also on their lawful Wives Theodorus Theodorus that wrote against Priests Marriages wrote wanton Books a Priest of Trivia a City of that Countrey was the Author and Ringleader of that custom who wrote those amorous and wanton Books the which he made in the prime of his flourishing years and stiled Aethiopica Those in Thessalonica Macedonia and Hellas in Achaia retain the same customs and observations Concerning Baptisme In Thessalia they baptized only in the Concerning Baptisme Easter Holy-dayes as they are called and therefore saith the Historian very many die without Baptism Concerning what is called the Altar The Church so called Concerning the Altar in Antioch in Syria was scituate contrary to other Churches so called for the Altar stands not to the East but towards the West Concerning what is called Service In Hellas Jerusalem and Concerning Service Thessalia Service was said by Candle-light after the manner of the Novations at Constantinople In Caesarea in Cappadocia and at Cyrus the Priests and Bishops did expound the Scripture at Evening-prayer on the Saturdayes and Sundayes by Candle-light The Novations at Hellespont had not the same order and manner of Service as the Novations at Constantinople yet for the most part they imitate the chief Churches among them To be short saith the Historian amongst the customs and observations of all Among all Sects scarce two follow the same Order Sects and Religions we shall not be able to find two which follow and retain one order of Service Concerning Preaching At Alexandria the inferiour Priest did Concerning Preaching use to preach that Order first began when Arius turned upside down the quiet state of the Church Concerning Fasting At Rome they did fast every Saturday Concerning Fasting Concerning Sinning At Caesarea in Cappadocia after the Concerning Sinning manner of the Novations they received not into the Communion such as sin after Baptism a sin unto death So did the Macedonians in Hellespont and such as throughout Asia do celebrate the Feast of Easter the fourteenth day of the month Concerning Marriages The Novations throughout Phrygia Concerning Marriages allow not second Marriages Such of them as were at Constantinople neither received it nor rejected it Those in the West parts of the World admitted it wholly The Originals and Authors of so great diversity saith the Historian were Bishops which governed the Churches at divers and several times such as like of these Rites saith he do commend them to Posterities for Laws But saith he to pen in Paper the infinite and divers Customs and Ceremonies throughout Cities and Countries would be a very tedious work and scarce saith he nay impossible to be done And thus much I have said and thus much I have rehearsed concerning this matter which shall suffice me and now I shall proceed where I left off as to matter of Division and Tumult as this hath been of Confusion the natural Children of imposing Religion or enjoyning Creeds Confusions and forms of Faith which hath produced what hath been here rehearsed and a great deal more during the term of time I have waited upon in this Discourse throughout the World The Christians who as I have said having little or no outward Cap. 22. The divisions of the Christians when the Empire was quiet disturbance at least in comparison to what had been before not only fell into diversity of Opinion and Divisions as I have signified but those so divided fell from their Fellows and upon sundry light and trivial occasions disagreed among themselves The Novations were divided about Easter as I said before The Novations divide about Easter the month and day of the week yet were not content with one division but throughout sundry Provinces they sometimes jarred and sometime joyned together not only about the month but also the day of the week with such like matters of small importance The Arrians were The divisions of the Arrians continually arguing and broaching of intricate quirks which brought their Disputations to very absurd and horrible Opinions and whereas the Church believeth saith the Historian That God is the Father of the Son which is the Word They question Whether God may be called a Father before the Son had his being and because they were of Opinion That the Word of God was not begotten of the Father but had his being of nothing erring in the chief and principal no marvel that they plunged into absurd Opinions Dorotheus who was translated thither from Dorotheus and his Heresie Antioch said That the Father could be neither in Essence nor Appellation if the Son had no being Marinus whom they called Marinus and his Opinion in contradiction out of Thracia before the time of Dorotheus stomaching that Dorotheus was preferred before him supposed that now it was high time to work his feat set himself opposite and maintained the contrary Opinion wherefore they were divided and because saith the Historian of the vain and frivolous questions amongst them parted Companies Dorotheus and those with him continued in their former places Marinus and his Company erected them Chappels and there had private Meetings