2 b 1. And the reader standing upon an eminence, in the middle of the church let him read the books of Moses, and of Joshua the son of Nun, the Judges, the Kingdoms, and the Chronicles, and those concerning the return from the captivity, and beside these the book of Job, and Solomon, and the sixteen prophets. And when there have been two readings, [or 'when two readings are over] let another sing [or read in a chanting manner] the hymns of David; and let the people repeat the conclusions in a chanting voice. Afterwards let our Acts be read, and the epistles of Paul, our fellow-worker, which he sent to the churches under "the conduct of the Holy Spirit. And afterwards let a deacon, or a presbyter, read the gospels 'which I Matthew, and I John, delivered to you, and those which the fellow-workers of Paul, Mark, and Luke received and left to you. After this let one of the presbyters exhort the people, and last of all the bishop.' C Many remarks might be made here; but the most important are obvious, and cannot well be overlooked by any. The author received four gospels, and no more; also the Acts of the apostles, and St. Paul's epistles. Why the epistles of James, Peter, Jude, and John, are omitted may not be easy to say; but that he received others, beside those here mentioned, will appear presently. As Mark is here considered as a fellow-labourer of the apostle Paul, it is likely, the writer means Mark, nephew to Barnabas, often mentioned in the Acts, and in several of St. Paul's epistles, Col. iv. 10. 2 Tim. iv. 11, Philem. 24. d 2. In the above passage, the names of all the evangelists, writers of the four gospels, are expressly named. The Acts of the apostles likewise is in this work ascribed to St. Luke. 3. All St. Paul's epistles are here quoted, and most of them several times, particularly that to the Hebrews. 4. The writer received other epistles of apostles, beside those of Paul, as appears from those words, And after the reading of the law, and the prophets, and our epistles, and the Acts of "the apostles.' That direction is given in the name of the twelve apostles. 5. There are supposed to be four or five quotations or references to the epistle of St. James; but they are not all clear. 6. It should be here observed by us, that this writer did not esteem James, brother of the Lord, and bishop of Jerusalem, one of the twelve apostles. He is distinguished from them in several places of this work. h k i 7. There are several plain quotations of the first epistle of Peter. I put in the margin 1 one or two: I transcribe one here for the sake of its singularity. You therefore are the holy and 'sacred church of God," written" or inrolled in heaven, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a "peculiar people," a bride adorned for the Lord God.' Here is a reference to Heb. xii. 23. and 1 Pet. ii. 9. Whether there be in the last words a reference to the Revelation, deserves to be considered; he may refer to Rev. xxi. 2. Or, perhaps he has no text of scripture at all in his eye. m 8. There are no clear references to the second epistle of St. Peter. 9. There are not in the Constitutions any quotations of the three epistles of St. John, or of the epistle of St. Jude. 10. Some may wonder, that when there are so many quotations of St. Paul's epistles, and of most other books of the New Testament, there should be so few quotations of the catholic epistles. But that wonder may be abated, when we consider how little notice is taken of the catholic epistles, in comparison with Paul's, by divers learned Christian writers of the fourth and fifth centuries, who lived in the east. St. Chrysostom, of the fourth century, has left homilies, or commentaries, upon the gospels of St. Matthew and St. John, the Acts of the apostles, and St. Paul's fourteen epistles, but none Vid. l. ii. c. 8. et c. 58. p. 266. I. vii. e. 5. 1. viii. c. 2. h Vid. l. ii. c. 55. 1. vi. cap. 12. in. & c. 14. 1. viii. c. 46. i Lib. iii. c. 15. sub fin. 1. vii. c. 2. l. v. c. 16. p. 321. l. vi. c. 29. * Και μεις αν εσε άδια τ8 θε8 ιερα εκκλησια αποδεδραμμένη εν ερανῳ, βασιλειον ἱεραίευμα, εθνος άδιον, λαος εις περιποιησιν, νυμφη κεκαλλωπισμενη κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ. L. ii. c. 25. p. 238. m. ἡτοιμασμενην ὡς νύμφην κεκοσμημενην τῳ ανδρι αύτης. Apoc. cap. xxi. 2. m Vid. 1. vii. c.14. upon the catholic epistles. And there are in his homilies and commentaries, few quotations of the catholic epistles, in comparison of St. Paul's. In the index of scriptures, at the end of the tenth tome of his works, of the Benedictine edition, a large volume of 730 pages, containing homilies