are others also, who do not allow the epistle of Paul to the Hebrews to be his but say, it is ⚫ either an epistle of Barnabas the apostle, or of Clement bishop of Rome. But others say, it is an epistle of Luke the evangelist. And some receive an epistle to the Laodiceans. Some pretend, that additions have been made to it by some heterodox persons, and that for that reason, it ought not to be read in the churches, though it is read by some. But in the church are read to the people his thirteen epistles only, and that to the Hebrews sometimes. Moreover some reject it as more eloquent than the apostle's other writings, and because Christ is here said to "be" made:" and because of what he says of repentance, which the Novatians make an 'advantage of.' A part of this chapter was alleged formerly. 5. By this we perceive, that there was at that time not a few, who on one account or other had doubts about the writer of this epistle, which has not St. Paul's name at the beginning, as his other epistles have. The objection taken from the superior elegance of the style of this epistle above the rest deserves notice. It affords an argument, that the ancient Christians read the scriptures with care. How Origen expresseth himself How Origen expresseth himself upon this head we saw formerly. 6. Philaster himself received the epistle to the Hebrews; for he reckons it a heresy to reject it. And in the remaining part of the chapter, just cited, he proposeth answers to the two fastmentioned objections. And in this his work, of Heresies, he has several times referred to this epistle, or quoted it as the apostle Paul's. 7. Philaster received likewise the book of the Revelation. For one of his heresies is that ' of those who reject the gospel of John and his Revelation. I put that article at the bottom of the page; where he observes, there are some who dare to say, that the Revelation is not a writing of John the apostle and evangelist, but of Cerinthus. 8. I do not think it needful to make any more remarks upon these articles, nor to transcribe any more chapters of this author. But it hence appears, that he received the same books of the New Testament which we do. If ever we come to that part of this work, which is allotted for the history of the heretics of the first two centuries, we shall have occasion to take farther notice of Philaster. CHAP. CXI. GAUDENTIUS, BISHOP OF BRESCIA. g 1. GAUDENTIUS, successor of Philaster in the bishopric of Brescia, is placed by Cave at the year 387. For a more particular account of him and his works, I refer to others. I shall only take his testimony to the books of the New Testament, and some select passages. h 2. He expressly says, there are four evangelists; and he has frequently quoted all the four gospels, St. Mark's in particular. 3. The book of the Acts of the apostles is expressly quoted, and ascribed to St. Luke, who had also written a gospel. plausibili, inde non putant esse ejusdem Apostoli. Et quia et factum Christum dicit in eâ, inde non legitur. De pœnitentiâ autem propter Novatianos æque. Ibid. cap. 89. b Hebr. vi. 4. and x. 26. d See Vol. i. p. 532. a Hebr. iii. 2. See p. 64. Cum Apostolus doceat, quod omnem hominem mori oportet, postque hoc jam judicari. cap. 122. p. 255. Vid. Hebr. ix. 27. Et honorandæ nuptiæ. cap. 117. p. 239. A. Vid. Hebr. xiii. 4. f Post hos sunt hæretici, qui Evangelium secundum Joannem, et Apocalypsim ipsius non accipiunt: et cum non intelligunt virtutem Scripturæ, nec desiderant discere, in hæresi permanent pereuntes: ut etiam Cerinthi illius hæretici esse audeant dicere, et Apocalypsim ibidem non beati Joannis. 8 Vid. Cav. H. L. T. i. p. 282. Du Pin. Bib. T. iii. Tillem. Mem. T. x. In quatuor Evangelistarum testimonio. Ab. Bib. PP. T. v. p. 947. A. i Vid. p. 950. F. 951. G. *Sicut in principiis Actuum Apostolorum Lucas Evangelista, testatur. p. 959. A. Lucas Evangelista, qui beatos Apostolos pari merito subsequutus est, et Evangelii librum et Actus Apostolorum imitandâ examinatione conscripsit. p. 969. C. 4. I need not produce any particular quotations of St. Paul's epistics. I only observe that he has several times quoted the epistle to the Hebrews as Paul's. с b 5. Gaudentius takes but little notice of the catholic epistles. However, he has quoted the epistle of St. James, and the first epistle of St. Peter. And, very probably, he received all the rest. d He likewise quotes the book of the Revelation. 