Bellarmine · De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis · On the Ecclesiastical Writers
Chapter 5: The Second Century and the Early Third: Justin to Julius Africanus
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. XII, De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, of the New Testament, second and third centuries. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
The second century, from the year 100 to 200
St. Justin Martyr. 150
After the Apostolic times the first of those whose writings have come down to us seems to be St. Justin, Philosopher and Martyr. For he flourished in the times of Antoninus Pius and of his successors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus; and in the Apology to the emperor and the senate and the Roman people he writes that at that time 150 years were counted from the birth of Christ [“50” printed; the heading has 150]. Many works of his are listed by Eusebius, History book 4, chapter 17 [18], and by St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, some of which are not extant; and some also are extant of which they make no mention. These, then, are the works of Justin now carried about:
The Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, held at Ephesus
The Apology to the Roman senate
The other Apology, to the emperor Antoninus Pius
The Exhortation to the Gentiles
On Monarchy
The Exposition of the Faith, or On the Right Confession
The Letter to Zenas and Serenus
Questions put to the Gentiles, with the Gentiles' answers and their refutation
Questions of the Gentiles put to the Christians, with the answers
The Refutation of certain Dogmas of Aristotle
Of the first five books, which Eusebius and Jerome mention, it seems there can be no doubt. But one must know that the first Apology, as we have it in our books, is in fact the later, and was not given to the senate, as our books have it, but to Marcus and Lucius, the successors of the emperor Pius, as is plainly gathered from Eusebius and Jerome in the places cited. Our people were misled because the first apology lacks its beginning, and so it could not be known to whom it was addressed. The book on the Exposition of the Faith, or on the Confession of the Right Faith, whoever's it is, is a notable book and worthy of Justin as author. Yet I doubt whether it is his: first, because the ancients do not mention it; second, because the style seems different from Justin's; third, because it discourses much more openly and distinctly of the mysteries of the Trinity and the Incarnation than the writers of that century are wont to do. Of the letter to Zenas and Serenus I judge the same. Of the book of the questions put to the Gentiles by Christians it can easily be judged that it is not Justin's, because mention is often made in it of the Manichees, who it is certain arose after Justin's death. The same judgement can be made of the 146 questions which the Gentiles put to the Christians; for in questions 82 and 86 Origen is cited, and in question 115 Irenaeus is cited and called Martyr, although Justin was more ancient than both; for Irenaeus himself in book 5 brings in Justin Martyr as older than himself. Of the refutation of the dogmas of Aristotle Photius makes mention in the Library, and there is no evident sign of falsity; so I have nothing to say.
Melito. 150
St. Melito, Bishop of Sardis, flourished in the time of the emperor M. Aurelius, to whom he also offered an Apology for the Christians, as Eusebius relates, History book 4, chapter 25 [26]. He wrote many things, fragments of which are extant in Eusebius in the place noted. Among these fragments is contained a catalogue of the books of the old Testament, in which the book of Wisdom is attributed to Solomon; and this is the only book listed by Melito of those not found in the Hebrew codices; as also the book of Esther alone is left out of those that are in the Hebrew. There is attributed to Melito also a book on the Passing of the Blessed Virgin, which is extant in volume 7 of the Library of the Holy Fathers, second edition; but it is a book unworthy to be attributed to so great a man.
Athenagoras. 155
Athenagoras was a contemporary of Justin, and wrote a notable apology for the Christians and offered it to the emperors Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and Aurelius Commodus; which St. Epiphanius cites under the name of Athenagoras in the heresy of Origen, where he gives the words of Proclus from Methodius. He wrote also a book on the resurrection. Both works are extant in volume 9 of the Library of the Holy Fathers, second edition, and are free of suspicion. It is strange why Eusebius, a most diligent searcher of writers, did not mention this author. That St. Jerome left this writer out is not so strange, since it is well enough known that St. Jerome's catalogue is taken from the history of Eusebius as regards the writers who came before Eusebius.
