or, as another copy has it, evangelists; and twelve apostles; and that the gospel is one divided into four parts.

3. He has not mentioned the names of the evangelists, but he has quoted words of the gospels of St. Matthew, St. Luke, and St. John. I shall transcribe a few passages, chiefly to show the author's method of citing, and his respect for the scriptures in general.

4. These are the days, of which the Lord says in the gospel; "And except those days were shortened, there should be no flesh saved :"' Matt. xxiv. 22.

6

5. Of whom? Simeon, a just man, holding him in his hands, said to Mary, his mother; "Behold this [child] is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against :" " Luke ii. 28, 34.

6

q

6. And rightly said our Lord and Master himself to the Jews; "If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham :" John viii. 39.

7. He has a remarkable quotation of the Acts in this manner; 'From' Joshua the son of Nun to Samuel the judge, and priest of God, according to the blessed apostle Paul, who has taught by the Spirit of God, were filled four hundred and fifty years:' See Acts xiii. 20.

This seems to show at once that the Acts was esteemed a book of the inspired scriptures, and that it was well known; otherwise, the author would have shown more particularly where these words of the apostle Paul were to be found.

8. He says, We are built upon the words of the apostles.' Perhaps he refers to Eph. ii. 20: but whether he does or not, this observation is worthy of our notice.

6

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9. Which make,' says he, according to the Revelation, "a thousand two hundred and sixty days;" in which days that antichrist will make a great destruction; and therefore no christian will be able to offer sacrifice to God, because that most wicked one will begin to sit in the temple of God, and to say to the ignorant that he is God; whom our Lord et tres menses per quatuor tempora, id est, per quatuor evangelia, a Christo electos xii. apostolos nobis demonstraverunt. p. 69. b.

Ipsi sunt dies, de quibus ait Dominus in evangelio, &c. p. 68. b.

P P. 69. a. b.

Judæis, &c. p. 67. a.

Et merito Dominus et Magister noster dicebat -a Jesu filio Nave usque ad Samuelem judicem, et Dei sacerdotem, secundum Pauli B. apostoli sermonem, qui Spiritu Dei edoctus retulit eos implevisse annos cccl. p. 67. a.

See before note 1.

t

-qui fiunt dies, secundum Apocalypsim, mille cclx. in quibus diebus ille antichristus magnam faciet vastationem : et ideo tunc nemo Christianorum poterit Deo sacrificium offerre, quoniam ipse nequissimus incipiet in templo Dei sedere, et ignorantibus se Deum affirmare : quem oportet Jesum Dominum et Salvatorem nostrum spiritu oris sui interficere, et præsentiâ adventus sui evacuare. p. 68. a. b.

and Saviour Jesus will kill [or consume]" with the breath of his mouth, and destroy with the brightness of his coming." Here is a quotation of Rev. xii. 6; and a reference to 2 Thess. ii. 4, 8.

10. I forbear to insist on any other allusions to the books of the New Testament, or any other expressions that" may seem to intend the whole collection of them. He speaks of the holy and divine scriptures in words, which may more directly relate to the Old Testament; but it cannot be questioned, that he had an equal respect for the New; which contains the words of our Saviour, and of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, and his apostles.

CHAP. XLVI.

ST. CORNELIUS AND ST. LUCIUS, BISHOPS OF ROME.

I. St. Cornelius. II. St. Lucius.

I. CORNELIUS, bishop of the city of Rome, to whom there are eight of Cyprian's letters still extant, wrote an 'epistle to Fabius, bishop of Antioch, concerning the synod ' at Rome, in Italy, and Africa; and another concerning Novatus, and of those that had lapsed; a third concerning the ' acts of the synod; a fourth to the same Fabius, which is very long, and contains the rise and condemnation of the Novatian heresy. Having been crowned with martyrdom for Christ, 'he was succeeded by Lucius.' So writes St. Jerom in his Catalogue or Book of Illustrious men.

Fabian, who sat in the see of Rome fourteen years, of whose ordination Eusebius has given us a very remarkable

-in quibus oportet primo Enoch et Eliam venire, et per suam prophetiam magnæ multitudini evangelium, id est, Novum Testamentum confirmare. p. 68. a. Multo quidem non modico tempore anxii fuimus et æstuantes, non in sæcularibus, sed in sanctis et divinis scripturis, quærentes invenire, quisnam, &c. p. 63. a.

