VI:

longer, and was glad to induce his tormentors by CENT some conversation to allow an interval to his afflictions. For he seems to have been of a weak and delicate constitution, and the softness of his early education rendered him unfit to bear much hardship. His mind, however, appears to have been serene and faithful to his Saviour, whom, in real humility and sincerity, though tarnished with the superstition of the times, he served according to the fundamentals of the Gospel. The Arian bishop of Carthage, who had known Fulgentius, and esteemed his character, highly disapproved of this treatment, which he had received from a presbyter of his own religion and diocese, and told the injured youth, that, if he would make a formal complaint before him, he would avenge his cause. Many advising him to do 66 So, It is not lawful, says, Fulgentius, for a Christian to seek revenge. The Lord knows how to defend his servants. Should the presbyter through me be punished, I shall lose the reward of my patience with God, and the more so, as it would give an occasion of stumbling to the weak, to see an Arian punished by a Monk." By and by he retired into the more interior parts of Africa. Some time after he sailed to Syracuse, and then visited Rome, and saw there king Theodoric in the midst of a magnificent assembly. If men in this life, seeking vanity, attain such dignity, what will be the glory of saints who seek true honour in the new Jerusalem? Fulgentius, —this was the reflection of Fulgentius. Ruspa in shop of Africa was the place to which, much against his banished will, he was at length elected bishop: but this ex- Sardinis. altation lessened not the severity of his way of life: and by the Arian persecution he was banished into Sardinia, in company with other faithful witnesses of orthodoxy. Upwards of sixty bishops were with him in exile. Thrasamond sent more still into Sardinia, in all 220, exerted himself mightily in overcoming the constancy of the orthodox, and

Ruspæ,

into

I.

CHAP. delighted to ensnare them with captious questions. Fulgentius was sent for by him to Carthage, and by his skill in argument, and his readiness in answering questions, excited the king's admiration-till through the advice of his Arian clergy, who looked on the presence of Fulgentius as dangerous at Carthage, he was remanded to Sardinia. Soon after, Hilderic, the successor of Thrasamond, in the year 523, favouring the orthodox, put a total end to the persecution, and Ruspæ once more beheld her 523. bishop.

Hilderic succeeds Thrasa

mond.

A. D.

Fulgentius dies.

A. D.

He lived among his flock from this time to his death, eminent in piety, humility, and charity. For near seventy days he suffered extreme pains in his 529. last sickness-"Lord, give patience here and rest hereafter," was his constant prayer-and he died at length, as he had lived, an edifying example of every 'Christian virtue. I feel almost ashamed to have written so barren a life of a man undoubtedly excellent in godliness. But the reader, as well as myself, must be content with the poverty of materials. In an age of learning and genius the life of Fulgentius would have shone abundantly. In his treatise to Morinus on Predestination, he observes*, "The internal master, from whom we have received the supply of celestial doctrine, not only opens to inquirers the secrets of his words, but does also himself inspire the grace to make inquiry. For we cannot so much as hunger after the bread which comes down from heaven, unless an appetite be given to persons before fastidious, by him who deigns also to give himself to satisfy the hungry. From him it is, that thirsting we run to the fountain, who affords to us himself, that we may drink." He afterwards expresses himself with great energy "on the internal doctrine of divine inspiration, where truth speaks! the sweeter, as it is the more secret." I shall not " expect any man, but one who is truly taught of

Book I. Ch. I.

VI.

God, to give a candid interpretation of this. "I CENT. pray to be taught many more things which I do not know, by him, from whom I have received the little which I do know. I beg by his preventing and following grace to be instructed," &c. In what follows he shows how seriously he had made the sentiments of Augustine his own, in discussing points exceedingly intricate, with that author's modesty and dexterity, particularly in resolving all sin into pridet.

In a subject so arduous as Predestination, it is very easy to push men into difficulties. Our author observes that some Frenchmen had objected to Augustine, that he had described men as predestinated not only to judgment but also to sin: from which charges the learned and holy Prosper defended the sentiments of the African prelate, whose death prevented any answer from himself. Prosper says, the unbelief of men is not generated from predestination; for God is the author of good, not of evil. Infidelity is not to be referred to the divine constitution, but only to the divine prescience.

