καὶ λόγος Hares. 77. 20.] was a perfect man, meaning however by these words, that the A. D. 382. Divinity supplied what was wanting on the side of the human nature'. This is seen in the dispute of St. Epiphanius with ['viz yuxǹ Vitalis. "Can it therefore be wondered at," says St. Gregory, kal voūs.] "if my good will led me to put the best construction upon the "words of Vitalis, at which others are offended, who take "them in the true sense? From thence, in my opinion, it "happened, that Damasus himself, on being better informed, "and knowing that they persisted in their first explanations, "declared them excommunicate, and hath overthrown their "confession of faith with an anathema; being indignant that "they had imposed upon his simplicity of heart." And afterwards: "What an absurdity is it to pretend to publish in "these our days a doctrine that hath been concealed ever "since the time of Christ, for if it is but thirty years since 748. A. [p. "their faith began, whereas it is almost four hundred since “Christ appeared, our Gospel hath all this time been vain, "our faith hath been vain, the Martyrs have suffered in vain, "in vain have so many and so great Prelates governed the "people." 5 97.] Eulalius Ep. 72. It was about this time that St. Gregory entirely resigned3 XXV. the care of the Church of Nazianzus. He earnestly besought Bishop of the Bishops' of the province to appoint one in that city, and Nazianzus. particularly Helladius of Cæsarea who was the Metropolitan. [173] ad 3 Ep. 71. At length he obtained his purpose, and Eulalius was ordained Posthum. Bishop of Nazianzus". He is thought, and with good reason, [132] ad to be the same person of whom St. Gregory speaks so Ep. 54. honourably in several places, who was his relation', had [120.] 88. embraced a monastic life, and was distinguished by his virtue. St. Gregory had made him a Priest and Chorepiscopush, and odorus of ↑ The first intimation of the heresy of Apollinaris occurs in the Council of Alexandria, held A. D. 362, after the death of Constantine. St. Gregory acknowledged no Metropolitan but Theodore Bishop of Tyana, Ep. 88. [152.] Helladius was Bishop of Cæsarea, and Metropolitan of Cappadocia Prima; he was, besides, opposed to St. Gregory's wish. Ep. 225 [183.] The Chorepiscopi were Bishops (not Priests) of country churches which had grown around any city, and from their Saturn. [152.] [ Qu. The Tyana.] 6 Vita S. 7 subordination to the city Bishop com- Greg. [p. 2 Ep. 42. [182] A. D. 32. greatly rejoiced when he saw him placed in the Episcopal See 1 Ep. 225. of Nazianzus. However it afforded fresh occasion of calumny', [183.] against him; some asserted that he slighted that Church, and others that they had appointed him a successor against his will. The following is what he writes on this subject to St. Gregory of Nyssa', who was a Bishop of the Province: "Let no man calumniate me as though there had been "another Bishop ordained against my will. I am neither so "contemned nor hated; but I greatly importuned them to "this act, because I am as it were already dead, and I dreaded "the weight of this neglected Church; I desired this favour "of them, which, without contradicting the Canons, tended "to my tranquillity; and by your entreaties there has been "appointed a Pastor for that Church, who is worthy of you, "whom also I place in your hands, I mean the venerable "Eulalius, in whose arms I would that I might yield up my spirit. If any one think that during the life of the Bishop "another ought not to be ordained, let him know that that proves nothing against me; for it is universally known, that "I was ordained for Sasima and not for Nazianzus, though I "have undertaken the care of it for a season, as a stranger, out "of regard to my father, and those who begged me to take "charge of it." 9 Ep. 72. In the mean time being informed that another Council was going to be held at Constantinople, and being fearful of the event by his experience of the past, he wrote to two of the chief Magistrates of the East, namely Saturninus, Consul in A.D. 382.] the year 383, and Posthumianus, the Prætorian Præfect, (who were both Christians and already engaged in friendship with him,) beseeching them to do their utmost to promote the peace and welfare of the Church in that Council: "For," [132. scr. ad Saturn. Bing Bened.] Theodor. Ep. 113. Chorepis- dence. See Steph. A. Morcelli, Africa Christiana, to. i. c. 2. § 2. 4-6. Giesler. Period i. § 52. An attempt was made to revive the order of Suffragan Bishops in England, at the beginning of the Reformation. 26 Hen. VIII. A.D. 1534. i Nyssa was in the Province of Cappadocia Prima, of which Helladius was Metropolitan. See Bingham, book ix. ch. 3. § 2. 1 Ep. 71. [173. scr. ad Post Third Constantin Theodo he says', "though I have renounced my dignity I have not A. D. 383. "renounced my affection and concern for the Church." The Council was accordingly held; and the Emperor A. D. 383.] Theodosius, who laboured continually to procure peace to the hum. Churches, would have the Bishops of all sects assemble at XXVI. Constantinople, and thought that by making them confer Council of together, they might concur in the same opinion. There came ople under from all parts Bishops of all sects of religion, and they met at sius. Constantinople in the month of June, under the Consulate of Socr. v. 10. Merobaudis and Saturninus, i. e. in the year 383. The Soz. vii. 12. Emperor sent for Nectarius the Bishop of Constantinople, and consulted with him about the means for uniting the Church, and said, that it was necessary to state clearly what the question was about which they differed, and so to put an end to it. This conversation made Nectarius very thoughtful; he sent for Agelius Bishop of the Novatians, who held the same opinion with himself concerning the Trinity; and imparted to him the Emperor's intention. Agelius, who was not much skilled in disputation, sent for a Reader of his Church named Sisinnius, a man of learning and experience in business, skilled in the