Bellarmine · De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis · On the Ecclesiastical Writers
Chapter 6: The Third Century: Origen, Ammonius, Gregory the Wonderworker, Cornelius, Sixtus II
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. XII, De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, of the New Testament, third century. 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).
Origen. 226
Origen Adamantius, the disciple of Clement of Alexandria, lived until the times of the emperors Gallus and Volusianus, on the witness of St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers. And though he was most learned, yet, deceived by the philosophy of Plato, he fell into many errors. St. Basil, in the book On the Holy Spirit, chapter 30 [29], says that Origen did not have sound opinions about the Holy Spirit. St. Epiphanius in the books on the heresies puts Origen among the number of the other Heretics. St. Jerome turned Origen's books Peri Archon into the Latin tongue to show the very many errors with which those books swarm. Lastly in the fifth general Synod, conference 8, canon 11, anathema is said to Origen and his writings, as to Arius, Eunomius, Macedonius, Nestorius and Eutyches; and in the book entitled the Spiritual Meadow, chapter 23 [26?], in a certain revelation Origen was seen with Arius and other Heretics tormented in the fires of gehenna. And the Spiritual Meadow is cited in the seventh general Synod, lest anyone think the book to be despised. These things I thought should be set first, because of those who try to defend or excuse Origen: such as were formerly Eusebius in book 6 of the Church History and in the apology for Origen which he published under the name of Pamphilus the martyr; and Rufinus, who imitated Eusebius, and also wrote an apology for the same Origen. Then a little before our age John Pico took up the same defence, and in our time Gilbert Genebrard.
The works of Origen rise to six thousand books, on the witness of Epiphanius in the heresy of Origen, which is 64th in order. But very many have perished. Those now extant, distributed into two volumes, are these.
The first volume: on Genesis, 17 homilies; on Exodus, 13; on Leviticus, 16; on Numbers, 28; on Joshua, 26; on Judges, 9; on Kings, 1; on Job, 3 books; on Psalms 36, 37 and 38, 9 homilies; on the Canticle of Canticles, 6 [4?]; on Isaias, 9; on Jeremias, 14; on Ezechiel, 14; the Peri Archon, that is, On First Principles, 4 books; the Threnes, or Lament of Origen, 1 treatise; the Dialogue on the Right Faith in God; Commentaries on Job, in the version of Joachim Perion; on the same, 4 homilies.
The second volume: on Matthew, 35 treatises; on Luke, 39 homilies; on John, 32 treatises; on various places of the new testament, 10 homilies; on the letter to the Romans, 10 books [“36” printed]; against Celsus, 8 books; the Dialogues against the Marcionites; the Philocalia, or On the Love of the Honourable; the Epitome of the history of Susanna; the letter of Julius Africanus on the same history, and Origen's answer to it.
To these can be added the Tetrapla, Hexapla and Octapla, put together by Origen's labour. The Tetrapla are four editions of the old Testament: of the Seventy Interpreters, of Aquila, of Symmachus and of Theodotion. The Hexapla are those four with two Hebrew ones added, the one in Hebrew letters, the other in Greek letters. The Octapla are the six editions named above with two added without the name of an author, the fifth and sixth; and Origen himself added a seventh edition, corrected from the version of the Seventy Interpreters and compared with the version of Theodotion, with asterisks and obelisks added. On these editions see Epiphanius in the book On Weights and Measures.
