V.

Nilus, disciple of Chrysostom, composed seve- CENT. ral treatises of a practical and pious kind; but these performances derive more merit from the PART II worthy and laudable intention of their author than from any other circumstance.

We pass over in silence Basilius of Seleucia; Theodotus of Ancyra; and Gelasius of Cyzicum, for the sake of brevity.

XI. A Roman pontiff, Leo I. surnamed the The Latin Great, shines forth at the head of the Latin wri- writers. ters of this century. He was a man of uncommon genius and eloquence, which he employed however too much in extending his authority; a point in which his ambition was both indefatigable and excessive [o].

Orosius acquired a considerable degree of reputation by the History he wrote to refute the cavils of the Pagans against Christianity, and by his books against the Pelagians and Priscillianists [p].

Cassian, an illiterate and superstitious man, inculcated in Gaul, both by his discourse and his writings, the discipline and manner of living which prevailed among the Syrian and Egyptian monks, and was a sort of teacher to those who were called Semi-pelagians [9].

Maximus of Turin published several Homilies, which are yet extant; and, though short, are

[o] All the works of Leo were published at Lyons, in two volumes folio, in the year 1700, by the care of the celebrated Quenel of the oratory.

[p] See Bayle's Dictionary, at the article Orosius. A va❤ luable edition of this author, enriched with ancient coins and medals, was published in 4to, at Leyden, in the year 1738, by the learned Havercamp.

[q] Histoire Litteraire de la France, tom. ii. p. 215. Simon, Critique de la Biblioth. Ecclesiastique par Du Pin, tom. i. p. 156. The works of Cassian were published in folio at Franc fort, in the year 1722, with a large Commentary by Alardus Gazæus.

CENT. for the most part, recommendable, both for their V. elegance and piety.

PART II.

Eucherius of Lyons, and bishop of that city, was one of the most considerable moral writers that flourished among the Latins in this century [r].

Pontius of Nola [s], distinguished by his eminent and fervent piety, is also esteemed for his poems, and other good performances.

Peter, bishop of Ravenna, obtained, by his eloquence, the title of Chrysologus; nor are his discourses entirely destitute of genius [t].

Salvian was an eloquent, but, at the same time, a melancholy and sour writer, who, in his vehement declamations against the vices of his times, unwarily discovers the defects of his own. character [u].

Prosper

[r] See a large account of this prelate, in the Histoire Litteraire de la France, tom. ii. p. 275.

[s] This pious and ingenious ecclesiastic is more generally known by the name of Paulin. See Histoire Litteraire de la France, tom. ii. p. 179. The best edition of his works is that published by Le Brun, at Paris, in the year 1685, in two volumes, 4to.

[t] Agnelli Liber Pontificalis Ecclesiæ Ravennatensis, tom. i. p. 321.

[u] Hist. Litter. de la France, tom. ii. p. 517. The authors of the history here referred to, give a different account of Salvian's character. They acknowledge, that his declamations against the vices of the age, in his Treatise against avarice, and his Discourse concerning Providence, are warm and vehement; but they represent him, notwithstanding, as one of the most humane and benevolent men of his time. It is, however, beyond all doubt, that he was extravagantly austere in the rules he prescribed for the conduct of life. For what is more unnatural than. to recommend to Christians, as a necessary condition of salvation, their leaving their whole substance to the poor, to the utter ruin of their children and relations? It must, however, be confessed, that his austerity in point of discipline was accompanied with the most amiable moderation towards those who differed from him in articles of faith. There is a most remarkable passage to this purpose, in his Treatise concerning Providence, book v. p. 100.

V.

PART II.

Prosper of Aquitain, and Marius Mercator, are CENT. abundantly known to such as have employed any part of their time and attention in the study of the Pelagian disputes, and the other controversies that were managed in this century.

Vincent of Lerins gained a lasting reputation by his short, but excellent treatise against the sects, intitled Commonitorium [w].

Sidonius Appollinaris, a tumid writer, though not entirely destitute of eloquence; Vigilius of Tapsus; Arnobius the younger, who wrote a commentary on the book of Psalms; Dracontius, and others of that class, are of too little consequence to deserve a more particular notice.

CHAP. III.

Concerning the doctrine of the church during

I.