St. Theophilus. 170
St. Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, sixth from the Apostle Peter, lived in the time of the emperor M. Aurelius and died under Commodus his son, on the witness of Eusebius in the Chronicle. He wrote many things, on the witness of St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers; but now there are extant, in volume 1 of the Library of the Holy Fathers, second edition, commentaries on the four Gospels, and three books to Autolycus against the slanderers of the Christian religion.
Tatian. 170
Tatian, a hearer of St. Justin, wrote countless volumes, of which (says St. Jerome, On Ecclesiastical Writers) one most flourishing book against the Gentiles is extant, which was lately found and published in volume 4 of the Library of the Holy Fathers, second edition. Further, Tatian after the martyrdom of St. Justin fell away from the Catholic faith and, lifted up with pride, became a heresiarch.
Hegesippus. 177
Hegesippus was a contemporary of Justin and Athenagoras, as is plain from Eusebius, History book 4, chapter 21 [22], and St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers. He wrote a history of the Church up to his own times, that is, up to the pontificate of Anicetus. Eusebius and St. Jerome mention this history in the places cited, in which fragments of the same history are read. It is not extant now. [“Nunc exstat”, it is extant now, as printed; the sense requires “non exstat”.] The books on the destruction of Jerusalem that are carried about under the name of Hegesippus are either of another, more recent Hegesippus, or forged. Certainly from book 3, chapter 5, it is gathered that those books were written after the times of Constantine.
St. Irenaeus. 180
St. Irenaeus, Bishop and martyr, lived under the emperor Commodus and the Pontiff Eleutherius, and completed his martyrdom in the time of the emperor Severus. He wrote many things; but nothing has come down to us except the five books against Valentinus, which are full of learning and piety. Some doubt whether he wrote in Greek or in Latin, since his books are found only written in Latin; and yet he was a Greek by nation, and a disciple of St. Polycarp, and his phrasing savours of Greek. St. Jerome, book 11 on Ezechiel, explaining chapter 36 of Ezechiel, openly numbers Irenaeus among the Greek writers; and in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, under Tertullian, he says that Tertullian was the first of the Latins after Apollonius and Victor, both of whom are later than Irenaeus.
The third century, from the year 200 to 300
Tertullian. 203
Tertullian flourished in the time of the emperor Severus, as he himself testifies in book 1 against Marcion, in the Apology, chapter 4, and elsewhere. At first a Catholic of most ardent zeal, then fallen into the heresy of Montanus, he wrote not a few things against the Church. So the undoubted works of Tertullian are these (the cross marks those written against the Church, as explained below; several book counts read “4” in the scan, where “1” is meant):
On Patience, 1 book
On the Flesh of Christ, 1
On the Resurrection of the Flesh, 1
On the Prescription against Heretics, 1
Against the Jews, 1
Against Marcion, 5
Against the Valentinians, 1
Against Hermogenes, 1
Against Praxeas, 1
On the Soldier's Crown, 1
To the Martyrs, 1
On Penance, 1
On the Veiling of Virgins, 1
On Women's Dress, 1
On the Adornment of Women, 1
To his Wife, 2
† On Flight in Persecution, 1
To Scapula, 1
On the Testimony of the Soul, 1
On the Soul, 1
† On the Exhortation to Chastity, 1
† On Monogamy, 1
On Baptism, 1
On the Pallium, 1
On Idolatry, 1
† On Modesty, 1
† On Fasting, against the Psychics, 1
The Scorpiace, against the Gnostics, 1
On Prayer, 1
On the Shows, 1
The Apology against the Gentiles, 1
Of these books St. Jerome, in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, says that those written against the Church by Tertullian when he was already a heretic are the book On Flight in Persecution, On the Exhortation to Chastity, On Monogamy, On Modesty, On Fasting; to which we have added a cross. Of the book On Prayer St. Hilary, on Matthew chapter 5, writes that it is a most fitting volume, but that the later error of the author took away authority from his worthy writings.
