Chapter 1
Preface
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LIBEARY
OF THE
Theological Seminary,
PRINCETON, N. J.
Case, '^/CJw Qi.v..
Shelf, ) W MS ?.?.<:tlon
Book, ' N?. ..-.
A DONATION
^r""'"<<zj-y -
Primitive Morality :
Or, The Spiritual
homilies
St/MACARIUS
T H F
EGYPTIAN.
Full of very Profitable Instructions
concerning that 'Perfection, which is Ex-
petted from Chriftians, and which it is their
"Duty to Endeavour after.
Done out of Greek into Englifh, with fever al
Confidcrable Emendations^ and ibme Enlargements
from a Bodleian Manufcript, never before Printed.
By a Presbyter of the Church of England.
And with many fitch Parables J pake he the Word
unto them, as they were Able to Bear it. — But without
a Parable Jpake he not unto them, Mark iv. 33, 34.
tC. zs-fiQS ouJTeic, xcc6og6£*%. sfoXXx yotg est* vz»' ccuruv irftv-
ru ts tc: *r(>j.x,6eiTK, **A*s. Suielas ex Socratts Hill. Ecclcf.
Lib. iv. Cap. 23.
L O N D ON:
Printed for W. Taylor, in Tater-nopr-Row j W. and J. Innys,
at the Weft End of St. Paul's Church ; and J. Osborn, in
Lombard-Street, MDCCXXI.
THE
PREFACE
Christian Reader,
HATEVER curious Queftions
may be Started concerning the Oc-
casion of this Work, which tho'
feveral have had Thoughts of
Undertaking, never yet Appeared in our
Englifh Language ; As alfo concerning the
Nature of Religious Retirement, and the
Original Inftitution of it-, Concerning the
Egyptian Rechfes in general, and the Life
of our Author in particular, his Miraculous
Towers, and thofe Spiritual Graces which
Embellifli his Character % His Writings,
which have Always been in Great Efteem;
the Genuincnefs of what is here Tranflated ;
the Editions it has hitherto Born $ the Ad-
vantages of This before the reft -, And the
A 2 Obje&ions
The PREFACE.
CbiccUons which either have been made aU
, or may yet be Offer d : Thcfe have I
already fpohm to pretty dzjlinclly and at
large in the following Introdu&ion.
2. Among other Terms made up of ty our
Aittl.or, which have been thought Uncom-
mon «r Obfcure, That of being Deified muft
not be Lver looted. It occurs p. 321. lin,
11. And cefore that , viz. p 239. is the
Reader for the Explanation of it Referred to
the Introdu&ion. But when I came to That,
either not having that part of the Tranfh-
tion by me, * or fome Memorandums being
Mif-laid or Loft ; The Explanation it felf
was entirely Forgot.
3 . To Explain it however now, let it be
Remer&bred that onr Author poffibly might
Tor row this Exprefflon from the School of
Plato where the Word ^so<r points Full upon
that Intimate Perfection, which Man was
QtigffldlJy Intended for, which was no real
part of his Nature, but which he was to Re-
ceive at Lift, as the Great Reward that was
to Crown All his Labours and Conflicts in
the Schools of Vertue and Philofophy. Thus
at leaft are we Taught to think in the Golden
Veries <?/ Pythagoras, and in the noble Com-
ment upon them.
4. When Chriftians are expre fly flit d Gods
as well as Kings and Lords, p. 342. 1. 28. This
muft certainly be taken in the Senfe of Hiero-
clcs, which if I Remember right, was never
yet excepted againft. Nor need any be offended
more
The PREFACE.
more at This, than at the Name Elohim being
given to Guardian Angels, and Magiftrates
in Scripture, whence fome Mathematicians
have of late Concluded that the Word God
fignifies nothing more than an Office; Be
That as it will.
5 . When the Name God is Applied to the
Creature, the Jews interpret it as ^Denoting
a certain Excellency or Super-eminence. Thus
the Mountain of God is a Great or High
Mountain. AndThus alfois the Epithet £±J®»
in Homer ta be anderfiood. Hence probably
may we give an eafy Senfe to that Maxim oft he
Jews, That at Baptifm Man Receives a Xcw
Soul, and very comnwdioufly explain that De-
fcription of the Humane Soul, when it is
caU'd Divinae particula Auras, as Tointing un-
der one at both the Original Infufion of it, Gen. if. 7.
and its Renovation or New and Second
Creation by the Divine Wind or Spirit wh$ch
Bloweth 'where, and when, and How it lifteth. Joh- iil 8-
For then does the Soul of Man Receive tie
rivEU/uuz, which to fpeak in the Language of
our Author, and of Bijh op Ken, is as the very
Soul of the Soul it felf.
6. This evidently fuppofes all manner of
Spiritual Excellency to be Super-natural ;
{taking Nature at the very Bejl, and much
more as it is at prefent) and to T)efce?id
from the Sovereign Author of every Good
and Perfect Gift ; To be in fhort, as the very
Mark or Seal of the Great Creator ,• or as
others love to fpeak, a Communicated Ray
A 3 of
The PREFACE.
of God. But this leads me to fomething
further.
7. For to fpeak out my own full Senfe of
the mattery the Beft way of Accounting for
this Deification of the Humane Nature, is
from the Myftery of the Incarnation, when
the "Divine WO RD or Ao7(& Tabernacled
in our Nature 5 for this End> as the Ant tent
Fathers exprefs themfelves, that as God
then Became or was made Man, fo Man him-
felf "might thereby Become God, or Divine ;
that is by vertue of the Heavenly Unftion, or
Spirit Defending from Chrift the Head, and
Anointing All the Members of his Myftical
Body ; which as it isfirft Receiv*din Baptifm,
fo is it Cultivated and Improved by the right
Ufe of the other Sacrament, and a Life of
Faith working by Love and Fulfilling the
whole Law of God.
%. Thus at lafty according to our Author ?
" are Men Chang'd into the Divine Nature,
" becoming * Kind, and Gods themfelves,
* and the Sons of God ; Returning at lajl {to
fpeak] after an eminent Platonift) to that
ID E A by which they were Created, or in
the more Intelligible Language of Holy Writ,
to that Image of God, in which Man was
made at fir ft, and which is fet forth by the
* In the Original the Word is #f »«-«;, which as it may allude
to Matth. v. 44 — 48. implies One Single Grace, that of
Beneficence. But poflibly it mould be Read %§tr» - fignifying
the whole Golden Chain of Divine Vertues and Graces, or that
7rXr.%auu of Divine Grace which we are Anointed with or
made Partakers of in and through CHRIST. Compare
2 Pet. i. ^—7 . with John i. 1 6.
Apoftle,
The PREFACE.
Apoftle, as confifling in Knowledge, Righted
oufnefs, and 'True: Holinefs.
9. There being then fo fufficient a Founda-
tion for this way of /peaking I fed no Re a-
fon for Difcarding fo Antient, fo Philofo-
phical, nay fo Theological and Scriptural an
Exprejfion 5 much lefs for giving a Novel
Interpretation of that Remarkable Text in
St. Peter, viz. that ye might be Partakers of
the Divine Nature, as the late Learned T)r.
* Tully has 1)one, for fear jf giving Urn-
brage to the Rants and 'Dotage of Fanati-
cifm. The Abufe of a thing does by no Means
take away the True and Proper Ulc of it. 1 Pet.i. 4,
10. If any thing elfe Refer 'd to> fhou'd
happen to be Omitted^ becaufe Loft, Ifhall
depend upon the Generofity of the Learned
Reader to excufe it. Anj Overfight or De-
fed {hall be made Good upon the leaft
Friendly Notice*, with as Ample Thanks
^^Acknowledgments as the 'Perfonpleafes :
But elfe Ifhall never think my felf oblig'd to
Anfwer.
* See his Expofitio Sy mboli Apoftolici, Art. ix. p. 1 1 ij
ex Edit. Oxon. 1673.
A 4 THE
THE
CONTENTS.
