Bellarmine · De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis · On the Ecclesiastical Writers
Chapter 14: The Fourth Century: Jerome
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. XII, De Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis, of the New Testament, fourth 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).
St. Jerome. 390
St. Jerome, Presbyter and Doctor of the Church, flourished in the fourteenth year of Theodosius, as he himself testifies of himself at the end of the book On Ecclesiastical Writers. He died in the reign of Honorius in the year of the Lord 422, in the 91st year of his age, from the chronicle of St. Prosper; or in the year of the Lord 420, in the 78th year of his age, from the annals of Cardinal Baronius. The works of St. Jerome are contained in nine volumes in the Lyons edition of the year 1530. In the Roman edition of Mariano Vittori of the years 1565 and 1572 the number of volumes is the same; but what the earlier edition had thrown into the fourth volume the later edition threw into the eighth and ninth; and what the earlier edition had placed in the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth volumes the later places in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. We shall follow the order of the later edition, which is cleansed of the errors of Erasmus.
The first volume. Letters, mostly of exhortation, 42: to Heliodorus; to Rusticus; to Laeta; to Salvina; to Ageruchia, two; to Paulinus; to Paula and Eustochium in the name of Marcella; to Marcella, three; to Paul of Concordia; to Theophilus of Alexandria; to Castrutius; to Exuperantius; to Julian the Deacon; to the virgins of Haemona; to Rufinus; to Chromatius and others; to Anthony; on avoiding suspect company; to Sabinian the Deacon; to Nepotian; to Florentius, two; to Demetrias; to Furia; to Gaudentius; to Celantia; to Eustochium, two; to Lucinius; to Abigaus; to Julian; to Castorina; to Theodosius the Monk; to Augustine; to Niceas the Deacon; to Chrysogonus; to Rusticus. In the same volume are the Letters of praise, or funeral letters, 12 in number: on Nepotian; on Marcella; on Blesilla; on Asella; on Lea; on Paula; on Lucinius; on St. Paul [the first hermit]; on Malchus; on St. Hilarion; on the woman struck seven times. Lastly at the end of the first volume is the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, or On Illustrious Men.
Note on the first volume. In this first volume there is nothing about which there can rightly be doubt.
The second volume. In volume 2 are the books against heretics or slanderers: against Helvidius, 1 book; against Jovinian, 2 books; the apology for the books against Jovinian; the apologetic to Domnio; to Pammachius for the same books; the letter to Riparius against Vigilantius; against Vigilantius, 1 book; the letter to Marcella against Montanus; the dialogue against the Luciferians; to Avitus against Origen; to John of Jerusalem the Origenist; to Pammachius on the errors of John of Jerusalem; to Theophilus against the same John; the Apologies against Rufinus, 3 books; to Ctesiphon against Pelagius; against the Pelagians, 3 books; thirty letters on various subjects to various persons, and also letters of Epiphanius, Theophilus and Augustine to Jerome, eight.
Note on the second volume. In this volume too there is nothing doubtful or forged.
The third volume. In the third volume are the prefaces and the explanations of questions: to Paulinus on the books of Scripture; prefaces to the Pentateuch, to Joshua, to the books of Kings, to Paralipomenon, 2, to Esdras, to Tobias, to Judith, to Esther, to Job, to Proverbs, to Ecclesiastes, to the Canticles, to Isaias, to Jeremias, to Ezechiel, to Daniel, to the 12 Prophets, to the four Gospels. There follow in the same volume explanations of questions put by various persons: by Damasus; by Dardanus; by Vitalis; by Amandus; by Minervius and Alexander; by Cyprian; by Paula of the City; by Evagrius; by Marcella; by Sophronius; by Hedibia; by the virgin Principia; by Fabiola; by Rufinus; by Sunnia and Fretela; by Algasia; by Paulinus; by Desiderius. Lastly there are in the same volume the Traditions, or Hebrew questions, on Genesis, on the books of Kings, on the books of Paralipomenon; likewise the books On Hebrew places and On Hebrew names which occur in all the books of the old and new Testament.
Note on the third volume. In this volume there is nothing that is doubted, except the questions on the books of Kings and on the books of Paralipomenon. For St. Jerome, at the end of the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, testifies that he wrote the Traditions, or Hebrew questions, on Genesis, the Hebrew places, and the Hebrew names; and of Traditions or Hebrew questions on the books of Kings and of Paralipomenon he says nothing. Further, in the Hebrew questions on Genesis the same Jerome writes in Hebrew words everywhere; but in the questions on the books of Kings and Paralipomenon he does so only once or twice. Lastly that writing on Genesis seems weightier than this one on the books of Kings and Paralipomenon. But whoever's this work is, it does not much matter.