Doubtful or forged works of Tertullian. On the Trinity, 1 book. The letter On Jewish Foods. Of the book On the Trinity St. Jerome and Rufinus disagree. For the latter, in the Apology for Origen, writes that the book On the Trinity, Tertullian's, was joined by heretics with the works of St. Cyprian so as to deceive the unwary. But the former, in the second book against Rufinus, on the contrary asserts that that book On the Trinity is not Tertullian's but Novatian's. The same St. Jerome too, in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, under Novatian, writes that Novatian wrote a great volume On the Trinity as it were an epitome of Tertullian's work; where he plainly signifies that Tertullian too wrote on the Trinity, of whose book Novatian published an epitome. But whatever may be of this, I think it cannot be doubted that the book On the Trinity now extant among the works of Tertullian is not Tertullian's. For in that book the Sabellian heresy is refuted by name; and Sabellius appeared after the times of Tertullian and falls in the times of Novatian, as is known from the letter of Dionysius of Alexandria in Eusebius, History book 7, chapter 5 [6]. Add that the style (as St. Jerome too noted) plainly cries out that that book is not Tertullian's. The book, or letter, On Jewish Foods does not seem to have Tertullian's style, and seems to have been sent by some Bishop to his own flock; but Tertullian was not a Bishop. Meanwhile, however, I define nothing, but put the causes for doubting before the reader. This last seems to need adding: that the books of Tertullian are to be read with judgement; not only those which, on St. Jerome's witness, he wrote properly against the Church, but also the book against Praxeas, the book On the Soul, the book against Hermogenes, the book On the Flesh of Christ, and the book On Penance. For in these not a few propositions occur that are either erroneous or certainly suspect.
Clement of Alexandria. 204
Clement, Presbyter of the Church of Alexandria, a most learned man, the disciple of Pantaenus and the master of Origen, lived under the emperor Severus, as he himself testifies in Stromata book 1; for there he brings the times of the emperors down to the death of Commodus, whom Severus succeeded after the very short rule of Pertinax and Julian. He wrote many things, which Eusebius mentions, History book 5, chapter 11, and St. Jerome On Ecclesiastical Writers. These works now survive: the eight books of the Stromata; the three books of the Instructor; the Exhortation to the Gentiles. Nor is there any doubt of these. Cassiodorus, Divine Institutions book 1, mentions an explanation by Clement of Alexandria on the canonical letters; whether it is the one found in the Library of the Holy Fathers I cannot easily judge. There are not lacking in this notable author some sayings that savour of error, which we have noted in our books of Controversies, and for which Pope Gelasius, in a certain Roman Council, put the little works of this Clement among the apocrypha. But whether those sayings were inserted by heretics, as some piously believe, or fell from the author in the human way, we do not know.
Minucius Felix. 206
Minucius Felix, a contemporary of Tertullian, wrote a dialogue between the Christian Octavius and the heathen Caecilius, which dialogue is entitled Octavius; and hence it came about, since the author was unknown, that it was joined to the seven books of Arnobius against the Gentiles as if an eighth. But in truth it is not the eighth book of Arnobius, but the Octavius of Minucius Felix, a notable Roman advocate, as St. Jerome testifies in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers.
St. Hippolytus, Bishop and Martyr. 220
St. Hippolytus, Bishop of Portus and Martyr, a disciple of Clement of Alexandria, completed his martyrdom under Alexander Severus. He wrote many things, which are listed by Eusebius, History book 6, chapter 16 [22], and by St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers. Now there are extant only certain excerpts from the books of St. Hippolytus on Theology and the Incarnation, in Henricus Canisius, volume 5 of the Ancient Readings; and also, in the Library of the Holy Fathers, the Oration on the end of the world, on Antichrist, and on the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let the reader consult the notes of Cardinal Baronius on the martyrology for the 22nd of August.