upon the first and second to the Corinthians, and commentaries upon the epistle to the Galatians, there is not one text from the catholic epistles, though there are quotations of the four gospels, the Acts, and all Paul's epistles, except that to Philemon: and of most of them several, or many quotations. In the index at the end of the eleventh tome is but one text of the first epistle of St. Peter, and one of the first epistles of St. John: whereas all St. Paul's epistles, without exception, are there quoted, and most of them often. In the index at the end of the twelfth tome there is not one text from the catholic epistles, though there are quotations of all the preceding books, or epistles of the New Testament, and several quotations of most of them. Those indexes indeed, may not be complete; I believe they are not; though, I think, they are exacter than such things generally are. However, undoubtedly texts are not omitted designedly. The Benedictine editors of St. Chrysostom's works, were as willing to collect the quotations of the catholic epistles, as of any other books of the New Testament. Theodoret, in the fifth century, who has questions, or commentaries, upon all, or most of the books of the Old Testament, and commentaries upon St. Paul's fourteen epistles, has none upon the catholic epistles. Nor does he in his works quote the catholic epistles oftener than St. Chrysostom has done. It is not needful to mention more particulars of this kind. 11. If the Revelation is not quoted here, that affords no argument that the Constitutions were composed before the publishing of that book. If the Constitutions were drawn up in the latter part of the fourth, or in the fifth century, there would be little reason to expect in them any quotation of the Revelation; because at that time it was received by few Greek writers, or Christians who lived in the eastern part of the Roman empire. 12. There can be no question made, but the writer of the Constitutions received all those books of the New Testament, which were all along generally received by Christians. Whether he received those catholic epistles, which were at some times doubted of, we cannot say certainly; but it appears to me somewhat probable, that he received all those books of the New Testament, which are commonly received now by us, except the Revelation: concerning which, it is likely, he was of the same opinion with many other Greek writers of the time above-mentioned, by whom it was not received. 13. This author had the history of the woman taken in adultery, which we now have in St. John's gospel, chap. viii. at the beginning. с 14. The common titles and divisions of the books of scripture occur here frequently: the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel; the Law, the Prophets, the Psalms, and the Gospel, and the like. 15. The respect of the writer, and of Christians in his time, for the sacred scripture, is manifest from many passages above transcribed, where they are quoted, and where the public reading of them in the assemblies of Christians is spoken of. d 16. Christians in general are exhorted to private reading the scriptures in this manner: • Sitting at home, read the Law, the Kingdoms, the Prophets, sing the hymns of David; and with care peruse the gospel, which is the completion of them.' More to the like purpose follows there in the next chapter. e 17. When a bishop is ordained, it is appointed by all the apostles met together, that the • divine gospels be held open over his head by the deacons.' f IX. Concerning the Canons, the judgment of Cotelerius is, that they cannot be ascribed to the apostles, or Clement, because they are not received with other books of scripture, are not quoted by the writers of the first ages, and contain in them many things not agreeable to the apostolical times. 1. I do not think myself obliged to enlarge here: they who are curious may consult & Beve a Vid. l. ii. c. 25. p. 236. c L. v. c. 19. p. 323. e b L. ii. c. 39. p. 249. d L. i. c. 5. Vid. et cap. 6. - των δε διακόνων τα θεια ευαγγελια επι της το χειρο 1ονεμενα κεφαλης ανεπλυόμενα κατεχοντων. L. vii. c. 4. p. 391. Decreta ista apostolis et Clementi tribui non debere evin cit, quod cum aliis sacræ scripturæ voluminibus non legantur, quod a primorum seculorum scriptoribus non laudentur, quodque multa contineant nondum temporibus apostolicis recepta. Cotel. Jud. de Canon. Ap. ap. Patr. Ap. T. i. Codex Canon. Illustrat. a b d ridge, Daillé, Turner, Sam. Basnage, and also James Basnage: which last says, that some of them are ancient, others not older than the seventh century. Not now particularly to mention any more authors. 