The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ, Book 2 · History of century 5

The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ · Book 2 · History of century 5

p. 323CENTVRIE. V.

Patriarches of Rome.

AFter Stricius succeeded Anastatius, Anastatius. Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 9. Pla…na, de vit. Pontif. Innocent…us 1. Socrat lib. 7. cap. 9.and gouerned the Church of Rome three yeeres. About the yeere of our Lord 401. hee entred into his office, vnderunder the raigne of Honorius. Hee made a constitution, that men should not sit, but stand when the Gospell was read. After him succeeded Innocentius, and continued in his office fifteene yeeres: hee was an aduersarie to the Novatians, and Pelagians, and was friendly to Iohn Chrysostome, whose deposition Eudoxia the Emperours wife had procured. Innocentius sent to Honorius, and Arcadius; fiue Bishops, and two Presbiters, to procure the appointment of a Councell, wherein the cause of Chrysostome might be examined: for hee counted the gathering of an Ae cumenicke Councell the only remedy whereby the vehement tempest of so great commotions as followed the deposition and banishment of Chrysostome, Sozom. 1.8. c. 26.could be settled: but the aduersaries of Chrysostome procured the messengers of Innocentius to be ignominiously entreated, and sent backe againe.Ibid. cap. 28. Heere let the iudicious Reader marke that the power of conuocating generall Councells appertained to the Emperour, and not vntounto the Bishop of Rome.Note. In this mans time (according to mine opinion) the Roman Church began to swell in pride, and to vsurpe iurisdiction ouer other Churches, hauing no better ground than a personall and temporall act of the councel of Sardica.

Zosimus the successor of Innocentius continued not aboue the space of a yeere and 5. months in office,Zosimus. or 2. yeeres, p. 324as Socrates writeth.Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 11. To him Platina ascribeth this constitution, that no seruant should be assumed into the clergie: but he lamenteth, that not onelyonly seruants, but also the sons of strange women, and flagitious persons, were admitted to spirituall offices to great detriment of the Church. He sent Faustinus a Bishop to the Councell of Carthage, with 2. Presbyters of the Romane Church to craue that no matter of moment and importance should be done without aduise of the Roman Bishop.Platin. de vit. Zosu…. He pretended an act of the councell of Nice allotting this dignitie to the Romane chaire: but after diligent search of the principall register no such act was found.Hist. Magd. cent. 5. cap. 10. I expected that Onuphrius now should hauehave compeared, & in so maine a point said something to the cause, which with tooth & naile he defendeth, but in his annotations I see nothing except a diuersity of coūting of yeres for in his reckoning Zosimus continued 3. yeeres 4-months.

Bonifacius 1.To Zosimus succeeded Bonifacius 1. and gouerned 3. yeeres. At his election there was a schisme in Rome. Some elected Bonifacius, Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 11.others Eulalius to be their bishop. The Emperour Honorius bāished them both from Rome, but after 7 months Bonifacius was restored, and was Bishop of Rome: at this time they were bishops of Rome, to whom the Emperour gaue allowance, but they were not Emperours, to whom the Bishop of Rome gaue allowance.

Coelestinus 1. Socrat. l. 7. c. 11.After Bonifacius, Coelestinus gouerned the Church of Rome, eight yeeres, ten months, and seuenteene dayes. He was an aduersary to the Novatians, Pelagians, and to Nestorius and his adherents. Socrates taketh him vp, right, that hee was bitter against the Novatians, for desire of preheminence. In Constantinople they who professed the true faith, had libertie to meete together, …albeit in matters of discipline their opinion was not found: but Coelestinus silenced Rusticola the Bishop of the Novatians For desire to hauehave all Bishoppes stouping vnderunder his soueraignitie. Marke the words of Socrates in the Latine translation bearing these words:Socrat. ibid. Romano Episcopatus iam …dim peri…de atque Alexandrin… ultra sacred… lu…tes a…d p. 325exterum dominatum progr…ss… :Note. that is, the bishoprick of Rome, euen of old hauing stepped beyond the limites of Priesthood to an externall domination, as the Bishopricke of Alexandria had done before. Pelagius had propagated his heresie in the Isle of Britaine. But Coelestinus hindred the propagation of a wicked heresie, by sending Germanus to the Brittaines, and Palladius to the Scots. Coelestinus more impudently than his predecessours,Hist. Magd. cent. 5. cap. 10. Innocentius, Zosimus and Bonifacius, vrged a submission of the Churches of Carthage vntounto the Romane chaire, and that they should accept in fauour Appiarius whom they excommunicated for his appellation from his owne Bishop to the Bishop of Rome: but the fathers of the sixt Councell of Carthage would neither absolue Appiarius before his repentance were knowne, neither would they stoup vnderunder the iurisdiction of the Roman Church.

