to him That he demanded no other recompence for his services if he had been happy enough to render any to the Church than to be sent back to his solitude of Arianze from whence he had been drawn that he was not fit for the society of the Grandees of the Age that whatsoever affection he entertained for his Flock he would from henceforth abandon it without trouble since he left it under the protection of so pious an Emperor that he entreated so much the more instantly the permission of retiring Socrat. l. 5 6 7. because he was regarded by some as a stranger who came to seize upon the Episcopal See of Constantinople But notwithstanding all his Reasons he could not obtain his Congé and was not so much as heard upon this Point XXV Theodosius being returned to his Palace and knowing the perplexity wherein the Arrians were sent the same day to demand of Demophilus their Bishop if he would embrace the Faith of Socrat. ib. Sozom. l. 7. c. 4. Nice and reunite the People in one Body This Heretick answered that he could not change his opinion nor consent to an accommodation Then the Prince commanded him that since he refused to side with the truth and that he persisted in his inclination to harbor a division in the Metropolis of the Empire to abandon without delay all the Churches of the City and to restore them to the Catholicks as they had enjoyed them under the Reign of Constantine the Great Demophilus astonished at a Command so rough and unexpected was some time uncapable of speaking and returned at last no other Answer than that he would acquaint the People with the Emperor's pleasure In the mean time he was thinking how to elude this Order either by artificial Requests or by affected delays or else by an open Rebellion But having considered the difficulty of resisting Power and imposing upon an enlightned Prince that was resolved not to relax upon this Point he assembled the People in the Church and rising up in the midst of them exposed to them the Command he had received After which he said to them that being unwilling to subscribe to the decisions of the Council of Nice and unable to oppose the Authority of the Emperor he was reduced to follow Matth. 10. this Precept of the Gospel When they shall persecute you in one City flie into another that thus yielding to necessity he would hold his Assembly the next day without the City He departed in effect the same day with Lucius the false Patriarch of Alexandria who had retired to his house for some time XXVI The Hereticks were so affected at the words of Demophilus that they put the whole City in emotion Some taking up Arms ran to the Churches in order to seize upon them others went in a tumult to the gate of the Palace to implore the Emperors mercy some of them invested the Anastacy and threatned to revenge the retreat of their associates upon the Bishop of the Catholics The places and the streets were full of women children and old men bathed in tears There Greg. Naz. Carm. deviâ—a sua was heard from all parts nothing but cries and lamentations and there was seen in Constantinople the image of a City taken by assault Theodosius who foresaw this disorder had sent Soldiers in the principal Quarters to disperse the Mutineers that assembled there and particularly to possess themselves of the Cathedral Church and to seize upon all the Avenues There remained nothing more but to install Gregory of Nazianzum and he would be present at this action He went to take him in the Anastacy and carried him himself as it were in triumph in the midst of his Guards to the Church where a thanksgiving was solemnly rendred to God The prayers being ended the greatest part of the People lifting up their Voices wished a thousand blessings to the Emperor and entreated him as a complement of favours to give them Gregory for their Bishop The Saint suffering impatiently the heat which transported them and being unable to make himself heard by reason of his weakness prayed him that was seated near him to speak to them from him that they should cease to cry so that they were assembled to adore the Trinity and not to chuse a Bishop and that upon a day so happy as that their only business was to praise and glorify God The People received this correction with respect and testified by their applauses how much they were affected with the modesty of this Prelate The Emperor himself gave him great commendations and put him in possession not only of the Churches but also of the Episcopal House and all the Ecclesiastical Revenues Thus this grand affair was determined by the cares and resolution of Theodosius As he had very expresly Greg. Naz. ib. commanded the Officers of his Troops to hinder Sedition without committing any Violence all this tumult was appeased with so much order that there was but one single Sword drawn against some of the most zealous Arrians It was an extream joy to the Emperor to have dispossessed the Hereticks without the price of any of their blood of those Churches which they had procured by the death of so many venerable Persons Whilst he thus weakned in the East the Arrians Party he learnt with pleasure that the Empress Justine Mother of the young Valentinian vainly endeavored to establish them at Milan that the See of Sirmium being vacant she had made a Journey thither on purpose to install a Bishop of her Sect but that Saint Ambrose whose place it was to preside at this Election had diverted the stroak that Gratian being importuned by the sollicitations of this Princess had granted her a Church of the Catholics but that after having known the consequence of the gift he had made he restored it to St. Ambrose in whose right alone was the disposal of it and that there was reason to hope that this Heresy would lose much of its Credit and Pride XXVII After that Theodosius had so happily executed what he undertook for the re-establishment of Religion he carefully applied himself to the affairs of the Empire He began by regulations of the Souldiery He created several Lieutenant Zoz l. 4. Generals to whom he allowed great Pensions he augmented the number of the Officers in Companies knowing that there is nothing of more force to Armies and contributes more to discipline He made great presents to the Captains of the Barbarians who had served him and forgot nothing that might win them to his service giving to some employments which fixed them near his Person marrying others of them into the richest Families of Court or City and disengaging them thus from the Interest of their Country This Policy preserved him from the Ambuscades which Eriulphus and Fravitas two of the chief Captains of the Goths prepared for him Whether they had been chosen for Hostages or had commanded that body of Troops
when they should return thither all the Favors which they had received they were themselves extremely affected with the Civilities of the Romans Theodosius offered to them very honourable Posts in his Armies but they excused themselves saying That they would be ne're the less united to him and that they went to serve him with more advantage in their own Countrey which they executed afterwards by guarding the passages of the Danube and hindring the Romans from being assaulted on their side Thus the Sweetness of Princes oftentimes produces greater Effects than their Power and the People who are won by kindness are usually more firm in their Duty than those who are conquered by Arms. XL. After so happy a Success Theodosius seeing that the Laws he had made in favor of Religion had stopt the disorders but not re-united mens spirits resolved to call together an Universal Council after the example of Constantine the Great whose Piety he made a Glory in following From his coming to the Empire he had entertained Theod. l. 5. c. 8. this thought because he judged that it was the most secure and ready means to determine with sweetness as he desired the Ecclesiastical differences But for the execution of it he had staid till it war fixed in Peace and to render this Assembly more authentick he had projected to hold it in the Capital of his Empire He would be there himself in order to dispose all Parties to an agreement and to maintain by his Authority what should be decided by the consent of the Fathers As soon as he put the Catholics in possession of the Churches of Constantinople he thought that the Council might assemble there with less trouble and more dignity He wrote then to all the Bishops of the East to invite them to come to this Imperial City in order to confirm the Faith of Nice to establish a Bishop therein and to constitute necessary Laws towards the strengthning of the Peace of the Church and the Re-union of his Subjects upon the points of Religion XLI Of all the Hereticks he called to the Council none but the Macedonians because they were Socrat l. 5. c. 8. Greg. Naz. Orat. 44. regular in their manners distinct from the Arians and altho they composed a body and communion apart yet they were lookt upon as Friends to the Catholics and as men indifferently disposed to return into the bosom of the Church These reasons had made the Emperor believe that it was no hard matter to reduce them They came to the number of Thirty six the most part Bishops of the Hellespont the chief of which were Eleusius Bishop of Cizycus and Marcian Bishop of Lampsacus This Prince exhorted them himself to acknowledge their fault and represented to them that it was time to return to the Faith and Communion of the Church that they were engaged to it in the deputation they had formerly sent to Pope Liberius and that a little time before they made no scruple of communicating with the Socrat. ib. Sozom. l. 7. â— 7. Catholics But they obstinately replied that they had rather be reconciled and united with the Arrians than the Orthodox Men. This answer obliged the Emperor to chase them away as unworthy of the condescention he had had for them XLII All orders were given for the subsistence and lodging of the Bishops and Theodosius was no less magnificent in relation to this Council that Constantine had been to that of Nice The Bishops came from all parts of the East in haste and arrived at Constantinople to the number of a Hundred and fifty in the time that had been prescribed them As the last Reigns had been times of Persecution there were many of these Prelates who had composed excellent Works against the Hereticks or had suffered Exile and Torments for the Defence of the Faith Never had the Church seen more Saints and Confessors assembled They were come with Joy once more to give their Votes for the truth under an Emperor who had as much zeal to establish Religion as others had to confound it But there were also many who during the late Reign were entred into Bishopricks or had Greg. Naz. Carm. de vi ta sua Idem car de Episc maintained themselves therein by the favor of the Governors of Provinces and Generals of Armies Even some of them who having heretofore been placed in the room of Holy Bishops who had been persecuted from their Sees remained peaceable Possessors after their Death These ruling their Faith by their Ambition and their Interest were conformable to the time and as they had been Hereticks under Valens they became Catholicks under Theodosius They came to the Council to observe the course of things and to occasion troubles if they could do it with security XLIII Meletius Bishop of Antioch was to preside over this Assembly The Emperor had a passionate desire to see him as well upon the account of the reputation of Sanctity which this Prelate had got throughout the East as also because he had appeared to him in a Vision presenting to him the Purple in one hand and the Crown in t'other Theodosius had always honored him from that time even before he knew him and had often sent him considerable Sums to assist the Poor of his Diocess and to finish the Church which he caus'd to be built in honor of St. Babylas beyond the River Orontes As soon as the Bishops were arrived they went all together to salute the Emperor who being willing to try if he could distinguish Meletius from amongst the rest forbid that he should be shewn to him He had fixed in his imagination so strong an Idea of his Face that as soon as he perceived him he observed him of himself and affirmed him to be the same he had seen in a Vision He advanced towards him with an impatience full of respect and tenderness He embraced him in a particular manner and kissed his eyes his head his breast and above all his hand which had crowned him beforehand and rendered to him those honors which no body was jealous of because every one esteemed him worthy of them Then he behaved himself with much civility to the other Bishops Theodor. l. 5. c. 6. and entreated them as his Fathers to endeavor with all their power to answer the end for which they were assembled XLIV The opening of the Council being made with much solemnity they agreed upon beginning with what related to the Church of Constantinople Altho this affair was not the most important notwithstanding it appeared the most pressing because Theodosius was much concerned therein and that it was convenient to supply with a Person of great merit a See whose Rights and Dignity were presumed to be augmented Maximus had not desisted from his pretension but his Ordination was so contrary to the Laws and Ecclesiastical Forms that the Council had declared that he was not Bishop and could not exercise the Functions thereof
Those who had protected him were blamed and those whom he Sozom. l. 4. c. 9. had ordained were degraded and judged unworthy of holding any rank amongst the Clergy Gregory of Nazianzum had been chosen by the Suffrages of the People and the Authority of the Emperor he was without a See that of Constantinople was vacant He had been charged with the care of this Church and went under the Title of it Thus this Election 〈◊〉 have passed for legitimate But Gregory who lived without Ambition would attempt nothing contrary to Greg. Naz. Orat. 27. Disciplines did not think himself engaged to a charge which he had not accepted He alledged that a Prelate without a Title could not take possession of a vacant Church unless authorized by a Council and that the irregular conduct which had been held in reference to him gave occasion for ambitious Ptelates to seize upon the vacant Sees for the People to establish them in a tumultuous manner and for Metropolitans to dispossess them out of humane considerations XLV It was not hard to determine upon two Subjects whereof one was for being maintained in a Dignity which he deserved not and the other demanded nothing but a renunciation notwithstanding his right and worthiness of it The Emperor who was acquainted with the great qualities of Gregory desired him for his Bishop Meletius who had a tender affection for him was come particularly to instal him All the Fathers agreed upon it and Gregory was the only person that scrupled to consent to his Election He cast himself at the feet of Theodosius to entreat him to divert the blow but this Prince represented to him That it was just to give the conduct of this Church to him who had formed it with so much diligence That the love of Peace and Solitude ought not to dispense him from labor since he was called to it That this approbation of the Council was a visible Testimony of the Will of God That being Bishop of this Imperial City he might contribute to the re-establishment of Faith in the whole Empire And that finding himself placed in the midst of the East and West he might become as it were a Mediator and perhaps unite together those two halfs of the world which were unhappily divided upon the Subject of the Church of Antioch Meletius represented to him the same things in the name of all the Assembly and obliged him by his reasons and his counsels to undergo the Yoke which was imposed upon him and to sacrifice his repose to the Interests and Necessities of the Church Thus all conspired to do Violence to his Modesty He was placed upon the Episcopal Throne where the People and the Clergy had carried him some time before and where he would not since take his place Nothing Greg. Naz Carm. de vita sua was wanting to the Solemnity of this Action Meletius performed the Ceremony the Emperor assisted there all the People run in crowds to see it and several Prelates amongst whom was Gregory of Nyssa made very eloquent discourses upon that subject XLVI After they had thus regulated the affairs of that Church they came to treat about the points of Faith As the greatest part of the new Heresies had been condemned in the Council of Nice the Decrees thereupon were ordered Ruffin to be read and were confirmed Then was produced the confession of Faith which Pope Damasus had formerly sent to Antioch and by his example they condemned the Error of Apollinarius who destroyed the truth of the Mystery of the Incarnation After which they proceeded against the Macedonians who denied the Divinity of the Holy Ghost and refused of late to communicate with the Catholicks For this effect as the Creed of Nice had annexed to that of the Apostles by way of explication what had been defined concerning the Divinity of the word so the Creed of Constantinople added to that of Nice What regarded the Person of the Holy Ghost the Lord and Giver of Life who was to be equally adored and gloriâ—â—â— with the Father and the Son XLVII From the Doctrine of Faith they pasâ—ed to the Rules of Discipline The enterprize of seven Bishops of Egypt who were come to ordain Maximus at Constantinople gave occasion for â—he renewing of that Canon that the ordination of â—he Bishops of each Province should be performed by those of the same Province or by those of the Concil Nice Can. 4 5 6. Neighborhood who should be called for that purâ—ose and because it happened in the time of the Persecution that some Prelats had passed into foreign Provinces for the affairs of the Church which might cause a disturbance they regulated the jurisdiction of every Metropolitan and attributed the dicision of the affairs of Provinces to Provincial Councils To honor the Imperial City and to please the Emperor it was declared that the Bishop of Constantinople should hold the rank and prerogatives of honor next to that of Rome because Constantinople was the new or second Rome At length they decided many things concerning the juridical form of accusations against Sozom. l. 7. c. 9. Bishops and they endeavoured to re-establish order in the Church XLVIII The Fathers of the Council after having thus decreed the points of Faith and Discipline which they had esteemed necessary reduced them into Articles and presented them to Theodosius They wrote to him at the same time a synodal Letter by which they immediately gave thanks to God for having placed him upon thâ— Throne in order to the settling the peace of thâ— Church and the establishment of Religion They shewed him afterwards that having been assembled by his Orders they had with one accord prescribed certain Ecclesiastical Rules whether to condemn Heresies or to correct the abuses of the time and entreated him to confirm by his Authority what they had done and to join hi suffrage to theirs in sealing with his Imperiaâ— Seal the dicision of the Council They endeâ— with Prayers and wished that his Reign might be founded upon Peace and Justice that he might endure a long Series of Generations an that at length he might determine by the joys â—f a Celestial Kingdom ... The Council was wise in its behavior thus for besides the necessity of the Emperors consent to make its Ordinances observed it had a mind to extract from him a Letter of confirmation as a publick engagement of his Faith to the end he might thereby be kept more firm to the right party and might deprive the Hereticks of all hopes of being able to seduce him XLIX Albeit the Bishops who composed this Assembly were very different as to their manners and inclinations they had agreed to all the points proposed and all went to end in a peaceable manner when an unexpected accident produced disorder and division It was the death of Meletius one of the two Bishops of Antioch who had been chief and as it were the Soul of the Council The
Thessalonica Claudian de laud. Seren The Empress Flaccilla his wife whom he tenderly loved Thermantia and Serena his Nieces whom he had adopted since the death of Honorius his brother were lately arrived there Some of his friends were observed every day to come thither particularly those who had been assistant to him in the time of his disgrace He had invited them Aurel. Victor Theod. to come from Spain into the East to the end he might reward them and raise them to employments His gratitude encreased with his power and as soon as he was Emperour he remembred all the services he had received when he was but a private man and forgot nothing but the injuries which he had suffered The Joy he conceived at the sight of persons who were so dear to him was soon disturbed for scarce was he come to Thessalonica but he fell dangerously ill He immediately disposed himself Socrat. l. 5. c. 6. Sozom. l. 4. c. 7. to receive Baptism and to dye like a Christian As he had a great affection for the Orthodox Faith of the Trinity and was afraid of giving in this occasion any advantage to the Hereticks before he sent for Ascole Bishop of that City he informed himself of his Manners and the Faith which he professed He learnt that he was a Prelate of a consummated Vertue that he had been educated from his Infancy in the Monasteries of Achaia that upon the reputation of his Sanctity Ambros Ep. 28. 22. the people of Macedon had taken him from his Solitude to make him their Arch-bishop that they had ordained him very young without having regard to the rules of Age that he had always been inviolably fix'd to the doctrine of the Church that St. Basil had honoured him with his friendship and that Pope Damasus had a particular An. 379 esteem for him Theodosius was very glad to fall into the hands of so holy a man He ordered him to be called and having been farther satisfied by himself that he professed the Apostolick Faith confirmed by the Council of Nice he demanded of him with respect the Sacrament of Regeneration He immediately received it with an exemplary piety and esteemed himself more glorious in becoming August de Civit. Dei a member of the Church than in being Master of a part of the World Then he thought himself obliged to re-establish Religion through tâ—e whole Empire and God blessing his intentions restored him in a few days to a perfect health He conversed several times with Ascole upon the means of executing his design He instructed himself in the chief points of the doctrines in contest of the difference of the new Sects of the Faith of the Bishops and the state of the principal Churches of the Eastern Empire X. After having thus examined all things he thought it prudent to bring Men over gradually and to begin with Laws which should make them know his Will and fear his Justice Then he published an Edict dated at Thessalonica whereby he ordered the People of his obedience to follow that Faith which the Church had received of the Apostles and which was taught by Pope Damasus and Peter of Alexandria a Prelate of an Apostoâ—ical Sanctity and enjoined them to confess and acknowledge one Divinity in the Trinity of the Persons of the Father Son and Holy Ghost pursuant to the Doctrine of the Gospel and the ancient Tradition of the Church He declares afterwards that only those who should profess this Faith were to be taken for Catholicks and that those who should reject it were to be treated as infamous and sensless Hereticks who besides the Punishents they deserved from the Divine Justice were likewise to expect from him Chastisements suitable to the enormity of their Crime XI He addressed this Edict to the People of Constantinople to the end that it might be forthwith performed in this Imperial City which was as iâ— it were the Theatre of Heresie and from thencâ— might pass with the more expedition into the otheâ— Cities of the Empire It was about this time that Maximus came to cast himself at the feet of Theodosius entreating him to maintain him in the See of Constantinople which he had lately usurped Maximus was of Alexandria by profession a Cyniâ— Philosopher of a moderate knowledge an irregular life and profound dissimulation His Parents had brought him up in the Christian Religion wherein he was notwithstanding but slightly instructed He had spent part of his Youth in running from City to City to acquire Wealth or Reputation and had been every where cried down where he endeavoured to fix himself and altho he was expertat disguising himself he could not avoid being surprized in actions which occasioned his banishment to the Desart of Oasis where hâ— remained four years entire At last seeing himsel without honor and without recovery spur'd on bâ— his ambition and his misery he went to Constantinâ—ple with the rash design of usurping that See He declared presently that he was of a Family illustrious by its Nobility and still more by itâ— Piety that his Father was dead for the defence of the Faith that his Sisters were the example of Christian Virgins in Alexandria He boasted that he had himself suffered a tedious exile for Jesus Christ making that the glory of Religion which had been the punishment of his crimes The Fable of these pretended Martyrs supported by so many premeditated circumstances and some appearances of an affected piety got him the esteem and friendship of all the Catholics in Constantinople Altho he was dressed after the Cynic mode which Habit was not becoming a Christian this outside was even excused him so much were they possessed of the bottom of his Merit and Vertue Anno 380. Gregory of Nazianzum had at that time the care of the Church of Constantinople He had been sent thither about a year before by the Council of Anâ—ioch according to some or else had been invited by â—he People and the Bishops of Thrace he seems to Greg. Naz. Carm. de vita sua observe himself He immediately exercised by commission the pastoral Functions in that Church where he revived the almost extinguisht Faith â—oyning the example of his Life to the force of his Eloquence and re-uniting by his cares the remains of a fold which the late tempests had dispersed But the number of Catholics being in a little time â—otably encreased they chose him for their Pastor Peter Patriarch of Alexandria confirmed this Election by his Letters and his Vote and sent him â—he Marks of his Dignity Notwithstanding that Gregory had refused to accept this Dignity alledgâ—g that he could not be chosen but by a Council â—ey did not cease to look upon him as their Archâ—ishop He himself being touched at the testimonies f their Affection redoubled their Zeal and forot nothing that he thought capable to establish â—e Faith and fervency of Religion The Heretics An. 380 being unable to resist his reasons
