A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

MARTIN I.

MARTIN I. being ordain'd Bishop of Rome, in July 649. held, in October following, * 1.1 a Council of 105. Bishops against the Monothelites; in which he condemned Sergius and Pyrrhus, who had been formerly Bishops of Constantinople, and Paul, then in Possession of it. At that Time the Emperor Constans sent the Exarch Olympius into Italy, with an order to force the Bishops of Italy to receive the * 1.2 Type published by him. Olympius found the Pope, the Bishops and the Clergy of Italy in a very contrary Disposition, and was forc'd to enter into Agreement with Martin; but this Exarch being dead, a while after, in Sicily, where he had the Command of an Army against the Saracens, the Emperor sent Theodorus, sirnamed Calliopas; who caused Pope Martin to be taken away by Force, in July 653. He remained a whole Year in the Isle of Naxos, and came not to Constantinople till towards the end of 654. from whence he was banish'd into Chersona, where he died, in 656. in June.

We have Seventeen Letters of his.

The First is a Circular Letter, to all Bishops, to let them know, He had condemned the Error of the Monothelites.

The Second is directed to Amandus Bishop of Utrecht, who had written to him, That he was so much grieved to see the Disorder of certain Clergymen, who committed the Sin of the Flesh after their Ordination, that he had a mind to leave his Bishoprick, to live in Peace and Quietness. He disswades him from that Design, and advises him to deal with those Sin∣ners with all the Severity that the Canons allow; declaring, That all those that are fallen, after their Ordination, shall remain suspended for ever, and be for ever disabled from per∣forming any Sacerdotal Function: That they shall pass their whole Life in Penance, for the Expiation of their Fault; For, saith he, if we chuse persons of innocent Life, to be pro∣moted to Orders, with how much greater Reason should we hinder those who are fallen after their Ordination, from medling with the Holy Mysteries with defiled Hands, and polluted with Crimes? Let them therefore be deposed for ever, according to the Decrees of the Councils; to the end that the Searcher of Hearts, who will not suffer any of his Sheep to perish, seeing the sincerity of their Repentance, may forgive them at the Day of Judgment. Then he exhorts that Bishop to undergo any manner of Pains, Torments and Toil for the Salvation of his Sheep, and the Service of God. Lastly, he gives him notice, that he hath condemned the Monothelites, in a General Council of his Brethren, and sends him the Acts themselves, to the end he may publish them, and cause them to be received in his Country. He prays him to persuade King Sigebert to send some Bishops to the Holy See, that they may carry home the Acts of that Council, and joyn with him in the Defence of the Faith.

The Third is directed to the Emperor Constans, in the Name of the whole Synod. He acquaints him, That he hath condemned the Error of the Monothelites, in a Synod, of which he sends him the Acts.

The Fourth is to the Bishop of Carthage, and to all the Bishops of Africa. He approves the Confession of Faith they had sent him, and sends them the Acts of the Council.

In the Fifth he makes John Bishop of Philadelphia, to whom he writes, his Vicar in all the East, giving him Power to make Bishops and Priests in the Churches of the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Antioch, to receive those that will renounce their Error, and to confirm them in their Churches, provided there be no other Canonical Impediment: For, saith he, we

ought to be the Defenders, and not Betrayers of the Canons. Thus he will not have him to confirm them, who have chosen themselves, no•• those whose Election was not Canonical. He mentions particularly the Election of Macedonius Bishop of Antioch, who was made Bishop in a strange Country, without the Consent of the People, and without a Decree of Election, as well as that of Peter Bishop of Alexandria. He will have them that shall be admitted, not only to abjure the Error of the Monothelites, but moreover to condemn Theodorus▪ Cyrus▪ Sergius; Pyrrhus Paul, and all of the same Opinion with them; to reject the Type, and to make a clear Profession, That they believe two Wills in Christ. He appoints two Bishops, named Theodorus and Antony, with an Abbot, to help him in that Function 〈◊〉〈◊〉 them he directs the three next Letters, to exhort them to joyn themselves with that Bishop for the Defence of the Faith. In the last he speaks of Stephen, and Eastern Bishop, whom he had also made his Vicar. He explains, that Matter in the next Letter, directed to Pantaleo, in which he com∣plains, That they had accused that Bishop, and hindred him from receiving the Letter which he had sent him, to ordain Priests and Bishops. He repeats also here. That those Bishops ought not to be confirm'd, who have been elected in another Town, than that whereof they are Priests or Bishops, and without the Consent of the Bishop or the Metropolitan; thus he declares ••ord all the Ordinations made in Sophronius's Patriarchate, which had not been done by his Authority.

