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high esteem for Origen, who continually had before them, in their library, the originals of those amazing works, his Tetrapla and Hexapla, and many other volumes of his writings, monuments of a most capacious mind and unexampled industry.

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This work, against which Jerom threatened to write, according to his own acknowledgment, was laboured and copious. Indeed, it must have been a large work, as may be inferred from the length of the first book, which we still have in Rufinus's Latin translation; from Eusebius's divers references to it for farther particulars concerning Origen; and from the accounts given by some ancient authors of the contents of it.

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Here I might make some extracts out of that first book which remains, to shew what books of scripture are referred to by the composers, and by Origen, in the passages quoted from him: but it is needless. Considering Pamphilus's respect for Origen, and his intimacy with Eusebius, it may be taken for granted, that his canon of scripture was the same, or much the same, as theirs. And what theirs was, has been or will be shewn largely in this work.

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VIII. Montfaucon has published Contents of the Acts of the apostles, which he thinks to have been composed and drawn up by Pamphilus. As the work is ascribed to Pamphilus in the manuscript, which is supposed to be of the tenth century, so for that, and some other reasons, he makes no scruple to consider him as the author. The same thing has been put out again by Fabricius as a work of Pamphilus. But those contents' had been often published before without the name of the author: and the only thing uncommon is the short preface to those Contents; which too, with the Contents themselves, had been published" by Zacagni, as written by Euthalius, who flourished about the year 458.

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And indeed it seems to me more likely that Euthalius should be the author than Pamphilus. It is observable that Euthalius published the Acts of the apostles, the Catholic epistles, and St. Paul's epistles. At the end of his edition of the Catholic epistles, which follow that of the Acts of the apostles, is this note: The book of the Acts of the apostles, and of Catholic 'epistles, was collated with the exact copies of the library of Eusebius Pamphilus in Cæsarea.' Mr. Wetstein, to whom I refer my readers, has divers curious remarks concerning Euthalius. He is of opinion, that this note has been an occasion of ascribing to Pamphilus, as author, what was really done by Euthalius, who made use of his library. However, we have here another proof of the usefulness of that library at Cæsarea.

IX. It is now time that we reflect upon what we have met with concerning this martyr for the Christian religion. There can be no question but Pamphilus was an understanding and truly pious man. He was not distinguished only by the last scene of his life, the magnanimity, fortitude, and patience of his confessions and martyrdom; but his whole life was a shining example of virtue. He must have been a person of a good family, and a large estate; but he despised the world, and renounced all earthly expectations. He was a zealous Christian and greatly delighted himself in the scriptures: he was liberal to the poor, kind to his acquaintance, and to all men who sought to him: he had an earnest desire to promote learning and knowledge, especially the knowledge of the holy scriptures, in men of every condition: and his diligence in

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Adversus quæ volumina, (si Dominus vitæ hujus dederit spatium) alias respondere conabor. Adv. Ruf. 1. ii. p. 419. "Sex libros Eusebius Cæsariensis episcopus, Arianæ quondam signifer factionis, pro Origene scripsit, latissimum et elaboratum opus. Adv. Ruf. l. i. p. 357.

• Rufinus translated the first book, and that only, so far as we know. Horum tu primum librum vertis sub nomine martyris-Si totum opus Pamphili est, cur reliquos libros non transfers? ib. I. i. p. 357.

Ap. Hieron. Opp. T. v. p. 219, &c. Ed. Bened.
H. E. 1. vi. c. 23, et 33, et 36.

• Vid. Socr. 1. iii. c. 7. 1. iv. c. 27. Phot. cod. 117, 118. Conf. Tillem. Saint Pamphile. T. v. P. iii. p. 60, 61.

& Præmittitur Expositio Capitum Actuum auctore Pamphilo, εκθεσις κεφαλαίων των πράξεων το Παμφίλε quam integram edimus infra. Mont. Bib. Coislin. P. 76.

b Codex xxv. al. cxxi. membranaceus, decimi sæculi, complectitur Acta apostolorum et epistolas catholicas.-Ib. p. 75. i Hanc opellam esse vere Pamphili martyris, non est quod dubitemus. ib. p. 78. in.

