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CHAP. CLVI.

GREGORY I. BISHOP OF ROME.

I. His time. II. Books of the Old Testament received by him. III. Books of the New Testament received by him. IV. General titles and divisions of the books of scripture, and marks of respect for them. V. Select passages, and observations.

I. GREGORY the First, commonly called 'the Great,' was consecrated bishop of Rome in the year 590, and died in 604.

I shall take some notice of his testimony to the books of the Old, then of the New Testament, and afterwards transcribe, or refer to some select passages.

II. 1. Gregory has often quoted all the books of the Old Testament, except Ruth and Esther.

2. He has several times quoted the book of Canticles, as Solomon's. And there is extant a Commentary upon that book, which has been ascribed to him: the genuineness of which is denied by some, and asserted by others. I shall not quote any thing out of it.

3. Gregory has not quoted any of the apocryphal books of the Old Testament not in the Jewish canon, except the books of Tobit, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, and the first book of the Maccabees.

4. And these are also so quoted, as to show, that they were not canonical, or of authority, and decisive in the things of religion.

5. When he quotes any texts of Tobit, it is only as the words of some wise, or good man.

a Vid. Cav. H. L. T. i. p. 543, &c. A. Pagi Ann. 590. n. v. Fr. Pagi Breviarium Pontif. Rom. T. i. p. 340, &c. S. Basn. Ann. 581. n. viii. et 590. n. vi. Mr. Bower's History of the Popes, Vol. ii. p. 463–543. L. E. Du Pin, Bib. des Aut. Ec. T. v. p. 102-146.

b Vid. Expos. in libr. Job. 1. xix. c. 30. p. 634. B. T. i. 1. xiii. c. 53. p. 415. D. l. xviii. c. 49. p. 595. C. et alibi. Paris. 1705.

Du Pin, as before, p. 141. Mr. Bower, p. 542. Fr. Pagi Breviarium P. R. T. i. p. 375. d Vid. Benedictinor. Admon. in Canticor. Et sicut per quemdam sapientem

Exp. T. iii. P. ii. p. 393, &c. de cœlesti Jerusalem dicitur. [Tob. xiii. 16—18.] In Ezech. 1. 1. Hom. 9. T. i. 1263. A. Cum quidam sapiens dicat. [Tob. iv. 15. al. 16.] In Evang. 1. ii. Hom. 38. T. i. p. 1640. C. Cum et per quemdam justum dicitur: 'Quod ab alio odis tibi fieri, vide ne tu alteri facias.' [Tob. iv. 15.] In Job.

6. And exactly in the same manner, when he quotes the book of Wisdom.

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7. In like manner Ecclesiasticus, as it is said in the ecclesiastical book; or, as a certain wise man says;' of which I have put several instances in the margin; wherei too it is sometimes expressly distinguished from prophetical writings.

8. In all Gregory's works there is very little notice taken of the books of the Maccabees: in the one place, where the first of those books is mentioned, he quotes it only as an useful book, and makes a kind of apology for quoting a book, which, as he says, was not canonical.

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9. I said just now, that the apocryphal books are quoted as the writings of wise men only: I would now add, that books of the Jewish canon are quoted as written by prophets; so he quotes the Psalms very frequently; and in like manner Daniel, "Hosea, Amos, P Habakkuk, ¶ Isaiah, Ezekiel, and other canonical books of the Old Testament; though a little before, or soon after, the books of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus are quoted as written by wise men only.

S. x. c. 6. p. 340. E.

f Unde per quemdam sapientem dicitur: Senectus enim venerabilis est.'-[Sap. iv. 8.] Expos. in Job. S. 19. c. 17. p. 618. A. * Quibus bene per Ecclesiasticum librum dicitur. In Job. 1. 21. c. 29. p. 692. C. Contra hunc tumorem per ecclesiasticum librum dicitur. Hunc tumorem Dominus per prophetam in pastoribus increpans ait, Vos autem cum austeritate imperabatis eis, et cum poten'tiâ.' [Ezech. xxxiv. 4.] In Job. l. 34. c. 25. p. 785. B. C.

