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condescended to some vulgar, and almost trivial expressions.

16. Again, he says, the apostle either despised the Greek eloquence, or chose not to avail himself of it; that the success of his preaching might not appear to depend upon human wisdom, but the power of God. See 1 Cor. ii.

17. And farther he says, that the apostle was not able to express, especially in Greek, all the grandeur and sublimity of his sentiments: and that when he says, he was rude in speech though not in knowledge,' [2 Čor. xi. 6,] he should not be understood to speak thus of himself by way of humility, but truly.

b

18. Finally he says, that a Paul not being fully acquainted with the rules of grammar, has some expressions contrary to them. And he even says, that there are some solecisms in his style; which, however, he does not say with a view of disparaging the apostle; for it affords a certain evidence of

y Ille Hebræis literis eruditus, et ad pedes doctus Gamalielis, quem non erubescit, jam apostolicæ dignitatis, magistrum dicere, Græcam facundiam contemnebat, vel certe, quod erat humilitatis, dissimulabat; ut prædicatio ejus non in persuasione verborum, sed in signorum virtute consisteret. Adv. Ruf. 1. i. T. iv. p. 367.

z Illud quod crebro diximus: et si imperitus sermone, non tamen scientiâ:" nequâquam Paulum de humilitate, sed de conscientiæ veritate dixisse, etiam nunc approbamus. Profundos enim et reconditos sensus lingua non explicat. Et quum ipse sentiat quid loquatur, in alienas aures puro non potest transferre sermone. Ad Algas. Qu. x. T. iv. P. i. p. 204. M.-Qui putant, Paulum juxta humilitatem, et non vere dixisse, et si imperitus sermone, non tamen scientiâ;' defendant hujus loci consequentiam. Debuit quippe secundum ordinem dicere: Vos, qui spirituales estis, instruite hujusmodi in spiritu lenitatis, considerantes vosmet ipsos, ne et vos tentemini;' et non plurali inferre numerum singularem. Hebræus igitur ex Hebræis, et qui esset in vernaculo sermone doctissimus, profundos sensus alienâ linguâ exprimere non valebat: Nec curabat magnopere de verbis, quum sensum haberet in tuto. In Gal. cap. vi. 1. ibid. p. 309.

Sequitur: Quæ sunt rationem quidem habentia sapientiæ.' [Col. ii. 23.] Hoc loco quidem' conjunctio superflua est. Quod in plerisque locis propter imperitiam artis grammaticæ apostolum fecisse reperimus, &c. Ad. Algas. Qu. x. T. iv. P. i. p. 207. al. ep. 151.

-Si vero quis

Puto autem, quod et vitiosa in hoc loco elocutio est potest etiam juxta sermonis et eloquii contextum docere apostolum fuisse perfectum, et in artis grammaticæ vitia non incurrisse, ille potius auscultandus est. Nos quotiescumque solœcismos, aut tale quid annotamus, non apostolum pulsamus, ut malevoli criminantur, sed magis apostoli assertores sumus, quod Hebræus ex Hebræis, absque rhetorici nitore sermonis, et verborum compositione, et eloquii venustate, nunquam ad fidem Christi totum mundum transducere valuisset, nisi evangelizâsset eum non in sapientiâ verbi, sed in virtute Dei. Nam et ipse ad Corinthios ait-[1 Cor. ii. 1.]-et rursum— -[ib. ver. 4, 5.] Iste igitur, qui solocismos in verbis facit; qui non potest hyperbaton reddere sententiamque concludere, audacter sibi vindicat sapientiam, et dicit: Quoniam secundum revelationem cognitum factum est mihi mysterium.' [Ephes. iii. 3.] In Eph. iii, T. iv. P. i. p. 348.

the wisdom given hin from above, and of his preaching the gospel with the power of God; otherwise, it had been impossible for him to convert the world to the faith of Christ without the ornaments of language, and the charms of eloquence.