whom the Ariâ—â—s had constituted Bishop In the mean time this dissention had disturbed the whole Church Paulinus who was an Italian by birth had more opportunities to prepossess the Roman Church and all the West in his favor and Pope Damasus who knew him for a Man irreproachable both in his Manners and his Faith had embraced his part All the East on the other â—ide was affected to Meletius as to a Prelate that yielded not to the other in vertue and who besides had been thrice banished for the defence of the Faith There was mixed a little compassion with the esteem which was had for him when â—t was known that he underwent the persecution of the Hereticks and that of the Catholicks with the same patience and that without using his Priviledges or Credit he demanded a Peace and could not obtain it But for all they found mistakes in their Elections they did not cease to honour their persons and it was agreed on both sides that Meletius had been worthy of the See of Antioch if he had not been advanced thereto by the Arians and that Paulinus had merited to have been ordained Bishop if it had been of another Church than that of Antioch The Arians having at last been chased out of that City by vertue of the Edict of Theodosius Meletius was put in possession of all their Churches in preference to Paulinus But they agreed that when one died no body should succeed in his room and that all the Churches should remain to the Survivor Some Historians add that this Agreement was signed by six persons of the Clergy Socrat. l. 5. c. 5. Zoz l. 7. c. 3. that were the most capable to succeed them who were made to swear that they would elect no one to that Bishoprick nor accept of it them selves as long as one of the two Patriarchs should live LII After all these Precautions one might have believed that the death of Meletius would have determined their division so much the rather because this holy Man in dying had conjured the Bishops to give him no Successor and to leave Paulinus in sole possession of the Church But as they came to speak of this Affair their minds were divided according as they were disposed to Greg. Naz. Peace or Discord The most part of the ancient Prelates represented to the Assembly that to elect a new Patriarch was to perpetuate the Schismâ— that the Survivor had always led a life without reproach that he was of an Age not possible to continue long and that it was not only Charity to let him die in Peace but also a piece of Justice to perform that Contract which had been made to him But the young Men sustained on the other side that it was not fitting for the Succession of an Episcopacy to be interrupted in so holy a Man as Meletius that Paulinus was the Creature of Damasus that he had been ordained by a Bishop of the West who had neither the Priviledge nor Commission to do it and that so the Eastern Church could not acknowledge him without injuring itself Gregory who then presided over the Council and who had not accepted of the See of Constantinople but in the prospect of appeasing the troubles of the Church was sensibly touched at this Controversy whose dangerous Consequences he foresaw When it was his turn to speak he strongly opposed those who offered at a new Election and shewed to them that this Proposition was not only contrary to Peace but also to Honour and Justice That they ought to have more regard to the publick Advantage than to particular Pretensions That the Episcopacy was one and that they ought not to make so great a distinction between the Bishops of the East and those of the West That if they had so great a passion to ordain a Patriarch of Antioch the death of Paulinus consumed with years and labours would soon afford them an occasion and that so they would lose nothing by Greg. Naz. carm de vita suâ— suffering him to remain alone in his See since they â—ight enjoy the right of giving him a Successor after his death and satisfy their Consciences in â—estoring Peace to the Church As wise as this Advice was all the young Bishops rejected it and alledged no other Reasons than that they had had no share in the past agreement Greg. Naz. ib. between the Bishops of Antioch and that since Jesus Christ was pleased to appear in the East it was just that the East should be preferred before the West They drew after them a Party of the Ancients who were afraid of exciting a greater Schism by their resistance They vigorously entreated Gregory but having found him inflexible they lookt upon him as a Partisan of the Western People and could no longer dispense with him A proceeding so unreasonable very much displeased Gregory who being unwilling to consent to their Injustice and despairing of reducing them to Reason went out of the Synod and the Episcopal house where they were assembled and resolved to make a renunciation of his Bishoprick since he could not do all the good he wished therein LIII Theodosius being informed of this disordeâ— desired nothing so much as to put a stop to it Hâ— exhorted both one and t'other to unite for the common Interest of Religion He approved thâ— Sentiment of Gregory But the Conspiracy of thâ— rest became so general that he thought it was no just to deprive them of the liberty of Votes anâ— that it was impossible to reduce so great a Party All hopes were now at an end unless the Bishop of Egypt and Macedon who were expected everâ— day brought a calm The Emperor had not presently called them to the Council the first because they favoured Maximus the second because they were Dependants of the Westeâ— Church But as to the Affair of Antioch â— thought that they might both serve to maintain the Rights of Paulinus those of Egypt because the Council of Alexandria had approved his ordination those of Macedon because he was tied to the Communion of Pope Damasus But when they arrived they considered only how to annul the Election of the Archbishop of Constantinople LIV. Timotheus Patriarch of Alexandria protested that it was not lawful since he had not intervened therein Those whom he had brought with him being vexed that they had not stay'd to consult them joined with him Altho' every one in Greg. Naz. Carm. de vita sua particular made a profession of honouring Gregory and that there was no determined person whom they would advance in his room yet they did not cease to fall upon him in hatred to those who had elected him Nevertheless to cover their passion Idem de Episcop with some appearance of Justice they alledged that against the Canons he had passed from the Bishoprick of Sasime to that of Nazianzum and from this last to that of Constantinople Altho' an ill Custom had at that time sufficiently
authorized these frequent Translations against the ancient Hieronym de Scrip. Eccl. Laws yet this reproach did not belong to Gregory whatsoever some Ecclesiastical Authors have written For two Metropolitans having at the same Rusfin l. 2. c. 9. Secrat l. 5. c. 7. time pretended to the Bishoprick of Saâ—ime he had yielded his Right for the advantage of Peace and had never performed the office and his Father having since called him to Nazianzum for his assistance in the government of that Greg Naz. epist 42. 46. Church he laboured therein as Coadjutor not as Titular Thus it was no difficult matter to justify himself thereupon and to defend his promotion LV. The Bishops who had elected him and were dissatisfied upon it would most willingly have deserted him but decency required them to support what they had done Gregory being a little concerned that he should be the sport of the passions of Men who accused him or took his part as the fancy prevailed made use of this opportunity to execute the design which he had Grâ—g Naz. Carm. de vita sua long since entertained of retiring He entred into the Council and said to the Bishops That he beg'd of them to desist in what related to him and to consider nothing but the peace and union of the Church That since he was the cause of the Tempest he would willingly like another Jonas be cast into the Sea That he had râ—ceived the Bishoprick against his inclination and that he resigned it with joy as a Commission which had been entrusted with him As also that his Age and his Infirmities made him desire after so many agitations an interval of solitude and repose in order to dispose him to die well He bid them farewel conjuring them That since he had taken away the principal subject of their division to reunite themselves in all the rest and to give him a Successor that should be zealous for the good of the Church and the defence of the Faith This discourse surprized the Bishops but it was not displeasing to them Some had the satisfaction of seeing him fall of himself who had been made without them others were glad of being delivered from the trouble of maintaining an action they repented of The resignation of the Archbishop was received and he went out of the Assembly without any one's importuning him Greg. carm 〈◊〉 vita sua to stay Some holy Prelates stopt their ears that they might not hear his resignation and departed along with him LVI There remained nothing more than to make the Emperor agree to his design He went to find him and after having beg'd of him to establish Peace in the Council and to retain by his Authority those whom the fear of God did not retain he petitioned him for his permission to retire Theodosius who was not used to be entreated for such Favors was surprized at his Request and endeavored by strong Considerations to stop him he would even interpose himself to maintain him in his Dignity But the Archbishop represented to him that it was not for so just and pious an Emperor as he to prefer the Interests of a private Man to those of the whole Church and that as for him he thought himself obliged to make this sacrifice of his See at a time when his old Age and Infirmities left him scarce any strength to assist his Flock otherwise than by his Prayers and Wishes LVII After having procured the Emperor's consent he assembled the People in his Cathedral and pronounced in presence of all the Fathers of the Council that last and celebrated Sermon where he rendred an account of his Administration Greg. Naz. Orat. 32. and his Conduct He represented the state of the Church of Constantinople how the Faith had been revived in his time how it was increased what he had done and suffered upon that subject He explained the Doctrine which he had preach'd and trusting to his innocence after the example of Samuel and St. Paul he took his Auditors for Witnesses of his disinteressedness and the care he had taken after having declared the Gospel to them to be enclosed within himself and to preserve the purity of his Priesthood He exposed in a few words the principal causes of his Retirement which were the Contests he saw raised in the Church and the importunate Reproaches which were made him of treating the Hereticks with too much Civility and of keeping nothing in his Retinue his Table or his Person Idem Orat. 32. 49. that testified the grandeur of his Rank which they called ill supporting of his Dignity and condemning too openly the excess and secular stateliness of others In a word after having exhorted the People to retain the Faith which he had taught them the Hereticks to be converted the Courtiers to be reclaimed the Bishops to reunite and quit their Sees like him if they might thereby contribute towards a Peace after having wished for his Successor a worthy Man who without wanting Charity and Condescention might have the Courage to procure Enemies for the sake of Justice he took leave of each of his Churches and particularly of his dear Anastasy then of all the Societies and Orders of the City He beg'd of them to remember him and his labors for which he demanded no other recompence than the permission of retiring Instead of the usual Applauses there was heard nothing but Lamentations and Groans during this discourse every one retired to his house drowned in tears and the Archbishop being moved to compassion but notwithstanding inflexible in his resolution went to enjoy the pleasures of that solitude which he had always tenderly loved LVIII Theodosius who lookt upon the choice of a new Archbishop of Constantinople as one of the most considerable affairs of the Empire went the next day to the Council and complained of those disputes and continual dissentions whereby Sozom. l. 7. c. 7. the Catholicks underwent a scandal and from whence the Hereticks reaped great advantages He testified to the Bishops his displeasure to see Gregory obliged to quit the See of his Imperial City whereto it had been even necessary to call him if he had been established therein especially after the services he had rendred to this Church and the dangers he had incurred in restoring Religion thereto He told them That notwithstanding his unwillingness to grant him his Conge at a time when the Church had so much need of learned peaceable and holy Prelates he had consented at his instant solicitations for the advantage of Peace but that he requested of them to seek out a man that might worthily supply his room and to agree so well upon this choice that there might be no longer a division amongst them LIX He ordered them to make each a memorial of those whom they esteemed capable of this Idâ—m c. â— charge and to present him all those names in a single sheet to the end that he might
had avoided the opportunities of raising new ones That his Predecessors had unquest ionably some reasons to break with the Persians but as for him he would always answer to the intentions of Princes who had a mind to live in a fair correspondence with him and that their Master entertaining this resolution could not chuse a more sincere Friend nor a more faithful Allâ— The Emperor had received these Ambassadors with an extraordinary magnificence and after he had retained them some time in his Court in order to decide with them the principal affairs of the two Empires he sent them back loaded with rich Presents and full of admiration at his Grandeur and Civility LXVIII About this time arrived at Constantinople some Priests deputed from the Council of Aquileia who came to condemn two Bishops of Illyrium convicted of Arianism They desired audience of the Emperor and preâ—ented him with Letters from this Assembly whereof Ambrose of Milan and Valerian of Aquileia were the Chief These Prelates after having rendred thanks to Theodor. l. 5. c. 9. Theodosius for delivering the Eastern Church from the oppression of the Arians complained to him of the design which had been taken at Constantinople of electing a Successor to Meletius which they lookt upon as a persecution made to Paulinus who had been always of their Communion They entreated him in order to regulate those controversies to convocate a Council of the whole Catholic Church to meet at Alexandria and to confirm it by his Imperial Authority Theodosius who had no greater desire than that of seeing Ecclesiaâ—tical differences at an end would willingly have complied with their demands but because he would do nothing without advice and was afraid of assembling Spirits that were already upon the ferment and hard to reunite he wrote to the Bishops of the East and prayed them to return to Constantinople at the beginning of the ensuing Summer in order to deliberate there upon the proposition of the Western People LXIX A little while after the Emperor received other Letters by which the Bishops of the West after having represented to him a new the necessity of an universal Council to condemn the Heresy of Apollinaris to make a determination with whom it was necessary to communicate to examine the Election of Flavian and to appease all the troubles of the Church entreated him to convocate this Assembly and to agree that it might be held not at Alexandria but at Rome The Emperor Gratian approved of it and joyned with the Bishops therein Theâ—dosius who knew the delicacy of the Eastern People who were spurred on by a false emulation against the rest and jealous of certain Priviledges which they vainly attributed to themselves foresaw that they would not easily consent to go to Rome He was satisfied that they would never suffer any reflections upon what they had done at Constantinople and by that means division would encrease instead of lessening He was not himself too much inclined to procure a new Council where they proposed to give some blemish to that which he had held the year before Wherefore he was not very fond of answering either to Gratian or the Bishops till such time as he had informed himself of the intentions of those whom he had sent for LXX In the mean time Maximus began his Intreigâ—es again Chased from Constantinople and repulsed by Theodosius he was retired to Alexâ—â—dria near the Patriarch who had imprudently favored him There meditating upon ways still to disturb the Church he threatned this good old man to turn even him out of his See if he did not make an end of setling him in that of Gregory of Nazianzum Possibly he might have succeeded in it if the Governor of Egypt knowing his busie and dangerous Spirit had not commanded him to depart the City He was forced to live in the Country where he kept in Peace for some time even in spite of himself But at the first noise of the Convocation of a general Council to Rome he went immediately away and arrived in Italy to praepossess those who were not yet informed of his scandalous Life and his â—ntrusion to the Bishoprick He went to find the Emperor Gratian and being acquainted with his zeal for the Catholick Religion he presented him with a Book which he pretended to have composed against the Arians After that he addressed himself to the Bishops and said That after so many ill Treatments he had received in the East he was come at last into a place where Justice was observed and where persecuted Prelates had always found their Asylum That his Ordination was Canonical done by several Bishops authorized by the Patriarch of Alexandria performed indeed in a private house but at a time when the Arians were unhappily possessed of all the Churches and that they had notwithstanding maintained Gregory and had just elected Nectarius to his prejudice He shewed them his Letters of Communion with Peter of Alexandria and was wanting in nothing that might move them to compassion for him and stir them up against the Eastern People with whom he knew they had Reasons to be dissatisfied By this artificial Discourse he revived the Passions of several who were already prepossessed against the Eastern Church and the wisdom of St. Ambroâ—e was not proof against the dissimulation of this Hypocrite These Prelates received him into their Communion as a worthy Man who was persecuted in the East and who was entituled according to the Canons to demand the Bishoprick of Constantinople Nevertheless as they were not sufficiently informed of the matter they referred the decision of it to the Council which was to be suddenly assembled from all parts of the world and contented themselves with writing to Theodosius to entreat him to have regard to the interests of Maximus as much as the peace of the Church would permit it LXXI Whilst these things passed in the West Append. God Theod. pag. 105. the Eastern Bishops being called a second time by the Emperor arrived at Constantinople The most part of those who were present there the year before came again and those who could not go out of their Provinces gave their Consents by writing and Power to act in their Names There was none but Gregory of Nazianzum who had no share therein and who excused himself upon the little effect that was for the most part reaped from those tumultuous Assemblies and upon his Infirmities which would not permit him to undertake this Journey As soon as these Prelates were arrived Theodosius communicated to them the Proposal of the Italian Bishops and desired their advice upon the general Synod which they had a mind to have held at Rome They made answer That they did not refuse to contribute towards a confirmation of the Faith and the reunion of the Church but they pray'd him to consider that there was no such urgent occasion to oblige them to go so far That whilst the West rejoiced in a profound Peace
