XIV. Though my design relates chiefly to scriptures of the New Testament, I cannot forbear to observe, (what our great author thought not proper to omit), that in his Ecclesiastical History there are three catalogues of the Books of the Old Testament, as received by the Jews. The first is that of Josephus from his books against Apion: The second is that of Melito bishop of Sardis : The third is taken from Origen's works. XV. It will not be amiss to put down here some instances of general divisions of sacred scripture, which are to be found in this writer. f He frequently uses a Greek word, literally denoting in the testament,' and generally, as equivalent to canonical: he uses it, when he proceeds to put down Josephus's catalogue of the scriptures of the Old Testament. Clement of Alexandria, he says, wrote brief Commentaries upon all the scriptures in-the-testament, not omitting those that are contradicted. The title of the chapter in which he inserts Origen's catalogue of the books of the Old and New Testament is: How he mentions the scriptures in-the-Testament. He uses the same word, when he alleges Irenæus's testimony to the New Testament: he elsewhere speaks of books acknowledged by all, and others not in-the-Testament, but contradicted. The same word is used by Origen. his treatise of Prayer he observes, that the Jews do not receive the book of Tobit as in the Testament: it is also in Origen's passage alleged by our author. Epiphanius uses a somewhat like phrase, when he says, the Alogians were of opinion, that St. John's gospel ought not to be placed in the Testament, or be reckoned canonical. h In Old and New Testament is another common division: as also" prophets and apostles: gospel's " and epistles. XVI. The respect which the ancient Christians had for the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, appears in many things mentioned by this writer. 1. It is needless to insist here upon the epithets sacred and divine scripture, of which we have seen so many instances. To the like purposes are such expressions as these: the sacred gospel: according to the most certain testimony of the sacred gospels: the divine scripture of the gospels. 2. He says, there is no error or mistake in the scriptures: the prophets, according to his account, spake only as the Spirit dictated: they did not write their own words, but were employed by the Spirit of God. 3. In his Epistle to the church at Caesarea, after signing the Nicene Creed, he says, that * the use of unscriptural phrases had been the great cause of the dissensions and disturbances that had happened in the churches. 4. He says, the first successors of the apostles, leaving their home, and perforning the office of evangelists, went forth and preached the gospel to such as had not heard it; and then delivered to them the scripture of the gospels. From which passage, as well as from many others, it appears, that the gospels were then understood to be for general use. a 5. Eusebius says of Origen, that from his childhood he was well versed in the divine scrip tures. b 6. According to our author, as cited formerly, the scriptures are the rule of faith, and the standard of orthodoxy. 'There are,' says he, beside these, treatises of many others, whose ' names we have not been able to learn; orthodox and ecclesiastical men, as the interpretations of the divine scripture given by each one of them manifest.' 7. In his Oration in praise of the emperor Constantine, demonstrating the truth of the Christian religion, our author testifies the great respect that was paid to the scriptures of the New Testament, and the great number of translations which had been then made of them. Who,' says he, ever delivered before-hand predictions of so many things, that were afterwards exactly accomplished in the event, as our Saviour did--to take men, originally employed in fishing, ' mean and illiterate, and constitute them lawgivers and masters of the universe of mankind; 'what and how mighty a work must this seem to you! To engage to them by word and ⚫ promise, and indeed" make them fishers of men ;" and to confer upon them so great a virtue and power, as to compose writing, and publish books: and that these also should obtain such esteem, as to be translated into