814 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 311-590.
tion which preceded tlie grand agency of the papacy in the history of the world. The evangelical chui'ch protests against it on the basis of a freer conception of Christianity, seeing in the papacy an institution, whicli indeed formed the legitimate development of the patriarchal system, and was necessary for the training of the Romanic and Germanic nations of the middle ages, but which has virtually fulfilled its mission and outlived itself. The Greek church never had a papacy ; the evangelical historically implies one. The papacy stands between the age of the patriarchal hierarchy and the age of the Keformation, like tlie Mosaic theocracy between the patriarchal period and the advent of Christianity. Protestantism rejects at once the papal monarchy and the patriarchal oligarchy, and thus can justify the former as well as the latter for a certain time and a certain stage in the progress of the Christian world.
§ 63. Leo the Great, a. d. 440-461.
I. St. Leo Magnus : Opera omnia (sermones et epistolaj), ed. Paschas.
Quesnel., Par. 1675, 2 vols. 4to. (Gallican, and defending Hilary against Leo, hence condemned by the Eoman Index) ; and ed. Petr. et Ilieron. Ballerini (two very learned brothers and presbyters, who wrote at the request of Pope Benedict XIV.), Venot. 1753-1 Y57, 3 vols, fol. (Vol. i. contains 96 Sermons and 173 Epistles, the two other volumes doubtful writings and learned dissertations.) This edition is reprinted in Migne's Patrologice Oursus completus, vol. 54^57, Par. 1S46.
II. Acta Sanotokcm, sub Apr. 11 (Apr. torn. ii. p. 14-30, brief and un-
satisfactory). Tili.emont: Mem. t. xv. p. 414-832 (very full). Butleh: Lives of the Saints, sub Apr. 11. W. A. Arendt (R. C.) : Leo der Grosse u. seine Zeit, Mainz, 1835 (apologetic and panegyric). Edw. Peetuel : P. Leo's 1. Leben u. Lehren, Jena, 1843 (Protestant). Fb. Bohringee : Die Kircho Christi u. ihre Zeugen, Zurich, 184(», vol. 1. div. 4, p. 170-309. Pn. Jaffe : Regesta Pontif. Rom., Berol. 1851, p. 34 sqq. Comp. also Greenwood: Cathedra Petri, Lond. 1859, vol. i. bk. ii. chap, iv.-vi. (The Leonine Period) ; and H. H. MiLMAN : Hist, of Latin Christianity, Lond. and New York, 1860, vol. i. bk. ii. oh. iv.
In most of the earlier bishops of Rome the person is eclipsed by the office. The spirit of the age and public opinion rule the bishops, not the bishops them. In the preceding period,
§ 63. LEO THE GREAT. 315
Victor in the controversy ou Easter, Callistus in that on th<L restoration of the lapsed, and Stephen in that on heretical baptism, were the first to come out with hierarchical arrogance , but thej were somewhat premature, and found vigorous resist ance in Irenseus, Hippolytus, and Cyprian, though on all three questions the Roman view at last carried the day.
In the period before us, Damasus, who subjected Illyria to the Roman jurisdiction, and established the authority of the Yulgate, and Siricius, who issued the first genuine decretal letter, trod in the steps of those predecessors. Innocent 1. (402^1T) took a step beyond, and in the Pelagian controversy ventured the bold assertion, that in the whole Christian world nothing should be decided wnthont the cognizance of the Roman see, and that, especially in matters of faith, aU bishops must turn to St. Peter.'
But the first pope, in the proper sense of the word, is Leo I., who justly bears the title of " the Great " in the history of the Latin hierarchy. In him the idea of the papacy, as it were, became flesh and blood. He conceived it in great energy and clearness, and carried it out with the Roman spirit of dominion, so far as the circumstances of the time at all allowed. He marks the same relative epoch in the development of the papacy, as Cyprian in the history of the episcopate. He had even a higher idea of the prerogatives of the see of Rome than Gregory the Great, who, though he reigned a hundred and fifty years later, represents rather the patriarchal idea than the papal. Leo was at the same time the first important theologian in the chair of Rome, surpassing in acuteness and depth of thought all his predecessors, and all his successors down to Gregory I. Benedict XIY. placed him (a. d. 1744) in the small class of doctores ecclesicB, or authoritative teachers of the catholic faith. He battled with the Manich^ean, the Priscilli-
' Ep. ad Cone. Carthag. and Ep. ad Concil. Milev., both in 416. In reference to this decision, which went against Pelagius, Augustine uttered the word so often quoted by Roman divines: '■'■ Causa finita est; utinam aliquando finiatur error." But when Zosimus, the successor of Innocent, took the part of Pelagius, Augustine and the African church boldly opposed him, and made use of the Cyprianic right of protest. " Circumstances alter cases."