phili fratris filius, qui patruo in Episcopatu successerat. v. 35. As he had been at variance with Cyril, he did well to pass him by without praise or censure, especially if we consider how many things he might justly have said against him.

A very ample account of Theodoret may be found in Tillemont H. E. xv. 207. Du Pin B. E. iv. Fleury H. E. and Cousin, who translated Theodoret's History into French; and they are all friends and favourers of this prelate. Father Garnier published an additional volume to the works of Theodoret, and dissertations upon his life and writings, with a view to insult him, to run him down as an heretic, and to censure him upon all occasions. If Theodoret had been a Damasus, a Cyril, a Thomas Becket, a Kalendar Saint, Garnier would have paid him more respect.

The fifth general council, at Constantinople A. D. 553, thought fit to condemn the impious writings of Theodoret relating to Cyril and the Nestorian quar

rels.

Evagrius was a lawyer, and a pleader, as it seems, at Antioch. He wrote an history from A. D. 431. to A. D. 594.

Cæterum laudanda est in primis Evagrü diligentia, qui cum historiam Ecclesiasticam scribere agressus esset, quaecunque ad id argumentum spectabant, ex optimis scriptoribus collegit.—Stylus quoque ejus non improbandus est: habet enim elegantiam et venustatem, ut testatur etiam Photius. Sed quod præcipue in Evagrio laudandum est, ex Græcis Ecclesiastice historia scriptoribus, solus hic recta fidei doctrinam integram atque illibatam servavit, ut post Photium observavit Baronius. Illud ta

men in eo reprehensionem meretur, quod non tantam diligentiam adhibuit in conquirendis antiquitatis Ecclesiasticæ monumentis, quantam in legendis profanis scriptorihus.-Stylus præterea plerisque in locis redundat ac luxuriat, ut recte judicavit Photius. Valesius.

A fabulosis narrationibus non nimis alienum esse Evagrium scribit Casaubonus. Fabricius, B. Gr.

Quae de imaginibus, reliquiis, miraculis, Evagrius multa habet, ipsius Historiam in commendatione non ponunt. S. Basnage Ann. iii. 921.

This is saying too little; for in points of theological controversy, Evagrius was an injudicious prejudiced zealot, and in the article of miracles a most ridiculous and contemptible bigot.

But then, as Photius, Baronius, and Valesius observe, he was always on the right side of the question, which is more than can be said of any other Greek writer of Ecclesiastical History, and which atones even for want of common sense, and sets him above Eusebius and Socrates; for Socrates, says Tillemont, was a lawyer, and very ignorant of the spirit and discipline of the church. Hence it comes to pass that he commends equally either Catholics or Heretics, when they did things which seemed to him to be commendable, H.E, x. p. 232, 233,

Theodorus Byzantius, Lector majoris Ecclesice Constantinopolitana, duplex opus Historiæ Ecclesiasticæ conscripsit. Primum opus nihil aliud erat quam Historia Tripartita, duobus libris comprehensa, quam ex Socrate, Sozomeno, ac Theodorito unum in corpus collegerat.— Secundum opus duobus pariter libris comprehensum fuit, quibus res in Ecclesia gestas ab iis temporibus in quibus desierat Socrates, usque ad principatum Justini senioris complexus est.-Utinam vero Historiam Ecclesiasticam

Theodori

Theodori integram hodie haberemus. Multa enim scitu digna in ea continebantur: Consulatus quoque quibus quidque gestum fuerat, accurate erant adscripti, ut patet ex fragmentis.- -Valesius.

Philostorgius lived in the fourth and fifth century. His history reached from A. D. 300. to A. D. 425. It is lost, in a great measure, and there only remains an epitome, or extracts from it, made by Photius, and a few fragments.

Philostorgius was an Eunomian: he censures the Semiarians, as well as the Consubstantialists, and defends the Arians and the Eunomians.