The fourth volume. In volume 4 are the commentaries on the four greater Prophets and the Threnes of Jeremias. The fifth volume. In the fifth volume are the commentaries on Ecclesiastes and on the twelve lesser Prophets. The sixth volume. In the sixth volume, the commentaries on Matthew, on the letters to the Galatians, to the Ephesians, to Titus, to Philemon; the book of Didymus On the Holy Spirit, put into Latin by Jerome.
Note. In these three volumes everything is lawful and certain as regards the author, except the commentary on the Threnes of Jeremias, which seems to be Rabanus's rather than Jerome's; for it is found among the works of Rabanus, and some sayings taken from St. Gregory are found in it. After the commentary on Matthew used to follow a Commentary on Mark, which Mariano wisely left out, because the author shows that he was skilled neither in the Greek tongue nor in the Hebrew, and in the explanation of chapters 14 and 15 writes many silly and false things.
The seventh volume. In the seventh volume, the commentaries on all the Psalms; St. Jerome's version from the Hebrew.
Note. Of the commentaries on the Psalms the question is obscure. St. Jerome wrote on seven Psalms, namely Psalms 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 [10-16 in his own account], as he himself testifies in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers. Then he wrote on Psalms 44, 89 and 93 [“xcm” printed], as is known from his Letters to Principia, to Cyprian and to Marcella. Lastly he wrote little commentaries on all the Psalms, as the same man testifies in the first apology against Rufinus. It is certain that the first treatises on seven Psalms have perished; no less certain that the explanation of three Psalms is St. Jerome's and is extant among the letters. Of the little commentaries the question is whether they are these commentaries that are extant under the name of St. Jerome in this seventh volume.
That they are these very commentaries now extant can be proved, first, from this: that St. Jerome in the first apology against Rufinus writes that in those little commentaries he turned the Hebrew words nashshequ bar, which are found in the second Psalm, “adore the Son”; and that the same words, in the translation of the psalter from Hebrew into Latin, he turned “adore purely”; and he defends both readings. But in these commentaries in question is found “adore the Son”, and in the translation from the Hebrew is found “adore purely”. So as the extant translation of the psalter from the Hebrew is St. Jerome's, so also are the extant commentaries the same Jerome's. Then it can be proved by another like argument from St. Augustine. For St. Augustine in the letter to Fortunatian cites words of St. Jerome expounding the ninety-third Psalm; and all those words are found in this commentary, so that it seems there can be no doubt that St. Augustine cited these Commentaries under the name of St. Jerome. There comes a third argument from the testimony of St. Gregory, who, explaining the words of the fourth penitential Psalm, A contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise, alleges St. Jerome expounding the same place; and that exposition is found in these commentaries; so on the testimony of St. Gregory these very commentaries seem to be St. Jerome's.
Against this, however, there are arguments no less probable. For this author, in the explanation of Psalm 16, cites Eucherius in plain words; but St. Jerome preceded by many years the Eucherius who is known from his writings; nor does St. Jerome in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers mention any Eucherius, though he passes over hardly any of his elders or contemporaries. Then this same author, in the explanation of Psalm 108, writes that in his time it was the four hundredth year from the destruction of Jerusalem, in which the last captivity of the Jews began; and the destruction of Jerusalem happened in the forty-second year after the passion of the Lord, as the same author affirms in the same place; to which years if we add the thirty-three years of the life of Christ, all the years together will be 473 [475?]. So the author of these commentaries was living in the year of the Lord 473; but St. Jerome died in the year of the Lord 422, as was said above. There comes a third argument, that this author, in the explanation of Psalm 86, says that the words Shall not Sion say, This man are from the Hebrew truth; and yet in the translation of the psalter from the Hebrew St. Jerome turned it, To Sion it shall be said, a man; and truly so it is in the Hebrew; so that the author of these commentaries seems not to have been at home in the Hebrew tongue, and so not to be Jerome, who beyond controversy was most skilled in that tongue. And (to leave out many other things) St. Jerome in the first apology against Rufinus writes that he composed little commentaries on the Psalms; but the author of these commentaries in the explanation of certain Psalms adds very long disputations or exhortations. See the commentaries on Psalms 81, 86, 32 [132?], 133, and the second exposition of Psalm 119, which is found at the end of the last volume; for these Psalms are very short and have very full commentaries.