19. Upon Gal. iv. 14, he supposeth it likely, that when the apostle was first in Galatia, he had some sickness. · Moreover, he says, there was a tradition, that Paul often had a violent headach: and that was the "thorn in the flesh, and messenger of Satan," which he speaks of, 2 Cor. xii. 7.

XIV. 1. Jerom seems to have despised popular preaching, and advises Nepotian, in the letter cited soine while ago, not d to aim to please men, and those mean and ignorant, but to teach them important truths out of the scriptures, and to endeavour to make them better. He speaks to the like purpose in another work.e

f

2. Jerom censures the superstition of some women, who wore about them pieces of the wood of the cross, and small gospels, or passages of them. He says it may be a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge; and that the faults of the pharisees, who made broad their phylacteries, had descended to christians.

Aut certe suspicari possumus, apostolum eo tempore, quo primum venit ad Galatas, ægrotâsse, et aliquà corpusculi infirmitate detentum. Nam tradunt, eum gravissimum capitis dolorem sæpe perpessum, et hunc esse angelum Satanæ, qui appositus ei sit, ut eum colaphizaret in carne, ne extolleretur. In Gal. iv. T. iv. P. i. p. 274.

Docente te in ecclesiâ, non clamor populi, sed gemitus suscitetur. Lacrymæ auditorum laudes tuæ sint. Sertno presbyteri Scripturarum lectione conditus sit. Nolo te declamatorem esse et rabulam, garrulumque, sine ratione, sed mysteriorum peritum, et sacramentorum Dei tui eruditissimum. Verba volvere, et celeritate dicendi apud imperitum vulgus admirationem sui facere, indoctorum hominum est.-Præceptor quondam meus, Gregorius Nazianzenus, rogatus a me ut exponeret, quid sibi vellet in Lucâ devrepoπpwrov, id est, secundo-primum, eleganter lusit, docebo te, inquiens, super hac re in ecclesiá; in quâ mihi omni populo acclamante, cogeris scire quod nescis. Aut certe si solus tacueris, solus ab omnibus stultitiæ condemnaberis. Nihil tam face, quam vilem plebeculam et indoctam concionem linguæ volubilitate decipere, quæ quidquid non intelligit, plus miratur. Ad Nepot. ep. 34. al. 2. T. iv. P. ii. p. 262.

Jam enim et in ecclesiis ista quæruntur. Omissâque apostolicorum simplicitate et puritate verborum, quasi ad Athenæum, et ad auditoria convenitur, ut plausus circumstantiam excitentur; ut oratio, rhetoricæ artis fucata mendacio, quasi meretricula procedat in publicum, non tam eruditura populos, quam favorem populi quæsitura. Pr. 3. in ep. ad. Galat. T. iv. P. i. p. 287.

Væ nobis miseris, ad quos pharisæorum vitia transierunt.—Hoc apud nos superstitiosæ mulierculæ in parvulis evangeliis, et in crucis ligno, et istiusmodi rebus, quæ habent zelum Dei, sed non juxta scientiam, usque hodie factitant. Ad Matt. xxiii. T. iv. P. i. p. 108, 109.

VOL. IV.

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3. He complains of the excessive pride of some bishops in his time.

4. Jerom seems to allow, that h some of the Antenicene writers of the church had so expressed themselves, as to give countenance to the Arian doctrine.

5. He triumphs in the progress of the christian religion : which was become the religion of the emperors, and of many other great men, and of a large part of the city of Rome, and had spread all over the world, in Egypt, India, Persia, Armenia, Ethiopia, Scythia, and other parts.

CHAP. CXV.

RUFINUS.

I. His time. II. A catalogue of the books of the Old and New Testament. III. Remarks upon it.

b

I. RUFINUS, presbyter of Aquileia, and contemporary with Jerom, according to Cave flourished about the year 390. He died in 410. He is supposed to have begun to publish writings about the year 397. For a farther account of him I refer to others.

