more than that of the Roman Liberty and commanded himself to be Adored when all others before him were only Saluted That he wore Jewels on his Cloaths and Shoes For the Ensign of Empire consisted before in a Purple Robe only but in other things they went like other People But it 's manifest the same thing was done by Caligula and perhaps he inveighs the more bitterly against Dioclesian because he saw he was hated by the Christians For Eutropius lived in the time of the first Christian Emperors 302. Dioclesian and Maximianus Herculius after they had put an end to various Wars raised the Tenth and greatest Persecution of all against the Christians They pulled down their Temples and Churches every where if we may call those Places so where the Christians privately met to worship and sought out for the Scriptures in every corner which they forced from many with exquisite Torments who for that reason were called TRAYTORS Some time after there was a Synod held against them at Cirtha in Numidia wherein those who had not given them up would have the Traytors Excommunicated But as there were several of the Bishops who had been themselves tardy in the point they let the matter fall This Account we have in St. Augustine against Cresconius lib. iii. cap. 26. Whence 't is evident there were not as many suffered Martyrdom as the Writers of the latter Ages have boasted of 304 This year Dioclesian and Maximianus Herculius having laid aside the Imperial Dignity the first at Nicomedia and the other at Milan resumed a private Life while Constantius Chlorus and Maximinianus Armentarius were at the same time declared Augusti as Severus and Galerius Maximinus were also made Caesars These Princes divided the Provinces of the Empire so as that it was assigned to every one what part it was his business to govern and defend Constantius died two years after at York and his Son Constantine by the unanimous Consent of the whole Army was saluted Caesar and next year Emperor But when Constantine's Picture was brought to Rome Maxentius the Son of Herculius was presently proclaimed Emperor by the Praetorian Bands The same year Caecilianus was constituted in the Place of Mensurius Bishop of Carthage by Felix of Aptungitanum From whence sprung a Schism for that those to whom the Church-Plate was entrusted by Mensurius were compelled to give them up to Caecilianus if so be we are bound to believe herein St. Augustine and Optatus the Donatists Opponents from whom only we have this Account The Schismaticks pretended that Caecilianus had been Ordained by the Traditores or Betrayers as they called them wherefore they thought that they had a Right to Create another Bishop which was Majorinus The Chief Man among them was Donatus of Casae-Nigrae from whom the Schism was denominated 307. When Galerius Maximianus came to understand that Maxentius who was his Son-in-Law had invaded the Imperial Authority he endeavoured both himself and by his Generals though in vain to subdue him His Father Maximianus hoping he might by the means hereof assume the Purple again went from Lucania to Rome but being found to have conspired against his Son he was expelled from thence And so he fled to Constantine then in Gaul on whom he bestowed his Daughter Fausta in Marriage and withal consigned unto his hands as far as in him lay the Title and Power of Augustus or Emperor Licinius who before had been declared Caesar by Maximianus did the following year assume the Name of Augustus So that there were this year no less than four Emperors viz. Maximianus Constantine Maxentius and Licinius The Donatists at the same time gathered a Synod of Two hundred and seventy Bishops at Carthage wherein they Decreed That the Betrayers should be Re-baptized and upon their Refusal be Excommunicated 311. Galerius in the mean time by an Edict put a stop to the Persecution of the Christians which he had before promoted and died of an infectious Wound he had received An Anonymous Author publish'd by James Sirmondus adds That this was such a drunken Emperor that when in drink he commanded what ought not to be done he Enacted upon the Advice of the Praefect That none should execute his Commands after Dinner-time THE Conversion of Constantine The XIth EPOCH From the Conversion of the Emperor Constantine to the Reign of Charles the Great are Four Hundred Eighty Eight Years which comprehends The XIth PERIOD 312. Constantine is said to have seen this year in the Air something representing the Sign of the Cross with these words on it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this thou shalt overcome and that then he was converted He thereupon together with Licinius to whom he was reconciled put out several Edicts in favour of the Christians But he made War upon Maxentius who being beaten fell in his flight over a Bridge that was built across the Tyber into that River The Donatists from thence-forward raised many Disturbances in Africa whose Dissentions Constantine endeavoured to accommodate by the means of some Bishop employed for that end tho' to no purpose upon application being made to him upon the said account which Dionys Petavius wrongfully ascribes to the next year He did indeed Enact That the Determination of the