preach their doctrines freely, he says, is equivalent to an approbation of their errors, and a condemnation of the truth. And he earnestly desires Nectarius to admonish the emperor, [Theodosius,] and let him know, that all he had hitherto done for the churches would avail nothing, if this evil were suffered. A large part of this letter is inserted by Sozomen in his Ecclesiastical History. m 7. Gregory" asserts the doctrine of free-will. 8. He speaks as if many miracles were then wrought by the reliques of martyrs. 9. Gregory in several places speaks with great freedom of the synods of bishops. As those places have been often taken notice of by learned men, I have thought it best to refer to them. CHAP. XCIX. AMPHILOCHIUS, BISHOP OF ICONIUM. 1. His history, and works. II. A catalogue of the books of the Old and New Testament. III. A law of Theodosius against heretics, procured by him, with remarks. I. AMPHILOCHIUS, bishop of Iconium, the chief city of Lycaonia, is in Jerom's Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers: where, however, he mentions but one book of his, concerning the Divinity of the Holy Spirit, not now extant. Amphilochius was a native of Cappadocia. The exact time of his being constituted bishop of Iconium is not known: Cave says in 370, or somewhat later: Tillemont κατέγνωσα p. 722. D. 1 της εκκλησίας λογος, ώς της αληθειας παρ' αυτοις εσης. Ib. -και διδαξατω τον ευσεβέτατον βασιλεα, ότι δεν κερδος εςαι της λοιπής αυτώ περί τας εκκλησίας σπεδης, ει το τοιςτον κακον επικαθαιρέσει της ύγιαίνεσης πιςεως δια της παῤῥησιας αυτων κατισχύνει. Ibid. p. 723. Α. m L. vi. cap. 26. " Or. 1. p. 9. A. • Or. 3. p. 77. A. Vid. et Or. 1. p. 35. B. P Vid. Ep. 55. et Carm. x. Conf. Ep. 65, 71, 72. 1 Amphilochius, Iconii episcopus, nuper mihi librum legit de Spiritu Sancto, quod Deus est, et quod adorandus, quodque omnipotens sit. De V. I. cap. 133. b Quo anno Iconiensi ecclesiæ sit, 371, vel 375, non satis liquet. S. Basnag. ann. 394. n. ix. c Circa annum 370, vel forsan paulo serius, Iconii, Lycaoniæ metropolis, episcopus constituitur Cav. H. L. T. i. p. 251. d S. Amphiloque, Art. iii. Mem. T. ix. about the year 374. He was alive in 394; and it is supposed that he died not long after. His eminence is collected from the several letters written to him by Basil, from the character given of him by Theodoret, and others. And Jerom in his letter to Magnus joinsh him with Basil, Gregory, and others, who were equally skilful in secular learning and the sacred scriptures. Accounts of his works may be seen in divers writers, referred to at the bottom of the pages of this chapter; but very few of his works remain: I take particular notice of but one only. II. It is an iambic poem of considerable length, addressed to Seleucus, in which is inserted a catalogue of the books of the Old and the New Testament. It has been ascribed by many to Amphilochius; but some learned men are of opinion, that it was written by Gregory Nazianzen; they say the style is his: and that we have no knowledge that Amphilochius ever wrote verse. Cavek and Du Pin therefore say it is Gregory's. On the other hand, Combefis m and Tillemont still maintain the right of Amphilochius, to whom it is ascribed in manuscript copies, and by some ancient authors moreover, they observe several differences in this catalogue from the preceding. Bishop Beveridge h D • Vid. Tillem. ubi supr. Art. vi. et Pagi ann. 394. n. vii. See Tillem. as above, Art. i. H. E. 1. iv. c. 30. 1. v. c. 8, et 16. Socrat. 1. v. cap. 8. Sozom. 1. vii. c. 6, et 9. -Cappadocumque Basilii, Gregorii, Amphilochii. Qui omnes in tantum philosophorum doctrinis atque sententiis suos infarciunt libros: ut nescias, quid in illis primum admirari debeas, eruditionem seculi, an scientiam scripturarum. Ep. 83. al. 84. Præter fragmenta quædam veterum monumentis disseminata, unum forte Amphilochii genuinum opus superest, Epistola Synodica, quam Cotelerius edidit. [Ap. Monum. Gr. T. ii. p. 99-104.] Basnag. ann. 394. n. ix. Conf. Cav. H. L. Il suffit de dire, que tout ce que nous avons aujourdhui d'entier de ce Saint, est la lettre aux Evêques Macedoniens-et un poëme qu'il adressa à Seleuque neveu de Sainte Olympiede, &c. Tillem. Mem. T. ix. St. Amphiloque, art. vi. * Ad Seleucum Iambi Gregorio Naz. a Billio adjudicati, nec invitâ quidem veritate. Cav. H. L. in Amphiloch. Le poëme à Seleucus, quoiqu' en dise le Père Combefis, est du stile de saint Gregoire; et il y a bien de l'apparence, qu'il a ete compose par ce Père sous le nom d'Amphiloque. Du Pin, Bib. T. ii. p. 234. m -Sunt nihilominus hæc leviora, quam ut fidem codicum vindicantium Amphilochio nostro elevent. Primum enim, minus quadrant hic posita de libris canonicis, cum iis quæ habet Theologus carmine de iisdem, p. 98. ed. Par. ubi absolute pronuntiat de Pauli epistolis, et septem Catholicis, nullâ mentione libri Esther, aut Apocalypsis.