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.

S. MAXIMUS.

MAXIMUS, descended of a noble Family of Constantinople, having been a while chief Secretary of State to the Emperor Heraclius, withdrew himself into the Monastery of * 1.1 Chrysopolis, of which he was Abbot. The fear of the Barbarians Incursions, and the Errors spreading at Constantinople, forced him to fly into Africa, after Heraclius's death, in the year, 641. of the vulgar Aera. There he stoutly opposed the Error of the Monothelites, and pre∣vailed with the Africans, to join themselves with John Bishop of Rome, to condemn their Opi∣nions. It fell out, that Pyrrhus, Patriarch of Constantinople, and Head of that Party, who was banished out of Constantinople, because he was accused of having Poysoned the Emperor Con∣stantine, fled into Africa, where he met with Maximus, with whom he fell into Discourse, and yielded or feigned to yield to his Reasons; and hoping to be restored by the Pope's help, he resolved to go to Rome with Maximus. Being arrived there, he presented an Orthodox Confes∣sion of Faith to Pope Theodorus. But hearing afterwards from the Exarch of Ravenna, that the Court was of the Party of the Monothelites, and that he could not be restored, unless he altered his Mind, he retracted his Opinions, and embraced again his first Tenets; which forced Pope Theodorus to condemn him in a Council, in which his Condemnation was signed with Ink, mixed with some of our Lord's Blood.

Maximus was the Man that did thus stir up the Romans against the Monothelites, and there is no doubt but he had a good share in the Council Pope Martin held at Rome against them; and therefore the Emperor Constans's Anger did equally break out against him, and Pope Martin. They were brought to Constantinople: Maximus appeared often before the Judges, and was condemned to Banishment in the year 655. He was sent into a small Town of Thrace, named Byzias, whither Theodorus, Bishop of Caesarea, went to see him, to oblige him to yield to their Opinion; but when he could not prevail with him, they brought him back to Constantinople; and by a strange Cruelty, after he had suffered much, they cut off the Hand and Tongue of him, and his Disciple Anastasius; then he was sent into Prison in a Castle, called Schemre, where he died, Aug. 13. 662.

This Father wrote a great many Works. Some of them have been published in divers Col∣lections; but Combefis hath published a good number of them in Greek and Latin in two Vo∣lumes, printed at Paris, 1675. At the beginning of these two Volumes is found S. Maximus's Life, written by a Greek, younger than he, but pretty well acquainted with the Affairs of his time, and the Authentick Acts of this holy Man's Persecutions.

The first part of those Acts contains the verbal Process of what pass'd at Constantinople in the Emperor's Council, when Maximus was brought thither from Italy. In the first Interrogatory we find the Depositions of Witnesses accusing him of injurious Speeches to the Emperors. He defends himself against them, and maintains against the 4th. Witness, that he was in the right, when he said, That the Emperors, tho' Christians, were not Prelates.

For, saith he, he who does not offer upon the Altars does not Baptize, does not give the sacred Unction, does not lay on Hands, does not create Bishops, Priests and Deacons, does not consecrate Al∣tars, does not wear the Sacerdotal Marks nor Habits, cannot be called a Prelate among Christians; therefore, in the Oblation at the Altar, the Emperor is named after the Bishops, the Priests, the Deacons, and the Clerks, in the rank of the Laity.

