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.

MINUTIUS FELIX.

MInutius Felix, a famous Lawyer at Rome, a 1.1 who lived in the beginning of the Third Cen∣tury, b 1.2 wrote an excellent Dialogue, Entitulled Octavius, in defence of the Christian Re∣ligion. * 1.3 'Tis a Conference between a Christian, whom he calls Octavius, c 1.4 and a Hea∣then named Cecilius, where Minutius sets as Judge. Cecilius speaks first against the Christian Religion, and begins by laying down this Maxim, that every thing is uncertain and doubt∣ful,

and that therefore it is a great piece of Rashness, especially in the Christians, who are an igno∣rant and stupid sort of People, to pretend to establish their Opinions as certain and Infallible Truths That there being no Providence that governs the World, and all things being dubious, it is the best way to stick to the Religion of our Ancestors. That the Roman Empire was first established, and af∣terwards arrived to its present Height by the Religion of the Gods; that they never contemned the Omens and Presages of the Sooth-sayers, without repenting of it; and that their Oracles certainly foretold things that were really to come to pass. Afterwards he attacks the Religion of the Christi∣and in particular, he accuses them of worshipping an Asses Head, adoring Crosses, and other things which were yet more dishonorable. He upbraids them for those Crimes of which the Heathens them∣were justly accused; to wit, the Murthering of Children, the Committing of Incests. He reprehends in them as a Crime, that excessive Love which they had one for another. He finds fault with them, because they had no Temples, Altars, nor Statues. He tells them, that they can neither see them∣selves, nor shew to others that God whom they adore; that they feign that he sees all things, but that it is impossible that he should be able to take care of every particular thing, if he has the Charge of the whole Universe lying upon him. He pretends that it was to no purpose that the Jews adored and honoured this God. He scoffs at the Hopes of the Christians. He looks upon the Resurrection, Hell, and Heaven to be Fables, like those of the Poets. He says, that Men being necessarily Good or Evil, 'tis ridiculous to believe that God will punish or reward them for their Actions. He exa∣mines the Condition of the Christians in this Life, which is to be Poor, Ignorant, subject to Diseases, persecuted, exposed continually to Racks and Tortures:

Which shews, says he, that their God ei∣ther cannot, or will not relieve them, and by consequence that he is Impotent or Malicious.

That on the contrary, the Romans, who do not adore the God of the Christians, are not only Powerful, and Lords of the whole World; but they likewise enjoy all those Pleasures, from which the Christians are forced to abstain. He concludes by advising the Christians not to seek any more after Heavenly Things, and not to flatter themselves vainly with the Knowledge of them: maintaining that all things being uncertain and doubtful, it is better to suspend our Judgments, than to judge rashly, for fear of falling into Superstition, or utterly destroying all Religion. After some Reflexions of Minutius Fe∣lix, Octavius answering Cecilius's Discourse, observes how he has argued after a very inconstant man∣ner, sometimes admitting a Deity, and sometimes seeming to doubt thereof.

Which he has not done, says he, out of any Craft or Cunning, this sort of Artifice not suiting with his Candid and Frank Temper; but that has happened to him which usually happens to a Man who is Ignorant of the Way, when he sees several Paths, he stands in suspence, not daring to chuse any, and not being able to follow them all. In like manner, as he adds, he who has no certain Knowledge of the Truth, is always in doubt, and suffers himself to be led by the first Suspicion, without being able to stop him∣self. He afterwards reprehends all the Reasonings of Cecilius, and he answers every one in particu∣lar.