Hom. i. IE 3l N Allegorical Explanation of
the Vifion defer ibd in the Pro-
phet Ezekiel, page p 3
H o m. 11. Concerning the Kingdom of Darknefs,
that is. Sin -9 and that God Alone is Able to
take away Sin from us, and to Deliver us out
of the Bondage of the wicked Ruler ', p. 107
Hom. in. 'That Brethren ought to Live with
one another in Sincerity, in Simplicity, and
Love, and to Struggle and Fight with their
inward Thoughts, p. 112,
Hom. iv. Chriftians ought to go over the C our fe
of their Race in this World, with Care and
Exatlnefs, that they may attain to the Heaven-
ly Applaufes from God and Angels, p. 117
Hom. v. There is a wide Difference between
Chriftians and the Men of this World. For
thefe having the Spirit of the World are
Bound in Heart and Mind with Earthly
Chains. But They are dejiroiis of the Love of
their Heavenly Father, placing in the Abun-
dance
The Contents.
dance of their Defire Him only before their
Eyes, p. 141
Hom. vi. TJoey that are willing to Pleafc God,
ought to make their Prayers in Peace and
Silence, and Meeknefs and Wifdo?n ; left by
Uftng Noife, they give Offence to all. But withal
the Homily contains two ghicftions, Whether
the Thrones and Crowns are Creatures^ and
concerning the Twelve Thrones of Jfrael, p. ifz
Hom. vn. Concerning the Goodnefs of Chrifi for-
wards Man. This Homily doth alfo contain fome
Queftions and Anfwers next to Lnpertincnt or
Fain, , p. if J
Hom. viii. Concerning thofe things that happen
to Chrifi ians in the Time of Prayer, and con-
cerning the Degrees of Perfection, namely,
whether it be pojjible for Chrijlians to arrive at
that State which is Per feci, p. l6z
Hom. ix. That the Promifes and Prophefies of
God are Fulfilled through all the variety of Trials
and Temptations. And that we, by continually
waiting upon God alone, are Redeemed from the
Moleftations of the wicked One, p. 167
Hom. x. The Gifts of Divine Grace are, P re-
fervid and Improved by an Humble Senfe of
Mind, and a Ready Will : But quite Deftrofd
by Pride and Sloth, p. ijf
Hom. xi. That the Power of the Holy Spirit in
the Heart of Men is as Fire -y and what things
we may ft and in need of in order to Difcern the
Thoughts that Spring up in the Heart : And
concerning the Dead Serpent Hung up by
Mofes on the Top of a Pole, which was a
Type of Chrifi:. ' This Homily moreover con-
tains two Difputations, the One of Chriir. with
that wicked One, Satan j the other of Sinners
with the fame, p. 180
Z Hom.
The Contents.
Hom. xii. Concerning the State of Adam before
he Tranfgrefs'd the Commandment of God, and
after he had Loft both his own and the Hea-
venly Image. 'This Homily doth alfo contain
Queftions highly Ufeful, p. ipj
H o M. xiii. What Fruit God Requires of Chri-
ftians, p. 206
Hom. xiv. They that give up their Thoughts and
Mind to God, do it in Hope that the Eyes of
their Heart may be Enlightned, and God thinks
them Worthy of Myfteries in the higheft Degree
of Holinefs and Purity ', and Imparts to them of
his Grace. And what we, who are Dejirous
of attaining the Heavenly Good things, ought to
Do. At laft the Apoftles and Prophets are
Compared to the Sun-Beams that enter in
through a Window. The Homily alfo Inftrucls
us what is the Earth of Satan, and what that
of Angels 5 and that they are Both of them Im-
palpable and Invifible, p. 2 op
Hom. xv. This Homily Teaches us at large, how
the Soul ought to Demean her felf in Holinefs,
and Chaftity, and Purity, towards her Bride-
groom Jefus Chrift, the Saviour of the World.
It contains withal fome Queftioyis Full of Great
Inftruclion, viz. Whether {for inftance) in the
Refurre&ion All the Members are Rais'd ?
And a great many others concerning Evil, and
Grace, and Free- Will, and the Dignity of
Humane Nature, PZI3
Hom. xvi. That Spiritual Men are liable to
Temptations and Affliclions, that Spring up from
the Firft Sin, p. if 2
Hom. xvii. Concerning the Spiritual Unclion and
Glory of Chriftians. And that without Chrift
it is Impoffible to be Saved, or to be made Par-
taker of Eternal Life, p. 2(5 3
1 Hom.
The Contents.
Hom. xviii. Concerning the Treafure of Chri-
ftians, that is, Chrift and the Holy Spirit, va-
rioujly Exerciftng them towards their Coming
to Perfetlion, p. zyy
Hom. xix. Chriftians that are willing to Improve
and Increafe, ought to Force themfelves to
every thing that is Good j in order to be Freed
from the Sin that dwells within them, and to be
FilPd with the Holy Spirit, p. 284
Hom. xx. Chrift alone, the True Phyfecianof the
Inner Man, is Able to Heal the Soul, and to
Adorn her with the Robe of Grace, p. 292
Hom. xxi. The Chriftian has a Two- fold War
fet before him, an Inward for inftance and an
outward one : The one is withdrawing himfelf
from Worldly Diftratlions y the other in the
Heart againft the Suggeftions of wicked Spirits,
p. 198
Hom. xxii. Concerning the Two-fold State of
them that Depart out of this Life, p. 502
Hom. xxiii. As they only that are Born of the
Royal Seed, can wear the Royal and Coftly
Pearl: So in like manner are none allowed to
wear the Heavenly Pearl but the Children of
God, p. 30 j
H o m. xxiv. The State of Chriftians is liken" d
to Merchandize, and to Leavening. For as the
Merchants heap up their Earthly Gains toge-
ther: So do they alfo their Thoughts that are
fcatter'd throughout the World. And as the
Leaven leavens the whole Lump : So does the
Leaven of Sin Run through the whole Race of
Adam. But Chrift Puts the Heavenly Leaven
of Goodnefs into Faithful Souls, p. 306
Hom. xxv. This Homily teaches, that no Man,
unlefs he is Strengthened by Chrift, is Able to
get clear of the Stumbling- Blocks of Satan.
And what they ought to Do, that are defirous
of
The Contents.
of the Divine Glory. It teaches alfo, that
through the D if obedience of Adam we were
brought into the Bondage of Carnal Affections,
from which we are Delivered through the
Myfteries of the O'ofs. It inftrucls laffly, that
the Efficacy of Tears, and of the Divine Fire is
Great, p. 3 1 1
Hom. xxvi. Concerning the 'Truth and Excellen-
cy, the Ability and Operation of the Immortal
Soul ; And how it is Tempted by Satan, and
Obtains Deliverance out of Temptations. But
it contains jome Queft ions full of very much In-
ftruclion, p. 320
Hom. xxvii. This Homily Difcourfes at large
concerning the Worth and Condition of the
Chriftian Man as well as the Foregoing. After
that it gives feveral highly Ufeful Inflruclions
concerning the Liberty of the Will, Inter'
mixing fome Queftions full of Divine Wifdom^
p. 340
Hom. xxviii. This Homily Defcribes and Be-
wails the Misfortune of the Soul, becaufe by
Reafon of Sin, the Lord doth not Dwell in her.
And 0/John the Baptift it fhews, that of them
that are Born of Women, there is none Greater
than He, P- 3f#
Hom. xxix. God Executes the Difpenfat ions of
his Grace upon Mankind, after a Two-fold
manner, Intending to Require back the Fruits of
it in a firicl Account, p. 364
Hom. xxx. The Soul that is to Enter into the
Kingdom of God ought to be Born of the Holy
Spirit. And how this is Done, p. 371
Hom. xxxi. It behoveth him that Believeth to
be Changed in his Mind, and to Collecl all his
Thoughts into God, in which our whole Obfer-
vance of God doth truly confift, p. 379
Hom-
The Contents.
Hom. xxxii. The Glory of Chriftians which
Abideth from this 'very Time within their
Souls, will be manifefted at the Time of the
Re ind Glorify their Bodies in pro-
■i to their Piety, p. 384
Hom. xxxiii. // behoves us to Pray to God
bout ceafeng and with Attention, p. 393
Hom. xxxiv. Concerning the Glory of Chriftians ^
which Jhall be vouch fafd to their Bodies in the
Refurreflion, and with which they flo all be Irra-
diated together with the Soul, p. 396
Hom. xxxv. Concerning the Old Sabbath, and
the New, - p. 309
Hom. xxxvi. Concerning the double Refurreclion
of Souls and Bodies, and the different Glory of
them that Rife again, p. 401
H n m. xxxvi 1. Concerning Paradife and the Spi-
ritual Law, p. 40 2.
Hom. xxxviii. There is need of great Exaclnefs
and Underftanding in Difcerning True Chriftians,
who they are, p. 413
H o m. xxxix. Upon what account the Scriptures
were Given us by God, p. 417
Hom. xl. That all the Vertues and All the
Vices are faft Bound to each other, and even as
a Chain, whereof one Link hangs upon another,
p. 418
Hom. xli. The inward Apartments of the Soul
are very Deep, She by little and little increafing
together with Grace or Sin, p. 413
Hom, xlii. They are not the things External, but
Internal, which Advance or Prejudice the
Man, as the Spirit of Grace for inftance, or the
Spirit of Wickedncfs, p. 416
Hom. xl 11 1. Concerning the Progrefs of a Chri-
ftian Man, the Full Power of which depends
upon the Heart, as it is here Defcrib'd with no
fmall Variety, p. 418
Hom,
The Contekts,^
Hom. xliv. What kind of Change and Reno-
vation Chri/l worketh in the Chriftian Many
who hath HeaVd the Diforderly Affections and
Difeafes of the Soul, 436
Hom. xlv. No Art or Wealth of this World,
but the Manifeftation of Chrifi Alone, is Able
to Heal Matt) whofe neareft Affinity with him
is fet forth in this Homily, p. 444
Hom. xl vi. Concerning the Difference there is
between the Word of God, and the Word of the
World, and between the Children of God, and
the Children of the World, P- 4f *
Hom. xl vii. An Allegorical Explanation of
things Done under the Law, p. 4f5
Hom. xlviii. Concerning P erf eel Faith in God,
p. 468
Hom. xlix. It is not enough for a Man to he
Taken off from the Delights of this World, un-
lefs he can Attain to the Happinefs of the other,
P- 47?
