Part 41

At the same time the Emperor _Arcadius_, strangely prepossessed against _Chrysostom_, and those of his Communion, caused Two Edicts to be published; the one directed to the Governors of the Provinces, whom he strictly injoined not to suffer, in their respective Jurisdictions, any private Assemblies or Meetings of Persons, who, despising the Churches, worshiped elsewhere, lest they should seem to communicate with the _most Reverend Prelates of the holy Law_, _Arsacius_, _Theophilus_, and _Porphyrius_. The other commanded such Bishops as refused to communicate with them, to be driven from their Sees, and their Effects to be seized. The Persecution, which still raged, though it was soon after stopt at the Remonstrances of _Studius_ the _Præfectus Prætorio_, and the Severity, with which the Two Imperial Edicts were put in Execution, drove great Numbers, both of the Clergy and Laity, from _Constantinople_, and the Provinces subject to _Arcadius_. Among the former were _Cyriacus_ Bishop of _Synnada_, _Eulysius_ of _Apamea_ in _Bithynia_, _Palladius_ of _Helenopolis_, _Germanus_ a Presbyter, and _Cassianus_ a Deacon, who afterwards embraced the Monastic Life, and became famous for his Ascetic Writings. [Sidenote: _Several Bishops, and the whole Clergy of_ Constantinople, _write to_ Innocent.] _Eulysius_ brought Letters to _Innocent_ from Fifteen Bishops of _Chrysostom_’s Communion, acquainting him with the deplorable State of the _Constantinopolitan_ Church, and one from _Anysius_ of _Thessalonica_, declaring, that in the present unhappy Divisions he had resolved to conform intirely to the Sentiments of the _Roman_ Church. _Germanus_ and _Cassianus_ likewise delivered Letters to _Innocent_, written in the Name of the whole Clergy of _Constantinople_, and giving him an Account of the Persecution that still raged, and of the cruel Treatment their Bishop had met with[1419]. [Sidenote: _His Answer to the Clergy._] _Innocent_, in his Answer to this Letter, expresses, in the most pathetic Terms, his Concern for the unhappy State of that Church, and their Sufferings; he encourages them to bear, with Patience, their present Tribulation and Afflictions, nay, and with Joy, since it is for the sake of Justice they suffer, and are thus persecuted; he complains of the undue Deposition of his Collegue, and Installation of another in his Life-time, which he shows to be against the Canons of the Council of _Nice_, the only Canons admitted and obeyed by the _Roman_ Church: he concludes with informing them, that as he had always thought it necessary, that an Oecumenical Council should assemble, he had long considered, and was still considering, by what Means it might be assembled, _since a Council, and nothing else, could appease so violent a Storm_, and restore to the Church the so much wished for Tranquillity[1420].

Two Presbyters in the mean time came to _Rome_ from the East, _Domitianus_ of _Constantinople_, and _Vallagus_ of _Nisibis_ in _Mesopotamia_, and brought with them the original Acts, which they had purchased with a large Sum of the Imperial Officers, containing an authentic Detail of the Cruelties which some Women of Quality had been made to endure for not communicating with _Arsacius_, and the Bishops of his Faction. [Sidenote: Innocent _applies to_ Honorius;] With these the good Bishop was so deeply affected, that he could no longer forbear applying to _Honorius_, who, at his Request, writ immediately to _Arcadius_ a very pressing and friendly Letter in favour of _Chrysostom_, and those of his Communion. At the same time he issued an Order for convening a Council of the Western Bishops, who, meeting soon after at _Rome_, drew up an Address, which they sent to _Ravenna_, where the Emperor then was, earnestly intreating him to interpose anew his good Offices with his Brother _Arcadius_, that an Oecumenical Council might be allowed to assemble at _Thessalonica_, in order to compose the present Differences, which had already produced a Misunderstanding between the Eastern and Western Churches, and might in the End bring on an intire Separation. [Sidenote: _who writes to_ Arcadius.] _Honorius_, in Compliance with their Request, writ a Third Letter to _Arcadius_ (for he had, it seems, written already a Second), and at the same time one to _Innocent_, desiring him to appoint Five Bishops, Two Presbyters of the _Roman_ Church, and One Deacon, to carry his Letter into the East, thinking that such a Legation would add no small Weight to his Mediation. The Letter to _Arcadius_ was in the following Terms:

[Sidenote: _His Letter._]

“This is the Third time I write to your Meekness (_ad Mansuetudinem tuam_) intreating you to correct and rectify the iniquitous Proceedings that have been carried on against _John_ Bishop of _Constantinople_. But nothing, I find, has been hitherto done in his Behalf. Having therefore much at Heart the Peace of the Church, which will be attended with that of our Empire, I write to you anew by these holy Bishops and Presbyters, earnestly desiring you to command the Eastern Bishops to assemble at _Thessalonica_. The Western Bishops have sent Five of their Body, Two Presbyters of the _Roman_ Church, and One Deacon, all Men of the strictest Equity, and quite free from the Byass of Favour and Hatred. These I beg you would receive with that Regard which is due to their Rank and Merit: If they find _John_ to have been justly deposed, they may separate me from his Communion; and you from the Communion of the Orientals, if it appears that he has been unjustly deposed. The Western Bishops have very plainly expressed their Sentiments, in the many Letters they have written to me on the Subject of the present Dispute. Of these I send you Two, the one from the Bishop of _Rome_, the other from the Bishop of _Aquileia_; and with them the rest agree. One thing I must above all beg of your Meekness; that you oblige _Theophilus_ of _Alexandria_ to assist at the Council, how averse soever he may be to it; for he is said to be the first and chief Author of the present Calamities. Thus the Synod, meeting with no Delays or Obstructions, will restore Peace and Tranquillity in our Days[1421].”

[Sidenote: _The Pope’s Legates not allowed to touch at_ Thessalonica.]

With these Letters the Legates set out from _Rome_, attended by the above-mentioned Prelates _Demetrius_, _Cyriacus_, _Eulysius_, and _Palladius_; and, sailing for _Greece_, put in at _Athens_, with a Design to pursue their Voyage to _Thessalonica_, having Letters from _Innocent_ to _Anysius_ Bishop of that City. But at _Athens_ they were, to their great Surprize, stopt and detained by a Military Tribune, who let them know, that they must not touch at _Thessalonica_; and at the same time appointed a Centurion as a Guard over them, strictly injoining him not to suffer them, under any Pretence whatsoever, to approach that City. Soon after the Tribune parted them, and, putting them on board Two Vessels, ordered the Mariners to convey them strait to _Constantinople_. _Anysius_ communicated with _Chrysostom_, as I have observed above; and it was, without all doubt, on this Consideration that the Legates were not allowed to set foot in his Diocese. [Sidenote: _The hard Usage they met with on their Journey_,] They arrived at _Constantinople_ the Third Day after they had left _Athens_, but starved with Hunger; for the Tribune had neither supplied them with Provisions when they embarked, nor allowed them Time to supply themselves; so that they had tasted no Kind of Victuals during the Three Days they were at Sea. [Sidenote: _and at_ Constantinople.] On their Arrival at _Constantinople_, they were not suffered to come ashore there, but ordered to a Castle on the _Thracian_ Coast called _Athyra_, where they were all closely confined, the Legates in one common Room, and the other Bishops in so many separate Cells. As the People of _Constantinople_ were most zealously attached to _Chrysostom_, the Emperor apprehended, and with a great deal of Reason, that their entering the City, and conversing publicly there, might be attended with uncommon Disturbances and Commotions; and therefore thought it adviseable to keep them at a Distance, and under Confinement. They had not been long thus confined, when they were ordered, they knew not by whom, to deliver the Letters they had brought. But neither by this Person, whoever he was, nor by several others, who were successively sent on the same Errand, could they be prevailed upon to part with them, alleging, that Letters from an Emperor ought to be delivered to none but an Emperor.

