A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

St. HILARY.

St. HILARY was born in the City of Poictiers a 1.1, whereof he was afterwards Bishop. He was bred up in the Heathen Religion, and applied himself in his Youth to the Study of Profane * 1.2 Learning: He was Married, and had one Daughter nam'd Apra b 1.3. The Reflections which he made upon the Falshood of the Gentile Doctrines, did by little and little conduct him to some Imperfect Knowledge of the Truth, which he compleated by Reading the Holy Scriptures, as he himself tells us, at the Beginning of his Books concerning the Trinity. After he was perfectly instructed in the Christian Religion. He was Baptized, and probably his Wife and Daughter were converted with him. He liv'd several Years after his Baptism, before he was made Bishop c 1.4, but we know not any one particular Circumstance of his Life during all that time. He was Ordain'd Bishop of Poictiers some years before his Banishment; and immediately after he was promoted to that Dignity, he la∣bour'd with all his might to Save the Flock which Jesus Christ had entrusted him with, by Preaching the Truths of the Gospel. Afterwards, when he saw that the Arian Heresie began to spread in France, he wrote Twelve Books of the Trinity against it d 1.5, which he finish'd about the time that he was threat∣ned with Banishment. He was sent by Order of the Emperour Constantius into Banishment, be∣cause he had defended St. Athanasius in the Council of Beziers, against Saturninus Bishop of Arles, and against Ursacius and Valens, who had been a little before Excommunicated by the Bishops of France; for being come to this Council, which was Assembled by the intriguing of Saturninus, he de∣sir'd that Matters of Faith should be handled before all other things, and offer'd to convict Saturninus, Ursacius and Valens, of Heresie; But they were so far from accepting this Proposition, that they condemn'd St. Hilary, and wrote a Letter against him to the Emperour, who was then at Milan; whereupon he sent immediately an Order to Banish St. Hilary and Rhodanius Bishop of Tholouse. Nevertheless, there was no Bishops Ordain'd in their room; and so the Church of Poictiers enjoy'd Peace, and St. Hilary continued still to Govern it, and to Administer the Sacraments there by his Priests. The ordinary place of his Banishment was Phrygia e 1.6; where he wrote his Treatise of Synods, which he dedicated to the Bishops of France, to inform them of the Opinions of the Eastern Bishops about the Trinity, and to instruct them how they should behave themselves in these two Synods, the expectation whereof held all the Church in Suspence. This Treatise was compos'd by St. Hi∣lary after the Council of Ancyra, held in the Year 358, whose Canons he there explains, and before the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia, that's to say, towards the Beginning of the Year 359. Some∣time after he was sent to the Council of Seleucia by the Lieutenant of the Praefectus Praetorio, and by

the Governor of Phrygia. Being arriv'd at that City, he was kindly receiv'd, and gain'd the good opinion and affection of every Body. First of all, he was requir'd to give an account of the Faith of the Bishops of France, because of the false Reports that the Arians had spread Abroad against them, which render'd them suspected of Sabellianism, and charg'd with believing that there was but one Person only in the God-head. But St. Hilary having declar'd his Faith which agreed with the Nicene Creed, gave an authentick Testimony of the Purity of the Faith of the Western Bishops: and so having remov'd the Jealousies they might have of his Doctrine, he was admitted to the Com∣munion and Society of the other Bishops, and took his Place among those that were to vote in the Council. He assisted there at the Beginning; but seeing that the greater part of the Bishops were Arians, they would not suffer him to stay there any longer. Yet he continued still at Seleucia till the End of the Council, and follow'd the Deputies of the Council to the Emperour's Court, to receive the Orders that should be given him: But when he saw that the true Faith was in extreme Danger, the Bishops of the West being over-reach'd, and those of the East over-power'd, he desir'd Audience of the Emperour in Three Petitions, (if we may believe Sulpitius Severus) which he pub∣lickly presented, That he might have leave to Dispute for the Faith against his Adversaries. St. Jerom, mentions but one Petition, and indeed, of the three Papers which St. Hilary presented to Constantius, there is none but the Third wherein he desires Audience. This he presented towards the End of the Year 359, and the Second Paper also about the same time. The Arians seeing themselves attack'd by so powerful an Enemy, procur'd him to be sent back into France, yet without releasing him wholly from his Banishment. As he return'd, he pass'd through Italy, and entered France in the Year 360. 'Twas in his Journey, or a little after his Return, that he address'd his Third Discourse to Constantius, which is commonly plac'd First. St. Jerom, says, That he wrote it after the Death of this Emperour: But it appears by the Discourse it self, that it was compos'd Five Years after St. Hilary withdrew from the Communion of Saturninus; and after the Banishment of Lucifer, Eusebius and Paulinus, which discovers that it was in 360, and so before the Death of Constantius; and yet 'tis probable, that it was not publish'd in the East, till after the Death of this Emperour, which made St. Jerom believe, that it was not written till that time. 'Twas about the same time, that he compos'd his Treatise against Ursacius and Valens, which contain'd the History of the Council of Ariminum and of Seleucia; from whence part of those Fragments are taken, which have been publish'd by themselves. The whole Book consists of Two Parts; The First is taken out of a Book of St. Hilary, which he wrote during the time of Persecution, and before the Death of Constantius, as the Preface sufficiently discovers. This First Part begins at P. 430. and ends at 466. of the Paris Edition in the Year 1652, and it contains the Transactions that happen'd to the end of the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia. The Second Part taken out of another Book, begins at P. 466, and contains what pass'd afterwards. When the Catholick Bishops afterwards recover'd their Liberty under Julian the Apostate. St. Hilary assembled many Councils in France for the Re-establishment of the Ancient Faith, and the Condemnation of the Synods of Ariminum and Seleucia. In them he procur'd the Condem∣nation of Saturninus Bishop of Arles, who oppos'd this Design, as well as Paternus Bishop of Peri∣gueux. As to the other Bishops who acknowledg'd their Fault, they were pardon'd; and all the World must own, says Sulpitius Severus, that our France was oblig'd to St. Hilary alone for its happy Deliverance from Heresie. He extended also his care as far as Italy, if we believe Ruffinus, and took a great deal of pains to re-establish the Faith there, by visiting the Churches, and causing them to reject the Errors of the Hereticks. Eusebius of Vercellae found that St. Hilary had prevented him in this Employment, and Ruffinus makes no scruple to say, That St. Hilary labour'd with more Dili∣gence and Success than he [because he was of a sweet and mild disposition, and withal of great Learn∣ing, and every way qualified for perswading: Nisi quod Hilarius, viz. natura lenis, placidus, simul{que} e••uditus, & ad persuadendum commodissimus, rem diligentius & aptius procurabat.] An excellent Remark, which may serve for an Instruction to those who are employ'd in the Conversion of Hereticks: The same Historian adds, [That St. Hilary compos'd Books concerning the Faith, which were nobly written, wherein he clearly discovers the Artifices and Tricks which the Hereticks us'd to deceive the too Credulous and simple Catholicks.] Lastly, Russinus relates in his Book concerning the Corruption of Origen's Works, That St. Hilary having wrote a Book to chastise those that had sign'd the Creed of Ariminum, his Book was so corrupted by the Hereticks, though he knew nothing of it, that he was accus'd in a Synod of being an Heretick, and forc'd to depart from it as an Excommunicate Person. But I do not think we ought to take this Relation for certain, because 'tis no ways probable that the Faith of St. Hilary about the Trinity, could be suspected by the Western Bishops. In the Year 364, an occasion offer'd it self f 1.7, wherein St. Hilary shew'd his Zeal for the Truth. The Emperour Valen∣tinian being come to Milan, publish'd an Edict, wherein he oblig'd all the Catholicks to acknow∣ledge Auxentius for their Bishop. St. Hilary being perswaded that this Bishop was in his Judgment an Arian, presented a Petition to the Emperour, wherein he declar'd, that Auxentius was a Blasphe∣mer, whose opinions were contrary to those of the Prince and other Catholicks. The Emperour be∣ing mov'd by so sharp an Accusation, appointed a Conference, in the Presence of the Treasurer, and the great Mr. of the Palace, between St. Hilary accompanied with Ten Bishops, and Auxentius.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 it this Con•…•…, after he had ••nd••••vour'd 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Dispute, was oblig'd, under pain of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, That Je•••••• Ch••••st was truly God, and of the same Substance, and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. The Emperour thinking this Profession sincere, embrac'd his Commu∣•…•…, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 St. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 still continued to procla•••• Auxentius a Heretick, who mock'd God and M••••, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ou•• of Milan as a Disturber of the Peace of the Church. Being thus disabled to speak an•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 against Auxentius, he wrote a Tract against this Bishop the next Year. In the Year 36••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Collected the Commentaries of all the Transactions, that had happen'd after the Council 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, as may be seen in the Second Part of the Fragments which is taken out of this Work, where you will find the Letters written in 366.

At last, After he had endur'd so much Labour and Trouble for the Defence of the Faith, he finish'd his course in the Ye•••• 367 g 1.8.

Besides the Works of St. Hilary which we have already mention'd, because they have a respect to the History of his Life, he has also written other Books, some whereof are come to our hands.

He wrote a little Tract against Dioscorus the Physician, and Sallustius the Prefect, wherein he has particularly shown, says St. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in his Epistle to Magnus, how far his Learning and Eloquence could reach. This Book is not extant, yet 'tis very probable that 'twas written in Defence of the Christian Religion against Paganis••••.

He wrote several Commentaries upon the Scriptures, which are almost wholly taken out of Origen, whose Commentaries he caus'd H••liodorus to explain to him, if we believe St. Jerom: But it must be confess'd, that he follow'd more the Sence than the Letter of Origen's Commentaries, and that he added many things of his own, as the same St. Jerom has also observ'd. We have his Commen∣taries upon St. Matthew, we have also more of his Commentaries upon the Psalms than St. Jerem had seen; for this Father mentions only the Commentaries upon the 1st. and 2d. Psalms, upon the 51st. and those that follow until the 62d, and upon the 118th. and those that follow unto the last; and we have besides th••se Commentaries, the Commentaries upon the 14th. and 15th. Psalms, and upon the 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, Psalms, which bear the Name of St. Hilary, and are written in his Stile. But we have none of his Commentaries upon Job, which are cited by St. Jerom, where∣of St. Austin relates a Passage in his 2d. Book against Julian, to prove Original Sin.

There was also attributed to him in St. Jerom's Time, a Commentary upon the Canticles, but this Father says, that he had never seen it.

St. Jerom mentions also a Collection of Hymns, compos'd by St. Hilary; a Book Entituled My∣steries; and many Letters.