Then they brought in his Disciple, who was accused of being an Origenist; but he purged himself from that Charge, by saying, Anathema to Origen. The same day, towards Evening, two of the Emperor's Officers, examined Maximus about the Conference he had with Pyrrhus in Africa. He related to them what was said in that Conference, and declared to them, he would not communicate with the Church of Constantinople, nor receive the * 1.2 Ecthesis nor the Type; and tho' they urged him to communicate with the Bishop of Constantinople, he said, he would not. He was brought again the Saturday following to the Palace of Constantinople, and de∣clared a new, that he did Anathematize the Type, and would not communicate with the Church of Constantinople that received it. He said, in that Interrogatory, he was 75 years old, and his Disciple 37. Next after these first Acts, there be two Letters, the one Greek and Latin, written by Maximus to his Disciple; the other Latin, which is Anastasius's to the Monks of Cagliari. S. Maximus relates, in the first, that they would have forced him to say, That there are two operations in Christ, but that they make but one, because of the Unities, which he would not do. In the second, Anastasius does also reject that Opinion, and protests against the Violence used against them. The second part of the Acts contains the Conference which Theodosius, Bishop of Caesarea, had with Maximus at Byzias, in the Presence of the Em∣peror's Commissioners; in which Maximus declares to him that he could not communicate with the Church of Constantinople, in regard, she received the Novelties of the Monothelites; Theo∣dosius promised him, That, if he would communicate with the Bishop of Constantinople, they would reject the Type. He maintained, That that was not enough, and that they ought first to receive the Condemnation made by the Synod of Rome, held under Martin. Theodosius re∣ply'd, That that Council was not valid, as having been assembled without the Emperor's Order. Maximus answered, There were many Synods assembled by the Emperors Orders, which he did not receive; as those held by Constantius against the Faith of the Nicene Coun∣cil, and that they did receive that which had deposed Paulus Samosatenus, notwithstanding it was held without the Emperor's Order; that it was ordered by the Nicene Council, That every year, two Councils should be held in the Provinces, without speaking of the Emperors Orders; and lastly, That which moved them to approve and receive Councils, was the Truth of the Doctrine they established. This brought the Dispute to the Doctrine of the one Ope∣ration only. Theodosius undertook to prove it by supposititious Passages of Pope Julius, of S. Athanasius, and of Gregory Thaumaturgus; but Maximus having answered him, they were Apollinarius's; he produced two more, under S. Chrysostom's name, which Maximus maintained to be Nestorius's, and proved it immediately. Then he explain'd a Passage of S. Cyril, after which it came again to be disputed whether they should say, One or Two Operations; and at last Theodosius said, he was ready to sign, That there were Two Natures, Two Wills, and Two Operations in Christ. Maximus reply'd, It did not belong to him, who was but a Monk, to exact Professions of Faith from Bishops; but that, if they were really of that Mind, they might write about it to the Bishop of Rome; and that though they were agreed in the Doctrine, he could not communicate with them, till they had blotted out of ** 1.3 the Sacred Tables, which they recited at the Altar, the Names of those who had been anathema∣tized in the Council of Rome; notwithstanding that he did advise them, That the Emperor should send an Address to the Bishop of Rome, and the Patriarch a Synodical Decree, agree∣able to the Orthodox Doctrine. Theodosius promised him, that it should be done; yea, and en∣gaged

him, in case he were sent thither, to go along with him. Being agreed about that, they went to Prayers, and p 1.4 kissed the holy Gospels, the Cross, and the Virgin's Image, and touched them, to confirm their mutual Promises. After that, having discoursed about some Points of Morality, Theodosius ask'd Maximus, whether they could not say, in a good sence, That there was but one only Will in Christ, by reason of the Union of the two Wills? Maximus affirmed, That they could not. Theodosius, and they that were present, seem'd to approve his Sentiment, and the Reasons he gave for it. Having parted good Friends in appearance, the Em∣peror Constans sent an Order to the Proconsul, Paul, to remove the Abbot Maximus from Byzias, and to bring him to the Monastery of S. Theodorus, near Rhegium. The next day Theodosius came to him, ac∣companied with two Noblemen, Epiphanius and Troilus. This last asked him, whether he would do what the Emperor should command him? He an∣swered, he would obey his Orders, in all things con∣cerning secular Affairs; but when they told him, it was the Emperor's Will, That he should approve the Type, and if he did do it, they would lead him to the great Church of Constantinople, and receive the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ with him, and own him for their Father. He complain'd to Theodosius, That they did not make good what they had promised. Theodosius answering, That the Em∣peror was against it; Maximus declared, That the very invisible Powers could not force him to do what they required of him. This Answer provoked the fury of the Company against him, so that they abused him. But at last Theodosius having appeased the Tumult, Epiphanius asked Maximus, why he dealt with his Prince and Church as Hereticks, seeing, they owned two Wills, and two Operations in Christ? Maximus reply'd, That, if it was so, they should not urge him to sign the Type. Epiphanius answered, That that was done by a kind of Condescension. Maximus maintain'd stoutly, That they ought to declare aloud and firmly, the Orthodox Faith. Epiphanius ask'd him, whether he had subscribed a Profession of Faith against them? He said, he had. Hereupon Epiphanius threatned him, which he did not seem to matter much. The next day, the Consul Theodosius delivered him into the Hands of the Soldiers, which brought him to Salembria, and then to Perbera, till at last he was con∣demned to have his Tongue cut out. Combefis hath added to these Acts, some pieces collected by Anastasius, relating to the Life and Actions of S. Maximus. An Invective made by a certain Monk against the Cruelty used against him, and some Extracts of S. Maximus's Offices, taken out of the Books of the Greek Church.

