Of Dionysius the Areopagite.

THE Apostles being all withdrawn from the Church Militant, and made free Denisons of the Triumphant, our Saviour now reigning in heaven, raised up many eminent and burning Lights, whereby he spread his glorious Gospel through all the parts [Page 2]of the Universe: Amongst which Dionysius the Areopagite is to be taken notice of, as one of the first Stars which appeared: He had that name given him, in that before his conversion he was a Judge of criminal causes at Athens: He was one of St. Paul's Auditors, from whom, as his Nurse, he suckt the milk of Christian Religion, at what time the good Apostle was at the Academy of Athens disputing with the Ethnick Philoso­phers, as his Lord and Master had done before with the Jewish Rabbines and Doctors.

Eusebius and Nicephorus write of him, that he was Bishop of Athens, from whence he was after­ward removed, if we may give credit to Baronius, to the Bishoprick of Paris in France. This grave man being full of dayes, and as full of divine Grace, was crowned with the lawrel of Martyr­dome, not in Domitian's time, (as some think) but in the reign of the Emperour Trajan, of whom it may be said, that he was a good Prince to all but his Christian Subjects, whose holy profession seemed to the worlds eye, therefore, to be the more odious, because so just a Prince as Trajan seem'd to be, did not forbear to persecute it.

When this Dionysius was in Egypt, whither he withdrew himself for the study of Philosophy, and had there taken notice of that miraculous Eclipse, which happened at our Saviours Passion, whereof he could find no natural reason, he cry­ed out, Aut Deus Naturae patitur, aut mandi ma­china dissolvetur: Either the God of Nature suffereth, or the whole frame and fabrick of the world will be instantly dissolved.

Nicephorus and Suidas give us a catalogue of this mans Works, which Baronius labours to justi­fie, but other learned Writers, such as Laurentius Valla, and Erasmus: Luther, Cajetan, and our English Whitaker, prove them by many arguments to be supposititions and counterfeit.

His received Works we have printed in two Tomes at Antwerpe, with the Scholiasts of Maxi­mus, and the Paraphrase of Pachimaera in the year of Christ 1634.

I meet with two Eulogies given to this Father, the one is from Trithemius, who cals him. Virum eximiae sanctitatis, & incomparabilis doctrinae; a man of transcendent sanctity, and incomparable learning.

The other is from Sixtus Senensis, who saies this of him, Quod divinae & in mysteriis absconditae sa­pientiae admiranda volumina graeco, & sublimi elo­quio doctissime conscripsit; That he wrote in sub­lime Greek language admirable volumes of di­vine and mysterious wisdome: And so he gives you a Schedule of all his works, as they were approved by the third Council of Constanti­nople.

Campian the Jesuite in his fifth Reason, pag. 32. speaks thus of this Dionysius his Hierarchy, Dio­nisii Areopagitae Hierarchia, quas classes, quae sacra, quos ritus edocet? And out of the same book this Jesuite proves both Purgatory, and their Ro­mish Ecclesiastical Hierarchy: But that work is none of this Dionysius's, though it bear his name; and this you have justified by [Page 4] Sixtus Senensis, and severall other learned Wri­ters.

Ignatius.

THe next to Dionysius is Ignatius, the second Bishop of Antioch after Peter, as Eusebius and Nicephorus relate: He had that name given him, ab igne charitatis, from the fire of charity wherewith he burned. He was also called, [...], and [...], either because he was born of God, or else in regard of his bearing God in his pure and holy heart. This eminent Champion was thrown to hungry Lyons in that persecu­tion which Trajan stirred up against the Chri­stians.

Scaliger gives him this commendation, Vir (quod in orientis partibus per-rarum est) singulari eruditione; A man (which is very rare in the Ea­stern parts) of singular erudition.

Eusebius mentioning him writes thus, Ignatius amongst most men famous.

Neander in his Geography, part 2. most highly extols him in these or such like expressions, Igna­tius, Antiochenae Ecclesiae praefuit, vir magni spiri­tus sidei, & zeli; Ignatius was Bishop of Antioch, a man of great spirit, faith and zeal.

Baronius speaking of the Epistles which this man should write, he stiles them, Copiam Apo­stolicarum [Page 5]traditionum apothecam, fortemque ad­versus haereticos armaturam; A copious store­house of Apostolical traditions, and a strong ar­mour against hereticks.

This Father was wont to say (when he spake of our Saviours death and passion) that his Love was crucified. Ireneus gives us an account of his Martyrdome, and sets down the very words he should utter a little before his sufferings, which were to this effect or sense: Inasmuch as I am the wheat of God, I am to be ground with the teeth of beasts, that I may be found pure bread, or fine manchet. His Epistles were printed at Oxford, 1644.

Polycarpus.

POlycarpus (whose name signifieth much fruit; was the Disciple of St. Iohn the Apostle, or­dained by him Bishop of the Church of Smyrna) he went to Rome in the reign of Antonius Pius (Anicetus being Prelate at that time there) where he reduced to the true faith those which were be­witched by the hereticks Marcion and Valentinus:

It happened, that wicked Marcion there meet­ting him, thus spake to him, Knowest thou us, O Polycarpus? To whom forthwith this grave and holy man most disdainingly answered, I know thee to be the first-born of the Devil.

This godly Professor was in the dayes of Anto­ninus the Philosopher, and Lucius Verus, Roman Emperors, tied to a stake in the midst of the Am­phitheater, and there devoured by the mercilesse flames, as Volaterrane and Eusebius have written; but others yet say, that he could not burn, the Lord from Heaven restraining the natural violence of the fire by a miracle, and thereupon they slew him with the sword at Smyrna, in the year of our Lord, 167.

In this mans time Egesippus the Iew was con­verted to the Christian Faith, who afterward wrote in five books, the History of the Church from Christ to his own time. This Polycarpus writ an Epistle to the Philippians, so saith Ierome, and another to great Dionysius the Areopagite; so Suidas.

Socrates in his Ecclesiastical History tels us, That this man did communicate with Anicetus the Roman Bishop, though he differed in opinion from him, about the celebration of Easter. Ire­neus commends that Epistle of his to the Phi­lippians in his third book against heresies, saying, That it is so full furnished to this, that out of it all those, which have any care of their salvation, may know the character of faith, and the doctrine of truth. Eusebius recites the Prayer which this holy and devout man did conceive and utter im­mediately before he was martyred; it begins thus, O Father of thy beloved and blessed Son Iesus Christ, by whom we have knowledge of thee—

Ireneus gives this eminent Saint this following commendation; Hic docuit semper, quae ab Apo­stolis didicerat, & Ecclesiae tradidit quae sola sunt vera; This man alwayes taught that which he had learnt of the Apostles, and delivered to the Church those things which are only true. 'Tis Dalleus his Blogy of him, Quo viro post Apostolos, quorum familiaris fuit, vix ullus apud Christianos unquam fuit sanctior, ant divinior; Then which man after the Apostles (whose familiar compa­nion he was) there was scarce any one among the Christians more holy and divine.

Eusebius gives us an account of his martyrdom by an Epistle of the Church of Smyrna, inserted in his History, wherein we have many remarkable passages; one is a Voice speaking to Polycarpe from Heaven, and saying thus, O Polycarpe be of courage, and play the man, even then when he was standing before the Judgement-seat. Ano­ther is the stout Reply, which he made the Pro­consul, when he tempted him to deny the Lord Jesus, which was much to this effect, Fourscore and five years have I served him, neither hath he ever offended me, and how can I revile my King, who hath hitherto kept me. A third is, that when his body was burning, it seemed to the senses of them that beheld it, to send forth a sweet and fragrant smell, as of Frankincense, or such like odoriferous perfume.

Justine Martyr.

IUstine Martyr fiourished in the reign of Anto­nius Pius, and so was contemporary with Poly­carpe. Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical history speak­ing of him saith, that this man was famous in the Christian Doctrine a little after the times of the Apostles: He was the son of Priscas Bacchus, born at Flavia, a new City of Syria Palestina, so he him­self tels us, in one of his Apologies. Its said, that the Emperour upon his reading of this mans Apologies, which he had dedicated to him, where­in he pleaded the righteous cause of poor distres­sed and calamitous Christians, that he gave order for the ceasing of the persecution. Tertullian and Suidas doe speak great matters in the honour and praise of this Champion. He wrote against the Heretick Marcion, whose venome (it seems) had spread it self farre and wide in his dayes.

He was a notable Philosopher, and in his Dia­logue with Trypho he saith, that he had been an Auditor of all the Sects of them, of Stoicks, Peri­pateticks, Pythagoreans, and Platonicks. Ierome tels us in his Catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers, that he did, habitu Philosophico incedere, walk in the guise and habit of a Philosopher. He was beheaded at Rome, saith Eusebius, in the reign of Lucius Verus, but according to Epiphanius, it was before, even in the time of Adrian. His death, [Page 9]whensoever it was, was promoted and procured by the malice and revenge of Crescens an ungodly Philosopher, who being worsted by him in his ex­cellent disputations, never left till his malignancy had brought to passe this pious Martyrs destructi­on: whence you have this or the like passage from his own mouth in his Apologie, relating to his persecutor Crescens; I look for no other thing then this, that I be betrayed by some one of them called Philosophers, or knockt in the head by Cres­cens, no Philosopher indeed, but only a proud self-con­ceited boaster— and so he goes on in that Apology.

This Father records of himself, that he was prevailed withall, and won to imbrace the Chri­stian Faith, through the cruelties of heathen Ty­rants against the Saints of Christ, and their coura­gious patience under them. We meet with a worthy character given this man, in the Biblio­theca of Photius, which is as followeth, or much to that sense; Est vir ille ad Philosophiae tum no­strae, tum potissimum profanae summum evectus fa­stigium, multiplicisque eruditionis & historiarum copia circumfluens; That man is an eminent pro­ficient both in our Christian Philosophy, and also in prophane, and overflowing with abundance of various learning and histories. Pareus saith this of his works, quod ejusdem scripta etiamnum cum fructu leguntur; That his writings are now read with benefit. Epiphanius cals him, Virum san­ctum, & Dei amantem, a holy man, and a lo­ver of God. Tatianus in his book against the [Page 10]Gentiles, stiles him [...], most admi­rable.

Yet this man, though he did apologize for Christianity, had his errors. In his Dialogue with Trypho he shews himself an Abetter of the opi­nion of the Chiliasts; and the barbarous Gentiles he did entitle to salvation.

A thenagoras.

A Thenagoras a Philosopher of Athens turned Christian, and flourished, if we may believe Bellarmine, in the year of Christ, 142. when An­tonius Pius was Emperour, and Telesphorus the Ro­man Bishop; though Baronius will not have him to appear till the year of our Lord 179. which was the time, when Aurelius sat in the Throne, and Soter or Eleutherius in the Chair. He was a man of very gteat esteem with the said Prince for his vast abilities and profound learning; he wrote an Apology in the behalf of his fellow Christians, and likewise undertook an Embassie, that he might speak as an Advocate for them to the Roman Majesty.

He published a golden book (as one cals it) of the Resurrection, set out and interpreted by Andreas Gesner. Epiphanius cites this mans Apo­logy in the Heresie of Origen, where he relates the words of Proclus out of Methodius. Bellarmine [Page 11]in his book of Ecclesiastical Writers saith, Scripto­rem hunc carere suspicione; That this Writer is without suspition, and yet he is constrained to con­fesse, that he was over-passed both by Eusebius and Ierome.

Varro saith; that this Author writ also some books of Husbandry: How he dyed I read not, what is now extant of his Works you have print­ed in one volume with Iustine Martyr.

Irenaeus.

IRenaeus flourished, say some, about the 160. year of Christ, others the 180. when Aurelius An­tonius and Commodus were Emperours, and in that he saith, that in his childhood he converst with Polycarpus some of the learned think, that he was born either at Smyrna, or not far from it, that he was a Greek his name is their warrant to con­jecture it.

Eusebius saith, that he succeeded Pothinus in the Bishoprick of Lyons, where he governed the Church (say some) for thirty years, others say more: Some which have written Martyrologies, speaking of his death, doe tell us, that he was butchered by the Tyrant Maximinus, who was a great persecutor of the Saints and people of God. Bargnius saith, that he was martyred with almost all his people of Lyons, in that horrid storm, which [Page 12]was raised against the Christians by the Emperour Severus.

He wrote against the heresies of those times, which Satan had spread abroad, on purpose to eclipse, if not altogether to extinguish, the sun­shine of the Truth. He was at Rome with Eleu­therius, where he indeavoured the conviction of Blastus and Florinus two notable Schismaticks, and to allay that malignant spirit of error which their stinking breath had raised. He also sharply reyroved the Roman Bishop Victor, for that he had injuriously excommunicated the Asian Churches, so saith Eusebius.

Erasmus thinks that this Author wrote in La­tine, and not in Greek, and being skilled in Greek, he therefore useth Graecismes: But Rhenanus judges the contrary, because Ierome reckons him among the Grecian Writers. Tertullian doth bestow on this man this following admirable cha­racter; Irenaeus, omnium doctrinarum curiosissimus explorator; A most exquisite and curious searcher into all manner and kind of learning. Epipha­nius cals him, [...]. Most blessed and most holy Ireneus.

Erasmus in an Epistle of his thus sets him forth; first he commends him from his name, Magnus ille Ecclesiae propugnator, pro sui nominis augurio, pacis Ecclesiae vindex; and then he goes on, highly extolling his writings, spirant illius scripta priscum illum Evangelii vigorem, ac phrasis arguit pectus martyrio paratum, habent enim Mar­tyres suam quandam dictionem seriam, fortem & [Page 13]masculam; That great defender of the Church, for the divination of his name, a maintainer of the Churches peace; his writings breath that an­cient vigour of the Gospel, and his phrase argues a heart prepared for martyrdome; for Martyrs have a certain serious expression, valiant and masculine. Bellarmine speaking of the books which this man wrote, saith of them, Quod pleni sum doctrina & pietate, that they are full of learn­ing and piety.

Yet notwithstanding this great Light had his eclipses, as appears by somewhat that is unsound in his own writings. Particularly he was entan­gled with the snare of Papias, who was the Father of the Chiliasts; this Eusebius doth charge him with, as we find it in the third book of his history, the six and thirtieth chapter, against which opinion of his, Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria is said to have written somewhat in confutation, so saith Sixtus Senensis. He was likewise once an allower of free-will in spirituals, though afterwards he ex­pressed himself to the contrary, saying, Non a no­bis, sed a Deo esse bonum salutis nostrae, that our sal­vation is not from our selves but God.