To Coelestinus succeeded Sixtus the third,X ystus or Sixtus. and continued in office eight yeeres, ninteene dayes. Hee was accused of the crime of Adultery by Bassus; but Sixtus was found innocent,Platina de vitispontif. and Bassus was found a calumniator and a false accuser: therefore he was banished by the Emp. Valentinian the third, and his goods were appointed to goe to the vse of the Church. Bassus after his banishment desired to be receiued againe in fauour with Sixtus: but his petition was reiected as if he had sinned against the holy Ghost. Notwithstanding the flatterers of the chaire of Rome writeth that Sixtus buried Bassus his accuser with his owne hands;Hist. Magd. cent. 5. cap. 10. which seemeth to be repugnant to his vnmerciful forme of dealing in his life-time.

After Sixtus, Leo.Leo a deacon in Rome, and absent out of the towne, was chosen the bishop of Rome, and ruled 21. yeeres, 1. month, 13. daies:Platina de vit. pontif. he stirred vp the Emperour Theodosius 2. to appoint a councell for suppressing the error of Eutyches, wherein it was rather cōfirmed than suppressed by the craft of Dioscorus B▪ of Alexandria, whereof I shall speake hereafter, God willing, & how Eutyches was cōdemned in the councel of Chalcedon vnderunder the raigne of Martianus. His p. 326wisdome and eloquence in mitigating the surie of Attila hath beene handled in the preceding historie.Hist. Magd. cent. 5. cap. 10. Amongst his constitutions none is more commendable then his constitution against ambitious men,Note. who presume continually to high places. Hee ordained that they should be depriued both of the higher, and the lower place: of the lower place for their pride, because they had proudly despised it: of the higher, because they had auaritiously suted it. In discipline nothing is better than to beare downe those place mongers, whereby it commeth to passe, that prerogatiue of place is referred to prerogatiue of gift.Hilarius. Hilarius followed and continued seuen yeeres, three months, ten dayes. To whom succeeded Simplicius, Simplicius.and continued fifteene yeeres, one month and seuen dayes.Foelix. 3. Foelix the third was the successor of Simplicius, and continued eight yeers, eleuen months, and seuenteene dayes. Hee gouerned the Church of Rome in the time of the Emperour Zeno, Platin. de vit. Pontif.and in the time, when Odoacer and Theodoricus contended for the superioritie of Italie: hee was nothing inferiour to his antecessors in zeale to aduance the Supremacie of the Romane Chayre: for hee excommunicated Acatius Bishop of Constantinople, because he craued not his aduise in receiuing P…trus Moggus in fauour, like as hee had craued his aduise at the first when he excommunicated him. This Petrus Moggus was an Eutychian heretike, and was iustly excommunicated by Acatius, who vsed the aduise of Foelix Bishop of Rome, in excōmunicating him.Hist. Magd. c…nt. 5. cap. 10. But when Petrus Moggus testified his repentance by his supplicant bill, containing the recantatiō of his error, Acatius absolued him. This grieued the proud stomacke of Foelix, because his aduise was not craued in all things. Therefore he excommunicated Acatius, as is said. Acatius little regarding the pride of the Romane Bishop, gaue to Foelix an hard meeting: for he both excommunicated Foelix, and razed his name out of the roll of Bishops. Ambition was the first great cancker-worme that consumed & defaced the beautie of the Church of Rome.

p. 327Gelasius the successor of Foelix, Gelasius.an Africane borne, ruled foure yeeres, eight months, and seuenteene dayes. The estate of Italie was so troubled by the incursions of barbarous people, that the manners of the people were altogether dissolute (for hee ministred in the last yeere of Theodoricus King of Italie) therefore hee endeuoured to establish discipline in the Church:Hist. Magd. cent. 5. cap. 10. hee claimed superioritie ouer all Churches more manifestly than any of his predecessors had done, for he affirmed that the Church of Rome should iudge all Churches, and should bee iudged by no Church, and that the right of Appellation to the Bishop of Rome from all parts in the world, was not a supposititious act of the Nicene Councell, as the Councell of Carthage had determined, but that it was authentike, & a Right giuen by them indeed to the Roman Church: neither would h e be reconciled with the Orientall Bishops in any case, except they would first allow the excommunication of Acatius, Platina, de vit. Pontif.and raze his name out of the roll of Bishops. Platina writeth that hee did excommunicate the Emperour Anastatius a fauourer of the Eutychian heresie, but this example once begun, was practised in most prodigall maner by the Bishops of Rome against Emperours, who maintained no heresie.

Patriarches of Constantinople.

IOhn Chrysostome succeeded to Nectarius in the dayes of Arcadius, Iohn Chrysostome.and Honorius: hee had beene an helper to Flavianus Bishop of Antioch, from whence hee was transported by the authoritie of the Emperour Arcadius, Theod. l. 5. c. 27.and ordained Bishop of Constantinople, sore against the hearts of the people of Antiochia. In Oratory he had profited in the school of Libanius, S…zom. l. 8. c. 2.in Philosophie in the schoole of Andragathius beyond his fellowes. His libertie in reproouing of sin both in Court and Clergie, procured against him the hatred of p. 328Eudoxia the Empresse, and hatred of the Clergie, who could not suffer their corrupt maners to be reformed. Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria was opposed to Chrysostome from the verie first time of his ordination: for hee endeuoured to hauehave Isidorus a Monke brought vp in the wildernes of Schethis, and afterward a Presbyter in Alexandria to bee seated in Constantinople: but when his plotted course failed, he became an enemie to Chrysostome, and gladly embraced all occasions, whereby he might procure his deposition: how he was iustly deposed, banished, and iourneyed to death by the malice of Eudoxia, and Theophilus it hath beene sufficiently declared in the preceding historie. Other things (God willing) shall be handled in the description of the life of Theophilus. Chy…. …r…n.Chrysostome gouerned the Church of Constantinople. 7. yeeres.

