reverence which is meet do consider the sayings of the Prophets even then when he reads and carefully looks into them it is certain that having his mind and sense strickâ—n or moved by some more Divine inspiration he shall know and acknowledge that those words which he reads are of God and not uttered by Man and of himself he shall perceive that those Books were written not by humane Art nor mortal eloquence but in a divine and lofty stile 4. Of the fulness of the Scriptures thus It becomes us to believe the sacred Scriptures not to have one Apex or Tittle void of the Wisdom of God The Prophets receiving of his fulness sung or spake those things which they took of his fulness Therefore the sacred Scriptures do breath the fulness of the Spirit and there is nothing either in the Prophecy or the Law or Gospel or in the Apostle which descendeth not from the fulness of the Divine Majesty 5. Of the great efficacy and utility of the Scriptures thus Because all Scripture is given by Divine Inspiration and is profitable in Scripturis sanctis est vis quaedam quae legenti etiam fine explanatione sufficit we ought to believe it to be so though we feel not the benefit thereof As Physicians are wont sometimes to give some meat or drink for the clearing of the sight yet in taking of it we perceive not any benefit but afterwards when its vertue reacheth it it by little and little purgeth the sight after this manner we ought to believe the holy Scriptures to be profitable unto the Soul although for the present our sense or reason reach not nor attain unto the understanding of it 6. That Children ought to be baptized thus the Church hath received from the Apostles this tradition to give or administer Baptism even unto Infants for they to whom the secrets of divine Mysteries were committed knew that there is in all the inbred filth of sin that ought to be washed away by Water and the Spirit 7. Of the Sabbath thus Let us see how a Christian ought to observe and keep the Sabbath Upon the Sabbath none of the businesses of the World ought to be done if therefore thou cease from all worldly labours and do no such work but attend spiritual imployments come to the Assembles apply thine ear unto the holy Scriptures read and Sermons think of heavenly things be sollicitous about the future hope have before thine eyes the judgement to come look not unto things visible and that are present but unto invisible and that shall be This is the observation of a Christian Sabbath 8. Concerning excommunication and that it ought to be performed by the Church thus If any one having been admonished and rebuked for a fault once again and the third time shall shew no amendment there remains no remedy but cutting off For so saith the Lord If thy right offend thee cut it off i. e. If I that seem to thee to be a right hand and am call'd a Presbyter and seem to preach the Word of God if I shall do any contrary unto Ecclesiastical Discipline and the Rule of the Gospel so that I give a scandal or offence unto the Church let the whole Church conspiring with one consent cut me off their right hand Again those whose sins are manifest we ought to cast off but where the sin is not evident we ought not to eject 9. Out of those Prophesies or Books of the Scripture which contains Histories we may receive benefit not only or so much from the narration of the things as from what is figuratively signified by them seeing that with greatest Wisdom they are so written and dispensed that they do agree or suit with either the simple and vulgar among Believers or with the excellent that are willing and able to search them more throughly 10. He reciteth the Canonical Books of the Old Testament as they are now reckoned viz. twenty and two in number after the number of the Hebrew Letters And besides these saith he there are Books of the Machabees Of the Epistle to the Hebrews he thus speaks The character of the Epistle to the Hebrews saith he setteth not forth the stile of Paul who confesseth himself to be rude in speech for the phrase of that Epistle savoureth very much of the Greek Tongue whosoever he be that hath any judgement or discerning of phrases will confess the same I truly for mine own part that I may speak as I think do say that the Doctrine of this Epistle is the Apostles for undoubted but the phrase and order another mans who noted the sayings of the Apostle and contrived such things as he had heard of his Master into short and compendious notes 11. That Christ cometh and goeth and is not always enjoyed nor alike present with his people thus God is my witness that I have often times beheld the Bride groom coming unto me and to be very much with me who suddenly withdrawing I could not find what I sought for I therefore again desire his coming and sometimes he cometh again and when he appeareth and was held in my hands he again slips away and being gone he is again sought for by me and this he doth often till I truly hold him fast 12. Against the Observations of ones Birth-day as an annual Festival thus It is no where recorded in the Scripture that any of the Saints did keep a Festival or hold a great Feast upon the day of his Birth only sinners rejoyce for such a Nativity as did Pharaoh and Herod § 6. But as his worth was great being great from his infancy and his excellencies many his deeds even from the Cradle deserving in the judgement of Eusebius to be recorded and transmitted unto Posterity so were they equalled by his defects and blemishes and as for the one he was justly had in high esteem so did the other no less detract from his reputation which occasioned that speech so commonly made use of concerning him that where he did well no man did better and where he did ill no man did worse Cui inquit Cassiodorus illud convenienter aptari potest quod Virgilius dum Ennium legeret à quodam quid faceret inquifitus respondit Aurum ex stercore quaero Hence it came to pass that divers of the Ancients were so divided in their judgements and had such hot contests about him Some vilifying and opposing him as did Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria and Epiphanius Bishop of Salamis a City of Cyprus who speaking of the multitude of Books which he wrote cryes out O inanis operarie O empty scribler He was also perswaded by Letters which he received from the said Theophilus qui scripsit adversum Originem unum grande volumen in quo omnia penè ejus dicta ipsum pariter damnat c. to summon a Council at Cyprus
