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Here, yee saie, it is a woonder, to see, howe these menne abuse the Ecclesiastical stories. It was a Priuate Councel, yee saie, whereat Theodosius was present, and not a General: As if this poore healpe were sufficiente, to salue the mater: or, as if a Priuate Councel, were no Councel: Or, as if an Emperoure might sitte as a Iudge in priuate Councelles, but not in General. The storie in briefe is this, Theo∣dosius
the Emperoure,* 1.1 the better to bringe his Churches into Vnitie, Com∣maunded an Assemblie of y• Bishoppes, and beste Learned, to appeare before him, and eche parte to write a seueral Confession of his Faithe, that he him selfe might Iudge bitweene them, whiche Faithe were the beste. Hauing receiued theire wri∣tinges, he willed Publique Praiers to be made,* 1.2 and also bothe openly, & priuate∣ly praied him selfe, that it might please God,* 1.3 to assiste him with his Holy Sprite, and to make him hable to Iudge iustely.
Then he perused, and considered eche Confession a sunder by it selfe: allow∣ed onely the Catholiques: and Condemned the Confessions, that were written by the Arians, and Eunomians, and tare them in peeces. This is the true reporte of the storie, M. Hardinge. Whatsoeuer yee haue added hereunto, as your manner is, it is your owne. Nowe, whether the Emperoure Theodosius tooke vpon him, to Heare, and Determine Ecclesiastical Causes of Religion. or no, I reporte me to your owne indifferente iudgemente.
But yee wil saie, The Emperoure presumed not, to Iudge any thinge of him selfe: but was wholy ruled by the Bishoppes, as the executoure of their willes. And here∣of, yee saie, yee are wel assured. Thus by your handlinge, yee make the Prince onely your Bishops man: to strike blindely, whomsoeuer your Bishop shal Com∣maunde: to Condemne, to Depriue, to Spoile, to Kille his owne Subiectes: not of any Iudgemente, or Knowledge, but onely vpon the doubteful Credit, and at the pleasure of your Bishop. So simple yee make this Godly Emperoure in his dealing. He willed the Cōgregation to praie: He praied him selfe, that God would directe him with his Sprite, and geeue him wisedome, to discerne the Truthe: He Conferred the Confessions: He weighed eche Reason: He allowed one side for true and godly: Al the reste he Condemned for false, and wicked. And yet, ye saie, yee are sure of Theodosius, that he intended not to Iudge, whether of al these Sectes were the truer. And so, by youre discretion, he bothe Allowed, and Condemned withoute Iudgemente, he knewe not, what.
Theodo∣sius Iud∣geth Ec∣clestical causes.
Sozomen li. 7. ca. 12.
Socrat. li. 5. ca. 10.