CHAP. XIII. He puts Baronius upon writing his Annals.
THis so vehement zeal of propagating the faith would not be confined to the limits of Rome, but diffused it self far and wide unto the most distant quarters of the Christian world. For perceiving that in some Northerne countries the enemies of the Catholique faith daily broached new and infecti∣ous doctrines, he, on the contrary pitying the great ruine of Souls, resolved to oppose himself. Thereupon by speciall directions of the spirit of God he enjoyned, that in the Oratory (of which anon) one of his Scholars as oft as he preached, Page 41 should bring down the Ecclesiasticall story in order, from the Incarnation of Christ; that so, the begin∣ning, truth, and progress of the universall Church exposed to open view, and the craft and cheats of hereticks discovered, neither the Ignorant might be led into error, nor the Learned pretend any excuse.
For this task he made choice of Caesar Baronius of Sora, Doctor in either Law, a man renowned for sacred story, and noted for good life, who being but a private person was so liberall a benefactor to the poor, that he bestowed all his houshould-stuff, to a silver cabinet of a good value, and of much e∣steem with him, yea his very apparell toward their maintenance: and so great a despiser of ho∣nours that he tore his priviledge of Doctor, meerly in contempt of himself. Him therefore the H. Fa∣ther designed for publishing the History of the Church so oft recited in the Oratory, having well digest∣ed it into Method: a labour, which being begun out of obedience, and after vast pains and contin∣uall watchings perfected, came happily forth.
Which so noble and admirable work is to be as∣cribed rather to Philip than Baronius, as in his pre∣face on the eighth Tome he hath left upon record, for the clearing of which, his own words are set down at the end of this treatise. Adde hereunto, that Philip himself a little before he died, calling Baronius to him, said, Think but meanly of thy self, Caesar, for these works are not the issue of thy pains and studie; but a gift of the Divine Bounty rather: when repeating the same again and again, True Fa∣ther, replied Baronius, for whatever is in them is all next God owing to your prayers.
The same is confirmed by a vision from heaven, Page 42 which appeared to him not long before he set about the compiling his Ecclesiastical History. For when first he began to preach in the Oratory, he used to thunder out the terrors of de ath and hell: which after he had a while practised, Philip by direction of the H. Ghost, foreseeing that, if he changed the subject of his discourse, it would prove more be∣neficiall both to himself and others, advised him to apply himself to the composing his Ecclesiastique story, and leave preaching death and hell: at that time Baronius did not oppose, but his genius carry∣ing him the other way, afterward neglected his ad∣monition: so that Philip by vertue of his authority commanded him speedily to go about the task he had set him. Which his injunctions Baronius thought hard, and urged thereto one while by the vertue of obedience, another while discouraged by the reluctancy of his nature, he was extreamly troubled, but the Good Lord to allay these tempests in him, thus made known his minde to him.
As he was asleep one night, he thought he was di∣scoursing with Onuphrius Panuinus, who also ap∣plied himself to Ecclesiasticall history, when being very pensive, and intimating what Philip had im∣posed upon him, he desires him not to refuse the finishing such a work: and as he heaped up argu∣ments to perswade his friend, on the sudden he hears Philips voice saying yield Caesar, now yield, and stand out no longer, for that the Ecclesiasticall history must be written by you, not by Panuinus. At which Baronius awaked, and perceiving it to be the Divine will, immediatly resolves to run through the Church Annals in the Oratory: which when he had brought along from Christs, we near to his own times, Philip enjoyned him to rehearse them Page 43 once or twice from the beginning to the end: so that in the space of thirty years (as in the preface mentioned he affirms) he went over in publique, the whole story from the beginning seven times, ere he printed the first Tome; and at last put forth the whole work divided into twelve Tomes. For this his great service to the Church he was by Pope Cle∣ment the eightth advanced to the dignity of a Car∣dinal; which eminency with what unwillingness and regret he received, is there recorded by him; besides his refusing before that three wealthy Bi∣shopricks. So, worn away with continuall study and long weakness, living in hi• Tusculan retire∣ment, when he found his end approaching, Let us go to Rome saith he, for it beseems not a Cardinall to dye in the Country. Being brought therefore to the City in a Litter, his sickness increasing, he died the last of June 1608. In the 69th. year of his age (which number he had with his pen marked in many pages of his books; as being prescribed for the term of his life) in a house neer the Oratory, not far from S. Philips Chappel, the Fathers of the Congregation being present; and was buried with great concourse of people.
For the same cause, to wit the refuting obstinate hereticks fondly rejecting the worshipping of saints, Philip enjoyned him to annex some Annotations to the Roman Martyrology. And for this reason also Thomas Bozzius of Eugubium, and Anthony Gallo∣ni•s of Rome, both Priests of the Congregation, pub∣lished their writings with great commendation and liking; the first, of the marks of the Church of God, the other of the Lives of the Saints.