After these Iohn the Disciple of our Lord who also leaned on his breast published a Gospel remaining at Ephesus in Asia 9. When the Hereticks saith he are convinced from the Scriptures they betake them to the accusation of the Scriptures themselves as if they were not right nor of any Authority and because they are variously spoken and because from them the truth cannot be found out by them that know not Tradition 1. We ought to obey them that are Presbyters in the Church even those who have succession from the Apostles as we have shewn who together with the succession of their Bishoprick have received the certain gift of truth according to the pleasure of the Father Succession of Doctrine is the principal and without that certain gift of truth it is vain yea impious to boast of personal succession 11. Of the Translation of the Septuagint thus Ptolemy willing to have an experiment of them and fearing leâ—t perhaps by consent they should through their interpretation hide that truth which was in the Scriptures he separating them one from another commanded them all to interpret the same Scripture and this he did in all the Books when therefore they come together into one place with Ptolemy and compared their Interpretations God was glorified and the Scriptures were believed to be truly divine all of them reciting the same both in the same phrases and in the same words from the beginning to the end So that even the Gentiles that were present did acknowledge that the Scriptures were Interpreted by the Inspiration of God 12. Very memorable is that passage of his in an Epistle unto Victor Bishop of Rome recorded by Eusebius Although saith he Christians differed in their Judgements about the manner of Fasting yet notwithstanding were they at unity one with another for this variety of fasting commendeth the unity of Faith They that were Presbyters before Soter of that Church whereof now thou art President Anicetus I mean and Pius and Hyginus and Telesphorus and Xystus neither did so observe it themselves nor left any such Commandment to their posterity and yet nevertheless they not observing it were at unity with them who resorted unto them from those Churches that did observe the same when yet their observance was contrary to those who observe it not Neither was any one at any time rejected or excommunicated for such kind of fasting but those very Presbyters who were thy predecessors have sent the Eucharist to the Brethren of those Churches who kept it after their own manner And when Polycarp was at Rome in the time of Anicetus and they were at variance among themselves about some certain small and trifling matters they were soon reconciled but about this particular they had no contention at all Neither was Aniceâ—us able to perswade Polycarp mark the Roman Bishops used not it seems to command them as now that he should not retain that which he had always observed with Iohn the Disciple of our Lord and the rest of the Apostles with whom he had been conversant neither did Polycarp perswade Anicetus so to observe it but told him he ought to observe the Ancient Custom of the Elders whom he succeeded And things being at this pass they held communion one with another and in the Church Anicetus granted the Eucharist unto Polycarp for the reverence which he bare him and so they parted from each other in peace and in the Universal Church both those that did observe it and those that did not observe it were at peace one with another These and many other the like worthy sayings are to be found in the Books of this Ancient Father but let it suffice to have given you this tast of them § 6. Yet are there some things observed in him as his blemishes and failings wherein he is not to be followed because therein he swerves from that un-erring Rule the word of Truth Even the most eminent Men in the Church after the Apostles have built some hay and stubble upon the foundation they held which will not endure the trial of the Fire Those of this Father are as followeth 1. Somewhat harsh and to be corrected is that concerning Christ. Si quis exquirat causam propter quam in omnibus Pater communicans Filio solus scire horam diem Domino manifestatus est neque aptabilem magis neque decentiorem nec sine periculo alteram quam hanc inveniat in praesenti quoniam cum solus verax Magister est Dominus ut discamus per ipsum super omnia esse Patrem Etenim Pater ait major me est secundem agnitionem itaquâ— praepositus esse Pater annunciatus est à Domino Nostro ad hoc ut nos in quantum figura hujus mundi-sumus perfectam Scientiam tales quaestiones concedamus Deo Et ne fortè querentes altitudinem Patris investigare in tantum periculum incidamus uti quaeramus an super Deum alter sit Deus 2. He hath some passages concerning free will not to be admitted though again in other places he hath somewhat directly opposite thereunto E.g. Dedit deus bonum qui operantur quidem illud gloriam honoreâ— percipient quoniam operati sunt bonum cum possint non operari illud Hi autem qui illud non operantur judicium justum recipient Dei quoniam non sunt operati bonum cum possint operari illud Item Quoniam omnes sunt ejusdem naturae potentes retinere operari bonum potentes rursum amittere id non facere justè etiam apud homines sensatos quanto magis apud Deum alii quidem laudantur dignum percipiunt testimonium electionis bonae perseverantiae alii verò accusantur dignum percipiunt damnum eò quòd justum bonum reprobaverint Adhuc Quoniam liberae sententiae est Deus eujus ad similitudinem factus est semper consilium datur ei continere bonum quod proficiscitur ex eâ quae est ad Deum obedientiâ Et non tantum in operibus sed etiam in fide liberum suae potestatis arbitrium homini servavit Dominus Contrà Dominus pollicitus est mittere se paracletum qui nos aptaret Deo Sicut enim de arido tritico massa una fieri non potest sine humore neque unus panis Ita nec nos multi unum fieri in Christo Iesu poteramus sine aquâ quae de caelo est Et sicut arida terra si non percipiat humorem non fructificat sic noâ— lignum aridum existentes primum nunquam fructificaremus vitam sine supernâ voluntariâ pluviâ i. e. Spiritu Sancto 3. His opinion concerning the Age of Christ is evidently contrary to what may be collected from the History of the Evangelists for thus saith he Omnes venit per seipsum salvare omnes inquam qui per â—um rena