every language, both of Greeks and barbarians, throughout the whole world, and be diligently studied by all nations, and the things contained in them be ⚫ believed to be divine oracles. How evident a demonstration is this of his divinity." d 8. In the last chapter of the third book of the Evangelical Demonstration is a like argument; where he says, that in a short space of time the gospel was preached throughout the whole world, for a testimony to all nations; and Greeks and barbarians had the scriptures concerning Jesus in their own letters and dialect. h 9. Of reading the scriptures Eusebius speaks in this manner in his Evangelical Preparation : So' likewise the Jewish scriptures had before [Plato] required, that faith should precede the ' examination and understanding of the divine scriptures, in such expressions as these: "If ye ⚫ will not believe, ye shall not understand;" [so Eusebius from the Seventy, where we have, "Ye shall not be established."] Again, "I believed: therefore have I spoken." After which ⚫ same manner with us [Christians] also, to those who are just brought over to us, and are as yet but weak, and as it were but infants as to their minds, the reading in the divine scriptures [that is, the divine scriptures themselves] is barely put into their hands, recommending it to them to believe the things therein contained as the words of God. But to those who are con'firmed and grown old in knowledge, it is allowed to penetrate farther, and search into the pro⚫ foundest meaning of the words. Such as these the Jews call Deuterotæ, interpreters and expo•sitors of the scriptures.' It is hence apparent, that reading the scriptures was recommended even to new converts from heathenism. i 10. In his Ecclesiastical History Eusebius says, that in his time it was customary for ⚫ Christians, particularly the recluse and devouter sort, to be more especially engaged in the ⚫ attentive reading of the divine scriptures at the festival of our Saviour's passion.' 11. I shall only add one passage more from the Commentary upon the Psalms; where Eusebius speaks of the public reading and explication of the scriptures. For he says, that in times ταις θείαις γραφαις εξελι παιδος ενήσκημενος. Η. Ε. 1. vi. c. 2. p. 202. C. b Vol. i. ch. 32. p. 485. с Ορθοδόξων μεν και εκκλησιαςικων, ὡς γε δε ἡ ἑκασε παραδεικνυσι της θειας γραφης ἑρμηνεια. L. v. c. 27. 4 Και τοσαυτην αυτοις αρείην τε και δυναμιν παρασχειν, ὡς και γραφας συναξαι, και βίβλες παραδέναι· και ταύτας εις τοσείο κραίύναι, ὡς καθ' όλης της οικεμένης πανίοια γλωσση βαρβαρών τε και Ελληνων μεταβαλλομένας παρα πασι τοῖς εθνεσι μελείησθαι, και πιςεύεσθαι θεια είναι λόγια τα εν αυίαις καταβεβλημενα· ὁσον εις αποδειξιν εναρξη της αυτ8 θεοίητος ; De Laud. Const. c. 17. p. 662. C. D. • Κεκηρυκίο γεν το ευαγίελιον εν βραχει χρόνῳ εν άλῃ τῇ οικεμένη εις μαρτύριον τοις εθνεσι και βαρβαροι και Έλληνες τας περί το Ιησε γραφας παίριοις χαρακτηρσιν και παίριῳ φωνη με Jaλaubaver. Dem. I. iii. p. 137. A. * Εικοίως δε τα και η Εβραίων προλαβεσα γραφή της των θείων γραφων συνέσεως τε και θεωρίας την πισιν προςατίει, δι i H. E. I. ii. c. 17. p. 57. B. k εν γαρ τοις καιροις των διωίμων, καθ ̓ ἐς πολλακις κεκωλυνται μεν αἱ διδασκαλίαι και των θεοπνεύσων γράφων αναγνωσματα ως και ανευ της ανθρωπων διδασκαλίας απορ ῥηλῳ δυνάμει τρέφεσθαι. In Ps. 32. p. 123. Α. Β. of persecution, when discourses and readings of the divine scriptures are for the most part pro⚫hibited and hindered, and there are few or none found to impart spiritual food to the souls of men; the providence of God by an influx of the divine Spirit nourisheth the souls of men, and causeth them to be taught of God: so that without the instruction of men they are nourished by a secret influence.' XVII. What we have seen in the works of this learned and laborious bishop, who flourished at about three hundred years after our Lord's ascension, is an invaluable testimony to the things concerning the Lord Jesus himself and his apostles, and to the swift and wonderful progress of the gospel, and to the scriptures of the Old and New Testament. The former were those received by the Jewish people. The number of the books of the New Testament does not appear to have been in his time settled by any authority, that was universally