A treatise of the sibyls so highly celebrated, as well by the antient heathens, as the holy fathers of the church : giving an accompt of the names, and number of the sibyls, of their qualities, the form and matter of their verses : as also of the books now extant under their names, and the errours crept into Christian religion, from the impostures contained therein, particularly, concerning the state of the just, and unjust after death / written originally by David Blondel ; Englished by J.D.

A TABLE Of the Chapters.

BOOK I.

• CHAP. I. THat the most earnest Pursuers of Truth are (as others) subject to Mistakes. Page 1
• II. Instances of certain Misapprehensions of Justine Martyr. 2
• III. The Writings, pretended to be Sibylline discovered, in several particulars, to be Spurious, and Supposititious. 4
• IV. The Judgment of Antoninus Possevinus concerning the Writings, pretended to be Sibylline, taken into Examination. 6
• V. The Recommendation of the Sibylline Writings, attributed by Clemens Alexandrinus to Saint Paul, brought to the Test. 9
• VI. An accompt of several instances of Dis-circumspection in Clemens Alexandrinus. 12
• VII. Reflections on several Suppositious Pieces, whereby many of the antient Christians have been imposed upon, and abused. 14
• VIII. The different Opinions of the Antients concerning the Sibyls. 19
• IX. The precautions of Rome, while yet in Paganism, to prevent the reading of the Books, which she believed really Sibylline. 23
• ...

• ... X. The Motives, which he might have gone upon, who was the first Projector of the Eight Books, which at this day go under the Name of the Sibylline. 27
• XI. A Discovery of the mistakes of the Emperour Constantine the Great, concerning the Sibyl, and her Writings. 29
• XII. The Sentiment of Cicero, concerning the Acrostick attributed to the Sibyl, further clear∣ed up. 32
• XIII. The Sentiment of Virgil, in his fourth Eclogue, examined, and cleared up; and that it hath no relation to the Writings pretendedly Sibylline, (which were composed a long time after) made apparent. 34
• XIV. Remarks on some less considerable mistakes of the Emperour Constantine, in the Expli∣cation of Virgil's fourth Eclogue. 40
• XV. That it cannot be said that Virgil, in his fourth Eclogue, disguised his own Sentiment. 45
• XVI. That Apollodorus had no knowledg of the Eight Books, which go under the name of the Si∣bylline. ibid.
• XVII. That Pausanias hath not writ any thing, which may give credit to the Book, unjustly called the Sibylline. 47
• XVIII. That the Prohibition, made to read the Books, called the Sibylline, and that of Hystasphes, adds no Authority thereto. 48
• XIX. That the Letter, written by L. Domitius Aurelianus, to the Senate, gives no credit to the Sibylline Writings. 50
• XX. Other Discoveries, shewing the Supposititiousness of the Sibylline VVriting so called. 51
• XXI. That it cannot, with any likelihood of Truth, be maintained, that the Books, called the Si∣bylline, were written by Divine inspiration. 55
• XXII. The Sentiment of Aristotle, concerning Enthusiasts, taken into consideration. 57
• XXIII. That it was unadvisedly done by the Authour of the Sibylline VVriting, to put himself into the number of Enthusiasts. 59
• XXIV. That the Fathers, who were surprized by the pretended Sibylline VVritings, supposed the Authour to have been an Enthusiast. 60
• ...

• ... XXV. The common Sentiment of the Fathers, concerning Enthusiasts. 62
• XXVI. Consequences following upon the common Sentiment of the Fathers, concerning En∣thusiasm. 70
• XXVII. Certain Dis-circumspections of the Fathers, concerning the VVriting, unjustly named the Sibylline, considered. 72
• XXVIII. That the conjecture of Cardinal Baronius, concerning the correspondence between Virgil and Herod, is not maintainable. 73
• XXIX. That the Opinion of Antonius Possevinus, concerning the Sibyls, and their pretended VVritings, is not more rational, then that of Cardinal Baronius. 75

BOOK II.

• CHAP. I. AN Enquiry about the time, when St. John writ his Revelation. 79
• II. The Sentiment of St. Epiphanius, concerning the time of the Apocalyps, refuted. 82
• III. The Sentiment of the late Grotius, concerning the time of the Apocalyps, refuted. 87
• IV. A refutation of the Sentiment of Johannes Hentenius of Macchlin, concerning the time of the Apocalyps. 89
• V. A refutation of Possevinus, concerning the time when the Sibylline Writing came first abroad. 93
• VI. Of the time, when the Sibylline Books were written. 96
• VII. A Conjecture concerning the Authour of the Sibylline Writings. 97
• VIII. Divers Extravagances remarkable in the Sibylline Writings. 98
• IX. The first principal Tenet of the Sibylline Writing, concerning the pretended Descent into, and detention of all Mens Souls in Hell, till the time of the Resurrection of their Bodies. 99
• ...