Bishops even in Civil Controversies should be allowed of But he ought to have referred this Edict to the Year 331 for the same was dated at Constantinople which began to be re-edified A. D. 328 And this Observation we have from David Blondell who hath inserted the same with some few more in the Margin of Petavius Upon this a War brake out between Constantine and Licinius wherein the former prevailing in two great Battels imposed these Terms upon the other That he should govern Thrace the East and remoter Provinces while Constantine should from Illyricum possess all the rest of the Empire Westward It was not long after before Constantius and Crispus the Sons of Constantine the Great as also Licinius the Son of Licinius were made Caesars At the same time it 's said Arius a Presbyter of Alexandria taught the People publickly that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word was not of so perfect a Substance as the Father though he were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most like unto him inasmuch as his Substance had been created by the Father before the Formation of the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of that which had no Entity But Alexander Bishop of Alexandria who with several others believed the Word to be a Substance altogether equal to that of the Father and Eternal turned Arius out of the Church who for all that drew several Bishops to take his part the chief whereof was Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia Philostorgius who wrote an Ecclesiastical History from the time of the Nicene Council down to that of Theodosius the Younger some Fragments and a short Compendium whereof made by a Person who was of the Homoousian Opinion are still extant testifies that one Alexander Sirnamed Baucala
See the eighth day after he was baptized Then it was that Jerom Epiphanius Augustine though not yet converted to the Faith and Martin Bishop of Tours lived which last wrought a great many Miracles according to the Account given by Sulpicius Severus a faithful Writer both in his History and Dialogues But we may justly prefer before all those miraculous Stories what is said concerning Martin's Judgment in respect to the Slayers of Hereticks with whom he would not Communicate and did not above once and that against his will at the instance of Maximus Tyrannus 375. Upon the death of Valentinian besides Gratian who was already Emperor his younger Brother was also elected to the Dignity and next year Valence was overcome in Thrace by the Goths and his Body never found the Barbarians having burnt the Village whither he was carried out of the Army The Goths thereupon ravaged all Thrace and Moesia and advanced sometimes even to the Gates of Constantinople but they were repulsed by the Citizens 379. As they stood in need of a valiant Man in the East to repress the fury of these Barbarians and their Incursions Gratian made Theodosius Emperor and so retired to the Western Parts of the Empire and it was not long before Theodosius overthrew the Goths and drove them out of Thrace Then was there a Council held at Antioch wherein it was Agreed between Meletius and Paulinus Successor to Eustathius That upon the death of one or other of them the Survivor was to be Bishop alone Here also Apollinaris of Laodicea was condemned who they say should affirm that the Word was only united to the Flesh of Christ and not to the Soul and that the Soul remained in sin See Theodoritus lib. v. cap. 3. But his Adversaries bring him in arguing in so absurd a manner that it gives occasion for no small doubting whether they have given a faithful Account of his Opinion There arose a great Controversy in the Church of Antioch to use the words of Henry Valesius concerning the word Hypostasis the Meletians affirming there were Three Hypostases or Substances in the Trinity whereas the Eustathians would have only One therein Alexander in the Council held at Alexandria reconciled the matter by enacting That the Profession of the Nicene Faith should be only required without making any mention of the Hypostasis as you may see in Athanasius's Synodical Epistle to the Church of Antioch But this Controversie notwithstanding the Decree of the said Council continued in the Church of Antioch as Jerom witnesseth in his lviith Epistle to Damasus Valesius is of opinion they differed only in words which is true But the Word-warring did not consist herein that they who affirmed or were for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meant it to be One Substance for Number or that they who were for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 believed there were Three Persons though they participated of one and the same Numerical Substance The Ambiguity consisted herein that those who stood upon the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meant that there was but One Substance in Species whereas others affirmed there were Three Hypostases in Number though they agreed with others in respect to the Unity of the Species as others did with them as to the Trinity of Substances Now the original of the strife or rather obscurity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was this that the word bore two significations