allowed of: but the books following were universally received, the four gospels, the Acts of the apostles, thirteen epistles of Paul, one epistle of Peter, and one epistle of John. These, I say, were universally received by Christians in our author's time, and had been all along received by the elders and churches of former times. Beside these, we now generally receive also an epistle to the Hebrews, an epistle of James, a second epistle of Peter, a second and third of Jolin, an epistle of Jude, and the Revelation. And it appears from this learned writer, that these books or epistles were then next in esteem to those before-mentioned, as universally acknowledged; and were more generally received as of authority, than any other controverted writings. Beside these, there was the Gospel according to the Hebrews, made use of by the Jewish Christians; being, probably, a translation of St. Matthew's gospel, with some additions; and, as it seems, containing little or nothing contrary to the genuine doctrine of Christ and his apostles. The book called the Doctrine, or Doctrines of the Apostles, we have not now a distinct knowledge of; but, probably, it was a small book, containing the rudiments of the Christian religion, and fitted for the use of young people, and new converts, and never esteemed a part of sacred scripture. As for the rest, they were not very numerous, and their character is easily determined; for either they were useful ecclesiastical writings, as the Epistles of Barnabas and Clement, and the Shepherd of Hermas; which, as we have seen from the quotations of them in the writers of the first three centuries, were never received as of authority, or a part of sacred and canonical scripture: or they were mean, absurd, and fabulous compositions, despised and disliked by the sounder Christians in general, both of our author's, and of former times. To the books of sacred scripture the greatest . respect was shewn; they were esteemed as of authority, and decisive in all points of a religious nature; they were publicly read and explained in the assemblies of Christian people; and they were open to be freely read by all sorts of people in private, for their instruction and improvement in religious knowledge, and their edification in virtue. Finally, it may be observed, that this learned author makes little use in his works of apocryphal scriptures of the Old Testament: none at all of Christian writings, forged with the names of Christ's apostles, or their companions. 1. CHAP. LXXIII. MARCELLUS, BISHOP OF ANCYRA IN GALATIA. a 1. I PUT PUT in the margin Jerom's article of Marcellus; but I do not think it needful to translate it. 2. Marcellus is spoken of by Cave, as flourishing about the year 330; but that time seems too late. It is generally supposed, that he was present at a council of Ancyra in 314, as bishop of that city. He was also at the council of Nice in 325, where he signalized himself against b a Marcellus, Ancyranus episcopus, sub Constantino & Constantio principibus floruit. Multaque diversarum oleov scripsit volumina, & maxime adversus Arianos. Feruntur contra hunc Asterii & Apollinarii libri, Sabellianæ eum hæreseos arguentes. Sed & Hilarius in septimo adversum Arianos libro nominis ejus, quasi hæretici meminit. Porro ille defendit se non esse dogmatis cujus accusatur, sed communione Julii & Athanasii, Romanæ & Alexandrinæ urbis pontificum, se esse munitum. De V. I. c. 86. Vid. Epiph. H. 72. c. 2. p. 834. D. & Athan. Apol. contr. Arian. n. 32. p. 150. E. the Arians. It is concluded from Epiphanius, that Marcellus died in 372, when he had been bishop almost sixty years, and had lived almost or quite a century. b 3. In the year 334, or 335, he wrote a book against Asterius, and other Arians, which occasioned him a great deal of trouble. Socrates says, that in opposing Asterius, Marcellus went into a contrary extreme, and embraced the opinion of Paul of Samosata, who says, that Jesus Christ is a mere man. 4. The bishops assembled at Jerusalem in 335, for dedicating the church built by Constantine, required him to renounce his opinion, and burn his book. But those bishops were hastily summoned to Constantinople; where, in the year 336, the matter was resumed. Marcellus was deposed, and