第325章
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  Perhapsanextravagantfableofthetimesmayconcealanallegoricalpictureofthesefanatics,whotorturedeachotherandthemselves。\"UndertheconsulshipofVenantiusandCeler,\"saysagravebishop,\"thepeopleofAlexandria,andallEgypt,wereseizedwithastrangeanddiabolicalfrenzy:greatandsmall,slavesandfreedmen,monksandclergy,thenativesoftheland,whoopposedthesynodofChalcedon,losttheirspeechandreason,barkedlikedogs,andtore,withtheirownteeththefleshfromtheirhandsandarms。\"

  ^71

  [Footnote67:See,intheAppendixtotheActsofChalcedon,theconfirmationoftheSynodbyMarcian,Concil。tom。iv。p。1781,1783;hisletterstothemonksofAlexandria,p。1791,ofMountSinai,p。1793,ofJerusalemandPalestine,p。1798;

  hislawsagainsttheEutychians,p。1809,1811,1831;thecorrespondenceofLeowiththeprovincialsynodsontherevolutionofAlexandria,p。1835—1930。]

  [Footnote68:PhotiusorratherEulogiusofAlexandria

  confesses,inafinepassage,thespeciouscolorofthisdoublechargeagainstPopeLeoandhissynodofChalcedon,Bibliot。

  cod。ccxxv。p。768。Hewagedadoublewaragainsttheenemiesofthechurch,andwoundedeitherfoewiththedartsofhisadversary。AgainstNestoriusheseemedtointroduceMonophysites;againstEutychesheappearedtocountenancetheNestorians。Theapologistclaimsacharitableinterpretationforthesaints:ifthesamehadbeenextendedtotheheretics,thesoundofthecontroversywouldhavebeenlostintheair]

  [Footnote69:Fromhisnocturnalexpeditions。Indarknessanddisguisehecreptroundthecellsofthemonastery,andwhisperedtherevelationtohisslumberingbrethren,Theodor。Lector。l。

  i。]

  [Footnote70:SuchisthehyperboliclanguageoftheHenoticon。]

  [Footnote71:SeetheChronicleofVictorTunnunensis,intheLectionesAntiquaeofCanisius,republishedbyBasnage,tom。

  326。]

  ThedisordersofthirtyyearsatlengthproducedthefamousHenoticon^72oftheemperorZeno,whichinhisreign,andinthatofAnastasius,wassignedbyallthebishopsoftheEast,underthepenaltyofdegradationandexile,iftheyrejectedorinfringedthissalutaryandfundamentallaw。Theclergymaysmileorgroanatthepresumptionofalaymanwhodefinesthearticlesoffaith;yetifhestoopstothehumiliatingtask,hismindislessinfectedbyprejudiceorinterest,andtheauthorityofthemagistratecanonlybemaintainedbytheconcordofthepeople。Itisinecclesiasticalstory,thatZenoappearsleastcontemptible;andIamnotabletodiscernanyManichaeanorEutychianguiltinthegeneroussayingofAnastasius。ThatitwasunworthyofanemperortopersecutetheworshippersofChristandthecitizensofRome。TheHenoticonwasmostpleasingtotheEgyptians;yetthesmallestblemishhasnotbeendescribedbythejealous,andevenjaundicedeyesofourorthodoxschoolmen,anditaccuratelyrepresentstheCatholicfaithoftheincarnation,withoutadoptingordisclaimingthepeculiartermsoftenetsofthehostilesects。AsolemnanathemaispronouncedagainstNestoriusandEutyches;againstallhereticsbywhomChristisdivided,orconfounded,orreducedtoaphantom。Withoutdefiningthenumberorthearticleofthewordnature,thepuresystemofSt。Cyril,thefaithofNice,Constantinople,andEphesus,isrespectfullyconfirmed;but,insteadofbowingatthenameofthefourthcouncil,thesubjectisdismissedbythecensureofallcontrarydoctrines,ifanysuchhavebeentaughteitherelsewhereoratChalcedon。Underthisambiguousexpression,thefriendsandtheenemiesofthelastsynodmightuniteinasilentembrace。ThemostreasonableChristiansacquiescedinthismodeoftoleration;buttheirreasonwasfeebleandinconstant,andtheirobediencewasdespisedastimidandservilebythevehementspiritoftheirbrethren。Onasubjectwhichengrossedthethoughtsanddiscoursesofmen,itwasdifficulttopreserveanexactneutrality;abook,asermon,aprayer,rekindledtheflameofcontroversy;andthebondsofcommunionwerealternatelybrokenandrenewedbytheprivateanimosityofthebishops。ThespacebetweenNestoriusandEutycheswasfilledbyathousandshadesoflanguageandopinion;