Arsatius.After Chrysostome, Arsatius the brother of Nectarius an aged man (for he was fourescore yeere old) sate in Constantinople scarce 2. yeeres.

Atticus.Atticus the successor of Arsatius sate 21. yeeres. He was admitted to this office in the time of the minoritie of Theodosius the second:Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 1.2. Sozom. l. 8. c. 27 Theo. lib. 5. cap. 34. Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 4. at what time Anthemius his counseller (a man in wisdome inferiour to none who liued in his time) gouerned the affaires of the Kingdome. Atticus was not vnlearned: he was godly and prudent: he inserted the name of Chrysostome into the roll of Bishops, and in the publike Liturgie made an honourable commemoration of his name, and perswaded Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria to doe the like. Socrates affirmeth that God by his ministrie wrought miraculous workes, and that a Ievve sicke of the Palsie was baptized by him in the Name of Iesus, and immediatly after Baptisme was healed of his disease. In staying the progresse of superstition, wherein people, euen at this time were enclined,…st. Magd. …nt. …. cap. 10. hee carried himselfe prudently: for some of the people of Constantinople resorted to the sepulcher of Sabbatius to pray, and to doe some worship to the defunct: but Att…us caused his body in the night season to be raised, and to be buried p. 329in another place vnknowne to the foresaid superstitious people,Note. and so they left off their resorting to the sepulchre of Sabbatius.

Sisinnius after Atticus ministred 2. yeeres.Sisinnius. Nestorius followed him in office, but his name is to be reade in the catalogue of heretikes.Maximianus. Proclus. Next to Nestor…us was Maximianus, who continued not aboue, 2. yeeres, and 5. months. To whom succeeded Proclus, and continued 12. yeeres.

Fla…ianus after Proclus gouerned that sea,Fla…ianus. in the dayes of Theodosius the second: a faithfull man in his calling, but scarcely did he complete 2. yeeres in his Bishopricke. Hee deposed and excommunicated Eutyches an Abbot in Constantinople, the authour of a pernitious heresie. Hee was cruellie troden vnderunder foot in the second councell of Ephesu… called foreign, that is, a councell of brigandrie. Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria,Evag. l. …. c. 10. in that councell fauoured the opinion of E…tyches, and by tumultuary dealing, so oppressed Flavianus, that he procured his death. They who attribute too much to the authoritie of Councels,Note. let them fasten their eyes vponupon this councell, and learne, that possibly councels may erre, and that Patriarches, such as Dioscorus was, may erre, euen in matters of faith.

To Fla…ianus succeeded Anatolius, and gouerned eight yeeres.Anatolius. Ge…adius. Acatius. And after him Gennadius thirteene yeeres. Acatius the successor of Gennadius gouerned seuenteene yeeres vnderunder the Emperour Ze…o. Hee gaue a good proofe of his constancie in the true faith, at that time when Basiliscus (who draue Zeno from his Kingdome) condemned the Councel of Chalcedon, and compelled bishops to subscribe to the errour of Eutyches. The great dissention that fell out bewixt him and the Roman Bishops, for Petrus Moggus Bishop of Alexandria, and Petrus Cnapheus Bishop of Antiochia, it was, not for cōmunicating with them before they renounced their errour, as some learned men doe affirme, but for plaine emulation;Funct. Com…nt inchr…nol. such as was of old betwixt Pompeius and Caesar, the one could not abide a cōpanion, the other could not abide a superior. The Roman Church manifestly cōtended for superiority: p. 330the Church of Constantinople on the other part perceiuing what aduantage the Roman bishops tooke of this that their counsel was craued,Hist. Magd. cent. 5. cap. 10. they left off the doing of it. And this moued the proud stomacke of Gelasius (after the death of Acatius to burst out in these arrogant words,Gelasius in epist. a… Dardan. 11. that the church of Rome had power to iudge of all other churches, but no church had power to iudge of the church of Rome; yea, and Platina a late writer groundeth the supremacie of the B. of Rome vpō this,Platin. de vit. Simplicii. that Acatius B. of Constātinople wrote vntounto him, to damne the heretical opinion of Pe…rus Moggus B. of Alexandria: albeit the faith of Peter was grounded vpō a sure rocke,Math. 16.Matt 16 yet the supremacie of the Roman Bishops is grounded only vponupon such sandie ground, as Platina and other flatterers of the Romane chaire doe cast out in their writings.