• ... X. The second Capital Tenet of the Sibylline VVriting so called, concerning the Conflagrati∣on of the World at the last Day, which, the Authour of it pretends, is to serve for a Purgatory to the Souls, and Bodies of the Saints. 104
• XI. The third main Tenet proposed by the Sibylline VVriting, concerning the re-attainment of a Terrestrial Paradise, which he imagines should be the place of retirement, for some of the Saints after their Resurrection. 108
• XII. The fourth Capital Tenet proposed by the Sibylline VVriting, concerning the Temporal Reign, which the Authour thereof supposes must be established by our Saviour in Je∣rusalem, during the space of a thousand years before the last Judgment. 111
• XIII Inducements to pray for the Dead, arising from the Hypotheses proposed in the pretended Sibylline Writing. 115
• XIV. The Motives proposed by Justin Martyr disallowed, and those, which St. Epiphanius had, to pray for the Dead, taken into consideration. 117
• XV. Of the Prayers made, and the Alms given heretofore, by the Christians, for the damned, even those, whom they acknowledged to be in that state. 118
• XVI. The third and fourth Motives of St. Epiphanius, taken into consideration. 122
• XVII. St. Epiphanius's fifth Motive considered. 123
• XVIII. The sixth Motive of the same Epiphanius considered. 124
• XIX. The seventh Motive of the same Epiphanius, considered. 126
• XX. The Motive upon which Dionysius, the pretended Areopagite, prayed for the Dead, taken into consideration. 128
• XXI. The Motives, which Tertullian had to pray for the Dead, considered. 129
• XXII. An enquiry made into the Sentiment of Saint Ambrose. 130
• XXIII. The time, when Prayers for the Dead were first introduced into the Service of the Church. 132
• XXIV. Whether the Prayers, made by Christians for the Dead, be really grounded on the place in the second Book of the Maccabees, and the Examples of the Jews, alledged to that purpose. 136
• XXV. Whether it may be with any reason affirmed, that the Prayers, made by Christians for the Dead, are justly grounded on the second Book of the Maccabees. 144
• ...

• ... XXVI. That divers of the Fathers have expressed more respect to the Book attributed to the Sibyll; then to the Apocalyps. 148
• XXVII. That the third Hypothesis, of the Sibylline Writing, so called, is; at this day, abandoned by all Christians. 150
• XXVIII. That the second Hypothesis, of the Sibylline Writing, so called, made way for the late Opini∣on of Purgatory. 151
• XXIX. Proofs of the novelty of the precedent Opinion of Purgatory. 155
• XXX. That the first Hypothesis, of the Sibylline Writing, so called, concerning the detention of Souls in Hell, till the Resurrection, is generally disclaimed by all Christians. 158
• XXXI. That the passage of the twelfth Chapter of the second Book of the Maccabees, hath no rela∣tion, either to the Opinion of Purgatory, or Service of the Churches. 161
• XXXII. That the Primitive sence of the Prayers, whereby the remission of sins was desired for the Dead, is not embraced by any. 163
• XXXIII. The Censures pronounced by the Doctours of the Church of Rome, against the Fathers, taken into examination. 165
• XXXIV. The Uniformity of the Sentiment of the Fathers, and that of the Protestants, concerning the State of the faithfull departed in the Lord. 168
• XXXV. The Sentiment of the Protestants, further proved by the description which the Fathers have made of Abraham's bosom. 170
• XXXVI. The same Sentiment further confirmed, by the Pomp and Solemnities of antient Enter∣ments. 171
• XXXVII. A particular confideration of the Sentiment of St. Augustine, and his Prayers for his Mother. 174
• XXXVIII. The Sentiment of the Protestants further confirmed, by the Eloges antiently bestowed on the faithful departed. 184
• XXXIX. The same Sentiment further confirmed from Sepulchral Inscriptions. 189
• XL. The same deduced from larger Epitaphs. 196
• XLI. Of the Prayers contained in the Epitaphs of the faithfull, whom the surviving presuppo∣sed already received into glory. 212
• XLII. Of the true Motives which the Antients had to pray for those whom they believed to be in bliss. 222
• XLIII. The Obscurity and uncertainty of the Opinion of Purgatory. 229
• ...

• ... XLIV. That the proofs produced by Cardinal Bellarmine, for Purgatory, are weak and de∣fective. 233
• XLV. That the Testimonies produced by Jodocus Coccius, for the opinion of Purgatory, are also defective. 234
• XLVI. Of the Reasons, which might have moved the Antients, to inter their departed friends in the Churches, consecrated to the memory of the Saints. 237
• XLVII. The Sentiment of St. Ambrose, and Paulinus, concerning the buriall of the faithful in Churches, examined. 241
• XLVIII. Enquiry made into the Sentiment of St. Augustine, concerning the Burial of the faithful departed, in Churches. 244
• XLIX. Enquiry made into the Sentiment of Maximus Tyrius, concerning the Burial of the faith∣ful in Churches. 245
• L. A reflection on certain followers of the Sentiment of the said Maximus. 146
• LI. Of the Lessons of holy Scripture, contained in the Missal and Breviary, as to what relates to the Office of the Dead. 249
• LII. Of the Prayers contained in the Missal and Breviary, used by the Church of Rome; and that Purgatory cannot be necessarily inferred from any one of them. 255
• LIII. An accompt of the Sentiment of the Modern Greeks, concerning the State of the Dead 268
• LIV. The conclusion of the whole Treatise. 290

FINIS.