Year of Christ 352.bracketLiberiushis ownPanegyrist.
Liberiuswas chosen on the 22d ofMay352. in the room ofJulius[717]. He had trampled under-foot (to use his own Terms) all worldly things, to observe the Gospel, and obey the Dictates of his Faith. He had been employed, before his Election, in several Ecclesiastical Ministries, and discharged them with Reputation, though he was not conscious to himself of having ever done the least Thing for the sake of Praise and Glory. He was at last raised to the Episcopal Dignity, but much against his Will, as he calls God and the Church to witness. He protests, that it was his ardent and only Wish, that he might keep himself pure and undefiled in the Administration of his new Dignity, that he might inviolably maintain and defend the Faith, which he had received from his illustrious Predecessors, among whom were many Martyrs[718].|No easy Matter toform a true Idea ofhis Character.|Were we to judge of his Conduct from his Words, we should equal him to the best of his Predecessors; but there appears, throughout his whole Administration, such an odd Mixture of opposite Qualities, that it is no easy Matter to form a true Idea of his Character: at one time we shall find him bold, intrepid, and inflexible; at another timorous, faint-hearted, and compliant; insomuch that one can hardly conceive him to be the same Man. The latter Qualities he betrayed in the very Beginning of his Pontificate, by separating himself from the Communion ofAthanasius.Constans, the great Support of the Orthodox Party, being murdered, andConstantiusupon the Point of becoming Master ofRome, by a complete Victory he had gained over the Two BrothersMagnentiusandDecentius, theEusebiansthought this a properJuncture to try whether the Fear of that Prince had not renderedJuliussomewhat more tractable. ForConstantiuswas more incensed than ever againstAthanasius, being assured by theEusebians, to whom he gave an intire Credit, that he had influenced his Brother to threaten him with a Civil War[719].|TheEusebianswritea second Letter toJuliusagainstAthanasius:|They writ therefore toJuliusa second Letter, filled with new Complaints and Calumnies againstAthanasius; butJuliusdying in the mean time, their Letter, together with another to the same Purpose from theAriansofAlexandria, was delivered toLiberius, who caused them both to be publicly read in a full Assembly of the People, and in the Council, which was then sitting atRome[720].|which is answeredbyLiberius:|His Answer to these Letters has not reached our Times; but a Copy of the Letter, which he writ on that Occasion toAthanasius, has, to his eternal Disgrace, been transmitted to us, among the Fragments ofHilariusBishop ofPoitiers.|who summonsAthanasiustoRome.|In that Letter he summons him to appear forthwith atRome, to clear himself there of the heavy Accusations brought against him; and threatens to cut him off from the Communion of that Church, if he refused to comply with the Summons[721]. With this Letter he dispatched Three of his Presbyters,Lucius,Paulus, andÆlianus; strictly injoining them, by all means, to prevail uponAthanasiusto repair, without Delay, toRome[722]. This Conduct, so very different from that of his Predecessor, was, no doubt, owing to the Dread he was in of the EmperorConstantius, by this Time probably Master ofRome, and allItaly; for what else could tempt or induce him to act so preposterously? Be that as it will,Athanasiuswas greatly surprised and concerned to find himself so unworthily treated and threatened by the Bishop ofRome; but did not think himself, on that Account, obliged to abandon his Flock. He remained therefore inAlexandria; but begged his Collegues inEgyptto write in his Favour to the Pope; which they did accordingly.|Liberiuscommun-icates with theArians,and excommunicatesAthanasius.|ButLiberiuswanted to ingratiate himself with theArians, and, by their means, with the Emperor; and therefore, without any Regard to the Testimony of the Orthodox Bishops, or the known Innocence of the oppressedAthanasius, he writ to theEusebians, acquainting them, that he communicated with them; but, as toAthanasius, he had cut him off from his Communion, and from that of his Church[723].|His Letter to themnot supposititious.|Baronius[724],and after him theBenedictines, in their last Edition of the Works ofHilariusandAthanasius[725], maintain this Letter ofLiberiusto have been forged by theArians, and inserted into the Works ofHilarius. But they allege no convincing Reason why the other Pieces, among which it has been conveyed to us, should be admitted as genuine, and this alone rejected as supposititious.Athanasius, indeed, never reproached the Bishop ofRomewith his scandalous Conduct, as they observe; but may not that be ascribed to his Moderation? The more, as he was sensible, thatLiberiusacted thus not out of Ill-will, but Fear. As to the want of Connexion between that Letter and the Pieces preceding and following it, I should not have expected such an Objection from any who had ever perused the Fragments of that Writer, which every one knows to have been patched together without any Regard to Time or Order[N14].