Pharauitas.After Acatius succeeded Phrauitas, otherwise called Flauitas, and continued scarse 4. months: some thinke that God in wrath shortned his dayes,Hist. Magd. cent. 5. cap. 10. because that by vnlawfull meanes hee attained to that dignitie to be Bishop of Constantinople. The Synodicke letter of Petrus Moggus Bishop of Alexandria written to Flauitas, and pondered by his successor Euph…mius, wherein Petrus Moggus accurseth the councell of Chalcedon, it will clearely prooue inconstancie in Petrus Moggus, but not a fault in Acatius: for many are like vntounto dogs,Evagr. lib. 3. cap. 23. who returne vntounto their vomite againe, and this blame must rest in the bosome of fickle and vnconstant men,Simile. and not in the bosome of honest men who are deceiued by them.

Euphemius.Euphemius succeeded to Flauitas, and gouerned vnderunder the raigne of Zeno and Anastatius, and would not complete the ceremonies of the inauguration of Anastatius vntill the time that by his oath and hand-writ,Hist. Magd. cent. 4. cap. 10. hee promised to be a defender of the true faith and of the actes of the councell of Chalcedon. The hand-writ Anastatius craued to be deliuered backe againe to him, which when he could not obtaine, Euphemius was compelled to flie for safetie of his life. When he pondered the Synodicke letter of Petrus Moggus he abhor…ed his name, & inserted against the name of F…lix B. of p. 331Rome into the catalogue of Bishops, which was razed and cancelled by Acatius one of his predecessors.

Patriarchs of Alexandria.

THeophilus ministred in Alexandria in the dayes of Theodosius, Theophilus.and of his sonnes Arcadius and Honorius: a man both reproovable in his life, and inconstant in his faith. Hee sent Isidorus a Monke, to Rome▪ there to lurke secretly, and to expect the event of the battell that was to bee sought betwixt Theodosius & Maximus, and to congratulate the victor. When hee returned from Rome, hee endevoured to promote him to the Bishopricke of Constantinople: but Iohn Chrysostome, was preferred before him. After this, hee cannot keepe friendship with Isidorus, whom he intended once to hauehave preferred, but vponupon a light occasion cast him off, and excommunicated him; because hee would not deliver to him the mony left in testamental legacie to be distributed to the poore. This money which Theophilus sister had left to the vse aforesayd;Sozom. l. 8. c. 12. Theophilus craved that it might be put in his hands, to be imployed to building and repairing of Churches. But Isidorus answered, that the money put in his custodie, should bee bestowed according to the will of the defunct. And that it was a worke more acceptable to God, to support the poore, who are the living temples of God, then to build olde and ruinous walles. Therefore Theophilus hated, and excommunicated Isidorus: for this cause Isidorus left Alexandria, and addressed himselfe to the wildernesse of Schethis, where hee complained to Ammonius, Dioscorus, Eusebius, and Enthymius, called Long f…atres, of the iniury that Theophilus had done vntounto him; who intreated Theophilus to receiue Isidorus in favour againe, and to admit him to his communion: but Theophilus gaue vntounto them an evill reward for their travels; for hee hated them, and finding that there were diverse opinions p. 332amongst the Monkes of Nitria and Schethis, hee put fuell to the fire, to the end that diversity of affection might bee added to diversity of opinion: a man in all his courses malicious and deceitfull. Longifratres fled to Constantinople, to complaine to the Emperour Arcadius, of the malice of Theophilus, and they were humanely and courteously received by Chrisostome; but not admitted to the participation of the holy mysteries, vntill their cause had beene first iudged. To the rest of the Monkes who dwelt in Nitria and Schethis, the malice of Theophilus was not vnknowne. And fiue hundred of them (especially such as were Anthropomorphite) came from the wildernesse of Nitria, with intention to hauehave slaine Theophilus, Socrat. l. 6. c. 7.but hee met them, and with gentle and flattering words, lenified their anger, for he said vntounto them: Brethren, I see your faces as the face of God. They tooke his words in this sense, as if hee had sayd; that God was fashioned according to the likenesse of a mans body. Therefore they desired him to abiure the doctrine of Origen, which thing hee willingly did, for he hated the bookes of Origen: and so he escaped the danger.

The next practice of his malice, was against Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople, whom he hated, because he had received and courteously intreated Isidorus and Longifratres, who came to Constantinople, with intention to accuse him. In this matter hee dealt deceitfully, like vntounto a crafty foxe lying in waite, vntill hee found occasion to set on. First, hee reconciled himselfe to Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamin in Cyprus, and mooved him to gather a Councell in Cyprus, for damning the bookes of Origen; and to write to Iohn Chrysostome, that he would do the like in his bounds: but Chrysostome tooke little regard of the counsell of Epiphanius, other things were more necessarie, then to trouble the memoriall of a man that was dead long agoe. Theophilus was glad to hauehave this advantage, that Epiphanius a man of great account, was on his side; and so soone as hee found that E…doxia, the Emperor Arcadius wife, with Courteours and some of the Clergie, were incensed against Chrysostome, p. 333hee was in readinesse as a firebrand of Satan, to execute all evill turnes. So the man of God (as hath beene declared) was deposed, banished, and vniustly put to death, by Eudoxia and Theophilus, two chiefe procurers of it.