  theacephali^73ofEgypt,andtheRomanpontiffs,ofequalvalor,thoughofunequalstrength,maybefoundatthetwoextremitiesofthetheologicalscale。Theacephali,withoutakingorabishop,wereseparatedabovethreehundredyearsfromthepatriarchsofAlexandria,whohadacceptedthecommunionofConstantinople,withoutexactingaformalcondemnationofthesynodofChalcedon。ForacceptingthecommunionofAlexandria,withoutaformalapprobationofthesamesynod,thepatriarchsofConstantinoplewereanathematizedbythepopes。TheirinflexibledespotisminvolvedthemostorthodoxoftheGreekchurchesinthisspiritualcontagion,deniedordoubtedthevalidityoftheirsacraments,^74andfomented,thirty—fiveyears,theschismoftheEastandWest,tilltheyfinallyabolishedthememoryoffourByzantinepontiffs,whohaddaredtoopposethesupremacyofSt。

  Peter。^75Beforethatperiod,theprecarioustruceofConstantinopleandEgypthadbeenviolatedbythezealoftherivalprelates。Macedonius,whowassuspectedoftheNestorianheresy,asserted,indisgraceandexile,thesynodofChalcedon,whilethesuccessorofCyrilwouldhavepurchaseditsoverthrowwithabribeoftwothousandpoundsofgold。

  [Footnote72:TheHenoticonistranscribedbyEvagrius,l。iii。

  c。13,andtranslatedbyLiberatus,Brev。c。18。PagiCritica,tom。ii。p。411andBibliot。Orient。tom。i。p。343

  aresatisfiedthatitisfreefromheresy;butPetaviusDogmat。

  Theolog。tom。v。l。i。c。13,p。40mostunaccountablyaffirmsChalcedonensemascivit。AnadversarywouldprovethathehadneverreadtheHenoticon。]

  [Footnote73:SeeRenaudot,Hist。Patriarch。Alex。p。123,131,145,195,247。TheywerereconciledbythecareofMarkI。A。D。

  799—819;hepromotedtheirchiefstothebishopricsofAthribisandTalba,perhapsTava。SeeD\'Anville,p。82,andsuppliedthesacraments,whichhadfailedforwantofanepiscopalordination。]

  [Footnote74:Dehisquosbaptizavit,quosordinavitAcacius,majorumtraditioneconfectametveram,praecipuereligiosaesolicitudinicongruampraebemussinedifficultatemedicinam,Galacius,inepist。i。adEuphemium,Concil。tom。v。286。Theofferofamedicineprovesthedisease,andnumbersmusthaveperishedbeforethearrivaloftheRomanphysician。TillemonthimselfMem。Eccles。tom。xvi。p。372,642,&c。isshockedattheproud,uncharitabletemperofthepopes;theyarenowglad,sayshe,toinvokeSt。FlavianofAntioch,St。EliasofJerusalem,&c。,towhomtheyrefusedcommunionwhilstuponearth。

  ButCardinalBaroniusisfirmandhardastherockofSt。Peter。]

  [Footnote75:Theirnameswereerasedfromthediptychofthechurch:exvenerabilidiptycho,inquopiaememoriaetransitumadcoelumhabentiumepiscoporumvocabulacontinentur,Concil。tom。

  iv。p。1846。Thisecclesiasticalrecordwasthereforeequivalenttothebookoflife。]

  Inthefeverofthetimes,thesense,orratherthesoundofasyllable,wassufficienttodisturbthepeaceofanempire。