the East had been agitated with cruel Tempests and that after these Persecutions the Churches stood in need of the presence of their Pastors That besides they had not the consent of their Brothers but for the Council of Constantinople and that there was not sufficient time to consult them upon the subject of that of Rome They made the same Reply to those who had invited them to this Council They added a profession of Faith whereby they acknowledged the Trinity and the Incarnation and after having rendred them an account of the election of Nectarius and that of Flavian they desired them to approve thereof and to abandon their particular Affections for the common Interest of the Church They also deputed three Bishops of their Body to those of Italy to testify their desires to see them and to assure them of their inclinations for Union and their zeal for the Faith The Emperor observing under these demonstrations of Friendship and Religion abundance of coldness and indifference in their minds received their Excuses and thought it convenient to hinder an Assembly that would be composed of two Parties already formed and which in all appearance would produce nothing but disturbances like those he had seen at Constantinople with so much displeasure Whereupon he sent word to the Emperor Gratian and to the Bishops of Italy That he had made serious reflections upon the demand which had been proposed for a general Council at Rome and that the Prelates of his Empire whom he had consulted thereupon had alledged to him the difficulty of the Journey in an advanced season and the small likelihood there was that they might be able to leave their Churches in order to be present at an Assembly which was not of that necessity after the Council of Constantinople That he could not resist these Allegations but he pray'd them to be persuaded that he would contribute towards Peace with the utmost of his power and would dispose all those thereto that were Dependants upon him LXXII In the mean time the Goths of Athanaric's Retinue were arrived in their â—own Country As they had not been chased away for any subject of particular hatred they were received without any difficulty The Fidelity which they had preserved to their Prince to the very last appeared commendable to the very Barbarians and Fritigern to whom it imported to esteem so good an example willingly retained them near his person and favoured them upon every occasion These did not cease to declare the mighty things they had seen at Constantinople and above all to praise the magnificence and courtesie of Theodosius They entertained the King and Peoplâ— with the Civilities and Endearments which he haâ— shewed Athanaric and the Honours he had reâ—dred to him after his death They exposed thâ— Presents he had made to them they repeated thâ— obliging words he had said to them and by veâ—tue of relating the great qualities of the Emperoâ— they reduced their whole Nation as much posseâ—sed against him as it was to fear him and esteeâ— him LXXIII Fritigern who saw himself advanceâ— in years who was afraid of Revolutions and besides knew how to prize and acknowledge vertuâ— resolved to seek the alliance and protection of â— Prince that was represented to him so puissaâ— and so generous He proposed his design to thâ— Army The Captains and Soldiers consenteâ— thereto the one being affected with the gooâ— entertainment of their Companions the otherâ— encouraged by the hopes of serving a liberal and gracious Emperor The King solicited the Grotungues who had been associated with him during several years to pursue the same intention buâ— they refused it whether it was that they werâ— urged to go and join the body of their Nationâ— from which they were divided or else that they were in hopes their Cavalry might still be able to make some irruptions upon the lands of the Empire and carry off some considerable booty Fritigern then made choice of the chief Capâ—ains of his Army and sent them to Theodosius in â—rder to desire his friendship and to entreat him â—o entertain for him and all his People the same â—oodness which he had discovered for Athanaric â—nd those of his Retinue He promised to be inâ—iolably fixed to the interests of the Empire and â—o do it as much service if it lay in his power as â—e had prejudice heretofore under an Emperor â—ss wise and generous than he Theodosius received this Deputation with all the â—onour and testimonies of friendship imaginable â—e promised to treat the Goths as his Allies and â—o love them as his Subjects Altho' they had proâ—osed to him no Condition he made them very â—dvantageous ones giving Orders for the proviâ—ing them with Necessaries in abundance and asâ—igning Zoz l. 4. Oros to them Lands in certain Provinces of the Empire The Goths from this time were always â—erviceable to the Emperor There was a matter â—f twenty thousand who served in divers places â—mongst his Troops the rest confined themselves â—o the banks of the Danube to obstruct the incurâ—ions of other Barbarians into the Countrey of the Romans LXXIV About this time the Bishops of Italy â—enewed their instances with Gratian upon the â—onvocation of a general Council which they preâ—ended to hold at Rome but this Prince referred â—hem to Theodosius to discharge himself of this â—are that he might not enter into the Disputes â—etween the Eastern and Western Bishops They wrote to Theodosius then upon this Subject They â—dded thereto Complaints against the Elections of Flavian and Nectarius They even disapproved of that of Gregory of Nazianzum and declared themselves in favor of Maximus desiring that his Cause might be decided at Rome as those of Athanasius Peter of Alexandria and many other Prelates of the East who had recourse to the judgment of the Roman Church The Emperor to put an end to this affair and to remove all subject of division wrote to them smartly That their Reasons were not sufficient to assemble an universal Council That the Elections of Nectarius and Flavian havinâ— been made in the East they ought not to be judged out of places where all the Parties were present That the Bishops of the East had some reason to be offended â— their unreasonable demands That as for Maximus â— admired that such enlightned Prelates had been so credulous in relation to a notorious Impostor whom he waâ— resolved to punish if he was impudent enough to come near Constantinople Thus Theodosius was careful of the affairs of the State together with those of the Church and deserved the favor of God in so many wonderful Successes which made his Reign worthy of admiration and praise The CONTENTS of the THIRD BOOK I. STate of the Eastern Empire II. State of the West III. Vertues and Defects of the Emperor Gratian. IV. Revolt of Maximus V. He draws in the Pagans VI. He intices the Troops over VII He passes the Sea and renders himself Master of Gaul VIII
when the Saint refused it saying that he would not participate of the Table of a man who had dispossessed an Emperor of his Life and Empire he answered to him That the Army had raised him to the Throne against his will that he had maintained himself therein by his Arms that God himself seemed to have established him by so many wonderful successes and that if any one had lost his Life it had been the misfortune of war and not his fault XL. The Passion of obtaining this Bishop so renowned for his Vertues and his Miracles the desire of sweetning the refusal which he had made him by outward Caresses and especially the thoughts of winning by appearances of Piety those good Men whom he had scared by his Perfidiousness obliged him to seek with so much haste the communication of the Saint which he at length procured after long solicitations but whatsoever Veneration he made appear for his Person he had no regard to his Remonstrances nor to his Prayers in the affair of Priscillian Bishop of Avila and some of his Followers XLI These Hereticks Spaniards by Nation joined to the Errors of Sabellius and the ravings of the Manicheans all the impurities of Gnostics in their nocturnal Assâ—â—blies with divers Women whom they had â—uced They covered all their Infamies with some appearances of humility an affected negligence in their habits and a surprizing austerity of life As this corruption which an Egyptian had lately sowed in Spain dispersed itself there some Bishops opposed it but their zeal not being accompanied with charity they persecuted those whom they might perhaps have brought over by moderate Proceedings They were cited before Councils The Emperor Gratian had granted an Order to chase them from the Cities and Churches where they were and even from all the Dominions of the Empire But they found means to get themselves established again and by Presents or Intrigues they won the Ministers of the Emperor and chased their Adversaries at their turn XLII These having learnt that Maximus was An. 385 going to pass into Gaul attended him there went to find him at Treves and presented to him a bloody Petition against Priscillian and his companions They were all referred to a Council which was to be held at Bourdeaux Priscillian fearing to be deposed there would not answer and appealed to the Tribunal of the new Emperor The Catholick Prelates by a shameful compliance demurred to this Appeal and this Cause Ecclesiastical in every Point became a Civil Cause The Accused was brought to Court and the Accusers followed him being resolved to destroy him without putting themselves to the trouble of converting him XLIII St. Martin who was then at Treves knowing that particular Passions had a greater share in this matter than the love of Truth remonstrated to them several times That their Conduct was scandalous That they lost the merit of their Zeal by their obstinate Accusations That they subverted the whole Order of Ecclesiastical Judgments That it was not a fitting thing to defend the Cause of God by humane Passions nor becoming for Bishops to pursue to death any Criminal whatsoever They to whom this instruction was directed were incensed at it instead of making an advantage thereof They were enraged to that degree as to accuse him of being the Protector of the Hereticks and a Heretick himself But the Saint laughed at this Calumny and continued to pray the Emperor to let those miserable persons live representing to him That he ought to stand to the Sentence of the Council which chased them from their Sees and that it was a thing unheard of for a secular Prince such a one as he to judge Ecclesiastical Causes Maximus being affected with his Reasons promised to save their Lives but they provoked him in such a manner that he referred the business of Priscillian to Evodius the Praetor and made him condemn him to be beheaded XLIV This execution was the ground of several disorders for the punishment of this Arch-Heretick did but corroborate his Heresy Those of his Sect made a most stately Funeral for him and honoured him as a Martyr and those who caused him to be condemned abusing their own credit and the favor of the Court persecuted Men of worth at their pleasure To fast and love retirement Sulpit. Sev. de vita S. Martini was sufficient to make a Man suspected to them it was a Crime to be wiser and more reformed than they They who had disobliged them were presently Priscillianists particularly when they might be Victims agreeable to the anger of the Prince or might encrease his Treasury with their Spoils for they deprived of life and Pacat. in Panegyr possessions according to their fancy and preserved the friendship of the Tyrant by Reproaches Cruelties and other Actions resembling his XLV Whilst Maximus enterprized upon the Rights of the Church in the West Theodosius re-established them at Constantinople For some Bishops having brought an Ecclesiastical Cause before a secular Tribunal and persons whom their Age and Characters rendred venerable having been cited and examined he was much displeased when he heard of it He made an Edict immediately whereby he prohibited all his Judges ordinary or extraordinary to undertake those Causes which related to Religion willing that the Bishops or other persons consecrated to God should have their particular Judges their Laws and their Formalities of Justice apart and that Ecclesiastical matters should be referred to the Heads of those Diocesses wherein they should happen XLVI He forbid the Pagans almost at the same time to sacrifice to their Gods and to search Futurity in the entrails of slain Beasts as well to August ep 48. Ambros in Orat. fun Theod. stop the insolence of some who might have prevailed by their Correspondences in Italy as to take from them the occasions of vain hopes by superstitious Presages and Observations which had oftentimes caused Troubles and Seditions in the Empire XLVII He applied himself also to a reformation of Manners and repressed the liberty of certain Cod. Theod. l. 10. singing Women and Players upon Instruments who went from house to house and by immodest Songs and soft effeminate Airs corrupted the minds of Youth Hier. ep 10. ad Fur. XLVIII After he had thus restored Order and Discipline in his Dominions by severe Ordinances he illustrated his Indulgence and his Piety by an Act of Clemency and Pardon The Emperors Append. Cod. Theod. had been used to deliver Prisoners every year towards Easter in order to preserve some Criminals upon that day wherein was accomplished the Mystery of the salvation of Mankind Constantine Ambr. op 33. the Great had put the same in practice his Children had followed his example and the young Valentinian had made a Law of this custom But the Piety of Theodosius went further for he published an Ordinance whereby he commanded the Prisons to be set open and the Criminals to be released to the end that
himself more honoured with the Title of Catholick than with all the Dignities of the Empire replied to her generously I must not buy your Honors at this price Madam resume that which I possess and leave me my Conscience and my Religion At these words he cast at the Feet of this Princess the Girdle which was the mark of his Dignity and retired to Bresse where he passed the rest of his days in the exercise of Christian vertues LIII It was no hard matter to find an Officer to supply his room and the Edict was immediately signed But the Arians were at a loss for a Church and had to do with an Archbishop who was resolved not to yield them one Justine had elected Bishop one Auxentius a Scythian by Nation expelled his Country for his Crimes who had but an indifferent spirit yet occasioned much noise She was of opinion that he should provoke St. â— Ambros Oraâ— in Aux Ambrose to a publick dispute in the Palace hoping to discredit him if he refused it or if he accepted of it to declare him vanquished by Judges peculiar to her Interest and so to drive him from his Cathedral The Tribune Dalmatius had Orders to go and make the Proposal to the Archbishop and to mark the day which the Emperor had taken for this Conference to the end that he might repair to the Palace with the Judges he should have chosen on his side LIV. The Saint being surprized at this Proposition after he had consulted some Bishops that were near him wrote to the Emperor That the Proposal which was made to him was contrary to the Rights of the Church the Custom of preceding Ages and the Laws of the great Valentinian his Father That it was not just for Laicks or Gentiles to be Judges of Ambros ep 32. the Controversies of Faith That in matter of Religion Emperors were to be judged by Bishops and not Bishops by Emperors That he might dispose of his Life but that he could not oblige him to dishonour his Priesthood That he would answer Auxentius in a Council That he would treat of the sacred Mysteries in the Church but that he could not come to the Palace for that end nor acknowledge for a Judge of Faith a Prince as yet very young who was not a Cathecâ—mene He pray'd him to pardon his liberty which was neither against the Respect nor the Obedience which he owed him and to excuse him if he did not come himself to wait upon him with an Answer because the Bishops and the People retain'd him and that to abandon his Church in this occasion was to deliver it up LV. The Empress being unable to engage the Saint to a Dispute resolved to get him carried off She corrupted by Promises and Silver a Man who waited for him several days in a house adjoining to the Church with a Chariot always ready to seize upon him and bear him full speed out of the City But the Enterprize was discovered There remained nothing more but to oppress this Prelate whom they could not surprize For this effect Justine commanded all the Catholick Priests to leave their Churches Auxentius had Orders at the same time to take with him as many Soldiers as he would and put himself in possession of them LVI The noise being then dispersed about the City that Soldiers were sent to seize upon the Churches and to kill the Archbishop if he made any difficulty of resigning them into their hands the People run from all Parts and enclosed themselves within the Cathedral being resolved to defend both Church and Pastor to the last drop S. August Confess l. 9. c. 7. Ambr. in Auxent of their blood St. Ambrose comforted the People by his constancy by assurances of God's protection by very edifying discourses of Piety and by singing of Psalms which he had instituted such as was practised in the East They had passed some days and nights in this condition when the Tribunes invested the Church with their Soldiers and summoned the Archbishop by vertue of the last Edict to resign it to them offering him as an act of mercy the liberty of retiring with those who had a mind to follow him The holy Prelate answered to them That they might oppress him in his Church but that he would never leave it voluntarily That if they came to question his Revenues or even the Funds of the Church he would dispense with that violence but as for the inheritance of Jesus Christ he would preserve it to the expence of his own Life That indeed he had for Arms nothing but Lamentations Tears and Prayer but that if he could not resist however he would not fly That he saw well how far the power of the Emperor might extend but that he knew also how far the patience and constancy of a Bishop who little esteemed the loss of his Life provided he retained for God that fidelity which he owed to him ought to extend also LVII Then the wisest Ministers remonstrated An. 387 to the Emperor the difficulties of this Affair and advised him to get rid of it by some accommodation since the Court was engaged therein The Governor of the City who was charged with this Negotiation came the next day to find the Archbishop and very civilly told him That he had very reasonable Proposals to make to him That the Emperor D. Ambr. ep 33. ad Marcell Soror left him his Cathedral and was contented to have a Church in the Suburbs which was called the Portian Basilick That since the Prince was pleased to relax on his side it was convenient for the advantage of Peace that he relaxed also That furthermore he counselled him as a Friend to satisfy the Court and even to do it speedily The People prevented the Reply and unanimously cryed pursuant to the intentions of their Pastor That there was no Composition to be had thereupon That the Catholicks should be left the Churches which belonged to them The Governor then despaired of succeeding and went his way to give his Master an account of the unhappy effect of his Negotiation LVIII It was then that the malice shame and anger of the Empress was manifested She commanded all the Officers of the Guards to march with their Companies and render themselves Masters of the Portian Church They went there to execute their Orders the People run in Arms to oppose them It was the morning of Palm-Sunday and St. Ambrose after having preached was going to begin Mass when he received information of it He did not cease to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries and having learnt in the time of the Offering that an Arian Priest was fallen into the hands of the Citizens and run the hazard of being torn in pieces he sent his Priests and his Deacons to save his life Then dissolving into tears he beg'd of God to grant his People peace and offered him his own life several times for the safety of those who persecuted them In
Colours Lupicin on his side assembled his Troops and thought his appearance would suffice to disperse this storm but he suffered himself to be surprized and this crowd of Barbarians without order and hardly arms having fallen upon him and his army he made a scandalous flight The Goths after having killed the greatest part of the Soldiers and Officers took the habits and arms of the dead and pillaged all Thrace without resistance The Slaves which they had sold for necessaries broke their Chains and run to them from all parts A Troop of Ammian ib. Malecontents came to joyn with them and shewed them places where they might enrich themselves Zoz l. 4. and where to retrench At the same time an antient Regiment of Goths which had their Winter quarters at Adrianople was expelled thence by the Inhabitants albeit it had no concern in the revolt aad had always served the Empire with fidelity LIII These Barbarians being full of indignation at this treatment sent to their Companions for succor and besieged Adrianople They made several assaults and were always repulsed Fritigern seeing that they consumed themselves in vain before this place made them understand that they should fight with Men and not with Walls that it was of little importance to take a City when they might gain several Provinces where there was more spoils to take and less danger to incur These Troops pursuant to the King's advice raised the Siege and dispersed themselves into Thrace Moesia and Pannonia LIV. The Emperor Valens was then at Antioch where by the counsel of some Arrian Bishops and applications of the Empress he was employed in persecuting the Catholics Some died in Torments others were cast into the Orontes The most holy Prelates were expelled their Churches and Fire and Sword were carried to the very solitâ—des of Egypt The Pagans themselves were mollified and reduced to pity and the Philosopher Themistius went to find out the Emperor to tell him That he persecuted good men without reason that it was not a crime to entertain different thoughts and a belief different from his that he ought not to be amazed Socrat. l. 4. c. 32. Sozom. l. 6. c. 36. at this diversity of Opinions that the Gentiles were much more divided amongst themselves than the Christians that every one had a prospect of the Truth thro' some place and that it had pleased God to confound the pride of men and to render himself the more venerable by the difficulty of knowing him The Emperor was touched at the discourse of this Philosopher and diminished a little of that false zeal of Religion which had possessed him entirely He received almost at the same time the news of the Revolt of Fritigern the defeat of Lupicin and the desolation of the Provinces Then he repented of the Faults he had committed and resolved to revenge himself for the ingratitude of the Goths and to fall upon them with all the Forces of the Empire LV. This Affair wonderfully disturbed him because he had already many Adversaries upon his hands The Sarasins were the most formidable They had lost their King some time since Socrat. l. 4. c. 36. Sozom. l 6. c. 38. and the Queen Mauvia his Wife was left Regeut Altho she was an Ally of the Romans they began to trouble her and thought they might with safety provoke a Nation that was governed only by a Woman She made her Complaints and could receive no satisfaction She broke the Alliance then her Husband had contracted with the Emperor took the Field with a puissant Army and ravaged Palestine Phoenicia and that part of Egypt which is between the Nile and the Red Sea The Governor of Phoenicia presented himself often to oppose her passages but he was always beaten and lost the best part of his Troops He must have recourse to the Count Victor General of the Eastern Armies This General advanced with a great Body of Horse and Foot and slighting the Governor who came to join him he ordered him to stand aside and to leave him the honour of a Victory which he could not obtain himself With this assurance he approached gave Battel and lost it his whole Army was defeated and himself had perished if the Governor had not run to disengage him and to favor his flight After this Victory the Queen was in a condition to push on her Conquests further without controulment LVI At the same time the Persians required the Emperor to abandon Armenia which was a subject Ammian l. 30. of perpetual War between the two Nations The Emperor sustained his Rights and after divers interpretations of the last Treaties and several Embassies on both sides it was resolved to determine this difference by Arms which they could not decide by Negotiation King Sapor sent Orders to his Lieutenant-General to render himself Master of some places and disposed himself to march at the head of an Army in the beginning of the Spring LVII There was no less occasion to fear within the Empire than without The Provinces being tired with the Tyranny of the Governors and the persecution of the Catholicks were upon the point to rise Valens who was afraid of being overwhelmed dispatched Couriers to the Emperor Gratian his Nephew for assistance and made haste to satisfy the Persians and Sarasins that he might have only the Goths upon his hands and might collect all his Troops into a Body He gave immediate Orders to Count Victor to go and find Queen Mauvia and to conclude a Peace with her upon any Conditions whatsoever This Negotiation was more fortunate than War for the Queen who had as much Wisdom as Valor stopt the course of her Victories and was contented with having reduced an Emperor to fear her Victor of his side managed the humor of that Princess with so much ingenuity running upon her admirable qualities and making it an honour to be overcome by her that in a few days she granted him a Peace and even bestowed her Daughter upon him in marriage Nevertheless as she was zealous for the Christian Religion which she had but lately embraced she would not consent to sign the Treaty before he had engaged to let her have for a Bishop one of her own Subjects called Moses who lived in the reputation of holiness in the Sozom. l. 6. c. 38. solitudes of Egypt The Condition appeared very agreeable and the Treaty was concluded and executed almost at the same time Victor had Orders to pass into Persia in order to terminate as well as he could the differences between the two Crowns and to bring along with him those Legions which were in Armenia as soon as there should be a Peace determined The Emperor relaxed much from his Pretensions and consented to an Accommodation which would have been scandalous without a real necessity it was even convenient to bear with some infractions of the Treaty whereof it was not a time to complain and to dissemble an Affair which was