7. There is no notice taken by Gaudentius of any apocryphal Christian books. And it is. likely, that his canon of the New Testament was the same with that now generally received. 8. It appears, that Gaudentius was wont to compare the Latin and Greek copies of the New Testament, or the Latin translation with the Greek original. And as he had travelled in the East, it is not improbable, that he was well skilled in the Greek language. 9. He has divers good observations upon Christ's shewing himself to Thomas, and takes notice of the advantage which we have from the scrupulousness of that apostle, in the fuller evidence of our Lord's resurrection. 10. Gaudentius supposed & our Lord's ministry to have been of but one year's duration only from his baptism to his death. h 11. He often speaks of the Lord's-day, or the first day of the week, sanctified by Christ's resurrection from the dead. i 12. He asserts free-will very strongly. He says, That things are not done, because they 'were foretold: but the divine prescience knows beforehand what will happen, and therefore they are foretold. It is, he says, inconsistent with the perfections of God, that he should com'mand, or compel men to do what he blames, if done. What the Jews did, they did voluntarily, though it had been foretold. And do you think, that if the Jews had repented at the preaching of Jesus, the world could not have been saved? I think we are not to limit the divine ' or wisdom. "For who has known the mind of the Lord? or who has been his counsellor Consider, how in the gospel Christ waited for the repentance of the Jewish people, and how ⚫he upbraided the cities, in which most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. k ?" 13. Descanting upon the notice taken of the value of the ointment, with which Mary had anointed the Lord, as mentioned John xii. 4, 5, he has some uncommon thoughts concerning our Saviour's treatment of Judas. 14. He seems to have read the decree of the council at Jerusalem, Acts xv. as we now Et sicut in Apocalypsi de Babylone scribitur, vel urbe, vel gente, vel unâquâque animâ, errorum caligine, vitiorumque carnalium permixtione confusâ. [Apoc. c. xvii. ver. 6.] p. 943. C. et alibi. dicens: Nunc judicium est hujus mundi. Nunc hujus mundi princeps mittetur deorsum,' sive, expelletur foras, ut in Græcis exemplaribus legimus. [Joh. xii. 31.] p. 969. B. Sine,' inquit, eam,' sive sinite.' Utrumque enim et in Græcis et Latinis exemplaribus invenitur. Sed magis congruere videtur sensui, cum legitur. Sinite,' &c. [Conf. Marc. xiv. 6. Joh. xii. 7.] p. 964. A. 'Sufficiat nobis, quoniam sancti Thomæ curiositas et ambiguitas futuræ scrupulositatis finem fecit. Quod enim absens fuit, quod avidius et videre et attrectare Dominum perquisivit, totum nostræ procurabatur saluti, ut evidentius nosceremus resurrectionis Dominicæ veritatem. p. 969. B. 8 Anniculus est, quia post illud baptismum, quod pro nobis in Jordane susceperat, usque ad passionis suæ diem, unius anni tempus impletur. Et ea tantum scripta sunt in Evangeliis, quæ in illo anno vel docuit vel fecit. Nee ipsa tamen omnia. p. 948. H. sus. Nam sextâ feriâ, quâ hominem fecerat, pro eodem pasEt die dominicâ, quæ dicitur in scripturis prima sabbati, in quâ sumserat mundus exordium, resurrexit. p. 945. F. Vid. et p. 960. D. et 959. B. Synagoga Judæorum quod erat crudeliter factura, præ dictum est: non, ut fieret, jussum est. Nec ideo factum est, quia prædictum erat. Sed ideo prædictum est, quia erat futurum; ut præscientiam suam Deus in his quæ per libertatem arbitrii hominum futura erant, ostenderet. Libertatem diximus arbitrii, quia voluerunt Judæi facere quod fecerunt : et utique si voluissent, [f. noluissent] non fecissent. Certe ingentis sacrilegii est, vel cogitare quod Deus, qui non solum bonus et justus, sed ipsa bonitas est et ipsa justitia, vel jubeat aliquid vel cogat fieri, quod factum damnet. An fortasse putamus, quia, si poenituissent Israëlitæ, aliter omnipotens Filius Dei salvare non potuerit mundum? • Quis enimi cognovit sensum Domini? aut quis consiliarius ejus fuit?' Considera in Evangelio, quomodo expectaverit Christus pœnitentiam Judæorum; ubi exprobat civitatibus, in quibus factæ sunt plurimæ virtutes ejus, quod non egerint