  TheTrisagion^76thriceholy,\"Holy,holy,holy,LordGodofHosts!\"issupposed,bytheGreeks,tobetheidenticalhymnwhichtheangelsandcherubimeternallyrepeatbeforethethroneofGod,andwhich,aboutthemiddleofthefifthcentury,wasmiraculouslyrevealedtothechurchofConstantinople。ThedevotionofAntiochsoonadded,\"whowascrucifiedforus!\"andthisgratefuladdress,eithertoChristalone,ortothewholeTrinity,maybejustifiedbytherulesoftheology,andhasbeengraduallyadoptedbytheCatholicsoftheEastandWest。ButithadbeenimaginedbyaMonophysitebishop;^77thegiftofanenemywasatfirstrejectedasadireanddangerousblasphemy,andtherashinnovationhadnearlycosttheemperorAnastasiushisthroneandhislife。^78ThepeopleofConstantinoplewasdevoidofanyrationalprinciplesoffreedom;buttheyheld,asalawfulcauseofrebellion,thecolorofaliveryintheraces,orthecolorofamysteryintheschools。TheTrisagion,withandwithoutthisobnoxiousaddition,waschantedinthecathedralbytwoadversechoirs,andwhentheirlungswereexhausted,theyhadrecoursetothemoresolidargumentsofsticksandstones;theaggressorswerepunishedbytheemperor,anddefendedbythepatriarch;andthecrownandmitrewerestakedontheeventofthismomentousquarrel。Thestreetswereinstantlycrowdedwithinnumerableswarmsofmen,women,andchildren;thelegionsofmonks,inregulararray,marched,andshouted,andfoughtattheirhead,\"Christians!thisisthedayofmartyrdom:letusnotdesertourspiritualfather;anathematotheManichaeantyrant!

  heisunworthytoreign。\"SuchwastheCatholiccry;andthegalleysofAnastasiuslayupontheiroarsbeforethepalace,tillthepatriarchhadpardonedhispenitent,andhushedthewavesofthetroubledmultitude。ThetriumphofMacedoniuswascheckedbyaspeedyexile;butthezealofhisflockwasagainexasperatedbythesamequestion,\"WhetheroneoftheTrinityhadbeencrucified?\"Onthismomentousoccasion,theblueandgreenfactionsofConstantinoplesuspendedtheirdiscord,andthecivilandmilitarypowerswereannihilatedintheirpresence。Thekeysofthecity,andthestandardsoftheguards,weredepositedintheforumofConstantine,theprincipalstationandcampofthefaithful。DayandnighttheywereincessantlybusiedeitherinsinginghymnstothehonoroftheirGod,orinpillagingandmurderingtheservantsoftheirprince。Theheadofhisfavoritemonk,thefriend,astheystyledhim,oftheenemyoftheHolyTrinity,wasbornealoftonaspear;andthefirebrands,whichhadbeendartedagainsthereticalstructures,diffusedtheundistinguishingflamesoverthemostorthodoxbuildings。Thestatuesoftheemperorwerebroken,andhispersonwasconcealedinasuburb,till,attheendofthreedays,hedaredtoimplorethemercyofhissubjects。Withouthisdiadem,andinthepostureofasuppliant,Anastasiusappearedonthethroneofthecircus。TheCatholics,beforehisface,rehearsedtheirgenuineTrisagion;theyexultedintheoffer,whichheproclaimedbythevoiceofaherald,ofabdicatingthepurple;theylistenedtotheadmonition,that,sinceallcouldnotreign,theyshouldpreviouslyagreeinthechoiceofasovereign;andtheyacceptedthebloodoftwounpopularministers,whomtheirmaster,withouthesitation,condemnedtothelions。ThesefuriousbuttransientseditionswereencouragedbythesuccessofVitalian,who,withanarmyofHunsandBulgarians,forthemostpartidolaters,declaredhimselfthechampionoftheCatholicfaith。InthispiousrebellionhedepopulatedThrace,besiegedConstantinople,exterminatedsixty—fivethousandofhisfellow—Christians,tillheobtainedtherecallofthebishops,thesatisfactionofthepope,andtheestablishmentofthecouncilofChalcedon,anorthodoxtreaty,reluctantlysignedbythedyingAnastasius,andmorefaithfullyperformedbytheuncleofJustinian。Andsuchwastheeventofthefirstofthereligiouswarswhichhavebeenwagedinthenameandbythedisciples,oftheGodofpeace。^79

