a Gregory the divine, and the other, that of Amphilochius from his iambics to Seleucus: and some others are of the same opinion. Whether it belongs to one or the other, it is a different performance from the foregoing, and therefore deserves to be put down here. b The author of this poem recommends the reading of the scriptures of the Old and New • Testament, as fitted to teach men virtue, and the right worship of God. Then he cautions his friend against spurious, and falsely ascribed writings, even though they have in them some appearance of truth. After which he enumerates the divinely inspired books, and in the first place those of the Old Testament, which are these: The Pentateuch, containing first Genesis, then Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Then Joshua, and the Judges, and Ruth, four books of the Kings, two of the Remains, the first and second of Esdras. After them five books in verse, Job, the book of Psalms, three books of Solomon, the Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. To these add the Twelve Prophets, Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. e After whom are the four Prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. To these some add Esther. 6 The books of the New Testament to be received by you are these: Four Evangelists only; Matthew, then Mark, the third Luke, and John the fourth in time, but first in the sublimity of his doctrine. Next f receive a second book of Luke, the book of the Acts of all the Apostles. Then fourteen epistles of the apostle Paul, one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, to the Philippians, to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, two to Timothy, and to Titus and Philemon, to each one, and one to the Hebrews. But some say, the epistle to the Hebrews is spurious; not speaking rightly, for it is ' a genuine work. Then the catholic epistles: Of which some receive seven, others three only: one of James, one of Peter, one of John: while others receive three of John, and two of Peter, and Jude's the seventh. The Revelation of John is approved by some; but many [or the most] say it is spurious. Let this be the most certain canon of the divinely inspired • scriptures.' Ꮒ I shall make but one remark upon this poem, and what has been transcribed from it: That it affords a new proof of the care and caution of the ancient Christians concerning books received as a part of sacred scripture, and the rule of their faith. k III. As very little of Amphilochius remains, I have no select passages to present the reader with at the end of this chapter. I shall therefore put down here a story told by Theodoret ; which is also in Sozomen and Nicephorus, with only some variations. Amphilochius, as Theodoret says, presented a petition to Theodosius, desiring him to prohibit Arian assemblies, without obtaining it. He therefore thought of a method to gain his point. And being in the palace with other bishops, he paid his respects to Theodosius, as usual, taking little or no notice of Arcadius, who stood by, and had been lately declared Augustus. The emperor supposing the omission might have proceeded from forgetfulness, called to Amphilochius, and put him in mind to salute his son also: Amphilochius answered, he had paid respect to him, and that was enough. The emperor displeased with that answer said, a slight put upon his son was an indignity to himself. Whereupon Amphilochius replied; You see, Sir, that you cannot endure a slight to be put upon your son, and are angry with those who are guilty of it: persuade yourself, then, that the God of the whole world is offended with those who blaspheme his only begotten Son, and hates them as ungrateful to their Saviour and benefactor. The emperor perceiving the bishop's design, soon after this forbade the assemblies of heretics. Intending, it is likely, a law of Theodosius still extant, dated July 25, of the year 383, prohibiting all heretics, particularly m f - αριθμεί τον Ιωαννην χρόνῳ Τελαρίου αλλα πρωΐον ύψει δοίμαίων. p. 132. * Δεχει δε βίβλον Λυκα, και την δευτέραν, Την των καθολικων πράξεων αποςόλων -Ib. 8 Τινες δε φασι την προς Εβραιος νόθον· Ουκ εν λείονίες, γνησια γαρ ή χαρις.