I place not the Letter and Hymn to his Daughter Apra, in the Number of St. Hilary's Works, be∣cause I doubt not but these pi••ces were the Work of him that wrote his Life, which are not at all like this Father's way of Writing: Some have attributed to him the Hymn Pange Lingua, and that of St. John the Baptist, Ut qu••••nt laxis; but without any Ground: The Books of the Unity of the Essence of the Father and the Son, were Rhapsodies taken out of the Genuine Works of St. Hilary. St. Jerom in his Apology to Pammachius, speaks of a Book of St. Hilary address'd to Fortunatus, which was concerning the Number Seven. Some have confounded this Treatise with St. Cyprian's Books of Exhortation to Martyrdom, being address'd to a Person of the same Name. But that which St. Jerom attributes to St. Hilary, must be different from those of St. Cyprian; and therefore if there be no Mistake in this place of St. Jerom, we must say, that St. Hilary wrote a Treatise address'd to his Friend Fortunatus, concerning the mysterious Significations of the Number Seven. And this Work may very well be one of those Treatises of Mysteries, which St. Jerom mentions in his Cata∣logue of Ecclesiastical Writers.

The Twelve Books of the Trinity, compos'd by St. Hilary in Imitation of Quintilian's Books, as St. Jerom has observ'd, are an excellent Work, which contains the Explication and the Proofs of this Mystery. He has there establish'd the Faith of the Church in a demonstrative Manner; he has clearly detected the Errors of the Hereticks, refuted them solidly and answered all their Objections: So that this is the largest and most methodical Work of any, that we have in all Antiquity upon this Subject.

The First Book is a Preface to the Whole, wherein he describes very pleasantly after what manner a Man arrives at Happiness, and the Knowledge of the Truth; and then gives an Account of the Subject of the Eleven following Books. He begins with observing, that Happiness does not consist in Abundance, nor in Repose, as common People imagine, nor yet in the bare Knowledge of the First Prin∣ciples of Good and Evil, as many wise Men among the Pagans thought, but in the Knowledge of the true God. He adds, that Man having an ardent Desire after this Knowledge, meets with some Persons that give him low and mean Idea's, unworthy of the Divinity. Some would persuade him that there are many Gods of different Sexes: Others take the Representations of Men, of Beasts, and Birds, for Divinities: Others acknowledge no God at all; and some, in short, confess, That there is a God, but deny that he has any Knowledge, or takes any Care of things here below. But the Reason of a Man discovers these Notions to be false, and so by the Light of Nature, he comes to know, That there can be but one God Almighty, Eternal and Infinite, who is in all places,

who Knows all things, and Orders all things; and afterwards by reading the Books of Mos•••• and the Prophets, where he found these Truths explain'd, he was fully convinc'd of them, and studied with the greatest Application of mind to know this Sovereign Being, who is the Fountain of all kind of Beauty and Perfection. Neither did he stop here, but upon further Enquiry, he came to understand, That 'twas unworthy of God to suppose, that Man to whom he had given so much Knowledge, should be annihilated for ever; for if this were true, to what purpose would his Knowledge serve, since Death would one Day deprive him of all Understanding? But then as on the one side, Reason discovers it to be fit, that Man should be Immortal; so on the other side, the Sense of his present Weakness, and the Apprehension of Death, which he sees is unavoidable, fill him with anxious Fears. In this State, he has recourse to the Gospel, which perfects all the Knowledge he had before, and resolves all the Doubts that yet remain with him. There he learns, That there is an Eternal Word, the Son of God, who was made Man, and came into the World to communicate to it the Ful∣ness of Grace and Truth. This gives him hopes infinitely above all that he could have before, for now he presently perceives the Excellency and Greatness of these Gifts, by understanding, That since the Son of God was made Man, nothing can hinder, but Men may become the Sons of God; and so when a Man joyfully receives this Doctrine, he perfects the Knowledge he had of the Divinity, by the Knowledge of the Humanity of Jesus Christ. He renews his Spirit by Faith; He acknowledges the Providence of one God over him, and begins to be fully persuaded, that he who created him, will not annihilate him. In short, he understands, That Faith is the only infallible means of coming to the Knowledge of the Truth; That it rejects unprofitable Questions, and resolves the captious Difficul∣ties of humane Philosophy; That it judges not of the Conduct of God according to the Thoughts of Men, nor of that of Jesus Christ, according to the Maxims of this World; That 'twas by this Faith, (whereof the Law was only a Shadow and Type,) that Jesus Christ having rais'd our Minds to that which is most Sublime and Divine, prescrib'd to us, instead of the Circumcision of the Flesh, the Cir∣cumcision of the Spirit, which consists in the Reformation of our Lives, and the Renovation of our Hearts: That as we die to Sin in Baptism, that we may live a Spiritual and Immortal Life, so Jesus Christ died for us, that we might rise again together with him; and so the Death of him who is Im∣mortal, procur'd Immortality to us Mortals. Now when once the Soul is fully possess'd with these Thoughts, she rests satisfied with this Hope, without fearing Death, or being wearied of Life: For she considers Death as the beginning of Eternal Life, and looks upon this present Life, as the means of obtaining a happy Immortality.

These are the Steps by which St. Hilary guides the minds of Men to the Knowledge of Happiness and Truth, after he himself had arriv'd at it by the same Methods: For he does not deliver these things as curious and profound Discourses which he had meditated in his Study, but as the History of his own Thoughts which by degrees carried him on to a perfect Conversion. Then he declares, That afterwards being Ordain'd Bishop, as his Office oblig'd him to take Care of the Salvation of others, he preach'd the Truths of the Gospel; And at last, That the Heresy of the Arians, who would judge of the Almighty Power of God, by the weak Light of their own Reason, had oblig'd him to under∣take the Defence of the Truth, and the Refutation of their Errors. After he has in a few words Ex∣plain'd the Faith of the Church, he admonishes the Reader, above all things, when he thinks of God, to devest his Mind of the meanness of humane Opinions, and to judge of God according to the Light of Faith, and agreeable to the Testimony of God himself.

For, says he, the chief Qualification re∣quir'd in a Reader, is, That he be willing to take the Sence of an Author from what he reads, and not give that Sence wherewith he himself is propossess'd. He must take the meaning of the Author, and not give him one of his own: He ought not to endeavour to find in the Passages which he reads, that which he presum'd, ought to be found there before he read them; wherefore in Discoursing of God, he ought at least to be persuaded, that he knew himself, and so to Embrace with Reve∣rence, that Doctrine which he teaches us. He only can give an Account worthy of himself, because he is not known but from himself, and by himself. But if it happens, says St. Hilary, That some Comparison, from humane Affairs be us'd in Discoursing of these Mysteries, we must not believe that they are Just, or have a perfect Resemblance to them.

After this Excellent Advertisement, St. Hilary gives an Account of the Subject of his Eleven Books of the Trinity, and finishes this First Book, with an Invocation of the Divine Assistance.

In the Second Book, He explains the Catholick Doctrine concerning the Three Divine Persons. He says, He should have permitted Christians to keep themselves to the Words of the Gospel, with∣out diving further into the Mystery of the Trinity, if the Hereticks had not oblig'd them to explain it more clearly.

The Errors and Blasphemies of the Hereticks, says he, oblige us to do those things which are forbidden us, to search into those Mysteries which are Incomprehensible, to speak those things that are Ineffable, and to explain that which we are not permitted to examine: And instead of performing with a sincere Faith (which were otherwise sufficient) that which is commanded us, i. e. Worshipping the Father and the Son, and being fill'd with the Holy Spirit, we are oblig'd to em∣ploy our weak Reasonings to explain those things which are Incomprehensible; being constrain'd, if a Man may so say, by the fault of others, to commit this one our selves, lest we fall into the Error of those who have dar'd to give an heretical Sence to the Words of Scripture; for that which makes the Heresy, says he, is not the Scripture, but the manner of Expounding it; 'tis the Interpretation that makes the Crime, and not the Words.

After this, he gives an Account of the Errors of the Sabellians, the Ebionites and Arians, to which he opposes the Faith of the Church. He says, That the Father who is the First Person of the Trinity, is the Fountain and First Principle of all Things, being Eternal and Infinite; and that the Word, who is the Second Person of the Trinity, is the Son

begotten from all Eternity of the Father. He confesses, That this Generation is Incomprehensible, and reproves those that endeavour to explain it. He asks them, If they can comprehend how they came into this World; How they receiv'd their Feeling, Life, Preception, Taste, Sight, Understanding, and the other Senses; How they can Communicate them to others. [Tell me, says he, O Man, if thou canst comprehend how all this is done, and if thou canst not comprehend it, with what Face dost thou demand an Explication of the Generation of the Son of God? Thou that art so ignorant of what passes in thy self, Wilt thou be so insolent as to complain for not knowing what passes in God?] And so, without insisting on the Explication of the Eternal Generation of the Word by humane Reason, he proves it by Holy Scripture, and confirms the Catholick Faith of the Divinity of the Word against all Heresies. He speaks occasionally of the Temporal Generation of the Son of God, that is to say, of the Mystery of the Incarnation. At last, He treats of the Holy Spirit, who is the Third Person of the Trinity, and maintains, That he is a Divine Person, distinct from the Father and the Son: He observes, That tho' the Name of Spirit be given sometimes in Scripture to the Father and the Son, yet in most places, it signifies a Person distinct from them both. He Discourses of the Effects and Gifts of the Holy Spirit; and says, That he Intercedes for us; That he Enlightens our Understandings, and warms our Hearts; That he is the Author of all Grace, and of all heavenly Gifts; That he will be with us till the End of the World; That he is our Comforter here while we live in Expectation of a future Life, the earnest of our future Hopes, the Light of our Minds, and the Warmth of our Souls. From whence he concludes, That we must beg this Holy Spirit, to enable us to do Good, and to persevere in the Faith, and keeping the Commands of God.

In the Third Book, He proves the Divinity of the Son of God, by the Words of the Gospel of St. John, I am in my Father, and my Father is in me. He observes also,

That the Generation of the Word is incomprehensible, as well as the most part of the Miracles of Jesus Christ; That Humane Reason cannot give an Account of it; and, That Jesus Christ was made Man, to Preach this Eternal Power to Men, and to make known his Father unto them; That in this Sence, we must under∣stand his desire to be Glorified, that he might glorify his Father, viz. That the Glory which the Humanity of Jesus Christ receiv'd and made appear unto Men, discover'd the Dignity and Power of his Father

. He observes also, That the Birth of Jesus Christ, His Resurrection, His Entring into the Room where the Disciples were, unseen, through the Doors, and the other Miracles of Jesus Christ, are no less above Reason, than his Eternal Generation. From whence he concludes,

That the Nature and Operations of God, are above the Reason, Perception, and Understanding of Men; That we must acknowledge in these things, the folly of Worldly Wisdom, and the Vanity of Hu∣mane Knowledge, and Embrace that Heavenly Prudence, and Divine Wisdom, that seems to be folly to the World.

In the Fourth Book, He describes the Errors of the Hereticks concerning the Consubstantiality of the Word; He opposes to them the Faith of the Church; Answers the Passages which they alledge, and endeavours to prove the Divinity of the Word, by many Passages taken out of the Old Testa∣ment.

