Commonwealth were more managed by the command of Eutropius then the will of Arcadius all Offices in the Court and Army were at his disposal One Theognostus of Consular dignity falls into the displeasure of Eutropius by whose procurement he was banished into Armenia and there basely murdered his Estate was confiscated his disconsolate Widow had been reduced to the greatest extremities had she not been secured by the sanctity of the Altar and the power of Chrysostom who resisted the impetuous pride arrogance and cruelty of Eutropius who to avenge himself on the Bishop caused a Law to be enacted for the removing of the Church immunities and annulling that security which miserable persons had at the Altar In this deceitful felicity he continues and was advanced to the Consular dignity But oh the unconstancy of humane affairs when he began to dream of the Imperial Purple and thought himself secure in the enjoying of the greatest honour that the East could afford he falls into the Emperours displeasure and by that into the greatest misery His death was decreed to prevent the Execution of it and preserve his miserable life he hastens to the Church and throws himself at the foot of the Altar Thus the World suffers perpetual vicissitudes and the highest Grandeurs may be lessened in the esteem of sober and wise persons This same person that thought himself so safe that the Heavens could not ruine him and was swell'd with so high a pride that he would not suffer the very Altar to be a shelter for any against his fury is forced to confess the impiety of his fact by flying to the Altar from which the liberty of protection by a severe Law he had taken away The people the Souldiers all hasten to the Church to tear in pieces this wretched man There is nothing more impotent then Popular passions This Eutropius whom the other day they feared and adored as a terrestrial Deity now they prosecute as the monster of men Whether the people are generally delighted in cruelty and through a strange impiety of mind take pleasure in the miseries of others or else it gives them a satisfaction in their meaner conditions to see the ruines and calamities that fall upon the greatest persons is the reason that the Vulgar pour all their indignities and cruelties upon those who have lapsed from the highest honours I am not to determine only this is most certain that the Peoples darling and the Court favourite if once they fall from that honour they have attained are prosecuted by the Vulgar with the greatest scorn and cruelty But when Eutropius fled to the Altar Chrysostom was in the Church Chrysostom seeing Eutropius lying there and hearing the Souldiers and People crying out deliver us Eutropius deliver us Eutropius for Eutropius must die he presently speaks to the people and commands silence for he would preach he had a present tongue and mind he could express what he pleased in the most admirable Eloquence and curious Language The people easily acquiesced for it might deserve a Quaere whether they more desired Chrysostoms Eloquence or Eutropius his death He begins his Sermon with an Invective against Eutropius and upbraids him with that injury that he did the Church of God The Church against whom he exercised hostility imbraced him with open arms the Altar now was his Sanctuary from which he had taken away the priviledge of protection the Altar which is glorious in its own splendour became more illustrious by that Lion lying bound at the feet of it The Theatres which he had enriched with many Offices and endowments had betrayed and destroyed him but the Church and Altar to which he was a professed enemy relieved and defended him that he had formerly reproved his Pride and Insolence and had told him that his Dignity and Riches were fugitive Servants that they would forsake and ruine him but now his safety and happiness were the Church and Altar of God This would seem to argue in Chrysostom a great pride arrogance and cruelty to throw such disgraces and scorns upon miserable Eutropius but that was not Chrysostoms design for in that same invective he professed he spoke it for the benefit and favour of Eutropius for turning himself to the People with the like passionate Eloquence moves the People to the commiseration of Eutropius prevails upon them What by his constancy and courage and his vast Eloquence he so far prevailed that Eutropius was not delivered into the hands of the Souldiers till the Emperour had sworn that Eutropius should not be put to death Thus that Golden shower of Eloquence laid the Tempest of the Popular and Court fury Though Valens was the great persecutor Their great Loyalty and Allegiance to their Prince of the Orthodox Christians maintainers of the honour due to our blessed Lord and Saviour yet Basil never perswaded the Christians to resist by Arms and the protection of Eusebius intimates the obedience of Christians to their Governours Chrysostom though he was so dreadfully persecuted by the Empresses indignation against him yet in his Sermons would praise the Emperour as the most holy and religious Prince And when the Emperour was in danger of the Gothish Army he stopt the fury of their Arms by his Eloquence and Piety as appears by this subsequent Narrative Gaynas a Goth of the Arrian Heresie fell from serving his own Prince to the service of the Roman Emperour under whom he performed great and prosperous Atchievements hugely advantageous to that Empire but receiving some disappointments and disgraces from Rufinus the prime Minister of State declined to Tribigildus the Gothish King under whom he brought the Gothish Army into Thrace and wasted the greatest part of Greece which forced the Emperour to unhandsome Capitulations with him The Peace being concluded Gaynas comes to Constantinople and there is proclamed General of the Emperours Army after which he confidently demands the liberty of a Church for the Arrian Hereticks Arcadius durst not deny that which was rather a Command then a Petition therefore he sends for Chrysostom and communicates to him the demands of Gaynas to which Chrysostom replyed that he was totally averse from such a concession and prayed the Emperour that he might confer with Gaynas whom he questioned not but he should either satisfie or deter from the farther prosecuting of such a design Gaynas and Chrysostom disputed the reasonableness of the demand Chrysostom totally denies it he adds the services he had done the Roman Empire to which Chrysostom said that nothing merits the turning the Place wherein God is honoured with Praises and Hallelujahs into a place wherein the Divine Majesty is blasphemed And further adds that he ought to remember that the honour done him by the Emperour was superiour to his merits and how different was his estate from that condition he was in when in the head of few Troops he passed the Iâ—er Gaynas confounded with his courage and reason desisted yet again attempted the seizing
