Part 21

This Point being settled, to prevent all Suspicion of Deceit, or underhand Dealings, Pope _Gregory_ XIII. declared, in 1582. his Intention of having the Cause of _Felix_ impartially examined. [Sidenote: _and his Cause reexamined._] In order to ? this, he appointed _Baronius_, employed at that Time in reforming the _Roman_ Martyrology, to put in Writing whatever could be objected against _Felix_, and Cardinal _Santorio_ to answer his Objections, and collect likewise in Writing all that could be said in favour of his new Client, that the Pope might be thoroughly acquainted with the Merits of the Cause before he came to a final Decision. This Conduct in _Gregory_ has been censured by some over-zealous Divines of the Church of _Rome_, as if he had thereby given the World Occasion to think that he questioned the Infallibility of his Predecessors, who had honoured _Felix_ as a Saint[793]. But _Gregory_ well knew what he was doing, and how the Whole would end. In Compliance with his Orders, _Baronius_ writ a Dissertation, which he himself calls a Volume, and not a short one[794], to prove that _Felix_ was neither a Saint nor a Martyr. As he had Truth on his Side, Cardinal _Santorio_, though a Man of Learning, could neither answer his Arguments, nor offer any thing in so desperate a Cause worthy of himself. He often addressed himself in his Prayers to his Client, intreating him to undertake his own Cause, by suggesting to him what might be alleged in his Defence. But the Client was no less at a Stand than the Advocate. Some other Person therefore must interpose: And whom did the carrying or losing such a Cause more nearly concern than the Pope, since his Authority in a most essential Point was at Stake? This was a nice Affair, and to be managed with great Art and Dexterity. _Gregory_, therefore, having often heard both Sides, in a full Congregation of Cardinals, without betraying the least Partiality for _Felix_, appointed them to meet for the last time on the 28th of _July_, the Eve of the pretended Saint’s Festival, judging that the most proper Time to play off with good Success the Trick, which he had kept the whole Time _in petto_. [Sidenote: _His Sanctity and Martyrdom confirmed by the Discovery of his Body._] The Cardinals met on the Day appointed; _Baronius_ quite silenced his Adversary; the whole Assembly was fully convinced, that _Felix_ was no Saint, no Martyr; the Pope himself seemed to fall in with the rest, and accordingly rose up to declare, as was thought, the unhappy _Felix_ fallen from Heaven; when a great Noise was all on a sudden heard at the Door, and immediately a Messenger entered, who, after uttering these Words, _Holy_ Felix, _pray for us_, acquainted the Pope and the Cardinals, that the Body of _Felix_ was just discovered. Hereupon they all repaired in great Haste to the Church of _Cosmas_ and _Damianus_, where the miraculous Discovery had been made; and there saw, in a Marble Coffin of an extraordinary Size, on one Side the Bodies of _Mark_, _Marcellianus_, and _Tranquillinus_; and on the other that of _Felix_, with this Inscription on a Stone that lay by it, _The Body of Saint_ Felix, _who condemned_ Constantius[795]. Hereupon the _Te Deum_ was sung with great Solemnity for the Triumph of Truth: _Felix_ was declared worthy of the Veneration and Worship that had till then been paid him, and a Place was allowed him among the other Saints in the _Roman_ Martyrology, where it is said, that _he was driven from his See for defending the Catholic Faith, by_ Constantius _an_ Arian _Emperor, and privately put to Death at_ Cere, _now_ Cervetera, _in_ Tuscany. _Baronius_, transported with Joy, as he himself declares[796], at so miraculous and seasonable a Discovery, immediately yielded, not to his Antagonist _Santorio_, but to _Felix_, who had evidently interposed; and, taking that Interposition for a satisfactory Answer to all his Arguments, he immediately retracted whatever he had said, and consigned to the Flames whatever he had written in Opposition to _Felix_[797]. Thus, to maintain a chimerical Prerogative, they sport with Truth; betray into Error those who confide in them; and, turning the worst of Men into Saints, honour Vice with the greatest Reward they can bestow on Virtue.