The first of S. Maximus's Works is entituled, Questions upon the Holy Scripture, dedicated to Thalassius Presbyter and Abbot. He shews, in the Preface of his Work, That Evil is not an Entity, nor a real Quality, but a defect of the Creature, whereby it swerveth from its ulti∣mate end, that is, from God; from whence he concludes, That all Evil comes from the want of the Knowledge and Love of God, because the only means of Salvation, is to know him, to love and serve him, renouncing the love of the Creatures, the Passions, the Lusts, and the vain Pleasures of this World. This Work contains Answers to 65 Questions. The 1st. is about the nature and use of Passions; the rest about some places of the Scripture. We must not look there for literal Explications of the difficulties that might occurr about those places of the Scripture; they are allegorical Explications and mystical Observations upon places of the Scripture, or Questions of Divinity, which he takes an occasion to handle from those places. He made himself some Scholia or Glosses upon his own Work, where he explains some Terms used, and establisheth or clears some Rules and Principles propounded by him∣self.

Photius did rightly observe, That this Work is very obscure and tedious to read; That he does so often wander from the Letter and the History, that one cannot keep pace with him; and those only who love Allegories and mystical Speculations, do relish him, and take pleasure in the reading of him.

The 79 Answers to some other Questions, are shorter, and less obscure than the former, but they are not less stuffed with Explications not at all pertinent to the Letter of the Scripture, and with mystical and moral Thoughts.

He follows the same Method in the Exposition of the 59th Psalm, as well as in that of the Lord's Prayer, where he loseth himself in his Mystical Speculations.

The Ascetick Discourse is more plain, 'tis a Dialogue between a Monk and an Abbot, in which the Abbot does instruct the simple Monk in the principal Rules of a Spiritual Life. He shews him, That the Love of God, and the Renouncing of the Creatures, are the Foun∣dation of it; That the Love of our Neighbour is the effect of the Love of God; That Je∣sus Christ gave us a perfect Example of that Love; That we ought continually to fight a∣gainst the Temptations of the Flesh and the Devil, mortifie our Passions, resist the Motions of

Lust, reject Idle or Impure Thoughts, be constant in Prayer, have always the Fear of God before our Eyes. He complains, That the greatest part of Monks lived disorderly, and that their seeming Vertue was but Hypocrisie. He maketh an excellent Prayer to God for their Conversion. And adds, We ought to trust in his Goodness and Mercy, hoping for Salvation from him, which we cannot obtain by our selves. Photius speaking of this Work, says, It is useful for all Men, and chiefly for them that lead an Ascetick Life, because there he lays down the means how to become a Citizen of Heaven, by teaching Charitableness, and works of Piety. It must also be confessed, that this Treatise is of the Ascetick Books the most use∣ful, not only for Monks, but all Christians likewise, because it does very well explain the Principles and Fundamentals of the Spiritual Life.

Maximus added to this Work 400 Spiritual Maxims, which he intituled, Of Charity, be∣cause there is many of them about Charity towards God and our Neighbour, in which that Holy Man places the whole Spiritual Life, as being perswaded, all other Vertues and Duties are but Branches and Parts of it. There be sundry of those Maxims containing Precepts and Rules touching the Actions of Life, and those are the most useful; but some of the other contain nothing but Spiritual and Mystical Thoughts. Photius takes notice, that the Stile of these Two Works is clearer and more elaborate than any of the rest, and that they cannot be found fault with, unless it be because he did not always make use of the purest terms.

