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.

Of the COUNCIL of Cologne against Euphratas.

THere is commonly placed in the Year 346, a Synod which is thought to have been held at Co∣logne, * 1.1 and wherein 'tis said that Euphratas Bishop of this City was deposed for denying the Di∣vinity of Jesus Christ. The Acts of this Council are extant in the Second Tome of the Councils p. 615. But I find there is great probability that these Acts were forg'd, and that this History is false: For this Euphratas who is said to have been depos'd in this Synod in the Year 346, i. e. in the next Year after the Consulship of Amantius and Albinus, was present the Year after at the Council of Sardica as a Catholick Bishop, and was also one of the Deputies whom the Council sent into the East, as appears by the Testimonies of St. Athanasius and Theodoret. Is it possible that a Bishop, who was a little before convicted of denying the Divinity of the Son, and then depos'd, should be pre∣sent at the Council of Sardica among the Catholick Bishops, and should be chosen for a Deputy by the whole Council? Some say, that this Council was held alter that of Sardica; but this Hypothesis which is contrary to the Date of the Acts, may also be easily destroy'd: For Maximinus of Triers who is thought to have presided at this Council, as the Acts testify, died soon after the Council of Sardica, since it is certain by the Testimony of St. Athanasius, in his Epistle to those that lead a Mo∣nastick Life, That Paulinus, the Successor of Maximinus, was Bishop of Triers when Ursacius and Valens retracted, i. e. in the Year 349. But from the Year 347 to 349, Euphratas was always out of France, and consequently it is impossible that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 should be Deposed by Maximinus of Triers.

There is also another Argument which prvoes the Acts of the Council of Cologne to be forg'd. Ser∣vatus Bishop of Tongres, says, that he reprov'd Euphratas in the presence of St. Athanasius. Now

this Bishop could not have seen St. Athanasius, but upon Two Occasions. First, when this Saint was at Triers; and Secondly, when Servatus was sent into the East by Magnentius: But he could not reprove Euphratas in the presence of St. Athanasius neither when this Father was at Triers, since Eu∣phratas could not be accus'd of this Error before the Council of Sardica, nor when he was sent Depu∣ty into the East; for then Maximinus of Triers, who is said to have presided at the Council of Cologne, was dead, as we have just now shown.

The Subscriptions of these Acts do also plainly discover their Forgery: For there you may read the Names of Desiderius of Langres, and of Simplicianus of Autun, who liv'd in the Fifth Age of the Church; there is also the Name of Discolus Bishop of Rheims, who is not to be found in the Cata∣logue of the Bishops of that Church. Lastly Severinus who is said to have been Ordain'd in the room of Euphratas, was still alive in the Year 402, according to the Testimony of Sulpitius Severus. 'Tis true the Names of Desiderius and Discolus are amongst the Names of the Bishops of France, in the Subscriptions of the Letter of the Council of Sardica; but 'tis probable that he that forged these Acts, took from thence these Names, and added to them the Names of the Bishop-ricks. However it be, these Acts were unknown to all the ancient Historians, who make no mention of this History, nor of the Council of Cologne. The First who cited them is the Author of the Acts of Servatus of Tongres, which the Learned now own to be supposititious. After him Ser∣vatus Lupus mentions them in the Life of Maximinus: Hogerius Abbot of Lobbes, and some Mo∣dern Authors mention them; but their Authority is of little weight in so ancient a Matter as this.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Cologne, against Euphratas, 346.