b CENTURY CENTURY VI. CHAP. I. THE LIFE OF FULGENTIUS, AND THE STATE OF Ν THE AFRICAN CHURCHES IN HIS TIME. IN the year 496, a ftorm began again to lower over A.D. the African Churches. Thrafamond, whofe 496. reign then commenced, as obftinate in Arianism as Huneric, but more fagacious and lefs bloody, mingled the arts of gentleness and severity against them. On the one hand he ftrove to gain over the orthodox by lucrative motives, on the other he forbad the ordination of bishops in the vacant Churches *. But Eugenius, whofe faithfulness had been fo feverely tried in the former perfecution, was called to fleep in Jefus before the commencement of this. The African bishops fhewed however that divine grace had not forfaken them. They determined unanimously not to obey an order, which threatened the extinction of orthodoxy. They ordained bishops, and filled the vacant Sees, though they forefaw the probability of Thrafamond's refentment But they thought it their duty to take care of their flocks at this hazard, rather than to feem to confent to the king's unrighteous prohibitions. Thrasamond enraged, determined to banish them all. Fulgentius was juft at that time chosen bishop of Rufpæ. In him we behold another inftance of the effects of the religion revived under Auguftine. Fulgentius's VOL. III. * See Fleury, B. XXX. Vol. ii. life |