one whereof was in use among Philosophers and the other among the Vulgar The Philosophers called the Existence of some thing and not the thing it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Examples whereof we have in Budaeus's Commentaries of the Greek Tongue p. 138 244. Now in this sence some have affirmed there were Three Hypostases that is that there were Three Substances in the Trinity subsisting apart from one another though they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a like perfect and of the same kind But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vulgar sence is not the Existence of the thing but the Thing it self and accordingly Paulinus Eustathianus asserts a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is that the Substance of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is not of a different Nature The same Budaeus has Examples of this Notion pag. 466. In the Synod convoked at Sardis whose words are recorded in Theodoritus lib. ii cap. 8. there is an Anathema pronounced against those who say that the Hypostases of the Father Son and Holy Ghost are different and 't is affirm'd there was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one Hypostasis which the Hereticks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's expresly said in the words of this Synod that the Hereticks call that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Catholicks name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Jerom in his Epistle to Damasus doth not use another word when he saith That all the learned Schools in all Ages knew no other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many others have also spoke after the same manner Gregory Nazianzen went to Constantinople and began to engage the People with such an admiration of his Learning that he had had that Episcopal See conferred upon him unless Peter of Alexandria had withstood it who made it his business in the absence of the other to get Maximus who from a Cynick was turned Christian by ill methods substituted in his room But Demophilus the Arian and Maximus being turned out by the Authority of Theodosius he was not long after brought in again to the Church of Constantinople 381. Then was the Second Oecumenical Synod convocated in that City when Meletius first with some other Bishops confirmed Gregory in Antioch before the Synod met together Afterward upon the death of Meletius and that Flavian was substituted in his room Gregory upon account of the fore-mention'd Compact opposed it so that a Contention arose and upon the arrival of the Egyptian Bishops things came to that pass that Gregory relinquished the Bishoprick of his own accord After this there were Canons made against Macedonius Maximus next year seized upon the Empire in Britain and having the Seat of his Empire at Treves he made his Son Victor his Colleague therein Not long after his General Andragathius flew the Emperor Gratian now forsaken by his Party while Theodosius in the East gave the Dignity of Augustus to his Son Arcadius 385. There was a Synod held at Bourdeaux against Priscillian Bishop of Abila in Spain and some others who being declared guilty of notorious Wickednesses were beheaded and their Disciples slain The Bishops Idacius and Ithacius were so eager for the Infliction of the said Punishment that 't was thought Martin of Tours refrained Communicating with them upon that account and herein you may consult Sulpitius Severus St. Jerom went the same year into the Land of Palaestina and St Augustin was converted from Manichaeism saving that he never utterly relinquished the Notion of Fatal Necessity and the
were adjudged to go to Hell withstood them stifly and under the Name of Divine Grace which they said Pelagius was an Enemy to establish'd their own Opinion among the Christians which before was scarce ever heard of in the World At the same time Attalus and Heracliaenus set up for Tyrants in Italy and Africa but quickly lost their Usurped Power while the Goths in the mean time waged War against the Alans and Vandals in Spain and Gaul under the Conduct of Vallias Ataulphus's his Successor who restored Placidia to Honorius and was marry'd to Count Constantius 514. This year the first Synod at Diospolis in the Land of Palestine was held against Pelagius where he is said to have retracted his Errors and to be absolved Another Synod in conformity to this condemned the Pelagian Errors in Africa and sent Letters to Innocent Bishop of Rome to induce him to do the like The same thing was done that year by the Synod held at Milevitum in Numidia But Coelestius the Disciple of Pelagius coming to Rome after the death of Innocent cleared himself before Zosimus then Pope who wrote to the Clergy in Africa That if they knew of any one that were minded to accuse Coelestius they should send him to Rome And he did at the same time inveigh bitterly against Lazarus and Herotes two Gaulish Bishops for their rash Accusation of Coelestius and Pelagius He wrote also not long after such other Letters in favour of Pelagius which Pelagius's Adversaries say were obtained through cunning Dissimulation But there is no reason we should believe them before Pelagius seeing