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| Persecution and Lapse of Liberius.
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Part V.
Persecution and Lapse of
Liberius
35. Now it had been better if from the first
Constantius had never become connected with this heresy at all; or
being connected with it, if he had not yielded so much to those impious
men; or having yielded to them, if he had stood by them only thus far,
so that judgment might come upon them all for these atrocities alone.
But as it would seem, like madmen, having fixed themselves in the bonds
of impiety, they are drawing down upon their own heads a more severe
judgment. Thus from the first1621
| 1621 In
contrast to date of his fall. | they spared not
even Liberius, Bishop of Rome, but extended1622
| 1622 τὴν μανίαν
ἐξέτειναν; vid. ἐκτεῖναι
τὴν μανίαν, §42. And so in the letter of the Council of Chalcedon
to Pope Leo; which says that Dioscorus, κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ
τῆς ἀμπέλου
τὴν φυλακὴν
παρὰ τοῦ
σωτῆρος
ἐπιτετραμμένου
τὴν μανίαν
ἐξέτεινε,
λέγομεν δὴ
τῆς σῆς
ὁσιότητος. Hard. Conc. t. 2. p. 656. [Cf. Prolegg. ch. iv.
§4.] |
their fury even to those parts; they respected not his bishopric,
because it was an Apostolical throne; they felt no reverence for Rome,
because she is the Metropolis of Romania1623
| 1623 By
Romania is meant the Roman Empire, according to Montfaucon after
Nannius. vid. Præfat. xxxiv. xxxv. And so Epiph. Hær,
lxvi, 1 fin, p. 618, and lxviii. 2 init. p. 728, Nil. Ep. i. 75.
vid. Du Cange Gloss. Græc. in voc. | ;
they remembered not that formerly in their letters they had spoken of
her Bishops as Apostolical men. But confounding all things together,
they at once forgot everything, and cared only to shew their zeal in
behalf of impiety. When they perceived that he was an orthodox man and
hated the Arian heresy, and earnestly endeavoured to persuade all
persons to renounce and withdraw from it, these impious men reasoned
thus with themselves: ‘If we can persuade Liberius, we shall soon
prevail over all.’ Accordingly they accused him falsely before
the Emperor; and he, expecting easily to draw over all men to his side
by means of Liberius, writes to him, and sends a certain eunuch called
Eusebius with letters and offerings, to cajole him with the presents,
and to threaten him with the letters. The eunuch accordingly went to
Rome, and first proposed to Liberius to subscribe against Athanasius,
and to hold communion with the Arians, saying, ‘The Emperor
wishes it, and commands you to do so.’ And then shewing him the
offerings, he took him by the hand, and again besought him saying,
‘Obey the Emperor, and receive these.’
36. The Eunuch Eusebius attempts Liberius in
vain.
But the Bishop endeavoured to convince him,
reasoning with him thus: ‘How is it possible for me to do this
against Athanasius? how can we condemn a man, whom not one1624
Council only, but a second1625
assembled from all parts of the world, has
fairly acquitted, and whom the Church of the Romans dismissed in peace?
who will approve of our conduct, if we reject in his absence one, whose
presence1626
amongst us we gladly welcomed, and
admitted him to our communion? This is no Ecclesiastical Canon; nor
have we had transmitted to us any such tradition1627
| 1627 παράδοσις, vid. §14. | from the Fathers, who in their turn received
from the great and blessed Apostle Peter1628
.
But if the Emperor is really concerned for the peace of the Church, if
he requires our letters respecting Athanasius to be reversed, let their
proceedings both against him and against all the others be reversed
also; and then let an Ecclesiastical Council be called at a distance
from the Court, at which the Emperor shall not be present, nor any
Count be admitted, nor magistrate to threaten us, but where only the
fear of God and the Apostolical rule1629
| 1629 τῶν
ἀποστόλων
διάταξις, cf. §34. | shall prevail;
that so in the first place, the faith of the Church may be secure, as
the Fathers defined it in the Council of Nicæa, and the supporters
of the Arian doctrines may be cast out, and their heresy anathematized.
And then after that, an enquiry being made into the charges brought
against Athanasius, and any other besides, as well as into those things
of which the other party is accused, let the culprits be cast out, and
the innocent receive encouragement and support. For it is impossible
that they who maintain an impious creed can be admitted as members of a
Council: nor is it fit that an enquiry into matters of conduct should
precede the enquiry concerning the faith1630
| 1630 Vid.