* Vid. Fabr. Spic. Patr. seu Hippolyti Opera. P. ii. p. 205, &c.

Exstat eadem exfeσis sine nomine auctoris ante Commentarios Œcumenii in Acta, atque inde in melioribus Novi Testamenti editionibus; Rob. Stepħani, Joh. Boecleri, et Joh. Millii: necnon in Dan. Heinsii ad Nov. Test. Exercitationibus. Fabr. ib. p. 209. m Ap. Bibl. Coislin. p. 78.

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Ap. Laurent. Zacagn. Collectanea, P. 428.

• Vid. Zacagn. Præf. p. 61, 62. et Cave H. Lit. T. i. p. 446. Oxon. 1740.

• Αντεβλήθη δε των Πράξεων και καθολικών επιςόλων τὸ βιβλιον προς τα ακριβη αντιγραφα της εν Καισάρεια βιβλιοθήκης Ευσεβίο το Παμφίλε. ap Zacagn. ib. p. 513.

Quod præcipuum est, editionem suam cum exemplari Pamphili martyris, in Bibliotheca Casariensi asservato, contulit. Inde error librariorum ortus est, qui cum legerent, ab Euthalio Codicem Pamphili consultum esse, totum laborem Euthalii Pamphilo, tamquam potiori, adscripserunt. Wetst. Proleg. p. 76.

all laudable undertakings was extraordinary. The testimonies to his virtue which we have seen, are very agreeable: but if the large history of his life, written by Eusebius, were still in being, very probably it would be more entertaining, and inform us of many things of an edifying nature. It is one of those works of Eusebius, the loss of which is much lamented by learned

men.

Where can such a man as this be found in the heathen world? how rare were such examples under the Mosaic institution, of men, who employed their whole time in improving their own minds, and serving others, without noise or ostentation, and without worldly views, and at last quietly resigned their lives rather than disown the principles by which they had been hitherto conducted and supported!

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Nor was Pamphilus alone, though distinguished. There were twelve in all, who at one and the same time bore the most signal testimony to truth. One of whom was a servant of Pamphilus, by name Porphyry; who, though he was burned at a stake, bore that painful death, and all the preceding tortures appointed by the cruel governor, with wonderful fortitude and resignation, serenity and patience. Not to insist now on the many others in Palestine, Egypt, and other places, who about this time signalized themselves by divers confessions, and at last by dying for their religion. Certainly these men, if they were not the best speakers, were the best livers that ever the world saw: and in their death they are without rivals. These holy and useful men, these confessors and martyrs, undaunted by all the evils which an unkind and mistaken world sometimes brings upon those who are its greatest blessings and best benefactors, were formed by the Christian religion when the evidences of it were near, and if not true, their weakness might have been perceived. They were advanced by it to this eminence, when it was considered as an institution of virtue, not an abstruse and speculative science; a doctrine from heaven, not a creature of the state: and when Jesus, their Lord and Master, was not only admired as a divine teacher, but was also esteemed an example both in his life and in his death.

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One thing which frequently occurs in the authentic histories of these primitive Christians of note and distinction, deserves especial regard: I mean their affection and zeal for the holy scriptures. For their own sake, for the sake of others, and among them for our good, they were mightily taken up in reading, studying, and explaining, and commenting upon the scriptures of the Old and New Testament; or in transcribing them, or correcting copies of them, and procuring exact editions, for the use of all sorts of persons. This is for our imitation, and for our satisfaction. It is what ought to be imitated by us: and it likewise affords us good reason to think that the books of holy scripture, which contain the revelations of the divine will to mankind, and are the rule of our faith, have been transmitted to us in great purity, without any remarkable alterations or deviations from the original writings.

X. Fabricius has published what he calls Acts of the Passion of St. Pamphilus, taken out of his Life written by Eusebius of Cæsarea; from which I might have selected some things, and thereby possibly made my account of Pamphilus more agreeable to some: but I cannot persuade myself to make any use of that piece, not being satisfied of its genuineness.

