c

According to Cave, Ephrem flourished about the year 370, and died in 378. I place him likewise at 370, though I think, he must have been an author much sooner. Dr. Asseman supposeth, that he was a disciple of James bishop of Nisibis, and that he accompanied him to the council of Nice in 325. The time of his birth is not known with certainty; though Asseman says, upon the authority of Syrian writers, that he was born under the reign of Constantine; and he thinks, he died before the end of the year 378. Which is agreeable to Jerom's account, who says, that Ephrem died in the time of the emperor Valens. Fabricius thinks, he died in 375. Basnage, not before 380. For a more particular account of Ephrem, I refer to the learned moderns already named, Cave, Basnage, Fabricius, Asseman, and likewise to Tillemont. As Jerom has an article for him, I put it in the margin. He mentions a book of Ephrem, translated into Greek, which is not now known to be extant.

m

g

d

h

e

Ephrem was a man of great fame, and much esteemed among the Greeks, as well as Syrians. Sozomen has a particular account of him, and gives him high commendations. Theodoret speaks of him more than once: he says, he was an excellent man, and a fine writer; though he was not acquainted with the Greek learning. In Photius" is an account of several of Ephrem's works, which he had read in Greek. There is an Encomium, or Life of Ephrem, written by Gregory Nyssen, if it be his; for it is doubted of: however, if it is not Gregory's, it was, probably, written by some other not long after his time. That author calls Ephrem the doctor of the whole world: and it is common

Jacobus, cognomento Magnus, natus Nisibi -ad episcopatum Nisibis evectus fuit, ubi sanctum Ephræm auditorem habuit. Anno Alexandri 636, Christi 325, una cum Ephræmo in Bithyniam profectus, concilio Nicæno interfuit, doctrinæ orthodoxæ vindex acerrimus. Jos. Assem. Bib. Or. T. i. p. 17. in. b Ib. p. 24. c Ib. p. 54. not. 1. Basnag. ann. 375. n. vi. Bib. Gr. L. v. c. 2. T. v. p. 319, &c. h Mem. Ecc. T. viii.

d Hist. Lit. T. i. p. 235, &c. 380. n. x.

e

Bib. Orient. cap. vi. p. 24, &c. Ephræm, Edessenæ ecclesiæ diaconus, multa Syro sermone composuit, et ad tantam venit claritudinem, ut, post lectionem scripturarum, publice in quibusdam ecclesiis cjus scripta recitentur. Legi ejus de Spiritu Sancto Græcum volumen, quod quidam de Syriacâ linguà verterat, et acumen sublimis ingenii etiam translatione agnovi. Decessit sub Valente principe. De V. I. cap. 115. k Soz. H. E. 1. iii. c. 16.

1 Theod. H. E. 1. ii. c. 30. 1. iv. c. 29. " Cod. 196. p. 512. &c.

P See Tillemont, S. Ephrem, Art. i. note 1.

m L. ii. c. 30. p. 118. D. Greg. Nyss. T. iii. p. 597, &c.

9 Ο ήμέτερος, μαλλον δε της οικεμενης διδασκαλος Εφραιμ. Gr. N. ibid.

p. 601.

with the Syrian writers, to call him the doctor or master of the world, and their prophet.

S

II. There have been for some time two editions of Ephrem's works; one by Gerard Vossius, in Latin, in three volumes, at Rome, finished in 1597, and since published elsewhere; another in Greek, at Oxford in 1709. Of both these editions accounts may be seen in the fore-mentioned writers, particularly J. A. Fabricius, and Dr. Joseph Asseman, who after having thrown a great deal of new light upon the history and works of Ephrem, in his Bibliotheca Orientalis," has at length, together with other assistance, published at Rome a much more complete edition of his works, in six tomes or volumes; three of which are Syriac and Latin, and the other three Greek and Latin, This edition was begun to be published in 1732, and finished in 1747.

I believe, I shall scarce quote at all the edition of Vossius, which is a translation of a translation. Nor can one quote the Greek with full assurance, which consists of translations, made we know not when, nor by whom.

V

W

Cave says, there is reason to suspect the genuineness of many works in the collection of Vossius. Tillemont w speaks to the like purpose. A work, called the * Confession, is very doubtful: Tillemont defends it; but he is sensible that ity was not known to Gregory Nyssen, or whoever was the author of the above-mentioned Encomium. And speaking of a story therein related, he has these expressions: These,' says he, are indeed extraordinary circumstances; but we see no good reason to doubt of their truth, the Confession having in it too many marks of sincerity, and also of grandeur, to 'allow us to imagine it to be one of the pretended pious romances, too common among the Greeks." Dr. Asseman

6

6

Ephræm Syrus tantum apud suos sanctimoniæ et doctrinæ fainam adeptus est, ut orbis Doctor, et Propheta Syrorum ab ipsis passim appelletur. Assem, Bib. Or. T. i. p. 24.

Ephræm magnus, qui appellatus est Syrorum Propheta. Ebedjes. ap. Assem. Bib. Or. T. iii. p. 61.