life Wilt thou O Christian learn that wisdom with which the Teacher of the World was endued consider how he clearly discovers that whatsoever seems illustrious in the World is really nothing Mark the Language that he useth 1 Cor. 4. 17. The things that are seen say abundance of Riches if you alledge Lustre Glory and Majesty if Dominion Power if Empires if Thrones and Crowns all these things are seen and are Temporal their continuance is but short and the enjoyment of them but for a moment If these things that are seen are but Temporal what things O blessed Paul wouldst thou have us to pursue He returns things not seen things which corporal eyes cannot behold If any one shall object who is it that counsels us to neglect visible and pursue invisible things Heavenly Paul replies the nature of the things counsel and command you see these things you see them uncertain and the continuance of them short but those things which we cannot see are Eternal they know no end nor admit of a Period This he says was the subject of his continued Labours and daily Sermons So that that by the Apostle pronounced concerning the Patriarchs may be applyed to these great persons Heb. 11. 14. They that say such things declare plainly that they seek another Country Basil having consumed his body by vast labours as a glorious Lamp that Their deaths and Burials wasts it self with its own fire and goes out with the greatest flame So Basil with continual fasting in perpetual prayers study and preaching cast himself into a perpetual sickness which caused him to study Physick His incessant disease made him a Physician he scarce ever being in good health Recovering out of a former disease he was very much troubled that being near the Haven a contrary wind should drive him into the Sea again But after he had gloriously ruled the Church for 8 years and 2 months Anno 378. he fell into his last sickness which was a violent Feaver it disturbed not his Reason nor Religion his Soul burnt with Divine ardours and he cast the flames of love to God in all his discourses When he could hardly speak and ready to give up the last Gasp he called for several of the Clergy and other Religious persons and gave them most prudent most sacred most religious admonitions concerning both the guiding of their own lives and ordering of the Church of God and interrupting that discourse his strength being wasted he breaks out into this Ejaculation O Lord into thy hands I commit my Spirit and with that aspiration his Soul flew to Heaven and left the Body of Basilius for the society of Angels expecting to receive it in the resurrection of the Just The news of his death being spread throughout the City filled all with sorrow and horrour In him the very Children thought they had lost their Parents Wives their Husbands Parents their Children the Glory the Protection of the City they thought was gone and his Funeral was celebrated by the confluence of all sorts of people The Desarts were emptied of all their Religious persons the Country became unpeopled Jews and Gentiles flocked to attend his Herse in so great a croud many thronging to be within the shadow of the Herse or to touch the Bier perished in so great a multitude many were pressed to death as unwilling to survive that great Person being his funeral Victims they would offer themselves willingly a Sacrifice to this great Saint The memory of him was so famous that his very Gestures his Speech his Garb his Gate every thing the most excellent Persons endeavoured to imitate and they thought them admirable who could express in themselves any thing of Basilius Alass these were but faint representations of his Virtues as Ecchoes rebound but the last sillable so scarce any could express the meanest of his Excellencies His fame was so glorious that he hath acquired the name of Great Pompey and Alexander gained the same Title by their Arms and Victories but he by Grace and the Triumphs of Religion The universal testimony of the Church hath canonized him for a Saint his Laurels grow out of his grave and the glory of his Memorial shall never lose its lustre The Emperours anger continuing still against Chrysostom prohibited the conversation of Letters with him caused him to be removed from Place to Place that it might be unknown where he was Arriving at Caesarea Pharetrius Bishop of that place and successor of Basil a man infinitely inferiour to his Predecessor and of a different humour denied him Lodgings in the City prohibited a Religious Lady that lived 5 miles distant from Caesarea to entertain him The famous Bishop gave the foreign Communion to Strangers Pagans to Hereticks but how differently contrary is Pharetrius who permits not an entertainment to Chrysostom the most glorious Prelate of the World After one years rest and civil usage at Cucusum he was hurried to Petiuntum the Souldiers having received a special command from the Emperour that they should not permit him any quiet nor suffer his decayed body to receive any refreshment by ease in violent storms he should have no shelter in great heats he should not have the benefit of the shades but be carried from place to place Yet in all these troubles his mind was elevated always comforting disconsolate Christians Thus he whilst he was gloriously fighting in the Front of the Battle encouraged the Souldiers in the Rear Carried to Comanum he as the customs of holy men were to enter the Church goes to the Temple of Basiliscus to pray after which his Feaver increasing worn with labours wasted by travels in holy prayers and Ejaculations he gives up the Ghost Anno 407. having sat in the See 9 years 7 months and 8 days He enter'd a Temple to pray immediately before he was to enter into that Temple where the Lamb is the light thereof A period is put to the Travels of this Pilgrim his banishment finds an end now he enters into the City of God that new Jerusalem and is in that place where there remains a rest for the Servants of