He continues the same Subject in the Fifth Book, where he thinks, That 'twas the Word which appear'd to Abraham, to Jacob, to Moses and the other Patriarchs, who is call'd an Angel, because of his Ministry, and not because of his Nature.

In the Sixth Book, he proves, That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, By the Testimony of his Fa∣ther; By his own Declaration; By the Preaching of the Apostles; By the Confession of the Faithful; By the Acknowledgment of the Devils and Jews, and by the Belief of the Gentiles. We must ob∣serve here, That in citing a Passage of the Epistle to the Romans, he appeals to the Greek Text, as to the Original.

In the Seventh, He shews that the Son of God, is truly God. There he observes, That the Here∣ticks use very great Address and Subtilty to Maintain their corrupt Opinions which they falsly pre∣tend to have from Religion; That they deceive the Simple by their Expressions, which are Catholick in appearance; that they accommodate themselves to the Wisdom of this World; That they corrupt the true Sence of Scripture Expressions, by the Explications which they add, as it were to give an Account of what they say. He adds, That 'tis this which renders the Matter of the Trinity, a difficult Subject to treat on: [For if on the one side, says he, I declare that there is but one God, Sabellius, will think, that I espouse his Opinion: If I say, That the Son is God, the modern Hereticks will accuse me of admitting Two Gods: If I affirm, That the Son is born of the Virgin, Ebion and Photinus will make use of this Truth, to Establish their Impiety. But, says he, the Doctrine of the Church confounds all these Errors. The Power of Truth is so great, that even its Enemies explain it; that the more 'tis oppos'd, the more force it gains; and certainly, the Church was never more Triumphant, than when it was most vigorously attack'd: It was never more Famous, than when it was reproach'd: It was never more Powerful, than when it seem'd to be abandon'd. She wishes, That all Men would continue in her Bosom, and She is never more troubled, than when She is ob∣lig'd to throw any one out, and deliver him up to the Devil. But when the Hereticks go out from Her, or when She casts them out, as She loses on one side the occasion of giving them Salvation, so She gains this Advantage on the other, of discovering the Happiness of those who continue inviola∣bly fix'd in Her Communion. And a few Lines after, he adds, All Heresies attack the Church, and while they attack the Church, they overcome one another. But the Victory is gain'd to the Church and not to them; for they all Quarrel about those Errors, which are all equally rejected by the Church. Sabellius, for Instance, does unanswerably confute the Error of Arius; Arius confounds the Error of Photinus, and so of the rest: but in vain do they mutually Conquer one another, for they are

always overcome in some Article or other, and the Church alone remains victorious over all Errors, by professing that Jesus Christ is the true God, Son of the true God, born before all Ages, and after∣wards begotten of Mary.] Lastly, he proves that he is God, because the Name of God is given him in the New Testament, and from what is there said of his Birth, his Nature, his Power and his Actions.

In the Eighth Book he shows the essential Unity of the Father and the Son, and refutes the In∣terpretations of the Hereticks, by explaining the Passages which they alledged, to prove that the Uni∣ty of the Father and the Son is an Unity of Will and Judgment, and not of Essence and Nature. At the Beginning of this Book he observes,

That 'tis not sufficient for a Bishop to live a Good Life, but he must also teach Sound Doctrine; that as his Life must be Innocent, so his Preaching must be Learn'd: for if he be Pious without being Learned, he will not be serviceable to others; and if he be Learned without being Holy, his Doctrine will want Authority: From whence he concludes, That the Holiness of a Bishop should shine more brightly by his Learning, and his Doctrine should be recommended by the Holiness of his Life, Ut & vita ejus ornetur docendo, & doctrina vivendo.

There is in this Book an excellent Passage for the real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, where he says, That by this Sacrament we truly receive the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ, who remains cor∣poreally in us.

In the Ninth Book he answers the great Objections of the Arians founded upon Five Passages of Scripture, whereof he explains the true sence. And First of all, he shews, That they abuse the Passages which they alledge by perverting them from their Natural Sence; That they do not explain them by their Connexion with what follows, and what goes before; That they attribute to the Divi∣nity of Jesus Christ, that which should only be attributed to his Humanity. Upon this occasion he discourses of the Union of the two Natures in Jesus Christ, and explains how by virtue of this Union, those things are attributed to God which agree only to the Humane Nature, and those to Man which belong to the Divinity. Afterwards he explains the Passages which the Arians continually object to the Catholicks, one by one: The First, which is taken out of the Tenth Chapter of St. Mark, is the Answer which Jesus Christ made to the Rich young Man, who call'd him Good Master, Why callest thou me Good, says he, there is none Good but God; from whence the Arians concluded, That Jesus Christ was not truly God. St. Hilary answers, That he does not particularly reprove the Young Man, for calling him Good, but because he gives him this Title, as if it agreed to him in the Capacity of a Doctor of the Law. The Young Man, says he, not knowing that he was the Messias, who came to save the lost Sheep of the House of Israel, ask'd him as a Doctor of the Law, and gave him the Title which the Doctors take to themselves. Jesus Christ reproves this Notion, and to explain to him in what sence he should be called Good, he tells him, None is Good but God; showing by this, That he was so far from reje∣cting the title of Good as it agreed to God, that he accepted of it in that sence. And therefore his Answer is one Proof of his Divinity, which ought to be understood in this sence, Why call you me good, if you believe not that I am God? There is none Good but God; which supposes that he himself was God. St. Hilary confirms this Answer by many places of Scripture, where Jesus Christ gives himself the Title of Good, and of Master; from whence it appears that the Title was not here refus'd upon its own Account. Upon this occasion he Answers the Objection of the Arians, who say, That Jesus Christ call'd his Fa∣ther the only God; and shows that the Father is the only God; because the Divinity of the Father is the same with that of the Son, which Truth he proves by many Passages of Scripture.

The Second Passage objected by the Arians is taken out of the Gospel of St John, Chap. 17. This is life Eternal to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent; from whence the Arians concluded, That Jesus Christ was not ••he true God, but one sent from the true God. St. Hilary answers,

That this Passage does not exclude the Essential Unity of the Father and the Son, since in this and other places, Jesus Christ affirms, That he came forth from God; That he is with God; That he had overcome the World; That he should be honour'd as the Father; That he had received the Power of giving Eternal Life; That all things which are the Father's are his.

He adds, That in the same Place Jesus Christ prays the Father to glorify him with the Glory that he had with him from all Eternity; which evidently proves the Unity of the Essence of the Father and the Son: Moreover the words alledg'd in the Objection, prove nothing contrary to the Faith of the Church, which acknowledges that the Father is the only true God, though Jesus Christ is also God, because the Father and the Son are not two Gods, but one God only.

The Third Objection is taken from Ch. 5th. of the same Gospel of St. John. The Son can do nothing of himself, he doth only what he seeth his Father do. St. Hilary shows that this Passage esta∣blishes the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and is very far from destroying it, because it proves the Unity and Equality of the Father and the Son.

The Fourth Passage is the grand Objection of the Arians founded upon those words of Jesus Christ in St. John, Chap. 14. My Father is greater than I. St. Hilary says, That the Father is greater than the Son, consider'd as Man and as Mediator. The last Objection is taken from those words of Jesus Christ in St. Mark, Chap. 13. No Man knoweth the Day of Judgment, nor yet the Angels, nor the Son, but the Father only: From whence the Arians concluded, That the Knowledge of the Father being more extensive than that of the Son, his Nature must be more excellent. St. Hilary having in answer to this Objection, proved by many Reasons, that Jesus Christ could not be Ignorant of the Day of Judgment, and having demonstrated this Truth, he adds, That what Christ says in this place, that the Son knew not the Day of Judgment, ought not to be understood literally, as if he were really ignorant of it; but in this sence, that he did not know it, not so as to tell it unto Men. Wherefore being ask'd about the same Matter after his Resurrection, he does not say, That he was ignorant of it;

but he reproves his Apostles with that heat, which testified his Knowledge of it, by saying unto them, 'Tis not for you to know the times and the seasons which my Father has reserv'd in his own Power. He adds also, that it may be said in another sence, That the Son of Man was ignorant of the Day of Judg∣ment, because he knew it not as he was Man, but as he was God: For, says he, as we may say, That the Son of God was subject to Fear, to Sadness, and to Sleep; because the Humanity of Jesus Christ was subject to these Infirmities; So we may say, That he was ignorant of the Day of Judgment, be∣cause he knew it not as he was Man, but upon the account of his Divinity.

In the Tenth Book he Answers the Objections which the Arians draw from those Passages of Scrip∣ture which prove that Jesus Christ was subject to Fear, to Sorrow and Pain. And here he maintains, That Jesus Christ had not truly any Fear or Pain, but only the Representation of those Passions within him: In which, if his Judgment is not different from that of the Church, yet it must be confess'd, that the manner of expressing it is very harsh. He had answer'd the Arians better, if he had said, That the Fear, the Sorrow and Pain of Jesus Christ did belong to his Humane Nature, and not to his Divinity. He acknowledges in this Book, That all Men are conceiv'd in Sin, and that none but Jesus Christ ought to be excepted from this General Law. He says, That the Soul is not communicated to Children by the Parents. He observes, That what is said in the Gospel of St. Luke concerning the Bloody Sweat of Jesus Christ, and of the Angel that appear'd unto him, is not to be found in many Greek and Latin Copies of this Gospel.

In the Eleventh Book, he Answers some Passages of the Gospels and of St. Paul concerning Jesus Christ's being risen from the Dead, and becoming Glorious, which are alledg'd by the Arians to prove that the Son is not equal to the Father: But St. Hilary shows, That those Passages do much rather prove the Divinity of Jesus Christ, than destroy it.

In the last Book, St. Hilary explains that Passage of the Proverbs, God created me in the Begin∣ning of his Ways, &c. He demonstrates that the Word of God was not properly created, but begotten of God from all Eternity; which he proves by many Passages of Scripture. He expounds this Passage of the Proverbs of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. He adds some Proofs of the Divi∣nity of the Holy Spirit, and Ends with a Prayer to God, wherein he begs Grace to preserve in his Heart that Faith whereof he made Profession at his Baptism, that he may always worship the Fa∣ther and the Son, and receive the Holy Spirit which proceeds from the Father by the Son.