their conclusion was That the Father was ever a Father yea before the Son had his being The followers of Marinus were called Psathyriani because of The appellation of the followers of Marinus one Theoctistus a waferer boâ—h in Syria and was an earnest maintainer of that side Selenas Bishop of the Goths who was by Selenas Bishop of the Goths Father a Goth by Mother a Phrygian and so able to preach in both Languages was also of that Opinion These were also not long after divided for Marinus contended Marinus contends with Agapius Bishop of Ephesus with Agapius whom he had but lately advanced to the Bishoprick of Ephesus The controversie was not about Religion but of Primacy they strove which of them should be greatest the Goths sided with Agapius wherefore saith the Historian many Clergy-men under these Bishops Jurisdictions perceiving the ambition the rancor and malice of these proud Prelates Not so much of Religion as Ambition forsook quite the Arrian Opinion and imbraced the Faith of one Substance The Arrians being divided among themselves the space of Arrians divided thirty five years The Psathyrians or followers of Marinus make a Law thirty and five years in the end as many as were Psathyrians through perswasion which prevailed with them made an end of brawling saith the History in the Consulship of Theodosius the younger and Plinthus the Pretor who after their reconciliation and agreement made a Law That the Question that was the principal cause of that stir should never again be called into Controversie Notwithstanding it took place no where but in Constantinople for in other Cities where the Arrians had dominion the stir is rife Thus of the Novations and Arrians now concerning the Eunomians Cap. 23 The divisions of the Eunomians Eunomius himself first fell from
gives the Relation Here they were all mistaken for the Council or Synod which A Judgement upon both the Council and Arius their Opinions held the clause of the Sons being of one Substance with the Father speak they did not know what who judged of the Son according to a Carnal Generation who is God from everlasting And Arius with those who opposed it with him who concluded therehence that he was not God as in effect what both parties hold do speak both which things should have been let alone but the medling with them made this jar and contention the evil consequence of which is hereafter to be related The Decree of this Synod by a Solemn Epistle is sent unto Cap. 6. The Synods Decrees sent about by Epistles the Churches throughout Egypt Libia and Pentapolis wherein not only this concerning Arius but the difference concerning Easter hath a determination and Constantine also writes to the Constantine writes also to Alexandria Calls the Decree of the Synod the Sentence of God and instinct of the Holy Ghost Church at Alexandria and otherwhere concerning the matter wherein he calls the censure of this Assembly or the decree of this Synod the Sentence of God himself neither doubted he that so great a company of Bishops was united and linked together in one Opinion and one mind but by the motion and instinct of the Holy Ghost Notwithstanding Sabinus who was tearmed Sabinus Ringleader of the Macedonian Heresie opposes them the Ringleader of the Macedonian Heresie impugned those things tearming those that met at Nice unlearned and doltish Idiots So things grew on to a height for Religion coming hereby to Religion comes now to be National be National or the Emperor siding therewith and making these Decrees as Laws there came to be an injunction and opposition Laws are made and opposition founded was founded on the other side and the Emperor commanded in his Epistle to the Bishops and Congregations throughout Christendom That if there could be found any Book or Work compiled Arius Books ordered to be burnt by Arius that the same should be burned to Ashes This also saith he we straitly command and charge that if any man be found to hide or conceal any Book made by Arius and not immediately bring The Concealers to die the death as soon as taken on them forth the said Book and deliver it up to be burned that the said offender for so doing shall die the death for as soon as he is taken our pleasure is that his Head be struken off from his Shoulders He also wrote against Arius and so the contest grew high and his Example and Laws animated the division and that which in his Letter to Alexander and Arius he reproved and said Hereby I gather All this against his own Letter to Arius and Alexander Part of his said Letter the Original ground of this controversie in that thou Alexander hast demanded of the Elders concerning a certain place of holy Scripture yea rather touching a vain piece of a question what every Opinion was as aforesaid being now become a Law and made so by him woful wreck and mischief came upon the Christian Assemblies although in that his Letter he reasoned to the contrary and said to them Cap. 4. upon the foot of the Unity Wherefore let every of you pardoning each other like of that which your fellow Minister not without cause exhorteth you unto as aforesaid And