Hom. l. It is God who through his Saints work-
eth Wonders, p. 477
ERRATA.
TNtrod. page 3. line penult. For (quendam) read {quondam.) p.4. 1.2. For
(Poflinm.) read (Pojfinus^ 1. ult. before Cap. VI. read {Cent, iv.) p. 14.
1. 22. Before (Prove) read (may.) p. 17. 1. 27. For ( prafiantijjimi) read
(prafentijjimi.) p. 3 1 . 1. 2 j. For {tfiiTt'pxf ) read (C/^iTi'pae.) p. 4c. 1. 28.
For (Only) read (Onely.) p. 42. 1. 2.. For (It) read (Our Author.) 1. ult.
dele (Stanley's Lives.) p. 53. 1. xj. Before (intellefiwn) read (ne) p. 70.
I.18. After (Menologies) dele (that.) p. 75. 1. ult. For (Cajiiod.) read (Cajfiod.)
p. 90.1. 19. For (Collecting) read (Collating.) 1. 36. before (not only among,
&c) read (it will do Good.) p. 91. 1. 24. dele (the.) p. 277. 1. 2. Afrer
(Fellowfhip) read (of the Spirit.) p. 375. 1. 32. For (Evaugr'ms) read
(Evagrins.) p. 39 1. Note *J. 1,2. For (to the) read («'<»»/«>) and (eciarlx)
for (to the.)
THE
( « )
THE
INTRODUCTION.
I.
Hope it will not be expected I fhould
make any large Apology for preferr-
ing this Author to the Englijh Rea-
der : All I pretend, is to Natura*
Hze an old Father^ if I may be aU
low'd the Freedom of that Expreffion y or elfe5
in other words, to call him from his Cell for the
Benefit of God's Church and Religion y to come
and do afrefh his antient Wonders upon a cor-
rupt and degenerate Age : In which not only
obfolete Errors revive daily, but there feems to be a
general DiiTolution ; our Morals being as Heretical
as our Opinions. So that in difcharging the Office I
have here undertaken, I feem to my ielf, in fome
fmall degree, to imitate the good Scribe in the
Gofpel , who is mention'd with Honour by our
blefTed Saviour, for bringing out of his Treafures MattxJOj
things new and old. 7Z*
i. The Author I had look'd into my felf with
fome Pleafure. The Satisfaction which I received
from feveral Paflages, tempted me to think, that
B cou'd
The Introduction.
cou'd he but fpeak our Language, he might po£
fibly oblige others as he had done my felf. I
happened to hear at the fame time, that Books
of this kind were much call'd for , even by the
unlearned. And the Specimen which I met with
fome time after of the forty fifth Homily, tran-
slated into Englijh by the late learned and pious
Mr. a Ludolf^ confirmed me in my firft Opini-
on. Nor was I a little encourag'd by Dr. Grabe,
and fome few other Friends, to whom, as I met
them, I communicated the Defign. Every one
applauded it far beyond my Expectation. I con-
fider'd the great Service reckon'd to have been
done by b others in this very way already. At
laft, in iTiort, it was defiVd by Perfons of Worth
and Learning, that the Defign fhou'd be pur-
fued for the Benefit, not merely of the common
People, but even of the poorer fort of the Coun-
try Clergy. Then indeed I was cngag'd by a
folemn Promife to fet about it.
3. The Book I imagined wou'd neither be
needlefs, nor any way interfere with the other ex-
cellent Performances daily in Ufe -y fuch as, the
Whole Duty of Man^ Dr. Hammond's Pra£t. Ca-
tech. Dr. Scofs Chriftian Life, Mr. Kettkwel's
Meafures of Obedience, Bifhpp Taylor's Holy
Living and Dying, Tho. aKempis,&Q. I thought
that Variety at leaft could not fail of pleating}
and that fome particular Palates might poflibly
be gratified by the Publication of this Author.
I confider'd withal, that as this wou'd not pre-
tend to juftle out them (which certainly are all
a Reprinted in Reliq. Ludolphian. p. 173—186.
b Dr. Shortyng's Tranflation of the Ecclefiaftical Hiftorians,
and Mr. Parker's Abridgment of them j the late Bifhop of
Sarum'sLattantmsi the prefent Archbifhop of Cant. hisApofto-
iical Fathers j Dr. Stanhope's St. Aafiin ; Mr. Reeves's Apologifb :
And to thefe let me add Dr. Marshal's St. Cyprian.
Mailer-
The Introduction. 3
Matter-pieces in their feveral Ways) fo neither
ought they to exclude this, this efpecially having
been extant feveral Centuries before them.
4. Having laid before the Reader this Ac-
count of my Defign, I mall now acquaint him
With fome farther Particulars , Which may per-
haps be neceffary to prepare the way for the Re-
ception of my Author, with at leaft. the leis
learned Reader \ by offering to his Confedera-
tion fome Account of religious Retirement in
general, and that of the Egyptian Reclufes in par-
ticular > the Life of our Author 5 what is pecu-
liar in his Writings ; and the Advantages of this
Edition : a juft Account of which may probably
be wanted.
II.
But here certainly the firft thing to be taken
Notice of, is the very Fate of Egypt : That it
fhou'd firft. be fo a remarkable for the Idolatry
and Pollutions of Paganifm (whence fome have
thought, that in the laft Days, when Vengeance
fhall begin to be pour'd out, Egypt will b firft
be punifh'd for its foolifh Superstitions ) as it
was afterwards for the Gifts of the Spirit^
and the Graces of the Gofpel. So furprizing was
the Change, that fome have not fcrupled to ac-
commodate thofe words, of the Apoftle to it in a
prophetic way, as literally c fulfilled upon Egypt:
But where Sin abounded fir ace did much more abound, Rom* f .
20.
a Juven, Sat. xv. Recognit. 5\ Clem. Lib. V. §. 20. Clementina
Horn. x. §. 16. Mi*. Reeves's Apol. Vol. ii* p. 241. Luci*
mi Toxaris fub finem.
b Laciantius de vita Beata. Cap. i f> Et prima omnium Egyp*
tits fttdtarum fuperftitionum luet pcenas,&:c<,
c ■ 1 ■ . Ut zere compleretur Apofioli dtclum, quia ubl abunda*
vit pcccatum,fupertibundavit & Gratia, JEgyptus enim prs. omnibut
nationibus fuperftiuojijjime diverfis Idolorum monjiris quendam fer*
vierat, Frectdphi Chron. Tom, II, Lib* iv. Cap, i8*
B x To
4 The Introduction.
To which let me add from a PoJJims , that the
flourishing State of thefe Egyptian Reclufes
feems to have been foretold in thofe PafTages of
prophetic Scripture, where it is laid, that in the
Ifa. xxxv. Gofpel Age the TVildernefs Jhatt break out into
i, 2, 6. finging) &c. So at leaft have b Procopius and
xi. 3— c <Th€0doret thought long before him.
i. For however the Original of the Monaftic
Life may have been deriv'd by a fome from Elias,
from the Ej/fnes among the Jews, or from John
the Baptift, "e Eufebius after Philo derives the
Afcetcz in Egypt from St. Mark : But it appears
to me with much more Evidence, that the firil
occafion of thefe Egyptian Fraternities was the
f Perfecution of the Church. And if this be the
Cafe, what did thofe early Sufferers more than
affert that Liberty and Indulgence which our
blefTed Saviour had given upon Record to his
Matt. x. own Difciples, of flyings when perfecuted in one
*3» Place ^ to another ? It was but Duty not to throw
away their Lives out of a miftaken Zeal, from
want of Temper and Difcretion, or through any
precipitant Hail. How very many that have
once pafs'd for Martyrs, have been even cen-
fur'd for their needlefs Forwardnefs to furTcr
before the Time ? 'Twas therefore certainly
no lefs than Duty in thefe Egyptians to fly
as they did, and to preferve their Lives, as
not being in their own Difpofal, for the Glory of
God, and the wife Ends of his Providence, even
the Benefit of his Church, and the Furtherance
of the Gofpel, both in themfelves and others.
a Prolcgom. ad Thefaurum Alceticum. b Ad IfuU cap.
lxi. p. 70 j. Ed. Par. c Ad IfaU cap. lxi. 3.
d Hieron. de vita Pauli EremitA. ab init. Gecrgius Cedrenus.
Edit. Par. 198—202.
e Eufeb. Eccl. Hift. Lib. ii. cap. 16 , 17.
f Socrat. Scholaji. Hift. Ecclef. Lib. iv.cap. 23,24, Lib. vi.
cap. 26. Centur. Magdeburg, ^cap. vi. p. 464.
«**.,,/. 3. To
The Introduction.