2. The 85th canon contains a catalogue of the books of the Old and New Testament: I take only the latter part of it. But our sacred books, that is, of the New Testament, are the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; fourteen epistles of Paul; two epistles of Peter; three of John; one of James, one of Jude; two epistles of Clement; and the Constitutions inscribed to you bishops, by me Clement, in eight books; which ought not to be divulged before all, because of the mystical things in them; and the Acts of us the apostles.' с 3. Upon this canon I need not say any thing more, than that it is not ancient, or drawn up till after the end of the third century; which I think will appear from the following observations. (1.) The epistle to the Hebrews was rejected, or doubted of by many in the first three centuries, and also in the fourth century: but if this canon had been then in being, and acknowledged as apostolical, that epistle would have been received by all. (2.) Several of the catholic epistles, that of James, the second of Peter, the second and third of John, and that of Jude, were rejected, or doubted of by many in the early times of Christianity whereas they would have been received by all if this canon had been in being, and had been acknowledged to be apostolical. Mill' has already argued in this manner, and, I think, invincibly. (3.) The Revelation was received by many in the second, and third, and following centuries; which it would not have been, if there had been a canon composed by the apostles, or Clement their companion, in which all other books of scripture were distinctly enumerated, and that omitted. Baronius has very good observations, in my opinion, upon this 85th, or last canon of the apostles. How could so many of the Latin and Greek writers, says he, receive the Revelation, which was wanting in an apostolical canon? And how could there have been such different opinions about the epistle to the Hebrews, and several of the catholic epistles, if they had been made canonical by an apostolical decree. (4.) The first epistle of Clement was reckoned canonical by a very few, if any of the writers of the first three centuries: therefore this pretended apostolical canon, which placeth it among books of sacred scripture, was not in being. h (5.) The second epistle, called Clement's was not " esteemed his in the third century: and that it is not a genuine work of his, has been clearly' shewn. (6.) The Constitutions are never reckoned among canonical books of scripture by any writers of the first three centuries. (7.) Finally, the silence here enjoined with regard to the Constitutions, because of the mystical things' contained in them, is another argument, that this canon was not drawn up in the early days of Christianity. For the Disciplina arcani, or Doctrine of Arcanism, has no countenance from the authentic books of the New Testament: and was also unknown to Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Minucius Felix, and other primitive Christian writers; who declare freely, and without reserve, before all the world, the principles of their religion, and their method of wor a De Pseudep. Ap. p. 581-593. As before, p. 279. &c. c Canonum, qui Apostolici usurpantur, non Clementem Rom. non Alexandrinum, sed anonymum quinto seculo collectorem fuisse existimamus. Qui, corrasis complurium synodorum decretis, seculis secundo, tertio, quarto labentibus congregatarum, synodicon confecit suum. Ann. 300. n. 14. Vid. et 15-17. On peut ajoûter à ce recueil les canones des Apôtres, dont quelques uns sont assez anciens, et les autres ne sont faits qu'au septième siècle. Hist. de l'Egl. 1. ix. c. 7. n. 5. • Και αἱ Διαβαζαι ὑμιν τοις επισκόποις δι εμπ Κλημεντος εν οκτω βιβλίοις προσπεφωνημέναι, ας ο χρη δημοσιεύειν επι παντων, δια τα εν αυλαις μυσικα· και αἱ Πράξεις ήμων των αποδο Awv. Can. 85. f Unde constat, canonem 85 ex his qui Apostolici dicuntur, in quo epistola Jacobi, cæteræque supra memoratæ inter cano nicas recensentur, haud genuinum esse, neque primis sæculis exstitisse. Certe, si canon iste mox ab initio exstitisset, ecclesiæ ab apostolis fundatæ epistolas isto canone approbatas nequâquam repudiâssent, aut in dubium vocâssent. Proleg. n. 201. & Rursum vero, quod ad novissimum illum canonem spectat, quo libri canonici recensentur; ecquis unquam antiquorum Latinorum atque Græcorum adnumerare inter canonicos libros præsumsisset Apocalypsim, quam scisset in apostolorum canone prætermissam, qui vel saltem causam aliquam ejusmodi silentii non adduxisset?