what is that That you neither object at all neither answer any Objection that concerneth such matters for such questions as no Law or Ecclesiastical Canon necessarily defineth but the fruitless contention of idle brains setteth abroad though the exercise thereof avail for the sharpning of the wit yet ought we to retain them in the inward Closet of our mind and not rashly to broach them in the publick Assembly of the vulgar people neither unadvisedly to grant the common sort the hearing thereof for how many be there that can worthily explicate and sufficiently ponder the weight of so grave so intricate so obscure a matter But if there be any such that perswadeth himself easily to compass and attain unto it how many parts are there I beseech you of the multitude whom he can sufficiently instruct therein And who is there who in sifting out so curious a question that can well pass the peril of plunging into error Wherefore in such cases we must refrain from verbal disputations lest that either we by reason of the imbecility of our Wit cannot explicate our mind either our Auditors when we teach by reason of their dull capacity cannot comprehend the curious drift of our Doctrine whereby the people of necessity either incurreth the danger either of blasphemy or the poysoned infection of discord wherefore both the rash Objection and the unadvised answer being the cause of the heretical Sect of the Arrians Eunomians and as many as favour the like folly ought each one of each other crave pardon Yet how these things came to be bruited abroad and to be made publick His actions judge his Letter and his Letter his actions and a Law made as to these things the contrary to that Law or Decree accursed Arius Books ordered to be burnt those that conceal them presently to be put to death by the sudden striking off their Head from their Shoulders what hath been said makes manifest So see Reader here an exact account of this Schism and Division A repetition of the ground of the difference The difference between the Heathen and the Christians concerning Christ in their Opinion and what was the ground and occasion thereof how it came to be broached and fostered and what made it up The difference between the Heathen and the Christians were Whether Christ was the Son of God The Heathen that held the Negative imposed what they held and put to death and made to suffer the Christians who were on the part of the Affirmative Both persecute and the Christians The Heathen being down the question among the Christians who held the Affirmative was Whether the Son of God was Eternal Arius who held the Negative and all that adhered to one another contrary to him through occasion of some niceties and Philosophical curiosities not understanding the God-head is accursed and prosecuted The others who held the Affirmative imposed what they held and so did persecute All came to be rent in a moment as it were and torn asunder pretending to the same Jesus to Christ who is not divided The Doctrine of Chrich which imposes not Religion who never imposed the Faith of him on any nor gave authority for so doing otherwise than by wayes that are Spiritual not Carnal nor did his Ministers Is Christ divided saith Paul The Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds and every thought and imagination that exalteth it self
departed the City and those of the Faith The Arrians depart The Nicenians take their place of one Substance came into their room and took possession of the Churches Thus whilst the Arrians stood so stubbornly to own their Opinion What the stout Spirit of the Arrians met with Persecution the consequence of Theodosius enforcing the Faith of one Substance as to Faith and Religion as stout a Spirit entered into the Emperor who by little and little introduced a settlement of his own Opinion which was of the Faith of one Substance which he endeavouring to establish contrary to the Universal Liberty which Gratian had granted brought divers Persecutions as is the proper nature of imposing of Religion One hundred and fifty Bishops of the Nicene Faith or of the Cap. 8. A Council at Constantinople of 150 Nicene and 36 Macedonian Bishops By order of Theodosius he seeks to perswade the Macedonians to the Niâ—ene Faith which they had subscribed Creed containing the Clause of one Substance and thirty and six of the Macedonians being met together in a Council at Constantinople which Theodosius had summoned partly to settle a Bishop in Constantinople Gregory being gone to Nazianzum refusing that Bishoprick as aforesaid and partly to confirm the Canons of the Nicene Council he together with the other Bishops greatly endeavoured to bring them over to them urging their Embassy by Eustathius to Liberius of Rome and their Subscription then and that not long before without exception they had communicate throughout every Church with such as held the Faith of one Substance No Arguments prevail this Faith of one Substance still remaining a jar in the way and that they would behave themselves neither godly nor religiously sithence they aforetime had ratified the same Opinion and Faith