Cyrillus, Cyrillusthe nephew of Theophilus, on his brothers side, succeeded to Theophilus, and governed two and thirty yeers; A man learned, zealous, and actiue: his ministration was vnderunder the raignes of Theodosius the second, and Valentinian the third. Hee was an adversary to Heretiques in his dayes, especially to Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople, who denyed the personall vnion of the divine and humane Nature in Christ: whose opinion as hereticall, was damned in the Councell of Ephesus.

Cyrillus tooke too much vponupon him: for hee revenged the iniury that the Iewes had done vntounto Christians in the night time, by setting vponupon their Synagogues slaying a great number of them, banishing others, and distributing their substance, as a prey to the multitude that followed him.Soc. l. 7. c. 13. The Iewes had dwelt in Alexandria from the dayes of Alexander the Great, to that time; but now by the fury of Cyrillus, they were vtterly vndone and scattered. Orestes the Deputy of Theodosius the second, was in the towne, to whom Cyrillus would not complaine of the iniury done by the Iewes, against the Christians: but at his owne hand vsurping the office of a civill Magistrate, hee set vponupon the Iewes, slew, scattered, and spoyled them, as hath beene aboue mentioned. This was the ground of vnsupportable discord betwixt Orestes and Cyrillus; in so much, that fiue hundred Monkes of Nitria, came out of the wildernesse to Alexandria, to support Cyrillus their Bishop.Soc. l. 7. c. 14. One of them called Ammonius, wounded the Governour Orestes, and when he was taken and punished vntounto the death; Cyrillus called him a Martyr, buried him in the Church, changed his name, and called him foreign, that is, admirable.

The Romane Bishoppes claimed a superiority over their brethren; but Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria, plainely pretended a superiority over civill Magistrates. This mooued p. 334Socrates writing of Coelestinus the first, to say, that the Bishops of Rome and Alexandria,Soc. l. 7. c. 11. had stepped beyond the limits of Priesthood, to the affectation of an externall domination. The Bishops of Rome kept their owne pride, and borrowed from Alexandria a proud vsurpation of domination over civill Magistrats: but the wise providence and provident wisedome of our God, would hauehave the mouthes of the Bishops of Rome opened to condemne that civill domination, which their successors afterward most proudly vsurped.

Gelasius de anathematis vinculo.Marke what Gelasius writeth, that before the comming of Christ, some persons, such as Melchisedecke, were both Kings and Priests. This (saith hee) Satan imitating in his members, would hauehave Pagan Emperours to be called Pontifices maximi, & Imperatores: but when he came who was indeed both King and Priest, to wit, Christ, neither did the King take vponupon him the priestly dignity, neither the Priest kingly authority.

Dioscorus, who succeeded Cyrillus, his name is to reade in the catalogue of Heretiques;Proterius. but Proterius was the true successour, in regard hee kept the true Faith: but hee was cruelly slaine by the favourers of Di…scorus, immediately after the death of the Emperour Martianus.Hist. Magd. Cent. 5. cap. 10. Timotheus Salophaciolus. Evagr. lib. …. cap. 11.

Timotheus Salophaciolus, governed as Bishop in Alexandria, 23. yeeres, six moneths, in the dayes of Zen… and Basiliscus. Albeit Basiliscus advanced another Timotheus, surnamed Aelurus to be Bishop of Alexandria, yet when Zeno was restored to his soverainty againe, Salophaciolus received his place againe.

After Timotheus Salophaciolus, followed Iohannes Tabennesiota, whom the Emperour Zeno iustly hated for his periury: for hee came Ambassador to the Emperour,Iohannes Tabennesiota. and craued, that when their Bishop were dead, the Church of Alexandria might hauehave liberty to choose their owne Bishop: the Emperour suspected that hee was ambitiously suting the place to himselfe, and therefore did binde him with an oath, that when the place should happen to be voyd, hee should p. 335make no meanes to possesse himselfe of that roome: but hee did the contrary, and accepted the place: therefore the Emperour Zeno banished him: hee fled to Felix Bishop of Rome, who being mis-informed by Iohannes Tabennesiota, made him to thinke, that hee was persecuted for the true Faith, as Athanasius was, who fledde to Iulius Bishoppe of Rome: but the Emperours letter assured him of the contrarie, that hee was banished for periurie. Petrus Moggus, who followed, is to bee reckoned in an other Catalogue.

Patriarchs of Antiochia.

TO Flavius, Porphyrius. Soc. l. 7. c. 9.in Antiochia succeeded Porphyrius, whose ordination was more secret then becomes the ordination of Bishoppes to bee, in absence of the people, when they were delighting themselues with the sight of Stageplayes in Daphne. Hee consented to the deposition of Iohn Chrysostome. No man whom I hauehave read, maketh reverent record of him; except Theodoretus, who possibly doth not examine him narrowly, but for the dignitie of his place,Theod. l. 5. c. 35. letteth him passe with a note of commendation.