God The news of his death flying into Armenia and the adjacent Countries they were all struck with an excessive grief the Inhabitants forsook their Country to celebrate the Funeral of this great Person He was carried to the grave upon the shoulders of the most Religious persons people of divers Nations being attendants of that solemnity Divers Languages conspired in one praise all tongues sent up the same Halelujahs With Prayers Psalmodies with Hymns the people of all estates and conditions of various Countries celebrated that sad solemnity and being carried to the Church of St. Basiliscus he was there interred He lived with great Fame his enemies could never obscure but encrease his glory his Memorial can never be buried in oblivion His enemies raced his name out of the sacred Dipticks but it will always remain in the Book of life The consent of the universal Church hath reckoned him amongst the Catalogue of Saints A very considerable part of Constantinople separated from the Church and had their conventions under some Bishops the favourites of Chrysostom These were called Joannites against whom the Emperour made severe Edicts for they would not be forced to communicate at the Altar whose Dipticks admitted not the name of Chrysostom and by reason of that great injury done to this famous Bishop and Saint the whole Western Church refused a communion with the Constantinopolitan Proclus formerly a Deacon under Chrysostom was advanced to the Archbishoprick of Constantinople He prevailed upon that most excellent and Religious Emperour Theodosius the younger the Son of Arcadius that the body of Chrysostom should be translated from Comanum to Constantinople which was performed 38 years after his decease The Corps were received with the highest joy mixed with infinite shame and sorrow with the extreamest shame and sorrow that so great a Prelate so admirable a Preacher so holy a man Christians should banish into the remotest parts of the World What infinite sorrow to conceive that a Christian City should be deprived of so glorious a Person and his death to be hastened by the hands of Christians whose life deserved to be prolonged by all possible care and industry Yet what joy to see the Empire changed the City all attending the Ship that brought the Corps of their banished Archbishop Theodosius himself an Emperour composed with valour and goodness a person of the greatest courage and sweetest temper in the World being the chief Mourner And thus Chrysostom is carried with all imaginable pomp and with all the sacred solemnities to the Church of St. Sophia his holy name is re-inserted into the Sacred Dipticks and in the grave of Chrysostom all contentions were buried the Eastern and Western Churches reconciled no private conventions maintained but all met in the unity of the Spirit and bond of peace The works of this person are many and incomparable his Auditors after they came from Church would usually cry O Golden Mouth While he lived and two ages at least after his death he was known by common discourse and writing by the name of John but afterwards the glory of his writings gave him the cognomen of Chrysostom and indeed nothing can shine in greater lustre then he in the excellency of Eloquence piety and industry Thus these two great persons as the Phoenix having made a Nest which is her Funeral Pile of the odoriferous branches which the Aromatick Trees of Arabia afford by an agitation of the Air through the nimble motion of her wings causeth the Solar Beams to set it on fire which being kindled she lays her self quietly in those flames and there with great content expires knowing that of those ashes another more Juvenile and sprightly Phoenix shall arise so these great persons having prepared for themselves by their actions more fragrant and sweet then the odours of the East an Eternal Monument are laid in the grave in the sweetest repose knowing that out of their ashes there shall arise those Bodies which are in this World embalmed with the perfumes of a great Fame and the odours of glorious actions that shall be invested with light and immortality FINIS
wickedness that by an immediate consequence from their Sentiments no worship can be given to the ever-glorious and Eternal God no obedience or faithful subjection to the Supreme Magistrate no justice between man and man The same great person thus laments The absurd and foolish Philosophy which the World so much admired propagated by the late Mr. Hobbs and others had undone him and many more of the best Parts in the Nation The wickedness of our Opponents cannot charge the Commandments of the blessed Jesus with the least errour For the preservation and flourishing of Christianity we will put up our prayers to Almighty God that nothing may separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus Ordain O Lord a Lamp for thine anointed deck thy Priests with Salvation and make thy Saints sing aloud for joy Amen THe Compiler of this Tract hath not given the particular account of each Author out of which he hath collected this History but he assures the Reader that he Traded not with any fabulous Writer he durst not trust Chrysostom's Biographers but the Books out of which he hath taken this Parallel are St. Basil Graecè Ed. Froben Basileae 1551 Nazianzen Graecè Ed. Herbagi Basileae 1550. Chrysostom Graecè Ed. Savilianâ Aetonae 1612. Socrates Sozomen Theodoret Graecè Ed. Steph. Paris 1544. Photii Bibliotheca Gr. Lat. Ed. Rothom 1653. ERRATA PAge 11. lin 6. dele the Snow of p. 17. l. 26. set the colon point after Grave p. 63. in the marg for Appeals read Fraternal Addresses p. 64. l. 27. when the East was so dreadfully tormented are a Parenthesis l. 29. r. Bishops and dele the comma The PARALLEL Of the LIVES of St. Basil the Great AND St. John Chrysostom HElenopontus a mean City of the The Birth and Parentage of St. Basil Cappadocian Pontus had for ever been obscured in the Charts of Geographers had not the Birth of Basilius given it a perpetual lustre whose Parents were of ancient and great Nobility His Grandfather was one of the Nobles of Cappadocia and made more Honourable by the Christianity which he gloriously professed The Maximinian Persecution occasioned his flight into the Desarts of Pontus whither he with some brave persons his Friends and some of his Family retired and there for seven years he lived That wild Desart afforded no other meat than what his Prayers obtained from Heaven the