with them if now again they sought to overthrow such things as before they advisedly decreed but all would not do Their hat answer rather to joyn with the Arrians They leave Constantinople and send their Letters every where against the Nicenian Faith which once they had subscribed The rest place Nectarius in the â—oom of Gregory that was gone They make Patriarks establish the Nicene Faith No Bishop to intermeddle with aâ—others Diocess The Emperor consents The Council ends they said flatly Rather than they would subscribe unto the Faith of one Substance they would hold with the Arrians So they left Constantinople and sent their Letters every where that they should in no wise consent to the Nicene Council The one hundred and fifty Bishops which remained placed Nectarius by Office a Pretor of Noble Lineage whose Ancestors had been Senators Bishop of Constantinople enstalled Constantinople next in the Empire to the Bishoprick of Rome because called New Rome and made Patriarks and established the Nicene Faith and that no Bishop should leave his one Diocess and intermeddle with Forreign Churches which till that time because of Persecution was suffered To all which the Emperor gave his consent so the Council was dissolved Thus things went at Constantinople where the beginning of the This new fire burns after through the Empire new fire kindled which afterward burnt through the Empire which by and by I shall in particular treat of giving only this intimation by the way That Meletius dying at Antioch his Favourites Cap. 9. Meletius Favourites refuse after his death to be under Paulinus contrary to the Oath Flavianus is chosen would not be under the Jurisdiction of Paulinus though the Oath was taken in the former uproar which quieted it that so it should be but chose Flavianus one of the six aforesaid by whom the Oath was taken that it should be submitted So discord rose again in that City and Tumults and Divisions and those of Antioch became to be divided again not about the Faith saith Antioch divided hereabouts the History but the Colleague aforesaid the Faith was concerned but their fond contention in choosing a Bishop for Meletius being made by the Arrian Bishop Paulinus refuseth him as his Colleague as aforesaid The banishment of the Arrians from their Churches caused a Cap. 10. A Council again is called by Theodosius to reconcile if it might be all Opinions for the flame was grown great through the expulsion of the Arrians great flame of tumult and schism to arise every where the Emperor perceiving it summoned a Council of all Opinions if so be possible he might reduce them into one and particularly the Faith which himself held for he had peace as to the Civil State throughout his Dominion At that time the Valiant Captain of the Goths Athanarichus being come in with all his power and shortly after dying at Constantinople and he having created his Son Arcadius He advises with Nectarius how to accompâ—ish his design viz. Theodosius Augustus or Emperor The Bishops of all sorts being come he devised how he might rid the Christians of Contention and Discord and with Nectarius advised for that purpose saying That the Controversies and Quarrels that molested the quiet state of the Church ought to be sifted out and the punishment to light on the Pates of them that were found to be the Authors of Schism and disturbers of Peace and Quietness This made Nectarius very pensive and sad because of the consequence Nectarius consults with Agelius he consults with Agelius Bishop of the Novations who held the same Faith with those of one Substance Agelius was little Agelius with Sisinius at disputation and appoints Sisinius a Reader of his Church who was a man very eloquent well experienced in all things a skilful Interpreter saith the Historian of Holy Scripture and a notable Philosopher who knowing well enough that Disputations would not only not reconcile Schisms but also fire the slimy matters of contention he thus advised That it was best to avoid the Sisinius his Judgment strife of Logical Disputations For this was the manner of the Bishops when they met together in Councils and Synods to cleave Hairs as they use to say at Arguments and they that were most curious and subtile therein were accounted the best Masters of Faith and so carried the matter not according to the Revelation of Truth but the subtilty of man in things relating unto Truth through which came all this adoe and trouble in the World and to lay before them the form of Faith established by their Ancestors and in pursuit hereof the Emperor should demand Whether they made any account of the antient Fathers who governed the Church godly and prudently before the Schism and Division still the matter stood upon man which made all this stir not knowing the Principle of God in and by which only the Truth can indeed be known and determined or condemned them as Aliens and far-estranged from the Christian Faith If they rejected them then let them saith he boldly pronounce them accursed If they presume so bold an enterprize then saith he will the common