There was one strange opinion more to which he was addicted, and that was, Animas a corpore separatas habere hominis figuram & characterem corporis, ut etiam cognoscantur, That souls departed and separated from the body, have mans figure and form of his body, so that they may be known by it.

Pantaenus.

PAntaenus was of the School of Alexandria, where at first he professed the Philosophy of the Stoicks, but afterwards became very eminent in the profession of Christian Divinity. Its said of him by learned Pareus, Quod primus scholam ex ethnica in christianaem mutavit; that he was the first which changed an ethnick school into a christian. He was sent from Alexandria by De­metrianus the Bishop thereof, into India, to esta­blish that church in the sacred Truth, which the Apostles of our Lord Jesus had there planted; where meeting with the Gospel of St. Matthew written in Hebrew, and left there with those Ea­stern people by Bartholomew, he brought it thence (say some) to the City of Alexandria. though Eusebius tels us, that it remained there, even in his time.

He was the Master of that famous Schollar Clemens Alexandrinus, he flourished under the Emperours Severus and Antonius Caracalla, about the year of Christ 200. he left behind him some certain Commentaries on the holy Scripture, which are not now extant, though Ierome had in his time the knowledge of them.

Eusebius stiles him, a famous learned man, and one in great estimation, lib. 5. cap. 9. and Senen­sis speaking of him, tels us, that he was eminent, propter tam secularis literaturae, quam sacrae erudi­tionis [Page 15]gloriam, as well for the glory of his secular learning as his sacred erudition.

Clemens Alexandrinus.

CLemens Alexandrinus, (So called, because he was a Presbyter of Alexandria) preached the Gospel both at Ierusalem, and at Antioch; he was the master of Origen, and moderated in the School of Alexandria after Pantaenus. He flou­rished in the raign of Severus and his son Antoni­us. He wrote many learne books, Eusebius calls him, in Divinis Scripturis exercitatum, one exer­cised in the Divine Scriptures. Causabon, inex­haustae Doctrinae virum, a man of unexhausted learning. Henisius Penu eruditionis, & Seientiae. The granary of Erudition and Science. Caussinus Plutarchum Christianum, The Christian Plutark, Dempster, gravem & disertum authorem, A grave and eloquent author, but the Centuriators of of Magdeburg are full and large in his Character, which we have from them as followeth; Fuit in hoc homine omnino Ingens discendi cupiditas, in­genium acutum, tenacissima memoria, Fervens Ze­lus, Gloriae Dei, & Religionis Christianae, ut ex suis Scriptis conspici potest, maximae eruditionis, Zeli, facundiae, ac proinde etiam authoritatis, sed etiam Scriptis tum toti Ecclesiae sui Aevi, tum etiam poste­ritati in perpetuum profuit. There was in this man [Page 16]altogether a vast desire of learning, an acute wit, a most tenacious memorie, a fervent zeal of Gods glory and the Christian Religion, as may be seen out of his writings, of very great erudition, zeal, eloquence, and so also of authority; neither did he onely advantage his Auditors by his voice, but likewise by his writings, both the whole Church of his age, as also posterity throughout all ages.

This man with his Master Pantaenus, is reported to have been the first founders of pub­like Academies, for they delivered the fundamen­tals of Heavenly truth, not by sermons to the peo­ple, but by Catechisticall doctrine to the learned in the Schooles. S. Ierom saith this of this mans Workes; Feruntur ejus insignia volumina, plena (que) eruditionis, & eloquentiae, tam de Scripturis Divinis, quam de secularis literaturae instrumento.

Yet this man had too high an esteem of Tradi­tion, whereby it hapned, that he fell into vari­ous, errours, amongst which, he affirmed, That afterour calling to the Knowledge of the truth, pos­sibly God might grant to them that have sinned, a recovery into their former state for once, or twice by repentance, but if they should fall oftner into sin then so, there is no more restitution to be expected or hoped for, but a fearfull looking for a finall judge­ment. And yet afterward forgetting this his asserti­on, he saith in his fourth book of Strom. That Whensoever sinners do repent, whether here in this world, or else in the next, they may be received to Gods mercy. In which passage of his, he seems to [Page 17]insinuate that men may repent, and so finde favour at the hands of God, after that this present life is determined. Then which Position, there is nothing more contrary to the Scripture, and likewise to his own forementioned, and foregoing expres­sion.

Moreover, he delivered, lib. 7. Strom. That the law of Moses, was sufficient to the Iewes, and to the Heathens or Gentiles, their Philosophy before Christs coming, to salvation. In his first Book, you have these words touching the Justification of the Gen­tiles, [...], Philosophy heretofore did of its own nature justifie the Greeks. You have an enume­ration of all this mans errours from Chemnitius in the first part of his Examen, pag. 78. He dyed at Alexandria where he taught, so saith Baro­nius.

Origenes Adamantius.

ORigenes Adamantius, flourished (say some) vnder Gallus and Volusian, others, under Galienus, and Valerian. He was the son of Leoni­des, and disciple of Clemens of Alexandria, he first taught by way of Catechizing, when he was but aged eighteen yeers, and saith one of him, Quem­admodum docuit, sic vixit, & quemadmodum vixit, sic docuit. As he taught so he lived, and as he lived, [Page 18]so he taught; When he was but a child, he encou­raged his father to continue constant in the Chri­stian cause, himself being forward to seal it with his own blood, if his mother had not (as Eusebius records) prevented him in it. Ierome in his Cata­logue of Illustrious Writers, relates this of him, in commendation of his great learning, that he read publike Lectures in these following sciences: Logick, Geometry, Arithmetike, Musick, Gram­mer, Rethorick, and other Philosophicall disci­plines.

When he was but a youth, he would search very narrowly into the sence of the Holy Scrip­tures; which his father Leonides observing, would now and then gently reprove him in these or the like expressions; Nequid supra aetatens quaeras. Dive not into that mystery, which is out of the reach of thy youthfull yeers to comprehend: And yet coming to his bedside at night, and uncovering his breast, he would kindly kisse it, judgeing himself most happy in this, that he had so gracious a son? Some write that he made him­self an Eunuch for chastities sake. Epiphanius re­cords of him, that he wrote 6000. volumes; O­pera ejus ascendunt ad sena millia librorum, and tis Ieroms; Quis nostrum tanta potest legere, quan­ta ille conscripsit. Which of ours can read so much as he hath written.

Its an ancient observation concerning this Father. Origenes ubi bene Scripsit, nemo melius; ubi male, nemo peius. Where Origen wrote well, [...] wrote better, where ill, none worse. Whence for [Page 19]some errors he is reckoned by some Authors in the number of Heriticks. Vincentius Lyrinensis tels us, Errorem Originis propter ejus tum doctri­nam, tum zelum, magnam in Dei Ecclesia fuisse ten­tationem; That the errour of Origen, both for his learning and zeal, was a great temptation in the the Church of God.

He was called [...] from the num­ber of the books he did compile and set out, which he ever writ standing. Gregory saith, that all the latter Doctors of the Church were much further­ed by this mans works; whence 'tis said (as it is in Suidas) [...]. Origen the whet-stone of us all.

Ierome stiles him, Sacrorum omnium expositorum victorem, the victor of all sacred Expositors. Erasmus, Theologorum sine controversia principem, of Divines the chief without controversie. And Possevinus speaking of his works, saith of them, In qua parte probantur, neminem post Apostolos ha­buit aequalem, in them, which are approved, he had none after the Apostles his equal: Yet however, some there be, that doe debase him. Basil char­ges him, that he had not a sound opinion of the Holy Ghost. Ierome cals his opinions, Venenata dogmata, & aliena Scripturis, & vim facientia Scripturis, invenomed opinions, erring from the Scriptures, and doing them violence: Causabon will have him accounted a Platonick Philosopher, rather than a Divine. Ribera stiles him, Arii patrem, & aliarum heresew radicem, the father of Arius, and the root of all heresies, out of [Page 20] Epiphanius. He dyed at Tyre in the year of his age 69.

Tertullian.

TErtullian of Carthage in Affrica first studied Philosophy, and the Civil Law, but after­wards addicted himself to the study of Theolo­gie; he was the son of a Centurion, called Flo­rens, from the habit or garb of his body; he was a man of admirable parts, and most piercing wit, excelling in the knowledge of the Greek and La­tine tongues; he flourished when Alexander Se­verus and Antonius Caracalla were Emperours. At first he was a Priest at Rome, where he continu­ed to the midst of his years, and then being driven thence, he returned to Carthage, where for a time he maintained the damnable opinion of the he­retick Montanus, but at last, some say, that he re­canted and renounc'd it.

He waged many disputes with the Iews, and with those detestable instruments of Satan, un­godly Marcion, Valentinus the Gentile, wicked Hermogenes, and Praxeas; he lived till he was very aged. So admired (saith Ierome) he was of Cyprian, that not a day passed without his read­ing some portion of his works, it being his usual speech, Da mihi Magistrum, give me my Master. The learned have afforded him many excellent [Page 21]Eulogies: Omni literarum genere peritus, saith Lactantius, skill'd in every kind of learning. Yertullianus mihi certe, ter Tullius, & Rosa est, saith another; and tis Lypsius his commendation,

Quis post Tertullianum inter sacros scriptores doctior? who amongst the sacred writers was after Tertullian more learned? And as another of the Criticks speaks, eruditissimus, & quantum patitur aetas illa & patria Affrica, eloquentissimus, most learned, and as much as that age, and his countrey Affrick doth permit, most eloquent.

Yet this man was carryed away with strange errors, whence Ierome could say, in Tertulliano laudamus ingenium, sed damnamus Haeresin, we commend Tertullians wit, but we condemn his heresie.

He attributed a body to God, he condemned second marriage; he asserted that the sonne had a beginning, tempus fuit, cum filius non fuit, are his own words, in his book against Hermogenes, not far from the beginning; which is the very phrase of Speech used by the heretick Arius. After bap­tisme he allowed but onely one repentance; he gave too much to the power of mans will, he as­scribed remission of sins to humane satisfactions, and lastly he was a Chiliast, no wonder then if his authority be so little set by of many. Bellarmine re­jects his testimony, and undervalues his authori­ty in many of his writings: in one place this he sayes of him, Tertullianus haeresiarcha fuit, Tertul­lian was a principal, or Arch-heretick; in another, [Page 22]this, Eusebii, & Tertulliani, parva autoritas; Eu­sebius and Tertullians authority is but small, and besides Bellarmine, Lirinensis stiles him, univer­salis ac vetustae fidei parum tenacem, ac disertiorem nullo, quam fideliorem, one that hath little hold of the universal, and ancient faith, and much more eloquent then faithful! and Austin saith, that he was the head of a new sect, which were called Tertullianists: some tell us, that he was desirous of Martyrdome, but of what kind of death he dy­ed, no author doth certainly report it.

Gregorius Thaumaturgus.

GRegorius Thaumaturgus, this man had ano­ther name, Eusebius calls him Theodorus bro­ther to Athenodorus, he was drawn from the study of the Greek and Roman discipline, and from the love of Philosophy, to the study of the holy Scripture, that true divine Philosophy indeed, by the ministry of Origen, of whom he was a zealous auditor, whilst he with many others flockt to him, preaching at Caesarea.

Eusebius tells us, that he, and his brother were ordained Bishops of certain Churches in Pontus, he usually passes under the title of Episcopus Neo­caesariensis, the Bishop of Neocaesarea; they say that he wrought many miracles, whence he had the name of Thaumaturgus.

He was present at the council of Antioch against Samosatenus, that Arch-heretick, as Pareus calls him: he was eminent in the raign of the Empe­rour Severus, he wrote an oration in the praise of his master Origen, stiled by Sixtus Senensis, [...], a Panegyrick of gratitude, of which oration Pamphilus the Martyr doth (as So­crates reports) make mention, in his books writ­ten in Origens defence.

Its said of this holy man, that he blessed God, when he was Bishop of Neocaesarea espe [...]ially for this mercy, that when he first undertook that great charge upon him, he found not above seven­teen Christians, and when he left them, he had not in all his jurisdiction so many unbelievers.

Basil saith of him, that he was stiled by the ene­mies of the truth, another Moses, and Ierom calls him virum apostolicorum signorum & virtutum, a man of apostolical signes and vertues, and Barthi­us thus dignifies him too, while he writes him, vi­rum apostolicarum virtutum, he died (say some) when Aurelian was Emperour.

Sixtus Senensis makes mention of his Meta­phrase, which he writ on Ecclesiastes, which Sui­das calls very short but admirable; this was first printed under his own name, but afterwards it came forth under the name of Gregorie Nazian­zene, but Ierome expounding the fourth chapter of Ecclesiastes, and making use of this Gregories paraphrase upon some passage thereof, he doth in­genuously discover the right Author in these fol­lowing words, vir sanctus Gregorius Ponti Episco­pus, [Page 24]Originis auditor, in metaphrasi Ecclesiastis ita hunc locum intellexit, A holy man, Gregory the Bishop of Pontus, the auditor of Origen, in his metaphrase of Ecclesiastes, thus understood this place: the workes of this Father in Greek and La­tine, together with what is now extant of Macari­us of Egypt and Basilius of Seleucia were printed in one volume at Paris 1622.

Cyprianus.

CYprianus Presbyter of Carthage, being yet a Gentile, was a master of Rhetorick, which he publikely professed with great admiration and re­pute, he also studied the Magick Art, but being af­terwards converted to the Christian Faith, he gave that study over, and applyed himself to the study of the Scriptures: he was set over the Churches in Spain, and in the East, where to his great praise he did execute the Office of a labori­ous Bishop.

In the writings which this man hath left be­hind him, there appear the Symptomes of a lear­ned headpiece, and yet they are not altogether p [...]re, and free from errour; for he asserted that re­baptizing of Hereticks was necessary; this cham­pion contended with the heathens, and the Jews, as also with Novatus, and many other hereticks; for which cause being grievously persecuted by [Page 25]his enemies, he stept aside from their fury for the Churches sake, whose peaceand tranquillity his presence did at that time seem to prejudice.