—ib. * Την δ' Αποκαλυψιν την Ιωάννα παλιν Κανων ων είη των θεοπνεύσων γραφων -Ρ. 134. Eunomians, Arians, and Macedonians, to hold any assemblies of worship in public places, or private houses. a This affair has been taken notice of by several moderns; and seems to be rightly placed in the year 383, it happening after that Arcadius had been declared Augustus, and joined with his father in the empire; which was done in the beginning of that year. b Amphilochius shewed his dislike of heretics several ways. He wrote a book against the Massalians, mentioned by Theodoret; and another work, intitled Of Pseudepigraphal books composed by heretics; both which are lost: if they had been extant, I suppose they would have given me more satisfaction than the law of Theodosius, which affords not any argument. Indeed, I do not think that Amphilochius is to be commended for procuring that law; I rather think that he therein acted contrary to the doctrine taught by our Saviour, which inculcates mutual equity and forbearance, and to many apostolical precepts, requiring bishops, and all Christians in general, "to be gentle, shewing all meakness unto all men: to be gentle unto all men, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." The catholics had suffered many hardships in the late reign of Valens: afterwards in the reigns of Gratian and Theodosius they came into power. If they had more truth on their side than the Arians I wish they had also excelled in moderation and equity; which are shining virtues, highly becoming weak and fallible creatures one toward another, perfectly consistent with a zeal for truth, and better suited to promote its interests, than force and violence. CHAP. C. GREGORY, BISHOP OF NYSSA IN CAPPADOCIA. I. His time and history. II. His testimony to the scriptures. III. Select passages. с f h I. GREGORY, younger brother of Basil, was ordained bishop of Nyssa in Cappadocia in thea latter part of the year 370, or in 371, or the beginning of 372. Being a zealous homoüsian, he felt the heavy hands of the Arian administration under Valens: and some time after his ordination was obliged to live in exile, in an unsettled condition, till upon the death of Valens, he and others were restored to their sees by an edict of Gratian in 378. He is in Jerom's Catalogue; I place the chapter, which is short, below. He was alive in 394; the year of his death is not certainly known. I formerly made large extracts out of our Gregory's oration upon the life of Gregory Thaumaturgus, to which the reader is referred: I now proceed to take his testimony to the scriptures of the Old and the New Testament. 1 k II. 1. He speaks of the five divisions of the book of Psalms. m 2. He takes notice of the ancient versions of the Old Testament, of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion, beside that of the Seventy : in one place he consults the Hebrew. n 3. A greater than Solomon made use of him as an instrument, and by him speaks to us h Gregorius, Nyssenus episcopus, frater Basilii Cæsariensis, ante paucos annos mihi et Gregorio Nazianzeno contra Eunomium legit libros, qui et multa alia scripsisse et scribere diciDe V. I. cap. 128. tur. i Vid. Pagi Ann. 394. n. vi. * Vol. i. p. 592-595. 1 In Psalm. Tr. 1. cap. ix. T. i. p. 287. D. n In Cant. hom. 9. T. i. p. 610. C. • Ούτος ορίανῳ τῳ Σολομωντι τείῳ χρησαμενος δι' εκεινε ήμιν διαλεξείαι, προτερον εν Παροιμίαις, είτα εν τω Εκκλησίαςη, και μετα ταυτα εν τη προκειμένη το Ασματος των Ασμαίων φιλοσο pia. . λ. In Cant. hom. 1. T. i. p. 475. D. first in the Proverbs, then in the Ecclesiastes, and after that in the philosophy of the Canticles 'now before us.' So speaks Gregory in the first of his fifteen homilies upon the book of Canticles: who has also a preface to that book, and eight homilies upon the book of Ecclesiastes; and he here plainly shews us, what were generally esteemed by understanding Christians the genuine writings of Solomon. a 4. I need not take any notice of quotations of the gospels. He gives the title of the great John to the evangelist, quoting the beginning of his first epistle, soon after he had quoted the beginning of his gospel. с 5. The book of the Acts is very often quoted by