Basil put in his room: but he was restored by the synod at Sardica in 347. Nevertheless, Marcellus still lay under the suspicion of heresy with many. 5. Sozomen says farther, that the council of Constantinople wrote a letter to the churches of Galatia, admonishing them to reform their error, to search for the copies of Marcellus's book, and burn them. f e 6. That book was particularly answered by the famous Eusebius of Cæsarea, and by order of the council itself. Though Marcellus was not then young, Eusebius says it was the only book he had published. It was a very large work, consisting of a thousand lines or verses. Eusebius takes notice, that he quoted heathen authors to illustrate the scriptures: he likewise chargeth him with a vain ostentation of secular learning; whether rightly or not, we can hence conclude, that Marcellus was learned. He did likewise quote very largely the books of the Old and New Testament: and we can plainly perceive from Eusebius's quotations and arguments, and from his own letter and confession of faith delivered to Julius, bishop of Rome, about the year 241, which are preserved in Epiphanius, that Marcellus received the same scriptures that other Christians did, and paid them a like respect. k 7. Socrates and Sozomen seem to have supposed that Marcellus went into the opinion of Paul of Samosata. Eusebius continually chargeth him with " Sabellianism. Theodoret, in his Heretical Fables, speaks of Paul, Sabellius, Marcellus, and Photinus, in four distinct chapters one after another: and in his introduction to that work, he reckons him with Ebion and Photinus, and elsewhere with Photinus and Paul of Samosata: and he particularly says of Marcellus, that he denied a Trinity of persons. However, there were formerly, as well as lately, different apprehensions concerning the real sentiments of Marcellus: and it must be owned, that there is a good deal of obscurity in some of his passages, cited by Eusebius: but it seems to me, that there is sufficient reason to think he was a Sabellian or Unitarian. г 8. Montfaucon persuades himself, and would persuade others, that not long before his death, about the year 372, Marcellus being uneasy at the accusations brought against him by St. Basil, as well as others, sent one of his deacons, with others of his church, as a deputation to Athanasius, carrying with them a confession of faith, completely orthodox: which confession Athanasius, and other bishops of Egypt then present with him, accepted of, and gave them a letter of recommendation to communion with the churches. 9. But it seems to me, that this story is not well supported. Montfauçon does not well i H. 72. n. 2, 3. p. 834- -836. Socr. 1. i. c. 6. p. 72. Conf. l. ii. c. 19. p. 98, 99. & cap. 20. πως ο δηλος αν γενοιτο, τον μεν Σαβελλιον υποδυομενος. Contr. Marc. l. i. p. 5. A. Αντικρυς τον Σαβελλιον αναVεaμeros. De Ec. Th. 1. ii. seu contr. Marc. 1. iii. c. 1. p. 104. Ορας Ιεδαίον αντικρυς, τον μονοδενη υίον το θερα apraμsvov. Ib. cap. 2. p. 105. A. n Hær. Fab. 1. ii. c. 8, 9, 10, 11. Ταυλης δε της αιρεσεως ήρξε μεν Εβίων, μεχρι δε Μαρκελλα και Φωτεινε τας διάφορες επινοίας εδεξαιο. Hær. Fab. Compend. T. iv. p. 188. D. • Φωτεινος γαρ και Μαρκελλος, και ὁ εκ Σαμοσαίων Παύλος, ανθρωπον μόνον είναι λεγεσι τον κύριον ήμων και θεον. Epist. 104. T. iii. p. 976. A. 9 Τελῳ αρνηθή των υποτασεων τριαδα. H. F. 1. i. c. 10. Vid. Hieron. supra not. (a) p. 276. Epiphan. H. 72. Tillemont collects the opinions of several ancients about him in Marcel. d'Ancyre. Mem. T. vii. p. 510—512, à Paris. Vid. Zacagn. Pr. ad Collect. Monum. Gr. p. 42. &c. Montfauç. Diatriba de Causa Marcelli ap. Nov. Collect. Patr. T. ii. Fabric. Bib. Gr. T. vi. p. 31. & 92. T. 8. p. 335. Re compertâ, Marcellus, ut eorum conatus & molimina interpellaret, oratores qui causam apud Athanasium suam agerent, ac sui, Ancyranæque ecclesiæ nomine fidei professionem emitterent, delegavit. Cumque legatorum formula. sanam prorsus & orthodoxam fidem præferret, huic Athanasius, cum aliis qui aderant episcopis, adstipulatus, literas commendatitias rogantibus concessit. Diatrib. de Marcell. cap. 5. p. 63. Αp. Nov. Collection. Patr. T. ii. know when that deputation to Athanasius was sent; he placeth it in the year 672, by guess only. St. Basil, though