Demster calls this Praelat, insignem authorem, interdum floridum, a famous Author, and some­times thetorical and floury: but Lactantius speaks more loftily of the man in these following words, Cyprianus Episcopus Martyr, unus praecipuns, & cla­rus extitit, qui & magnam sibi gloriam ex artis oratoriae professione quaesivit, & admodum multa conscripsit in suo sacro genere miranda; erat enim ingenio facili, copioso, suavi, & (quae sermonis maxi­ma est virtus) aperto, ut discernere nequeas, utrumne ornatior in eloquendo, an peritior in persuadendo fue­rit: Cyprian the Bishop, and Martyr, was a man very eminent and famous, who acquired to him­self great fame and glory by the profession of his Art of Oratory, and he wrote very many things in their sacred kind admirable, for he was of a fa­cil wit, copious, sweet, and (which is the greatest vertue of speech) open, that you cannot discern whether he were more fluent in speaking, or more skilful in perswading, instit. lib. 5.

Sixtus Senensis in his Bibliotheca speaking of his phrase of speech and style, sayes this of him Quod multa piissima opuscula elegantissimae phraseos & Ciceroniano candori proximae ad aedificationem eccle­siae scripsit; that he wrote many most pious works of most elegant phrase, and neer Ciceroes candour to the edification of the Church, he was an ex­treme charitable man, for as soon as he was tur­ned from gentilisme to christianity, he gave up [Page 26]all his substance to the support of poor Christi­ans.

Ierome writing to Paulinus, saith of this Father, Quod instar fontis purissimi levis incessit, & placi­dus, that like a most pure fountain he ran light and pleasing: he wrote a famous treatise of mor­tality, on purpose to comfort men against ap­proching death in the time of a fearful pestilence. Among all his writings, that treatise of his de uni­tate ecclesiae, of the unity of the Church is most set by and advanced.

Erasmus in an Epistle thus commends this man, inter Latinos ad apostolici pectoris vigorem, ubique sentias loqui pastorem, ac martyrio destinatum. And again saith he, In Cypriano spiritum venera­mur apostolicum, we reverence in Cyprian an apostolical spirit: t'is Austins in the second book against the Donatists. chap. 1. non me terret auto­ritas Cypriani, quia reficit humilitas Cypriani the autority of Cyprian doth not terrifie me, because the humility of Cyprian doth refresh me.

A Deacon of his, by name Pontius, wrot the History of his life and Martyrdome, he was mar­tyred under Valerian and Galienus.

Arnobius.

ARnobius, was a famous Rhetorician in Affrick, the master of Lactantius, of whom Eusebius Pamphilus reports, that being a teacher of Retho­rick, and a Gentile, he was constrained through sundry dreames to beleeve the glorious Gospel, and yet the Christian Bishops would not receive him to their Fellowship, till he had written, and published those excellent Books of his against Gentilisme; wherein he confuted that vain Su­perstition, and Idolatry, whereof he had been before so great a Patron, and Advocate? He wrote but seven books in number, and the eighth which is thereto added, is none of his compiling, but as some say, the Author of it, was Minu­tius Felix. He is said, besides these books to have written Commentaries on the Psalmes; But they are (as Bellarmine well observes) the workes of some later Author, which he proves by their making mention of the Pelagian Here­sie; which was not broached, till the time that Austine lived, which was many yeers after Ar­nobius; and besides Salmeron speaks of another Bishop of the same name, to whom he ascribes those Expositions.

This man flourished about the yeer of Christ Christ 300. He is not without some speciall Cha­racters; [Page 28] Barthius saith this of him, Si non exta­ret, Densa nox foret in Superstionibus veterum. If this man had not been living, it had yet been right in the Superstitions of the Ancients. Dempster calls him, virum reconditae eruditionis sty­li asperioris. A man of deep learning, of rougher stile. But Henisius above all others doth advance him; Ille Patrum praesul optimus, ille Christianae Varro maximus eruditionis. That president of the Fathers, that Varro of Christian Erudition, but yet in some respects Ierome doth depresse him. Ar­nobius inaequalis, & nimius est, & abs (que) operis sui partitione confusus. Arnobius is unequall, and too much, and without partition of his work, confused.

Lactantius Firmianus.

LActantius Firmianus, whom Alstedius stiles by the name of Cicero Christanorum, the Chri­stians Cicero, was the Disciple of Arnobius, who being eminent for eloquence in the raign of Diocclesian, taught Rethorick at Nicomedia, and and wrote those elegant books against the Religi­on of the Heathens, of whom Ierome said; Lact an­tius, quasi quidam fluvius eloquentiae Tullianae, vti­nam tam nostra confirmare potuisset, quam facile aliena destruxit: Lactantius, as it were a certain river of Ciceronian Eloquence, I would to God he could as well have confirmed our own, as [Page 29]he he did destroy the Religion of our Adver­saries.

Lodovicus Vives having occasion to mention him, saith this of him; Septem scripsit volumina ele­gantissima, & acutissima, nec est ullus inter Chri­stianos scriptores tam vicinus dictioni Tullianae; He wrote seven most elegant, and acute volumes, neither doth any among our Christian Writers come so neer the speech of Tully: Pisecius stiles him, Lacteum, & mellitissimum Scriptorem; A milkie and most honey writer. And Amesius too speaking of hm, in his Book entituled, Bellarmi­nus Enervatus, thus saith: Quod inter omnes Pa­tres audit Ciceronianus. That among all the Fa­thers he is the Ciceronian.

I shall add but one Elogie more to him, and tis that of Henisius. Quid Tertulliani porro vim ac lacertos, Quid Clementis variam prope incredi­bilem scientiam, aut Hilarii Cothurnum, aut Chry­sostomi digressiones melle dulciores, aut acumen Augustini, aut diffusam & cum solo Cicerone con­ferendam Firmiani eloquentiam commemorem? What should I commemorate the force and strength of Tertullian; Why the incredible Sci­ence of Clemens, or the statelinesse of Hilary, or the digressions of Chrysostome, more sweet then Honey, or the acutenesse of Augustine, or the diffused eloquence of Firmianus, who alone is comparable to Cicero?

And yet he is charged by Bellarmine with many errours, whose words are these, Lib. 1. de Sanct. beat. Cap. 5. circa fin. Lactantius in pluri­mos [Page 30]errores lapsus est, praesertim circa futurum secu­lum, cum esset magis librorum Ciceronis, quam Scriptur arum Sanctarum peritus. Lactantius fell in­to very many errors, especially about the world to come, seeing he was more skilfull in the workes of Cicero, then in the books of the holy Scriptures. Hence Chemnitius discourages us from reading of him, saying, Non multum potest juvare Lectorem, He cannot much profit the reader. Ierome parti­cularly notes this in him, that he denied the Holy Spirit to be a substance, or person: and beside this errour, he addes another, whilst he attributes reason to brute creatures. lib. 3. instit. cap. 1.

He wrore his book of Divine Institutions under Dioclesian, as himself expresseth it in the fourth Chapter of the fifth book; and he pub­lished it in the Raign of the Great Constantine, to whose Imperiall Majesty he doth direct his speech in it. He was called Firmianus from his Countrey Town Firmii, situate among the Picens in Italy, and Lactantius, as one well notes, a Lacteo eloquentiae flumine, from his milkie river of Eloquence. He was in his old age Tutour to Crispus, the son of Constantine; how he dyed, I read not.

Eusebius.

EUsebius was Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, he flourished about the yeer of our Lord 320. He was looked on at the first, as the principall man of the Arian faction. Chemnitius de lect. Patr. stiles him apertissimum propugnatorem Arii: A most open defender, or abetter of Arius. Baroni­us stiles him with Tertullian, manifestum Hereti­cum; a manifest Heretick. Ierom in both his books, which he wrote against Ruffinus, doth not onely call him Arianum an Arian, but likewise, signife­rum & principem Arianorum, The Standard bea­rer, or Ensign of the Arians.

Yet certainly at the Councill of Nice this man brake off his compliance with that Hereticall par­ty, and from thence forward joyned himself in fel­lowship and society with the Orthodox. Nay, he is conceived by some Authors, to have been the compilers of the Nicene Creed. He wrote in ten books an Ecclesiasticall History, from Christs time to the yeer 325. Ierome saith of him, quod pul­chre contexuerit Historiam Ecclesiasticam. Basil calls him [...], Worthy of credence, and Chem­nitius comparing this authors History with that of Nicephorus, he saith: Major est gravitas in illius historia, quam in Nicephori. There is much more gravity in his History, then in that of Nicephorus.

Besides this work, he writ also a Panagyrick of the life of Great Constantine, which comprehen­deth Acts done in the Church for the space of thirty yeers, together with the Lawes and Edicts that the Emperour had made, relating to the Christian faith. He refuted the Ethnicks and Jewes in his Books of Preparation for, and De­monstration of the Gospell, he left behinde him a Chronology from Abrahams birth to the 326. yeer of our Lord, which doth in all contain 2347. yeers.

He condemned that pestilent fellow Arius with his own hand in the Nicene Councell, and yet further to cleer him from all suspicion of fa­vouring that wicked Heresie and Heretick, So­crates hath written an Apology in his behalf, which you will meet in his history. He died about the yeer of Christ, 340. He was called Pamphilus from the affection and singular love he did bear to Pamphilus the Martyr, with whom he was most familiar and intimate.

Bibliander gives him this Character. Eusebius, inter Graecos Theologos Antesignanus. Eusebius among the Greek Divines the principall. Causabon calls him virum longe doctissimum, & in omni literarum genere exercitatissimum, A most learned man, and most exercised in all kinde of literature. Tis Ludovicus Vives his description of him, Vir fuit immensa le­ctione, & proinde summa eruditione. He was a man of immense reading, and for that cause of very great erudition.

Scaliger commends him in one respect, and in another disparages him: as appears by these words of his; Quo (speaking of this Eusebius) nullus Ecclesiasticorum veterum plura ad Histori­am contulit Christianismi. Then whom, none of the Ancient Ecclesiastick writers hath contribu­ted more to the History of Christianisme. There is his commendation; Nullus plura errata in scriptis suis re liquit, Nullius plures hallucinationes extant. No man hath left more faults in his wri­tings; No man hath extant more errours. There's his disparagement.

The Arrians having unjustly procured the deposition of Eustatius the Bishop of Antiochia, they desired, that his Office might be supplied by this Eusebius: but he refusing it, the Empe­rour Constantine so far commended his modesty therein, that he said of him, He deserved to be made Bishop of the whole world.

Ierome observing in this mans Commentaries on the Prophet Esay, that he swerved from his pur­pose, and promise, whilst in many places, he imi­tated Origens Allegories; He said this of him; Ita separata consociat, ut mirer cum nova ser­monis fabrica in unum corpus lapidem, ferum (que) conjungere. He so unites things which are sepa­rate, that I wonder he doth in his new Fabrick, and Structure of speech joyn together into one body, Stone and Iron.

Athanasius.

AThanasius, worthy to be immortall in his fame, as his name importeth, was born at Alexandria, and consecrated Bishop of that City in the room of Alexander deceased: this honour was conferred on him in the yeere 325. at which time the Churches of God were most grievously infested, and distracted with the Heresie of Arius; so that this holy man saw he was to sail in a very stormie and tempestuous sea, which made him desirous at the beginning to decline that high ad­vancement, whereunto he was preferred. His life was not unlike unto a Comedy, his five banish­ments being fitly resembled to the five Acts there­of; the chief cause of his troubles (say some) was Eusebius the then Bishop of Nicomedia, a princi­pal member of the Arian faction. For when Ari­us condemned by the Nicene Council, had made his appeal to great Constantine with promise ne­ver to disturb the Churches peace again, and thereupon was licensed to return unto his charge at Alexandria, where he was a Priest; This Atha­nasius did refuse to admit him thereto, and wrote unto the Emperour an account of his refusal, which was to this effect, Nempe quod semel dam­natum haereseos ab ecclesia, non fas esset recipere, abs­que legitima cognitione ecclesiae, that it was not [Page 35]lawful to receive an heretick condemned by the censure of the Church, without the cognizance of the Church, especially when there appeared no outward symptomes of repentance and amend­ment from him. Now this reply from Athanasius gave the Emperour great discontent, so that he most sharply menaced the holy Bishop, if he did persist in his denial; and now Eusebius thinking this opportunity very lucky to his designe, he so farr improves it, that good Athanasius is most strangely traduced, many scandalous matters laid unto his charge, as if he imposed intolerable burdens on the Churches of Egypt, and as though he practised treason against the life of his soveraign: but at length being by a Warrant fetcht to Con­stantinople, he so wiped off all these foule asper­sions, that he returned with apparent testimonies of a spotless innocence; Caesar himself dismissing him, not without honour and applause.

But yet his enemies bearing towards him im­placable malice, and not satisfied with this pub­like tryal of his Christian sincerity, do not give over their furious chace, but further accuse him of other misdemeanours, as witchcraft, and mur­der; but the Judge appointed to hear his cause, acquitted him of all those calumnies, and once again the Emperour commends his integrity, and exhorts him to vigilancy in his episcopal function.

But yet at length these Arians prevailing, through their importunate slanders, procured his exise to Trevers in France, where he hid his head for the space of two years and four months, [Page 36]with the Bishop Maximinus, neither did his suffe­rings end with the death of Constantine, but his two sonnes swaying the Scepter after him, he was much persecuted, through the influence his ene­mies had upon Constantius, of whom they effected that he was three times banished, first to Rome, then into the remote corners of the east, and lastly into the deserts of Lybia.

Thus indeed was this excellent Prelate tossed to and fro, finding no rest for his peaceable feet; no not in those halcyon dayes of the good Empe­rour Constantine, much less in the raign of Constan­tius, who being also removed by death, Iulian the Apostate succeeds in the empire, one which at first favoured both the person and cause of Atha­nasius, restoring to him his liberty, and attendance on his office; but in the end, he persecuting the truth, was likewise stirred up to thunder out a ba­nishment against him: however God brought him peaceably to his haven in the dayes of the good Emperours Iovian and Valentinian, who were an Asylum or refuge not to him onely, but like­wise to all the persecuted people of God. This godly Father lived to the seventh year of Valenti­nian, and then rested in the Lord, anno Christi. 371.

This was a familiar speech of his, Verberari Christianorum propium est, flagellare autem Christianos Pilati & Caiphae officia sunt, Its proper for Christians to be beaten, but to scourge them is the office of Caiphas & Pilate: he was Bishop of Alexandria forty six years, of whose most excel­lent [Page 37]endowments Gregorie Naziane is the Trum­peter, who speaks thus of him in his funeral orati­on; Athanasium laudare idem esse, ac virtutem ip­sam laudare, to commend Athanasius is to praise vertue it self. Indeed no Doctour of the Church ever endured so sharp disputes, and so bitter afflictions for the truth as he.