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Here it is not only said that he was of a noble family, which is very likely, but also that he had honourably discharged civil offices in his country: which, I think, cannot be easily reconciled with Eusebius's genuine account; who says that Pamphilus renounced all worldly expectations;' or, as Valesius translates the words, despised all secular honours, to which he might ' have aspired.' Eusebius does actually say of Phileas, bishop of Thmuis, that he had with re

a Vid. Euseb. de Mart. Pal. c. xi. p. 338, 339.

b Triumphus Dei est passio martyrum, et pro Christi nomine cruoris effusio, et inter tormenta lætitia. Quum enim quis viderit tantâ perseverantiâ stare martyres atque torqueri, et in suis cruciatibus gloriari, odor notitia Dei disseminatur in Gentes, et subit tacita cogitatio, quod, nisi verum esset evangelium, nunquam sanguine defenderetur. Neque enim delicata, et divitiis studens ac secura confessio est; sed in carceribus, in plagis, in persecutionibus, in fame, in nuditate et siti. Hic triumphus Dei est, apostolorumque victoria. Hieron. ad Hedib. n. xi. T. iv. P. i. p. 184.

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Acta passionis S. Pamphili martyris ex libris Eusebii Cæsariensis de illius Vitâ, juxta MS. Medicæum Regis Christian

issimi. Ap. Fabr. Spic. Patr. seu Hippolyti Opp. T. ii, p. 217, &c. Conf. ejusd. Bib. Gr. T. v. p. 277, 278.

d επίσημως τε ταις κατά την πατρίδα πολιτείαις διαπρε avros. Act. Pass. ap. Fabr. p. 218, m. fuisset autem insignis in republicâ gerendâ in patriâ suâ. Certamen Pamphili ex Metaphr. ap. Vales. Ann. in Eus. p. 179, b. in.

—xoσpixwv EXπidwr oxywpia. Eus. de Mart. P. c. xi.

p. 336, B.

f seu sæcularium honorum, ad quos adspirare poterat, despicientiam. Vales.

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• διαπρέψας ανηρ ταις κατα την πατρίδα πολιτείαις και MEITHRIS H. E. 1. viii. p. 301, D.

putation enjoyed all civil offices and employments in his country. Why did he not expressly say the same of Pamphilus, if true, when he spoke of his contempt of this world?

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Again, it is said in these Acts that Pamphilus renounced, or gave away all his paternal estate to the poor, and that he himself lived a philosophical kind of life, having nothing of his own: but Eusebius in his genuine account only says that Pamphilus was very bountiful to the indigent, or gave liberally out of his substance for the relief of such persons. That particular appears to me contrary to all the ancient authentic accounts which we have of Pamphilus. If he had renounced, or given away all his estate, how should he have erected a library? How could he have transcribed numerous copies of the books of scripture, and Commentaries upon them? How should he and Eusebius put out a correct edition of the Seventy from Origen's Hexapla? In all these works Pamphilus must have been assisted by some rich Christian, as Origen was by Ambrose, if he had nothing of his own: but nothing of that kind is any where said by Eusebius or Jerom. On the contrary it is all along supposed that he lived upon his own, and that from time to time he cheerfully laid out what he had, as occasions offered, in good works and useful designs of various kinds, as before seen.

So far as I can perceive these Acts of Fabricius are much the same with those in Surius, Valesius, and others, as taken from Simeon Metaphrastes, which were mentioned before: and therefore what I have said, or may say concerning either, ought to be understood as relating to both.