Bib. Gr. T. v. p. 321–331.

Vid. Bib. Or. T. i. p. 60. et p. 159–163. et Prolegom. ad Ephr. opp. T. i. Gr. et Lat. Tom. i. cap. vi. p. 24, &c.

▾ Quin et non immerito forsan censeri potest plurima in editione Vossianâ opuscula Ephræmum auctorem non habere: quot vero, aut quænam ea sint, ob rationes supra allatas haud ita facile est judicare. Cav. ib. p. 238.

* Il est difficile de douter, qu' il n'y ait dans cette édition plusieurs pièces, que ne sont pas du grand S. Ephrem. Ibid. art. 28. sub fin.

Έλεγχος αυτό και εξομολογησις. Εν πολλοις ύμιν, αδελφοι, δοκων χρησιμEVELV, K. X. Oxon. П16. seu p. 82. et T. i. Gr. et Lat. p. 119, &c. Romæ. S. Ephrem, note (4). S. Ephrem, art. v.

a

Jikewise has taken notice of a difficulty, relating to this Confession, which I cannot say he has answered.

d

b

The famous piece called Ephrem's Testament, as pub lished in Greek at Oxford, and in Latin by Vossius, is interpolated, as Asseman expressly says. There are also very considerable differences between the Greek and Syriac copies, published in the late edition at Rome. And the same learned Dr. Asseman supposes, that there are interpolations in the Greek, and another large interpolation in the Syriac copy of the same work, even as now published in the new edition at Rome. And may I not be allowed to say, that the whole Testament has an air of fiction? For it is not likely, that a man who was just expiring, should be able to make so long a discourse in the presence of a great number of people.

And there are divers things in Syriac ascribed to Ephrem, which are not his. However, undoubtedly, there are also many works remaining, which may be relied upon as genuine.

III. Having given this account of the editions of Ephrem, and made some general remarks upon his works, I proceed in a farther account of them, chiefly with a view of observing his testimony to the scriptures.

1. The Latin of Vossius, and the Greek at Oxford, have no Commentaries upon the scriptures. Those editions contain only homilies, exhortations, and meditations, and such like things, written in a popular and pathetic manner; but the late edition at Rome, beside those things, affords many of Ephrem's Commentaries upon the Old Testament. The first volume, Syriac and Latin, contains Ephrem's Commentaries upon the five books of Moses, and upon Joshua, the a Vid. Bib. Or. T. i. p. 152.

b Prodiit autem Latine per Vossium, et Græce in nuperâ editione Oxoniensi. Utraque tamen versio mendis scatet, quæ ex nostro Syriaco textu corrigi possunt. Asseman. Bib. Or. T. i. p. 141.

c Vid. Testamentum Græce, p. 230, &c. Syriace, p. 395, &c. Apud Ephr. Opp. T. ii. Gr. et Lat.

Præterea multa Græcus interpres de suo adjecit, quæ in textu desiderantur, ut historiam hominis ab immundo spiritu correpti, quem Ephræm morti proximus curâsse dicitur. pag. 293. a lin. 2. usque ad lin. 13. [vid. p. 236. B. C. D. T. ii. Gr. Romæ.] Et historiam Abgari Edessa regis, qui urbem illam extruxisse perperam narratur, pag. 297. a lin. 42. usque ad lin. 50. [vid. p. 235. F. 236. A. T. ii. Gr.] Asseman. Bib. Or. T. i. p. 141.

• Contra, quædam Syriace habentur, quæ in Græcâ versione non extant, ut digressio de Möyse et magis, &c. Asseman. ib. p. 141, 142. Conf. Testam. Syriace, apud T. ii. Gr. et Lat. p. 405–408.

Primus [sermo] de Virginis Annuntiatione inscribitur. In quo, Sancti Ephræmi præter nomen et metrum omnia desideres, judicium, ingenium, eruditionem, stilum. Assem. Bib. Or. T. i. p. 139. fin.

:

Judges, the two books of Samuel, and the two books of the Kings and in the second volume of the Syriac works, with a Latin translation, are Commentaries upon Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, the Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Micah, Zechariah, and Malachi.

2. Ebedjesu, in his catalogue, enumerates Ephrem's Commentaries upon most, or all the books of the Old Testament, particularly upon Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the twelve prophets. He says nothing of any Commentaries of Ephrem upon any book of the Old Testament after those; which makes me think, that Ephrem's canon of the Old Testament was the same with that of the Jews. Moreover, in his Syriac works still remaining, he has several times expressly called h Malachi the last of the prophets. And Asseman owns, that in his Commentary upon the book of Daniel, Ephrem takes no notice of the Song of the three Children, or of the stories of Susanna, or Bel and the Dragon. I may add here, that though Ephrem commented upon the book of Jeremiah's Lamentations, there appears not any Commentary of his upon Baruch.

3. Dr. Asseman says, that in his Testament, Ephrem quotes the second book of the Maccabees, as canonical scripture. But that does not appear clear to me: he might quote the books of Maccabees, and of Ecclesiasticus, and Wisdom, as many other of the ancient christians did, without esteeming them canonical. We saw just now, that Ephrem esteemed Malachi the last of the prophets; therefore he admitted no later writings into the canon of the Old Testament. A division of scripture, frequent in Ephrem, and to be taken notice of by and by, confirms what is here said.