I therefore (if I may set out my opinion) think that the commentaries we are treating are truly St. Jerome's, but not pure. For some much later writer seems to have added many things of his own; which also happened to the version of the Scriptures from the Hebrew which we have in the vulgate edition. For the version itself is St. Jerome's, except the Psalms, in the vulgate edition, but with many things added, as I showed in the Controversies, book 2 On the Word of God, chapter 9, at the end. So these commentaries are Jerome's, but enlarged by someone who inserted many things from Hilary, Ambrose, Rufinus and Augustine, and who also added exhortations, or little sermons, which are sometimes found at the end; and the one who added these seems to have lived in the year of the Lord 473, so that he could easily cite Eucherius too. And by this observation all the arguments we brought a little before, and those brought by other writers, are solved.
That one thing alone seems unable to be solved, that this author says that according to the Hebrew truth there is found in Psalm 86, Shall not Sion say, This man. Yet we answer that the word “Hebrew” crept into the text by the rashness of some smatterer, and is to be erased altogether. For the author had said that in some places is read Mother Sion, in some Shall not Sion; and added that in the Greek text is found meti, that is, “shall not”, but that it was changed by someone into meter, that is, “mother”; and that he wished to expound it both ways. And when he had expounded Mother Sion, he adds, let us now expound according to the Hebrew truth, which has Shall not Sion; where the word Hebrew is superfluous, and it seems we should read, let us now expound according to the truth, which has Shall not Sion. For Mother Sion is not according to the truth of the Greek text but according to its corruption; for in those commentaries St. Jerome expounds the psalter according to the Greek version of the Seventy Interpreters, not according to the version from the Hebrew.
The eighth volume. In the eighth volume are these: Bede's commentaries on Job; Bede's commentaries on Proverbs; Origen's homilies on the Canticles; commentaries on all the letters of Paul, falsely attributed to Jerome.
Note. Mariano Vittori rightly attributes the commentaries on Job not to St. Jerome but to Bede. For at the end of the volume the author writes that he wrote for the sake of Vecterius; and that Vecterius was a Bishop in England in the time of Bede is plainly gathered from the same Bede's history. The commentaries on Proverbs too are rightly attributed to Bede and not to Jerome; since in chapters 21 and 31 Pope St. Gregory is cited, and in chapter 30 St. Jerome is cited by name. The commentaries on all the Letters are not only not Jerome's, but, what is more strange, are of Pelagius the heresiarch. For St. Augustine, On the merits and remission of sins book 3, chapter 1, says he read short commentaries of Pelagius on all the letters of Paul; and below, chapter 12, he alleges certain things from the commentary on chapter 7 of the first letter to the Corinthians which are found in these commentaries. See the author of these commentaries on chapters 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11 of Romans; likewise 1 Corinthians 4, Philippians 1 and 3, and on chapter 6 of the first letter to Timothy, and you will find plainly Pelagian sayings.
The ninth volume. In the ninth volume are many things of others, like Eusebius of Caesarea, Rufinus, Augustine, Gennadius and others, of which there is no doubt. There are placed also very many books or letters which Erasmus had thrown into the fourth volume as forged. For truly there is nothing among them that is worthy of Jerome's learning or faith. I shall mention only those which I have plainly found not to belong to Jerome.
The letter to the Virgin Demetrias which begins “If with the highest wit” is Pelagian, and is attributed by St. Augustine to Pelagius himself, and refuted in the book On the grace of Christ, chapters 22, 27, 37, 38 and 40. The letter to the daughters of Geruntius is likewise Pelagian; as also the letter to a friend on the knowledge of the divine law. The letter on ecclesiastical writers to Desiderius puts among the lights of the Church Origen, Jovinian and Pelagius, Heretics; it counts also the Pontiff Hilary, who succeeded St. Leo, who began to be famous long after the death of St. Jerome. The letter on the prodigal and the thrifty son is Pelagian, and differs very much from the true letter of St. Jerome on the same subject. The creed to Damasus which begins “We believe in God the Father”, and closes with the words that whoever would prove him unskilled or malevolent or not Catholic will not prove me a Heretic, is not Jerome's to Damasus but Pelagius's to Innocent. This St. Augustine shows in the book On the grace of Christ, chapters 30, 31, 32 and 33, where he says Pelagius sent Pope Innocent a little book of his faith; and there he gives the words of that little book, which are those very ones contained in this creed.