N14. Thus the very Letter ofLiberiusis put in the Place where the Letter of the Council ofSardicato the EmperorConstantiusought to have been, as is manifest from what is said immediately before it. A few Lines after, instead of the Letter from the Council ofEgypttoLiberius, whichHilariuspromises, we find one fromLiberiusto the Bishops ofItaly, written after the Death ofConstantiusupon a quite different Subject. What comes immediately after the Letter ofLiberiusto theEusebians, ought, in all Likelihood, to have been placed after the above-mentioned Letter of the Council ofSardicatoConstantius: for to me it appears no less improbable than it does or can do toBaronius[1], thatHilarius, a most zealous Stickler for the Orthodox Faith, should approve of the Pope’s scandalous Letter, tending utterly to subvert it, and express his Approbation in these Terms;What is there in this Letter that is not holy? What is there that does not proceed from the Fear of God?However, I cannot conclude, and much less demonstratively, with the Annalist, that the Letter has been forged by theArians. All I think can be inferred from thence is, that the Letters, like most other Pieces there, have been misplaced; and that the above-mentioned Words ofHilariusought to be put after the Letter of the Council toConstantius, and not after that ofLiberiusto theArians.1. Bar. ad ann. 352. n. 13.
N14. Thus the very Letter ofLiberiusis put in the Place where the Letter of the Council ofSardicato the EmperorConstantiusought to have been, as is manifest from what is said immediately before it. A few Lines after, instead of the Letter from the Council ofEgypttoLiberius, whichHilariuspromises, we find one fromLiberiusto the Bishops ofItaly, written after the Death ofConstantiusupon a quite different Subject. What comes immediately after the Letter ofLiberiusto theEusebians, ought, in all Likelihood, to have been placed after the above-mentioned Letter of the Council ofSardicatoConstantius: for to me it appears no less improbable than it does or can do toBaronius[1], thatHilarius, a most zealous Stickler for the Orthodox Faith, should approve of the Pope’s scandalous Letter, tending utterly to subvert it, and express his Approbation in these Terms;What is there in this Letter that is not holy? What is there that does not proceed from the Fear of God?However, I cannot conclude, and much less demonstratively, with the Annalist, that the Letter has been forged by theArians. All I think can be inferred from thence is, that the Letters, like most other Pieces there, have been misplaced; and that the above-mentioned Words ofHilariusought to be put after the Letter of the Council toConstantius, and not after that ofLiberiusto theArians.
N14. Thus the very Letter ofLiberiusis put in the Place where the Letter of the Council ofSardicato the EmperorConstantiusought to have been, as is manifest from what is said immediately before it. A few Lines after, instead of the Letter from the Council ofEgypttoLiberius, whichHilariuspromises, we find one fromLiberiusto the Bishops ofItaly, written after the Death ofConstantiusupon a quite different Subject. What comes immediately after the Letter ofLiberiusto theEusebians, ought, in all Likelihood, to have been placed after the above-mentioned Letter of the Council ofSardicatoConstantius: for to me it appears no less improbable than it does or can do toBaronius[1], thatHilarius, a most zealous Stickler for the Orthodox Faith, should approve of the Pope’s scandalous Letter, tending utterly to subvert it, and express his Approbation in these Terms;What is there in this Letter that is not holy? What is there that does not proceed from the Fear of God?However, I cannot conclude, and much less demonstratively, with the Annalist, that the Letter has been forged by theArians. All I think can be inferred from thence is, that the Letters, like most other Pieces there, have been misplaced; and that the above-mentioned Words ofHilariusought to be put after the Letter of the Council toConstantius, and not after that ofLiberiusto theArians.
1. Bar. ad ann. 352. n. 13.
1. Bar. ad ann. 352. n. 13.
The Council ofArles.
In the mean timeConstantius, now in quiet Possession of the whole Empire by the Death ofMagnentius, who, after his Defeat, had laid violent Hands on himself, summoned a Council to meet atArles. At this CouncilLiberiusdid not assist in Person, but by his Legates,VincentiusBishop ofCapua, andMarcellusBishop ofCampania, who, together with some others, had been sent byLiberiussome time before to meet the Emperor atArles, and beg him in the Pope’s Name to assemble a Council atAquileia[726]. As the Bishop ofCapuawas a Man of great Parts, and long Experience,Liberiusreposedan intire Confidence in him, not doubting but he would maintain the Dignity of his Legation, and support the Innocency ofAthanasiuswith that Firmness which he had shewn on several other Occasions[N15].
N15. ForLiberius, ashamed of what he had done againstAthanasius, not only readmitted him soon after to his own Communion, but with great Zeal undertook his Defence.
N15. ForLiberius, ashamed of what he had done againstAthanasius, not only readmitted him soon after to his own Communion, but with great Zeal undertook his Defence.
N15. ForLiberius, ashamed of what he had done againstAthanasius, not only readmitted him soon after to his own Communion, but with great Zeal undertook his Defence.