After Porphyrius succeeded Alexander, Alexander.a man much commended by Theodoretus for eloquence, but more for peace: for hee was not onelyonly an instrument to quiet the estate of his owne Church of Antiochia, but also to quiet the estate of other Churches, & he was the first who inserted the name of Iohn Chrysostome into the catalogue of holy Bishops, and perswaded others to doe the same.Theodotus. Theodotus was his successor foure yeeres, of whom little is written.

To Theodotus succeeded Iohannes Grammaticus, Iohannes Grammaticus.and ministred eighteene yeeres. In his time the Councell of Ephesus was assembled by Theodosius the second, and Valentinian the third. In it there was a pitifull distraction, betwixt Iohn p. 336Bishop of Antiochia, and Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria, for a light cause. Not because Iohn Bishop of Alexandria favoured the heresie of Nestorius: but in respect hee gaue out definitiue sentence before the full number of his brethren were assembled together. This dissention was afterward reconciled, and Iohannes sent to Cyrillus, Paulus Emisenus; and craved his friendshippe, and was reconciled vntounto him.

Domnus.Domnus the successour of Iohannes, was an vnconstant man. Hee consented to the deposition of Eutyches, and afterward in the Councell called foreign, he consented to the reposition of Eutyches. Hee received a iust recompence of his vnconstancie: for the second Councell of Ephesus deposed him, and ordayned Maximus Bishoppe af Antiochia.

Maximus.Maximus was admitted Bishop of Antiochia, by the second Councell of Ephesus. He was presented at the Councell of Chalcedon; wherein, albeit the second Councell of Ephesus was damned as hereticall, and all the acts of it were abrogated; yet they gaue allowance to the deposition of Domnus, Evag. l. 2. c. vlt.and to the admission of Maximus, which thing came to passe by this occasion; Leo Bishop of Rome had receiued Maximus to his communion, before the Councell of Chalcedon (albeit he had received ordination from an hereticall Councell) and the Ambassadours of Leo were presidents in the Councell of Chalcedon:Hist. Magd. cent. 5 cap. 10. therefore they overpassed lightly, and with allowance, any fact that was done by the Bishop of Rome. But all the world was set in businesse, when Acatius received in fauour Petrus Moggus, because it was done without foreknowledge of the Bishop of Rome.

To Maximus succeeded Martyrius, who being absent at Constantinople for necessarie affaires of his owne church,Martyrius. Petrus Gnapheus stole away the hearts of the people from him, so that at his returning hee was compelled to leaue Antiochia, with this good night: I forsake a disobedient Clergie, a rebellious people, Theod. l…ct…. l. ….and a defiled Church, reserving vntounto my selfe the dignity of Priesthood.

p. 337Petrus Gnapheus, Petrus Gnapheus.for his deserts is worthy to be reckoned in the roll of Heretickes. First, he supplanted Martyrius by vnhonest meanes in the dayes of the Emperour Le…. Secondly, he obtained a clause to be added to that part of the Liturgie, which is called Trasagios, sanctus Deus, sanctus fortis, sanctus immortalis. Hist. Magd. cent. 5. cap. 10.To this (I say) hee added, qui crucifixus est pro nobis, which forme of speaking (albeit foreign, may tolerate it to bee spoken) was sayd by him in an hereticall sense, as if the Divinity had suffered paine. Thirdly, he attributed divine honour to the Virgin Mary, and ordayned that her name should bee called vponupon, in the publique prayers of the Church. Hee was banished by the Emperour Leo, and restored by Basiliscus. Hee damned the Councell of Chalcedon, and was banished the second time by the Emperor Zeno, and excommunicate by Felix Bishop of Rome,Stephanus. and Acatius Bishop of Constantinople. Stephanus succeeded in his roome, and was incontinent made out of the way,Calandion. by the faction of Gnapheus. Calandion succeeded Stephanus, and hee likewise was banished by the Emperour Zeno. In the end Petrus Gnapheus subscribed the henoticke letters of Zeno (these were letters containing a summe of the true Faith, an approbation of godly Councels, and a protestation of vnitie with godly Bishoppes) foreign, in the Greeke language signifieth vnitiue or coniunctiue, and henoticke letter were written to procure peace, and vnion in the Church. By these meanes Gnapheus obtained his place againe, and is reckoned in the catalogue of Bishops, onelyonly for the subscription of the Emperours henoticke letters.

Patriarchs of Ierusalem.

TO Cyrillus succeeded Iohannes Nepos. Iohannes Nepos. Polythronius.After him Polythronius ministred in Ierusalem. Hee was oft accused, and oftentimes absolved. His chiefe accusation was this, that hee counted himselfe the supreme Bishop of all Bishoppes. p. 338Sixtus the third Bishop of Rome was serious in this turne, because hee thought that the apple of his eye was touched when supremacie was spoken of. Therefore hee sent eight Ambassadors to Ierusasem: a Councell of 70. Bishops was gathered, and Polythronius was found innocent. Notwithstanding he was convict of some other faults; namely, that hee refused to consecrate a Church, vntill ten pounds of gold were payed vntounto him: for this cause hee was ordayned to dwell without the towne, a Vicar to supply his roome, and and a portion to bee allotted to him for his sustentation. This portion appointed for his sustentation, when hee sawe the people of Ierusalem pinched with famine, hee solde it, and supported their necessity, and was for his loving affection to his flocke, restored to his office againe.