In the Tenth he recommends his Vicar to a great Lord, named Peter.

In the Eleventh, to the Church of Jerusalem, he acquaints them with the Condemnation of the Error of the Monothelites, and declares void the Ordinations of Macedonius, Patriarch of Antioch, and Peter Bishop of Alexandria.

In the Twelfth he declares to Paul of Thessalonica, That he hath excommunicated and de∣posed him for his Errors.

In the Thirteenth he acquaints the Church of Thessalonica with Paul's Condemnation, and exhorts them to avoid his Heresy.

In the Fourteenth, to Theodorus, he relates what pass'd, when he was violently taken away from Rome. He says, That he coming out of the Constantinian Church, encompassed with Guards, they said in the presence of the Exarch: Anathema to him that believes that Martin did change or will change the least Word in the Faith: Anathema to them that shall not persevere in the Orthodox Faith unto death. That Calliopas hearing this, said, He had no other Faith: that he answered him, He would defend that Faith unto Death; and as for the other things charged on him, he was altogether innocent of them; that he had never writ to the Saracens; that he sent them no mony neither, only that he had given some Alms to some Servants of God coming to Rome; that it was false that he had utter'd any thing against the Respect due to the Virgin, and that he pronounced Anathema to whosoever did not reverence and adore her. These are the Terms used by him, non honorat at{que} adorat; but the Term of Adoring is not to be taken strictly, for in the next Letter they make Calliopas say, He was come to adore the Pope, that is, to pay his Respects to him.

He relates yet the same Story more at large in the Fifteenth Letter, directed to the same Theodorus, where he says, That foreseeing what was to come, he had withdrawn himself and all his Clergy into the Constantinian Church, thus named, because it was the first that Constan∣tine had built, near the Bishop's Palace; that he was there the Saturday, 13th. of June, in the Year 653. when Calliopas came to Rome with an Army; that he sent some of his Clergy to meet him; that Calliopas told them, That he was come to adore the Pope, that is, to pay him his Respects; that, notwithstanding, the next Day, being Sunday, he sent Word, That he was too much tired to come to him; that on Monday he sent word to the Pope by his Secretary, he ought not to call Men together, nor prepare Arms and Stones to defend himself; that Martin shewed to them he had sent, that this was false; that he lay sick ever since October, and had set his Bed before the Altar; that about Noon a multitude of armed Men entred into the Church with a great deal of Tumult, and that they broke, at their entring, all the a 1.3 Tapers in the Church. Then Calliopas shewed an Order from the Emperor, declaring, That Martin was to be turned out of the Holy See, and to be sent to Constantinople, and ano∣ther Bishop be put in his room. Which says he, was never done; for in the Bishop of Rome's Absence, the Arch-deacon, the Arch-priest, and the principal Secre∣tary do occupy his Place. Martin, unwilling that any Body should be kill'd for him, yielded himself pre∣sently to them, and begg'd only some of his Clerks to accompany him. Calliopas finding no Resistance, bad

Martin come along with them to his Palace, when he obey'd; all his Clergy came to him the next day, and many were ready to g•• ••••••••g with him; but that same Night, he was violently carried away, without suffering any 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to accompany him, but six Men Servants and a Cook: From th•••••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, where he staid one year, at the end of which he was brought to 〈◊〉〈◊〉. This is the Abridgment of what is contained in that L••••••••r.