Pallavicin. Conc. Trid. vi. 7. Sarpi. Hist. ii.
37. | ;
but all diversity of opinions on points of faith ought first to be
eradicated, and then the enquiry made into matters of conduct. Our Lord
Jesus Christ did not heal them that were afflicted, until they shewed
and declared what faith they had in Him. These things we have received
from the Fathers; these report to the Emperor; for they are both
profitable for him and edifying to the Church. But let not Ursacius and
Valens be listened to, for they have retracted their former assertions,
and in what they now say they are not to be trusted.’
37.
Liberius refuses the Emperor’s offering.
These were the words of the Bishop Liberius. And
the eunuch, who was vexed, not so much because he would not subscribe,
as because he found him an enemy to the heresy, forgetting that he was
in the presence of a Bishop, after threatening him severely, went away
with the offerings; and next commits an offence, which is foreign to a
Christian, and too audacious for a eunuch. In imitation of the
transgression of Saul, he went to the Martyry1631
of
the Apostle Peter, and then presented the offerings. But Liberius
having notice of it, was very angry with the person who kept the place,
that he had not prevented him, and cast out the offerings as an
unlawful sacrifice, which increased the anger of the mutilated creature
against him. Consequently he exasperates the Emperor against him,
saying, ‘The matter that concerns us is no longer the obtaining
the subscription of Liberius, but the fact that he is so resolutely
opposed to the heresy, that he anathematizes the Arians by name.’
He also stirs up the other eunuchs to say the same; for many of those
who were about Constantius, or rather the whole number of them, are
eunuchs1632
| 1632 Vid.
Gibbon, Hist. ch. 19 init. | , who engross all the influence with
him, and it is impossible to do anything there without them. The
Emperor accordingly writes to Rome, and again Palatines, and Notaries,
and Counts are sent off with letters to the Prefect, in order that
either they may inveigle Liberius by stratagem away from Rome and send
him to the Court to him, or else persecute him by violence.
38. The evil influence of Eunuchs at
Court.
Such being the tenor of the letters, there also
fear and treachery forthwith became rife throughout the whole city. How
many were the families against which threats were held out! How many
received great promises on condition of their acting against Liberius!
How many Bishops hid themselves when they saw these things! How many
noble women retired to country places in consequence of the calumnies
of the enemies of Christ! How many ascetics were made the objects of
their plots! How many who were sojourning there, and had made that
place their home, did they cause to be persecuted! How often and how
strictly did they guard the harbour1633
| 1633 Ostia, vid. Gibbon, Hist. ch. 31, p. 303. | and the
approaches to the gates, lest any orthodox person should enter and
visit Liberius! Rome also had trial of the enemies of Christ, and now
experienced what before she would not believe, when she heard how the
other Churches in every city were ravaged by them. It was the eunuchs
who instigated these proceedings against all. And the most remarkable
circumstance in the matter is this; that the Arian heresy which denies
the Son of God, receives its support from eunuchs, who, as both their
bodies are fruitless, and their souls barren of virtue, cannot bear
even to hear the name of son. The Eunuch of Ethiopia indeed, though he
understood not what he read1634
, believed the words
of Philip, when he taught him concerning the Saviour; but the eunuchs
of Constantius cannot endure the confession of Peter1635
| 1635 Matt. xvi. 16, allusion to
Liberius? vid. Hard. Conc. t. 2. p. 305 E. | , nay, they turn away when the Father
manifests the Son, and madly rage against those who say, that the Son
of God is His genuine Son, thus claiming as a heresy of eunuchs, that
there is no genuine and true offspring of the Father. On these grounds
it is that the law forbids such persons to be admitted into any
ecclesiastical Council1636
; notwithstanding
which they have now regarded these as competent judges of
ecclesiastical causes, and whatever seems good to them, that
Constantius decrees, while men with the name of Bishops dissemble with
them. Oh! who shall be their historian? who shall transmit the record
of these things to another generation? who indeed would believe it,
were he to hear it, that eunuchs who are scarcely entrusted with
household services (for theirs is a pleasure-loving race, that has no
serious concern but that of hindering in others what nature has taken
from them); that these, I say, now exercise authority in ecclesiastical
matters, and that Constantius in submission to their will treacherously
conspired against all, and banished Liberius!
39. Liberius’s speech to
Constantius.