Photius the Arch-bishop of Constantinople writing to his brother Tarasius, concerning the works of this pious Father, he thus expresses him, Athanasius in sermonibus ubique locutione clarus est, & brevis, & simplex acutus tamen & altus, & ar­gumentationibus omnino vehemens, & in his tanta ubertas, ut admirabilis sit. Athanasius in his Ser­mons is clear in epxression, and short and plain, yet acute and high, in his arguments altogether vehe­ment, and in these so great fertility, that it is ad­mirable. Theodoret calls propugnaculum veritatis, the fortress of truth. Nazianzen, lumen ecclesiae, the light of the Church. Epiphaneus, latrem rectae fidei, the Father of the Orthodox Faith. Others, orbis oraculum, the Oracle of the world. Bishop Andrews of Winchester stiles him, Atha­nasius the Great; great in many respects, but espe­cially great for the Creed he compiled.

His writings against Apollinarius do excel for grace and ornament, as also those Epistles of his, wherein he doth excuse his banishment. Possevi­nus saith of him, Athanasius fuit tanquam columna ecclesiae adversus omnes haereticos, Athanasius was as as it were the pillar of the Church against all hereticks. And another calls him haeraeticorum [Page 38]Malleum, The beetle of Hereticks, as one which knockt them at head by his solid and substantiall reasonings; When Iulian the Empe­rour had by his Imperiall Edict banisht him from Alexandria, he comforted his people, and friends, whom he found lamenting his con­dition. Bono animo estoto filioli; Nubecula est, brevi evanescet. Be of good courage, my sons, its but a little cloud, and will vanish in­stantly.

Sixtus Senensis tells us, That Gregorie a Di­vine, did set forth the life of this Father in an excellent Oration.

Hilarius Pictaviensis.

HIlarius Pictaviencis Episcopus, Bishop of Poict­tiers, did shine most brightly in the Reigns of these following Emperours, Constantius, Iuli­an, Iovinian, Valens, and Valentinian. He was an eloquent Preacher, and a notable Disputant; he did by his solid writings establish the disperst Churches of Illyria, France, and Italy. We reade that he was banished with many other Orthodox Bishops, by the power and Policie of the Arians, of whom he was a mighty opposer, and Antago­nist; but at length prevailing with the Emperour [Page 39] Constantius for his return, he came back to his Charge at Poictiers in the yeer 360. Where he found all grievously distracted, and miserably af­flicted with the Arians leaven; so that like a good and skilfull Chirurgion, he laboured to binde up the wounds, and to heal the distem­pers.

He wrote twelve books of the Trinity, wherein, as Ierom observes, in an Epistle of his, Ad Romanum Oratorem; quod Duodecim Quintiliani libros & stylo imitatus est, & numero. That he imitated the twelve books of Quintilian both in style, and also in number. And in that worke of his he confuted the blasphemous doctrine of the Hereticke Arius. Ierome tells us, that he died in the yeer of Christ, 372. when Valerian was Emperour: and he be­stowes on him this worthy Character: Hillarius Gallicano attollitur cothurno, Eloquentiae Latinae Rho­danus. Hilary is lifted up with his Gallican buskins, the Rhine of Latine eloquence. And elsewhere, the same Father stiles him, Latinae Sermonis tubam, The Trumpet of the Latine tongue.

Some say, he wrote on the whole book of Psalms, which work of his is extant in Spain: being a great reader, and studier of Origen, he is said to make use of Heliodorus a Priest, who was better skild in the Greek tongue, then himself; Hence some do impute his misinterpretation of the Psalms (whilst in some places he leaves the Grammatical sense, and turns it into one that is Allegoricall, and Anagogicall) meerly to his igno­rance in the Hebrew language.

Sixtus Senensis, Speaking of that work of his, and of that on St. Matthew, he gives us this ac­count of the style of them; Stylus abs (que) ulla ar­tis affectatione pressus, interdum subobscurus, & ob id a simplicium fratrum lectione procul est. His style short, without any artificiall affectation, sometimes dark, and obscure, and for that very reason not to be understood, or read by unskilfull and illiterate men.

Tis a commendation which Erasmus gives him. In Hilario grandi materiae parem grandi­loquentiam, at (que) ut ita dicam, cothurnum admi­ramur.

This Bishop took such great paines to purge the Churches of France of the Arian Heresie, and so far prevailed by his unwearied labours; that Ierom resembles him to Deucalion, who both saw the flood of waters overflowing Thessalie, and the abating of them also: Even so this Hilarius saw in his time both the growth, and the decay of Arianisme in France.

One Fortunatianus a successour of his, wrote his life in Hexameter verse, being Bishop of Poic­tiers in the yeer 570.

Didymus Alexandrinus

VVAs an excellent Grammarian, and for his eminency in that Art, was elected Governour of the School of Alexandria. Ie­rome so highly extols him in his 65 Epistle, that he saith there, Se quod nescivit, didicisse a Didymo, quod sciebat, illo docente, non perdidisse. That he learnt, what he knew not, of Didymus, and that he preserved what he knew, by his in­struction. Nicephorus doth seem to eclipse him with a report of some errours, that he should seem to adhere and cleave to: But Socrates in his History giveth him this credit, That he was a chief Maintainer and Patron of the Nicene Faith. And Zozomene informs us, Arianis in Aegypto nihil fuisse integri, quamdiu Didymus in ea florue­rit. That Arius had no hold at all in Egypt, so long as Didymus flourished there.

This man was a great acquaintance, and an intimate familiar of Ieromes, insomuch, that that Father was greatly delighted with his society. He tells us this of him, That although he was blinde from his younger dayes, yet he proved an excellent Geometrician, which chiefly re­quires the Instrument of sight, to the wonder of the whole World. He wrote a heavenly Book de Spiritu Sancto, of the Holy Ghost, which the said Ierome translated into the Latine Tongue, and is [Page 42]now mingled with his Works. He lived to the 83 year of his age, and was almost all his time desirous of privacy and retiredness.

Ierome saith of him, Se in multis Scripturae lo­cis difficilibus, eo magistro usum. That he made use of him, to help him out in the explication of many hard Texts of Scripture. And further speaking of his Writings, he gives him this Elogie, Certe qui hunc legerit latinorum furta cognoscet, & contemnet rivulos, cum coeperit haurire de fon­tibus; Imperitus Sermone est, sed non Scientia, Apostolicum virum ipso stylo exprimens tam sensus lumine, quam simplicitate verborum. Truly he that will reade him, will know the thefts of the Latines, and he will despise the rivulets, when he hath begun to drink of the fountains; he is in Speech unskilful, but not in Science, in his very style expressing an Apostolick Author, as well in the light of his sense, as in the simplicity of his words.

Antonius a Monk, travelling in company with him to the City of Alexandria, used these or the like words to him, (as Sixtus Sinensis delivers them) Nihil O Didyme turbet te corporalium oculorum jactura, talibus enim destitutus es oculis, quibus & Muscae, & culices videre possunt, sed laetare, quod oculos habes, quibus Angeli vident, & Deus consideratur, & lux ejus apprehenditur. Let not the loss of thy corporal eyes trouble thee, O Didymus, for thou art deprived of such eyes, wherewith Flies and Gnats can see; but rejoyce thou that thou hast eyes by which Angels [Page 43]do behold, and God is considered, and his light is apprehended. He flourished under the great The­odosius.

Optatus

BIshop of Milevita, appeared glistering in his Orb about the time that Valentinian and Va­leus were Emperours. Morn. lib. 1. de Euchar. cap. 6. saith, that he lived paulo ante Augustinum magni in Africa nominis; a little before Augustine of great fame in Africa. He was a man well skill'd in most kindes of Literature, his life was pious, and his doctrine sincere and sound. He shewed himself a notable Antidonatist, and thereupon he wrote six Books for the confutation of Par­menianus; So Ierome: But now they are num­bred seven, the seventh consenting in all respects with the six, so that Ierome's number is concei­ved to be erroneous.

Barthius calls this man Pium, elegantem (que) scri­ptorem, & quod in eo dignum honore summo, sum­mum argumentandi artificem: A pious, and ele­gant writer, and which is praise-worthy, a most exquisite artist in arguing and disputing. Paraeus thus expresses him, Vir fuit instructus multiplici eruditione, constanti pietate & doctrina sincera. He was a man well furnished with various learning, constant piety, and sound doctrine. Mr. Leigh in his Treatise of Religion and Learning, calls him [Page 44]that learned Bishop of Milevita.

Whereas the Donatists of old did assert, that the Church of God was no where else, but onely among them, limited unto and shut up in a cor­ner of Africk, where their Heresie prevailed; this excellent man confuted that opinion by that of the second Psalm, where God saith in a pro­mise to his blessed Messias, Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession: Which Scripture doth evidently demonstrate the Church of the Gospel to be spred all over the whole world, and not to be restrained, as these Donatists did vainly imagine, to a particular Re­gion.

And whereas they affirmed likewise, That the Ordinance of Baptism was altogether ineffectual, unless some of their Ministers were in place to perform it: He, to confute them, replied, That when God made the world at the beginning, the presence of the glorious Trinity was powerful enough in operation to create Water, though none of the Donatists were then in presence: Even so (saith he) the blessed Trinity can work effectually in Baptism, although not administred by the Donatists; yea, and that it was God, the Author of Baptism, and not the Minister, which did sanctifie, a cording as it is expressed by the holy man David, Psal. 51. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Basilius Magnus.

BAsil the Great was Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, his father was of the same name, and a devout Christian, his brethren were Gre­gory of Nyssa, and Peter of Sebasta, who con­form'd to him both for purity of doctrine, and piety of conversation. He was brought up at Athens, the School of the Philosophers, under Libanius his Master, where he fell into acquain­tance with Gregory Nazianzen. But after a while leaving Athens, he returned to Caesarea; where being called to the Pastoral Function by the Bishop of the place Eusebius, he expounded some places of Scripture with that gravity and accurateness, that he was had in great admiration for his abilities and gifts; but at length there arising some difference betwixt him and Eusebius, he discreetly withdrew himself, on purpose to prevent a greater combustion.

However, in the end he was constrained to re­turn, through the Faction of the Hereticks, that he might strengthen the hands of the Bishop a­gainst them. But Eusehius after a few years de­ceasing, this Basil was by the general consent chosen Bishop in his room. And now he was no sooner entred on his charge, but he met with many violent and tempestuous storms, raised by that tyrannous Emperour Valens against him: [Page 46]For he coming to Caesarea, would have forced this holy man to have closed with the doctrine of Arius, threatning his refusal with banishment and death. But Basil was most resolute, and coura­gious, as appears by this his gallant answer, Pueris (inquit ille) ista terriculamenta proponenda esse, sibi vero vitam eripi posse, sed confessionem veritatis eripi non posse. Those affrightments (saith he) should be proposed to children: Life indeed might be taken from him, but the con­fession of the truth could never be taken away from him.

It is reported, That when he was at his devo­tions in the Temple, the Emperour coming with his Guard to apprehend and seize him, he was himself on the sudden surprised with such a Ver­tigo or dizziness, that he had faln immediately, if one of his servants had not supported him.

Socrates tells us in his Ecclesiastical History, (Chap. 21. of thefourth Book) That this Empe­rours Son, by name Galeates, falling sick of a dange­rous and desperate disease, and being given over by Physicians, Dominica his Mother told her hus­band, that the same night she was fearfully dis­quieted with horrible shapes, and dreadful visi­ons, and that the childe was visited with sickness, because of their ill usage of Basil the Bishop. The Emperour well marking the words of his Wife, at length sent for that good man, and be­cause he would know the truth, he reasoned thus with him: If thy Faith (he meant of one sub­stance) be true, pray that my Son die not of this [Page 47]disease. Then Basil answered, If thou wilt pro­mise to believe, as I do, and to bring the Church to Unity and Concord, thy childe without doubt shall live. When the Emperour refused to yield to this; Let God, saith Basil, deal with your son as it pleaseth him: and so the childe presently died.

This Father lived till the beginning of the reign of the good Emperour Theodosius, and was thought to have been the Author of Monastical life. The commendations are high, which his friend Nazianzene gives him; as who styles him, Luminare in Mundo, Doctrinae Palatium, & unus Sol inter Syderea: A Light in the World, a Pal­lace of Learning, and as the Sun among the Stars. Suidas calls him Verum celeberrimum, & ad summum omnis doctrinae fastigium progressum. A man most famous, that had climbed up to the highest step of all Learning. Caussinus saith, That Libanius, though his Master, did prefer him be­fore all other Authors: Erat illi unus pro centum millibus in eloquentia Basilius. And this sayes Erasmus also of him, Basilius, dilucidus, pius, sanus, suaviter, gravis, & graviter suavis, nihil habens affectate loquacitatis. Basil is clear, pious, sound, sweetly grave, and gravely sweet, having nothing in him of affected loquacity.

Gregorius Nyssenus.

GRegorius Nyssenus, Brother to Basil the Great, called Nyssen from the Church of Nyssa, whereof he was Bishop, but when he was consecrated, it is not with any certainty resol­ved. He joyned with his Brother Basil, and Gre­gory Nazianzen, against the Arians, whom both with their word and pen they notably confuted. Neither was this Father more backward and slack in opposing the Heresie of Eunomius: and if we will take the word of Reverend Theodoret, this Doctor ever shewed himself zealous in with­standing that, whatever it was, which was con­trary to the rule and power of godliness.

Nicephorus tells us, in his 12 Book, and 13 Cha­pter, That in the General Council of Constantino­ple, this man did supply that, which was lacking in the Nicene Creed, this clause being by him added, And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified.

Suidas doth bestow upon him these two Cha­racters: Gregorius Nyssenus, omni doctrina refer­tus, in multum profecit, & illustris evasit, ut quis­quam veterum. Gregory Nyssen being stuft full with all Learning, profited so much therein, that he was judged as famous as any of the Ancients. [Page 49]And again the same Author calls him, Eloquentis­simum, & multiplici eruditione praestantem: Most eloquent, and excelling in variety of Learning.

And Caussinus gives him this following Elogie, Quid Gregorius Nyssenus, & Caesarius? Num ipsi Gregoriorum fato aureum flumen orationis fundunt? This mans Brother Basil, being pre­vented by untimely death from finishing his Commentaries on the six dayes works, Socrates tells us, That this Gregory compleated them, and made them perfect.