interpretation of Scripture and the opinions of the philosophers. He well knew that disputing served rather to increase than put an end to divisions; he knew too that the ancients assigned no beginning to the existence of the Son of God, but believed Him to be coeternal with the Father. He therefore advised Nectarius to avoid controversy and argument, and to refer to the expositions of the ancients, and to cause the chiefs of every party to be asked by the Emperor, whether they made any account of the Doctors who had been famous in the Church, before their separation, or whether they rejected them as being aliens from Christianity. "If they reject them," said he, "they must "also anathematize them; and if they venture to do this the "people, their own followers, will drive them away, and the "victory of truth will be manifest. But if they do not reject "the ancient Doctors, it is our business to produce their books "which bear testimony to our doctrine." Nectarius having heard Sisinnius speak thus, hastened to the palace, and told the Emperor what advice he had received, who approved and put it into execution very skilfully. For A. D. 383. without discovering his intention, he only asked the heretics whether they esteemed those who had taught in the Church before the separation. They durst not deny it, but on the contrary, they said that they honoured them as their masters. The Emperor then asked them, if they followed them as witnesses worthy of credit in relation to the Christian doctrine. This question perplexed the heads of the several sects, and the dialecticians, whom they had brought in great numbers well prepared for disputation. So they divided, some alleging that the Emperor's proposition was good, and others that it was unsuited to their purpose. For they held different opinions concerning the writings of the ancients; and even those of the same sect did not agree amongst themselves. The Emperor observing their confusion, and that they only depended upon disputation, and not upon the authority of the ancients, went a step farther, and ordered each sect to deliver in its confession of Faith. Those who were esteemed the most skilful, drew up their doctrine, choosing their words very carefully; and the Bishops of each sect came to the palace on the day which the Emperor had appointed. Nectarius was there at the head of those who maintained the Consubstantiality; Demophilus came for the Arians; and Eunomius for the Eunomians, whose confession' of Faith, which Soer. v. 10. he drew up upon that occasion, is still remaining; the Macedonians had Eleusius of Cyzicus for their chief. The Emperor took all their writings, and retiring alone, he besought God to assist him in choosing the truth. Afterwards having read each confession of Faith, he rejected those which divided the Trinity, and tore them; that of the Consubstantiality was the only one which he approved and admitted. 'In Not. Vales. ad It is thus that Socrates and Sozomen relate this matter. We must suppose that the Emperor Theodosius, though very well instructed in the Catholic doctrine, did not make this choice by himself, and that he consulted not only Nectarius but the rest of the Catholic Bishops who were at this Council, as, for instance, St. Gregory of Nyssa, of whom De Deit. there is a discourse', spoken in this assembly, still remaining; and St. Amphilochius, who there signalized his courage. Fil. to. iii. p. 464. *Sc. in the case recorded in the next chapter. See Tillemont. Ariens. to. vi. § 139. Soz. ibid. However, the heretics remained in confusion, blaming cach A. D. 383. other, and accused of ignorance by their followers. They Soer. et retired in distress, and each of them wrote to those of his sect not to be grieved at the great numbers who quitted them to embrace the belief of the Consubstantiality; "because," said they, "there are many called but few are chosen." "Words," says Socrates, "which they did not use when their power "gained over to them the greater number of the people." Laws 1 Soz. vii. 6. Chron. The Emperor at this time made several laws, forbidding xXVII. the assemblies of heretics, to which he was led by an action' against of St. Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium. A little while be- heretics. fore, that is in January of the same year 383, Theodosius had Theod. v. declared his son Arcadius Augustus, though he was but six Socr. v. 10. years of age. St. Amphilochius came to Court with certain soz. vii. 12. other Bishops and paid the usual respects to the Emperor, Paschale. but paid none to Arcadius, though he was near his father. Anno 383. Theodosius imagined that the Bishop did not think of it, and therefore reminded him to salute his son, upon which St. Amphilochius drew near to him, and stroking him with his finger said, "Save you, boy!" At which the Emperor being irritated, ordered the old man to be driven from his presence, and they were already thrusting him out, when turning to the Emperor, he said to him with a loud voice: "You cannot bear your son to be slighted; be assured then "that God in like manner abhors those who refuse to pay the 66 same honour to His only Son as to Himself." Theodosius admired the Bishop's wisdom, and calling him back, asked his forgiveness, and immediately resolved upon the law which St. Amphilochius desired, for prohibiting the assemblies of the heretics. Theod. xvi. Accordingly we find a law addressed to Posthumianus the Cod. Prætorian Præfect of the East, and dated at Constantinople Tit. v. 1. xi. on the eighth of the calends of August, under the consulate of Merobaudis and Saturninus, that is on the twenty-fifth of July, 383, and about the time of the Council, by which all the heretics are prohibited from holding assemblies even in private houses; and the Catholics are permitted to hinder them. By another law addressed to the same Posthumianus, and dated on the third Ibid. 1. 12. of September, the same prohibition is repeated, adding the Apollinarians to the Arians and Macedonians, who are named |