The letters of St. Augustine to Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, on the death of St. Jerome are without doubt false and forged. For it is certain that Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, died long before St. Jerome died; for St. Jerome writes in the book On Ecclesiastical Writers, under Cyril, that Cyril, often driven out and recalled, at last sat in peace eight years. Add that these letters, as also the letter of Eusebius to Damasus on the death of St. Jerome, plainly betray their newness; and not only newness, but also ignorance and impostures. For the made-up Cyril writes to Augustine that a certain heresiarch Silvanus taught that there are two wills in Christ, but that this heresiarch was refuted by the miracles of St. Jerome. But the heresy of the Monothelites arose two hundred years after the times of Cyril and Jerome; and he is not to be called a heresiarch who confesses two wills in Christ, but he who confesses only one, as can be understood from the sixth general Council. So the author of these letters confuses the times, sells the heresy of the Monothelites for the Catholic faith, and, by way of great praise, makes Cyril, Augustine and Jerome Monothelite Heretics.
Lastly there is attributed to St. Jerome the book On the lives of the holy Fathers. But it must be known that that book is not of one author. For in the first part are placed the lives of the Monks which Evagrius Ponticus wrote, of whom St. Jerome writes in the letter to Ctesiphon that of those lives only the first is true, which is of John the Abbot; and Gennadius, in his catalogue of writers, attributes the lives of the Fathers to the same Evagrius. To those lives written by Evagrius are joined the lives of Paul the first Hermit, of Hilarion and of Malchus, written by St. Jerome; likewise the life of St. Anthony written by Athanasius; likewise the life of Mary of Egypt published by Zosimus; likewise much from the conferences of Cassian; lastly a life of St. Jerome written with little faithfulness.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
De S. Hieronymo 390. Sanctus Hieronymns Presbyter et Eccle sise doctor floruit anno quarto decimo Theo¬ dosii, ut ipse de se testatur in libro de script. Eccles. extremo. Obiit Honorio impe¬ rante annoDoraini 422., aetatis suae anno 91., ex ehronico S. Prosperi, vel anno Dom. 420 aetatis anno 78. ex annalibus Gard. Baronii. Opera sancti Hieronymi novem tomis conti¬ nentur in editione Lugdunensi anni 1530. In editione vero Romana anni 1565 et 1572. Mariani Victorii, idem est tomorum nume¬ rus, sed quae prior editio conjecerat in quar¬ tum tomum, editio posterior conjecit in octa¬ vum et nonum : et quae editio prior colloca¬ verat in tomis quinto, sexto, septimo, octa¬ vo, et nono, posterior collocat in quarto quinto, sexto etseptimo. Nos sequemur ordi¬ nem editionis posterioris, quae ab erroribus Erasmi purgata est. Igitur in primo tomo haec opera insunt? Primi tomi. Epistolae hortatoriae, ut plurimum, 42. Ad Heliodorum. Ad Rusticum. Ad Laetam. Ad Salvinam. Ad Ageruchiam duae. Ad Paulinum. Ad Paulam et Eustocbium nomine Mar- cellae. Ad Marcellam tres. Ad Paulum Concordiensem. Ad Theophilum Alex. Ad Castrutium. Ad Exuperantium. Ad Julianum Diaconum. Ad virgines Hermonenses. Ad Ruffinum. Ad Chromatium et alios. Ad Antonium, De vitando suspecto coriturbernio. Ad Sabinianum Diaconum. Ad Nepotianum. Ad Florentium duae. Ad Demetriadem. Ad Furiam. Ad Gaudentium. Ad Celantium. Ad Eustochium duae. Ad Lucinium. Ad Abigaum. Ad Julianum. Ad Gastorinam. Ad Theodosium Monachum. Ad Augustinum. Ad Nicaeam Diaconum. Ad Chrysogonum. Ad Rusticum. In eodem tomo sunt Epistolae