HONORATUS, Bishop of Marseille.
GENNADIUS says, That this Bishop was Eloquent, and that he had an excellent fa∣culty of making Sermons Extempore, for being filled with the Fear of God, and well skilled in Ecclesiastical Matters, as soon as he opened his Mouth Divine Instructions flowed * 1.1 from it, as from a Magazine. He composed several Homilies, in which he set himself espe∣cially to Explain the Mysteries of Religion, and Confute the Hereticks. The People and Clergy came in throngs to hear him, and the other Bishops desired him often to come and Preach in their Churches. Pope Gelasius acknowledges under his Hand, That he was sound in the Faith, and shews the great Esteem he had for him in a Letter. He composed the Lives of the Saints for the Edification of the Faithful, and chiefly insists upon the Life of S. Hilary, to whom he was obliged for his Education. He often joined devoutly with his People in the Litanies, to implore the Mercy of God. This is what Gennadius, or some other Author of the same time, says, in Commendation of Honoratus. I say, Gennadius, or some other Author, because this Clause is not to be found in some Manuscripts of Gennadi∣us's Treatise of Ecclesiastical Authors, and it seems not to be his Stile. But however that be, it is not to be doubted, but that it was written by some Author of that time.
We have the Life of S. Hilary Bishop of Arles, but it is questionable, whether it be Hono∣ratus's, because in the Manuscript of the Church of Arles, where it is found, 'tis attributed to Reverentius, Hilary's Successor. There never was a Bishop of Arles of that Name, but per∣haps the Name of Ravennius who was immediate Successor to Hilary, was intended. Now it is evident, that this Life cannot be his, since the Author says, that Ravennius was sent to Rome by S. Hilary, and that afterward he was his Successor. It is certain, that it was written by one of S. Hilary's Scholars, and why should it not be Honoratus, since it is manifest he wrote one, and this is very worthy of him? It is excellently well written, and full of very useful Maxims. There is nothing in it Mean, or Childish, and the Marks of Truth and Sin∣cerity are visible quite thro' it, it gives us a full Idea of S. Hilary's Person, and lays before us a Platform of a Life becoming a Bishop. The Author proves what he says by the Testi∣monies of those who had seen and written to S. Hilary. He recites their very words, as also S. Hilary's. Lastly, It may be said, That it must needs be he that wrote the Lives of the Saints. I say no more here, because I have made an Extract of it, when I spoke of Hilary Bishop of Arles. [It is Extant in Surius on May the 5th.]