preaching the gospel. They suffered all manner of evil; yet they continued to assert that Jesus, who had been crucified, was risen from the dead; which they must have known to be true; otherwise they would not have asserted it, especially in those circumstances, in the midst of such dangers, and in the view of such sufferings as they were exposed to. a 3. Augustine speaks very often of the great advantage which Christians have in their arguments for the truth of the gospel, from the subsistence and dispersion of the Jewish people, who every where bear testimony to the antiquity and genuineness of the books of the Old Testament; so that none could say they were afterwards forged by Christians. He thinks it a work of Divine Providence, that the Jews, who had been justly expelled from their own terri tories, should still subsist, and be every where, to bear witness to the ancient prophecies which had been fulfilled in Christ and the church, or the numerous converts to a faith in him all over the world. с He therefore calls the Jews the librarians of the Christians: he compares them to servants that carry books for the use of children of noble families; or that carry a chest or bag of evidences for a disputant, who alleges them as evidences of what he would make out and prove. 4. It will be very proper to take notice of some of Augustine's passages, where he speaks of the design of Christ's coming, and of the ends and uses of his sufferings and death. f (1.) He says, that Christ assumed a human body, and lived among men, that he might set us an example of living, and dying, and rising again. (2.) In his passion, he shewed what we ought to endure; in his resurrection, what we are to hope for. In the one, we see our duty; in the other, our reward. h (3.) He speaks very much to the same purpose in another sermon. i (4.) He says, that Christ, when on earth, was not remarkable for worldly splendor and happiness, because he was to declare the doctrine of eternal life. Yea, therefore, did he suffer all manner of evil, that his followers [might the better understand what rewards they are to expect, and that their thoughts might be raised to heavenly things. V. ces, mortes. Hoc pro nescio quo? Numquid enim, fratres Magis verendum erat, ne tantâ rerum evidentiâ circumfusus fortasse diceret, postea quam ista per mundum fieri cœperunt, Christianos has literas composuisse, ut ante prædicta putarentur, ne quasi temere humanitus facta contemnerentur Hoc verendum erat, nisi esset late sparsus lateque notus populus Judæorum.... Per eorum quippe codices probamus, non a nobis, tamquam de rerum eventu commonitis, ista esse conscripta, sed olim in illo regno prædicta atque servata, nunc autem manifestata et completa. Contr. Faust.. 1. xiii. cap. x. n. 7, 8. Conf. 1. xvi. cap. 11. et de Civ. Dei. 1. iv. cap. 34. C Propterea autem adhuc Judæi sunt, ut libros notros portent, ad confusionem suam.... Librarii nostri facti sunt, quomodo solent servi post dominos codices ferre, ut illi portando deficiant, illi legendo proficiant. Enar. in Fs, lvi. n. 9. T. iv. Conf. in Ps. lviii. Serm. 1. n. 22. eod. tom. Et sparsi per orbem terrarum facti sunt quasi custodes librorum nostrorum. Quomodo servi, quando eunt in auditorium Domini ipsorum, portant post illos codices, et foris sedent: sic.... Serm. 5. n. 5. T. v. e Quid est enim aliud hodieque gens ipsa, nisi quædam scriniaria Christianorum, bajulans legem et prophetas ad testimonium adsertionis ecclesiasticæ..... Contr. Faust. 1. xii. c. 23. T. viii.-Nobis serviunt Judæi; tamquam capsarii nostri sunt; studentibus nobis codices portant. Enar. in Ps. xli. n. 14. T. 4.-Remanserunt illi, ad quos missi sunt, codices ferentes, veritatem non intelligentes; testamenti tabulas habentes, et hæreditatem non tenentes. Enar. in. Ps. lxvii. n. 7. 'Jesus Christus, qui, humano corpore assumto, ad hoc utique hominibus homo factus apparuit, ut nobis et vivendi et moriendi et resurgendi præberet exemplum. Serm. 210. cap. 1. T. v. 8 In passione quid egit? Docuit quid toleremus. In resurrectione quid egit? Ostendit quid speremus. Hie opus, ibi merces: opus in passione, merces in resurrectione. Serm. 213. cap. 4. h Passio Christi significat miserias hujus vitae. Resurrectio Christi ostendit beatitudinem futuræ vitæ. In præsenti laboremus: in futura speremus. Modo tempus est operis: tunc mercedis. Serm. 233. in. T. v. i Itaque Christus homo, ut per eum revelaretur Novi gratia Testamenti, quæ non ad temporalem, sed ad æternam vitam pertinet, non utique terrenâ felicitate commendandus fuit. Inde subjectio, inde passio, inde flagella, sputa, contumelia, crux, vulnera, et tamquam superato subjectoque mors ipsa, ut fideles ejus discerent, quale pietatis præmium ab illo, cujus filii facti essent, petere atque sperare deberent. &c. Ep. 140. cap. v. n. 13. T. ii.