3. To Retire thus, is at firft fight both Na-
tural and Warrantable-, and therefore ought it to
be look'd upon with Favour, as the genuine Ef-
fect , not of Spleen , Afieftation , or Dilcon-
tent, much lets of a rafh Vow , but of good
Senfe and good Principles, even the Obedience
of Faith itfelf. So that whatever Cenfure the
Romijb Clovfters and Religious Houfcs at this
Day may be liable to, the antient Chriftians in
Egypt at lead, who properly were the firft Mo-
del and Precedent of the Reclufe Fraternities,
are no way to be rcckon'd as obnoxious upon
their Account. Tho' all kinds of Monaftic In-
ftitution might defcend from our a Egyptians y yet
certainly do they differ from them, as much in
point of Purity, as Time. At the Spring or
Fountain Head the Water is quite another thing
from the wandring Streams and Rivulets, which
mingle as they flow , and vary in proportion to
their Diitance, Clime, and Soil. Nor do I know
of any NeceiTity there is to condemn abiblutely,
whatever we meet with even in the Church of
Rome, of a Monaftic kind. A Man might ven-
ture to pronounce that the Corruptions and Abu-
fes with relation to it, which that Church is fo
often charg'd with , are fufficiently modern :
And poffibly the moil flagrant Abufes even here,
are palpable Deviations from the very Inftftuti-
ons, however imperfect in themfelves. Be this
as it will 9 that in the very eldeft Times of e-
ven the Egyptian Solitude, there might be fome
here and there that deviated from the Rules and
Examples of their refpective Fraternities, is both
3 See the Prokgom. of Lucas HoWemus to his CW?.v Regm-
Uriah qms SS. PP. &c Xt« Spanheim Hit Chriftitflg
Sxc. iv. p. 954. Edit. Fol
4
6 The Introduction.
natural to expec\ and is fuppos'd by our very
a Author : He even foretold the Defertion of his
own b Scetis. But ftill the Defects in all thefe
Inftances were evidently perfonal and lingular.
Even thefe perfonal Corruptions were found only
among Novices during their Minority, or falie
Brethren. And thefe very Inftances again were
too few to Ballance the general Reputation or.
the true Fraternities j whole real Virtues and fub-
ftantial Piety, were like the Waters of Nile to
FfaJ xlvi. Egypt > They made glad the City of God, without
the lean: Oftentation, while the fecret Spring, like
the Head of that River, lay conceal'd within its
own Humility.
4. The Accounts indeed which we have of the
original Monks in Egypt, are very furprizing :
St. Gregory Naz. plainly pronounces their Mo-
naileries c Divine. And that Account which
pretends to nothing more than a plain Narration
of downright Fact , favours more of Panegyric
Rant, than Hiftory. For my part, fays a another,
fo long as I Jhall keep alive , and in my Senfes, 1
Jhall ever celebrate the Monks of Egypt, praife the
Anchorets, and admire the Hermits. There, fays
a e third, have I feen many Fathers leading an
Angelic Life, and walking after the Example of
Jefus, See. Fie proceeds to affirm of them, that
a Horn. vi.
* Mac. Apophthegm, apud Tritium. §. v. p. 244, 245*.
c Opp, Tom. 1. Ed. Par. p. 384.
d Ego vero quoad vivam femper, & fapiam, JEgypti Mona-
chos pradicabo, laudabo Anachoretas, mirabor Eremitas. Sulp.
$(>verus. Dial. 1 . de virtutibus Monachorum Orientalium. §. xviii.
e '■'■-■■ ■_; ' l^tv yoie ikh ttoXXus 7rcc]i£cf.qy dyyeXiKOi fiio* /3f-
**'*< rivals, &c Heraclides apud Cottel. Monum, Ecclefias
Gtxcx. T. 3. p. 172, 173, 174. It. Mpifhan. Haeref. Ixxx.
§, 4. p, 1070.
they
The Introduction.
they were a new fort of Prophets under the fpe-
cial Conduct and Influence of God-, his true Ser-
vants , that relifh'd nothing of the Earth , and
made no account of things temporary, but to
all intents and purpofes had their Converfation
in Heaven, while they liv'd upon the Earth >
whofe Faith in Chrift was fuchas Enabled them
to Remove Mountains, flop the Courfes of Ri-
vers, flay Beads, and to work Cures and Mira-
cles as coniiderable as thofe done by the Saints
of old, not excepting the Prophets and Apoftles :
our Saviour operating through them after a very
miraculous manner. So that he pronounces it fuf-
ficiently manifeff. to Perfons There, that the
World was Supported by them, and that thro'
them Hurrtane Life was Preferv'd in its Dignity,
and Honour'd with God.
f . To conclude this Head -> Retirement under
this View , whenever a Providence at leafr. di-
rects us to it, may be look'd upon as a Duty, and
that Duty as attended with peculiar b Advanta-
ges, not eafy to be defcrib'd or guefs'd at but by
thofe who actually have had Experience of them.
So far is this Life of Solitude from mixing with
the feeming Wildnefs of the Defert, that it has
in Fact produc'd the very Perfection of PoUtenefs
in the Inward Man. That very Behaviour which
the World itfelf has voted Genteel and Polite,
a Apolks retir'd by a fpechl Monition from God. Soerat.
Lib. vi. cap. 26.
. b Sic itaq; expofitum t;bi eft, quod poll Apprehenfionem (Dei)
nihil aliud rcquiratur, quam ut Homo totum ie ei rradat, Sc
cogitationes fuas intellectuals perpetud in ejus dciiderio col-
locet ; id quod melius fieri nequit, quam per Solttudinem
£c Separationem. Maimon, More Nevoch. Part iii. cap. 51.
P. fit.
B 4 is
8 The Introduction.
is at moil but the a Shadow of that noble Vir-
tue and fubftantial Grace, which has here been
Cultivated with true Succefs, Humility. No
wonder then that God mould prom ife by hisPro-
H0f.ii.T4. phet, to lead his Church into the Wilder nefs, and
with Dr. tjoere fpeak comfortably to her : And by another,
fte Place. * to comfort Zion^ to comfort all her wafte Places ,
p. 79, 80. and t0 make her Wildernefs like Eden, and her
*Ifa. h. 3. Defert like the Garden of the Lord, that Joy and
&Procop, Gladnefs fioould be found therein- Thank/giving* and
*loc' the Voice of Melody.
III.
From this imperfect View of the Happy State
and Original of the Egyptian Reclufes in gene-
ral, the Tranfition to the Life of our Macarius in
particular is both natural and eafy : His very
Name, which fignifies Happy, carrying in it, as
was b antiently obferv'd, a plain Allufion to it.
2. The Name indeed was fomething com-
mon, for we meet with Macarius of Rome, Ma-
carius of Jerufalem, Macarius of Antioch, &c.
And even in c Egypt were there feveral Macarii.
But two there were more remarkably famous $
Macarius of Alexandria, and our Author ; who,
as if the Name had been given them at their
Birth with a fpecial meaning like the Names in
Scripture, were even call'd Macarii by them that
were Strangers to their Perfons, and were look'd
3 What are all thofe Compliments and Modes of Civility
fo frequent in our ordinary Converfe, but £0 many Protefta-
tions of our Efteem of others, and the low Thoughts we have
of our felves ? And mufl not that Humility be a noble and ex-
cellent Endowment, when the very Shadows of it are account-
ed fo necefTary a part of good Breeding ? The Life of God in
the Soul of Man. PublinYd by the late Biftop of Sarum,-p. 4.?.
b H ieronymtis de Macario apud Tritium in Opufculis. p. 270.
I BollarUi A6h San&orum. Jantxv. p. 100/.
upon
The Introduction. 9
upon in fo doing as providentially overrul'd by a
kind of a Prophetic Inftincl:. And the Reafon
given for the Application of the Name to them,
was, that they had trick'd the World by Sub-
duing it within, and Retiring from it without.
The b Centuriators of Magdeburg tell us of a
third Macarius -y and fo too do Dit Pin, and
c Barotitis. But that third leems to me to fall
in with the Accounts we have of both the other;
the laft of whom is, by way of Diftinction, deno-
minated the Alexandrian , as our Author the
Egyptian.
3 . Our Egyptian in particular was Born in the
Province oi^thebais^ about the Year of our Lord
301, when Diode fian and Maximian were in
PofTetfion of the Empire. He was a Difciple of
the great St. d Antony : Not that he was the
firft that train'd him up to a religious and mona-
ftic Life, but becaufe he had frequent Recourfe
to him, receiv'd wholefome e Directions from
him upon fome particular Occafions, and con-
stantly purfued the fame Courfe of Life.
4. Whoever it was that firft feafon'd this ho-
ly VefTel of Mercy with the heavenly Odour of
Divine Grace, it feems to be pretty plain from
thefe very Homilies, and from that Experimental
living Senfe which they foon difcover to the at-
tentive Reader, that he was educated likp Timo- 2 Tim. iii.
thy, in the holy Scriptures; and that his Acquain- l?°
tance with thofe (acred Writings was not mere-
ly Literal or Speculative, but that it was a true
a Ruffinus. h Ccntur. IV. cap xi. p. 13 19.
e In Marty rologio. Jan. d Palladsus in vita Cfoy-
foftomi. p. 161. Item. Hieronymus, de Macario apud Frit,
Opufc. p, 27©.
