those persons who have been Excommunicated or subjected to Penance by one Bishop shall not be received by his Brethren The Sixth asserts that they will not receive another Man's Servant without his consent The Seventh says that they will not entertain a private Accusation against any Man The Pope having seen the Body of the Gothick and Spanish Laws brought by the Arch-bishop of Narbonne and finding no Law in it against Sacrilege Wrote to them to observe the Law made by Charles the Emperour who Fined such as were guilty of it Thirty pounds He sent also a Letter to the Bishop of Poictiers forbidding him to encroach upon the Revenues of his Church and enjoyning all those that had invaded it to make Restitution By another Letter he confirms the Privileges of the Church of Tours and grants a Privilege to the Monastery of Fleury Hincmarus Bishop of Laon presented a Petition to this Synod and his Affair was here determined as we have said In this Synod King Lewis the Stammerer was Crowned by the Pope They made a Motion to put out Gozelin Abbot of S. Denys but 't was not put in execution Lastly They determined some affairs concerning the Bishops of Avignon Troyes and Besancon This Council was ended at Five Sessions or Actions which have we have Abridged with the Seven Canons and the Decisions of John the Eighth of which we spoken The Council of Fismes IN 881 several Bishops of France met at Fismes April the 2d where after they had recited The Council of Fismes that excellent passage of Gelasius about the Distinction between the Ecclesiastical and Civil Power and another place out of S. Gregory concerning the Episcopal Vigilance they admonish King Lewis to preserve and increase the Honour and Revenues of the Church and to maintain the Authority of the Bishops They require that Monasteries and Nunneries be visited by the King's Commissioners who shall represent the state of those places They exhort the King to punish Ravishers severely They also exhort the King's Officers and Judges to hinder Disorders and punish Crimes They invite Sinners to Penance and Lastly addressing their Speech to the King they advise him to provide wise discreet and impartial Counsellors who love Justice and Religion and will employ their knowledge and zeal to suppress Vice The Council of Cologne IN the year 887 there was an Assembly held at Cologne made up of the Arch-Bishops of Mentz The Council of Cologne and Cologne Four or Five Bishops some Abbots several Priests and Deacons and some Lay-men in which Drogo Bishop of Metz was Ordained Afterward they renewed some Constitutions made against them who had taken away some Revenues belonging to the Church Nevertheless they gave them to the end of June to be received to Penance if they would come in They also revived divers other Canons of Councils about unlawful Marriages The Council of Mentz THis Council was called by King Arnoldus at that time when Germany was much afflicted by The Council of Mentz the Inroads of the Normans The Arch-bishops of Mentz Cologne and Treves were at it with several of their Suffragans In it after they had declared by way of Preface the miserable condition that Germany was reduced to they made the following Canons The First obliges to Pray continually in the Church for King Arnoldus his Queen and all Christians In the Second they give the King a short Abridgment of the chief Duties incumbent on him The Third shews him that he is obliged to Administer Justice impartially both to great and small The Fourth says that they who are Founders of Churches should leave the disposal of the Revenues they give to the Bishops according to the Nineteenth Canon of the Third Council of Toledo The Fifth enjoyns that no Priests be put into any Church without the permission of the Bishop The Sixth requires that those shall be punished as Murtherers of the Poor who detain the Revenues of Churches Monasteries or Hospitals The Seventh declares that those who do any injury to Clergy-men shall be put out of the Church till they have made a proportionable satisfaction The Eighth orders that they who had cut off the Nose of a Priest of the Church of Wirtzburg should be Excommunicated The Ninth commands that Masses shall not be celebrated in all places but either in such places as are consecrated by the Bishop or are allowed by him for that use That in the places or Churches Burnt by the Normans Mass may be celebrated in the Chapels till they are Re-built and that in a Journey if Men can't find a Church they may say it in the open Field or in a Tent provided they have a Consecrated Table for an Altar and other things necessary for that Service The Tenth enjoyns Clergy-men absolutely to have no Woman to co-habit with them The Eleventh says that all that Invade the Lands of the Church shall be Excommunicated and Banish'd The Twelfth is a Canon falsely attributed to Pope Silvester about the Accusations of Clergy-men The Thirteenth imports that ancient Churches shall not be deprived of their Tythes and Revenues to Endow New Chapels The Fourteenth holds that no Bishop can retain ordain or judge a person that belongs to another Bishop's Diocess The Fifteenth asserts that he that doth so shall not be received at a Council till he hath had a Reproof The Sixteenth imposes a severe and long Penance upon him that shall kill a Priest The Seventeenth orders the Payment of Tythes The Eighteenth is against a person that had Marryed his God-mother and being divorced from her had taken her again The Nineteenth revives some old Laws against Unchast Priests The Twentieth is against them who by their Petitions get the Revenues of the Church into their possession by a precarious Title The One and twentieth revives the Prohibitions made by Charles the Great to hold Meetings about Secular Affairs in the Churches or Church-porches The Two and twentieth is against those who defraud the Church of part of their Tithes