him, and ascribed to Luke. Moreover he says, that Luke was as much a physician of souls, as of the body: from whence we can conclude, that he took the evangelist to be the same who is mentioned Col. iv. 14. d 6. Gregory quotes the epistle to the Ephesians with that title. с 7. He often expressly quotes the epistle to the Hebrews, and as Paul's. f 8. Gregory seldom quotes the book of the Revelation: yea, I think he sometimes declines to quote it, when there are fair occasions for so doing: however, he has expressly quoted it in one of his orations; and though he there calls it apocryphal, perhaps he needs not be supposed to intend to detract from it, for he calls it the evangelist John's. h 9. There is a passage in Gregory's book against Apollinarius, published by Laurence Zacagni, where it may be questioned, whether Gregory refers to Rev. i. 8, or John viii. 25, according to a very uncommon reading indeed, but which seems to be that followed by the author of the Gothic version. For clearing this I put below a part of the note of the learned Latin translator upon the place. m о 10. Titles and divisions, and marks of respect for the scriptures, are such as these: the sacred writers of the gospels; the divine gospels; apostles and prophets; one and the same God speaks in the prophets, and in the New Testament; Paul the herald or preacher of grace, the chief conductor of the church's marriage, and the mouth of Christ. I refer to another place very honourable to that apostle. He says, it is one of the Lord's commands, that we should study the scriptures. See John v. 39. He reckons it to the advantage of Ephrem the Syrian, that from early age he had been instructed in the sacred scriptures. I omit many other like things, not needful to be transcribed. He proves what he advances by texts of scripAgain, Where did Apollinarius learn, that the Spirit became incarnate? What scrip⚫ture says this? We have not learned any such thing from the gospels: but that the Word. became flesh, as the great apostle says.' ture. t III. I shall now take some select passages, partly relating to the scriptures, partly to other matters.. a Οπερ δη και ὁ μείας Ιωαννης πεποιηκεν. In Cant. hom. 13. T. i. p. 664. C. • Η φησιν εν αρχή το βιβλια των Πράξεων ὁ Λεκας. κ. λ. In Christ. Resurr. Ör. 2. T. iii. p. 415. C. • Ο τοίνυν Λεκας, ὁ πλεον των ψυχών η των σωμαίων ιατρος, εΓραψε το εν χερσι διηίημα. De Poenit. in Luc. vii. 36. &c. T. ii. p. 165. D. • Σαφέσερον δε τοις Εφεσίοις. Orat. in 1 Cor. xv. 28. Τ. ii. p. 15. C. Vid. et Catechet. Or. cap. 32. T. iii. p. 94. A. In Chr. Res. Or. i. T. 3. p. 396. C. et alibi. • Διο και Παυλος Εβραίοις επιτελλων ελεξεν. In Chr. Res. Or. ii. T. iii. p. 408. B. et passim. * Ηκεσα τε ευαγίελισε Ιωαννα εν αποκρύφοις προς τις τοις 7ος δι' αινι[μαίος λέγοντος Ωφελον γαρ ησθα, φησι, ψυχρός, sos. In suam ordinat. T. ii. p. 44. A. g χη. h καθώς φησι πε της γραφης ὁ λοίος· ὅτι εδω ειμι ή αρ Adv. Apoll. cap. 37. p. 219. Zacagn. Monum. Vet. Ideo dixerunt ei: Tu quis es? Et dixit eis Jesus: Prin'cipium, ceu quoque dico vobis.' Sacr. Evang. Vers. Goth. cum Interpret Lat. Eric. Benzel. Oxon. 1750. iPrincipium.'] Legit ergo, quamvis nullo qui nunc superest codice MSS. consentiente, jan, öll xai delw jμiv. Nam. religiosus interpres, si casum quartum invenisset, utique scripsisset. Benzel in loc. * Οι των ευαγίελιδων ἱεροι συγγραφεις. In Chr. Res. Or. ii. T. iii. p 400. D. Encom. Ephr. Syr. T. iii. p. 595. B. m Ή των αποστολικων τε και προφητικων διδαδμαίων... De Occurs. Dom. T. iii. p. 446. D. Δια τείο ήλθον αι των προβήλων και αποςόλων σαλπιγίες. In Natal. Chr. T. iii. p. 340. A. η Δεικνυσι -ένα και τον αυτον θεον τε και νομοθείην εν τε @popylais nai ty naivn dialyny deλahyueva De Oc. Dom. T. iii. p. 460. B. Ο ῥήλως της χαριτος, ὁ νυμφοςολος της εκκλησίας, το τε Xpise σoμa. Vit. S. Ephr. T. iii. p. 596. C. In 1 Cor. xv. 28. T. ii. p. 6. B. - 9 Και τελο των δεσποτικων παραγ[ελμαίων εσι, το δειν ερευ vay Tas ypapas. In Eccles. hom. i. T. i. p. 374. C. - Ο τραφεις μεν εκ πρώτης ηλικίας, και αυξήθεις εν τη των θείων μελείῃ γράφων, ποτισθείς δε τοις της χαρίλος αενναεις· oxels. x. . De Vit. S. Ephr. T. iii. p. 598. C. • Και μυρίας εςι περιτεία της αγιας γραφης παραθέσθαι Cwvas. In Hexaëm. T. i. 14. D. Conf. ib. p. 28. D. • raula Τις γραφή ταυία λέγει; Ουχ έως παρά των ευαγίε λιων ηκέσαμεν. Ουχ όπως παρα της μεγάλης το αποτολε Curs ediday typer anλ' öll μer & λoyos oape elevelo. x. A. Adv. Apoll. cap. 12. ubi sup. p. 148. 