Beasts and the Fowls that fed him were Prisoners of his prayers they being caught by no other Snares or Nets than those his Ejaculations had prepared Yet supposing men might afford a greater liberty and shew a more fair civility than the Beasts of the Pontick Wilderness he ventured again into the open Air of Cappadocia where though his expectation was cheated his Faith was permanent and what the savage Beasts did not act the devillish Pagans perpetrated by whom he received a cruel but glorious death the Annals of the Church perpetuating the day of his Martyrdom The Parents of Basil were Basilius and Emmelia Basilius his Sanctity advanced him to an Episcopal Dignity which he managed with great piety and prudence Emmelia survived her Husband many years who had the unusual felicity of the prosperous holiness of ten Children five of whom were Sons three of which were Bishops of eminent wit and holiness the glory of that present and succeeding Ages At her death which happen'd in the 90 th year of her age Macrina her eldest Daughter and Peter her youngest Son were present before they closed her eyes that heavenly Widow laid her hands upon her eldest Child which was Macrina and on Peter then a Presbyter her youngest Child and gave up the Ghost with these heavenly passages O my Eternal God in this my eldest Daughter and this my youngest Son I dedicate my whole harvest of Children to thy Divine Majesty and in these prayers I commend my Soul unto thee the first fruits and tenths are thine all O my God are thine into thy hands I commit my Spirit Of such a Father and such a Mother the great Basilius was born Anno 319. Constantine being the fifth and Licinianus the first time Consuls O glorious felicity an aged Lady living in such an exemplary Piety seeing her Children to be the Pillars of the Church and glory of their Age thus happily in the vigour of her parts and piety to breath out her blessed Soul Antioch the Metropolis of Syria receives an eternal honour by the Birth Of St. Chrysostom of Chrysostom which happen'd Anno 354 Constantius the seventh and Gallus the third time Consuls His Parents Secundus and Anthusa were of the Noble Race of the Senators of Antioch Milesius the Archbishop of that See was the instrument of converting them from Paganism to Christianity His Father Secundus died when Anthusa his Mother was but 20 years of age who after the decease of her Husband lived in a perpetual Widowhood Secundus was unwilling to survive that glorious honour which Christianity had conferred on him fearing he might defile the white Garments of his Baptism with a subsequent viciousness She to manifest that entire love which Christianity had encreased in her purer breast to her Husband gained that honour from the Enemies of Christianity that Libanius the Pagan yet Eloquent Orator of Antioch enquiring of Chrysostom himself the age of his Mother Chrysostom answered 40 years and again asking what state of life she embraced he return'd Widowhood which she had continued for 20 years for his Father Secundus died when his Mother was but 20 years old at which reply he cryed with a strange joy and astonishment to his Auditors and Pupils See what famous Women are amongst Christians The Roman Orator to that profuse Gentleman who upbraided him with the meanness of his Parentage smartly replied I give a lustre to my Family but you have obscured the glory of your Ancestors Of these great Persons the question will not easily be determined whether from their Parents they received or unto them gave the greater Splendor But it is unquestionably true that no Parents had Children of greater Excellencies nor Children had Parents of higher Accomplishments These persons of singular extraction remembred the Nobility of their birth and would do nothing unworthy of so great a descent As China Dishes receive their perfection from a long continuance in the Earth and thereby are prepar'd for ornament and most excellent uses so Nobility dignified by a continued succession is fitted for the gallantest imployments and the greatest actions Happy certainly were those Ages of the Church when Nobles offer'd themselves up willingly to serve the Lord when a Chair of State was not more valued than an Episcopal See Plato rejoyced in the happiness of those Commonwealths who had Philosophers for their Princes and certainly it would be a great felicity and splendor to the Church if the Nobility were her Prelates and Governours The Revenues and Dignity of the Church generally came from the Nobility who divested
of the Church by Schism and Sedition In his Solitude he was blessed with the Company of Gregory the Divine In the society of that most admirable person he neither wanted a Church nor Academy And that these Glorious persons might not be disturbed in actions of Religion Basils aged Mother the excellent Emmelia accompanied them in that Solitude and became the careful Caterer to provide them Herbs for their late Supper Incredible there was their pains the wild people thought Angels had descended to be their Gardians and Teachers Multitudes flockt to their Sermons many were Civilized and Sanctified by them Whilst Basil in this retirement enjoyed a perfect tranquility the Churches abroad were infinitely tormented with the Arrian Persecution Valens the Emperor had embraced that Heresie which he endeavoured by all Cruelties to propagate every where the faithful Christians were persecuted with Banishments Deprivations of their Estates Confiscation of their Goods Imprisonments and death it self whilst the Arrian Priests and Bishops took this occasion boldly to spread that wicked opinion by Sermons and Writings They came to Caesarea where they raised a great Contention against Eusebius and that part of the Church which adhered to him Eusebius was a better man then a Divine fitter to govern the Church then to dispute Cappadocia now knew the need of two such Excellent persons as Basil and Gregory were Basil imagined he could not enjoy that Heavenly Tranquility which he so much desired if any disgust remained in Eusebius his breast he rightly conceived that the love of God which he aspired to could not burn in brightest Ardours if it had not consumed all that rancour his Bishop had conceived against him Whereupon out of his beloved Desarts he writes to Eusebius the most Pathetick Letters that Eloquence heightned with Humility Affection Sorrow and tenderness could indite Those very Letters which work