Iuvenalis.To him succeeded Iuvenalis, whose vnconstancie God iustly punished. Hee was present at the first Councell of Ephesus, and consented to the excommunication of Nestorius. He was present likewise at the second Councell of Ephesus, and consented to the restitution of Eutyches. Evagr. lib. 11. cap. 10.He was deposed in the Councell of Chalcedon, and received into fauour againe, after the humble confession of his fault. This is that famous Author, whom the Romane Church citeth for the fable of the Assumption of the Virgin Marie. When he returned to Ierusalem, a number of turbulent Monkes rose vp against him, and desired him to accurse the Councell of Chalcedon, which when hee refused to doe, they chose another Bishop, called Theodosius: but the Emperour Martiaxus commandement was, straight to fetch Theodosius aliue vntounto him: therefore hee fled, and Iuvenalis returned againe vntounto his place.Anastatius. Martyrius. The names of Anastatius and Martyrius, who followed Iuvenalis, for their assenting to Basiliscus, and to Petrus Gnapheus, are not worthy to be inserted in this Catalogue.

p. 339Of other Pastors and Doctors.

THeodoritus was Bishop of Cyrus a towne in Syria (whose builder seemes to hauehave beene Cyrus King of Persia) a man of excellent learning,Theodoritus. he liued vnderunder the Emperours, Theodosius 2. Valentinian 3. and Martianus. Hee had the ouersight of eightie parishes lying within his ample diocie. Hee is bold to affirme in a certaine Epistle written to Leo Bishop of Rome, that by his trauailes a thousand soules within his bounds were reclaimed from the heresie of Marcion. Hee fell into many lamentable troubles. The ground of all was the extraordinarie louelove he carried toward his owne Patriarch Iohn Bishop of Antiochia. For like as hee accompanied him to the Councell of Ephesus, so likewise hee concurred with him in the deposition of Cyrillus Bishop of Alexandria, and Memnon Bishop of Ephesus: but the Councell gathered at Ephesus tooke triall in the cause of Cyrillus and Memnon, and absolued them, and damned Iohn Bishop of Antiochia, and his complices. Theodoritus was one of the number. The second trouble followed vponupon the necke of the first: for by instigation of patriarch Iohn, hee wrote against the twelue heades or twelue Theses of Cyrillus written against Nestorius, wherein he mistaketh the doctrine of Cyrillus, as if hee had fallen into the errour of Apollinaris: but after that Cyrillus wrote a declaration of his owne meaning, it was found that both Cyrillus and Theodoritus professed one faith, and they were reconciled. Neuerthelesse Theodoritus was damned in the second councell of Ephesus for writing against Cyrillus, neither being cited, accused nor conuict of any fault. Theodoritus complained to Leo Bishop of Rome, of the outrage of Dioscorus bishop of Alexandria, who had damned him in a Councell before hee was heard. Leo absolued him, and the councel of p. 340Chalcedon, after hee pronounced Anathema against the errours of Nestorius and Eutyches, they in like maner absolued him. And finally after his death in the fift general councell, his writings against the twelue heades of Cyrillus were damned. All these troubles proceeded from one and the selfe same ground, to wit, vponupon the extraordinarie louelove hee caried toward his Patriarch Iohn. This one thing laid aside, hee was nothing inferiour to the most wise, accurate, and learned writers of the ancient time. In the first of his learned dialogues called foreign, he prooueth that the Word became flesh without changing of the diuine Nature into the humane Nature,Theod. dialogo. 1 c. 8. or the humane Nature into the diuine. Euen as in the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord the bread becomes the body of the Lord, not by changing the substance of it, but by assuming by grace an other vse than it had, the very symbol obtaineth the name of the thing represented by the symbol. When Papists doe read the dialogues of Theodoritus, let them leaue off to bragge of the antiquitie of the doctrine of Transubstantiation, and take them to the Monke Damascene the first authour of their foreign:Note. he continued at least thirtie yeeres in his ministrie, and ended his life, as is supposed, vnderunder the raigne of Leo the first.