laudatoriae, sive funebres, num. 12. In Nepotianum. In Marcellam. In Blesillam. In Asellam. In Leam. In Paulam. In Lucinium. In S. Paulum. In Malchum. In S. Hilariorem. In mulierem septies ictam. Denique ad finem primi tomi est liber de script. Ecclesiast. sive de viris illustribus. Observatio in primum tomum. In hoc primo tomo nihil est, de quo merito dubitari possit. Secundi tomi. In ii. tomo libri sunt contra haereticos, vel calumniatores. Adversus Helvidium, liber 1. Adversus Jovinianum, lib. 2. Apologia pro libris in Jovinianum. Apologeticum ad Domnionem. Ad Pammachium pro iisdem libris. Adversus Vigilantium ad Riparium epi¬ stola. Adversus Vigilantium, liber 1. Ad Marcellam adversus Montanum epi¬ stola. Adversus Luciferianos dialogus. Ad Avitum contra Origenem. DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS im Ad Joannem Hierosolymitanum Origeni- stam^ Ad Pammachium de erroribus Jo. Hiero- sol. Ad Theophilum contra eumdem Joannem. Apologi® adversus Ruffinum, l:b. 3. Ad Ctesiphontem adversus Pelagium. Adversus Pelagianos, lib. 3. Ad diversos diversorum argumentorum epistol® triginta : necnon epistola Epi- phanii, Theophili, et Augustini. Ad Hieronymum epistola octo. Observatio in secundam tomum. In hoc etiam tomo nihil est dubium, vel supposititium Tertii, tomi. In tomo tertio sunt prafationes, et qua- stionum explicationes. Ad Pauli num de libris Scriptura. Prafationes in Pentateuchum In Josue. In libros Regum. In librum Paralip. 2. In Esdram. In Tobiam. In Judith. In Esther. In Job. In Proverbia. In Ecclesiastem. In Cantica. In Isaiam. In Hieremiam. In Ezechielem. In Danielem. In 12. Prophetas. In quatuor Evangelia. Sequuntur in eodem tomo explicationes quastionum a diversis propositarum. A Damaso. A Dardano. A Yitali. Ab Amando. A Minerlo, et ab Alexandro. A Cypriano. A Paula Urbica. Ab Evagrio. A Marcella. A Sophronio. Ab Hedibia. A Principia virgine. A Fabiola. A Ruffino. A Sunia, et Fretella. Ab Algasia. A Paulino. A Desiderio. Denique sunt in eodem tomo : Traditiones, sive quastiones Hebraica. In Genesim. In libros Regum. In libros Paralipomenon. Item libri, de locis Hebraicis, et de nomi¬ nibus Hebraicis, qua in omnibus libris Te¬ stamenti veteris et novi occurrunt. Observatio in ternum tertium. In hoc tomo nihil est, de quo dubitetur, exceptis quastionibus in libros Regum, et in libros Paralip. Sanctus enim Hieronymus in lib. de script. Eccles. extremo, testatur, se scripsisse traditiones sive quastiones He¬ braicas in Genesim, loca Hebraica, et nomi¬ na Hebraica : et de traditionibus, sive qua¬ stionibus Hebraicis in libros Regnum, et in libros Paralip. nihil dicit : praterea in qua¬ stionibus Hebraicis in Genesim adseribit idem Hieronymus passim verba Hebraica ; in quastionibus autem in libros Regum, et Paralip. nonnisi semel, aut iterum id facit. Denique gravior videtur scriptio illa in Ge¬ nesim, quam ista in libros Regum, et Paro- lipomenon, sed cujuscumque sit hoc opus? non magni refert. Quarti tomi. In iv. tomo sunt commentaria in quatuor Prophetas majores, et Threnos Hierem. Quinti tomi. In quinto tomo sunt commentaria in Ec¬ clesiastem : et in duodecim Prophetas mino¬ res. Sexti tomi. In tomo sexto commentaria in Matthaum, in epistolas ad Galatas, ad Ephesios, ad Ti¬ tum, ad Philemonem. Liber Didymi de Spi¬ ritu sancto a Hieronymo Latinus factus. AB ANNO DOM. 300. AD 400. 