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Unde recte per quemdam sapientem dicitur. Ib. 1. 20. c. 24. p. 661. D. Cui per quemdam sapientem dicitur, Ne dicas; peccavi. Et quid accidit mihi triste?' [Eccles. v. 4.] Ib. l. 25. c. 5. p. 789. D.

i Vid. not. . * De quâ re non inordinate agimus, si ex libris, licet non canonicis, sed tamen ad ædificationem ecclesiæ editis, testimonium proferamus. Eleazar namque in proelio elephantem feriens stravit. Sed sub ipso quem exstinxit occubuit. In Job. 1. 19. c. 22. [al. 13.] p. 622. A. B. Hinc namque propheta ait: Qui perfecit pedes meos quasi cervi.' [Psal. xvii. 24. al. xviii. 33.] In Job. 1. 26. c. 14. p. 821. D. Hinc per eundem prophetam [Psalmistam] certanti animæ Dominus dicit: Exaudivi te in abscondito tempestatis,' &c. [Ps. lxxx. 8. al. lxxxi. 7.] In Job. ib. p. 822. A. Vid. et. 1. 26. c. 18. p. 827. B. et passim. Bene autem Daniel propheta. In Job. l. 22. c. 20. p. 721. C. Propheta etiam alius dicit. [Osee.] In Ezech. 1. i. Hom. 11. n. 25. p. 1290. D. • Unde etiam Dominus per prophetam

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alium minatus. [Amos.] In Ezech. 1. i. Hom. 10. n. 2. 1263. E.

P Unde recte quoque per quemdam sapientem dicitur. [Eccles.] In Job. 1. 20. c. 24. p. 661. B. Hinc etenim Habacuc propheta ait. In Job. 1. 20. c. 3. p. 638. B. Quia et per prophetam alterum dicitur.

[Is.]_In Ezech. 1. i. Hom. 12. p. 1294. E.

Pro eo autem quod multa Ezechiel propheta obscura et perplexa auditurus erat. In Ezech. l. i. Hom. 10. n. 3. p. 1264. D.

10. What I have said here is agreeable to the sentiments and observations of James Basnage upon the same point: and it may not be amiss for an attentive reader, to compare Gregory's quotations of the apocryphal books of the Old Testament with those of Ambrose, bishop of Milan, formerly taken notice of; who shows more regard to these apocryphal books, than this bishop of Rome.

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11. In a word, Gregory's canon of the Old Testament appears to be the same with that of the Jews; and, perhaps, this may be confirmed by the general divisions of the books of scripture to be observed hereafter.

III. I proceed to Gregory's testimony to the New Tes

tament:

1. In the first place it is to be observed, that" be received four gospels, and asserts their complete harmony; where he calls the gospels of the several evangelists their books.

2. He says, that our Lord, after he had died, and was risen again, and ascended to heaven, wrote the New Testament by the apostles.

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3. According to Gregory, as well as many others, the four living creatures in Ezek. i. 5-10. represent the four evangelists, and their complete harmony. Matthew, he supposes to be represented by the face of a man; Mark, by that of a lion; Luke, by that of a calf; and John, by that of an eagle.

4. It is needless to refer to quotations of the Acts of the Apostles, or St. Paul's epistles, which are innumerable: I

* Hist. de l'Eglise, 1. 8. ch. 10. n. 4. p. 445.

t See vol. iv. ch. cvi. num. ii.

"Petra autem erat Christus.

[2 Cor. x. 4.] De hac petrâ olei rivus exiit, liber Matthæi, liber Marci, liber Lucæ, et liber Johannis. In Job. 1. 19. c. 14. p. 616. D.