they used all the Artifice imaginable to defame his Doctrine and obtained an Order from Honorius against him See Ger. John Vossius in Historia Pelagiana From thence in the mean time arose Contentions about Appeals from Places beyond the Seas while Zosimus in opposition to the African Bishops urged That Appeals to the See of Rome were lawful and for this he insisted upon I do not know what Canon of the Council of Nice whereby he said it was manifest those Appeals were Canonical But the African Fathers found the Canon was fictitious by sending some to the East to bring them the Canons of that Council And hence sprung a Schism between the Roman and African Churches 420. While the Romans waged War against the Persians in the East and that Honorius who govern'd the Western Empire wasted away his time in Idleness the Kingdom of the Franks under Pharamond is said to have begun 424. A few years after when Placidia with her Sons Valentinian and Honorius were drove away by the Emperor Honorius she fled to Theodosius into the East where she had the Dignity of Augusta conferred upon her as her Son Valentinian had that of Caesar This Prince upon the death of Honorius was sent into Italy to suppress John Principal Notary who had invaded the Empire of the deceased Which he successfully performed and in a little time after did by the help of Aetius a valiant Man to whom he was much obliged overthrow Count Boniface who had seized upon the Empire in Africa 428. Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople is said to have spread his Doctrine at that time whereby he contended as they would have it That there were Two Persons in Christ Cyril Bishop of Alexandria opposed him vehemently though it 's very likely the whole Contest was nothing but meer Word-warring nay if Cyril's words were as rigidly scann'd as those of Nestorius the Bishop of Alexandria would appear to be more Heterodox than the other But yet the Synod assembled at Ephesus which was called the Third General one and which consisted of Two hundred Bishops condemned Nestorius But John Bishop of Antioch coming thither with his Party did on the fifth day after Nestorius's Condemnation serve Cyril the same turn and annull the Council's Decrees From whence arose a Schism in the Eastern Churches which could scarce be composed again The whole Controversy had its beginning from the ambiguity of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For while some confounded the terms and said there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Christ Others who made a Distinction between them contended That there were indeed Two Natures in him but One Person Besides which there were also some who said there were but One Nature and One Person in him from whence afterwards sprang the Opinion of the Eutychians of whom by and by At length when Cyril's Party who were at first inferiour to the other got the better on 't with the Emperor Theodosius Nestorius's Books were condemned In Defence whereof the Nestorians published the Books of Diodorus of Tarsus and Theodorus of Mopsuestenum who defended both Natures which were condemned by some and approved by others when they did not rightly understand one another Then was the Theodosian Code publish'd being the year after Vincentius Larinensis put out his Book called Commonitorium The Goths Huns and Vandals about these times molested the Roman Empire in divers Parts tho' the Roman Generals craftily made use sometimes of one sometimes of another's friendship in order to appease the rest 437. Valentinian the Second marry'd Eudoxia Theodosius's Daughter to whom he had been betrothed a long time before Eudoxia the Mother of this Prince went to Jerusalem the next year to pay her Vows where she stayed for the space of a year for then it was that holy Places began to be had in much veneration and many Pilgrimages were under taken thither several also of the Reliques of the Saints long since deceased began to grow famous by which great Miracles were said to be done whereby it came to pass that Men began to invoke the holy Martyrs and others by whose Prayers they believed those things they asked of God would be more easily obtained From henceforward the Thirteenth Book of Dionysius Petavius de Doct. Temp. is stuffed with a great many Monkish Stories he neglecting no opportunity of taking notice of those Reliques which at that time grew in vogue with the People 439. Carthage was taken by the Vandals after it had been almost for Six hundred years in the hands of the Romans The Conquerors are said to have vented their rage against the Christians and especially the Priests by the Command of King Geisericus It 's said there were several Manichaeans discovered at this time in Italy who were sharply prosecuted by Leo Bishop of Rome Bleda and Attila Kings of the Huns ravaged Illyricum and Thrace and besides that extorted great Summs of Money from Theodosius But Attila after his Brother Bleda was slain had the whole Power in his hands and not long after over-ran almost all Europe 448. Eutyches this year is said to have been convicted of Heresie in the Synod of Constantinople because he confounded the Natures of Christ which Nestorius had over separated But next year there was a Synod held at Ephesus wherein Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria restored him to Communion again from