His Book of Synods is Address'd to the Bishops of France and Britain. He commends them for the Constancy which they had shown in refusing Communion to Saturninus, and for the Zeal wherewith they maintain'd the Faith of the Church, by condemning the Impieties of the Arians so sharply: After this, he sets himself to explain the Creeds made by the Eastern Bishops after the Council of Nice. He declares, That if there were any Error in some of those Creeds, it ought not to be attributed to him, since he only relates what others had said; and if they were found agreeable to the Doctrine of the Apostles, the Praise of it ought not to be given to him but to the Original Au∣thors: He leaves it to the Judgment of the Bishops, to whom his Book is written, whether they be Heretical or Catholick. Then he intimates to them, what Obligation lay upon him to instruct them in the Opinions of the Eastern Bishops, that they might Join with the right Side in those Councils which were shortly to be held at Ariminum and Ancyra. But before he comes to speak of those Creeds which are suspected, he relates and explains that of the Council of Ancyra, which was made in op∣position to the Second Creed of Sirmium, afterwards he relates the Creeds made by the Eastern Bishops after the Council of Nice, at Antioch, Sardica, and the First Creed at Sirmium. He shows, That those Creeds are Catholick, and endeavours to excuse the Oriental Bishops for making so many, by alledging the Multitude and Obstinacy of the Arians that were in the East. He says, That in those Provinces to which he was Banish'd, there was only Eleusius, and a small number of Bishops with him, that acknowledg'd the Divinity of the Word. He Congratulates the Western Bishops for main∣taining the Apostolical Faith, engrav'd by the Holy Spirit in their Hearts, who were ignorant of the Creeds written by the hands of Men. After this, he explains in a lively and clear manner his own Doctrine and that of the Western Bishops concerning the Mystery of the Trinity, and secures it against the false Explications of the Hereticks. He gives the true sence of the word Consubstantial, which he justifies against those that directly oppose it, or that think fit it should be suppress'd. He Exhorts the Eastern Bishops with much Eloquence to use this term, and to receive the Confession of Faith made by the Council of Nice. He concludes with conjuring his Brethren in much Humility, to Pardon the Freedom he had taken to inform them of these things, and advise them what they ought to do. He Exhorts them to preserve with inviolable Fidelity, the Doctrines of Piety and Religion which were written upon their Hearts, and Requests them to remember his Banishment in their Prayers.

The Third Discourse address'd to the Emperor Constantius, which should be the First as we have observ'd already, is a Petition presented to this Emperor, wherein he remonstrates, that he was a Catholick Bishop of France, banish'd by the Intrigues of his Enemies, who had falsly accus'd him to his Majesty. He prays the Emperor that he would grant him Audience in the Presence of Satur∣ninus, who was the chief Cause of his Sufferings, that he might have Opportunity to justify him∣self from those Accusations that were form'd against him: and he makes no scruple to declare, that if his Adversary could show that he had done any one thing unworthy, either of the Holiness of a Bishop, or the Piety of a Christian, he would not only quit all Claim to his Favour for continuing to him his Bishoprick, but on the contrary, he would be willing to spend his Old Age in a State of Penance among the Laity. But so far as this Petition concern'd only his own Person, he went further and protested, that he would never speak more of it unless the Emperour commanded him;

yet still he desir'd with great Boldness and Earnestness, an Audience about the Cause of the Faith, which was common to him with all other Catholicks. And to this purpose, he represents to the Emperor the Confusion of so many Creeds.

When once they begun, says he, to make new Con∣fessions of Faith, the Faith became the Creed of the Times rather than of the Gospel: Facta est Fides temporum potius quam Evangeliorum. Every Year new Creeds were made, and Men did not keep to that Simplicity of Faith which they profess'd at their Baptism: And O what Miseries en∣sued! For presently, there were as many Creeds as might please each particular Party; and no∣thing else has been minded since the Council of Nice, but this making of Creeds. New Creeds have been made every Year and every Month, they have been chang'd, they have been anathema∣tiz'd, and then re-establish'd; and so by enquiring too much into the Faith, there is none left; it has always continued uncertain, and there was never any Certainty of the Truth.

After he has described this Confusion very smartly, he remonstrates to the Emperour, that the only way to save himself from this Shipwrack, was to acquiesce in the Faith of the Gospel; whereof he made Pro∣fession at his Baptism. Then he prays the Emperour, that he would give him Audience in the Pre∣sence of the Council, which was to meet at Constantinople; and promises that for explaining and proving the Faith of the Church, he would only make use of the Words of Jesus Christ. He confesses, that all the Hereticks boast of preaching the Gospel, but says he, they do not understand it; For they alledge Scripture without knowing the meaning of it, and make use of Orthodox Terms without having the True Faith. He presses the Emperour to grant him this Audience for the good of the whole Church; and promises him, that being to speak publickly to him of a Question so famous in the Presence of a Council divided upon this Subject, he would say nothing but what should tend to the Honour of the Emperour, the Preservation of the Faith, and the peaceable Union of the East and the West. And to assure him of this Promise, he gives him this Sign of it, by confining himself wholly to the Terms of the Gospel, in declaring his Doctrine at present. With this Declaration he concludes this Paper, which some have thought Imperfect, but without any Ground.

The Second Book of St. Hilary to Constantius, is also a kind of Petition, wherein he prays him, To put an End to the Persecutions and Vexations wherewith the Arians exercis'd the Church; To forbid the Secular Judges to meddle in Affairs of Religion; To leave his Subjects to their Liberty, whether they will be Arians, or no; To permit them to continue united to the Catholick Bishops, and separa∣ted from the Arian Bishops; and in short, To suffer all the banish'd Bishops to return to their Sees. After this, He compares the Persecution of the Arians against the Catholicks, with that of the Pagans against the Christians: He shows how Cruel it was, and how far distant from the Spirit of the Church and of Jesus Christ. [The Bishops, say he, are put in Prison; The People are oblig'd to serve as their Guard; The holy Bodies of the Virgins of Jesus Christ, are expos'd to the View of all the World, to abuse them; Men are compell'd, I do not say to be Christians, but to become Arians; The Name and Au∣thority of the Emperour is abus'd; He is impos'd upon by Surprize; Judges are desir'd of him for ap∣proving these Injustices; and in short, The People are forc'd to consent unto them.] After this, He describes particularly, the Violence that was us'd to Paulinus of Triers, to Dionysius of Milan, to Eusebius of Vercellae, and many others. This Book is imperfect.

These Discourses of St. Hilary, are written with great Moderation, as to what concerns the Empe∣rour, whose Conduct he excuses; but he has not us'd the same Moderation in the last, which is com∣monly plac'd before the other Two. There he speaks with so fervent a Zeal, that he might deserve to be accus'd of too violent a Passion, if it were not otherwise certain that he was acted only from a principle of Love to the Truth * 1.9. He begins with these Words which are all Sparks of Fire: ['Tis time to Speak, since the time to be Silent is past; we must wait upon Jesus Christ, since Anti-Christ Governs: Let the True Pastors cry aloud, since the Hirelings are fled: Let us die for the Sheep, since the Thieves are entered, and the Lion full of Rage, goes about the Sheep∣fold.] After he has exhorted the Pastors in these Words, and many others of the same Nature, to Defend the Truths of the Gospel with Courage and Boldness, He gives an Account of the Conduct which he had observ'd since his Banishment. He says, That he kept Silence in Modesty, hoping that things would change for the better, but there being now no further place for hope, he found himself oblig'd to speak: He declares, That he wishes he had rather been in the time of Decius or Nero, than in that wherein he liv'd; That neither Tortures, nor the Fire, nor the Cross, could have made him afraid, but he would boldly have maintain'd the Combate against his declared Enemies, and suffer'd with Constancy in this publick Persecution. [But now, adds he, we oppose a Persecutor that deceives us with false appearances, an Enemy that puts on a Friendly Countenance to us; Constantius, the Anti-Christ, who Persecutes the Church under a mask of designing its advancement. He professes, says he, to be a Christian, that he may deny Jesus Christ; He procures Union, to hinder Peace; He stifles Heresies, to ruine Christia∣nity; He honours the Bishops, that he may make them lose the Title of the Ministers of Jesus Christ; He builds up Churches, that he may destroy the Faith. Let him not imagine, adds he, that I Charge him falsly; That I Reproach him: The Ministers of Jesus Christ, ought to speak the Truth: If what I have propos'd be a Calumny, I am willing to pass for an infamous Person; but if it be true and publickly known, I use the freedom of an Apostle, in reproving it after a long Silence.] After this, He Justi∣fies his calling Constantius, Anti-Christ, by giving a horrible Representation of the Persecution that

he raised. He adds, That it was neither through Indiscretion, nor Rashness, nor Anger, that he spoke so of him, but that his Reason, his Constancy, and his Faith oblig'd him to say these things. Yes, says he, addressing himself to Constantius, I tell you what I should have told Nero, what Dioclesian and Maximian should have heard from my Mouth: You fight against God; You use Cruelties to the Church; You Persecute the Saints; You hate those that Preach Jesus Christ; You utterly abolish Religion: In a word, You are a Tyrant; I speak not with reference to the Things of this World, but with reference to the Things of God. This is what is common to you with the Pa∣gan Emperours. Let us now come to that which is peculiar to your self. You feign your self to be a Christian, and you are the Enemy of Jesus Christ; You are become Anti-Christ, and have begun his Work: You intrude into the Office of procuring New Creeds to be made, and you live like a Pagan; You teach things Profane, and are ignorant of Piety and Religion; You give Bi∣shopricks to those of your own Faction, and take them away from the good Bishops, that you may bestow them upon the Bad. You put the Bishops in Prison; You keep your Armies in the Field to terrify the Church; You assemble Councils to establish Impiety in them, and you compel the Western Bishops to renounce the Faith, that they may embrace Error. You shut them up in a City to weaken them by Famine, to kill them with the Rigor of the Winter, and to corrupt them by your Dissimulation: You foment the Dissentions of the East by your Artifices. He adds also many other Accusations of the same Nature; and to compleat all, he says, That the Church never suffer'd so much, under Nero, under Decius, and Maximianus, as it has done under Constantius, who is more cruel than all those Tyrants, because the former gave Martyrs to the Church, who overcame Devils, whereas Constantius makes an Infinite number of Prevaricators, who cannot so much as comfort themselves by saying, that they were overcome by the violence of their Torments. I should never have done, if I should relate all that St. Hilary says in this place of the Persecution of Constantius. He charges him particularly, with the Banishment of Paulinus and Liberius, and the Troubles wherewith he exercis'd the Church of Tholouse; and concludes with saying, That all those things that he had accus'd him of, were publick and certain; and therefore he had Just Cause to call him Anti-Christ. He shows afterwards, the Impiety of those Bishops that Assisted at the Council of Seleucia, who maintain'd, that the Father was not like in Substance to the Son, and condemn'd the Words, Consubstantial, and like in Substance. He answers, what Constantius alledges as the Reason of condemning these Terms, That we must not make use of any but Scripture Expres∣sions: He answers, I say, That these Terms agree with the Doctrine of the Gospel; That Constantius, and those of his Party, are also forc'd to make use of such Terms as are not to be found in Scrip∣ture; and in short, That the Scripture makes use of Terms more Emphatical, since it establishes the Equality and Unity of the Father and the Son. He blames Constantius for the variety and con∣trariety of those Creeds that were made after that of the Council of Nice. He explains the Faith of the Church concerning the Majesty of God, and proves by many Examples, That we are not to wonder, if the Eternal Generation of the Son is Incomprehensible. This Book is also imperfect.

