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.

FAUSTINUS.

GEnnadius assures us, that Faustinus a Priest (or a Deacon according to others) wrote to the Empress Flaccilla Seven Books against the Arians and Macedonians, wherein he refutes and con∣founds * 1.1 them by the very same Passages that the Hereticks use to establish their Blasphemies. This Work was a long time attributed to Gregory of Baetica; but at last the True Author of it was own'd, and it was printed under the Name of Faustinus, with a Letter to Flaccilla.

The same Gennadius says also, That this same Faustinus, wrote a Petition, which he presented with the Priest Marcellinus, (or rather Marcellianus) to the Emperours Valentinian and Theodosius, which shows evidently that he was engag'd in the Schism of the Luciferians. Sirmondus publish'd this little Piece in the Year 1656. Before the Petition there is a Preface written by the same Faustinus, where∣in he gives a little Historical Abridgment in favour of his own Party. There he relates, That under the Reign of Constantius, almost all the Bishops attempted to condemn St. Athanasius; That Liberius of Rome, Eusebius of Verceilles, Lucifer of Calaris, and St. Hilary of Poictiers, refusing to approve this unjust Condemnation, were sent into Banishment; That Damasus who was then Deacon of Rome, pretended he would accompany Liberius, but returned again immediately; That the Clergy of Rome in the presence of the People took an Oath, not to receive another Bishop while Liberius liv'd; That notwithstanding this, in a little time after, the Clergy chose the Archdeacon Felix to fill his Place; That Liberius having consented to Impiety, [by subscribing an Arian Confession of Faith] return'd about three Years after and was restor'd to the Possession of his See, and that Felix was driven away from Rome; Upon whose Death, which happen'd Eight Years after Liberius came back, he received into Communion those of the Clergy that had been of Felix's Party; That he died also in a little while after, and then the Priests and Deacons who had been Faithful to Liberius in his Banish∣ment chose Ursicinus in his room; but the perfidious Party chose Damasus an ambitious Man, who had always aspir'd to the Episcopal Chair; That this man had committed all sorts of Cruelties and Outrages against those who adhered to Ursicinus, and at last had driven them all out of the City. That since this time those of the Orthodox Party had been abus'd, dispers'd and banish'd, and that two of them call'd Marcellinus and Faustinus presented this Petition to the Emperours Valentinian, Theodosius and Arcadius.

They complain in this Petition of the Persecutions and Cruelties which they say they still suffer from their Enemies; They affirm, That no Error nor Heresy can be charg'd upon them, and then accused their Adversaries of having been formerly Hereticks, or of having consented to the Condem∣nation of the Faith of the Church. They describe the miserable End of Arius, to beget a Horrour of his Impiety, and they say, That God hath by this visible Judgment approv'd all that was done in the Council of Nice. They relate afterwards what pass'd in the Councils of Seleucia and Ariminum, and how the Bishops were forc'd to Sign the Heretical Confessions of Faith; They bewail their Un∣happiness, and praise the Faith and Constancy of Paulinus of Triers, of Eusebius of Verceilles, of Lu∣cifer of Calaris, and a very small number of Bishops, who chose rather to suffer all things than do any thing against their Conscience. They describe the Defection of Hosius Bishop of Corduba, and say, That he died by a visible Judgment of God, for pronouncing Sentence against Gregory of Baetica, who had always boldly defended the Faith. They say, That the same thing happen'd to Potamius of Ossobona. They add, That these visible Judgments of God do plainly shew, that those who would not communicate with the Bishops that were defil'd with these Crimes, are so far from being guilty of Impiety, that they do great Service to the Church; That the great number of those who communicate with them, ought to be no Prejudice to others, since this Conduct is contrary to Scrip∣ture; That the Pretence of promoting Peace ought not to make us own Apostates for Lawful Bi∣shops; That the Inconstancy of the Catholicks, has given occasion to Valens to embrace the Arian