in the Reader strange violence of passions moved not at all Eusebius the old Bishop was peevish whereupon Basil with a profound Reverence and Humility writes a most submissive and passionate Letter to a whole Synod of Bishops met at Tiana that they would intercede to his Bishop that he would send his Pacificatory Letters to him into the Wilderness but still the old Bishop continued angry not the intreaties of Basil nor the Authority of the Synod could move him But the Arrians assault him now his Church began to be torn the City was pestered with the flocking of those Hereticks If the Metropolis was subdued ubdued the inferiour Sees would suddenly yield Eusebius though of an undaunted Courage yet was of meaner Learning who like a Pilot not fearing the waves yet wanted dexterity to manage the Vessel A General though he is fearless of death has a strong arm and an active body and can deal blows enough amongst his Enemies yet cannot secure his Army if he want Policy Stratagems and ordering of the Battalia are equally necessary to Victory as Courage and Valour In this great confusion of the Churches of Cappadocia with these dreadful conflicts with the Arrian Hereticks it was easily discovered there wanted some Excellent persons who with equal skill and Valour must oppose the rage and fury of this persecution And now this good old Bishop relents now his passion yields to Reason The Church must be succoured Basil is wanting Whereupon he hastens a Messenger to him who receives the Message of his Bishops reconciliation with infinite resentments of joy and kindness and so looking upon this Message as from Heaven he hastens to Caesarea where he falls prostrate at the Bishops feet who having cast off all his former rancour and indignation entertains him with all the Expressions of love and tenderness As the Earth which has been crusted over with Frost and lain covered with Snow by the Sun beams sweetly displayed on her is freed from those cold and uncomely garments and presently appears in a richer gaiety of Herbs and Flowers So that Soul of Eusebius possess'd too long with Furies Indignation and Anger being cleansed by the Angel of Heaven is now more gloriously inhabited by the Divine passions of love and kindness Eusebius his affection and endearments to Basil infinitely exceeded his anger Basil cherishes these new affections with all prudence with all vigilance with all tenderness and reverence imaginable so managing his conversation that his very looks his gestures his actions as well as his language should speak his love his respect and his fidelity to Eusebius All which he so discreetly and constantly performed that Eusebius was wholly turned into love and a great esteem for Basil By which means Eusebius retains the name of Bishop but Basil performs the Office Basil reformed the Clergy Basil commanded the Laity Basil withstood the Hereticks and yet paid all the due homage of obedience and honour to Eusebius Basil dared the Hereticks to disputation Basil constantly preached against them by the quickness and subtilty of the one the Eloquence and Piety of the other he settled the wavering Church and obtained a most glorious victory over the Arrian Hereticks The waves must now yield a passage to that Ship that is steered by Basilius The Army cannot but be victorious where Basil is the head of it The old Bishop is drawing to the grave with joy and a great tranquility he receives the message of death delivered to him by a Feaver Happy he was to live to those days wherein he saw his Church as houses when flames are about them yet secured as persons in danger of the Plague yet freed from the very fear of Infection Basil performs to his now dying Bishop all the offices which humanity and piety suggest which so possess'd the good Soul of Eusebius that when he was commending it to Basil he must lay his body in the arms of Basil in the hands of Basil he must dye Basil must close his eyes he would not depart out of this World till he had given testimonies of a perfect reconciliation and amity that they who were once separated in this life when the City received one and the Wilderness the other in the succeeding and ever-glorious life might have an eternal union where they might be entertained in the felicity of a perpetual joy from the fruition of one God in one everlasting habitation to live for ever and ever Chrysostom after he had performed The entrance of Chrysostom into the Holy Orders of Priesthood the Office of a Deacon with vast applause he enters into Holy Orders of Priesthood which he managed with all piety and industry His Sermons were constant he drew the whole World after him the piety of them were so admirable and their Eloquence so stupendious At Antioch he devoted himself wholly to study and preaching the affairs of the Church being managed by the Bishop of that See So business forced him not from his study but in a great serenity he prepared himself for exquisite yet continual preachings So great a crowd of people daily
had fallen to the ground So great an influence hath Religion devoutly performed upon her very Enemies Divine actions done with fervour and devotion carry Majesty as well as sweetness with them The very apprehension of the fact struck Valens with such an horrour that three times the Pen as he was to sign the Decree of Banishment fell out of his hands a great trembling seized on him His only Son Galates fell sick Valens had so great an apprehension of Basils sanctity that he sent for him believing his prayers should recover his Son Basil came and offered up his prayers for the health of the young Prince in whom there presently appeared signs of recovery on which Basil goes to the Emperour and tells him Sir hinder not the efficacy of our prayers by the supplications of Hereticks let none of that wicked Faith approach your Son and he will recover At which the Emperour was angry which Basil perceiving he took his leave with these words The will of the Lord be done The Emperours Chaplains offered their Devotions for the young Prince but they wanted Basils Faith he relapses and dies These singular remarks of God's Providence with the admirable prudence and sweetness of Basil made such an impression on the Emperour and Empress that when all the Catholick Bishops of the Eastern Empire were banished Basil continued till his death in his See But how great was the calamity and vast unhappiness that the Great Chrysostom should be twice