The Book of Fragments, is a Collection of many Pieces taken out of two Books of St. Hilary, and likewise of some Passages out of his other Works. 'Tis not known who is the Author of this Abridg∣ment, nor when he liv'd. The Passages that are cited in it, are certainly St. Hilary's, and for the most part, the Pieces that are collected in it are ancient; but he does not observe any Order in this Colle∣ction.

He begins with a Fragment of St. Hilary's Preface, wherein after he had spoken of the Excellency of Faith, Hope and Charity, he declares,

That he had undertaken to publish a Work of great Im∣portance and vast Extent, but very Intricate, because of the Diabolical Cheats of the Hereticks, and wherein he must use great Cunning, because of their Knaveries; against which also, there were many Prejudices, by reason of the Dissimulation and fear of many: That this Book would seem strange, even to those of the Country where he was, tho' there the things themselves were done which he treated of: That what he was to deliver, had come to pass some years ago, but the Si∣lence which he had hitherto kept, made all these things still seem New; That the Peace had almost made him forget the Memory of them, but that not long before these things had been renew'd again by the impious Malice of some notable Seducers.

After this, He describes the State of the Affairs of the Church under Constantius; He complains, That he had Banish'd those Bishops that would not condemn St. Athanasius, and that he interpos'd his Authority in Ecclesiastical Decisions. At last, he says, That he had treated in his Work, of Faith in God, of the Hope of Eternity, and the Defence of the Truth; and he exhorts all Christians to inform themselves of those things which he there recites, that so every one may be satisfied in his own Judgment, without following the Opi∣nions of others blindly.

After his Preface, follow the Letters of the Council of Sardica, to all the Churches, and in particular to Julius Bishop of Rome, together with the Subscriptions of some Bishops, and the Names of the Hereticks that were condemned.

The Author of these Fragments, has join'd to these two Letters, a Fragment of St. Hilary for St. Athana∣sius; at the End, the Recantation of Ursacius and Valens, is mention'd: Their Letters to Julius and St. Athanasius, are at the bottom of this Fragment. The Passage which immediately follows, has refe∣rence to the Condemnation of Photinus; and that of Marcellus of Ancyra, which he consented to; but the End of that Passage concerns the Council of Nice, whose Creed he recites and explains.

The First Letter of Liberius, here produc'd is supposititious, as the Passage which follows, plainly discovers, and as we have already shown when we treated of the Works of this Pope: The Second, is Genuine, which is directed to the Bishops of Italy, concerning the Restitution of the Bishops, who had approv'd the Arian Creeds. The Letter of the Bishops of Illyricum, concerning the Con∣demnation of the Creed of Ariminum, is one of the most Excellent Monuments of that time. The Let∣ters of Ursacius and Valens, to Germinius, and his Answer, are put here out of their proper place, being written in the Year 366. We have already spoken of Pope Liberius's Letters that are set down: After which, there follows a Letter of the Eastern Bishops, to the Council of Ariminum, with some Reflections of St. Hilary, which are very much corrupted. After this Fragment, the Author of this Collection has added this Note: Here endeth the Book taken out of the Historical Work of St. Hilary: And yet he adds afterwards many Pieces which are probably taken out of the same Book.

The 1st. is a Letter from a Council of the Bishops of France, held at Paris, against the Creed made at Ariminum.

The 2d. is a Letter of Eusebius of Vercellae, written to Gregory, a Bishop in Spain, wherein he com∣mends him for opposing Hosius, and preserving the Faith.

The 3d. is a Letter, or rather a Confession of Faith, by Germinius the Arian Bishop, against those of his own Party, who had Sign'd the Creed of Ariminum.

The 4th. is a Letter written by the Eastern Bishops in the Name of the Council of Sardica, against the Bishops of the West: This Letter should have been plac'd before those others which we have already spoken of.

The 5th. is a Letter of the Bishops of the Council of Ariminum to the Emperour Constantius, be∣fore they had Sign'd the Creed which was presented to them by the Arians. There follows after it a short Reflection concerning the Stile of St. Hilary.

The 6th. is the Approbation which the Legates of the Council of Ariminum, gave to the Creed made by the Arians at Nice, a City of Thracia.

The 7th. is a Letter written to the Emperour Constantius, by the Bishops of Ariminum; after they had approv'd the Confession of Faith made at Nice, which was presented to them by the Arians.

The 8th. is a large Letter of Liberius to Constantius, in Favour of St. Athanasius. This is mis-plac'd is well in respect of time, as of the Matter it self.

The 9th. is a Letter of Constantius, to the Council of Ariminum.

The 10th. is the Decree of this Council before they had surrendred up themselves to the Emperour's pleasure.

The 11th. is the Condemnation of Ursacius and Valens, in this Council. Here end the Monu∣ments taken out of the Works of St. Hilary, to which there is subjoin'd in some Copies, the Creed of the Nicene Council, the Creeds of Ariminum, and that which is attributed to St. Athanasius. These are the Pieces contain'd in the Fragments of St. Hilary, which might be read with more Pleasure and Profit, if they were dispos'd according to the Order of time which I have set down in the Notes h 1.10.

The Book against Auxentius, Bishop of Milan, is a Manifesto against this Bishop, and against those that maintain him. Who, because they cover'd themselves chiefly under the Cloak of procuring Peace and Unity; St. Hilary says, That we can have no other true Peace, but that of Jesus Christ and the Gospel; and that this Peace cannot take place in a time when the Ministers of the Church are become Anti-Christs, by opposing the Doctrine of Jesus Christ and the Gospel, while they pretend to preach

it. He complains, That they make use of Temporal Power, to maintain a False Doctrine. He en∣deavours to prove, that Auxentius, fosters Heretical Opinions; he recites the Conference that he had with him, and exhorts the Catholicks to take he••d of Anti-Christ, and to separate themselves from Auxentius. After this Book, follows a Letter of Auxentius to the Emperour, wherein he endea∣vours to purge himself from the Heresy of Arius, yet without approving the Term Consubstantial, or rejecting the Creed of Ariminum.

The Commentaries of St. Hilary upon St. Matthew, are very excellent; for there he had made many very useful Historical and Moral Observations. The Chief of them are these following.

In the 1st. Canon, he endeavours to reconcile the two Genealogies of Jesus Christ, by saying, That St. Matthew describes the Royal Race of Jesus Christ, by Solomon; and St. Luke, the Sacerdotal Race, by Nathan. He maintains, That the Virgin was of the same Tribe, and the same Family with Joseph; and that she continued a Virgin after her Child-bearing, and that the Persons who are call'd in Scrip∣ture, the Brethren of Jesus Christ, were indeed, the Children of Joseph, that he had by a former Wife. He says, That the Wise-men acknowledg'd the Royal Power of Jesus Christ, by presenting him with Gold, his Divinity by offering him Incense, and his Humanity by giving him Myrrh. He observes, That Rachel who mourn'd for her Children, is a Figure of the Church, which having been a long time barren, became afterwards fruitful. He says, That the Innocents were made partakers of Eternal Life by the Martyrdom which they suffer'd.

In the 2d. Canon, he says, That Jesus Christ did not cause St. John to Baptize him for the Purifica∣tion of his Sins, since he was without Sin, but that Water might Sanctify us by Jesus Christ. Then he speaks of the Effects of Baptism After Baptism, says he, the Holy Spirit descends upon the baptiz'd, he fills them with a Caelestial Unction, and makes them the adopted Children of God.

In the 3d. Canon, he explains the Temptations of Jesus Christ, and speaks of his Fast for Forty Days▪ He says, That the Devil was ignorant of the Incarnation.

In the 4th. he explains the Beatitudes: He says, That none but the perfect Man who is wholly purified from his Sins, shall enjoy the Vision of God. He observes, That Adultery is the only cause for which married Persons can be Divorc'd. He condemns Oaths, Revenge and Vanity.

In the 5th. he sends the Reader to a Book of St. Cyprian, for the Explication of the Lord's Prayer: He also mentions Tertullian; but he says of this last Author, That his following Errors depriv'd his First Books of that Authority, which he could otherwise have allow'd them. He occasionally says, That the Soul is Corporeal.

In the 6th. Canon, he particularly recommends Good Works, without which, all other things are unprofitable to Salvation.

In the 7th. he explains allegorically the Cure of the Leper, and of St. Peter's Mother-in-Law; under∣standing those places of the Curing of Sinners. He compares the Church to a Ship tost with a Tem∣pest; and towards the latter End, he observes, That we ought not to mention the Names of Dead Infidels, in the Commemorations of the Saints.

In the 8th. he Discourses particularly of the Fall of humane Nature by the Sin of the first Man, and of the Reparation of Mankind by Jesus Christ.

In the 10th. he Advises Catholicks not to enter into the Churches of Hereticks. He observes, That nothing in the Ecclesiastical Ministry, ought to be sold for Money, and that the Ecclesiastical State, ought not to be ambitious of obtaining Temporal Authority. He says, That at the End of the World, the Jews that shall be then alive, shall believe in Jesus Christ, and be saved. He assures us, That Man was created Free, but that the Sin of Adam enslav'd him to Sin and Vice; and that in Baptism we are deliver'd by the Word from Sins, contracted by our Birth.

Towards the latter End of the 11th. he explains wherein the Easiness of Christ's Yoke consists ex∣cellently, and in a few Words. What is more Easy, says he, than the Yoke of Christ, and what is more Light than his Burthen? It is only to be obliging to all the World; To abstain from committing Sin; To de∣sire that which is Good, not to desire that which is Evil; To Love our Neighbour; To Hate no Body; To lay up for Eternity; Not to addict our selves to things present; Not to do to another, what we would not they should do unto us.

In the 12th. he explains after the same Manner as St. Athanasius, the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, by saying, That it is the denying of Jesus Christ to be God.

In the 13th. he observes, That those who are out of the Church, cannot understand the Word of God.

In the 14th. speaking of St. Joseph, he says, That he was a Lock-Smith, and not a Carpenter, as is commonly believ'd.

In the 15th. he observes, that those who are to be baptiz'd, make profession of their Faith in Jesus Christ, and of being firmly persuaded of his Death and Resurrection; and that their Actions may be agreeable to their Words; they pass all the time of the Passion of Christ, in Fasting, that so in some measure, they may suffer with Jesus Christ.

He speaks in the 16th. of the Prerogative that St. Peter receiv'd, when Jesus Christ gave him the Keys of his Church, after this manner: O happy Foundation of the Church, says he, in the change of your Name! O Rock, worthy of the Building of Jesus Christ, since it was to abrogate the Laws of Hell, to break its Gates, and to open all the Prisons of Death! O happy Porter of Heaven, to whom are entrusted the Keys of admission into it, and whose Judgment on Earth, is a fore-judging of what is done in Heaven, since whatsoever he binds or looses upon Earth, shall be bound or loosed in Heaven.

