popes are misled by false representations to condemn the

innocent?

He hath made, for once, a fair concession. But what a tribunal is this, to which all mankind ought to be subject; a tribunal where calumny triumphs over innocence, notwithstanding the assistance of infallibility to direct the vicar of Christ ?

ver.

James, by birth a Greek, by religion a Pagan, was a most learned man, and an eminent physician. He was sent for by the emperor Leo, who was ill of a feWhen he came into the chamber, without staying for the emperor's leave, he sat down on a chair that was placed by the bed-side, and felt his pulse. Returning the same day, and observing that the chair was taken away, and guessing the reason, he sat down on the bed-side, and told the emperor that in so doing he was not guilty of arrogance and disrespect, but only followed the precepts and the practice of his predecessors, the ancient physicians

A. D. 471. Martyrius, bishop of Antioch, finding the inhabitants seditious, and favourers of Peter the Fuller who wanted to drive him out, called them together, and threw up his bishopric, saying, Farewell to a contumacious clergy, a disobedient people, and a contaminated church †.

Gennadius, bishop of Constantinople, died. He passed for a worker of miracles, and left behind him a good character and a great reputation. He had a bad opinion of Cyril of Alexandria, and of his doctrines, and accounted him a blasphemer +.

Acacius

* Marcellinus, Chronic. † Theodorus Lector, p. 567.

Basnage, iii. 499. 527.

CO

a

ma

01

Acacius was made bishop of Constantinople, and was excommunicated by Pope Felix, because he would not submit to the papal authority. This caused a rupture between the eastern and western churches.

A. D. 479. Odoacer, who ruled in Italy, had none of the manners of a barbarian ; nor did the Arian religion, which he professed, hinder him from reverencing the orthodox clergy, whom he suffered to act with full liberty of conscience *.

Hunneric, king of the Vandals, Consubstantialists at Carthage to

gave leave to the chuse a bishop, at

the request of the emperor Zeno: but it was upon condition that the Arians should be unmolested in the east; else he declared that he would use reprisals.

The catholics therefore in Afric chose Eugenius for their bishop, a man who bore a good character, and is extolled by Victor, particularly for his great charity to the poor.

But Hunneric afterwards growing cruel, banished Eugenius, and persecuted the Consubstantialists. He ordered that some of them should lose their right hands, and have their tongues cut out; and they spake as plainly after it as they did before, if we may believe Victor, and Marcellinus Comes, and also Procopius t.

Baradatus was a Syrian monk, who devised new ways of mortification. First he shut himself up in a small chamber; and then ascending a mountain, he made for himself a wooden box in which he could not stand upright, and was always confined to a stooping posture. This box having no close covering, he was exposed to the wind, to the rain, and to the

*

E e 2

Basnage, iii. 547. Fleury, vii. 34;

sun;

Bell. Vandal. c. 8,

sun; and for a long time dwelt in this incommodious house. Afterwards, he always stood upright, stretch ing up his hands to heaven, covered with a garment of skin, with only a small opening to draw his breath.

James, another contemporary monk, lived at first in a small hut; and afterwards in the open air, with only heaven for his covering, during the extremes of heat and cold. He had iron chains round his neck and waist, and four other chains hung down from his neck, two before and two behind. He had also chains about his arms. His only food was lentils. For three days and nights he was often so covered with snow, whilst he was prostrate and praying, that he could hardly be seen. This man is celebrated for the many miracles which he wrought *.

A. D. 480. The Persian king waged war with the Nephtalites, his neighbours. It was, as Procopius † informs us, a custom amongst this people, that the richest men chose twenty or more friends, whom they received constantly at their table, and gave the free use of all their possessions. But when this patron died, all these chosen companions were buried alive along with him in the same grave.

them

There was a dreadful earthquake at Constantinople, which lasted forty days.

A. D. 481. The Alexandrians lost a great rarity in their church, namely, a good bishop, when Timotheus Salofaciolus died.

He was so mild in his administration, that his own flock complained of him to the emperor, and accused

Theodoret. Basnage, iii. 500.

+ Bell. Persic, c. 3.

Chron. Marcellini.

him

to

bi

te

him of being too gentle and remiss towards heretics; and the emperor sent him orders not to suffer those people to baptize, and to celebrate divine service. Yet he persevered in his moderation; so that the heterodox party at Alexandria held him in high esteem, and used to say to him, as he passed by, Though we do not communicate with you, yet we

The emperor Zeno's Henoticum was a decree contrived partly with a view to extinguish the Nestorian and Eutychian quarrels. But the warm men could not endure it, because it would deprive them of the pleasure of cursing and plaguing their neighbours. Petavius therefore condemns this ungodly scheme of pacification, and says,

"Zeno published a new creed, so slily worded, that both the heretics and the Catholics could assent to it; and called it Ermir, the Reconciler. Yet it.. contained a tacit abrogation of the council of Chalcedon. This wicked edict of the emperor was opposed and rejected by the Catholic bishops, and by the head of them all, Pope Felix †."

Vigilius Tapsensis hath been supposed by many to have been the maker of the Athanasian Creed, about this time. Others are of a different opinion. But it matters little by whom, or where, or when it was composed.

A. D. 485. Xenaias, afterwards called Philoxenus, bishop of Hierapolis, though he hath no good character in other respects, had the honour to be the first Iconoclast, and began the attack upon images of the Trinity.

E e 3

* Liberatus, c. 16. Fleury, vi. 612.

† Ration. Temp, i. 329. Basnage, iii. 552.

Trinity, and of saints and angels. But after a very long and violent contest, the worship of images prevailed, and triumphed over all opposition, as more suitable to the bigotry, stupidity, and knavery of the ensuing times.

Philoxenus said that it was indecent to represent incorporeal angels in a corporeal form; that Christ was not to be painted or carved, but to be worshipped in heart and spirit; that it was childish to make the Holy Ghost in the shape of a dove. He threw away the images of angels, and concealed in a secret place as many images of Christ as he could find. He was therefore greatly abhorred by the image-mongers

A. D. 488. The body of St Barnabas was found, by revelation, at Cyprus, and on his breast the gospel of St Matthew, in Greek, transcribed by St Barnabas himself. See an account of these lies in Basnage †, who treats the discovery as a pious fraud. Tillemont believes it all, and did not see that it was a mere political job. Anthemius, bishop of Salamis, made use of this discovery to prove that his see, being founded by Barnabas, was an apostolical church, no less than that of Antioch, and therefore ought not to be subject to the patriarch of Antioch. He actually carried his point, and obtained an exemption.

A. D. 491. An infirmary, or hospital, was established in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem, for the reception of those zealous monks, who, rashly attempting

Basnage, iii. 598. Fleury, vii. 37. i. 394. Fleury, vii. 38.

t iii.7574.