Fragments of his Treatise of the 3 Questions recited by Hincmacus in his Treatise of Predestination A Summary of a Writing recited by Amola A Fragment of a Letter written to Bertram A Treatise upon the Expression Trina Deitas put into Hincmarus's Answer to it Works lost Those of which we have cited some Fragments HINCMARUS Bishop of Laon. His Genuine Works which we have A Letter to Hincmarus Archbishop of Rheims about Nivinus Another Letter to him about Adulphus Another about Senatus and another of other things A second Collection of Decretals A Letter to Hincmarus Archbishop of Rheims with Answer to his 55 Articles against him A Petition to the Council of Piste with a Recantation sent to King Charles PASCASIUS RATHBERTUS Abbot of Corby Genuine Works A Treatise about the Body and Blood of our Saviour A Letter to Fridegardus A Treatise upon Christ's Birth A Commentary upon the Lamentations of Jeremiah upon Psalm 44 and upon S. Matthew The Life of S. Wala BERTRAMUS a Monk of Corby Genuine Works A Letter against Hincmarus's Book of Predestination A Treatise of Predestination A Treatise of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. An Answer to the Objections of the Greeks against the Latin Church A Treatise upon the Nativity of Jesus Christ. A Treatise upon the Nature of the Soul which is in M. S. A Work lost A Treatise to justifie this Expression Trina Deitas JO. SCOTUS Genuine Works A Treatise of Predestination A Treatise of the Division of Nature A Translation of Maximus's Scholia upon the Works of S. Dionysius and S. Gregory Nazianzen A Book about the Vision of God in M. S. Works lost A Treatise upon the Eucharist A Commentary upon S. Matthew A Book of Offices The Translation of S. Dionysius's Works Nameless AUTHORS against Paschasius Genuine Works Two Treatises upon the Eucharist PRUDENTIUS Bishop of Troyes Genuine Works A Treatise of Predestination against J. Scotus A Letter to the Synod of Sens. A Letter to Hincmarus and Pardulus about Grace Works lost A Treatise of Predestination against Hincmarus Annals cited by Hincmarus FLORUS a Deacon of Lyons Genuine Works A Fragment of a Discourse of Predestination A Treatise against Joannes Scotus Two Commentaries upon S. Paul's Epistles A Treatise upon the Celebration of the Mass. Two Fragments of a Collection of Canons A Poem attributed to Drepanus Florus Another Peice in Verse Works lost A Collection of Canons REMEGIUS Archbishop of Lyons Genuine Works An Answer to Hincmarus in the Name of the Church of Lyons with a Writing entituled A Resolution of the Question concerning the Damnation of all Men in Adam and the particular Redemption of the Elect by Jesus Christ. A Treatise against the Articles of Quiercy entituled A Book to prove that we ought to hold firmly the Truth of Holy Scripture and faithfully follow the Authority of the Holy and Orthodox Fathers LUPUS Abbot of Ferrara Genuine Works A Treatise of the three Questions about Predestination A Letter to Hincmarus and Pardiulus Another Letter to Charles the Bald. 126 Letters upon different Subjects A Fragment of a Letter to Pope Nicholas in the Name of Wenilo Two Homilies and two Hymns The Lives of S. Maximus Archbishop of Treves and S Wigbert an Abbot LEO IV. Pope Genuine Works Two Letters and a Discourse EULOGIUS Genuine Works The Lives of the Martyrs of Corduba and An Apology for them Some Letters upon Reliques An Instruction to two Virgins Prisoners ALVARUS A Genuine Work An History of the Martyrdom of his Brother Eulogius ODO Abbot of Corby and afterward Bishop of Beauvais A Work lost A Treatise against the Greeks AENEAS Bishop of Paris A Genuine Work His Answer to the Objections made by the Greeks ANGELOMUS Monk of Luxeuil Genuine Works Comments entituled Stromata upon the 4 Books of Kings and the Book of Canticles Works lost A Treatise of Divine Offices BENEDICT III. Pope Genuine Works which we have Two Letters the one to Hincmarus and another to the Bishops of France Spurious Works Two Grants one of Corby and the other of S. Dionys. ISAAC Bishop of Langres A Genuine Work A Collection of Ecclesiastical Laws HERARD Archbishop of Tours A Genuine Work A Collection of Ecclesiastical Laws out of the Capitularies NICHOLAS I. Pope About 100 Letters An answer to the Bulgâ—rians PHOTIUS Patriarch of Constantinople Genuine Works His Bibliotheca His Nomocaron 248 Letters the first of which contains an History of the first 7 General Councils A Letter to the Patriarch of Aquileia against the Latin Church A Letter to the Governour of the Isle of Cyprus A Treatise of the Wills of Jesus Christ. Seven other Theological Treatises A Homily A Description of the New Church at Constantinople Works yet in M. S. Several Sermons A Treatise entituled Amphilochia A Comment on S. Paul's Epistles A Lexicon Some Notes upon the Prophets A Treatise against the Latins A Treatise against an Heretick called Leontius A Collection of the Rights of Metropolitans and Bishops A Commentary upon Aristotle's Categories ADRIAN II. Pope Genuine Works Thirty six Letters HUCBALDUS a Monk of S. Amandus Genuine Works A Poem in Commendation of Baldness A Treatise of Musick The lives of several Saints ISO a Monk of S. Gallus A Genuine Work The Life and Miracles of S. Othmarus PETRUS SICULUS A Genuine Work The History of the Heresie of the Manachees ADO Archbishop of Vienna A Martyrology A Treatise upon the Festivals of the Apostles A Chronicon abridged from the beginning of the World to 879. The Lives of S. Desiderius and S. Theuderius an Abbot USUARDUS a Monk of S. German de Prez A Genuine Work A Martyrology THEODORUS ABUCARA Arch-bishop of Caria A Genuine Work which we have A Theological Treatise of Religion ANASTASIUS Bibliothecarius Genuine Works Translations of the Acts of the Council of Constantinople of his threefold Chronology of several Pieces about