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CHAP. III. The Faith of Gallia Aquitanica, and Narbo∣nensis, in the Fourth Century.
ST. Hilary Bishop of Poictiers, a famous Confessor in the Persecution which the Arians stirr'd up against the Ortho∣dox, can afford us much Light concerning the State and Faith of these Diocesses: This great Man was married, as he who published his Works at Paris owns, after the famous Baptista Mantuanus, observing that the Law for the Celibacy of the Clergy was not yet introduced, and that before that time, as St. Jerom expresseth it, they rather made choice of married Persons, than unmarried, because the former were judged more proper for the Functions of the Holy Ministry.
But this is not the only Article wherein he differ'd from Po∣pery, as well as the Church of Aquitain.
1. He counts the Canonical Books as we do, and plain∣ly holds them for Apocryphal, which we reject, as we find in the Preface to his Commentary upon the Book of Psalms.
2. He lays it down for an Error and piece of Impiety to look upon the Scripture as imperfect, in Psalm 118. Lit. Vau.
3. He asserts that Ignorance is not capable of excusing Men, seeing the Scripture is proposed to us as the Rule of our Faith and Manners: Non habet veniam ignoratio voluntatis; quia sub scientiae facultate nescire, repudiatae magis, quam non repertae scien∣tiae est reatus: Ob id enim longe à Peccatoribus salus, quia non exqui∣sierint Justificationes Dei: Nam utique non ob aliud consignatae literis manent, quam ut ad universorum scientiam, notionemque defluerent.
Ignorance of the Divine Will gives no Excuse; because to be ignorant when we may learn, makes us guilty of rejecting Knowledg, rather than missing of it: For therefore is Salva∣tion far from Sinners, because they search not after that