banished and that through the Enmity which Catholick Bishops had against him and the great indignation of a Catholick Emperor and Empress his austere course of life rendred him unpleasing to the Court The former Archbishop Nectarius was frequent at Entertainments and did not seldom feast the Constantinopolitan Nobility Chrysostom so totally retired that he never entertained any at a Banquet nor ever received an invitation which rendred him unpleasing to the Court Chrysostom was of that Spirit as in defence of the meanest he would oppose the greatest Person in the World Eudoxia the Empress was desirous to enjoy the estate of a Widow whose Husband was unjustly put to death to preserve her Lands and maintain her Fatherless Children she address'd her self to Chrysostom who was ever ready to hear the complaints and relieve the necessities of miserable persons he goes to Eudoxia and there in the behalf of this Widow uses some Language which the Empress could not bear and raised an implacable hatred against him Theophilus Archbishop of Alexandria his irreconcileable enemy knowing the disposition of Eudoxia that as she was resolved so she would ruine any man she hated waited all opportunities to work his designed mischief against Chrysostom to heighten the rage of Eudoxia There were three Eloquent Bishops of that age who came to Constantinople Severianus Bishop of Gabale Antiochus a Syrian Bishop and Acacius Bishop of Beraea all Emulators of Chrysostom who used their utmost endeavours to alienate the minds of the Citizens from their beloved Archbishop which they almost effected For Chrysostom to reduce to order the Asiatick Churches subject to his Archiepiscopal See took a journey to Ephesus in which he mightily endeavoured the Reformation of the Clergy and the settling of the Church He deposed fourteen Novatian Bishops threw several of their vicious Clergy out of their places which made him to be esteemed cruel and insolent And thus his Rivals in Eloquence and Preaching did not abstain from secret yet intelligible traducing of him Eudoxia favoured them in these actions But Chrysostom returns Chrysostom ascends the Pulpit and in one Sermon totally reconciles the City to him Those Stars of Oratory could give no light whilst the Sun of Eloquence shined so clearly in the tongue of Chrysostom who being informed of the endeavours of those Bishops and the attempts of Eudoxia them he threatned with suspension and to give a publick Manifesto he took cognizance of the design of the Empress he took greater liberty in one Excellent Sermon to declaim against the Vices and Impertinences of Feminine Government She knowing what Chrysostom aimed at and it was her repute that Chrysostoms Eloquence blackned her anger burned up to a more excessive rage which she politickly concealed and endeavoured to make a perfect reconciliation between Chrysostom and Severianus which when she could not accomplish by any preswasions she took her young Son the Prince Theodosius being but eight years of age and laid him at Chrysostoms feet an action which carries as forceable Eloquence as any words that ever flowed from the mouth of Chrysostom which throughly perswaded Chrysostom who was entirely and perfectly reconciled to Severianus though he did yet retain a secret grudge against Chrysostom Theophilus Archbishop of Alexandria a great enemy of the Origenists several of whom were deposed by him many excommunicated judging Chrysostom a favourer of Origen thought there was a fair occasion offered to accomplish his design against him he goes accompanied with several Bishops to Constantinople and sends to Epiphanius Bishop of Salamine in Cyprus there with the Cyprian Bishops to meet him to condemn the works of Origen Some of the Aegyptian Origenists fly to Chrysostom who received them with the communion of strangers for they were men of excellent lives and great learning Theophilus not according to the custom of Bishops who when they arrived to any place first went to the house of Prayers immediately went to the Empresses Palace where Lodgings were provided for him No sooner was Epiphanius arrived at Constantinople but Chrysostom sends some of his Church to him to invite him to accept of Lodgings at his Palace but Epiphanius refused and sends to Chrysostom this sharp message That he would not communicate with him that had received Origenists and had not condemned the Books of Origen To which Chrysostom by another Messenger gave this modest and sober reply That he had received none into Communion but those who were of excellent lives and as he thought of a sound Faith and that it seemed very severe to condemn the works of so glorious a man as Origen was without a very serious consideration and therefore he still desired Epiphanius to take Lodgings in his Palace for it would be an infinite grief to him to see any dissention between themselves and so excellent a person as Epiphanius was But Epiphanius was not to be moved So we see as in the Moon there are spots the most curious of Jewels may have a flaw and little imperfections in the best of men They afterwards both meet and are both passionate So that flame that burned in their breasts towards God yielded to the worser fire of contention But the Divine Grace who permits the lapses of good men preserves them from great viciousness kept Epiphanius from giving consent to the deposing of Chrysostom Theophilus the Archbishop a man of very great fame for Piety and Vertue and Eudoxia the Empress a person that had rare qualities so represented Chrysostom to Epiphanius that it