pœnitentiam. -Præscientia quidem Dei non fallitur. Sed nec homini concessa semel voluntatis libertas aufertur, &c. p. 948. F. G. Vid. et p. 963. B. Quamvis ergo Dominus Jesus conscientiæ judex esset, noluit tamen Judam de occultis ejus acrius increpare, ne, quoniam verisimili ratione videbatur locutus, putaretur forsitan injuste correptus, atque hinc iracundiam ejus tantam concepisse causam, ut inimicis necandum traderet, quem sine ullo peccamine habuisset infensum. Nihil ergo acerbum Christus voluit pro merito sceleratæ mentis illius loqui, ne Judas eum tradere videretur iratus, &c. p. 964. D. E. Et idcirco beatus Jacobus cum cæteris Apostolis decretum tale constituit in ecclesiis observandum: Ut abstineatis vos,' inquit, ab immolatis, et a sanguine,' id est, a suffocatis.' Prætermiserunt homicidium, adulterium, veneficia: have it. By "blood" he does not understand homicide, but the blood of animals. Moreover he says, there was no occasion to insert there a prohibition of homicide, adultery, and such great crimes, which were punished even by human laws, but only those particulars, "things offered to idols, blood, things strangled, and fornication." If the reader pleases, he may recollect what was formerly said by us concerning the true reading of that place. b 15. He asserts the reality of natural religion: and says, that by the exercise of their own reason men may learn the existence of God, and discern the obligation of an equitable conduct one toward another. 16. He celebrates the progress of the Christian religion, and the effects of it in turning men from darkness to light, and from vice to virtue and holiness. d 17. I conclude my extracts with a pious observation of this writer: That we are born again,. 'that we know in part the works of God, that we endeavour to improve the time of this life, so 'as to obtain a better, that in the hope of future recompenses we act and speak religiously, is all owing to God: I say, it is owing to God.' CHA P. CXII. с SOPHRONIUS.. 1. As St. Jerom has placed his learned friend Sophronius in his Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers, I transcribe the chapter below. And I likewise refer to some learned' moderns, who have made observations upon it.. 2. Jerom says, that Sophronius was a very learned man; that when young, he published a work entitled The praises of Bethlehem, and since, an excellent account of the Demolition of the Temple of Serapis. He had also translated several of Jerom's works into Greek. 3. All those things are lost. But we have a Greek version of St. Jerom's Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers, called Sophronius's. But though many receive it as his, all do not. Its genuineness is denied, not only by Isaac Vossius, who thought it to have been made by Erasmus himself, who first published it, but by divers other learned men, who allow the antiquity of it. g 4. Nevertheless, Robert Stephens and Mill have prefixed to the four gospels the several chapters or Lives of the four Evangelists, in that Greek version; and Mill, in like manner, the quoniam nec nominari ea in ecclesiis oporteret, quæ legibus Neque hodie aliquis reatuni peccati incurrit, si eum non astringat aut naturalis lex, aut mandati lex, aut literæ lex. Naturalis lex est illa, quâ Gentes, legem literæ non habentes, naturaliter ea quæ legis sunt faciunt: quia rationabilis animæ humanæ natura, ut Creatorem suum sentiat, ut proximum non lædat, ut non faciat quod pati non vult, naturali quâdam lege intelligit. &c. p. 960. F. Nam, priusquam pateretur et resurgeret Christus, notus erat tantum in Judæâ Deus. Tunc in omnes gentes fulgor claritatis dominicæ pertransit.- -p. 948. C. d Nos ipsi etiam, quod renascimur, quod hæc ipsa opera Domini ex parte novimus, quod vivendo vitam quærimus, quod futurorem spem gerentes pie conversamur et loquimur, Dei, inquam, Dei sunt opera. p. 960. B. e Sophronius, vir apprime eruditus, laudes Bethlehem adhuc puer, et nuper de subversione Serapis insignem librum composuit. De Virginitate quoque ad Eustochium, et Vitam Hilarionis monachi, opuscula mea, in Græcum eleganti sermone transtulit. Psalterium quoque, et Prophetas, quos nos de Hebræo in Latinum vertimus. De V. I. cap. 134. f Vid. Fabr. Bib. Ec. et Bib. Gr. T. viii. p. 195-198.Cav. Hist. Lit. Tillem. Mem. Ec. T. xii. St. Jerome, art. 39.. et 58. 