As they continued firm and unshaken in this Resolution, one _Valerian_, a Military Tribune, was at last called in, and ordered to employ the Rhetoric peculiar to his Profession, since no other could prevail. [Sidenote: _The Letters taken from them by Force._] _Valerian_ accordingly, after a short Preamble, proceeded to Violence; and, seizing them, took the Letters by Force, having in the Struggle wounded one of the Bishops in the Hand. The next Day they were visited by a Person, who, without acquainting them who he was, or by whom sent, offered them a very considerable Sum, on condition they would communicate with _Atticus_, who, upon the Death of _Arsacius_, had, by the Bishops of his Faction, been intruded in his room. [Sidenote: _They are put on board a leaky Vessel_;] Upon their rejecting, as they did, with the utmost Indignation, this Offer, _Valerian_, who was present, conducted them under a strong Guard to the Sea-side, and there put them on board an old leaky Vessel, having first, with a large Bribe, prevailed upon the Commander, as they were informed, to engage his Word, that they should not outlive that Voyage. [Sidenote: _but arrive safe in_ Italy.] They outlived it however, and, having reached _Lampsacus_, they embarked on board another Vessel, which landed them safe at _Otranto_. As for the Eastern Bishops who had attended them from _Rome_, viz. _Cyriacus_, _Eulysius_, _Palladius_, and _Demetrius_, after having been some time kept under close Confinement at _Athyra_, they were banished to the most remote and abandoned Places of the Empire. The other Bishops, who refused to communicate with _Atticus_, _Theophilus_, and _Porphyrius_, fared no better, being in like manner either driven into Banishment, or obliged to abscond, and, under the Disguise of Mechanics, earn their Livelihood by the meanest Professions. Many perished in the Places of their Exile for want of Necessaries; and others were so cruelly harassed, nay, and barbarously beaten, by the merciless Soldiery, appointed to conduct them, that they died on the Road[1422]. Such were the wretched Effects of that unchristian Principle of Persecution being lawful to punish Error in religious Disputes, which all Sects of Christians then held, and all suffered by in their Turns, as the different Parties among them got the Civil Magistrate and Force on their Side.

[Sidenote: Honorius _resolves to revenge the Affront offered to his Embassadors, but is diverted from it_.]

_Honorius_, being informed of the base Treatment the Legates had met with, though vested with the sacred Character of Embassadors, was so provoked at such a notorious Violation of the Right of Nations, that he resolved to make War on his Brother, and revenge it by Force of Arms. But from this Resolution he was diverted by a threatened Invasion of the _Barbarians_, and the seasonable Discovery of the famous _Stilicho_’s Treachery, which obliged him to keep all his Troops in _Italy_, or the adjoining Provinces. As for _Innocent_, finding the Mediation of _Honorius_, which he had procured, prove unsuccessful, and no other Means left of affording the least Relief to _Chrysostom_ and the other persecuted Bishops, he resolved to make known to the World his Abhorrence of the Evils, which it was not in his Power to redress; and accordingly separated himself from the Communion of _Atticus_, _Theophilus_, and _Porphyrius_, as the chief Authors of the present Calamities[1423].

[Sidenote: Arcadius _and_ Eudoxia _not excommunicated by_ Innocent.]

_Baronius_, thinking it inconsistent with the Dignity of his High Pontiff thus tamely to bear with the insulting Conduct of _Arcadius_, would fain persuade us, that, after he had tried in vain all other Methods of bringing the Emperor, and the Empress _Eudoxia_, to a Sense of their Duty, he at last thought himself obliged to thunder against both the tremendous Sentence of Excommunication, cutting them off as rotten Members from the Body of the Faithful committed to his Care and Direction. To prove this, he produces several Letters from _Innocent_ to _Arcadius_, and from _Arcadius_ to _Innocent_, transcribed partly from _Gennadius_, _Glycas_, and _Nicephorus_, and partly from the _Vatican_ Manuscripts[1424]. To enter into a critical Examination of those Pieces, would be wasting Time, and tiring the Reader to no Purpose. I shall therefore content myself with Three Observations, each of them sufficient, in my Opinion, to make the World reject them all as mere Forgeries. In the first place, the Silence of the Historians, who writ at that Time, touching so remarkable and unprecedented an Event as the Excommunication of an Emperor and an Empress, is an unanswerable Confutation of every Proof that can be alleged to support the Authenticity of the pretended Letters. For who can imagine, that the Writers, who flourished then, and have transmitted to us most minute Accounts of far less important Transactions both Civil and Ecclesiastical, would have passed this over in Silence? In the Second place, _Eudoxia_ is supposed, in all those Letters, to have outlived _Chrysostom_; whereas it is certain, that she died in 404, four Years before him. Lastly, In the above-mentioned Letter, _Arcadius_ is all along supposed to have repented, and changed his Conduct towards _Chrysostom_, to have persecuted his Enemies as he had formerly done his Friends, and to have chiefly vented his Resentment on the first Author of all the Disturbances, the Empress, who thereupon, out of Grief, Rage, and Despair, fell into a dangerous Malady[1425]. But of all this not the least Hint is to be met with in _Palladius_, who writ in the last Days of the Life and Reign of _Arcadius_; nay, that Historian speaks of the Friends of _Chrysostom_ as Men still under the Emperor’s Displeasure, and feeling the dreadful Effects of it in the inhospitable Places, to which they had been formerly confined.

