a

b

affair himself. Which he consented to, and after all decided, as the ecclesiastical judges had done already. This hearing before the emperor was at Milain in 316. But the Donatists did not acquiesce any more in the judgment now passed than in the former.

Thus the difference was fixed: there was no reconciling the two parties. There was however a famous conference held at Carthage in 411, between the catholics and Donatists: by which, and by the writings of Augustine about that time, the Donatists seem to have been much weakened. Nevertheless, they subsisted in Africa till the end of the sixth century, or later.

d

3. The Donatists were very numerous; there must have been many of them in Numidia, and the proconsular province of Africa. Augustine intimates, that though there were Donatists in many places, yet in most cities, except those of Numidia, the catholics were much more numerous than they.

f

At the fore-mentioned conference at Carthage were present 286 catholic bishops: the Donatists counted but 279, and some of them absent. Tychonius speaks of a council of Donatists at Carthage, consisting of 270 bishops, but the time of it is uncertain. Augustine often speaks of a council of theirs, about the year 394, consisting of 310 bishops; and all these 310 were friends of Primianus: if the Maximianists, who were absent, were 100, their number in the whole were 410.

For certain this unhappy difference among the Christians of Africa affords an admonition to all men, to respect and hearken to Solomon's observation, and the council founded upon it; Prov. xvii. 14. "The beginning of strife is, as when one lets out water. Therefore leave off contention before it be meddled with."

h

4. I forbear to enter into an account of the persecutions suffered by the Donatists. They were restrained by the imperial laws, which sometimes were very severe; but they were rarely executed in their utmost rigour. And the Donatists, who were not free from differences among themselves, often shewed great bitterness toward each other: and in places where they were superior in number, they bore hard upon the catholics.

III. I add a brief account of some Donatist writers.

It ought to be observed, that I have already transcribed Jerom's article of Donatus, bishop of Carthage next after Majorinus: from whom, as some supposed, the party had its denomination. 1. Anonymous author of the Acts of Saturninus, Felix, Dativus, Ampelius, and others; which appear to have been written not long after " the beginning of the fourth century.

2. Cresconius, a learned " grammarian among the Donatists, wrote a book against the first part of Augustine's confutation of Petilian: which Augustine answered in four books, still extant, written in 406.

al. 162. c. 2. n. 4. Conf. libr. post Collat. cap. 33. Vid. Aug. Ep. 105. al. 166. n. 8. Ep. 129. n. 4. & 185. al. 50. c. 2. n. 6. Ep. 89. n. 3. Et recitatum est judicium Constantini. -Aug. Brev. Coll. D. 3. c. 19. in. Vid. & Monumenta Vetera ap. Du Pin Optat. p. 182.

a Vid. Pagi Crit. in Baron. A. 316. n. xiv. xv.

b Responderunt, etiam imperatorias aures pravis suggestionibus inflatas. Aug. Brev. Coll. D. 3. cap. 19.

c Vid. Vales. de Schism. Donat. cap. ult. fin.

d Quod enim propterea se universos adesse dixerunt, & eorum numerus appareat, quoniam eos paucos esse adversarii sui sæpe mentiti sunt. Hoc si aliquando a nostris dictum est, de his locis dici verissime potuit, ubi nostrorum coëpiscoporum & clericorum & laïcorum longe major est numerus, & maxime in Proconsulari Provinciâ. Quamquam, exceptâ Numidia Consulari, etiam in cæteris provinciis Africanis, nostrorum numero facillime superantur. Aug. Ep. 129. n. E.

Respondit Officium, nomina Donatistarum episcoporum esse ducenta septuaginta novem, annumeratis etiam illis, pro quibus absentibus alii subscripserant. Catholicorum autem omnium præsentium nomina esse constitit ducenta octoginta sex. Aug. Brev. D. 1. cap. 14.

f Dicit enim Tychonius, homo, ut dixi, vestræ communionis, a ducentis & septuaginta vestris episcopis concilium Carthagini celebratum. Aug. Ep. 93. al. 48. cap. x. n. 43.