a noble Woman came and confessed her sins orderly after Baptism the Priest enjoyned her Fasting and continual Prayers for penance and that together with her confession in word she shewed forth the works of Repentance in deed as she continued a while longer a shriving saith the History she accused her self of another crime and declared That a certain Deacon of that Church had abused her Body for which the Deacon was banished the Church and there being much ado among the People for they were wonderfully incensed and so by the advice of Eudaemon of Alexandria Nectarius Bishop of And the taking of it away through a Priests defiling a noble Woman that came to confess Constantinople took away the Function of the shriving Priest and granted liberty to every one as his Conscience served him to be partaker of the holy Mysteries Great was the diversities of Opinions in Religion among the Cap. 20. Great divisions among the Christians as to Opinion though only the Eunomians were exiled by the Emperor Christians in this day wherein though the outward state of things were not very troublesome for Theodosius molested none of the aforesaid Opinions saving Eunomius whom the Emperor exiled for publishing Books for raising Conventicles at his own private House within Constantinople and denying the others of the publick places within the Cities except the Novations and the Friendship of Authority which lay deep in the Brests of some of them For they thought if all had been equally priviledged there had been offence to none I say Theodosius molested them not otherwise than aforesaid and although things thereby had prety quiet as from Authority yet upon every trifling occasion they break forth among themselves viz. the Arrians Novations They fall out among themselves Macedonians and Eunomians one severing himself from another and these Schisms and Rents were many and too long here to repeat as it is usual where the Unity of the Spirit is not known in the bond of Peace where Logick and Wit and the wisdom which is from beneath takes upon it the determination of Truth In the Suburbs Theodosius gave leave for them to have Conventicles The Heathens the Original of the Word Conventicâ—e the Christians take it up after the same manner and sence for so as I have intimated from the Heathens dayes who were the Original all professions of Religion who stood not with the priviledges of publick Authority received appellation A great ado there was about the successor of Agelius aforesaid in the Novation Church he being very antient appointed Sisinius Much ado about a successor to Agelius and not Marcianus to succeed him The people were troubled hereat because Marcianus preserved them from trouble in the dayes of Valens and was a godly man so the old man was constrained for the cooling of their heat to come as well as he could The poor old man to cool their heat was constrained to come into the Church and declare his Successor Shoâ—tly after which he dies Marcianus succeeds Sabbatius a Jew turns Christian feâ—gnedly is made a Priest Insinuates Jewish observaâ—ion of Easter gets two Priests more to him Seeks to be a Bishop The like attempted at Pazus in Phrygia Marcian is troubled that he laid hands on him and them Sabbat Hypocrisie for he was very feeble into the Church where he said Immediately after my decease you shall have Martianus for your Bishop after Martianus Sisinius Not long after which he died Marcianus becoming their Bishop they were divided again A certain Jew called Sabbatius being turned a Christian was made Priest by Martianus he retained the old root of Judaism in him notwithstanding applyed himself to the Jewish observations with which being not content he sought to be a Bishop seeking to alter by means of two Priests he had got on his side viz. Theoctistus and Macarius the observation of the time called Easter to the Jewish Observation as before the Novations had attempted at Pazus in Phrygia in the time of Valens It grieved Martianus that he had not taken better advisement before he laid his hands on such vain glorious and aspiring minds as he and those Priests were for Sabbatius severed himself at first from the Church on pretence of a Monastical or retired life for that was it which being at first was afterward called Monastical in colour of tenderness of Conscience that he could not administer the Mysteries to certain men that were stumbling-blocks unto him But in process of time shewed himself what he intended in raising Conventicles to his Opinion A Council of Novation Bishops he A Council of Novat Bishops summoned at Angaris about him summoned at Angaris a Town in Bythinia adjoyning to Helenopolis whereunto he cited Sabbatius for he fretted within himself with anger saith the Historian and wished that his hands had been set on pricking Thorns when they were laid upon Sabbatius It seems he had ordained a Jew for a Christian and expostulated the matter with him who pleaded the difference about He is expostulated with about Easter the Celebration of Easter concerning which his Judgment was the Jewish and that at Pazus aforesaid leaning thereunto The Bishops supposing that he