[Sidenote: Chrysostom _did not appeal to the See of_ Rome.]

From the Conduct of _Chrysostom_ on this Occasion, the _Roman-Catholic_ Divines have taken a great deal of Pains to prove, that the Custom of appealing to the See of _Rome_ obtained in his Time; that he actually appealed to that See; and consequently, that the Prerogative of receiving Appeals from all Parts, and finally deciding all Controversies, claimed by the Bishops of _Rome_, was then acknowleged even in the East. Nothing surely but the utmost Distress for want of other Instances to prove their Assertion, could have tempted them to make use of this; since, from the Conduct of _Chrysostom_ on this very Occasion, nay, and from that of _Innocent_ too, if set in their true Light, it may be undeniably made out, that this pretended Prerogative was utterly unknown to both. The Fact stand thus, and thus it is related by the Historians, who have transmitted it to us: _Chrysostom_ is unjustly accused; the Bishop of _Alexandria_ takes upon him to inquire into his Conduct; assembles a Council, consisting chiefly of _Egyptian_ Bishops, and summons _Chrysostom_ to appear before them: _Chrysostom_ pays no Regard to the Summons, protests against it, and will not allow the Bishops assembled to have any Power or Authority over him, _since it had been ordained by the Canons of the Church, that the Affairs of the Provinces should be regulated by the Bishops of the Provinces; and it was consequently very incongruous, that the Bishops of_ Thrace _should be judged by those of_ Egypt[1426]. No Regard is had to his Protest, none to the Canons upon which it was grounded: he is summoned anew; and, not appearing within the limited Time, is judged, condemned, and deposed. From this Sentence he appeals to a lawful Council; but, being, notwithstanding his Appeal, driven from his See, he recurs at last to the Western Bishops, namely, to _Innocent_ of _Rome_, _Venerius_ of _Milan_, and _Chromatius_ of _Aquileia_, intreating them not to abandon him in his Distress, nor exclude him from their Communion[1427], but to procure by all means the assembling of a General Council, in order to restore the Church to her former Tranquillity.

[Sidenote: Chrysostom _an utter Stranger to the Power of receiving Appeals in the Bishops of_ Rome.]

Such was the Conduct of _Chrysostom_: and, from this Conduct, does it not manifestly appear, that _Chrysostom_ was an utter Stranger to the pretended Power in the Bishops of _Rome_ of receiving Appeals from all other Tribunals, and finally determining all Controversies? Who can think, that, had he been acquainted with such a Prerogative, he would, when so unjustly oppressed, have appealed to a Council, which, he was well apprised, would meet with great Obstructions, when he had, ready at hand, a more certain and easy Method of finding Relief? Had he been satisfied, that _Innocent_ had such a Privilege, is it likely he would have written to him on so urgent an Occasion, without taking the least Notice of it; that he would have contented himself with only intreating him to procure the assembling of a General Council? Should a Bishop now, apprehending himself injured by a National or Provincial Synod, appeal, not to the Pope, but, as _Chrysostom_ did, to a General Council, he would, by such an Appeal, draw upon himself the Indignation of the _Roman_ See: for it would be thence concluded, and no Conclusion can be more natural, that he did not acknowlege the Power of receiving _Appeals_ claimed by that See.

[Sidenote: Chrysostom _never acknowleged such a Power_.]