and the Heresies could not prevail whilst Basil lived Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia was an extraordinary man and of a strict and severe life Basil affected him for these excellent qualities and likewise being assured of the soundness of his Faith concerning the Trinity and not knowing of those stranger Heresies which he was broacher of he received him into the Sacred Communion Apollinarius Bishop of Laodicea a man of very great parts a great enemy to the Arrian Heresie a great defender of the Christian Faith under Julian the Apostate who when that Emperor prohibited Orators to teach the Sons of Christians turned for the use of Christian Children the whole Bible into Greek Heroick verse gaining a great Fame in the World caused Basils desire to be acquainted with him between whom there happen'd a great familiarity Basil as yet being ignorant of some desperate Opinions which this learned Bishop had broached These actions being known in the World raised such an hatred against our great Prelate that most of the Eastern and Western Bishops denied a Communion with him What grief must possess this excellent person now with Elijah he would lie fainting and wish to die What comfort could he have now in the Church of God that he who so infinitely endeavoured the peace the unity the purity of the lives and Faith of Christians should now be denied the communion of the greatest and best part of Christendom His sorrow could not be better expressed then by his own Pen his Letters written to the Eastern and Western Bishops which do now remain are glorious Monuments of the greatness of his Parts and the sweetness of his disposition Not one word dropt from his Pen which savoured of anger but only sorrow He did not inflame his Papers with indignation but watered them with tears and though as soon as ever the Heresies of Apollinarius and Eustathius were detected to him he Excommunicated them and desired of the Eastern and Western Bishops to do the same yet they could hardly procure an opinion of the integrity of his Faith Eustathius to whom he had shewed a kindness wrote a Letter invective against him yet for fear he should answer those vile Satyrs he abstained three years together from writing O that perfection of Christian Philosophy and height of Patience in these actions the meekness the candor the sweetness of Basils Soul were elucent he would not lay any imputation upon those who had unjustly received so ill an opinion of him or had aspersed him with calumnies and denied a Communion with him though they were men infinitely inferiour to him in parts piety and industry Which procured him after his death an immortal fame of whom the Schools have given this Elogium That of all the Greek and Latine Fathers Basil expressed himself the most warily and with the greatest caution in the deepest Mysteries of Christianity Chrysostom contracted not an envy from his Adversaries by opposition of Hereticks but by his severe reprehension of Vices He was taxed with no Heresie only they charged him with the entertainment of some Religious Aegyptian Monks who for the Doctrine of Origen were banished by Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria when indeed he received them not into the Sacred and Ecclesiastical communion but into the Foreign the communion of Strangers But so great was the malice of his Adversaries against him that they taxed him with Pride Insolence and Arrogance Basil himself scaped not the imputation of Pride when indeed there were great vertues in them their solitude and retirement was esteemed Pride when indeed it was Religion they shun'd the unnecessary society of men that they might enjoy the conversation with God and Angels That which in Chrysostom was called Cruelty and Arrogance was an implacable hatred against Impiety He was inexorable to all wicked persons and could not endure that polluted hands should serve at the Altar Eusebius Praefect of Cappadocia Their Courage in the defence of the Churches immunities had in his mind already disposed of a young beautiful and rich Lady the late decease of whose Husband had rendred her a sorrowful Widow in marriage to one of his kindred The design being discovered to that Noble Person she totally refused and manifested the abhorrence of a second bed Eusebius still persisted in his intentions which she constantly denied The desire of her Estate so enraged him that he betook himself to threats menacing her with a Confiscation of her Estate and imprisonment of her person This Lady reduced to these straits there was left no other Asylum for her but what the Church afforded She flies to the Altar Basil receives her into protection which cast the Praefect into an infinite rage disdaining that a Bishop should deliver so rich a Prey out of his hands The Praefect comes with his ordinary Guard of Souldiers to Caesarea and goes to the Court of Judicature where he ascends the Tribunal attended and guarded by his Officers and Souldiers and then sends orders for Basil to appear before him which he readily obeyed and no other crime being laid against him then the Protection of this Lady was commanded presently to deliver her into the hands of the Praefect which he resolutely denied at which the incensed Praefect commands him to put off his cloaths and his Serjeants to prepare their Scourges and Tortures to which Basil with a Christian smile reply'd that Rivers of blood could not flow from a body so consumed and it was a great joy to him that he should change those rags for the Robes of Eternity But by this time the news of the Bishops danger and of the Praefects barbarous using him alarm'd the Citizens so that Men Women and Children presently flew into Arms and ran with violence to the Court threatning the Praefect and his Guard with a certain death Eusebius who little dream'd of such a numerous enemy at the expectation of death fell into a great trembling and astonishment which Basil perceiving turned to him and bad him be of good comfort for the Citizens Swords should not pass through the Praefects but by his own breast for Christian Bishops will not be the Authors of the death of their persecutors Whereupon Basil turns to his Citizens and began to make a Pious and Eloquent Sermon to them But they seeing their Bishop safe were filled with extraordinary joy and at his demand promised all security to the Praefect whom he safely led through the midst of his armed Citizens The Lady having this security spent the rest of her life with Macrina St. Basils Sister in the glorious performances of Charity and Piety So we see Infidelity cruel but Christianity charitable and beneficent and those who in prosperity swelled with pride and rage in adversity become sneaking and dejected Eutropius the Eunuch who brought Chrysostom to Constantinople the Emperours Lord High Chamberlain a Pagan had so extraordinarily insinuated himself into Arcadius's favour that he became the greatest person in the Empire The affairs of the
