their Councils abridged. Y 79 tychians, ( or.Acephali) Theoderus told him that he might eafilybring them all in, if' he would but condemn TheodoruaMop[ueftenau,and the Writings of Theodc- ret, and the Epiftle of Ibas againft Cyril,which the Council had received,it would fatisfie them. This Teemed to the Emperor a happy way of concord ( the Em- prefs putting him on) and fo he fet himfelf carnally to ePe& it. Thefe three men hadbeen accounted Neflorian`s, and two of them had written fmartlyagainft Cyril as heretical and turbulent ; but yet renouncing Neflorisis they were recei- ved, and jiff-tit-led at Calcedon againfe their Accufers. And if one may judge im- partially by the Evidence that is left us, they Teem to have been far vifer and better men than the majorityof theBifhops of thole times : But neither Learn- ing, Piety, nor foundnefs in the Faith, is any fecurity in fuch times,againft Hereti- caters, that can but get the upper hand and major vote. And Ignorance ufually is molt proud and loud, molt confident and furious ; . and filch can eafilier make wife men pafs for Hereticks, than learnof them to be wife. But the final judg- ment Pets a {trait. When fuflinian was earneftly fet upon this Projeh, the Defenders of the Cal- ceden Council perceived themfelves in a difficulty ; fhould they condemn three three men, they would kern to condemn the Council ( about which there had been fucha flir in the Empire :) And they fhould feem to juflifie theEutychians, and to ftrengthen them: And if Council were againff Council, it would dif honour Councils: And if they fhould refute the Condemnation,they would feem to defert Cyril, and the firft Ephefian Council, and perhapsmight be called Neff'c- rians ; but, worff of all, they fhould difpleafe the Emperor, and might occafion his favouring the Eutychians. Therefore they took this prudent courfe, to put off the bufinefs to a General Council, and to delay.till then the Emperors at- tempts. But theEmperor did fir{t pttbla his Edi&, in, which after the Confe{fion of his Faith, and praife of the four Councils, he addeth ten Curfes (Anathema. tuns, according to the Cullom and Religion of thole times) of which the three laic are againff the tria Capitula, or the Councils feeming approbation ofthe three forenamedmen. TheBifhops refitted a great while,but at laft were forced to fubmit. § r o. CLXXI. To this purpole Vigiliva Romanus had a meeting- of about Confane. 3 o Bifhops, where Vigilitra yielding was called a Defector, as prevaricating to ° 547. pleafe the Emperor ; he got them to give in their reafons on both fides in wri- ting, and then gave all to the Emperor's party, and perfuaded therat to filence and communion till aCouncil,becaufe it was not a Controverfie about Faith, but about Perlons. 4 r r. The Emperor's Party (a&ed byTheodore Cafar.) got Tome Bifhops to affemble at M. opfueFb.; An. ;5'5o. to prepare a Condemnation of their former BifhopTheodore, by faying that his name was not in their Book. 4 t a.. CLXXII. King Childebert called another Council at Orleance, where many old difciplinary Canons were repeated : Among others, Can. 9. That no Lay,man be made aBifhop without ayears time to learn his Funöl ion. (You may cone&ure what Scholars they were then !) Can. i o. That nene get a Bifhoprick A a by
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