1. There are five orations of Gregory upon the Lord's prayers, but no notice taken of any doxology at the end. b 2. Gregory says, that in the most exact copies, St. Mark's gospel concluded with those words ch. xvi. 8; "For they were afraid." "For they were afraid." But in some copies it was added, "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene;” and what follows: In which he says, there seemed to be some things different from the accounts given of our Lord's resurrection by the other evangelists. He therefore reconciles them, and compares together all the four evangelists, Matthew, John, Luke, and Mark. Which shews, there were no other authentic histories of Christ, except these four; and that there were no ether, for which the church had any regard. Mill says, that Gregory Nyssen is the first, who has taken any notice of this various reading at the conclusion of St. Mark's gospel. d 3. He says, there are three Maries mentioned as standing at the foot of the cross of Jesus, Mary our Lord's mother, Mary wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. John xix. 25. For Mary mother of James, or mother of James and Joses, as mentioned by the other evangelists, he cannot but think to be the same with our Lord's mother; James and Joses he supposes to be the children of Joseph, whom he had by a former marriage. He moreover says, that James called "the less" in Mark xv. 40, was not an apostle, being different from James the son of Alpheus, who was one of the twelve apostles. с 4. That we might be satisfied Christ had a real body, and was not a man in appearance, the scriptures have recorded without reserve every thing peculiar to our nature, his eating, and drinking, and sleeping, weariness, refreshment by food, growing in bodily stature, and in "wisdom. But he had no sickness, nor decays, as he had no sin.' h 5. He speaks of the advantage which redounds to us from Thomas's slowness to believe; we have thereby fuller assurance, he says, that Christ rose with the same body that had died. 6. Gregory observes some things in St. John's gospel, as proofs of the reality of our Lord's resurrection, and that the body was not stolen out of the sepulchre. Says John, "Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes," ch. xix. 40. Which linen clothes were not taken away, but "were seen lying" by John and Peter, ch. xx. 5, 6. But how should ⚫ thieves have had time to pull off the linen bandages [or wrappers], which being spicy would cling to the body, and could not be pulled off but in some time, by persons who had leisure? Moreover, says he, how should thieves have leisure and assurance, to put "the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself," ver. 7. Here are no signs of the horror or hurry of thieves. Perhaps such observations as these may satisfy some people, that the ancient Christians had a small share of good sense. 7. There is a letter of Gregory to a friend concerning those who go to Jerusalem, or other places near it. Some there are,' he says, who think it a branch of piety to go to Jerusalem, to see the places which the Lord had honoured with his presence, when in the body. But ' here, first, it may be well to look to the rule: and if the Lord has not commanded it, nor among the beatitudes pronounced them blessed that go to Jerusalem, it may be let alone. He ⚫ mentions divers inconveniencies of this journey, and the temptations to which people are ex'posed therein. Besides, Christ is not now at Jerusalem: nor is there any reason to think the fulness of the Spirit so confined to Jerusalem, but that it may reach us at home. Moreover,' he says, that Jerusalem was then a very wicked place; and that there were better helps for piety in Cappadocia.' They who please may compare Gregory with " Jerom, who seems little better affected to these pilgrimages than our author. a T. i. p. 712-761. k * Εν μεν τοις ακριβέςεροις αντιγράφοις το καλα Μαρκον ευαγ Γελιον, μέχρι το εφοβενία γαρ, εχει το τέλος. Εν δε τισι προς xɛilai nai Taula. x. λ. In Chr. Res. Or. ii. T. iii. p. 411. B. E codicibus istius ævi memorat primus jam (quod sciam) Gregorius Nyssenus nonnullos, in quibus Evangelium Marci finitum erat ad capitis xvi. ver. 8. verba ista, εçobuvio yag. Prolegom. n. 812. d Vid. ibid. p. 412. C. D. 413. A. Ib. p. 413. B. C. f Ep. ad Eustath. &c. T. iii. p. 658. C. D. 8 Και δια της εκείνα πολυπραγμονος απισίας και επαφής, ἡμεῖς εἰς τὴν πισιν εβεβαιώθημεν, εν ώ σωματι πεπονθεν, εν αυτω και εξηΓερθαι πιςευσανίες τον Εμμανοηλ. κ. λ. Ibid. p. 204. C. h Ib. p. 405. 