and yet seeing the moderation of Miletius confirm'd him in the government of his Churches who met in the Suburbs and Paulinus had a small Church for his Adherents in the City For the translation of Gregory Nazianzen to Constantinople a Synod was there convened to which not Paulinus but Miletius was called a sufficient testimony of the Judgment of the Grecian Church before the Synod was ended Miletius died infinitely bewailed extraordinarily praised all the learned Tongues and Pens were exercised in Panegyricks his learning and vertues procured him so great a love and honour that after his death they drew his Picture upon the Walls and Hangings they cut it upon Rings and engrav'd it on their Cups his death caused the Council to tarry longer then they intended for the Antiochians chose Flavianus his successor whom that Council confirmed in the See Paulinus being dead Evagrius was chosen his successor by his party Damasus and the Western Bishops were very angry with the ordination of Flavianus they wrote to Theodosius to depose him on the contrary Theodosius defendeth and maintaineth his ordination and asserteth that all the East all the Asiatick and Pontick Churches the Churches of Thrace and all Illyrium were the Patrons of the ordination of Flavianus This Flavianus was that Bishop sent to Theodosius by reason of the sedition of Antioch on no account could he be moved by Damasus or the West to relinquish his Episcopal Authority If the Bishop of Rome had an universal Primacy how durst the Eastern reject that Bishop whom the Pope approved and approve of him whom the Pope rejected This contention remained several years the Catholick Christians keeping divided meetings under distinct Bishops until one Alexander was constituted Bishop of that See in the place of Porphyrius who was dead he being famous for the admirableness of his life Eloquence contempt of the World and many Heavenly vertues what by his perswasions and labour obtained his intended union in this division To what part did Basil and Chrysostom adhere to the part of Miletius Basil hugely commends him by his Letters is seen the value he had of him and affection for him by him Chrysostom was ordained Deacon in the commendation of him after his death he made a most excellent Sermon and that he was of the Church of Flavianus one of his Presbyters plainly appeareth by his Sermons ad Populum Flavianus being gone in an Embassie to Theodosius him he commendeth and encourageth them on the account of the Excellency of their Archbishop If Basil and Chrysostom did believe the Roman Primacy and made their Appeals to Damasus and Innocent as supreme heads of the Church and final Judgers of controversies how could they take the parts of those Bishops whom the Popes condemned There is certainly in man a Spiritual The Heavenly-mindedness of these Fathers and immortal Soul a Divine fire burns in his breast from whence flow those sparks which mount higher and higher until they ascend to those infinite and coelestial flames There are restless passions in him after a compleat felicity which is fully discovered by our Lord and Saviour the end of whose coming into the World was to promote the Divine Glory and conduct men to Eternal happiness In his face shined the Glory of God he had the words of Eternal life by his Gospel Life and Immortality was brought to light the genuine Disciples of this Lord must have their conversation in Heaven being as Pilgrims and Strangers in this World they must demean themselves as fellow Citizens of the Saints and Houshold of God Excellently Nazianzen in his Apology The Soul comes from God and is Divine for two reasons it is united to the Body a substance of a worse and lower allay 1. That by this she fighting with the flesh and combating with those passions which would depress her she might be crowned with glory and this happens through that infinite love of God who would that Virtue and Happiness should not be the meer product of Nature but it should proceed from choice and be the effect of the motions of a well regulating Will. 2. That she might draw the body to her self raising it above this World and in a short space freeing it from its weight and ponderousness may so prepare it that what God is to the Soul the Soul may be to the Body that having polisht by her own art and care this heavy matter her Servant she might be united unto God Of this their Heavenly-mindedness they gave three demonstrations 1. A sincere and perfect contempt of this World and indeed that act of renunciation of this World whereby their whole Estates renounced and Poverty chosen carries a thousand reasons with it Basil when young retires into the Pontick Wilderness the manner of his life he elegantly gives in his Epistile to Gregorius the purpose of his Soul manifested by the institution of his life fully evinced that he had a small value or esteem for any thing in this World for he aimed at that blessedness which God had promised Riches he had none Pleasures he disregarded thus he saith of himself A contrite and humble mind was always attended with a sad and dejected Countenance A negligent garb horrid and staring hair sordid Cloaths such which on purpose Mourners wear I out of design and pure choice of my will do put on a Girdle ties my garments to my body The only end of my Cloaths is a defence against the extremity of heat and cold Meat Bread and Herbs Drink Water one hour towards the end of the day is designed for a late Supper I sleep leaning on a tree not affording too much rest to my wearied body No one that leads such a manner of life can be judged either to gape after riches or indulge pleasures Did he affect Honour No The glory that he was ambitious of was that Honour with God a vein of Meekness and Humility runs through all his writing he speaks of himself with the greatest Humility he was accused of aspiring to the See of Neocaesarea but how unjustly I manifested formerly When Bishop his humility endeared him to his Diocess and terrified Valens and the Arrians Chrysostom saith of himself that his very enemies would not tax him with covetousness he was slandered as though he had been too familiar with Olympias but most impiously both of them were the most mortified persons the World afforded and he avers that if his body was seen it would be a sufficient evidence to clear himself from so foul an imputation He indeed was accused of Pride indeed he was a person of a great Spirit but free from ambition He was very zealous for the Divine Glory and a severe hater of all vice nothing could move him to favour impiety which caused him by some evil persons to be thought haughty and arrogant They were both so far from being ambitious that they both refused their Bishopricks and unwillingly accepted of them and when advanced to their