Church-history of the government of bishops and their councils abbreviated including the chief part…

Councils about the Eutychian Heresy and some others.

Councils about the Eutychian Heresie and some others.

§. 1. CXXIII. Cyril had by many words so carried the business at Ephesus against Nestorius, and himself so often said, that after the Union, the Natures were one, that his Admirers took that for a certain truth: But when that quarrel was over, Truth was truth still, and the Orthodox would not fly from it, for fear of being called Nestorians; for they disclaimed Nestorius, but disowned the Doctrine of One nature. Eutyches an Archimandrite, and Dioscorus, Successor to Cyril, believed that they did but tread in his steps, and hold to the Ephes. Council. But that would not now serve, when the Scene was changed.

§. 1. CXXIII. CYril had by many words so carried the business at Ephesus against Nestorius, and himself so often said, that after the Vnion, the Natures were one, that his Admirers took that for a certain truth: But when that quarrel was over, Truth was truth still, and the Orthodox would not fly from it, for fear of being called Nestorians; for they disclaimed Nestorius, but disowned the Doctrine of One nature. Eutyches an Archimandrite, and Dioscorus, Successour to Cyril, belived that they did but tread in his steps, and hold to the Ephes. Council. But that would not now serve, when the Scene was changed.

§. 2. Reader, It is useful to thee, to know truly the state of this Tragical Controversy, which had more dividing and direful effects than the former. The Eutychians say, that Christ before their Union by incarnation had two natures, ¹that is, considered mentally, as not united; but after the union had but one nature. They took up this as against Nestorianism. The truth is, Though they still go for desperate Heretics, I verily believe that all the quarrel was but about ambiguous words: some of them understood the word [Nature] in the same sense as their Adversaries took the word [Hypostasis] or [Person.] And (it's sad that it should be true, but) most of them confounded [Unity undistinguished] and [Uniting undivided.] The Eutychians thought, How can that be called Unity which maketh not one of two? And no doubt the Natures are One; But One what? Not One Nature, but One Person; Yet (to bring off Cyril) it may be said that even the Natures are One, in opposition to Division or Separation, but not One in opposition to distinction. He that had but distinguished these two clearly to them, and explained the word [Nature] clearly, had better ended all the Controversy than it was ended. It's plain that Cyril and the Eutychians allowed mental distinction, though not that the Mind should suppose them divided: And it's certain that the Orthodox meant no more.