Sentiments of the Manichaeans concerning the Liberty of Man About these times Valentinian the Younger put forth an Edict in favour of the Arians while Theodosius on the other hand did many things in favour of the Homoousians as they called them So that the pious Rules no less strove with one another by the Authority of the Emperors whom they endeavoured to engage on their side than they did in Reproaches and Anathema's Now it was that Cyril of Jerusalem flourish'd and Jerom and John both Presbyters of Antioch which last was called Chrysostom began to grow famous and about two years after the latter was made Presbyter when the Antiochians had thrown down the Statues of Theodosius he made those Orations which are known by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 At the same time Maximus the Tyrant was overcome and slain by Theodosius at Aquileia Neither did his Son Victor survive him long for Count Arbogastes cut off his Head in Gaul Theodosius restored to Valentinian what he took from Maximus Two years after the People of Thessalonica having slain a principal Officer of his Theodosius commanded a great slaughter to be made of them For which reason St. Ambrose shut him out of the Church of Milan till he had given signs of a Publick Repentance neither was he admitted in till after the expiration of some months as other Penitents used to do Moreover he made a Law That the Execution of Sentence past should be deferred for Thirty Days Valentinian also the same year made a Law concerning Deaconesses and Women consecrated to God That they should give nothing to the Churches Which was Repealed not long after And this proved to be the fate of all the Edicts that seemed to take any thing away from the Clergy A Decree of the same Emperor had a like success wherein it was Enacted That Monks should not enter into Cities but dwell in solitary Places For the same was disused in three years after or thereabouts 391. Eugenius relying upon the aid of Count Arbogastus invaded the Western Empire and Valentinian not long after died of a Wound he received of Arbogastus at Vienna He was a Catechumen aâ— that time and desired Ambrose to Baptize him before he went upon the Expedition he had projected against the Barbarians But though he died unbaptized yet Ambrose in his Funeral Sermon stick'd not to say that he was saved Then began great Wranglings to arise about Origen's Opinions between John Bishop of Jerusalem and Epiphanius Bishop of Salamis in Cyprus whose Epistle concerning the said John of Jerusalem's Errors is still extant and was turned into Latin by St. Jerom. Paladius of Galata and Ruffinus a Presbyter of Aquileia were favourers of the same Opinions You may consult Sulpitius Seuerus's Dialogaes and the Origeniana of P. D. Huetius upon this Subject Theodosius being accompany'd with Honorius whom the year before he had created Augustus marched against Arbogastus and Eugenius and having joined Battle was worsted the first day But he overcame the day following the Winds as they said fighting for him Theodosius died the year after this Victory Ruffinus had dispossess'd his Son Arcadius of the Eastern Empire to whom his Father had assign'd it had it not been for Stilicho Honorius's General who defeated and slew him Then Augustine who had been ordained Presbyter five years before was made Bishop of Hipp. Claudian the last of the Latin Poets flourish'd at that time Eutropius was assisting to Stilicho in the overthrowing of Ruffinus but they could not agree long Eutropius made it his business to get the former who was going to the East declared an Enemy to the Commonwealth by the Emperor and Senate and endeavoured from under Honorius's Command to take away Africa by the means of Gildon wherein he proved at first successful But Mascezel Gildo's Brother having received supplies of Men from Stilicho overcame his Brother and distressed him so far by his Victory that he went and hang'd himself and himself soon after was by Stilicho's Command thrown over a Bridge into the River 398. John Chrysostom was made Patriarch of Constantinople a Person no less addicted to a severity of Discipline than famous for Eloquence While he ruled the Church of Constantinople Gainas a Confident of Eutropius having made a League with the Barbarians so far deceived him that in some time he effected his ruine But after divers Commotions raised in Constantinople he was at length slain himself in Thrace At the same time Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria having assembled a Synod took care to have Origen and his Followers condemned He used ill the Origenian Monks of Egypt who in vain fled for Protection to St. Chrysostom 400. Then it was that Alaricus King of the Goths wasted Italy and had Gaul and Spain assigned him by Honorius to dwell in There were several Synods held about these times in Africa against the Donatists whom at length seeing they could not do it by Arguments they overcame by Force And this St. Augustine in his Epistle to Vincentius asserts to be lawful 403. St. Chrysostom not long after was condemned by Theophilus