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.

SOZOMEN.

HErmias Sozomenus lived at the same time with Socrates, was of the same Profession, and undertook a Work of the same Nature. He was of a good Family, a Native of a City in * 1.1 Palestine, called Bethesia near Gaza. His Grandfather having been converted by a Miracle of Hilarion's, applied himself to the study of Holy Scripture, and conversed very much with the Monks of his own Country. Sozomen was brought up among them, and had imbibed, a very great esteem for that Order. This he plainly discovers in his History, where he gives an high commendation of a Monastick Life, and enlarges himself very much upon the Actions and Manner of living used among those Solitaries. This is almost all that is considerable, which he addeth to the History of Socrates, for he begins and ends at the same time. I say, that that's all he hath added, because I am perswaded that he wrote after Socrates. For besides that he was then a Lawyer, when he composed his History, and by consequence was younger than Socrates, who had left off that Profession, it is visible enough that he follows the Rela∣tion of Socrates, to which he adds or changes some things now and then; also he is ordinarily put after Socrates. These Additions have made his History larger, and obliged him to divide it into 9 Books.

His Style is more ••orid and elegant than Socrates's, but he is not so judicious an Author. He hath inserted some things into his History, which are not agreeable to it. He is guilty of all the same Faults, that Socrates is, and is himself fallen into more gross ones. As when he says, That Pope Julius not being able to go to the Council of Nice by reason of his ••••eat. Age, he sent Vito and Vincentius; although 'tis certain that that Council was held under Pope Sylvester. He confounds the Ordination of Gregory by the Church of Alexandria, with the Intrusion of George. He hath been very negligent in setting down the Catalogues of the Bi∣shops of the great Sees. He hath placed Romanus in the number of the Patriarchs of A••ti••c•• although he was no more than a Deacon. He makes the Popedom of Julius to last 25 years,

whereas it continued but Fifteen Years, and puts his Death after Gallus's, although it happen'd Two Years before. I omit to speak of many more Faults in this Author. His History is dedicated to Theodosius the Younger.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sozomen.