-Hoc enim voluit pati in conspectu inimicorum, quo eum tamquam derelictum putarent, ut gratia commendaretur Novi Testamenti, quâ disceremus etiam quærere a (5.) Christ's whole life on earth, he says, was an institution of virtue. (6.) In what he suffered from his enemies he gave us an example of patience, that, if it should be required of us, we also might be willing to suffer for the truth of the gospel. (7.) Having in a sermon quoted John xii. 24, 25, he enlarges, in shewing that the design of the death of Christ was to gain converts, and make martyrs. In his death he made a gainful traffic; he purchased faithful men and martyrs; he bought us with his blood: he laid down the price of our redemption. Martyrs have returned what was laid out for them; that is, have given what was purchased, even their lives. d (8.) In another place he says, that Christ taught his martyrs not only by precept, but also by example; that they might have a pattern of suffering, he suffered first: he went before them, and shewed them the way. (9.) God himself, our Master, concealing the majesty of his divinity, and appearing in the weakness of human flesh, not only delivered oracular discourses, but confirmed them by his passion and resurrection. In one he shewed us what we ought to endure, in the other what we may hope for. 5. Augustine strongly asserts the necessity and value of good works, particularly offices of kindness and mercy. By these alone, says he, we secure happiness: in this way we recover ⚫ ourselves; in this way we come to God, and are reconciled to him, whom we have greatly pro⚫voked. We shall be brought before his presence; let our good works there speak for us; and let them so speak that they may prevail over our offences: for which soever is most will prevail, • either for punishment or mercy.' 6. Nothing,' says Augustine, is more easy nor more pleasant than the ministerial office, if 'performed slightly and popularly; but then, nothing more contemptible and more miserable in the divine account: on the other hand, nothing more difficult in itself, nor more blessed in the * sight of God, when rightly performed.' b 7. Jesus Christ, he says, never used force; he only taught and persuaded. felicitatem, quæ nunc est in fide, postea vero erit in specie, &c. Ibid. cap. 9. Tota itaque vita ejus in terris, per hominem quem suscipere dignatus est, disciplina morum est. De Vera Relig. cap. 16. n. 32. T. i. Et quidem ad salutem nostram, et vitæ hujus transagenda utilitatem, in his quæ passus est ab inimicis Dominus noster exemplum patientiæ nobis præbere dignatus est; ut pro evangelicâ dignitate, si hoc ipse voluerit, nihil tale perpeti recusemus. Serm. 218. cap. 1. Conf. Serm. 231. cap. 5. c Quantas mortes emit unus moriens, qui si non moreretur, granum frumenti non multiplicaretur. .Egit enim in cruce grande commercium. Ibi solutus sacculus pretii nostrii.... Emti sunt fideles, et martyres. Sed martyrum fides probata est. Testis est sanguis. Quod illis impensum est reddiderunt, et impleverunt quod ait sanctus Johannes. 1 Joh. iii. 16. Serm. 329. cap. 1. Dominus Jesus martyres suos non solum instruxit præcepto, sed et firmavit exemplo. Ut enim quod sequerentur haberent passuri, prior ille passus est pro eis. Iter ostendit, et viam fecit. Serm. 273. in. d Hoc enim Deus ipse Magister, latente majestate divinitatis, et carnis infirmitate apparente, non solum sermonis oraculo docuit, verum etiam suæ passionis et resurrectionis exemplo roboravit. In alterâ enim qualia tolerare, in alterâ qualia debeamus sperare, monstravit. Ep. 155. cap. 1. n. 4. T. ii. Alia requies, alia via non est, quâ perveniamus ad Deum, quâ redintegremur, quâ reconciliemur ei, quem periculosissi me offendimus. Venturi sumus in conspectum ejus. Loquantur ibi pro nobis opera nostra; et ita loquantur, ut superent offensiones nostras. Quod enim amplius fuerit, hoc obtinebit, vel ad pœnam, si peccata meruerint, vel ad requiem, si opera bona. Serm. 159. n. 4. T. v. f... nihil esse in hac vitâ, et maxime hoc tempore, facilius et lætius, et hominibus acceptabilius, episcopi, aut presbyteri, aut diaconi officio, si perfunctorie et adulatorie res agatur; sed nihil apud Deum miserius, et tristius, et damnabilius. Item nihil esse in hac vitâ, et maxime hoc tempore, difficilius, laboriosius, periculosius, episcopi.... officio; sed apud Deum nihil beatius, si eo modo militetur, quo noster imperator jubet. Ep. 21. n. 2. T. ii. Nihil egit vi, sed omnia monendo et suadendo. De Vera Relig. cap. 16. n. 31. T. i. CHAP. CXVIII. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, BISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE. I. His time. II. A Synopsis of scripture, both for the Old and New Testament, with remarks. III. Books of the Old Testament received by him. IV. The conclusion of the Synopsis, containing an enumeration of the books of the New Testament. V. His testimony to the books of the New Testament in his other works, particularly to the gospels: VI. To the Acts of the apostles: VII. St. Paul's epistles: VIII. The catholic epistles: IX. The book of the Revela tion. X. A summary account of books of scripture received by him. XI. A passage concerning St. John, from Suidas, and a supposititious oration of Chrysostom. XII. Marks of respect for the scriptures. XIII. A various reading. XIV. Explications of texts. XV. Select passages, and miscellaneous observations concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. XVI. Concerning Christ's apostles. XVII. The speedy and wonderful progress of the gospel. XVIII. The credibility of the evangelical history. XIX. Miraculous powers in the church. XX. Free will. XXI. Concerning divers matters. 1. JOHN * called Chrysostom or golden-mouthed, from the charms of his uncommon eloquence, descended of honourable parents, was born at Antioch about the year 347, where he was ordained deacon in 380 or 381, and presbyter in 386; in which station he shined as a preacher twelve years. In 398 he was made bishop of Constantinople, and died in 407. Jerom, in his book of Illustrious Men, written in 392, has a short chapter for Chrysostom, which I place below. с As I do not write the history of this great orator and voluminous writer, I immediately proceed to take his testimony to the scriptures, after which I intend to make some extracts, consisting of interpretations of divers texts, and remarkable observations upon a variety of subjects. d II. Montfaucon has published a Synopsis Scripturæ, which he thinks to be Chrysostom's, as it is said to be in the two only manuscripts of it which are in being: and he has moreover composed divers considerations, which seem to render it probable though not certain, that it is really his. f 1. This Synopsis is not the same with that found among the works of Athanasius, of which a distinct account was given formerly; but as Montfaucon says, very different from it, and vastly superior to it. 2. This Synopsis, published as Chrysostom's, is not perfect: it has a proëm or prologue, in which is a general enumeration of the books of the Old and the New Testament; after that follows a Synopsis of the Old Testament, representing the contents of each book, excepting that there are some things wanting in the manuscripts to make it complete; but there is not any Synopsis of the books of the New Testament. There can be little or no room to doubt, that a Vid. Socrat. H. E. 1. 6. cap. 2. 5. Sozom. 1. 8, cap. 2....7. Cav. H. L. T. i. Fabric. Bib. Gr. T. vii. p. 553. &c. Tillem. Mem. Ec. T. xi. Vit. a Benedictin. adornat. Opp. T. xiii. p. 91. &c. He was not so called till long after his death. Socrates, and other ecclesiastical historians, speaking of him, call him only John, or John of Constantinople. Joannes Antiochenæ ecclesiæ presbyter, Eusebii Emeseni, Diodorique sectator, multa componere dicitur; de quibus Περί Ἱερωσύνης tantum legi De V. I. cap. 129. Vid. S. Chrysostom. Opp. T. vi. p. 314....391. e Vid. Præf. T. vi. et Diatriba in Synops. ib. p. 308. &c. f P. 403. Illa vero in libris omnibus historicis, in Pentateucho, in libris regum, et in prophetis, toto cœlo differt ab hac nostrâ Synopsi. Nec est huic comparanda, ut quivis statim perspiciat. In libris vero Salomonis, in Sapientiâ, in Siracide, Esther, Tobiâ, Judith, eadem ipsa est. Augurorque, illum Synopseos librorum hujusmodi ex nostrâ Synopsi mutuatum esse. Nam illius Synopseos scriptorem nostræ Synopseos auctore ætate longe inferiorem esse non dubito, nec dubitabit puto quisquam.... Putaverim autem Chrysostomum hoc operis Antiochiæ adornavisse, fortasse antequam operam concionandi susciperet, ut hoc satis amplo compendio ad verbi Dei prædicationem uteretur, et ad manum haberet, unde concionum argumenta matuaretur. Diatrib, in Synops. ib. p. 313. the author composed likewise a Synopsis of the books of the New Testament; and, if Chrysostom