[Sidenote: _His Legend proved to be fabulous._]

That this pretended Discovery was nothing but a Contrivance to confirm the Martyrdom of _Felix_, and impose upon the World, is manifest; and that the Pontifical, and his Acts, on which his Martyrdom was originally founded, were a no less palpable and gross Imposition, may be easily demonstrated. For, in the first place, _Marcellinus_ and _Faustinus_, who lived in the Time of _Felix_ and _Liberius_ at _Rome_, tell us, in express Terms, that _Felix, who had been substituted to_ Liberius, _died on the 22d of_ November 365[798]. that is, Four Years after the Death of _Constantius_, by whom he is said, in his Acts, and in the Pontifical, to have been martyred. _Athanasius_ assures us[799], and with him agree _Philostorgius_[800], and the Chronicle of _Alexandria_[801], that _Constantius_ was not baptized till at the Point of Death, when he received that Sacrament at the Hands of _Euzoius_, the _Arian_ Bishop of _Antioch_. And yet both the Acts of _Felix_, and the Pontifical, will have him to have been twice baptized before his Death; for it was on this Account that _Felix_ is said to have declared him an Heretic. This Declaration _Baronius_ improves into a solemn Excommunication; and, being become, after the above-mentioned Discovery, a most zealous Advocate for _Felix_, tells us, that the holy Martyr was no sooner placed on the Throne of St. _Peter_, than, changing his Conduct, he separated himself from the Communion of those by whom he had been raised, and boldly thundered an Anathema against the Emperor himself[802]. [Sidenote: _He did not excommunicate_ Constantius.] What a Pity that _Athanasius_ was not better acquainted with the Conduct of _Felix_! for if he had, he would never have styled him _a Monster placed on the See of_ Rome _by the Malice of Antichrist_. Such an Attempt, unheard of till that Time, must have made a great Noise; and yet I find it was heard by none but _Baronius_, who lived at so great a Distance. I may add, that there was no room for an Excommunication against _Constantius_, who was still a Catechumen, and consequently did not partake of the sacred Mysteries.

[Sidenote: _Whether a lawful Pope or an Antipope._]

The _Roman_ Catholic Writers, to save the Credit of _Felix_, maintain him to have been, at least for some time, lawful Pope. But, to confute whatever has been or can be said by them in his Favour, without entering into a Detail of the many sophistical and unconclusive Arguments, false Assertions, and groundless Suppositions, with which they endeavour to disguise the Truth, and confound their Readers, I argue thus: That _Liberius_ was lawfully chosen, and _Felix_ unlawfully, is past all Dispute. Now, upon the Fall of _Liberius_, either there was, or there was not, a new Election: if there was not, _Liberius_ continued to be lawful Bishop; or if by his Fall he forfeited his Dignity, as some think he did, the See became vacant; for nothing subsequent to the unlawful Election of _Felix_ could render it lawful. If there was a new Election, and _Felix_ was lawfully chosen, _Liberius_ from that Minute either ceased to be Pope, or there were two lawful Popes at a time. The latter they will not admit, lest they should turn the Church into a Monster with Two Heads. They must therefore allow _Felix_ to have been lawful Pope, and _Liberius_ an Antipope, till the See became vacant by the Death of the former. [Sidenote: Felix _an Antipope._] But on the other hand, this new Election is quite groundless, highly improbable, and absolutely repugnant to what we read in the antient and contemporary Writers. It is quite groundless; for though _Bellarmine_ speaks of a new Election with as much Confidence as if he had been one of the Electors[803], yet we find not the least Hint of it in any of the Writers of those Times, who would not have passed over in Silence so remarkable an Event, had it come to their Knowlege. It is highly improbable; for _Liberius_ was greatly beloved by the whole People, and the far greater Part of the Clergy, and _Felix_ hated to such a Degree, that of all the Inhabitants of _Rome_, not one ever appeared in the Church while he was in it[804]; nay, he was by all avoided, even in the Streets and other public Places, as if he had carried about with him a Contagion[805]. Is it not therefore altogether improbable, that the People and Clergy should depose the Man, whom in a manner they adored, for communicating with the _Arians_, and appoint one in his room, who likewise communicated with them, and was universally detested, avoided, and abhorred? And yet all this is gravely supposed by _Bellarmine_[806]. Lastly, the Election of _Felix_ is repugnant to what we read in the antient Writers, who all speak of him as an Antipope, and an Intruder. _Optatus_, who lived at that very Time, and St. _Austin_, who flourished soon after, have not allowed him a Place in their Catalogues of the Bishops of _Rome_. _Theodoret_ takes no notice of him in his Catalogue of the Bishops of the chief Cities. St. _Jerom_ and _Prosper_ count _Liberius_ the Thirty-fourth Bishop of _Rome_, and _Damasus_, who succeeded him, the Thirty-fifth; a plain Indication that they did not look upon _Felix_ as lawful Bishop. Among the Moderns, _Onuphrius Panvinius_, in his Lives of the Popes, printed in 1557. some Years before the Discovery of _Felix_’s Body, calls _Novatian_ the First Antipope, and _Felix_ the Second. But his Book was prohibited in 1583. the Year after the Second Canonization of _Felix_. The Writers, who came after, took Warning; and such of them as thought it base to concur in deceiving Mankind, since it was not safe to undeceive them, chose to wave this Subject, but not without giving some broad Hints of what they believed in their Hearts. Thus F. _Labbé_[807], and Cardinal _Bona_[808], take no notice of this _Felix_, but call Pope _Felix_, who was raised to the See of _Rome_ in 485. the Second Pope of that Name. _Felix_ I. was martyred under _Aurelian_ in 274. as we have related elsewhere[809]. F. _Labbé_, at the Death of _Felix_ II. which happened in 492. adds, that he was the Third of that Name, according to _Baronius_[810]. [Sidenote: _Acknowleged as such by some_ Roman _Catholic Writers_.] Had _Felix_ never been canonized, no Man would have been so regardless of his own Reputation as to undertake his Defence; but _Gregory_ having declared him a Saint, and, by such a Declaration, linked his Cause with Infallibility in a most essential Point, the hired Champions of that See found themselves under an indispensable Obligation of entering the Lists; which I need not say they have done to no Purpose.