In the 18th. Canon, he concludes with these Words of Jesus Christ; The Angels of these Children see the Face of my Father. From whence, says he, it may be concluded, That the Angels rejoyce at the Sight of God, and that they preside over the Prayers of the Faithful, which they offer con∣tinually

to God. He says, that those who are bound on Earth by the Ministers of Jesus Christ, (that is, says he, those whom the Ministers of Jesus Christ leave bound in their sins,) and that those who are loosed by receiving them unto the Grace of Salvation, upon the Declaration which they make, having obtain'd Pardon of their Sins, shall be bound and loosed in Heaven according to the Apostolical Judgment.

In the 19th. after he has spoken of those that voluntarily make themselves Eunuchs to pre∣serve their Chastity, he speaks of Riches, and the use we should make of them. He says, That 'tis no Crime to enjoy them, but that we should observe Moderation, and employ them innocently: That 'tis dangerous to desire to enrich our selves, and that an innocent Man finds himself over∣charg'd, when he is taken up in purchasing, in preserving and encreasing his Riches. From whence he concludes, That tho' 'tis not absolutely impossible for a rich Man to be sav'd, yet very few of them shall be sav'd, because it is so difficult a thing to make use of the Goods of this World, as we ought.

In the 20th. he affirms, That Moses and Elias shall come with Jesus Christ, at the last Judg∣ment, and that they shall be put to Death by Anti-Christ; he rejects the Opinion of those who thought that Enoch or Jeremy should come before Jesus Christ.

In the 23d. he says, That Spiritual Persons ought not to entangle themselves in the Affairs of this World; but that they ought to render unto God that which is due, that is to say, their Heart, their Soul, their Will. He shows the Necessity of Loving God in Order to Salvation.

In the 25th. he observes. That Nicholas, one of the Seven Deacons, was a false Prophet and a Heretick, and that the last Judgment shall be given in the place where Christ suffer'd.

In the 26th. he speaks of the uncertainty of the time of the last Judgment, and observes, That 'tis useful to keep all Men upon their Guard.

In the 27th. he observes, That tho' all Christians are oblig'd to Watchfulness, yet the Princes of People, and the Bishops are more particularly oblig'd to Watch over themselves and their Flocks.

In the 30th. he asserts, That Judas was not present, when Jesus Christ distributed the Sacrament, because he was unworthy of those Eternal Sacraments. He says, That when St. Peter said so boldly, that he would not be offended because of Christ, he did not consider the weakness of the Flesh.

In the 31st. he thinks that Jesus Christ had no fear of Death at all. He says, He was Consecrated in the Sacrament of that Blood which he was to shed for the Remission of Sins. [This Opinion seems not easily reconcileable with the Account which the Evangelists give of the Agonies of our Saviour in the Garden, and upon the Cross.]

In the 32d. he observes, That St. Peter's Denials were still more and more Criminal. At first, says he, he only answered, That he knew not what she meant; then he deny'd that he was of the number of Christ's Disciples; and at last, he said, That he knew him not: But presently he wept, after that Fault, which he could not avoid, tho' he was fore-warned of it.

In the 33d. he says, That the Words of Jesus Christ upon the Cross, My God, my God, why hast th•••• forsaken me? Belong'd to his Body, which complain'd of its Separation from the Divine Word. He compares the Crime of those who abuse the Gifts given to the Church, with that of the Scribes and Pharisees, who gave Money to Judas to betray Jesus Christ, and with the Souldiers who Guarded his Sepulchre, that they might say, He was not risen. Lastly, He observes upon the Words of Jesus Christ, Go and teach all Nations, baptizing them, &c. He observes, I say, That Instruction ought to precede Baptism, because the Body ought not to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, unless the Soul has receiv'd the Truth of Faith.

There is a Preface prefix'd to the Commentaries of St. Hilary upon the Psalms, wherein he treats of some Critical Questions. He says, That some Jews have divided the Psalms into Five Books, and that others have entituled them, The Psalms; but for his part, he gives them the Title of, The Book of Psalms. He maintains, That they are written by the Persons whose Names they bear at the begin∣ning, and is of Opinion, That those that carry no Name, are written by the same Author with the last foregoing Psalm, where the Name of some Author is to be found. He says, There are some that are falsly attributed to Jeremy, Haggai, and Zachary, since those Names are not found in those Copies of the Version of the Septuagint, which he thinks to be authentick. He objects to himself, That there is a Psalm which bears the Name of Moses, wherein Samuel is mention'd, who liv'd many Ages after. He contents himself with answering this difficulty by saying, That Moses nam'd Samuel by the Spirit of Prophecy. He attributes to Ezrah that Collection of the Psalms which we have at present. He maintains, That all the Psalms ought to be Expounded, with a reference to Jesus Christ and the Gospel. He observes that the Hebrews call the Psaltry Nabla, and he thinks that they never distinguished the Psalms at all. He makes the LXX. Interpreters Authors of their Distinction, and observes, that they have not always follow'd the Order of Time. From this Distribution, he passes on to the number of Canonical Books. He reckons 22 of them according to the Hebrews, and says, that some have added Tobit and Judith. He observes, That the Lord's Day is a Day of Prayer and of Rest for Christians; and that they are forbidden to Prostrate themselves, or Fast on that Day. He explains afterwards the Titles of the Psalms in general * 1.11. He says, That those which are called Songs, were made to be sung without any Instrument of Mu∣sick; That those which are entituled Psalms, were made to be Play'd upon Instruments of Musick without Singing. That those which are call'd, Songs of a Psalm, were such as the Chorister Sung after the Instrument; but those which are call'd Psalms of a Song, are such as the Chorister Sung before the Instrument of Musick. Lastly, That those which are call'd, in Psalms, are such wherein

there is a change both of the Person and the Voice. He gives also some Moral Interpretations of those Titles, which are too useless to be repeated. After all, he says, That the Key for understanding the Psalms, is to enquire, what Person it is to whom they agree; for some of them agree to David, and others to Jesus Christ, and others to some Prophet, and so of the rest.

In his Commentary upon the First Psalm, he says, That there are three or four degrees of Happi∣ness mark'd in those words, Blessed is the Man who hath not stood in the Counsel of the ungodly, and who hath not walk'd in the way of Sinners, and who hath not sate in the Chair of Infection. [According to the LXX, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.] The First degree is, Not to be of the Number of the Impious, and the Hereticks: The Second, is not to be of the number of the Wicked, as the Covetous, the Drunkards, the Incontinent, the Proud, the Detractors, the Robbers, &c. who observe not the Discipline of the Church. The Third, Is not to sit in the Chair of Infection. By this Chair, he understands the Cares and Affairs of the World, which corrupt Men by an Infection, that is almost unavoidable.

For though, says he, some Persons that enter upon Secular Offices, and engage in the Affairs of the World, have a Holy and Religious Will, yet they are often corrupted by those Affairs in which they are oblig'd to employ themselves, and the Rules of this World do not permit them to live according to the Maxims of Christianity.

He adds, That those Three Degrees ought to be crown'd with a Fourth; which is, continual Meditation in the Law of God: That this Meditation, as well as Prayer, does not only consist in Reading, or reciting the Holy Books, but in the Practice of those things which are prescrib'd and taught in them; and that 'tis not sufficient to do it out of Fear, but our Practice must proceed from Love and Good-will. He applies the rest of the Psalm to Jesus Christ, and observes, That he restores unto Man, that Immortality which the First Man had lost by his Sin; That the Impious shall be as it were annihilated by the Fire of Hell. He confesses, That they shall rise again at the Day of Judgment, but he maintains that they shall not there be judg'd at all, because they are already condemn'd; and that the Judgment shall be only for those, who having had Faith, did not live up to the Laws of Christianity. This Opinion is very singular, and we may believe that he took it from Origen. His next Observation is much more reasonable, which is this, That when it is said in Scripture, That God learns any thing; we must not understand it as if he were ignorant of it before; but only that he then gave to Men the Signs of his Knowledge: As when he says to Adam, Where art thou? This does not imply that he wasignorant of it before, but only that he had a Mind to put him to shame; And so again, when he says to Abraham, Now I know your Faith; this does not signifie that he knew it not before, but only that he had now prov'd it.

He begins his Commentary upon the Second Psalm with this Observation, That this Psalm is call'd the First by St. Paul (Act. 13.) because in the Hebrew it is one continued Psalm with the First, though it has been since distinguish'd from it in the Version of the Septuagint. [In the common Editions of the New Testament, this is quoted as the Second Psalm by St. Paul; and in the common Editions of the Hebrew Bible, the Second Psalm is always distinguished from the First.] He says, That this Version was made in the time of Ptolomy, and that its Authors were the Successors of the Seventy ap∣pointed by Moses, who entrusted to them secret Mysteries, which he would not commit to Writing in his Books: That their Successors, instructed by this Tradition, have translated the Psalms according to those Notices which they had, and fix'd the sence of many Hebrew words which before were un∣determined: That therefore the Version of the Septuagint, ought to be of great Authority, and is to be preferr'd before all other Versions, which have been made by such Persons as were ignorant of the Tradition which Moses left to the Synagogue. After he has made these Remarks (whether they be just or no, this is not a place to examine) he applies all that's said in this Psalm to Jesus Christ and his Church. He thinks that the first words are spoken in the Person of God the Father, and that the fol∣lowing words beginning at these, Let us break their Cords asunder, agree to the Apostles, understand∣ing by these Cords the Cords of Sin. He observes in this Psalm, That God has no need of any of his Creatures; so that God did not create them for himself, but for themselves: That when he requires Men to Love and to Fear him, this is not for any Profit that he can draw from their Service, but only that this Love and Fear may be serviceable to their own Salvation. He establishes Free-Will, and says, That Justice is the Consequence of our Good Will, and Happiness is the Reward of our Merits, and that Hell is the Punishment of Sins freely committed: That God does not put himself in a Passion to punish us, being no ways Subject to Change, but that his Justice produces those Effects of Ven∣geance which Men attribute to Anger. So that he appears not to be Angry, but when he would bring us to Repentance. He says upon these Words, Hearken, O ye Kings of the Earth, That the true Royalty of a Man consists in conquering his Passions, and that the Kings of the Earth who are estranged from the Commandments of God are Unhappy Kings. He observes, That the Motives of Fear and Joy are intermix'd in this Psalm; That Fear may retain Men in Reverence and Devotion, and that Joy may temper this Fear. At last, he assures us, That after Death, the Impious are reserv'd in a place of Torment unto the Day of Judgment; and that the Just are conducted by the Angels to the Mansions of the blessed in Abraham's bosom.

In the Fragment of a Commentary upon the Thirteenth Psalm, he Discourses of the Necessity that Mankind lay under of having a Saviour and a Physician.