Cornelius, Romanæ urbis episcopus, ad quem octo Cypriani exstant epistolæ, scripsit epistolam ad Fabium, Antiochenæ ecclesiæ episcopum, de synodo Romanâ, Italica, Africanâ; et aliam de Novatiano, et de his qui lapsi sunt; tertiam de gestis synodi ; quartam ad eundem Fabium valde prolixam, et Novatianæ hæreseos causas et anathema continentem. Rexit ecclesiam annis duobus sub Gallo et Volusiano, cui ob Christum martyrio coronato successit Lucius. De V. I. cap. 66. bH. E. L. vi. cap. 29.

c

history suffered martyrdom in the month of January, 250. After his death there was a vacancy for about the space of sixteen months, upon account of the troubles they were in, during which time the clergy of Rome governed the church. In the beginning of June, 251, the heat of the persecution being somewhat abated at Rome, even before the death of Decius, Cornelius was chosen bishop and successor of the above-named Fabian with the general approbation of the clergy and people of the church of Rome, and the concurrence of sixteen bishops, then in the city, as St. Cyprian writes.

The election, however, was not unanimous. Some, both of the clergy and people of Rome, dissented. by whom Novatus was chosen bishop, who was ordained also by three Italian bishops.

Both Cornelius and Novatus seut abroads letters and deputies to foreign bishops and churches, notifying their election and ordination: but Cornelius's letters and deputies met with, generally, the most favourable reception he therefore was approved of as rightful possessor of that see; and Novatus is esteemed the first antipope, and the first author of schism at Rome.

Inh October, 251, Cornelius convened a numerous council at Rome, consisting of sixty bishops, and a much larger number of presbyters and deacons, who all confirmed his election, and condemned Novatus, and the rigid doctrine he now went into concerning the lapsed. Cornelius likewise took the sentiments of other bishops of Italy, who could not be present at the council held at Rome; which is, probably, what Jerom means by the Italian synod. And the same things having been resolved upon in a council at Carthage, we Vid. Pagi Crit. 250. n. vii. d quibus, post excessum nobilissimæ memoriæ viri Fabiani, nondum est episcopus propter rerum et temporum difficultates constitutus. Cleri Roman. Epist. ap. Cyprian. Ep. 30. [al. 31.] p. 58. Oxon. e Factus est autem Cornelius episcopus de Dei et Christi ejus judicio, de clericorum pene omnium testimonio, de plebis quæ tum affuit suffragio, et de sacerdotum antiquorum et bonorum virorum collegio; cum nemo ante se factus esset, cum Fabiani locus--vacaret. Cypr. Ep. 55. p. 104.-qui episcopo Cornelio in catholicâ ecclesiâ de Dei judicio et cleri ac plebis suffragio ordinato, profanum altare erigere,-tentaverit. Id. Ep. 68. Pam. 67. p. 177. Et factus est episcopus a plurimis collegis nostris, qui tunc in urbe Româ erant, qui ad nos literas honorificas, et laudabiles, et testimonio suæ prædicationis illustres de ejus ordinatione miserunt. Cypr. Ep. 55. [Pam. 52.] p. 104. Episcopo in ecclesià a sedecim coëpiscopis facto. Ibid. P. 112. 8 Vid. Cypr. Ep. 44. init. et Ep. 45. [42.] p. 87. Oxon. Vid. Pagi Crit. 251. n. xxvi. Basn. 251. n. viii.

Vid. Euseb. 1. vi. cap. 43. p. 242. A.

* Vid. Pagi ibid. et Tillemont, St. Corneille. Art. 8. p. 33, 34. Tom. iii.

P. iii.

have at length the three synods mentioned by Jerom, and the sense of Eusebius, whom Jerom copied.

There is little certainly known of Cornelius's life, before he was advanced to this bishopric; except thatm Cyprian says he had passed through all the lower offices in the church, and behaved well therein.

St. Jerom in his Catalogue, as we have seen already, says that Cornelius was crowned with martyrdom. He speaks to the like purpose" elsewhere. St. Cyprian likewise calls Cornelius a martyr: but, though Jerom seems to say that Cornelius died at Rome, it is at present the general opinion that he died at Circumcellæ, now Civita Vecchia, whither he had been banished by Gallus. Jerom having said of Cyprian, that he died on the same day of the month, though not in the same year, with Cornelius, it is concluded that Cornelius died on the 14th of September, 252.

Jerom says that Cornelius governed the church two years, under Gallus and Volusian. But those two years must not be reckoned complete; for the most learned critics and chronologers compute that his episcopate was not above one year, three months, and ten days; part under Decius, and part under Gallus: and yet Eusebius gives him about three years. However, he may be supposed to allow him all the space of time from the death of Fabian, including the vacancy of the see. But Du Pint is greatly mistaken in saying that he died near the end of the year 253, having been bishop two years and some months.