  [Footnote76:PetaviusDogmat。Theolog。tom。v。l。v。c。2,3,4,p。217—225andTillemontMem。Eccles。tom。xiv。p。713,&c。,799representthehistoryanddoctrineoftheTrisagion。

  InthetwelvecenturiesbetweenIsaiahandSt。Proculs\'sboy,whowastakenupintoheavenbeforethebishopandpeopleofConstantinople,thesongwasconsiderablyimproved。Theboyheardtheangelssing,\"HolyGod!Holystrong!Holyimmortal!\"]

  [Footnote77:PeterGnapheus,thefuller,atradewhichhehadexercisedinhismonastery,patriarchofAntioch。HistediousstoryisdiscussedintheAnnalsofPagiA。D。477—490andadissertationofM。deValoisattheendofhisEvagrius。]

  [Footnote78:ThetroublesunderthereignofAnastasiusmustbegatheredfromtheChroniclesofVictor,Marcellinus,andTheophanes。AsthelastwasnotpublishedinthetimeofBaronius,hiscriticPagiismorecopious,aswellasmorecorrect。]

  [Footnote79:Thegeneralhistory,fromthecouncilofChalcedontothedeathofAnastasius,maybefoundintheBreviaryofLiberatus,c。14—19,theiidandiiidbooksofEvagrius,theabstractofthetwobooksofTheodoretheReader,theActsoftheSynods,andtheEpistlesofthePope,Concil。tom。v。TheseriesiscontinuedwithsomedisorderinthexvthandxvithtomesoftheMemoiresEcclesiastiquesofTillemont。AndhereI

  musttakeleaveforeverofthatincomparableguide—whosebigotryisoverbalancedbythemeritsoferudition,diligence,veracity,andscrupulousminuteness。Hewaspreventedbydeathfromcompleting,ashedesigned,thevithcenturyofthechurchandempire。]

  ChapterXLVII:EcclesiasticalDiscord。

  PartIII。

  Justinianhasbeenalreadyseeninthevariouslightsofaprince,aconqueror,andalawgiver:thetheologian^80stillremains,anditaffordsanunfavorableprejudice,thathistheologyshouldformaveryprominentfeatureofhisportrait。

  Thesovereignsympathizedwithhissubjectsintheirsuperstitiousreverenceforlivinganddepartedsaints:hisCode,andmoreespeciallyhisNovels,confirmandenlargetheprivilegesoftheclergy;andineverydisputebetweenamonkandalayman,thepartialjudgewasinclinedtopronounce,thattruth,andinnocence,andjustice,werealwaysonthesideofthechurch。Inhispublicandprivatedevotions,theemperorwasassiduousandexemplary;hisprayers,vigils,andfasts,displayedtheausterepenanceofamonk;hisfancywasamusedbythehope,orbelief,ofpersonalinspiration;hehadsecuredthepatronageoftheVirginandSt。Michaelthearchangel;andhisrecoveryfromadangerousdiseasewasascribedtothemiraculoussuccoroftheholymartyrsCosmasandDamian。ThecapitalandtheprovincesoftheEastweredecoratedwiththemonumentsofhisreligion;^81andthoughthefargreaterpartofthesecostlystructuresmaybeattributedtohistasteorostentation,thezealoftheroyalarchitectwasprobablyquickenedbyagenuinesenseofloveandgratitudetowardshisinvisiblebenefactors。

  AmongthetitlesofImperialgreatness,thenameofPiouswasmostpleasingtohisear;topromotethetemporalandspiritualinterestofthechurchwastheseriousbusinessofhislife;andthedutyoffatherofhiscountrywasoftensacrificedtothatofdefenderofthefaith。Thecontroversiesofthetimeswerecongenialtohistemperandunderstandingandthetheologicalprofessorsmustinwardlyderidethediligenceofastranger,whocultivatedtheirartandneglectedhisown。\"Whatcanyefear,\"