The Part••culars or Memoir, written under the name of a good 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the Bishops of the West. He says, That Martin, be∣ing come up to that Haven, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 th•• Church 〈◊〉〈◊〉 S••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of December, he was 〈…〉〈…〉 the ••••••••ning they took him into a Boat, and carrie•• him to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Courtof ••uard; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fourscore and thirteen days, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 being 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to spe•••• to him; That after that space of rimw, he was brought into the Council 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Em•…•… prepared against him, were ordered to appear; they were Soldiers 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Men, who accused him of conspiring with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 against the Witne••••es they brought against him, and maintained, he was more innocent by far th••n those Witnesses themselves, and all the rest ••hat sided with Oly••pius 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that he came to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in quality of E••a••••••, that he had the Authority and Power in his Hands, and that they were forced to obey him. A••ter this Tumul∣ruary Information, they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to a a, where they stripped him, and loaded him with Chains, dragged him through the Town, and put him in the Prison of the Praetorium, loaden with the Burden of his Chains, and brought to the last extremity. The next day, the Emperor coming to visit Paul of Constantinople, who was ready to die, and acquainting him with what was done, that Bishop touched with a remorse of Conscience, fetched a deep Sigh, and turning him aside, said: Alas! 'Tis to add to the Account I am to give to God. The Emperor asking him, why he said so? Is it not great pity, answered he, Bishops should be thus abused? And he earnestly besought the Emperor to suffer it no longer. After Paul's death, Pyrrhus sought to be resto••ed; but many opposed it, because of the retractation he had made at Rome. They sent to Pope Martin, to ask him about the Passages of that Affair; he an∣swered, That Pyrrhus came voluntarily to Rome's That his Predecessor Theodorus made him wellcome; That he was entertained at the cost of the Roman Church, the custom whereof was, to find with Victuals all the Strangers who fled thither. They would have forced him to say, That Pyrrhus had signed his retractation by force; but he declared, he would always speak the Truth. After having staid 85 days in that Prison, they fetched him out of it, to ba••••sh him to Chersona, where he died the 16th. of September, in the year, 656. having suffered much. He wrote two Letters from that place of his Exile, which are the two last, in which he represents his Wants, and the Poverty he suffered in that Country. He prays his Friend to send him some relief from Rome. For, saith he, if S. Peter feed so many Pil∣grims at Rome, it is very mee•• he should assist us, who are his Ministers, and suffer so much for the Truth and Religion.

This Pope's Constancy and Firmness appears in his Letters. They are well written, with Strength and Wisdom; the Stile of them is great and noble, and worthy of the Majesty of the Holy See. The third, and the 10 next, are found in Greek and Latin; either he wrote them himself in those two Languages, or they have been translated by some Body of that time.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Martin I.
• * 1.2

  [An Edict put out by the Empe∣ror Con∣stans, at the Desire of Paulus Bishop of Constanti∣nople, a Monothe∣lite; where∣by it was prohibited to dispute about the Operations and Wills of Christ.
• a 1.3

  [Tapers in the Church.] As seve∣ral other Heathen and Jewish Ceremonies were received by the Christians, in com∣pliance with the Jews and Gentiles, that their Conversion might be the more easy: So this of burning of Tapers in their Reli∣gious Assemblies. At first they were in∣deed lighted only at the keeping of their Vigils, to which not Religion but neces∣sity obliged them; but afterward, in Je∣rom's Time, they were lighted up upon the Tombs of the Martyrs, in honour to them, and in the Eastern Church, were always lighted up at the Reading of the Gospel, and in some Places at the interpreting of it, and that at Noon-day. At last it was imposed by Gregory the Great, and confirmed by Sabinian, anno 606. Many of the Fathers inveighed fiercely against this Custom, in the Massalians or Euchitae, Cur diem Lucernis infringimus, says Tertullian, Quis Iucernas vanas proferre compellit? And so Lactantius, Num mentis compos putandus est, qui datori luminis Candelarum lumen offer•• pro munere? But Superstition prevailing in the Church brought in this with other Ceremonies, which, if the most noxious, had been more tolerable.]
• * 1.3.1

  Hieron a•• Vigilant.
• * 1.3.2

  Balaeus ••ent. 1. Script. Brit. Tertul. in Apolog. Lact. Inst. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 6. c. 2.