* Bollxndi Ada San&orum, p. iooj*.
and
io The Introduction.
and pra&ical Knowledge, able to Save his Soul :
For whatever he fpoke or wrote, it feem'd to
come from himfelf, and were (as we are informed
by an a obliging Pen of the Writings of the late
learned and pious Dr. Henry More) purely the
genuine Emanations of his own Mind^ a Descrip-
tion indeed of his own Heart and Soul.
f. So remarkable above his Years was the
Progrefs he had made by that time he wasThirty,
and fo well did he Acquit himfelf during the
whole Ten Years Probation , that he was call'd
out of mere Refpect and Diftinction, the b young
old Man. At c forty Years of Age was he Ho-
nour'd from Above with the Gifts of Healings
the Spirit of Prophecy^ and with Power againft
unclean Spirits > and by the Church on Earth
with the Degree of Prefbyter \ a noble Tefti-
mony and Acknowledgment on all hands, of his
Real Improvement in that Life which at pre-
Col.iii. 3.fent is hid with Chrift in God.
6. Nor were the Favours of Heaven, or the
Honours of the Church beftow'd in vain upon
him : The Succefs of his Miniftration, as Pre/-
byter^ immediately appear'd : For about this time,
viz. A. D. 341, in the Reign of Valens the
Emperor, a Storm of Perfecution was rais'd by
a Lucius the Arian^ which Rag'd to that degree, as
even to Exceed the Perfections of the Pagans.
It Began with the moft infamous Aflaults up-
on Virgins, and Perfons of Note and Character
in the Church for Chaftity. It proceeded to the
Banifhment of Citizens , to Wrecks , Slaughters
3 See the Life of Dr. H. More, by Mr. Richard Ward of
Ingoldsby in Umcolnflnre.
b rW^yioyi^. Fallad. Hift. Lauf. Cap. 19. apud Frit.
Opufc. p. 274. Socmt. Ecclef, Hift. Lib. iii. cap. 14.
c Pallad. Ibid.
d Buffiai Hifl. Ecclef. Lib. ii. cap. 3, 4.
and
The Introduction. ii
and Flames : By means of which Chriftians were
deftroy'd without Number. At laft, when this
jirian a Wolf (for fo does he deferve to bcftil'd
rather than a a Bijloop) cou'd no otherwife Sati-
ate his Fury againit the Orthodox^ he turn'd his
Forces againft the Monafteries , kid wafte the
very Wildernefs, and proclaim'd open War with
them that were at Peace. And to drop other
Particulars, at his Command our holy Egyptian^
together with his Namefake and Brother o^ Alex-
andria^ and others of the holy Fathers their Con-
temporaries, were Banifh'd, and Tranfported into
a certain Ifland, where they foon ^converted all
the Inhabitants from their abominable Pagan
Superftition to the Faith and Worjloip of the true
God.
7. His fettled Abode was generally after this,
as indeed it was before, in c Scetis. Here was
he reckon' d to be the firft Founder of the Soli-
tude. And here did he Prefide like another Sa-
muel) over the Colleges and Schools of the Pro-
phets 5 Superintending not merely the common or
inferior Monks, but the very Heads or Governors
withal amongft them, vifiting them and their
Societies as occafion requir'd. The Reader I
imagine will forgive me if I obferve here that, as
I mail mew by and by, the very occafion of his
Retiring hither for good and all, was merelv to
Avoid a certain Recompence of Honour, wlrich
was Intended him. But to proceed, his firft Set-
tling here was at the Age of Thirty, where d off
a Centur. Magdeb. Cent. iv. Cap. xi. p. 15 19.
b Socrat. Lib. iv. cap. 19. Lib. vi. cap. 20. Theodora. Lib.
\y. cap. 21.
c See the Defcription of it in Ruffius, Ecclef. Hill. Lib. ii.
cap. 29,
d Neque dicit Sozomenus, Macarium in fola Sceti, fed ■<: %» t0~j
typou, io. fugs annos exigifTe. Cave's, HiiL Lit. T. 2. p. 7 5.
and
i2 Th$ Introduction.
and on he fpent Sixty Years j during which time
he thoroughly Acquainted himfelr With All the
Exercifes of religious Solitude, and even Run thro'
the whole Circle of the flricteit. Difcipline and
Severity. Some Rules of this kind he firft thought
out himfelf,but the reft, which he received from
others, did he Cultivate himfelf in with that Ap-
plication, that with the mere exceffive Drinefs of
his Skin, he had no a Beard : Which Remark,
well confider'd, had poflibly corrected all the
Draughts of him, which I have feen, efpecially
thofe prefix'd to the German Edition, and that
of Dr. Pritius.
8. Having thus ferv'd his Matter faithfully for
Ninety Years, he was received up into the Reward
of his Labours. His Soul at its Departure from the
Tabernacle of his Humiliation, was Conducted by a,
fpecial Guard of h Angels through the fever al Re~
gions of the Spirits of the Air into the very Gates
of Heaven. He died before c Palladius entred
upon the folitary Life, viz. on the i f th of d Jan.
A.D. 39 1. ThusLiv'd, and thus Dy'd, the great
Macarius of Egypt^ if he can fo properly be faid
to Die, whofe very Life in the Flefh was a con-
usant Death to this prefent evil World -> and con-
Wifd. ix. fequently whofe Releafe from the corruptible Body
l6- that prefjeth down the Soul, muft evidently be an
Advantage to that Angelic Life , which he fo
Early had Begun to Experience in this earthly
Tabernacle. But notwithilanding this his Death,
a Nam propter ingentes labores Exercitationis, ne pili qui-
dem menti Barbae ei enati funt. Pallad. Hift. Lauiiac. Cap.
20.
b See the particular Relation of his Exit, tranflated from a
Greek Manufcript Fragment in the Bodleian Library, below
under the Head of Aufterity.
c Hiftor. Laufiaca. Cap. 20. in fine.
d Pat. de NataltBus in Catalogo San&orum. Lib. ii. cap. 8 1.
I l ivii. Kal. let.
as
The Introduction. i j
as we ufuallycall it, his Name will Live, his Me-
mory be Bleffed, and God be Glorified, on his ac-
count, both in Heaven and Earth. To fupport
this Affertion I mail firft take a tranfient View of
the Miracles wrought by him.
IV.
We are inform'd indeed of both the Macarii,
our Egyptian, and his Brother of Alexandria^ that
they were, as the two a Luminaries of Heaven ',b dear
to God) and truly wonderful for Divine Fore-Jighty
and Philofophy •> that both were Formidable to
Damons , and both wrought many Miracles and
wonderful Cures.
i. However to keep to our Egyptian, he is
allow'd to have feen into the very Thoughts of Mens
Hearts. To this effect, are we told by c Palla-
diusy that one Day he caution'd one John (who
was afterwards himfelf made a Prefbyter) but
then waited on him, againfl Avarice, telling him
beforehand , that unlels he wou'd be Advis'd in
time, he wou'd Suffer like that Gehazi, whole * Kings
vicious Difpofltion he then labour'd under. Ac- 7* a7-
cordingly it fo fell out ; for when he had gone
on for fifteen or twenty Years in the fame wicked
Courfe of Preying upon the Poor for his own
Advantage, he was Afflicted with fuch a Leprofy,
that throughout his whole Body there was not
room enough fo much as to put a Finger on, that
was Free. *
3 . At another time he d Prophefied the Def-
lation of his own Scetis. It was e uiual with
a 6)uafi duo Cceli Lum'maria. Hieronym. de Mac. apud Prit>
Opufc. p. 270.
b €>eo<pt*£<; G^uwfA.61^ 8cc. Socrat. Lib. iii. Cap. 14. iv. 24.
c Pallad. apud Prrt. p. ijy. It. Grxc. Mxnol. Uvxccg.
t. $' M. ii.
d Macarii Apophthegm, apud Pr\t. §. v. p. 244, 24/. 8cp.2$-6\
* 1 lb. p. 240. §. in.
him
i4 The Introduction.
him to fee the grand Enemy of Mankind going a*
% Pet. v.8. bout as a roaring Lion, fee king whom he might devour.
The Infight which he had into the State and
Condition of the Souls he had to do with was
very Singular 3 for he not only knew, when any
one had been AfTaulted with Temptation, and
when he Overcame, or made but a Feeble Re-
finance > but he faw withal into the different
Degrees and Progrefs which every one made.
This was a Prerogative evidently a fuperqatu-
ral, and which as fuch it was his conftant Rule
firft to Afk of God with Prayer and Fafling, as
occafion required.
4. Of the miraculous Cures wrought by him,
I fhall name but Two : His Reflating a Man that
had a b withered Hand j and his c Healing an E-
gyptian Child that had the Palfy. The former
of thefe was done by UncJion and Prayer, and the
latter by a Word's {peaking.
f. To come to what is moll; Material, what
completes his other Miracles, and Prove him **|
1 Kings beyond Difpute a Man of God: It is upon Re-
kf& 24. cord, that he even Rais'd the Dead to Life. Once
indeed it was to Silence an dHieracite that had
tjiven no little Difturbance to the Brethren, mere-
y by the Artifice of his Difcourfe. And at ano-
ther time is he e reported to have Raifed one from
the Dead, to Convince an Heretic of the Refur-
reblion of the Body. Nor was this ever Contra-
dicted, or endeavour'd to be Stifled in the De-
fert.