In his Commentary upon the Fifteenth Psalm, he says, That this Psalm is nothing else but David's Prayer which he made to God, to beg of him the Knowledge of what a Man ought to do in order to the obtaining of Eternal Blessedness. By the Tabernacles which he desires, we must understand, says St. Hilary, the Multitude of those Churches that have been Establish'd since the coming of Jesus Christ, who is this Mountain that David seeks after. He says, That Good Works avail nothing without Faith in Jesus Christ. He seems to approve a Lye as Necessary upon some Occasions; but he absolutely condemns Usury, and chiefly that which tends to the Ruin of the Poor: If ye be Christians,

says he, Wherefore do ye draw a Temporal Profit from your Silver? Wherefore do ye not rather lay up for your selves a treasure in Heaven? If ye be Christians, wherefore do ye expect from Men a recompence of your Liberality? I do not say that you should give them your Goods; but at least ye should be content to demand back again what you had Lent, without Robbing him of more. And remember ye, that he from whom ye exact this Usury is a Poor Christian, for whom Christ was willing to be Poor; Therefore when ye do Good or Evil to this Poor Man, it is to Jesus Christ that ye do it, &c. He discourses against Pride and False Confidence. He says, That we must reprove with all possible sweetness, if we would amend our Brother by it, and we must not use bloody Accusations, which only provoke him: That we must despise the Wicked with Freedom, and honour the Good with Humility, and resist the Pow∣ers with an holy Boldness, when they would oblige us to do Evil. He praises this Psalm, which, says he, should be written in the Hearts of Christians, and engraven upon their Memory: They ought to be intent upon it Night and Day, and to make it the subject of their Meditations. In effect, it con∣tains the principal Rules of an holy Life.

He applies to Jesus Christ the 52d. Psalm, and Exhorts the Rich not to put their Confidence in their Riches, and to make good use of them. He says, That the Just are at Rest till the Day of Judgment, and that the Wicked are in Pain; That there is no Repentance after Death, because there is no more freedom of Choice.

Upon these words in the 53d. Psalm, The Fool hath said in his heart, There is no God; he observes, That the Wicked commonly dare not speak out the Blasphemies that they have in their Hearts; That there is no Man but is convinc'd that there is a God, but the Pleasure that the Wicked take in commit∣ting Sin, makes them say that there is no God. In the rest of this Commentary, he discourses of the Goodness of God, and the Corruption of Men. He excuses the Sin of St. Peter, and blames the Ava∣rice of some Pastors, who eat up the People of God, as it is said in the Psalm. They make, says he, their Belly their God, as the Apostle speaks, they make a Trade of their Ministry, and enrich themselves with the Offerings and Gifts of their People; They make sumptuous Feasts under Pretence of Religion; They fill their Purses with the beneficence of Christians, though the use of these Offerings was intended by the Apostles, only for their daily Food, who renounce the World, or are in want. He condemns those that flatter the Powers, because we must Fear God more than Man.

He applies the 54th. Psalm to Jesus Christ. There you may find a pretty Moral Reflection upon the Disorders of the Tongue, to which the far greater part of Men are subject, either when they are Angry, or when they Complain; when they Reproach, or when they Flatter; or lastly, when they reprove others. He maintains in the Commentary upon this Psalm, as well as in his Books of the Trinity, that Jesus Christ did not really suffer.

He Interprets also the 55th. Psalm, of Jesus Christ. In his Commentary upon it, you may find a good Passage about Prayer. God despises, says he, the Prayers which are accompanied with lightness and diffidence, which are disorder'd with the Cares of this Life, which are mix'd with Desires of worldly Good Things, and which do not bring forth the fruit of Good Works.

There is nothing considerable in the Commentaries upon the following Psalms: You may find in that upon the 57th. his singular Opinion concerning the Last Judgment, which we have already observ'd: In that upon the 64th. he approves the Vows that are made to perform certain Actions of Piety, such as the Contempt of one's Body, the Preservation of our Chastity and Fasting. He assures us, That Men are Predestinated according to their Merits; he discourses of the wonderful Effects of Baptism.

His Commentary upon Psalm 119th. is very large and full of Moral thoughts: He there distin∣guishes the words which are often repeated in this Psalm, the Law, the Commandments, the Testi∣monies, the Judgments, &c. and gives them such sences as are not very Natural. He teaches, That Grace is necessary to the Observation of the Commandments of God; That the Beginning comes from our selves, but the Grace of God comes in to our help, and that afterwards it depends upon us, whether we will retain or reject this Grace: That all Men are subject to Sin; That their Faults shall be expiated by the Fire of the last Judgment; He seems also to think that the Virgin Mary shall not be exempted from passing through this Fire; He observes, That a Minister of Jesus Christ who Preaches his Word, should be without blame; That he should Pray in the Night time; That a Christian should shun the Pleasures and the Pride of the Men of this World; That to make our Actions perfect, they must be done from a Principle of Love to God; That Celibacy is more perfect than a state of Mar∣riage; and that those who are out of the Church, which is the Body of Jesus Christ, are deliver'd up to the Devil. There are also in this Commentary, divers pretty Remarks about Alms-giving, Humi∣lity, the forbearing of those things which are to others an occasion of Scandal and Falling, about Fasting, about Charity, about Prayer, about the Attention we should have in time of Prayer, and about many other Subjects.

In the Commentary upon Psalm 121. he says, That God does not forsake us, but when we offend him by our Sins: He maintains, That the Just are in Abraham's Bosom till the Day of Judgment; he declaims against those who live in Excess. He says, That in Baptism a Man is Purg'd from his Sins, and exchanges his Vices for Vertues.

In Psalm 123. he discourses against Pride; and admirably describes the Slavery into which the Passions of the Vicious precipitate them, in his Comment upon Psalm 125; These are his words: Consider, says he, a Covetous Man, who deprives himself of all kind of Satisfaction, left he should want Money; you may see him busie, sad, anxious, restless; his Mind is always full of fear, lest he should lose what he has: He forgets Honesty, neglects his Friends, and has no Civility: He has neither Religion, nor Sincerity. The same may be said of other Passions: Into what an Abyss of Infamy does a Man preci∣pitate

himself who is master'd by the Passion of Love? Who can be more miserable than he who is a Slave to Drunkenness? Can you see any thing more Shameful than the Motions of a Man transported with Anger? &c.

In the Commentary upon Psalm 127. he treats largely of the Fear of God. He says, That it is never spoken of in Scripture, but there are joyn'd with it many Conditions: That it consists not in Terrour; That 'tis not a Passion which proceeds from Nature, but a rational Motion excited by the knowledge and love of Goodness and Truth. Wherefore, says he, the Fear of God consists entirely in Love. Perfect Charity perfects Fear. The Effects of this love of God, are to obey his Commandments, to follow his Precepts, to believe his Word, and to hope in his Promises.

In the Commentary upon Psalm 129. he tells us, that 'tis in respect of the Soul that a Man is said to be like God; That the Soul is Spiritual, and the Angels are active Spirits, whom God makes use of to assist the weakness of Men.

In his Commentary upon Psalm 132. he observes, That the Woman which anointed the Head of Jesus Christ was different from her that anointed his Feet. He takes notice that some have said, That it was upon Mount Hermon the Angels descended to have commerce with Women; but he rejects this Imagination, because we cannot trust those things; but to that which is written in the Book of the Law.

In Psalm 135. he reproves those that are not Attentive to what is Read in the Church.

In the Comment on Psalm 137. he observes, That true Repentance consists in refraining from all those Sins which we know our selves to have formerly committed, and in doing them no more.

In the Comment upon the following Psalm, he blames the Ministers of Jesus Christ, who addict themselves wholly to the Affairs of this World, that they may purchase Temporal Riches. He says, That we are permitted to hate the Enemies of God; that's to say, as far as they are the Enemies of God, according to that excellent Saying, That we should hate the Vices and love the Persons.

Upon Psalm 140. he distinguishes Four sorts of Prayer, Deprecation, Oration, Petition, and Thanksgiving: And he says, That it belongs to our Humility to Pray, to the Majesty of God to be Pray'd unto; it belongs to our Faith to Petition, and to our Gratitude to Thank God for his Benefits. He de∣scribes the Easiness and Danger of offending God by the Sins of the Tongue. He observes that the Book of Wisdom, which the Latins attribute to Solomon, passes among the Greeks and Hebrews for Jesus the Son of Syrach's.

An infinite number of other Remarks might yet be drawn from these Commentaries, but these are sufficient for our Design: For if we should give an Account of all the Commentaries of Authors upon the Scripture, and all that they contain, we should never have done. Wherefore we pray the Reader, that he would be content with these Extracts which we have made from the Commentaries of St. Hilary, which cannot but be too long already. 'Tis plain, That these Commentaries are almost wholly taken out of Origen. They contain many Allegories and many Moral Thoughts. There is much Wit and Learning observable in them. He advertises the Reader often, that the Latin does not fully express the sence of the Greek word, which also discovers that this Work was taken from a Greek Commentary; and that he follow'd the Emphasis of the Greek words, the sence whereof the Latin Translator was oblig'd to express. St. Jerom calls St. Hilary the Rhosne of Latin Eloquence, Latinae Eloquentiae Rhodanum; alluding not only to the Country where he was Born, but also to the Genius of his Stile, which is violent and rapid like the Course of the Rhosne; for as this River by the Violence of its Waters carries all before it that hinders its course; so St. Hilary ravishes the Mind and Judgment, and extorts a Consent by the Vehemence of his Expressions. His manner of expressing things smites, astonishes, overthrows, and perswades. His Periods are commonly long and intri∣cate, which renders him every-where obscure, and almost unintelligible in some places. He often uses barbarous terms, and there are some places in his Works, where there is no Syntax. He is full of Figures and Antitheses; his Reasons, though solid, yet are much improv'd by the lively and smart turn that he gives them. He does not spare his Adversaries, but he speaks to Powers and of Powers with an unparallell'd freedom. He is partial to none, but is a rigid Censor of Manners, and a severe defender of the Faith. Though St. Jerom says in his Seventh Epistle to Leta, That one may read St. Hilary's Works without meeting any thing that is offensive to Piety and Religion, inoffenso de∣currat pede; yet it must be confess'd, that there are some Errors and some Expressions which are not agreeable to the Doctrine of the Church. One of the principal, is his Opinion concerning the Passion of Jesus Christ. He thinks that he had no sense of Pain, though he received upon his Body the Wounds and Blows which cause Pain. The Schoolmen have endeavour'd to give a good sence to this Expression. Some have said with the Master of the Sentences, That he does not deny, but Jesus Christ felt Pain; but he denies that the Pain he had was the Effect of Sin, as it is in other Men. Others have said, That he does not exclude his Sufferings, but the Necessity of Suffering. Some have affirm'd, That he speaks in this place of the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and not of his Humanity. But all these Solutions appear to me to be groundless; and if one would excuse St. Hilary, it might better be done by saying That the words, Pain, Suffering, Fear and Sorrow, are not to be understood precisely of the percep∣tion that is in the Senses, but of the trouble that results from thence in the Soul and Spirit, of the un∣easiness of Pain, or the sensible Commotions of Fear or Sorrow: And in this sence it may be said, That Jesus Christ had no Pain, nor Fear; because his Soul continued in a perfect Tranquillity. St. Hilary had not very clear Notions concerning Spiritual Beings; for in the Fifth Canon of his Com∣mentary upon St. Matthew, he says, That all Creatures are corporeal, and that the Souls which are in Bodies are corporeal Substances. He held also an intolerable Error concerning the Last Judgment. I do not insist upon some smaller Errors, as when in Canon 31st. and 32d. upon St. Matthew, he