- -Vel quid quod cum de his frequens inter patres oborta sit controversia, nemo penitus reperiatur, qui ejusmodi canonis vel saltem obiter meminerit? Ann, 102. n. 15, 16. h Vid. Euseb. H. E. 1. iii. c. 38. et Hieron. de. V. I. cap. 15. iSee vol. i. p.291-293. ship; as has been often observed by learned men of late times. And, I pray, why is this reserve enjoined, with regard to the Constitutions only? Are there no mysteries in any other books here mentioned? And are there not in the Constitutions many directions given to the laity, and to all men in general? Are they not at the beginning inscribed to all who from among the "Gentiles have believed in Jesus Christ?' There must have been some particular reason for this caution. And possibly this may be as probable a reason as any that the composer of this canon, who was either the author, or at least a great favourer of the Constitutions, being conscious of their novelty, inserted this caution with a view to evade, or weaken, the argument. against their genuineness and authority, taken from the silence of antiquity about them. I place at the bottom of the page an observation of Abp. Usher to the like purpose. a Upon the whole, I think, these observations demonstrate the late date of this canon, and that it had not a being in the first three centuries, or for some time after. Consequently it deserves not the regard of Christians now, who are willing to be determined by evidence. b CHAP. LXXXVI. RHETICIUS, BISHOP OF AUTUN. d RHETICIUS, or Reticius, bishop of Autun,' says Jerom, was a man of great note in Gaul, in the time of the emperor Constantine. There are extant his Commentaries upon the Canticles, ⚫ and another large work against the Novatians. Nor have I met with any other writings of his.' 2. Rheticius was mentioned by us formerly, in the history of the Donatists. He was one, of the Gallican bishops appointed by Constantine to hear Cacilian and them, in a council at Rome in 313. He was also present at the council of Arles, relating to the same cause, in 314. 3.-Rheticius's Commentary upon the Canticles is mentioned by Jerom in some of his letters., I shall place a part of what he says below. He owns, that there was somewhat agreeable in the style; but says, the work was of little use for assisting men to understand the sacred author. He mentions some trifling thoughts: and blames Rheticius for not having first consulted Origen, and other interpreters, before he attempted to write a commentary himself. с 4. Rheticius is mentioned by Augustine in his writings against the Pelagians. He speaks Ita enim bipedum nequissimus, qui Clementis personam (quinto post excessum ipsius sæculo) induit, Constitutionibus a seipso interpolatis, et in aliam pene speciem transformatis, canonicam auctoritatem conciliare conatus est: eâ tamen ad mysterium iniquitatis suæ celaudum cautione adhibitâ, ut eas nullo modo divulgandas-præciperet. Ex quibus et Albaspinæus [Obs. 1. i. c. 13.] recte observavit, Constitutiones hasce primis seculis factas non esse; cum primi seculi Christiani sua lubentes mysteria, ut vel ex Justino constat, enuntiarent. Usser. Proleg. seu Diss. Ignat. cap. vi, fin. Rheticius, duorum, id est, Augustodunensis Episcopus, sub Constantino celeberrimæ famæ habitus est in Galliis. Leguntur ejus Commentarii in Cantica Canticorum, et aliud grande volumen adversus Novatianum. Nec præter hæc quidquam ejus operum reperi. De V. I. cap. 82. See p. 297. Vid. Euseb. H. E. 1. x. c. 5. p. 39. et Optat. 1. i. c. 13. Ob hoc et ego obsecro, et tu ut petas plurimum quæso, ut tibi beati Rheticii Augustodunensis episcopi Commentarios ad describendum largiatur, in quibus Canticum Canticorum sublimi ore disseruit. Ad Florent. ep. 4. al. 6. T. iv. p. 6. in. Nuper quum Rheticii Augustodunensis episcopi, qui quondam a Constantino imperatore sub Silvestro episcopo ob causam Montensium missus est Romam, Commentarios in Canticum Canticorum perlegissem,-vehementer miratus VOL. H. sum, virum eloquentem, præter ineptias sensuum cæterorum, Tharsis urbem putâsse Tarsum, in quâ Paulus apostolus natus sit.Innumerabilia sunt, quæ in illius mihi Commentariis sordere visa sunt. Est quidem sermo compositus, et Gallicano cothurno fluens. Sed quid ad interpretem, cujus professio est, non quo ipse disertus appareat, sed quo eum, qui lecturus est, sic faciat intelligere, quomodo ipse intellexit qui scripsit? Rogo, non habuerat Origenis volumina? non inter-. pretes cæteros? non certe aliquos necessarios Hebræorum, ut aut interrogaret, aut legeret, quid sibi vellent quæ ignorabat? Sed tam male videtur existimâsse de cæteris, ut nemo possit de ejus erroribus judicare. Frustra ergo a me ejusdem viri Commentarios postulas, quum mihi in illis displiceant multo plura, quam placeant. &c. Ad Marcell. Ep. 133. al. ep. 10. inter criticas. T. ii. p. 662. 