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Revelation. And having put down this catalogue, Cassiodorius refers to Augustine's second book of the christian doctrine: nevertheless he does not transcribe exactly. And the books of the New Testament are here rehearsed in a different order from that in Augustine, as any one may perceive by comparing them.

3. The third catalogue is called, the Division of Sacred Scripture, according to the Ancient Translation: meaning, I suppose, the ancient Latin translation of the Old Testament from the Greek of the Seventy, which was in use before Jerom made a translation from the Hebrew. And for the New Testament, meaning the old Latin translation from the original Greek, which had been in use before Jerom corrected it. I intend to transcribe this catalogue at length. Them holy scripture, according to the ancient translation, is divided into two Testaments, the Old and the New. In the Old are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua the son of Nun, the Judges, Ruth, four books of the Kings, two books of the Chronicles, one book of the Psalter, five books of Solomon, that is, the Proverbs, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Ecclesiastes, the Canticles: The prophets, that is, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, who is called the Angel, Job, Tobit, Esther, Judith, two books of Ezra, two books of the Maccabees. After these follow the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the Acts of the Apos tles, the epistles of Peter to the Gentiles, the epistle of Jude, of James to the twelve tribes, of John to the Parthians, the epistles of Paul; to the Romans one; to the Corinthians two; to the Galatians one; [to" the Ephesians

I See vol. iv. ch. cxvii.

m Scriptura sancta, secundum antiquam translationem, in Testamenta duo ita dividitur, id est, in Vetus et Novum. In Genesim, Exodum, Leviticum, Numerorum, Deuteronomium, Jesu Nave, Judicum, Ruth, Regum libros quatuor, Paralipomenôn libros duos, Psalterii librum unum, Salomonis libros quinque, id est, Proverbia, Sapientiam, Ecclesiasticum, Ecclesiasten, Canticum Canticorum, Prophetas, id est, Isaïam, Jeremiam, Ezechielem, Danielem, Osee, Amos, Michæam, Joël, Abdiam, Jonam, Nahum, Habacuc, Sophoniam, Aggæum, Zachariam, Malachiam, qui et Angelus, Job, Tobiam, Esther, Judith, Esdræ duos, Maccabæorum duos. Post hæc sequuntur evangelistæ quatuor, id est, Matthæus, Marcus, Lucas, Johannes, Actus Apostolorum, epistolæ Petri ad Gentes, Judæ, Jacobi ad duodecim tribus, Johannis ad Parthos, epistolæ Pauli, ad Romanos una, ad Corinthios duæ, ad Galatas una, [ad Ephesios una,] ad Philippenses una, ad Colossenses una, ad Hebræos una, ad Thessalonicenses duæ, ad Timotheum duæ, ad Titum una, ad Philemonem una, Apocalypsis Johannis. Ibid. cap. 14. p. 516.

The epistle to the Ephesians is wanting in the edition of Cassiodorius, which I make use of: but I suppose it to be only an error of the press.

one;] to the Philippians one; to the Colossians one; tothe Hebrews one; to the Thessalonians two; to Timothy two; to Titus one; to Philemon one; the Revelation of John.'

This catalogue, so far as relates to the Old Testament, should be compared with the canon of the third council of Carthage, formerly transcribed, with which it mightily agrees. Here, as well as there, are reckoned five books of Solomon in both catalogues are placed Tobit, Judith, and the two books of Maccabees: in both are reckoned two books of Ezra, meaning our Ezra and Nehemiah, without any notice of other books ascribed to Ezra. But with regard to the New Testament, there are several differences in the two catalogues, and particularly in the order of the books, as may be observed by any one.

III. Upon these catalogues, so far as relates to the New Testament, I would make two remarks.

In the first place, it seems hence to appear, that the number of books to be received as canonical scripture, had not then been determined by any authority, universally acknowledged, and submitted to by christians: for Cassiodorius does not say so. And his manner of delivering these several catalogues seems to show, that he had no knowledge of any such determination.

Secondly, Nevertheless there was a very general agreement among christians concerning the books of the New Testament, which ought to be received as canonical, or the rule of faith. There is no remarkable difference in any of these catalogues: the first two have all the books of the New Testament, which are now generally received by us. And if St. John's first epistle only be mentioned in the third and last, possibly, the omission of the other two epistles is only a fault of the transcriber. However, it is well known, and allowed, that the second and third epistle of John were not universally received in the first ages. Once more, for showing the harmony of these three catalogues, it ought to be observed, that here is no mention made of any books of the New Testament as canonical, which are not received as such by us. There are not inserted, in any of these catalogues, Barnabas, or Clement, or Ignatius, or any other christian writers whatever: which affords a cogent argument, that there were not any other christian writings, which were placed by the churches upon a level with those in these catalogues.