Cestrensis all Expositors followed Origen Ierom highly commends and ascribes much to his Interpretations though he disliked many of his opinions he stiles him the Master of the Churches next after the Apostles as Basil and Nazianzen did wishing the envy of his name with his knowledge in the Scriptures Hilary and Victorinus so much approved of him ut ejus tractatus non ut interpretes sed ut Auctores proprii operis transtu lerunt Pamphilus the Martyr had his expositions in so high esteem that with his own hands he copied out as the greatest part of the Volumes written by him so particularly five and twenty volumes of his expositions upon the twelve Prophets which Ierom happily light on kept and embraced with as much joy as if he had found the treasures of Craesus Atque ut pancis dicam hortus quidam reverà nobis erat inquit Gregorius Thaumaturgus magni illins paradisi Dei similitudinem referens He beautified his learning with piety being very eminent in this regard sanctitate vitae incomparabilis a true Evangelical Doctor that practised in his Life what he Preached with his Lips there being a notable agreement between his words and his works prescribing rules with the one and giving a pattern of them in the other Whence it was said of him that as he taught so he liv'd and as he liv'd so he taught a sweet harmony Iejuniis vigiliis orationibus continuis divinarum Scripturarum studiis Deo devotè serviens intentus fuit His abstinence and austerity was admirable he often fasted and watched always used a spare and mean dyet only for necessity forbearing altogether the use of flesh and wine except through infirmity forced thereunto insomuch as that having sold the prophane Authors which he had diligently perused he enjoyned the buyer to pay him four half pence a day which for the space of many years sufficed him for Meat Drink and Apparel Abstinentiâ corporis vigorem à de ò domuit ut omninò contabuisse sceletumque factum esse videretur He took his rest which was but little not on a soft bed but on the bare ground and supposing that our Saviour ought especially to be observed Mat. 6. 34. c 10. 10. he would not wear two coats nor shoes nor take care or thought for the morrow Such also was his love to and zeal for the truth and constant professors of it that in times of persecution he frequently exposed himself to so great and eminent dangers as he could not have escaped had not the divine power in a marvellous manner preserved him he was sometimes so narrowly watched and closely pursued by his persecutors that he could no way pass safely through Alexandria being forced oftentimes to change his Lodgings that so he might avoid them yet would he not forbear to visit those that were imprisoned yea and accompany such as were condemned unto the places of execution boldly embracing kissing and saluting them to his no small hazard so that once the multitude in their rage had stoned him to death had he not been even miraculously defended from them and preserved It shall suffice concerning his worth every way to add but a testimony or two more to what hath been already said Origenes ille in quit Aventinus maximus omnium secundum legatâ—s Christi veritatis divine assertor magnâ— famâ majori gloriâ caelestes literas interpretatus est Philosophiam Christianam magnâ auditorum frequentiâ publicè docuit Cultoribus quoque deorum venerabilis ad Imperatores Romanos Caesares Augustos matresque eorum in â—ulam vocatus accessit ad eosdem literas dedit Omnibus ejus vita mores studium doctrina admirationi fuerunt Vincentius Lyrinensis more largely thus speaks of him In him saith he so many excellent singular and wonderfâ—l things are to be found that at first a Man would easily judge all his assertions were to be assented unto for if the life give any Authority his industry purity patience and sufferings were great if his stock and learning what more noble springing from a Family made Illustrious by Martyrdom Moreover for Christ was he deprived not only of his Father but also of all his substance he proceeded so far in the straits of poverty that he was oftentimes afflicted for the confession of the name of Christ such also was the strength of his Wit profound sharp and elegant that by much and far he excelled well nigh all others so great was his knowledge and learning that they were but few things in divine and almost none in humane Philosophy that he throughly attained not unto What was there so difficult to be perswaded that by the force of disputation he cleared not up What so hard to be done that he made not to seem easie His speech being so pleasant delightful and sweet that to me their seemed to flow from his mouth not so much words as honey But perhaps his assertions were woven only with knotty arguments Nay verily never any of the Masters did use more examples of the divine Law But you 'l say I believe he wrote but little no mortal Man more so that I have not only not read all his Books but it seems even impossible to find them all and lest any thing should be wanting in him requisite unto the attaining of knowledge fulness of Age also abounded But perhaps he was not happy in his Scholars who ever more happy sith innumerable Doctors Priests Confessors and Martyrs came from his bosom Besides who can express how great admiration glory and favour he had amongst all men Who any way religious did not fly unto him from the utmost parts of the World Who among Christians did not reverence him as almost a Prophet among Philosophers as a Master How much he was respected not only by those of a private condition but also the Empire it self Histories do declare that report him to have been sent for by the Mother of Alexander the Emperour for the worth of his Heavenly Wisdom His Epistles also testifie the same which in the authority of a Christian Master he wrote unto Philip the first among the Roman Emperours that was a Christian concerning whose incredible knowledge if any one will not receive the testimony of us Christians reporting it yet at least let him believe the confession of the Heathen Philosophers affirming it For that impious Porphyriâ—s saith that he was by the same of him stirred up when almost but a child to go unto Alexandria and that there he saw him being now aged but surely such a one and so great as that he had gotten unto the very top of all knowledge Time would fail me to speak even but a little of the things which were in that Man which notwithstanding appertain not only unto the glory of Religion but the greatness of temptation for who would not use that sentence viz. of Cicero concerning