  saidaboldconspiratortohisassociates,\"fromyourbigotedtyrant?Sleeplessandunarmed,hesitswholenightsinhiscloset,debatingwithreverendgraybeards,andturningoverthepagesofecclesiasticalvolumes。\"^82Thefruitsoftheselucubrationsweredisplayedinmanyaconference,whereJustinianmightshineastheloudestandmostsubtileofthedisputants;inmanyasermon,which,underthenameofedictsandepistles,proclaimedtotheempirethetheologyoftheirmaster。WhiletheBarbariansinvadedtheprovinces,whilethevictoriouslegionmarchedunderthebannersofBelisariusandNarses,thesuccessorofTrajan,unknowntothecamp,wascontenttovanquishattheheadofasynod。Hadheinvitedtothesesynodsadisinterestedandrationalspectator,Justinianmighthavelearned,\"thatreligiouscontroversyistheoffspringofarroganceandfolly;

  thattruepietyismostlaudablyexpressedbysilenceandsubmission;thatman,ignorantofhisownnature,shouldnotpresumetoscrutinizethenatureofhisGod;andthatitissufficientforustoknow,thatpowerandbenevolencearetheperfectattributesoftheDeity。\"^83

  [Footnote80:ThestrainoftheAnecdotesofProcopius,c。11,13,18,27,28,withthelearnedremarksofAlemannus,isconfirmed,ratherthancontradicted,bytheActsoftheCouncils,thefourthbookofEvagrius,andthecomplaintsoftheAfricanFacundus,inhisxiithbook—detribuscapitulis,\"cumvideridoctusappetitimportune……spontaneisquaestionibusecclesiamturbat。\"SeeProcop。deBell。Goth。l。iii。c。35。]

  [Footnote81:Procop。deEdificiis,l。i。c。6,7,&c。,passim。]

  [Footnote82:Procop。deBell。Goth。l。iii。c。32。InthelifeofSt。EutychiusapudAleman。adProcop。Arcan。c。18thesamecharacterisgivenwithadesigntopraiseJustinian。]

  [Footnote83:Forthesewiseandmoderatesentiments,ProcopiusdeBell。Goth。l。i。c。3isscourgedintheprefaceofAlemannus,whorankshimamongthepoliticalChristians—sedlongeveriushaeresiumomniumsentinas,prorsusqueAtheos—

  abominableAtheists,whopreachedtheimitationofGod\'smercytoman,adHist。Arcan。c。13。]

  Tolerationwasnotthevirtueofthetimes,andindulgencetorebelshasseldombeenthevirtueofprinces。Butwhentheprincedescendstothenarrowandpeevishcharacterofadisputant,heiseasilyprovokedtosupplythedefectofargumentbytheplenitudeofpower,andtochastisewithoutmercytheperverseblindnessofthosewhowilfullyshuttheireyesagainstthelightofdemonstration。ThereignofJustinianwasauniformyetvarioussceneofpersecution;andheappearstohavesurpassedhisindolentpredecessors,bothinthecontrivanceofhislawsandtherigoroftheirexecution。Theinsufficienttermofthreemonthswasassignedfortheconversionorexileofallheretics;^84andifhestillconnivedattheirprecariousstay,theyweredeprived,underhisironyoke,notonlyofthebenefitsofsociety,butofthecommonbirth—rightofmenandChristians。

  Attheendoffourhundredyears,theMontanistsofPhrygia^85

  stillbreathedthewildenthusiasmofperfectionandprophecywhichtheyhadimbibedfromtheirmaleandfemaleapostles,thespecialorgansoftheParaclete。OntheapproachoftheCatholicpriestsandsoldiers,theygraspedwithalacritythecrownofmartyrdomtheconventicleandthecongregationperishedintheflames,buttheseprimitivefanaticswerenotextinguishedthreehundredyearsafterthedeathoftheirtyrant。UndertheprotectionoftheirGothicconfederates,thechurchoftheAriansatConstantinoplehadbravedtheseverityofthelaws:theirclergyequalledthewealthandmagnificenceofthesenate;andthegoldandsilverwhichwereseizedbytherapacioushandofJustinianmightperhapsbeclaimedasthespoilsoftheprovinces,andthetrophiesoftheBarbarians。AsecretremnantofPagans,whostilllurkedinthemostrefinedandmostrusticconditionsofmankind,excitedtheindignationoftheChristians,whowereperhapsunwillingthatanystrangersshouldbethewitnessesoftheirintestinequarrels。Abishopwasnamedastheinquisitorofthefaith,andhisdiligencesoondiscovered,inthecourtandcity,themagistrates,lawyers,physicians,andsophists,whostillcherishedthesuperstitionoftheGreeks。

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