After having shewn that Poverty and Ignorance, which was upbraided to the Christians, could be no ways prejudicial to the Truth; he proves the Divine Providence, by the Order and Beauty which is seen in the Universe, and by the admirable Perfections of all the Creatures. And he shews, that it could be no other than God, who has created all things, governing them by his WORD, ruling them by his Wisdom, and bringing them to perfection by his Power: That he is not to be seen, because he is more subtile than the Sight: That he is not to be comprehended, because he is greater than all the Senses: That he is infinite and immense: That the Bounds of our Understanding are by much too shallow to have a perfect Knowledge of him: That it is only he who comprehends himself; that it is impossible to give him a Name suitable to his Perfections: And yet that all Men do naturally know him: That the People stretching out their Hands to Heaven, invoke only this God, and that the Prophets and Philoso∣phers have acknowledged him. He afterwards shews, that the Antiquity of their Fables ought not to give them any Authority: That they have not only so much as the least Appearance of Truth, but that they are Impertinent and Ridiculous, and that he must be void of common Sense, who gives any Cre∣dit to them: That we are not to attribute the Establishment, nor Encrease of the Empire, to the Religi∣on of the Romans, since it was founded at first by Parricide, and by the Rapes of strange Women, and that it afterwards grew to its Greatness by Uncleanness, by Sacriledge, and by unjust Wars: That very often their Commanders contemned the Auguries; and that nevertheless they were success∣ful in what they undertook: That the Answers of their Oracles were very often false and ambiguous, and that we are not to wonder, if by a great Chance they sometimes hit: That the Daemons, who are impure Spirits, made use of these Superstitions to destroy Mankind; and to set them at a greater Distance from God, after they were already lost by their Vices and disorderly Desires: That 'tis these Spirits who answer in their Statues, who possess Men, and agitate them so furiously; but be∣ing conjured by the Name of the only true God, they are obliged to go out of the Bodies of those whom they have tormented. He afterwards confutes the Calumnies wherewith they asperst the Christians: He says, That if it were true, they ought not to be compelled to deny their Religion, but rather to own those Incests, Impieties and Murders wherewith they were accused: That the Chri∣stians are too well instructed, to adore an Asses Head, and too Chast, to commit Uncleanness in the Celebration of their Mysteries: But that there is a Religion among the Heathens, in which they worshipped Beasts, and committed execrable Villanies without Punishment; that they are not the Christians, but the Heathens, who place their Hopes in mortal Men, and in inanimate Statues, and who were frequently guilty of Murders and Incests: That the Christians do neither adore nor desire Crosses, and that they are so far from shedding Man's Blood, that they dare not so much as to eat that of Beasts: That they are modest and reserved, not only in Body, but in Mind: That they com∣monly

Marry but once, and that they have no other Design in their Marriage, but the having of Children: That their Repasts are not only very Chast, but also very Sober: That there are several Christians who preserve a perpetual Continency, and yet without any Vanity upon that Account: That though they refuse to bear any Offices, yet they are not for all that of the Scum of the People: That their Number encreases continually, which is a certain sign of their Virtue: That they do not di∣stinguish themselves from others by any outward Mark, but by their Innocence and Modesty: That they love one another and call one another Brethren, because they have all one and the same God for their Father: That they have nither Statues, nor Altars, nor Temples, because the Majesty of God cannot he represented by Images, nor enclosed in Houses built by the Hands of Men, and that it is better to consecrate our Mind, and our Heart as his Temple. Nonne melius in nostra dedicandus est mente, in nostro Consecrandus Corpore? That the Sacrifices and Victims which he requirs, and which we ought to offer up unto him, are Justice, Purity and Innocence: That though God be invisible, yet he is discovered by his Omnipotence: That he knows all things, and nothing can be concealed from him: That he protected the Jews so long as they honoured him; and 'twas only for their Sins that they have drawn upon themselves his Anger and Vengeance. After having thus diso•…•…sed▪ of the Object of the Christian Worship, he goes on to the Proof of the other Points of their Doctrine. He shews, that the Learned do agree, That the World shall have an End: That Pythagoras and Plato believed one part of the Resurrection when they taught the Immortality of the Soul, and the Metempsychosis: That it is not more difficult for God to raise up Men after their Death, than it was for, him to produce them out of nothing: That all the Revolutions of Nature are as so many Images of the Resurrection: That several had rather be annihilated for ever, than to rise again to endure E∣ternal Torments; and that they were confirmed in their Opinion by the Impunity which they en∣joyed in this Life: But that the Judgment of God will be by so much the more Rigorous, as it is slower in Punishing: That these Torments shall be excessive, and shall have neither End nor Bounds: That the Fire which shall burn the Body without consuming it, shall nourish it (if I may so say) and make it to subsist to all Eternity: That it is sufficient not to know God to be Condemned to suffer these Pains, because it is not a less Sin to be ignorant of him, then to offend him: But that the Heathens shall not be Punished only for this Ignorance of God, they being guilty of several Crimes; that they cannot excuse themselves by alledging Destiny, since Man is a free Agent, and that Destiny is nothing else but the Execution of God's Decrees, which are regulated according to Men's Actions: That that Poperty which is so frequent amongst the Christians, makes for their Glory; that the Evils and Persecutions which they suffered, are no Proof that God has forsaken them, but that he trys and purifies them: That it is a Spectacle well becoming God, to behold a Christian stoutly contending with Pain, stand∣ing firm and stedfast in the midst of Torments, insulting over his Executioners and Judges, freely re∣sisting even Princes and Emperors, and yielding only to God.