the Monothelites of the Life of S. John the Alms-giver of the Passion of S. Danetius with the Prefaces to them A Preface to his Translation of S. Dionysius's Works The Lives of the Popes from S. Peter to Nicholas I. GEORGIUS Chartophylax of the Great Church at Constantinople Genuine Works Several Homilies upon the Feast of the Virgin LUITBERTUS Archbishop of Mentz A Genuine Work A Letter to King Lewis WULFADUS Archbishop of Bourges A Genuine Work A Pastoral Letter GAUTERIUS Bishop of Orleans A Genuine Work A Collection of Canons OLFREDUS a Benedictine Monk A Genuine Work A Preface to his History of the Gospel in the Teutonick Tongue Works lost The History of the Gospel Three Books upon the Psalms Some Treatises upon the last Judgment and the Joys of Heaven Divers Letters Several Peices of Poetry JOHN VIII Pope Genuine Works 320 Letters The Fragments of some others Spurious Works A Regulation of the Cardinals Three Letters added by F. Labbe REMBERTUS Archbishop of Breme A Genuine Work The Life of Anscharius HERRICUS a Monk of S. Germans at Auxerre Genuine Works A Preface to
this Bishop was his open and profess'd Enemy Exhorts him to a Reconciliation and gives him to understand that he was accus'd of Rapines He takes Notice to him of the Excommunication of one nam'd Aldramus which the Bishop of Beauvais had thunder'd out and which he said that the Archbishop of Rheims was bound to put in execution As to this point he tells him that he was always ready to follow the advice and opinion of other Bishops but that he knew of no Power which the Church of Beauvais had to command the Church of Rheims and that this Excommunication was not grounded on a Lawful and Canonical Reason but only because this Man had left the Interest of Eudes and embraced that of King Charles He likewise Summoned him to appear at the Ordination of the Bishops of Senlis and Chalons and gave him to understand that Pope Stephen had order'd him to send him to Ravenna The Fifteenth is a Letter of Compliment to Teuthaldus Bishop of Langres The Sixteenth was directed to Radulphus Successor to Didon Bishop of Laon whose Promotion to that Dignity he Congratulates and advertis'd him that he had too rashly Excommunicated one of his Diocesans hinting withal that he gave him his advice as a Friend to a Friend not being willing to make use of that Authority and Priviledge which the Church of Rheims had from all Antiquity of succouring all those who made their Application to it and thought themselves injur'd by their Bishops We might likewise to these Letters joyn that of Mancion Bishop of Chalons directed to Fulcus and publish'd by Father Mabillon in the third Tome of his Collections wherein he asks the Arch-bishop's Advice how he ought to behave himself with relation to a Priest who was solemnly betrothed to a Woman and would marry her publickly In the seventh Chapter Flodoard speaks of several Letters of Fulcus directed to Abbots and to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Fuâ—… to the Aâ—bâ—ts Persons of Note The first was directed to an Abbot called Stephen whom he comforts upon his having been depriv'd of a Bishoprick to which he had been elected In the second he reprov'd Baldwin Count of Flanders for the many Injuries he offer'd to the Churches of his Country and among others for having caus'd a Priest to be whip'd for having turn'd out several Parochial Priests out of their Churches in order to make room for others of his own choosing for having unjustly seiz'd upon an Estate which the King had bestow'd on the Church of Noyon for having seiz'd upon a Monastery c. he threaten'd to Excommunicate him in case he did not forthwith make Restitution and leave off his Cruelties to the Church The third is directed to the Clergy and Laiety of Senlis upon the Election of a Bishop The fourth to the Clergy of Laon upon the same Subject The fifth to the Monks of Corby whom he severely reproves for their having cruelly turn'd out their Abbot These are all the Letters of Fulcus which are mention'd in Flodoard the very Extracts of which shew us that this Archbishop wrote with a great deal of Strength and Authority That he was zealous for the welfare of the Church for the Dignity of Bishops and particularly for the Rights and Prerogatives of the Church of Rheims He was assassinated by Winâ—mare and others of Count Baldwin's Creatures in the Year 900 which Count was incens'd against him for having taken away from him the Abby of S. Wast and the Castle of Arras HERVEUS Archbishop of Rheims HIS Successor was one HERVEUS a young Lord belonging to Court and Nephew to Count Hughbold He was ordain'd by the unanimous consent of all the Bishops of the Province HERVEUS Arch-bishop of Rheims Immediately after his Ordination he soon render'd himself capable of governing his Diocess and gain'd the Esteem and Love of all the World by his Charity to the Poor by his sweet Temper by his good Nature and by the Zeal he expressed for the Welfare of the Church and for Ecclesiastical Discipline He held several Provincial Councils wherein he discours'd very usefully of Religion and of the Peace both of Church and State and of the Conversion of the Normans who about that time embrac'd the Christian Faith It was for their sakes that he sent to Guy Archbishop of Roan a Letter containing three and twenty Articles extracted out of the Canons and Letters of the Popes about the manner of treating those who after they had been baptiz'd had apostatiz'd and afterward's return'd to the Church In the Year 909. he held a Council at Trosly a Village near The Council of Trosly in 909. Soissons at which assisted the Archbishop of Roan with the Bishops of Laon Beauvais Noyon Chalons Soissons Cambray Meaux Senlis Terouane and Amiens in which after he had discours'd at large of the Miseries under which France groan'd which he imputed to the Sins both of