Doubtful or forged works. The Homilies on Leviticus are found also among the books of St. Cyril; but they are truly Origen's, not St. Cyril's, for they both keep Origen's phrasing and swarm with his errors. The three books on Job do not seem to be Origen's: for in book 1 the author mentions the Homoousians, which he says is a sect of three gods that has filled the whole world; but the name of Homoousians was invented by the Arians, who appeared after Origen's death. Then in book 2 the author mentions St. Lucian as already put to death by martyrdom; but St. Lucian was later than Origen. The Commentaries on Job in Perion's version also do not seem to be Origen's: for in the explanation of chapter 3 he brings in the exposition of St. Lucian the Martyr; likewise in the explanation of chapters 7 and 8 he refutes the Manichees by name; and in chapter 18 he mentions the Homoousianists. But the Manichees, and the Arians, who called the Catholics Homoousianists, arose after Origen. Of the Homilies on the Psalms some doubt whether they are Origen's. The Homilies on various places of the Gospel are without doubt not all Origen's. In the Homily on the first chapter of John mention is made of the Manichees and the Arians, who arose after Origen. In the ninth Homily on various places are found fragments from St. Jerome on the last chapter of the Prophet Isaias, and from St. Gregory, Morals book 15, chapter 14, and from others later than Origen; and the style plainly shows that those fragments are Jerome's and Gregory's, not Origen's. In the Homily on St. Mary Magdalene, on the words Mary stood at the sepulchre without, weeping, the style is plainly Latin. The fifth treatise on Matthew seems to be of a Latin author: for the author, bringing in the words of Isaias 48, The Lord hath sent me, and his spirit, says, In Greek Holy Spirit is of the neuter gender, not the masculine, as with us; where he counts himself among the Latins. And if the fifth treatise is of a Latin author, there is no small suspicion that the other treatises of the same work are of a Latin author too. And so much for Origen.
Ammonius of Alexandria. 226
Ammonius of Alexandria lived in the time of the emperor Alexander and wrote the Gospel canons, which others call the Gospel harmony; which Victor of Capua seems to have confused with the Diatessaron of Tatian. See the Library of the Holy Fathers, volume 7 of the second edition, and Cardinal Baronius, Annals volume 2, at the year of the Lord 174.
St. Gregory the Wonderworker. 233
St. Gregory, formerly called Theodore, was Bishop of Neocaesarea, and from the greatness of the miracles he worked was called the Wonderworker. He was a hearer of Origen while a youth, but was wholly free of his errors. He was famous in the time of Alexander Severus, in whose tenth year Cardinal Baronius writes that he was made Bishop, Annals volume 2, at the year 233. He wrote a Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes; a Panegyric on Origen; a short Confession of Faith, which he learned by revelation from blessed John the Apostle; an Exposition of Faith against Aelianus; and the Canonical Letter. To these Gerard Voss has lately added twelve propositions with anathemas, which are extant in Greek and Latin in Henricus Canisius, volume 3 of the Ancient Readings; three sermons of the same St. Gregory on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin; likewise a Sermon on the Baptism of Christ, or on the Theophany of the Lord; lastly a disputation on the Soul to Tatian.
Of the metaphrase there is no doubt; for St. Jerome testifies to it both in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers and in the Commentary on Ecclesiastes chapter 4; Rufinus too mentions it, Eusebius's History book 7, chapter 26 [25?]; and those are mistaken who attribute it to Gregory Nazianzen. Of the panegyric on Origen too the matter is very well known; for he wrote it as a youth and recited it before a huge multitude, Origen himself also listening, on the witness of St. Jerome On Ecclesiastical Writers; and at this time this very panegyric has come out in Greek and Latin through Gerard Voss. No less certain is it that St. Gregory learned the confession of faith from blessed John the Evangelist, appearing to him together with the most holy Virgin Mother of God herself; of which Gregory of Nyssa makes mention in the life of Gregory the Wonderworker; and that very confession of faith, written by the same Gregory, the same Gregory of Nyssa and others give in so many words. Lastly the canonical letter is beyond controversy, which Balsamon also illustrated with Commentaries.