You exalt, says he, to the Skies, a Scevola, who after having missed of his Aim in killing a King, voluntarily lost his Hand, and saved his Life by this couragious Action. But how many Persons are there among us, who have suffered without Complaining, not only their Hand, but their whole Body to be burnt, though they could have delivered themselves from these Torments, had they pleased? What do I say? Even our Sons and our Daughters laugh at your Gibbets, at your wild Beasts, and at all your Punishments. And ought not this to convince you, that it is impossible that they would have endured these Pains to no purpose; or that they could be able to suffer them without God's Assistance? And do not think that those Persons are happy, who being utterly ignorant of God, are loaded with Honours and Riches. These are unfortunate Men, who are raised up, that their Downfall might be the greater, these are Victims which are fatened for the Sacrifice. For what solid Good can be had without God, since Death shews that all the rest is no more than a Dream? This being so, a Christian may indeed seem to be miserable, but can never be really so: Christianus videri potest miser, non potest esse.

He adds, that they abstain from Pleasures, from publick Sights, and from the Pomps of the World, because all these things are contrary to good Manners, and that their Life is more unblameable than that of the Philosophers, who seem to be wise by their Discourses, and by their outward Appearance, but were by no means sound at the Bottom.

After Octavius had thus answered all the Objections of Cecilius, the last acknowledges himself con∣vinced by his Arguments: I do not expect, says he, the Determination of our Arbitrator; we are equally victorious, Octavius triumphs over me, and I triumph over Error. I submit my self therefore to God, I acknowledge his Providence, and I do publickly declare, that the Religion of the Christians, among the Num∣ber of whom I place my self from this present, is the only way that discovers the Truth.

This Dialogue is Elegant, the Expressions are Select, the Words proper, the Turn agreeable, the Reasons are set forth to advantage, and beautified with a great deal of Learning. In a word, this small Treatise shews, as Lactantius has observed, that Minutius had been a very excellent Defender of Religion, and of the Truth, had he entirely applied himself to this Study. But this is rather the Production of one who would divert himself from Business, than a Book written with great Assiduity and Diligence. He flourishes upon his Subject without treating of it thoroughly. He takes more pains in shew∣ing how ridiculous the Opinions of the Heathens are, and in confuting them by their own Authors, than in explaining and proving the Doctrine of the Christians Besides, he does not appear to be very well skill∣ed in the Mysteries of Religion and he seems to have believed, that the Soul should die with the Body. d 1.5

