The True History of Councils, Part 3 · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. Of the Council of Epheſus 2d.
§ 1. THat our Hiſtorian may juſtifie the Dividers he makes himſelf a Party, and by downright miſtake againſt both ſaith, 1. That Neſtorius fell into Blaſphemy, denying Chriſt to be true God. 2. And that Eutyches denied Chriſt to be true Man.] This is our Reformer of Hiſtory; when both of them profeſſed Chriſt to be true God, and true man. I doubt not but the Man can write another Book to juſtifie this; for what is it that ſome cannot talk for? Yea, he is at if again, p. 230. that Eutyches held Chriſt not to be true Man.
§ 2. He confeſſeth again that Cyril affirmeth but one Nature, and meant but one Perſon, and that Eutyches uſed the ſame words, but ſaith, ſure they cannot be ſo mad as to fall out ſo violently when they ſay the ſame thing & words. Flavian could not be ſo fooliſh or ſo wicked, &c. Anſ. I juſtifie not the words of Eutyches or Cyril; but if I have great reaſon to believe, that as he confeſſeth Cyril ſo groſs as to uſe foreign for foreign ſo Eutyches who had far leſs Learning than Cyril, did word amiſs the conceptions, which were the ſame with Cyrils, I leave it to this mild Cenſurer to call them Fools, and mad, and wicked. It's taken for railing in me to blame them.
§ 3. He ſaith [Cyril never ſaid there were two Natures in Chriſt before the Union. Anſ. I have twice cited his words: Find a true difference between them and thoſe of Eutyches if you can. I believe they both meant better than they ſpake.
§ 4. But the Spirit of detraction uſeth to fetch Accuſations from Hearts, & Thoughts, and ſecret Actions, and ſo doth he againſt Eutyches; and he ſaith this hath been done of late times, To deliver that in ſelect Meetings, which they will not in publick promiſcuous Aſſemblies: as evil Spirits are under reſtraint in conſecrated places.
Anſ. Therefore it is that the Nonconformiſts have 20 or 19 years ſo earneſtly beg'd for leave to preach in publick conſecrated places to promiſcuous Aſſemblies, that they might be out of ſuſpicion, but could never obtain it of this ſort of Maſters. Ex ore tuo—Thus they that caſt the ſtone at others oft find it hit themſelves. Mr. Edwards Gangrena is here commended to thoſe that are for Toleration. As if all differences were equally intolerable or tolerable: And he that ſaith [Tolerate not thoſe that preach Blaſphemy or intolerable errour,] ſaid no worſe than he that ſaith [Silence Two Thouſand Preachers, unleſs they will Profeſs, Promiſe, and Swear, and do all that is (oft deſcribed) impoſed on them.
§ 5. In his Narrative he is no more tender of the honour of Biſhops it ſeems than I am, nor ſo much of Emperours; for when he had ſaid the Emperour [was too much addicted to this kind of Vermine (Eunuchs) and ſhews his bitterneſs againſt Flavian, he ſaith that the Letters which called this Council ſuggeſted ſufficiently what it was to do, and that their buſineſs was to condemn a Biſhop the Emperour did not care for, though without any juſt ground, nay, for his honeſty.
I deny none of this: But were the Biſhops of the Catholick Church in a good caſe then, that, when they knew before that they were called to ſuch a work as this, would meet in a General Council and do it? No; he accuſeth them himſelf, I need not do it.
The Emperour, he ſaith, knew how to chooſe Biſhops, (and yet his Summons was general to all to come,) and the Preſident, if half be true that is ſaid of him, (and if that be a doubt, how credible are your Hiſtorians?) was one of the moſt wicked, profligate Wretches in the World,] yet he was one of the Patriarchs, and all the Council Biſhops, and till they met, were not thus accuſed. You ſee the man is a far greater railer than I even againſt Biſhops: But it is but againſt thoſe that are againſt his Intereſt and ſide.
§ 6. He deſcribes thoſe Biſhops as uſing violence, forgetting that it is it his Party truſteth to continually: juſt with the front as Baronius and Binnius, and many other Papiſts, juſtifie Martin for being againſt putting Hereticks to death, and condemn Ithacius, while their Kingdom is upheld by that which they condemn, and worſe, even the burning of true Chriſtians as Hereticks, and it's Heretical with them to imitate Martin, juſt as thoſe Matth. 23. Your Fathers killed the Prophets, and you build their Sepulchers, and ſay if we had lived in the days of our Fathers, we would not, &c.
§ 7. But in the paſſage I find our Hiſtorian in a more charitable mood to this Epheſine Council of Biſhops than his Brethren, [How bad ſoever Dioſcorus and this Council were, yet they are in my judgment to be looked on rather as favourers of Hereſie than Hereticks, they followed the meaning I believe as well as the Words of Cyril.] Anſ. And now I may hope I am Orthodox and Charitable when I have no leſs than his Judgment to juſtifie mine. And Anatolius juſtifieth us both.
§ 8. But Sir, now you are in a good Mood, will you conſider,
1. Whether thoſe Biſhops and Councils that ſet the Chriſtian World in that Flame that burneth dreadfully to this day, after above 1200 Years, were not guilty at leaſt of a peccadillo or venial ſin.
2. Whether they are imitable.
3. Whether this General Council had a ſupream Legiſlative and Judicial power over all the Church on Earth, which all muſt obey and none muſt appeal from.
No: ſaith Biſhop Gunning, It was a meeting of violent Robbers.
Anſ. But it was a General Council: which it ſeems then may be ſuch.