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR A VIEW OF Antiquity PRESENTED IN A Short but Sufficient Account of some OF THE FATHERS Men famous in their Generations who lived within or near the first three hundred years after CHRIST Serving as a Light to the Studious that they may peruse with better Judgment and improve to greater Advantage the Venerable Monuments of those Eminent Worthies By J. H. M. A. Perutile into necessarium est ut ad lectionem Patrum accessurus habeat anted informatam in animò methâ—dum sciat quid singâ—â—lis sit praecipuum quasi emineat ac ubi cavendi sint Scopuli c. Chemnit de lectione Patrum LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst and Jonathan Robinson at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside and at the Golden Lyon in St. Paul's Church-yard 1677. Imprimatur G. Iane R. P. D. Henr. Episc. Lond. à Sacris Dom. Decem. 9. 1676. To the Studious Especially such as are in the Ministery or intend it IT 's our Blessed Saviour's Encomium of Iohn the Baptist that he was a burning and shining light Iohn 5. 35. in respect of purity of life and perspicuity of Doctrine which eminently appeared in him herein is he a Minister's pattern in whom both these are requisite for light without life would make him little better then an ignis fatuus apt to mislead or like a Candle in the socket not so pleasing by it's blaze as offensive for it's ill savour And life without light will render him of little advantage if not prejudicial both in conjunction make an happy mixture and qualifie the person in whom they are for that weighty function Reading is his proper work 1 Tim. 4. 13. Which with pains about his heart and watchfulness over his flock may well take up his whole time there will be little overplus for the unworthy world or worse imployments One of the great wants he will have cause to complain of will be of time as too short for the dispatch of the grand affair personal and functional incumbent upon him and indeed he that hath tasted the sweetness or duly weigh'd the importance of those two I much marvel how he should be taken off from or neglective of either for things comparatively so mean and mostly pernicious That which best deserves our pains in study is 1. In the first place the sacred Scriptures discovering to us things most necessary and useful without the knowledg whereof all our other accomplishments will prove but insignificant things serving only for vain ostentation as no way furthering our own or others chiefest good These therefore call for our diligent and daily perusal which we should labor to make familiar so that they may as a choice treasure dwell richly in us in all wisdom that we may be as Scribes instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven able upon all occasions to speak a word in season unto any that shall have recourse unto us either for counsel and direction in their doubts or for comfort and consolation in their distresses To which we should never forget to joyn fervent prayer for the obtaining of the Spirit the only guide to the right understanding of these deep things of God without which they will remain as riddles and a sealed book unto us of the great advantage hereof to study Luther who each day spent three hours in this duty out of his experience thus speaks benè oravisse est penè studuisse and again haec tria faciunt Theologum precatio meditatio tentatio Melch. Adam 2. Unto these the writings of such as in the Christian Church are most Ancient challenge the next place who have obtained as accounted worthy of it the Venerable title of Fathers as nearest successors unto the Apostoles And therefore for some Centuries together wont to be stiled Apostolici even as many as precedeed the first Council of Nice Parker de dsc Christ. l. 4. § 10. These well deserve our serious inspection acquainting us not only with the meaning of the Scripture but the Doctrine also and discipline agreeable thereto preserved in and maintained by the Church who were ever held in great esteem and approved of by the Orthodox in the following Ages unto this day from whom the Learned and Judicious Zanchy did scruple to dissent comparing them to old Wine which he preserred before new Epist. ante confes fid and in his observations upon that his confession composed by him for his family when he was seventy years old we have him twice declaring his mind herein viz. in p. 47. his words are these Hoc ego ingenuò profiteor talem esse meam conscientiam ut à veâ—erum patrum sive dogmatibus sive Scriptur arum interpretationibus non facile nisi vel manifestis sacr literarum tâ—stimoniis vel necessariis consequentiis apertisque demonstrationibus convictus atque coactus discedere queam sic enim acquiescit mea conscientia in hâc mentis quiete cupio etiam mori and p. 39. A quibus inquit presertim ubi plerique omnes consentiunt me pro meâ tenerâ conscientiâ deflectere non auâ—ere toti Ecclesiae Christi ingenuè confiteor To reflect upon foregoing Ages in a Landskip of them is a thing both pleasant and profitable for thus we seem to live in more ages then one and in joy the benefit of that experience which the narrow limits of our own cannot afford This may we be in a sort said to do in the view of those Ancient Worthies who are the subject of the ensuing discourse men living nearest the Apostles times and most perfectly resembling them in their excellencies the due contemplation whereof is like to produce the most notable effects in such as are seriously this way exercised For what can be of more force to fit us for and quicken us to our duty then frequently to cast our eyes upon the pourtraitures of such men in whom is represented what is most worthy our imitation seeing that to learn by example is not only the most facil but effectual way this being as the surest so the most affecting sense and what enters hereby having the strongest influence Who can look upon that burning Light Ignatius whose heart did so flame and life spaâ—kle with love to Christ and his Church and not find himself at least warmed with the like holy affection Who take into consideration the indefatigable industry of Origen and not be thereby excited to mend his pace and bewailing former slackness to fall to his work with double diligence Would we behold the sweet fruit of uncessant study in the vast and various knowledge attainable thereby making men shine as stars of the first magnitude in their several spheres and to communicate their streams of light to after generations and would be awakened to the like course in order to the like or at least considerable attainments Let us fix our eye upon those magazines of learning Clement and Tertullian How eminently doth the beauty of