As the Council consisted chiefly ofArians, their great Point in view was, to extort from theItalianBishops a solemn Condemnation ofAthanasius.|The Emperor’s Edict.|This therefore was in the first place proposed in the Council; and, because the orthodox Bishops would not consent to it, an Edict was issued by the Emperor, sentencing all those to Exile who should refuse to sign the Condemnation ofAthanasius[727].|The Pope’s Legatessign the Condem-nation ofAthanasius.|The boasted Firmness and Constancy ofVincentiuswere not Proof against such a Trial. He did all that lay in his Power to divert the Emperor from the Execution of a Decree utterly inconsistent with the Liberty of a Council; but finding him deaf to all Remonstrances, he began to capitulate, offering to sign the Condemnation ofAthanasius, on condition theEusebianssigned that ofArius, and publicly abjured his Doctrine. This he thought would be some Alleviation of his Guilt, and therefore the Proposal which he had made by Word of Mouth he gave in Writing to the Heads of theArianFaction, signed by himself and his Fellow-legates. But theArians, too well acquainted with their Weakness to grant them any Terms, peremptorily insisted upon their condemningAthanasius, and referring the Cause and Doctrine ofAriusto a more proper Juncture.Vincentiusand his Collegues, finding the Enemies ofAthanasiusthus inflexible, and, on the other hand, determined at all Events to keep their Bishopricks, and avoid the Hardships of a painful Exile, complied at last, andyielded to the troublesome Times, to use their softening Expression[728]. They were the more inexcuseable, as they had before their Eyes the Example of a great Prelate, whose Constancy was proof against all the Threats and Menaces of a provoked Prince. This was the celebratedPaulinusBishop ofTreves, who, after perusing the Formulary, drawn up by theEusebians, to be signed by him and the other Bishops, rejected it with the utmost Indignation, declaring that nothing they could do should ever induce him to betray the Truth, and his own Conscience,by setting his Hand to such a scandalous Piece. TheEusebiansleft no Art unattempted to gain him, as they had done the Pope’s Legates, but finding he was a Man of a quite different Disposition, and despairing of being ever able to prevail upon him either by Hopes or Fear, they at last had recourse to the Emperor, who, putting his Decree in Execution, sent him into Exile; and in order to tire out his Patience, ordered him to be constantly conveyed from one inhospitable Place to another.|The glorious BehaviourofPaulinus.|But in every PlacePaulinuswas the same, the Conscience of his suffering for the sake of Justice enabling him to bear, not only with Patience, but Chearfulness, the inexpressible Hardships he underwent[729]. He died inPhrygiain the Fifth Year of his Exile[730], that is, in 358. But his Body is supposed to have been discovered in a Church of his Name atTreves, in the Year 1071[731]. How and when it was conveyed thither, let those inquire who adore it.
To return toLiberius, he was so sensibly affected with the Fall ofVincentiusand his Collegues, that he wished for an Opportunity of losing his Life in so good a Cause, and washing out with his Blood the Stain which the scandalous Conduct of his Legates had brought upon his Character[732]. Thus he expresses himself in the Letter, which he writ on that Occasion to the great Friend of his SeeOsius[733]. However, in the Height of his Affliction, he found great Relief in the Courage and Steadiness ofCæcilianusBishop ofSpoleto, ofEusebiusBishop ofVercelli, and ofLuciferBishop ofCagliariinSardinia. The latter advised the Pope to demand of the Emperor another Council, and generously took upon himself to go toArles, whereConstantiusthen was, and make that Demand.Liberiusreadily accepted his Offer, and namedPancratiusandHilariusfor his Collegues, the one a Presbyter, the other a Deacon of the Church ofRome.|Liberiuswrites tothe Emperor for an-other Council;|By these he writ an excellent Letter to the Emperor, wherein, with the Liberty that became a Catholic Bishop, but at the same time with all the Respect that is due from a Subject to his Sovereign, he justifies his Conduct in the Defence ofAthanasius, lays open the Arts and Views of the adverse Party, and begs that a new Council might be assembled, there being no other Means to put a Stop to so many Evils, and restore Peace and Tranquillity to the Catholic Church[734]. At the same timeLiberiuswrit toEusebiusBishop ofVercelli, andFortunatianusBishop ofAquileia, intreating them to assist his Legates with their Advice, and even with their Presence, should it be thought necessary. The Three Legates, on their Arrival atVercelli, in their Way toArles, were not only kindly received, but joined byEusebius, who repaired with them to the Emperor.|which is granted,and assembles atMilan.|As theArianswere no-ways averse to the Proposal, nay, had even solicited the Emperor to convene a new Council, the Request of the Legates met with no Difficulty; so that a Council was appointed to meet atMilan, where it met accordingly in the Beginning of the Year 355[735]. We are told, that it consisted of Three hundred Western Bishops, and that from the East there came but very few[736]. ButConstantiusand his Army may be said to have supplied their room. For the Council no sooner met, than the Emperor absolutely insisted upon their signing the Condemnation ofAthænasius, and an Edict, containing the chief Tenets ofArius, which had been published in his Name. But in this Attempt he met with a vigorous Opposition fromDionysiusBishop ofMilan,EusebiusofVercelli,LuciferofCagliari, and the Two other Legates,PancratiusandHilarius; which provoked him to such a Degree, that he was upon the Point of commanding them to be executed upon the Spot as Rebels.|Some Bishops banished.|But, upon second Thoughts, he contented himself with sending them into Exile,DionysiusintoCappadocia, orArmenia, where he died a few Years after,EusebiustoScythopolisinPalestine, andLucifertoGermaniciainSyria. To what PlacePancratiusandHilariuswere confined, we know not; but the latter was most cruelly whipped before he was banished[737]. As for the other Bishops, I shall only say, withRuffinus[738], that, out of Three hundred,Dionysius,Lucifer, andEusebius, alone shewed a Firmness and Intrepidity becoming Men of their Rank and Dignity. Among the restFortunatianusBishop ofAquileiasigned the Condemnation ofAthanasius; which greatly added to the Grief and Concern ofLiberius, who, till that Time, had entertained the highest Opinion of him.