▾ Et quia ipse Dominus postquam pro nobis mortuus est, et resurrexit, et ascendit in cœlum, tunc Testamentum Novum per apostolos scripsit. Ibid. 1. 22. c. 18. p. 720. A. * Quid enim per quatuor animalia,

quam quatuor evangelistæ signantur? In Ezech. l. i. Hom. 2. n. 18. p. 1190. A. * Quatuor ergo facies uni sunt; quia, si requiras, quid Matthæus de incarnatione Domini sentiat, hoc nimirum sentit quod Marcus, Lucas, et Johannes. Si quæras, quid Johannes, hoc proculdubio quod Lucas, Marcus, et Matthæus. Si quæras, quid Marcus, hoc quod Matthæus, Johannes, et Lucas. Si quæras, quid Lucas, hoc quod Johannes, Matthæus, et Marcus, sentit. In Ezech. 1. i. Hom. 3. sub. in.

y Quod enim quatuor hæc pennat animalia quatuor evangelistas designent, ipsa uniuscujusque libri evangelici exordia testantur. Nam quia ab humanà generatione cœpit, jure per hominem Matthæus; quia per clamorem in deserto, recte designatur per leonem Marcus; quia a sacrificio exorsus est, bene per vitulum Lucas; quia vero a divinitate verbi cœpit, digne per aquilam significatur Johannes, &c. In Ezech. 1. i. Hom. iv. init.

only just observe, that the epistle to the Hebrews is frequently quoted as the apostle Paul's, without hesitation.

5. And with regard to the catholic epistles, I observe, that the epistle of James is often, and expressly, quoted by Gregory.

6. He often quotes the first and the second epistles of Peter: I put in the margin several of his quotations, that the reader may see the manner of them, and how Gregory calls Peter the pastor of the church, and first pastor of the church, as well as apostle.

7. And it may be here observed, that he also speaks honourably of Paul, calling him an excellent preacher or instructor.

8. I shall add a passage or two relating to St. Peter's epistles, the second especially: the same Peter, the first of the apostles, writing to his disciples, [in his second epistle,] and knowing that there were some who detracted from the merit of Paul's writings, says: "Even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given unto him, has written unto you; as also in all his epistles speaking of these things." [2 Pet. iii. 15, 16.] Behold, Paul in his

* Quod Paulus quoque apostolus ait: Omnia enim nuda, et aperta sunt oculis ejus.' [Heb. iv. 13.] In Job. 1. 17. c. 23. p. 546. E. et passim. * Jacobus corripit, dicens. In Job. 1. vii. c. 30. p. 233. E.

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Hujus iniqui molas ipse summus pastor ecclesiæ prædicando conterebat, cum diceret: Sobrii estote,' &c. [2 Pet. v. 8.] In Job. 1. 19. c. 16. p. 629. B. Primus pastor ecclesiæ. Ib. 1. 21. c. 15. p. 690. C. Petrus namque, auctore Deo, ecclesiæ principatum tenens. Ib. 1. 26. c. 20. p. 833. D. c Lucernæ enim nomine lumen signatur scripturæ, de quâ ipse ecclesiæ pastor dicit: Habemus firmiorem propheticum sermonem,' &c. [2 Pet. i. 19.] In Job. 1. 19. c. 11. p. 612. B.--Hinc Petrus apostolus dicit: Adveniet dies Domini, ut fur.' [2 Pet. iii. 10.] In Ezech. 1. i. Hom. 2. n. 17. p. 1189. D. Hinc Petrus, gregis dominici pastor, dicit. Ib. 1. i. Hom. 9. p. 1258. E.

a Unde recte egregius prædicator ait. Exp. in Job. 1. 13. c. 8. p. 421. A. Quia et prædicator egregius dicit. Ib. 1. 22. c. 1. in. Vid. et l. 22. c. 16. [al. 17.] p. 716. in.