II. I proceed to transcribe immediately his catalogue of

8 Quæ quidem et nos ad humilitatem provocant, et supercilium decutiunt episcoporum, qui velut in aliquà sublimi speculâ constituti, vix dignantur videre mortales, et alloqui conservos suos. In Gal. iv. T. iv. P. i. p. 273.

Vel certe antequam in Alexandriâ, quasi dæmonium meridianum, Arius nasceretur, innocenter quædam et minus caute loquuti sunt, et quæ non possint perversorum hominum calumniam declinare. Adv. Ruf. 1. ii. T. iv. P. ii. p. 411.

Solitudinem patitur et in Urbe Gentilitas. Dii quondam nationum cum bubonibus et noctuis in solis culminibus remanserunt. Vexilla militum crucis insignia sunt. Regum purpuras, et ardentes diadematum gemmas, patibuli salutaris pictura condecorat. Jam Egyptius Serapis factus est christianus. Marnas Gazæ luget inclusus, et eversionem templi jugiter pertimescit. De Indiâ, de Perside, Ethiopia monachorum quotidie turbas suscipimus. Deposuit pharetras Armenius. Hunni discunt Psalterium. Scythiæ frigora fervent calore fidei. Getarum rutilus et flavus exercitus ecclesiarum circumfert tentoria. Ad. Læt. ep. 57. [al. 7.] T. iv. P. ii. p. 591. M.

* Claruit præcipue circa ann. 390. Cav. H. L. T. i. p. 186.

b See Tillern. Mem. T. xii. S. Jérom, art. 129, beginning.

Du Pin, Bib. T. iii. p. 240, &c. Tillem. Mem. T. xii. S. Jérome, art. 12, 13, 125-130. Pagi, ann. 395. n. xxi. 397. n. ii. xiii-xviii. 399. vi. 410. xxvi. et alibi. Basnag. ann. 399. n. xiii. et alibi.

the books of scripture, which is in his Explication of the Apostles' Creed, a work highly commended by Gennadius, and Du Pin.

This then is the Holy Spirit, who in the Old Testament inspired the law and the prophets, and in the New the gospels and apostles. Wherefore the apostle says, that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine." [2 Tim. iii. 16.] It will not therefore be improper to enumerate here the books of the New and the Old Testament, which we find by the monuments of the fathers to have been delivered to the churches as inspired by the Holy Spirit. And of the Old Testament, in the first place, are the five books of Moses, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. After these are Joshua the son of Nun, and the Judges, together with Ruth. Next the four books of the Kingdoms, which the Hebrews reckon two; the book of the Remains, which is called the Chronicles, and two books of Ezra, which by them are reckoned one, and Esther. The prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel; and besides, one book of the twelve prophets. Job also, and the Psalms of David. Solomon has left three books to the churches, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs: with these they conclude the num ber of the books of the Old Testament. Of the New there are the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the Acts of the Apostles by Luke; fourteen epistles of the apostle Paul; two epistles of the apostle Peter; one of

Expositio in Symbolum Apostolorum. Apud S. Cyprian. Opp. in Append. ad S. Hieron. Opp. T. v. p. 127-146.

• Proprio autem labore, imo gratiâ Dei et dono, exposuit idem Rufinus Symbolum, ut in ejus comparatione alii nec exposuisse credantur. Gennad. De V. I. cap. 17. al. 18. Et en effet, il seroit difficile