not at that juncture the most pressing There remained nothing more than to satisfy the People which was done by repealing the exiled Bishops and letting every one live in the exercise of his Religion without disturbance LVIII Valens then thought his Affairs to be in a good posture and was preparing to go from Antioch when he received advice that Trajan who commanded the Legions of Armenia had attack'd the Goths in Thrace that he had put them to the Rout and chased them to the very Streights of Mount Haemus that he had gained the Defiles upon them and had kept them enclosed for some time but that hunger and despair having made them perform extraordinary things he had been constrained to retire and to abandon to them the passages A little while after he learnt that Trajan had joined Ricomer a French Prince that was sent from the West with some auxiliary Troops that these two Captains had approached the Camp of the Goths with a design to force them in their Trenches if it were possible or else to fall upon the Rear-guard if they decamped in disorder as they were used to do that after they had observed one another for a long time they came to handy blows that the Fight had lasted from morning till night and that the number of the Barbarians having at last prevailed over the Valor of the Romans Trajan had made his Retreat as a Soldier and Ricomer was returned to the West in order to bring a more considerable Relief The Emperor was so much the more disturbed at this News in that he learnt that a great many Officers were slain and that the Goths securely made Irruptions to the very Suburbs of Constantinople He dispatched a Body of Horse to Trajan that he might keep the Field all the rest of Autumn LIX In the mean time Gratian in the impatience he was in to relieve his Uncle had made the greatest part of his Army pass towards Illyrium and prepared himself to march in the midst of Winter to be in the East at the opening of the Campagne He left Merobaudes King of the French in Gaul to secure it and knowing that the destiny of Princes is in the hands of God and that they ought to expect Victory rather from their Piety than the Number or Courage of their Soldiers he Ambros de Fide ad Grat. had entreated St. Ambrose to compose for him a little Treatise of the True Faith which he might read during his Expedition LX. But as he was upon the point of parting the Germans thinâ—â—ng to take advantage of his absence passed the Rhine upon the Ice in the month of February and began to destroy the lands of the Empire For all they were above forty thousand men this young Emperor shewed nothing of amazement he made the Troops march which he had retained in Gaul and recalled those which Ammian l. 31. he had sent towards Pannonia He advanced himself at the head of them and encountring the enemy about Strasbourg he attack'd them so seasonably and with so much resolution that he gave them an entire defeat There remained upon the place five and thirty thousand all their Commanders and their King himself being killed Gratian persued those that fled to the very Woods and Mountains and compelled the whole Nation humbly to request a Peace and to give as Hostages all the young men of the Country whereby he reinforced his Army That being done he gave orders and march'd by great journeys towards Pannonia notwithstanding he was extreamly incommoded with an intermitting Fever LXI Valens on his side went very slowly to Constantinople and gave out orders to his General Officers who met him upon the Road. Trajan came before him to give him an account of the condition of those Troops he commanded As soon as he appeared the Emperor fell into a passion and charging him with the loss of the last Theodoret. l. 4. c. 33. Fight reproached him outragiously for his small Conduct and Valor Trajan heard these Reproaches without being moved and as he was a person of great Piety he replied to the Emperor If we are overcome my Lord 't is you that obstruct our Conquest You make War with God himself and God assists the Barbarians who are at War with you 'T is he that gives Victory to those who fight in his Name and takes it away from those who are his declared Enemies You will acknowledge that you are so if you consider what the Bishops are whom you have banished from their Churches and those you have advanced in their places The Emperor being offended at this discourse was going to flie out but Arintheus and Victor the Generals of his Army made him understand that he had very sensibly touched a Man of Courage that the zeal of Religion had made him speak and that it was convenient to pardon this Remonstrance which was perhaps but too well grounded Valens was a little pacified and was contented with depriving Trajan of his charge of Colonel of the Foot which he had exercised with much Reputation LXII At last the Emperor arrived at Constantinople towards the end of May with part of his Socrat. l. 4. c. 38. Army The Goths continued their Courses to the very gates of the City and to ransack the Countrey as before As for him he kept himself enclosed whether it was that he durst not undertake any thing before he had received News from Gratian or that he had a mind to chastise the City by Soldiers who consumed it within and the Barbarians who pillaged it without for he was not reconciled to it since it had taken the Tyrant Procopius's part against him Whereupon they began to murmur and talk openly that the Emperor held intelligence with the Barbarians and delivered his Subjects to them insomuch that one day when he assisted at some Horse-courses they cryed out on all sides Let us fall to our Arms and go out and Socrat. ib Sozom. l. 6. c. 39. take the Field whilst the Emperor diverts himself in the Circus He was touched at these seditious words and departed the City in anger upon the 11th of June threatning to return after the War and destroy it without remedy He retired to Melanthias a Pleasure-house of the Emperors some few miles from Constantinople There as he got his Troops together he received Letters from Gratian which purported to him the defeat of the Germans and assured him of his sudden arrival with his victorious Army In effect he was upon march with his Horse and came to Sirmium to attend his Foot and Equipage On the other side the Count Sebastian who kept the Field with 2000 choice Men had surprized several Parties and made a great slaughter of Goths near Adrianople LXIII In the mean time King Fritigern judging that it was necessary to come to a Battel ceased his pillages and wasting of the Countrey and commanded all his scattered Men to come and join the gross of
and re-established them in their Sees He commanded Sapor one of his Lieutenant Generals to go and execute this Order throughout the East to chase the false Bishops from the Churches they had usurped and to suffer none but those who were in the Communion of Pope Damasus Notwithstanding judging it convenient to manage the humors of the People and joyning Sweetness to Piety he allowed every one the free exercise of his Religion and prohibited no public Assemblies but to certain Sects which appeared to him either ridiculous or scandalous LXXIV After having delivered the Church from its Oppression it was necessary to consider of means in order to save the State Valens died without Children and the young Valentinian who had the Title and Quality of Emperor was not yet of an age to exercise the functions of it so Gratian alone was charged with all the cares of the Empire He saw at the same time the Goths victorious in Thrace and other barbarous Nations ready to make an irruption into the Lands of the Empire Being unable himself to suffice the whole or to know where his presence would be most necessary he searcht for a man that was capable to assist him in his wars and to command in the East in his absence He cast his Eyes upon Theodosius whose Valor and Wisdom he was acquainted with and whether he had already resolved to associate him to the Empire or only designed to give him the command of the Army he wrote to him and sent him Orders to come forthwith to Sirmium LXXV Theodosius was then in Spain where he was retired as we have already said to avoid the Persecution of Valens and the Envy of those Courtiers who could not dispence with his Reputation nor his Merit He lived in his retreat without complaining either of Emperors or his Fortune Sometimes he was at the City amongst his fellow Citizens composing the differences of some assisting others in their necessities obliging Pacat. in Panegyr all the world and preferring himself to no one sometimes in the Country where he manured himself his Gardens and addicted himself with satisfaction to all the cares of Husbandry Making this advantage of his disgrace he learnt to gain the Friendship of the People and accustomed himself so well to all the Offices of a civil life that he retained the sweetness and modesty of a private person even when he was raised to Soveraign Dignity He was in this condition when he received Gratian's Letters he put his domestic affairs in order and departed a few days after LXXVI In the mean time the Goths after their Victory went against the advice of King Fritigern Ammian lib. 31. to besiege Adrianople where they received information that Valens had enclosed his Treasures and all that he had most precious in the Empire They made their approaches tumultuously and gave several assaults but it was with so much precipitation and disorder that they were always repulsed and lost their best Troops They had won some Soldiers of the Garison who were to deliver to them one of the City gates but the intelligence was discovered At last being incommoded with the rains that fell several days together pelted with the Artillery of the besieged and discouraged with the tediousness of the Siege they passed as far as the Precincts of Perinthus where they hoped to find a more considerable booty LXXVII As they durst not attack this place they plundered the Countty and a pproached Constantinople with a design to invest it and to take it either by Assault or Famine The Empress Doâ—inica the Wife of Valens opened the public Treasure and encouraged so well by her Discourse and Largesses the Inhabitants and Soldiers that they made a Sally and charged a body of the Barbarians which was advanced towards the City The fight was bloody and finished by an action which surprized the Goths and cast a terror into their whole Army Zoz l. 4. Some Sarazin battalions which Queen Mauvia had sent to the assistance of the Empire and which Valens had left in Garrison at Constantinople where at handy blows with the Enemy and the Victory was yet uncertain when of a sudden a Souldier of that Nation was seen to appear with a Dagger in his hand and muttering some dismal words He went out of the ranks all naked and falling upon the first Goth he met with stab'd him in the breast and instantly cast himself upon him to suck the blood which trickled from his wound The Goths amazed at this brutish action which they took for a prodigy fled in disorder and had not the courage to assault the Sarasins LXXVIII They were not more successful before Thessalonica they attempted several times to become Masters of this City which was not in a condition to resist them but St. Ascole the Bishop thereof defended it by the sole vertue of his Ambros Ep. 59. Prayers It is reported that a secret fear possessed these Barbarians as soon as they approached that they lost without knowing for what reason that natural fierceness which they had at other times and that the wisest of them were of opinion to abandon the attempt and to leave undisturbed a Ammian â— 31. Hier. Ep. 3. Zoz l. 4. City which God so visibly protected by the intercession of this Holy Prelate At length after they had lost the Pillage of these three Cities they threw themselves into Macedon Thrace Scythia Mesia and dispersed themselves as far as the Julian Alpes which confine Italy on this side ravaging all these Provinces and leaving every where fatal Testimonies of their avarice and fury LXXIX The East was going to fall into a like disorder if there had not been a sudden stop put to the course of a Conspiracy which was already formed When the Goths were received in Thracâ— one of the Conditions imposed upon them was that they should give up their Children for Hostages and Necessity obliged them to consent to it They hoped by that means to secure the fidelity Zoz l. 4. of their Fathers and to accustom the Children insensibly to the Laws and Discipline of the Romans in order to make both serve in the Wars of the Empire Julius who commanded in the East was charged with the Education of these Barbarian Youths He dispersed them in the Cities of his Governments and instructed them according to the Orders he had received from Court Many of them were already of an age to carry Arms and notwithstanding the care which was taken to conceal from them the Victory of their Nation they came to understand the News Then returning to their nature they concerted amongst themselves how to seize upon certain Cities and to put those Garisons to the Sword who should not be upon their guard Those that were together advertised their Companions secretly and the Conspiracy was suddenly to take effect Julius had advice of it and was resolved to prevent them He visited the places gave Orders to the
Governors and proclaimed throughout the whole extent of his government that the Emperor to gratify these strangers Ammian l. 31. Zoz l. 4. and to engage them the stronger to the service of the Empire had commanded to distribute to them not only Money but also Lands and Houses and that they should be treated as natural Subjects The day was appointed for this distribution The Barbarians hoping to take the advantage of the Money and Favors which were to be allowed them and to render their Rebellion more easy and secure were softned a little They came to the Cities whose Garisons were under-hand reinforced and as they were assembled in the great Streets some Troops that were lodged in the adjacent Houses fell upon them with their Swords and slew the greatest part the rest thinking to save themselves by the cross-ways were knocked down with stones by the Citizens They did not so much as spare those who were not of an age to do an injury and by an inhumane Prudence Julius delivered these Provinces from the danger they were in The affair was manag'd with so much dexterity and orders given and executed so opportunely that this Massacre the same day went throughout the East without the Goths conceiving the least suspition of it or the possibility of one's escaping LXXX Things were in this condition when Theodosius arriv'd at Sirmium Gratian receiv'd him so much the more favourably inasmuch as he was ashamed of having banisht him his Court and that he was upon entrusting him with the most important affair of the Empire He made him General of his Army and dispatched him against the Goths with a part of those Troops he had in Illyrium Theodosius marched forthwith towards Thrace where the Enemies were assembled in a vast number He knew that several Companies of Alains Huns and Taifals had joined them since their last Victory and that they were of opinion to have reduced the Emperor to dare no further to appear in Field But he learnt at the same time that their best Soldiers were disbanded that the chief Officers were divided amongst themselves that Fritigern was no longer Master of them and that there was neither Order nor Discipline amongst such a heap of Barbarians who were come to assist them in their Pillage and not to fight LXXXI Then he advanced with much assurance and having encountred the Enemy he gave them Battel slew the greatest part obliged the rest to repass the Danube and went himself to carry the News of this defeat to Court Theodoret Theod. l. 5. c. 5. 6. reports that Theodosius left so great a number of them slain upon the place made so many Prisoners and obtained so much Spoil that being come with an extream diligence to give the Emperor an account of his Victory it appeared immediately incredible His Rivals durst accuse him of having been defeated and of having fled himself and Gratian being astonished was at a stand how to employ his Faith Theodosius entreated him to send his Accusers upon the place to the end they might examine the truth and give a testimony of it themselves The Emperor to satisfy his pressing Solicitations charged persons of degree and reputation to go forthwith and learn the particulars of this Action and to return with a clear Information to him LXXXII The same Historian reports that it was in this time that Theodosius saw in a Dream a Bishop who put a Crown upon his head and invested him with the Imperial Robes and that one of his intimate Friends to whom he discovered this Vision assured him that it was a certain Presage of that Grandeur to which God would advance him The Bishop who appeared to him was since known for Meletius Bishop of Antioch This holy Prelate by vertue of the last Edict of Gratian was then returned to his Church after a banishment of several years The Confessors of Jesus Christ were seen to pass through the whole Empire some followed by a Troop of Infidels whom they had converted others delivered from their Chains and bearing still upon their Bodies the glorious marks of the Torments which they had endured They transferr'd even with honour the Relicks of those who died in their Exile The greatest part were received with abundance of Joy by the People whose Conduct and Protection they came to resume But as the Emperor notwithstanding all his Piety had not Authority enough to make himself obeyed there were some who by the Cabals of Hereticks underwent more Misfortunes in this time of Peace than they had endured in the time of Persecution Many observing their Sees to be supplied with Arrians offered to share with them the Government of their Flock upon condition they would reunite themselves to the Catholick Faith and Communion Others were even ready to yield up their Dignity entire in order to establish the Peace and Unity of the Church LXXXII Amongst so many holy Bishops it seemed that God had made choice of the most renowned to give Theodosius the first hopes of the glory to which he designed him This Presage was suddenly accomplished For Gratian having learnt that the People who inhabited along the Rhine were entred into Gaul and moreover finding himself as it were encompassed with an inundation of Barbarians who were dispersed in the Provinces of the East resolved to associate Theodosius to the Empire He considered that he must be unable himself alone to oppose so many Enemies that a Lieutenant discharged him but of a part of his Cares that it was convenient to have a Collegue who should have his Wars apart and should defend the State as his own proper inheritance that it would be more for his Reputation and Glory to give one of his Empires voluntarily than to retain it with disturbance and that he was happy in the possession of any thing whereby to recompense a great merit in the establishment of his own repose LXXXIV The Friendship and esteem which he had entertained for Theodosius from his Infancy determined him still more and the impatience which he had to go and relieve Gaul where he was educated pressed him to declare his design But it was proper to attend the confirmation of the last Victory of Theodosius to the end that his Rivals might themselves be obliged to approve his Election after having suffered the confusion which their Calumny deserved Claudian Pacat. in Paneg. This choice was so much the more glorious to Theodosius inasmuch as he had not lookt after it He was even modest enough to refuse this honour when Gratian offer'd it to him and this refusal was attended with so many marks of Moderation and Sincerity that it was easie to judge it was no vain ceremony but a real wisdom which made him regard as a difficult and hazardous employment this Dignity wherein is sought for the most part nothing but the repose and pleasure of commanding LXXXV About this time Ausonius was nominated Consul altho absent and regardless of factions