enterprized all this in hopes of a Bishoprick made him take an Oath that he would never take upon him Is sworn by the Bishops not to attempt to be a Bishop The Canon read for the indifferency of observing Easter to be a Bishop He having taken this Oath read to him the Canon for the indifferency of Celebrating that time as every one would for there had been a great stir about Easter and the Eastern and Western Churches were divided thereabouts which having done and said what they thought fitting concerning that matter and laid down a Proviso that notwithstanding they should be at Unity and Concord in the Church of God that is those that differed about the Celebrating of that time which they said the Canon for it was of an indifferent matter That business had an end only Sabbatius was beforehand with them for Fasting and He keeps Easter on Saturday and meets with the others on the next day Vigils for he kept Easter on the Saturday and met the next day with the others in the Church and was partaker of the Mysteries which he did for many years and therefore could not be concealed By occasion whereof saith the Historian many simple and ignorant Souls especially in Phrygia and Galatia hoping verily to be justified thereby became earnest followers of him and observing in secret his Celebration of Easter So in the end Sabbatius is said to raise many private Conventicles and forgetting He raises a Conventicle the Oath he had taken was made Bishop of such as addicted And contrary to his Oath was made a Bisâ—op An account of Easter themselves to his kind of Discipline Now concerning Easter and other things into which they were divided it will be necessary that
discoursed a while thereof he concludeth that the Jews were become Servants unto the Law and that such as were called into the Christian Faith were thereby made free He admonisheth us further Not to observe dayes neither months nor years And unto the Colossians he is plain as may be saying That the observation of such things were nothing but a Shadow His words are these Let no man therefore judge you in Meats or Drinks Col. 2. in a piece of a Holy-day or of the New Moon or of the Sabbath which are the shadows of things to come And in the Epistle to the Hebrews he confirmeth the same where he saith Insomuch Heb. 7. that the Priesthood is translated of necessity there must be a translation of the Law Wherein neither doth the Apostle nor the Evangelists press the Christians with the yoake of bondage and servitude but left the remembrance of the Feast of Easter and the observation of other Holy-dayes to their free choice and discretion which have been benefited by such dayes And because men are wont to keep Holy-dayes for to refresh their weary some bodies already pining with pain and labour Therefore it cometh to pass that every one in every place of a certain custom do celebrate of their own accord the remembrance of the Lords Passion for neither our Saviour nor his Apostles have commanded us any where to observe it neither have they laid it down as a Law neither have the Evangelists and Prophets threatned us or enjoyned us a penalty or punishment as the Law of Moses hath done to the Jews but only the Evangelists make mention of this Feast partly for the great shame of the Jews who defiled their Bodies and prophaned their holy Feasts with blood and slaughter and partly also to signifie that our Saviour suffered death for the Salvation of mankind in the dayes of unleavened Bread the drift of the Apostle was not to lay down Canons and Decrees concerning Feasts and Holy-dayes but to become Patterns unto us of Piety of good Life and godly Conversation I am of Opinion saith he that as many other things crept in of custom in sundry places so the Feast of Easter too hath prevailed among all people of a certain private custom and observation Insomuch that as I said before not one of the Apostles have any where prescribed to any man as much as one rule of it Thus much concerning Easter now of Lent The occasion Concerning Lent of Fasting usually observed before Easter as it appeareth to the whole World hath been diversly observed Such as inhabit Rome do fast three weeks together before Easter excepting the Saturday and Sunday Illyricum all Greece together with Alexandria begin their fasting dayes six weeks before Easter and that space they call forty dayes fasting or Lent others contrary to the aforesaid customs begin to fast seven weeks before Easter yet in all that while they use abstinency but only fifteen dayes pausing between every one of them and these few dayes they call forty days fasting or Lent so that I cannot chuse but marvel saith the Historian that they differing in number of dayes yet all joyntly do call every of their observations forty dayes fasting or Lent Others have derived the Etymology of the word as it pleaseth them best according to the invention of their own brain Neither was there this difference only about the number of dayes but also hath there been a great diversity about the kinds of meat for some have abstained from every living Creature some of all the living Creatures