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ing of all manuscripts, even the most ancient, particularly the Alexandrian, the answer is not difficult. This shows, that the common reading is very ancient: but it does not follow, that it is right; when there is so much evidence to the contrary, from the quotations of divers ancient writers, and from the thing itself.

If it be still urged, that both words are in the epistle of Clement to the Corinthians, where this text is quoted or referred to; I answer, that we have but one copy only of that epistle, and it is a part of the Alexandrian manuscript; nevertheless, the agreement with the present reading of this verse, in the epistle to the Hebrews, is not exact.

I hope it may be excused, that I have dwelt so long upon this one reading. Considering the observation of Mr. Kuster before mentioned, I expected some particular notice to be taken of it by his successors, in collecting various readings but I see nothing material relating to it, either in Mr. Bengelius, or Mr. Wetstein; though it now appears to be the reading of at least three ancient writers, just alleged; which seems to show, that some things may escape the most exact and diligent.

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11. There are many other readings, and explications of texts, in Sedulius, that deserve notice; but I forbear to add any more, out of regard to brevity.

12. It appears, from this Commentary, that Sedulius received all the books of the New Testament in general, and particularly the book of the Revelation.

CHAP. CXL.

LEO, BISHOP OF ROME.

1. LEO the first, surnamed the Great, was chosen bishop of Rome in 440; and died in 461, having sat in that see twenty-one years.

2. It is needless to say, he quotes the gospels, and Acts,

5 Οίτινες εν δερμασιν αίγείοις και μηλωταις περιεπάτησαν.

17. in. Hebr. xi. 37.

h

Clem. cap.

περιήλθον εν μηλωταις, εν αιγείοις δέρμασιν. In Ep. ad Roman. cap. i. p. 495. A.

Vid. Cav. H. L. T. i. Pagi Ann. 440. 2. 461. n. 3, 4. Basnag. Ann. 440. n. 5, 6. Du Pin, Bib. T. iii. P. ii. p. 120, &c. Tillem. T. xv. Fabric. Bib. Lat. T. iii. p. 526. Mr. Bower's History of the Popes, Vol. ii. p. 7—140.

and other books of the New Testament, which were always received: he quotes also often the epistle to the Hebrews, the epistle of James, the first epistle of Peter, and the first epistle of John, and once or twice the book of the Revelation. I do not now recollect any quotation of the second epistle of Peter; nevertheless, it may be reckoned undoubted, that he received it: and perhaps he may be thought to refer to 2 Pet. i. 14, in some words, which I place below; though he might intend only John xxi. 18.

f

3. He cites 1 Pet. ii. 23, after this manner : 6 When he suffered, he threatened not, but yielded himself to him that judged righteously.'

4. He citess 1 John v. 7, without the heavenly witnesses, which he plainly had not in his copies.

5. His respect for scripture, and general divisions of it will appear in the following passages:

6.

h This,' he says, is the cause of errors and heresies, that men follow their own fancies, and attend not, as they ought, to the doctrine of the prophets, apostles, and evangelists.'

7. The Holy Ghost instructs us in the law, the prophets, the gospel, and the apostles.'

8. What reason can there be, why we should re

cap. v.

b Nam qui ait: Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo, [Hebr. xi. 6.] idem dicit: Si habuero omnem fidem,' &c. [1 Cor. xii.] Leon. Serm. 44. cap. ü. p. 110. edit. Quesnel. Lugdun. 1700. Vid. et Serm. 23. cap. vi. Serm. 57. Dicente beato apostolo Jacobo: Si quis vestrûm indiget sapientiâ, postulet a Deo,' &c. [Jac. i. 5.] Serm. 48. cap. iv. et passim. memorque sis ejus sententiæ, quæ dicit: Tene quod habes, ne alius accipiat coronam tuam.' [Apoc. iii. 11.] Ep. 80. [al. 53.] cap. vi. p. 300. e Nec aut dubius de provectu

d

operis, aut de spatio tuæ ignarus ætatis, tropæum crucis Christi Romanis arcibus inferebas. Serm. 80. cap. v. p. 165.

f Hoc enim docet beatus Petrus apostolus, dicens :—Qui, cum malediceretur, non maledicebat; cum pateretur, non comminabatur. Tradebat autem judicanti se injuste. Serm. 63. c. iv. p. 139.