And nowConstantiushad the Satisfaction of seeingAthanasiuscondemned by the far greater Part of the Western Bishops. But the Bishop ofRomestill declared openly in his Favour, and did all that lay in his Power to gain others to his Party.|Constantiusendeavours invain to gainLiber-ius;|To deprive him therefore of so powerful a Protector, the Emperor resolved to spare no Cost nor Labour. With this View he dispatched toRomethe EunuchEusebius,his great Chamberlain, with rich Presents in one Hand, and a threatening Letter in the other: but with an invincible FirmnessLiberiuswithstood both; so that the Eunuch, who was himself a sworn Enemy toAthanasius, returned to Court baffled and disappointed; and there, by the Account he gave of his unsuccessful Embassy, added new Fuel to the Fire, which burnt already with great Violence. The Emperor, who pretended to govern the Church no less despotically than he did the State, transported with Rage at the stout Opposition he met with from the Bishop ofRome, immediately dispatched an Order toLeoncius, Prefect of that City, injoining him to apprehendLiberius, and send him under a strong Guard to Court.|who is sent Pris-oner toMilan.|Pursuant to this Order,Liberiuswas seized in the Night-time, lest the People, by whom he was greatly beloved, should attempt his Rescue, and conveyed toMilan, where the Court then resided[739]. Soon after his Arrival he was brought before the Emperor, when, undaunted and unawed by the Presence of so great a Prince, he spoke with all the Liberty of an Apostle, and with all the Eloquence of a great Orator[740].|His Interview withthe Emperor.|At this Interview were presentEusebiusthe Eunuch, andEpictetusBishop ofCentumcellæ, nowCivita Vecchia, who, for his ready Compliance with the Emperor’s Will, had been raised by him to great Preferments[741]. The latter toldLiberius, when he had ended the excellent Speech he made before the Emperor, That he had indeed expressed great Zeal for the Purity of the Faith, and the Liberty of Councils; but the Whole was mere Mummery; and that he only wanted to be looked upon by his Party as a Person of some Significancy, and to brag among the Senators, on his Return toRome, that he had had the Honour to dispute with the Emperor[742]. The Eunuch too thought he must speak, but it was only to betray his Ignorance; for he reproachedLiberiuswith defendingAthanasius, who had been condemned, he said, as an Heretic, by the Council ofNice[743]. As forConstantius, the only Reply he made to the Reasons alleged byLiberiusin favour ofAthanasius, and the Faith ofNice, was, That the wicked and impiousAthanasius, as he styled him, had been condemned by the whole World; that, by his arrogant Conduct, he had provoked all Mankind, and himself in particular, by constantly stirring up his Brother against him; that therefore he looked upon the Defeat ofMagnentiusandSylvanus,who had attempted to bereave him of his Crown, as less important to him than the deposing and condemning of a Man, by whom he had been so highly injured[744]. In answer to this,Liberiusbegged, that, of all Men, he would not chuse Bishops for the Instruments of his private Revenge.Constantiusmade no Reply, but only told him, that he must either sign the Condemnation ofAthanasius, or be sent into Exile; and that he allowed him Three Days to deliberate which of the Two he would chuse.|His Steadiness.|Liberiusanswered, with great Intrepidity, that he had already chosen, and was resolved; that in Three Days he should not change his Resolution; and therefore the Emperor might send him that Minute to what Place soever he pleased[745]. The Three Days were not yet expired when the Emperor sent for him anew to Court, hoping the Fear of Banishment had softened him, as it had done most others, into a Compliance. But he found him unalterably fixed in the same Resolution; and therefore, despairing of being ever able to succeed in his Attempt, he ordered him to be conveyed forthwith toBerœainThrace[746].|He is banished toBerœainThrace.|Liberiushad not yet left the Palace, when the Emperor sent him a Present of Five hundred Pieces of Gold to defray his Charges: which he sent back by the same Person who brought them, saying, that the Emperor might want Money to pay his Troops. The like Sum was sent him by the EmpressEusebia; which, with the same Answer, he desired might be conveyed to the Emperor, adding, that if he knew not how to employ that Sum better, he might bestow it onEpictetus, orAuxentiustheArianBishop ofMilan, who would be very thankful for it[747]. He leftMilanThree Days after, and set out for the Place of his Exile. His Fate was no sooner known atRome, than the Clergy, assembling the People, bound themselves by a solemn Oath, in their Presence, not to acknowlege any other for their Bishop so long asLiberiuslived[748].