of sin Who saith he doth not wish to suffer that he may purchase the whole favour of God and all pardon from him by the compensation of his Blood Omnia enim huic operi delicta donantur 5. He was of the opinion as was also Clemens Alexandrinus and Cyprian lib. De disciplin babit Virgin that the Angels fell in love and accompanied with Women misunderstanding that passage of Moses Gen. 6. 1. and that they discovered many secrets and hidden Arts and especially divers curiosities for the adorning and setting forth of Women for which they were condemned 6. He held also the Errour of the Chiliasts or Millenaries We confess saith he that a Kingdom is promised unto us in the Earth before Heaven but in another state namely after the Resurrection for a thousand years in a City of a Divine Work or Building Ierusalem coming down from Heaven c. this we say is provided of God for the Saints to be there refreshed with all spiritual good things in recompenâ—e of those things which in the World we have either despised or lost For it is a righteous thing and worthy of God that his Servants should exult and rejoyce there where they have been afflicted for his name 7. He thought that both Angels and also the Souls of men were corporeal and the latter derived from the Parent unto the Child by way of propagation Anima in utero seminata pariter cum carne pariter cum ipsà sortitur sexum c. Augustine tell us his opinion was that the worst Souls of men are after death converted or turned into Devils which absurd conceit Pamelius thinks ought rather to be imputed unto those Hereticks that took their name from him than unto Tertullian himself because it is not to be found in any of his Writings nor could Danaeus easily be induced to believe that Augustine should charge him herewith seeing he is more equal toward him 8. He approves of and labours to defend the superstitious facts and stations as also other ridiculous Ceremonies of the Montanists viz. the superstitious use of the sign of the Cross Oblations for the Dead and annual upon Birth-days Processions c. Antiquae observationes inquit Chemnitius quorum apud Tertullianum fit mentio non sunt omnes Apostolicae traditiones sed multae ex Montani Paracleto profectae sunt these and such like which he borrowed from those Hereticks did he practise and augment though he himself confess that there is no warrant for them in the Scriptures nor were they instituted by the Apostles Who list may there see a large Catalogue of such Observations and Practices which are built upon none other than the sandy foundation of uncertain Tradition The materials of the Anti christian Synagogue were preparing betimes §7 As touching his Exit or the close of his life I find this only recorded that he lived long even to old age yea usque ad deerepitam aetatem unto decrepit old age which yet Pamelius would have to be but unto sixty three years At what time saith he decrepit old begins So that according to his account he as many other eminent men have done ended his pilgrimage in his Climacterical year Or rather then ceased to write any more for he is loath to affirm that he lived beyond this time considering what Ierom had delivered concerning him Some do rank him among the Martyrs that suffered for the name of Christ and Rhenaenus makes Regino the reporter of his Martyrdom though after diligent perusal I do not find him so much as named by that Historian This therefore seems to be a mere and groundless conjecture and very unlikely seeing that neither Eusebius nor Ierom do make any mention of it True it is that he was very desirous of Martyrdom but it might be a righteous thing with God not to vouchsafe that honour unto him who had so unworthily deserted the Truth and esteemed Martyrdom meritorions But what kind of death soever put a period unto his life he is herein much to be lamented that having as a Star of the first Magnitude shined in the Church of Christ so brightly the most part of his time he should at last by forsaking it be so much obscured and go out so ingloriously Origenes Adamantius §5 HE is commonly known by the name of Origenes Adamantius so called of the Adamant a stone of such hardness that it yields not to the stroke of the hammer not unlike whereunto was the spirit and temper of Origen indefatigably labourious both in reading and writing Scriptoribus aliquot propter indefatigatam studii tolerantiam Admantini cognomen inditum fuit ut Didymo grammatico Origeni Theologo For which cause also Ierom gives him the name of Chalcenterus verè Adamantinus or brazen sides for so may the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be rendred of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intestina Photius renders this as the reason of his name quòd rationes quas colligaret adamantinis quibusdam quasi vinculis non absimiles viderentur He was one whom neither austerity of life nor perpetual pains taking nor the hardship of poverty nor the unworthy carriage of such as envyed him nor fear of punishment nor any face of death could in the least remove from his holy course and purpose His Country was Egypt and the place of his birth therein as is conjectured the famous City of Alexandria he descended of Christian Parents both Father Grand-father and great Grand-father and pious from his childhood trained up like another young Timothy in the Christian Religion and Knowledge of the Scriptures His Father's name was Leonides a pious and learned man and according to some a Bishop for so Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who in the cruel persecution under Severus was crowned with Martyrdom being beheaded for the name of Christ Origen was then but young yet so fervently affected toward Christian Religion that being hindred by his Mother who hid his apparel from him to prevent the danger he would have exposed himself unto from going unto and visiting his Father in prison he could not rest but wrote unto him a Letter wherein he thus exhorts him Faint not O Father saith he nor think of any thing because of us but suffering constantly His Father in his life time had carefully instructed him in the holy Scriptures in the first place and after that in the Liberal Arts and prophane Literature in both which he profited exceedingly and above his years His manner was to demand of the child a daily task of some certain sentences which he injoyned him to learn by heart by which means he grew unto such promptness and acquaintance with the Scriptures that he contented not himself with the bare and usual reading of them but proceeded farther searching into the hidden and