* Macarii Apophthegm, apud Vr'it. §. iii. p. 25*9 163.
h Ruffini Ecclef. Hift. Lib. ii. cap. 4.
c Apophthegm, apud Frit. p. 2j-o, 2$r,
d Hieron. de Mac. apud Prit. p. 272, 273. concerning this
Herefy, fee Epipbanins and Monf. Bailie.
• Socrati Ecclef. Hift* Lib* iii. cap. 14.
6. Thefe
t
The Introduction, iy
6\ Thefe few Inftances may ferve as a Speci-
men : So that I fhall content my fclf with fub-
joining the two following Remarks, one from
a Socrates, viz. "that heheaVd fo many fick Perfbns^
and dipoffefid fo many Devils, that a juft Hiflory
of them wou'dfuffice to make a Volume by it felf
The other is from b Palladius, wz. That -as to the
Nature of them, they are fo Great and Surpriftng^
that to fuch as are not difpos'd to Believe, they
are even Incredible , and that as to himfelf, he
is even Afraid to relate and commit them to Wri-
ting, left in recording them he fhou'd record
himfelf alfo under one for a Liar.
7. But indeed as to the Truth of thefe, it is
certainly fufficient to urge in their behalf, that
the Facts are Borrowed from fuch Perfons as were
either Eye-witnefTes c themfelves, or who at lead
receiv'd the Report of them from thofe that were.
W herefore to conclude in the words of Palladius *
d Since then by the Grace of God I lie not, take care,
my good and faithful Friend Laufus, that you too
do not err in with-holding your AJfent from the
Conflicts of the Fathers upon Record y but Glory ra-
ther in the Imitation of their Demeanour who were ■
Macarii indeed, that isy Blessed.
IV.
I prefume I mail not be found much fault with
for Shortning the Relation of what was done by
Macarius in the way of Miracle, or for Selecting
a Socrat. Eccl. Hift. Lib. iv. cap. 23.
b Tallad. Hift. Lauf. Cap. 19. ad initio &apudlV/>. p. 274.
c Bollmdi A£h San&orum. Pref. Gen. §. 3. Cap. 3. p. 35.
, E^t Toiw* p.n iriv^fttvH fix 7>>y x*&* ** Kv&ittf
Titarecjt rii eitfym Axvo-e^ ^ elvro? ^ u-rtTei rclq tJv dyt#*
*-*W{«9 x6Aoi$, J.Kx px&ov lyx.ct)kuiFiZ)s rtirm ruv «Wi-
h,a''~ *? ?^"* P*%*&"*\ ™> **t «|/«» rat la-tan a.6Xui
ecv ?i r%i wnfctm* »g t* hop*']* Kt*li$m. PaUad. Hift.
Lauf. Cap. 19. ab init.
Parti-
%6 The Introduction.
Particulars : The firfr. I did to Avoid being Tedi-
ous-, the latter that I might not give Offence.
The prefent Age, in ihort, is not much inclined
to Credulity : And in renouncing the Legends of
the Romifi Church, we have almoft run into the
oppofite Extreme, of calling ' every thing in Que-
ftion. That Miracles were de faclo wrought in the
Fourth Century, and even in Confirmation of the
Homooufian Faith, is a apparent. The extraor-
dinary Gifts of the Holy Spirit had not altoge-
ther Left the Church at that time. It is perhaps
Hard to pafs a True Judgment upon the ordinary
Graces, Cuftoms , and Practices of the Church
at fuch a diflance 5 much more Difficult confe-
quently muft it be, to think Impartially upon
what was Extraordinary. The miraculous Pow-
ers in the Declenfion of the Prophetic Sun may
poflibly want more Allowances to be made in
their behalf, than we at this diftance can well
make, or even are willing fo to do. But this by
the way.
2. There is, I own, a very b Learned and Wor-
thy Perfon, that fcruples not Severely to pro-
nounce againft the miraculous Narratives of this
kind that occur in the Lives of the Primitive
Saints, St. Paul, St. Antony, and St. Martin, &a
Nor do I pretend to Apologize at Rovers for
them, as feeming to us now at leaft to be fairly
liable to Exception. But yet this very fame
judicious Writer fpeaks not abfolutely neither
in what he fo pronounces. The Conceilions,
which he makes not much below , are equal to
what for my part I mould defire, go beyond in-
deed what I cou'd well expeft. For after all,
• Socrat. Ecclef. Hift. Lib. i. cap. $7. Lib. iv. cap. 24, 16-
J Vodwellt Diflert. in Inn&wn* Diflert. 2. §. JS«
fome
The Introduction. 17
tome Foot fteps he Allows, and thofe too a Vifible,
even among the Fabulous Legends of thefe very
Lives, of a Divine Power that was Prefent in a
moft Remarkable Manner.
3 . He Grants indeed that new Articles of Faith
are to be Confirmed with new b Miracles. But
then he leaves us to Conclude, that for the Old
Receiv'd Truths, the very Firft Apoftolical Signs
and Wonders zxefufficient. This I mall not Di-
fpute. As freely do I alfo Grant, what he Con-
tends for afterwards, that no Teftimony of the mere
Sanctity of any particular Per/on is to be Regardedy
nor any great Strefs is to be laid upon it, unlets
the Good of God's Church is c Concern'd in that
very Teftimony.
4. To this therefore let me here Subjoin what
is Infifted on by d Caffian, in favour of my Au-
thor, viz. That the Strength and Force of the Di-
vine Grace which was in him had never been Dif-
clos'd, had not the Love of Chrift , and the Good
of God's Church compelled him tv it : His Cafe be-
ing ?nuch the fame at that juncture , with that of
the Prophet Elias under the Law, when he calVd
down Fire from Heaven upon the Sacrifices, to Afr
a ■ §. 61. Erant nibilominits, inter quarti fseculi Fafalas,
nonnulJa Numinis praeflintiflimi veftigia, ProvtdentU plufquam
'vulgaris notse, quae veram etiam Communionem a reliquis difter-
minent. Ea ita a Fabulis fecernenda funt, quod aut multis
gefta fuerint tejlibus, aut teftibus adverfariis, Sec.
5 §. 63. p. 21 1. c §.64.
d Hsec igitur ejus virtus Sc gratia, quantum in ipfb fuit,
demper fortafle latuifTet , nil! eum necelfitas totius Provincial
periclitantis & erga Chriftum plena devotio, amorque fincerus,
litud exercere miraculum compulifTet.
Quod utique, ut ab eo fieret, non oftentatio gloria*, fed
charitas Chrifti 8c totius plebis extorfit utiiitas, ut B. quoque
Heliam fecilTe Regum le&io manifeftat, qui ignem de ccelo
fuper hoftias impolitum pure, idcirco defcendere poftulavit, ut
periclitantem Pfeudoprophetarum prsefligiis ridem totius po-
puli liberarct, Collat. xv. Cap. $. vel apud Prit. p. 182.
C fert
8 The Introduction.
fert the Caufe of God^ and to Preferve the Faith of
his People entire.
f . But if we Review the very Cenfure which
Mr. Dodwell has thus Pafs'd upon the Lives of
the Antient Monks, and Reflect upon the Occafion
of it , St. Januarius's Blood, and fuch like Pre-
tences in the Church of Rome : I Afk no Leave
to Subjoin, that what is even thought Fabulous in
the Memoirs of our Egyptian Monks, far. exceeds,
fo far as I can Recollect, in point of Probability,
the modern Legends, which at this very Day pre-
tend to Equal what is Superior to them Both. I
have no manner of Inclination to Raife the Fourth
Centuiy to a Level with the 'Three foregoing.
The moil that I fhall - urge in favour of what is
lefs Obnoxious is, that the very True Miracles in
the Third Century, had as Great an Air of e Im-
probability.
VI.
But were the Glory of Miracles never fo Bright
and Inconteftable in our Author, they are yet In-
ferior to that mere Inward and Subftantial Glory
that Purified his Heart, and Adorn'd his Life, dir-
fufing a noble Luftre upon every thing he faid or
did. For my own part, I cannot but Pronounce
the Graces of the Spirit infinitely Preferable to the
Power of Miracles -> and with the Greek f Meno-
logies^ Afcribe the very Power which he had againft
e ■ zrohXx yS )£ ToicwTct'is-o^o-Xfd^' cctivci iccv y^tpcj-
fyj, ctOTv) ajuTtiq Zb^c/.tv&ovTtc, x^ idovres, yeXarct ■srXce.Tuu,o<pXrd-
G-Ofd/J T6?5 «7TiVc/$ , olofJopCHi i}f^.X^ 0(JLOtO)<; 0t<; \Z7V*.Clit.£c6ViJ<rl
Taor' civX7r£7rhc6X.£vcctt *d cc'Jtxi; ■srXxorciv. xXax y) Qsoq /u.u^vq
ciXhu 2JJ, riv®* ivtgyHcts ■zroix.i^vs trvMis-ctveiv r lqvtf S-jtuv
^t^dTKcc^tecv. Or'tg. contr. Celf. Lib i. p. if.