Felixis chosen in hisroom.
Liberiusbeing thus driven from his See, another was placed on it in his room; and the Person, whom the Emperor and theArianFaction pitched upon, was oneFelix, then only Deacon of the Church ofRome[749]. But the Clergy could not proceed to a new Election, without an open Violation of the Oath they had taken; the People began to mutiny, and, assembling in Crouds, would suffer none of theArianFaction to enter their Churches. The Imperial Palace therefore served instead of a Church; Three of the Emperor’s Eunuchs represented the People; and Three Bishops, Slaves of the Court,viz.EpictetusofCentumcellæ,AcaciusofCæsarea, andBasiliusofAncyra, ordained the new-elected Bishop[750]. Thus wasFelixchosen, and thus ordained. AsLiberiuswas greatly beloved by the People, chiefly on account of his vigorous Opposition toConstantius, the Intrusion ofFelixoccasioned a great Sedition, in which many lost their Lives[751]. The Clergy were not so zealous in the Cause as the People; for great Numbers of them, unmindful of the Oath they had taken, were by degrees reconciled toFelix, and communicated with him[752]; whereas the People continued to abhor and avoid him at least till the Year 357. WhenConstantiuscame toRome[753].|ConstantiusgoestoRome.|For that Prince, being desirous to see the Metropolis of his Empire, undertook a Journey toRomein the above-mentioned Year, and entered it in Triumph on the 28th ofApril[754]. During his short Stay in that City, theRomanLadies gave a signal Instance of the Zeal and Affection they still retained for their exiled Bishop. They thought a more favourable Opportunity could never offer to solicit the Emperor for his Return; and therefore, by a private Agreement among themselves, they pressed their Husbands, with great Earnestness, to lay hold of it, threatening to abandon them, if they did not, and repairing to their Bishop to share with him the Hardships of his Exile. The Husbands, unmoved by such Menaces, which they well knew would never take place, answered, that by such an Application they might incur the Displeasure of the Prince, which would prove fatal to them, as well as to the Person in whose Behalf they interposed; whereas, should they themselves take such a pious and commendable Office upon them, the Respect due to their Sex would, in all Likelihood, extort from the Prince the desired Favour, at least it would restrain his Resentment, and stifle all Thoughts of Revenge. The Proposal was universally applauded by the Ladies, unwilling to expose their Husbands to the dire Effects of the Emperor’s Indignation.|TheRomanLadiesintercede forLiberius.|On an appointed Day therefore, attiring themselves in an Apparel suitable to their Rank, that the Emperor in seeing them might know who they were, and treat them accordingly, they repaired to Court; and being immediately admitted to the Prince’s Presence, they conjuredhim, with Tears in their Eyes, to take Pity of that great City, of that numerous Flock, bereft of its Pastor, and, in his Absence, devoured by ravenous Wolves. This was not at all a courtly Language: however,Constantius, without betraying the least Emotion, said,I thought you had a Pastor. Is notFelixas capable of discharging the Pastoral Office as any other?Felix, replied they,is detested, and avoided by all.|The Emperor promisesto recall him.|At these Words the Emperor first looked grave; but, immediately changing his Gravity into a Smile,If so, said he, with great Complaisance,you must haveLiberiusagain: I shall, without Delay, dispatch the proper Orders for his Return. An Edict was accordingly issued the very next Day, recallingLiberiusto govern the Church jointly withFelix; forConstantiusthought it inconsistent with his Honour, and the Imperial Dignity, to driveFelixfrom the See, on which he himself had placed him.
The Edict recallinghim to govern jointlywithFelix,railliedby theRomanPeople.
