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The Lives of the Saints Volume 1 - St. Patrick's Basilica

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www.freecatholicebooks.com<br />

explaining <strong>the</strong> dream <strong>of</strong> Nabachodonosor, he teaches that <strong>the</strong><br />

destruction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> kingdoms <strong>of</strong> this world will be immediately<br />

succeeded by <strong>the</strong> eternal reign <strong>of</strong> Christ with his saints in heaven.<br />

In <strong>the</strong> passage, Dial. 2, c. 14, upon which <strong>the</strong> charge is founded,<br />

Sulpicius relates, in <strong>the</strong> discourse <strong>of</strong> Gallus, that <strong>St</strong>. Martin, on a<br />

certain occasion, said, that <strong>the</strong> reign <strong>of</strong> Nero in <strong>the</strong> West, and his<br />

persecution, were immediate forerunners <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> last day: as is <strong>the</strong><br />

reign <strong>of</strong> Antichrist in <strong>the</strong> East, who will rebuild Jerusalem and its<br />

temple, reside in <strong>the</strong> same, restore circumcision, kill Nero, and<br />

subject <strong>the</strong> whole world to his empire. Where he advances certain<br />

false conjectures about <strong>the</strong> reign <strong>of</strong> Nero, and <strong>the</strong> near approach <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> last judgment at that time: likewise <strong>the</strong> restoration <strong>of</strong><br />

Jerusalem by Antichrist; though this last is maintained probable by<br />

cardinal Bellarmin, l. 3, de Rom. Pontif. c. 13. But <strong>the</strong> Millenarian<br />

error is not so much as insinuated. Nor could it have been inserted<br />

by <strong>the</strong> author in that passage and omitted by copiers, as De Prato<br />

proves, against that conjecture <strong>of</strong> Tillemont. <strong>St</strong>. Jerom, indeed, l.<br />

11, in Ezech. c. 36, represents certain Christian writers who<br />

imitated some later Jews in <strong>the</strong>ir Deuteroseis in a carnal manner <strong>of</strong><br />

expounding certain scripture prophecies, expecting a second<br />

Jerusalem <strong>of</strong> gold and precious stones, a restoration <strong>of</strong> bloody<br />

sacrifices, circumcision, and a Sabbath. Among <strong>the</strong>se he names<br />

Tertullian, in his book De Spe Fidelium, (now lost,) Lactantius,<br />

Victorious Petabionensis, and Severus, (Sulpicius,) in his dialogue<br />

entitled, Gallus, <strong>the</strong>n just published: and among <strong>the</strong> Greeks, Irenæus<br />

and Apollinarius. De Prato thinks he only speaks <strong>of</strong> Sulpicius<br />

Severus by hearsay, because he mentions only one dialogue called<br />

Gallus, whereas two bear that title. At least <strong>St</strong>. Jerom never meant<br />

to ascribe all <strong>the</strong>se errors to each <strong>of</strong> those he names; for none <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>m maintained <strong>the</strong>m all except Apollinarius. His intention was only<br />

to ascribe one point or o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> such carnal interpretations to<br />

each, and to Sulpicius <strong>the</strong> opinion that Jerusalem, with <strong>the</strong> temple<br />

and sacrifices, will be restored by Antichrist, &c., which cannot be<br />

called erroneous; though <strong>St</strong>. Jerom justly rejects that<br />

interpretation, because <strong>the</strong> desolation foretold by Daniel is to<br />

endure to <strong>the</strong> end. In <strong>the</strong> decree <strong>of</strong> Gelasius this dialogue <strong>of</strong> Gallus<br />

is called Apocryphal, but in <strong>the</strong> same sense in which it was rejected<br />

by <strong>St</strong>. Jerom. Nor is this exposition advanced o<strong>the</strong>rwise than as a<br />

quotation from <strong>St</strong>. Martin's answer on that subject. See <strong>the</strong><br />

justification <strong>of</strong> Sulpicius Severus, in a dissertation printed at<br />

Venice in 1738, in Racolta di Opuscoli Scientifici, t. 18, and more<br />

amply by F. Jerom de Prato, Disser. 5, in Opera Sulpicii Severi, t.<br />

1, p. 259, commended in <strong>the</strong> Acta Eruditor. Lipsiæ, ad an. 1760.<br />

Gennadius, who wrote about <strong>the</strong> year 494, tells us, (Cat. n. 19.)<br />

that Sulpicius was deceived in his old age by <strong>the</strong> Pelagians, but<br />

soon opening his eyes, condemned himself to five years' rigorous

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