The Exposition of faith which St. Gregory wrote Gerard Voss thinks he has found and published; but perhaps he is mistaken. For that exposition of faith which St. Basil mentions in letter 64 to the Neocaesareans, which was truly written by Gregory the Wonderworker against Aelianus, differs much from this one now extant in Voss. For in that one it was said “that the Father and the Son are one in hypostasis, and are distinguished only in thought”; whence a suspicion had arisen that the heresy of Sabellius was favoured by Gregory, and St. Basil labours to defend St. Gregory from the suspicion of Sabellianism. But the exposition of faith Voss published refutes Sabellius by name, and never says that the Father and the Son are one in hypostasis and distinguished only in reason's thought; but on the contrary says that the Father and the Son are one in the nature of the Godhead, and that each person subsists of itself, and that the hypostasis of the Father is one, of the Son another, and so on. Further the Vossian exposition of faith seems wholly written against the Arians, and so well after the times of St. Gregory the Wonderworker. For it begins thus: “Most hostile and strangers to the Apostolic confession are those who say that the Son is from things not existing,” and so on; and below: “Those truly who communicate with those who reject the homoousion as foreign to the Scriptures, and who say that something of the Trinity is created, we hold as strangers.” And it is certain that it was the Arians who said the Son was from things not existing, and who rejected the word homoousion as foreign to the Scriptures. Indeed this author discusses the Incarnation in such a way that he seems to refute the Nestorians and Eutychians. The same censure can be added to the twelve chapters with anathemas which Gerard Voss attributes to St. Gregory. For those chapters seem to be as it were an appendix joined to the exposition of faith, and are chiefly opposed to the errors of Nestorius and Eutyches, which Heretics arose long after the death of St. Gregory. Of the sermons on the Annunciation and on the Lord's Theophany, as also of the little book on the soul to Tatian, I have nothing certain, since the ancients do not mention them; yet neither can they be proved to be forged.
St. Cornelius the Pope. 254
St. Cornelius the Pope sat in the time of Decius, and wrote notable letters, which St. Jerome mentions in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers. Of them there is extant only the letter to Fabius, or Flavian, Bishop of Antioch, but not whole, in Eusebius, History book 6, chapter 35 [43]; and another short one to Lupicinus, in volume 1 of the Library of the Holy Fathers; and two others among the letters of St. Cyprian.
St. Sixtus the Second
Sixtus II, Pontiff and Martyr, is said to have written a book of sentences, or proverbs, which is cited by St. Augustine in the book On Nature and Grace, chapter 64, and is extant in volume 5 of the Library of the Holy Fathers, second edition. But that book is falsely attributed to St. Sixtus the martyr, since it is Sixtus the heathen philosopher's, as St. Jerome shows in the letter to Ctesiphon, and on Jeremias chapter 22, and on Ezechiel chapter 18; and St. Augustine, Retractations book 2, chapter 42, retracts the place cited from the book On Nature and Grace. Lastly Gelasius, in the Council of 70 Bishops, rejects the book of proverbs written by Heretics under the name of St. Sixtus; and he says it was written by Heretics because Rufinus turned that book, full of errors, from the Greek and attributed it to St. Sixtus.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