to ruine him and being unable to exclaim against his Life which was very innocent and exemplary he attempted to assail his Doctrine altho it was exceeding pure and wholesom He accused him as of a Crime for sustaining That Jesuâ— Christ was equal to his Father eternal and immutable as well as he and had but one Essence After having reproached him with this Truth as a Heresy he proposed himself his own Heresy as a Truth and began to publish That the Son of God was but a Creature That the word had been made out of nothing that his nature was mutable and changeable that he was the Son of God but by Adoption and that if he was called God it was not to be understood that he was so by Nature but only by Participation As he was learned in the Scriptures and above all a dexterous Logician he collected from the sacred books all that might favor his Opinions and wrapt up the question in so many difficulties and gave to his Error so much probability that several went over to his Party The Patriarch endeavoured to bring him over by his admonitions his reasons and his threatnings but finding that these ways of sweetness and exhortation served but to encourage him the more and give him more opportunity to divulge his impiety he excommunicated him in a Council â— an Hundred Bishops whom he had assembled fâ— that purpofe out of Aegypt and Libya This blow astonished him but not pulled him down He retired to Palestine from whence he wrote to the Emperor he went himself to find him and in a little time got some Protectors and a great number of Disciples who fixed themselves to him some through the sole love of Novelty others through that false Compassion for a man oppressed many were gained by his perswasions and caresses Constantine being informed that the Bishops and People began to separate and that Synods were assembled of both Parties was afraid of the consequence of this division He wrote from Nicomedia which was at that time the usual residence of the Eastern Emperors a common letter to St. Alexander and Arrius to exhort them to reunite themselves and to agree upon a matter which appeared of little importance for the Faith and which would disturb the peace of the Church Osius Bishop of Cordova in Spain who was by chance near the Emperor had orders to go into Aegypt to endeavour for an accommodation and acquitted himself of his Commission with much fidelity but with little success To reduce this obstinate Sect and determine the point of Doctrine in dispute it was necessary to come to an Universal Council that should establish truth and condemn the error by a decisive Judgment Nice one of the chief Cities of Bithinia was chosen for the place of this Assembly the Bishops from all parts of the World were invited thither they arrived there at the appointed time to the number of threehundred and eighteen Constantine himself was there to be a Witness and as Mediator of the Peace and reunion of the Church Arrius and his Partisans were called They were heard convicted and condemned The Divinity of Jesus Christ was acknowledged and to take from the Arians all pretence of disguising their error under ambiguous terms they were obliged to make use of the word Consubstantial in their Professions of Faith and to sign the consubstantiality of the word This expression since this time was as a certain mark which distinguished Catholics from those who were not so or were but not sincerely and the Fathers of the Council inserted it in their Creed Arius and the Bishops who protected him after many difficulties feigned to submit themselves to the decisions of the Council and to avoid the troubles they were threatned with publicly abjured their Heresy But they abandoned not their enterprize and expected a favorable Season to disperse again abroad the poison which they had been forced to shut up in their hearts In the mean time they drew to their Party those who might assist them with their Credit or their Favour They made their submission to be thought sincere by the Emperor in order to the more easy abusing of his goodness and whilst they revered in appearance the Faith of Nice they sought to ruine by calumnys and false imputations those who were defenders of it At length by the applications of Eusebius Bishops of Nicomedia who was become the chief of their Party by the credit of the Princess Constantia the Emperors Sister and by reiterated protestations of fidelity and obedience they came to be considered as Orthodox Arius himself being brought as it were in triumph by his Friends to be received in the Communion of the Church at Constantinople if he had not suddenly departed an unquiet and criminal Life by a terrible and shameful Death Altho these Heretics were for the most part passionate and seditious Spirits yet they durst not rise and disturb openly the peace of the Church as long as Constantine the Great ruled the Empire for although he had sometimes a little too much easiness yet he had much zeal for Religion and as it was not impossible to surprize him so it was dangerous if he perceived himself to be so Thus they were obliged to be cautious of this Prince who might be ignorant of the truth but who was not able to suffer an injustice But when they saw themselves fortified by the Authority of Constantius his Son and Successor they kept no longer any bounds They not only published their false Doctrine but they oppressed even those who had the courage to oppose them Their insolence extended as far as to chase the most holy Prelates from the first Sees of the East to proscribe even the Patriarchs and to take away the liberty of Athan. ad Sol. p. 831. Votes in Councils where the Emperor came in person to be an Accuser of the Saints and said aloud that his Will ought to stand for a Rule and Decision in the Church The Reign of Valens was not less favourable to them They exercised in his name their usual Violences They obtained Letters of him to the Governours of Provinces to persecute the Catholics They went even to the farthest part of the desarts of Thebais to chase from thence those solitary persons who led a life perfectly Celestial The persecution was bloody and under a Christian Prince there were almost as many Martyrs as under Infidel Tyrants Such were the beginningâ— and progress of this Heresy IX Albeit it was not only difficult but likewise dangerous in a new Reign to assault a powerful Sect that had been of a long time accustomed to rule Notwithstanding Theodosius considering that the first duty of Soveraigns is to make him reign by whom they reign and suspecting but with reason the fidelity of those who had revolted against the Church formed a design to bring them over with sweetness or to repress them with Authority He went to publish his sirst Edicts at
made several attempts against his Person but as he had convinced them by his discourse so he edified them by his patience He began to enjoy the fruit of his labors when Maximus was presented to him Gregory received him not only with civility but also with respect as a Confessor of Jesus Christ he listened to the false history of his life and judging of another by himself he believed it He kept him in his house let him partake of his Table and discovered to him his study and designs and supposing it was honorable and advantageous to have in a reviving Church a Man taken for a Martyr he proposed him for an example and recited publickly a discourse which he had made in his commendation This Impostor on his side got more and more into the favors of this holy Prelate by a dexterous insinuation by frequent invectives against the Arrians and by an Air of Piety which appeared to be sincere In the mean time he managed his intrigues with privacy He engaged therein a Priest of Constantinople to whom the Elevation and Merit of the Archbishop were become insupportable They turned so well the Spirit of the Patriarch of Alexandria by the powerful correspondencies they had near his Person that he entred into the interests of Maximus whether it was that he had a mind to favor his Country-man or that he was afraid of giving occasion to the aggrandizing of the See of Constantinople if he put in a man of extraordinary Reputation or that he believed the Election which he had but lately approved of had not been done according to form It was then by his orders that seven Bishops were chosen to go and support the Party of this Philosopher under pretence of conducting the Fleet which conveyed Corn every year from Aegypt to Constantinople As soon as they were arrived Maximus encouraged them by his discourse and presents He won an Ecclesiastic of the Isle of Thasse who came to buy some Marble for his Church and borrowed his Money of him to distribute it amongst the Mariners whom he had resolved to make use of There remained nothing more than to take a time for the Ordination The Egyptian Bishops at their arrival had refused to communicate with the Arrians and had united with the Catholics Gregory had received them in his house with much civility and respect As the entrance of the Church was free to them at all hours they came there one night when this Prelate was carried sick to a Country-house Greg. Naz. Carm. dâ— vita sua near the City They began the ceremony of the consecration of Maximus in presence of a great number of Mariners for the most part strangers who represented the people But the day having surprized them and the Clergy running up and down the whole quarter was stirr'd up the people assemble the Magistrates are called and Maximus is driven away with all his accomplices who saved themselves in disorder in the house of a certain Flute-master where they concluded their Sacrilegious ordination The indignity of this action which was matter of horror to the very Hereticks gave occasion to enquire after the life of this Impostor People began to undeceive themselves of the Martyr he boasted of and they discovered the crimes which he had the dexterity to conceal till then which caused him to be shamefully banished from the City XII This ill success did not astonish him After having wandered some time in Thrace he went accompanied with the Bishops who had consecrated him to find Theodosius to prepossess him if he could in his favour But Ascole to whom Pope Damasus had often sent concerning the affairs of the Church of Constantinople was already advertized of all that had passed and had informed the Emperor Maximus being arrived with his companions and entreating him to maintain him by his Authority this Prince replied with indignation That he was informed of his Cabals That he hated all those who disturbed the peace of the Church and hindred the progress of Religion That he knew how to chastise him and his Partisans as they deserved if they had ever the insolence to pursue their attempt They would have justified themselves but the Emperor interrupted them and sent them away without the trouble of hearing them or seeing them any more XIII Whilst Theodosius who was now in a fair way of Recovery took so much care for the advancement of Religion he got his Army together and prepared to take the Field as soon as he should have regained his strength The Goths upon the information they had received of his sickness by their Deserters and the Hostages they had of his train made a mock of the last Treaty They were so far from leaving the territories of the Empire as they had promised that they called in to their assistance some new Troops of Barbarians and were more sevese in pillaging than before Those of their Nation who had entred in great numbers into the Emperors pay secretly advised them of their contributing towards an easie passage into the Provinces Terrour was dispersed amongst the people the Souldiery receiving from the Court but slow and undetermined orders could not tell what to resolve on Thus all things remained as it were immovable by the indisposition of a Prince who governed only by himself and was not at that time in a capacity to act Upon the first noise of this renewing of the War Couriers were suddenly dispatched to the Emperor Gratian to give him advice of the danger wherein Theodosius was and to sollicit him to send with expedition a considerable relief towards Macedon Some Officers of the Army with what Troops they could assemble in the mean time opposed the enemies and disputed the passes with them But the number of these Barbarians encreasing continually they made themselves masters every where As soon as they had received the succours they expected they plundered the frontiers and threw themselves into Thessaly and Macedon Theodosius made his Army march that way and went there himself as soon as his health would permit him After he had sent to view the enemies notwithstanding he was so inferior in number he advanced with a design to fight them but he was prevented and whatsoever cautions he had taken he saw himself on a sudden betrayed by the Goths whom he had retained in his service This Prince after the conclusion of the Treaty of the preceding year considering the weakness of the Empire at that time and judging that he could not improve it without the assistance of those very people who had occasioned its decay made it to be proclaimed in their Camps that he desired to live with them in good intelligence and that he would receive all those who would come into his Armies These Barbarians came in multitudes to inroll themselves in the service of the Romans and had obliged themselves before by execrable Oaths to take all occasions of doing them harm in making an appearance of
whole Eastern Church bewailed his loss Theodosius who loved him as his Father and honored him as if he had held the Empire of him would have his Funeral made in resemblance Greg. Naz. Orat. in fun Mel. of a Triumph He assisted therein himself and gave publick Testimonies of his affliction and his Piety The Body of this holy man was deposited in the Church of the Apostles where the Psalms were sung by several Quires in divers Languages and where the People running in multitudes carried an infinite number of Wax-tapers and Flamboys and brought back as a precious Treasure some Linnen which had touched his Face The most eloquent Prelate of the Assembly made Funeral Harangues in his Honor and represented Philost l. 5 c. 4. the Vertues he had practised and the Persecutions he had suffered for the Faith After they had finished all the duty of Piety Theodosius ordered those precious Relicks to be conveyed to Antioch to be conducted through the most public Sozom. l. 7. c. 10. ways and to be received in all the Cities altho it was not the Custom of the Romans All Constantinople went out of the Gates and never did the number of the Inhabitants appear greater There was running from all parts upon the Road to accompany this body in singing Psalms till they had brought him to Antioch and placed him near the Shrine of St. Babylas the Martyr one oâ— the most celebrated Archbishops of that City L. In the mean time Theodosius answered to the Council and to confirm what had been there Idem l. 7. c. 9. decreed he published an Edict by which he ordained that the Faith of Nice should be generally received and approved of in the whole extent of his Empire and that all the Churches should be restored into the hands of the Catholicks who confessed one God in three Persons equal in Honour and Power To avoid the professions of an Equivocal Faith he declared that those alone should be esteemed Catholicks who should be united in Communion with certain Prelates whom he specifyed in each Province and whose vertue he was acquainted with either by the correspondence he held with them or by tâ—e Reputation which they had long enjoyed of governing their Churches with Piety LI. There was some reason to hope that this Council supported by the Authority of the Prince would have great effects in reference to Religion and that the Schism of Antioch which divided the East from the West would have been determined by the death of Meletius who was the innocent cause thereof but some Factious persons obstinately persisting in giving him a Successor a disorder broke out and the Eastern People themselves were disunited and grew hot upon this occasion This difference had begun under the Empire of Constantine the great who upon calumnies invented by the Arians had chased from Antioch Eustathius Chrystost Hom. in St. Eust Patriarch of that City and a great defender of the Divinity of Jesus Christ The Arians being possessed of his See and having put in his place five or six Bishops of their Sect successively the Catholicks were oppressed Some of them submitted to violence others continued firm in the Faith under the conduct of Paulinus and called themselves Eustatians Meletius enjoying since the Patriarchship by the Credit of the Arians who took him to be of their Communion and having forthwith openly declared against them he saw himself upon a sudden abandoned of both Parties The Hereticks who had been chiefly instrumental in his being chosen were mad at his â—ange the Catholicks praised his zeal but aproved not of his Election As he had notwithstanding besides an eminent Piety a great Sweetness and an admirable Talent to make himself beloved he attracted in a little time much people to his communion Some of them disengaged themselves from Paulinus to come to him Several that had groaned for 30 years Theod. l. 5. c. 227. under the Arian Tyranny run so much the more willingly to him as he had been under the same weakness with them and that he received them with much condescension and Charity The persecution which he suffered a few days after did but augment the veneration which was had for him and the flock which he had begun to assemble encreased and formed it self during his banishment Altho' the Catholicks of this City were all united in doctrine they were separated in communion and assembled in two different places the one in a Church which the Arians had left Paulinus by reason of the respect they had to his Age and for the consideration that he was contrary to Meletius the others in â— Church of the Suburbs which they called the Palee or the antient Church This Schism scandalized all the East Lucifer Bishop of Cagliari in Sardinia returning out of exile from Thebais passed through Antioch and undertook to accommodate this difference but having found the Eustathians resolved not to communicate with a Bishop established by the Heretics and besides being but too much inclined of his own hard and inflexible nature to pardon nothing in matter of Religion he ordained Paulinus by his own private Authority He thought that the party of Meletius which seemed more disposed for Peace would easily be reunited to the Eustathians when they should observe a Bishop at their head who deserved to be so and who never had any correspondence with the enemies of the Church But he was deceived for the Friends of Meletius being offended at the injury that was offered to him and that they had not condescended to consult them protested that they would have none but him for their Pastâ—r and that he could not be deposed by a single Bishop out of his Jurisdiction and without being heard They sollicited him to come in haste and obliged themselves to him more strictly than before As soon as this Prelate was come from Armenia where he had been a long time in Exile they endeavoured to make him sit in the same Throne with Paulinus and even pretended that the greatest number being for him he made as it were the Socr. l. 5. c. 5. Ruffin Body of the Church and that it was for other Communions who were but Members and parts thereof to reunite themselves to it As for him as he desired nothing but Peace he was contented to re-enter into his Church of the Suburbs He went to visit Paulinus and prayed him to consent that they might keep in common the Sheep which the Master of the Flock had confided with them Theod. l. 5. â— 3. and that they might all be assembled in one Fold He proposed in order to take away all subject of division That the Holy Gospel might be put upon the Episcopal Seat that they might sit one on the one side and tother on the other side of it and that he who survived his Collegue should remain sole and peaceablâ— Possessor Paulinus refused the Condition and would have no society with a Man
elect one from amongst all the rest The Bishops being satisfied with the obtaining of their design and resolved to pacify Thoodosius who appeared to them discontented at their past conduct cast their eyes upon divers Subjects of their Acquaintance As they were employed in this inquisition Nectarius born at Tarsus in Cilicia of an ancient Family of Senators who had exercised the charge of Governor Theod. l. 5. c. 8. Socrat. l. 5. c. 8. of Constantinople being about to return into his own Country went bâ— accident to see Diodorus his Bishop to know iâ— he had any thing to command him before his departure They discoursed upon several matters and as Diodorus's mind was full of this nomination wherewith he was perhaps perplexed he often considered Nectarius and finding sweetness in his conversation and something of Majesty and Veneration in his Behavior and in his Face he resolved to propose him Nevertheless without discovering himself to him he pray'd him to accompany him to a Bishop to whom he presented him with a mighty character Afterwards he recommended Nectarius to him in secret and was very urgent with him to give him his Vote and to write his name with the rest This Prelat who was probably commissioned to prepare the sheet and carry it to Theâ—dosius laughed at the request of Diodorus notwithstanding he put Nectarius in the number of Pretenders altho' he saw nothing in him of more recommendation than his old age and agreeable aspect LX. The Emperour having demanded a few days after the memorial of the Bishops examined it attentively and after having viewed and reviewed the names of those who were proposed to succeed Gregory he stopt at that of Nectarius who was the least expected He nominated him to the Archbishoprick of Constantinople whether it was that he knew him better than the rest because he belonged to his Court or else that he thought him the sittest person to maintain a peace in the present conjuncture For excepting his sweet and regulating temper he had neither talents great enough to afford protection nor vertues sufficiently eminent to be an example to those who would not imitate him Nectarius whom Diodorus had entreated to defer his journey till then had advice of this news and could not believe it The greatest part of the Fathers of the Council were astonished at this choice and demanded of one another who this Nectarius was from whence he came and what was his profession But when they understood that he had not led a life pure enough to deserve to be thus raised on a sudden to the Priesthood and moreover that he was not yet baptized they imagined that the Emperour had been surprized aâ—d that chance alone as it often happens in these encounters had presided over this nomination LXI They humbly remonstrated then to Theodosius that with all the respect and deference they had for his will and pleasure they could not hinder themselves from observing in Nectarius essential and canonical defects that indeed his age and the different employments he had enjoyed under Emperors had given him great experience of the world but that he had never passed through any degree of Clerkship and that not having received Baptism he was not in a condition to be a Bishop Although there was nothing more just than this remonstaance the Emperor had remarked so many Passions and Cabals in those who offered it that he thought since they had chased away the other Archbishop they had a mind to exclude this also in order to put one of their own party in the place He persisted in his opinion and the Bishops submitted without opposition LXII Thus Nectarius was elected by the Authority of the Prince who found himself engaged to his election by the consent of the people who admired his speech and obliging temper and by the Votes of the Synod who were afraid of displeasing Theodosius He was baptized and as he was yet invested with his robe of Neophyte he was made Bishop without appearing any otherwise disposed for the Bishoprick than by not pretending to it As he had scarce any acquaintance with Ecclesiâ—stical affairs they left him Cyriacus Bishop of Adana in Cilicia Evagrius of Pontus whom Gregory of Nyssa had made Deacon and some other Clergy-men the one to instruct him in the Episcopal office the others to secure him from the surprizes of Hereticks His life after his ordination was exemplary and his Faith always Orthodox but he had so much easiness and indulgence for all the World and so great an indifference for Discipline that the Arians had remarkably prevailed over him if the Emperour to repair the fault he had committed had not repressed them and taken upon himself the vigilance and force that was wanting to this Archbishop LXIII This affair being thus determined they began to think upon the conclusion of the Council Those who had not assisted at the first Sessions signed what had been decided therein against the Heresies and against the abuses which had been condemned Nectarius was observed in the number of those chief Bishops who were as it were the centers of the Communion in their Provinces Theodosius on his side renewed his Edicts in favour of Religion and to close up the Council by some ceremony of note he made to be transported to Constantinople the body of Paul Sozom. l. 7. c. 10. who had been heretofore Bishop thereof and whom the Arians had inhumanely destroyed at Cucusa a little City of Armenia where he had been banished by Constantius All the Fathers went to meet these venerable Relicks a good way beyond Calcedon and conducted them as it were in triumph into the City The Emperour commanded them to be laid in a Church which Macâ—donius had built after he had possessed himself of the See of this Saint By this means the very Persecuter contributed to the glory of the Martyr and Theodosius made appear by the honour which he rendred to the memory of those Prelats who died in defence of the Faith how little he esteemed those who fought against it during their life Thus concluded towards the end of July this Council which the East acknowledged for oecumenical and which the Pope St. Gregory since put in the number of the four which he revered as the four Gospels Particular passions and personal interests disturbed the course of this Assembly but the truth was nevertheless established therein against the errour of the Macedonians Thus God re-united for the confirmation of the Faith the minds of men which he abandons when he pleases to their praepossessions and their own notions and gathers from the contests and disorders which oftentimes arise in Religion the effects which his Providence has decreed to gather from thence LXIV The Bishops being separated to go each to his particular Church Theodosius departed Zoz l. 4. in order to go and joyn his Army which Promotius one of his Generals had Orders to rendezvous at the entrance of Mysia