Julius Africanus. 222
Julius Africanus seems to have been a little older than Origen, since in the letter to Origen he calls him son. He wrote a book on the times from the beginning of the world to the emperor Macrinus, under whom he lived; and he undertook an embassy to M. Antoninus Heliogabalus, as St. Jerome testifies in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers. But these books have perished, though they were extant in the time of Photius, as he himself writes in the Library. At this time only the letter to Origen on the history of Susanna is extant, which he contends is fabulous; to which Origen answered, showing that it is true. The letter of Julius Africanus is extant in the second volume of Origen's works.
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SICULUM SECUNDUM AB ANNO ! 00. AD 200. De S. Justino Martyre. 150. Post Apostolica tempora primus eorum, quorum scripta ad nos pervenerunt, videtur esse sanctus Justinus Philosophus et Martyr. Floruit enim temporibus Antonini Pii, et successorum ejus Marci Aurelii etLucii Veri; et in Apologia ad imp. et senatum, popu¬ lumque Romanum, scribit, numerari eo tem¬ pore annos. 50. a Christi nativitate. Opera ejus multa recensentur ab Eusebio lib. iv. hist. cap. 17. et a Sancto Hieronymo in lib. descript. Eccles., quorum operum non exstant, et quaedam etiam exstant, quorum illi non meminerunt. Haec igitur Justini ope¬ ra nunc feruntur : 362 DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS Dialogus cum Tryphone Judaeo Ephesi habitus. Apologia ad senatum Romanum. Apologia altera ad imp. Antonium*Pium. Oratio pareenetica ad gentes. De monarchia. Expositio fidei sive de recta confessione. Epistola ad Zenam et Serenum. Interrogationes, sive quaestiones positae gentibus, et gentium ad eas responsiones, earumque refutationes. Interrogationes, sive quaestiones gentium positae Christianis, et ad eas responsiones. Refutatio quorumdam Aristotelis dogma¬ tum. Et quidem de primis quinque libris, quo¬ rum Eusebius et Hieronymus meminerunt, non videtur posse dubitari. Sciendum est autem, Apologiam priorem, ut in nostris libris habemus, reipsa esse posteriorem, et non ad senatum datam, ut nostri libri ha¬ bent, sed ad Marcum et Lucium imperato¬ ris Pii successores, ut aperte colligitur ex Eusebio et Hieronymo locis citatis : sed fe¬ fellit nostros, quia apologia prior Garet ini¬ tio, et ideo non potuit cognosci ad quem, vel ad quos directa esset. Liber de expositione fidei, sive de confes¬ sione rectae fidei, cujuscumque sit, insignis liber est, et Justino auctore dignus. Ambigo tamen an ejus sit : primo, quia veteres ejus non meminerunt : secundo, quia stylus vi¬ detur, esse diversus a stylo Justini : tertio, quoniam multo apertius et distinctius disse¬ rit de mysteriis Trinitatis, et Incarnationis, quam scriptores ejus saeculi facere soleant. De epistola ad Zenam et Serenum id- ipsum censeo. De libro quaestionum quinque gentibus a Christianis positarum, facile judicari potest, eum librum non esse Justini, quod in eo saepe fiat mentio Manichaeorum, quos post mortem Justini exortos esse constat. Idem judicium fieri potest de quaestionibus 146. quas gentes Christianis posuerunt : nam quaest. 82. et 86. citatur Origenes, et quaest. 