of Alexandria and some other Bishops at the Instigation of Eudoxia the Empress whom he had offended by inveighing against the Plays that were celebrated in honour of her at her Silver Statue which stood not far from the Church Next year he was exil'd into Cilicia thence into Armema and in the fourth year of his Banishment died at Comana upon the Euxine Sea 408. Arcadius himself who sent him into Banishment died also not long after leaving Theodosius his Son an Infant behind him and whom he recommended to the Protection of Isdegerdes King of Persia who discharged the Trust committed to him with great fidelity Stilicho endeavouring to get his Son Eucherius made Caesar was slain Whereupon Alaricus offered to enter into a League with Honorius But the latter rejecting the Terms the other advanced with his Army twice to Rome and at last took the City while one Constantius an obscure Person who invaded the Empire was in the mean time slain in Gaul Alaricus when he had taken and plundered Rome did at his departure take along with him Placidia Honorius's Sister and bestowed her in Marriage on Ataulphus his Kinsman who upon the other's death that happened in a short while after succeeded him in his Dominions 413. About these times Coelestius a Disciple of Peâ—…gius who was a Scot or Britain was condemned â—n the Synod of Carthage Pelagius's Tenet was That all Men had strength enough and to spare bestowed upon them by God whereby freely to discharge their Duty and that they stood in no need of other extraordinary Grace to help them therein besides what the Providence of God bestowed upon all Men and That Infants were neither capable of Vice nor Vertue which then only exert themselves when they become adult Others who denied the said liberty and believed most Men through an Eternal Necessity which they called Predestination
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Headless others give a different original to the Name than this now suggested 484. Zeno over and above the Church-Commotions he had to do with had Illus and Leontius who rebelled against him to suppress At that time there arose new Wranglings among the Bishops hence it came to pass that seeing some had long since introduced the Pictures of the Saints into their Churches others have esteemed that Practice to tend to Superstition therefore these last purg'd their Churches of them and run them down both by Word and Writing among whom Philoxenus Bishop of Hierapolis was Chief 490. This year Theodoricus having conquer'd Odoacer King of the Heruli possess'd himself of Italy This Prince is not the same as is above-mention'd under the Emperors Martianus and Leo. Zeno died next year and was succeeded by Anastasius through the favour of Ariadne the deceased Emperor's Wife who was enamour'd on him in the Life-time of her Husband Zeno's Brother Longinus being excluded who being sent by Anastasius into Isauria rebelled against him and was with difficulty after a seven years War overcome 492. Anastasius favoured those whom they called the Doubters or Headless and allowed every Man the freedom to follow what he pleased and turn'd those out of the Churches who raised Tumults about the Synod of Chalcedon or condemned or approved it But the Emperor who was very much for Peace could not bring to Agreement those Bishops who were but little acquainted with the Christian Religion and such sharp Sticklers for the said Divisions they thunder'd out their Anathema's continually against and refused Communion with one another Concerning which it 's worth while to read Evagrius lib. iii. cap. 30. At this time was Odoacer slain by Theodonicus who having master'd all Italy besieged him at Ravenna in vain for three years 495. There were indeed many of the Goths who embraced the Christian Religion in this Age but they were hated by the Homoousians as Hereticks because they were Followers of Arius's Opinions The Kings of France were also Heathens till now but Clodovieus received the Christian Faith this year Then did the Burgundian Affairs flourish but in a short time the French had the mastery of them 501. There were great Contests this year in the Conclave whether Symmachus or Laurentius should he Pope which could not be composed without Bloodshed though there were Counts present whom Theodoricus sent thither to suppress the Seditious At length Symmachus prevailed and therefore was esteemed lawfully chosen for here things are always measured by Success 510. Though Anastasius could scarce defend the Empire against the Persians and Saracens yet he was plagued besides with the Domestick Seditions both of the Ecclesiasticks and Laicks The contrary Factions often-times murthered one another at the Publick Plays and the Bishops wrangled continually about the Henotick and Chalcedon Synod Some Historians have recorded That when he would have added these words to the Trisagium Who was crucified for us he was almost destroyed by the Catholick Monks who while they breathed nothing else but the death of the Emperor and all the Doubters thus they called them cried out as if violence had been offer'd them that the time of their Suffering Martyrdom was at hand See Evagr. lib. 111. cap. 44. and Theodorus lib. 11. p. 562. of