Faction. They represent afterwards in a most Odious manner, the Cruelties which they say were committed against their Party in different places of the World, and they conjure the Emperour to put a stop to this Persecution by his Edicts. Not, add they, that we are afraid to Suffer or to Die, being persuaded, that when we die for a good Cause, we shall enjoy after our Death great Tranquility, and have a perfect certainty of our Blessedness. But we give you Notice of this Disorder, for fear lest the Blood of Christians, if it still continue to be shed, bring down the Wrath of God upon your Government. Tho' the Complaints of these Two Priests were injurious to the Church, yet Theodosius was mov'd by them, and granted a Rescript in their Favour address'd to Cynegius the Praetorian Pre∣fect, wherein he testifies his Indignation against the manner of treating them, and ordains, That the Bishops Gregory of Spain, and Heraclides of the East, who are mentioned in their Petition, and all those who communicate with them be suffered to live in quiet. This Petition must have been pre∣sented after the Year 383, because Arcadius to whom it is address'd, was not admitted a Partner of the Empire till that Year, and the Rescript must be before 388, which was the Year where∣in Cynegius died. It seems to have been presented while Damasus liv'd, who died in the Year 384.

There is some probability, that Faustinus presented the Confession of Faith which goes under his Name in the Roman Code, publish'd by Monsieur Quesnel at the End of the Works of St. Leo, along with this Petition. I know very well, that this Learned Man pretends, that this Confession of Faith was made about the Year 379, before the Council of Constantinople; but his Conjectures are not con∣vincing: He attributes to the Priest Marcellinus, the Confession of Faith which precedes this in the New Code; but this also is a Conjecture that is not absolutely certain.

The Stile of Faustinus in his Treatise of the Trinity, is very plain and simple: He contents himself with producing Passages of Scripture, from which he draws consequences to prove the Doctrine of the Church, and with answering the Objections of the Arians; but the Stile of his Petition is swelling and pathetical. In it you * 1.2 may see the Humour and Genius of all Reformers, who Glory in their small number, who blame the Multitude, who rend in Pieces the Reputation of those who are promoted to Dignities, who testify their Indignation against the Higher Powers, who make a show of much Firmness and Constancy, of a great Con∣tempt of this Life, of Honours and Riches; who look upon them∣selves as unblameable, and attribute to the Divine Vengeance all the Fatal Accidents which happen to those that are not their Friends; who are always complaining of being Persecuted and ill used; who exaggerate the Evils which they justly suffer, and affect to show a great Zeal for Plety and Religion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Faustinus.
• * 1.2

  [Every Reader must needs see that these Reflections were inserted here more for the sake of the Prote∣stants than of the Luciferians: Either all Abuses ought always to be tole∣rated, or a Reformer is not to be blamed upon the score of his Office: And when Men set up for Reformers, the Cause only is to be considered not the Pretences; which if it be just, they have no reason to be a∣shamed of any of these things here urged against them as Marks of Ob∣loquy; if their Numbers are small, they ought to shew by a proportionable firmness of Mind, that they place their Confidence in a Being that is Superiour to any Powers here below; and if they find Fault with the multitude who do not joyn with them, they Act according to their own Principles, since all Men who think themselves to be in the Right, must believe that their Adversaries are mistaken; their standing to their own Assertions cannot reasonably be In∣terpreted to be injurious to Men in Eminent Places: Constancy, Contempt of the World, of Life, Riches and Honours, are Vertues, which, when Supported by a good Cause, are glorious Ingredients in the Characters of the greatest Saints; and therefore are favourable Prejudices for all those Reformers in whom they are to be found; if they are too apt to attribute the ill Successes of their Enemies to Divine Vengeance, they are not Singular, since all Parties and even all Religions constantly practise it; if they are hardly used they may reasonably com∣plain of their Usage; and Mr. du Pin knows that his Church has always taken very particular Care that her Adversaries should never complain against her for Persecuting without Just Cause; whilest they believe them∣selves to be in the right: Reformers, as all Men naturally do, will aggravate their Sufferings, that they may lay load upon their Persecutors; and last of all, every Man is tempted to think his Adversary's Zeal for Religion to be only Hypocritical.

  If we consider what good Success these Two Luciferian Priests had in their Business, we ought not hastily to condemn them: Theodosius the Great always shew'd an unshaken Zeal for the Orthodox Faith; and his Carriage towards St. Ambrose who censured him for his hasty and cruel Orders against the Thessalonians, was an Evidence how very much he Reverenc'd the Orders and Discipline of the Church; and besides, if we reflect upon the Accounts which Ammianus Marcellinus gives us of the Differences between Damasus and Ursicinus, they will seem to plead for Ursicinus's Party. His being a Heathen is no prejudice against him in this Matter, be∣cause he was not a Bigot against the Christian Religion; so that it rather gave him the Advantage which all Neuters have of judging impartially of both sides.]