Gratian is abandoned of the Army and the People IX Death of Gratian. X. Maximus sends Ambassadors to Theodosius XI The Empress Justine sends St. Ambrose to Maximus XII St. Ambrose stops Maximus on t'other side of the Alps. XIII Theodosius associates his Son Arcadius to the Empire XIV Education of Arcadius XV. Qualities of Arsenius Tutor of Arcadius XVI Conduct of Theodosius in reference to the Education of his Son XVII Conduct of Arsenius in Relation to Arcadius XVIII Reflections of Arsenius upon his Condition and his Retreat XIX Theodosius assembles the Heads of the different Sects XX. An easy Method to determine Ecclesiastical Differences XXI Theodosius disappoints the Hereticks XXII Theodosius commands each Sect to give its Profession of Faith in Writing XXIII Theodosius tears the Forms of the Hereticks XXIV Confusion of the Hereticks XXV Edicts of the Emperor against the Hereticks XXVI Clemency of Theodosius XXVII Wise remonstrance of Amphilochus XXVIII The Pagans attempt to rise in the West XXIX Humour of Symmachus his request for the An. 383 altar of Victory XXX Consequence of the request of Symmachus St. Ambrose writes to Valentinian to oppose it XXXI Answer to the request of Symmacus by St. Ambrose XXXII The Pagans lose their cause XXXIII New efforts of the Hereticks XXXIV Edict of the Emperor against the Hereticks XXXV The Jews prohited from keeping Christian Slaves XXXVI Birth of Honoriâ—s XXXVII Treaty of the three Emperors XXXVIII Cruelties of Maximus XXXIX St. Martin begs the pardon of two Criminals XL. Maximus endeâ—vours to gain St. Martin and makes him eat at his Table XLI Errors of Priscillian and his followers XLII An Ecclesiastical cause carried to a Secâ—lar Tribunal XLIII Prudent remonstrance of St. Martin XLIV Condemnation of Priscillian consequence of his death XLV Ordinance of Theodosius concerning Ecclesiastical judgments XLVI Sacrificing to Idols prohibited XLVII Reformation of manners XLVIII Deliverance of Prisoners at the Feast of Easter XLIX Death of the Princess Pulcheria L. Death of the Empress Flaccilla her Vertues LI. Aversion of the Empress Justine for St. Ambrose LII Edict against the Catholicks Constancy of Benevolus LIII St. Ambrose is provoked to a Dispute before the Emperor LIV. St. Ambrose refuses to come to a conference in the Palace LV. Orders to deliver the Churches of the Catholicks to the Arians LVI The People shut themselves up in the Cathedral St. Ambrose refuses to abandon iâ— LVII Negotiation to have a Church in the Suburbs LVIII Vain Attempts of the Empress to reduce St. Ambrose LIX Deputation of Lords to the Emperor LX. The Persecution ceases LXI Pretence of Maximus to enter into Italy LXII Irruption of the Groâ—ungues their Attempts to pass the Danube LXIII Vigilance and Dexterity of Promotius LXIV Defeat of the Grotungues LXV Theodosius arrives at the Camp gives Liberty to all the Prisoners LXVI The Grotungues enrolled in the Service of the Emperor LXVII Rash Action of Gerontius LXVIII The Grotungues slain LXIX Theodosius cites Gerontius to appear orders him to be taken up LXX Theodosius writes to Maximus and to the Empress â—ufâ—ine upon the subject of St. Ambrose LXXI Second Emhassy of St. Ambrose to Maximus LXXII Aâ—dience given to St. Ambrose Maximus perplexed LXXIII St. Ambrose discovers the Intentions of Maximus He is not believed LXXIV Entrance of Maximus into Italy Flight of Valentinian and Justine LXXV Policy of Maximus LXXVI Valentinian and Justine arrive at Thessalonica Wise remonstrance of Theodosius LXXVII Theodosius concludes upon War Marries the Princess Galla. LXXVIII New Impost Sedition of Antioch LXXIX Resolution taken against the City of Antioch LXXX Desolation of the Inhabitants of Antioch LXXXI Descent of the Solitaries into Antioch LXXXII Journey of Flavian Archbishop of Antioch LXXXIII Discourse of the Archbishop to Theodosius LXXXIV Theodosius pardons those of Antioch LXXXV Malice of the Historian Zozimus LXXXVI The Widow Olympias refuses to marry Elpidius the Emperors Kinsman LXXXVII Persecution made to the Widow Olympias LXXXVIII Olympias restored to her Possessions LXXXIX Theodosius disposes himself to a War against Maximus XC Theodosius renews his Edicts against the Hereticks XCI Maximus preparâ—s for War XCII Treason discovered in the Army of Theodosius XCIII Valentinian and his Mother embark themselves XCIV Theodosius surprizes Maximus in Pannonia XCV Passage of the Save Victory of Theodosius XCVI Theodosius marches against Marcellin and wins a second Battle XCVII Death of Maximus and Andragatius XCVIII Moderation and Clemency of Theodosius XCIX False Reports dispersed by the Arians C. Sedition of the Arians CI. Ordinance of Theodosius against an Eastern Bishop CII Remonstrance of St. Ambrose to the Emperor Theodosius CIII St. Ambrose publickly reprehends the Emperor in a Sermon CIV Theodosius repeals the Ordinance CV Description of the Altar of Victory CVI. The several States of this Altar under the Emperors CVII The Deputies of the Senate petition the Emperor for this Altar Theodosius denies it CVIII Theodosius goes to Rome to receive the Honor of Triumph CIX The Regulation which Theodosius made in Rome CX Symmachus pronounces a Panegyric in Honor of Theodosius He is in disgrace and recalled a little while after CXI Divers Regulations CXII News of the Ruine of the Alexandrian Temples CXIII Conversion of several Pagans The use which 〈◊〉 made of the Golden Idols CXIV Departure of Theodosius Death of the Empress Justine THE HISTORY OF THEODOSIVS the Great BOOK III. I. THeodosius reigned peaceably in the East His people lived in quiet and abundance and his Adversaries were become his Friends Whilst the whole World revered his greatness or were afraid of his power he applied himself to regulate his Dominion and to re-establish in its purity that Religion which his Predecessors had oppressed and he regarded the Peace which he enjoyed as a Reward for that he gave the Church II. The Empire of the Weft had been no less successful if the weakness or negligence of the Emperors had not afforded occasions for revolts and Civil Wars The young Valentinian who had Ambros Orat. in for his division Italy Africk and Illyrium was not yet of a capable Age to govern and the Empress his Mother abused his name and his Authority fun Valen. She was an Arian and thought it a good piece of service to her Son to render him so too The cares of her Regency extended no further than to the obtaining of a Bishop of her own Party or to the depriving the Catholicks of a Church She distributed her favours to those who obliged her with a compliance to her passions and she could not imagine that the State could have other Enemies than those who opposed her error All things were to be feared under an infant Emperor in whom were imprinted ill apprehensions of things and under a Heretic Empress who was more sedulous for the advancement of her Sect than sor the peace and security of the Empire Ammian l. 31. III. Gratian who reigned on this side the Alps was in the
not fly from an honest Society and was troublesom to no body Damasus proposed him as a wise man who lived in the Court without being corrupted and who would give not only good instructions to the Prince but also good Examples to the Courtiers XVI The Emperor received Arsenius as a Treasure sent from Heaven itself and prayed him to be careful of the Education of Arcadius to look upon him as his own Son to take over him all the Authority of a Father and to make of him by his instructions a wise and pious Emperor He recommended to this Young Prince Docility Obedience and Respect and repeated to him several times these words Remember my Son that you will Apud Metaphrast 8 Maii. Sur 19. Julii be more obliged to your Tutor than to my self You have from me your Birth and an Empire you will learn of him Wisdom and the Fear of God and from henceforth he will more justly claim the Title of Father than I. He was wanting in nothing that might conduce to authorize the Master and render the Pupil more respectful for happening one day to enter into the Chamber of the Prince in order to assist at his Lecture and having found him seated and Arsenius standing before him he complained of both Arsenius would excuse himself upon the honor he thought himself obliged to â—ender to an Emperor and upon the Respect which the Purple wherewith he was invested imprinted in him But Theodosius without hearkening to his excuses commanded him to sit down and his Son to stand and be uncovered during Lecture and to take away all subject of Decorum he ordered the Prince to lay aside all the marks of his Dignity when he went to his Study adding that he should hold him unworthy of the Empire if he did not know how to render to every one his due and with his Learning did not observe Acknowledgment and Piety XVII Arseniâ—s applied himself not only to teach his Pupil good Literature but also to educate him in the Faith and in the Exercise of Christian Vertues He studied his inclinations and maintained them or redressed them as they were good or bad This young Prince was of a lively open-hearted Temper of an easy and agreeaâ—le Humor his Sentiments all noble and generous and had a Soul naturally inclined to Religion and Justice But he was averse to Labor inconstant in his Friendships ready and susceptible of all â—orts of Impreâ—â—ions and more disposed to credit those who flattered him in his defects than those who endeavored to reclaim him Arseniuâ— foreseeing the faâ—al consequences that might proceed to an Emperor from these vicious Habits after having attempted in vain to reform them by address resolved to repress them by a discreet severity He reproved him several times he complained to the Emperor his Father of his ungovernable Temper he joyned at length chastisement to his complaints and reprimands Arcadius took the correction for an injury and had a mind to rid himself of his Tutor He communicated his design to one of his Ofâ—icers in whom he reposed much confidence and commanded him to deliver him from a troublesome man whâ— misused him This Officer promised him to execute his Orders for fear he should charge some body else with them and went secretly to advertize Arsenius that he might provide for his own security XVIII Altho Arsenius saw well that it was nothing but a Childish passion which might have no consequence yet making Reflections upon the unhappiness of Princes who love almost as soon as they are born those who delude them and esteem those for Enemies who correct them he seriously considered about leaving an Employment wherein he hazarded his Life if he persisted in his constancy and his Safety if he took a soft and remiss conduct Heaven determined him almost at the same time to a profession more quiet and more holy For as he asked God in the fervency of his Prayer what method he should take to save himself it is reported that he Ruffin l. 3. heard a Voice which answered to him Arsenius avoid men 't is the means to secure thee A few days after he went out of Constantinople disguised and took Sanctuary in the Deserts of Egypt where he passed above Fifty years among the Solitaries of Scete without holding any correspondence with the world living only upon Roots scarce affording some few moments of sleep to the infirmity of Nature employing days and nights in Prayer and Lamentation in his Cell and fixing himself with an entire application of mind to his Salvation till he arrived at the Age of Fourscore and fifteen years The Emperor received with a very sensible displeasure the news of Arsenius's retirement without knowing the occasion of it He made him to be searched for through the whole extent of the Empire but God had a mind to conceal him from the world after he had drawn him from thence in order to make of him a perfect model of a penitent and solitary Life Arcadius did not know the loss he had sustained but the People felt the effects of it when confirmed in his Passions governed by his Women and his Eunuchs preferring and destroying his Favorites himself he gave occasion for those Revolutions which began to ruine the Roman Empire without recovery XIX Theodosius after he had established his Son applied himself to regulate the Affairs of the Church which were no less considerable to him than those of his Family To satisfy his Zeal and to leave no cause of Division in the East when he should be in a condition to march against Maximus he attempted on a sudden to confound all the Heresies and to reunite all minds in the same Belief In order to which he summoned to Constantinople the Heads of the different Sects to give an account of their Faith and their motives of separation from the Catholicks They all repaired Socrat. l. 5. 6. 10. Sozom. l. 7. â— 12. thither some to endeavor a re-establishment in those Bishopricks which they had formerly usurped the rest to sustain their opinions in a regular dispute The Emperor discovered his design to the Archbishop of Constantiuople and consulted him upon those measures he should esteem most proper for the Reunion of Religions This Prelate who had grown old at Court without any acquaintance with the holy Scriptures or Ecclesiastical Rules and moreover very little instructed in the state of the Questions and Controversies of the time found himself in an extream perplexity He was afraid of Disputes and Conferâ—â—ces and knowing his own small Capacity he had recourse to Agelas Bishop of the Novatians This Prelate sent him back to Sisinnus who was as yet but a Reader in their Church and did not cease to be very intelligent in all kind of Learning well versed in the reading of Church Authors This man advised him to obstruct disputes and contests in the Synod saying that they provoked mens minds instead of perswading them that the
thereof He concluded by the Examples of the last Emperors and exhorted Valentinian to leave Men the liberty which his Father of happy memory had permitted and to consider that Gratian his Brother had followed the counsels of others and did not know of his disobliging the Senate when he attempted that change in Religion He pressed the Council to determine suddenly thereupon as if he had had measures to take upon the Answer which was to be received as well to terrify the Court as to give them no opportunity of consulting Theodosius They well foresaw that this Emperor would not be favourable to them for they knew that Zoz l. 4 he had sent Cynegius Praefectus Praetorio into Egypt with orders to shut up the Temples to abolish Sacrifices to prohibite the Pagans the exercise of their Religion not only in Alexandria but likewise throughout the East which this Officer had begun to execute with much Authority without committing at the same time any violence XXX The request of Symmachus mixed with respect and boldness presently astonished the young Valentinian He feared all things and had still before his eyes the bloody image of Gratian assassinated by his own proper friends The Empress who governed considered her security more than her Religion and the reason of State was going to determine her against Justice and Piety St. Ambrose had information of it and opposing his lively and generous exhortations to the bold entreaties of the Gentiles he wrote forthwith to Valentinian and represented to him That there was but one God whom Emperors were obliged to obey as well as the least of their Subjects That it was to renounce his Faith to consent to a profane worship That the revenues of the Pagan Priests having been confiscated it would not be to restore them Ambros Ep. 30. ad Val. their own but to give them his That they had much reason to complain of some retrenched priviledges they who had neither spared the Churches nor the very blood of Christians That it was just to have regard to the demands of persons of quality and merit but that in affairs of Religion he ought to consider God alone That their zeal to support falsehood was an example which ought to encourage him to perfect the truth That to reserve to himself the liberty of committing no Sacriledge was not to enterprise upon the Liberty of Rome That it was matter of astonishment that men of parts should demand of a Christian Prince the re-establishment of Idols It was about two years since the Pagans had presented a like Request in the name of all the Senate but it was afterwards discovered that it was nothing but a Cabal of some Senators who abused the name of their Society whereof the greatest part disapproved of this action and put into the hands of Pope Damasus an act of protestation against the Request St. Ambrose did not cease to alledge this example to lessen the fear he might conceive of the Senate He made him at length apprehend the vigour and zeal of the Bishops and said to him with his usual liberty What will you reply to a Bishop who shall tell you the Church hath nothing to do with your presents since you make them to the Pagan Gods Go and dispose of Ambr. Ep. 30. your offerings elsewhere you that raise up the Altars of Idols Jesus Christ is not concerned to receive your homage since you render as much to his adversaries Has not he expressed to you in his Gospel that one cannot serve two Masters The Christian Virgins have no priviledges and you afford them to the Vestals And do you think that the Priests pray for you who prefer the prayers of Gentiles before theirs will you cast your self upon your minority for an excuse Every age is perfect for Jesus Christ and the very Infants have confessed him XXXI In fine he conjured him to decide nothing thereupon without knowing the opinion of the great Theodosius who ought to be instead of a Father to him and whom he had been used to consult in affairs of importance In the mean time he asked Valentinian for a copy of this writing and a few days after he composed an answer for him full of strong and judicious reflections He protests immediately that in the necessity Ambros Ep. 31. wherein he finds himself of taking his precautions and to illustrate this affair he searcht the solidity of reasoning leaving Symmachus all the glory An. 384 of eloquence and politeness because 't is the property of Pagan wits to dazzle the mind by colours as false as their Idols and to say great things being unable to express what 's true He makes Rome speak and declare with much grace and gravity That she has subdued the World by the valour of her VVarriors and not hy the adoration of her Gods That she doth not blush at her alteration since she corects herself That she doth not ground the goodness of her Religion upon years but upon manners That she had rather hear the will of God by the word of God than by the intrails of murdered animals That no body can speak better of God than God himself and that those men who were not sufficiently enlightned to know themselves could never arrive at the knowledge of their Creator Afterwards he mocks at the Request of Symmachus and represents that there is this difference between the Gentiles and the Christians that the one entreat the Emperors to restore Peace to their Gods and the others beg of Jesus Christ to grant Peace to the Emperors That the one could not dispense with the least retrenchment of their revenues without complaint and the others deprive themselves of their possessions and resign their lives with satisfaction That the Vestals wanted Priviledges and Pensions as if they were uncapable of being chaste for nothing whereas the Christian Virgins content themselves with a course Vail which hides their Face and renouncing for ever their Riches as well as their Pleasures they find all the reward of Vertue in Vertue it self Then he remonstrated that they were much to blame for attributing all the misfortunes of the State to the retrenchment of the pensions of the Priests and Vestals That if their Gods revenge rhemselves upon the whole Empire for the injury which was done to some particulars they are unjust and the vengeance is worse than the crime That it is a long time since their Temples were deprived of all their priviledges and hitherto they have not minded to send down revenge That nothing had been done for their pacification and yet the Fields were covered with an abundant Harvest and that the Plenty was universal In a word he laughed at the precipitation which they testified for the Altar of Victory which was but a name and a success of battels and he exhorts Valentinian to consider in this occasion what he owed his Faith and the remembrance of his Brother XXXII This affair having being examined in