• Vol. iv. ch. cxvi.

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IV. In 1721, Signor Scipio Maffei published a work of Cassiodorius, which had been long missing: and in the following year the same work was published at London by my learned friend, Mr. Samuel Chandler, with the addition of a judicious preface. It is entitled, Complexions," or 'short Commentaries upon the Epistles, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Revelation.' To be more particular : These notes or complexions are upon the epistles of Paul in the following order: the epistle to the Romans, first and second to the Corinthians, to the Galatians, the Ephesians, the Philippians, first and second to the Thessalonians, to the Colossians, the first and second to Timothy, to Titus, Philemon, the Hebrews. And the seven catholic epistles in this order: the first and second of Peter, the three epistles of John, the epistles of James, and Jude: the Acts of the Apostles, and the Revelation.

1. By which it is manifest, that Cassiodorius received all the books of the New Testament which we do: for about the four gospels there can be no question. The order of the books here, and in the catalogues before transcribed, I leave to be observed by the reader: I shall, however, take notice of a few other things.

2. Cassiodorius expressly ascribes the Acts of the Apostles to Luke the evangelist.

3. He seems to have had a clause in Acts viii. 39, that' the Holy Ghost descended upon the Eunuch after he had been baptized by Philip.

4. At Acts xiv. 19, he seems to have read a word or two wanting in our copies: Ands whilst they tarried, and taught, there came from Antioch certain Jews. Those expressions are of use to abate the surprise at the sudden change in the people at Lystra.

5. In the title prefixed to the first epistle of Peter, it is said to be written ad Gentes [to Gentiles]: but" in the P Cassiodorii Senatoris Complexiones in Epistolas et Acta Apostolorum et Apocalypsim. Florentiæ. M.DCC.XXI.

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Lucas unus evangelistarum, qui doctrinam Domini cœlesti veritate conscripsit, Actus quoque Apostolorum fideli narratione complexus est. Præf. in Act. Ap. et ardore mentis incensus, baptizari se protinus postulavit. Quo facto, Spiritus Sanctus supra eunuchum cecidit, et Philippus subitâ translatione disparuit. In Act. viii. 38, 39.

Cumque ibi commorentur, et docerent, supervenerunt quidam ab Antiochiâ. In Act. xiv. 18. 'Petri apostoli ad Gentes.

"Sanctissimæ regulæ instituta concelebrans, et Petrus Apostolus Jesu Christi scribit absentibus Hebræis, qui impiâ persecutione Judæorum dispersi fuerant, et advenæ facti per Pontum, per Galatiam, per Cappadociam, per Asiam, et Bithyniam, sed tamen in Christo Jesu correctà mente crediderant, &c. In 1 Pet. cap. i. in.

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explication Cassiodorius speaks of Peter's writing to believing Jews in Pontus, Galatia, and Cappadocia.

6. Signor Maffei thinks, that our author had the heavenly witnesses in the fifth chapter of the first epistle of John: but that does not appear certain to me. I place the passage" below and would refer to Mr. Wetstein's observations upon

it.

7. Cassiodorius says, that John had his revelation in the isle of Patmos, where he had been banished by the emperor Domitian.

CHAP. CLIV.

THE IMPERFECT WORK UPON ST. MATTHEW

1. The author's time. 11. He was an Arian, and a bishop. His censures of the Homoüsians, and of all heresies in general. III. Books of the Old Testament received by him. IV. Books of the New Testament received by him. V. Books quoted which are not in our canon. VI. Select

passages.

b

I. THE Imperfect Work upon Matthew, so called, because it has not come down to us entire, has been mentioneda already. It is usually joined with St. Chrysostom's works, because it was formerly ascribed to him; though now it is generally, or universally, allowed not to be a work of that eminent man,

V VP. 251.