These were the eminent and remarkable say­ings of this Father: He said concerning Sin, That although the Serpents which stung us were not here slain outright, yet their venemous stings could not mortally wound us. And concerning Pilgrimage, he said, That a Pilgrimage from the Lusts of the Flesh to the Righteousness of God, and the Sanctification of the heart, was onely accept­able to God, and not a journeying from Cappado­cia to Palestina; and that God would give a re­ward in the world to come, onely to things done in this world by the warrant of his own Command­ment. Leo the Emperour called this Father Dulcem & illustrem Ecclesiae fontem, The sweet and illustrious fountain of the Church. He was elder Brother to Basil, but died after him.

Gregorius Nazianzenus.

GRegorius Nazianzenus, was born at Nazian­zum, a town neer to Cesarea in Cappadocia, where Basil the Great was Bishop, who out of a desire he had to learning, went to Athens, to imploy his time there in the study of the Arts; whence returning home, he was Baptized about the twentieth yeer of his age, and after that giving himself up to the study of the Christian Religion, he was at length urged by his father to take upon him the Ministery, and to assist him being then aged in the execution of his pastorall charge.

Yet his parents after a while deceasing, he left his Countrey for some yeers, and lived private; but comming afterwards to Constantinople, he preached in the Church of Anastasia, all the other Oratories of the City being taken up, and filled by the Arians.

And here is one thing to be noted, that though so eminently learned and pious a man, as was this Nazianzene, was then present, yet the Ge­nerall Councill held there at that time, preferred one Nectarius, a Noble man of Cilicia to the Bishoprick of Constantinople before him: a man which was at that time but a Catechumenus, and never before advanced to any Ecclesiastical pre­ferment, [Page 51]overpassing this great Doctour, and overlooking this great light.

And here it was, that he fell into controversie with Apollinarius the Heretick, who was so impu­dent, as to accuse Nazianzene of sedition before the Magistrate, but the Bishop did very fairly ac­quit himself of the crime. It is said of this grave and holy man, quod solus post Johannem Evan­gelistam, Theologi nomen meruit. That he onely after Iohn the Evangelist merited the eminent title of Divine.

There happening dissentions amongst his fel­low Bishops, he withdrew himself for retire­ment to his Fathers Countrey Farme house, as being weary of all publike congressions, whereof he seldom saw any profitable issue, by reason of the ambition of the disputants.

He lived all his life time unmarried, and dyed not under the 90th. yeer of his age, in the yeer of Christ 384. he wrote much against those Hereticks, which either did impugne the Divi­nity, or Humanity of our Lord, and he was like­wise most vigorously active against the Heathe­nisme of the Gentiles in those two invectives of his, wherein he chastiseth that Apostate Iuli­an, who would needs be a restorer of Paga­nisme.

Ierom owns this holy Father for his Master, [...] quo Scripturas explanante didicit; From [...]om, as his interpreter, he learn't the Scriptures. And [...]s this learned man did admire Basil, so did Basil him, as appears by this Elogie he gives [Page 52]him. Vas electionis, & puteus profundus os Chri­sti Gregorius. Now for this mans speech, it see­med (as Suidas saith) to come neer to Polemons, or to Isocrates, so saies Erasmus, as also it was not unlike to Ambrose.

Erasmus speaking of his piety, he tells us, that it did ex aequo propemodum certare cum facundia; It was even as eminent, and illustrious as his eloquence; and the commendation which Bel­larmine gives him, is, quod sapientiam mirificie eum eloquentia copulavit. That he marvellous­ly coupled his wisdom with his eloquence.

Epiphanius.

EPiphanius, Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus, was instructed in learning by certain Monkes in Egypt, from whence he went into Palestine, li­ving there a Monasticall life, and improving his time in the study of Philosophy, so that in few yeers his proficiency therein was mightily increa­sed, and advanced.

He wrote a book in confutation of no lesse then 80. Heresies, which is called his [...], wherein is also comprehended, a History from Christ even to his own times. He flourished in the reigns of the Emperours Valens, and Gra­tian, being Contemporary with those grand Lights of the Church, Basil the Great, Gregory [Page 53]Nazianzene, Iohn Chrysostome, with the latter of which, he had a sharp contention about the wri­tings of Origen, which Epiphanius would have condemned as Hereticall at the Synod of Con­stantinople, but Chrysostome withstood it: in which bickering of theirs, this hapned worthy of ad­miration; That one was a true Prophet to the other: Epiphanius presaging the deposition of Chrysostome, and Chrysostome the sudden death of Epiphanius, both which were accordingly ac­complished; the one being afterwards deposed, and the other dying in his return to Cyprus. Suidas saith thus much of this mans works: Quod a doctis ob res, ab indoctis propter verba le­guntur: and Ierom said the like. That they are read of the learned for their matter, and of the unlearned for their words.

His Panarium is stiled by another, Vniversae antiquitatis Ecclesiasticae promptuarium, A Cellar, or Storehouse of all Ecclesiasticall Antiquity. He was master of five learned tongues, and thence it was that Ierom honoured him with this Epithet, [...]. Augustine addes this Elogie, Apud Graecos inter magnos habitus, & a multis in Catholicae fidei sanitate laudatus. With the Greeks he was reputed among the great ones, and com­mended by many for his soundness in the Catho­like Faith.

And yet Drusius fastens many an errour on him. lib. 4. observat. cap. 21. Epiphanium scimus omnes in multis graviter hallucinatum. We all [Page 54]know that Epiphanius grievously erred in many things.

Ambrosius Mediolanensis.

AMbrosius Mediolanensis Episcopus, the Bishop of Millain, being Leiutenant of the Province, was chosen Bishop of the City by the unanimous consent of the people, and therein confirmed by the Emperour Valentinian; he was high in the af­fections of five most noble Princes, Valentinian the elder, Gratian, Valentinian the younger, Theo­dosius the great, and Honorius: he was a man of great fame amongst the eastern Churches, and ve­ry intimate and familiar with Basil of Caesarea, and other eminent and famous Doctors, even as the inscriptions of his Epistles to diverse of them, do insinuate.

He baptized Augustine, and was likewise his master: before he was Bishop of Millain, he go­verned Liguria, he wrote many excellent books, which deserved those characters that the learned have given him. Erasmus saith thus of him, Am­brosius juxta nomen suum vere coelesti manat Am­brosia, dignus quisit, quod dicitur Ambrosius, hoc est immortalis, non solum apud Christum, sed etiam apud homines. Ambrose according to his name doth truely flow with heavenly Ambrosia, who is worthy to be what he is called, Ambrosius, that is [Page 55]immortal, not with Christ onely, but with men also.

Its Augustines commendation of him, ejus elo­quià strenue ministrant adipem frumenti divini, & laetitiam olei, & sobriam vini ebrietatem, his elo­quent speeches do stoutly administer the fat of divine bread-corn, and the joy of oyle, and of wine a sober drunkenness; one of the Latine Poets speaks his worth in this following distich.

Theodosius the Emperour being suspended from the Sacrament by this excellent Prelate, because he came to it with the guilt of bloud upon his soul, (for being angry with the inhabitants of Thessalonica, he had caused seven thousand of them to be slain, having drawn them together for that end to a Stage-play) he said of this Ambrose, Ne­minem se nosse, qui vere sciret episcopum gerere, praeter unum Ambrosium, that he did not know any man, that truely knew how to behave himself like a Bishop, besides Ambrose. He dyed in the year of the Lord 398. aged 64 years.

Hieronymus.

HIeronymus was brought up at Rome in the time of Pope Damasus, & flourished in the Church about the year of Christ 390. providence [Page 56]so ordering, that there should arise such shining lights at that time when the Church was pestered with the heresies of Arius and Pelagius, there be­ing no less then ten or twelve, which in that short tract of time presented themselves to oppose them, among which this Father was one of the chiefest.

He was a great traveller, and had compassed the greatest part of Europe, that he might have confe­rence with the learned of that age; at length retur­ning to Judea, he seated himself about Bethlehem, where he composed most of those works we en­joy at this day, and there he dyed full of dayes, in the yeer of Christ 416. and in the 12 of the raign of Honorius.

The learned of latter times have highly extol­led his repute and fame. Hieronymus blandum facundiae nomen, & summis in omnibus artifex, saith Caussinus, Ierom a pleasant name of eloquence, and in all things the best artist: Barthius gives him this Elogy, Hieronymi ingenium hoc fuit, ut consci­us sibi profundissimae eruditionis paucis dicere plura, & salem quendam acuminis relinquere velit in ani­mo legentis; this was Ieroms wit, that being con­scious to himself of his deep learning, he would speak much in few words, and leave a relish of his ingenuity in the mind of the Reader. Augustine is very spa [...]ing of speaking in his praise, because he lived in his time, and was his scholar.

But Henisius doth of late break out into admi­ration of him, Quo tandem modo, aut quibus ego verbis (tuam maxime Hieronyme) ingentem simul [Page 57]pietatem ac facundiam describam! After what manner and with what words (O most great Ie­rome) shall I describe thy vast piety and eloquence; how shall I express and declare thy skill, which was so admirable in all tongues, and in all anti­quity and Philosophy; this Henisius speaks, and much more of him in one of his orations: they write that this man of all the Fathers onely had knowledge of the Hebrew tongue.

When he was at Rome he grew into acquain­tance with some of the honourable Ladies there, as Marcella, Sophronia Principia, Paula, and Eu­stochium, to whom he opened many difficult and knotty texts of Scripture, for he was then a Priest: after he left Rome, as he journied to Palestine, he acquainted himself with those three Doctors, Epi­phanius Bishop of Cyprus, Nazianzene and Dydi­mus, yet he was more addicted to an Eremetical life then to society.

Erasmus in his Preface to Hilarius, having made mention of this Father, he subjoynes this testimony, quo viro nihil habet orbis latinius, & doctius vel sanctius, then which man, the world hath nothing more Latin, and more learned, or more holy; Austin also speaking of his elegant speech, saith thus, cujus eloquium ex oriente in oc­cidente instar lampadis resplenduit, whose elo­quence, like a Lamp, did shine out of the east into the west.

Yet this Father was not altogether free from errours. Concerning the worlds creation, it was his opinion, that the Angels those spiritual crea­tures [Page 58]were made long before the visible world, and where he writes against Iovinian, he doth not en­tertain so honourable thoughts of marriage as doth become him, for he seems there to dislike of second marriage, which the Apostle alloweth of, because the bed is undefiled, and also an ex­pedient against unlawful burning.

Aurelius Augustinus.

AUrelius Augustinus, the most doctrinall in his writings of all the Ancient Worthies, was an Affrican by birth, whereupon the learned Bishop Andrews calls him, Decus Africae, The glory of Africa. He is not to be accounted as the last of the pious Fathers; who having been in­structed in Rhetorick at Carthage, was at the beginning a complier with the Manachees. His life for the greater part of it, is written by his own pen in his confessions. Afterwards being bapti­zed by Ambrose, he returned into the right way, and succeeded Valerius in the Bishoprick of Hip­po, about the yeer of Christ, 390.

The coversion of this man was in this manner. Having read the life of Antonius the Eremite, as well as heard the Sermons of Ambrosius, and [Page 59]being therewith wonderfully moved, and affected, he began to disrelish his former conversation, which he had wasted in the vanities and plea­sures of sin, and going into a Garden with his friend Alipius, there he fell to bemoan with tears the abominations of his youthfull dayes, wishing the time now at hand, that his soul should be watered with true converting grace: And as his heart was thus melting into penitentiall sorrows, he heard a voice say to him, Tolle & lege, Take up the book, and read; and again, Tolle & lege, Take up the book, and read, for he had his Bible in the Garden with him, and seeing no body there, he then perceived, it was an admonition and a word to him from Heaven, whereupon he open­ed the book, and the first place he lighted on, was Rom. 13.13, 14. Not in gluttony and drunken­nesse, not in chambering and wantonnesse, not in strife and envying, but put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ, &c. At the reading whereof, he was so far transported, that he resolved to become a con­vert, and so to live, as to shew forth the fruits of a good reformation.

He maintained Disputations with very many Hereticks, as the Arians, the Manichees, the Do­natists, and the Pelagians, whose unsound de­vices he gravely confuted, and so stood up for the defence of the Christian Truth, as if he on­ly of all men were called to that employ­ment.

When the city of Hippo was straightly besieged by the Vandals, he was therein enclosed, but yet [Page 60]dyed peaceably before it was taken, in the third moneth of the siege, and in the yeer of Christ 433. being aged 76. yeers. I shall not let him passe without his deserved Encomiums. Erasmus speaks thus of him; Eximius Pater inter summa Ecclesiae ornamenta, ac lumina Princeps. An excel­lent Father, amongst the great Ornaments and Lights of the Church the chief. And thus doth also Sarisber: Doctor ille Ecclesiae, cujus nemo satis memor esse potest. That Doctour of the Church, of whom no man can be enough mindfull.

And not to omit that of Ludovicus Vives, Fuit in illo vira studium uberrimum, cognitio Scriptura­rum Sacrarum exactissima, Iudicium acre, ac ex­tersum, Ingenium ad miraculum arctum. He is so deep in some of his works, that Ierome in one of his Epistles doth not stick to call him the most obscure Expositour of the Scripture. Yet this man, that he might descend to the capacities of the unskilfull, and rude multitude, he would frequently speak Barbarismes, having this expres­sion often in his mouth, Malo ut me reprehendant Grammatici, quam ut non intelligant populi, I had rather Grammatians should reprehend me, then the people should not understand me.

Our learned Whitaker speaking of him, saith, quod magnum est ejus in Ecclesia nomen. That his name is great in the Church. There is one thing which he himself would have all rea­ders to observe in his works, Tis the fourfold distinction of Time, wherein they were writ­ten. Some of them he wrote when he was [Page 61]Catechumenus, and so are inflated, and puft up with with secular learning. Others, when he was but newly baptized, and but a begin­ner in the study of Theologie: others, when he was Presbyter, and therefore more exact then the former; and lastly, others, when he was chosen Bishop, and so most elaborate and excellent of them all. These distinctions of Time would this Father have every reader take notice of, that they might thence see his proficiency in Sacred learning, and thereby might be the more easily induced to excuse him, seeing he makes amends in his latter works, for the imperfections of his former ones.

Of all his works, his Retractations and Confes­sions do bring most honour to him, the one be­ing a meek acknowledgement of his Errors, or Lapses of judgement, the other a confession of his Falls, or Lapses of his life.