With equal dexterity he defends the faith of the Trinity, in a book addressed to king Thrasamond. Let it suffice to mention one argument for the divinity, of the Holy Ghost, toward the close. "If he can quicken who is not God; if he can sanctify who is not God; if he can dwell in believers who is not God; if he can give grace who is not God, then the Holy Ghost may be denied to be God. If any creature can do those things, which are spoken of the Holy Ghost, then let the Holy Ghost be called a creature." In a treatise on the Incarnation and Grace of Jesus Christ he answers the trite objection against divine election drawn from the words, "God would have all men to be saved," by showing that upon the views of those who see no mystery in the subject, but resolve the distinction into the

Ch. IV. Ch. XVII. Ch. XXX. | Ch. VII.

I.

CHAP. merits or demerits of men, Almighty God ceases to be incomprehensible, as the Scripture describes him to be. He allows the great truth, that God would have all men to be saved, and yet that there is a depth, not to be fathomed by man in the destruction of so many sinners. Much more might be quoted from this author, on subjects essentially connected with the Gospel of Christ. But the dif fusiveness of the quotations from Augustine may supersede the necessity of enlarging on the views of one, who so closely followed his steps, and who wrote and lived with a similar spirit.

His epistles.

Besides several doctrinal treatises, we have also a few epistles of this saint. The fourth to Proba, concerning prayer, deserves to be carefully studied, It is an excellent sample of the humble piety of the African school. He instructs the lady in his favourite doctrine of grace connected with humility, and justly infers, that if a man as yet innocent could not remain so by his natural power, much less can this be expected from him now that he is in a state of so great depravity. He describes, in a pathetic manner, the snares arising from the craft of Satan, and the corrupt workings of the heart, declaring that though the Lord from time to time attends with aids during the sharp war, lest his people faint, yet our mortal nature is suffered to be overloaded with the burden of corruption, that we may feel our helplessness, and have speedy recourse to divine grace. He describes the conflict between flesh and spirit, shows that it must last through life; that prayer and watching are ever necessary, and that a conceit of our perfection would lead us into deadly pride, He recommends a humble, contrite frame of spirit, not only for the beginning, but for the whole course of a Christian's progress, and concludes with a beautiful view of the perfect rest from sin which remains for him hereafter, It is refreshing to the mind, to see the real principles of Christianity appearing in

great vigour and clearness in this little composi- CENT.

tion.

The epistle to Eugyptius* on Charity, while it describes this greatest of Christian graces in a manner much resembling that of Augustine, demonstrates the benevolent spirit of the writer. In an epistle to Theodorus a senatort, he congratulates him on his victory over the world. He had been, it seems, a Roman consul, and had given up secular pursuits through the love of heavenly things. Fulgentius strongly reminds him to whose grace alone he was indebted for the change, and recommends humility ‡, "a virtue which neither those have who love the world, nor those who profess to have renounced the world by their own strength." By which distribution of the unconverted into two sorts he points out the same division of men, which has ever taken place from the time of Christ. Pharisees and Sad ducees were their names among the Jews; in the Gentile world the appellation of Stoic and Epicurean gave the same distinction. In the school of Augustine lovers of the world formed one denomination, confident boasters in their own strength the other; and in our times the same difference is commonly marked by the terms worldly minded and selfrighteous while in all ages the genuine religion of real humility stands contradistinguished from both these classes. Fulgentius recommends to Theodorus the constant study of the Scriptures. "If you come to then meek and humble, there you will find preventing grace, by which, when fallen, you may rise;

† Ep. 6.

* Ep. 5. The practice of Fulgentius agreed with his doctrine. About the end of the year 524, a bishop in an African council disputed precedency with him.-The council decided for Fulgentius, who for that time acquiesced in the authority of the council. But, observing how much the other was afflicted at the determination, in a future council he publicly. desired that it might be reversed. His humility was admired, and his request was granted.

VI.