389 Observatio. In his tribus tomis omnia sunt legitima, et certa quod attinet ad auctorem, excepto commentario in threnos Hieremiae, qui vide¬ tur esse potius Rabani, quam Hieronymi : habetur enim inter opera Rabani et inve¬ niuntur in eo sententiae aliquae ex sancto Gregorio decerptae. Post commentarium in Matthaeum, seque¬ batur Commentarium in Marcum ; quod Ma¬ rianus prudenter omisit, quia auctor osten¬ dit, se neque Graecae linguae neque Hebrai¬ cae fuisse peritum : et in explicatione cap. 14. et 15. multa scribit inepta et falsa Septimi tomi. In tomo septimo commentaria in Psalmos omnes. Yersio S. Hieronymi ex Hebraeo. Observatio. De commentariis in Psalmos obscura quae¬ stio est : scripsit Sanctus Hieronymus in Psalmos septem, videlicet in Psal. xiv. xv. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix. et xx. ut ipse testatur in lib. de script. Eccles. Deinde scripsit in Psalm. xliv. lxxxix , et xcm. ut notum est ex Epistolis ejus ad Principiam, ad Cyprianum, et ad Marcellam. Scripsit deni¬ que commentariolos in omnes Psalmos, ut ipse idem testatur in apologia prima contra Ruffmum. Certum est primos tractatus in Psalmos septem, periisse : non minus cer¬ tum est, explicationem trium Psalmorum, esse Sancti Hieronymi, et exstare inter epi¬ stolas. De commentariolis quaestio est, an sint ista commentaria, quae sub nomine san¬ cti Hieronymi exstant in hoc septimo tomo. Quod enim sint ista ipsa commentaria, quae nunc exstant, probari potest, primo ex eo, quod Sanctus Hieronymus in apologia pri¬ ma contra Ruffinum, scribit, se in commen¬ tariolis illis vertisse verba Hebraica, « nasse- cubar » quae habentur in secundo Psamo, «adorare Filium » : eadem autem verba in in¬ terpretatione Psalterii de Hebraeo in Lati¬ num, vertisse « adorate pure » : et utramque lectionem defendit. Atqui in istis commenta¬ riis, de quibus agitur, invenitur « adorate Filium » : et in interpretatione ex Hebraeo invenitur « adorate pure» : igitur sicut inter- retatio psalterii ex Hebraeo, quae exstat est Sancti Hieronymi ; ita et commentariia quae exstant, ejusdem sunt Hieronymi. Deinde probari potest alio simili argumento ex San¬ cto Augustino : Sanctus enim Augustinus in epistola ad Fortunatianum citat verba San¬ cti Hieronymi exponentis Psalmum nonage¬ simum tertium : et verba illa omnia inve¬ niuntur in commentario isto, ut non videatur posse esse dubium, quin sanctus Augustinus citaverit Commentaria ista sub nomine San¬ cti Hieronymi. Accedit tertium argumentum ex testimonio Sancti Gregorii, qui explicans verba illa Psal. quarti pcenitentialis Cor contritum , et humiliatum Deus non despi¬ cies. , allegat Sanctum Hieronymum expo¬ nentem eumdem locum : et expositio illa in his commentaris invenitur : proinde testi¬ monio Sancti Gregorii, haec ipsa commenta¬ ria Sancti Hieronymi esse videntur. Contra tamen sunt argumenta non minus probabilia. Nam hic auctor in explicatione Psal. sexti decimi , disertis verbis citat Eucherium : Eucherium autem, qui ex scriptis notus est, multis annis Sanctus Hieronymus praecessit : neque in libro de script. Eccles. ullius Eu- cherii Sanctus Hieronymus meminit , cum tamen nullum fere praetereat ex majoribus vel aequalibus suis. Deinde hic idem auctor in explicatione Psal. cviii. scribit, suo tem¬ pore fuisse annum quadragentesimum ab excidio Hierusalem, in quo coepit ultima captivitas Judaeorum : excidium autem Hie¬ rusalem contigit anno quadragesimo secun¬ do post passionem Domini, ut idem auctor ibidem affirmat : quibus annis si addamus annos triginta tres vitae Christi, erunt omnes simul anni 473. Igitur auctor horum com¬ mentariorum vivebat anno Domini 473. At¬ qui Sanctus Hieronymus obiit anno Domini 422. ut supra dictum est. Accedit tertium argumentum, quod hic auctor in explicatio¬ ne Psal. lxxxvi. dicit, illa verba, Numquid Sion dicet homo , esse ex Hebraica veritate : et tamen in translatione psalterii ex Hebraeo Sanctus Hieronymus vertit, Ad Sion dicetur homo : et vere sic est in Hebraeo, ut videatur