115. citatur Irenaeus, et Martyr appellatur : cum tamen Justinus utroque antiquior fue¬ rit : nam ipse etiam Irenaeps lib. v. Justi¬ num Martyrem adducit, tamquam se anti¬ quiorem. De reprehensione dogmatum Aristotelis, meminit Photius in bibliotheca ; neque ex¬ stat evidens indicium falsitatis; ideo nihil habeo quod dicam. De Melitone. 150. Sanctus Melito Sardensis Episcopus M. Aurelii imp. tempore floruit; cui etiam Apo¬ logiam pro Christianis obtulit, ut refert Eu¬ sebius lib. iv. hist. cap. 25. Multa scripsit, quorum fragmenta exstant apud Eusebium loco notato. Inter quae fragmenta continetur catalogus librorum Testamenti veteris, in quo liber Sapientiae tribuitur Salomoni : et hic solus liber recensetur a Melitone ex iis qui in Hebraicis codicibus non habentur : ut etiam solus liber Esther omittitur ex iis qui sunt in Hebraeo. Tribuitur etiam Melitoni liber de transitu B. Yirginis, qni exstat in vn. tomo biblio¬ thecae sanctorum Patrum, edit. 2., sed indi¬ gnus liber est, qui tanto viro tribuatur. De Athenagora. 155. Athenagoras aequalis Justini fuit, et insi¬ gnem apolegiam pro Christianis scripsit, et impp. Marco Aurelio Antonino et Aurelio Commodo obtulit : quam sub nomine Athe¬ nagorae citat Sanctus Epiphanius in haeresi Origenis, ubi refert verba Procli exMethodio. Scripsit etiam librum de resurrectione : utrumque opus exstat tomo ix. bibliothecae sanctorum Patrum, edit. 2. et suspicione caret. Mirum autem est, cur Eusebius dili- gentissimus scriptorum investigator, hujus auctoris non meminerit. Quod autem Sanctus Hieronymus hunc scriptorem omiserit non est adeo mirum, cum satis constet, catalogum Sancti Hiero¬ nymi, ex historia Eusebii esse desumptum, quoad illos scriptores, qui Eusebium prae¬ cesserunt. De S. Theophilo. 170. Sanctus Theophilus Episcopus Antioche¬ nus, sextus ab Apostolo Petro vixit tempore M. Aurellii imp. et sub Commodo ejus filio obiit, teste Eusebio in chronico. Scripsit multa, teste S. Hieronymo lib. de script. Eccles., sed nunc exstant in I. tomo biblio¬ thecae sanctorum Patrum secundae editionis, commentaria in quatuor Evangelia ; et libri tres ad Autolycum adversus Christianae reli¬ gionis calumniatores. AB ANNO DOM. 200. AD 300. 363 De Tatiano. 170. Tatianus Sancti Justini auditor, scripsit infinita volumina, ex quibus (inquit Sanctus Hieronymus de script. Eccles.) unus contra gentiles florentissimus exstat liber, qui nu¬ per est inventus, et editus in quarto tomo bibliothecae sanctorum Patrum secundae editionis. Porro Tatianns post martyrium sancti Justini a fide Catholica defecit, et in superbiam elatus haeresiarcha factus est. De Hegesippo. 177. Hegesippus aequalis Justini et Athenagorae fuit ut ex Eusebio lib. iv. hist. cap. 21. et Sancto Hieronymo in lib. de script. Eccles. perspicuum est. Scripsit historiam Eccle¬ siasticam usque ad sua tempora, id est, us¬ que ad Anicetti pontificatum. Hujus histo¬ riae meminerunt Eusebius et Sanctus Hiero¬ nymus locis citatis, in quibus fragmenta hi¬ storiae ejusdem leguntur. Nunc exstat. Libri vero de excidio Hierosolymae, qui sub no¬ mine Hegesippi circumferuntur; aut alterius Hegesippi recentioris ; aut suppositii sunt. Certe ex lib. tertio, cap. 5. colligitur, post Constantini tempora libros illos fuisse con¬ scriptos. De Sancto Irenaeo. 