Sed ecce damnaverunt in concilio suo Maximianistas tre

n. 18.

centi decem episcopi Donatista. Contr. Ep. Petil. l. i. c. 11. Sic enim eos describunt trecenti decem plenarii concilii. Contr. Ep. Parmen. 1. ii. c. 3. n. 7. Vid. & contr. Crescon. I. iii. c. 52, n. 58. & c. 53, 54. 56. & passim.

Quæ res coëgit tunc primum adversus vos allegari apud Vicarium Serranum legem illam de decem libris auri, quas nullus vestrûm adhuc pendit, & nos crudelitatis arguitis. Contr. Lit. Petil. 1. ii. c. 83. n. 184.

i Ita cæci & insani, ut cum schismaticos suos Maximianistas per potestates a catholicis imperatoribus missas de basilicis excluserint, & vi magnâ jussionum & auxiliorum cedere sibi compulerint, arguant catholicam, si pro eâ catholici principes tale aliquid fieri præceperit. Contr. Parm. 1. i. c. 10. n. 16.

* Nonne apud Hipponem, ubi ego sum, non desunt, qui meminerint, Faustinum vestrum regni sui tempore præcipisse, quoniam catholicorum ibi paucitas erat, ut nullus eis panem coqueret? &c. Contr. Petil. l. ii. c. 83. n. 184.

Extant ap. Baluz. Misc. T. ii. p. 56. &c. & Optat. Milev. ex Edit. Du. Pin. p. 150. &c.

m Vid. Baluz, Monitum.

n Grammaticus etiam quidam Donatista Cresconius, cum invenisset epistolam meam, quâ primas partes, quæ in manus nostras tunc venerant epistola Petiliani, redargui, putavit mihi esse respondendum, & hoc ipsum scripsit ad me. Cui operi ejus libris quatuor respondi. Retract. Ì. ii. c. 26.

a

3. Gaudentius, bishop of Tamugada in Numidia. He was one of the seven Donatist bishops, chosen to defend their cause at the conference at Carthage in 411. Some time after that conference, the tribune Dulcitius, who was the emperor's commissary for executing the imperial laws against the Donatists, sent an admonition to him, to return to the unity of the catholic church; which Gaudentius answered, first by a short, then by a long letter. Dulcitius having sent those letters to Augustine, he answered them in one book. Gaudentius published a defence of his letters; and Augustine replied in another, or second book.

That is the substance of what Augustine himself writes. By which it appears, that Cave's account of this matter is not quite right: who supposeth Augustine to have written three books against Gaudentius.

с

Gaudentius seems to have been a man of a violent temper: for he had formed a design to set fire to his church, and therein to burn himself and some others. The only apology that can be made is, that the hard usage the Donatists met with made them desperate, and filled them with a rage, which they were not able to govern.

I have placed Gaudentius as flourishing about the year 411, the time of the fore-mentioned conference; but his letters to Dulcitius, and his answer to Augustine's first book, were not written until some good while after: for Augustine's writings in this controversy are supposed to have been published about the year 420.

4. Says Gennadius, in the chapter next following in his Catalogue that of Vitellius, to be hereafter transcribed: Macrobius also, a presbyter among the Donatists, and afterwards their 'secret bishop at Rome, whilst he was yet a presbyter of the church of God, wrote one book addressed to confessors and virgins; a work of the moral kind, but very useful, especially for preserving chastity. He first flourished among us in Africa, and afterwards among the Donatists, or Mountaineers, at Rome.'

с

Macrobius was the fourth Donatist bishop, who sat at Rome, and was living when Optatus: of Melevi wrote, about 370. Optatus may be relied upon for that. But whether Gennadius be in the right in saying, that Macrobius was first a presbyter among the catholics, may be ques-tioned. Nor is it easy to form a clear conception concerning the occasion, which a catholic presbyter should have about that time to write an exhortation to confessors. Insomuch, that it may be doubted, whether Gennadius did not confound two persons of this name. Tillemont f has good remarks upon this account of Gennadius.

h

There is still extant a piece entitled The Passion of Maximian and Isaac, Donatists: which is generally supposed to have been written by the above-named Donatist bishop Macrobius, in the year 348, or 349.

i

5. Parmenian succeeded Donatus in the see of Carthage about the year 350. Not long before the year 370, he wrote a book or epistle against the catholics, which was soon after answered by Optatus of Milevi, in a work still extant.