Fabricius supposeth these Acts to have been taken out of the books of Eusebius containing the life of Pamphilus. Valesius thinks that those Acts in Metaphrastes were taken from Eusebius's book of the Martyrs of Palestine: which book, as we now have it in the common copies, is imperfect, as he says, and may be made more complete by these Acts in Metaphrastes. I rather think these Acts to be the invention of some idle impostor, who, according to his own fancy, enlarged and flourished upon Eusebius's genuine account of the martyrdom of Pamphilus and his companions, which we have in the eleventh chapter of his book concerning the Martyrs of Palestine. The whole of this piece, compared with tliat chapter of Eusebius, has such an appearance: Eusebius says of that company of martyrs, that they resembled the prophets and apostles.' This writer adds, and the patriarchs.' Eusebius, speaking of their last combat, says, it was a most glorious spectacle;' as indeed it was. Whereupon this oratorical author says, there might be seen in it at once persons of every age of the human life, and of every rank in the church, (meaning faithful, catechumens, presbyters, and deacons,) and of every condition and employment, and likewise a great variety of sufferings, and consequently. different crowns for the victors.' This plan the author proposes at the beginning, and afterwards fills up as he sees good.

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I think these considerations, added to the foregoing, may be sufficient to shew that this piece is a forgery.

The length of these critical remarks, I hope will be excused. If we are not upon our guard, we shall have nothing but fable instead of history.

-αποδόμενος γετος τα εις αυτόν από προγόνων ήκοντα γυμνοις, πήροις, και πένησιν απαντα, αυτός εν ακτήμονι διηγε B. . Fabr. ib. p. 220. m. Renuntians quidem iis quæ ad ipsum redibant a majoribus, nudis, mancis, et pauperibus distribuit. Ipse autem degebat. in vitâ quæ nihil possidebat. Ex Metaphrast. ap. Vales. ib. p. 180, b. in.

b τη της εσίας εις ενδεεις κοινωνια. De Mart, Pal. c. © See p. 117. xi. p. 336, B.

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CHAP. LX.

PHILEAS, BISHOP OF THMUIS IN EGYPT; AND PHILOROMUS, RECEIVER-GENERAL AT ALEXANDRIA.

PHILEAS, says Jerom, of a city in Egypt called Thmuis, of a noble family, and a large estate, accepted an episcopal charge. He wrote an excellent book in praise of the martyrs. After a long debate with the judge, who commanded him to sacrifice, he was beheaded for Christ under the same persecutor, by whose orders Lucian suffered at Nicomedia.'

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Jerom means the emperor Maximin. But learned men are not agreed about the year of this good man's martyrdom. By Cave it is placed in 311, by Basnage in 311 or 312, by Tillemont after 306, and before the edict in 311 or 312. The place of his martyrdom is now, I think, generally allowed to be Alexandria, though Valesius once inclined to Thebais. Phileas flourished, as Cave computes, near the end of the third century, about the year 296. It is likely that Thmuis was the place both of his nativity and episcopate.

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Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History has a long passage of a letter of Phileas to the Christians at Thmuis; which is generally reckoned to be the same that Jerom calls a book in Praise of the martyrs.

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Eusebius at the same time gives an account of the martyrdom of Philoromus. And there are still extant Acts of the martyrdoms of these two persons, which are esteemed genuine and sincere by Tillemont and Ruinart: and indeed they are in the main agreeable to Eusebius: but yet it seems to me that they are interpolated: at least, I am of opinion that they are not to be relied upon as sincere and uncorrupt; for which reason I shall not make any use of them. But I shall immediately transcribe Eusebius's history of the death both of Phileas and Philoromus, with a part of the just-mentioned passage of the letter written by the former.

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Our ecclesiastical historian then, having mentioned divers other instances of heroic courage and firmness of mind in the cause of truth, adds: And these are indeed admirable: but yet more admirable are they who, distinguished by their wealth, high birth, honours, learning and eloquence, preferred before all other things true religion and faith in Jesus Christ. Among these was Philoromus, who bore no ordinary office, but was the emperor's receiver-general at Alexandria; and, as became his high station in the Roman government, daily heard causes, attended by a guard of soldiers. Phileas, likewise, bishop of the church at Thmuis, who had ⚫ with reputation discharged all public offices in his own country, and was eminent for his philosophical learning, when many of their kindred and other honourable friends, and some of the magistrates, and even the judge himself advised them to take pity upon themselves, and to ⚫ consider their wives and children, would not by all their entreaties be induced, out of a regard ⚫ to their own life, to transgress the divine laws concerning denying and confessing our Saviour; but with a manly and courageous and philosophic mind, or rather with a religious heart truly devoted to God, having withstood all the threatenings and abuses of the judge, they were both 'beheaded.'.