feed only upon Fish others together with fish feed upon the Fowls of the Air affirming as Moses saith That their Original is of the Water Others eat neither Nuts nor Apples nor any kind of Fruit nor Eggs neither some feed only upon dry Bread some others received none of that some who when they had fasted till nine of the Clock they refreshed nature with divers sorts of meats other Nations had other customs the manner and causes saith the Historian are infinite But saith he insomuch there is no man able to shew a President or Record thereof in writing it is plain that the Apostle left free choice and liberty unto every man at his own discretion without fear compulsion and restraint to addict himself unto that which seemed good and commendable We know saith he for most certain that this diversity of fasting is rife throughout the World Thus of Lent Again concerning the Communion There were sundry observations Concerning the Communion and customs for though in manner saith the Historian all the Churches throughout the World do celebrate and receive the holy Mysteries every Sabbath Day after other yet the people inhabiting Alexandria and Rome of an old Tradition do not use it The Egyptians adjoyning unto Alexandria together with the Inhabitants of Thebais use to celebrate it on Sunday yet did they not receive the Communion as the manner is among the Christians for when they had banqueted and filled themselves with sundry delicate dishes in the evening after Service as it was called they used to communicate Again at Alexadria on the Thursday and Friday the Scriptures were read the Interpreters expounded them all the solemnity for the Communion is accomplished yet then the Communion not received and this was an old and antient custom at Alexandria It is well known saith the Historian that Origen flourished in those dayes in the Church who being a wise and discret Doctor and expounder of Holy Scripture perceiving that the Precepts of Moses Law could no way litterally be understood gave forth of the Passeover a Mystical and more Divine kind of Interpretation viz. That there was but only one true Passeover or Easter the which our Origen's notable observation concerning the Communion or Easter once only offered or celebrated by Christ on the Tree Concerning Readers in the Church Saviour effectually celebrated saith he at his nayling on the Tree when he encountered with the power of darkness and tryumphed over the Devil and all his works Thus as to the Communion Again as to the Readers The Readers and Interpreters of the Scriptures at Alexandria were the Catechumenists or Baptized it forced not when as the custom in other Churches or Countries is to admit none into that Function unless he be first baptized Concerning the Priests I remember saith the Historian Concerning Priests and their Maâ—rying another custom that is in force in Thessalia that is If he that is a Priest after the receiving of Orders do keep company with his Wife the which he married being a Lay-man he is forthwith deposed of the Ministry Yea when as saith he all the famous Priests throughout the Eastern parts of the World and the Bishops And the Bishops also refrain the company of their Wives at their own choice without Law or Compulsion For many of them saith he notwithstanding the Administration and Government of their Bishopricks beget Children
Eudoxius who had chosen him Bishop of Cyzicum because he would not admit his Master Aetius lately excommunicated into the Church Others called after his name parted themselves into several Sects Theophrinius a Cappadocian one that was trained up under Eunomius Theophrinius and his Heresie in quirks of Logick and captious Fallacies and having Aristotles Predicaments and Perihermenias at his fingers end wrote Books intituling them The Exercise of the Mind Because of which he became hated of his own Sect and accounted by He is hated of his own Sect. them as an Apostate whereupon he raised private Conventicles and left behind him an Heresie intituled with his Appellation At Constantinople Eutichius fell from the Eunomians upon Eutichius divides from them also light and trifling occasions and frequented several Meetings The followers of Theophronius were called Eunomotheophrani From these two came the Eunomotheophrani and the Eunomilutichians What fond things they brawled about the Historian saith he thinks not needful to lay down in writing but concerning Baptisme which saith he they corrupted they Baptize not in the Name of the Trinity but the death of Christ Thus of the Eunominians Lastly concerning the Macedonians The divisions of the Macedonians Eutropius Carterius divided from one another for these things are necessary to be particularly instanced Eutropius a Priest gathered a several company of such matters as he thought good saith the History to follow his Tail Carterius also of the same Sect divided himself from him And of these arose others among the Cities I of my own part saith Socrates the Historian inasmuch as I led my life here at Constantinople where I was born bred and brought up no marvel though I write more at