partaking of the holiness and joy of the sacred Mysteries instead of Complaints and Lamentations they might send up to Heaven the cryes of Praises and Thanksgivings and that every one in this day of rejoycing might address in peace his Vows and Prayers to God without being interrupted by compassion or heaviness Chrysost hom 6. ad pop Antioch He added those words which a Pagan Emperor once said and which St. Chrysostom esteemed so worthy of a Christian Emperor Would to God I was capable of opening the Tombs as well at Prisons and to revive the dead as I do the living by pardoning their Crimes But lest a too great clemency should give occasion for the commission of all kind of wickedness the Emperors made some exceptions in matters that tended to great consequences and which deserved not to be comprehended in this Pardon S. Greg. Nyss in fun Pulch. XLIX These diligent and so important Cares which Theodosius took to regulate the Empire were interrupted by his affliction for the death of the Princess Pulcheria his daughter Altho' she was but in the first years of Infancy he was very sensibly concerned at her loss He ordered her Obsequies to be very magnificent and Gregory of Nâ—ssa who was then at Constantinople pronounced the funeral discourse Scarce had he begun to comfort himself for this first misfortune but there arrived another which rendred him inconsolable for the Empress Flaccilla his Wife died suddenly in a Village of Thrace where she was gone to take the Waters L. This Princess was born in Spain of the ancient Family of the Aelians from whence the Emperor Adrian was descended but she was become more illustrious by her vertues than her birth Her chief employments were Prayer and the care of the Poor She went to visit them served them herself and was proud of descending to the lowest Ministries of Christian Charity She Theodor. l. 5. c. 1â— took care of all the Sick in Hospitals and Prisons and as horrible as their distempers were she provided for them with her own hands They would oftentimes remonstrate to her that there was a devotion more conformable to her dignity and that it was neither necessary nor even becoming for her to condescend to those last offices of Piety which she might entrust with some of her domesticks But she answered That she left to the Emperor the care of distributing his Treasures and to render the Church important services by making the Theod. ib. whole majesty of the Empire serve to the glory of Religion That as for her it was a sufficient honour to her to offer to God her little cares and the humble service of her hands and that she could not testify her acknowledgment to him but by descending from the Throne wherein he had placed her to serve him in the person of his Poor This humility did but augment the esteem which the Emperor had for her and gave her every day more influence upon the spirit of this Prince She made use thereof to no other advantage than to give him profitable advice in speaking to him of the Divine Law wherein she was perfectly acquainted and inspiring him with that zeal for Religion wherewith she was inflamed She often set before his eyes what he had been for fear he should abuse what he was Exciting thus his acknowledgment by the recital of those Favors which he had received from God and supporting his Piety which the perplexity of business and the exaltation wherein he found himself might have weakned She was more desirous to see him holy than she was joyful to observe him Master of the World Altho' she had great parts she would never know more in matter of Religion than was necessary for her salvation She detested the impiety of the Arians almost as much as that of Idolaters and frequently said That there was but little difference between those who adored Sozom. l. 7. c. 5. Gods that had no existence and those who would not acknowledge Jesus Christ to be one So would she never entertain any Commerce with them avoiding the snares which they laid several times for her curiosity and taking no other rule of her Faith than the decisions of the Nicean Council She even averted the Emperor from the design Sozom. l. 7. c. 6. which had been suggested to him of going to hear Eunomius who preached at Calcedon over against Constantinople and whom the Arians made pass for the finest genius and most eloquent Theologian of his Age. By this means she hindred these Hereticks from giving ill impressions to this Prince and the honour he should have done to them was of no service to encrease the reputation of their Orator or to authorize their Assemblies Theodosius lost this dangerous curiosity and even chased from his Palace some of his domesticks who had a secret correspondence with Eunomius All these vertues of the Empress made her loss to be lamented As soon as the news of her death was dispersed all the City was in mourning the Poor melted into tears the People run in multitudes to the place where she was dead Theodosius made her Body to be transported to Constantinople and in the oppression he was he could find no consolation but in rendring to this Princess all the honours which were justly her due She left two living Children and found again in Heaven two more whom God had taken to himself a little after they were born Gregory of Nyssa made her Greg. Nyss Orat. fun Flaccill funeral Elogy in presence of the Emperor where he calls her the Pillar of the Church the Treasure of the Poor and the Sanctuary of the miserable LI. It was about this time that the Empress Justine incensed against St. Ambrose thought she might discover her resentment The death of Gratian the distance of Theodosius the Treaty concluded with Maximus gave her the freedom of acting in the whole extent of her power The Catholick Bishop elected at Sirmium in spite of her the Church which she had obtained by surprize in Milan and which she had been obliged to restore her Arianism reduced to her own Officers and all her enterprizes against Religion crossed immediately returned into her mind She resolved to destroy this Archbishop who ruined all her measures LII She made an Edict in the name of Valentinian her Son whereby â—he permitted to the Arians the publick exercise of their Religion and declared all those who should dare to oppose it Authors of Sedition Disturbers of the Peace of the Church guilty of High-Treason and worthy of Death She called Benevolus first Secretary of State and commanded him to draw up this Edict but he excused himself chusing rather to lose his station than to authorize an Ordinance that was against his Faith The Empress pressed him to afford her that satisfaction and promised to raise Soz. l. 7. â— 13. Gaudent in praefat Serm. him to higher Posts but this Man who esteemed
scruple of pardoning my Subjects that have offended meâ— that am but a Mortal man as well as they and Servant of the same master Then Flavian prostrated himself and wished him all the prosperity that he deserved by the action he had done and when this Prelate shewed some desire to pass the Feast of Easter at Constantinople Go my Father said Theodosius embracing him and defer not a moment the consolation which your People will receive by your return and by the assurances you will give them of the Pardon which I grant I know that they continue still in grief and fear Go and carry to them for the Feast of Easter the disannlling of their crime Beseech God to send a blessing upon my Arms and be assured that after this war I will go my self and comfort the City of Antioch After that he dismissed this holy Old man and even sent Couriers to him after he had passed the Sea to exhort him anew to make all imaginable haste LXXXV One may observe through the whole Relation that I have made the malice of the Zoz l. 4 Historian Zozimus who endeavors to excuse the violence of the Antiochians in rejecting the fault of their Rebellion upon the severity of the Government He says nothing of the Journey of Flavian attributing all the success of this Negotiation to the Sophister Libanius against the belief of History and the testimony of contemporary Authors and particularly St. Chrysostom who Chrys â—om 17. ad pop Antiosh publickly reproached Philosophers with excess of weakness in this occasion From whence one may conjecture that those two discourses which Bar. Ann. Eccl. 1. 4. we find still amongst the works of this Caviller upon the subject of Statues were either composed after his death or else if he did them himself it was nothing but an after-blow by way of Declamation The affair of Antioch being thus happily concluded the return of its Archbishop was a kind of a triumph The public place was strowed with flowers illuminations were seen every where they covered all the way he was to pass with odoriferous Herbs and every one touched with the Emperor's mercy made wishes and prayers for him and for prosperity to his Arms. LXXXVI About this time Theodosius at the sollicitation of one of his Kinsmen was urgent with the Widow Olympias to marry She was the Daughter of Count Seleucus and Grand-daughter of Ablavius High Steward of the Empire Greg. Naz. Ep. 57. under Constantine She had been married to a young Lord named Nebrides Several Bishops had been assisting at her Wedding and St. Gregory of Nazianzum who upon some occasion could not be there had sent her some Verses in form of an Epithalamium She was a Widow at the end of twenty months and pretended to nothing more than to apply herself to God alone Elpidius a Spaniard by Nation and Cousin to the Emperor had an extream desire to marry her for besides her illustrious Birth she likewise possessed Pallad in Dial. de vita Chrysost extraordinary Riches For all he had pursued all kind of methods to make himself beloved he could not succeed in his undertaking He had recourse to the Emperor and begg'd the assistance of his credit with Olympias Theodosius being very sensible to all that related to his Family and moreover being perswaded that his Protection and the Honor of his Alliance would affect this young Widow proposed this Marriage to her but he could not prevail She answered with a great deal of modesty and generosity all together That she Pallad ib. would always receive with a very profound respect whatsoever the Emperor would do her the honor to propose to her but she begg'd of him to permit her to live without engagement That if Heaven had been pleased with her marriage state it would not have deprived her of her Husband and that since God had broken her Bonds she was resolved to give herself to no one but him and to live only in order to please him and to serve him LXXXVII Theodosius did not think it a reasonable thing to reduce her by Authority to accept of the party which he proposed to her But as it is the misfortune of Sovereigns to be subject not only to their own Passions but also to those of other men he suffered himself to be prepossessed against her The Relations which had been won complained that becoming Mistress of her Estate before the Age required by the Laws she had scattered it away in indiscreet Alms and Presents by the advice of some interessed Ecclesiastics who governed her Upon this complaint the Emperor ordained that the Governor of Constantinople should have the care and administration of the Possessions of Olympias till she had attained the age of Thirty years Elpidius made this order to bâ— executed with extream rigor They took away from this vertuous Lady the entire disposition of her Revenues She was not permitted even the liberty of having any communication with the Bishops nor to enter in the Church to the end that feeling all the inconveniencies of Poverty and Slavery and enjoying no sort of comfort she might be obliged to consent to the Marriage which she had refused But she could not be moved by a usage so unjust and violent She suffered it not only with patience but even with joy and after having rendred thanks to God for it she wrote to the Emperor in these terms You have acted Sir in relation to your most humble Servant not only as an Emperor but also as a Bishop since you have freed me from the care of my temporal concerns and the fear of Pallad ib. not making a sufficiently good use thereof Behold me discharged of a great burden The favor would be entire if you would order them to be distributed to the poor and to the Church It is a long time since I was afraid lest Vanity should make me lose the Fruits of my Alms and the Perplexity of temporal Riches should make me negligent of spiritual ones LXXXVIII She remained in this condition till the war against Maximus was happily concluded Then Theodosius perceiving that he had been surprised and pitying the misfortunes she had so resolutely undergone restored her to her possessions and left her to her freedom She exercised afterwards the employment of Deaconess in the Church of Constantinople affording great examples of Modesty discretion piety and a perfect renunciation of all the cares and pleasures of this World LXXXIX As soon as the Spring was come Theodosius who still kept in suspence the Ambassadors of Maximus declared that he was going to make war against him and departed from Constantinople Themist Orat. 6. where he left his Son Arcadius under the conduct of Tatian a wise faithful and intelligent man whom he had expresly sent for from Aquileia to make him Praefectus Praetorio and of Themestius the Philosopher whom he gave him for his Tutor His Ambassadors had by his order
hands of the Conqueror Theodosius did not abuse his Victory He seemed more concerned at the misfortune of this Tyrant than incensed at his Crimes He reproached him with his perfidiousness in a behaviour that argued more of compassion than of anger and reflecting upon the justice of God's decisions and the inconstancy of humane greatness he was going to crown his victory by an act of Christian Generosity in pardoning his Prisoner But as he turned his head to conceal that emotion of Pity which appeared upon his face the Soldiers snatcht him from his mercy and having drawn him out of his Tent made him to be bèheaded in sight of the whole Army Andragatius being advised a little while after of this news and despairing of Theodosius's pardon for the murderer of Gratian chose rather to throw himself headlong into the Sea than to fall into his hands XCVIII A Success so happy and so expeditions which regained the Empire of the West and secured that of the East to Theodosius and his Children was published through the whole World But the goodness and moderation of the Conqueror made his triumph more illustrious than the obtaining of two battels and the absolute destruction of the Tyrant For he contented himself with the death of two or three persons unworthy of pardon Oroâ— l. â— c. 35. and received all the rest of the party not as a Conqueror but a Father There was neither confiscating of goods nor losing of employments nor spilling of blood Every one had the liberty of returning to his house and under a Prince of so much humanity no body was sensible of having been overcome He even allowed great Pensions to the Wife of Maximus whose Daughters Ambros Ep. 29. ad Theod. Aug. l. 5. de civ Dei c. 25. he caus'd to be educated with abundance of care and forgot nothing that might comfort them for their misfortune or entertain them according to their condition He would have granted the same favor to Victor their Brother if against his intention Arbogastes to assure himself of Gaul and to take away from thence all subject of Rebellion had not put him to death That which was most great and heroic in this expedition was not the subduing the whole Empire of the West it was the restoring of it As soon as he was Master thereof he re established in it the young Valentinian adding new Provinces to those which had been usurped and reserving to himself for a compensation of his Labors nothing but the Glory of a disinteressed Protection XCIX The fame of this Victory astonished the Arians of Constantinople who had not expected it nor even wished for it Touched at the rigorous Decrees which had been declared against them they maliciously dispersed false reports in the City and determined this war according to their desires even before it was begun They assured that Theodosius had lost the â—attle that he had much ado to escape and thâ—â— he fled before Socrat. l. 5. c. 13. Sozom l. 7. c. 14. Maximus They rendred this plausible falshood by the circumstances which they added even so far as to compute the number of the wounded and dead on both sides One would have said that they had been the Spectators of what was not yet come to pass Those very men that had at first spread abroad these false reports gathered them up afterwards as reallâ— true being perswaded by new particulars which were related to them and believed the loss of the Emperor to be infallible because they desired it As there are always uneasy Spirits who by a natural levity or for particular Interests are weary of the present Government so many People noised abroad this news that no body questioned it or durst contradict it C. The Arians made use of this occasion to revenge themselves for the deprivation of their Churches They went out of their houses like so many Furies with Torches in their hands and carrying every where tumult and disorder they went to burn the Palace of the Patriarch Nectarius They had proceeded to greater excesses but the news of Theodosius's Victory being arrived at the same time the fear of Punishment stopt the course of this Sedition which the hopes of impunity had excited These Hereticks went to cast themselves at the feet of Arcadius and entreated him with so much importunity to intercede for them with his Father that being affected with their Prayers with the repentance they shewed of their crime and the assurancs they gave of being more submissive and moderate for the future he engaged himself to ask for their pardon Theodosius who desired nothing so much as to accustom his Son to Clemency and to encourage him to make such Petitions to him immediately granted his Request After some residence which the Emperor made at Aquileia to refresh himself after the fatigues of war and to give necessary orders for the security and peace of the Empire he passed to Milan where he published an Edict by which he annulled Leg. 7. d infirmand his quae sub Tyran all the Ordinances of Maximus requiring that the memory thereof might be entirely abolished It was about this time that some Bishops complained of the judgment he had given and stir'd up against him the Zeal of St. Ambrose CI. It was the custom of the Eastern Churches to honor every year the memory of the holy Martyrs to assemble together upon the day of theiâ— Festivals and to make Processions in singing Psalms and Hymns The first day of August some Paulin. in vit Ambr. Solitaries who were met together to celebrate the Feast of the holy Maccabees went in procession through the Country followed by some devout persons of their Neighborhood They passed through a Village named Callicin where the Jews had a Synagogue and the Valentinian Hereticks a Temple Whether this singing of Psalms was troublesome to them or they took this ceremony for an Insult upon their Religions they all went out fell upon the Christians and hindred them from passing further after having abused them The noise of this violence was soon dispersed the Solitaries made complaints the people were moved thereat and the Bishop transported with zeal excited so well both the one and t'other to revenge the injury that was done to God and his Martyrs that they went to burn the Synagogue of the Jews and the Temple of the Hereticks The Emperour having been informed of the business by the Count of the East ordered the Temple and the Synagogue to be rebuilt at the expence of the Bishop and those who had burnt them to be punished CII The Oriental Bishops found the Decree too rough advised St. Ambrose of it and conjured him to employ all his credit towards the repealing thereof This holy Archbishop was then at Aquileia to assist at the election of a Successor to Valerian Bishop of that City who was lately deceased Being unable then to go and find Theodosius he wrote a Letter to him full of
that generosity wherewith he was accustomed to preach truth and justice to Emperors He represented to Ambr. Ep. 29. him That if he did not hearken to the Prayers of Bishops God would not attend to those which Bishops made for him That there was this difference between good and bad Princes the one would have their Subjects free the others would dispense with none but Slaves That as for him he chose rather to pass for importunate than for weak and unserviceable when the glory of God and the safety of the Emperor were concerned That indeed he acknowledged him for a pious Prince and one that feared God but that the most pious oftentimes let themselves be prejudiced by an indiscreet Zeal and a false Idea of Justice That he was indebted to his Majesty for an infinite number of favors and that it would be a cruel ingratitude to suffer his Benefactor to be wanting by an unworthy complaisance After that he made him see the consequences of this affair That he reduced a Bishop to disobey him or to betray his Ministry and that he went to make either a Transgressor or a Martyr which would be unbecoming of such a Reign as his That the Enemies of the Church would triumph in those structures built with the Spoils of Christians and the Patrimony of Jesus Christ That to make him repeal his Ordinance of rebuilding the Synagogues it sufficed to tell him that Julian would have done it and that the Fire of Heaven might fall to day as it did then That the Palace of the Patriarch of Constantinople was lately burnt and that a vast number of Churches reduced to ashes smoâ—kt still without any appearance of revenge That there was no application but to erect profane Temples That Maximus some days before he was forsaken of God had made a like Deeree Then he prayed him to take his freedom for a testimony of his respect and to believe that it was a great proof of the zeal and tenderness he had for him to dare even to anger him for his fafety He exhorted him at length to change his opinion and not to be ashamed to correct himself and made him apprehend that he endeavored to reform him in private lest he should be obliged to speak to him publickly in the Church CIII This Letter of so much force and urgency had not all the success which might have been expected from it and Theodosius still deferred to give a favourable answer which occasion'd the Archbishop upon his return to Milan to speak to him before all the People pursuant to his threatnings For one day when the Emperor was at Church to assist at the Sermon the Saint made choice of a Text suitaâ—le to the Subject he was to Paulin. in vit Ambr. treat of and after having enlarged himself upon the advantage one ought to make of corrections as the Auditors were in their greatest attention he fell upon the affair of the burnt Synagogue He directed his discourse to the Emperor and made God himself speak in these terms It is from me thou hast the Diadem I have made thee Emperor of a simple private man as thou wast I have delivered to thee the Army of thine Enemy I have made pass into thy Party those Troops which he had raised against thee I have put his very Person into thy hands I have given thee Children who shall reign after their Father I have afforded thee an easie Triumph and by an Ordinance thou hast just now made thou goest to resign thy Victory to my Enemies CIV These reproaches so sensibly touched Theodosius that he drew near the Archbishop as he descended from the Pulpit and said to him as it were in a complaining tone you have spoken against us to purpose my Father The Saint replied to him that his intention had been to speak for him and that he would have the same zeal whensoever his safety should be concerned Then the Emperor confessed that the Order which he had given out against the Bishop was too severe and that it was fitting to repeal it Some Lords who were present alledged to make their Court that the Solitaries ought at least to be persecuted who had been the Authors of this commotion I speak at present to the Emperor replied to them the holy Prelate and I know how to apply my self to you when it shall be convenient They durst not make any further answer to a man whose constancy they were acquainted with Thus â—e obtained the revocation of the Decree and after he had twice received assurances thereof from the Emperors own mouth he went to offer to God the Holy Sacrifice In the time Theodosius was at Milan all the considerable Bodies of the Empire sent Deputies to him in order to testify the joy which they conceived for his Victory The Senate of Rome was of the first in performing this duty Symmachus by his credit and intrigues obtained the nomination of Deputies that were Pagans like himself and recommended to request in the name of the Senate the preservation of the Altar of Victory which Maximus had re-established CV This Altar since the Reign of Constantine the Great had been an original of Contests It was erected in a Chappel which was built at the entrance of the Senate Here was to be seen a Herodian Prudent l. 2. in Symm Golden Statue which represented Victory under the figure of a young Damosel who had wings and bore in her hands a Crown of Lawrel The Pagans after having lost the greatest part of the Temples consecrated to their Gods whose very names were become insupportable to the Emperors had fixed all the hopes of their Religion in a Symmach relat ad Imp. Goddess whose name was so agreeable They swore upon her Altar they offered Sacrifices to her and they made this fragment of Superstition and Idolatry pass for the Religion of the whole Senate It was very uneasy to the Christians who were at D. Ambros contra Symmach the Palace to observe before their Eyes the exercise of a worship contrary to theirs to smell in the very Senate the odour of Sacrifices and to hear the vows they made to a profane Divinity CVI. The Emperors erected or pulled down this Altar according as they were moved by principles of Policy or Piety Constantine had dispenced with it out of Prudence judging his condescension necessary in the alteration of Religion and Empire Constance his Son destroyed it by a motion of Religion The Tyrant Magâ—entius restored it to oblige some Pagan Senators Ambr. ep 31. Symmach in relat ad â—al whom he had a mind to draw to his Party Constantius pulled it down out of Ostentation being desirous to let the Romans entertain a good opinion of his Faith when he had deprived them of the Pope Liberius Julian by the inclination he had for Idolatry and his hatred to the Christians commanded the re-establishment thereof Jovian and the great Valentinian left it in the