be the author, it may be supposed that he enlarged very much in the account of St. Paul's epistles. The want, therefore, of the latter part of the Synopsis, concerning the New Testament, may be ascribed to the negligence of some transcriber, or to some accident. a 3. In the proëm are enumerated these following books of scripture: The historical books the Old Testament; in the first place the Octateuch, meaning the five books of Moses, and • Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, which are all expressly named; the four books of the Kingdoms; Ezra; the books of moral counsel, the Proverbs, the Wisdom of Sirach, Ecclesiastes, and the Canticles: the prophetical are the books of sixteen prophets, undoubtedly meaning, though they are not here named, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the twelve lesser prophets; • and, beside these, Ruth and David.' d 4. These are all the books of the Old Testament, which are mentioned in the proëm: in this last place, instead of Ruth, I presume, should be Job. Montfaucon suspected a fault here: the correction seems to me very easy. At the end of the proëm the books of the New Testament are enumerated: that part will be transcribed at length hereafter. 5. In the Synopsis following the proëm, are represented the contents of the five books of Moses, Joshua, the Judges, the four books of the Kingdoms, the first and second books of Ezra (that is, Ezra and Nehemiah) Esther, Tobit, Judith, Job, the Wisdom of Solomon, which is so called, and said to have been written by Solomon, the Proverbs of Solomon, Sirach, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum:' the rest is wanting: the books of Maccabees do not appear either in the proëm or the Synopsis. David, likewise, or the book of Psalms is wanting in the Synopsis, as are also several of the twelve prophets, and all the New Testament. III. Whether this Synopsis of sacred scripture be throughout Chrysostom's work, without any interpolations, may be questioned; but I would observe farther, that, from Chrysostom's other works, universally allowed to be genuine, it is apparent that he received no books of the Old Testament, as of authority, beside those received by the Jews. 1. For he says, that Malachi was the last of the prophets; and in the Synopsis, as before cited, he says there were sixteen prophets: who they are cannot be questioned. h 2. His manner of quoting those books, which were not received by the Jews, farther shews this. When he quotes Sirach or Ecclesiasticus, it is thus: So says one of our wise men; a' certain wise man; a certain wise man reasons, or advises, and the like. To put down all the places where Ecclesiasticus is so quoted by Chrysostom, in the several volumes of his works, would be loading the margin beyond what is agreeable. 3. He quotes the books of Wisdom and Tobit exactly in the same manner. מ 4. Chrysostom has several times spoken of the Greek version of the books of the Old Testament, said to be made by order of Ptolomy king of Egypt, about three hundred years before the coming of Christ; and, he says, that all the books of the Old Testament were originally written in Hebrew, and were translated from thence into Greek; which must be understood of the Jewish canon; for most of the other books, generally called apocryphal by Protestants, were written in Greek. IV. I shall now transcribe the conclusion of the forementioned proëm of the Synopsis, which is to this purpose: The " books of the New Testament are, the fourteen epistles of the apostle • Εσι τοίνυν της παλαιας το μεν ισορικον κ. λ. Synops. Scr. 1 Όπερ και σοφωτατος τις συνιδων ελεγεν. Ad Stagir. 1. 1. Τ. i. p. 165. Α. Και έτερος ελεγεν. Τ. ii. p. 99. C. Λέγει τις σοφος ανήρ. Τ. xi. p. 131. 4. S. T. vi. p. 315. A. * Το δε συμβελευτικον, ὡς ἀε παροιμιαι. κ. λ. p. 316. D. - Το δε προφητικον, ὡς οἱ δέκα ἐξ λεγω προφηται, και Ρεθ και Δαυίδ. Ib. d Vel forte Pa hic mendose irrepserit. Ib. p. 316. • Ακεσον γεν το Μαλαχία, τε μεία της αλλες προφήτας ελα Borlos. Adv. Jud. Orat. v. T. i. p. 647. C. 'Εγω δε ύμιν και λόγον ὑπὲρ τείων έξω σουε τινος ανδρος Two wag' n. Adv. Oppugn. Vit. Mon. 1. 