excuses the Sin of St. Peter, when he says in Canon 16th. That the Words of Jesus Christ, Get thee behind me, Satan, were not address'd to this Apostle; when he affirms in Canon 33d. that the Divi∣nity of Jesus Christ was separated from his Humanity at the time of his Death; upon Psalm 119. That the Virgin shall be Purg'd by the Fire of the Day of Judgment; In Canon 14th. and upon Psalm 129th. That God created the Soul of the first Man before his Body; In Canon 17th. That the World shall not continue above 6000 Years; In Canon 20th. That Moses did not Die, and that he shall come again at the Day of Judgment. But if this Father had some Errors of this Nature, yet it must also be acknowledg'd, that he held a very Orthodox Doctrine about the chief Mysteries of Faith. He speaks of the Attributes of God in a Sublime and Noble manner; He explains the Mystery of the Tri∣nity, with wonderful clearness and exactness. Every time that he speaks of the Mystery of the Incarnation, he uses the most proper terms to express the Hypostatical Union of the two Natures in Jesus Christ. He explains the different Orders of the Angels and their Ministry. He makes Happi∣ness to consist in the Vision of God, and says expresly, That the Good and Evil are Happy or Miserable before the Day of Judgment. He thinks that on this Day there will be a Purgatorial Fire to expiate the Sins of the Just: He acknowledges the Fall of Mankind in Adam, Original Sin, and the Necessity of a Mediator. He attributes much to Free-Will and the Merit of Good-Works; and yet he admits the Necessity of the Grace of Jesus Christ, which he seems to subject to Free-Will. He alledges often the Authority of the Church, and is clearly of opinion, that there is no Salvation out of her Com∣munion. He ascribes wonderful Effects to Baptism, when it is received with good Dispositions. He says expresly in the Eighth Book of the Trinity, That in the Eucharist we Eat and Drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. He approves of Vows and Invocation of Saints; He praises Penance, Fasting and Celebacy: He condemns Simony, Usury and Luxury: In a word, his Writings are full of most pure Morality, and a most holy Discipline.

The Works of St. Hilary were printed at Paris in the Year 1500 by Badius Ascensius: Afterwards Erasmus having corrected them, caus'd them to be printed at Basle in 1535. They were also printed in the same City in 1550, revis'd by Justus Lipsius. In 1572, Gillot published a New Edition of St. Hi∣lory's Works, together with a Preface, which contains the Life of this Father, and some Notes: It was printed the same Year at Paris. In 1605. this very Edition was Reprinted more correctly, because some Able Men, as Nicolaus Faber and Bongarsius gave themselves the trouble to compare this Im∣pression with many Manuscripts. There is added in this Edition, the Fragments of St. Hilary, which were publish'd by the Pithoei, and printed at Paris in the Year 1598, with an excellent Preface of Nicolaus Faber about these Fragments, and the Commentaries of St. Hilary upon the Psalms 13, 14, 149, and 150, which had not been publish'd before. The same Edition has been printed anew at Paris in 1631, and 1652. Leunclavius has publish'd under the Name of St. Hilary, A Confession of the Faith of the Trinity, Greek and Latin, printed at Basle in 1578. The Book of the Unity of the Fa∣ther and the Son, was printed at the same place in 1528. There is a New Edition expected soon from the Benedictins.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Was born in the City of Poictiers.] St. Jerom in his Preface to B. II. of his Commentaries upon the Epi∣stle to the Galatians, says, that St. Hilary was a Gaul born at Poictiers: Fortunatus says also, that he was of that City. Pictavis residens qua sanctus Hilarius olim Natus in Urbe Pater. The Names of his Parents are not known; for we must not acquiesce in what Bol∣landus writes, that the Tomb of his Father and Mother were found in a Village of Poictou, where his Father was nam'd Francarius: But there is some probability that he was of a good Family. We need not now di∣stinguish this Hilarius from several others of that Name, of whom we shall speak afterwards.
• * 1.2

  St. Hilary.
• b 1.3

  Apra.] The Author of the Life of this Saint which is attributed to Fortunatus, is the only ancient Witness that we have of this Circumstance; who does also ob∣serve, that St. Hilary having left his Daughter and Wife at Poictiers when he was banish'd, had a Reve∣lation in the Place of his Banishment, that a rich and potent young Man courted his Daughter to marry her, but that he by his Prayers hindred her from taking any other Spouse but Jesus Christ, and that he wrote a Let∣ter to her which this Author recites. The same Author adds at the end of B. I. of the Life of St. Hilary, that re∣turning from his Banishment, and finding that his Daughter desir'd to marry, he prayed God to take her out of the World; that his Prayer was heard, for his Daughter died, and her Mother surviv'd her but a very little time. This is reported by the Author of this Life, who liv'd soon after King Cloüis, towards the Year 580, and who appears to be different from Ve∣nantius Fortunatus. St. Gregory of Tours, cites this Life without naming the Author of it; and so we must not wholly reject what he says, nor yet altogether build upon it.
• c 1.4

  He liv'd several Years after his Baptism, before he was made Bishop.] In his Book of Synods, he says, that he was baptiz'd a long while before his Banish∣ment, and but a little while before it he was made Bi∣shop: Regeneratus pridem, & in Episcopatu aliquantisper manens.
• d 1.5

  He wrote his Twelve Books of the Trinity against it.] Some have thought that they were written in his Ba∣nishment; but the Preface alone, which is the Be∣ginning of the First Book, discovers that these Books were written before that time: For after he has there described his Conversion he observes that soon after his Ordination the Arian Heresy was spread in France, and that immediately he took Pen in hand to confute their Impious Doctrines. What he says in the Tenth Book, does also prove that he was not banish'd, but only threatned with Banishment when he wrote it, Sed licet, says he, nunc à multis coacervantibus sibi secundum desi∣deria sua Magistros sana doctrina exulet, (which is plainly meant of the Banishment of Paulinus of Triers, Eu∣sebius of Verceilles, and Lucifer Calaritanus banish'd af∣ter the Council of Milan) non tamen à Sanctis quibus{que} Praedicationis Veritas exulabit. Loquemur enim exules per hos libros, & Sermo Dei qui vinciri non potest, liber ex∣curret, &c. Where he speaks of his Banishment as a thing that was future and had not yet come to pass, but which was quickly to follow after the Banishment of Paulinus and others: From whence it appears that this Tenth Book was written between the Council of Milan and that of Beziers.
• e 1.6

  The ordinary Place of his Banishment was Phrygia.] St. Jerom in his Catalogue, and Sulpitius Severus B. II. of his Hist. do testify this, as well as the Author of the Life of St. Hilary. Theodoret B. III. ch. 4. says, That Hilary, Eusebius and Lucifer were in Thebaïs, when Ju∣lian permitted the exil'd Bishops to return to their Sees. This is true of the Two last, but not of the First, for he was then in France. St. Hilary himself says, in his Book of Synods, that he was in the Pro∣vinces of Asia.
• f 1.7

  In the Year 364, an occasion offer'd it self.] Ba∣ronius places this Conference in 369, which is a gross mistake, since according to the Testimony of all the Ancients, St. Hilary was dead before. Besides the Letter of Auxentius which was written after this Con∣ference, bears not the Name of Gratian, who was de∣clar'd Emperor in 367, but only the Names of Valens and Valentinian. It appears by Ammianus Marcellinus, B. XXVI. that Valentinian came to Milan about the end of the Year 364, and went away soon after: And therefore this Conference must have heen held in this Year.
• g 1.8

  He finish'd his Course in the Year 367.] St. Jerom places his Death in this Year. Sulpitius Severus says, that he died Six Years after his Return into Gaul, and Gregory of Tours B. I. of his Hist. ch. 3. says, that his Death happen'd in the Fourth Year of Valeminian. These Two Dates fall out just in the same Year; for the one reckons six Years after the end of the Year 360, which reaches to the Beginning of 367, and the 4th. Year of Valentinian's Reign begun in the Month of February the same Year.
• * 1.9

  [The best Excuse that can be made for St. Hilary, is, That Op∣pression may make a Wise Man mad; and St. Athanasius needs it as much as he; for in his Letter to all those that lead a Monastick Life; he shews as great Marks of Rage and Anger against Constantius, as St. Hi∣lary does here; and yet St. Gregory Nazianzen, a Man that was never su∣spected of Arianism, has said very great Things of that Prince, when he set him against Julian the Apo∣state.]
• h 1.10

  According to the Order of Time which I have set down in the Notes.] These pieces are:

  Pages of the Paris-Edition 1652.	The Year of Christ.
  Pag. 447 The Nicene Creed in the Year	325
  433 The Letter of the Council of Sardica to all the Bishops A Letter of the same Council to Julius. 465 The Letter of the Bishops of the East written from Philippopolis upon their Departure from Sardica.	347
  443 The Letters of Ursacius and Valens to Liberius and St. Athanasius.	349
  484 The Letter of Liberius to Constantius about the Cause of St. Athanasius. 450 The Supposititious Letter of Liberius to the Bishops of the East. A Letter of Liberius before his Banish∣nishment.	352
  456 To Eusebius, Dionysius and Lucifer. 457 To Vincentius of Capua.	354
  463 A Letter of Eusebius of Vercellae, to Gre∣gory a Bishop of Spain upon occasion of the Fall of Hosius.	357
  The Letters of Liberius, written in his Banishment after his Subscription. 457 To the Bishops of the East.	358
  458 To Ursacius and Valens. 459 Letters which concern the Council of Ariminum.	358
  487 A Letter of the Emperor to the Coun∣cil. 488 The Catholick Determination. Ibid. The Condemnation of Ursacius, of Va∣lens and Germinius. 481 The Answer of the Council to the Em∣peror before he had subscrib'd. 459 The profession of Faith, of the Bishops of the East that was given in to the Legates of the Council. 482 The Acts of the Subscription of the Legates. 483 A Letter to the Emperor after their Subscription.	359
  465 A Letter of Germinius after the Coun∣cil of Ariminum.	360
  462 A Letter of the Council of Paris. 451 A Letter of Liberius to the Bishops of Italy.	362
  452 A Letter of the Bishops of Italy to the Bishops of Illyricum. Ibid. A Letter of Ursacius and Valens to Ger∣minius. 453 The Answer of Germinius to their Letter.	366
• * 1.11

  [This Distinction of the Titles of the Psalms, is according to the LXX; in that Translation some Psalms are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Psalms: Others' 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Songs: Others 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Psalms of a Song: Others 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Songs of a Psalm: Others again, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in Psalms or Hymns.]