When this Edict was read, in the Presence of the Emperor, to the People assembled in theCircus, they applauded it at first, by way of Raillery, saying, That since the Spectators, at the public Sports, were divided into Two Parties, it was just and reasonable there should be Two Bishops to head them. The Multitude, not satisfied with thus pleasantly expressing their Dissatisfaction, cried out, immediately after, with one Voice,There is but One God, One Christ, One Bishop[755]. And yet the Emperor was rather delighted than displeased with the Humour of the People, and the Liberty they took; for to what happened on this OccasionAmmianus Marcellinusprobably alludes, where he writes, thatConstantius, in exhibiting public Sports atRome, was pleased with the Liberty they took to railly him, knowing it did not proceed from Pride or Ill-nature[756].Theodorettells us, that to Acclamations so worthy of theRomanPiety the Emperor granted the Return ofLiberius[757]; and with him agreeSulpitius Severus[758], andRuffinus[759]. ButSozomen[760], and all the Writers of those Times, assure us, that his Return did not happen this, but the following Year 358. when he bought it dear, by signing the Condemnation ofAthanasius, and the Symbol or Creed, composed by theSemi-AriansatSirmium, nowSirmishinSclavonia.Constantius, at the Request of theRomanLadies and People, promised to recall him, as I have related; but it was on Condition, saysSozomen[761], that he should agree with the Bishops of the Court, that is, with theSemi-Arians.The Firmness whichLiberiushad hitherto shewn, left no room to doubt of his rejecting such a Proposal with the greatest Indignation. But he now felt what before he had only beheld at a Distance: he began to compare the Ease and Plenty in which he had lived atRome, with the Inconveniencies and Hardships of his present Exile. Besides, from the Menaces thrown out against him by the Emperor’s Officers, he apprehended his Life to be in Danger[762]. 'Tis true, he had wished for an Opportunity of shedding his Blood in so good a Cause, as I have related above. But who is not brave at a Distance from Danger? The Jealousy he had ofFelix, who, sitting in his Chair, acted the High Pontiff atRome, was theDalila, saysBaronius[763], speaking of his signing the Condemnation ofAthanasius, who bereft thisSamsonof all his Strength and Courage.|Liberiussigns theCondemnationofAthanasius,andembraces the Doct-rine ofSirmium.|However that be, it is certain, that the Strength and Courage, which he had with great Glory exerted on other Occasions, vanished at once. For he not only signed the Condemnation ofAthanasius, but moreover approved and received as Catholic, the Confession or Symbol ofSirmium[764]. Thus, to ingratiate himself with the Emperor, and return toRome, didLiberiusabandon, at last, his persecuted Friend, renounce the Catholic Faith, and solemnly promise to maintain inviolable the Doctrine ofSirmium[765]. As he was impatient to be reinstated in his See, he took care immediately to acquaint the Emperor with the Steps he had taken. With this Letter he dispatchedFortunatianusBishop ofAquileia, charging him to solicitConstantiusfor his Return, since he had done all he had required of him[766].Constantiustook no Notice of, nor returned any Answer to, this Letter. On the other hand,Liberiuswas heartily sick of his Exile, heartily sick of suffering for the sake of Justice.|His Letter to theEastern Bishops.|In Hopes therefore of putting a speedy End to his Exile, and the Hardships attending it, he writ in a most submissive and cringing Style to the Eastern Bishops, assuring them, that it was merely out of Respect to his PredecessorJulius, and to maintain his Judgment, that he had undertaken the Defence ofAthanasius; that as soon as it had pleased God to open his Eyes, and discover to him how justly he had been condemned, he had separated himself from his Communion, and joined them; that all their Decrees concerning him should be inviolably observed by the Apostolic See, as indeed they ought to be;that he sincerely and willingly received the true Catholic and Orthodox Faith, as it had been expounded and defined by several of his Brethren and Collegues atSirmium, and had been proposed to him by his CollegueDemophilus; that he received every Article of that Symbol, and had nothing to object against any. This remarkable Letter he concludes thus:And now that I agree with you in every Point, let me earnestly intreat your Holinesses to employ your joint Interest in my Behalf, that I may be recalled from Banishment, and suffered to return to the See, which God has been pleased to commit to my Care[767].|He is anathematizedbyHilarius.His Letterto the Bishops atCourt;|This Letter has been conveyed to us by the greatHilarius, Bishop ofPoitiers, who, in relating it, not able to restrain the just Indignation it kindled in his Breast, interrupts the Recital Three times, to anathematize the Author of it, theprevaricating Liberius, as he styles him[768]. He writ likewise toUrsacius,Valens, andGerminius, who bore great Sway at Court, and were at the Head of theArianFaction in the West, to acquaint them, that he communicated with them, and also withAuxentiusandEpictetus, Two of the most inveterate Enemies the Orthodox had; and that whoever did not communicate with them, that is, every Catholic Bishop, was cut off from his Communion. These WordsHilariuscannot repeat without anathematizing anewLiberius, and all theArianswith him. In the same Letter he lets them know, that he has separated himself from the Communion ofAthanasius,late Bishop ofAlexandria, acknowleging him, by that Expression, lawfully deposed. He declares, in the Beginning of his Letter, and calls God to witness, that it is not by Compulsion, but merely for the sake of Peace and Charity, far preferable to Martyrdom itself, that he writes to them. He conjures them, by the omnipotent God, by his SonJesus, by the Holy Ghost, to intercede for him with the Emperor, that, by his Return, Peace and Tranquillity may be restored to the Church committed to his Care; assuring them, that the Zeal they exert in so pious, so just a Cause, will meet with a proportionable Reward in Heaven[769].