-Etiam Balsamon habet ut Amphilochii, p. 1080. ed. Paris. passimque Damascenus in elementis in codice Eminentiss. Rupifucaldii. Combef. not. ad. Amphil. p. 254. See Mem. Ecc. T. ix. S. Greg. de Naz. sect. 110. Amphiloque, sect. 6. et note 6. puts down both these poems distinctly, calling one, that of Gregory the divine, and the other, that of Amphilochius from his iambics to Seleucus: and some others are of the same opinion. Whether it belongs to one or the other, it is a different performance from the foregoing, and therefore deserves to be put down here. The author of this poem recommends the reading of the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as fitted to teach men virtue, and the right worship of God. Then he 'cautions his friend against spurious, and falsely ascribed 'writings, even though they have in them some appearance of truth. After which he enumerates the divinely-inspired books, and in the first place those of the Old Testa'ment, which are these: The Pentateuch, containing first Genesis, then Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Then Joshua, and the Judges, and Ruth, four books ' of the Kingdoms, two of the Remains, the first and 'second of Esdras. After them five books in verse, Job, the book of Psalms, three books of Solomon, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. To these add the Twelve Prophets, Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, 'Malachi. After whom are the four prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. To these some add Esther. The books of the New Testament to be received by you are these: Four Evangelists only; Matthew, then Mark, the third 'Luke, and John, the fourth in time, but first in the sublimity of his doctrine. Next" receive a second book of Luke, 'the book of the Acts of all the Apostles. Then fourteen epistles of the apostle Paul, one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, two to Timothy, and to Titus and Philemon, to each one, and P See the opinions of Baronius and Basnage, in the preceding chapter, notes and ". L And see Fabr. Bib. Gr. T. vii. p. 503, 504. Amphil. ad Seleuc. p. 126. ed. Combef. Paris. 1644. et ap. Greg. Naz. T. ii. p. 194, 195. one to the Hebrews. But some say, the epistle to the • Hebrews is spurious; not speaking rightly, for it is a genuine work. Then the catholic epistles: Of which some ' receive seven, others three only one of James, one of Peter, one of John: whilst others receive three of John, and two of Peter, and Jude's, the seventh. The Revelation of John is approved by some; but many [or the most] say it is spurious. Let this be the most certain canon of the divinely-inspired scriptures.' W I shall make but one remark upon this poem, and what has been transcribed from it: That it affords a new proof of the care and caution of the ancient christians concerning books received as a part of sacred scripture, and the rule of their faith. III. As very little of Amphilochius remains, I have no select passages to present the reader with at the end of this chapter. I shall therefore put down here a story told byx Theodoret; which is also in Sozomen and Nicephorus, with only some variations. Amphilochius, as Theodoret says, presented a petition to Theodosius, desiring him to prohibit Arian assemblies, without obtaining it. He therefore thought of a method to gain his point. And being in the palace with other bishops, he paid his respects to Theodosius, as usual, taking little or no notice of Arcadius, who stood by, and had been lately declared Augustus. The emperor supposing the omission might have proceeded from forgetfulness, called to Amphilochius, and put him in mind to salute his son also: Amphilochius answered, he had paid respect to him and that was enough. The emperor displeased with that answer said, a slight put upon his son was an indignity to himself. Whereupon Amphilochius replied; You see, sir, that you cannot endure a slight to be put upon your son, and are angry with those who are guilty of it persuade yourself, then, that the God of the whole world is offended with those who blaspheme his only-begotten Son, and hates them as ungrateful to their Saviour and benefactor. The emperor perceiving the bishop's design, soon after this forbade the assemblies of heretics. Intending, it is likely, a law of Theodosius still extant, dated July 25, of the W Τινες δε φασι την προς Εβραίες νόθον Ουκ ευ λέγοντες, γνησια γαρ ἡ χαρις.—ib. * L. v. c. 16. p. 218. Nic. 1. xii. c. 9. -p. 134. Soz. 1. vii. c. 6. a Cod. Theod. 16. Tit. 5. L. xi. year 383, prohibiting all heretics, particularly Eunomians, Arians, and Macedonians, to hold any assemblies of worship in public places, or private houses. This affair has been taken notice of by several moderns; and seems to be rightly placed in the year 383, it happening after that Arcadius had been declared Augustus, and joined with his father in the empire; which was done in the beginning of that year. C Amphilochius showed his dislike of heretics several ways. He wrote a book against the Massalians, mentioned by Theodoret ; and another work, entitled,d Of Pseudepigraphal Books composed by Heretics; both which are lost: if they had been extant, I suppose they would have given me more satisfaction than the law of Theodosius, which affords not any argument. Indeed, I do not think that Amphilochius is to be commended for procuring that law; I rather think that he therein acted contrary to the doctrine taught by our Saviour, which inculcates mutual equity and forbearance, and to many apostolical precepts, requiring bishops, and all christians in general, "to be gentle, showing all meekness unto all men to be gentle unto all men, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." The catholics had suffered many hardships in the late reign of Valens afterwards in the reigns of Gratian and Theodosius they came into power. If they had more truth on their side than the Arians, I wish they had also excelled in moderation and equity; which are shining virtues, highly becoming weak and fallible creatures one toward another, perfectly consistent with a zeal for truth, and better suited to promote its interests, than force and violence. See Cave's Lives of the Primitive Fathers. Vol. ii. in Gregory Naz. sect. vii. p. 327, 328. H. L. T. i. p. 251. Basnag. ann. 383. n. vii. Tillem. Les Ariens. art. 139. Mem. Tom. vi. c Hær. Fab. 1. iv. cap. xi. d Vid. Cav. H. L. T. ii. p. 253. et Fabr. Bib. Gr. T. vii. p. 505. |