This Discourse passed a long time for the Eighth Book of Arnobius; for it being found together with the seven Books of Arnobius in an ancient Manuscript of the Vatican Library, it was printed four times e 1.6 under his Name, before any Body knew its true Author. The Learned Lawyer Balduinus was the first that found out this vulgar Error, and caused this little Treatise to be printed by it self in the Year 1560, at Heidelberg, with a learned Preface, wherein he restores it to its true Author. But though we owe to this famous Lawyer the Honour of having first made this Discovery, yet 23 years after, Ursinus causing Arnobius's Works to be printed at Rome, whether he had not seen Baldui∣nus's Edition, or whether he had a mind to attribute all the Honour of this Observation to himself, separated this Book of Minutius from those of Arnobius, without taking any notice that it had been done before, ascribing to himself by this means the whole Credit of the Discovery. Some time af∣ter, in the year 1603, Wowerius caused it to be printed at Basil by Frobenius, with very useful Notes, for the understanding of this Author. In 1610, it was printed at Francfort in Octavo, accord∣ing to Balduinus's Edition. Afterwards Elmenborstius caused it to be printed at Hambourg with some new Observations, in the year 1612, adjoyning thereunto the Preface of Balduinus. The Year following, Heraldus the Lawyer published at Paris an Edition of Minutius in Quarto, which was more correct than the others. Lastly, Rigaltius revising it very diligently from a Manuscript in the King's Library, being the same which was in the Vatican, put it forth in the Year 1643, with very learned and curious Notes; and it was re-printed at Amsterdam in 1645, together with Julius Firmicus. This Edition of Rigaltius was followed in the Edition of S. Cyprian of 1666, to whose Notes they have added part of those of Wowerius, Elmen••orstius, Oizelius, and those lately made by Priorius. Lastly, All these Notes were printed together with the Text, after the manner which they call Variorum, in the Year 1672.

S. Hierom says, That in his Time there was a Book concerning Destiny attributed to Minutius Felix: but though this might be the Work of an eloquent Author, yet it was not written with the same Style with this Dialogue. It is true, that Cecilius promises in this Dialogue, to treat more largely of Destiny upon another occasion: but to tell whether he did it or no, or whether this Treatise that was extant in S. Hierom's Time, was the same which he promised, or rather, whether this Promise gave occasion to some other Author to forge a Discourse thereof under Minutius's Name, are things which we cannot positively determine.

Notes

• a 1.1

  A Lawyer at Rome.] Not only Lactantius and S. Hierom assure us that he was of this Profession; but this likewise appears by the beginning of his Dialogue, where he says, That it being Vacation time, he had no Business at the Hall.
• b 1.2

  In the begining of the Third Century.] The Anci∣ents do not fix precisely the time wherein he lived. S. Hierom, in his Catalogue, wherein he keeps the Order of Time, places him between Tertullian and S. Cyprian. It is evident that Minutius has taken se∣veral Thoughts from Tertullian, and that S. Cyprian, in his Book Of the Vanity of Idols, has transcribed in several Places the Words of Minutius. This makes it probable that he was an African, and his Style sa∣vours a little of Africa.
• * 1.3

  Minutius Felix.
• c 1.4

  Octavius.] He is also called Januarius, and Ceci∣lius is named Natalis; and Minutius Felix, Marcus. It would be rather to divine, than to believe, that these were the Januarius and Natalis, Bishops of Africa, who lived in S. Cyprian's time: It would have been more likely that Octavius and Caecilius were imaginary Names in the Dialogue, if we had not been told that they are their proper Names.
• d 1.5

  That the Soul shoul•…•…ie with the Body.] He says, That there is nothing after Death, as there was no∣thing before the Production; and that being made of nothing, it shall likewise be renewed of nothing.
• e 1.6

  Four times.] The first by Sabaeus, according to the Manuscript of Rome, in the Year 1542. The second in Germany by Gelenius. The third in Holland, at Leyden, in the Year 1552. The fourth at Basil, by Erasmus, in 1560.