11. I shall only add one passage more from the Commentary upon the Psalms; where Eusebius speaks of the public reading and explication of the scriptures. For he says, that in times of persecution, when discourses and readings of the divine scriptures are for the most part prohibited and hindered, and there are few or none found to impart spiritual food to the souls of men; the providence of God by an influx of the divine Spirit nourisheth the souls of men, and causeth them to be taught of God: so that without the instruction of men they are nourished by a secret influence.'

was

XVII. What we have now seen in the words of this learned and laborious bishop, who flourished at about three hundred years after our Lord's ascension, is an invaluable testimony to the things concerning the Lord Jesus himself and his apostles, and to the swift and wonderful progress of the gospel, and to the scriptures of the Old and New Testament. The former were those received by the Jewish people. The number of the books of the New Testament does not appear to have been in his time settled by any authority, that universally allowed of: but the books following were universally received, the four gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, thirteen epistles of Paul, one epistle of Peter, and one epistle of John. These, I say, were universally received by christians in our author's time, and had been all along received by the elders and churches of former times. Beside these, we now generally receive also an epistle to the Hebrews, an epistle of James, a second epistle of Peter, a second and third of John, an epistle of Jude, and the Revelation. And it appears from this learned writer, that these books or epistles were then next in esteem to those before mentioned, as universally acknowledged; and were more generally received as of authority, than any other controverted writings. Beside these, there was the Gospel according to the Hebrews, made use of by the Jewish christians; being, probably, a translation of St. Matthew's gospel, with some additions; and, as it seems, containing little or nothing contrary to the genuine doctrine of Christ and his apostles. The book called the Doctrine, or Doctrines of the Apostles, we have not now a distinct knowledge of; but, probably, it was a small book, containing the rudiments of the christian religion, and fitted for the use of young people, and new converts, and never esteemed a part of sacred scripture. As for the rest, they were not very numerous,

a πεν γαρ τοις καιροις των διωγμων, καθ' ες πολλακις κεκωλυνται μεν αἱ διδασκαλίαι και των θεοπνευτων γραφων αναγνωσματα-ως και ανευ της αν θρωπων διδασκαλιας αποῤῥητῳ δυναμει τρέφεσθαι. in Ps. 32. p. 128. Α. Β.

and their character is easily determined; for either they were useful ecclesiastical writings, as the Epistles of Barnabas and Clement, and the Shepherd of Hermas, which, as we have seen from the quotations of them in the writers of the first three centuries, were never received as of authority, or a part of sacred and canonical scripture: or they were mean, absurd, and fabulous compositions, despised and disliked by the sounder Christians in general, both of our author's, and of former times. To the books of sacred scripture the greatest respect was shown; they were esteemed as of authority, and decisive in all points of a religious nature; they were publicly read and explained in the assemblies of christian people; and they were open to be freely read by all sorts of persons in private, for their instruction and improvement in religious knowledge, and their edification in virtue. Finally, it may be observed, that this learned author makes little use in his works of apocryphal scriptures of the Old Testament: none at all of christian writings, forged with the names of Christ's apostles, or their companions.

CHAP. LXXIII.

MARCELLUS, BISHOP OF ANCYRA IN GALATIA.

I. I PUT in the margin Jerom's articlea of Marcellus; but I do not think it needful to translate it.

2. Marcellus is spoken of by Cave, as flourishing about the year 330; but that time seems too late. It is generally supposed, that he was present at a council of Ancyra in 314, as bishop of that city. He was also at the council of Nice in 325, where he signalized himself against the Arians. It is concluded from Epiphanius, that Marcellus died in 372,

Marcellus, Ancyranus episcopus, sub Constantino et Constantio principibus floruit. Multaque diversarum voleov scripsit volumina, et maxime adversus Arianos. Feruntur contra hunc Asterii et Apollinarii libri, Sabellianæ eum hæreseos arguentes. Sed et Hilarius in septimo adversum Arianos libro nominis ejus, quasi hæretici meminit. Porro ille defendit se non esse dogmatis cujus accusatur, sed communione Julii et Athanasii, Romanæ et Alexandrinæ urbis pontificum, se esse munitum. De V. I. c. 86.

b Vid. Epiph. H. 72. c. 2. p. 834. D. et Athan. Apol. contr. Arian. n. 32. p. 150. E. Epiph. H. 72. n. i.

C

when he had been bishop almost sixty years, and had lived almost or quite a century.