MA

this century.

religion de

ANY points of religion were more large- Many ly explained, and many of its doctrines points of determined with more accuracy and precision, termined. than they had been in the preceding ages. This was owing to the controversies that were multiplied, at this time, throughout the Christian world, concerning the person and nature of Christ; the innate corruption and depravity of man; the natural ability of men to live according to the dictates

D 3

[w] This work of Vincent, which is commended by our author, seems scarcely worthy of such applause. I see nothing in it, but that blind veneration for ancient opinions, which is so fatal to the discovery and progress of truth, and an attempt to prove that nothing but the voice of tradition is to be consulted in fixing the sense of the Holy Scriptures. An ample account of Vincent Prosper, and Arnobius, is to be found in the Histoire Litteraire de la France, tom. ii. p. 305. 342.

PART II.

CENT. dictates of the divine law; the necessity of the diV. vine grace in order to salvation; the nature and existence of human liberty; and other such intricate and perplexing questions. The sacred and venerable simplicity of the primitive times, which required no more than a true faith in the word of God, and a sincere obedience to his holy laws, appeared little better than rusticity and ignorance to the subtile doctors of this quibbling age. Yet so it happened, that many of the over-curious divines, who attempted to explain the nature, and remove the difficulties of these intricate doctrines, succeeded very ill in this matter. Instead of leading men into the paths of humble faith and genuine piety, they bewildered them in the labyrinths of controversy and contention, and rather darkened than illustrated the sacred mysteries of religion by a thick cloud of unintelligible subtilties, ambiguous terms, and obscure distinctions. Hence arose new matter of animosity and dispute, of bigotry and uncharitableness, which flowed like a torrent through succeeding ages, and which all human efforts seem unable to vanquish. In these disputes, the heat of passion, and the excessive force of religious antipathy and contradiction, hurried frequently the contending parties into the most dangerous extremes.

Supersti

apace.

II. If, before this time, the lustre of religion tion grows was clouded with superstition, and its divine precepts adulterated with a mixture of human inventions, this evil, instead of diminishing, increased daily. The happy souls of departed Christians were invoked by numbers, and their aid implored by assiduous and fervent prayers; while none stood up to censure or oppose this preposterous worship. The question, how the prayers of mortals ascended to the celestial spirits (a question which afterwards produced much wrangling, and many idle fancies), did not as yet

occasion

V.

PART II.

occasion any difficulty; for the Christians of this CENT. century did not imagine that the souls of the saints were so entirely confined to the celestial mansions, as to be deprived of the privilege of visiting mortals, and travelling, when they pleased, through various countries. They were further of opinion, that the places most frequented by departed spirits were those where the bodies they had formerly animated were interred; and this opinion, which the Christians borrowed from the Greeks and Romans, rendered the sepulchres of the saints the general rendezvous of suppliant multitudes [x]. The images of those, who, during their lives, had acquired the reputation of uncommon sanctity, were now honoured with a particular worship in several places; and many imagined, that this worship drew down into the images the propitious presence of the saints or celestial beings they represented; deluded, perhaps, into this idle fancy by the crafty fictions of the heathen priests, who had published the same thing concerning the statues of Jupiter and Mercury [y]. A singular and irresistible efficacy was also attributed to the bones of martyrs, and to the figure of the cross, in defeating the attempts of Satan, removing all sorts of calamities, and in healing, not only the diseases of the body, but also those of the mind [x]. We shall not

[x] Lactantius, Divinar. Institutionum, lib. i. p. 164. Hesiodus, Opp. et Dier. ver. 122. Compare with these, Sulpitius Severus, Epist. ii. p. 371. Dial. ii. cap. xiii. p. 474. Dial. iii. p. 512. Eneas Gazæus, in Theophrasto, p. 65. Macarius in Jac. Tollii Insignibus Itineris Italici, p. 197. and other writers of this age.

[y] Clementina, Homil. x. p. 697. tom. i. PP. Apostolic. Arnobius, adv. Gentes, lib. vi. p. 254. Casp. Barthius, ad Rutilium Numantian, p. 250.

[z] Prudentius, Hymn xi. de Coronis, p. 150, 151. Sulpitius Severus, Ep. i. p. 364. Æneas Gazæus, in Theophrasto, p. 173.