1 Πε γαρ σχολήν είχον οἱ κλεπίαι και τοιαείην αδειαν, ὡς και το της κεφαλής καλυμμα καλα ταξιν εἷλειν και τιθέναι Xwpis; Ibid. 405. C. D. * T. iii. p. 651-658. 1 καλως αν έχοι προς τον κανόνα βλεπειν. p. 652. Α. Ad Paulin. ep. 49. al. 13. T. iv. p. 564. 8. He entirely disclaims the expectation of a voluptuous Millennium, the renewal of Jewish sacrifices, and a terrestrial Jerusalem adorned with precious stones. b 9. There are in Gregory several passages, asserting free-will in strong terms; to which I refer. CHAP. CI. DIDYMUS OF ALEXANDRIA. 1. His history, and character, his commentaries upon the scriptures, and other works. II. His testimony to the scriptures farther shewn. III. Select passages. g I. 1. DIDYMUS, master of the catechetical school at Alexandria, flourished about the year 370. He lost his sight by a distemper, when very young, in the fourth or fifth year of his age, before he had learned to read, or whilst he was learning letters. He attained nevertheless to great learning; beside grammar and rhetoric, he understood logic, music, geometry, astronomy, the most abstruse problems of the mathematicians, and all the opinions of the philosophers; as we are assured by divers ancient ecclesiastical writers, who cannot forbear to call him a wonderful man. They also say, that he had great acquaintance with the divine oracles of the Old and New Testament, so as to write many commentaries upon them. As Sozomen says: Many excited by his great fame, came from far to Alexandria, some to hear him, others only to see him. And it was no small grief to the Arians, that he maintained the Nicene doctrine.' He adds, ⚫ that he persuaded men not so much by the force of his reasons, as by the agreeable manner of proposing them: for he would make every one to be judge of the point in question.' Some account of the character of Didymus was given formerly, when the amiable mildness of his temper, here intimated by Sozomen, was collected from the moderation conspicuous in his writings against the Manichees. h 2. In the preface to his own Commentaries upon Hosea, Jerom styles Didymus the most learned man of his time. Palladius says, he surpassed all the ancients in knowledge. 3. Jerom often expresses 'great affection and esteem for Didymus. And though, when the controversy about Origen's orthodoxy was on foot, he takes notice of his acceding to the peculiar opinions of that eminent ancient, he always" allows him to have maintained the catholic doctrine Ad Eust. et Ambr. T. iii. p. 658. C. D. De Hominis Opificio. cap. iv. T. 1. p. 526. E. De Vita Mosis. p. 200. C. D. 203. A. B. De Anima. T. ii. p. 107. B. Catechet. Or. cap. 31. T. iii. p. 91. et cap. 39. p. 105. τα προςαμενος εν Αλεξανδρεια το ἱερα διδασκαλειο των ἱερων μαθημαίων. Soz. 1. iii. c. 15. in. Vid. Cav. H. L. T. i. p. 253. • Didymus Alexandrinus multa de nostro dogmate per notarios commentatur; qui, post quintum navitatis annum luminibus orbatus, elementorum quoque ignarus fuit. Hieron. Chr. ad A. 372. p. 187. Et vid. infr. not. Is namque in parvâ ætate, cum adhuc etiam prima literarum ignoraret elementa, luminibus orbatus. Ruf. H. E. 1. ii. c. 7. Ούλος κομιδή νεος ων, και τα πρωία των γραμμαίων σοιχεία patwv. Socr. 1. iv. c. 25. τυφλος εξενείο εν τη πρώτη πειρα της μαθήσεως των 501XWY. Soz. 1. iii. c. 15. -ὡς αυτος μοι διηγησαῖο, τεραείης τας όψεις αποβαλων, μyle yeaμpalur μsualyxws. Pallad. Hist. Laus, cap. 3. Ap. Bib. PP. Morell. T. xiii. p. 904. • Ου μην αλλά και τα θεια λογια παλαιας και καινης διαθηκης όπως ακριβως είνωκει, ώςε πολλα μεν εκδεται βιβλια. Socr. l. iv. c. 25. p. 241. |