De Origene 226. Origenes Adamantius Clementis Alexan¬ drini discipulus vixit usque ad tempora Galli et Yolusiani impp., teste Sancto Hiero¬ nymo in lib. de script. Eccles. Quamvis au¬ tem doctissimus fuerit, deceptus tamen ex Platonis philosophia inmultos errores incidit. Sanctus Basilius in lib. de Spiritu sancto cap. 30. dicit, Origenem non habuisse sanas de Spiritu sancto opiniones. Sanctus Epipha- nius in libris de haeresibus ponit Origenem in numero aliorum Haereticorum. Sanctus Hieronymus vertit in Latinum idioma libros Origenis Periarchon, ut ostenderet errores plurimos, quibus libri illi scatent. Denique in quinta Synodo generali collatione 8. can. II. dicitur anathema Origeni, et scriptis ejus, sicut Ario,Eunomio, Macedonio, Nesto- rio, et Eutycheti : et in lib. qui inscribitur. Pratum Spirituale, cap. 23. in quadam re¬ velatione visus est Origenes cum Ario aliis¬ que Haereticis in gehennae ignibus torqueri, Citatur autem Pratum spirituale in 7 Synodo generali, ne quis eum librum spernendum censeat. Haec praemittenda existimavi pro¬ pter eos, qui Origenem defendere vel excu¬ sare, conantur, quales fuerunt olim Euse- bius in lib. vi. hist. Eccles. et in apologia pro Origene, quam nomine Pamphyli mar¬ tyris edidit : et qui Eusebium imitatus est, Ruffinus qui etiam apologiam pro eodem Origene scripsit. Deinde paulo ante nostram aetatem eamdem defensionem suscepit Joan- . 200. AD 300. 365 nes Picus ; et nostro tempore Gilbertus Ge- nebrardus. Onera Origenis ascendunt ad sena millia librorum, teste Epiphanio in haeresi Orige¬ nis, quae est ordine 64. Sed plurima perie¬ runt. Quae nuncextant, in duos tomos distri¬ buta haec sunt. Primi tomi : In Genesim homilia 17 In Exodum hom. 13 In Le viticum hom. 16 In Numeros hom. 28 In librum Josue hom. 26 In librum Judicum hom. 9 In lib. Regum hom. 1 In librum Job libri 3 In Psal. xxxvi. xxxvii etxxxvm hom. 9 In Cantica canticorum hom. 6 In Isaiam hom. 9 In Hieremiam hom. 14 In Ezechielem hom. 14 Periarchon, id est, de principiis lib. 4 Threni, sive planctus Origenis tract. 1 De recta in Deum fide dialogus. Commentaria in Job, Joachimo Perionio interprete. In eumdem hom. 4 Secundi tomi : In Matthaeum tractatus, 35 In Lucam hom. 39 In Joannem tractatus. 32 In diversos locos novi testamenti hom. 10 In epistolam ad Rom. lib. 36 Contra Celsum lib. 8 Contra Marcionistas dialogi. Philocalia, sive de amore honesti. De Susannae historia epitome. De eadem historia Julii Africani epistola, et ad eamdem Origenis responsio. His addi possunt Tetrapla, Ilexapla, et Octapla Origenis labore contexta. Tetrapla sunt quatuor editiones Testamenti veteris, 70 Interpretum, Aquilae, Symmachi, et Theodotionis. Hexapla sunt quatuor illae adjunctis duabus Hebraicis, altera litteris Hebraicis, altera litteris Graecis. Octapla sunt, editiones sex supra dictae, adjunctis DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS duabus sine nomine auctoris, quinta et sex¬ ta : addidit ipse Origenes septimam editio¬ nem ex versione 70. Interpretum emendata, et cum Theodotionis versione collata, addi¬ tis asteriscis, et obeliscis. Vide de his edi¬ tionibus Epiphanium in lib. de ponderibus, et mensuris. Opera dubia, vel supposititia. Homilise in Leviticum habentur etiam in ter libros S. Cyrilli; sed vere Origenis sunt, non S. Cyrilli : nam et phrasim Origenis ser¬ vant, et erroribus ejusdem scatent. Libri tres in Job, non videntur esse Ori¬ genis : nam lib. i. meminit auctor Homou- sianorum, quam dicit esse sectam trium deo¬ rum, quse totum orbem replevit. At nomen