• rovcanbu yb KclgrtQ/ixv ov role, a.^er'^ iOoao-i qshIy,-
vofTD us k^ ■srvJju.xTm «.K<x,%<x,{\m hctGetv ilxriiM. Menf. Jan.
M.".
unclean
The Introduction.
andean Spirits to the furprizing Strength which he
Acquired in the Laborious Toils of Virtue.
i. The very Drinefs of his Body was thought a
Witnefs of his Virtue. To this effect are we
told, that being Afk'd one Day how he came to
be fo very § Dry9 and free from Hair and Moifture
in his outward Perfon, he made Anfwer, that as
the Stick with which we ftir the Fewel^ is it felf
devoured by the Fire > after the fame manner ^ if a
Manjhall Purify his Mind in the Fear of God^ the
'very Fear of God will Con fume his Body. This, I
prefumc, is to be underftood with refpecl: to that
Contrition or Mortification^ which Solomon feems
to have Alluded to in thoic Remarkable Words, A pr0v.xvii»
Broken Spirit Drieth the Bones. That Religion in 22.
general Contributes to Health, is not to be De-
nied y but that Intenfe Application to the Difficult
and Rugged Precepts of it, may as foon be con-
ceiv'd to have that effect, which was Viiible in
Macarius.
3 . As to Eating and Drinking it is perfectly hNecd*
lefs to fay any thing : His very Body and Contem-
plation being Flagrant Teflimonies of 'the ftri 'cleft Con-
tinence. To Iniift upon This, is indeed to Trifle,
when even among the ' Dronifh Monks that were
without, there was nothing like a Gluttonous In-
temperance to be met with, or a Life not accord-
ing to Regularity and Strictnefs, in this refpecl:.
Nor was it merely thro' any want of Neceflaries
neither, but only from a zealous Emulation, eve-
ry one ftriving all he cou'd to Outdo his Neigh-
s' Apophthegm, apud Prit. p. 249. Bolland. p. 1006. §, 1 1.
y Quu.x,t(& uvtu k. T? Sine, x etscgecv iyv.pj.Tnw> ux?lv0xv~uv.
Menol. '• Palladii Hift. Lauf. apud Prit. Opufc. p. 275-.
Ac de cibo quidem & ptione fufervaneu?n eft dicer e , cum net
apud eos focordiorei Monachos, qui fum extra, inveniri pefcit inglu*
lies, &c,
C 2, bour,
20 The Introduction.
bour, in the refpe&ive Methods of their different
Inftitutions.
4. His Great Simplicity, his Patience, and Long-
differing, and his Quiet SubmiJJion to the Injuries
that were Done him, were very Peculiar. So too
was the Love he bore to God and to his Incarnate
Son Jefus Chrift, and the Great Affeclion which
he had for All Mankind. Particulars I hope are
needlefs 5 and I had rather leave the Reader to
Deduce them from thefe very Homilies, which I
think Breath little elfe throughout.
y . So truly Great is our Egyptian^ that I may
venture to write of him, at large, I had almoft
fiiid, without Reflraint. For befides what I have
Already mention'd of him from the Ecclefiaftical
Hiftorians, and muft do again, the Greek Meno-
logies fpeak of him , as one whofc Converfation
and Demeanour was indeed a Complication of
Virtues $ as one who Liv'd without Blame, Emu-
lating the Life of Angels, who was himfelf an
Angel in the Body, and who had Confidence in
the Lord $ as one whofe Life BurninYd with the
greatefl Splendo1*, as a Rule without Exception,
made Manifeft in every Divine Virtue ; as one,
whofe very Youth was Diftinguifh'd by the So-
briety of it, and whofe Grey Hairs were Adorn'd
with Prudence j as one, inihort, who hadChrift
himfelf for the Director of his Journey towards
Heaven, who was Adorn'd with the Works that
were well-plealing to God, who k Bore God
within him, and who, in a word5 was a Fix'd l
Star.
6. Thefe are Particulars, which now perhaps
may feem Incredible. But let it be Remembred at
Luk. xviii. the fame time how Indefatigable he was in Prayer.
k QecQagee , a Title which before was given to St. Ignatius^
See Dr. Cave's Life of him, §. 1. ' «Vt£ ceg-Aaw •
" ' He
The Introduction. 21
He withftood a Suggeftion once for five { whole
Years together. Ana twelve m Years Application
did it coft him to attain to the Simplicity, for
which he was fo Remarkable. It was a current
Report of him, that he was continually in an
Ecftafy n, and fpent the much greater part of his
Time with God, or at kail in Heavenly Matters.
Both Macarius of Egypt, and his Companions, the
other Macarius of Alexandria, Ifidore, Heraclides,
P ambus, &c. were generally believed to converfe,
not with the reft of Mankind, but (like ° Enoch) Gen.v.24,
with the Angels p of God.
7. What I would chufe to dwell upon, is his
great Humility. What Appearance of this there
was common to him with others was, that he
hated to be Addrefs'd with Efteem or Reflect, fo
as even to feem Deaf to the Perfon, and to give
him no 1 Anfwer. But if any one made light of
him, or run him down, though upon never fo
idle a Pretence, he would receive that Perfon
with extraordinary Chearfulnefs, and anfwer him
very Readily. And what feems Singular and Diftin-
guiihing in it was, that it was not only Acknow-
ledged r by the Devil, as that which gave our
Egyptian the Advantage and Superiority over him-
felf -y but efpecially in being his very Guard and
Protection againft his Influence f and Malice. So
J Mac. Apophthegm, apud Trit. §. 2. p. 238.
m lb. §.7. p. 248.
n Fallad. apud Frit, in Opufc. p. 275-.
0 Theod. Ecclef. Hift. Lib. iv. Cap. 2 1.
p OTl^ is fometimes put for Angels, who were the Tu-
tors and Guardians to the Patriarchs : But this Senfe by no
means excludes the common Verfion, but implies it, that he
converfed with God alfo.
q Mac. Apophthegm apud Frit. p. 2j-8.
1 Ibid. p. 249.
r Ibid. p. 264. And much to the fame Effect are we told
ef St. Ambrofe in his Life by Dr. Care.
C 3 great
%z The Introduction.
great reafon had St. c Jerom , when (peaking of
the Virtues of ' Macarius, to lbar in his Ex predion,
and not mention the Graces he was endued with,
but with Grandeur or Magnificence.
8. Humility indeed has the Firft Place allot-
ted to it among the very Beatitudes. And
if we view it as Exemplified in our Blefled Re-
deemer's Life and Converfation, it is without all
doubt the Alpha and Omega^ if I may fo fpeak, of
Chriftian Perfection. It is particularity Infifted on
and Recommended to us by an eminent Country-
man of our own, as that which, when duly culti-
vated, will fecure to us the fpecial Direction of
Almighty God, not merely with relation to our
Spiritual State, but even to our Worldly Affairs
alfo. So that we maybe as certain what to do in
any cafe of Difficulty, as if we heard a Voice be-
hind us faying, This is the JVay^ walk in it. This,
I fay, is *vhat Judge Hale s has recommended to
us from his own Experience.
p. Nor perhaps can the Nature of it be better
Illuftrated than by this fmall Narrative. A cer-
tain Brother that once met Macarius^ preferred a
Requeft to him (as was ufual with thofe under his
Infpeclion) to give him fome word of InflrucHon
how he might be kv'd. The Old Man fent him
twice to a Sepulchre -, bidding him the firft time
Abufe the Dead, which he did to purpofe, load-
ing them with Stones as well as Calumnies -, and
the fecond time to Commend them, which he did
too as extravagantly -, but the Dead, itfeems, re-*
turn'd no Aniwer : Then faid the Old Man, by
way of Application, " You very well know how
u much you had revil'd the Dead, and they
r Apud Pritium in Opufc. p. z 7 o. Cdeji'mm Gratiarum Mag-
nijlcentia.
v See his Contemplations on Humility, Wifdom, and the Fear
of God.
" made
The Introduction.
cc made you no Reply : You remember alfo how
" highly you cxtoll'd them afterwards, nor did
" they return you one Syllable of Thanks : Do
" you then, if you are in earned, and dcfirous to
" be fav'd, become Dead your felf -, equally rc-
" gardlefs of the Injuries of Mankind, and of
u their Praife with the Dead; and then you
cc may bellfav'd." That is, in fewer Words, as
he exprefs'd himfelf w another time, If you find
within your felf that Contempt is to you as Praife,
Poverty as Riches, and JVant as Abundance^ you
{hall not die.
VII.
From what has been faid,it is pretty plain, that
the Titles and Panegyrics given our Egyptian by
his Editors, are neither groundlefs nor precarious ;
when one x calls him, Pater Sanblil]imus Nominis
in Ecclefid Maximi, citi cognomen Magnus, & inter
P aires Ecclefite Chriftiante Pietatis folidioris laude
& viva rerum fpiritualium notitid Incomparabilis.
