y, but as a continuation
rather or resumption of the preceding minor Councils of Constantinople
and Ephesus, we must briefly refer to the occasion and nature generally
of that succession of Christian synods. I am not aware that in the
previous Councils any thing had transpired {319} which could be brought
as evidence on the subject of our inquiry. The questions which had
disturbed the peace of Christendom, and which were agitated in these
Councils, inseparable from a repeated mention of the Virgin Mary's name,
afforded an opportunity at every turn for an expression of the
sentiments of those who composed the Councils, and of all connected with
them, including the Bishop of Rome himself, towards her. It would be
altogether foreign from the purpose of this address to enter in any way
at large upon the character and history of those or the preceding
Councils, yet a few words seem necessary, to enable us to judge of the
nature and weight of the evidence borne by them on the question
immediately before us.

The source of all the disputes which then rent the Church of HIM who had
bequeathed peace as his last and best gift to his followers, was the
anxiety to define and explain the nature of the great Christian mystery,
the Incarnation of the Son of God; a point on which it were well for all
Christians to follow only so far as the Holy Scriptures lead them by the
hand. All parties appealed to the Nicene Council; though there seems to
have been, to say the least, much misunderstanding and unnecessary
violence and party spirit on all sides. The celebrated Eutyches of
Constantinople was charged with having espoused heterodox doctrine, by
maintaining that in Christ was only one nature, the incarnate Word. On
this charge he was accused before a Council held at Constantinople in
A.D. 448. His doctrine was considered to involve a denial of the human
nature of the Son of God. The Council condemned him of heresy, deposed,
and excommunicated him. From this proceeding Eutyches appealed to a
General Council. A council (the authority of which, however, {320} has
been solemnly, but with what adequate reason we need not stop to
examine, repudiated), was convened at Ephesus in the following year, by
the Emperor Theodosius. The proceedings of this assembly were
accompanied by lamentable unfairness and violence. Eutyches was
acquitted, and restored by this council[122]; and his accusers were
condemned and persecuted; Flavianus, Archbishop of Co