the Laity and the Clergy he gave them very fine and large Instructions grounded on several Passages of the Fathers and Canons of Councils 1. Concerning the Honour and Respect due to Churches and to Ecclesiasticks 2. Concerning the Duty and Allegiance which Bishops and Ecclesiasticks ow'd to their King and concerning the Duties and Qualifications of a Prince 3. Concerning the Reformation of those Abuses which were crept into the Monastick Life and particularly concerning the Abbeys which were possess'd by Laicks It was ordain'd that Abbots should be Religious Persons well skill'd in the Regular Discipline and that the Monks and Religious should live according to their Profession and Rule praying for the Welfare of Kings for the Peace of the Kingdom and for the Tranquility of the Church without concerning themselves with Secular Affairs without hunting after the Pomps of this World and without incroaching on the Rights and Priviledges of Ecclesiasticks and that they might have no Excuse for stragling the Abbots were enjoyn'd or at least those who had the Government of Monasteries in their Care to provide them Necessaries 4. Against those who either by violence or by any other method seiz'd on Church Lands which he look'd upon as Sacrilege 5. Against those who either abus'd or persecuted the Clergy 6. Against those who would not pay Tenths and the other Revenues belonging to the Church The Duty of Tithes reached not only to the Fruits of the Earth and to the Breed of Cattle but likewise to those things which were the Profits of a Man's Industry and Labour 7. Concerning the Rapines and Robberies so rise at that time He demonstrates the Enormity thereof and shews the Obligation they lay under of making Restitution before they could expect Absolution 8. Against stealing young Women and against clandestine or unlawful Marriages 9. Concerning the Prohibitions renew'd so often by the Canons against Priests having Women amongst them 10. Concerning the Chastity which all Christians were oblig'd to preserve in their Words and Actions 11. Concerning the Obligation of keeping strictly to the Oaths
observe the Week of Tyrophagia 20. That they appear before the Altar with their ordinary Habits and that they keep their Hats on during the Celebration of Divine Service 21. That they do not administer the Communion on Holy Thursday 22. That they imitate the Jews in eating a Paschal Lamb on Easter-day with the Blood of which they sprinkle their Door-Posts and keep the rest to serve for Benedictions causing a Victim painted red to be brought to the Church-door where they sacrifice it with a great deal of Ceremony About that time the Armenians sent Legates to Rome to Pope Eugenius III. to enter into a Union with the Latin Church whose Custom they follow'd in the use of unleaven'd Bread and in some other Matters This Embassy is referr'd to by Otho of Frisinghen MICHAEL GLYCAS a Sicilian compos'd in the beginning of this Century his Annals divided into Four Parts which is not only an Historical Work but also has some relation to Divinity Michael Glycas a Sicilian and natural Philosophy In the First Part he treats of the Creation of the World The Second contains an History from the Creation of the World to the Nativity of Jesus Christ The Third continues the History from our Saviour to Constantine the Great And in the Fourth it is brought down to the Death of Alexis Commenus These Annals were printed in Latin of Lewenclavius's Version at Basil A. D. 1572. But they were published in Greek and Latin by Father Labbâ— and printed at Paris in 1660. Jacobus Pontanus likewise set forth two Discourses of the same Author with the Dioptron of Philip the Solitary printed at Ingolstadt in 1604. Leo Allatius produces several Fragments of divers Letters written by Michael Glycas and cites a Treatise which he compos'd about the Procession of the Holy Ghost dedicated to Maximus Semenieta another Piece concerning the Question Whether Jesus Christ made use of unleaven'd Bread at his last Supper And a Tract of the State of Souls separated from the Body Lastly Possevainus observes that there are certain Treatises of this Author on the Holy Scripture in the Emperor's Library at Vienna At the same time NICETAS a Philosopher or Monk of Constantinople wrote an Apologetical Nicetas of Constantinople Treatise for the Council of Chalcedon against a certain Prince of Armenia which was published by Allatius in the First Tome of his Graecia Orthodoxa CONSTANTIN MANASSES flourished in Greece A. D. 1150. and wrote an Epitome of Constantin Manasses History dedicated to Irene the Sister of the Emperor Manuel Comnenus from the Creation of the World to the Reign of Alexis Commenus that is to say to the Year 1081. The Latin Version of this Chronicle by Lewenclavius was printed at Basil in 1573. The Greek Text was published separately by Meursius at Amsterdam in 1616. but it was printed in Greek and Latin with the Notes of Lewenclavius Meursius Allatius and Fabrottus in Folio at Paris A. D. 1655. CONSTANTINUS HARMENOPULUS a Judg of Thessalinaca flourished A. D. 1150. at the Constantinus Harmenopulus time when the Heresy of the Bogomiles began to appear He was an able Lawyer and compil'd a Dictionary of the Civil Law which was printed in Greek at Paris in 1540. in Latin at Lyons in 1556. and in Greek and Latin with the Notes of Joan. Mercerus and Dionysius Gothofredus at Geneva in 1587. as also a Collection of Canons divided into Six Titles or Articles and published in Greek and Latin by Lewenclavius in the First Tome of his Jus Graeco-Romanum or Collection of Greek and Roman Laws To these Works may be added his Treatise of the Sects of Hereticks with a Confession of Faith which is inserted in the first Tome of Fronto Ducaeus's Supplement to the Bibliotheca Patrum JOHN a Monk of the Island of Oxia and Patriarch of the Greek Church