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.

VIGILIUS TAPSENSIS.

VIgilius Bishop of Thapsus, a City in the Province of Bazacium in Africa, was one of those who was banished Africa by King Hunnericus a 1.1. As he lived in a time, when Africa was under the Government of the Arians, and the East infected with the Errors of the * 1.2

Nestorians and Eutychians; he applied himself diligently to oppose these three Heresies, but he did it ordinarily under the Name of those Fathers of the Church, who had lived before him, ei∣ther because by suppressing his own Name he might avoid Persecution, or because his Works would be of great weight, and have a better effect, being put out under the Name of such illustrious Persons. Wherefore he published under the Name of St. Athanasius twelve Books upon the Tri∣nity, by way of Dialogue; a Treatise against an Arian called Varimadus, under the Name of Idacius Clarus; a Book against Faelicianus the Arian under the Name of St. Austin. He hath al∣so made two Conferences, in which he brings in Athanasius disputing against Arius before a Judge, whom he calls Probus, who gives Sentence for Athanasius. There are two Editions of these Con∣ferences. The first, which is the most ordinary, is divided into two Books, wherein all the Dis∣pute is managed between Athanasius and Arrius; but he brings into it * 1.3 in the Second Edition, which is larger than the First, and divided into three Parts, I say, he brings in Sabellius and Pho∣tius. It cannot be doubted, but that this Last Work belongs to Vigilius Tapsensis since he cites it in his five Books against Eutyches, which are the only Work he hath published under his own Name. In this Work he confutes the Eutychian Doctrine, by Scripture, and the Testimony of the Fathers of the Church. He defends St. Leo's Letter, and the Definition of the Council of Chalcedon, against the Objections of those Hereticks. He observes by the by, that the Custom of Uni∣versal and Orthodox Councils, is to make new Decisions against New Heresies, without meddling with what hath been determined in former Councils, which remains in full force and vigour. There is also a place in the third Book worthy our Notice, wherein he says, that the Christians have received by Jesus Christ, the abundance of Corn, Wine, and Oyl, promised to the Poste∣rity of Esau; having been Consecrated by the Mystery of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, and by the Holy Chrisme. Corporis, & Sanguinis Christi & Chrismatis ejus Mysterio consecratis.

This Author wrote well enough for his time; His Discourse is plain, and Natural, without being base and childish, He unfolds the Mysteries of our Religion with much Elegancy; He proves them very solidly; He discovers the Opinions of the Hereticks with great Sagacity, and confutes them very subtly, forcing them out of their strong holds. He had read the Writings of the Fathers, but knew little of the Ecclesiastical History; and therefore for want of an exact knowledge of it he hath committed several mistakes.

The five Books against Eutyches bearing the Name of Vigilius, have always been Printed under his Name both in the Collections, which have been made of those who have opposed the Here∣ticks, and in the Orthodoxographers, and Bibliothecae Patrum; but they are very unfitly attribu∣ted to Vigilius Bishop of Trent. They have also been printed by themselves at Basil, in 1539. Cassander hath caused them to be Printed since at Collen [in 1575, 8vo.] with the Dialogues a∣gainst Arius; which he restored first of all to this Author; And lastly, Josias Simlorus had them Printed again [at Basil, in 1571.] with some other Treatises against the Eurychians.

The twelve Books of the Trinity have been Printed among the Works of St. Athanasius, whose Name they bear [at Heidelburg, in 1601. * 1.4 but they were soon known to belong to a Latin Au∣thor. F. Sirmondus having found them in a MS. of the Abby of St. Flurii (which is now in the Library of the Jesuits Colledge) after the five Books of Vigilius against Eutyches, and his Dispute against Arius, as being the same Authors, hath observed in his Notes upon Theodulphus, [Printed with that Author at Paris in 1646, 8vo.] that this Author, and Hincmarus have been quoted un∣der the Name of Athanasius. Yet they were Vigilius's of Tapsus. His Judgment hath been fol∣lowed by all the Learned, and is confirmed by the Authority of several MSS. where they are joyned with the Conference against Arius, and by the Testimony of the Preface of the Books a∣gainst Varimadus, where the Author alludes to these two Books. F. Chiffletius hath also restored the Treatise of the Trinity against Faelicianus, attributed to St. Austin to him, because he found them in the MSS, with the Works of Vigilius, and they are of the same style. The three Books against Varimadus bear the name of Idacius; but Vigilius discovers himself to be the Author of it in the second Book of his Conferences against Arius.

Lastly, F. Chiffletius attributes to him a Treatise of F. against Palladius, which is Printed in St. Ambrose, and among the Works of St. Gregory Nazianzen's; but he doth not sufficiently prove, that this Work is Vigilius's of Thapsus.

The same Author is of Opinion, That the Acts of the Council of Aquileia are also the inven∣tion of Vigilius of Thapsus; but in that he is mistaken, as we have already shewn. Yet the Creed which is attributed to Athanasius, may with much more Reason be attributed to Vigilius. [The above-mentioned Works of Vigilius of Thapsus have been Collected into one Volume, by F. Chif∣fletius, and Printed with his Notes at Dijon, in 1664. 4to, and have been since put into the Bi∣bliotheca Patrum. Tom. 8. p. 722.]

Notes

• a 1.1

  Under King Hunnericus.] He is cited by Theodul∣phus as a Bishop of Africa, and in an Ancient MS. of the Work against Eutyches. The City of Tapsus is named for the Place of his Bishoprick. His Name is found in the Catalogue of the African Bishops, composed at that very time. He is the last, and by consequence the youngest of the Bishops of the Province of Byzacceum.
• * 1.2

  Vigilius Tapsensis.
• * 1.3

  This E∣dition was put out by Cassan∣der at Collen, in 1675.
• * 1.4

  And at Paris in 1627.