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• But,' forasmuch as we said that Phileas was eminent for learning, let him be produced as his own witness. At the same time he shews what he himself was, he will relate the martyr• doms that happened in his time at Alexandria much more exactly than we can do. Thus then

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he writes in his epistle to the people at Thmuis: "All these ensamples and patterns and excellent admonitions being set before us in the divine and sacred scriptures, the blessed martyrs among us, without hesitation fixing the eye of their soul upon God over all, and willingly embracing death for the sake of religion, stedfastly adhered to their calling: knowing that our Lord Jesus Christ became man for our sake, that he might destroy all sin, and afford us helps for obtaining eternal life:" "For he did not earnestly desire to appear like God, but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself unto death, even the death of the cross:" Philip. ii. 6, 7. "Wherefore these martyrs, full of Christ, " earnestly desiring the greatest gifts," (1 Cor. xii. 31,) endured not once only, but some of them often, all kinds of pains and tortures that can be invented; and, though the officers did their utmost by words and deeds to terrify them, they were not disheartened, because perfect love casteth out fear:" 1 John iv. 18.

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I omit the rest which may be seen in Eusebius himself, who having finished his extracts, adds: These are the words of a true philosopher, and a martyr filled with the love of God: which, when in prison, before the final sentence of the judge, he sent to the people under his care; partly informing them what were his own circumstances, partly exhorting them to hold fast the faith of Christ, even after his death, which was then near at hand.'

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Here are, I think, three references to books of the New Testament; the first epistle to the.. Corinthians, and the epistle to the Philippians, and the first of St. John. We see by this short. passage, what great regard the Christians of those times had for the holy scriptures; and how apt they were to clothe their own thoughts in expressions borrowed from them.

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I suppose likewise, that none will dispute my interpretation of that phrase, which in our English translation is rendered, thought it not robbery to be equal with God;' for it is here evidently used and understood by Phileas, as expressive of our Lord's humility, not of his dignity and greatness. In the like manner have we already observed that expression understood by several ancient Christian writers.

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I would just observe that, at the end of the passage cited by Eusebius, Phileas quotes some precept of the Old Testament, as sacred scripture.

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Phileas is elsewhere mentioned by Eusebius among other bishops of Egypt, who suffered martyrdom in Dioclesian's persecution.

CHAP. LXI.

PETER, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA, AND THE MELETIANS.

1. Peter, his history and works, and testimony to the scriptures. II. The Meletians, their history and time.

I. In the year of our Lord 300, Peter succeeded Theonas at Alexandria. In St. Jerom's ChroIN nicle' he is called the sixteenth bishop of that church, and is said to have had a glorious martyrdom in the ninth year of the persecution: but St. Jerom has not given this bishop of Alexandria a place in his Catalogue among other eminent writers of the church. Nor do I remember

• Τετων ἁπάντων ὑποδειγμάτων ἡμιν και ὑπογραμμών, και καλων γνωρισμάτων εν ταις θείαις και ἱεραις γραφαις, κ. λ. ib. C. b τον μεν κύριον ήμων Ιησεν Χρισον εύροντες ενανθρωπη σαντα δι' ἡμας, ἵνα πασαν μεν ἁμαρτίαν εκκόψη, εφοδια δε της εις την αιώνιον ζωην είσοδο ήμιν καταθηται· 8 γαρ άρπαγμον ήγήσατο το είναι ισα θεω· αλλ ἑαυτον εκενωσε, μορφην δελε λαίων. Ib. p. 302. C. D.

• Διο και ξηλώσαντες τα μείζονα χαρισματα οἱ χρισοφοροι μαρτυρες. Ib. D.

St. Paul there says, the best gifts, ra xapiayara ra xper

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