of Antioch A. D. 1150. John Patriarch of Antioch is the Author of a small Treatise against the Custom that was then introduced of conferring Monasteries on Noble men or Laicks This Tract is mention'd by Balsamon and Blasteres and was published by Cotelerius in the First Tome of his Monuments of the Greek Church Perhaps it may not be improper here to shew after what manner he treats of the Original and Progress of the Monastick Life Our Lord Jesus Christ says he having descended from Heaven to Earth for the Salvation of Mankind having also actually redeemed us by his Death and established his Religion throughout the whole World the Devil us'd his utmost Efforts to cause Men to return to their former exorbitant Courses To which purpose he at first excited the Emperors and Potentates to raise cruel Persecutions against the Christians Afterwards when the Christian Religion was embraced by Kings and Princes he caus'd Heresies to succeed Superstitions but when these means in like manner prov'd ineffectual he made use of another Method which was to induce the Christians to defer the Administration of Baptism But our Ancestors the Successors of the Apostles perceiving the dammage such Procrastinations brought to the Catholick Church and that many Persons died without Baptism ordain'd that all Infants should be Baptiz'd and Educated in the Christian Religion by their Parents or by their God-fathers and God-mothers The Devil being thus defeated had recourse to another Artifice which was to corrupt the Manners of baptized Persons well knowing that Faith without good Works is unprofitable to Salvation Whereupon the Church enjoyn'd Pennance as an Antidote against these Disorders but the Devil often caus'd the Penitents to fall again into the same vicious Courses before the time of their Pennance was expir'd This difficulty of living Vertuously and Soberly in the World caus'd many Persons to take a Resolution to retire to Solitary Places there to lead an Ascetick Life insomuch that their Reputation drew many People thither who imitated their manner of Living and their Number being thus encreased they form'd Regular Societies and erected Monasteries This Institution began in Aegypt and from thence was spread abroad throughout the whole World as St. Athanasius and Theodorus Studita have observ'd The Bishops to render the Monastick Life more recommendable thought fit to confer on the Monks a kind of Consecration or Benediction which is as it were a renewing of the Baptismal Vows There were among the Monks a great number of Saints who wrote excellent Books relating to the Monastick Discipline and by that means brought it to perfection In the mean while the Devil not being able to endure their Proceedings at first attacked them by Leo the Image-breaker who endeavour'd to extirpate their Order but this Emperor was destroy'd and after his Reign the Monks obtain'd so great Reputation that they were permitted to receive Confessions to impose Pennances and to give Absolution How many Attempts has the Devil made to ruin an Order so well established He has caus'd Monasteries and Hospitals to be made over by Princes and Patriarchs to Lay-men Indeed at
forbear to repeat some part of his Office that he might have more time to read and study and about the Books which he should read answers this Regular in Eighteen Propositions whereof the Twelve first tend to shew that the Design of this Regular is dangerous and irregular and the Six last to inform him in the Studies he should follow Upon this occasion he refers him to his Book about the Examination of Doctrins advises him to read Spiritual Books as most agreeable to his Profession among the rest the Works of St. Bernard the Morals of St. Gregory the Spiritual Works of Richard and Hugo of St. Victor and of Bonaventure In another Tract he notes the Books which must be read with Precaution among which are the Works of the Abbot Joachim of ' Ubertin of Casal of Raimund Lully and among the Ancients the Ladder of John Climacus In another Treatise he gives the Signs for discerning between true and false Visions the First is Humility the Second Submission the Third Patience the Fourth the Truth of all the Predictions and Things which are said to be reveal'd and the Fifth Charity The Trilogue of Astrology Theologiz'd is a Dogmatical Work wherein he treats of the Heaven the Stars their Influences of the Angels and establishes Principles for confuting Judicial Astrology In the next Treatise he opposes the superstitious Opinions of those who believ'd certain Days to be happy or unhappy and in two other Treatises the Superstition of two Physicians of Montpelier whereof one made use of a Medal whereon was engraven the Figure of a Lyon for curing Diseases and the other would not make use of his Remedies but on certain days In a fourth Treatise about this Matter he confutes the Errors of the Magical Art by very solid Principles and proves that this Art is equally false and criminal He relates at the end of this Treatise a Censure of the Theological Faculty at Paris made the 19th of September 1398. against 27 Propositions which tend to justifie the Practice of Magick A Regular of the Order of Friars Preachers nam'd Matthew Grabon of the Convent of Weimar in the Diocese of Mersbourg in Saxony having asserted some Propositions which advanc'd the State of the Regulars so far above that of the Seculars that he affirm'd there could be no Perfection out of the Religious Orders and that the Evangelical Counsels and the Vertue of Poverty could not be practis'd in the World This Doctrin was condemn'd by the Cardinal of Cambray about which Gerson relates his own Opinion and founds it upon six Propositions First That the Christian Religion can only be properly call'd a Religion Secondly That it does not oblige Men to the Observation of the Evangelical Counsels Thirdly That