Homousianorum inventum est ab Arianis, qui post obitum Origenis apparuerunt. Dein¬ de lib. ii. meminit auctor S. Luciani jam tum martyrio affecti. At S. Lucianus poste¬ rior Origene fuit. Commentaria quoque in Job, Perionio in- terpretre, non videntur esse Origenis : nam in explanatione cap. 3. affert expositionem S. Luciani Martyris ; item in explanatione cap. 7. et 8. refellit Manichseos nominatim: et in cap. 18. meminit Homousianistarum. At Manichaei et Ariani, qui Catholicos Ho- mousianistas vocabant , post Origenem ex¬ orti sunt. * De Homiliis in Psalmos aliqui dubitant, an sint Origenis. Homilise in diversa loca Evangelii, sine dubio non sunt omnes Origenis. In Homilia in primum caput Joannis men¬ tio fit Manichaeorum, et Arianorum, qui post Origenem exorti sunt. In Homilia nona in diversa loca, inveniun¬ tur fragmenta ex S. Hieronymo in ultimum caput Isaiae ad Prophetae, et ex S. Gregorio lib. xv. moralium cap. 14. et ex aliis Origene posterioribus ; et ea fragmenta Hieronymi, et Gregorii, non Origenis esse stylus manife¬ ste docet. In Homilia de S. Maria Magdalena, super illud, Maria stabat ad monumentum foris plorans, stylus est plane Latinus. Tractatus quintus in Matthaeum videtur esse Latini auctoris : nam adducens auctor verba Isaiae 48. Dominus misit me, et spi¬ ritus ejus : in Graeco, inquit, Spiritus san¬ ctus neutri generis est, non masculini, ut apud nos. Ubi se inter Latinos numerat. Et, si tractatus quintus Latini auctoris est, non parva suspicio est, reliquos etiam tractatus ejusdem operis, Latini auctoris esse. Atque haec pauca de Origene. De Ammonio Alexandrino. 226. Ammonius Alexandrinus tempore Alexan¬ dri imper. vixit, et scripsit canones Evange- licos, quos alii harmoniam Evangelicam vo¬ cant : quam Victor Gapuanus cum Tatiani diatessaron confudisse videtur. Vide in bi¬ bliotheca S. Patrum tomo vn. editionis se¬ cundae, et Card. Baronium tomo ii. Anna¬ lium ad annum Dom. 174. De S. Gregorio Thaumaturgo. 233. Sanctus Gregorius antea Theodorus di¬ ctus, Episcopus fuit Neocaesariensis, etamag- nitudine miraculorum patratorum Thau- maturgus appellatus, auditor fuit Origenis, dum esset adolescens, sed ab erroribus ejus omnino immunis fuit. Claruit tempore Ale¬ xandri Severi, cujus ann. 10 factum Episco¬ pum scribit Cardinal. Baronius in secundo tomo Annalium, ad ann. 233. Scripsit Metaphrasim in Ecclesiastem : Panegyricum in Origenem. Brevem fidei confessionem, quam ex reve¬ latione B. Joannis Apostoli didicit. Expositionem fidei adversus Elianum. Et Epistolam Canonicam. His nuper adjunxit Gerardus Vossius duo¬ decim sententias cum anathematismis : qui exstant Graece et Latine apud Henricum Ca- nisium tomo m. antiquae lectionis. Tres sermones ejusdem S. Gregorii de Annuntiatione B. Virginis. Item Sermonem de Baptismo Christi, sive deTheophania Domini : denique disputatio¬ nem de Anima ad Tatianum. Et quidem de metaphrasi nullum est du¬ bium. Ejus enim testatur S. Hieronymus tum in libro de script. Eccles., tum in Com¬ mentario ad cap. iv. Ecclesiastae ; Ruffinus etiam meminit lib. vn. hist'. Eusebii cap. 26 et falluntur, qui eam tribuunt Gregorio Na- zianzeno. De panegyrico quoque in Origenem res notissima est. Scripsit enim illud adolescens, et coram ingenti multitudine, ipso etiam Ori¬ gene audiente, recitavit, testeS. Hieronymo de script. Eccles. et hoc tempore in lucem AB ANNO DOM. 200. AD 300. 