* Per idem tempus Dulcitius tribunus & notarius: hic erat exsecutor imperialium jussionum contra Donatistas datarum. Qui cum dedisset literas ad Gaudentium Tamugadensem Donatistam episcopum, unum illorum septem, quos in nostrâ collatione auctores suæ defensionis elegerant, exhortans eum ad unitatem catholicam, & dissuadens incendium, quo se ac suos cum ipsâ, in quâ erat, ecclesiâ consumere minabatur.

-Ille rescripsit epistolas duas, unam brevem-aliam prolixam-Has mihi supra memoratus tribunus existimavit esse mittendas, ut eas potius ipse refellerem: quas ambas uno libro redargui. Qui cum in ejusdem Gaudentii pervenisset manus, rescripsit quod ei visum est, ad meipsum.- -Hinc factum est, ut hi nostri ad illum duo libri essent. Aug. Retr. 1. ii. c. 59. Conf. Opp. T. ix. sub fin.

b Gaudentium, episcopum Tamugadensem, sectæ Donatistæ, qui Dulcitio tribuno, imperatoris apud Africam legato, duas epistolas apologeticas obtulit, ab Augustino totidem libris refutatas: quibus responsionem opposuit Gaudentius, ab Augustino itidem libro tertio eversam. Cav. H. L. De Gaudentio Brixiensi.

Gaudentius,cum seipsum in ecclesià quibusdam sibi adjunctis perditis incendere minabatur. Aug. Contr. Gaud. 1. i. c. i. Vid. ejusd. Retract. supr. not.*

Macrobius, presbyter & ipse, ut ex scriptis Optati cogno

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b

a

Parmenian afterwards wrote another letter against Tichonius à Donatist, who differed in some things from the rest of his party. This letter was answered by Augustine in three books. It does not appear with certainty when this letter of Parmenian was published: but Augustine's answer was written about the year 400, and Parmenian was then dead. He seems however to have lived to the year 390, and the Donatist interest flourished greatly under him. 6. Petilian, bishop of Cirtha, called also Constantina, in Numidia: who formerly pleaded at the bar as an advocate, wrote a letter to the Donatist clergy, which Augustine soon after answered in three books. He was one of the seven Donatist bishops, appointed to defend their cause at the famous conference at Carthage.

e

7. Says Gennadius, who wrote near the end of the fifth century, Tichonius' of Africa, "well acquainted with the literal sense of scripture, and not ignorant in secular learning, and • well versed in ecclesiastical affairs, wrote three books concerning intestine divisions, an Expo'sition of several matters [or a Miscellany,] in which works he mentions some ancient synods in defence of his own cause. By all which it appears he was of the Donatist party. He wrote also a book of Seven Rules, for attaining the true Meaning of scripture. He likewise wrote a "Commentary upon the Revelation of John, from the beginning to the end.'

That is a part of Gennadius's article: for the rest I refer to himself.

h

Augustine in his answer to Parmenian gives Tichonius the character of a man of good sense, and a great deal of eloquence. He was a modern Donatist. But then he is reckoned inconsistent: and he fell under the displeasure of his own party. Parmenian, bishop of Carthage, as we have seen, wrote against him. Du Pin says, he flourished about the year 380. Tillemont's* computation is not very different. The book of the Civil War, or Intestine Divisions, may be the book referred to by Augustine, and against which Parmenian wrote. The Seven Rules for finding the true Meaning of Scripture, are still extant.

m

8. Vitellius, of Africa,' says " Gennadius, defending the schism of the Donatists, wrote a 'book, shewing, that the servants of God are hated by the world. In which, if he had not treated us as persecutors, he delivered an excellent doctrine. He also wrote against the 'Gentiles, and against us, as traitors of the divine scriptures in the persecution. He likewise ' wrote several other books, relating to ecclesiastical discipline. He flourished under Constans, 'son of the emperor Constantine, that is, as Cave computes, about the

year 344. As Gennadius's is the only account we have of this author, and none of his writings remain, nothing farther can be added. We may however conclude from hence, that the Donatists were not concerned for the interests of their own party only: but employed themselves likewise in the defence of the common cause of Christianity against its enemies.