Augustinus.Augustine in his young yeeres was infected with the errour of the Manicheans. His mother Monica watered her face many times with teares, in her prayers begging at God his conuersion to the truth. God heard her prayers: he was sent to Millan to be a teacher of Rhetoricke, by the preaching of Ambrose Bishop of Millan, and the deuote behauiour of the people in singing Psalmes to the praise of God,The maner of Augustines conuersion. the like whereof Augustine had neuer seene in any place before: for men in earth praising God with ardent affection seemed to represent the Angels of heauen, who incessantly prayse God with vnspeakable desire. Also with the reading of the life of Antonius the heremite, he was wonderfully moued, and began to dislike his former p. 341conuersation, which hee had spent in worldly pleasures, and went vntounto a quiet garden, accompanied with Alipius: with many teares he bewailed the insolencie of his bypast conuersation, wishing the time to be now come, wherein without farther delay his soule should be watred with the dew of the conuerting grace of God.August. Confes. lib. 8. cap. … … And as he was powring out the griefe of his wounded heart to God with a flood of teares, hee heard a voyce saying vntounto him, tolle & lege, and againe, tolle & lege, that is to say, take vp and read, take vp and read. At the first hearing, he tooke it to hauehave beene the voyce of boyes or maides speaking in their play such words one to another: but when he looked about, & could see no body hee knew it to be a celestiall admonition warning him to take vp the booke of holy Scripture (which he had in the garden with him) and read. Now the first place that fell in his hands,Rom. 13. ver. 13.14.Rom 13:13Rom 13:14 after the opening of the booke, was this: Not in gluttonie, nor drunkennes, nor in chambring, nor wantonnesse, nor in strife, or enuying: but put on the Lord Iesus Christ, and take no thought of the flesh, to fulfill the lustes thereof. At the reading whereof he was so fully resolued to forsake the vanities of the world, and to become a Christian, that immediatly thereafter he was baptized by Ambrose Bishop of Millan, with his companion Alipius and his sonne Adeodatus. After this hee returned to Africke, and was coadiutor to Valerius Bishop of Hippo, as Chrysostome was to Flauianus in Antiocha: and after the departure of Valerius: he was Bishop of Hippo: his vncessant trauels in teaching Gods people, and in stopping the mouthes of heretikes and gainsaiers of the truth of God, specially Donatists, Pelagians and Manichean heretikes, his learned writings do testifie. When he had liued 76. yeeres, he rested from his labours, before the Vandales had taken the towne of Hippo, which in time of Augustines sicknesse they had besieged.

In this Century flourished worthy preachers in France,Bishops of France. such as Eutherius Bishop of Lions. Saluianus B. of Marseill, who liued at that time when the nation of the Gothes oppressed p. 342France, and many beganne to doubt of the prouidence of God, in respect that wicked men had so great vpper-hand. Salvianus in his godly and learned bookes doth declare that it is a iust thing with God to punish men, who knowes their dutie best, with greatest punishments, in respect that oft times they are most negligent doers of it. Clauaianus Mammertus Bishop of Vienne is praised by Sidonius with excessiue commendations, as if all the graces of Ierom, Augustine, Basilius, Nazianzenus, and many other fathers had beene incorporated into his person. Hilarius first Bishop of Arls, and afterward (as appeareth) of Vienne, opposed himselfe directly to Leo Bishop of Rome,Leo ad Gal. Episcop. epist. 77. & epist. 89. and would acknowledge no iurisdiction, nor domination of the Bishop of Rome ouer the Churches of France: for this cause Leo accused him as an vsurper of supremacie, onelyonly because hee would not stoupe vnderunder his feete: but Hilarius came to Rome, nothing regarding the anathems and cursings of the Romane B. and in his face affirmed, that neither did Christ appoint Peter to be head of the rest of the Apostles, neither had the Bishop of Rome a soueraigntie ouer the Churches of Fraunce. All the grandure of Leo his speeches was, to talke of those few words:Math. 16.Matt 16 Tu es Petrus, & super ha… petra, &c. that is, thou art Peter, and vponupon this Rocke, &c. as if Christ had breathed vppon him, and had bidden him receiue the holy Spirit, so confidently did he affirme that in these wordes was allotted a supremacie to the Bishoppes of Rome the successors of Peter. But this grandure (I say) of his proud conceites, and vaine interpretation of Scripture made not men of vnderstanding incontinentlie to stoup vnderunder the feete of a proud Prelate.

Hist. Magd. cent. 5. cap. 10.Vincentius Lirinensis a mightie impugner of heresies. Prosper Aquitāicus. Sidōius B. in some part of Ouernie. Martinus Turonensis is cōmended for the gift of many miraculous workes that were wrought by his hands. He cōpared virginitie, marriage, & fornication to a medow, a part wherof was eaten by the pastoring of beastes, another part was hollwed by the p. 343rudenes of rooting swine, and the third part was vntouched, but flourishing in the per…ect growth of grasse neere to mowing time. Fornication he compared to the part of the medow that was hollowed, and misf…shioned with Swine. Mariage to that part of the medow that was pastored,Note. so that the herbes had then rootes, but wanted the beautie of their flowres: but virginitie is like vntounto that part of the medow that is vntouched, flourishing with roote, blade, flower, and all kinde of perfection. In counting marriage good, but virginitie better, hee followeth the doctrine of the holy Apostle Paul. R… gius Bishop of Rhemes, (by whom Clodo…eus the first Christian king of France was baptized,1. Cor. 7.1 Cor 7 and the whole countrie of France was purged from Paganisme and Arrianisme: whereby it was miserably polluted by the Gothes, and Vandales) was a man of great account.

Concerning Aurelius and the Bishops of Carthage, Memnon, and the Bishops of Ephesus, some occasion will be offered to speake of them in the head of Councels, neither will the nature of a Compend and breuitie whereunto I study, permit me to write of eueryevery worthie man of whom I read in this Centurie.