Valesius's Edition But it 's hardly credible that Anastasius who was one of the Doubters and a lover of Peace as Evagrius describes him to be would attempt to do any thing by Violence but because he would not comply with Macedonius the Bishop of Constantinople's humours in destroying his Adversaries it 's not to be doubted but what these did was attributed to the Emperour as Zealots usually do Historians also say that Severus the Theopaschite Invaded the See of Antioch and that tho' Anastasius before bound him by an Oath not to put the Council of Macedon under an Anathema yet as soon as ever he was fixed in his Bishoprick he did without any regard to his Oath anathematize the said Council from whence it 's manifest that while Anastasius mediated between both Parties he was lashed by both as it usually happens in Civil Contentions where the Seditious look upon them to be their Enemies who do not sight under their Banners 514. Hence sprang the Rebellion of Vitalianus a Scythian Count who took up Arms for the Homoousians against Anastasius under Pretence whereof he drained great Summs of Money from Anastasius until a Peace was concluded upon condition that a Synod should be called where Hormisdas Bishop of Rome should be present who was alike an Enemy to the Eutychians and Doubters They say the Emperour promised to do this with an Oath but that afterward he broke his word doubtless because he would not have new Definitions coined whereby nothing else was designed but the Oppression of certain Bishops that stood in their way for they were minded to assemble only the Orthodox or most of them at least who should Condemn without Mercy such as they called Hereticks 518. Now it was that Anastasius died being above Eighty years Old and an Emperor endued with great Moderation but he was exposed to the Reproaches both of the Eutychians and their Adversaries because he would not let the Reins loose to neither Party He was Succeeded by Justin a Thracian Born who was a Favourer only of the Adversaries of the Eutychians and carried things no longer with an even hand according to the Example of Anastasius Hormisdas sent Messengers to him who so animated those who were of the same Sentiments with him that they every where opprest the contrary Party by Violence offer'd to and Decrees made against them 525. They say there were a great many Manichaeans at this time in Persia so that they infected Cabades his Son who was Heir to the Crown with their Heresy which made Cabades cunningly to get them all together into one place and then sent his Guards who cut them all off Justin also slew many of them and by his Edict according to the Custom of those times condemned divers others to Death The same Prince grievously persecuted the Arians which coming to the Ears of Theodoricus King of the Goths he sent John Bishop of Rome to Constantinople to tell Justin That unless he gave over Troubling of the Arians Theodoricus would use the Homoousians or Consubstantial Men in the same manner Priscian the Grammarian and Boetius a Man of Consular Dignity who was also a very Learned Person flourished in this Age this last together with Symmachus his Father-in-Law were upon a false Accusation put to Death by Theodoricus who Imprisoned John Bishop of Rome together with the Legates he had sent with him to Constantinople because they seemed underhand to favour the Persecution of the Arians and that John after his return troubled them openly as much as he could in Italy 527. Justin the Emperor after a Reign almosth of Nine Years made Justinian his Sister's Son his
afterwards for this reason named Gebal-Tarich that is the Mountain of Tarich whence comes the word Gibraltar Roderick endeavoured to no purpose to drive out the Saracens from thence but there they continued wasting the Neighbourhood for the space of two years till having called in fresh Forces often defeated and at last slain Roderick they seized in the Year 713 on all Spain In the mean time Justinian the Emperor by the unheard-of Cruelties which he exercised in the Chersonesus because there had been Attempts in that Province to betray him forced the Inhabitants to make choice of Philippicus for their Emperor whose Eyes being put out not long after was succeeded by Artemius who was also called Anastasius whom Rufus Praefect of the Army was instrumental to advance to that Dignity and therefore Philippious was justly punish'd seeing himself a little after he had seiz'd on the Empire had slain Justinian and his Children 714. Artemius also had his turn for the Army which he had sent into Phoenicia against the Saracens having slain their General and fearing Artemius's Displeasure made one Theodosius a Syrian and Collector of the Tribute-Money Emperor though against his will He marched to Constantinople laid Siege to it for six months at length took the Emperor Artemius and thrust him shaven into the Monastery of Thessalonica 716. But in about two years after Leo whom Artemius had before sent to be General into Armenia and who stood hitherto for him took upon him the Imperial Dignity which the Armenians and Saracens tendred to him and made Theodosius his Son Prisoner who having been advanced against his will to be Emperor did