367 prodiit auctore Gerardo Vossio hoc ipsum panegyricum Grsece et Latine. Non minus certum est didicisse S. Grego- rium confessionem fidei a B. Joanne Evan- gelista sibi cum ipsa sanctissima Virgine Deipara apparente ; cujus rei meminit Gre- gorius Nyssenus in vita Gregorii Thauma- turgi : et eam ipsam fidei confessionem ab eodem Gregorio scriptam, totidem verbis referunt idem Gregorius Nyssenus, et alii. Denique extra controversiam est epistola canonica, quam etiam Balsamon Commenta¬ riis illustravit. Expositionem fidei, quam S. Gregorius scripsit, existimat Gerardus Vossius se inve¬ nisse, et edidisse : sed fortasse fallitur : nam expositio illa fidei, cujus meminit S. Basi¬ bus in epist. 64. ad Neoceesarienses, quae vere a Gregorio Thaumaturgo scripta fuerat adversus Elianum, multum differt ab ista, quae nunc exstat apud Vossium. In illa enim habebatur. «Patrem et filium hypostasi esse unum, et sola animi cogitatione distingui » : unde suspicio orta erat, a Gregorio foveri hseresim Sabellii : et S. Basibus laborat, ut S. Gregorium a Sabelbanismi suspicione defendat. At expositio fidei quam Vossius edidit, Sabelbum nominatim refutat, neque unquam dicit, Patrem et Filium hypostasi esse unum, et sola rationis cogitatione dis¬ tingui : sed contra dicit. Patrem et Filium natura divinitatis esse unum et unamquam¬ que personam per se subsistere, et aliam esse hypostasim Patris, aliam Filii, etc. Prae¬ terea expositio fidei Vossiana videtur omni¬ no scripta contra Arianos, ac per hoc satis diu post tempora S. Gregorii Thaumaturgi : sic enim incipit, « Inimicissimi, et alieni a confessione Apostolica sunt, qui dicunt, esse Filium ex non exstantibus, » etc., et infra ; « Eos vere, qui communicant cum iis, qui re¬ jiciunt homousion, tamquam alienum a Scri¬ pturis, et qui dicunt aliquid ex Trinitate creatum esse, alienos existimamus. » Constat autem Arianos fuisse, qui dicebant Filium esse ex non extantibus, et qui rejicie¬ bant vocem, homousion, tamquam alienam a Scripturis. Quin etiam ita disputat hic auctor de Incarnatione, ut videatur refellere Nestorianos, et Eutychianos. Eadem censura addi potest ad duodecim capitula cum anathemati smis quee Gerardus Vossius S. Gregorio tribuit. Videntur enim illa capitula quasi appendix quaedam ad expositionem fidei adjuncta; ac praecipue Nestorii et Eutychetis erroribus opponuntur : qui Haeretici longe post obitum S. Gregorii exorti sunt. De sermonibus in Annuntiationem, et Theo- phaniam Dominicam, ut etiam de libello de anima ad Titianum, nihil certi habeo, cum nec veteres horum meminerint; neque ta¬ men convinci possit eos esse supposititios. De S. Cornelio Papa. 254. Sanctus Cornelius Papa tempore Decii se¬ dit, et scripsit insignes epistolas, quarum meminit sanctus Hieronymus, in lib. de script. Ecclos. e quibus exstat solum epistola ad Fabium, sive Flavianum Antiochenum Episcopum, sed non integra, apud Eusebium lib vi. 6. hist. cap. 35. et alia brevis ad Lu- picinum, tomo 1. Bibliotecse S. Patrum, et alise duse inter epistolas S. Cypriani. De S. Sixto secundo. Sixtus II. Pontifex, et Martyr, dicitur scripsisse librum sententiarum, sive prover^ biorum, qui citatur a S. Augustino lib. De natura, et gratia, cap. 6. 4. et exstat in tomoV. bibliothecae S. Patrum, edit. 2. Cseterum liber ille falso tribuitur S. Sixto martyri, cum sit Sixti philosophi Ethnici, ut S. Hieronymus demonstrat in epist. ad Cte- siphontem; et in cap. xxn. Hieremiae, et in cap. xvm. Ezechielis : et S. Augustinus lib. ii. retractationum, cap. 42. retractat locum citatum ex libro de natura et gratia. Denique Gelasius in Concilio 70. Episcoporum repro¬ bat librum proverbiorum sub nomine S . Sixti ab Haereticis conscriptum : dicit autem ab Haereticis conscriptum quia Rulfinus eum li¬ brum plenum erroribus convertit ex gracco, et S. Sixto attribuit.