auctor horum commentariorum non calluisse linguam Hebraicam, ac per hoc non esse Hieronymus, qui ejus linguae, sine contro¬ versia, pbritissimus erat. Ac (ut omittam alia multa) S. Hieronymus in apologia prima contra Ruffinum scribit, se commentariolos confecisse in Psalmos : auctor autem horum commentariorum in quorumdam Psalmorum explicatione longissimas disputationes vel 390 DE SCRIPTORIBUS ECCLESIASTICIS •cohortationes adjungit. Vide commentaria in Psal. lxxxi. lxxxvi. xxxii. cxxxiii. et se¬ cundam expositionem Psal. cxix. quae habe¬ tur ad finem ultimi tomi : isti enim Psalmi brevissimi sunt et commentaria habent fu¬ sissima. Ego igitur (si mihi liceat senten¬ tiam meam exponere) existimo, commenta¬ ria, de quibus agimus, vere esse Sancti Hie¬ ronymi, sed non pura. Videtur enim aliquis longe posterior scriptor adjunxisse multa de suo : quod idem accidit versioni Scriptu¬ rarum ex Hebraeo, quam habemus in edi¬ tione vulgata : est enim versio ipsa Sancti Hieronymi, exceptis Psalmis, in editione vulgata, sed multis additis, ut ostendi in controversiis, 1., 2., de Verbo Dei. c. 9. ex¬ tremo : sic igitur commentaria ista Hiero¬ nymi sunt, sed aucta ab aliquo, qui multa inseruit ex Hilario, ex Ambrosio, ex Ruffino et Augustino ; et quia etiam adjecit cohor¬ tationes, sive conciunculas, quae habentur interdum ad finem : et qui ista adjecit, vide¬ tur vixisse anno Domini 473. ut etiam facile Eucherium citare potuerit. Atque ex hac observatione solvuntur omnia argumenta , quae nos paulo ante adduximus, quaeque ab aliis scriptoribus adducuntur. Illud unum videtur solvi non posse, quod hic auctor di¬ cat, secundum Hebraicam veritatem haberi in Psal. lxxxvi. Numquid Sion dicet homo. Respondemus tamen, vocem illam «Hebrai¬ cam » irrepsisse in textum, scioli alicujus temeritate, et omnino abradendam esse : au¬ ctor enim dixerat, alicubi legi, Mater Sion, alicubi, Numquit Sion: et addidit, in textu Gregco haberi p.r(xt, id est, numquid sed ab aliquo mutatum estin p.r)T7ip, id «est mater» : et se velle utroque modo exponere : et cum exposuisset, Mater Sion , addit, exponamus nunc secundum Hebraicam veritatem, quae habet, Numquid Sion ; ubi illud, Hebraicam, supervacaneum est : et legendum videtur, exponamus nunc secundum veritatem, quae habet, Numquid Sion. Illud enim mater Sion non est secundum veritatem Graeci textus, sed secundum corrumptionem : in illis enim commentariis Sanctus Hieronymus exponit psalterium secundum versionemgraecam 70. Interpretum, non secundum versionem ex Hebraico. Octavi tomi. In tomo octavo haec sunt : In Job commentaria Bedge, In proverbia commentaria Bedae. In Cantica homiliae Origenis. In omnes Pauli epistolas commentaria falso attributa Hieronymo. Observatio. Recte Marianus Victorius commentaria in Job non tribuit Sancto Hieronymo, sed Be¬ dae : nam in extremo volumine scribit auctor, se scripsisse in gratiam Vecterii : Vecterium autem Episcopum fuisse in Anglia tempore Bedae, ex historia ejusdem Bedae manifeste colligitur. Recte quoque commentaria in Proverbia tribuuntur Bedae, non autem Hieronymo : siquidem in caput 21. et 31. citatur Sanctus Gregorius Papa : et in capite 30. citatur no- minatim Sanctus Hieronymus. Commentaria in omnes Epistolas, non so¬ lum non Hieronymi, sed, quod magis mirum est, Pelagii haeresiarchae sunt. Nam Sanctus Augustinus, lib. m. de peccatorum meritis et remiss. cap. 1. dicit se legisse commenta¬ ria Pelagii brevia in omnes epistolas Pauli : et infra cap. 12. allegat quaedam ex comm en- tario in caput vn. prioris ad Corinth. quae in his commentariis inveniuntur. Vide au¬ ctorem horum commentariorum, in caput v. vi. vii. et viii et xi. ad Romanos; item