IV. The Donatists used the same scriptures that other Christians did: as is often owned by their catholic adversaries," Optatus and Augustine.

a Nunc autem quoniam incidit in manus nostras Parmeniani, quondam episcopi eorum, quædam epistola, quæ scribitur ad Tichonium. Aug. contr. Parmen. 1. i. c. 1. Conf. Aug. Ep. 93. n. 44.

b See Tillem. Donatistes. Art. 59.

Id. ib. Art. 65. * Opp. T. ix. fTichonius, natione Afer, in divinis literis eruditus, juxta historiam sufficienter, & in secularibus non ignarus fuit, in ecclesiasticis quoque negotiis studiosus. Scripsit de bello intestino libros tres, & expositiones diversarum causarum, in quibus ob suorum defensionem antiquarum meminit synodorum. E quibus omnibus agnoscitur Donatianæ partis fuisse. Composuit & Regulas ad investigandam & inveniendam intelligentiam scripturarum septem, quas in uno volumine conclusit. Exposuit & Apocalypsin Johannis ex integro, nihil in eo carnale, sed totum intelligens spirituale. Gennad. De V. I. c. 18.

d Vid. Aug. contr. Petil. I. iii. c. 16.

-incidit in manus nostras Parmeniani- epistola, quæ scribitur ad Tichonium, hon:inem quidem & acri ingenio præditum, & uberi eloquio, sed Donatistam. Aug. Contr. Parm. 1. i. c. 1.

h Tichonius-vidit ecclesiam Dei toto orbe diffusam.Aug. ibid. Conf. ejusd. Ep. 93. c. x. n. 43.

Hist. Donat. p. 12.

Les Donatistes Art. 59. & note 31, 32.

'App. Bib. PP. Mex. T. vi.

m Vitellius Afer, Donatianorum schisma defendens, scripsit de eo quod odio sint mundo servi Dei. In quo si tacuisset de nostro velut persecutorum nomine, egregiam doctrinam ediderat. Scripsit & adversum Gentes, & adversum nos velut traditores, in persecutione, divinarum scripturarum. Et ad regulam ecclesiasticam pertinentia multa disseruit. Claruit sub Constante, filio Constantini principis. Gennad. cap. iv.

n Cum constet merito, quia nobis & vobis ecclesiastica una est conversatio-Denique possumus & nos dicere: Pares credimus, & uno sigillo signati sumus, nec aliter baptizati quam vos. Testamentum divinum legimus pariter. Optat. 1. iii. c. 9. Denique & apud vos & apud nos una est ecclesiastica conversatio, communes lectiones, eadem fides. Id. 1. v. c. 1.

fin.

• Proferte certe aliquam de scripturis canonicis, quarum nobis est communis auctoritas, ab hæreticis venientem denuo baptizatum. Aug. contr. Crescon. I. i. c. 31. n. 37.

In scripturis discimus Christum: in scripturis discimus ecclesiam. Has scripturas communiter habemus. Ep. 105. al. 166. c. 4. n. 14.

Isti autem fratres utriusque testamenti auctoritate devincti sunt. Ep. 129. n. 3.

1. That they received all the several parts of the Old and New Testament, appears from St." Augustine's enumeration of them in his arguments with these people.

2. There can be no question therefore, but they received all those books in particular, which were generally received.

3. The book of the Acts is largely quoted by Petilian, and Tichonius.

4. I cannot say, whether they received the Epistle to the Hebrews. Tichonius has the words of Heb. x. 38. d "The just shall live by faith;" but he seems to consider them as the

5. They plainly received the Revelation of St. John. Augustine frequently quotes it in his arguments with them. It is also cited by the Anonymous Author of the Acts of Saturninus and others. Tichonius & the Donatist wrote a Commentary upon the whole book, as we before saw in his article from Gennadius.

6. Augustine bears witness to them, that they had the like respect for the scriptures that the catholics had, and were not unwilling to be determined by them.

Moreover, their respect for the divine scriptures was manifest, in their aversion for all those who had betrayed them, or were supposed to have done so.