3. In the year 334, or 335, he wrote a book against Asterius, and other Arians, which occasioned him a great deal of trouble. Socrates says, that in opposing Asterius, Marcellus went into a contrary extreme, and embraced the opinion of Paul of Samosata, who says, that Jesus Christ is

a mere man.

4. The bishops assembled at Jerusalem in 335, for dedicating the church built by Constantine, required him to renounce his opinion, and burn his book. But those bishops were hastily summoned to Constantinople; where, in the year 336, the matter was resumed. Marcellus was deposed, and Basil put in his room: but he was restored by the synod at Sardica in 347. Nevertheless, Marcellus still lay under the suspicion of heresy with many.

5. Sozomen says farther, that the council of Constantinople wrote a letter to the churches of Galatia, admonishing them to reform their error, to search for the copies of Marcellus's book, and burn them.

6. That book was particularly answered by the famous Eusebius of Cæsarea, and by order of the council itself. Though Marcellus was not then young, Eusebius says its was the only book he had published. It was a very large work, consisting of a thousand lines or verses. Eusebius takes notice, that he quoted heathen authors to illustrate the scriptures: he likewise chargeth him with a vain os tentation of secular learning; whether rightly or not, we can hence conclude, that Marcellus was learned. He did likewise quote very largely the books of the Old and New Tes tament: and we can plainly perceive from Eusebius's quotations and arguments, and from his own letter and confession of faith delivered to Julius, bishop of Rome, about the year 241, which are preserved in' Epiphanius, that Marcellus received the same scriptures that other christians did, and paid them a like respect.

7. Socrates and Sozomen" seem to have supposed that Marcellus went into the opinion of Paul of Samosata. Eusebius continually chargeth him with Sabellianism. 4 Ψιλον γαρ ανθρωπον ετολμησεν ειπειν τον Χρισον. Socr. 1. i. c. 36. p. 72. e Και ταις αυτοθι εκκλησίαις εγραψαν, αναζητήσαι την Μαρκελλα βιβλον, και εξαφανισαι. Soz. 1. ii. c. 33. Vid. Euseb. contr. M. 1. ii. p. 55. D.

h Ib. p. 2.

i P. 14. B. C.

1 H. 72. n. 2, 3. p. 834-836.

Conf. 1. ii. c. 19. p. 98, 99. et cap. 20.

Contr. M. 1. i. c. 1. in. Ib. c. 3. p. 16. D. m Socr. 1. i. c. 6. p. 72. " Soz. l. ii. c. 33.

πως ο δηλος αν γενοιτο, τον μεν Σαβελλιον ὑποδυόμενος. Contr.

Theodoret, in his Heretical Fables, speaks of Paul, Sabellius, Marcellus, and Photinus, in four distinct chapters one after another and in his introduction to that work, he reckons him with Ebion and Photinus, and elsewhere with Photinus and Paul of Samosata: and he particularly says of Marcellus, thats he denied a Trinity of persons. However, there weret formerly, as well as" lately, different apprehensions concerning the real sentiments of Marcellus : and it must be owned, that there is a good deal of obscurity in some of his passages cited by Eusebius, but it seems to me, that there is sufficient reason to think he was a Sabellian or Unitarian.

V

8. Montfaucon persuades himself, and would persuade others, that not long before his death, about the year 372, Marcellus being uneasy at the accusations brought against him by St. Basil, as well as others, sent one of his deacons, with others of his church, as a deputation to Athanasius, carrying with them a confession of faith, completely orthodox: which confession Athanasius, and other bishops of Egypt then present with him, accepted of, and gave them a letter of recommendation to communion with the churches.

W

9. But it seems to me, that this story is not well supported. Montfaucon does not well know when that deputation to Athanasius was sent; he placeth it in the year 372, by guess only. St. Basil, though hex corresponded with Athanasius, and others of Egypt, knew nothing of that letter of recommendation; and in a letter written after that Marc. l. i. p. 5. A. Αντικρυς τον Σαβελλιον ανανεωμενος. De Ec. Th. 1. ii. seu contr. Marc. l. iii. c. 1. p. 104. Ορας Ιεδαίον αντικρυς, τον μονογενη υἱον 78 Je8-apreμevov. Ib. cap. 2. p. 105. A.

P Hær. Fab. 1. ii. c. 8-11.