wherein by the Bishops of the Island assembled it was decreed that none should read the works of Origen The like was also done shortly after in a Synod convened by Theophilus himself in his own Province Upon which divers of Origens followers fled from thence unto Constantinople imploring the aid of Chrysostom who admitted them to communicate with him and this was it that occasioned the great contention between Chrysostom and Epiphanius upon his coming thither so that they parted in great heat He was also anathematized together with those that adhered unto him and held his errours by the fifth general Council which was held at Constantinople under Iustinian the Emperour wherein they stile him the abomination of desolation Malè sanum impium Deoque repugnantem and his opinions deliramenta insanias exclaming thus against them O dementiam inscientiam hominis insani Paganorum disciplinae explicatoris mente caecutientis studentisque Christianorum fidei miscere fabulas c. Epiphanius calls him Dei Ecclesiae hostem as also the Father of Arius and root of other Heresies He utters many things saith Photius blasphemously and other very absurd and full of impiety Ierom also is very sharp against him though one that admired his wit and parts in plerisq inquit haereticum non nego and tells us that with a sacrilegious Tongue he blasphemeth that his Opinions were venemous dissonant from the holy Scriptures and offer violence unto them professing that he was always an adversary to his Doctrines Yet withal he thus adds I am not wont saith he to insult over the errours of those whose wit I admire and if any one shall object or oppose to us his errours let him hear this freely that sometime even great Homer himself may nod or slumber let us not imitate his Vices whose Vertues we cannot follow Caesarius the brother of Nazianzen stiles him that impious Origen and his Doctrines pestiferous yea â—ugae trifles and toys And among the later Writters Beza saith of him that he was a select instrument of Sathan and stiles him Impurissimus ille Scriptor quem exoptem velex lectorum manibus excuâ—i aut summo cum judicio à studiosis tractari On the other side some did no less magnifie and admire him pleading and apologizing in his behalf Basil Chrysostom Nazianzen and Ierom did most highly esteem the Doctrine Allegories and Tropologies of Origen extolling him unto heaven with their praises those that did apologize for him were among other Pamphilus the Martyr and Eusehius commonly sirnamed Pamphili for the singular friendship that was between them by whom were written six Books in defence of Origen which Ierom calls latissimum elaboratum opus five whereof were the 〈◊〉 labour of them both and the sixth of Eusebius alone after the death of Pamphilus as appears from the word of Eusebius himself lib. 6. cap. 20. Quae inquit de ejus gestis sunt ad cognoscendum necessaria ea ex Apologia quae à nobis Pamphili sancti nostri temporis martyris operâ adjutis elucubrata est illam enim ego Pamphilus quo ora malevolorum obtrectatorum â—amae Origenis detrahentium obturaremus mutuis vigiliis accuratè eleboravimus licet facilè colligere Photius gives us this account here of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. Lecti sunt Pamphili martyris Eusebii pro Origene libri sex quorum quinque sunt a Pamphilo in carcere praesente etiam Eusebio elaborati Sextus verò postquam jam Martyr ferro privatus vitâ ad unicè desideratum Deum migrarat ab Eusebio est absolutus These were seconded by Ruffine who undertook the same task setting forth an Apology for Origen or rather the Apology of Eusebius for so it s commonly called by him translated into Latin unto which he added a Volume of his own bearing this title of the adulteration of the Books of Origen These were followed by some learned men of the latter times viz. Iohannes Picus the noble Earl of Mirandula and Phaenix of his time Vir ingenii penè prodigiosi in omni artium scientiarum linguarum varietate usque ad miraculum exculti Also Gilbert Genebrard a Parisian Divine and Professor there of the Hebrew Tongue And Iacobus Merlinus Victurniensis Sacrae Theologiae Professor who endeavours to vindicate both the holiness of his life and the soundness of his Doctrine Moreover such an equipoise was there in him of good and evil that with Sampson Solomon and Trajan though I conceive the medley is as Monkish as the scruple he is put into the number of those concerning whom 't is equally difficult to determine whether they were saved or not But surely that bold Shaveling went too far beyond his bounds who in his Book intituled Pratum Spirituale which is supposed to be written by Abbot Iohn Moschus reports that a certain brother doubting whether Nestorius were in an errour or no was by one appearing unto him for his satisfaction conducted to Hell where among other Hereticks he saw Origen tormented in those flames the Earl of Mirandula is of a contrary judgement But the Jesuit Possevine plainly tells us that whosoever was the Author many of the relations in that Book deserve but small credit being indeed little better than down right lyes among which he gives an instance in this not unlike that of Origen that in a Vision Chrysostom should be seen placed in heaven above all the Doctors and Martyrs But enough of such stuff However evident it is that he was very erroneous yea scarce any one of the Ancients more whether we respect the multiplicity or quality of his errours So that as the Orthodox that came after him were much beholding unto him as of great advantage to them in the interpretation of the Scriptuâ—es So did the Hereticks take from him the hints of many of their foulest Heresies for which cause as Epiphanius calls him the fountain and Father of Arius so did the Errour of Pelagius saith Ierom spring from him Doctrina tuâ— Origenis ramusculus est Yea there is scarce any sect that had not its rise and beginning from him The grounds whereof as Vincentius Lyrinensis conceives were such as these His abusing the grace of God too insolently his overmuch indulging his own wit and trusting to himself his undervalueing the simplicity of the Christian Religion his presuming himself wiser then others and his interpreting some Scriptures after a new manner contemning Ecclesiastical traditions and the Authority of the Ancients Epiphanius imputes it unto this because he would suffer no part of the holy Scriptures to pass without his interpretation therefore he fell into error Yet do his Apologisers labor to free him laying the fault of the errors fathered upon him unto the charge of others Ruffine pleads in his behalf that he was abused by