Idem vero apostolorum primus, cum multa discipulos admoneret, atque a quibusdam detrahi de Pauli scriptis agnosceret, dicit: Sicut carissimus frater noster Paulus secundum datam sibi sapientiam scripsit vobis.' Ecce Paulus in epistolis suis scripsit Petrum reprehensibilem, et ecce Petrus in epistolis suis asserit Paulum in his quæ scripserat esse admirandum. Certe enim ni legisset Petrus Pauli epistolas, non laudâsset. Si autem legit, quia illic ipse reprehensibilis diceretur, invenit. Amicus ergo veritatis laudavit etiam, quod reprehensus est, atque ei et hoc ipsum placuit. Seque etiam minori fratri ad consensum dedit, atque in eâdem re factus est sectator minoris sui, ut etiam in hoc præiret: quâtenus qui primus erat in apostolatûs culmine, esset primus et in humilitate. Pensate ergo, fratres carissimi, in quo mentis vertice stetit, qui illas epistolas laudavit, in quibus scriptum se vituperabilem invenit. In Ezech. L. 2. Hom. 6. n. 9. p. 1367, 1368.

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epistles had written, that "Peter was to be blamed," [Gal. ii. 11,] but Peter, in his epistles, says, that Paul was to be admired for what he had written: certainly, if Peter had not read Paul's epistles he could not have commended them; but if he read them, he found it there written, that "he was to be blamed." Upon which Gregory enlarges, showing Peter's humility, and love of truth or sincerity.

9. That argument depended upon the supposition, that the writer of that epistle was the same who had been reproved by Paul; but some said, that the person reproved by Paul was not the apostle Peter, but another of the like name, called Cephas: Gregory therefore shows, from Gal. ii. 7, 8, 10, that it was he, and could be no other.

10. Some too there were in his time, who said, thats the second epistle, in which Paul's epistles were commended, was not Peter's: but Gregory says, they would be of another mind, if they carefully considered those words of the epistle itself, where the writer speaks of his having been with Christ in the mount; "when there also came to him such a voice from the excellent glory, saying; Thou art my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased," 2 Pet. i. 17, 18.

11. Gregory has these expressions : Ash the apostle Peter says to all the faithful: "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood," 1 Pet. ii. 9. I cannot tell, whether it may not be hence concluded, that Gregory supposed St. Peter's epistles to have been addressed to christians in general, both Jews and Gentiles, in the countries whither his epistles were sent.

12. It is needless to take any of the numerous quotations

f Sunt vero nonnulli, qui non Petrum apostolorum principem, sed quemdam alium eo nomine, qui a Paulo sit reprehensus, accipiunt. Qui si Pauli studiosius verba legissent, ista non dicerent. Dicturus enim Paulus: Cum venisset Petrus Antiochiam, ei in faciem restiti: ut de quo Petro loqueretur, ostenderet, in ipso suæ narrationis initio præmisit, dicens: 'Creditum est mihi evangelium præputii, sicut Petro circumcisionis. Qui enim operatus in Petro ad apostolatum circumcisionis, operatus est et mihi inter gentes.' Patet ergo de quo Petro Paulus loquitur, quem et apostolum nominat, et præfuisse evangelio circumcisionis narrat. Ib. n. 10.

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Et fuerunt quidam, qui secundam Petri epistolam, in quâ epistolæ Pauli laudatæ sunt, ejus dicerent non fuisse. Sed si ejusdem epistolæ verba pensare voluissent, longe aliter sentire potuerant. In eâ quippe scripta est: Voce delapsâ ad eum hujuscemodi a magnificâ gloriâ.' Atque subjungitur: hanc vocem nos audivimus, cum essemus cum ipso in monte sancto.' Legant itaque evangelium, et protinus agnoscent, quia cum vox ista de cœlo venit, Petrus apostolus in monte cum Domino stetit. Ipse ergo hanc epistolam scripsit, qui hanc vocem de Domino audivit. Ib. n. 11. p. 1368, 1369. sicut cunctis fidelibus Petrus apostolus dicit: Vos autem genus clectum, regale sacerdotium. In Job. 1. 25. c. 7.

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