Hic est qui venit per aquam et sanguinem, Jesus Christus; non in aquâ 'solum, sed in aquâ et sanguine. Et Spiritus est, qui testificatur, quoniam Spiritus est veritas. Quia tres sunt qui testimonium dant, Spiritus, aqua, et sanguis; et tres unum sunt.' Spiritus utique sanctificationis, et sanguis redemtionis, et aqua baptismatis; quæ tria unum sunt, et individua manent, nihilque eorum a sui connexione sejungitur. Ep. 24. [al. 10.] cap. v. p. 245. Sed in hanc insipientiam cadunt, qui cum ad cognoscendam veritatem aliquo impediuntur obscuro, non ad propheticas voces, non ad apostolicas literas, nec ad evangelicas auctoritates, sed ad semetipsos recurrunt. Et ideo magistri erroris existunt, &c. Ep. 24. [al. 10.] cap. i.

exhortante et instruente Spiritu Sancto per legis testificationem, per vaticinia prophetarum, et per evangelicam tubam, apostolicamque doctrinam. Serm. 39. cap. 3. * Quid ergo opus est, in cor admittere quod lex non docuit, quod prophetia non cecinit, quod evangelii veritas non

ceive what is not taught by the law or the prophets, the evangelists or apostles?'

9. He says, We ought not, in the least, to dissent from the evangelical and apostolical doctrine; nor to understand the divine scriptures otherwise than the blessed apostles and our fathers have learned and taught.'

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Which is somewhat ambiguous: If by our fathers' are intended men different from the apostles and evangelists, and they are placed in equal authority with the apostles, I humbly conceive, this is not sound doctrine, or agreeable either to scripture, or the sentiments of christians in the most early times; but I do not think it needful so to understand him it cannot be reasonable to think, that he equalled any men, after the apostles, or their writings, to the divine scriptures, orm the divine oracles.

10. He charges" the Manichees with rejecting the law and the prophets; and with taking some things from, and adding others to, the gospels and the apostles; and calls them adversaries of truth.

11. He likewise charges the Priscillianists with using apocryphal scriptures, written in the names of apostles; and orders them to be burned.

12. Let me now add a few things of a different kind.

13. Leo supposeth, that? St. Peter, after having taught the Jews of Judea, founded the church at Antioch; and, afterwards, instructed the people of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia: he says, that Peter was at Rome in the reign of the emperor Claudius; and that he prædicavit, quod apostolica doctrina non tradidit? Ep. 15. [al. 93.] cap. 12. Et cum ab evangelicâ, apostolicaque doctrinâ ne uno quidem verbo liceat dissidere, aut aliter de scripturis divinis sapere, quam beati apostoli et patres nostri didicerunt atque docuerunt. Ep. 62. [al. 42.] cap. 1. Cum semper nos, dilectissimi, gaudere in Domino omnia divina eloquia exhortentur, &c. Serm. 27. cap. 1.

" Isti, de quibus loquimur, adversarii veritatis, legem per Mosem datam, et inspirata divinitus prophetarum oracula respuerunt, ipsasque evangelicas et apostolicas paginas, quædam auferendo, et quædam inserendo violaverunt. Serm. 33. cap. iv. Vid. et S. 8. c. iv. • Apocryphæ autem scripturæ, quæ sub nominibus apostolorum multarum habent seminarium falsitatum, non solum interdicendæ, sed etiam penitus auferendæ sunt, atque ignibus concremandæ. Ep. 15. [al. 93.] cap. 15. P Jam populos,

qui ex circumcisione crediderant, erudieras: jam Antiochenam ecclesiam, ubi priraum christiani nominis dignitas est orta, fundaveras: jam Pontum, Galatiam, Cappadociam, Asiam, atque Bithyniam, legibus evangelicæ prædicationis impleveras. Serm. 79. cap. 5. 4 Nec mundi dominam

times Romam, qui in Caiapha domo expaveras sacerdotis ancillam. Numquid aut judicio Pilati, aut sævitiâ Judæorum, minor erat vel in Claudio potestas, vel in Nerone crudelitas? Ib. c. 4. Ad quam beatus coapostolus tuus, vas electionis, et specialis magister Gentium, Paulus occur

had the honour of martyrdom, together with Paul, at Rome, in the time of Nero, whose persecution was general, and the first heathen persecution which the christians suffered.

14. This bishop of Rome does, in an extravagant manner, vaunts the supremacy of his see, and the pre-eminence of Peter above the other apostles; and he improves the words of 1 Pet. ii. 9, to subserve his purpose of exalting the see of Rome.

CHAP. CXLI.

SALVIAN.

1. His time, and works, and character. II. His testimony to the scriptures. III. Select passages.

I. SALVIAN, presbyter of Marseilles, of whom some notice was taken by us formerly, is placed, by Cave, as flourishing about the year 440, and afterwards. He is spoken of as flourishing about 440, because in that year, he finished his treatise of Providence, one of his principal works; he is in Gennadius, a part of whose chapter I transcribed below: he mentions some works of Salvian beside

rens, eodem tibi consociatus est tempore, quo omnis pudor, omnisque libertas, sub Neronis laborabat imperio. Cujus furor per omnium vitiorum inflammatus excessum, in hunc eum usque torrentem suæ præcipitavit insaniæ, ut primus nomini christiano atrocitatem generalis persecutionis inferret. Ib. cap. v. Sed hujus muneris sacramentum ita Dominus ad omnium apostolorum officium pertinere voluit, ut in beatissimo Petro apostolorum omnium summo principaliter collocârit; et ab ipso, quasi quodam capite, dona sua velit in corpus omne manere. Ep. 10. [al. 89.] cap. 1. Et tamen de toto mundo unus Petrus eligitur, qui et universarum gentium vocationi, et omnibus apostolis, cunctisque ecclesiæ partibus, præponatur; ut, quamvis in populo Dei multi sacerdotes sint, omnes tamen proprie regat Petrus, quos principaliter et regit Christus. Serm. 3. cap. 2. vid. et cap. 3, et 4.