180. Sanctus Irenaeus Episcopus et martyr, Commodo imperatore etEleuthero Pontifice vixit : et tempore Severi imp. martyrium consummavit , scripsit multa ; sed ad nos non pervenerunt, nisi quinque libri adver¬ sus Valentinum, qui pleni sunt doctrina et pietate. Ambigunt nonnulli, graecene an latine scripserit; quoniam non inveniuntur ejus libri, nisi latine conscripti : et tamen ipse natione Graecus erat, et Sancti Poly- carpi discipulus, et phrasis ejus graecismum redolet. Sanctus Hieronymus lib. xi. in Eze- chielem explanans caput xxxvi. Ezechielis , aperte Irenaeum inter scriptores Graecos nu¬ merat : et in lib. de script. Eccles. in Ter¬ tulliano , dicit, Tertullianum esse primum Latinorum post Apollonium, et Victorem, quorum uterque Ireneeo posterior est. SUCULUM TERTIUM AB ANNO 200. AD 300. De Tertulliano. 203. Tertullianus tempore Severi imperatoris floruit, ut ipse testatur lib. i. in Marcionem, in Apologetico cap. 4. et alibi. Initio Catho¬ licus ardentissimi zeli, deinde in Montani haeresim prolapsus contra Ecclesiam non pauca scripsit. Ergo opera Tertulliani indu¬ bitata sunt. De patientia, lib. 4 De carne Christi, 1 De resurrectione carnis, 1 De praescriptionibus adversus Haereticos, 1 Adversus Judaeos, i Adversus Marcionem, 5 Adversus Valentinianos, i Adversus Hermogenem, 1 Adversus Praxeam, 1 De corona militis, 1 Ad Martyres, 4 De poenitentia, i De virginibus velandis, 1 De habitu muliebri, 1 De cultu feminarum, 1 Ad uxorem suam, 2 -J- De fuga in persecutione, 1 Ad scapulam, 1 De testimonio animae, 1 De anima, 1 -j- De exhortatione castitatis, 4 -j- De Monogamia, 1 De Baptismo, 1 De pallio, 1 De idololatria, 1 *j- De pudicitia, 1 -j- De jejunio adversus Psychicos, 4 Scorpiacum contra Gnosticos, 1 De oratione, 1 De spectaculis, 1 Apologeticus adversus gentes, l Ex his libris Sanctus Hieronymus in lib. de script. Eccl. dicit, scriptos esse contra Ecclesiam a Tertulliano jam tum Haeretico, librum de fuga in persecutione, de exhorta¬ tione castitatis, de monogamia, de pudicitia, de jejunio, quibus crucem addidimus. Li¬ brum de oratione scribit Sanctus Hilarius in cap. v. Matthaei, esse volumen aptissimum, sed consequentem errorem auctoris detra¬ xisse scriptis probabilibus auctoritatem. 364 DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS Opera Tertulliani dubia , vel supposititia . De Trinitate. lib. I. De cibis Judaicis, epistola. De libro de Trinitate dissentiunt Sanctus Hieronymus, et Ruffinus : hic enim in Apo- logia pro Origene scribit, librum de Trini¬ tate, Tertulliani, ab Haereticis cum operibus Sancti Cypriani conjunctum fuisse, ut falle¬ rent incautos. Ille autem in secundo libro adversus Ruffinum contra asserit, librum illum de Trinitate, non esse Tertulliani, sed Novatiani. Idem etiam Sanctus Hieronymus in lib. de script. Eccles. in Novatiano, scribit No- vatianum scripsisse grande volumen de Tri¬ nitate quasi epitomen operis Tertulliani. Ubi aperte significat. Tertullianum quoque scri¬ psisse de Trinitate, cujus libri epitomen No- vatianus ediderit. Sed quicquid de hac re sit, dubitari non posse existimo quin liber de Trinitate, qui nunc exstaj inter opera Ter¬ tulliani, Tertulliani non sit : nam in eo libro refutatur nominatim Sabelliana haeresis. Sa- bellius autem post tempora Tertulliani appa¬ ruit, etin tempera Novatiani incidit, utnotum est ex epistola Dionysii Alexandrini apud Eusebium lib. vn. hist. cap. 5. Adde quod stylus (ut etiam Sanctus Hieronymus anno¬ tavit) aperte clamat, librum illum Tertul¬ liani non esse. Liber, sive epistola de cibis Judaicis, non videtur stylum habere Tertulliani : et videtur ab aliquo Episcopo propriae plebi transmis¬ sus. Tertullianus autem Episcopus non fuit. Iterim tamen nihil definio, sed causas dubi¬ tandi in medium pono. Illud postremo ad¬ dendum videtur, Tertulliani libros cum ju¬ dicio esse legendos, non eos tantum, quos S. Hieronymo teste, contra Ecclesiam pro¬ prie scripsit , sed etiam librum adversus Praxeam, librum de anima, librum adversus Hermogenem, librum de carne Christi, et librum de pcemtentia. In his enim proposi¬ tiones non paucae, vel erroneae, vel cerfe su¬ spectae occurrunt. De Clemente Alexandrino. 204. Clemens Alexandrinae Ecclesiae Presbyter, vir doctissimus, Panteni discipulus, et Ori- genis magister, vixit sub Severo imp., ut ipse testatur lib. i. Stromatum. Ibi enim deducit tempora imperatorum usque ad obitum Commodi, cui severus successit, post bre¬ vissimum imperium Pertinacis, et Juliani. Multa scripsit, quorum meminerunt Euse- bius lib. v. hist. cap. 11. et S. Hieronymus de Script. Eccles. Nunc vero haec opera su¬ persunt : Stromatum libri octo. Paedagogi libri tres. Oratio exhortatoria ad gentes. Neque de his dubitatio ulla est. Meminit Cassiodorus in lib. i. Divinarum institutio¬ num explanationis Clementis Alexandrini in epistolas canonicas : an ea sit, quae in biblio¬ theca S. Patrum invenitur, non facile judi¬ care possum. Non desunt in hoc insigni auctore senten¬ tiae aliquae, qum errorem sapiunt, quas in libris nostris controversiarum notavimus, et ob quas Gelasius Papa, in Concilio quodam Romano , Clementis hujus opuscula inter apocrypha retulit. Utrum autem sententiae illae ab Haereticis insertae sint, ut aliqui pie credunt, an auctori more humano excide¬ rint, ignoramus. De Minutio Felice. 206. Minutius Felix Tertulliani aequalis, scri¬ psit dialogum inter Christinum Octavium, et Ethnicum Caecilium, qui dialogus, Octavius inscribitur; atque inde factum est, cum au¬ ctor ignoraretur, ut septem libris Arnobii contra gentes, hic veluti octavus adjunge¬ retur. Sed re vera non est octavus liber Ar¬ nobii, sed Octavius Minutii Felicis, causidici Romani, insignis, ut S. Hieronymus testatur in lib. de script. Eccles. De S. Hippolyto Episcopo , et Martyre 220. 9 Sanctus Hippolytus Episcopus Portuensis, et Martyr, Clementis Alexandrini discipulus, sub Alexandro Severo martyrum consum¬ mavit. Multa scripsit quae enumerantur ab Euse- bio lib. vi. hist. cap. 16. et a Sancto Hiero¬ nymo in lib. de script. Eccles. Nane solum extant excepta quaedam ex libris S. Hippo¬ lyti de Theologia , et Incarnatione, apud Henricum Canisium tomo quinto antiquae lectionis : necnon in bibliotheca sanctorum Patrum, Oratio de consummatione mundi, de Antichristo, et secundo adventu Domini nostri Jesu Christi. AB ANNO DOM Consulat lector notationes Card. Baronii ad martyrologium die 22 Augusti. De Julio Africano 222. Julius Africanus paulo senior Origene fuisse videtur, cum in epistola ad Origenem, eum filium appellet. Scripsit librum de tem¬ poribus ab origine mundi usque ad Macri¬ num imperatorem, sub quo ipse vivebat, et ad M. Antoninum Heliogabalum, legationem suscepit, ut S. Hieronymus testatur in lib. de script. Ecclesiast. Sed hi libri perierunt, cum tamen exstarent tempore Photii, ut ipse in bibliotheca scribit. Exstat hoc tempore solum epistola ad Origenem de historia Susannse, quam fabulosam esse contendit : cui respondit Origenes, veram illam esse de¬ monstrans. Epistola Julii Africani exstat in secundo tomo operum Origenis.