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.

The Monk Jobius.

THis is also an Author of the sixth Age, out of whom Photius has preserv'd long and excellent Extracts. The Monk Jobius wrote a Treatise of the Word Incarnate, divided into nine Books and 45 Chapters, upon those matters which were disputed in this Age concerning the Mystery of the Incarnation. Photius remarks, that he treated the Questions largely enough, but he gave not very good Solutions of them, contenting himself with what might probably satisfie, without searching deeply into the Truth; That his Doctrine was very Orthodox, both in this Work, and in what he wrote against Severus; that he was well-skill'd and vers'd in the Holy Scripture, and that he un∣dertook to write this Treatise at the desire of an honourable Person. This is what Photius observes in general upon this Work, of which he afterwards gives an Abridgment.

The first and second Book were for the Explication of this Question, Why is the Son made Man, and not the Father or the Holy Spirit. The Reason that he gives for it is, That the Son bears the Name of the Image of the Father, and of his Reason, and that from these Titles it was reasonable that he should come to reform the Image of Man, and restore to him that Reason which he had lost. He thinks that the Birth of Jesus Christ in a Stable among Oxen and Asses, the Parable of the Nets cast into the Sea which took all sorts of Fish, the Piece of Silver which was found by St. Peter in a Fish, the Entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem upon an Ass, and the Gift of Tongues, are Figures of this Truth. After this Preface, which appears not very grave, nor worthy of the matter he handles, In the third Book, which begins at the ninth Chapter, he gives another Reason why the Son of God was made Man: And that is, because it was reasonable, that he who created and form'd Man, should create him anew, and reform him: Now tho the Father and the Holy Spirit created Man as well as the Son, yet the Creation is attributed to the Son, and 'tis said, that by him the Father made all things. He demands afterwards, Why Redemption was not made by an Angel or a Man. And up∣on this Question he says, That Men have try'd many times to bring Salvation to Men, but with all they could do, they were not capable of saving one single Nation, how much more then was it im∣possible for them to redeem all Mankind, and to chain up the Devil who was become their Master. That no meer Man could do it, because none of them is free from sin: That neither did this agree to an Angel, to whom it did not belong to lead Spiritual Powers in triumph: That One being of the same Nature with the Rest, could not bring them into subjection; and that if St. Michael, di∣sputing with the Devil about the Body of Moses, durst not bring a railing Accusation against him, how much lefs could an Angel make us Children by Adoption. From this Question he passes to another, Why God did not redeem Men by his Divinity without making himself Man. He answers; That God having not done it, we should believe that he ought not to have done it. This is the best Answer, or rather the only reasonable one; and this being propos'd all the other become needless. In this place he shows, that tho God be Almighty, yet there are some things which he cannot do, because it would be a defect or imperfection to do them. He says moreover, That the Redemption of Man∣kind was a more excellent thing then his Creation, and that it is a more particular sign of the Love of God to us. He adds, That it was fit the Word should be made Man, for our Salvation, since all other means had been ineffectual. But, one may say, Why did he permit that Man should become wicked? why did he not create him necessarily good? If this had been so, he would have had no Free-will, and consequently he could have deserv'd nothing. Why did not he make him, may one say, like the Angels? This could not have been an advantage to Man, answers our Au∣thor, because God did not save the Angels who sinned. But we easily fall into sin. Yes, says he, and we rise again easily, God having left to Man a thousand ways whereby he may do Penance and save himself. He proposes to himself another very important Question, Why God made Man of two Parts of a different Nature? But he answers not this Question very well; for he only relates some passages of the Fathers, and says, That the Terrestrial Substance must have been adorn'd with the Union of a Spiritual Substance. He enquires, Why the Word was made Man; and he gives three Reasons for it. The first is, That he might give us an Example of Vertue. The second is, To de∣liver us from the Bondage of Sin. The third, To blot out Original Sin, and restore us to the state in which we were before Sin. He remarks that in the Trinity, the Father is consider'd as the first

Cause, the Son as the acting Cause, and the Holy Spirit as that which perfects: That for this rea∣son the Catechumens are seven days in a white Habit; that they are first baptiz'd, and then anoint∣ed * 1.1 with Oyl, and lastly made partakers of the precious Blood before the Bread be given them; and upon this Subject he makes very mystical Reflexions. Afterwards he gives three Reasons why Moses does not speak of the Creation of Angels. The first is, Because he wrote only for Men. The second, Because he would make God known by the visible Creatures. The third is, Lest it should be thought that the Angels created the World. He maintains that the Angels were not known till af∣ter the Promises which God made to Abraham. The fourth and fifth Book contain only two Chap∣ters, wherein he endeavours to prove, That it was more convenient that the Son should be made Man then the Father. The sixth, which begins at the 22th Chapter, contains the Question, Why the Titles of Creator, Redeemer and Judge are attributed to the Son? He says, That they agree well e∣nough to all the three Persons, but by way of excellence they are appropriated to the Son. He dis∣courses of the Order of the Persons of the Trinity, and of the Title Holy, which is given to each Per∣son. He cites upon this Subject St. Gregory Nazianzen, and the Books attributed to St. Denys the A∣reopagite.

In the seventh Book he observes three Changes of the World: The first from Idolatry to the Knowledge of one God by the Law; The second from the Law to the Gospel, which Reveals the Son and the Holy Spirit; And the third, which gives a perfect Knowledge of the Trinity in another Life. Upon this occasion he handles many Questions concerning the Names of the Father and the Son: He gives many Reasons why the Son was not Incarnate from the beginning of the World. He speaks of the knowledge of the Trinity which the Blessed shall have in another Life, of the Obscu∣rity of the Old Testament, and the Mysteries which it covers under the Letter of the Law.

In the eighth he handles two Scholastical Questions: The first is, If it be a good proof, that there is in God one Person of the Word, because God cannot be without Reason, why will it not follow from hence, that there is in this Word another Word, and so in infinitum. Photius remarks, That he endeavours to answer this Objection thirteen manner of ways, but that they are weak, and tho they may satis∣fie such Persons as are pious and religious, yet they afford matter of raillery to those who are of a contrary Disposition. In effect, these kind of Questions and Arguments can never produce any good Effects, but expose Religion to the Contempt of great Wits, and the Scoffs of the Impious. The other Question is no more useful, altho it be at present more common: 'Tis demanded, Why the Son and the Holy Spirit, proceeding both from the Father, the one is call'd the Son, and the other the Holy Spi∣rit; and why they have not both the Title of the Son? He could find no other Answer to this Question, but that this is the Custom, and that Men express, as they can, the Differences of the Divine Per∣sons, altho they comprehend them not. This Answer is ingenuous, very wise and reasonable.

In the ninth Book he treats of the Dignity and Graces of the Angels and Men compar'd together; and applies to them the Parable of the Prodigal Child. After this he enquires, How it can be that Jesus Christ should die for all, since there was an infinite number of Men dead before his Coming? He answers to this Question, That Jesus Christ preach'd the Gospel to the Dead, and that all those who have lived well, and believed in him, are saved. He enlarges here very much upon the Explication of another passage of Jesus Christ, I came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance. After this he treats also of the state wherein Angels and Man were created, of the Fall of the one and the other; of the Reasons for which God redeemed Man, and not the Angels, &c. This is enough to discover to us that the Work of this Author was not very useful; that he delighted to start difficult and intricate Questions; that he gives extraordinary Sences to passages of Scripture; that he main∣tains Propositions which are indefensible: In a word, that we ought not much to regret the loss of his Work, whereof the Extracts related by Photius are but too long, and very tedious.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Justinian