grants the Pagans the restoration of their Temples XL. Conduct of St. Ambrose in relation to Eugenius XLI Constancy of Eugenius Edicts of Theodosius XLII Theodosius prepares for War XLIII He consults the Abbot John XLIV He lessens the Taxes XLV He regulates the Soldiery XLVI Edict of Theodosius for pardoning Injuries XLVII Order of Theodosius's Army XLVIII Army of Eugenius different Prospects of the Leaders their Cares XLIX Theodosius forces the passage of the Alps. L. Battel of Theodosius against Arbogastes LI. Defeat of the Goths Piety of Theodosius Death of Bacurius LII Retreat and considerable loss of Theodosius LIII Hopes of Eugenius Theodosius holds a Council of War LIV. Theodosius concludes upon fighting Miraculous Apparition LV. Second Battel of Theodosius LVI Confidence of Arbogastes LVII Resolution of Theodosius LVIII Arbetion resigns himself to Theodosius LIX The Victory uncertain LX. Miraculous Wind. Victory of Theodosius LXI Death of Eugenius and Arbogastes LXII Clemency of Theodosius LXIII Affection of St. Ambrose for Theodosius LXIV Interview of St. Ambrose and Theodosius LXV Predictions of the Victory of Theodosius LXVI Ambition of Ruffin LXVII Confecration of the Apostles Church at Calcedon Solemnity of the Baptism of Ruffin LXVIII Synod hold at Constantinople LXIX Theodosius abolisheth Idolatry LXX Theodosius disposes himself to death abstains from the Communion for a time LXXI The Children of Theodosius arrive at Milan LXXII Theodosius exhorts the Pagan Senators to be converted LXXIII Testament of Theodosius LXXIV Theodosius shares the Empire between his two Sons LXXV Stilicon is declared Tutor of Honorius LXXVI Theodosius orders himself to be carried to the Circus LXXVII Death of Theodosius LXXVIII St. Ambrose makes the Encomium of Theodosius in presence of Honorius LXXIX The Body of Theodosius is transported to Constantinople LXXX Character of Theodosius THE HISTORY OF THEODOSIVS the Great BOOK IV. THE Empire since the defeat of Maximus had enjoyed a profound Peace and Theodosius re-established at leisure the Affairs of the West before he repassed to Constantinople when he received the news of the Sedition hapned at Thessalonica The occasion of it had been inconsiderable but the consequences were so great that they make one of the principal parts of this History I. Botheric Governor of Illyrium and Lieutenant General of the Emperor's Armies had received Orders to continue in his Government with the Sozom. l. 7. 5. 15. Troops which were left him to retain the People in their Duty or to oppose the Barbarians if they attempted to make any irruption upon the Lands of the Empire on that side He resided at Thessalonica a very rich and populous City Capital not only of Macedonia but also of several adjacent Provinces From thence he observed and regulated all things with a great deal of prudence and justice whilst the Emperor was employed in War Theod. l. 5 c. 17. against Maximus As soon as he had received adviâ—e of the Victory which Theodosius had won he ordered publick Rejoycings in all the Cities of his Government The Inhabitants of Thessalonica being affected for the glory of their Prince and naturally disposed to all kinds of Spectacles signalized themselves in this occasion They celebrated during several days publick Sports with an extraordinary magnificence A Coachman of Botheric got herein a mighty reputation and appeared so dexterous and expert Sozom. in managing Horses and conducting Chariots in the Circus that the People could not sufficiently observe and commend him He enjoyed this popular Favor but a little time for having been accused and convicted of some infamous debaâ—cheries Botheric a wise and austere Man commended him to be seized and confined him to a close Prison in order to correct him and to retain all his People in modesty by this example of Severity and Justice As they still prepared Horse-courses at Thessalonica the People possessed with the address and dexterity of this Man judging that he alone was capable of honouring this Festival resolved to demand his Liberty They who had undertaken to obtain it being unable to affect the humor of the Governor by their humble Petitions the People run in crowds to the Palace and made new Solicitations But Botheric would not relax in an Affair wherein was concerned not only the Discipline of his Family but also the Authority of his Charge for which they seemed not to have a sufficient respect Then the most seditious of them began to murmur and taking this refusal for an injustice done to them they demanded the liberty of the Prisoner not only as a Favor but as a Necessity All the City was insensibly in motion Some made to the Prison-gates in order to force them open others drove away by force of stones the Magistrates who endeavoured to oppose them and as there is nothing whereof the Rabble is not capable when they are once hot they broke open the gates of the Palace dispersed the Guards who were there and killed Botheric himself who came before them to endeavor to appease them II. The Emperor having information of this disturbance was so extremely incensed at it that he resolved to destroy that City and condemned upon the spot part of its Inhabitants to death St. Ambrose who was acquainted with the humor of this Prince and interessed himself for his real glory Pauiâ— in â—it Ambr. was afraid lest he should abandon himself to his first motions or to the inconsiderate counfels of some Lords of his Court He inspired him so seasonably with sentiments of sweetness and piety that he made him revoke the Sentence he had pronounced in the first heat of his displeasure Several other Prelates joined their Prayers to those of Aug. de civ Dei l. 5. c. 25. the Archbishop and they obtained of the Emperor the preservation of the Lives of all those guilty People But his chief Officers and particularly Ruffin great Master of the Palace who had a great power over his temper took their opportunities to remonstrate to him That it was necessary at last to repress the Liberty of People which encreased every day through the hopes of Impunity That he hâ—d but too much pardoned already since there remained no further respect for his Laws nor security for his most faithful Servants That he would find himself exposed to the Insolence of his Subjects if he suffered his Authority to be wâ—â—kneâ— by conniving at their Rebellions That it was matter of amazement for an Emperor who knew so well how to subdue his Enemies to be unable to chastise a few Rebels That Bishops were always obliged to preach up Clemency but that it was the business of Princes to maâ—e use of it according to the necessity of their Affairs because an Empire is not to be governed as a Diocess the Church and State having different Rules and Maxims That there was in a word as well excess in the pardoning of Crimes as in the punishment thereof and that it was time to put a stop to the disorders wherewith
indignation cease to laugh at my Affliction â— am a â—etter Judge of my Condition than you Have â— not reason to be sorrowful when I consider that the â—eâ—nest of my Subjects have the liberty to day of offering â—heir Prayers at the feet of the Altars and that I am the â—ingle person to whom is prohibited not only the entrance of â—he Church but also that of Heaven according to that â—xpression of the Gospel Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be likewise bound in Heaven IX Ruffin seeing no probability of dispossessing â—he mind of this Prince of that religious â—eat which St. Ambrose had imprinted therein by his Remonstrances offered to go and find this Preate and to oblige him by his entreaties to take off he Sentence of Excommunication Theodosius anâ—wered to him That he had to do with an inflexible Man who had no regard to the rank or power of Emâ—rors when the Laws and Discipline of the Church were â—ncerned That he acknowledged the Archbishop's Senâ—nce to â—e just and that it were better to finish the expiation of his Crime than vainly to demand the favor of an over-hasty Absolution The ordinary practice of the Church not tâ— receive Penitents publickly till towards Easter anâ— to keep wilful Murderers several years in Penance induced the Emperor to believe that this attemâ— would be fruitless Notwithstanding Ruffin waâ— so instant with him to shake off his Concern anâ— gave him such fair hopes that this Prince permiâ— ted him to go to the Archbishop and resolved â— follow himself a little after Ruffin acquitted hiâ— self of his Commission with much dexterity 〈◊〉 St. Ambrose observing that he made a Negotiatiâ— of State of an Ecclesiastical reconciliation repliâ— to him with his usual freedom That he who wâ— the first Author of the Crime was not fit to be tâ— Mediator of the Absolution and that for all the litâ— tle shame and fear he retained of the judgments â— God he ought not to think of the affair of Thessaloniâ— but to bewail the evil counsels which he had given to â— Master Ruffin was not discouraged at these Râ— proaches he employed the most affecting impor tunities and Prayers and forgot nothing thâ— might have influence upon the spirit of the Arcâ— bishop When he saw that he could obtain â—â— thing he gave him notice that the Emperor wouâ— soon be at the Church The Saint answered 〈◊〉 him without any surprize That he would attend hâ— at the door in order to forbid him entrance That if â— came as a Christian Emperor he would not violate tâ— Laws of his Religion That if he would become Tyraâ— he might add the death of a Bishop to that of so many â—â— nocents whom he had already caus'd to be slain X. Ruffin having heard this Answer gave immediate information to Theodosius that the business â—ad not succeeded according to his expectation â—nd that he pray'd him not to come The Emâ—eror was already pretty far advanced when he â—eceived this advice He stopt and after having â—aused awhile he went on and resolved to endure he confusion which he thought he had deserved â—he Archbishop was in a Hall near the Church â—here he usually gave his Audiences when they â—ame to inform him that the Emperor was at the â—oor He advanced towards him and said to him â—hat he did not perform the action of a Christian Empeâ—or if he attempted to force the Church Tnat it was â— rebel against God himself and to trample under foot he Divine Laws to pretend to assist at the Sacred Mysteries before he had done Penance for his Sin Theodosius replied to him with abundance of subâ—ission That his intention was not to enter by force â—nto the House of God nor to violate the Ordinances of â—he Church but that he came to conjure him to break his â—etters and to open him the Gate of Salvation in the Name of Jesus Christ who has opened that of his Mercy to those Sinners who repent sincerely St. Amâ—rose asked him what Penance he had done and what Remedies he had employed towards the Cure of so dangerous a Wound I come to you as â—o the Physitian replied the Emperor 't is you that â—re to ordain what I ought to do XI Then the holy Archbishop represented to â—im the misfortune of a Prince who did not reguate his Passions and who exposed himself to proâ—ounce unjust Decrees and to shed innocent blood â—nd ordered him to make a Law that might serve as a curb to his displeasure and to that of his Successors This Law directed That if the Empâ— rors Theod. ib. Soz. l. 7. c. 25. against their Custom were obliged to make use oâ— an extreme Severity towards any one after having pâ—â— nounced the Sentence of Death they should defer thâ— Theod. ib. execution thereof an entire month to the end that theâ—â— Passions being relented they might reflect upon their judg ments and distinguish without prejudice the innoceâ— from the guilty Whether this Ordinance was thâ—â— composed or that it had been published eigh years before as some Historians have remarked Theodosius gave Orders for it to be writ dowâ— immediately signed it and promised to oâ— serve it That being done he was absolved and haviâ—â— been admitted into the Church he prostrated him self and began his Prayers by those words of King such a Sinner and Penitent as himself â—â— Soul is fixed even unto the ground Lord give 〈◊〉 according to thy Word He remained in this posturâ— beating his Breast from time to time lifting up hâ— voice towards Heaven to ask for Pardon and la menting his Sin in the sight of all the Peoplâ— who were touched at it and wept along with hiâ— when he was going to the Offering he arose aâ— vanced towards the Altar where he offered hâ— Gifts as he was used to do and went to place him self in the Quire amongst the Priests near the Blister XII The Archbishop having perceived him and desiring to abolish a Custom which the com plaisance of Bishops and the remisness of Discipline had introduced sent to ask him what he eâ— pected Sozom. l. 7. c. 24. there and when it was told him from tâ— Emperor that he waited for the time of beinâ— admitted to the communion of the Sacred Mysteries he sent him word by one of his Deacons That he was amazed to see him thus in the Sanctuary That the Purple made him Emperor and not Priest and that he had no place in the Church but as the other People The Emperor answered That it was no design against the Order of the Church nor an Affectation to distinguish himself from all the rest but that he had thought the Custom was the same at Milan as at Constantinople where he placed himself in the Quire and after having thanked the Archbishop for being so kind as to inform him of his Duty he went out of the Balister and took his place amongst the People This Lesson remained
so strongly fixed in his mind that at his return to Constantinople being in the Cathedral Church upon a great Holyday he went out of the Quiâ—e after he had made his Offering And when the Patriarch Nectarius sent to desire him to re-enter and to resume the place that was designed for his Majesty Alas said he sighing I have been a long time finding out the distinction between a Bishop and an Emperor I am encompassed with People that flatter me I have found bâ—t one Man that has set me in the right way and has told me the truth and I know but one true Bishop in the Theodor. world which is Ambrose From this time the Emperor kept without the Balister a little above the People but below the Priests such influence had the correction of a zealous and unblameable Prelate upon a Prince who had some care of his salvation All the Church was edified by the docility and faith of this Emperor The holy Fathers in their Writings have consecrated the memory Aug. de â—iv 〈◊〉 l. 5. c. 26. of his Piety and by this example they have admonished all Sovereigns to regulate their Authority by Justice and not by their Passions to distinguish good from evil councils and to be Ambros in fun Theod. Paul c. more ashamed of the sins they commit than of the penance they ought to do for them XIII Theodosius after having submitted himselâ— to the Laws of the Church employed his Authority to make them observed and repressed the insolence of Jovinian and his Disciples whoâ— the Council of Milan had condemned Jovinian had been a Religious in a Monastery of the Suburbs of Milan which St. Ambrose entertained by his cares in an exact regularity This giddy-headeâ— and sensual man was soon weary of leading an austere and penitent life He forsook it and drew after him certain infirm Spirits which he had infected with a contagious doctrine He had some design to re-enter into this holy Society but iâ— was judged that his repentance was not sincere and that his conversation would be dangerous insomuch that they refused to receive him Hâ— was so netled at this denial that he taught publickly That fasting and other exercises of penitence Hieronym contra Jov. â— 2. were of no importance That Virginity had no advantage over Marriage That they who are baptized can't be dejected by temptations That there was but one reward for all the happy and several other Maxims which tended to the remisness of manners and the decay of discipline Besides the badness of his cause it was ill sustained August de Harâ—s c. 82. because he had neither politeness nor eloquence in his Writings but as it flattered the sensual inclinations of men it was easie to perswade Thus by debasing the glory of Virginity he seduced several Roman Virgins and by virtue of declaiming against Celibacy he disposed good men to dissolution Some holy and learned persons wrote against his doctrine and his life which was very conformable to his opinions and even reproached him Ambr. de Virgin Hiero. l. 2. con Jov. August de bono conjug with his delicacies his luxury and his incontinence very smartly The Pope Siricius aâ—ter having condemned this Arch-Heretick sent his Legats to Milan to call a Synod there and to extinguish these new errors in the very place where they were brought forth This Synod which began to assemble when the news of the affair of Thessalonica arrived had judged Jovinian and his Companions conformably to the Sentence of Rome there remained nothing further to do but to execute it Theedosius took it upon himself and by a Rescript dated at Verona the second day of September he chased from Rome those irregular men who still retained the name and habit of their first Profession and banished them into remote Leg. 1. de anach cod Theod. desarts where they must have lived in a forced continence if the Magistrates had been more exact in executing the order which they had received XIV The zeal of this Prince did not terminate here for having learnt that this Heresie had introduced strange disorders in Rome he set out very severe Ordinances against several sorts of impurities and very expresly commanded the Lieutenant of the City to put a stop to this corruption Aurel. vict in Theod. Ambr. ep 66. by Punishments proportioned to the Crimes in order to restore amongst the Romans that decency of manners to which Constantine the Great had formerly begun to reduce them It was about this time that he prohibited under very severe penalties the marriage of Cousin-germans renewing the ancient Edicts which an unbridled Liberty had made absolutely void He still established several Laws which related to the quiet of the State and the government of the Church The Regulation which he made upon the subject of Deaconesses deserves to be related here with all its circumstances as well because the occasion he had to do it at that time made a mighty noiâ—e as because Princes may draw from thence some instruction for their conduct XV. The Church of Rome has always exacted from Penetints an open or particular Confession of their Sins as a necessary Humiliation and an evident mark of grief and repentance Ministers appointed for the direction of consciences heard the accusations which every one offered against himself and ordained penalties and satisfactions proportioned to the Sins which were exposed to them The Bishop alone held this Tribunal of Penance as long as Christians lived in the â—ervour and purity of the Rules of the Gospel But Sozom. l. 7. c. 16. their number being encreased and discipline being slackned as soon as the Persecutions had ceased Sins became so frequent and the Bishops found themselves charged with so many cares that it was necessary to establish in every Church a Penetentiary Priest This received the Confessions of Penitents prescribed them the time and manner Socrat. l. 5. c. 19. of satisfaction and after having tried them according to their necessities by practices of Penance he presented them to the Bishop to be reconciled XVI This Office that had been long since established at Constantinople was suppressed by the Patriarch Sozom. ib. Nectarius upon the occasion of a disorder happened in his Church A young Widow of Quality who in all probability through a devotion of but little substance had raised herself to the degree of Deaconess made a confession of all her past life to a Penitentiary who imposed on her as an expiation of her faults extraordinary Fasts and Prayers As she was obliged to be a long time at Church in order to acquit her self of the satisfactions which had been prescribed her She had an opportunity of seeing and conversing often with a young Deacon in whom she had reposed too much confidence These entertainments very serious at the beginning degenerated on both sides into no very decent familiarities and this spiritual correspondence became at