Cornelius has a place in Jerom's Catalogue of ecclesiastical Writers, who mentions four of his letters sent to Fabius; though it is" supposed now, by some learned men,

Euseb. 1. vi. cap. 43. p. 242. B. Conf. eund. p. 245. D.

in Nam quod ad Cornelium-non iste ad episcopatum subito pervenit, sed per omnia ecclesiastica officia promotus, et in divinis administrationibus Dominum sæpe promeritus, ad sacerdotii sublime fastigiuin cunctis religionis gradibus ascendit. Cypr. Ep. 55. [al. 52.] p. 103. "Sub Decio et Valeriano persecutoribus, quo tempore Cornelius Româ, Cyprianus Carthagine, felici cruore martyrium pertulerunt.-De Vit. Paul. Erem. T. iv. P. ii. Edit. Bened.

• Unde illic repentina persecutio nuper exorta sit, unde contra ecclesiam Christi et episcopum Cornelium beatum martyrem, vosque omnes secularis potestas subito proruperit. Cypr. Ep. 61. [al. 58.] p. 144. Si vero apud Cornelium fuit, qui Fabiano episcopo legitimâ ordinatione successit, et quem, præter sacerdotii honorem, martyrio quoque Dominus glorificavit. Id. Ep. 69. [al. 76.] p. 181. P Tillemont, St. Corneille. Art. 16. Pearson. Annal. Cypr. 252. n. xii. xiii. Pagi 252. n. xii. xiii. Basn. 252. n. x. Fassus est-eodem die quo Romæ Cornelius, sed non eodem anno. D. V. I. cap. 67. Vid. Pearson. An. Cypr. 251. n. vi. Pagi

251. n. xix. Tillem. ut supra, Art. 16. p. 70. et note 14.

H. E. 1. vii. cap. 2.

" Vid. Basnag. Ann. 252. n. xi.

Nouv. Bibl. T. i. p. 180. Amsterd.

that Eusebius speaks of but three epistles of Cornelius to that bishop of Antioch. However, it cannot be questioned but Cornelius wrote other letters beside those mentioned by Jerom. Eusebius" speaks of a letter of his to Dionysius of Alexandria. He likewise wrote several letters to Cyprian, two of whichy we still have. And Tritemius expressly says, that Cornelius wrote many letters to Cyprian bishop of Carthage, and other letters to others. The eight letters of Cyprian to Cornelius, mentioned by Jerom, still remain.

I shall by and by make use of the long letter to Fabius, mentioned by Jerom, there being considerable fragments of it preserved by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History.

There are not many texts of scripture quoted in the two remaining letters of Cornelius to Cyprian, or the just-mentioned fragments: but it may be well taken for granted, that he received the same books with Cyprian and other christians of that age.

I take no notice of the pieces which, without ground, have been ascribed by some to this bishop of Rome. Such as desire farther information of these may consult Basnage,b Tillemont, and others.

II. Cornelius, as St. Jerom says, was succeeded by Lucius. Herein he agrees with Eusebius, who adds, that Lucius did not sit out full eight months. At present, the day of his ordination and the duration of his episcopate are reckoned uncertain. However, bishop Pearson thought it probable that Lucius was ordained on the 25th of September, and sat five whole months and ten days, dying on the fourth of March, 253. Basnaget differs very little from him. Lucius was banished from Rome under Gallus; but he soon returned. Of his speedy release there is no reason known, beside the divine goodness. We have a letter of St. Cyprian to Lucius, wherein he congratulates him upon his return from

h

▾ H. E. L. vi. cap. 43. p. 242. B. C. D. —και Κορνηλίῳ τῳ κατα Ρωμην γράφει, δεξαμενος αυτε την κατα το Nosare επιτολήν. Η. Ε. 1. vi. cap. 46. p. 247. D. * Vid. Basnag. ibid.

Apud Cyprian. Ep. 49, 50. [juxta Pamelium.] 46, 48. Ad Cyprianum Carthaginensem episcopum plures scripsit epistolas, et alias ad alios. Trithem. de Script. Ec. cap. 40. • Ann. 252. n. xii.

Mem. Ecc. T. iii. P. iii. Saint Corneille, Art. 17. p. 71. et Note xv.
d Pagi Crit. 252. n. 14 —17.

Lib. vii. cap. 2.

Annal. Cyprian. 252. n. 15.
Pearson. ib. n. 18.

f Ann. 252. n. 13.

Et nuper quidem tibi, frater carissime, gratulati sumus, cum te honore geminato in ecclesiæ suæ administratione confessorem pariter et sacerdotem constituit divina dignatio. Sed et nunc non minus tibi et comitibus tuis atque universæ fraternitati gratulamur, quod cum eâdem gloriâ et laudibus vestris re