8 Vid. Voss. citat. a Fabric. Bib. Gr. T. viii. p. 295, 296.. Viro summo Isaaco Vossio facile largior, nec Sophronii illius, cui tribuitur, nec-valde antiquam esse Græcam Catalogi Hieronymiani versionem. Sed ut ab Erasmo, aut ab alio illius ævi confictam credam, adduci non possum. Nam cum ex eo quædam iisdem verbis in Lexico Suidæ legantur, potius> est, ut Suidâ vetustiorem credam. Jo. Andr. Bosius Intro-ductione in notitiam Script. Ec. cap. 3. citat a Fabr. Bib. Ec. p. 13. Ac præterea Græcus Interpres, qui adscito Sophronii nomine vetustatem mentitur, eam fideliter exhibeat. C. A. Heuman. Præf. ad Lactant. Symph. p. v. Hanover. 1722. a chapters of St. James and St. Jude to their epistles. He should have taken also the chapter concerning St. Paul, and have placed it before his epistle to the Romans. Why he omitted it, I do not know, unless he thought it too long. Moreover, these chapters, so far as taken, are in Stephens, and Mill, called Sophronius's. But, if I may be allowed to speak my mind, it seems to me, that those articles had been better put in St. Jerom's own original Latin, even supposing, that the Greek version had been made by his friend Sophronius: but as that is not certain, the version is still less proper. I formerly took the liberty to make some remarks upon some of the testimonies prefixed by Mill to the gospels. с CHAP. CXIII. THEODORE, BISHOP OF MOPSUESTIA IN CILICIA. I. His time and history. II. Accounts of his works, particularly of his commentaries, from Photius and others, and his testimony to the scriptures. III. A fragment concerning the four gospels, with remarks. IV. His character, as a preacher. V. Reflections upon him after his death. I. THEODORE was mentioned in the chapter of Diodorus of Tarsus. He was descended of an honourable family, and in all probability was a native of the city of Antioch. He was an intimate friend and fellow-disciple of John Chrysostom under Libanius the sophist, and Andragathius the philosopher, and afterwards under the fore-mentioned Diodorus and Carterius. с Sozomen says, that he was well skilled in the sacred scriptures, and in the liberal sciences of the rhetoricians and philosophers. Theodoret f calls him the doctor of the whole church: he says, he was bishop six and thirty years, and wrote against all heresies, particularly those of Arius, Eunomius, and Apollinarius. Ꮒ And, as according to Theodoret's account, Theodore died in 429, it is concluded, that he was ordained in 394. I do not therefore well know, why Cave placed him as flourishing about the year 407; when, too, he supposeth him to have been bishop so soon as 392. And indeed, there are others also, who think, he was ordained bishop in 392, and died in 428. k i Theodore had a brother, named Polychronius, who presided with honour over the church of Apamea, and was distinguished by his agreeable manner of preaching, and the holiness of his life. II. Photius has given an account of several of Theodore's works. 1. The first in order is his Defence of Basil against Eunomius, consisting of five and twenty books. · Though his style is not clear,' Photius says, he is full of sense and argument, and ⚫ abounds with texts of scripture. He confutes Eunomius, almost word for word; and largely shews him to have had little skill in profane learning, and yet less in our theology.' 2. The next is a Commentary upon the book of Genesis. Here Photius says, that " Theodore studiously shuns allegorical interpretations, and confines himself to the history. He moreover says, that in this work may be perceived the principles of Nestorianism, though the author was before Nestorius. • Bios-μallais xala Zupponor. Ap. Stephan. b Σωφρονιος. e See the chapter of Hippolytus. Vol. i. p. 500, 501. d Vid. Socr 1. vi. c. 3. Soz. 1. viii. c. 2. Thdrt. 1. v. c. ult. Μοψθεσίας δε της Κιλίκων Θεόδωρος, ανήρ και των ἱερων βιβλων, και της αλλης παιδειας ῥητορων τε και φιλοσόφων ἱκα VOS ISTO. Soz. 1. viii. c. 2. p. 757. A. B. f Θεόδωρος, ὁ Μοψθεσίας επίσκοπος, πάσης μεν εκκλη σιας διδασκαλος, κ. λ. Thdrt. l. v. c. ult. b 3. The third is a small volume in three books, against the Persian Magic, and shewing the preference of true religion. Here again Photius says, that the author favours Nestorianism. 