I. Cor. iv. Philipp. i. et m. et in caput vi. prioris ad Timoth., et invenies sententias manifeste Pelagianas. Noni tomi. In tomo nono sunt multa aliorum, ut Eu- sebii Caesariensis, Ruffini , Augustini, Gen- nadii, et aliorum, de quibus nullum est du¬ bium. Plurimi etiam libri, vel epistolae ponuntur, quas Erasrnus tamquam supposititias in to¬ mum quartum conjecerat. Vere enim nihil horum est, quod Hieronymi doctrina vel fide sit dignum. Ego solum ea commemora¬ bo, quae manifeste comperi ad Hieronymum non pertinere. Epistola ad Demedriadem Virginem, quae incipit : « Si summo ingenio » Pelagiana est, et a Sancto Augustino tribuitur ipsi Pelagio, et confutatur in lib. de gratia Christi, cap. 22. 27. 37. 38. et 40. Epistola ad Geruntii filias, similiter Pela¬ giana est : sicut etiam Epistola ad amicum de cognitione divinae legis. Epistola de scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis ad 391 AB ANNO DOM. 300. AD 400. Desiderium ponit inter lumina Ecclesiae Ori- genem, Jovinianum, Pelagium, Haereticos : numerat etiam Hilarium Pontificem , qui Sancto Leoni successit, qui diu post mortem Sancti Hieronymi clarere coepit. Epistola de filio luxorioso, et frugi, Pela- giana est : et multum omnino discrepans a vera epistola sancti Hieronymi, de eodem argumento. Symbolum ad Damasum, quod incipit : « Credimus in Deum Patrem, » et clauditur illis verbis, se imperitum, et malevolum vel non Catholicum, non me Haereticum com¬ probabit, non est Hieronymi ad Damasum, sed Pelagii ad Innocentium. Id ostendit San¬ ctus Augustinus in lib. de gratia Christi, cap. 30. 31 . 32. et 33. ubi dicit Pelagium misisse ad Innocentium Papam libellum fidei suae : et ibidem refert verba ejus libelli, quae sunt illa ipsa, quae in hoc symbolo continentur. Epistolae Sancti Augustini ad Cyrillum Hierosolymae Episcopum de obitu Sancti Hieronymi, sine dubio falsae et supposititiae sunt. Constat enim Cyrillum Hierosolymita¬ num Episcopum obiisse diu antequam San¬ ctus Hieronymus moreretur, scribit enim Sanctus Hieronymus in lib. de script. Eccl. in Cyrillo, Cyrillum smpius expulsum, et re¬ vocatum, tandem octo annis pacifice sedisse. Adde quod epistolae istae, ut etiam epistola Eusebii ad Damasum de morte Sancti Hie¬ ronymi novitatem suam manifeste produnt. Nec solum novitatem, sed etiam imperitiam, et imposturas : scribit enim fictitius Cyrillus ad Augustinum haeresiarcha, quemdam Syl- vanum docuisse, duas in Christo esse vo¬ luntates : sed miraculis Sancti Hieronymi hunc haeresiarcham fuisse confutatum. At haeresis Monothelitarum ducentis annis post tempora Cyrilli et Hieronymi exorta est : et non est haeresiarcha dicendus, qui duas vo¬ luntates in Christo confitetur, sed qui unam tantum, ut ex Concilio sexto generali intel- ligi potest. Itaque auctor harum epistola¬ rum confundit tempora, haeresim monothe¬ litarum pro fide Catholica vendit, Cyrillum, Augustinum, et Hieronymum pro magna laude Haereticos monothelitas facit. Tribuitur ad ultimum Sancto Hieronymo liber de vitis sanctorum Patrum : sed scien¬ dum est, eum librum non esse unius aucto¬ ris : nam in prima parte ponuntur vitae Mo¬ nachorum, quas scripsit Evagrius Ponticus, de quo scribit Sanctus Hieronymus in epi¬ stola ad Ctosiphontem ; ex illis vitis solam primam esse veram, quae est Joannis Abba¬ tis : eidem Evagrio tribuit vitas Patrum Gennadius in suo catalogo scriptorum. Yitis illis ab Evagrio scriptis adjunctae sunt vitae Pauli primi Eremitae, Hilarionis, et Malchi, a Sancto Hieronymo scriptae : item vita San¬ cti Antonii scripta ab Athanasio : item vita Mariae ^Egyptiacae a Zozimo edita : item multa ex collationibus Cassiani : denique vita Sancti Hieronymi parum fideliter con¬ scripta.