As the Emperor had not yet taken the least Notice of his Letter; as the Eastern Bishops, as well as the Bishops at Court, did not act, as he thought, with all the Zeal and Expedition he expected, and his ready Compliance well deserved;|and toVincentius,Bishop ofCapua.|he writ a Third Letter, directed toVincentius, Bishop ofCapua, acquainting him, that he had abandoned the Defence ofAthanasius, and desiring him to give Noticethereof to all the Bishops ofCampania; and, at the same time, to use his utmost Endeavours to persuade them to dispatch some of their Body with a Letter, in their common Name, to the Emperor, beggingConstantiusto deliver him, without further Delay, from his present most melancholy and deplorable Situation. To this Letter he adds the following Paragraph, in his own Hand:We live in Peace with all the Bishops of the East, and with you. As for me, I have discharged my Conscience before God. Will you suffer me to perish in my present Exile? The same God will judge us both[770]. The Bishop ofCapuahad been formerly sent byLiberiusto the Council ofArles, with the Character of his Legate, as I have observed above, and had there signed the Condemnation ofAthanasius; on which OccasionLiberiuswished for an Opportunity of washing out, with his own Blood, the Stain which the Conduct of his Legate had brought upon his Character. But his only Wish now was to see himself delivered from his painful Exile, and restored to his former State, upon any Terms.Vincentius, touched with his Complaints, prevailed upon the Bishops ofCampaniato send a solemn Deputation to the Emperor in his Behalf; whichConstantiuscomplied with, so far as to recall him from the Place of his Exile toSirmium, where the Court then was[771].|He is recalled fromhis Banishment toSirmium.|Upon his Arrival there,Constantius, who had lately embraced the Doctrine of theSemi-Arians, taking Advantage of his Weakness, and of the eager Desire he had betrayed of returning to his See, obliged him, as well as the Bishops of the Court, and FourAfricanBishops, who happened to be then atSirmium, to sign the same Doctrine[772].|He signs the Doctrineof theSemi-Arians.|Thus did the infallibleLiberiussign, and embrace, at least in Appearance, both theArianandSemi-ArianHeresy; theArianatBerœa, the Place of his Exile, and theSemi-ArianatSirmium. That the Confession he signed atBerœawasArian, cannot be doubted; for it was the Second ofSirmium, which all agree to have beenArian[N16]. Besides, it was proposed to himbyDemophilusBishop ofBerœa, who was a most zealous Stickler forArianism, and greatly attached toUrsaciusandValens, the Two leading Men among theAriansin the West; and it is not at all probable, that he would have requiredLiberiusto sign a Doctrine different from that which he himself held.
N16. Three Councils were held atSirmium, one in 349. another in 352. and the Third in 357. In the First,Photinus, Bishop of that City, was condemned, for reviving the Heresy ofPaulofSamosata. This Council was intirely composed of the Western Bishops, who attempted to deposePhotinus, but were vigorously opposed by the People. The Second Council ofSirmiumwas convened by the EmperorConstantius, and consisted of the Eastern Bishops only, who condemned anew, and deposedPhotinus. By this Council a Symbol, or Creed, was composed, which has been transmitted to us inGreekby St.Athanasius, and inLatinby St.Hilarius; and is intirely Orthodox. In the Third Council ofSirmiuma new Creed was composed byPotamiusBishop ofLisbone, and signed byUrsacius,Valens,Germinius, and the other Bishops there present. This Creed was altogetherArian; for not only the WordConsubstantialwas rejected by it, but the Son was declared to be unlike the Father in Essence, to be less than the Father, and to have had a Beginning. And it was this Second Symbol ofSirmiumthatLiberiussigned atBerœa. Upon his Arrival atSirmiumhe found thereBasiliusofAncyra,EleusiusofCyzicus, and the otherSemi-ArianBishops, who were lately come from the Council ofAncyra, where they had condemned the Doctrine of thePure Arians, and established that of theSemi-Arians, holding the Son to be like the Father in Nature and Essence, but notConsubstantial, or of the same Substance. And this DoctrineLiberiussigned out of Complaisance to the Emperor, that nothing might obstruct his Return toRome. He signed it in a kind of Council, consisting of theSemi-ArianBishops, whom I have mentioned above.
N16. Three Councils were held atSirmium, one in 349. another in 352. and the Third in 357. In the First,Photinus, Bishop of that City, was condemned, for reviving the Heresy ofPaulofSamosata. This Council was intirely composed of the Western Bishops, who attempted to deposePhotinus, but were vigorously opposed by the People. The Second Council ofSirmiumwas convened by the EmperorConstantius, and consisted of the Eastern Bishops only, who condemned anew, and deposedPhotinus. By this Council a Symbol, or Creed, was composed, which has been transmitted to us inGreekby St.Athanasius, and inLatinby St.Hilarius; and is intirely Orthodox. In the Third Council ofSirmiuma new Creed was composed byPotamiusBishop ofLisbone, and signed byUrsacius,Valens,Germinius, and the other Bishops there present. This Creed was altogetherArian; for not only the WordConsubstantialwas rejected by it, but the Son was declared to be unlike the Father in Essence, to be less than the Father, and to have had a Beginning. And it was this Second Symbol ofSirmiumthatLiberiussigned atBerœa. Upon his Arrival atSirmiumhe found thereBasiliusofAncyra,EleusiusofCyzicus, and the otherSemi-ArianBishops, who were lately come from the Council ofAncyra, where they had condemned the Doctrine of thePure Arians, and established that of theSemi-Arians, holding the Son to be like the Father in Nature and Essence, but notConsubstantial, or of the same Substance. And this DoctrineLiberiussigned out of Complaisance to the Emperor, that nothing might obstruct his Return toRome. He signed it in a kind of Council, consisting of theSemi-ArianBishops, whom I have mentioned above.