Of all his Commentaries on the Holy Scrip­tures, those which be hath written upon the Psalms are most disliked, whereupon one of the learned saith of him, nunquam infelicius in Scrip­turis Sanctis versatus, quam in psalmorum enar­ratione.

Cyrillus Alexandrinus.

CYrillus Alexandrinus, so called, because Bi­shop of Alexandria, and in distinction to another of the same name, Bishop of Ierusalem: He flourished about the year of Christ 433. in the reign of Theodosius the younger. There was great strife and contention about choosing of this man Bishop; some were for one Timotheus, and the p [...]incipal man or head of that party was Abu­datius, the Captain of the Garrison, who labour­ed might and main to cross the choice of this Cyrillus, and to further the election of Timo­theus.

Yet notwithstanding all opposition, Cyrils par­ty prevailed, and carried it; who being invested with his Episcopal Jurisdiction, did take more state upon him, than any of his Predecessors ever did before him: For there hapning a combustion betwixt the Jews and the Christians in that City, this Cyril would not stoop so low, as to make his complaint to Orestes the chief Governour, and to crave justice of him against the wrong doers, but usurping to himself the Office of a Magi­strate, he set upon those Jews, and spoiled them of all their goods, which caused a great breach betwixt the Deputy and the Bishop, insomuch that five hundred Monks of Nitria came out of [Page 63]the Wilderness, to side with Cyril their Prelate; and one of them, by name Ammonius, wounding the Governour in the scuffle, was thereupon ap­prehended, and forthwith condemned and exe­cuted: whom Cyrillus enrolled for a Martyr, and changing his name, called him thenceforth [...], that is, Wonderful.

He contended against Nestorius the Bishop of Constantinople, whom the Council of Ephesus had condemned for an Heretick. He refuted the Errours of the Arians and Eunomians. He died in the year of our Lord 444. after he had sate in the Chair of Alexandria 32 years.

Nicephorus tells us, That this Cyrillus did ex­ercise an hostile hatred against Chrysostome, for no other cause, but because he did dissent in his judgement from the opinion of his Uncle Theo­philus. Niceph. lib. 14. cap. 27. Anastasius calls him, [...], The Seal of the Faith of the Fathers. Leo the Emperour equals him to Athanasius, Basil, Nazianzen, Nys­sen, and Chrysostome, for eminency of exploits, as their fellow, Constit. 88. Nicephorus in his 14 Book and 14 Chapter, speaks thus of him, Ad certamina natum, nullam prorsus haeresin grassari passum fuisse. That being born for conflicts and debates, he would not suffer any heresie to spred. Bellarmine affords him this Elogie, Cyrillus vir fuit sanctissimus, & doctissimus, at praesertim circa mysterium incarnationis Dominica a Deo doctus. Bell. de Script. Eccl. pag. 210. Cyril was a most holy and most learned man, but taught of God [Page 64]especially about the Mystery of our Lords Incar­nation.

Johannes Chrysostomus.

IOhannes Chrysostomus, whom Montacutius calls Patrum disertissimum, & in Scripturis enarran­dis Graecorum principem, The most eloquent of the Fathers, and in the unfolding the Scriptures, of the Greeks the chief, was born at Antioch of a Noble Family, his Parents names were Secun­dus and Anthusa; so Sixtus Senensis tells us. He learnt Rhetorick of Libanius, and Philosophy of Andragathius, and Theologie of Diodorus the Bishop of Tarsus. He was a great admirer of Aristophanes, whose Comedies he would usually put under his Pillow; whence, some say, he suckt his admirable eloquence.

He made so great progress in his Studies, that he was the wonder of all that heard him. After he was baptized, he altogether spent his time in searching the hidden sense of the Scriptures, and first he was appointed Lecturer at Antioch, and last of all Bishop of Constantinople, having with that many Churches of Thrace, Asia and Pontus committed to his jurisdiction.

He used great freedom of speech, as one that would neither seek the favour, nor dread the power of any. He was much envied and hated [Page 65]by the false Brethren, who made it their work to load this zealous man with slanders and re­proaches, especially Theophilus the Alexandrian Bishop, who was indeed the cause of the dissen­tion betwixt him and Epiphanius.

He was likewise persecuted by the Empresse Eudoxia, which prevailed with her husband for his banishment; but being recall'd again by Ar­cadius, when it was expected he should become much more sparing, and less bitter in his Ser­mons, he persisted still in his reproving of the Empress; whereat her husband much incensed, exiled him again to Pontus, where being surprised with an head-ache, and falling ill of a Feaver, he concluded his life in the year of Christ 407.

The Elogies of this Father are transcendent. Suidas thus applauds him, Lingua ejus Nili ca­taractis uberior, nemo certa ab omni aevo tanta di­cendi copia affluxit quanta solus ille abundavit; & solus abs (que) fuco aureum & divinum illud nomen est consecutus. Numerum scriptorum ejus recensere, non est hominis, sed Dei potius, omnia scientis. His tongue more plentifull than the sluces of Nilus; never did any in all ages flow with so great a stream of eloquence, as he alone hath abounded; and he onely hath without falshood obtained that golden and divine Name. To reckon up all his wri­tings, it is not in the reach of man, but rather of God, who knoweth all things.

Caussinus styles him, Theatrum quoddam divi­nae eloquentiae, in quo Deus abunde videri voluit, quid possit vitae sanctitas cum vi dicendi conjuncta: [Page 66]A certain Theatre of divine eloquence, in whom God would abundantly manifest, what sanctity of life was able to effect, being joyned with the fo [...]e of clocution. Another allows him this Epithet, [...], Golden-word Chrysostome.

Theoderet in Photius his Bibliotheca, thus ele­vates this man, O egregium post mortem ducem! O Tristem etiam hostibus post sepulturam mili­tem! O Lyram omni harmonia praeditam morte jam solutam! O Theatrum tanto Tibicine or ba­tum, &c. O egregious Captain after death! O Souldier, sorrowful to thy enemies after burial! O Harp, endued with all harmony, now broken by death! O Theatre, deprived of so great a Minstrel, &c.

Sixtus Senensis speaking in the commenda­tion of his Tongue, he tells us, That Libanius himself, the Master of this Chrysostome, did ex­ceedingly admire the fluency and grace thereof; and to that purpose he presents us with a shor [...] Epistle written to him by Libanius, wherein he highly extolleth his Attick eloquence.

Leo Primus.

LEo Primus was by Nation an Italian, born i [...] Thuscany, and chosen Pope about the 3 [...] year of Theodosius, and the 16 of Valentinian He sate in the Chair near 21 years. He procure [Page 67]a Council to be called by the Emperour Theodo­sius against the Heresie of Eutyches, which had in that age spread it self, and infected the Church of God: but yet it so fell out by the subtilty of Dioscorus the present Bishop of Alexandria, that this foul errour was rather strengthned in that Council, than weakned, and rather ratified, than suppressed.

Among this mans Canons, and Papal Decrees, none is more worthy of praise, than his Edict against self-seeking ambitious men, who affect continually superiorities & advancements. He or­dered, that such should be deprived of all maner of dignities and preferments, as well Offices of lower degree, as higher and more sublime; of infe­riour ones for their pride, because they had so scornfully despised them; and of the higher ones for their presumption and ambition, because they had so greedily affected them.

Sixtus Senensis styles this man, In divinis Scri­pturis eruditissimum, & in declamandis homiliis fa­cundissimum, Most learned in the Scriptures, and most eloquent in his Homilies. He wrote many Epistles, some to the Emperours, others to Coun­cils, others to the Churches of divers Provinces; but of them all, that Epistle which he wrote to Flavianus Bishop of Constantinople, wherein he impugned the blasphemous opinion of the Here­tick Eutyches, is preferred for its singular ex­cellence.

Pareus speaking of his writings, saith thus of them, In scriptis ejus elucet summa vis Ingenii, [Page 68]& mira in repellendis haereticorum ictibus dexte­ritas: There sparkleth in his writings a notable vigour of wit, and a wonderful dexterity in re­pelling the strokes of Hereticks. He laboured (as many of his Predecessors had done before him) for the Primacy of the Roman Chair, but with much more craft and cunning; whence Chamierus gives him this suitable character, Leo Magnus primus fuit Episcopus Romanus, & qui­dem ambitiosissimus.

When Attilus King of the Hunnes fell in upon Italy, and wasted most part of it, and was ap­proaching with his bloody Army to Rome it self, with a full purpose to destroy it, this man with one of the Consuls, and part of the Senate, wen [...] forth to meet him; and so far he prevailed by his insinuating Rhetorick, that he perswaded him to spare the City, beyond the expectation of all men.

And after this, when Gensericus, that Tyrant of the Vandals, and great persecuter of such as were sound in the Faith, came with his displayed Banners against Rome, being wooed thither by Eudoxia, to revenge the death of her slain hus­band Valentinian the late Emperour; he so wrought upon him by his conquering eloquence, that he was content onely with the spoils and plunder of the City, altogether abstaining from slaughter and bloodshed.

No marvel then, if Trithemius style this Pope, Primum Ecclesiasticae dictionis Tullium, sacra Theologiae Homerum, Rationum fidei Aristotelem, [Page 69] Autoritatis Apostolicae Petrum, & in Cristiane pulpite Paulum. The first Tully of Ecclesiastick speech, The Homer of Sacred Theologie, the Aristole of Reasons of Faith, the Peter of Apo­stolicall Authority, and the Paul in a Christian pulpit.

In this mans time those horrible earthquakes were asswaged, which had ruined so many emi­nent Towns and cities. The Papists do attribute some miracles to him, as they have done to some other Popes before him.

Theodoretus.

THeodoretus, the Bishop of Cyrus in Syria, was the Scholar of Chrysostome, of whom he was instructed both in Philosophy, and Theolo­gie: he wrote an Ecclesiasticall History, compri­zing the beginnings of the Arian Sect, and the contentions of the Church, from the first yeer of Great Constantine to the beginning of the Raign of Theodosius, which in all contains the space of an hundred and five yeers.

He had conflicts with the Heretick Eutyches, not onely with voice, but with style also. It's reported that his Mother being aged, and as it were past hopes of having a childe, the Monkes of Syria prevailed by their prayers for his Na­tivity, who, as soon as he was borne, was forth­with consecrated to God; Caussinus joyning him with Clemens and Cyrillus, thus speaketh of him [Page 70] Clemens Alexandrinus, Cyrillus & Theodoretus in­ter eloquentes summe docti, inter doctos summe elo­quentes. Amongst the Eloquent wonderously Learned, amongst the Learned wonderonsly elo­quent.

This man was Anathematized by Dioscorus of Alexandria, and unjustly deposed from his Bi­shoprick, because he consented with Flavianus of Constantinople in the condemnation of the Euti­chian Heresie; he is said to have written a depre­catory letter to Pope Leo for his restitution unto his Episcopal jurisdiction.

Dalleus stiles him, virum sui seculi eruditissi­mum; The most learned man of the age he lived in. Illyrius sayes of him, Quod instructus Ingenio excellentissimo, & ad omnis generis disciplinas perci­piendas capacissimo fuit, that he was furnished with a most excellent wit, and most capable of all manner of learnings.

He was Cyrilli [...], Contemporary with Cyrillus, with whom he had some sharp disputes, about the acts of the first Councill of Ephesus, wherein he was present; and afterward he was called to the Councill of Chalcedon. Pareus saith, that he dyed not very Aged; but Sixtus Senensis tells us, That he was a very old man before his death, his dissolution happening about the yeer of Christ, 450.

Junilius Afer.

IUnilius Afer, was a Bishop in Africa, the cities name is not known certainly, where he exerci­sed his government. He lived (saith Sixtus Se­nensis) under the Raign of Theodosius the young­er, about the yeer of our Lord, 440. he was inti­mate with Primasius the learned Bishop of Vtica, and the Disciple of Augustine. By whose perswa­sions, and encouragements, some say, he did col­lect those Explanations upon Genesis, for the instruction of such, as were unskilfull and un­learned in the Scriptures, which work of his he de­dicated to the said Primasius. Some report that he wrote other Treatises, but Trithemius makes mention that the never saw any other but this.

I meet with two Characters bestowed on this man, the one is from Trithemius, who stiles him, Virum in Sacris Scripturis valde doctum, inq secu­laribus disciplinis sufficienter instructum, sensu pro­fundum, eloquio dulcem, & ornatum. A man very learned in the Holy Scriptures, and sufficiently in­structed in humane disciplines, deep or profound in his sense, sweet and comely in his expres­sion.

The other Elogie, and much of the same sound, is from Sixtus Senensis, who calls him, virum bo­nis artibus in seculo eruditum, & in Scripturis Sanct is peritissimum, eloquio brevem, & sensu acu­tem. [Page 72]A man learned in the liberall arts, and most skilfull in the sacred Scriptures, short in expres­sion, and acute in Sense.

Some say, that that little Commentarie on the first Chapters of Genesis is none of this Iunilius his, but that reverend Beda is the author thereof, because it quotes Gregorie, and is reckoned among the workes of Bedae. Bel. de Scrip. Eccles. in Iunil. p. 246.

Salvianus.

SAlvianus was Bishop of Marseilles in France, styled by Sixtus Senensis, Episcoporum sui temporis Magister, The Master of the Bishops of his time: he lived about 460. yeers after Christ, or as some others will have it, 480. It was about the time, when the Northerly people of Gothes came down into France and fearfully overrun it, which sad opression cansing the people of those parts to doubt of Gods Heavenly Providence in the worlds government, gave occasion to this learned Prelat to write that good and excellent book of his, De gubernatione Dei, wherein he sheweth that it is a just, and tighteous thing with God to punish sinfull men, which knowing well what they are to do, are yet negligent performers of their duty; which little work of his he dedicated to Salonius, who was at that time Bishop of Vienna.

Trithemius calls this man, Virum in divinis Scripturis eruditissimum, & in secularibus literis sufficienter instructum, A man most learned in the holy Scriptures, and sufficiently skill'd in humane and secular learning; agreeing with that of Six­tus Senensis, Divina & humana literatura copiose instructus.

The foresaid Historian speaking of his Epistles, saith of them, that they are Sale sapientiae condi­tae, seasoned with the salt of wisdom.

And Sixtus Senensis, in reference to all he hath written, tells us, Quod scripsit Latino candido & succincto sermone, multa laudatissima opuscula; That he wrote many commendable works in the Latine Tongue, both candidly and succinctly. He was the Master of Veranius and Salonius, both of which were also Bishops: So Gennadius reports in his de viris Illustribus.