62-4. Rheticium ab Augustoduno episcopum magnæ auctoritatis in ecclesià tempore episcopatus sui, gesta illa ecclesiastica nobis indicant, quando in urbe Roma, Melchiade apostolica sedis episcopo præsidente, cum aliis judex interfuit, Donatumque damnavit, qui prior auctor Donatistarum schismatis fuit, & Cæcilianum episcopum ecclesiæ Carthaginensis absolvit. Is cum de baptismo ageret, ita locutus est: Hanc igitur prin'cipalem esse in ecclesiâ indulgentiam, neminem præteriit, in quà antiqui criminis omne pondus exponimus, et ignorantiæ ' nostræ facinora prisca delemus, ubi et veterem hominem 3 L of him, as a man of great repute in his time, and has twice quoted a passage of his concerning baptism, as favouring the doctrine of original sin. But it does not appear whence that passage is taken; whether from one of the books mentioned by Jerom, or from some other work, or from the debates in one of the councils above taken notice of. 5. I have thought it best to give some account of this eminent bishop and commentator, who flourished at the beginning of the fourth century, though his writings are not now extant. And I refer my readers to some learned moderns, whom they may consult, if they think fit. CHA P. LXXXVII. 1. TRIPHYLLI b с TRIPHYLLIUS. bishop of a city in Cyprus about the year 340, and afterwards, was a man of great repute for eloquence in the time of the emperor Constantius, as we learn from Jerom, whose article I place at length below. He assures us that Triphyllius wrote a Commentary upon the Canticles, which he had read, and divers other works, which he had not met with. Triphyllius is likewise placed by Jerom among other eminent Christian writers in his letter to Magnus. e 2. Suidas in his Lexicon says: Triphyllius, a bishop, and disciple of Spyridion of Cyprus, who wrought many miracles, wrote an account of our holy father Spyridion. It is not unlikely, that this may be one of the many works of Triphyllius, which Jerom had not met with. 3. Sozomen relates divers things of Spyridion, or Spyridon, which are not very easy to be credited. One story however may be true enough; it is to this purpose. There' being upon some occasion a synod of the bishops of Cyprus, Spyridion and Triphyllius were present. Triphyllius had studied the Roman laws at Berytus for a considerable time, and was in repute likewise for his skill in other parts of learning. At an assembly for divine worship, Triphyllius was called upon to preach; and when he alleged that text [Mark ii. 9.] Arise, take up thy bed," or couch, " and walk:" instead of the popular word in the evangelist, he made use of another Greek word, reckoned more elegant: at which Spyridion being much offended, rose up from his seat, and before all the people said aloud, Are you better than he who said couch,' that you are ⚫ ashamed to use his expressions ?' 66 4. If this be true, we have an argument of the virtue, particularly of the humility of Triphyllius, in that work of his where he celebrated Spyridion and his miracles. The public reproof which he had received, produced no lasting resentment in his mind; he still honoured his master: he was therefore both a learned and a good man, though, as it seems, too credulous. cum ingenitis sceleribus exuimus.' Audis antiqui criminis pondus. Audis' prisca facinora.' Audis cum sceleribus ingenitis hominem veterem.' Et audes adversus hæc ruinosam construere novitatem? Contr. Julian. Pelagian. 1. i. cap. iii. n. 7. T. 10. P. i. Si vis agnoscere vetustatem, ex quâ parvuli Christianâ gratiâ renovantur, audi fideliter quod ait homo Dei Rheticius ab Augustoduno episcopus, qui cum Melchiade Romano episcopo quondam judex sedit, Donatumque damnavit hæreticum. Hic enim, cum de Christiano baptismate loqueretur, Hanc 'igitur,' inquit, principalem esse in ecclesiâ indulgentiam.'Audisne, non postea perpetrata, sed etiam ingenita scelera veteris hominis?' Numquid Manichæus fuit iste Rheticius? Op. Imperf, 1. i. cap. cv. T. 10. P. 2. Vid. Cav. H. L. T. i. p. 173. Fabr. ad Hieron. de V. I. cap. 82. Du Pin Bib. T. ii. p. 26. Tillem. Mem. Ec. T. vi. Les Donatistes. Art. 12. Vid. Cav. H.L. T. i. p. 206. de V. I. cap. 92. Fabr. Bib. Ec. ad Hieron, с Triphyllius, Cypri Ledrensis, sive Leucotheon, episcopus, eloquentissimus suæ ætatis, et sub rege Constantio celeberrimus fuit. Legi ejus in Cantica Canticorum commentarios. At multa alia composuisse fertur, quæ in nostras manus minime pervenerunt. De Vir. Ill. cap. 92. Exstant et-libri-et Triphyllii Cyprii. Ep. 83. T. iv. p. 656. |