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Isti sunt [Petrus et Paulus] qui te ad hanc gloriam provexerunt, ut gens sancta, populus electus, civitas sacerdotalis et regia,' per sacram beati Petri sedem caput orbis effecta, latius præsideres, religione, quam dominatione terrenâ, &c. Serm. 80. cap. 1.

See Vol. ii. ch. xxix.

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c Vid. Pagi Ann. 440. n. 6. et Ann. 490. n. 25.

d Salvianus, Massiliensis ecclesiæ presbyter, humanâ et divinâ literaturâ instructus, et, ut absque invidiâ loquar, episcoporum magister, scripsit scholastico et aperto sermone multa. Ex quibus legi--Adversus Avaritiam libros quatuor.--Et in morem Græcorum, de principio Genesis usque ad conditionem

those now extant; which are, the forementioned treatise, Of Providence, or the Divine Government, in eight books; Against Covetousness, in four books; Epistles, nine in number. Gennadius says, he might, without offence, call Salvian a master of bishops; and, among his works, reckons many homilies, which were preached by bishops, not so well qualified to compose for themselves. Salvian is a very agreeable writer: he was living when Gennadius wrote his book of Illustrious Men, that is, in 485, as Tillemont computes. Other learned men are for a later date of that work of Gennadius; thinking it not written till 494, or thereabout.

II. Salvian seems to have received all the books of the New Testament which we do.

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1. The book of the Acts is often and largely quoted by him he quotes the epistle to the Hebrews, as the apostle Paul's; he also quotes the epistle of St. James, the second epistle of St. Peter, and the book of the Revelation. 2. His general divisions of the sacred scriptures are such as these: First, the law; then, the prophets; thirdly, the gospel; fourthly, the apostles. Again: the" Old and New Testament; the law, the prophets, the apostles, the gospels;

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hominis, compositum versu exaëmeron librum unum, Homilias episcopis [vel ad episcopos] factas multas. Vivit usque hodie senectute bonâ. de V. I. cap. 67.

Genn. e Mem. Ec. T. xvi. sur Salvien, note 4. Pagi Ann. 490. n. 20.

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Vid. Basnag. Ann. 494. 6. Et ideo in apostolorum Actibus beatissimus Paulus, In ipso,' inquit, et vivimus, et movemur, et sumus.' De Gubern. Dei, 1. 2. p. 34. Vid. et 1. 8. p. 191. Adv. Avarit. l. iii. p. 276, 277. et alibi. Edit. S. Baluz. Paris. 1669. Si enim inquit apostolus, omnis inobedientia justam accipit mercedis retributionem, quomodo nos effugiemus, si tantam neglexerimus salutem ? [Hebr. ii. 3.] Adv. Avar. 1. 4. p. 229. Vid. ib. p. 310.

'De Gubernat. Dei, l. 3. p. 60. l. 4. p. 65. Adv. Avar. l. 1. p. 228.

* Quod quidem etiam beatus apostolus Petrus evidenter exposuit, dicens de vitiosis ac tepidis, id est, male viventibus christianis: Melius erat illis non cognoscere veritatem,' &c. [2 Pet. ii. 21. 22.] De Gubern. Dei, 1. 4. p. 95. Vid. ib. 1. 1. p. 19, 20. 1 Unde etiam Salvator in Apocalypsi ad tepidum christianum ait: Utinam aut callidus esses, aut frigidus. Nunc autem quia tepidus es, incipiam te evomere ex ore meo.' [Apoc. iii. 15, 16.] De Gub. Dei, l. 4. p. 95. Vid. et Adv. Avar. 1. 4. sub. fin. p. 310.

m Quæritur forsitan, quæ sint bona, quæ Deus christianis hominibus adsignet? Quæ, nisi omnia, per quæ christiani sumus? Primum scilicet legem, deinde prophetas, tertio evangelium, quarto apostolicas lectiones. De Gubern. Dei, 1. 3. p. 45. "Et quidem non quæro, ut cuncta faciat, quæ Testamenta duorum temporum jubent. Remitto censuram legis antiquæ. Remitto omnes prophetarum minas. Remitto etiam quæ remitti omnino non possunt, vel apostolorum librorum severissimam institutionem, vel evangelicorum voluminum plenam omni perfectionis genere doctrinam. Ibid.

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