The Two Hundred Theological and Oeconomical Maxims, contain not only Principles of Divinity, but also Maxims of Morality, and they would deserve, says Photius, to be compa∣red with the Four Hundred Maxims above mentioned, if the great number of Allegories that they are filled with, did not render them more like the Questions to Thalassius. To these Chapters is annexed a Writing to Theopemptus, upon Three Texts of the Gospel, en∣tirely agreeing with the Answers to Thalassius.

Lastly, That Volume ends with 243 Moral Maxims, taken out of a Manuscript of the Vatican, where they are found under Maximus's Name. They are indeed like enough to the 400 Moral Maxims for Stile and Matter.

The fragment drawn out of a Book, intituled, A Resolution of Sixty Three Doubts, Dedi∣cated to the King of Achrida, now L'Ochrida, by S. Maximus, seems doubtful, because in Maximus's time there was no King at Achrida, which maketh it Credible, 'tis the Work of some later Grecian, who wrote that Work when there were Kings in Bulgaria.

The Second Volume of S. Maximus's Works comprehends his Theological and Polemical Tracts, with his Letters. The Twenty Five first Tracts are divers Writings, or Answers, all tending to the same end, to shew that there be Two perfect Natures, Two Wills, and Two Operations, in Jesus Christ; in them he handles that matter Scholastically and Acutely. Among those Tracts there is one, in which he defends that which he had said, That the Ho∣ly Ghost proceeds from the Son.

The Conference with Pyrrhus is clearer, less cumber'd with Scholastical Terms and Rea∣sonings. Therein he relates what was said between them on both sides. The issue was, That Pyrrhus perswaded by his Reasons, that we ought to acknowledge Two Wills, and Two Ope∣rations in Christ, went to Rome with him and retracted his Error.

The Treatise of the Soul is upon another Subject. Therein he Treats of many Questions touching the nature of the Soul; he asserts it to be a Spiritual Substance, distinct from the Body, simple, immortal, and intelligent. These points are handled there in a very dry man∣ner, as a Logician rather than Divine.

Maximus's Letters are upon divers Subjects. The Five first are upon Moral Points. There∣in he does chiefly recommend the Love of God, and of our Neighbour, tho' renouncing Se∣cular Desires, Alms-giving, Retiredness, and Repentance.

In the 6th he shews the Soul to be Spiritual; And in the 7th, That after Death it keeps its Intellectual and other Faculties.

The Three next contain some Allegorical and Moral Observations.

In the 11th, He Exhorts a Superior to deal Charitably with a Nun, which having left the Nunnery, had returned thither to do Penance.

The 12th, Is a Writing against Severus, in which he Establisheth the distinction of the Two Natures in Christ. He complains in the beginning, that the Empress had written some Let∣ters into Africk favouring the Severians. He enquireth into the bottom of the Question of the Two Natures in this Writing. He explains a passage in S. Cyril, and refutes Severus's Er∣ror, That the Two Natures became one in Christ. The same Subject is also handled in the next Writing directed to a Lord, named Peter.

The 14th Letter, which is the 41st piece of this Volume, is also on the Mystery of the In∣carnation; but in the end of it he speaks of the Incursions of the Arabians, which spoiled the Frontiers of the Empire.

The 15th is a Scholastical Tract of the Union and Distinction of the Two Natures in Christ, directed to Conon, a Deacon of Alexandria. To it is joined a Letter directed to the same Deacon, to exhort him to stand up in the defence of the Truth, without being dis∣mayed at the sufferings attending the defence of it.

The 17th is directed to Julian. It is also about the distinction of the Two Natures.

The 18th is written in the Name of George, a Noble-Man of Africa, to some Nuns of Alexandria, engaged in the Error of the Mon••••helites, to dissuade them from it.

The 19th is written to Pyrrh••s, before he was Patriarch, and ••ad declared himself openly against the Church. Maximus asks him, How his saying is to be understood, that there was but one Vertue or Operation in Christ.

The following Letters, to divers private persons, are shorter than the former, and contain nothing but some Moral or Mystical Discourses.

The Five Dialogues upon the Trinity, which were Published under Athanasius's Name, are here restored to S. Maximus, upon the Authority of the Greek Manuscripts and Authors, which have Quoted them under this Father's Name. We have shewed already, that Combefis was in the right, to put them under Maximus's Name, and that they are none of Theodoret's, as F. Garner pretended. After so many Writings of the Ancients upon the Trinity, there is no need to make an Extract of this, where that Mystery is handled after Maximus's Genius Scholastically, and in the form of a Conference.

