387 A. D. Bethlehem, undertook immense labours, in order to expound the Scripture: he read all the interpreters, searched all the histories, both sacred and profane, that could give any light to it, and composed from the original Hebrew that version of the Bible, 395 399 403 404 which the whole church has received under the name of the Vulgate. The empire, that seemed invincible under Theodosius, changed all at once, under his two sons. Arcadius had the East, and Honorius the West: both, being governed by their ministers, made their power subservient to private interests. Rufinus and Eutropius, successively favourites of Arcadius, and one as wicked as the other, quickly fell; and affairs never mended under so weak a prince. His wife Eudoxia made him persecute St. John Chrysostom, patriarch of Constantinople, and the light of the East. The Pope St. Innocent, and all the West, supported that great bishop against Theophilus, patriarch of Alexandria, the minister of the empress's violence. The West was disturbed by the incursion of Barbarians. Radagaise, a Goth and Heathen, ravaged Italy. The Vandals, a Gothic and Arian & fol. nation, seized on part of Gaul, and spread themselves into Spain. Alaric, king of the Visigoths, an Arian people, compelled Honorius to yield up to him those large provinces already possessed by the Vandals. Stilico, embarrassed with so many Barbarians, beats them, humours them, agrees and breaks with them, sacrifices all to his interest; and, nevertheless, preserves the 406 403 408 409 empire, which he had a design to usurp. A. D, Meanwhile Arcadius died; he thought the East so destitute of good subjects, that he put his son Theodosius, a child of eight years old, under the tuition of Isdegerd, King of Persia. But Pulcheria, the young emperor's sister, proved capable of great affairs. The empire of Theodosius was supported by the prudence and piety of this princess. That of Honorius seemed near its ruin. He caused Stilico to be put to death, but knew not how to fill the place of so able a minister. The revolt of Constantine, the total loss of Gaul and Spain, 10 the taking and sacking of Rome by the arms of Alaric and the Visigoths, were the consequences of Stilico's death. Ataulph, more furious than Alaric, pillaged Rome anew, and thought of nothing less than abolishing the Roman name: but, happily for the empire, he took Placida the emperor's sister. That captive princess, whom he married, softened him. The Goths 414 treated with the Romans, and established 415 themselves in Spain, reserving in the Gauls the provinces that lay towards the Pyrenees. Their king Vallia conducted these great designs wisely. Spain showed her constancy, nor did her faith suffer any alteration under the dominion of those Arians. Meanwhile the Burgundians, a German people, seized upon the neighbourhood of the Rhine, whence by degrees they gained the country that still bears their name. The Francs did not forget themselves: resolved to make new efforts to open a pas 413 420 A. D. 420 423 424 419 413 416 417 The sage into the Gauls, they raised to the 406 whole earth, by imploring their aid, and ho- A. D. nouring their tombs. Vigilantius, who opposed opinions so generally received, being refuted by St. Jerom, remained without a follower*. The Christian faith grew stronger, and extended itself daily. But the empire of the West could now do nothing: attacked by so many enemies, it was also weakened by the jealousies of its generals. By the artifices of Aetius, Boniface, count of Africa, became suspected by Placidia. The count, ill treated, brought over Genseric and the Vandals from Spain, whom the Goths were expelling from thence, but too late repented having called them. Africa was taken from the empire. The church suffered infinite calamities from the violence of these Arians, and saw an immense number of Martyrs crowned. Two dreadful heresies arose: Nestorius, patriarch of Constantinople, divided the person of JESUS CHRIST; and twenty years after, Eutyches, an abbot, confounded his two natures. St. Cyril, patriarch of Alexandria, opposed Nestorius, who was condemned by the pope St. Celestine. The council of Ephesus, the third general one, in execution of this sentence, deposed Nestorius, and confirmed the decree of St. Celestine, whom the bishops of the council call their father in their definitiont. The holy virgin was acknowledged to be the mother of God, and St. Cyril's doctrine was celebrated over all the earth. Hier. cont. Vigil. Gennad. descript. Eccl. + Part. ii. Conc. Eph. act. 1. Sent. depos. Nest. 4.29 430 431 431 448 451 A. D. Theodosius, after some embarrassment, submitted to the council, and banished Nestorius. Eutyches, who could not oppose this heresy without running into another extreme, was no less firmly rejected. Pope Leo the Great, condemned him, and refuted him at the same time by a letter, which was revered through the whole world. The council of Chalcedon, the fourth general one, in which this great pope held the first place, as much from his learning as from the authority of his see, anathematized Eutyches, and his protector Dioscorus, patriarch of Alexandria. The letter of the council to St. Leo shows *, that that pope presided there by his legates, as the head over its members. The emperor Marcian attended in person at that great assembly, after the example of Constantine, and received its decisions with the same respect. A little before, Pulcheria had raised him to the empire by marrying him. She was acknowledged empress after the death of her brother, who left no sons. But the empire required a master: the virtue of Marcian procured him that honour. During the time of these two councils, Theodoret, bishop of Cyrus, made himself famous; and his doctrine would be without blemish, if the violent writings he published against St. Cyril, had not stood in need of too great elucidations. He published them in sincerity, and was numbered among the orthodox bishops. The Gauls began to ac * Relat. S. Syn. Chalc. ad Leon. Conc. Part. 3. |