and learning among whom Tertulâ—ian and Augustin were chief but scarcely unto any one happened the genuine purity of the Roman Language but only unto Cyprian Thus Erasmus Like a pure fountain he flows sweetly and smoothly and withal he is so plain and open which is the chief virtue of speech that you cannot discern saith Lactantius whether any one were more comly in speaking or more facil in explicating or more powerful in perswading Prudentius also in this regard thus extols him O nive candidius linguae genus O novum saporem Vt liquor Ambrosius cor mitigat imbuit palatum Sedem animae penetrat mentem fovet pererrat artus His phrase is most elegant saith Sixtus Senensis and next unto Ciceronian Candour And in the judgment of Alsted as Lactantius may be truly accounted the Christian's Cicero so may Cyprian their Caesar for these two among the Latines added ornament unto Christian Doctrine Now Caesar saith Vives is egregiously useful for dayly speech unto whom Tully gives the praise of a pure and uncorrupted dialect Quintilian of elegancy whom he peculiarly studyed and Mr. Ascham in that learned and grave discourse which he calls his Schoolmaster judgeth that in Caesar's Commentaries which are to be read with all curiosity without all exception to be made either by friend or foe is seen the unspotted propriety of the Latine Tongue even when it was in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the highest pitch of all perfectness yet is his phrase various sometimes he soars aloft and is very copious with abundance of words as in his Epistle unto Donatus another time he falls as low as in his Epistle unto Caecilius of the Sacrament of the Lord's Cup but most commonly he is temperate and keeps the middle way between these extremes as in his Treatise of the Habit of Virgins In a word he was saith Hyperius plain vehement serious and not unhappily fluent his words breathing a venerable elegancy as the things which he wrote did piety and martyrdom whereof I now proceed to give a taste § 5. In his Treatise of the vanity of Idols we have a sum of his Faith which Froben in his Index affixed unto the edition of Erasmus stiles the most elegant Creed or Symbol of Cyprian containing the Doctrines of Christ his Deity Incarnation Miracles Death Resurrection Ascension and second coming His words are these Indulgentiae Dei gratiae disciplinaeque arbiter magister sermo filius Dei mittitur qui per Prophetas omnes retrò illuminator doctor humani generis praedicabatur Hic est virtus Dei hic ratio hic sapientia ejus gloria hic in Virginem illabitur carnem Spiritu Sancto cooperante induitur Deus cum homine miscetur hic Deus noster hic Christus est qui mediator duorum hominem induit quem perducat ad Patrem quòd homo est Christus esse voluit ut homo possit esse quòd Christus est Cum Christus Iesus secundùm a Prophetis ante praedicta verbo vocis imperio daemonia de hominibus excuteret leprosos purgaret illuminaret caecos claudis gressum daret mortuos rursus animaret cogeret sibi element a famulari servire ventos maria obedire inferos cedere Iudâ—ei qui illum crediderant hominem tontùm de humilitate carnis corporis existimabant magum de licentiâ potestatis Hunc Magistri eorum atque primores hoc est quos doctrina illâ ille sapientiâ revincebat accensi irâ indignatione provocati postremò detentum Pontio Pilato qui tunc ex parte Romanâ Syriam procuraâ—at tradiderunt crucem ejus mortem suffragiis violentis ac pertinacibus flagitantes Crucifixâ—s prevento carnis officio spiritum sponte dimisit die tertio rursus a mortuis sponte surrexit Apparuit discipulis talis ut fuerat agnoscendum se videntibus praebuit simul junctus substantiae corporalis firmitate conspicuus ad dies quadraginta remoratus est ut dâ— vel ab eo ad praecepta vitalia instrui possent discerent que docerent Tunc in Coelum circumfusâ nube sublatus est ut hominem quem dilexit quem induit quem a morte protexit ad patrem victor imponeret jam venturos è Coelo ad poenam Diaboli ad censuram generis humani ultoris vigore judicis potestate 2. Concerning the Article of Christ's descent into Hell the Author of the Exposition of the Apostles Creed thus speaks We are saith he verily to know that it is not to be found in the Creed of the Roman Church neither in the Oriental Churches yet the force of the words seemeth to be the same with those wherein he is said to be buryed 3. Of the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament the same Author of the Exposition of the Apostles Creed having enumerated the same Books that we do These saith he are they which the Fathers concluded within the Canon out of which they would have the assertions of our Faith to consist But we are to know further that there are other Books which our Predecessors called not Canonical but Ecclesiastical as the Books of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Toby Iudith and Maccabees all which they would indeed have to be read in the Churches but yet not to be produced for the confirmation of the Faith 4. Of how little esteem custom ought to be if not founded upon truth he pithily shews in that short sentence Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est Custom without truth is but mouldy errour In vain therefore saith he do some that are overcome by reason oppose or object custom unto us as if custom were greater than truth or that in Spirituals were not to be followed which for the better hath been revealed by the Holy Ghost Again if Christ alone must be heard as Matth. 17. 5. we ought not to heed what another before us thought fit to be done but what Christ who is before all first did Neither ought we to follow the custom of man but the truth of God 5. He understands by Tradition nothing but that which is delivered in the Scripture Let nothing be innovated saith Stephen unto him but what is delivered He replyeth whence is this Tradition whether doth it descend from the authority of the Lord and the Gospel or doth it come from the Apostles Commands and Epistles for those things are to be done that are Written If therefore this speaking of the Rebaptization of Hereticks or receiving them into the Church only by imposition of hands which later was Stephens opinion against Cyprian be either commanded in the Evangelists or contained in the Epistles or Acts of the Apostles let it be observed as a Divine and Holy Tradition 6. That the Baptism of children was then received and practised in the Church and that performed by aspersion as valid as that