Narrat autem Philostorgius fere contraria omnibus Ecclesiasticis Historicis, laudibus extollens quos novit Arianismo infectos, et convicis Orthodoxos perfundens: ita ut hoc ejus opus non tam Historia esse videatur, quam hæreticorum laudatio, cum nuda et mera vituperatione atque accusatione Catholicorum. Stylus illi comptior; et poëticis sine tædio, minimeque ingratis vocibus utitur. Tropi quoque ac verba significantia gratiam ipsi cum jucunditate conciliant. Nisi quod interdum audacius ipsis, zel nimium detortis utendo, in frigidum et importunum sermonem incidit. Ornatur ab illo varie oratio, vel ad satietatem ; ita ut in obscuritatem, nec eam semper gratam, occulte trahatur auditor. Sæpe etiam sententias apte suis locis inserit.—Ipse vero scriptor mendax est, et a fabulis minime abstinent.—Miraculorum vero et vitæ gratia laudat Eusebium Nicomedie Episcopum, quem etiam Magnum nominat, et Theophilum Indum, aliosque complures, &c. Photius.

In these extracts of Philostorgius, Photius often begins a section with, Ὁ δυσσεβής, ὁ φιλοψευδής, The Impions Wretch, the Liar, the Enemy of God, the Dotard, &c.

says

says so and so.-But this was the way of Greek writers in all times, as Cicero observes. Sit ista in Græcorum levitate perversitas, qui maledictis insectantur eos a quibus de veritate dissentiunt. De Fin. 11.

With all his defects, his credulity, and partiality to his sect (of which he had a large share) it is to be wished that we had Philostorgius entire; for he wrote the History of his own times, and of some persons whom he knew, and with whom he had conversed. It would not be amiss to have one Arian Historian to compare with the Consubstantialists. He had picked up several miracles wrought by Arian bishops. The Homoousians rejected them with disdain, and yet boasted of miracles equally improbable.

Theodosius the first was a warm Consubstantialist, and was perpetually making absurd and severe laws against heretics; yet Philostorgius observes that he was a prosperous prince, and blessed with success in all his undertakings, and supposes that providence thus recompensed him for his zeal against Paganism, p. 539. He also speaks very handsomely of Apollinaris, Basil, and Gregory Nazianzen, and observes that of all the Consubstantialists they were the most eminent for learning, eloquence, and elegance of style, and that Athanasius compared to them was a mere child, and a superficial writer.

Apollinaris, though ranked amongst heretics for reasons mentioned above, yet joined with the Consubstantialists against Arianism.

The laws of Constantine, most of which may be found in the Theodosian Code, are remarkable on one account or other.

Several

Several of them are humane and charitable, and such as the spirit of Christianity would naturally suggest.

He and his successors made decrees which must have continually released multitudes from slavery.

He abolished the cruel punishment of crucifixion, and of breaking the legs, and of marking the face with a hot iron.

Si quis in Ludum fuerit, vel in Metallum, pro criminum deprehensorum qualitate, damnatus, minime in ejus facie scribatur: dum et in munibus et in suris possit pœna damnationis una scriptione comprehendi: Quo facies, quæ ad similitudinem pulchritudinis cœlestis est figurata, minime maculetur. Cod. Th. L. ix. Tit. 40. p. 293. et Gothofred.

The Pagans used to stigmatize themselves (but not in the face) out of religion. See Van Dale Dissert. p. 64. and Grotius ad Apocal. xiii. p. 1205, and the commentators on Levit. xix. 28. Soldiers were also stigmatized.

He made a law against gladiatorial shews, which however continued, till. Honorius put an end to that wicked diversion, A. D. 403.

Cruenta spectacula in otio civili et domestica quiete non placent: Quapropter, qui omnino Gladiatores esse prohibemus, eos qui forte delictorum causa hanc conditionem atque sententiam mereri consueverunt, metallo magis facies inservire, ut sine sanguine scelerum suorum pœnas agnoscant. Cod. Th. L. xv. Tit. 12. p. 395.

It would amaze one to consider how many lives had been thrown away in these combats. Credo, says Lipsius, imo scio nullum bellum tantam cladem vastitatemque gencri humano intullisse, quam hos ad volup

tatem