4. Before I proceed, I should observe, that Ephrem re

Apud Assem. Bib. Or. T. iii. p. 61, 62. Vid. et T. i. p. 58.

Judæorum sacrificia prophetæ declarant immunda fuisse. Quæ ergo Esaïas hoc loco hominum canumve cadaveribus æquiparat, Malachias, prophetarum ultimus, animalium retrimenta vocat, non offerenda Deo, sed offerentium in ora cum opprobatione rejicienda. [Malach. ii. 3.] Comment. in Es. lxvi. 3. T. ii. Syr. p. 94. C. D.

Malachias, omnium prophetarum postremus, populo commendat legem, et legis coronidem Joannem, quem Eliam cognominat. Comm. in Malach. iv. 4. Ib. p. 315. C. Quæ D. Hieronymus ex Theodotione transtulit Danielis capita, nimirum Canticum trium puerorum, cap. 3. a ver. 24. ad ver. 91. Historiam Susannæ, cap. 13. Bel idioli, et Draconis, atque in lacum leonis missi cap. 14. ea S. Ephræm, Hebræorum textum sequutus, in hisce commentariis tacitus præteriit. Hæc enim in Vulgatâ Syrorum Versione haud extabant: licet postea ex Græcis exemplaribus in Syriacum a recentioribus interpretibus conversa fuerint, &c. Bib. Or. T. i. p. 71. Vid. ib. p. 144.

ceived the book of Canticles; it is quoted' in his Syriac Commentaries. He also plainly refers to the book of Ruth.

5. Ebedjesu does not mention any commentaries of Ephrem upon the books of the New Testament. Gregory Nyssen indeed says, thatm Ephrem not only meditated upon the scriptures, but also particularly explained every part of the Old and New Testament from Genesis to the last book of grace. But that may be in part an oratorical flight, from which some abatements should be made. It is, I think, observable, that Ebedjesu says nothing of any commentaries of Ephrem upon the New Testament. His silence must be reckoned an argument, that there were none upon the New Testament, or that they were not so well known as those upon the Old. However, we are assured by Dr. Asseman, in part quoted" formerly, that Dionysius Barsalibæus, and Gregory Barhebræus, in their commentaries upon the gospels, quote the commentaries of Ephrem upon the same gospels. And it may be very proper for my readers to recollect here what was formerly said of Ephrem's writing commentaries upon Tatian's Harmony of the four gospels; but still I see no particular mention of commentaries of Ephrem upon any other books of the New Testament. And when Dr. Asseman published the first volume of his

་

-quorum meminit etiam sapientissimus Salomon in Canticis Canticorum: Ecce,' inquit, lectulum Salomonis sexaginta fortes ambiunt:' [Cant. iii. 7.] In Exod. cap. xxxvii. T. i. Syr. p. 229. F.

Christus enim est Rex regum et verus David, id est, dilectus et amabilisquem laudat ecclesia, gloriosa sponsa, in suis Canticis, dicens: Dilectus meus candidus et rubicundus.' [Cant. v. 10.] In 1 Sam. xvi. 13. T. i. Syr. p. 365. E.

Vid. et in Mich. Pr. T. ii. Syr. p. 272. B. et Paræn. 14. T. iii. Syr. p. 436. F.

11 In Natal. Domini, Serm. 7. T. ii. Syr. p. 421, 422.

* Πασαν γαρ παλαιαν τε και καινην εκμελετησας γραφην όλην ακριβως προς λέξιν ἡρμηνευσεν από τε της κοσμογονείας, και μέχρι της τελευταίας της χαριτος βιβλ. κ. λ. De Vit. Ephr. T. iii. p. 601. D.

"See Vol. ii. p. 444.

Dionysius Barsalibæus, e Jacobitarum sectâ, Amidæ in Mesopotamiâ episcopus, in suis Commentariis in Evangelia Codice Syriaco Vaticano xli.sæpe laudat Ephræmi Commentaria in Textum Evangeliorum, de quibus in Præfatione ad Marcum sic loquitur, Tatianus, Justini philosophi et martyris discipulus, ex quatuor evangeliis unum digessit, quod Diatessaron nuncupavit. Hunc librum Sanctus Ephræm commentariis illustravit.' Et infra: Sanctus quoque Ephræm, ordinem Diatessari sequutus, evangelium expla'navit.' Idem testatur Barhebræus, vulgo Abulpharagius, episcopus Tagritensis, in libro, quem Horreum Mysteriorum' inscripsit, quo totam sacram scripturam brevissimis notis dilucidat. Ubi, præfatione in Matthæum sic de Ephræmo scribit :--Commentaria Ephræmi in Matthæum et Lucam laudat Corderius in Catenâ Patrum. Asseman. Bib. Or. T. i. p. 57, 58,

P See Vol. ii. p. 150. and p. 444-446.