[Sidenote: _The Emperor undertakes the establishing of_ Arianism.]

The Fall of the Bishop of _Rome_, who was at the Head of the Orthodox Party, inspired the Emperor with great Hopes of succeeding in the Design he had formed of utterly abolishing the Orthodox Faith: he found there were but few Bishops whose Virtue was Proof against the Frowns and Resentment of the Court. In the Council held at _Arles_ in 353. they had all to a Man chosen rather to communicate with the _Arians_, than be driven from their Sees: in that which was convened Two Years after, at _Milan_, only Three Bishops were found, _viz._ _Dionysius_ Bishop of that City, _Lucifer_ of _Cagliari_, and _Eusebius_ of _Vercelli_, who, equally unmoved by Threats and Promises, had maintained the Truth with the Loss of their Dignity. The Example of the Bishop of _Rome_ had been followed by the far greater Part of the Bishops of _Italy_. But what above all encouraged the Emperor to pursue the Scheme he had so much at heart, was the Fall of the celebrated _Osius_ Bishop of _Cordoua_, in the Hundredth Year of his Age, and Sixty-second of his Episcopacy. As the Name of _Osius_ is one of the most famous in the Ecclesiastical History of those Times, and his Fall is alleged by the Antients as a memorable Instance of the Weakness of human Nature, however strengthened and improved by a long Practice of the most eminent Virtues, a succinct Account of so remarkable an Event will not, I hope, be unacceptable to the Reader, or thought foreign to the Subject in hand.

[Sidenote: _A succinct Account of the Life of_ Osius _Bishop of_ Cordoua.]