voluntarily relinquish and going to Ephesus he and his Son both took Holy Orders upon them Leo soon after by the help of that which they call'd Ignis Graecus or Powder not unlike that made use of by us at this day burnt a great Fleet of the Saracens Isaac Vossius in his Oservat cap. xv may be consulted concerning the Invention of that Fire A new Fleet of the same Nation consisting of Four hundred Ships was also partly destroyed by Leo and partly by Storms The Emperor had the same year a Son born to him who at his Baptism befoul'd the Baptismal Water and for that reason was call'd Constantine Copronymus But Artemius who had fled to the Bulgarians and by their help endeavoured to recover the Empire was the following year betrayed by them to Leo and slain 722. In these times Charles Martell Mayor of the Palace in France after other great feats in Arms subdued the Saracens also who were ravaging the neighbouring Provinces compelling them to retreat over the Pyrenaean Hills and did many other famous Exploits And making War upon Adgillus the Son of Radbodus King of the Frisons forced him to embrace the Christian Religion and by his Authority was very helpful to Boniface an English-Saxon who by the Command of Pope Gregory II. preached the Gospel in Germany 722. It 's said the Emperor Leo endeavoured to do the same thing by the Jews at that time but with ill Success for those whom he compelled to be Baptized either fled elsewhere and abjured it or shut themselves and their whole Family up in their Houses and setting them on Fire were burnt He endeavour'd not long after this to throw out the Images which the Bishops had introduced into the Churches wherein he found Opposition from the People whom the Priests incensed against him Gregory Bishop of Rome condemned his Edict and having entred into an Alliance with the Lombards refused to pay the usual Tax to the Exarch of Ravenna who govern'd Italy under the Emperor and at last brought things so to bear that the Exarch himself was driven out of Ravenna and he sought for Aid of Charles Martell who in the Year 726. won a great Victory of the Saracens that if Leo should attempt any thing in Italy by force he might be opposed by French Arms. This Martell also at the Request of Willibrordus Bishop of Vtrecht constrained the Frisons who would not according to their King's Example embrace the Christian Religion by force of Arms at least to feign themselves Christians In the mean time Leo did not so easily prevail against the Iconolatrae or Image-Worshippers in the East who stiffly withstood him while the Exarch Eutychius with the Assistance of the Venetians recover'd Ravenna 731. This year Venerable Bede finish'd his Ecclesiastical History of the English and in the next Leo Married Irene the Daughter of Chaganus King of the Chazari whom he had taken care to have brought up in the Christian Religion to his Son Constantine and contended sharply with the Bishop of Rome about the Images which last would have them again introduced into the Churches and expell'd the Eastern Bishops that favoured Gregory's Party Tho' the Saracens possess'd themselves of Spain yet Pelagius who was descended from the ancient Stock of the Goths preserved the Country of Asturia out of their hands and transmitted the Dominion thereof to his Posterity wherein he was not a little favoured by the great Slaughter which Charles Martell made of the Saracens in these times his Son Flavilla succeeded him and then Alphonso his Son-in-Law who deducing his Pedigree from Reccaredus would as well as he be styled the Catholick which title being neglected by his Successors was again conferred upon Ferdinand of Arragon by Pope Julius the Second 740. Luitprand King of the Lombards did this year divest Transamundus of the Dutchy of Spoleto and wasted the Territories of the Bishop of Rome for from the time that the Authority of the Eastern Emperors began to decline in Italy the Bishops of Rome Usurped the Dominion of that City and the adjacent Country 742. Next year died three Men of the greatest Authority of any in that Age viz. the Emperor Leo Gregory III. Bishop of Rome and Charles Martell Mayor of the Palace in France The first of these was Succeeded in the Empire by Constantine Copronymus the other by Zacharias and the third by his Sons Carloman and Pippin Artavastus endeavoured to deprive Constantine of the Empire while he was engaged in a War against the Saracens but he overcame him at last However Walidus of Damascus King of the Arabs making use of the Contest between them ravaged Natolia or Asia minor and seem'd to menace the Empire with greater Evils had he not been next year prevented by Death wherein also died Luitprand King of the Lombards who had it not been for the intercession of Pope Zachary would have driven Eutychius quite out of Italy 751. While Pippin now his Brother Carloman was turned Monk managed all Affairs in France at his Pleasure under Hilderic a sluggish Prince he proved at length unsatisfied with the Chief Power and nothing would serve but he must assume the Royal Name also therefore having dispatch'd Ambassadors to Pope Zachary he desired that Stupid Hilderic might be shut up in a Monastery and himself declared King as being more