N16. Three Councils were held atSirmium, one in 349. another in 352. and the Third in 357. In the First,Photinus, Bishop of that City, was condemned, for reviving the Heresy ofPaulofSamosata. This Council was intirely composed of the Western Bishops, who attempted to deposePhotinus, but were vigorously opposed by the People. The Second Council ofSirmiumwas convened by the EmperorConstantius, and consisted of the Eastern Bishops only, who condemned anew, and deposedPhotinus. By this Council a Symbol, or Creed, was composed, which has been transmitted to us inGreekby St.Athanasius, and inLatinby St.Hilarius; and is intirely Orthodox. In the Third Council ofSirmiuma new Creed was composed byPotamiusBishop ofLisbone, and signed byUrsacius,Valens,Germinius, and the other Bishops there present. This Creed was altogetherArian; for not only the WordConsubstantialwas rejected by it, but the Son was declared to be unlike the Father in Essence, to be less than the Father, and to have had a Beginning. And it was this Second Symbol ofSirmiumthatLiberiussigned atBerœa. Upon his Arrival atSirmiumhe found thereBasiliusofAncyra,EleusiusofCyzicus, and the otherSemi-ArianBishops, who were lately come from the Council ofAncyra, where they had condemned the Doctrine of thePure Arians, and established that of theSemi-Arians, holding the Son to be like the Father in Nature and Essence, but notConsubstantial, or of the same Substance. And this DoctrineLiberiussigned out of Complaisance to the Emperor, that nothing might obstruct his Return toRome. He signed it in a kind of Council, consisting of theSemi-ArianBishops, whom I have mentioned above.
The Advocates for the Pope’s Infallibility are here quite at a Loss what to say in Defence of that Prerogative. ThatLiberiussigned the Condemnation ofAthanasius, that he communicated with theArians, and, what above all galls them, that he received theSirmianConfession of Faith as Catholic and Orthodox, are undeniable Matters of Fact. To reconcile them with Infallibility, is what they have been long drudging at: and to what pitiful Shifts, what eluding and unmeaning Distinctions, have they not been obliged to recur! Like a Man struggling for Life in deep Water, and catching at every Twig to save it, they flounce from Quibble to Quibble, from one Subterfuge to another, but all in vain; sink they must, and their Infallibility with them. To shew their Distress, I shall briefly transcribe what I find offered on this Occasion, by the most learned among them, in Defence of the Cause they have undertaken.|What alleged byBaroniusin hisDefence;|Baronius[773], after relating and owning the above-mentioned Facts, addresses his Readers thus:We have hitherto sailed among dangerous Rocks, among treacherous Sholes; but fear not, I shall at last pilot you safe into the Port of Truth. Then, dropping his Allegory, he makes a long Descant to prove, that theSirmianConfession of Faith, signed byLiberius, was, in every Article, Catholic and Orthodox. A rare Pilot indeed! If this (to pursue his Allegory) isthe Port of Truth, who can help pityingJerom,Hilarius,Athanasius, and in short all the Antients? for they certainly missed it, and, falling in among thosedangerousRocks, those treacherous Sholes, whichBaroniushad the Skill and good Luck to avoid, were there unfortunately shipwrecked. ForJeromsays, in express Terms, and in Two Places[774], thatLiberiussigned an Heresy;Hilarius, that he approved of theArianPerfidy[775];Athanasius, that he joined theArians[776]; and all the Antients, that he apostatized from the Faith: nay,Liberiushimself, in his Letter to the Orientals, which is still to be seen, under his own Hand, in theVaticanLibrary, gives them Notice, thatin all thingshe agrees withDemophilus, a most zealousArian, and with them; which WordsHilariuscould not repeat without anathematizing him. It is therefore manifest, beyond all Dispute, that the Confession of Faith, signed byLiberius, was not Catholic, butArian. Of thisBaroniushimself was, without doubt, well apprised, and into this Port he had piloted his Reader, had Truth alone been his Land-mark.|and byBellarmine.|Bellarmine, the other great Stickler for Infallibility, pursues a different Method, but with worse Success, in my Opinion, than his Fellow-ChampionBaronius; for, by striving to support that chimerical Prerogative, he evidently oversets it. The Pope, according to him, may sign and receive heretical Opinions, asLiberiusdid, without prejudicing in the least his Infallibility, provided he does not internally assent to them[777]; so that the so much boasted Infallibility is by him reduced at last to this; that the Pope cannot internally assent to an Error: which is confining his Infallibility to himself, and consequently disqualifying him for the Office of a Teacher. Infallibility, even thus curtailed, is, no doubt, a most valuable Treasure to the Owner, but of no more Use to the rest of Mankind than a Treasure concealed under-ground; and, on that very Account, it ought in common Sense to be exploded. But it is scarce worth the while to quarrel withBellarmineabout it, since he cannot be so unreasonable as to require us, in virtue of such a Prerogative, to pay any Regard to the Decisions of the Pope, till such time, at least, as we know them to be agreeable to his private Opinion: and this is what we can never know, since every Pope may, likeLiberius, externally admit an Opinion as true; and, at the same time, internally reject it as false.