Prosper of Aquitain.

PRosper of Aquitain, so called, (not as some think from his Bishoprick, for he was Bishop of Reimes, but from the place of his nativity, he being an Aquitain by birth) lived about the year of Christ 460. in the Reign of Leo Augustus; he wrote excellent Tractates, his Sentences are met with among the Works of Augustine. He shewed himself a most fierce and sharp impugner [Page 74]of the heresie of Pelagius. Besides his Theolo­gical writings, he was the Author of a Chrono­logie, mentioned by Gennadius. He succeeded in his Episcopal See to the Bishop Faventius.

Trithemius thus w [...]ites of him, Prosper Episco­pus Rhegiensis, vir in divinis Scripturis eruditissi­mus, & in secularibus nobiliter doctus carmine excellens, & prosa, eloquio disertus, sensu profun­dus, ingenio subtilis, assertione nervosus, vita & conversatione sanctissimus apparuit. Prosper the Bishop of Rheims, appeared to be a man most learned in the divine Scriptures, and nobly in­structed in things that were Secular, excellent both for verse and prose, eloquent in speech pro­found in sense, subtile in wit, sinewous in asser­tion, and holy in life and conversation.

He wrote a book de Ingratis Of Unthankeful men; by which name he alwayes meant the Pe­lagians, which sprung up out of the ashes of that Arch-heretick Pelagius: So Bishop Usher writes in his eighth Chapter de Primord. Britan. Ec­cles.

Bellarmine saith this of him to his honour, Quod multa praeclara scripsit pro gratia Dei con­tra Pelagianos: That he wrote many excellent things for the grace of God against the Pelagians; Se (que) Augustini discipulum, & defensorem acerri­mum demonstravit; and proved himself to be a disciple, and most sharp defender of Augu­stine.

Sixtus Senensis styles him, Virum acris ingenii, dictionis pressae, & nervosae, & elegantis; A man [Page 75]of a piercing wit, of a brief, sinewous, and ele­gant elocution.

Petrus Chrysologus.

PEtrus Chrysologus was Archbishop of Raven­na, born of Noble Parentage, styled by Six­tus Senensis, Vir tam vitae sanctitate, quam omni eruditionis genere excellens, A man excelling as well for sanctity of life, as for all kinde of learn­ing. He was instructed in Christian literature by Cornelius a certain Bishop, and advanced by Pope Sixtus the third, to that eminent dignity at Ra­venna.

In this mans time, there were two Councils summoned; the one by Coelius Symmachus the Pope, the other by Theodoricus the King of the Ostrogoths; the one sitting at Rome, and the o­ther at Ravenna. This Prelate was called to both: And besides, he delivered Letters to the Council of Chalcedon against the heretick Eu­tyches; which Letters are yet extant. He had the name of Chrysologus given him, because he was so near in conformity to Chrysostome, there being in both of them par phrasium majestas, a like majesty of phrase.

In the Epistle prefixed to this mans Sermons, [Page 76]you have this commendation bestowed upon him, Si cum hoc quosdam Neotericos, aut commentatores conferas Pigneum Atlanti comparare videaris: If you confer any of your Neotericks or late Com­mentators with this Author, you may seem to compare a Pigmy to Atlas.

Sixtus Senensis, speaking of those hundred two and twenty Sermons preached by this Prelate, he doth thus expresse them, Breves quidem, sed sensus gravitate venerandes, candore sermonis, venustis (que) verborum flosculis amaenos, argutis quibusdam sen­tentiolis naturali quadam facilitate fluentibus ju­cundos, & validis quibusdam affectibus interdunt verbis tragicis expressis admirandos. Short Ser­mons indeed, but yet for the gravity of sense, venerable; for candor of speech, and beautiful flowers of words, delectable; and for witty sen­tences, flowing with a natural facility, pleasant; and for strong affections, exprest sometimes with tragical words, admirable.

He dyed about the year of our Lord 500. when he had governed the Church of Ravenna 60 years.

Fulgentius.

FUlgentius an African, & a Citizen of Carthage, appeared soon after Prosper, about the year of Christ 500. He was Bishop of Rusp in Africk, and in his time had hot contentions with the Arians, condemned long before by the General Council of Nice. He confuted those which asserted the doctrine of Free-will, approving himself a puis­sant maintainer of the servitude of mans will to Sin and Satan, which he had received from Au­gustine, or rather from the Scriptures. He was Bishop of that Church near twenty five years, and dyed piously in the year of his age 65. He flou­rished under Anastasius the Emperour, and Thra­simundus the King of the Vandals.

In his life he shined with transcendent humi­lity and sincerity, detesting nothing more, than pride & luxury: He abstained from flesh, feeding altogether upon herbs and eggs. He did wear only one garment both in Summer and Winter; this being a usual saying with him, Corda potius quam vestimenta mutanda esse, That mens hearts were rather to be changed than their garments. He was so far from harbouring of wrath against any of his enemies, that being extremely injured by one Felix an Arian, and thereupon counselled by his friends to seek a remedy at Law, he sweetly replied to them, Christiani esse non ulcisci sese, [Page 78]Deum enim ulturum injuriam suis illatam: That its the Christians duty not to avenge himself, for God is the avenger of his children.

In the time of his sickness, his Physicians ad­vising him to bathe much, he replied, Putatisne balnea hominis mortalis fata impeditura? Do you think that baths will hinder the death of a man by nature mortal? And he would have these words very often in his mouth Domine hic da mihi poenitentiam, postea indulgentiam, Lord give me here repentance, and afterwards indul­gence.

Vossius calls this man, in allusion to his name, Fulgentissimum Ecclesiae sydus, The most bright­some star of the Church. Its said of him by Gomarus, Quod sententiis Augustini adeo delecta­tus erat, ut eas pluribus in locis, non tam imitatus sit, quam expresserit, That he was so far forth delighted with the sentences of Augustine, that he did not so much imitate them, as to the very life express them.

One takes notice of some of his writings, that they are thorny, sharp, and piercing, quasi aculeos in verbis inservisse visus esset, as if he had im­planted stings in his words. This is noted chief­ly in his Mythologie: whereas (as the same au­thor well observeth) alia pie quidem, & Christi­ane scripta non tam horrida sunt, other of his Works being piously and Christianly written, are not so rough.

He was banished with an hundred more Afri­can Bishops into the Island of Sardinia, by Thra­simundus [Page 79]the King of the Vandals, which might be the occasion of so much gall in some of his Treatises.

Gregorius Papa.

GRegorius Papa, called Gregory the Great, he was constituted Bishop of Rome after Pelagius, drawn (as it were) into the Chair by constraint. He was a Roman by birth, the first of the Popes (saith one) that discovered an hum­ble and lowly minde, who would be called Ser­vus servorum Dei, The servant of those which serve God. He was wonderfully averse to that great and proud Title of Oecumenical, or Univer­sal Bishop, boldly saying, In istud scelestum voca­bulum consentire, nihil aliud esse, quam fidem per­dere, That to agree to that wicked denomina­tion, were nothing else, but to destroy the Faith. He ever did acknowledge himself the Emperour Mauritius his Subject. He maintained disputes with the Jews, and against Hereticks. He con­firmed by publick Decrees, these four Councils, of Nice, of Constantinople, of Ephesus, and of Chalcedon.

He sustained many afflictions by the Longo­bards, who had with violence entred Italy, and wasted many of the Churches. He wrote many [Page 80]books, which were consumed after his death by them that hated them, a few onely being preser­ved through the intercession of Petrus Diaconus. He dyed in the year of Christ 606. he is said to have countenanced Images in Churches, although we finde no such toleration in the writings of former Fathers: but no wonder, if being a Monk, he was a Patron of Superslition and Ido­latry; yet Barthius gives him this character, Ejus Homiliae mirifice bonis rebus plenae, & exemplar sequentium seculorum doctoribus, His Homilies are wonderfully full of good things, and as a copy set for the Doctors of the following ages to write after. Nay, Erasmus calls him simplicem & pium. And again sayes he, In Gregorio pluram nullo (que) fuco picturatam sanctimoniam agnoscimus; We acknowledge in Gregory pure sanctimony, and painted with no false deceitful colour.

But Martin Luther doth not without some colourable grounds disparage him, whilst he hath this passage in the 49 Chapter of Genesis, Grego­rium admodum tenuiter cognovisse Christum, & verbum Evangelii: That Gregory knew Christ, and the word of his holy Gospel very slenderly. The successor of this Pope, Sabinianus by name, out of spight and spleen to his memory, endea­voured the destruction of all his Works: Of which Sabinianus we reade, that he was the first Inventer of the use of Bells, and of Lamps per­petually burning.

Isidorus Hispalensis.

ISidorus Hispalensis lived in the yeer of the Lord 630. and dyed in the raign of the Emperour Heraclius: Gesner saith, that he wrote a Com­mentarie almost on all the Scripture, besides he wrote a book, De ortu, & obitu Sanctorum, Of the birth and death of the Saints, and of the Na­tivity, Passion, and resurrection of our Saviour, together with many Philosophicall Treatises; as of Astronomy, Cosmography, and Grammaticall learning; moreover he wrote two books of Epi­stles, to severall persons contemporary then with him. Iohn Gerson doth affirm that the acts of the Councills were collected by this Isi­dore.

Sixtus Senensis saith, that this man was conceived to have been the Disciple of Great Gregorie. Our Bishop Downham having an occasion to men­tion him, tells us, that he was Archbishop of Sivill in Spain, and one of the most learned wri­ters, which have been in the Church within these thousand yeers. He is said to have culd, and gathered out of the immense writings of the ancient Fathers, innumerable volumes of all Arts, and Sciences. To him in regard of his great Sanctity of life, Annuall honours on the sixteenth [Page 82]of Ianuary are decreed. Hildephonsus composed a Catalogue of his works. This Isidore was cal­led Isidore Iunione, or the younger Isidore, in di­stinction to another of that name, called Isi­dore Pelusiota, who flourished about 450. yeers after Christ, and was the disciple of Iohn Chry­sostome.

He wrote a hundred and thirty Greek Epistles now extant (as some write) in the Vaticane Li­brary, wherein he did explain the deep mysteries of the Christian Religion. Cardinall Baeronius has inserted into his Annalls an Epistle of this mans, written to the Emperour Theodosius, in whose Raign he flourished.

Suidas doth thus advance him, telling us, quod una cum simplicitate veritatem amaret probaret, & sine omni simulatione loqueretur. That he loved the Truth with simplicity; That he approved of it, and would speak it without dissimulation or hypo­crisy. And Demster gives Hispalensis Isidore this following Elogie, Grammaticus necessarius in que plera (que) quae nusquam alibi; A needfull Gramma­marian, in whom there are many things no where else to be met with.

Beda.

BEda was an English man by birth, calle Ve­nerabilis, venerable for his great learning, and gravity, and yet he was miserably ensnared with Popish errours, which in those times had over­spread like a Gangrene every Nation, wherein there was a possession of Christianity, so that it might be said, that as the whole world was once called Arian, so then it might have been stiled Antichristian.

Yet this man, though corrupt in his opini­ons, and judgement, was very zealous in the duties of his calling, fervent in prayer, labori­ous in reading, writing, and preaching of the Gos­pel. But there is nothing makes more for his com­mendation then his noble patience, in bearing those heavy and fearfull agonies, which he under­went immediately before his death. He was of great fame in the Raign of Iustinian the second of that name, about the yeer of Christ, 690. He lived as some reports, Vitam longissimam, till he was very aged. He dyed under Leo the third in the yeer 731. so some say, but others 734. His works are set out in eight Tomes. His Commentaries on Pauls Epistles, he gathered out of Augustine, as him­self doth insinuate by these words in the preface of them, In Apostolum quaecun (que) in opusculis S. Au­gustini [Page 84]exposita Inveni, contra per ordinem transcri­bere curavi; Whatsoever I have found expound­ed on the Apostle, in the works of S. Augustine, I have taken care to transcribe them in their order.

Durandus writes of this Bede, that being blinde by reason of his great Age, he caused himself to be led into the villages by certain guides, that he might preach the Word unto the people: and when on a time they carried him into a valley full of stones, and his leaders deluded him, say­ing, that there was a throng of people met to­gether, whereas indeed there was not a man come to hear him, he began to preach very zea­lously, as was his manner, and when he had con­cluded his Sermon with these words, per secula seculorum, instantly all the stones cryed out with a loud voice, Amen, Venerabilis Beda, Amen, whence it was, saith this Durandus, that he was ever after stiled Venerable Beda.

Johannes Damascenus.

IOhannes Damascenus was a superstitious Monk, the disciple of Cosmus, contemporary with Bede, who appeared in the West, as he did in the East. He was for a time mingled with the Sa­racens, and for fear of death committed Idola­try amongst them, worshipping (as they did) the bones of Mahomet. He stood stifly for Imagery, whereupon he was excommunicated in the Gene­ral Council assembled by Constantius Copronymus. He was much conversant in the books of the an­cient Fathers, as appears by his Treatise de Or­thodoxa Fide; but if he had been as narrow a searcher of the holy Scriptures, he had not fallen into those Popish snares.

He was the first man that brought Christian Religion to a certain method; in imitation of whom, Peter Lombard, styled The Master of the sentences, did the like. He flourished under Leo Isaurus and Constantius Copronymus, about the year of Christ 730.

Suidas does commend him in these words, Damascenus vir doctrissimus aetatis suae nulli eo­rum, qui doctrina illustres fuerunt, secundus: Da­mascene a most learned man, second to none of his age, that were accounted learned. Baronius cen­sures him for a vain, empty, light, and lying Wri­ter. [Page 86]And Bellarmine, lib. 2. de Purgator. cap. 8. doth disparage and extenuate this mans authority, and yet he makes use of a book of his to prove his Purgatory.

Those Orations, which this Author did write concerning Images, this is Baronius his judgment of them, Fidem illius scripti in multis vacillare, & compluribus scatere mendaciis. Tom. 2. Annal. ann. 31. 675.

Rabanus Maurus.