CHAP. LXVIII.

ALEXANDER, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA.

I. His history and works. II. His testimony to the scriptures.

I. ALEXANDER, bishop of Alexandria, succeeded Achillas in the year 312, or 313. In his time arose the Arian controversy, which made so much noise in the world. He was present at the council of Nice in 325, and died at Alexandria, before the end of that year, or some time in 326, within five months after the breaking up of the council, or after his return home from it.

By Theodoret he is called the great Alexander, and an excellent defender of the evange lical doctrine.

d

It is not known that Alexander wrote any thing beside epistles, sent to bishops in several parts of the world: which, as Epiphanius says, were in number almost seventy, and were extant in his time in the hands of the curious. Socrates says, that great numbers of epistles having been written by many, sent chiefly to the bishop of Alexandria, collections were made of them; one by Arius, of those favouring him, another by Alexander, on the contrary side. It is probable, that each collection contained the letters written by themselves, as well as by others in their favour. But, as may be argued from the words of Socrates, and is farther evident from ' Sozomen, each collection consisted of letters written on one side only.

с

h

Of all those epistles of Alexander there now remain two only, one in Socrates, to the bishops of the catholic church throughout the world: the other in Theodoret, to Alexander bishop of Byzantium, with fragments of some others. The time of writing those two letters will be shewn more particularly at the beginning of the next chapter.

It must be owned that Alexander expresseth himself with much warmth, if not with bitterness of spirit.

n

k

He calls Arius and his followers apostates, and enemies of Christ, and impious. He says, they had done their utmost to exceed all past heresies, and approach nearer to Antichrist.

II. All the farther account which I shall give of those two letters will relate to the holy scriptures.

1. It is observable, that several books of the New Testament, particularly St. Paul's epistles, are here frequently quoted.

о

2. St. John's gospel is largely and expressly quoted. John the evangelist: John P in his gospel: the most excellent John.'

t

r

3. Alexander received the epistle to the Hebrews, as Paul's. As the apostle says, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever: and what reason have they to say that he 'was made for us, when Paul writes, "for whom are all things, and by whom are all things." Again, having cited various texts, he adds, Agreeably" to these speaks the most eloquent Paul, saying, Whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." another place he has words of Heb. i. 3.

X

In

4. He quotes the second Epistle of St. John, ver. 10. For it becometh us as Christians, "not to say to such: God speed, lest we be partakers of their sins," as the blessed John ⚫ directs.'

5. I shall add some things, shewing his respect, for the scriptures, and the general divisions then in use.

οπως τον αριθμον ἑβδομηκοντα. Epiph. Η. 69. n. 4.

* Ούτως εναντίων γραμμαίων προς τον επίσκοπον Αλεξανδρειας πεμπομένων πεποιηνίαι των επιτολων τελων συναίωίας, Άρειος μεν των ύπερ αυτ8, Αλεξανδρος δε των εναντίων. Socr. 1. i. c. 6. f.

• Non omittendum, quod Socrates narrat, Arium collectionem fecisse epistolarum causæ suæ faventium, in quibus non dubium est etiam Arii ipsius epistolas insertas fuisse. Fabric. Bib. Gr. T. 8. p. 309. Vid. & p. 340.

EXI; Ap. Socr. l. i. c. 6. p. 11. C. D.

9 Ο ευλαβεσαίος Ιωαννης. Ap. Theod. p. 12. A.

* Αλλ' ὡς αποςολος Ιησες Χρισος χθες και σημερον αυτος, και εις τες αιώνας· τι δε αρα ειπειν αυτές έπεισεν, ὅτι δι' ἡμας

* συναίωξην εποιησαντο των ύπερ της οικείας αιρεσεως γειονε, και οι τε Παύλε γραφοντος, δι' όν τα πανία και δ' ἐ τα φερομένων επίδηλων, και τας ενανίιας παρελαβον. Sozom. l. i. c. 1. p. 402. A.

8 Τοις αναπηροις συλλειλυρίοις τοις απανταχο της καθολι uns exxolas. Socr. 1. i. c. 6. p. 10. A.

h

Ap. Thdrt. 1. i, c. 4.