The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ, Book 1 · History of century 8
CENTVRIE. VIII.
Philippicus.
AFter Iustinian the second was slaine, Philippicus, raigned two yeeres, and nine moneths. Great dissention fell out betwixt the Emperour Philippicus and Constantine Bishop of Rome, for razing (as appeareth) the pictures of Fathers, who were present at the sixt Generall Councell, which being pictured in the Temple of Sopia, were abolished by the commandement of Philippicus. Constantine Bishop of Rome declared the Emperour an heretique, and commanded,Note. that his name should be razed out of charters. This was the first great direct, and violent opposition, that the Bishops of Rome attempted against noble Emperours. Philippicus was taken, and his eyes were put out by Anastasius, otherwise called Artemius, his Secretarie who raigned in his stead.
Artemius.
ARtemius, otherwise called Anastasius, raigned one yeere and three monethes: hee deposed Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople, who kept not the true faith: and placed Germanus in his steade. Hee was taken by Theodosius, and sent prisoner to Nice, and from thence to Thessalonica, where he was compelled to renounce his Emperiall dignitie, and to be clothed with the habite of a Monke.
Theodosius.
THeodosius raigned scarce one yeere: and when he heard that Leo Isaurus, gouernour in the East parts, was saluted Emperour by the armie, he willingly gaue ouer his Emperiall dignitie, and liued, a priuate and peaceable man.
Leo Isaurus.
LEo Isaurus raigned twentie foure yeeres: great commotions were in his time, both, in Church and policie▪ In Church-affaires, he was an hater of Images, and burnt Images made of wood, other images hee melted, & misfashioned: against whom Gregorius the second, pust vp with antichristian pride,Note. opposed himselfe not only allowing worshipping of images, but also forbidding to pay tribute to the Emperour Leo. The Emperour on the other part irritated with the proud attempts of Gregorius the second, vsed indirect meanes to cut him off: but the enterprises of his deputies, Marinus, Paulus, Eutychius, and their followers, succeeded vnprosperously. Moreouer, the Bishop of Rome sought support from the Lombardis, who had beene at all times preceding enemies to the chaire of Rome: yet in Leo his dayes they were bounde with the bishop of Rome in a couenant of friendship, for none other cause, but this onelyonly, to shake off the yoke of the Emperours obedience. And when the bishop of Rome saw that the Emperour had great businesse in warres against the Saracens hee thought it a fit occasion to draw the dominion of Italie vntounto his owne subjection: and therefore,Hist. Magd. cent. 8. cap. 3. with aduise of the Clergie, hee both excommunicated the Emperour, as a destroyer of the Images of the Saints, and disauthorised him of his Emperiall soueraignty in Italy. So earely began the increasing Grando of Antichrist, to send forth the thunder-bolts of cursings against the anoynted of the Lord.
In this Emperours dayes the Saracens passed over the Straits, invaded the kingdom of Spaine, slew Rodericus King of the Gothes, and his sonne, and put an end to the kingdome of the Gothes in Spaine, after they had raigned 346. yeeres:Platin. in vit. Greg. 2. and being incited by Eudo, Duke of Aquitania, they marched towards France: but through the valour of Carolus Martellus, a man of noble birth in France, they were so encountred, that three hundred thousand, and threescore and ten thousand Saracens were slaine, and the countrey of France was made free of the feare of the Saracens.
Constantinus Copronymus.