And again, Vet er anus ilk inter Chrifti miniftros
Macarius. Another, y Eremicolarum Decus. To
which let me add that of, The Divine z Father.
z. Nor therefore need we wonder, if the Wri-
tings of our Author in general, or thefe Homilies
in particular, fhould meet with a Reception, and
keep up anEfleem anything Eojaal to ib Great a
Name. a PoJJinus the Jefuit plainly owns, that
he publifh'd his fhefaurus Afceticus purely for the
u Mac. Apophthegm. apudPnV. p. 25-4, iff.
w Ibid. p. ifz. See alfo to the fame Effect a remarkable
Paflage in Dr. Henry Move's Antidote again/} Atbeifm, Book Hi.
Chap. 14. §.8.
x Dr. Frit. Pref. §. 1, f, if. & Dedicat. praemifla Homiliis.
y Pici Dedicat.
z ®?io<; ovarii?. InMarg. MS. Barocc. p. 8 1. char. rub.
a Prologom. a&Thef.Afceticum.
C 4 fake
24 The Introduction.
fake of the Opufcula of Macarius -, which he there
recommends withal in a very particular manner, as
Highly ufeful, not merely for Afcetics^ but all Chri-
fiians whatfoever without any Diftinclion. Of
which fmaller Pieces, by the way, let me adver-
tile the Reader, that they are the very fame for
Doctrine and Sub fiance with thefe very Homilies,
or an Abridgment of them. Dr. Pritius b pro-
nounces them to be Opera Divine Sapient'ne pie-
nijjima, and admires the furprizing manner of In-
flruclrion, in which our Author fo excels. Pah.
thenius c, when giving an Account how he came
to tranflate and publifh Macarius^ tells us, it was
merely by great good Fortune that he lighted on
this Holy and Divine Work (meaning the Homi-
lies) as abounding with moil exalted Piety j and
that the Reading of them fo tar RefrenYd, Delight-
ed and Engag'd him, that having once Begun, on
he went, till in three Days time they made him
veryTroublefome to himfelf, meaning his Perverfe
anteceding Sentiments and Corrupt Nature in ge-
neral. Tanta enim (to ufe his own Words) Reli-
gione fcatent ha Homilia at que Sermones^ ut ve! in
Agonc mortis confiitutum^ in vitam Reducerey atque
confolatione pia, preftb ejje queant. Summd ergo
fmvitate hujus facerrima- leclionis illeclus atque de~
v in tins tandem verfiomm aggredior Latinam. When
he (hewed a Specimen of what he had begun to
forne Friends, they were mighty Urgent with him
to Finiih the whole. Super arcit, he goes on, ipfa
operis slm<enitas,Levatuit confolationum Copia, Mol-
Hit cteleftis ammo depict a Requies. Adeb ut Sifypht
faxum diim volverem^ id a me rcohi minime fenti-
rem Atque it a opus integrum a me converfum ,
Whenee I fhould be apt to conclude, that he had
not ieen the Veriion of Picus^ which came out
* Prtfat. gencra-is §. i. c In Epiitolu Dedicatoria.
r-
The Introduction. 25
3 1 Years before, but only the GreekTcxt. Tho'
that by the way. Picus again tells dus, that the
Divine Spirit, which had fo far exerted itfelf in
our Author, can never lie idle, but mull be fruit-
ful y and farther has brought it to pafs that He,
who by Example was Profitable only to the Monks
of his own Age, fhould by his Writings Handed
down to Pofterity, be a common Benefit to all
Mankind. Of thefe, he proceeds to afRire us,
that he had met with only Fifty Homilies in the
French King's Library ; But that upon Perufing
them, he thought they would be of Diftinguifh-
ing Ufe and Service, not to Monks "only, but to
every Chriftian Reader, as Adminiftring no fmall
Comfort to an Afflicted, Drooping Mind, and
Drawing it off from the Trifling Concerns of this
World, towards Heaven. And fince he found
that they Prefcribed a Rule of Life agreeable to
the Gofpel with fo much Happinefs and Succefs j
this very Confideration Engag'd him alfo in the
Tranflation of it.
3 . Monfieur Pet. Poiret e indeed very roundly
prefers our Macarius at once to All the Fathers.
Another Learned Perfon places him next to E-
phr<em Syrus. But the moil Moderate difcover
an Affectionate Efteem and Hearty Regard for the
Homilies. The late Reverend Mr. Tribbechovius f,
of Sax-Gotha, fays of him, Jure locum Jibi in-
ter Dignijffimos vendicat. But Dr. Paul s Antony^
Academic Fridericianse ProfefTor, Nee Homili<e
[tint Panegyric* aut leves, fed in fimplicitate, fed
plena 'vera Eruditione Tloeologicd^ aptiffimte plerum-
que ad exponenda totius Religionis Chriftiance capita
d ?rxf. Verf. Lat. fub finem.
• DeErudit. T. 2. <f- p. f 4 5— 5-45-.
f De Ortu Mali Aph.Theol. p. 13.
* Ibid. p. 64,
palm aria.
z6 The Introduction.
palmaria. Cardinal Bona h Characterizes him in
this Manner, Macarius JEgyptius S ignis, Firtuti*
bus £5? Scriptis Clarifjimus . The Cologne i Profef-
fors give this very Reafon for the Notes which
they have made upon fome Exceptionable Pafla-
ges, as either Obfcure, Doubtful, or Uncorrecl:,
yiz. That notwith (landing All, the Homilies
were Spiritualium documentorum maxime utilium
plena. And Dr. Grabe once in private pronounc'd
this Author to me ( after I had mentioned my
Thoughts about Publifhing him) to be one of
the mofl valuable Writers among all the Fathers,
for the True Spirit of Chriftianity.
4. The late Mr. Ludolph k alfo has fufficiently
exprefs'd his Efteem for thefe Homilies, by the
Extracts he made out of them : But more Re-
markably in that Translation of the Forty-fifth
Homily, which he PubliuYd fome Years ago by
way of Specimen, to Recommend our Author,
hoping thereby to Engage fome Perfon or other
that had Leifure and Inclination, toTranflate the
W hole. But his True Opinion, or rather Judg-
ment of him is more expreily and fully Deliver'd
in the Sermon which was Preach'd at his Fune-
ral by Mr. Anthony-Willia?n Behme. The ] Words
are Thefe, viz. Of the remoter times, our Friend
greatly valued Macarius his Homilies, and Tho-
mas a Kempis his Chriftian Pattern, of nearer
Ages. He Admired the former on account of the
Primitive Plainnefs and Simplicity, which was
however Enlivened by a Celeflial Energy, and a
Sublimity of Thought. He often wifh'd to fee the
Homilies publiflfd in All the Vulgar Languages, for
common Edification.
h Notitia AucTrorum in Lib. de Pfalmodia.
. 1 See Bib. PP. xiv. Tomis, per Marg. le Eigne, p. 4?.
* See Reliauu Ludolpbian&, 1 2 m0, p. 1 40, 142, 1 8 -j — . 1 S 6.
1 Funeral Sermon on Mr. Ludolph, p. 70.
f. But
The Introduction. 27
f. But the Recommendations hitherto are All
from Foreigners. As to our own Countrymen,
neither are they behind hand in their Acknow-
ledgments. I have both in Company and by
Letters met with what is at leaft Equal in his
Favour. But not happening to call to mind any
of our Eminent Englijlo Writers that do more
than Quote him, I proceed to Obferve,
6. That there were Several m Books Handed
about among the Egyptian Reclufes (which were
Penn'd for their particular Ufe, as furnilhing them
with more peculiar Directions concerning that
Difpenfation of Life which they were under) and
which Bore a Character of the very Firft Rank.
They were ever ilyl'd ©goxvAs-ci, or Divinely In-
fpir d. And among thefe the Writings of our
Author had a Place, known by the Title of Ma-
carius his n Book. Where by Divinely In/pir'd,
there can, I prefume, be no Meaning, or even a
Remote Intention to Place it upon a Level with
the Canonical Books of the Holy Scripture. But
that it is Injpir'd in a more Modeft and Inferiour
Senfe > As the Shepherd °of St. Nermas was three
hundred Years before, and Thomas a Kempis p of
more Modern Date. This however is a Charac-
ter fufficiently Diftinguifhing and Honourable for
any Book or Author below the Rank of a down-
right Prophet or Apoflle.
m CottelerijMon.EcclefixGrxc. Tom. r. p. i6f.
n There is indeed a Latin Manufcript in the Library of Teter-
Houfe in Cambridge, under this Title, confiiling of EpilTIes in
Latin, thought to be written not long before Printing. Bur
this does not appear to be our Author's, by what I can
guefs.
0 See the prefent Archbifhop of Cant. PP. Apoftolici Prelim.
Difcourfe, §. 10, n. p. 84, 8f.
p See the Preface to the Second Volume of Thomas a. Kem-
pt §.29,