For after the Emperor had frequently written to
Rome, had threatened, sent commissioners, devised schemes, on the
persecution1637
subsequently breaking out at
Alexandria, Liberius is dragged before him, and uses great boldness of
speech towards him. ‘Cease,’ he said, ‘to persecute
the Christians; attempt not by my means to introduce impiety into the
Church. We are ready to suffer anything rather than to be called Arian
madmen. We are Christians; compel us not to become enemies of Christ.
We also give you this counsel: fight not against Him who gave you this
empire, nor shew impiety towards Him instead of thankfulness1638
;’ persecute
not them that believe in Him, lest you also hear the words, ‘It
is hard for thee to kick against the pricks1639
.’ Nay, I would that you might hear
them, that you might obey, as the holy Paul did. Behold, here we are;
we are come, before they fabricate charges. For this cause we hastened
hither, knowing that banishment awaits us at your hands, that we might
suffer before a charge encounters us, and that all may clearly see that
all the others too have suffered as we shall suffer, and that the
charges brought against them were fabrications of their enemies, and
all their proceedings were mere calumny and falsehood.’
40. Banishment of Liberius and others.
These were the words of Liberius at that time,
and he was admired by all men for them. But the Emperor instead of
answering1640
| 1640 [But
see Theodoret, Hist. ii. 16.] | , only gave orders for their
banishment, separating each of them from the rest, as he had done in
the former cases. For he had himself devised this plan in the
banishments which he inflicted, that so the severity of his punishments
might be greater than that of former tyrants and persecutors1641
. In the former persecution Maximian, who was
then Emperor, commanded a number of Confessors to be banished
together1642
, and thus lightened their punishment
by the consolation which he gave them in each other’s society.
But this man was more savage than he; he separated those who had spoken
boldly and confessed together, he put asunder those who were united by
the bond of faith, that when they came to die they might not see one
another; thinking that bodily separation can disunite also the
affections of the mind, and that being severed from each other, they
would forget the concord and unanimity which existed among them. He
knew not that however each one may remain1643
apart from the rest, he has nevertheless with him that Lord, whom they
confessed in one body together, who will also provide (as he did in the
case of the Prophet Elisha1644
) that more shall be
with each of them, than there are soldiers with Constantius. Of a truth
iniquity is blind; for in that they thought to afflict the Confessors,
by separating them from one another, they rather brought thereby a
great injury upon themselves. For had they continued in each
other’s company, and abode together, the pollutions of those
impious men would have been proclaimed from one place only; but now by
putting them asunder, they have made their impious heresy and
wickedness to spread abroad and become known in every place1645
.
41. Lapse of Liberius.
Who that shall hear what they did in the course
of these proceedings will not think them to be anything rather than
Christians? When Liberius sent Eutropius, a Presbyter, and Hilarius, a
Deacon, with letters to the Emperor, at the time that Lucifer and his
fellows made their confession, they banished the Presbyter on the spot,
and after stripping Hilarius1646
| 1646 This
Hilary afterwards followed Lucifer of Calaris in his schism. He is
supposed to be the author of the Comments on S. Paul’s Epistles
attributed to S. Ambrose, who goes under the name of
Ambrosiaster. | the Deacon and
scourging him on the back, they banished him too, clamouring at him,
‘Why didst thou not resist Liberius instead of being the bearer
of letters from him.’ Ursacius and Valens, with the eunuchs who
sided with them, were the authors of this outrage. The Deacon, while he
was being scourged, praised the Lord, remembering His words, ‘I
gave My back to the smiters1647
;’ but they
while they scourged him laughed and mocked him, feeling no shame that
they were insulting a Levite. Indeed they acted but consistently in
laughing while he continued to praise God; for it is the part of
Christians to endure stripes, but to scourge Christians is the outrage
of a Pilate or a Caiaphas. Thus they endeavoured at the first to
corrupt the Church of the Romans, wishing to introduce impiety into it
as well as others. But Liberius after he had been in banishment two
years gave way, and from fear of threatened death subscribed. Yet even
this only shews their violent conduct, and the hatred of Liberius
against the heresy, and his support of Athanasius, so long as he was
suffered to exercise a free choice. For that which men are forced by
torture to do contrary to their first judgment, ought not to be
considered the willing deed of those who are in fear, but rather of
their tormentors. They however attempted everything in support of their
heresy, while the people in every Church, preserving the faith which
they had learnt, waited for the return of their teachers, and condemned
the Antichristian heresy, and all avoid it, as they would a
serpent.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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