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.

SOPHRONIUS.

SOPHRONIUS of Damascus, Elected Patriarch of Jerusalem in the Year 629, was one of the great opposers of the * 1.1 Monothelites; when he was but a Monk he opposed that * 1.2 Errour springing up at Alexandria, and did his endeavours to hinder Cyrus from entertaining it. He was the first Patriarch that condemned it, and before he Died, he sent a Bishop to Rome to demand the solemn condemnation of it. Photius in the 231st Volume of his Biblio∣theca says, He had perused a Synodal Letter of that Patriarch, directed to Honorius then Go∣verning the Church of Rome, in which he did exactly explain and defend the Doctrine of the Church; That he observed there, that Magnus had been Excommunicated, together with Apollinarius, and that Theodoret had not been Banished out of the Church, tho' he did not agree with St. Cyril; That he distinguished there Two Origen's, the one Elder, the other Sirnamed Adamantius, altho' they be really the same; That he mention'd one James of Syria Author of the Sect of the Acephali; That he prayed Honorius, that, in case he had forgotten in his Letter something which he should have said, he would supply it, and amend what he should think amiss in it; That he cited the Testimonies of several Fathers, whereof Photius

maketh the Catalogue, to confute those Men's Opinions, who pretended, there was but one Operation in Christ. This is the sum of that Letter, as it is reported by Photius.

This Patriarch of Jerusalem wrote also another Synodal Letter on the same Subject, di∣rected to Sergius Patriarch of Constantinople, mentioned in the 11th Act of the 6th Council. It contains a long profession of Faith, in which, after a large dissertation upon the Mystery of the Incarnation, and having encountered the Heresies and Errours opposite to the Faith of the Church he 〈◊〉〈◊〉, That the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Na••ures, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Jesus Christ have each their distinct Opera∣tion. He names and condemns 〈◊〉〈◊〉 inf•…•…e Number of Hereticks. He asserts, The Souls to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 when our Bodies are 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and that we shall rise with the very same Bodies we have. He attributes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 contrary Opinion to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, against whom he proves the Eternity of Pains.

Besides these Two Dogmatical Monuments, we have Four Sermons Fathered upon Sophroni∣us, the First is o•• our Saviour's Birth, wherein the Cruelties of the Saracens, who had invaded the Town of Bethlehem, are mentioned. The Second is a Panegyrick of the Angels, full of Praises and Prayers, as also the other Two k 1.3 Ser∣mons of the Praises of the Cross. Photius found out the true Stile of that Author, when he observed, that he uses extraordinary Terms, and goes skipping along. By this Character it is plain enough, that it is another Sophronius, spoken of by the same Photius in the 5th Volume of his Bibliotheca, in these words,

I have read a Book of Sophronius's for S. Basil, against Eu∣nomius; he is more Learned and short than Theo∣dorus; he does not keep close to all that Eunomi∣us hath said, but undertakes to oppose and confute the principal points of Eunomius's Heresie, his Cha∣racter is to be Peremptory and Decisive, his Stile is Free and Plain, yet not Tedious, altho' he be full of Logical Arguments.

There is a bad piece, Intituled, S. Peter's and S. Paul's Journeys, tho' S. Peter's only be mentioned, attributed to Sophronius of Jerusalem, but 'tis a ridiculous Forgery, not worth mentioning.

We may more justly attribute to Sophronius of Jerusalem, S. Mary the Aegyptian's Life, Quoted in the 7th Council, Act 4. by S. John Damas∣cene, in his l 1.4 Book of Images, and by Nicephorus Calist. l. 7. c. 3. In the 7th Council are cited Two fragments of a Discouse of Sophronius's upon S. Cyrus, and S. John, for the Images of Saints. A Book like∣wise called the Spiritual Meadow, [Limonarium, or Pra∣tum Spirituale,] is attributed to him. He Died in 636.

Notes

• * 1.1

  [A Sect, that held, that there was but One Will in Jesus Christ after the Union of the Two Natures.]
• * 1.2

  Sophronius.
• k 1.3

  [Sermons of the Praises of the Cross.] The Cross of Christ was at first a Stumbling Block to the Jews, Foolish∣ness to the G••••••iles, and a Reproach to the Christians themselves, who were in derision called the Disciples of a Crucified God. To shew therefore their Constan∣cy, and Love to their Profession, they did frequently Cross themselves on their Breasts and Foreheads, to testifie their sincere Belief, That Jesus who was Cru∣cified was their Saviour, and that they were not ashamed of his Cross. These were the only Crosses, (or Cros••••••gs ra∣ther) that were used by the Christians for 300 Years and more after Christ, for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 says, Cr•…•…es 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••abemus, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••pta••••s, We neither have Crosses, nor desire any. But after it pleased God to promise Constantine the Great Victory over his Competitors in the Empire, by making the Sign of the Cross to appear to him in the Air, with this Inscription, In hoc ••igno vinces, which he therefore put immediately into the Imperial Standard to be Adored by all his Soldiers according to the Custom, and was always Victorious with it, it ever-after came to be in very great Esteem and Honour among the Christians. Wooden Crosses were made and placed in the Publick Markets, the Sign of the Cross was used in Celebrating the Sacraments, Honourable Titles were given to it by the Fathers, who called it, Signum Fidei, Trophae•••• Dominicum, Signum Christi, & Dei. At last in this Superstitious and Idolatrous Age it was admitted into the Church, together with the Images of Christ, and his Saints, Excessive Praises bestowed upon it by this, and other Bishops, in their Sermons, who were Zea∣lous for Image-Worship, and became an Object of Adoration together with them.]
• * 1.3.1

  1 Cor. 1. 23.
• * 1.3.2

  Aug. Ser. 8.
• * 1.3.3

  Euseb. de vit. Const. lib. 1.
• * 1.3.4

  Aug. in Jo∣an. Tract. 118. Niceph. l. 8. c. 32.
• l 1.4

  [S. J. Damascene's Book of Images.] This Writer, who is reckoned among the Fathers of the Church, and much Quo∣ted by Romish Authors in their Contro∣versie with Protestants, was a Credulous and Superstitious Person, a great Patron of Images, and a Zealous Defender of Image-Worship, and the other Errors which sprang up about his time. Insomuch, that it is no wonder that we meet with Books of such Titles as this under his Name, better becoming an Heathen than a Christian, for which Reason his Writings are of small Esteem with Judicious and Pious Men.]
• * 1.4.5

  ••as. adv. Bar. p. 83.