large of the famous Acts within this City partly seeing that I saw most of them with mine eyes and partly also insomuch they are more famous and thought far worthy of memory than any other Acts. These things reigned not at one but at sundry times the several names of these and all other Sects may be found particularly by those that are disposed thereunto and to learn them exactly in Epiphanius his Book Bishop of Cyprus intituled Ancyrotus Whilst these things cluttered so and were divided among the Cap. 24. The Common-Wealth rouls as the Christians are divided Christians the outward state of the Common-Wealth was not at rest but very troublesome One Eugenius who was first a Grammarian then a Courtier in the Western Empire Guard to the Eugenius conspires the death of Valentinianus who is smothered in his bed Emperors Person then his Treasurer being a politick man and then puft up with pride consulted with Arbogastes of the lesser Galatia by Office Captain in condition barbarous and behaviour cruel and together conspired the death of Valentinianus the Emperor which to effect they dealt with the Eunuches of the Emperors Chamber who as he slept stifled him to death through which Eugenius got the Empire of the Western part of the Gets the Empire of the West World behaving himself after the wonted guise of Tyrants Theodosius hearing of this was very sorry yet prepares to give Theodosius troubled hereat prepares for Battel Anno. 396. him Battel as he had done to Maximus So having made his Son Honorius Emperor in his third Consulship and the first of Abundantius the tenth of January having gathered great forces together began his march into the West leaving both his Sons behind Leaves his Sons Emperors him Emperors at Constantinople whom to aid against this Tyrant many of the Barbarous Nations beyond Illyricum came The Barbarians freely joyn with him freely and of their own accord Into France he came with great power Eugenius having there drawn together multitudes of men and fortified themselves the Camp was pitched and the They fight in France The Battel doubtful The Barbarians woâ—sted Theodosius troubled falls prostrate and prayes Battel fought by the River Phrygdus As the Battel was doubtful when the Romans came to fight hand to hand So among the Barbarians that came to aid Theodosius Eugenius had the upper hand Theodosius seeing the Barbarians foyled overthrown was wonderfully pensive and falling down prostrate on the ground prayed to God for aid and assistance who heard him and he obtained his suit for Macurious his Captain putting on a venturous and valiant courage got him where the Barbarians were foyled came to the Standard joyned with him the other chief Captains encountered the Enemy brake the Array made them to fly and pursued the flight Immediately after proceeded another strange Eugenius is routed The wind turns the Arrows on Eugenius Act there arose such blustring blasts of Winds as turned Eugenius s Darts the Usurper on their own sides and the Arrows of Theodosius forcibly on the armed Souldiers of Eugenius Which so coming to pass Eugenius falling at Theodosius's feet craved mercy Eugen. falls at Theodosius's Feet The Souldiers strike off his head but as he kneeled the Souldiers of Theodosius struck Eugenius's head from his Shoulders These things were done on the sixth of September in the third Consulship of Arcadius and the second of Honorius in the year 396. In the which I have been the more particular to shew into what a narrow strait Theodosius was brought and how at length the Lord turned the hand he had brought against him who gave occasion of trouble by enforcing of Religion so far forth as hath been manifested Arnogastus the Author of so great a slaughter seeing that by Aâ—nogastus the Conspiâ—ator falls on his own Sword flight there was no possibility to escape ran upon his own Sword and dispatched himself The travel and great toyl Theodosius the Emperor took about Cap. 25. Theodosius falls ill these things made him ill at ease which when the Disease increased so that he saw he must conclude his natural race he was more troubled with the cares and doubts of the setling the Common-Wealth than the finishing of his course and considering how many calamities commonly happen when the Empire is divided therefore he sent for Honorius his Son from Constantinople Sends for Honorius purposing by him to establish tranquillity in the West When his Son was come to Millain he was something recovered so that He somewhat recovers he held the tryumph of his Victory and in the morning was present thereat but in the afternoon he was so suddenly taken with his Disease that he could not go but charged his Son to see all accomplished and the night following departed this life in the Dies the next night sixtieth year of his Age and the sixteenth year of his Reign whom his two Sons Arcadius and Honorius succeeded who between Anno. 397. Arcadius and Honorius succeed them divided the Eastern and Western parts of the Empire Theodosius being dead his Sons took in hand the Government Socrat. lib 6. cap 1. Both govern peaceably of the Empire