it may be perfectly observ'd without a Vow which obliges to the practice of these Counsels Fourthly That particular Rules are not necessary for the more perfect Observation of the Christian Religion Fifthly That 't is an improper Speech to say That Religious Orders instituted by Men are a State of Perfection Sixthly That the Pope Cardinals and Prelats ought to observe the Christian Religion more perfectly than the Regulars From these Principles he draws Conclusions contrary to the Propositions of Friar Matthew Grabon This Affair being examin'd in the time of the Council of Constance this Regular was forc'd to Retract and his Retractation follows afterwards in the Treatise of Gerson against these Errors The next Treatise is against the Sect of Whippers and the publick Whippings He observes at first that the Law of Jesus Christ ought not to be burden'd with servile Works nor mingled with Superstitions that its Vertue proceeded from Mercy and the Grace which is produc'd by the Sacraments from whence he concludes that the Whippers who maintain that Whipping is of more Vertue for Remission of Sin than Confession and who equal it to Martyrdom are in an Error He says 't is to be fear'd lest this Effusion of the Blood of Ecclesiastical Persons and in holy Places should make the former fall into Excommunication or some Irregularity and profane the latter that when it is forbidden to impose publick Penance upon Clergy-men it is much less lawful to chastise them publickly with Whippings which are contrary to Modesty and Decency that to make these Whippings lawful they should be impos'd as a Penance by some Superiour that 't is convenient they should be us'd by the hand of another with Moderation without Scandal without Ostentation and Effusion of Blood as it is practis'd in some approv'd Convents and by devout Persons that publick Whippings are a dangerous Novelty condemn'd by the Church and are the cause of infinite Mischiefs as the contempt of Priests and Sacraments the Idleness the Robbery the Lewdness c. From whence he concludes That a stop must be put to this Practice lest it should revive and prevail by opposing it with Preaching with Laws and by Chastising the Disobedient and besides as it is not lawful to cut off any Member unless it is for the Health of the Body so neither does it seem to be lawful to draw Blood out of the Body by Violence unless it be by the way of Medicine After this Treatise follows a Letter address'd to St. Vincent Ferrier of the Order of Friars Predicants which does not so vigorously oppose this Usage but rather recommends the Care of it to him and desires him to come to Constance there to procure the Condemnation of this Sect of Whippers These things were written in the Year 1417. The next Treatise against the Proprietors who make Profession of the Rule of St. Austin is falsely attributed to Gerson This is the last Piece of the first part of his Works The second part consists of Moral Writings The first is entitled Moral Rules and is a Collection of many Axioms and Maxims upon different Subjects which appear not to have Gerson's Style as neither has the next Treatise which is an Abridgment of Speculative and Moral Theology The Tripartite Work wherein he treats of the Precepts of the Decalogue of Confession and the Art of dying well was found so useful that the Bishops of France made choice of it in their Synods to serve for an Instruction to Priests and to the Faithful of their Diocesses recommended it to the Curates to be read in their Exhortation and inserted into the Rituals The first part contains an easie Exposition of the Articles of Faith and a very useful Explication of the Precepts of the Decalogue the second the different Sins of which one may accuse himself in Confession and the third Exhortations and Prayers to assist a Man at the time of Death These things are handled in this Piece after a plain but solid and instructive manner The Treatise of the Difference between Venial and Mortal Sins was written in French by Gerson and translated into Latin by some Person at the same time To distinguish between these two Sins he lays down as a Principle That
He died at last in the City of Aquila in Abruzzo May the 20th 1444. he was Canoniz'd by Nicolas V. in 1450. The Works of this Saint are divided into Four Tomes the 1st contains Sixty one Sermons under the Title of the Quadragesimale of the Christian Religion The 2d another Quadragesimale Entituled The Eternal Gospel The 3d. two Advents one upon the Beatitudes and the other about Inspirations two Quadragesimale's one Entituled Of the Spiritual Combate and the other Seraphim and some particular Sermons A Treatise of Confession the Mirror of Sinners a Treatise of the Precepts of the Rule of Minors a Letter to the Regulars of his Order in Italy containing some Regulations Aspirations to God for all the days of the Week a Discourse by way of Dialogue between the World and Religion before the Pope a Treatise of Obedience by way of Dialogue Father La Haye does not think that the two Quadragesimale's which are in this Tome are truly St. Bernardin's because they are of another Stile and are written with less Exactness Elevation and Judgment The last Tome contains Sermons upon other Sundays of the Year and the Festivals of our Lord and the Saints with a Commentary upon the Revelations The Treatise of the Conception of the Virgin mention'd by Trithemius and other Authors is not St. Bernardin's The Sermons of this Saint are not of a sublime Stile but they contain a solid Morality and well drawn out into Particulars and the Author does not fall into such false and Childish Thoughts as other Predicants have done These Works have been Printed at Venice in 1591. by the Care of Rodulphus Bishop of Sinigaglia and at Paris in 1636. by the Care of Peter de lay Haye in 2 Volumes in Folio Augustine of Rome of the