4. The fourth and last is a work in five books, against those who said, that men sin by • nature, not by will and choice. He considers it as a doctrine held by those in the west, and ' from thence brought into the east, especially by an author, called Aram; who he is I do not 'know, who had written several books in defence of it. The opinions of that sect he represents in this manner. One of them is that men sin by nature, not by choice. By nature, however, 'not meaning that, in which Adam was first formed; for that, they say, was good; but that 'which he afterwards had, when he had transgressed, being now bad instead of the good, and ⚫ mortal instead of the immortal nature, which he before had. Hence men being bad by nature, 'who before were good, now sin by nature, not by choice. Another opinion of theirs, and consequent upon that is, that infants, though newly born, are not free from sin; forasmuch as from Adam's trangression a sinful nature, as they express it, is derived to all his posterity: for 'this they allege those words, "I was born in sin," and others. Here also,' as Photius proceeds, appear Nestorian principles, and the notion of Origen concerning the period of the punishments of the future state. He also says, that man was at first made mortal; though death be represented as the consequence of his transgression, the better to convince us of the evil ' of sin.' Photius concludes that article, saying, that this writer appeared to have studied the scriptures with care, though in many things he erred from the truth.' 5. Photius did not know, who was meant by Aram, nor whether it was a real or fictitious name. But learned men are now well satisfied, that hereby is to be understood St. Jerom: and that in this work Theodore aimed to confute Jerom's three Dialogues against the Pelagians. And it is supposed, that he had also an eye to Augustine. h 6. It is observable, that in the copies which Photius had of all these works, they were said to be written by Theodore of Antioch. Nevertheless Photius perceived, that they were written by Theodore bishop of Mopsuestia; and had good evidence of it from some of his epistles, which he had read. 7. Theodore's works were translated into Syriac; Ebedjesu gives this account of them: Theodore the Commentator composed one and forty tomes.-A Commentary upon the book of Genesis in three tomes; upon David in five tomes; upon the Twelve Prophets in two tomes; upon Samuel [or the first two books of the Kings] in one tome; upon Job in two tomes; upon Ecclesiastes in one tome; upon Isaiah, and Ezekiel, and Jeremiah, and Daniel, each in one tome: there putting an end to his labours upon the Old Testament. Matthew he explained in one tome; Luke and John in two tomes; the Acts of the apostles in one tome; the epistle to the Romans, the two epistles to the Corinthians, in two tomes; the epistles to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the Colossians, and the two epistles to ⚫ the Thessalonians, both the epistles to Timothy, the epistle to Titus, and to Philemon, and to the Hebrews; thus completing his Commentaries upon the whole apostle in five tomes. · Ebedjesu afterwards mentions several other works of Theodore. A book concerning the sacra⚫ments: one book entitled Of the Faith: one tome Concerning the Priesthood: two tomes concerning the Holy Spirit: a tome concerning the Incarnation: two tomes against Eunomius : and two other against an author, who asserted sin to be in our nature: two other against Magic:―and moreover five tomes against the Allegorists:-and a book of Jewels, in which his epistles are collected: and a Discourse of Lawgiving, wherewith he put an end to his labours.' * BichidapionCod. 81. p. 200. Beaus. H. M. T. ii. p. 466, 467. Hod. de Bib. Text. p. 322. m k b Conf. Theod. de Mops. art. 6. Tillem. T. 12. προς τας λεδονίας, φύσει και ο γνώμη πλαιειν τας άνθρωπος. -Cod. 177. p. 396. a - εν τη φύσει, και εκ εν προαιρέσει κεκλησθαι την ἁμαρ. ἁμαρτίας. μηδε τα παιδια, καν αρτιγενητα η, μη απηλλαχθαι * Ελι δε εδε το λεγειν αυτόν, απ' αρχής μεν θνητον πεπλασε θαι τον Αδαμ, ενδείξει δε μόνον ἵνα μισήσωμεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, σχημαίισαι εξω τον Θεόν. Ibid. Vid. T. Ittigii Diss. de Aramo scriptore ecclesiastico antipelagiano. In App. ad Diss. de Hæresiarchis. p. 466. &c. Cav. H. L. T. i. p. 387. Tillem. Theodor. de M. Art. 7. Mem. T. xii. Asseman. Bib. Or. T. i. p. 402. not. 4. |