3. T. i. p 81. B. Zopos Tis aung. Hom. cum Presb. ordinat. fuit. T. i. p. .438. C. * Και γαρ και τείο δήλων τις σύφος ελεγεν. Ad Pop. Antioch. Hom. 10. T. ii. p. 111. C. 20005 Tis arng, xai φιλοσοφείν είδως.. wagaival. Laud. Eustath. in. T. ii. p. 603. Δια τετο παραινών τις φησι. Hom. ii. in 2 Thess. Τ. xi. p. 521. A. VOL. II. * Ακεε δε και αλλά τινος λεγοντος. Hom. 4. in ep. ad Philipp. T. xi. p. 226. D. Vid. adv. Jud. Or. i. T. i. p. 595. De Prophetiar. Obseur. Hom. 2. T. vi. p. 585. C. - Πασαι αἱ θειαι βίβλοι της παλαιας διαθήκης τη Εβραίων γλωτη εξ αρχης ησαν συντεθειμεναι. Και τελο πανίες αν ήμιν συνομολγήσαιεν. κ. λ. In Gen. Hom. 4. Τ. iv. P. 25, 26. η Έσι δε και της καινης βιβλια αἱ επισολαι αἱ δεκατεσσαρες Παυλο, τα ευαγγελια τα τέσσαρα, δύο μεν των μαθηλων τα Χρισε, Ιωάννο και Μαΐθαιε· δυο δὲ Λεκα και Μαρκε ὧν ὁ μεν το Πείρος, ὁ δε το Παύλο, γεγονασι μαθηται. Οἱ μεν γαρ αυτοπίαι ήσαν γεγενημενοι, και συγγενομενοι τω Χρισῳ οι δε παρ' εκείνων τα εκεινων διαδεξάμενοι εις έτερες εξηνεγκαν. και το των Πράξεων δε βιβλιον, και αυτου Λέκα ισορησαντος τα 4 H Paul; the four gospels; two of which were written by John and Matthew, Christ's disciples the other two by Luke and Mark, of whom one was disciple of Peter, the other of Paul: the former conversed with Christ, and were eye-witnesses of what they wrote; the other two wrote what they had received from eye-witnesses; and the book of the Acts, written also by Luke: and three catholic epistles,' or three of the catholic epistles. That is the whole of that part of the proëm. a The order of enumeration is remarkable: to place St. Paul's epistles first before the gospels, is a singularity. Montfaucon supposeth this to be owing to Chrysostom's zeal for the apostle Paul, whose epistles therefore first offered themselves to his thoughts; and he has observed, that in Chrysostom's Commentary upon Isaiah, St. Paul's epistles are mentioned before the gospels. V. We here see plainly enough what books were received by the composer of the Synopsis; but as it is not certain that he is Chrysostom, as well as for other reasons, it is very fit that we should observe his testimony to the books of scripture in other works indisputably his: and what has been briefly done already, with regard to the Old Testament shall now be done at large for the New. C 1. In his first homily upon St. Matthew, or the introduction to his homilies upon that gospel, he says: Though Christ had many disciples, two apostles only wrote a history of him; and two others, who were disciples of apostles, one of Paul, the other of Peter, who joined their labours with John and Matthew. One evangelist might have sufficed; but four confirm the truth......Luke informs us of the reason of his writing; "that," says he, "thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed;" that is, that being again, or often instructed in those things, thou mayest be fully persuaded of their certainty, and ⚫ continue in that persuasion. John has not mentioned the reason of his writing; but, as ancient tradition handed down to us from our ancestors assures us, he did not write without a reason; it is said to be this: Whereas the other evangelists had chiefly insisted on the things relating to the Lord's humanity, and there was danger lest the doctrine concerning his divinity should be ' overlooked, and Christ also moving him thereto, he was at length induced to write a gospel. This account is confirmed from the introduction to his gospel, and from the whole of it, which is sublimer than those of the others......Matthew is said to have written his gospel at the request of the Jewish believers, who desired him to put down in writing what he had taught 'them by word of mouth; and he is said to have written in Hebrew. Mark' is said to have written his gospel in Egypt, at the request of the believers there. Matthew, writing to Jews, was contented to bring down our Lord's genealogy from Abraham and David; but Luke, writing for all in general, went higher up, to Adam. Moreover, Matthew begins with the genealogy, forasmuch as nothing was so desirable to the Jews as to know that Jesus was a descendant of David; but Luke begins with other things, and then comes to the genealogy. The general reception of the gospels, is a proof that their history is true and consistent; even the enemies of the truth receive them; for since the writing of the gospels many heresies have arisen, holding opinions contrary to what is contained in them, who yet receive the gospels, either entire or in part......In what place each one of the evangelists wrote cannot be said with certainty; but that they do not disagree, I shall endeavour to shew in the following discourses.' Soon after he says, as an argument of the truth and consistence of the history in the gospels, that when they were written there were many living who might have contradicted them, if there had been any ground for so doing; and there were many enemies and opposers; for the h |