Order of the Hermites of St. Augustine was chosen their General Augustine of Rome Archbishop of Nazareth in the Year 1419. made Bishop of Cesena in 1431. and afterwards Archbishop of Nazareth in the Kingdom of Naples and died in 1443 or 1445. He wrote many Books a Treatise upon the four Books of the Sentences Commentaries upon the Epistles of St Paul and the Revelations a Book of Original Sin a Book of Free-Will a Treatise of the Power of the Pope a Treatise of the Divinity of Jesus Christ and of his Church a Treatise of Jesus Christ as Head of the Church a Treatise of his Charity towards the Elect and of his Infinite Love 'T is not known where these Works are Bellarmine says That the three last are in the Index of Prohibited Books which makes it credible that they have been printed Possevin affirms That he saw in the Library of the Augustines at Padua a Manuscript containing this Author's Commentaries upon St. Paul's Epistles the Canonical Epistles and the Revelations William Lyndwood a famous English Canonist in the University of Oxford flourish'd under William Lynwood Bishop of St. Davids the Reign of Henry V. King of England and was sent by this Prince Ambassador into Spain and Portugal in 1422. After the Death of this Prince who died in France in the Castle of Vincennes he forsook the Court and retir'd into England where he was made Bishop of St. David's in 1434. and died in the Year 1446 He wrote a Collection of the Constitutions of the Archbishops of Canterbury from the time of Stephen Langton to Henry Chichely divided into five Books printed at Paris in 1505. at London in 1557. and at Oxford in 1579. and Dr. James in his Tract of the Corruption of the Fathers p. 201. adds that Lynwood being sent Ambassador from Henry VI. to the Council of Basil presented an Appeal in the King's Name to the Fathers of that Council against the Pride and Arrogance of the Popes and asserted that the Kings of England own no Superior oâ— Earth in Temporals which Appeal says he is hitherto fradulently leâ—â— out by all the Editors of the Councils 1663* Alexander Carpenter so call'd because he was the Son of an English-man of that Trade Alexander Carpenter an English man flourish'd about the Year 1430. and wrote a Treatise Entitled Destructorium Vitiorum printed at Nuremburg in 1496. and at Venice in the Year 1582. under the Name of Alexander the English-man About the same time flourish'd Raymund of Sabunde or Sebeyde a Spaniard Professor at Tholouse Raymunde of Sabunde Professor at Tholouse who is the Author of a Treatise Entitled The Natural Theology of Men and Creatures or a Treasure of Divin Considerations printed at Daventer without Date at Strasburg in 1496. at Paris in 1509. at Lyons in 1540. at Venice in 1581. at Frankfurt in 1631. He put the same Work in the form of a Dialogue Entitled The Violet of the Soul which differs not from the former but only as it the Form printed at Colen in 1501. and at Lyons in 1568. This Work of Natural Theology was translated out of Spanish into French by Montague who shews a greater value of it than it deserves It is a Work that contains many wild and metaphysical Discourses and Reflections upon Religion and Christian Morality Peter of Jeremy of Palermo entred into the Order of Friars Predicant at Bologne and returning Peter of Jeremy a Dominican into Sicily he founded there and reform'd many Monasteries of his own Order after which he return'd anâ— died at Bologne in 1452. He was famous for Preaching and has left us Sermons for the whole Year and upon the Festivals of the Saints an Explication of the Lord's Prayer an Explication of the Decalogue a Treatise of the Passion of Our Lord and a Treatise of Faith These Works were printed at Hagenau in 1514. John of Ragusio of the Order of Friars Predicant was present at the Council of Basil and made there a long Discourse about Communion under both kinds against John of Rocksana John of Ragusio a Dominican After this he went over to the Party of Pope Engenius who made him Bishop and sent him to Constantinople in the Quality of Legat to the Emperor John Palaeologus His Discourse is at the end of the Acts of the Council of Basil. Henry Kalteisen a Native of Coblentz of the Order of Friars Predicant a Doctor of Colen Henry Kalteisen Archbishop of Nidrosia and of Caesarea was appointed by the Pope to Preach the Croisade against the Bohemians He was present at the Council of Basil where in a Discourse that lasted three Hours he refuted Ulrick a Priest of the Sect of the Orphelines concerning Preaching of the Word of God His Design is chiefly to shew That mere Priests ought not to thrust themselves upon the Office of Preaching without a Mission He was honour'd with the Dignity of being Master to the Sacred Palace in 1440. and waâ— made Inquisitor General in Germany In the Year 1452. he was Consecrated by Nicholas V. Archbishop of Nidrosia or Drant in Norway and of Caesarea and he died October the 3d in 1465. The
different times and which he afterwards collected together and address'd to his Brethren under the Name of a Pilgrim Friar These Discourses contain wholsome Instructions and Advices to the young Regulars founded upon Passages of Scripture and supported by some Examples which are related at the end Secondly Nine Discourses to his Brethren containing most sublime Thoughts upon the principal Vertues of Regulars viz. upon Self-denial Compunction Chastity Silence and Solitude Thirdly Thirty six Discourses upon the Incarnation the Birth the Life the Death the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ and also upon the Mission of the Holy Ghost and upon the Primitive Church which are almost wholly compos'd of Passages of the Holy Scripture The Second Tome contains Spiritual Treatises at the head of which are the four Books of the Imitation of Jesus Christ The Title of the first is Useful Advices