de trouver un traité sur le Symbole plus parfait que celui-ci. Ubi supra, p. 142. Hic igitur Spiritus Sanctus est, qui in Veteri Testamento legem et prophetas, in Novo evangelia et apostolos inspiravit. Unde apostolus dicit: Omnis scriptura inspirata utilis est ad docendum. Et ideo quæ sunt Novi ac Veteris Testamenti volumina, quæ secundum majorum traditionem per ipsum Spiritum Sanctum inspirata creduntur, et ecclesiis Christi tradita, competens videtur ho in loco evidenti numero, sicut ex patrum monumentis accepimus, designare. Itaque Veteris Testamenti omnium primo Möysi quinque libri sunt traditi, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numerus, Deuteronomium. Post hæc Jesus Nave, et Judicum, simul cum Ruth. Quatuor post hæc Regnorum libri, quos Hebræi duos numerant. Paralipomena, qui Dierum dicitur Liber, et Esdræ duo, quia apud illos singuli computantur, et Hester. Prophetarum vero Isaïas, Jeremias, Ezechiel, et Daniel. Præterea duodecim prophetarum liber unus. Job quoque, et Psalmi David singuli sunt libri. Salomon vero tres ecclesiæ tradidit, Proverbia, Ecclesiasten, Cantica Canticorum. In his concluserunt numerum librorum Veteris Testamenti. Novi vero quatuor evangelia, Matthæi, Marci, Lucæ, et Joannis: Actus Apostolorum, quos describit Lucas: Pauli apostoli epistolæ quatuordecim: Petri apostoli duæ, Jacobi fratris Domini et

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James, the brother of the Lord, and apostle; one of Jude; three of John; the Revelation of John. These are the volumes which the fathers have included in the canon, and out of which they would have us prove the doctrines of our faith.

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However, it ought to be observed, that there are also other books, which are not canonical, but have been called by our forefathers ecclesiastical: as the Wisdom of Solomon; and another, which is called the Wisdom of the Son of Sirach; and among the Latins is called by the general name of Ecclesiasticus: by which title is denoted not the author of the book, but the quality of the writing. In the same rank is the book of Tobit, and Judith, and the books of the Maccabees. In the New Testament is the book of the Shepherd, or of Hermas, which is called the Two Ways, or the Judgment of Peter. All which they would have to be read in the churches, but not to be alleged by way of authority, for proving articles of faith. Other scriptures they called apocryphal, which they would not have to be read in the churches.

These things I have thought proper to put down bere, as received from our ancestors, for the information of those who are learning the first elements of the church, and the faith that they may know from what fountains they ought to fetch the word of God.'

That is Rufinus's catalogue of the books of scripture, which has been several times referred to in this work. III. I need to add only a few remarks.

1. In this exposition of the Creed Rufinus has more than once quoted the epistle to the Hebrews, as the apostlei apostoli una, Judæ una, Joannis tres: Apocalypsis Joannis. Hæc sunt, quæ patres intra canonem concluserunt, et ex quibus fidei nostræ assertiones constare voluerunt.-Sciendum tamen est, quod et alii libri sunt, qui non sunt canonici, sed ecclesiastici a majoribus appellati sunt; ut est Sapientia Salomonis, et alia Sapientia, quæ dicitur filii Sirach, qui liber apud Latinos hoc ipso generali vocabulo Ecclesiasticus appellatur. Quo vocabulo non auctor libelli, sed scripturæ qualitas cognominata est: Ejusdem ordinis est libellus Tobiæ, et Judith, et Maccabæorum libri. In Novo vero Testamento libellus, qui dicitur Pastoris sive Hermatis, qui appellatur Duæ Viæ, vel Judicium Petri. Quæ omnia legi quidem in ecclesiis voluerunt, non tamen proferri ad auctoritatem ex his fidei confirmandam. Cæteras vero scripturas apocryphas nominârunt quas in ecclesiis legi noluerunt. Hæc nobis a patribus, ut dixi, tradita, opportunum visum est hoc in loco designare, ad instructionem eorum, qui prima sibi ecclesiæ ac fidei elementa suscipiunt, ut sciant ex quibus sibi fontibus verbi.Dei haurienda sint pocula. Rufin. in Symb. ap. Cyprian. in App. p. 26, 27. et ap. Hieron. T. v. p. 141, 142.

↳ See vol. ii. p. 532. and Vol. iii. p. 54.

Sicut et Paulus apostolus, ad Hebræos scribens, dicit. In App. Cypr. p. 18. in.