AFter Leo, his sonne Constantinus Copronymus raigned 35. yeeres (Chytreus reckoneth onelyonly 23. yeeres) because hee hated the worshipping of Images (which errour had taken deepe roote in this age): The writers of the History of this time hauehave dipped their pens in gall and wormwood, to blaspheme the honourable name of Constantinus: but whatsoever Paulus Diaconus, or Zonoras hauehave written to his disgrace, his name will bee in honourable account and regard in the Church of Christ. The Senate, and the people of Constantinople, addicted to the worshipping of Images, hated the Emperour, and were glad of the false rumoured tidings of his death, when he went to fight against the Arabians, and they chose Artabasdus to be Emperour in his stead. But Constantine returned to Constantinople, besieged the towne, and recovered his owne kingdome againe. Hee gathered a generall Councell at Constantinople, anno 755. wherein the worshipping of Images was damned, as shall be declared (God willing) in its owne place. In this Emperours dayes were warres betwixt the King of Lombardis, and the Bishops of Rome: but the Roman Bishops begged the helpe of Carolus Martellus against Luitprand, and the helpe of Pipinus against Aistulphus, and the helpe of Carolus Magnus against Desiderius, all Kings of Lombardis: and by continuall imploring the helpe of the Nobles and Kings of France, the Lombards were vtterly subdued, the chaire of Rome was enriched, the revenue of the Emperour of the East was impaired, and a ground was layd for the advancement of the Kings of France to the Imperiall dignity. In this Emperours dayes the Turkes, or Scythians, invaded the Armenians,Platin. in vit. Step… 2. and molested the Saracens, and some countries of Asia minor, in the end they accorded with the Saracens: But this agreement could not bee perfected without condition, That the Turkes in Persia should vndergoe the name of Saracens, hoping thereby that they would easily embrace the Mahometan religion, wherin their expectation was not frustrate.
In the yeere of our Lord 579. and in the 18. yeere of the raigne of Constantine, a wonderfull thing fell out amongst wise men of Persia, called Magi, and Maurophori P…s… they perswaded both themselues, and others also, That if a man would sell all that hee had,Funct. Comment. lib. 8. and throw himselfe headlong from the walles of the Citie, his soule should by and by be transported to heaven.Note. So prone and bent is the corrupt nature of man to leane vponupon vaine hopes, & to beleeue promises which God hath not made.
Leo the sonne of Copronymus.
LEo the sonne of Constantinus Copronymus, raigned fiue yeeres. Hee followed the footsteps of his father in zeale against worshipping of Images: and punished the Groomes of his owne chamber, such as Iames, Papias, Strat…ius, and Theophanes, for worshipping of Images. The superstitious writers of the History of this time, such as Zonaras, and Pa… lus Diaconus reckon the aforesayd persons in the Catalogue of holy Confessors. But Christ will neuer count them to be his Martyrs, who fight obstinately against the truth, even vntounto the death: neither will hee count them to be his Confessors, who suffer iustly inflicted punishment for the contempt of the lawes of Magistrates, being agreeable to the law of God.
Irene, and Constantinus her sonne.
AFter the death of Leo, raigned Irene his wife, with her sonne Constantine, ten yeeres. Afterwards Constantine deposed his mother from her authority, and raigned alone seven yeeres. And Irene on the other part, taking this indignity done vntounto her grievously, shee spoyled her sonne both of his eyes, and of his Empire, cast him into prison, where he dyed for heart griefe: and shee raigned againe 4. yeeres after her sonnes imprisonment: So all the yeeres of the raigne of Irene and her son, coniunctly & severally, first and last, were 21… yeeres. This Empresse was superstitious, crafty, and infortunate. Shee was a superstious defender of the worshipping of Images. A malicious and venomous hater of the name of Constantinus Copronymus, (whose dead body shee commanded to be brought out of his graue, to be burnt with fire, resolved into ashes, and to be cast into the Sea (albeit Constantine was her owne father in law).Pro. 12. The mercies of the wicked are cruell. Her craft appeared in bringing her forces to Constantinople, in the sixt yeere of her raigne, vnderunder pretence of fighting against the Arabians, and in disarming of them whom shee knew to hauehave beene adversaries to the worshipping of Images, and sending them in ships to the places from whence they came. For before the dayes of Constantinus Copronymus, the towne of Constantinople by famine and pestilence, and being besieged three yeeres by the Saracens, was miserably dispeopled, so that thirty thousand of the people of Constantinople died.Platin. in vit. Greg 2. But Copronymus for the repayring of that losse, sent for strangers, and replenished the towne with new Inhabitants. These strangers she sent backe againe,Funct. Comment. in chron. lib. 8. to the places from whence they came, especially, because in popular commotion they had set themselues in armes, and menaced the Fathers convened in Constantinople, by Irene and her sonne, for allowance of adoration of Images. Shee was infortunate, because the Empire of the East was so extenuated in her time, that it was rather like vntounto a shadow, then vntounto an Empire. So that in the subsequent History I will forget (after a manner) the Emperours of the West. Now Irene was deposed, and banished, by Nicephorus, who raigned eight yeeres after her banishment.