_Osius_ was a Native of _Spain_[811], born, according to some, in _Cordoua_, about the Year 256. and raised, in regard of his extraordinary Merit, to the See of that City in 295[812]. He was even then conspicuous for the Firmness of his Faith, and the Purity of his Life, says _Sozomen_[813]. _Athanasius_, who was well acquainted with him, speaks of him with the greatest Respect and Esteem, calling him a Man truly holy, according to the _Greek_ Signification of his Name; one in whose Conduct even his most inveterate Enemies could discover nothing that was not commendable, his Life being irreprehensible, and his Reputation unspotted[814]. _Theodoret_[815], and _Eusebius_[816], extol him on Account of his extraordinary Prudence, Wisdom, and Learning, which gave great Weight to his Opinion in the many Councils at which he assisted, and often presided. In the Year 300. he was present at the Council of _Eliberis_, or _Illeberis_, in _Spain_, famous for the Severity of its Canons; and, in all Likelihood, made even then a considerable Figure; since, in the Acts of that Council, he is named in the Second Place after _Felix_ of _Acci_, now _Guadix_, in _Andalusia_, who probably presided[817]. [Sidenote: _He is imprisoned under_ Maximian _for the Confession of the Faith_.] Three Years after broke out the Persecution of _Maximian Hercules_, in which _Osius_ distinguished himself by his Zeal, his Constancy, and his Sufferings; for, having with great Intrepidity confessed his Faith before the Pagan Magistrates, he was by them imprisoned, and kept under a very close and painful Confinement for the Space of Two Years, that is, from the Year 303. to 305. when, upon the Abdication of _Maximian_ and _Dioclesian_, he was set at Liberty by _Constantius Chlorus_, the Father of _Constantine the Great_[818]. He is honoured by _Athanasius_[819], by the Council of _Sardica_, and by most of the Antients, with the Title of _Confessor_, which was given to such as had suffered Imprisonment, Torments, or Exile, but had not died, for the Confession of the Faith. He was highly esteemed and revered by _Constantine_, not only as a Confessor, but as a Person of extraordinary Wisdom and Probity[820]; whence he is thought to have been one of the Prelates whom that Prince consulted in 311[821]. and kept with him to instruct him in the Mysteries of the Christian Religion. [Sidenote: _He instructs_ Constantine.] Some think that _Osius_ was meant by the _Egyptian_ Priest come from _Spain_, to whom _Zosimus_ ascribes the Change made by _Constantine_ in point of Religion[822]. The Church of _Cordoua_ was, out of Regard to him, enriched by _Constantine_ with many valuable Presents, whence he is said to have been very rich[823]. But what Use he made of his Wealth we may learn from _Athanasius_, who assures us, that no one in Want ever applied to him without being relieved, and receiving the Supply he demanded[824]. In the famous Dispute, which I have taken notice of in its proper Place, between _Cæcilianus_ and the _Donatists_ of _Africa_, _Osius_ undertook, with great Zeal, the Defence of the former, and prevailed in the End upon _Constantine_ to espouse his Cause, and declare against the _Donatists_[825], whom he thenceforth punished with great Severity, taking their Churches from them, and sending the most obstinate among them into Exile. _Constantine_ being become Master of the East in the Year 323. his first Care was to put an End to the unhappy Divisions that reigned in those Churches about the Celebration of _Easter_, and some other controverted Points. [Sidenote: _He is sent by him to compose some Disputes there._] With this View he dispatched _Osius_ into the East, who, upon his Arrival there, summoned a Council to meet at _Alexandria_, which, under his Influence, condemned the Heresy of _Sabellius_, put a Stop to the Schism of one _Colluthus_, and greatly allayed the Animosity of the contending Parties about the Day on which _Easter_ was to be kept[826]. On his Return to Court, the Account he gave of the _Arians_, whose Heresy he had endeavoured in vain to suppress, made so deep an Impression in the Mind of the Emperor, that, for a long time, he continued highly prejudiced against them[827]. It was at the Suggestion of _Osius_ that _Constantine_ assembled the Council of _Nice_ in 325. at which he assisted, and distinguished himself above the rest[828]; for of all Councils he was the Head and Leader, as _Athanasius_ styles him[829]. [Sidenote: _He assists at the Council of_ Nice _and draws up the_ Nicene _Creed_.] By him was worded and drawn up the famous _Nicene_ Symbol or Creed, as we are told in express Terms by _Athanasius_[830]. He presided at the Council of _Sardica_, which, at his Request, was assembled by the Emperor _Constans_ in 347[831]. From that Council he retired to his Bishoprick, and continued there undisturbed till the Year 355. when _Constantius_ seeing himself Master of the West, as well as of the East, undertook to oblige all the Bishops to condemn _Athanasius_, whose Cause was looked upon as inseparable from that of the Orthodox Faith. As _Osius_ had on all Occasions declared highly in his Favour, and the Example of a Prelate so venerable for his Age, for the glorious Title of Confessor, and the Figure he had made for many Years in the Church, greatly prejudiced the World against the Enemies of the persecuted Bishop, the Emperor resolved to deprive, if possible, the Orthodox Party of so powerful a Support. [Sidenote: Constantius _attempts in vain to gain him over to the_ Arian _Party_.] With this View he ordered _Osius_ to repair to _Milan_, where the Court then was, well knowing that he was not, like most other Bishops, to be terrified with threatening Letters. _Osius_, in Compliance with the Emperor’s Orders, set out without Delay from _Cordoua_, notwithstanding his great Age; and, arriving at _Milan_, was there received by the Emperor with all the Respect that was due to the _Father of Bishops_, as he was styled. _Constantius_ entertained him for some Days with the utmost Civility, hoping by that means to bring him into his Views; but he no sooner named _Athanasius_ to him, than the zealous Prelate, well knowing the Drift of his Discourse, and armed against all Temptations, interrupted him with declaring, that he was ready to sacrifice not one, but a Thousand Lives, in so just a Cause; nay, he even reprimanded the Emperor with great Freedom, who, out of an awful Reverence for a Prelate of his Years, Authority, and Figure, heard him with great Patience, and not only forbore offering him any Violence, but gave him Leave to return unmolested to his See[832].

[Sidenote: _His second Attempt to gain him._]