yet is he not two but one Christ. One not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking the manhood into God One altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of Person For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one Man so God and Man is one Christ. Who suffered for our salvation descended into hell rose again the third day from the dead He ascended into heaven he fifteth on the right hand of the Father God Almighty from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their own works And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire This is the Catholick Faith which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved As for the censures annexed hereunto viz. 1. In the beginning except a man keep the Catholick faith 2. In the middle he that will be saved must thus think and 3. In the end this is the Catholick faith which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved I thought good to give you Dr. Hammond's apprehensions of them how they ought to be understood His words are these I suppose saith he they must be interpreted by their opposition to those heresies that had invaded the Church and which were acts of carnality in them that broach'd and maintain'd them against the apostolick doctrine and contradictory to that foundation which had been resolved on as necessary to bring the world to the obedience of Christ and were therefore to be anathematiz'd after this manner and with detestation branded and banished out of the Church Not that it was hereby defined to be a damnable sin to fail in the understanding or believing the full matter of any of those explications before they were propounded and when it might more reasonably be deemed not to be any fault of the will to which this were imputable Thus he 2. The canonical books of the old and new Testament owned by him are the same with those which the reformed Churches acknowledge for such of which he thus speaks All scripture of us who are Christians was divinely inspired The books thereof are not infinite but finite and comprehended in a certain Canon which having set down of the Old Testament as they are now with us he adds the Canonical books therefore of the Old Testament are twenty and two equal for number unto the Hebrew Letters or alphabet for so many elements of Letters there are among the Hebrews But saith he besides these there are other books of the Old Testament not Canonical which are read only unto the Catechumens and of these he names the Wisdom of Solomon the Wisdom of Iesus the Son of Syrach the fragment of Esther Iudith and Tobith for the books of the Maccabees he made no account of them yet he afterward mentions four books of the Maccabees with some others He also reckons the Canonical Books of the New Testament which saith he are as it were certain sure anchors and supporters or pillars of our Faith as having been written by the Apostles of Christ themselves who both conversed with him and were instructed by him 3. The sacred and divinely inspired Scriptures saith he are of themselves sufficient for the discovery of the truth In the reading whereof this is faithfully to be observed viz. unto what times they are directed to what person and for what cause they are written lest things be severed from their reasons and so the unskilful reading any thing different from them should deviate from the right understanding of them 4. As touching the way whereby the knowledge of the Scriptures may be attained he thus speaks To the searching and true understanding of the Scriptures there is need of a holy life a pure mind and virtue which is according to Christ that the mind running thorow that path may attain unto those things which it doth desire as far as humane nature may understand things divine 5. The holy Scripture saith he doth not contradict it self for unto a hearer desirous of truth it doth interpret it self 6. Concerning the worshipping of Christ we adore saith he not the Creature God forbid Such madness belongs unto Ethuicks and Arians but we adore the Lord of things created the incarnate Word of God for although the Flesh be in it self a part of things created yet is it made the Body of God Neither yet do we give adoration unto such a body by it self severed from the word neither adoring the Word do we put the Word far from the Flesh but knowing that it is said the Word was made Flesh we acknowledge it even now in the Flesh to be God 7. He gives this interpretation of those words of Christ Mark 13. 32. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in heaven neither the Son but the Father The Son saith he knew it as God but not as man wherefore he said not neither the Son of God lest the divinity should seem to be ignorant but simply neither the Son that this might be the ignorance of the Son as man And for this cause when he speaks of the Angels he added not a higher degree saying neither the Holy Spirit but was silent here by a double reason affirming the truth of the thing for admit that the Spirit knows then much more the Word as the Word from whom even the Spirit receives was not ignorant of it 8. Speaking of the mystery of the two natures in Christ What need is there saith he of dispute and strife about words it's more profitable to believe and reverence and silently to adore I acknowledge him to be true God from heaven impâ—ssible I acknowledge the same of the seed of David as touching the Flesh a man of the earth passible I do not curiousty inquire why the same is passible and impassible or why God and man lest being curiously inquisitive why and how I should miss of the good propounded unto us For we ought first to believe and adore and in the second place to seek from above a reason of these things not from beneath to inquire of Flesh and Blood but from divine and heavenly revelation 9. What the faith of the Church was concerning the Trinity he thus delivers Let us see that very tradition from the beginning and that Doctrine and Faith of the Catholick Church which Christ indeed gave but the Apostles preached and kept For in this Church are we founded and whoso falls from thence cannot be said to be a Christian. The holy and perfect Trinity therefore in the Father Son and Holy Ghost receives the reason of the Deity possesseth nothing forraign or superinduced from without nor consisteth of the Creator and Creature but the whole is of the Creator and Maker of all things like it self and