he corresponded with Athanasius, and others of Egypt, knew nothing of that letter of recommendation; and in a letter written after that supposed date in 377, reproves some people for communicating with the followers of Marcellus. Moreover, Chrysostom in his homilies in the latter part of the fourth century, often argues against Marcellus as a heretic: not now to say any thing more of Socrates, and Sozomen, or Theodoret, or others, who appear not to have known any thing of this orthodox confession of Marcellus, or Athanasius's letter of communion. per It is indeed well known, and allowed, that for a while Athanasius had a kindness for Marcellus; and no wonder, when Marcellus, like himself, was so hard pressed by the Arians. But his respect for Marcellus seems to have abated afterwards: Hilary of Poictiers, and Sulpitius Severus expressly say, that Athanasius separated himself from his communion. Nor do I ceive, that what Epiphanius says, overthrows their accounts. For certain, he does not confirm, but weaken the credit of the story told by Montfauçon; for he says nothing of it, though he had a fair occasion to mention it, and wrote but a few years after the death of Marcellus and Athanasius. CHAP. LXXIV. EUSTATHIUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH. h I. SAYS Jerom, Eustathius of Side in Pamphylia, first governed the church at Beræa, and afterwards at Antioch. As he wrote much against the Arian doctrine, he was banished in the time of the emperor Constantine to Trajanopolis in Thrace, where he lies buried to this day. There are extant his volumes concerning the soul, of the Pythoness against Origen, and an in⚫ finite number of epistles, which it would be tedious to reckon up.' 2. Eustathius is placed by Cave at the year 325, when the council of Nice met: but as Eustathius was before that bishop of Berea, if not also of Antioch, and was then so considerable, as to be thought by many to be the bishop who complimented Constantine in a short oration at his entrance into the council; I presume he ought to be placed sooner, about the year 320. 3. For a particular account of him I refer to Cave, and others. I observe some few of the more material things, and briefly only. k 4. By means of the intrigues of Eusebius of Nicomedia, and Theognis of Nice, he was deposed by a synod at Antioch, about the year 328, as a Sabellian, and otherwise unworthy of the pastoral office: after which he was banished. The time of his death is not certain: some think he did not die before the year 360. Sozomen says, he had been assured, that.' Eustathius bore the hard treatment he met with very patiently. Hæc porro legatio in annum 372 commode referatur. Diatrib. cap. 6. B. 64. Cui frequens cum Athanasio epistolarum usus erat. Montf. Diatrib. ib. At Basilius quia semel conceptam de Marcelli impietate opinionem vix missam facere poterat, cum Diocæsariensibus patribus non leviter expostulat, quod Marcellianos ad communionem, inconsultis aliis episcopis, admiserint. [Vid. Basil. Ep. 265. al. 293. T. iii. p. 410. edit. Bened.] Hæc Basilius, vel ignorans ea, quæ Alexandriæ in gratiam Marcelli & asseclarum ab Athanasio gesta fuerant, vel, &c. Montf. Diatrib. ib. p: 66. Vid, in ep. ad Philip. hom. 6. T. xi. p. 234, 235. in ep. ad Heb. hom. 2. p. 14, 15, 16. hom. 8, p. 89. T. xii. Bened. & passim. Nam, negatâ sibi ab Athanasio communione, ingressu sese ecclesia Marcellus abstinuit. Hilar. Fragm. 2. p. 1300. f Interjecto deinde tempore, Athanasius, cum Marcellum parum sanæ fidei esse penitus comperisset, a communione, suspendit. Sulp. Sev. Hist. 1. ii. c. 52. p. 382. 8 Vid. H. 72. n. 4. p. 837. h Eustathius, genere Pamphylius, Sidetes, primum Berhoæ, Syriæ, deinde Antiochiæ rexit ecclesiam. Et adversum Arianorum dogma componens multa sub Constantino principe pulsus est in exilium Trajanopolim Thraciarum, ubi usque hodie conditus est. Exstant ejus volumina de Animâ, de Engastrimutho adversum Origenem, & infinitæ epistolæ, quas enumerare longum est. De V. I. c. 85. Vid. Cav. Hist. Lit. Fabr. Bib. Gr. T. viii. p. 166. &c. Tillemont Mem. Ec. T. vii. Pagi Crit. in Baron. Ann. 324. n. 26. &c. 325. n. 17. 327. n. 3. 340. n. 19. * Vid. Socr. 1. i. c. 24. Soz. 1. it. c. 19. Thdrt. I. i. c. 21. 1 Soz. I. ii. c. 19. fin. |