The time of the work cannot be exactly determined: but it was written after the reigns of Constantine and Theodosius the first, of both whom the author complains, as having gone into measures, by which the interests of the true * Cui rei testificantur in terrà tria mysteria, aqua, sanguis, et Spiritus, quæ in passione Domini leguntur impleta; in cœlo autem Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus. Et hi tres unus est Deus. In Johan. cap. v. * Vid. Wetsten. N. T. Gr. T. ii. p. 726. Cum esset in insulâ Pathmo, a Domitiano Principe propter verbum Domini in exilium feliciter destinatus, Dominico die voce magnâ commonitus, &c. In Apoc. i. 9. a See vol. iv. ch.

lxxxv. num. v. 15.

b Opus Imperfectum in Matthæum.

Tom. ii. in Nov. Testam. edit. Morell. Tom. vi. edit. Benedictin.

• Vid. Hom. 49. p. 202.

d Sic ille afflictas res Arianorum

deplorat, quæ sub Constantino per Nicænam fidem depulsæ, sub Theodosio

principles of christianity had been opposed and discouraged from that time to his own. In one place he speaks, as if the space of time, between the ascension of Christ and his writing, was almost equal to the life of an antediluvian : which induced Mill to place this authorf as low as the middle of the tenth century; whereas he may be supposed to amplify beyond the truth. And in another places he speaks, as if there were still heathens, and the rites of Gentilism were still performed in the Roman empire: which, with other things, induced Montfauçon, who has carefully examined this work, to conclude it probable, that the author lived before the end of the sixth century.

II. The author seems to have been a bishop: but of what place, or of what country, is not known.

1. He wrotek not in Greek, but, probably, in Latin, the language in which we have his work.

2. The author was an Arian: he' plainly condemns the

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autem Magno prostratæ sunt, ita ut ab illo tempore usque nunc,' sive usque ad auctoris tempus pessum semper ierint. Hoc autem decantat ille fere per totum librum. Montfauç. Diatrib. ad Op. Imp. n. v. p. 6. in App. Chrys. Opp. T. vi. * Et vere tardat, sed quantum ad nostram inconstantiam tardare videtur. Nam si consideremus, ex quo Christus in cœlum ascendit, et quantum vivebant homines ante diluvium, et prope tantum spatium est, quanto tempore erat uniuscujusque eorum. Hom. 52. p. 218. B.

Jam ultra partem seculi decimi mediam provecti sumus-sub hæc tempora, Auctor Operis Imperfecti in Matthæum, episcopus Latinus, quisquis ille, (qui paulo ante etiam in evangelia Marci et Lucæ commentatus fuerat,) homilias conscripsit in Matthæum, ut apparet ex suo ipsius calculo, &c. Proleg. n. 1037. Vid. eund. Proleg. n. 1360. et in Matth. vi. 13.

• Ut puta, si bene doceant sacerdotes, et melius vivant, videntes Gentiles dicunt: Benedictus Deus, qui tales habet servos.'--Nam disciplina domini ex moribus familia demonstratur. Non sicut nostri philosophi, qui magna loquuntur, et nec modica faciunt. Hom. 10. p. 60. B.-Quos orant Gentiles, videamus, ut sciamus quare sic orant. Orant dæmones, qui etsi audiunt, exaudire non possunt-orant reges mortuos, Jovem, Mercurium-cæterosque— Orant idola insensata. Hom. 13. p. 75. E. 76. A.

Ad hæc autem illa quæ de Theodosio Magno, et de tempore subsequenti, de Gentilium religione quasi adhuc vigente, deque Arianismo ecclesias, episcopos, atque presbyteros passim habente. Hæc, inquam, omnia non ad nonum vel octavum, imo vix ad septimum seculum referri posse videntur. Diatrib. ibid. 1 Vid. Hom. 8. p. 54. B. Hom. 32. p. 133. A.

* Unde in Græco non dicit, 'Beati pauperes,' sed egeni; vel 'beati mendici.' Hom. 9. p. 56. E.

1 Consequenter et hæreticis dicitur hoc. Quando enim vides hæreticos tres per omnia æquales dicentes, ejusdem esse substantiæ, ejusdem esse auctoritatis, sine principio omnes--Implent enim mensuram patrum suorum Gentilium, quoniam et illi similiter multos deos colebant. Quando vides eos, tres unam personam dicentes, et ipsam esse Deum.-Quando vides eos confitentes, ac dicentes, quia Filius de ipsâ Patris substantiâ processit-cognosce, quia mensuram implent patrum suorum Gentilum. Et illi enim tales Deos colebant, qui secundum carnem et generabantur, et generabant. Hom. 45. p. 190. C. D.

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