4 Ταύτης δε της αίρεσεως ήρξε μεν Εβιων, μέχρι δε Μαρκελλο και Φωτεινε τας diapopes εnivoraç edežaro. Hær. Fab. Compend. T. iv. p. 188. D.

• Φωτεινος γαρ και Μαρκελλος, και ὁ εκ Σαμοσάτων Παυλος, ανθρωπον μόνον

ειναι λεγεσι τον Κυριον ἡμων και Θεον. Εpist. 104. Τ. ii. p. 976. Α.

Τετῳ αρνηθη των υποτασεων τριαδα. Η. F. 1. ii. c. 10.

Vid. Hieron. supra not. (a) p. 276. Epiphan. H. 72. Tillemont collects the opinions of several ancients about him in Marcel. d'Ancyre. Mem. T. vii. p. 510 512. à Paris.

" Vid. Zacagn. Pr. ad Collect. Monum. Gr. p. 42, &c. Montfauç. Diatriba de Causa Marcelli ap. Nov. Collect. Patr. T. ii. Fabric. Bib. Gr. T. vi p. 31 et 92. T. 8. p. 335.

▾ Re compertâ, Marcellus, ut eorum conatus et molimina interpellaret, oratores qui causam apud Athanasium suam agerent, ac sui, Ancyranæque ecclesiæ nomine fidei professionem emitterent, delegavit. Cumque legatorum formula sanam prorsus et orthodoxam fidem præferret, huic Athanasius, cum aliis qui aderant episcopis, adstipulatus, literas commendatitias rogantibus concessit. Diatrib. de Marcell. cap. 5. p. 63. Ap. Nov. Collection. Patr. T. ii.

Hæc porro legatio in annum 372 commode referatur. Diatrib. cap. 6. p. 64. * Cui frequens cum Athanasio epistolarum usus erat. Montf. Diatrib. ib.

supposed date in 377, reproves some people for communicating with the followers of Marcellus. Moreover, Chrysostom in his homilies in the latter part of the fourth century, often argues against Marcellus as a heretic: not now to say any thing more of Socrates, and Sozomen, or Theodoret, or others, who appear not to have known any thing of this orthodox confession of Marcellus, or Athanasius's letter of communion.

a

It is indeed well known, and allowed, that for a while Athanasius had a kindness for Marcellus; and no wonder, when Marcellus, like himself, was so hard pressed by the Arians. But his respect for Marcellus seems to have abated afterwards: Hilary of Poictiers, and Sulpitius Severus expressly say, that Athanasius separated himself from his communion. Nor do I perceive, that what Epiphanius says, overthrows their accounts. For certain, he does not confirm, but weaken the credit of the story told by Montfauçon; for he says nothing of it, though he had a fair occasion to mention it, and wrote but a few years after the death of Marcellus and Athanasius.

CHAP. LXXIV.

EUSTATHIUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH.

6

1. SAYS Jerom, Eustathius of Side in Pamphylia, first 'governed the church at Beroa, and afterwards at Antioch.

At Basilius quia semel conceptam de Marcelli impietate opinionem vix missam facere poterat, cum Diocæsariensibus patribus non leviter expostulat, quod Marcellianos ad communionem, inconsultis aliis episcopis, admisserint. [Vid. Basil. Ep. 265. al. 293. T. iii. p. 410. edit. Bened.] Hæc Basilius, vel ignorans ea, quæ Alexandriæ in gratiam Marcelli et asseclarum ab Athanasio gesta fuerant, vel, &c. Montf. Diatrib. ib. p. 66.

2 Vid. in ep. ad Philip. hom. 6. T. xi. p. 234, 235. in ep. ad Heb. hom. 2. p. 14-16. hom. 8. p. 89. T. xii. Bened. et passim.

* Nam, negatâ sibi ab Athanasio communione, ingressu sese ecclesiæ Marcellus abstinuit. Hilar. Fragm. 2. p. 1300.

b Interjecto deinde tempore, Athanasius, cum Marcellum parum sanæ fidei esse penitus comperisset, a communione suspendit. Sulp. Sev. Hist. 1. ii. c. 52. p. 382. c Vid. H. 72. n. 4. p. 837.

a

Eustathius, genere Pamphylius, Sidetes, primum Berhœæ, Syriæ, deinde Antiochiæ rexit ecclesiam. Et adversum Arianorum dogma componens multa sub Constantino principe pulsus est in exilium Trajanopolim Thraciarum, ubi usque hodie conditus est. Exstant ejus volumina de Animâ, de Engastrimutho