Maximus's * 1.5 Mystagogy, are Considerations of the Church-Ceremonies. He says there, That the Church is the Figure and Image of God, the World, Man, and the Soul. That the In∣troitus of the Mass, is a representation of Christ's entrance into our Souls. That the Les∣sons signifie the Faith of Christians. That the Songs are signs of the Spiritual Joy. That the Gospel figures the Consummation of the World, and the Perfection of Christians. That when the Bishop descends from his Chair, he represents Christ descending from Heaven in the Day of Judgment. That the going out of Catechumens teaches us, that those that have not Faith shall be rejected. That the Doors shut, the Kiss of Peace, the saying of the Creed, are the figures of the perfect Union of Christians. That the Trisagion and the Sanctus are Types of our future Glory, and present Adoption. This whole Book is full of such Allegories.

Lastly, The last of Maximus's his Works, is a Collection of sundry passages of Ecclesiasti∣cal and Prophane Authors, set down under different Titles, concerning Vertues, Vices, Wo∣men' Duties, Moral Precepts, and Maxims.

We have moreover a Comment, or Scholia of Maximus's upon the Books ascribed to the Areopagite, which is Printed with Dionysius's Works. He writ also some Scholia upon S. Gre∣gory Nazianzen, which were Printed at Oxford in 1681. Petavius hath Published a Kalendar for Easter, ending in the Year 641, ascribed to Maximus.

Photius saith, This Author hath extraordinary well turned Periods, but that he often useth Hyperboles and Transpositions, and is not careful at all to speak properly, which renders his Writings obscure and difficult; That he affects a kind of harshness of swelling Stile, which renders his Discourse unpleasing and ungrateful to the Ear; That in his Rhetorical Figures he does not make choice of that which is neat and handsome; That he tires out his Reader with his Allegorical and Mystical Explications, so far distant from the Letter, and the truth of History, that one cannot see any coherence between his Answer and the Question; That yet he excells in the Allegorical and Mystical way; and that they who take delight in it, can meet with nothing more accomplished. That his very Letters are not without obscurity, which is the only Epistoler Character he hath kept to; That he is plainer and clearer in his Trea∣tise of Charity, and in his Maxims meerly Moral; Lastly, That the Conference with Pyr∣rhus is of a Stile somewhat low, and that he hath not kept the Laws of Logick.

One may add to this Judgment of Photius, That Maximus handles matters after a meer Scholastical manner; That he Speaks and Reasons as a Logician; That he gives his Definiti∣ons, Terms, and Arguments in form; That he maketh use of great big Words, signifying no more than what might be expressed in other terms; That he is acute and close, striketh his Adversaries home, and stands firm to his own Principles; That he was very quick of Appre∣hension, of Reasoning and Disputing, very free of Speech, Stiff and Firm. He was of the Opinion of the Latins about the procession of the Holy Ghost, Original Sin, Christ's Grace, and the Celibacy of Bishops, and the Greatness and Power of the Roman Church. He had the Monastick Life in high esteem, and was much given to Mystical Thoughts. In a word, He was a Scholastical, Mystical, and Speculative Man.

Notes

• * 1.1

  S. Maximus
• * 1.2

  [A Con∣fession of Faith com∣posed by Ser∣gius, and put out by He∣raclius as a compleat Rule of Faith, whereby the Doctrine of one Will in Christ was established, and imposed upon all.]
• * 1.3

  [Diptychs.]
• p 1.4

  [Kissing the Gospels, Cross—to confirm their mutual Promises.] These Ce∣remonies are also the product of the su∣perstitious Worship which was establi∣shed in this Age. For the Christians in the purer Ages confirmed their Oaths and Promises, by kissing the Gospels, testi∣fying not only their belief of them, but their fear of falsifying their Words, left they offended the God therein revealed, and incurred the Punishments threatned to Falshood and Perjury. But when the Christians did as it were deifie the Martyrs, Cross and Images, they used the same Ceremony toward the Cross, as having an equal Fear and Reverence for that as for God himself and his Holy Gospel.]
• * 1.5

  [Or an Exposition of the Pub∣lick Liturgy of the Church.]