RAbanus Maurus, by Nation a German, was the fourth Abbot of Fulda, and from that degree advanced to the Archbishoprick of Ments, being the sixth Prelate which possessed that Chair. He was sometime scholar to that famous English man Alcuinus. All the while he was Abbot, his Monks hated him, because they saw him so in­tent upon his studies, and so neglectful of world­ly advantages and interests: Whereupon he left them, and went to Lewis the Emperour, and would not return any more unto his Abbey, though much importuned by those his Monks to come, God so ordering it for their downfal and destruction; for no sooner was he advanced to his Archiepiscopal See of Ments, but their con­fusion [Page 87]immediately followed.

While he lived in his Monastery, some say that he compiled Commentaries on all the Scri­ptures, being encouraged thereunto by the Em­perours Lewis and Lotharius; which he gathered out of the Latine Fathers from Ierome to Vene­rable Bede, evermore holding to their sayings, sentences, and senses; and in those places where­in he did not meet with the Expositions of those foresaid Fathers, he made supply with his own: yet withall for distinction sake, that the Reader might know and understand, which was his Ex­planation, and which theirs, he alwayes set the Authors Names to their Annotations.

Trithemius in his Catalogue of famous men bestows upon him this Elogie, In omni eruditione tam secularium, quam divinarum Scripturarune longe doctissimus evasit, cui similem suo tempone non habuit Ecclesia: He was esteemed most learn­ed in all manner of erudition, as well sacred as secular: The Church had not his fellow or equal in his time.

And Sixtus Senensis speaks as full, as much in the praise of this man, who styles him, Virum omnium disciplinarum cognitione absolutissimum, Rhetorem, Poetam, Astronomum, Philosophum, & Theologum, cui nullum in illo seculo Germania ha­buit parem. A man most absolute in the know­ledge of all disciplines, a Rhetorician, a Poet, an Astronomer, a Philosopher, and a Divine, to whom Germany in that age could not finde a Peer. Helvieus saith, that this man flourished in the [Page 88]year of Christ 814. others 840. Bellarmine calls him Virum aeque doctum ac pium, a man equally learned and pious.

Haymo.

HAymo a Monk of Fulda, and near kinsman of the Reverend Bedes, was one of Alcui­nus his scholars, and school-fellow together with Rabanus Maurus: He was chosen Bishop of Hal­berstade, about the year of our Lord 840. He wrote Commentaries on the Scriptures, which he gathered out of those that were before him. He was of the Romish Church, but yet he is not al­together so erroneous, as other Popish Writers both before and after him: Besides his foresaid Commentaries, he published in ten Books a com­pendious Ecclesiastical History. He continued in his Episcopal See about thirteen years; some say he died in the year of Christ 853. and that he lieth buried in that Cathedral.

Sixtus Senensis styles him virum sanctitate, & eruditione insignem, a man famous for his sanctity and learning; and the same Author speaking like­wise of those good Commentaries this man put out, he gives them this following commendation, Pietate, brevitate, dictionis simplicitate, ac per­spicuitate laudandos, To be praised for their piety, brevity, simplicity of expression, and perspicuity. [Page 89]And further he saith of this Expositor, Quod ver­satus est ferme semper in allegoricis, & anagogicis sensibus, quos velut spiritualis apicula, ex omnium antiquorum hortis, ac pratis florentissimis excerpsit, quo legentibus esset parata saluberrimi mellis co­pia; He was almost alwayes conversant in alle­gorical and anagogical senses, which as a spiritual Bee, he gathered out of the most flourishing gar­dens and meadows of all the Ancients, whereby there might be provided for them which reade him, plenty of most wholesom honey.

And Trithemius in his Catalogue of illustrious men, thus pourtrayeth him, Vir in divinis Scri­pturis eruditissimus, & insecularibus literis nulli suo tempore secundus, ingenio acutus, sermone disertus, vita & conversatione devotus, in declamandis ad populum Omiliis celeberrimis industriae fuit: A man most learned in the Scriptures, and for secu­lar learning second to none in his time; of an acute wit, eloquent in speech, devout in life and conversation, and in declaiming of Homilies to the people, he was of a most transcendent in­dustry.

And yet Erasmus doth somewhat diminish him in these words, Haymo non uno & altero loco deliravit; Haymo hath doted more than in a few places.

Theophylactus.

THeophylactus was Archbishop of Bulgaria. There is difference among Writers concern­ing the time when he lived: Gerhard in his Pa­trologie tells us, that he flourished when Alexan­der was Pope, and Diogenes was Emperour, about the year 1071. though Baronius and Bellarmine say it was in 880. and others 990. and Eutropius 760. But its likely, because he was the instru­ment that converted the Bulgariaus, that he ap­peared sooner than some will have him. He wrote Commentaries on the Gospels, on Pauls Epistles, the Acts, and on some of the Prophets, all in the Greek Tongue, which were translated by Montanus and some others.

He was an imitator of Chrysostome: Hence saith Sixtus Senensis of him, that he was in Chry­sostomi lectione diu multumque versatus, ac detri­tus, much worn, and a long while conversant in the reading of Chrysostome. Nay, all his Com­ments are reputed nothing else but an Abridge­ment of the Writings of that excellent Author, and so the foresaid Senensis intimates in these words, Redegit in breve, & apertum compendi­um, quicquid admirabilis ille pater ex aureo suo [Page 91]ore, veluti ex abundantissimo fonte, in exponendis scripturis sanctis effuderat: He did reduce into a short and open Compend, whatsoever that ad­mirable Father had, in expounding of the holy Scriptures, poured out of his golden mouth, as it were out of a most abundant fountain.

He did sharply refute the Hereticks of old, but for the errours of the Roman Church in his own time, he did too much indulge to. He had an honourable esteem of Marriage, and was of opinion, that Antichrist should then appear, when the Roman Empire did begin to sink. Erasmus gives him this Elogie, Bulgarius In­terpres Graecus recentior, sed haud quaquam ma­lus mea sententia: The Bulgarian Bishop a more late Greek Interpreter, but not a bad one in my opinion. 'Tis Luther's, Augustinus, Hila­rius, Theophylactus excellunt: In Coll. Mens. cap. 30.

Bellarmine proves this man schismatical, be­cause in the third Chapter of Iohn, he reproves the Latines for believing the holy Ghost to pro­ceed also from the Son.

Oecumenius.

OEsumenius was a Greek Writer, as well as Theophylact; but when he likewise flou­rished, its controverted by many Authors: some say be lived about 900 years after Christ, others 1000. Sixtus Sinensis tells us, that it must be after the 800 year, in regard of those Authors he makes use of in his Works.

This man collected out of the Commentaries of the Fathers Expositions on the Acts, the seven Canonical Epistles, and all Saint Pauls, which were rendred into Latine by Maximus Floren­tinus. Its said, That after this man had set out his Comments, Theophylacts were not so highly valued; the one being so much preferred in that way before the other; and he also borrowed most of his Expositions from Chrysostome.

Sixtus Senensis speaking of this Writer, calls him Graecum autorem, valde doctum, a Greek Author, very learned; and further he addes, In explicandis divinis scripturis brevis, apertus, & elegans, in unfolding or expounding the divine Scriptures, brief, clear, and elegant. One Theo­dulus, a Priest of Coelosyria, has some Annotations on the Epistle to the Romans, but they are all taken out of this Oecumenius.

Lanfrancus.

LAnfrancus an Italian by nation, borne at Papia, was Arch-bishop of Canterbury, and in great esteem for his profound learning, with our William the Conquerour, he was Berengarius his great Antagonist, and writ against him, maintaining the errour of Transubstantiation, which the said Berengarius had so stifly opposed: he was one of those 113. Bishops which were convened by Pope Nicholas the second at Rome, for the rooting out of that Sacramentall truth Berengarius had published.

Its a thing observed by the Orthodox learned, that before this age of Lanfrancus, the Doctrine of Augustine was universally received, and follow­ed, first published by Egyppus, Fulgentius his equal, afterward by Fulgentius himself, then by Prima­sius, all of these being African Divines, and emi­nent for their learning. And so it continued to be maintained by Isidore Hispalensis, Maximus Taurinensis, and Prosper of Aquitane. Nay rati­fied it was likewise by Council, as the Aurasi­cane, and the sixth Constantinopolitane, and before that Charles the great governed the Roman Em­pire, it was stoutly defended by Bede a Saxon and his Disciples, Alcuinus, Claudius, Rabanus Maurus, [Page 94]and by many other learned Doctors, for the space of 500 yeers and upwards.

But now began men to swerve from that good and pure doctrine of Augustine, and especially about that Article of the Sacrament. Satan by his instruments promoting (as Pareus expresseth it) immanem illum Transubstantiationis errorem, infini­torum aliorum fontem, that huge errour of Transub­stantiation, the fountain of many others.

This Lanfrancus, though he had so great an in­terest in the favour of the Conquerour, as that he ordered all his Affaires both in Church, and State, yet when Rufus came to enjoy the crown he had not that influence, for the Nobles of the Realme, out of emulation and envy, had alienated the young Kings affections from him; which occa­sioned his sicknesse, whereof he soon dyed.

Ranulphus relates this of him, that it was his serious, and frequent desire, he might dye of no other disease then a Feaver, or Dysenterie, be­cause in those distempers the use of speech would continue to the last breath; he sate in his Archi­episcopal Chaire about nineteen yeers, and dy­ed in the third yeer of the Raign of King Ru­fus.

Sixtus Senensis calls this man, omnium suitempo­ris, in omni literarum genere doctissimum, of all men of his time the most learned in all kindes of learning: and speaking of those works which he hath written, he saith this of them, Quod inter alia praestantis ingenii monumenta, reliquit pios at­que [Page 95]eruditos in totum psalterium commentarios. That among many other monuments of his ex­cellent wit, he left behinde him pious and learn­ed Commentaries on the whole book of Psalms. He flourished when Henry the third enjoyed the imperiall diadem, about the yeer of our Lord 1060. So saith Sixtus Senensis.

Anselmus.

ANselmus succeeded Lanfrancus in the Ar­chiepiscopall See of Canterbury, who for a Popish Writer was a man of great fame in the times he lived, and of no mean repute for his learning, even in the reformed Churches. He was by birth a Burgundian, and advanced from an Ab­bot to that eminent Ecclesiasticall dignity by William Rufus then King of England, betwixt whom, and this Bishop there happened afterwards hot contentions, because the King had put up in his coffers some rents of Defunct Bishops, which the Prelat would ever have peculiar, and ap­propiate to the Church; hereupon he was twice banished out of England, but at last returning up­on a solemne friendly invitation from the said King, he was received by the people with high acclamations, and great joyes.

This Bishop was very much against the mar­riage of the Clergie, which it seems was in use till his time in England, and he is said to attribute the honour to the Virgin Mother, as he did to our Lord her Son. He fell sick at Edmondbury, and and on the 28th. day of Aprill in the yeer of Christ 1109. being aged 76 yeers, he dyed at Canterbury, whether he had been removed in the time of his sicknesse, and was buried at the head of his Predecessor Lanfrancus. Though afterwards he was taken up, and interred in the eastern part of the said Cathedral, which he had in his life­time adorned with a most sumptuous structure.

This man, because by his notable writings he had advanced the Papal Tyranny, and depressed as much on the other side the Kingly Soveraignty, therefore did Pope Urban Order and Decree, That he and his successors should sit at his right Foot in every General Council; and thus it was proclaimed, when that place was given him, in the open Assembly, Includamus hunc in orbe nostro, tanquam alterius orbis Papam.

Sixtus Senensis thus describes him, Anselmus vir tam divinis, quam humanis disciplinis nobiliter excultus, stylo mire simplici, & puro, sed non in jocundo? His life was written by his intimate friend Edinerus. He wished, when he was dy­ing, that he might have had a little more time here allowed him, till he had perfected that most obscure Problem of the Souls Original, which it seems he had in his life-time taken in hand to determine; but sayes one of him, Hoc tempus [Page 97]datum ei non est, ut majus bonum in aeternitate ei daretur: This time was not given him, that a greater good might be given to him in Eter­nity.

Bernardus.

BErnardus Abbot of Claraval, flourished in the time of the Schoolmen, and yet is rec­koned as one of the Fathers, for his sanctity of life, and soundness of Doctrine.

Chemnitius saith of him this, Recentissimus est, vixitque post confirmatam Episcopi Romani Ty­rannidem: He is the latest Father, and lived af­ter that the Tyranny of the Roman Bishop was established: Yet he did much inveigh against the impiety of the Pope, his Cardinals, Bishops, and all that Antichristian Clergy.

Bishop Carleton sayes, Utinam tales papistas multos, imo vel unum talem hodie haberemus in toto regno Pontificio, qualem Bernhardum fuisse constat. I would to God we had this day many such Papists, nay but one such, as it is manifest Bernhard was. [...]e solidly disputes, (as the foresaid Bishop further doth observe) of the chief Fundamentals and Heads of Faith, as of the Scri­ptures, of the Church, of Mans Misery, of free [Page 98]Justification, of Grace, of New Obedience; all of these against the Fables of the Trent Council. And, saith Carleton, Is he a Papist, that follows the Catholick Church, and the consent of the ancient Fathers, against the Jesuites, and the Trent Impostors?

Hence it is, that many Princes made use of him for decision of controversies, and compo­sing of contentions in the Church. This was he, which advised Count Theobald, when he saw him at great expences in the building of Temples, that he would rather supply the houshold of Faith, and build up the living Tabernacles of the most High: He died in the 64 year of his age.

This is Erasmus his character of him, Bern­hardus festivus, jucundus, nec segnis in movendis aeffectibus: Bernhard is pleasant, sweet, and not slow in moving the affections. And again sayes the same Author, Bernhardus vir & Christiane doctus, & sancte facundus, & pie festivus, in cap. 1. Rom. p. 243.

This is Bishop Mortons Elogie which he gives him, In atro Romanae Ecclesiae nocte, fere solus [...]ffulsit Bernhardus, qui tam doctrinae, quam vitae fuae lumine in multis articulis tenebras pontificias dispulit; In the dark night of the Romish Church, almost onely Bernhard shined forth, who as well by the light of his doct [...]e, as his life, hath in many Articles scattered the Popish dark­ness.

I will adde no more, but that of Sixtus Se­nensis, [Page 99]who saith thus of him, Oratio ubique dul­cis, & ardens, ita delectat, & ardenter incendit, ut ex suavissima lingua ejus mel, & lac verbo­rum fluere, & ex ardentissimo ejus pectore ignito­rum affectuum incendia erumpere videantur. His speech every-where sweet and ardent, doth so delight and fervently inflame, that there do seem to flow from his most sweet tongue, honey and milk of words, and out of his most ardent breast, fires of burning affections to break out.