for the Spiritual Life Of the second Advices or Documents of the Interiour Life Of the third Of inward Consolation Of the fourth Of the August Sacrament of the Eucharist Or A devout Exhortation to the Holy Communion After this Treatise of Thomas a Kempis which is contested there follow many others which without scruple are attributed to him The first is the Soliloquy of the Soul wherein he hath collected many Meditations drawn out of the Holy Scripture containing divers Thoughts and Motions of Piety of the Thankfulness and Affection of the Soul towards God The second is a Work entitled The little Garden of Roses containing divers Advices for the Spiritual Life which are also in the third entitled The Valley of Lillies In the fourth which bears this Title Of the three Tabernacles he treats of Poverty of Humility and Patience The fifth is of the Discipline of those who are in the Cloister There he treats of the Duties Employments Exercises of those who are in the Cloister and of the means they ought to use for performing them well The fifth is about a faithful Steward or the Ministery of Martha where he speaks of the external Employments of the Regulars The seventh is entitled The Hospital of the Poor Or of the Contempt of the Things of this World It contains divers Spiritual Instructions particularly about Prayer Temptations and Humility The eighth is a Dialogue about Novices wherein he brings in a Novice speaking to an ancient Regular who instructs him in the chief Duties of Religion The Spiritual Exercises are the ninth Work whereof the first part is about interiour Duties and the second of external Employments The tenth is entitled The Doctrinal or the Manual of young People There he recommends the reading of the Holy Scripture the study of good Books Singing frequenting Divine Service Humility Diligence Self-denial and Affection to Heavenly Things The Book of Compunction of Heart is a most fervent Prayer to God of one who acknowledges himself a Sinner and lays open his own Misery The twelfth Book after that about the Imitation discovers the Usefulness of Solitude and Silence These are the Treatises contain'd in the first Part of the Second Tome the second contains many other shorter Tracts the Titles whereof are these Of the Acknowledgment of our own Frailty a short Epitaph or a Manual of the Monks the Manual of Little Ones of the Elevation of the Mind to God to seek after the Sovereign Good the little Alphabet of a Monk for the School of Jesus Christ the Consolation of the Poor and Sick seven Prayers little pieces of the Mortification of our selves of Humility of a good and peaceable Life the Life of a good Monk in Rhime and some Hymns The third Tome contains in the first part the Life of Gerardle Grand of Florentius and nine of his Disciples who are John Grond John Brinkerincke Robert Berner Henry Brune Gerard of Zutphen Aemilius of Buren James of Viana John Ketel Arnold of Schoonhove In the second it contains the Life of Lidwine or Lidewige a Virgin in two parts in the third six Letters of Piety many Prayers and some Hymns These are the Works which go under the Name of Thomas a Kempis and which have been printed at Nuremberg in 1494. At Paris of the Impression of Badius in 1520 1521 and 1523. And of the Impression of Roginius in 1549. At Venice in 1535 1568 and 1576. At Antwerp in 1574. and by Sammalius in 1660. and 1607. At Bilingen in 1576. And at Colen in 1660. The Book of the Imitation of Jesus Christ which is among these Works under the Name of Thomas a Kempis is found also printed under the Name of Gerson and has since been ascrib'd to the Abbot Gerson upon the Credit of some Manuscripts who is pretended to be of the Order of St. Benedict which has occasion'd a very hot Dispute between the Canons Regular and the Benedictines of which we shall give the History in a particular Dissertation at the end of this Volume where we shall examine the Authorities and Reasons which are alledg'd on both sides John Busch a Canon Regular of Windesem at Zwoll in Overyssel entred into this Convent John Busch a Canon Regular about the beginning of this Century where he continued till the Year 1464. that he finish'd his Chronicle of Windesem which is divided into two Books whereof one contains the Establishment of the Convent of Gerard le Grand and of the Monasteries that depend upon it and the other contains the History and Life of the Illustrious Men who have flourish'd in the Monastery of Windesem since its Establishment This Work was publish'd by Rosweyde and printed at Antwerp in 1621. with a Letter which Trithemius attributes to him about Spiritual Exercises upon the Life and Passion of Jesus Christ which is the Work of John Huesden Prior of Windesem full of Spiritual Maxims and Thoughts John Busch died about the Year 1470. William Houpeland a Native of Bullen in Picardy Doctor of Paris Curate of St. Severine and afterwards Canon of Notre-Dame and Arch-deacon of Brye died when he was Dean of the William Houpeland a Doctor of Paris Faculty of Theology of Paris August the 11th in the Year 1492. He wrote a Book of the Immortality of the Soul and of its State after death fill'd with many Passages of the Holy Fathers Philosophers Poets and Doctors printed at Paris in 1499. Denys Rickel so call'd from the Name of the Place where he was born which is situated in the Diocese of Liege is known by the Name of DENYS THE CARTHUSIAN because Denys Rickel a Carthusian he entred in the 21st Year of his Age into the Order of the Carthusians and there spent the remainder of his Days until the Year 1471. in which he died March the 12th aged 69 Years There is no Author whom he may not Rival for the great Number of Works he compos'd whereof he himself made a Catalogue In which there are Commentaries upon all the Books of the Old and New Testament printed at Colen in 1538. A Work entitled