But _Chrysostom_, say they, did acknowledge such a Power; for, in his Letter to _Innocent_, he intreats him _to declare such wicked Proceedings void and null, and to pronounce all, who had any Share in them, punishable, according to the Ecclesiastical Laws_. But _Chrysostom_ addresses himself here, not to _Innocent_ alone, as I have already observed, but to him, in Conjunction with _Venerius_ of _Milan_, and _Chromatius_ of _Aquileia_[1428]; nay, he addresses himself, throughout the whole Letter, to more Persons than one; and yet _Baronius_ has the Assurance to style the Letter an _Appeal_ to _Innocent_[1429]. And why to him, and not to the other Two, since he writ nothing to him but what he writ to them? [Sidenote: _The Disingenuity of_ Bellarmine.] _Bellarmine_, finding some Expressions in the above-mentioned Letter, which he thought might be so interpreted as to favour and countenance the Pretensions of the See of _Rome_, had _Chrysostom_ addressed himself to _Innocent_ alone, makes him accordingly, by altering the Number in the Passage he quotes, address himself to _Innocent_ alone[N49]; and then concludes, that even the _Greeks_ acknowleged the Bishop of _Rome_ for their Supreme Judge[1430]. What must every impartial Man think of a Cause, that wants to be thus defended? What of those, who thus defend it?

Footnote N49:

He changes _obsecro ut scribatis_ into _obsecro ut scribas_.

[Sidenote: Innocent_’s Letter to_ Exuperius _Bishop of_ Toulouse.]

About this time, that is, in the Year 405. _Innocent_, being consulted by _Exuperius_[N50] Bishop of _Toulouse_, concerning some Points of Discipline, answered him by a Decretal, containing the following Decisions: 1. That the Priests and Deacons, who were daily employed in sacrificing or baptizing, were not to be allowed the Use of Matrimony; that those, who were ignorant of the Decretal issued by _Syricius_, might be forgiven, upon their promising thenceforth to live continent; but, as to the rest, they should, as unworthy of Indulgence, be deposed. The Second Article relates to those, who, after Baptism, had led a wicked or sinful Life, and at the Point of Death desired the Communion. _Innocent_ declares, that to such, according to the antient Discipline of the Church, which was more severe, Repentance was granted, and not the Communion; but, according to the present Practice, both were granted. By Repentance is here meant, according to the most probable Opinion, a Reconciliation with the Church; and, by the Communion, the Eucharist, which the Thirteenth Canon of the Council of _Nice_ commands to be given to all dying Persons who desire it. Some doubted whether it was lawful for a Christian to discharge the Office of a Judge, in criminal Cases. _Innocent_ therefore declares, in the Third Article, that no Penance ought to be imposed upon those who had condemned Criminals to the Rack, or even to Death, the Civil Power having been established by God for the Punishment of Criminals. As Women were, it seems, more frequently punished for Adultery than Men, some imagined that Crime not to be alike punishable in both. This Notion _Innocent_ confutes in the Fourth Article; adding, that Women were more frequently punished, merely because the Husbands were more forward in accusing their Wives, than Wives were in accusing their Husbands. The Fifth Article is a Confirmation of the Third; for it only absolves from all Sins such as are obliged, by their Office, to prosecute or condemn Criminals. The Sixth Article excludes from the Communion of the Church all Men, who, after they have been parted from their Wives, marry other Women; and all Women, who, after they have been parted from their Husbands, marry other Men[N51]. The same Punishment is, by this Article, inflicted on those who marry them, but not on their Parents or Relations, provided they have been no-way accessory to that unlawful Contract. The last Article contains a Catalogue of the Canonical Books of Scripture, the same as are still acknowleged by the Church of _Rome_ as Canonical. In the same Article, some Books are pointed out, that ought to be absolutely condemned and rejected[1431][N52]. These Directions, or Instructions, _Innocent_ pretends to have drawn partly from Scripture, and partly from Tradition; and thanks _Exuperius_, because he had, by applying to him for a Solution to his Difficulties, engaged him to examine them with Attention, and thereby given him an Opportunity of learning what he had not known before. It is surprising he should have mentioned the Scripture, since the very first Article, debarring for ever married Men from the Use of Matrimony, is an open Contradiction to the Directions given by St. _Paul_ to all married Persons, without Restraint or Distinction; _Defraud you not one the other, except it be with_ _Consent for a time_, &c. _and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your Incontinency_[1432].

Footnote N50: