reprehension of the world the deuell Antichrist promise of the holy ghost adoption of God fayth euery vvhere required of vs euery vvhere the father and the sonne and if throughout all the character of both vvere noted the frase of the gospell epistle shal be found altogether on but the reuelation farre differeth froÌ„ both resembleth not the same no not in one vvord neither hath it any one syllable correspondeÌ„t to the other vvrytings of Iohn for the epistle I vvill say nothing of the Gospell neuer thought vpon neither made any mention of the reuelation neither the reuelation on the other side of the epistle vvhen as Paul gaue vs an inklinge or somvvhat to vnder stand in his epistles of his reuelations yet not intitling them so that he vvould call them reuelations moreouer by the frase thereof vve may perceaue the difference betvvene the Gospell the epistle and the reuelation â–ª for they are vvrytten so artificially accordinge vnto the greeke frase vvith most exquisit vvords syllogismes and setled expositions that they seeme farre from offending in any barbarous terme soloecisme or ignoraÌ„t error at all for the Euangelist had as it appeareth both the gift of vtterance the gift of knovvledge for as much as the Lord had grauÌ„ted him both the grace of vvisdom science as for the other I vvll not gaynsay but that he savv a reuelation but that also he receaued science and prophecy yet for all that I see his greeke not exactly vttered the dialect and proper frase not obserued I find him vsing barbarous frases in some places soloecismes vvhich presentlye to repeate I thinke it not necessary neither vvrite I these thinges findinge fault vvith oughte lett no man accuse me thereof but onely I doe vvey the diuersitie of both vvorkes CAP. XXV The epistles and workes of Dionysius b. of Alexandria BEsides these there are extante other epistles of Dionysius whereof some he wrote agaynst Sabellius vnto Ammon byshop of Bernice â–ª afterwards on to Telesphorus one to Euphranor an other to Ammon and Euporus of the same argument he wrote foure bookes and dedicated them to Dionysius of the same name with him byshop of Rome againe sundry other epistles and volumes in forme of epistles as his Physicks dedicated vnto his sonne Timotheus An other tracte of temptations the which also he dedicated to Euphranor And wrytinge to Basilides byshop of Pentapolis diocesse he reporteth him selfe in the beginninge to haue published commentaries vpon Ecclesiastes he left behinde him sundry epistles for the posteritie But so farre of Dionysius workes Nowe it remayneth that we deliuer vnto the posteritie the history of this our age CAP. XXVI Of Dionysius byshop of Rome of Paulus Samâ—satenus the Hâ—reticke denyinge the diuinitiâ— of Christ and the Synode heldâ— at Antioch condemninge his heresie WHen Xystus had gouerned the Churche of Rome eleuen yeares Dionysius of the same name with him of Alexandâ—ia succeeded him About that time also when Demetrianus byshop of Antioch had departed this life Paulus Samosatenus came in his place And because he thought of Christ basely abiectly and contrary to the doctrine of the Church to wete that he was by nature a common man as we are Dionysius byshop of Alexandria was sent for to the Synode who by reason of his greate age the imbecilitie of his body differred his comminge and in the meane while wrote his censure of the sayde question in an epistle â–ª the other byshops one from one place an other from an other place hastened to Antioch and mett with the rotten sheepe which corrupted the flocke of Christ CAP. XXVII Of the famous byshops which were present at the Synode helde at Antioch AMonge these as chiefe florished Firmilianus byshop of Caesarea in Cappadocia Gregorius and Athenodorus who were bretherne and byshops of the Churches in Pontus besides these Elenus byshop of Tarsus and Nieomas byshop of Iconium Moreouer Hymenaus byshop of Ierusalem Theotecnus byshop of Câ—sarea in Palaestina and Maximus byshop of Bostra I might haue repeated an infinite mo both ministers and deacons who mett for the same cause at Antioch but these aforenamed were the most famous amonge them â–ª When all came together at seuerall times and sundry sessions they did argue and reason hereof Samosatenus together with his complices endeuored to couer and conceale the variablenes of his opinioÌ„ but the rest practised with all might possible â—o saye bare and â—ett wyde open his blasphemy against Christ In the meane while Dionysius byshop of Alexandria departed this life the twelfe yeare of Galienus his raygne after he had gouerned the Churche of Alexandria seuenteene yeares and him succeeded Maximus CAP. XXVIII Of Claudius the Emperour and the seconde Synode held at Antioch where Malchion confuted Samosatenus WHen Galienus had raygned vnder the regall scepter the space of fifteene yeares Claudius his successor was created Empetour This Claudius hauinge continewed two yeares committed the empire to Aurelianus vnder whome was summoned the last the greatest synode of all celebrated of many bishops where the author of that heresie and strauÌ„g doctrine was taken shorte publiquely condemned of all seuered banished excommunicated the Catholicke and vniuersall Church vnder heauen and among all the rest Malchion a man besides sundry other his gifts very eloquent skilfull in sophistry moderator in morall discipline of the schole at Antioch for his sincere faith in Christ made minister there of the same congregatioÌ„ reproued him in reasoning for a slippery waueringe and obscure marchant â–ª he so vrged with reasons this Samosatenus and the notaries penned them which vnto our tyme were extant that alone of all the rest he was able to â—osse and wringe this dissemblinge and wily hereticke CAP. XXIX The Epistle of certaine byshops contayninge the Actes of the Synode helde at Antioch against paulus Samosatenus and of the heretickes life and trade of liuing WIth vniforme consent of all the byshops then gathered together they wrote an epistle vnto Dionysius byshop of Rome Maximus byshop of Alexandria senâ— it abrode into all prouinces in the which they reuealed vnto the world their great labor industry the peruerse variablenes of Paulus the reprehensions and obiections proposed against him his conuersation trade of liuing whereof for memories sake I thinke it not amisse to alleage some part for the posterity which is thus written Vnto Dionysius Maximus and all our fellowe byshops elders deacons throughout the worlde to the whole vniuersall catholicke church vnder heauen Helenus Hymenaeus Theophilus Theotecnus Maximus Proclus Nicomas Aemilianus Paulus Bolanus Protegenes Hierax Entychius Theodorus Malchion Lucius with all the other byshops who with vs inhabite the borderinge cyties and ouersee the nations togetherwith the elders and deacons and holy Churches of God to the beloued brethren in the Lord sende greeting Vnto this salutation after a fewe
his sonne and for his familiaritie with Pamphilus martyr he was called Eusebius Pamphilus So farre Ierome THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF EVSEBIVS PAMPHILVS BISHOP OF CAESAREA IN PALESTINA The proëme of Eusebius to his Historye THE successions of the holy Apostles together vvith the tymes from our Sauiour vnto vs hither to continevved and those things vvhich are sayd to be done according vnto the Ecclesiasticall historye vvhat they are hovve greate and vvho decently haue gouerned the Churche specially in the most famous prouinces also vvho in all ages haue set forth the heauenly doctrine eyther by preaching or by vvriting and agayne vvhat men hovve many vvhen through desire of noueltye and error falling into extremityes haue published them selues Authors of knovvledge falsely so called cruelly rent a sunder as rauening vvolues the flocke of Christ moreouer vvhat euils forthvvith haue fallen vpon the vvholeâ—ation of the Ievves because of their conspiracye against our Sauiour and againe hovvmany by vvhat meanes and in vvhat times the vvorde hath bene of the Gentils striuen against and vvhat singuler men in all tymes haue passed and gone throughe bitter conflicts for his name sake euen by sheding of their bloode and suffring of torments and beside â–ª all this the martyrdomes done in our tyme together vvith the mercifull and comfortable ayde of our Sauiour tovvardes euery one louingly exhibited I determining to publishe in vvriting vvill not beginne of any other place my entraunce then of the first order in doinge or dispensation of our Sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ â–ª but truely the circumstance it selfe euen in the beginning craueth pardon being greater then our strength can sustayne I confesse in deede that vvhich vve promise to be absolute and that vvhich vve professe to omitte nothing to be a thinge incomprehensible For vve first taking this argument in hande endeuoringe to treade a solitary and vntroden vvaye praying that God may be our guyde and the povver of our Lorde and Sauiour our present helper and ayder yet can vve no vvhere finde as much as the bare steppes of suche as haue passed the same path before vs hauinge onely smaâ—â— shevves and tokens vvherevvith diuers here and there in their seueral tymes haue lefte vnto vs particuler declarations as it vvere certaine sparcles vvhilest that they lift their voyces from farre and from aboue from vvhence as from an highe place and inuisible crying as out of a certayne vvatchtovver horne vvhat vvaye vve ought to goe and hovve to directe vvithout error and daunger the vvay and order of our talke vvhatsoeuer thinges therefore vve thinke profitable for this present argument choosing those thinges vvhich of them are here and there mentioned and as it vvere culling and gathering the commodious and fitt sentences of such as haue vvritten of olde as flovvres out of medovves bedecked vvith reason vve vvill endeuour in shevving the vvay of historye to compact the same as it vvere into one body being also desirous to retayne from obliuion the successions althoughe not of all yet of the most famous Apostles of 〈◊〉 Sauiour according vnto the Churches most notable and yet freshe had in memorye I suppose verily that I haue taken in hand an argument very necessary because that I haue fouâ—â— no vvhere any Ecclesiasticall â—…ter vvhich in this behalfe vnto this day hath imployed any parte of diligence I hope 〈◊〉 it vvilbe a very profitable vvorke for the studious thâ— is earnenestly sett to knovve the vtilitie of this historye And of these thinges heretofore vvhen that I compiled certayne Chronicall Canons I vvrote an Epitome but the more ample declaration thereof I thought good to reserue vntill this present â–ª and the beginning as I sayd vvill I take of the dispensation and diuinity of our Sauiour Christ higher and deeper to be considered then that vvhich concernes his humanity for it is requisite for him that comitteth to vvriting an Ecclesiastical historye thence to beginne euen from the chiefe dispensation of Christ deuiner then it seemeth to many in so much that of him vve are termed Christians T. V. CAP. I. A summarye recit all of thinges concerning the diuinitie and humanitie of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ BEcause therefore the consideration of the maner in Christ is two folde the one consisting as a head on the bodye by the which he is vnderstoode God the other to be pondered with paces by the which he hath put on man like vnto vs subiecte to passions for our saluations sake We shal make a right rehersal of those thinges which folowe if that first we begin the declaration of the whole history from them which are principal and most proper pillers of this doctrine In the meane space the auncientrie and dignitie of Christian Antiquitie shal against them be declared which suppose this religion newe straunge of late and neuer hearde of before but to declare the generation dignitie essence and nature of Christe no speache can sufficiently serue sithence that the holy Ghost in the prophets hath testified His generation vvho shal be able to declare for the father no man hath knovven but the sonne neither at any time hath any knovven the sonne vvorthely but the father alone vvhiche begate him This light going before the worlde and all worlde 's the intellectual and essentiall wisdome and the liuing worde of God being in the beginning with the father who but the father alone hath rightly knowen which is before euery creature and workemanship both of visible and inuisible thinges the first and only sonne of God chiefe captayne of the coelestiall rationall and immortall hoaste the Angel of the great counsel executour of the secrete will of the father maker and worker of all thynges together with y â— father whiche after the father is cause and auctor of all thinges the true and only begotten sonne of God Lorde md God and King of all thinges whiche are created receauing dominion and rule of the father hy the same diuinitie power and glorye for according to the mysticall diuinitie concerning him in the scripture In the beginning vvas the vvorde and the vvorde vvas vvith God and God vvas the vvorde â–ª the same vas in the beginning vvith God â–ª all thinges vvere made by it and vvithoutit vvas nothing made that vvas made The same doth Moses the most auncient of al the prophets testifie for describing by inspiration of the holy spirite the substance and disposition of the vniuersall worlde he sheweth the framer and workeman of all thinges God to haue graunted to Christ him selfe and none other that is his deuine and only begotten worde the framing of these inferior thinges For vnto him conferring about the creation of man God sayde sayth he let vs make man after our ovvne likenesse and similitude And with this saying agreeth an other prophet thus speaking of God in Hymnes and saying He spake and they vvere made he commaunded and they
is practised in this levvd fact of theirs ether they persvvade them selues that the holie scriptures vvere not endited by the instinct of the holy ghost so are they infidels or else they thinke thē selues vviser thē the holy ghost vvhat other thing do they in that then shevv thē selues possessed of a deuill they cā not deny this their bold enterprise for they haue vvrittē these things vvith their ovvne hands they can not shevv vs vvho instructed them vvho deliuered them such scriptures vvhence they trāslated their copie◠diuerse of them voutchsafe not to corrupt the scriptures but flattly they denie the lavve and the prophetes vnder pretense of their detestable and impious doctrine of fayned grace they fall into the bottomlesse gulfe of perdition but of them thus muche shall suffice The ende of the fyft booke THE SIXT BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF EVSEBIVS PAMPHILVS BISHOP OF CAESAREA IN PALAESTINA CAP. I. Of the persecution vnder the Emperour Seuerus WHen as Seuerus persecuted the churche of God there were noble martyrdomes of suche as suffered for the profession of the true faith ▪ but speciallye at Alexandria whither chosen champions out of Aegypt and all Thebais as vnto a moste notable Theatre of God were brought and after a moste pacient sufferance of simdry tormentes and diuerse kindes of deathe were crowned of God with garlandes of immortalltie Of this number was Leonides called the father of Origen and there beheaded who left his sonne very yonge and of tender yeares howe also he was disposed and affected towardes Christian religion from that tyme forth it shall not be at this tyme vnseasonably written Specially for that he is famous and renowned throughout the whole worlde Some man will saye it is no small peece of worke to printe in paper the lyfe of this man and that it will require a whole volume to it selfe but at this present cutting of many things vsing as muche breuitie as may be we will runne ouer certaine thinges which concerne him selected out of their epistles and histories which were his familiars whereof some lyued in our tyme and reported certaine things of him To be short we will declare suche things as shall seeme worthye of memorie and that were done from his cradell vnto this tyme. Seuerus then had ended tenne yeares Laetus then gouerned Alexandria and the rest of Aegypte ▪ Demetrius lately after Iulianus had taken vpon him the ouersight of the congregations there CAP. II. Origen desirous of Martyrdome was in greate daunger and beyng delyuered he professed diuinitie at Alexandria with earnest studie and led a maruaylous honest lyfe THe heate of persecution was very vehemēt an infinite number of persons were crowned with Martyrdome when as Origen yet verye yonge bare in his minde a feruent desire of Martirdome so that he hazarded himselfe skipped and brake forth and coueted voluntarily to be doyng in that daungerous combatt Yea narrowsie did he escape for it had coste him his life had not the diuine and celestiall prouidence of God stayed him by the meanes of his mother to the further commoditie and profite of many She at the firste entreated him with manye wordes to tender hir motherly affection but perceauing him to be more vehemently incensed and kindled ▪ knowing his father to be kept in close prison and wholly minded to suffer Martyrdome she constrayned him to remaine at home hydinge from him all his apparrell He then being able to do no other thinge more prompte in minde than rype in yeares could not reste wrote vnto his father a letter in the whiche he exhorteth him thus O father faynt not neither imagin◠amisse bicause of vs. Let this be the firste token of the industrie and syncere minde of Origen in his childhood towards christian religiō set forth in this our history ▪ for he beyng of a child trained vp exercised in holy scripture shewed then no small signes of the doctrine of faith his father furthered him not a little to the knowledge of them when as besides the studie of liberall artes he instructed him in these not as the lesser parte For first of all before the exercise of prophane literature he instructed him in holy Scripture and demaunded of him daily a certaine taske of that he learned and rehearsed And this trade was not vnprofitable for him being a child but he grewe therby vnto such facility and promptnes that he contented not him selfe with the bare and casual reading of the words but sought farther searching the perfect and profound vnderstanding therof so that diuers times he would set his father demaunding of him what was meant by this that place of holy Scripture But his father checked him to his face in outward sight admonishing him not to search ought aboue the capacity of his yeares more then plaine letter gaue to vnderstand Yet to him selfe he reioyced greatly yelding vnto God the author of all goodnes harty thankes for that he had made him the father of such a sonne The report goeth that the father often vncouered the breast of his sonne in his sleepe and solemnly kissed it as if the holy ghost had taken there the inner parte for his priuy closset and thought him selfe happy of such an ofspringe These and the like thinges they remember to haue happened vnto Origen being yet a childe When his father dyed a Martyr he was left an orphane of the yeares of seuenteene with his mother and other children his brethren to the number of six his father◠substance was confiscated to y ◠Emperours treasorie y ◠want of necessaries pinched him together with his mother brethren he casteth his care vpon the diuine prouidence of God he is receaued and refreshed of a certain matrone which was very ritch also religious which harbored in her house a certaine man of Antioche an errant heretike of the sect then fresh at Alexandria one that was accepted of her for her sonne and deare friende Origen then of necessitie vsing his company shewed forth manifest proofes of his cleaning fast vnto y ◠right and true faith For when as an infinite multitude not only of heretikes but also of the true faith frequented vnto Paulus so was he called for he was counted a profounde and a wise man he could not be perswaded to be present with him at prayers but obserued the canon of the Church from a childe and detested ▪ as he witnesseth him selfe in a certaine place the doctrine of heretikes he was of his father absolutely instructed in the profane learning of y ◠Gentils but after his fathers death he applied a litle more diligently the study of rhetoricke and hauing before meanely applied humanity now after the death of his father he so addicteth him vnto it that in short space he got sufficiency to serue his turne both tollerable for the time correspondent to his yeares for he being idle at schole as he
to build hath not yet vnto this day rested one while framinge in you all glistering gold an other while tried and purified siluer and precious stones to the end he may accomplish a fresh in you by workes themselues the sarred and mysticall prophecy which is thus read Behold I vvyll make thy vvalls of precious stone and thy fundations of Saphires thy bulwarks of Iasper thy gates of Crystall and thy borders of chosen stones Thy children shall be taught of God I will geue all thy children plenteousnes of peace and in righteousnes shalt thou be groūded Therefore building in righteousnes he hath proportionably seuered y ◠powers of the whole people by some comprising the only outward wall he hath fortified the fayth that is void of error But this people being many great in nūber is not fitt to resemble the buylding of a more excellent worke Vnto some he committed the entrances of the house geuing them in charge to watch the dores and to guide suche as enter in who not vnworthely are shewed to be the porches of the temple Some he hathe firmely sett about the inner court with chiefe pillers after the maner of a quadrāgle and to the chiefe bulwarks he hath referred the Scripture of the foure Euangelists Againe some he hath coupled with fortresses one eyther side about the princely pallace which as yet are nouices in the faith they both increase and prosper yet sett farther of from the inward holy cōtemplation of the faithful Of these hath he taken the incorrupt soules purified with the deuine fountaine after the maner of gold others hath he sett vp with pillers farre mightier then those outward out of the inner wrytings of mysticall Scripture and sett them forth liuely to minister light The glorious doctrine of the high supreme king that is of the one and onely God hathe adorned the whole temple with one porche and the same very notable He hath atributed the seconde bewtifull brightnes vnto the power of Christ and to the power of the holy ghost and euery where vnto the power of the Father as for y ◠rest he hath expressed the excellency of euery trueth both plentifull and manifold throughout the whole house euery way forth and one euery side he hath buylded a great a princely and a noble house full of light throughout with liuely seasoned sure and chosen stones of the soules He hathe bewtified the inner and vtter partes with the moste florishing atyre of continency and temperance in so muche as they consist not onely of soule and mind but also of body There are also in this temple thrones and infinite vnder seates and receptacles in all those soules wherein the graces of the holy Ghost haue their abode such as of olde appeared vnto them which had their conuersation with the holy Apostles of whom also clouen tongues were seene as if they had bene fire and rested vpon ech one of them ▪ but whole Christ him selfe hath fastened his seate in him which gouerneth all in others secondarily next after him placed rateably as euery ones capacitie can comprise the diuisiōs of the power of Christ and his holy spirit The vnder seates are both Angels and soules of certayne men euen of such as are committed vnto euery on for institution custodies sake The noble the great and onely altar what other thinge is it than the most holy place y ◠sincerity of the priests soule which is common to all at y ◠right hand of which altar standeth the great high priest of all Iesus himselfe the only begottē sonne of God which directeth vnto the father of heauen and the vniuersall God that sweete smellinge perfume the vnbloody and spirituall sacrifices of prayers receaued of all with swift eyes and stretched out armes first of all he himself with adoration and alone exhibiteth due honor vnto the father and next prayeth that he wil be vnto vs all pacified and gentle firmely and for euer This greate temple which is in the whole worlde vnder the sunne the great workeman of al ▪ euē the word of God hath ordained and againe he hath finished vpon earth this spirituall likenes of them which clime ouer the same circular forme of the heauens that the father might be honored and worshiped through him of euery creature and resonable thinges on this earth againe he hath made the supercelestial hoste and the shewes of these things there to be seene to be short that Ierusalem which they call newe and Sion the celestiall mounte and supernaturall cytye of the liuing God in the which infinite solemne troups of Angels the church of the first begotten which are wryttē in heauen do honor with secret and vnsearchable prayses our maker and the g◅ll prince of all whome no mortall man can worthely sett forth For the eye hathe not seene and the eare hath not heard neyther hathe the harte of man conceaued the things vvhich God prepared for them that loue him Whereof we nowe partly beinge thought worthy both men women and children all together as well smale as great with one spirit and with one soule lett vs not ceasse with thankesgeuinge to celebrate the author of so greate benefits bestowed vpon vs ▪ VVhich hath mercy on all our sinnes and cureth all our maladyes vvhich hathe redemed our life from destruction he crovvneth vs in loue and mercies and filleth our desire vvith goodnes For he hathe not dealt vvith vs acordinge vnto our sinnes neyther revvarded vs accordinge vnto our iniquities For looke hovve farre the east is from the vveast so farre hath he sett our sinnes from vs. And euen as a father tendreth his sonnes so hathe the Lorde tendered suche as feare him Ponderinge therefore in our mindes these thinges alwayes hereafter and settinge before our mynde the author and solemnizer of this presente feaste of this ioyfull and renowmed daye yea daye and night euery houre and as I may so saye vnto the last gaspe embracinge and reuerenringe him with all the mighte of our minde and nowe risinge lette vs humblye beseeche him with the greate voyce of our earnest desires that he kepe and defende vs in his sheepe foulde vnto the ende and that he alwayes gouerne the peace whiche he him selfe hathe graunted neuer to be broken alwayes immoueable in Christ Iesu our Sauiour to whome be glory world without ende Amen CAP. V. The edicts of Constantinus and Licinnius toutching Christian religion and the libertie thereof GO to nowe lett vs proceede on annexe the coppies of the imperiall edicts of Constantinus and Licinnius translated out of the Romayne into the Greeke tongue as followeth VVeyinge vvith our selues that of olde the liberty of religion vvas not to be hindered and that euery one had licence after his minde and vvill vve haue presently commaunded that euery one shall handle the holy affayres at his pleasure and that the christians shall retayne the fayth of they re former opinion
generall couÌ„cell of Nice is this VVe beleue in one God the father almighty maker of all things visible inuisible and in one Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God the onely begotten sonne of the father that is of the substance of the father God of God lyght of lyght very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance vvith the father by whome all things were made both the things in heauen and the things in earth VVho for vs men and for our saluation came dovvne and vvas incarnate he vvas made man he suffred and rose the thirde daye he ascended into the heauens he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the deade And vve beleeue in the holie Ghost therefore they vvhich say that there vvas a time vvhen he vvas not before he vvas begotten or that he had his beginning of nothing or that he is of an other substaÌ„ce or essence or that affirme the sonne of God to be made or to be conuertible or mutable these the Catholicke Apostolicke church of God doth pronounce for accursed This faith three hundred eighteene bishops haue confirmed and all consented thereunto and as Eusebius writeth they all with one voice and one minde subscribed therevnto fyue onely excepted which allowed not of this clause to weâ—e Of one substance by name Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia Theognis of Nice Maris of Chalcedon Theônas of Marmarica and Secundus of Ptolemais For they affirmed that to be Of one substance which hath his originall of some thing either by diuision or deriuation or production By production as a budde out of the rootes by deriuation as children of the parents by diuision as two or three peeces out of a masse of golde The sonne of God by relation was after none of these maners and therefore they sayde they would not agree vnto the forme of faith confirmed in the councell of Nice Wherevpon they derided exceedingly the clause of One substance and would not subscribe vnto the deposition of Arius For which cause the councell not only accursed Arius and all his adherents but also forbad him Alexandria Morouer by the Emperours edict Arius Eusebius Theognis were exiled whervpoÌ„ Eusebius Theognis in a while after they were banished gaue vp a booke of their coÌ„uersion repeÌ„taÌ„ce signifying withall their coÌ„sent toutching the faith Of one substaÌ„ce as hereafter in processe of our history we will declare more at large At y â— same time Eusebius coÌ„monly called PaÌ„philus bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina wheÌ„ in y â— same couÌ„cell he had a while staggered aduisedly pondered with him selfe whether it were his part to admit y â— plattforme definitioÌ„ of faith â–ª at length approued it together with the other byshops subscribed therevnto and sent the same forme of faith in writing vnto y â— people whose charge he had expounding the clause of One substance lest y â— any thenceforth should suspect him to haue doubted therof at all The things which he wrote were after this maner It is very like welbeloued that the acts coÌ„cerning the ecclesiasticall faith coÌ„cluded in the great famous couÌ„cell held at Nice came heretofore to your knowledge specially in that fame spreadeth her self abrode faster theÌ„ the truth curiously tryed or handled of vs yet that the trueth may not only be embraced of you by hearesay I haue thought necessary to send vnto you in writing first that forme of faith which I exhibited to the councell next the other published by the bishops where they haue annexed added certaine things to ours The forme of our faith which theÌ„ was read in presence of our most holy emperour theÌ„ approued for souÌ„d certaine was in this sort as we haue receaued of the bishops our predecessors both when we were catechized as also vvhen we vvere signed with the seale of baptisme as we haue learned of holy scripture as we haue beleued beiÌ„g priest preached being bishop euen so now also beleuiÌ„g we haue made manifest our faith vnto you which is this VVe beleue in one God the father almighty maker of all things visible inuisible in one Lord Iesus Christ the word of God God of God light of light life of life the only begotten sonne the first begotten of all creatures begotteÌ„ of God the father before all worlds by whome all things were made who for our saluation was incarnate coÌ„uersant amoÌ„g men who suffred rose the third day who ascended vnto the father and shall come againe to iudge both the quicke the dead â–ª we beleue also in one holy Ghost beleuing moreouer euery one of these to be in esseÌ„ce substaÌ„ce the father to be a father in deede the soÌ„ne to be a soÌ„ne in deede the holy ghost to be a holy ghost in deede cueÌ„ as our Lord sending his disciples to preach said Goe therfore teach all natioÌ„s baptiziÌ„g theÌ„ in the name of the father of the soÌ„ne of the holy ghost ToutchiÌ„g all which we firmly protest that we are of this mind that we are of this opinioÌ„ haue bene and that we minde to perseuer in this faith vntill death do seuer and part asunder body soule holding for accursed all caÌ„kred heresies the which godlesse persons haue soweÌ„ in the world â–ª that you may fully perswade your selues of vs that we haue heretofore beleued spoken vnfâ—inedly and from the hart toutching all the premisses presently also vve protest that vve both beleue aryght and speake as vve ought of God almyghtie and our Lorde Iesus Christ and vve are able vvith playne demonstration to proue and vvith reason to persvvade that in tymes past our fayth vvas alike that then vve preached thinges correspondent vnto the forme of faith already published of vs so that none in this behalfe can repyne or gaynesay vs. Moreouer our most holie Emperour hath testified the same to be most true affirming him selfe to be of the same opinion he commaunded that all should geue their assent vnto the same that they should subscribe vnto the particulers that they shoulde condescende vnto the premises so that this one onely clause Of one substance vvere interlaced The vvhich he him selfe explicated in these vvordes to be Of one substance may not be taken accordinge vnto corporall affections neytherto consist of the Father by diuision neyther by incision or parting asunder It may not be that an immateriall an intellectuall and an incorporeall nature should admitt or be subiect to any corporall passion for it behoueth vs to conceaue such mysteries vvith sacred and secrett termes Our most sage and vertuous Emperour reasoned of these thinges after this sort The bishops because of the clause Of one substance published this forme of faith VVe beleue in one God the father almighty maker of all things visible inuisible and in one Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God the onely begotten sonne of the father that is of
that he thrust him selfe againe to execut the function of priesthood without the admission consent of a generall councell For they complaine that after his returne from exile he rushed into the church vpon his owne head Secondly that at his returne when the tumult schisme was raised many were slaine moreouer that he caused some to be scurged some other to hold their hands at y ◠barre they alleage also such things as were pleaded against Athanasius in the councell held at Tyrus CAP. VI. Of Eusebius Emisenus IN the meane space while Athanasius was charged with the aforesayd crimes they chose Eusebius first called Emisenus Bishop of Alexandria Who and what he was Georgius Bishop of Laodicea who then was present at the councell sheweth vnto vs. For in the booke he wrote of his life he declareth that Eusebius came of a noble family of Edessa in Mesopotamia from a litle one to haue bene trained vp in holy scripture afterwards to be instructed in prophane literature by a professor which then taught at Edessa last of all to haue sucked y ◠right sense vnderstanding of holy scripture at the lips of Eusebius Patrophilus the one bishop of Caesarea the other bishop of Scythopolis After this to haue gone to Antioch where it fell out that Eustathius being accused of the heresie of Sabellius by Cyrus bishop of Beroea was deposed of his bishoprik Thēceforth to haue accompanied Euphronius the successor of Eustathius and because he woulde not be prieste to haue gott him to Alexandria and there to haue studied philosophie After that to haue returned to Antioch where he acquaynted him selfe with Placitus the successor of Euphronius Thēce to haue bene called by Eusebius bishop of Constantinople to be bishop of Alexandria but sayth Georgius because that Athanasius was greately beloued of the people of Alexandria he went not thither but was sent into the city Emisa Where when there was much adoe made among the citizens of Emisa about the election for he was charged with the study of the mathematicks he fledd away came to Laodicea vnto Georgius who reported many notable storyes of him Georgius brought him to Antioch by y ◠meanes of Placitus Narcissus caused him to be conueyed to Emisa where againe he was accused of the heresy of Sabellius But of the circumstāces of his election Georgius discourseth more at large last of all he addeth howe that the Emperour going into Barbary tooke him thence and that he knewe full well many wonders miracles to haue bene wrought by him So farre of the things which Georgius remembred of Eusebius Emisenus CAP. VII Howe that the byshops which mett at Antioch after that Eusebius Emisenus had refused Alexandria chose Gregorius to be byshop of Alexandria and endeuored to alter and so consequentlye to abrogate the canons of the Nicene councell WHen as at that time Eusebius by the councell of Antioch was chosen bishop of Alexādria feared to goe thither they consecrate Gregorie in his rowme to enioye the seae of Alexandria These things being done they labour to alter the faith who althoughe they colde reproue nothinge of the thinges decided in the Nicene Councell yet verelye wente they about through theyr often assemblyes to peruerte and ouerthrowe the creede contayninge the clause of One substance and otherwise to establishe of theyr owne that by a little and a litle they mighte soke men in the filthie sincke of Arius But of theyr drifte and fetches in the storyes followinge The epistle contayninge the fayth whiche they published was after this maner VVe are neyther the followers of Arius for howe can it be that we beinge Byshops shoulde geue eare vnto Arius beinge but a prieste neyther haue we receaued any other faythe then that whiche hathe beene published from the beginninge but when as vve examined his faith narrowely and weyed it deepely we rather receaued Arius returninge vnto vs then that our selues shoulde hange vpon his opinion The whiche you may easilye perceaue by that whiche followeth For we haue learned from the beginninge to beleeue in one vniuersall God the creator and maker of all things both visible and inuisible and in one Sonne the only begotten Sonne of God who was before all wordes and had his beinge together with the Father which begott him by whome all things both visible and inuisible were made VVho in the later days according vnto the singular good will of the father came downe from heauen and tooke flesh of the virgine mary VVho fullfilled all his fathers will who suffred rose againe ascended into the heauens and sitteth at the right hande of the father shall come againe to iudge the quick and the dead and continewe king and God for euer VVe beleue also in the holy Ghost And if that you will haue vs to add more we beleue the resurrection of the fleshe and the life euerlasting After that they had wrytten these things in theyr former epistle they sente it to the churches throughout euery cytie But continewinge at Antioch a while longer they in maner condemned the forme of fayth that wente before and wrote forthwith a newe one in these wordes VVe beleue as the Euangelistes and Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs in one God the Father almightie the creator and maker of all thinges and in one Lorde Iesus Christ his onely begotten sonne God by whome all thinges were made begotten of the father before all worlds God of God whole of whole alone of alone perfecte of perfecte kinge of kinge lorde of lorde the liuinge worde the wisedome the life the true light the waye of trueth the resurrection the shepherd the dore inconuertible and immutable the liuely image of the diuinity essence power counsell and glorie of the father the first begotten of all creatures who was in the beginninge with the father God the worde as it is sayde in the Gospell and God was the word by whome all thinges were made and in whome all thinges are VVho in the later dayes came downe from heauen was borne of a virgin according vnto the Scripturs was made man and the mediator of God and man the Apostle of our fayth and the guyde to life And as he sayth of him selfe I came dovvne from heauen not to doe mine ovvne will but his will vvhich sente me VVho suffred for vs and rose agayne the thirde daye for our sakes and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the righte hande of the father and shall come againe vvith glorie and power to iudg the quick and the dead And we beleue in the holy Ghost vvhiche is geuen vnto the faythfull for theyr consolation sanctification and perfection Euen as our Lord Iesus Christ commaunded his disciples sayinge goe teache all nations baptizinge them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghoste That is of the father who is the father in deede and of the sonne who is the
fathers or that there vvas a time when he had no being these the Catholicke church doth holde for accursed When they had exhibited these fewe lynes vnto the Emperour and shewed them to diuers others they tooke their leaue without further reasoninge of any other matter Furthermore whilest that as yet both the churches of the East and also of the West without any adoe communicated together a newe opinion sprang vp at Sirmium a citie of Illyrium Photinus who gouerned the churches there borne in the lesser Galatia the disciple of Marcellus that was deposed of his byshopricke following his maisters steps affirmed that the sonne of God was but onely man The discourse of these things we will referre to an other place CAP. XV. A forme of faith layde downe by the byshops of the East contayning many longe and large circumstances THree yeares after the bishops of the Easterne churches summone agayne an other councell they frame an other forme of faith and sende it to the bishops of Italie by Eudoxius bishop of Germanicia Martyrius and Macedonius bishop of Mopsiestia a citie in Cilicia This faith sett forth at large contayneth many additions and glosses besides such as heretofore were published in other creedes it beginneth thus VVe beleue in one God the father almightie creator and maker of all things of vvhome all fatherhoode in heauen and in â—arth is called and in his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde begotten of the Father before all worlds God of God lyght of lyght by vvhome all thinges vvere made both in heauen and in earth be they visible or inuisible who is the word the wisdome the power the life true light who in the later dayes was incarnate for our sakes was borne of the holy virgine was crucified dead and buryed who rose againe the third day from the dead ascended into heauen sitteth at the ryght hand of the father who shall come in the end of the world to iudge the quicke and the dead to reward euery man according vnto his works whose kingdome shall haue no ende but shall continevve for euer For he shall sitte at the ryght hande of the Father not onely vvhyle this vvorlde lasteth but also in the lyfe to come VVe beleeue also in the holye Ghost that is in the Comforter vvhome Christ promised to sende his Apostles after his ascention into heauen vvhome also he sent for to teache and leade them in all thynges by vvhose meanes the soules of them vvhich faithfully beleeue in him are sanctified vvhosoeuer therefore dare presume to affirme that the sonne had his beginninge of nothinge or of any other substance then the Fathers or that there vvas a tyme or a vvorlde vvhen he vvas not these the holie and Catholicke churche doth holde for accursed In like maner such as saye that there are three gods or that Christ vvas not God from the beginninge or that he is neyther Christ neyther the sonne of God or that there is neyther Father neyther Sonne neyther holie Ghost or that the sonne is vnbegotten or that the Father begatt not the sonne of his ovvne vvyll and purpose these the holie and Catholicke church doth holde for accursed Neyther can it be vttered vvithout blasphemie that the sonne had his beynge of nothinge in so much there can no such thinge be founde of him in holie scripture Neyther doe vve learne that he had his beynge of any other preexistent substance besydes the fathers but that he vvas truely begotten of God the father alone The holie scripture teacheth vs that the father of Christ is and vvas one vnbegotten and vvithout beginning Neyther may vve safely affirme vvithout testimonie of the sacred scripture that there vvas a tyme vvhen he vvas not as though vve shoulde imagine or forethinke in him any temporall space but vve haue to conceaue and comprehende in our mindes God alone vvhith begatt him vvithout tyme. For tymes and vvorldes vvere made by him Neither can ere other the father or the sonne properly be sayde ioyntly to be vvithout beginninge and ioyntly vvithout begettinge but as vve knovve the father alone to be vvithout beginninge incomprehensble and to haue begotten the sonne after an incomprehensible and an intelligible maner so vve vnderstande the forme to haue bene begotten before all vvorldes and not to be vnbegotten after the same maner vvith the father but to haue had a beginninge the father vvhich begatt him for the heaâ—â—â— of Christ is God VVhen vve confesse three thinges and three persons accordinge vnto the scriptures to vvete of the father â–ª of the sonne and of the holie Ghost vve doe not therein allovve of three gods For vve acknovvledge one onely God perfect and absolute of him selfe vnbegotten vvithout beginninge inuisible the father of the onely begotten sonne vvho alone of him selfe hath his beynge vvho also alone ministreth aboundantly vnto all other things their beyng And vvhen as vve affirme one God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ to be onely vnbegotten vve doe not therefore deny Christ to haue bene God from euerlastinge as the follovvers of Paulus Samosatenus dyd vvhich affirmed that by nature he vvas but onely and bare man after his inâ—â—mation by profitingâ— and forvvardnes to haue bene made God VVe knovve though â—e be subiect to the father and to God that he is God of God begotten accordinge vnto nature that he is both a perfect and true God and not made God aftervvardes of 〈…〉 but that accordinge vnto the vvyll of God the father he vvas incarnate for our sakes neuer aftervvardes loâ—inge his diâ—â—nitiâ— Moreouer vve detest and abhorre and holde them for accursed vvhich affirme that the sonne of God is the onely and naked vvorde of God vvithout substance but after a fayned and imaginatiue sort in an other and one vvhyle doe terme him the vvorde as vttered by the mouth an other vvhyle as inclosed in the minde of some one or other For they confesse not that euen Christ vvho is Lorde the sonne of God the mediator the image of God vvas before all vvorldes but that he vvas Christ and the sonne of God from that tyme since vvhich novve full foure hundred yeares agoe he tooke our fleshe of the Virgine They vvyll haue the kingdome of Christ from that tyme to haue his beginninge and after the consummation of the vvorlde and the dreadfull daye of iudgement to haue his endinge The authors of this abhominable heresie are the Marcellians Photinians Ancyrogalatians vvho therefore disproue the essence and diuinitie of Christ vvhich hath bene before all vvorldes and likevvise his kingdome vvhich hath no ende because they pretende the establishinge of a monarchie But vve knovve him not for a simple vttered vvorde or as it vvere inclosed in the minde of God the father but for the liuing word God subsistinge of him selfe the sonne of God and Christ and not to haue bene with his father before the vvorlds by onely prescience to haue bene
conuersant and ministred vnto him for the framing and finishing of euery vvorke of visible or inuisible things but to haue bene the vvorde in deede together vvith the father and God of God ▪ for this is he vnto vvhome the father sayde Let vs make man after our ovvne image and similitude vvho appeared in his proper person vnto the fathers of olde gaue them the lawe spake by the prophets laste of all became man made manifest his father vnto all men and raygneth vvorlde vvithout ende Neyther doe vve beleue that Christ receaued his diuinitie of late but that he vvas perfect from all aeternitie and like vnto the father in all things Such as confounde the father the sonne and the holie Ghost and impiously imagine three names in one thinge and in one person not vvithout iust cause vve forbidde them the church because they appoynt the father vvho is incomprehensble and impatible by incarnation to be both comprehensible and patible Of which heresie are the Patropassians so called of the Romaines but of vs Sabellians VVe know of certainty the father vvhich sent his sonne to haue continewed in the proper nature of his immutable diuinitie the sonne vvhich vvas sent to haue accomplished the disposed order of his incarnation In like maner such as say impiously and blaspheniously that Christ vvas begotten neyther by the counsell neyther by the vvill of the father attributinge to God the father a counsell tyed to necessitie and an essence intangled vvith the vvant of free vvill so that he begatt the sonne of cōpulsion them first of all we hold for accursed creatures and farre estraynged from the trueth in Christ because they presume to publishe such doctrine of him both contrary to the common notions vnderstanding vve haue of God and also repugnant vvith the sense and meaning of the sacred scripture inspired from aboue VVe knowe that God is of his owne power that he enioyeth his free will and we beleue godly and reuerently that he begat the sonne of his owne accord free will VVe beleue that godly which is spoken of him The Lorde made me the beginning of his wayes for the accōplishing of his works yet we vnderstand no◠that he was so made as other creatures other things were framed For that is impious farr◠frō the faith of the catholicke church to liken the creator vnto the creatures which he shaped or to thinke that he had the like maner of begetting with other thinges of different nature The holy scriptures do informe vs onely of one onely begotten sonne vnfainedly and truely begotten Moreouer when as we say that the sonne hath his being of him selfe that he liueth subsisteth in like sort with the father for all that vve seuer him not from the father neither do we imagine corporall vvise certaine spaces and distance betvvene their coherencie For vve beleeue that they ioyne together vvithout pause or distance put betvvene and that they can not be seuered asunder so that the father compriseth as it vvere in his bosome the vvhole sonne and the sonne is ioyned and fastened to the vvhole father and resteth continevvally onely in his fathers lappe VVe beleeue furthermore in the absolute perfect most blessed Trinitie and vvhen vve call the father God the sonne God in so doing we say not there be two gods but one God of equall power diuinitie and one perfect coniunction of raygne and euen as the father beareth rule exerciseth authoritie ouer all things ouer the sonne sovve say that the sonne is subiect vnto the father and that he gouerneth besides him immediatly and next after him all thinges vvhich he made and that the saincts by the vvill of the father receaue the grace of the holy Ghost aboundantly poured vpon them Thus the holy scriptures haue instructed vs to direct our talke of the monarchie in Christ After the aforesayd briefe cōpendious forme of faith vve haue bene cōstrained to explicate discourse of these thinges at large not that vve are disposed vainely and arrogantly to contend but to remoue out of the mindes of such men as knovve vs not all fonde suspicion surmise cōceaued of our censure opinion othervvise then trueth is that moreouer all the bishops of the VVest may easily perceaue not only the sclaunders of such as maintayne the contrary opinion but also the ecclesiasticall and Christian faith of the byshops inhabitinge the East confirmed out of the manifest and vnvvrested testimonies of holie scripture the vvhich the aduersaries are vvont lewdly to interpret The bishops of the west churches affirmed they would in no wise receaue these thinges partly for that they were written in a straunge tonge therfore could not vnderstand them they sayd moreouer that the creede or forme of faith layd downe by the Nicene councell was sufficient and that it was not for them curiously to search further CAP. XVI Of the generall Councell summoned at Sardice WHen as the Emperour had written againe that Paulus and Athanasius should be restored to their former rowmes and dignities and his letters had taken no place by reason of the ciuill dissention discord as yet not appeased among the multitude Paulus Athanasius make humble sute that an other councell might be called together to the end their cases should be the better knowen the faith should be decided in a general coūcell for they protested y ◠their depositiō was wrought to the end y ◠faith might be destroyed Wherfore by y ◠cōmaundemēt of both y ◠Emperours the one signifying y ◠same by his letters the other whose dominiōs lay in y ◠East willingly cōdescending thervnto there was proclaimed a generall councell that all should meete at Sardice a citie of Illyrium The eleuenth yeare after y ◠desease of Costantinus the father of these Emperours in the consulship of Ruffinus Eusebius the councell of Sardice was summoned There mett there as Athanasius sayth about thre hundred bishops of the west churches and as Sabinus declareth onely seuenty six bishops out of the East of which number was Ischyras bishop of Mareôtes whome y ◠deposers of Athanasius preferred to be bishop of that place Some alleage for them selues their infirmitie of body some cōplaine that their warning was to short therfore they blame Iulius bishop of Rome when as since the date of the proclamation the leasure of Athanasius cōtinewing at Rome expecting y ◠meeting of the councell there rame a whole yeare six moneths After that y ◠bishops of the east came to Sardice they would not come into y ◠presence of y ◠bishops which inhabited y ◠West but sent thē this message that they would not talke neither reason with them vnlesse cōditionally they would barre Athanasius and Paulus their cōpany But when Protogenes bishop of Sardice Osius bishop of Corduba a citie as I sayd
while this world lasteth but also in the life to come And we beleue also in the holy Ghost that is in the comforter whome the Lord promised to send his disciples after his ascention for to teache leade theÌ„ in all things whom also he sent by whose meanes the soules of theÌ„ that faithfuly beleeue in him are sanctified They that say that the sonne of God hath his being of nothing or that he is of an other substance then the fathers or that there was a time or a world when he was not these the holy Catholicke church doth hold for accursed Againe we say that whosoeuer affirmeth the Father and the Sonne to be two Gods let him be accursed If any man when he calleth Christ God to haue bene before all worlds confesse not also that the sonne of God ministred vnto the father at the creation of all thinges let him be accursed He that presumeth to say that he is vnbegotten or that part of him was borne of the virgine let him be accursed If any say that the sonne was borne of Mary according vnto prescience not to haue bene with God begotteÌ„ of the father before all worlds by vvhom all things vvere made let him be accursed VVhosoeuer saith that the substance of God can either be more enlarged or lesse diminished let him be held for accursed vvhosoeuer saith that the enlarged substaÌ„ce of God made the sonne or calleth the sonne the enlarged substaÌ„ce of God let him be accursed whosoeuer calleth the vvord of God the mentall word of the father or the vocall vvorde let him be accursed VVhosoeuer saith that the sonne of God is but only maÌ„ borne of Mary let him be accursed whosoeuer when he sayth that he was borne God man of Mary vnderstandeth the vnbegotten God let him be accursed whosoeuer vnderstandeth this after the Iewish maner I am the first God I am the secoÌ„d besides me there is none other God which was spoken to the ouerthrowe of Idols of them that be no Gods thereby to take away the only begotteÌ„ that was God before all worlds let hiÌ„ be accursed whosoeuer wheÌ„ he heareth The word became flesh supposeth the word to be turned into flesh or by conuersion to haue taken fleshe vpon him let him be accursed whosoeuer wheÌ„ he heareth the onely begotten of God to haue bene crucified thinketh that therein he was subiect to corruption torment alteration diminution or destructioÌ„ let him be accursed whosoeuer vnderstandeth this let vs make man not to haue bene spokeÌ„ of the father vnto the sonne but God the father himselfe to haue spoken it to himselfe let him be accursed whosoeuer thinketh the sonne not to haue wrastled with Iacob as man but the vnbegotten God or some portioÌ„ of him let him be accursed whosoeuer vnderstandeth this the lord rained froÌ„ the lorde not to be taken of the father the sonne but that the father rained from himselfe let him be accursed For the sonne being lord rained froÌ„ the father that was lord whosoeuer wheÌ„ he heareth the father lord and the sonne lorde calleth the father being lord both lord sonne wheÌ„ he readeth the lord froÌ„ the lord affirmeth there be two gods let him be accursed For we place not the sonne in the same rowme with the father but subiecte to the father Neyther was he incarnate without the will of the father neither rained he froÌ„ himselfe but froÌ„ the lord who hath authority of himselfe to wit from the father neither sitteth he at the right hand of himselfe but harkeneth vnto the father saying sit thou on my right haÌ„d whosoeuer calleth the father the sonne the holy ghost one person lette him be accursed whosoeuer when he calleth the holy Ghost the coÌ„forter tearmâ—th him the vnbegottteÌ„ God let him be accursed whosoeuer saith there is no other comforter beside the sonne contrary to the doctrine of the sonne himselfe for he sayd the father whome I will entreat will send vnto you an other coÌ„forter let hiÌ„ be accursed whosoeuer saith that the holy Ghost is a peece or porcion of the father of the sonne let him be accursed whosoeuer affirmeth the father the sonne the holy ghost to be three gods let hiÌ„ be accursed whosoeuer saith that the sonne of God was made by the will pleasure of the father as one of the creatures let him be accursed whosoeuer saith the sonne was begotten contrary to the wil of the father or whether the father would or no let him be accursed For the father begatte not the sonne against his owne wil neither was he coÌ„strained by the law of nature as if he had bene vnwilling thereuÌ„to but of meare good will without all time without passioÌ„ begat he hiÌ„ of him selfe â–ª whosoeuer saith that the sonne had neither be getting nor beginning so consequeÌ„tly affirme that there are two without begining two without begetting so appoint two Gods let him be accursed the sonne is the head the originall of all creatures the head of Christ is God for so we referre all things reuerently by the sonne vnto one begining of the whole vniuer sality which is with out begening Agayne weyinge deepely with our selues that clause also of christian profession we say that whosoeuer affirmeth Christ Iesus the sonne of God who ministred vnto the father at the creation of all things not to haue bene before all worldes but onely froÌ„ the time since the sonne was borne of Mary to haue bene Christ theÌ„ his deity to haue begone as Paulus Samosatenus was perswaded let him be accursed An other forme of faith first layd downe in Latine afterwardes translated into the Greeke IN so much it pleased them dilâ—gently to consider of the faith all whatsoeuer appertained thereunto was exquisitly curiously handled at Sirmium in presence of Valens Vrsacius Germanius with other Bishopps they agreed that there was one God the father almightie euen as it is taught throughout the whole world one onely begotten sonne of his Jesus Christ our Sauiour begotten of him before all worlds â–ª y â— it was not lawfull to say there were two Gods although the Lord himselfe had sayd I goe vnto my father vnto your father vnto my God and vnto your God Wherefore he is the God of all as the Apostle hathe taught vs VVhat is he the God of the Iewes onely Is not he also the God of the Gentiles Yea of the Gentiles toe for there is but one God which shall iustifie the circumcision by faith All the other things are correspondeÌ„t neither doe they contayne any ambiguitie at all And because there was great contention about y â— vnderstanding of y â— word which the Latines call Substantia the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about y â— equality or as they call it the vnitie of substance they decreed y â— thenceforth y â— controuersie should not
inueÌ„ted such things to deface the true and catholicke faith When they had ended these lowde speaches the Councell brake vp The Emperour vnderstaÌ„ding of this coÌ„mauÌ„ded them forthwith to exile banishmeÌ„t determineth w t him selfe to summone a generall couÌ„cell to y â— end after citing of all the easterne bishops into the west contries he might if it were possible bring them all to embrace vnitie and concorde But after better aduisement taken with him selfe he sawe it was a very hard matter to compasse by reason of the farre contries and longe iourney and therefore he commaunded the Councell shoulde be deuided into two partes the bishops then present to assemble at Ariminum a citie of Italie the bishops of the East to meete at Nicomedia a ritie in Bithynia But his purpose tooke no prosperous successe for nere nother of y â— Councells agreed â–ª within them selues both was deuided into sundry factions For neither could the bishops which mett at AriminuÌ„ in Italy agree amonge them selues neyther the bishops of the East among them selues for they raysed a newe schisme at Seleucia a citie of Isauria but howe all this came to passe I will hereafter rehearse in processe of our discourse if that first I say somewhat of Eudoxius In the very same time Leontius â–ª who preferred Actius the hereticke to the degree of Deaconship hauing departed this lyfe Eudoxius bishop of Germanicia a citie of Syria then beyng at Rome thought it high time for him to returne into the East he dealeth doubly with the Emperour forlicence to depart with speede alleadginge for him selfe that the citie of Germanicia stoode in greate neede of his helpe and ghostly counsell The Emperour litle thinkinge what fetches he had in his heade gaue him his pasport He through the sute and furtherance of the Emperours chamberlaynes left his owne citie and crept through wyle and subtletie into the byshopricke of Antioche he endeuoureth to restore Actius agayne into the church and goeth about to summone a Councell of byshops and to make him Deacon agayne But his lewde dryft was longe in brynginge about because the hatred owed vnto Actius was of more force to repell him then the hartie good wyll and furtherance Eudoxius vsed to restore him but of this we neede no more wordes Of them which assembled at Ariminum the Easterne byshops not mentioninge the businesse aboute Athanasius signified that the cause of their comminge was to discourse of other matters Vrsacius and Valens who at the firste were Arians and afterwards exhibited a recantation vnto the byshop of Rome subscribing as I sayd before vnto the clause of One substance stoode them in great stead for these two continewally cleaued vnto the stronger and the surer side There came also to take their part Germanius Auxentius Demophilus Caius In the assembly of bishops then present when diuers men would haue diuers things enacted Vrsacius Vales affirmed y â— all formes of faith layd downe in times past were thenceforth to be caÌ„celled that y â— new forme of faith published a litle before at y â— councell of SirmiuÌ„ was to be coÌ„firmed When they had so sayd they gaue forth a shete of paper which they had in their haÌ„ds to be read The second creede written before at Sirmium suppressed there as I sayd before read also at AriminuÌ„ translated out of the Latine into y â— Greeke toÌ„gue was layd downe in these words This Catholick faith was published at SirmiuÌ„ in the presence of Costantius our liege lord Flauius Eusebius Hypatius renowmed consuls the eleuenth Kalends of Iune VVe beleue in one onely true God the father almightie creator and maker of all things in one onely begotten sonne of God who was before all worlds before all beginninges before all tymes that may be imagined and begotten of God the father vvithout any passion before all comprehensible knowledge by vvhome both the vvorld and all things were made one only begotten begotten of the father alone God of God like vnto the father which begatt him according vnto the scriptures vvhose generation no man hath knovven saue the father vvhich begatt him him vve knovve his onely begotten sonne to haue come dovvne from heauen at the fathers becke to banishe and vvype avvay synne to haue bene borne of the Virgine Marie to haue bene conuersant vvith the disciples to haue fulfilled according vnto his fathers will all his message to haue bene crucified to haue suffred died to haue descended into hell and there to haue disposed all things at whose sight the porters of hell gates trembled to haue risen againe the third day againe to haue accoÌ„panied with his disciples after 40. dates were expired to haue ascended into heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of the father and shall come againe at the last day with the glory of his father to reward euery one according vnto his workes And we beleue in the holy ghost whome the onely begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ him selfe promised to send mankind the coÌ„forter as it is written I go vnto my father I will pray my father to send you an other comforter the spirite of trueth he shall take of myne and shall teache leade you in all things The word Substance being simply layd downe of the fathers vnknowen of the ignoraÌ„t people geuing vnto many great cause of offence insomuch it is not founde in holie scripture vve haue thought good to abandone it and henceforth speakinge of God to make no mention of the vvorde Substance because the sacred scriptures haue not once remembred the substance of the Sonne or of the holie ghost VVe say that the sonne is like the father in all things that because the word of God hath affirmed taught it vs. WheÌ„ these things were read such as were not pleased with the circumstances and contents therof rose vp and sayde We came not hither as though we wanted faith and beleese for we retayne that faith which we learned from the beginning but we are come to withstand nouelties if ought be practised preiudiciall vnto y â— same If those thiÌ„gs which you haue now read neither sauor neither rend to y â— establishing of noueltie accurse renounce the heresie of Arius in such wise as the old auncient canon of the church hath banished all hereticall blasphemous doctrine It is apparent vnto the whole world what tumults troubles the blaspemous opinioÌ„ of Arius hath raysed euen vnto this day in the church of God This offer was not accepted of Vrsacius Valens Germanius Auxentius Demophilus Caius thervpon the bond of vnitie retained in the church of God was broken asunder For these men cleaued vnto such things as the councell of AriminuÌ„ had decreed y â— other confirmed the canons of the Nicene Councell derided y â— contents of the creede y â— was read in their presence but specially Athanasius so y â—
Churche of Seleucia they barre the doores and ratisie with their subscriptions the forme of fayth that was read the daye before In their steede which were absent their readers and Deacons subscribed for they had signified before that they woulde by their Deputies approue the aforesayd creede CAP. XXXII Howe that Acacius of Caesarea rehearsed an other creede in the councell of Seleucia also how that he and his complices after the Emperours returne out of the west mett at Constantinople and procured the councell of Ariminum to be ratified adding thereunto of their owne ACacius and his complices founde great fault with the canons of that councell because they subscribed when the Church doores were shutt ▪ for sayth Acacius the thinges which are done in huckermucker as they ought not to be approued so are they not voide of suspicion This he sayde because he caryed in his pockett an other forme of fayth ready to be offred vp he read it in the presence of Lauricius and Leônas that were noble men and bent his whole might to haue onely the same confirmed these thinges were done the seconde daye of the councell and besides nothing The thirde day Leônas went about to call both partes together at what time Macedonius Bishop of Constantinoplē and Basilius Bishop of Ancyra were present When both these men mett together and presented them selues to wete of the contrary side vnto Acacius his consederats woulde not shewe their faces in the councell but sayde that it was requisite they should be banished the assemblie who of late had bene deposed and then also were accused After much adoe when this side had the vpper hande they that were accused left the councell in whose rowmes Acacius together with his company succeded Then Leônas stoode vp and sayde that Acacius had presented vnto him a booke yet knewe they not that it was a forme of fayth which confuted sometymes priuely sometymes openly and playnly the opinion of the contrary side When that all made silence and gaue diligent eare thinking nothing lesse then that it had bene a forme of fayth at length Acacius read his creede or fayth with a certayne preface written before it as followeth VVe vvhich by the Emperours edict mett yesterday that is the fift of the kalends of October at Seleucia in Isauria haue labored vvith all might possible to continevve vnitie agreement in the church of God to dispute reason of the faith according vnto the sacred testimonies of the Prophets euangelists with modest quiet mindes as the most vertuous Emperour Constantius hath geuen vs in charge to conclude nothing for canons of the Church vvhich might be founde contrary to holy Scripture ▪ but seing there were such kinde of men at the councell vvho rayled at some shutt vp some others mouthes forbade these to speake excluded the other from their cōpany ioyned with them out of diuers prouinces certaine deposed expulsed persons entertained them contrary to the old canon of the church the coūcel as Lauricius the most valiant captaine saw more is the pity with his owne eies was all set on tumult grieuous dissention VVe haue spoken these things to this end that you may vnderstand we reiect not the forme of fayth that vvas published confirmed in the dedication at Antioch but vve bring forth the same presently sithence that we knowe for suerty that the fathers then agreed vpon this controuersie which concerned the faith but in as much as the clauses of vnity in substance equality in substance disquieted the mindes of sundry men not onely in tymes past but also at this present so that novve also such as affirme the sonne to be vnaequall to the father are sayd to be authors of noueltie therefore haue vve layd aside the clauses of vnitie and aequalitie in substance as words not agreeing with holy Scripture also we accurse the clause of vnaequalitie and hold all the patrons and fauorers thereof for excommunicated persons VVe confesse playnely the likenesse the sonne hath with the father imitating the Apostle vvhere he saith of the sonne who is the image of the inuisible God VVe protest therefore and beleeue in one God the father almighty maker of heauen earth of visible and inuisible things VVe beleeue also in his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ begotten of him before all vvorlds vvithout affection God the vvord of the only begotten God the light the life the trueth the vvisedome by vvhome all things vvere made both in heauen and in earth be they visible or inuisible VVe beleeue that he in the latter dayes tooke flesh of the blessed virgine Mary to the ende he might take avvay the sinnes of the worlde that he vvas made man that he suffred for our sinnes that he rose againe ascended into the heauens sitteth at the right hande of the father and that he shall come againe vvith glorie to iudge both the quicke and the deade VVe beleeue also in the holy Ghost vvhome our Lorde and Sauiour called the comforter promising after his departure to send him to his disciples vvhome also he hath sent by whome he sanctifieth the faithfull in the Churche and such as are baptized in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost all those that besides this fayth shall publishe any other vve doe excommunicate out of the holy and Catholicke Churche This was Acacius creede whereunto both he and his complices as many in number as I reported before subscribed The creede being reade Sophronius Bishop of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagoma stoode vp and spāke agaynst it in this maner for I will vse his owne wordes If that the nevve deuises and dayly inuention of your brayne be layde dovvne for creedes it can not othervvise fall out but that shortly vve shall be founde vvithout one grayne of fayth These as I haue learned were the wordes of Sophronius In my opinion if that his auncetors and such as liued then with him had so settled their myndes as toutchinge the Nicene councell all this sturre and tumultes had quite bene taken away all this hurlyburly this rashe and vnaduised sedition had neuer raygned in the Churche but to what passe these thinges are nowe come let them iudge that can better discerne and geue sentence thereof When they had reasoned toe and fro of this matter and of them that were accused and brawled together a longe whyle at length the councell brake vp The fourth daye they assemble agayne and a freshe they chide one with an other In circumstance of talke Acacius gaue forthe this verditt as followeth If the Nicene creede was once altered of olde and afterwards often ▪ what can you saye to the contrary but that presently a newe forme of fayth without any preiudice at all may be established of vs whereunto Eleusius made answere We are not nowe come to this assemblie for to learne that which we learned before neyther to receaue the fayth which we haue
of their owne but in so much they haue written and annexed something of their owne braine it is requisite that we rehearse it againe They wrote as followeth VVe beleue in one God the father almighty of whome are all things in the only begotten sonne of God begotten of the father before all worldes before all begininge by whome all thinges were made both visible inuisible the one only begottē begottē of the father alone God of God like vnto the father which begate him according vnto the Scriptures whose generatiō as holy Scripture doth witnesse no man knoweth but the father alone which begat him This only begottē sonne of God vve knovve to haue bene sent frō the father to haue come dovvne from heauē as it is vvritten to haue bene conuersant vvith his disciples after the accōplishing of his message according vnto the vvill of his father to haue bene crucified dead buried to haue descended into hell at vvhose presence the infernall povver trembled to haue risen againe the third day from the dead againe to haue accōpanied his disciples after forty dayes vvere expired to haue bene taken vp into heauē vvhere he sittteth at the right hande of the father shall come at the generall resurrectiō vvith the glorie of the father to reward euery one according vnto his vvorks and vve beleue in the holy ghost vvhom the only begottē sonne of God himselfe our Lord God promised to send mankind a comforter as it is vvrytten the spirit of trueth whome also he sent after his assumptiō into heauē The clause of substāce being of diuers simply layd downe because the ignorant people vnderstood it not gaue greate occasion of offence It semed good therefore in as much as there was no mentiō thereof in holy scripture quite to take it away henceforth not to reason thereof because the word of God hathe no where remembred the substāce of the father of the sonne For the substance or subsistēcie of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost may not be once named or reasoned of we therefore as we are taught by holy scripture doe affirme that the sonne is like the father All heresies whatsoeuer either heretofore condemned or lately sprong vp if they be found contrary to this faith let them be held for accursed These things as you see were then decreed at Cōstantinople Nowe hauing at length runne ouer the confuse multitude of Creeds formes of faith let vs once againe briefely repeate the number of them After the Creede that was laid downe by the Nicene councell the Bishops framed two others at Antioch when they assembled to the dedication of the church the third was made in Fraunce of the bishops which were with Narcissus exhibited vnto the Emperoure Constantine the fourth was sent by Eudoxius vnto the Bishops throughout Italie Three were published in wryting at Sirmium where of one being gloriously intitled with the names of Consulls was red at Ariminum The eight was set forth at Seleucia procured to be red by the complices of Acacius The ninth was geuen abroade with additions at Constantinople there was thereunto annexed that thenceforth there should be no mention made of the substance of subsistencie of God Whereunto Vlphilas Bishop of y ◠Gotthes then first of all subscribed For vnto that time he embraced the faith established by the councell of Nice and was an earnest follower of Theophilus steps Bishop of the Gotthes who had bene at the Nicene councell subscribed vnto the Creed But of these things thus much CAP. XXXIII Howe that after Macedonius was deposed Eudoxius was made Bishop of Constantinople and of Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia ACacius Eudoxius together with their faction made foule tumults greate sturre at Constantinople fully purposing to remoue frō their bishopricks some of the contrary side And here also we may not passe ouer with silence howe that both parts inuēted causes of depriuatiō not for piety religion sake but of priuat malice quarellous spite for though they varied in the faith yet in deposing one an other they charged not ech other with their beleefe but such as were of Acacius side tooke the Emperours displeasure who purposed among diuers other to reuenge him of Macedonius as a fit occasion first they depose Macedonius frō his bishoprick partly for that he had bene the cause of great slaughter partly also because he admitted into the communion a certaine deacon that was taken in adultery They remoued Eleusius Bishop of Cyzicū for baptizing one Heraclius a sacrificing priest of Hercules at Tyrus who was knowē to be a great coniurer preferring him to the order of deaconship they depriued Basilius otherwise called Basilas who was made Bishop of Ancyra in Marcellus rowme for that he cruelly tormented imprisoned a certaine man for because he forged sclaundres discredited diuers persons and lastly for molesting the quiet estate of the churches in Aphricke by his epistles they suspended Dracontius for leauing Gallacia remouing to Pergamus they displaced moreouer Neonas Bishop of Seleucia where y ◠coūcel was held Sophronius bishop of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia Elpidius bishop of Satalum in Macedonia Cyrillus Bishop of serusalē many mo for sundry other causes Neither had Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia licence permitted him for to purge himselfe because that a little before he had bene deposed by Eulauius his owne naturall father who was Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia for apparelling himselfe in such weede as was not decent for the dignity order of priesthood In this Eustathius rowme Meletuis of whome I mind hereafter to speake was made Bishop Moreouer Eustathius was afterwards condemned by the councell held at Gangra that was summoned for the hearing of his matters because that after his former deposition in the councell of Caesarea he had attempted many things cōtrary to the canons customes of the church He forbad mariadge set forth precepts of abstuēce He parted asunder diuers that were coupled together in wedlock perswaded suche as refrained the churches publick assembly to raise conuenticles brotherhood in their priuat houses He tooke seruāts frō their maisters vnder colour of religion He himselfe vsed the Philosophers habite constrained his followers to vse a straunge kind of Atyre He caused the women to be shauen He forbad the accustomed prescribed fasting dayes commaunded abstinence on the sundays He abhorted y ◠prayers that were made in maried mēs houses He detested the offring and the communion of the maried priest who when he was a lay man had lawefully coupled himselfe in the bonde of wedlocke This Eustathius when he had taught and set abroch these and many other such lewd precepts was as I said before deposed by y ◠councell held at Gangra in Paphlagonia and his doctrine accursed But these things were done a good while after When that
against the Emperour for banishing many Priestes and Bishops which refused to communicate with Eudoxius the Arian Not long after in the aforesayd consulship the foure and twentieth of August Valentinianus created his sonne Gratianus Emperour The yeare following being the seconde Consulship of Valentinianus and Valens the eleuenth of Octobre there was in Bithynia a greate earthquake which ouerthrewe the citie of Nice It was the twelf yeare after the ruyne of Nicomedia Immediatly after many peeces of Germa a citie in Hellespontus were turned vpside downe w t an other earthquake for all these dreadfull sights were behelde in the open face of the worlde the lewde disposition of Eudoxius the Arian Bishop and the peruerted minde of the Emperour Valens was nothing moued to incline vnto piety and right reformation of true religion for they obserued no meane but furiously raged against all such as helde the contrary faith and opinion These earthquakes were no otherwise to be taken then for manifest tokens of the schisme tumults then raysed in y ◠church And though many of the priestly order were depriued of their dignities yet of all the rest Basilius Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and Gregorius Bishop of a small and meane citie bordering vpon Caesarea by the prouidence of God for their great pietie were not banished their natiue soile Of whome I shall haue occasion hereafter to discourse more at large CAP. XI How the sect of Macedonius being put to their shifts by reason of the Emperours displeasure sent their letters vnto Liberius Bishop of Rome where they subscribed vnto the fayth of one substance WHen as at that tyme such as cleaued stedfastly vnto the clause of one substance being the true Christians were vexed aboue measure the Macedonians also were pursued of the wicked and godlesse persecutors These men partly for feare and partly for their fayth being brought to their witts ende wrote letters and sent messengers from their bishopricks one vnto the other signifying that of necessity they must flie for refuge both vnto the Emperours brother and to Liberius Bishop of Rome and subscribe rather vnto their fayth then condescende to communicate with Eudoxius the Arian Wherefore they sende Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia one that had bene often times deposed Siluanus Bishop of Tarsus in Cilicia and Theophilus Bishop of Castabala a citie likewise of Cilicia these men are charged not to disagree as toutching the faith with Liberius but to communicate with the Churche of Rome and to ratifie by their subscriptions the faith of one substance When these men had receaued their letters which impugned the faith at Seleucia in all the hast they post to olde Rome They shewe not them selues vnto the Emperour for he was in Fraunce busily occupying him selfe about the battell against the Sarmatians but deliuer their letters vnto Liberius Liberius refuseth to geue their letters the reading he tolde them they were Arians and therefore in no wise to be entertayned of the Church because they had abrogated the creede of the Nicene councell Unto whome they make answere that his words were true yet that they repented them afterwards of their folly that they acknowledge the trueth that of late they had condemned the opinion which affirmeth the sonne to be vnlike the father that they confessed the sonne in all thinges and in all respects to be like the father and that the clause of likenes differed nothing from the sense of one substance When they had made this protestation by word of mouth he requireth them to doe the same in writing They immediatly exhibite vnto him a supplication where in the forme of faith published and established by the councell of Nice was comprised And lest that I seeme ouertedious vnto the reader my purpose is to omitt the letters they wrote from one company to an other namely from Smyrna in Asia from Pisidia Isauria Pamphilia and Lycia onely here to lay downe the supplication which Eustathius sent from his lodging vnto Liberius it was written as followeth Vnto their Lorde and brother their fellow minister Liberius Eustathius Theophilus Syluanus sende greeting in the Lorde To the ende vve may remoue all suspicion of heresie and partaking vvith sects vvhatsoeuer which heretofore haue molested the quiet estate of the catholick church presently we do allow of the synods assemblies of bishops which mett at Lampsacum Smyrna at sundry other places maintaining the right soūd faith that these our words may seeme for no other thē our true meaning we are legats haue brought letters vnto your holines vnto al the bishops of Italie to the other churches whatsoeuer of the west contrey whereby it shall manifestly appeare that vve are of the Catholick faith that vve defende the sacred Canons of the Nicene councell established in the happy raygne of the holy Emperour Constantine by three hundred and eyghteene Bishops the which vnto this day haue bene continewally obserued and vnuiolably retained where the clause of one substance was godly enterlaced to the ouerthrowe of the poisoned opinion of Arius for by subscribing with our owne hands we doe plainly protest that we are of no other opinion then these fathers were of but that heretofore presently also we embrace the same faith with them mind firmely to continew therin vnto our last houre Moreouer we cōdemne Arius his detestable opinion his disciples his complices the whole heresie of Sabellius all the Patropassians Marcionists Photinians Marcelliās to be short the wicked sect of Paulus Samosatenus VVe pronounce these mens doctrine for accursed together with all that holde with them all heresies like wise which are contrary vnto the aforesayd sacred faith generally godly framed by those holy fathers assembled in the city of Nice VVe accurse also the forme of faith that was repeated at the councell of Ariminum partly for that it repugneth the Nicene Creede partly for that diuers vvere fraudulently brought to subscribe vnto the same at Constantinople through vviles periury mistaking the title for they tooke Nice a city of Thracia for Nice in Bithynia The beliefe faith vve are of of them likewise vvhose legats vve are is as followeth VVe beleeue in one God the father almighty maker of all things visible inuisible in one onely begotten God our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of God begotten of the father that is of the substance of the father God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the father by whom all things were made either in heauen or in earth who for vs men for our saluation came downe from heauen was incarnate made man he suffred rose againe the third day he ascended into heauen shall come againe to iudge both the quicke the dead And we beleue in the holy Ghost such as say there was a time when he was not or that he was not before his
minde of the Apostle where he sayth Although we haue knowen Christ after the fleshe yet novve doe vve knovve him so no more Wherefore for this cause let vs ceasse to reason any longer of Christ but let vs endeuer to attayne vnto his perfection When as schisme and contention was hereof risen as I sayd before in the Church Nestorius going about to confirme the opinion of Anastasius for he woulde in no wise haue him whome he made so much of to be rebuked as one that had vttered blasphemies against Christ discoursed very oft of that matter as he preached in the Churche layde downe very contentiously certayne positions and condemned vtterly the clause that signified the bearing of god And because that diuers men to a diuers ende purpose disputed of this question the church was deuided the members parted asunder for much like blind folded persons men brawling and fighting in the darke they were caried here and there now they affirmed this anone they sayd that and loke what they auoutched a litle before the same they denied immediatly after Many thought that Nestorius was of the opinion that Christ was but onely man and that he went about to reuyue and to rayse vp a fresh the heresie of Paulus Samosatenus and of Photinus there was so much adoe about this matter that the summoning of a generall councell seemed needefull for the deriding of the controuersie the appeasing of the people I of mine owne part by perusing the works of Nestorius doe finde the man ignorant and altogether vnlearned I speake this from the hart and vnfainedly far it is not of hatred I owe him that I fall a ripping of his crymes and infamie neyther haue I determined by flattery and feeding of some mens humors to report lesse of him then I founde true Nestorius in mine opinion followeth neither Paulus Samosatenus neither Photinus neither thinketh he that our Lord Iesus Christ is onely man but onely auoideth this clause the mother or bearing of God as a sraying ghost This befell vnto him for his palpable error and ignorance for though of nature he had a smoth and an eloquent tongue and therefore was thought learned yet to say the trueth he was altogether vnlearned Moreouer he disdained to peruse the works of the auncient fathers he so vaimted him selfe with his rolling congue and eloquent speach that in maner he contemned the olde writers and preferred him selfe before them all Againe he was ignorant of that which was written in the olde coppies of S. Iohns Catholick epistle euery spirite which deuideth Iesus is not of God As many as went about to seuer the diuinitie from the humanitie of Christ sticked not to rase and blot this sentence out of the auncient coppyes Wherefore the olde writers signified no lesse then that certaine men had corrupted that epistle to the ende they might deuide the humanitie of Christ from the diuinitie of God his manhoode is ioyned with the godhead neyther are they two but one in which sense the auÌ„cient writers were not affraid to call Marie the mother of god Euen so wrote Eusebius Pamphilus in his third booke of the life of Constantine God among vs was borne on earth for oursakes the place of his natiuitie is called of the Hebrewes after a proper name Bethleem VVherefore Helen the most holy Empresse hath set forth the trauailing of the mother of God with goodly ornaments bedecked that hollowe rocke with sundry notable monuments Origen hath written no lesse in the first come of his commentaries vpon the epistle of S. Paul vnto the Romaines where he discourseth at large of this matter and alleadgeth the cause why Marie was called the mother of God Therefore Nestorius seemeth neuer to haue read the worâ—s of the auncient fathers and therefore he inueyed only as I said before agaynst this clause the mother of God For he saith not that Christ is onely man as Photinus and Paulus Samosatenus affirmed neither taketh he away y â— subsistencie of the sonne of God but confesseth euery where that he hath his being and that he is in the trinitie neither denieth he his essence as Photinus and Samosatenus did so did also the Manichees and Montanists as it appeareth by the sermous which he published vnto the world But though I finde that Nestorius was of that opinion partly by his bookes which I haue perused and partly by the report of his familier friendes yet his foolish and fonde doctrine disquieted not a litle the whole worlde CAP. XXXIII Of a haynous offence committed by certaine fugitine seruants at the altare of the great Church of the former councell summoned at Ephesus for the hearing of Nestorius opinion WHen these thinges were done in such forte as I sayd before a certaine haynous offence was committed in the open church and face of the whole people for some noble mans seruants by birth Barbarians when they had tasted of their Lord maisters extreame truelty and coulde not paciently away with the rigor thereof ranne for refuge vnto the Church and got them vnto the altare with swordes hanging by their sides being requested to depart they woulde not in any wise but disturbed and hindred deuine seruice Moreouer for the spare of many dayes they held their naked swordes in their hands ready to dispatch whosoeuer came vnto them Wherefore when they had killed one of the Priests and wounded an other in the ende they slewe them selues with the sight hereof one of them that were present sayde that the profanation of the Churche prognosticated some calamitie to ensue and repeated two Iambick verses out of some olde Poete to iustifie his saying Men see full oft such signes before and vvonders eke VVhen haynous crimes the holy Church to stayne doth seeke Neither was he in a wronge boxe that vttered these Iambicks for it prognosticated as it seemed vnto vs diuision to rise among the people and depriuation of him that was ringleader of the whole mischiefe Shortly after the emperour gaue forth his commauÌ„dement that the bishops out of all places should meete at Ephesus where they came together whither also Nestorius tooke his voyage immediatly after Easter holy dayes together with a greate multitude of people where he found the bishops assembled â–ª but Cyrillus bishop of Alexandria came thither in a while after it was about VVhitsontide The fift day after Pentecost Iuueâ—alis Bishop of Ierusalem was come But while Iohn bishop of Antioch lingered by the way the Bishops which were already come thither called the matter into controuersie Cyrillus bishop of Alexandria to the ende he might molest Nestorius for he thought very ill of him vsed certaine preambles of disputation When many confirmed that Christ was God Nestorius pleaded for him self I verily sayth he will not call him god who grew to mans state by two moneths and three moneths and so forth therfore I wash my handes from your blood and from
a perfect knowledg of the faith also vnto a sure cōfirmation of the same ▪ for it instructeth vs most exquisitly in such things as we must necessarily know of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost and setteth forth after the plainest maner the incarnation of our Lord Iesus for them that with faith wil embrace it but seeing that certen leud godles persons endeuoring with their erronious opinions to root out true religiō haue brought into the world many vaine fantasies of their idle braines of which number some were not affraid to corrupt the true vnderstanding the mistery of the manhood our Lord Iesus toke for our sakes to deny the mother or bearing of God which is attributed vnto the virgine Mary other some fained very fondly that the diuinity the humanity consisted of one nature confoūding both with a certē imaginatiue cōmixitō of natures affirming with horrible blasphemy that in the said confusion the diuine nature of the onely begotten was patible therefore this great general coūcel presētly assēbled together being desirous with al might to stop euery gapp to cutt of all occasion of deuelishe deuices wrought to the ouerthrowe of the trueth decreeth that the faith which we receiued of the fathers is inuiolably to be retained and therefore commaundeth aboue all other formes of fayth that the creede deliuered vnto vs of three hundred and eighteene godly fathers is firmely to be beleeued moreouer to th ende the enemies of the holy Ghoste may vtterly be foyled it ratifieth the doctrine aftervvardes established touching the substance of the holy Ghost by a hundred and fifty godly byshopps whiche mett at the princely citye of Constantinople the which essence those fathers made manifeste vnto the whole world not by adding anything of their owne as if the canons of the Nicene coūcell were vnperfect but that they might declare by manifest testimonies of holy scripture what their owne opinion was of the holy ghost against such as denied the godhead thereof furthermore to the confutation of suche as doubted not to peruert the mysterie of our Lords incarnation assirming both impiously and blasphemously that he which was borne of the holy virgine was but onely man this holy councell approueth the synodicall Epistles of holy Cyrill byshopp of Alexandria written vnto Nestorius and to the byshops of the East churches partly to refell the mad and franticke opinion of Nestorius and partly also for to instruct such as are godly disposed and labour to attaine vnto the true vnderstandinge of the holye creede Againe this councell annexeth thereunto not without good consideration the Epistle of Leo the most holy archebyshop of old Rome which he wrote vnto Flauianus the most holy archebyshopp for the remouinge and rooting out of the Churche of God the fanaticall opinion of Eutyches as a worthie tract agreeing with the consession of Peter that great Apostle and as it were a stronge pillour and fortresse to vpholde the true and sincere doctrine against all erronious opinions for he valiantly encountreth with such as endeuored to deuide the mystery of the incarnation into two sonnes he excommunicateth suche as dare presume to saye that the diuinitie of the onely begotten is patible he manfully withstandeth suche as confounde or make a commixtion of both the natures in Christe he ratleth sickebraines and frentike fooles who affirme that the shape of a seruant which he tooke of vs was of a celestiall or some other kinde of substance last of all he accurseth suche as vaynely haue fayned that before the couplinge of the natures there vvere tvvo but after the vnitynge of them that there vvas but one onely nature in the Lorde VVherefore treadinge one trace and immitatinge the fayth of the holy Fathers vvhiche vvent before vs vve consesse one and the same sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe and vvith one generall consent vve saye that he is perfecte God and perfecte man true God and true man of a reasonable soule and humane fleshe subsistinge of one substance vvyth the father according vnto his diuinitye but of one substance with vs according vnto his humanitye like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted begotten of the father before all worlds according vnto his godhead but borne in these later dayes for our sakes and for our saluation of the virgine mary the mother of God according vnto his manhood one the same Iesus Christ the sonne the Lord the onely begotten of two natures knowen without confounding of thē without mutation without diuision without separation the distinctiō of natures not remoued for all the vniting of them but the proprietie of both natures vvholly retayned and coupled together in one person or as the Grecians say in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not seuered parted into tvvo persons but one and the selfe same onely begotten sonne God the vvorde and the Lorde Iesus Christe euen as the Prophetts of olde and Christe him selfe aftervvardes haue instructed vs of him and the same hath the faith of the fathers deliuered vnto vs. Seeinge we haue sifted out the trueth of these thinges with great care and diligence the sacred and generall councell hath decreed that it shall be lavvfull for no man eyther to alleage or to vvrite or to frame or to beleeue or to teache any other fayth Moreouer this councell commaundeth suche as presume to deuise any other fayth or to bringe forth or to teache or to publishe any other creede vnto suche as turne eyther from paganisme or from Iudaisme or from any other secte whatsoeuer vnto the knowledge of the trueth if they be byshops that they be deposed of their byshoplike dignities if priests that they be vnministred if monks and lay people that they shoulde be accursed After the reading of these decrees Martianus the Emperour who was present at the councell of Chalcedon who made there also an Oration returned to Constantinople Iuuenalis and Maximus Theodoritus and Ibas who had bene deposed were restored to their byshopricks other thinges there were handled by the councell the whiche shall be layde downe as I saide before in the ende of this hooke They decreed besides all the aforesaide that the byshopps seae of New Rome that is of Constantinople because she enioyed the second honor after Olde Rome shoulde be chiefe and in honor aboue all other cities CAP. V. Of the sedition raysed at Alexandria about the election of Proterius and in like sort at Ierusalem AFter that Dioscorus was exiled into Gangrena a citie of Paphlagonia Proterius by the generall consent of the councell was chosen byshopp of Alexandria Beinge stalled in the seae there rose amonge the people through heate of contention a wonderfull great tumult vprore for as it falleth out in such hurliburlies some would needs cal home Dioscorus some others very earnestly cleaued vnto Proterius so that there ensued thereof great slaughter and bloodshed for Priscus the
vnto Basilius beinge but very briefe I thinke best to lay downe for the louinge reader it was as followeth Vnto the most religious most holy and dearly beloued of God my lord Basil the archebyshop Symeon an humble sinner sendeth greeting in the Lorde Now we may very well say blessed be God which hath not turned away our petition neyther withdrawen his mercie from vs miserable sinners VVhen I had perused the letters which your holinesse sent vnto me I fell into an admiration of the singuler care and pietie of our most holy Emperour reuealed and made manifest vnto the worlde by the affection he bâ—re not onely vnto the holy fathers but also by the zeale he shewed vnto the fayth confirmed by them but this commeth not of our selues it is as the holy Apostle writeth the gifte of God who by the meanes of your prayers graunted vnto him so prompt and willing a minde Againe after a fewe lines he saith VVherefore I beinge an abiecte and vile creature as it were the vntimely birth of the monkes signified vnto the Emperour what I my selfe thought of the creede layde downe by the sixe hundred and thirtie holy fathers whiche assembled at Chalcedon affirming that I helde with that fayth published no doubt by the instinct motioÌ„ of the holy ghost for if our sauiour be in the middest of two or three gathered together in his name howe can he chuse but be present at the assembly of so many holy fathers seing the holy ghost hath bene with them from the beginning After this againe VVherefore be of good cheere and defende stoutly the true fayth in such sort as Iesus the sonne of Naue seruant of the Lorde of hostes gouerned and desended the people of Israell I beseeche you salute from me all the clergie of your prouince with the holy and faythfull people CAP. XI The banishment of Timotheus Aelurus byshopp of Alexandria and the election of Timotheus Salofaciolus of Gennadius and Acacius byshopps of Constantinople AFter the aforesaide sturre Timotheus syrnamed Aelurus was banished Alexandria and enioyned to make his abode at Gangrena wherefore the people of Alexandria those Timotheus whome some called Basilicus some other Salofaciolus to succeede Proterius in the byshopricke When Anatolius had departed this life Gennadius gouerned the byshopricke of the princelie citye of Constantinople after him succeeded Acacius maister of the hospitall or College of Orphans CAP. XII Of the earthquake whiche happened at Antioch three hundred forty seuen yeares after that whiche was in the time of Traian IN the seconde yeare of Leo the Emperours raigne there was suche a marueylous great earthquake shaking of the fundations at Antioch that it can not sufficiently be described before it beganne certaine people that were borne within the citie waxed mad raued aboue measure and seemed vnto vs farre to exceede all furious rage of brutishe flercenesse and crueltie as a preamble forerunninge so great a calamitie This grieuous earthquake happened the fiue hundred and sixth yeare after the citie was called Antioch the fourteenth day of the moneth Gorpiaeus after the Romaines September about the fourth houre of the night the Sunday goinge before the eleuenth course of the reuolution three hundred forty seuen yeares after the earthquake vnder Traian That earthquake was a hundred fifty and nine yeares after the grauntinge of the charter and incorporation of the citie but this fell in the raigne of Leo the fiue hundred and sixth yeare as the historiographers who diligently described the circumstances thereof haue left vs in writinge It turned vpside downe in manner all the buyldinge of this newe citie beinge well peopled without a wast corner or ruinous peece of buyldinge but all adorned and gorgeously sett forth by the bountifulnesse of the Emperours contendinge amonge themselues successiuely who shoulde passe other Moreouer as ye goe in the first and seconde lodginge of the pallace were ouerthrowen the rest standinge vp with the bath adioyninge thereunto which bath aforetime serued to no vse yet then of necessitie by reason the other bathes wente to ruyne supplyed their wante and stoode the citie in good steede the portly gates of the pallace the place called the fouresquare porche the vtter turretts and galleries nighe the gates where their stage playes were kept and some porches that came out thence some part of the bathes of Traian Seuerus Adrian the adioyning Ostracina together with the porches Nymphaeum were turned downe to the grounde all whiche Iohn Rhetor hath largely discoursed of he sayth further that in consideratioÌ„ of the premises the Emperour forgaue the citie a thousand talents of gold of the tribute which they payd him released such citizens as sustained losse of theyr rente last of all that he tooke vpon him to repayre the publique edifices CAP. XIII Of the fire that raged at Constantinople THere fell moreouer at ConstaÌ„tinople a calamity not much vnlike the former nay farr more grieuous it beganne in that part of the city which lay to the sea is called the Oxe Causei The reporte goeth that a despitefull and wicked deuell in the forme of a woman or a poore woman through the instigation of the deuell both is reported went about candel light with a candell in her hand vnto the market for to buy some saltfish left her candell vpon the stall and went away When the candell had wasted to the ende of the wike it rose into a great flame and stroke immediatly in the buylding ouer heade which burned at the first it tooke hold also of the houles that were next not onely such as easily might be set on fire but also the stony buylding and burned them to ashes They say this fire lasted the space of foure dayes no man was able to quenche it it flashed throughout the middes of the citie consumed from the north part to the south end all houses fiue furlungs in length and fourteene in bredth left no buylding either publique or priuate no pillours no stony arches or vaultes in all that tyme and in all that compasse vnburned to the fundation but to haue perced the flinte stone and harde mettall as if it had bene stuble or strawe Of the north part of the citie where the hauen lieth this lamentable destruction reached froÌ„ the Oxe-Causei so is the place called vnto the old temple of Apollo in the south side froÌ„ the hauen of Iulian vnto the temple of Concorde in the middest of the citie froÌ„ Constantines market vnto the market of Taurus a pitiefull shewe and dredfull to behold The goodly places gorgeous high buyldings that had bene within the citie the costly carued tymber yelding heretofore great maiesty vnto the eye of man both publique and priuate were then become like craggy hills and rocks that no man could passe through confused heapes of filth and all kind of stuff full of deformity that the owners of them them felues could not discerne the bounds of theyr possessioÌ„
Emperours house And so an ende of them CAP. IIII. The Edict of the fayth which Iustinus caused to be published in writinge vnto all Christians wheresoeuer FUrthermore Iustinus wrote an edict sentit abrode vnto y ◠christians euery where cōtaining such a forme as followeth In the name of the Lord Iesus Christ our God the emperour Caesar Flauius Iustinus faithfull in Christ meeke chiefe lord bountifull lord of Almaine lord of Gutland lord of Germanie lord of Antium lord of Francia lord of the people Eruli lord of the nation Gepaedi pious fortunate glorious victorious triumphant all noble perpetuall Augustus My peace saith the Lord Christ who is our true God I geue vnto you my peace saith the same Lord vnto the whole world I leaue vnto you which is no otherwise to be taken then that such as belieue in him should repaire vnto the one and the onely Church that they should be at vnity among them selues in the true and sincere faith of Christ and detest from the hearte root such as gainesay or vphold the contrary opinion The chiefest point that appertaineth vnto mans saluation is the free acknowledging protesting of the true faith VVherefore as we are commaunded by the Euangelists and as the sacred creed to wit the doctrine of the holy fathers hath taught vs we exhort al mē to embrace the one the only church discipline belieuing in the father in the sonne in the holy ghost glorifying the coessētiall trinitie the on godhead to wit nature and substance one both in word and deed one might power and autoritie in the three persons in whome we were baptized in whome we belieue and by whome we are coupled together in one VVe worship the trinitie in vnitie and the vnitie in trinitie hauinge both a diuision and a coniunction so wonderfull that they can not be expressed the vnitie we meane according vnto substance to wit the godhead the trinitie according vnto the proprieties that is the persons the diuision we vnderstand to be vndeuided and the coniunction deuided For the diuinity is one in the three persons and the three in whome the diuinity lieth or as I may better say which are the diuinitye it selfe are one God the father God the sonne God the holy ghost because that euery person is taken by him self the mind separateth the things which are vnseparable to wit God to be three persōs which are vnderstood to be ioyned together in on as I may so terme it in idētitie of motiō nature for it behoueth vs to say there is one God acknowledge three persōs or proprieties we cōfesse moreouer that the only begottē sonne of God God the word was begottē of the father before all worlds from euerlasting not made that for vs for our saluation he came downe from heauen in the later dayes was incarnat by the holy ghost of our Lady Mary the holy glorious mother of God and perpetuall virgine and borne of her that he is equall to the father to the holy ghost For the blessed trinity alloweth not of any fourth person as if God the word incarnat were so who is one persō of the trinity one the same our Lord Iesus Christ of one substance with the father according vnto his diuinity of one substance with vs according vnto his humanity patible as toutchinge the fleshe but impatible toutching the godhead we say not that God the worde which wrought miracles was one he which suffred was another but confesse that the one the same our Lord Iesus christ the word of God was incarnat truely made man that both the miracles he wrought the afflictiōs he voluntarily endured in the flesh for our saluation appertained vnto one the selfe same person For it was no man that gaue him self for vs but it was euen very God the worde who was made man without alteration of the godhead of his owne accord both suffred died for vs. wherfore in acknowledging that he is God we say not but that he is man in cōfessing his māhood we deny not his godhead Againe while we affirme that the one our Lord Iesus Christ consisteth of both the natures diuinity humanity we confound not the persons in the vnity for al he was made man accordinge vnto our nature yet is he God notwithstandinge neither because he is God after his owne nature and hath a likenes not capable of our similitude doth he ceasse to be man but contineweth as God in humanity so no lesse man in the excellency of diuinity Therefore both the aforesaid is in one and the same one is both God and man who is Emmanuel Further when we graunt that the same one is both perfect God and perfect man of whiche two things he consisteth we seuere not the coniunctiō vnity of his person but declare the differēce of the natures which is not taken away for all the coupling and knittinge together of them for neither is the diuine nature chaunged into the humane neither the humane conuerted into the diuine nature but because both of them is better vnderstood and sooner appeareth in the perfect description order of the proper natures Therefore say we that the confunction was made in the person The coniunction which is in the person sheweth that God the word to wit one of the three persons in diuinity was coupled not to mā that was before but in the wombe of Marie our Lady the holy glorious mother of God perpetuall virgine framed vnto him self of her in his proper person a body of one substance with ours subiect to like affections with vs sinne onely excepted and endued with a reasonable soule and vnderstanding ▪ he had a being of him selfe and was made man and is one and the same our Lord Iesus Christe of equall glory with the father the holy ghost And while we imagine or conceaue his vnspeakable copulation we acknowledge vnfainedly that the one nature of God the worde was incarnat and tooke flesh endued with a reasonable intellectuall soule Againe when we thinke vpon the differēce of natures we affirme there are two natures yet deuide them not at al for both the natures are in him therefore we confesse one the same Christ one sonne one person or one proprietie of the diuine essence both God man ▪ wherefore as many as held contrary opinions vnto this or presently doe belieue otherwise we pronounce thē to be held for accursed iudge thē to be farre estraunged frō the holy catholick apostolick church of God And seeing the true sincere doctrine deliuered vnto vs by the holy fathers hath pearced our eares and is now as it were imprinted in our brests we exhort you all nay rather we beseech you in the bowels of Christ Iesu to become one fold to be of one the same catholick apostolick church for we think it no
of Aegypt so that in the end king Ioacim smote Vrias with the sworde and killed him and threwe his carkasse where the common sort of people were buried Aggaeus AGgaeus was endued with grace from aboue to prophecy of the Lord Christ vnder the person of Zorobabel he spake that which agreeth with the Lord Christ that is to say I wil make thee as a signeâ— for I haue chosen thee saith the Lord of hosts euen as Iohn the Euangelist speaking of the sonne of man saith for him hath God sealed This Aggaeus being a yong man came from Babylon to Ierusalem and prophecied very plainly of the returne of the people and as toutching the temple he saw with his eyes the buylding againe of it he dyed and was buried nigh the sepulchres of the priests with the accustomed honor done at the buriall of priests Zacharias THe spirit of God came vpon Zachary y â— he prophecied of the coÌ„ming of Christ for he saith Reioyce thou greatly O daughter Sion be glad O daughter Ierusalem for lo thy king coÌ„meth vnto thee euen the righteous sauiour lowly simple is he riding vpon an Asse and vpon the foale of an Asse Litterally he spake this prophecy of Zorobabel â–ª but y e trueth of it in the end tooke place in y e Lord Iesus Christ Againe he writeth And I wil say vnto him how came these wounds in thine hands he shal aunswere thus was I wounded in the house of mine owne friends And a litle after I wil smite the sheperd the shepe wil be scattered abrode The Lord him selfe was mindfull of this prophecy about the time of his passion alleaging it applying it to him self when he should be betrayed This Zacharie being very aged came out of Chaldaea there prophecied vnto y e people of many things for confirmation therof wrought straunge things he executed also at Ierusalem the priestly function he blessed Salathiel his sonne and called him Zorobabel he gaue by his prayer seruice which he made at Ierusalem vnto y â— Persians vnder Cyrus the victorie he prophecied of him blessed him exceedingly As toutching his propheticall visions he saw theÌ„ at Ierusalem he entreated of the end of y â— Gentils of the temple of idlenes of prophets priests and of a double iudgement he dyed being a very olde man and was buried nigh Eleutheropolis a forty furlongs of in the field Noeman but in the time of Ephidus the bishop he was reuealed to be that Zacharie the sonne of Bâ—rachie whom Esay spake of the land where he lyeth is called Betharia out of Ierusalem a hundred and fifty furlongs Malachias MAlachie euen as the rest haue done prophecied of our Lord Iesus Christ for thus he saith FroÌ„ the rising of the sonne vnto the going down of the same my name is great among the GeÌ„tiles in euery place incense shal be offered to my name and a pure offringe for my name is great among the very heatheÌ„ saith the Lorde of hostes And againe he saith Behold I will send my messenger he shall prepare the way before thee Iohn Baptist our sauiour also applied this Prophecye vnto him selfe Agayne sayth the same Prophete Vnto you that feare my name shall the sonne of righteousnes arise health shal be vnder his wings ye shall goe forth like farte calues Ye shall treade downe the vngodlye for they shal be duste vnder the soles of your feete in that day that I shall doe this sayth the Lorde of hostes And beholde I will send you Elias the Thesbite before the comminge of the greate and glorious daye of the Lorde Euen as the Lord spake of Iohn vnto the Iewes And if ye vvill receaue it this is Elias vvhich was for to come This Malachie was borne in Supha after the returne of the people out of Babylon Beinge a very yonge man he tooke wonderfull straunge and diuine foode to nurishe him he led a godly life And because all the people reuerenced him as an holy man Saincte of God they called him Malachias whiche is by interpretation an Angel He was a well fauored and bewtifull yonge man What so euer he prophecied of the Angell of the Lord was seene then to instruct him â–ª euen as it came to passe in the days of old when there was no Prince as it is wrytten in the booke of Iudges He died in the prime of his florishing yeares and was laid to his fathers in his owne field Iohn Baptist out of Epiphanius IOhn Baptist the sonne of Zacharie and Elizabeth was of the tribe of Leui. This is he that shewed vs the lambe of God the sonne of the father whiche taketh away the sinnes of the worlde by poyntinge at him with the finger This is he that shewed mortall men the waye and sette the dores of the kingedome of heauen wide open There was neuer any that was borne of a woman greater then Iohn the Baptist He died beinge beheaded by Herode the tyrante for Herodias the wife of his brother Philip. The censure Dorothe us geueth of the Prophetes and theyr workes AMonge these Prophetes some wrote and some haue not wrytten There are twelue of them called the lesse Osee Amos Micheas Ioel Abdias Ionas Naum Abacuk Sophonias Aggaâ—â—s Zacharias and Malachias There are also foure called the greate Prophetes Esay Ieremie Ezechiel and Daniel All the Prophetes prophecyed vnto the levves and admonished them of the promises of God made vnto the fathers wherein he promised to blesse all nations in the seede of Abraham through the saluation that was to come by our Lorde Iesus Christ agayne howe he with a mightie and out stretched arme broughte them out of theyr bondage in Aegypt and gaue them the land of promisse Last of all howe they were led captiues into Babylon by Nabuchodonozor and thence broughte backe agayne with honor Moreouer howe they were afflicted by Antiochus and the nations founde aboute them yet for all that by the prouidence of God they proued conquerours in the end And to shutte vppe the wholl in fewe wordes holde he shoulde come accordinge vnto the promises whiche wente before of him that was looked for and promised of the seede of Abraham to be the Sauiour of the wholl worlde And this was the common drifte of all the Prophetes Of whiche number some wrote bookes namelye Dauid who compiled the booke of Psalmes And Daniel who was commaunded in the tyme of captiuitie to wryte such things as were reuealed vnto him by visions with certayne others also As for the reste they wrote not theyr owne Prophecyes but the Scribes which were in the temple wrote euery Prophets sayings as it were with supputation of the dayes And when so euer anye Prophete was sente of God to entreate either of the captiuitie of Ierusalem or of Samaria or of other places either of theyr returne or of Antiochus or of the borderinge nations or else of Christ
Augustus was Emperour 56. yeares in the 42. yeare of his raygne our Sauiour Christ Iesus was borne into the worlde Aristobulus his brother deposed him bothe of his priesthoode and princely power    But Pompei ouertooke this Aristobulus and broughte him captiue to Rome    Antigonus Aristobulus and Hircanus raygned 34. yeres by turnes  3970.  Herode an aliene in the 10. yeare of Augustus the Emperour was made kinge of Iudaea In the 34. yeare of his raygne Christe Iesus was borne into the world  Toutching the yeare of the world when Christ was borne diuerse men be of diuerse opinioÌ„s Eusebius in his ChronicoÌ„ layd downe 5199. contrarye to the supputation of the Hebrewes as Ierom noteth reckoninge 2000. for one 1000. Ierom 3965. Epiphanius aduers heres lib. 2. tom 2. 5480. Nicephorus eccl hist lib. 1. ca. 10. 5505. The old Rabins 3759. Ludouicus Carettus a Iewe 3760. Carion 3944. Phrigio 3962. Theodorus Zuinger 3964. Cytreus 3962. Luther 3960. Eliot 3962. The ministers of Tigurine 3974. Demochares 3959. but saith he there be some which couÌ„t 3969. As I herein can gather by supputation of the yeares from Adam to Christ there are 3970. neither do I herein preiudice all the rest neither arrogat singularity vnto my self PantaleoÌ„ a learned chronographer of this our age is of myne opinioÌ„ me thinkes it staÌ„deth with goodreason If ye referre the age of Iohn who beganne to preach wheÌ„ he was 30. yeares old vnto the later nuÌ„ber to wit 3970. it vvill rise iust to 4000. The receaued opinion namely of Augustine Iustinus Martyr quest 71. Irenaeus li. 5. MuÌ„ster Ludouicus Carettus with others is that the vvorld shall last 6000. yeares 2000. before the lavve 2000. vnder the lavve 2000. vndeâ— Messias that is Christ Againe I reade that our Sauiour sayd in the Gospell the lavve the Prophetes to haue ended in Iohn and if the common opinion is true then vvere the 4000. yeares expired From thence let vs beginne vvith Christ as it is in the Chronographie follovvinge A Chronographie THe Hebrewes the Israelits the Iewes were gouerned first by captaines beginning at Moses and his successor Iosua next by Iudges as Othoniel Aod afterwards by Kings beginning at Saul whome Dauid succeeded Last of all by Priests who were also their Princes vntill that Pompeye the Romaine captaine besieged Ierusalem and tooke captiue Aristobulus the Prince and Priest of the Iewes which vnto that tyme had continewed the succession of Kinges from his progenitors together with his sonnes to Rome committing the office of Highpriesthoode to his brother Hyrcanus From that tyme forth the Iewes became tributaries vnto the Romaines Not longe after when Hyrcanus was taken of the Parthians Herode 34. yeares after their siege vnder Pompeye Euseb Chronic. by father an Idumaean by mother an Arabian tooke of the Romaine Senate and Augustus Caesar the gouernement of the Iewishe nation Then the prophecie of Iacob written by Moses Genes 49. was to take place and to be fulfilled which sayde The scepter shall not depart from Iuda neyther a lawegeuer fayle of his loynes vntill the Messias come Then I say at that tyme vvas the scepter taken from Iuda that is from the Ievvishe tribe and geuen to Herode a straunger Then vvas the Messias borne into the vvorlde to vveâ—e our Sauiour Christ Iesu Euseb Eccles Hist lib. 1. cap. 7. THE Acts of Christ and the yeares of his incarnation THE raygne of the Emperoures THE famous men fauorers of the trueth THE Kings of Iudaea THE highpriests of the Ievves in Ierusalem SECTS and hereticks as vvell among the Ievves as aftervvardes among the Christians The promised MESSIAS the annoynted of God our sauiour Christ â–ª Iesus was conceaued in Nazareth and borne in Bethleem from the beginninge of the world the 3970 yeare in the 42. of the raigne of Augustus Caesar Euseb lib. 1. cap. 6. Cytraeus in Genes Epiphan lib. 1. tom 1. AVGVSTVS CAESAR was in the 42. yeare of his raygne when Christ was borne Euseb lib. 1. cap. 6. Epiphan lib. 1. tom 1. The shepheardes had the firste tydinges that Christ was borne Luc. 2. The wise men commonly called the KINGES of COLEN sawe his starre the same nyght in the East Mat. 2. Ioh. Huss HERODE was kinge of the Iewes went on the 34. yeare of his raygne when Christ was borne Eusebius in Chronic. SIMON the sonne of Boethus the father in lawe of kiÌ„g Herode was Highpriest of the Iewes wheÌ„ Christ was borne whom Herode the laste yere of his raigne deposed suspectinge him to be of the conspiracie treason practised for the poysoninge of the kinge Ioseph Antiq lib. 17. cap. 5. By that which S. Paul wrote vnto the Colossians cap. 3. that in Christ Iesu there was neyther Iewe neyther Gentile neyther Scythian neither Barbarian we gather that the nations of old were distinguished and noted one from an other and that for sundry considerations Some time in the good parte as of Heber the Hebrewes were called of Israel the Israelites of the tribe of Iuda the Iewes of Leui the Leuites of Christ the Christians so agayne in the ill parte and worse sense diuers haue had theyr appellation and were called Heretickes after their names whose steps they followed and whose opinion they maintayned The which Epiphanius noteth very well libâ—de haeresibus  Augustus rained 57. yeares Euseb lib. 1. cap. 10. Although others doe write that he raygned but 56. yeares ZACHARIE the prieste the father of Iohn Baptist no highpriest but an inferiour one of the 24. orders meÌ„tioned in 1. Paral. 24. of the eyght lott called Abia Lyra in Luc. Zacharie at the byrth of his sonne Iohn Baptist songe Benedictus Luc. 1. Herode burned the Genealogies of the Hebrwes to make him selfe a geÌ„tleman Euseb lib. 1. cap. 8. MATHIAS the sonne of Theophilus is by Herode appointed to succeede Simon Ioseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 5. Amonge the Iewes there were sundrie sectes whiche continewed also the tyme of Christ Euseb Eccles hist lib. 4. cap. 21. allegeth out of Egesippus that in the tyme of the Circumcision there were sundrie sectes amonge the children of Israel varyinge in opinions and set opposite agaynste the tribe of Iuda and Christ namely these the Essâ—ans the Galilaeans Hemerobaptists Maâ—â—oâ—haans Samaritans Sadduces and Pharises Epiphanius besides these numbreth others â–ª to were the Gorthaeans Sebuaeans Dosithaeans Scribes Ossaeans Nazaraeans Herodians  In the tyme of Augustus there was a generall taxing Luc. 2. Zacharias was slayne betweene the temple the altare as Basilias Origen in Mat. hom 26. do write The cause was as they sayde in the defence of the virginitie of Marie The virgins had a seuerall place in the teÌ„ple to pray Marie after the was deliuered knowen to haue had a soÌ„ne resorted thither neuertheles the Pharisies withstoode her Zacharie affirmed she was a virgine therefore was he flame Ioseph bell Iud. lib. 5.
dyed An. Dom. 375. Socrat. li. 4. cap. 12. 16. Acesius a NouatiaÌ„ bishop was of Constantine called to the councell of Nice to render an accompte of his opinion Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 7.    The first councell of Arelate decreed with other thinges that Easter shoulde be kept at one certain time tom 1. coÌ„cil A councell of Arian bishops meet at Tyrus deposed Athanasius but CoÌ„stantine remoued them to coÌ„secrate the temple lately buylded at Ierusalem called them afterwards to CoÌ„stantinople in his presence to determine Athanasius causes Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 20. 22.   Iulius was b. of Rome after Mark Anno Do. 336. where he contine wed 16. yeres Ierom chron Socrat lib. 2. cap. 5. 27. saith it was 15. yeares  Marcellus b. of Ancyra in Galatia taught the heresie of Paulus Samosatenus that Christ was but bare man the bishops in the councell of Constantinople deposed him and â—usebius Pamphilus coÌ„futed him in three bookes Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 24. c. 336.    Maximus was b. of Ierusalem after Macarius hedetested the Arians refused to come to the councel of Antioche lest he shoulde condemne the Nicen Creede in the ende the Arians deposed him Socrat li. 2. c. 5. 30.    Audius was a schismaticke a man of an hotte spirite he rebuked the clergie men to their faces for their disordered lyfe being councelled to deale modestly nay chastized he deuided him selfe from the church and fell to raysing of priuate coÌ„uenticles he kept Easter with the Iewes Epiphan haer 70.         Eusebius of Nicomedia not onely in Arius tyme but also after his death mayntayned the heresie of Arius together with Macedonius b. of Constantinople â–ª Theognis b. of Nice Mâ— â–ª ris b. of ChalcedoÌ„ Theodorus b. of Heraclea â–ª Vrsacius Valens c. Socrat lib. 2. cap. 2. 9. 15. 340. ConstaÌ„tinus the yonger beig made Caesar the 10. yere of his fathers â—avgne â–ª CoÌ„stantius beinge made Caesar the 20. yere of his fathers raygne Constans beinge made Emperour the 30. yere of his fathers raigne succeeded they re father after his desease and deuided the Empire amonge them Constantinuâ— enioâ—ed it but alitle while for he was slayne by the souldiers of his brother Constans when he sought to inuade his brother CoÌ„stans dominions ConstaÌ„s not loÌ„g after was slayne by MagneÌ„tius the tyrant These two were godly emperours but CoÌ„stantius was an AriaÌ„ in the end CoÌ„stantius dyed being fiue and fortie yeare olde he raigned 38. yeares thirteene with his father CoÌ„staÌ„tinus Magnus fiue twentie after his fathers death Socrat. lib. 1 cap. 25 26. lib. 2. cap. 3 20. 37. IeroÌ„ chronic Rheticus a learned wryter florished in Fraunce about this time Ierom catalog There was a couÌ„cell held at Caesarea in Cappadocia where Eulalius b. of that seae condemned his owne sonne Eustathius b. of Sebastia in Armenia for manye crimes Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 33. The Councell of Gangra condemned the hereticall opinions of Eustathius allowing the mariage of priests Socra lib. 2. cap. 33 tom 1. concil A councell helde in Carthage decreed there should be no rebaptizing that clergie men should not meddle with temporall affaires tom 1. coÌ„cil Iulius helde a prouinciall synode at Rome where he condemned Arius ratified the Nicene Creede tom 1. concil  Eulalius an Arian was b. of Antioch after Eustathius Nicephor   Eustathius b. of Sebastia in Armenia went in suche attyre as was not decente for a priest He sorbad Mariadge made lawes of fastinge he parted maried couples asunder He caused suche as refrayned the churches to rayse conuenticles at home he tooke seruaunts froÌ„ their maisters vnder colour of religion he commaunded his followers to weare the philosophers habit he caused the womeÌ„ to be shauen he sorbad the accustomed fastingdays and commaunded they should faste on the sundaye He detested the prayers of maryed men he abhorred the offering and communion of the maried priest not remeÌ„bringe that his owne father was a priest and bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia he was first coÌ„demned of his owne father in a councell helde at Caesarea afterwardes by the couÌ„cel of Gâ—gra last of all at Gonstantinople Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 33.   Iuuencus a prieste of Spayne who wrot the foure EuaÌ„gelists in heroical verse florished about this tyme Ierom catalog   Euphronius an Arian was b. of Antioche after Eulalius Socrat. lib. 1. ca. 18.     Maximus b. of Treuere in Fraunce entertayned honorably Athanasius b. of AlexaÌ„dria being exiled into Fraunce Ier. chro A councell of Arian bishops mett at Antioche the first yeare after ConstaÌ„tines desease wher they deposed Athanasius endeuored to abrogate the Nicene creede Socrat. li. 2. ca. 5. 6. 7 The bishops of the East called a councell together layd down their creede with long expositions and sent it to the west churches by three bishops Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 15 A councell held at Coleyne in Germanie condemned Euphrata the byshop for denyinge that Christ was god â—om 1. concil A generall councell was summoned at Sardice by Constantius Constans the Emperoures for the hearing of Athanasius b. of Alexandria Paulus b. of Constantinople whom the Arians had exiled The councell restored them deposed they re accusers condeÌ„ned the Arians and confirmed the Nicene creede Socrat. lib. â— cap. 16. Cyrillus an Arian was chosen b. of Ierusalem after the deposition of Maximus he was deposed forcerâ—eÌ„ hainous crimes woulde not come and purge him selfe Socrat. li. 2. cap. 30. 31. 32.    Macedonius at the first being an Arian and deposed by Acacius secte could not quiet him self but fell from the Arians into an other heresie he denyed the godhead of the holy ghost tearming him the seruant and the drugge of the father of the sonne this opinion they saye Marathonius bishop of Nicomedia taught before him These hereticks are called Pneumatomachoi Socrat lib. 2. cap. 25. Epiph. haeres 73.    A councell summoned at IerusaleÌ„ by Maximus b. of that seae where he receaued Athanasius vnto the communion ratified the Nicene creede Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 19 A councell called together at AlexaÌ„dria by Athanasius where the actes of the couÌ„cell of Sardice of IerusaleÌ„ were confirmed Socrat lib. 2. cap. 21. Heraclius Placitus an Arian was b. of Antioch Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 5 6. 7.   Euphrata bishop of Coleyne denyed that Christ was God he was condemned in a councell helde at Coleyne tom 1. concil 350.  Hilarius b. of poetiers in Fraunce a great aduersarie of the Arians wrote sundrye notable bookes whereof one he deliuered into Constantius hande at ConstaÌ„tinople He died in the time of Valens and Valentinianus Ierom. catalog Socrat li. 3. ca. 8. Herenius Stephan an Arian succeeded Placitus Socrat lib. 2. cap. 21. Liberiê° was b. of Rome after Iulius
of the virgine but that the worde became flesh Epiphan haeres 76. 77. 365. Iulian succeded ConstaÌ„tius in the empire he heard at ConstaÌ„tinople Macedonius the Eunuch Niâ—ôcles the Laconian Ecebolius the sophist CoÌ„stantius fearinge he woulde fall froÌ„ christian religion into heathenish idolatrie sente him to Nicomedia charging him nor to treade in the schoole of Libanius yet by stelthe he resorted vnto him and read his heathenishe doctrine When the Emperour suspected his disposition IuliaÌ„ shaued him selfe and became a reader in a certaine churche yet after the Emperours death the obtayninge of the empire he became an Apostata he banished the Christians out of his court entertained in steede of theÌ„ philosophers coniurers Not longe after being the third yere of his raigne he was slayne in a battayle whiche he gaue the Persians An arrowe was shot at hiÌ„ which pearced him in the ribbs and gaue him his deaths wounde Some say it was one of his owne seruants some other that it was a fugitiue Persian some other saye that it was a deuell some doe write that he tooke the daâ—te out of his side threwe it all bloodie into the ayre cryed O Galilaean meaning Christ thou hast ouercome Socra lib. 3. cap. 1. 9. 10. 18. Sozomen lib. 6. cap. 2. Theodo lib. 3. cap. 25. Iouianus a godly maÌ„ one that mayntayned the Nicene creede was Experour after Iulian. He raygned no longer then seaueÌ„ moneths but he dyed Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 19. 20. 22. Macedonius Theodulus Tatianus were broyled to death in the time of Iulian. Socrat lib. 3. cap. 13. Theodorus was sore tormented Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 16. A councell held at AlexaÌ„dria by Athanasius after his returne from exile in the time of Iulian where the Arians Apollinarians Macedonians were condeÌ„ned Socrat lib. 3. ca. 5. A couÌ„cel held at LampsacuÌ„ 7. yeares after the couÌ„cell of Seleucia wher the AriaÌ„s were condemned Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 2. 4. A councell of bishops in Sicilia condemned the AriaÌ„s Soc. lib. 4. cap. 11. Iohn was b. of Ierusalem after Cyrill Socrat lib. 2. cap. 25. Dorotheus Paulinus and Euagrius beig godly meÌ„ were chosen by the people yet notsuffred to continew  Massiliani were idle monks whome the deuell had possessed they sayde that the bodie of Christ in the sacrament did neither good neyther harme they sayde baptisme was to no purpose Leotius b. of Melitena draue the theeues out of their dennes the wolues from among the sheepe sett their monasteries on fire Theodoreâ— lib. 4. cap. 11. these hereticks were called also Euchitae so called because of their coÌ„tinewaâ— prayinge It is a wonder sayeth Augustine to heare what a number of prayers they runne ouer muche like vnto the late mumblinge of prayers vpon beades where Christ sayd Praye alwayes and Sainct Paul Pray without intermission which is deuoutly to be taken for euery day they doe it to much therfore sayeth Augustine to be numbred among heretickes They saye when the soule is purged that a sowe with her pigges is seene to come out of mans mouth and that a visible fire entreth in whiche burneth not these Euchits did thinke that it appertayned not vnto the monkes to get theyr lyuinge with the sweate of their browes but to lyue idlye Epiphanius sayth that wheÌ„ Luppicianus the Praetor executed some of them for their lewdnesse they called them selues Marryrianos Some of them thoughte that it was they re duetie to worshippe the deuell lest he shoulde hurte them these were called Sataniani If ye called any of them Christ a Patriarche a Prophet or an Angell he woulde answere that he was so They slepte like swine men and women all in one heape August lib. de haeres Epiphan haeres 80. These MassiliaÌ„s were coÌ„demned in the generall councell held at Ephesus in the tyme of Theodosius iunior Cyrill lib. Apologet.   Artemius a noble man beheaded for the faith Theodor lib. 3. cap. 18. The MeletiaÌ„s esseÌ„bled at An tioche where they layde down the Macedonian opinion of the sonne of God iump betwene the Arians the true christians where they proued theÌ„ selues neutrans Ier. chro Socr. li. 3. cap. 8.  Dorotheus tooke possession of the bishopricke the seconde time and coÌ„tinewed ther a good while Democh. Socrat lib. 4. cap 28.      A councell at Laodicea anno Domini 368. decreed that the laytie shold not chuse the priest that lessoÌ„s shold be read in the church betwene certen Psalmes that seruice should be morning euening that the Gospel should be reade with other Scriptures on the sunday that leÌ„t should religiously be obserued without marieÌ„g solemnizinge the feastes of martyrs That christians shold not daunce at brydehouses c. tom 1. coÌ„c      367. Valentinianus one whome sometime Iulian banished his court succeeded Iouianus in the Empir he ioyned with him his brother Valens Valentinianus was a true Christian but Valens an Arian the one persecuted the Churche the other preserued the christians Valentinianus dyed Anno Domini 380. after he had liued foure and fiftye yeares and raygned thirteene Valens his brother raygned 3. yeares after him departed this life Socrat lib. 4. ca. 1. 26. 31. Basilius b. of Caesarea in Cappadocia florishedabout this time wheÌ„ Valens the emperour sent for him out of Caesarea into Antioch he be haued him selfe very stoutly in the defence of the trueth Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 21. Gregorie Nazianzen the maister of S. Ierom liued in the time of Valens dyed in the raygne of Theodosius Magnus Socrat. li. 4. cap. 21. Ierom catalog eccles script A councell of Nouatians met at Pazum and decreed contrary to the Nicen couÌ„cell that the feaste of Easter shoulde be kept alike with the Iewes Socrat. li. 4. cap. 23. Nepos Meletiê° came the seconde time to be Byshop Democh    368.  Ambrose b. of Millayne beiÌ„g Liuetenant of the prouince was chosen to gouerne the church by the vniforme consent of the people coÌ„firmed by Valentinianus Ierom suspended his iudgemeÌ„t of him because he liued in his time Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 25. A councell of macedoniaÌ„smet at Antioch and condemned the Nicene councel with the clause of one substance Socrat. lib. 5. ca. 4   Damasus was b. of Rome an Dom. 369 after Liberius where he continewed 18. yeres Socrat lib. 4. cap. 17. 24. lib. 6. ca. 9. lib 7. ca. 9. Ierom. chronic   378.   A couÌ„cel of 90. Byshops called at Rome by Damasur where Arius Eunomius Macedonius Photinus HebioÌ„ and theyr disciples were condemned where also the holye Ghost was sayd to be of one substaÌ„ce with the father and the sonne tom 1. concil    Peter was b. of Alexandria after Athanasius an Dom. 375 the AriaÌ„s by autoritie froÌ„ the emperour clapt him in prison and chose Lucius in his roume Peter got out of prison fled vnto Damasus b. of
Rome Socrat lib. 4. cap. 16. 17.   80. priests were put in a ship burned quicke by the coÌ„maundement of ValeÌ„s the Arian Emperour Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 13. Ammonius a religious man cut of his eare and fledd away because he would not be bishop Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 18. A councell was called at Illyrium by Valetinianus where the trueth in the blessed trinitie was confessed Theod. li. 4. ca. 7. 8. 9.    Lucius an AriaÌ„ ouer the Arians Socra li. 4. ca. 16. Antidicomarianitae were hereticks which impugned the virginitie of Marie sayinge that after the byrth of Christ Ioseph did know her August lib. de haeres Epiphan haeres 78.   Euagrius a religious man fled away because he would not be bishop Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 18. Ierome the learned writer whos workes are famous throughout the worlde florished about this time Ierom. catalo Ab. Tritem A councell held at Rome by Damasus and Peter b. of Alexandria wher the heresie of Apollinarius was condemned Ruff. lib. 2. cap. 2. Prayllius Theodoret. lib. 5. cap. 38. Flauianus was choseÌ„ b. of Antioche and coÌ„tinewed to the time of Arcadius Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 1 Ruff. lib. 2. cap. 21.   Collyridiani were he retickes whiche worshipped the Virgine Marie Epiphanius in discoursing of this heresie inueheth agaynst images and worshipping of saincts Angells haeres 78 79. Metangismonitae were here tickes which sayd that the sonne was in the father as a lesser vessell in a greater August lib. de haeres 383. Gratianus to gether with Valentinianus the yonger succeeded ValeÌ„tinianus and Valens in the Empire Gratianus chose Theodosius Magnus a noble maÌ„ of Spayn to gouerne the Empire These three ruling at one time were godly Empetoures Ruffinus prieste of Aquileia one that was at great variance with IeroÌ„ wrote manie notable volumes he was a great traÌ„slator of Greeke wryters Gennad catalog A councell held at Aquileia condemned Palladius Secundianus the AriaÌ„s tom 1. concil    Timothe a godly man succeeded Peter in the church of Alexandria Socra lib. 5. cap. 3 8. Marinus the Arian thoughte that the father was a father wheÌ„ there was no sonne Such as were of this opinion were called Psathyrians the reasoÌ„ why is to be seene in Socrates lib. 5. cap. 22. Euthicus an EunomiaÌ„ baptised not in the trinity but in the death of Christ Socr. li. 5. c 23  Gratianus was slaine by Maximus the brittaine wheÌ„ he had liued foure and twenty yeres and raygned fifteene Valentinianus was stisled to death Augustine b. of Hippo in Aphricke wrote sundry excelleÌ„t bookes Gennadius suspecteth his opinioÌ„ toutching the resurrection of vntimely byrthes GeÌ„â—ad catalog      Seleuciani or Hermiani of one Seleucus taught that the substaÌ„ce whereof the world was made was not made of God but was coeternall with God that God maketh not the soule but Angelles of fire and spirite that euill is some tymes of God and some times of the thinge it selfe â— that Christ sitteth not in the flesh at the right hande of the Father but hath his seate in the Sunne that there was no visible paradisâ— that Baptisme is noâ— to be receaued by water that there shall bâ— no resurtectioÌ„ but thâ— daylye generation â— children August lib. â— haeres Theodosius the Emperor who of all theother was most famous throughout the worlde fell sicke and dyed wheÌ„ he had lyued 60 yeares and raygned 16. Socrat. lib. 5. cap. 2. 11. 24. 25. Nectarius a man of noble linage and profounde learninge was chosen b. of Constantinople by a hundred fifty bishops Socrat lib. 5. cap. 8. This Nectarius banished confession and the shriuinge priest out of the churche and so did other Byshops because that a cestayne Deacon abused at ConstaÌ„tinople a graue mation vnder colour of confession Socrat. lib. 5 cap. 19. A councell of a hundred and fiftie bishops met at CoÌ„tantinople by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of Theodosius Magnê° where they coÌ„firmed the faith of the Nicene couÌ„cell deuided patriaâ—chships decreed that no bishop shold meddle with anything out of his owne diocess and chose Nectarius b. of CoÌ„staÌ„ntinople Socras lib. 5. cap. 8.   Siricius was b. of Rome after Damasus An. Do. 387. and coÌ„tinewed 15. yeares Prosp chron Socrat lib. 7. cap. 9. This b. of Rome was the firste which decreed that priestes shold not mary Gra. Polid.  ◠Proclianits deny that Christ came in the flesh August         Patriâ—iani said that mans fleshe was not made of God but of the Deuell so that some dispatched them selues to caste of the flesh August 399. Arcadius and Honorius the sonnes of Theodosius Magnus succeeded theyr father the one in the east the other in the west When that Arcadius had raygned 13. yeares with his father Theodâ—sius Magnus and 14. after his desease he dyed leauing behinde him his sonne Iohn Chrysostome was b. of Constantinople after Nectarius anno Dom. 401. his linage and education is layde downe at large by Socrates He made Antemnes in the churche of Constantinople There was greate variance betwene him Epiphanius b. of Cyprus It was A councell held at ValeÌ„tia in FrauÌ„ce decreede in the time of Siricius b. of Rome that Prestes shoulde not marie Isid in concil  Porphyrius was b. of Antioche after Flauianus Socr. lib. 7. cap. 9   Authropomorphitae were Monkes inhabitinge the deserts of Aegypt which thoughte that God the father had a body was like maÌ„ these liued in the time of Chrysostome Anno Domini 402. they had theyr originall of one Audaeus meÌ„tioned before in the time of CoÌ„stantius Socrat. li. 6. ca. 7 hereupon it rose that God the father hathe beene painted like an olde man in a graye bearde 401. Theâ—d sius iunior of the age of eyght yeares to succeede him in the east Honorius continewed neuer theles in the west Socrat. lib. 6. ca 1. 21 lib. 7. cap. 1. Theophilus b. of Alexandria that set them by the eares He made a sermoÌ„ against all womeÌ„ was therfore by the procurement of the empresse deposed the people made suche adoe that he was called hom againe yet was he exiled afterwardes and died in banishmente anno Dom. 412. Socrat. li. 6. ca. 2. 3. 9. 14. The first couÌ„cell helde at Toledo in Spaine in the time of Arcadius decreed that priests should mary tom 1. coÌ„cil A councell helde at Burdeux in Gascoygne condemned Priscillianus the Spaniard for his heretia all opinioÌ„ Prosper châ—on There was a councel held at ChalcedoÌ„ where Chrysostome was coÌ„demued of spite and for no other crime Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 14.   Anastasiê° was b. of Rome after Siricius Anno Dom. 401. and gouerned three yeâ—es Prosp chron Socrat lib. 7. cap. 9. Theophilus was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Timothe for feare of his life he yelded vnto the heresie of the Anthropomorphits agaist which he wrot a
parents of Chrysostome Theodorus Maximus Diodorus Carterius Chrysostome a reader A Deacon â— Priest â— Bishop Here is a lesson for them that pull downe sanctuaries Tribigildus Phrygia sub dued Gainas◠〈◊〉 person and a tâ—â—â—e breaker A comet Constantinople was saued by Angells Gainas was slayne Anno Dom. 404. The heresie of the Anthropomorphits beganne Anno â–ª Dom. 40â— â—â—â—e maketh Theophilus to 〈…〉 him selfe This Bishop â—â—th more â—…s in the world Theophilus to reuenge himselfe of his enemies â—ersâ—â—â—â—ed â—â—s owne opinion this 〈◊〉 a sinne against the holy Ghost This heresie was the originall that God the father hathe â—ene painted the man Anthropomorphits be those heretickes which attribute corpereall substaÌ„ce vnto God the father Chrisostomâ— made Antemnes An. Dom. 404. Ignatius thâ— disciple of Sâ— Iohn was thâ— first author 〈◊〉 Antemnes * Cap. 10. in the Greeke Epiphanius some tyme thought that God had a bodie A Councell held in Cyprus where of spite through the procurement of Theophiâ— the bookes of Origen were cendeÌ„â—ed A Synode at AlexaÌ„dria to â—he same purpose Cap. 11. in the greeke An olde custome to take money for preaching if the gayne were not sweete I warrant you at this day the custome would be lest Heraclides b. of Ephesus Seuerall functions haue seuerall reuerence Cap. 12. in the Greeke Theotimus bishop of Scythia Cap. 13. in the Greeke In the marge of the greeke copie there was written as followeth VVe haue to learne that the fift generall Councell condemned both Origen his vvorkes But this historiographer vvas before the thirde Athanasius testimony of Origen Cap. 14 in the greeke The message which Chrysostome sent vnto Epiphanius The coÌ„tention betwene two auncieÌ„t fathers Epiphanius b. of CoÌ„stantia in Cyprus and Iohn Chrysostome b. of Constantinople Cap. 15. in the greeke Chrisostom made a sermon agains all women The couÌ„cell of ChalcedoÌ„ for the deposing of Chrysostome Chrylostome eâ—â—lâ—d Cap 16. in the Greeke Chrysostome â—turneth froÌ„â—xile Cap. 17. in the Greeke Ecclesiastes 12 Cap. 18. in the Greeke A Councell assembled at Constantinople for the deposition of Chrysostome Such as cleaned to Iohn Chrysostome were called Iohannits Cap. 19. in the Greeke Cyrinus was plagued for reuiling of Chrylostome Great haile in token of Gods wrath Cap 20 in the Greeke Arsacius Atticus Cap. 21. in the greeke Chrysostome dieth in exile Anno Dom. 412 The saying of Chrysostome Cap. 22 in the Greeke Eâ—â—â—â—â—iasieâ— 9. Iuâ—â— 9. Arcadius the Emperour died Anno Dom. 412. Honorius Theodosius Anthemius Troilus 1. Corinth 9. Theodosius a couetous Bishop Aâ—â—petus â— Mâ—â—â—doniâ—n â—â—ll to em bâ—aâ—â— the â—aith of one substance A Iewe troubled with the paulsey The gift of â—eâ—ling in he dayes of Socrates Sabbatius a Nouatian â—â—â—est Luck 22. The corrupters of Gods word haue ill endes Barbas Georgius Timotheus Cyâ—illus Bishop of Alexandria Anno Dom. 418 The Bishop of Alexandria bothe a Bishop and a magistrate Anno Dom. 418. Isdigerdes â—ing of Persia The Mâ—giâ—ians doe â—uffer blâ—â—â—â— b. Persia ararancs 〈◊〉 of Perâ—â—â— Flauianus Porphyrius Alexander Damasus Siricius Anastasius Innocentius Alarichus Attalus Alarichus as it is supposed is coÌ„maunded froÌ„ aboue to destroy the citie of Rome for theyr greate sinne and iniquitie Innocentius Zosimus Bonifacius Celestinus The bishop of Rome fell to chalenge vnto him self seculer power DauÌ„cing vsed in Alexadâ—ia on the satturdayes Temporall and worldly Magistrats are grieued that the Church shoulde haue any authority or preeminence Adamantius Orestes Ammonius the Monke wounded the Liuetenant of Alexandria with a stone Hypatia a woman of great learning The Iewes crucified a boye in derision of all Christians Chrysanthus Paulus Acacius b. of Amida Eudocia the Empresse was learned Discretion sobâ—etic Hardinesse Fasting Deuotion Singing of â—almes Memorie Knowledge â—tudie Patience Curtesie Clemencie Good life Mercie Humanitie Religion Zeale and feare of God Humilitie Prospetitie good successe for well doing Atticus b. of Constantino ple vnto Calliopius minister of Nice Atticus endeuored to bring the Nouatians from Idolatry Anastasius 2. Corinth 5. The opinion of Nestorius the heretick 1. Ioh. 4. Euseb lib. 3. de vit Const Cap. 34 in the Greeke The councel of Ephesus Anno Dom. 435. Nestoriê° denieth Christ â—o be God Cap. 35. in the greeke Anno Dom. â—35 Cap. 36. in the Greeke A canon of the Church Perigenes Gregorie Nazianzene Meletius Dositheus Berentius Iohn Palladius Alexander Theophilus Polycarpus Hierophilus Optimus Siluanus Cap. 37. in the Greeke Ca. 39. in the Greeke Anno Dom. 437. Cap. 40. in the Greeke Câ—p. 42. in the greeke Numb 12. Rugas slâ—ine with a thunderbolt Pethlence â—â—â—e from heauen â—â—â—â—h â–ª 38. Anno Dom. 440. Oâ—igen was excommunicated two hundred yeareâ— after his death Socrates endeth his hiâ—tory Anno Dom. 440. Sabellicus Euseb eccle hist lib. 8. cap. 6. Euseb ec hist lib. 8. cap. 11. Euseb eccle hist lib. 8. cap 11. Euseb lib. 8. cap. 5. Euseb eccle hist lib. 7. cap 15. Socrat eccle hist lib. 3. cap 11. 1. Cor. 1. Socrat. eccle hist lib. 5. cap 8. Socrat. eccle hist lib. 5. cap. 8. Socrat. lib. 4 cap. 25. lib. 6. cap. 3. Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 47. Euagri lib. 6. cap. vlt. Arcadians Ouid. Suidas Aegyptians Ioh. Goropius medic An twerpiens Scythians Ethiopians Brittaines Poggius Phaëton Epaphus Maximinus Herode Themistocles Amasis Smerdes Prompalus An Aegyptian Andristus Equitius Cithaâ—oedus A counterfet Ariarathes A fained Alexander A priest set vp for a king Lycurgus Plutarche Agesilaus Theod. Zuinger Chaucer Euagri lib. 4. cap. 25. Euagrius lib. 4 cap. 28. Nicephor eccl hist lib. 1 cap. 1. Euagri lib. 6. cap. 23. Eusebius Socrates Euagius Math. 24. The polliâ— of Satan â— reuiuing Iewish opon Iohn 19. Mat. 27. 〈…〉 The fonde eason of Anastasius The blaspherie of Neorius The councel Ephesus â—no Dom. â— The sentence of the councell of Ephesus pronounced against Nestorius the heretick Variance betweene Cyrill b. of Alexandria and Iohn b. of Antioch The epistle of Cyrill b. of Alexandria vnto Iohn b. of Antioch Math. 7. Nestorius the heretick excuseth his blasphemoê° opinion in these words God from aboue plagued the heretick Nestorius Nestorius the heretick in his first epistle vnto the gouernour of Thebais Nestorius the hereticke epist 2. vnto the gouernour of Thebais Nestoriê° the â—rayling hereticke had his tongue eaten â—p 〈◊〉 worms and so dyed Nestorius Maximianus Proclus Flauianus prouincial â—â—uncell hol 〈◊〉 at Constantinople Eutyches the hereticke and his opinion condemned An hereticall councell held at Ephesus ergo a councell can and doth erre 1. Corin. II 2. Corin. 12 The wanton nesse of Iuppiter This Phrygian boye was Gâ—nymedes who Iuppiter made his cup bearer in the baÌ„quet which he made the gods Nectar the drinke of the gods * Bacchus the sonne of Iuppiter was an Hermaphrodite * Iuppiter thrust Saturnus his father out of heauen * Saturnê° the sonne of Caellus as the PoeÌ„ts do fayne fearinge lest his father shoulde get more children to inherite cutte of his
graue Matrons the godly disposition wise gouernment of Queenes and Empresses Heere your Ladiship shall finde zealous prayers sorowefull lamentations godly Epistles Christian decrees constitutions The father admonishing the sonne the mother her daughter the Bishop his clergie the Prince his subiectes one Christian confirming an other and God exhortinge vs all Many nowe adayes had rather reade the stories of Kinge Arthur The monstrous fables of Garagantua the Pallace of pleasure the Dial of Princes where there is much good matter the Monke of Burie full of good stories Pierce ploweman the tales of Chaucer where there is excellent wit great reading and good decorum obserued the life of Marcus Aurelius where there are many good Morall precepts the familiar and golden Epistles of Antonie Gvvevarra where there is both golden witt good penning the pilgremage of Princes well penned and Clerckly handeled Reinard the Fox Beuis of Hampton the hundred mery tales skoggan Fortunatus with many other infortunate treatises and amorous toies wrytten in Englishe Latine Frenche Italian Spanishe but as for bookes of diuinitie to edifie the soule and instructe the inwarde man it is the least part of their care nay they will flatly answere it belongeth not to theyr calling to occupie their heades with any such kinde of matters It is to be wished if not all at leaste wise that some part of the time which is spente in readinge of suche bookes althoughe many of them contayne notable matter were bestowed in reading of holy Scripture or other such wrytinges as dispose the mind to spirituall contemplation I am fully perswaded that your Ladiship readeth no vayne bookes I haue seene the experience of your vertuous disposition my selfe and knowen it nowe of a long time Wherefore seeinge you haue obtained honor with them that be preseÌ„t fame for the time to come riches for your posterity an estate for your successors reputation among straungers credit amongest your owne gladnesse for your friends and that which passeth all a sure affiance in the goodnesse of God thinke it not amisse seeing it agreeth with my vocation as I beganne with the Apostle that I nowe ende with exhorting of your Ladiship to goe on still in well doinge and with requestinge of your honor louingly to accept the thankefull remembrance of the benefits which I haue receaued at your handes Let your vertuous disposition and right honorable callinge be a protection and defence that these auncient histories be not blemished in the handes of Zoylous Sycophants which as Socrates sayth being obscure persons and such as haue no pith or substance in them go about most commonly to purchase vnto them selues fame and credit by dispraising of others God send your Ladiship many ioyfull yeares From London the first of September 1576. Your Honors to dispose and commaunde MEREDITH HANMER THE TRANSLATOR VNTO THE CHRISTIAN READER AS TOVCHING THE TRANSLATION OF THESE AVNCIENT HISTORIES AS I am geuen to vnderstande good Christian reader there haue bene diuers vvhich attempted to translate these auncient Ecclesiastical histories yet haue geuen ouer their purpose partly being discouraged vvith the diuersitie and corruption of Greeke copies and partly being dismayed vvith the crookednes of Eusebius stile vvhich is by reason of his vnperfect allegations and last of all beinge vvhollie ouercome vvith the tedious studie and infinite toyle and labour The occasion that moued me to take so great an enterprise in hand vvas that I read them in Greeke vnto an honorable Ladie of this lande and hauing some leasure besides the lecture and other exercises agreeable vnto my calling I thought good to turne the priuate commoditie vnto a publique profite and to make the Christian reader of this my natiue countrey partaker also of these learned zealous and pleasaunt histories VVhen I tooke penne in hande and considered vvith my selfe all the circumstances of these Histories and founde in them certen things vvhich the autors peraduenture might haue left vnvvritten but the interpretor in no vvise vntranslated I remembred the saying of Augustine Diuinitatis est non errare It belongeth to the Diuinitie or to God him selfe not to erre and that these Historiographers vvere but men yet rare and singuler persons Daily experience teacheth vs there is no gardeÌ„ vvithout some vveeds no medovv vvithout some vnsauerie floures no forest vvithout some vnfrutefull trees no countrey vvithout some barren land no vvheate vvithout some tares no day vvithout a cloude no vvriter vvithout some blemish or that escapeth the reprehension of all men I am sure there is no reader so foolish as to builde vpon the antiquitie and autoritie of these histories as if they vvere holy scripture there is an historicall Faith vvhich is not in the compasse of our Creede and if you happen to light vpon any storie that sauoureth of superstition or that seemeth vnpossible penes autorem sit fides referre it to the autor take it as cheape as ye finde it remember that the holy Ghost sayth omnis homo mendax if so peraduenture the reader to then let the one beare vvith the other VVhere the places did require lest the reader shoulde be snared in errour I haue laide dovvne Censures of an other letter then the texte is of vvhere the autor vvas obscure I haue opened him vvith notes in the marge vvhere I founde the storie vnperfect I haue noted it vvith a starre and signified vvithall vvhat my penne directed me vnto Manie Latine vvriters haue imployed great diligence and labour about these Greeke Historiographers one translating one peece an other an other peece one interpreting one of the autors an other traÌ„slating almost all one perusing an other correcting Ierome turned Eusebius into Latine but it is not extant Ruffinus tooke vpon him to translate Eusebius Of him Ierome vvryteth in this sort Ecclesiasticam pulchre Eusebius histoâ—… texuit quid ergo de interprete sentiendum liberum sit iam cuique iudicium Eusebius hath very vvell compiled the Ecclesiasticall historie but as for the interpreter euery man hath to thinke of him vvhat himlist Beatus Rhenanus a man of great iudgement saith thus of Ruffinus In libris à se versis parum laudis meruit quod ex industria noÌ„ verba vel sensum autoris quem vertendum susceperit appendat sed vel minus vel plusculum tanquam paraphrases non velut interpres pro sua libidine plerumque referat Ruffinus deserued but small praise for his translations because of purpose he tooke no heede vnto the vvordes and meaning of the autor vvhich he tooke vpon him to translate but interpreted for the most parte at his pleasure by adding and diminishing more like a Paraphrast then a translator I finde by perusing of him that he vttered in fevv vvords vvhich Eusebius vvrote at large that he is tedious vvhere Eusebius is brief that he is obscure vvhere Eusebius is plaine that he hath omitted vvhere Eusebius is darke vvords and sentences and pages and Epistles and in maner vvholl bookes Half
vvere created By whiche wordes he bringeth in the father a maker commaunding as vniuersall captayne with his kingly becke but the worde of God next to him not an other from that which amongst vs is preached obseruing in al thinges his fathers ordinances as many therefore from the first originall of mankinde as appeared iuste godly vertuous and honest liuers eyther about the tyme of Moses that great worshipper of the great God or before him as Abraham and his sonnes or as many in the times folowing accompted iust and the prophets also which conceaued of God with the clensed eyes of the minde haue knowen this same and haue worshipped him as the sonne of God with conuenient and due honor but he not degenerating from his fathers pietie is appointed a teacher vnto all of his fathers knowledge CAP. II. The Sonne of God appeared vnto the fathers in the olde testament and was present with the aeternall father at the creation of the worlde Eusebius sheweth his diuinitie partly by his apparitions and partly by creating the worlde THe Lorde God therefore appearing conferred as a common man with Abraham sittinge in the oke groue of Mambre he forthwith fallyng downe vpon his face although with the outward eye he beheld but man yet worshiped him as God made supplication vnto him as Lorde with the same wordes he confesseth that he knewe him when he sayde O Lord vvhich iuâ—gest the vvhole earth vvilt not thou iudge rightly For if no reason permit the vnbegotten an â—â—mmtable essence of the almightie to transforme him selfe vnto the lykenesse of man neither agayne the imagination of any begotten suffer to seduce the sightes of them that see neither the Scriptures to fayne such thinges falsely the Lord and God which iudgeth the whole earth and executeth iudgement being seene in the shape of man what other should be praysed if it be lawefull for me to mention the Author of all thinges then his onely preexistent worde of whome it is sayde in the Psalmes he sent forth his vvorde and healed them and deliuered them out of all their distresse The same worde next after the father Moses playnely setteth forth saying The Lorde rayned brimstone and fire from the Lorde out of heauen vpon Sodom and Gomorha The same doth the sacred Scripture call God appearing againe vnto Iacob in the figure of man saying vnto Iacob Thy name shal no more be Iacob but Israel shal be thy name because thou hast vvrastled and preuailed vvith God at what time Iacob termed that place the vision of God saying I haue seene God face to face and my life is preserued Neither is it lawefull once to surmise that the apparitions of God in the Scriptures may be attributed to the inferior Angels and ministers of God for neither the Scripture if at any tyme any of them appeared vnto men concealeth the same calling by name neither God nor Lorde but Angels or messengers which may easily be tryed by innumerable testimonies This same also doth* Iesus the successor of Moses cal graund captayne of the great power of the Lorde being as prince of all supernatural powers and of celestiall Angels and Archangels and the famous power and wisedome of the father to whome * secondaryly all thinges concerning rule and Raigne are committed when as he behelde him in no other forme or figure then of man for thus it is written And it happened vvhen Iosua vvas in Iericho he lifted vp his eyes and behelde a man standinge ouer agaynst him hauinge a naked svvorde in his hande and Iosua comming vnto him saide art thou on our side or on our aduersaryes and he sayd vnto him I am chief captaine of the hoast of the Lorde and novv am come hither And Iosua fell on his face to the earth and sayde vnto him Lorde vvhat commaundest thou thy seruaunte and the captaine of the Lordes hoast saide vnto Iosua loose thy shoe from of thy foote for the place vvhere thou standest is an holy place and the grounde is holy By these words thou maist perceaue the self same not to be different from him which talked with Moses for there also the Scripture hath vsed the same wordes vvhen the Lorde savve that he came for to see God called him out of the middest of the bushe and sayd Moses Moses and he aunsvvered vvhat is it and he sayde come not hither put thy shoes of thy feete for the place vvhere thou standest is holy grounde and he sayde vnto him I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob And that it is a certayne essence liuing and subsisting with the father the God of all thinges before the fundations of the worlde were layde ministring vnto him at the creation of all creatures termed the worde and the wisedome of God notwithstanding the aforesayde wisedome her selfe in her proper person thus by Solomon plainly and pithely speaking is to be hearde I sayth wisedome haue framed or fixed a tabernacle counsel knovvledge vnderstanding I haue by calling allured vnto me Through me Kinges do raygne Potentates put in practise iust lavves Through me mighty men and Princes are much made of â–ª Through me Princes beare rule on earth to this she addeth The Lorde him selfe fashioned me the beginning of his vvayes for the accomplishing of his vvorkes I haue bene ordayned before the fundations of the vvorld vvere layde and from the beginning or euer the earth vvas made before the vvelspringes flovved out before the fundations of the mountaynes vvere firmley sett and before all hills begate he me vvhen he spred and prepared the heauens I vvas present vvhen he bounde in due ordre the depth vnder heauen I vvas by I vvas vvherevvith he daily delited reioycing continually in so much that he reioyced at the perfect finishing of the vvorld that he was before all thinges and to whome though not to â—ll men the heauenly worde was declared it followeth that in fewe wordes we entreate CAP. III. VVhy before the incarnation the worde was not preached and published among all people and knowen of all as after the incarnation FOr what cause therefore the worde of olde vnto all men and vnto all nations euen as 〈…〉 was not preached thus it shall euidently appeare â–ª that olde and auncient age of man 〈…〉 not attayne vnto this most wise and most absolute doctine of Christ for immediatly the â—râ—t man from his happy estate being carelesse of the commaundement of God fell into this â—â—â—all and frayle life and changed those heauenly delightes and pleasures of olde for this cursed earth â–ª and consequently his posterity when they had replenished the whole worlde appearing farre worse one or two excepted haue chosen certayne â–ª sauage and brutishe maners and with all this bitter and sorowful life cast in their mindes nether city nether common weale nether artes nether sciences whatsoeuer â–ª and retayned amongest them not
counted great by reason of other dignities came vvith a fevve into Syria sent for this purpose by Caesar that he should haue there the iurisdiction of the Gentiles be Censor of their substance And a litle after Iudas sayth he Gaulanites a man of the city Gamala hauing taken vnto him on Sadoâ—hus a Pharisee became a rebell affirmed together vvith this Pharise that the taxing of this tribute inferred nothing els but manifest seruitude exhorted the Gentils to set their helping hand to the maintenance of their libertie And in his second booke of the warres of the Ievves he writeth thus of him About that time a certaine Galilaean by name Iudas seduced the people of that region misliking vvith this to vvit that they sustained the payment of tribute vnto the Romaine empire vnder God that they suffred mortall men to beare rule ouer them So farre Iosephus CAP. VII That according vnto the prescript tymes foreshewed by the Prophets the Princes of the Iewes which vnto that tyme by succession helde the principalitie surceassed that Herode the first of the Aliens became their King VVHen Herode the firste of them whiche vnto Israel are counted straungers receaued rule ouer the Jewishe nation the prophecye written by Moses in that behalfe was fulfilled which said There shal not vvant a Prince in Iuda neither a leader faile of his loynes vntil he come for vvhom it vvas kept reserued vvhom he pronounced to be the expectation of the Gentils Then were not these thinges come to an ende which concerned this prophecy at what time it was lawful for this natioÌ„ to be gouerned by their owne Princes which lasted by line of succession euen from Moses vnto the raygne of Augustus the Emperoure vnder whome Herode the foreyner became ruler ouer the Ievves beinge graunted vnto him by the Romaines who as Iosephus writeth was by father an Idumaean by mother an Arabian as Aphricanus one not of the vulgare sort of Historiographers writeth by the report of them which diligently read him The sonne of Antipater the same to be the father of on Herode Ascalonites on of the number of them which ministred in the temple of Apollo This Antipater being a childe was taken by Idumaean theues among whome he remayned because his father being poore was not able to redeme him being bred brought vp in their maners he became very familiar with Hyrcanus the high Priest of the Ievves this had then a sonne borne called Herode which raygned in the time of our Sauiour The principalitie of the Ievves being at this point then present was the expectation of the Gentils according vnto the rule of prophecy when as their Princes by succession from Moses ceased to beare rule to raygne ouer the people before they were taken captiue and led to Babylon their Kings began to raigne from Saul who was the first from Dauid Before their Kings Princes bare rule whom they called Judges beginning the gouernment after Moses his successor Iesus After their returne from Babilon there wanted not those which gouerned the state wherin the best ruled the state wherin few bare authority Priestes had the preeminence vntil that Pompeye the Romayne captaine had by mayne force besieged Ierusalem polluting the holy places by entring into the sanctuaries of the temple sending him which had continewed the succession of Kings from his progenitors vnto that time Aristobulus by name Prince Priest captiue together with his sonnes to Rome committed the office of high Priesthood vnto his brother Hyrcanus so that from that time forth the Ievves became tributaryes vnto the Romaynes Anone after that Hyrcanus vnto whome the succession of the highe priesthoode befell was taken of the Parthians Herode the first foreyner as I sayd before tooke of the Romayne senate and the Emperour Augustus the gouernement of the Ievvish nation vnder whome when as the presence of Christ was apparent the saluation of the Gentils long looked for tooke effect and their calling consepuently folowed according vnto the prophecye in that behalfe premised since which tyme the Princes and Rulers of Iuda ceasing to beare rule the state of highpriesthoode which among them by order of succession after the decease of the former befell vnto the next of bloode was forthwith confounded Hereof thou hast Iosephus a witnes worthy of creditte declaring how that Herode after that he had receaued of the Romaines the rule ouer the Ievves assigned them no more Priests which were of the priestly progeny but certayne base and obscure personages the like did his Sonne Archelaus and after him the Romaines bearing rule committed the same against the priestly order The sayd Iosephus declareth how that Herode first shutt vp vnder his owne seale the holy robe of the high Priest not permitting the high Priests to retayne it in their proper custody So after him Archelaus and after Archelaus the Romaynes did the like To this ende be these thinges spoken of vs that we shewe what effecte toutching the prophecye of the comming of our Sauiour Christ Jesu ensued but most playnly of all other the prophecye of Daniel describing the number of certayne weekes by name vnto Christ the ruler whereof we haue in an other place entreated foretelleth that after the ende and terme of those weekes the Ievvishe anoyntinge should be abolished This is playnly proued to haue bene fulfilled at the comming of our Sauiour Jesus Christ in the fleshe these thinges I suppose to haue bene necessaryly obserued of vs for the tryall of the trueth toutching the tymes CAP. VIII Of the disagreing imagined to be among the Euangelists about the genealogie of Christ. IN so much that Matthew and Luke committing the Gospell to writing haue diuersly deliuered vnto vs the genealogie of Christ and of diuerse are thought to disagree amonge them selues so that euery one of the faythfull throughe their ignoraunce in the trueth endeuour to commente on those places nowe therefore concerning the premises let vs propose a certayne history which came to our handes the which Aphricanus of whome we mentioned a litle before in an Epistle to Aristides remembred wryting of the concordancye of the genealogye of Christ set forth in the Gospels makinge there with al a relation of the wrested and false opinions of others the historye after his order of discourse he hath in these wordes deliuered to the posteritie * The names of the kinredes in Israel are numbred eyther after the lyne of nature or after the rule limited in the Lavve after the lyne of nature as by succession of the naturall seede after the rule in the Lavve as by his succession vvhich raysed seede vnto his barren brother deseased * For as yet the hope of the resurrection vvas not made manifest they imitated the promise to come vvith mortall resurrection * leste the name of the deseased vvith his deathe shoulde quite be
cut of for of them vvhich are ledde vvith this line of generation some succeaded as naturall children their fathers some begotten by others haue after others bene called yet of both mention is made as vvell of them vvhiche truely as of them vvhich resemble the name of generation Thus nere nother of the Gospels is founde false hovvsoeuer it doth number be it according vnto nature or the custome of the Lavve The kinrede of Solomon and of Nathan is so knit together by reuiuing of the deseased vvithout issue by second mariages by raising of seede so that not vvithout cause the same persons are posted ouer to diuerse fathers vvhereof some vvere imagined and some others vvere their fathers in deede both the allegations being properly true though in Ioseph diuersly yet exactly by descente determined And that that vvhich I go about to proue may plainly appear I vvil declare the orderly succession of this genealogye makinge a recitall from Dauid by Solomon The thirde from the ende is Matthan founde vvhiche begate Iacob the father of Ioseph but from Nathan the Sonne of Dauid Descending according vnto the Gospell of Luke the thirde from the ende is Melchi vvhose Sonne is Hely the father of Ioseph For Ioseph is the Sonne of Hely the Sonne of Melchi Ioseph being the proposed marke to shoote at vve must shevve hovv ether is termed his father deriuing the pedegrevv of Iacob from Solomon of Heli from Nathan and first hovv Iacob and Heli being tvvo brethren â–ª then their fathers Matthan and Melchi borne of diuers kinreds may be proued Graundfathers to Ioseph Matthan therefore Melchi marying the same vvife begate brethren by the same mother the Lavv not forbidding a vvidovve either dimissed from her husbande or after the death of her husbande to be coupled vnto an other man First therefore Matthan descending from Solomon begate Iacob of Esttha for that is sayd to be her name After the death of Matthan Melchi vvhich is sayd to haue descended from Nathan being of the same tribe but of an other race hauinge maryed this vvidovve to his vvife begate Heli his sonne Thus do vve finde Iacob and Heli of a different race but by the same mother to haue bed brethren of the vvhiche Iacob takinge to vvife his sister the vvife of Heli his brother deseased vvithout issue begate on her the thirde to vvitt Ioseph by naiuroâ—and the order of generation vnto him selfe VVhereupon it is vvritten Iacob begate Ioseph by the Lavv vnto his brother Hely deseased vvhose sonne Ioseph vvas for Iacob being his brother raysed seede vnto him vvherfore nether that genealogie vvhich concerneth him is to be abolished the vvhich Matthew the Euangelist reciting Iacob sayth he begat Ioseph Luke of the other side vvhich vvas the sonne saith he as it vvas supposed for he addeth this vvith al of Ioseph vvhich vvas the sonne of Heli vvhich vvas the sonne of Melchi And the vvord of begetting he ouerskipped vvith silence vn to the ende vvith such a recital of sonnes making relation vnto Adam vvhich vvas of God neither is this hard to be proued or to smale purpose proposed The kinsmen of Christ according vnto the flesh either making appareÌ„t or simply instructing yet altogether teaching that vvhich is true haue deliuered these thinges vnto vs hovve that the Idumaean the eues inuading the city Ascalon in Palaestina tooke captiue together vvith other spoiles out of the temple of Apollo adioyning vnto the vvalls Antipater sonne to one Herode â–ª that vvas minister in that temple VVheÌ„ the priest vvas not able to pay raunsome for his sonne this Antipater vvas brought vp after the maner of the Idumaeans became very familiar vvith Hyrcanus the high priest of the Ievves hauing bene in embasye vvith Pompeye in Hircanus steade he restored vnto him the kingdome vvhich vvas taken from his brother Aristobulus assigned him selfe gouernour of Palaestina and proceaded forvvardes in felicitie VVhen this Antipater vvas enuyed for his greate felicitie and vvas trayterously slayne there succeded him his sonne Herode vvhich at length of Antonius and Augustus by decree of the Senate receaued rule ouer the Ievves vvhose sonnes vvere Herode and the other Tetrarches These thinges are common among the greeke historyes And when as vnto that tyme the genealogies of the Hebrevves yea of them also linealy descending of Proselytes as Achior the Amanyte and Ruth the Moabyte likewise as many as fell beinge deliuered from out of Aegypt and mixt with the Israelites were recorded amonge their auncient monuments Herode whome the Israeliticall genealogie auayled nothinge beinge pricked in mynde with the basenes of his byrthe burned their auncient recorded genealogies supposing thereby to deriue him selfe of noble parentage if none other holpen by publique recordes were able to prone their pedegrewes from the Patriarches or Proselytes or such as were cleped strangers horne and mingled of olde amonge the Israelytes Very sewe studious in this behalfe doe glorye that they haue gott vnto them selues proper pedegrewes or remembraunce of their names or other wise recordes of them for the retayninge of their auncient stocke in memorye whiche these men mentioned of before haue attayned vnto beinge called because of their affiâ—iâ—â—e and kinred with our Sauiour after the name of the Lorde and trauelinge from the Nazarites and Cocâ—oba castles of the Ievves into other regions they expounded the afore sayde genealogie oâ—â— of the booke of Chronicles as farre for the as it extendeth Nowe so euer then the case stande eyther thus 〈◊〉 otherwise no man in my iudgement can finde a playner exposition Whosoeuer therefore he be that ruleth him selfe aright he wil be carefull of the selfe same with vs although he wante prefe to preferre a better and a â—ruet exposition The Gospel in al respectes uttereth most true thinges About the ende of the same epistle he hath these wordes Matthan descending of Solomon begate Iacob Matthan deceased Melchi vvhich descended of Nathan on the same vvoman begate Heli then vvere Heli and Iacob brethren by the mothers side Heli dying vvithout issue Iacob raysed vnto him seede by be getting of Ioseph his ovvne sonne by nature but Heli his sonne by the lavv thâ—s vvas Ioseph â–ª sonne to both so farre Aphricanus Sithens that the genealogie of Ioseph is thus recited after the same maner Mary is termed to be of the same tribe together with him â–ª For by the lawe of Moses the mingling of tribes was not permitted which commaundeth that matching in mariage be made with one of the same people and family lest the lott of inheritaunce due to the kiâ—red be tossed from tribe to tribe of these thinges thus much CAP. IX Of the slaughter of the Infantes by Herode and the lamentable Tragedy toutching the terme and ende of his life VVHen Christ was borne in Bethleem of Ievvrye according vnto Prophecyes for eshewed and tymes already declared Herode because of the wise men which came from
pinacle of the temple and shouted vnto him and sayd Thou iust man at vvhose commaundement vve all are in so much that this people is seduced after Iesus vvho vvas crucified declare vnto vs vvhich is the dore of Iesus crucified And he aunsvvered vvith a lovvde voyce vvhy aske ye me of Iesus the sonne of man vvhen as he sitteth at the right hand of the great povver in heauen and shal come in the clovvdes of the aëer VVhen as he had persvvaded many so that they glorified God at the testimony of Iames and sayd Hosanna in the highest to the sonne of Dauid then the Scribes and Pharises said among them selues vve haue done very il in causing such a testimony of Iesu to be brought forth But let vs clime vp and take him to the end the people being stroken vvith feare may renounce his faith And they shouted saying O O and the iust also is seduced and they fulfilled the Scripture vvhich sayth in Esay Let vs remoue the iust for he is a stumbling blocke vnto vs. VVherfore they shall gnavve the buddes of their ovvne vvorks They climed vp threvv dovvne headlong Iustus saying let vs stone Iames Iustus And they vvent about him vvith stones for after his fall he vvas not fully dead but remembring him selfe fell on his knees saying I beseech thee Lord God and Father forgiue them for they vvote not vvhat they doe And as they vvere a stoning of him one of the Priestes the sonne of Rechab â–ª the sonne of Châ—raâ—im vvhose testimony is in Ieremy the Prophet cryed out cease vvhat do you This iust man prayeth for you And one of them that vvere present taking a fullers clubb vvith vvhich they pounce purge their clothes stroke Iustus on the heade and brayned him so he suffred martyrdome vvhome they buried in that place â–ª his piller or picture as yet remayneth hard by the temple engrauen thus This man vvas a true vvitnesse both to the Ievves and Gentiles that Iesus vvas Christ And Vespasianus immediatly hauing ouerrun Iudaea subdued the Ievves These at larg recorded by Aegesippus are correspondent with these thinges which Clemens wrote This Iames was so famous and renowmed among all for his righteousnes that the wise among the Ievves imputed the cause of this sodayne besteging of Ierusalem after his martyrdome which no doubt therfore happened vnto them to be for the presumptuous offence practised against him Iosephus sticked not to testifie the same in these wordes These thinges happened vnto the Ievves in vvay of reuenging the death of Iames the Iust vvhich vvas the brother of Iesu vvhome they cal Christ. For the levves slevve him vvhen he vvas most iust The same Iosephus describeth his death in the twentieth booke of Antiquities saying Casar hearinge the death of Festus sendeth Albiâ—us President into Iudaea But Ananus the yonger vvhome vve reported before to haue taken vpon him the high priesthoode vvas a very presumptuous and heady cockbrayne he claue vnto the sect of the Saduces vvhich vvere mercylesse in iudgment among all the Ievves as vve signified before Ananus then being such a one hauing gotten opportunity to his thinking in so much that Festus vvas deade and Albinus not yet come called vnto him a counsell commaundinge the brother of Iesu called Christ vvhose name vvas Iames vvith certayne others to be brought forth accusing them that they had transgressed the lavve and deliuered them to be stoned As many in the city as vvere iust and due obseruers of the lavve tooke this fact greeuously sending priuely vnto the King and beseeching him to vvrite vnto Ananus that thence forth he attempt not the like In so much that his former fact vvas vnaduisedly and impiously committed Certayne of them mett Albinus comminge from Alexandria and enstructed him hereof that it vvas not lavvefull for Ananus to summone a counsell contrary to his commaundement Albinus thus persvvaded vvrote fumishly vnto Ananus threatning reuengement vpon him for this fact And king Agrippa vvhen he had gouerned the high priesthoode three moneths depriued him placing in his rovvme Iesus the sonne of Damaeus Thus farre toutching Iames whose epistle that is reported to be which is the first among the vniuersall Epistles Yet haue we to vnderstande that the same is not voyde of suspicion for many of the auncient writers make no mention thereof like as neyther of that which is vnder the name of Iudas being one of the seuen called vniuersall for all this we knowe them to be publickly reade in most Churches The translator for the remouing of all suspition concerning the canonicall Epistle of Iames. TOutching this Iames whose Epistle hath bene suspected take this lesson of Ierome agaynst Heluidius disce Scripturae consuetudinem eundem hominem diuersis nominibus nuncupari learne the maner of the Scripture which calleth one and the same man after diuerse names he is called in Math. 10. Marke 3. Act. 1. Iacobus Alphaei and numbred among the 12. Apostles Though Ierome lib. 5. cap. 17. vpon the Prophet Esay call him decimum tertium Apostolum and Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus do terme him one of the 70. Disciples He is called Iacobus frater Domini Iames the brother of the Lord in Math. 13. 27. Marke 6. 15. Galat. 1. and in this present history â–ª but in what sense he might be called his brother being his mothers sisters sonne reade Ierome agaynst Heluidius which handleth that question purposely He is called Iacobus Iustus and Oblias in the former chapiter of Eusebius This history reporteth him to haue bene placed by the Apostles Bishop of Ierusalem and there to haue gouerned the Church the space of 30. yeares for oft in the Scriptures he is founde at Ierusalem as Act. 1. 15. 21. 1. Corinth 15. Galat. 1. 2. Concerning his epistle and other parcells of holy Scripture that they were not generally receaued no maruell at all considering the malice of the Deuill in obscuring those thinges which proceade from the holy Ghost Eusebius writeth that besides the Epistle of Iames the Epistle of Iude the latter of Peter the 2. and 3. of Iohn with the reuelation were called into controuersy so that some reiected them some cleaued vnto them tanquam certis indubitatis Scripturis as certayne and vndoubted Scriptures Ierome in Catalog Eccles Scrip of Iames writeth thus vnam tantum scripsit epistolam quae ipsa ab alio quodam sub nomine eius aedita asseritur he wrote one epistle which is thought to haue bene published by an other vnder his name if this be the whole no danger at all The Canons commonly called the Apostles Canone 84. haue decreed this of the Epistle of Iames together with the other parcells of holy Scripture that it was to be receaued for Canonicall so hath the councell of Laodicea vnder Damasus cap. 59. about the yeare of our Lord 371. And the third councell of Carthage vnder Siricius about the yeare 417. cap. 47. Innocentius the first
to be short a theefe for he keepeth this mountayne ouer against the church together vvith his associates the Apostle then renting his garment and beating his heade vvith greate sorrovv sayde I haue left a vvise keeper of our brothers soule prepare me a horse and let me haue a guyde he hastened out of the churche rode in post being come vnto the place appoynted he is straight vvayes taken of the theeuishe vvatch he neither flyeth neither resisteth but exclamâ—th for this purpose came I hither bringe me vnto your captaine vvho in the meane space as he vvas armed behelde him comminge but eftsones vvhen he savve his pace and knevve that it vvas Iohn he vvas stroken vvith shame and fledd avvay the olde man forgetfull of his yeares vvith might pursueth him flying and cryeth My sonne vvhy flyest thou from me thy father vnarmed and olde O sonne tender my case be not afrayde as yet there remayneth hope of saluation I vvill vndertake for thee vvith Christe I vvill dye for thee if neede be as Christ did for vs. I vvill hazard my soule for thine trust to me Christ sent me â–ª but he hearing this first stoode still turning his countenance to the ground next shoke of his armour anone trembled for feare and vvept bitterly He embraced the olde man comming vnto him aunsvvering as vvell as he coulde for vveeping so that agayne he seemed to be baptized vvith teares the shaking of the hande onely omitted The Apostle vvhen he had promised and protested to procure for him pardon of our Sauiour and prayed and fallen vpon his knees and also kissed his right hande novve clensed through repentance brought him vnto the Churche agayne VVhen that also he had povvred forth often tymes prayers for him and stroâ—gled vvith him in continuall fastinges and mollified his minde vvith diuers and sundry sermons and confirmed him departed not as the reporte goeth before he had fully restored him vnto the Churche â–ª and exhibited a greate example of true repentance a greate tryall of nevve birth and a singular token of the visible resurrection this haue I taken out of Clemens partly for the history and partly also for the profitâ— of the Reader CAP. XXI Of the order of the Gospells NOw we will forwardes and entreate of the vndoubted wrytinges of this Apostle And firste let there be no staggering at his Gospell which is well knowne of all the Churches vnder heauen Why it was of olde placed the fourthe after the other three it shall thus appeare The diuine holy men namely the Apostles of Christ leading a passing pure life hauing their mindes be decked with euery kinde of vertue vsed rude and simple speache yet of a diuine and forcible power which they had receaued of Christ neither knewe they nether endeuored they to publish the doctrine of their â—â—ister with curious paynting of wordes but vsing the demonstration of the holy spirite which wrought with them and the onely power of Christ which brought miracles to perfection they shewed the knowledge of the kingdome of heauen to the whole worlde being nothing carefull at all for the writinge of bookes And this they brought to passe being occupied with a greater worke and in maner exceeding the strength of man Paul the mightiest of all the rest in the setling of wordes and best armed with the power of perfect senses wrote but very short epistles whereas he might haue layd downe infinite thinges yea and secretes being rapt vnto the thirde heauen and behoulding celestiall things yea brought into paradyse it selfe and there thought worthy to heare secrete mysteries neyther were the rest of the Disciples of our Sauiour namely the tvvelue Apostles and the seuenty with other innumerable ignorant and vnskilful herein And yet of al these the Disciples of our Sauiour Matthew Iohn wrote gospels Who as report goeth were constrained therunto for Matthew when he had first preached vnto the Hebrevves now passing vnto other people wrote his Gospell in his contrey language supplying by writing in his absence y â— which was desired in his presence When Mark and Luke had published their gospels â–ª Iohn say they in all y â— space preached without writing but at length was moued to write for this cause It is reported that when the bookes of the three Euangelistes were through out the worlde and come into his handes he allowed them and yelded of them a true testimonye wishing that the declaration of such thinges had bene printed in their bookes which were done at the first preaching of Christ the Reader may perceaue these three Euangelistes to haue onely sett forth the doinges of our Sauiour one yeare after the imprysonment and captiuitye of Iohn the Baptist which may be gathered by the beginning of their histories for after the xl dayes fasting and the annexed temptation Matthewe sheweth the time of the beginning of his historye saying VVhen he had hearde that Iohn vvas taken he returned from Iudaea into Galilee And Marke likewise after that sayth â—e Iohn vvas taken Iesus came into Galilee And Luke also before he had mentioned the doings of Iesu obseruing the same manner Herode saythe he proceeding in his haynous offences shutt vp Iohn in prison Iohn the Apostle beinge for these causes entreated wrote the tyme passed ouer of the former Euangelistes with sylence and therein the Actes of our Sauiour namely which went before the imprisonment of Iohn which he partly signified writing thus this vvas the first of the miracles vvhich Iesus did partly with all mentioning the doinges of Iohn the Baptist who as then baptized in â—non by Salem which is euident when he sayth for as yet Iohn vvas not cast into prison Iohn then in his Gospell deliuereth such thinges as were done of Christ before the coâ—â—iâ—â—ing of Iohn the other three beginne with the mention of Iohns imprysonment vnto him that recoâ—â—yleth the Euangelistes thus they shall not seeme discrepant in so much that the Gospell of Iohn contayneth the former doinges of Christe the other the latter lastinge vnto the ende therefore not without cause Iohn passeth ouer with silence the genealogye of our Sauiour accordinge vnto the fleshe being afore amply layde downe by Matthewe and Luke and beginneth with his diuinitie reserued of the holy Ghost for him as the mightier thus much shall suffice concerning the Gospell written by Sainct Iohn The cause why Marke wrote his Gospell we haue declared before Luke in the beginninge of his historye sheweth the occasion of his writing signifying that diuers nowe already had imployed their diligent care to the setting forthe of such thinges as he was fully perswaded of deliuering vs very necessarily from their doubtful opinion why left that he by his Gospell declareth vnto vs the sure and certaine narration of such thinges whereof he had receaued the truthe sufficiently partely by the company and conuersation of Paul partely also throughe the familiaritie
among them selues vvho coulde soonest touch his bodye at their farevvell for his good and godly conuersation yea before his graye heare grevve he vvas honoured of all men In a shorte vvhyle all thinges necessarily required for the execution vvere applyed And vvhen as they vvoulde haue nayled him to the stake he sayde naye suffer me euen as I am For he that gaue me pacience to abyde this fyre vvill geue me also an immoueable mynde to perseuer vvithin this fyery pyle vvithout your prouision in pryntinge my bodye vvith nayles VVhen they had hearde that they cease from naylinge and fall a byndinge of him His handes then being bounde to his backe he like a notable ramme picked out of a greate flocke fitte for an acceptable burnte sacrifice vnto Almightye God is offered saying O Father of thy vvelbeloued and blessed sonne Iesus Christ through vvhome vve haue knovvne thee O God of the Angels and povvers and of euery liuing creature and of all sortes of iust men vvhiche liue in thy presence I thanke thee that thou hast graciouslye voutchsafed this daye and this houre to allotte me a porcion amonge the numbre of Martyres amonge the people of Christe vnto the resurrection of the euerlastinge lyfe both of body and soule in the incorruption of the holy Ghost amonge vvhom I shall be receaued in thy sight this daye as a frutefull and acceptable sacrifice as thou hast heretofore prepared often reuealed and novv fulfilled most faithfull God vvhich canst not lye VVherefore for all thinges I prayse thee I blesse thee I glorifye thee throughe the euerlastinge highe Prieste Iesus Christ thy vvelbeloued sonne to vvhome vvith thee and the holy Ghost be all glory vvorld vvithout ende Amen VVhen that he had pronounced this Amen and finished his prayer the executioners sette the pyle a fyre The flame vehemently flashed about terrible to the sight shevved no doubt of purpose to suche as vvere preserued to publishe the same to the posteritie For the flamye fire framing it selfe after the forme of a vault or the sayle of a shippe vvith the blustring blastes of vvinde compassed the filling bodye of the Martyr vvithin placed as vvith a vval and that vvhich vvas in the middes of the same vvas not as firye skorched or burned fleshe but as golde or siluer tryed in the fornace For it seemed to our senses a fragrant svveete smell as of frankensense or some such like precious perfume At length vvhen the cruel persecutors perceaued the fire not to consume his body they called for a tormētor and gaue him charge to launce him in the side vvith a speare vvhich vvhen he had done such a streame of bloude issued out of his body that the fire vvas therevvith quenched so that the vvhole multitude maruailed such a preheminence to be graunted in respect of the Infidels among the faythfull and elect people of God of vvhich number this Polycarpus vvas one a right Apostolicke and propheticall doctor of our tyme byshop of the Catholicke church of Smyrna for all that he spake either is alreadye or shal be hereafter fullfilled But the enuiouse subtle and maliciouse aduersarye of iust men seeinge the glorye of this Martyr so greate and his vnblamable conuersation from the beginninge to be crovvned vvith incorruption and to receaue an incomparable revvarde procured that his bodye should perishe from amonge vs for there vvere manye that endeuored and fullye purposed to haue bene partakers of his blessed bodye by buriall many pricked forvvardes Nicetes the father of Herode and his brother Dalces to moue the proconsull not to deliuer vnto the Christians his body least that sayth he they leauinge Christ fall a vvorshippinge of him This they sayd vvhen the Ievves egged and vrged them forevvardes vvhich continually vvatched vs least that vvee snatched him out of the fyre beinge ignorant of this that vve can neuer forsake Christ vvhich dyed for the saluation of the vvhole vvorlde that vve can vvorshippe none other for vve vvorshippe Christ as the sonne of God the Martyrs vve loue as disciples and follovvers of the Lorde and that vvorthely for the inuincible good loue they beare to their Kinge and maister vvhose companions and disciples vve desire to be vvhen the Centurion perceaued the sedition of the levves he caused the body to be layd in the middes after theyr accustomed manner to be burned So vve gathered his bones more precious then pearles and better tryde then golde and buryed them in the place that vvas fitte for the purpose vvhere god vvilling vve beinge gathered together the Lorde vvill graunte that vvith ioye and gladnesse vve may celebrate the byrth day of his martyr both for the remembrance of suche as haue bene crovvned before and also to the preparation and stirringe vp of suche as hereafter shall striue Thus it happened vnto Polycarpus that vvas martyred at Smyrna together vvith tvvelue others out of Philadelphia vvho onely among all the rest is so remembred that the Gentiles euery vvhere spredd his fame farre and nighe Such was the end of the blessed Apostolicke Polycarpus published in wrytinge by the brethren of the Church of Smyrna in the aforesayde Epistle where is also contayned the martyrdome of sundrye others that suffred then with Polycarpus whereof one Metrodorus suspected of the heresie of Marcion was burned with fire and consumed to ashes And amonge the Martyrs of that tyme there was one Pionius very famous who for his protestations and liberty of speache and Apologies for the fayth bothe in the presence of the people and Magistrates for his godly sermons and comfortinge perswasions of such as faynted in persecution for his consolation vnto suche as were imprisoned for his exhortations vnto the brethren resorting vnto him for his constancye in his manyfolde and greeuous torments and afflictions for his pacience in the firye pyle flashing about and last of all for his quiet death is highly commended and published to the prayse of God in that booke of ours which contayneth his Martyrdome Whereunto I referre the reader Also there are extant other monuments of certayne Martyrs that suffred at Pergamus a Citie of Asia As of Carpus Papylus and Agathonica a woman who after their notable confessions suffred gloriouse Martyrdome CAP. XVI Of the martyrdome of Iustinus a Christian philosopher AT that time Iustinus of whome we made mention before when he had dedicated a booke in the defence of our doctrine to the foresayd Emperours was crowned with martyrdome by the maliciouse meanes of Crescens the philospher professing in life and learninge the sect of Cynickes for Iustinus in open disputations and publicke conference had with this philosopher bare away the bell which tended to the shortning of his life and the hasteninge of his ende This thinge did this famous philosopher in his foresayd Apologie foresee and signifie in these words I looke for no other thinge then this but that I be betrayed of some one of thē called philosophers or
communicated his diuine and godly labour and industry not onely to such as were his charge but also to strangers shewing himself most profitable vnto all people by those Catholicke epistles which he directed vnto the Churches of which numbre is that epistle written by him vnto the Lacedaemonians â–ª contayning y e right institution of christian peace vnitie Moreouer his epistle wrytt vnto the Athenians stirreth the mindes of faythfull men vnto the embracing of the trueth and euangelicall conuersation of life repâ—enâ—endeth the gainesayers despisers thereof chargeth diuerse of them that they were now in manner fallen from the fayth although Publius there bishop in their time had there bene martyred He remembreth Quadratus the successor of Publius after his martyrdome in the byshoprick testifieth of him that by his meanes they were vnited and stirred to the fayth He sheweth moreouer howe that Dionysius Areopagita conuerted vnto the fayth according vnto that which is wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles â–ª was by Paul placed the first byshop of Athens There is extant also an other epistle of his vnto the Nicomedians where repugninge the heresie of Marcion he fortifieth the right rule of fayth And vnto the Churche of the Gortynenses together with other congregations throughout Creta he wryteth commending Philip there byshope for that the Church committed vnto his charge was beautified and bedecked by the proufe of many vertuous properties warninge withall that they should auoide the wilfulnes of peruerse heretickes And wryting to the Church of Amastris together with the rest throughout Pontus he mentioneth Bachilides and Elpistus at whose instant motion he wrote and Galma there byshop interlacing expositions of sundry places of Scripture He admonisheth them at large toutching mariage and virginitieâ— commaundinge also to receaue after repentance such as fell how soeuer it happened eyther of purpose or by heretical perswasioÌ„ Unto this there is annexed an epistle vnto the Gnosij where theyr byshope Pinytus is admonished not to charge necessarily the brethren with the greuous burthen of vowed chastitie but to haue consideration of the frail imbecillity of many natures vnto the which epistle Pinytus making answere extolleth commendeth Dionysius yet agayne by way of admonition requireth that stronger meat beinge deliuered he fead the flocke coÌ„mitted vnto his charge with more absolute and profound doctrine least that they lingering in their milkesoppes and smothe exhortacions waxe old through negligence in childish nurture In the which epistle of Pinytus the right rule of fayth diligent care for the saluation of his flocke discretion also vnderstanding of holy scripture is liuely set forth last of all there remaineth an epistle of Dionysius vnto the Romaines namely vnto Soter their byshop whereof if we alleage some parte it shall not seeme impertinent where he commendeth the Romaine manner obserued vnto the persecution of our time wryting thus It hath bene your accustomed manner euen from the beginning diuersely to benefitt all the brethren and to send relief throughout the citie supplying the vvant of the poore by refreshing them in this sorte and specially the vvante of the brethren appointed for slauishe drudgerie and digging of mettalls you Romaynes of old do retaine the fatherly affection of Rome vvhich holy Soter your bishop not onely obserued but also augmented ministringe large and liberall relief to the vse of the sainctes embracing louingly the conuerted brethren as a father doth his sonnes vvith exhortation of vvholsome doctrine Here also he remembreth y â— epistle of Clemens wrytten to the Corinthians shewing the same of auncieÌ„t custome to haue bene read in the Church for thus be writeth VVe haue this day solemnized the holy sunday in the vvhich vve haue read your epistle alvvaies vvill for instructions sake euen as vve do the former of Clemens vvritten vnto vs. The same author reporteth of his owne epistles that they were patched corrupted in these words VVhen I vvas intreated of the brethren to vvrite I vvrote certaine Epistles but the messengers of Satan haue sovven them vvith tares pulling avvay some putting to other some vvhose condemnation is layd vp for certaine no maruell then though some endeuored to corrupt the sacred Scriptures of God vvhen as they vvent about to counterfett such vvrytinges of so smale authoritie Yet be sides all these there is founde an other epistle of Dionysius to Chrysophora a faithfull sister where as it was most mete he ministreth vnto her spirituall foode conuenient for her calling thus much toutching Dionysius CAP. XXIII Of Theophilus byshop of Antioche and his workes OF Theophilus byshop of Antioch before meÌ„tioned there are found three bookes of ElemeÌ„tall Institutions dedicated vnto Antolicus again an other entitled Against the heresie of Hermogenes where he alleageth many testimonies out of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn there are also certaine other bookes of his intitled of Institutions but there was neuer no greater plague or pestilence then the poyson of heretickes which then infected after the manner of tares the true seede of Apostolicke doctrine whome the pastors of the Churches repelled from the flocke of Christ as if they had bene certen sauadge beastes partely by adinomtions exhortations vnto the brethren partly also by encountring with the heretickes them selues sometimes disputing and questioning with them face to face to the vtter ouerthrow of their trifling fantasies sometimes by theyr wrytten commentaries diligently confuting by way of reprehension theyr fonde opinions Among whome Theophilus together with others which then labored against theÌ„ was counted famous who also wrote a booke leaueling at Marcion the which we knowe together with the rest at this day to be extaÌ„t after the desease of this Theophilus Maximinus being the 7. from the Apostles succeeded him in the Church of Antioche CAP. XXIIII Of Philip byshop of Gortyna Irenaeus and Modestus PHilip whome by the reporte of Dionysius we haue learned to haue bene byshop of the Church of Gortyna wrote a most exquisite tract agaynst Marcion so did Irenaeus and Modestus which of all others chiefly detected his error vnto the worlde so did sundrye other learned men whose bookes are yet to be seene with diuerse of the brethren CAP. XXV Of Melito byshop of Sardis in Asia and his workes ABoute this time Melito byshop of Sardis and Apollinarius byshop of Hierapolis florished who both wrote vnto the Emperour of Rome then raygning seuerall bookes and Apologies in the behalfe of our faith whereof these of Melito his doinges came to our handes 2. bookes of Easter of Politicke conuersation and the Prophets of the church of the sundaye of the nature of man of the molde of man of the obedience of fayth of the senses Moreouer of the body and soule also of our regeneration or nevvbirth of the trueth â–ª of the faith and the natiuitie of Christ likewise a booke of his of prophecie of the soule body â–ª of hospitalitie And a booke
rebaptizing of heretickes THen firste of all Cyprian bishop of Carthage thought the heretickes no other kinde of waye to be admitted and purged from their errour then by Baptisme But Stephan thought good that nothinge shoulde be innouated preiudiciall to the tradition preuaylinge of olde for whiche cause he was greatly offended with Cyprian CAP. IIII. Dionysius writeth vnto Stephan bishop of Rome of the matter in controuersie and of the peace which followed after persecution DIonysius when he had often written vnto him of this matter at length certifieth him that persecution beynge ceassed all the churches enioyed peace embraced vnitie and detested the erroneous nouelties of Nouatus he writeth thus Vnderstand nowe o brother that all the churches throughout the east yea and beyonde are vnited together whiche afore tyme were deuided and at discorde amonge them selues All the gouernours of the churches euery where are at one reioysinge exceedingly at the peace which happened beyonde all expectation Demetrianus of Antioche Theoctistus of Caesarea Mezabanes of Ierusalem Marinus of Tyrus Alexander who is dead Heliodorus of Laodicea which succeeded after the death of Thelymidres Helenus of Tarsus all the churches of Cilicia Firmilianus and all Cappadocia I haue onely recited the most famous Bishops lest my epistle become ouer large and the readinge be ouertedious All Syria and Arabia two wherewith ye are pleased and to whome presently ye write and Mesopotamia Pontus and Bithynia and that I may vtter all in one worde euery one euery where reioyceth glorifyinge God in concorde and brotherlie loue So farre Dionysius Stephan when he had bene byshop of Rome two yeares dyed and after him came Xystus in place And to him wrote Dionysius an other epistle of Baptisme layinge downe the censure of Stephan and the other byshops Of Stephan he sayeth thus He wrote an epistle toutchinge Helenus and Firmilianus and all Cilicia Cappadocia Galatia and the borderinge nations that he woulde not communicate with them for that cause to weete for that they rebaptized heretickes Consider that this is a weyghtie matter For truely as I heare in the greatest synodes of bishopes it is decreed that such as renounce any heresie shoulde firste agayne be instructed then be baptized and purged of the dregges of the olde and impure leauen And hereof I wrote vnto him requestinge him to certifie me agayne and to our welbeloued fellowe ministers Dionysius and Philemon who at the firste gaue their censure with Stephan and nowe they write vnto me to whome at the firste I wrote brieflie but nowe at large So farre presently of this question then in controuersie CAP. V. Of the Sabellian heresie MAkinge relation of the Sabellian heretickes then preuaylinge he writeth thus For as much as manie brethren of both partes haue sente theyr bookes and disputations in writinge vnto me toutchinge the impious doctrine lately sowen at Pentapolis in Ptolemais contayning many blasphemies against the almightie God and the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ and withall muche incredulitie toutchinge his onely begotten sonne and firste begotten of all creatures and the worde incarnate and senselesse ignorance of the holy ghoste Some of them I haue written as God gaue me grace with greater instruction and sent the copies vnto you CAP. VI. Dionysius being warned from aboue read with greate profitt the bookes of heretickes he thinketh that such as returne from their heresies shoulde not be rebaptized DIonysius in his third epistle of Baptisme writeth thus vnto Philemon a Romaine minister I haue read ouer the traditions and commentaries of heretickes not infecting my minde with their impure cogitations but profiting my selfe accordingly that I reprehēded thē with my selfe and detested them vtterly And when I was brotherly and charitably forbidd by a certaine minister whiche feared lest that I wallowed my selfe in the puddle of their malicious writinges whereby my soule myght perishe who as it seemed me tolde the trueth a certaine vision came vnto me from aboue plainlie commaundinge and sayinge Reade all whatsoeuer come into thy handes thou shalt be able to weye to proue and trye all for by this meanes at the firste thou camest vnto the faith I thankfully receaued the vision as agreable vnto the voice of the Apostle speakinge vnto myghtier men Be you tryed stewardes or disposers of the mysteries of God Agayne after he had spoken somewhat of all the heresies before his time he proceedeth on thus I haue receaued this canon and rule of blessed Heraclas our pope Suche as returned from heretickes though they fell from the churche or not fell but thought to participate with them yet betrayde for that they frequented the companie of one that published false doctrine he excommunicated neither admitted no if they had entreated before they had openly pronounced all they had hearde of the aduersaries then at length he gathered them together not requiringe that they shoulde be baptized againe For a good whyle before they had obtained by his meanes the holie ghost Agayne when he had largely entreated hereof he writeth thus ▪ And I am sure of this that not onely the bishopes of Africk haue practised the like but also the bishops our predecessours of olde in the most famous churches and in the Synodes of the brethren at Iconium and Synadis with the aduise of manie haue decreed the same whose sentences to ouerthrovve and raise contention and bravvling among the brethren I cannot awaye with Thou shalt not as it is written alter the bounds of thy neighbours which thy fathers haue limited CAP. VII The same Dionysius of the Nouatian heresie HIs fourth epistle of Baptisme is written vnto Dionysius then a Romaine minister but afterwards there placed bishop whereby we may coniecture howe he was counted wise and famous by the testimonie of Dionysius bishope of Alexandria he wrote vnto him after other things in this manner of Nouatus VVe are not without iuste cause offended with Nouatus vvhiche hath rent a sunder the churche of God and drawen diuerse of the brethren vnto impietie and blasphemies and hath published of God a moste impious and prophane kinde of doctrine charging the moste louing and mercifull God vvith the title and sclaunder of immercifulnesse And moreouer he hath renounced baptisme he hath made shipwracke of his former faith and confession he hath chased avvay the holy ghost vvhat hope soeuer remaines either of the tarying or returning of the holy ghost into them againe CAP. VIII Dionysius reporteth of one that sorowed because he had receaued baptisme of heretickes THe fifte epistle of Dionysius is extant vnto Xystus bishop of Rome where after he had written many thinges againste heretickes he reporteth this one thing which happened in his time writing thus In good sooth brother I stande in neede of aduise and counsaile I craue your opinion for that a certaine thing happened vnto me vvherin I feare lest I be deceaued when the brethren were gathered
together a certaine man to all mens thinkinge of the faith an auncient minister of the clergie before my time as I suppose before blessed Heraclas beinge present vvhile some lately vvere baptized hearinge the interrogatories and aunsvveres came vnto me weeping wailing falling prostrate before my feete confessed protested that the baptisme vvherevvith he vvas baptized of the hereticks vvas not the true baptisme neither had it any agreement vvith that vvhich is in vre among vs but vvas full of impietie blasphemies he sayd he vvas sore pricked in coÌ„science yet durst not presume to lyft vp his eyes vnto God for that he was christened with those prophane words caeremonies wherfore he prayed that he might obtaine this moste syncere purification admission and grace the vvhich thinge I durst not do but told him that the dayly communion many times ministred might suffice hinâ— VVhen he had heard thankes geuing sounded in the churche and he him selfe had songe thereunto Amen vvhen he had bene present at the Lordes table and had streatched forth his hande to receaue that holy foode had communicated and of a long time had bene partaker of the bodie and bloudeÌ„ of our Lorde Iesus Christ I durst not againe baptize him but badde him be of good cheere of a sure faith and boldly to approche vnto the coÌ„munion of the saincts But he for all this mourneth continually horrour vvithdravveth him from the Lordes table and being entreated hardly is persvvaded to be present at the ecclesiasticall prayers There is an other epistle of his and of the congregation vnder his charge vnto Xystus and the church of Rome where at large he disputeth of this question Againe there is an other vnder his name toutching Lucianus vnto Dionysius bishop of Rome But of these things thus muche CAP. IX Howe Valerianus raysed persecution against the Christians THey that ruled the empire with Gallus enioyed it not full two yeares but were depriued of this lyfe And Valerianus together with his sonne Galienus succeedeth in the Empire What Dionysius wrote of him it may be gathered by his epistle vnto Hermammon where he sayeth It vvas reuealed vnto Iohn for a mouth vvas gyuen vnto him sayeth he to vtter proude speaches and blasphemyes and povver vvas gyuen him and monethes fortie tvvo Both thinges are vvonderfull in Valerianus and vve haue to consider hovve that aboue all his predecessours he vvas disposed at the firste gentle tovvardes all the men of God meeke and friendly minded For there vvas none of al the emperours before him so curteous and frendly affected tovvards them no not they vvhich openly vvere counted Christians he at the firste embraced our men most familiarly moste louingly that openly so that his palace vvas replenished vvith professors of the fayth and accompted for the churche of God But the maister ruler of the Aegyptian sorcerers synagoge persvvaded him aftervvard to slaye and persecute those syncere men and sainctes of God as aduersaries and impugners of their moste impure and detestable sorceries for the godlye then preuayled so muche and preuayle at this daye that beyng present and vvith their countenance only blovving the contrarie and resisting as it vvote vvith a little speache scattered the bevvitchings of those detestable deuils he brought to passe impure ceremonies execrable inchauntmeÌ„ts and abhominable sacrifices he made a slaughter of miserable children he sacrificed the sonnes of infortunate parents he searched the bovvels of the nevvly borne babes spoyling rentinge asunder the shaped creatures of God as if by such haynous offences he should become fortunate Againe after a fewe lines he saith Macrinus offe red vp vnto them gratulatorie gyftes presents for good lucke of the hoped empire For before it vvas commonly blased he should be created Emperour he respected not the consonancie of reason neither the publique or common affaires but vvas subiect vnto the curse of the prophet sayinge VVo be vnto them vvhich prophecie after their ovvne hartes desyre and respect not the publique profitte He vnderstoode not the vniuersall prouidence and vvisdome of him vvhiche is before all in all and aboue all VVerefore he is become a deadlye foe vnto the catholique and Christian fayth He outlavved and banyshed him selfe from the mercye of God and as he fledde farthest from the churche so hath he aunsvvered the etymologie of his name Agayne he sayeth Valerianus vvas by his meanes dryuen and gyuen ouer vnto suche reprochefulnesse and abhominations that the sayinge of Esaye vvas verified in him And they sayeth he chose theyr ovvne vvayes and abhominations vvhiche their soules lusted after and I vvyll selecte them theyr ovvne illusions and recompence them theyr ovvne sinnes This Emperoure vvas madd and dotynge ouer the empire othervvyse then became his maiestie not able by reason of his maymed bodye to vveare the emperiall robes brought forth tvvo sonnes follovvers of the fathers impietie In them vvas that prophecye manifest vvhere God promised to punish the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation of such as hate him he povvred his impious desires vvhereof he coulde not be satisfied vpon the pates of his sonnes and posted ouer vnto them his malice and spite agaynst God So farre Dionysius writeth of Valerianus CAP. X. Of the daungers that Dionysius him selfe stoode in BUt of the persecution wherewith himselfe was sore afflicted what thinges together with others he suffered for his conscience God wards his wordes do testifie where he inueyeth against Germanus one of the Bishops which at that time backbited him his words are these I feare me lest that of necessity I fall into great foolishnes and teâ—â—erity declaring the vvonderfull pleasure of God in our behalfe In so much it is commendable to conceale the secretye of the King it is glorious to publishe abroade the vvorkes of God Forthvvith then vvill I sett on the vvilfulnesâ—e of Germanus I came vnto Aemilianus not alone for there accompanied me my fellovve minister Maximus the Deacons Faustus Eusebius Chaeremon Also there came vvith vs one of the bethren of Rome vvhich theÌ„ vvere present Aemilianus sayd not vnto me specially rayse no conuenticle This vvoulde haue bene superfluous and the laste of all he hauing recourse vnto that vvhich vvas firste His speache vvas not of making no corâ—uenticles but of that vve shoulde be no Christians at all and commaunded me to cease henceforth from Christianitie For he thought that if I altered my opinion diuers other vvoulde follovve me I made him aunsvvere neyther vnreuerently neyther tediously VVe ought to obey rather God then men Yea I spake vvith open protestation I vvorshippe God vvhich is onely to be vvorshipped and none other neyther vvill I be chaunged neyther cease henceforth from being a Christian This being said he commaunded vs to departe vnto a certaine village adioyning vpon the deserte called Cephro Novv heare vvhat is recorded to haue bene sayde of eyther partes vvhen Dionysius
our perdicion subiect to many greeuous passions he alone tooke vpon him our troubles he alone tooke vpon him the punishments due for ourimpietye and he saueth vs whome he founde not onely halfe deade but to be abhorted nowe stincking in the graues and sepulchres them selues heretofore presently also with the carefulnesse of his good wil beyond all other mens expectation yea and ours to and deliuereth vnto vs the greate aboundance of his fatherly goodnes being our quickner our day starre our greate Phisicion our Kinge and Lorde the Christ of God When all man kinde was then ouershadowed with the night all cloudy and palpable darknes with the wilines of seducing deuills and the working of spirites hatefull to God he alone appearing vnto vs loosed with the sunne beames of his heauenly light the knobbye fetters of our sinnes but nowe after that for so greate 〈…〉 and â—…lnes spyte being greeued with all goodnes and the deuill himselfe busily going about all â—â—â—ele onely not bâ—â—sting for grieâ—e hath raysed eruell warre agaynst vs with all â—…ly 〈…〉 and fiâ—sâ—â— after the maner of a maâ—d doggâ— whiche gnaâ—â—th with his â—â—â—â—hâ— the stâ—â—es floâ—◠〈◊〉 him and pâ—â—reth out the rage of reuengemâ—â—t vpon the darâ—s whichâ— haue no life he sett vpon the 〈◊〉 oâ—â—s of the oratoryes and the senselesse buylding of the houses with sâ—â—adge woodnes to the ende he might bring in as he sâ—pposed a waste desert of Churches agayns he sent out cruell 〈…〉 and poysored speaches pattly by the threats of wicked tyrants and partly by the decrees of prophant Princes moreouer soâ—â—ing out his death he hath iâ—â—â—â—ted with his â—eâ—â—mous and â—â—â—dly poysâ—n the soules which he caught in his snare and slewe them with the daiâ—â—able sacrifires of dead images and raysed agaynst vs all sortes of bâ—astes coueted with mâ—â—s skinâ—e and all kindâ— of 〈…〉 agayne the Angell of greate counsell the greate gâ—auâ—dâ—â—apâ—ayne of God after sufficient 〈…〉 the whiche the moste valiant souldiers of his kingdome endured throughly with â—…ible pacience and sufferance had eftsones shewed him selfe he destroyed the hurtfull and 〈…〉 thinges and brought all to nought as if they neuer had beâ—e named but vnto him selfe he made all acceptable and peculier aboue all glorye not onely among all men but among the heauenly powers them selues the sunne the moone the starres all heauen and earth together so that nowe which otherwise neuer any where came to passe the most excellent Emperours considering the honour they receaued of him haue detested the sight of dead images and troden vnderfoote the vnlawefull seruice of deuills they haue sett at nought the seducing of olde tyme receaued of the Elders they haue knowen one onely God the common benefactor of all they of them selues consessed Christ the sonne of God supreame Kings of all vpon pillers they haue intitled him a Sauiour for euerlasting memorie they fastened his vertues and victories agaynst the wicked in the middes of the citye whiche had dominion vpon earth vnto the imperiall armes that Jesus Christ our Sauiour alone of all the men from the beginning of the worlde yea of the heade Princes of the whole worlde was honoured not as a common Kinge treated of men but adored as the naturall sonne of the â—â—â—uersall God and God himselfe and not without iust cause What Prince of all them that euer were brought so much power that by the appeliation of his name he shoulde fill the eares and mouthes of all mortall men throughout the whole worlde What Kinge hath ratified so godly and so wise lawes decreed by him that they might sufficiently and durable he read to the hearing of all men from the endes of the earth to the boundes of the whole worlde Who hath wyped away the barbarous and sauadge maners of the Gentiles with his louing and tractable lawes who euer since the beginning of the whole worlde being impugned of all men hath shewed power passing the reache and strength of man so that he seemed dayly to florishe and through out all his whole life to waxe yong who hath ordayned and planted a nation not hearde of from the firste beginninge not secrete in some corner of the earth but throughout the whole compasse vnder heauen Who hath so fenced his souldiers with the bright armour of godlines that they were founde in their fighting agaynst their aduersaries of courage harder then the Adamant stone What King after his desease so gouerneth and warreth and trecteth signes of victories against the enemyes and filleth euery place coast and contrey as will of the Grecians as Barbarians with his princely pallaces and consecrated temples as these ornaments and dedicated â—ewells of this temple are gorgeous whiche being royall and notable in deede are worthy of wondering and admiration and as it were certayne and manifest tokens of our Sauiour for nowe also he spake the vvorde and they vvere done he commaunded and they vvere created for who will with stande the beckning of the worde of God the supreme King and gouernour of all which require speciall rest and conuenient leasure that they may diligently he considered and expounded wherof also proportionally the readines of the workmen is to be weyed in presence of him whom we celebrate with diuine prayses whiche considereth the spirituall temple of vs all and beholdeth the house builded with liuely and growing stones which being soundly and securely layed vpon the fundation of the Apostles and Prophets hath Iesus Christ him selfe to the corner stone whome the wicked head builders of mischiefe haue reiected not onely of that building which now is auncient and hath no longer contine wance but also of that presently consisting of many men but the father hath alloweded him for heade of the corner of our common Church both then and now also Therefore this liuely Churche of the liuing God buylded of our selues I doc call that chiefe vestrye seruing for the worde of God whose inwarde chauncells not seene of many holy in deede and most holy places who by beholding of them euer durst presume to explicate yea who coulde beholde the inner parts of the halowed poâ—… but the onely greate high Priest of all to whome onely it is lawefull to searche the secretes of euery reasonable soule per aduenture it may be possible for some one or other of his equalls to enioye the seconde place next after him to weâ—e for the President and Captayne of this warrefare whome the chiefe and greate highe Priest him selfe hath orâ—â—ayned a shepeherd of this your holy flocke enioying the seconde honour of these holy thinges taking in charge your people by lott and appoyntment of the father as his seruant and interpreter like a newe Aaron or Melchisedech likened vnto the sonne of God remayning and preferued by him for euer by the prayers in common of you all vnto this man therefore onely be it lawefull next after the chiefe and greatest highe Priest to see and to beholde if not the
chiefe thinges at least wise the seconde closset of the inner contemplation of your soules when he hath exactly sifted euery one of you by experience and proliritye of time and when as with his owne industrye and care he hath enstructed all you of the worlde in honestye and the doctrine which is according vnto godlines and hath bene made mighty aboue all others to sett forth with workes agreeable to his calling that doctrine which by aide of the diuine power he hath gotten the chiefe therefore and our greate highe Priest the thinges vvhiche he seeth the father doe the same likevvise sayth he doth the sonne but this man secondarily euen him selfe beholding with the cleare eyes of the mynde the firste as a teacher whatsoeuer thinges he sawe him doe vsing as it were the first framed paternes the portracture of them as much as laye in him to the like resemblance as a workeman he wrought the thinges whiche you see with your eyes differing not a â—ote from that Beseleel whome God him selfe endued with the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding and other industrye and skylfull knowledge whome he called and ordayned the workeman of the buylding of the temple by formes of the celestiall types after this sorte this man garnishing and bewtifying whole Christ the worde the wisedome and light in his minde it may not be tolde with what courage of minde with what plenteous and vnsaciable power of the minde and with what greate liberalitye of you all and earnestly contending with largenesse of giftes lest by any mâ—aues you shoulde slyde away from his purpose he hath ordayned this moste renowned and moste excellent temple of the highe God as a visible paterne agreable with nature resembling y â— better inuisible temple This quyre worthy to be spoken of though firste of all it were couered through the wiles of the aduersaries with the sincke of all filthines he despised not neyther yealded vnto the cruell spyte of them whiche were authors of that mischiefe for if his pleasure had bene to haue passed vnto some other place a thousande others had bene easily sought in this citye he had founde greate ease of his labour and had bene ridd of so much busines but firste of all he styrred vp him selfe to this worke next all the whole people being settled with readinesse and made of all as it were one will firste he tooke this labour in hande to the ende that he might specially restore her that was destroyed by the enemye whiche afore tyme had endured greate trauells and before our tyme the same persecution whiche we suffered I meane the Churche like a mother depriued of her chyldren he thought good that she altogether with vs shoulde enioy the magnificency of our gracious God for as much as the great shepeherd hath voutchsafed to gather into one folde his children the beastes and wolues driuen away and euery sorte of cruell and sauadge creatures put to flight the iavves of the Lions he hath broken as the holy Scripture doth testifie he hath also most iustly restored agayne the very folde of his flocke that he might still the enemye and auenger and resist the rebellious enterprises of the wicked agaynst God and nowe they are not hated of God no more were they then but after that in shorte space they molested and were also molested them selues they suffered punishment due for their desert and were vtterly destroyed them selues their friendes and families so that the prophecyes written of olde in holy Scripture they haue in very deede confirmed where among other things the holy Scripture truely pronounceth these things of them the vvicked haue dravven their svvord bended their bovv that they may shoote at the poore and needy and sleye the pure of harte their svvorde shall pearce their owne harte and their bovve shall be broken and agayne the remembrance of them is perished vvith a sounde and their name hast thou vviped avvay for euer and euer and vvhen they vvere in misery they cryed but there vvas none to deliuer them vnto the Lorde and he hearde them not they stumbled and fell but vve rose and stand vp and this that was foretold of them Lord in thy citye thou shalt bring their likenesse to nought is nowe in all mens sight founde true but they after the maner of the giauntes goinge about to warre with God purchased vnto them selues suche an ende as berewed them of theyr liues but she that was desolate and bewailed amonge men obtained such an ende of her pacience in God as is nowe to be seene that accordinge vnto the prophecye of Esay it may be tried vnto her Reioyce thou drie desert let the vvildernes be glad and florishe like the â—â—â—y the vvast places shall bring forthe and reioyce You loose handes and dissolute knees ye shall be strengthened Comforte your selues you faynt harted you shall be strenthened feare not Behoulde our God hathe restored iudgement and vvill requite He vvill come and saue you For sayth he the vvaters shall flovve in the deserte and the valleyes in a thyrsty lande and the dry lande shall beturned into marishe and the fountaynes of vvaters into drye lande And these thinges of olde time foretolde by wordes were graffed in holy Scripture but the things nowe brought to passe are not onely deliuered vnto vs by hearesay but by workes themselues This desert destitute of water this widowe and desolate whose gates with axes like timber in the woodes they haue hewed downe For they haue broken her in peeces vvith axes and hammers Whose bookes they haue destroied And burned vvih fiere the Sanctuary of God for they haue throvven to the grounde the tabernacle of his name vvhose grapes they haue gathered as many as passed this vvay throvven dovvne her hedges the vvhich the vvilde bore out of the vvoode hathe rooted vp and the vvilde beaste of the fielde deuoured By the wonderfull workes of Christ presently where it pleased him is become like the lily For then by his commaundement accordinge vnto the prouidence of the father she was chasticed VVhome the Lorde loueth he chasticeth he scurgeth euerye childe vvhome he receiueth and after due measure conuerted she is commaunded to reioyce from aboue now florisheth like the lily breatheth vnto all meÌ„ an holy sweete smelling sauor for sayth he the vvater shall flovve in the desert they to wete which are holy of the sauinge fountaine of newebyrth And now that whiche a while agde was desert is turned to marishe and the wellspringe of the water of lyfe issued out into thyrstie lande And to say the truthe the handes before loose are strengthened these workes also which we presently beholde are greate and famous tokens of the wonderfull power and handy worke of God Moreouer the knees of old withered and weakened hauinge recouered they re strength and wounded paces doe enter the right and highe way of deuine knowledge and hasten vnto the flocke
to rayse persecution agaynst all and had brought his purpose to passe for there was nothing to hinder him from this hainous offence vnlesse that God which fighteth for the soules of his seruaÌ„ts had speedely forestopped preuented his malicious enterprise and had brought forth with a mightie arme in defence of the quarell his seruant Constantinus a defender of all the godly as it were a great lyght in a darke and thicke mistie night CAP. IX Constantinus after that he ouer came Licinnius enioyed the empire alone fauored the Christians and restored peace GOd from aboue graunted vnto this man this deserued frute of godlinesse to wete victorie and triumphant signes againste wicked persons and brought subiect the vngracious tyrant together with all his counsellers and friends euen groueling at the feete of CoÌ„staÌ„tine For when he was fallen into extreme folly the godly emperour furtherer of christiaÌ„ religion perceauing that he was no longer to be borne withall weyed this matter wisely mingling the seueritie of iustice with the clemencie of his nature thought best with voluntarie mind to delider from iniury such as were oppressed by the tyrant And to the ende he might saue many he went about to cutt of a few hurtfull pestilent persons For when as Constantinus in times past had vsed clemencie and pitied him which was worthy of no compassion at all therby Licinnius enioyed no great commoditie for that he forsooke not his malice but rather encreased his rage againste the nations subiect vnto him for them to wete being oppressed wearied by the sauadge beast there remained no hope of saluation Wherfore the defender of pietie ioyned the hatred of the euill with the loue of goodnes together with his sonne Crispus the most clement emperour he went forth to battaile and stretched forth his helping hande vnto all that were oppressed These therefore together the father and the sonne vsing for guide and helper God the supreme king and the sonne of God the sauiour of the whole worlde hauinge both on euery side scattered the armies of the enemies of God and all the aduersaries in that conflict by the power of God eden as they wished being foyled and ouerthrowen they gott an easie and a speedy victorie Immediatly then sooner then the word vttered they which yester nyght and the day before breathed out present death and threaming thunder bolts of fiery persecution were not afterwardes remembred no not as much as once by name their tytles and honors had deserued shame and ignominie and Licinnius him selfe suffred the selfe same things a like the which he sawe with his eyes to chaunce vnto the wicked tyrantes his predecessors For be admitted no correction neither aduised him selfe by the stripes of his kinsfolkes but treadinge with them the same path of impietie is brought by iuste iudgement into the same downefall and thus was this man prostrated Constantinus then beyng renowmed for euery rare vertue and godlinesse being also chiefe conquerour together with his sonne Crispus the most godly emperour like vnto his father in all things tooke the easterne and the Romaine empire of old time one brought subiect to their peace from the East euery where throughout both parts of the world North and South euen vnto the farthest place of the VVest All the feare of them by whome they were afore time oppressed was taken away and wiped from of the face of the earth they celebrated solemne and royall feasts All was replenished with the bryght beames of ioye and gladnesse and they which afore time full sadly beheld eche other now they do it with gladsome countenance and cheerefull eyes they honored before all thinges for so they were instructed the supreme kinge next the godly emperour together with his sonnes beloued of God with daunces and hymnes throughout townes and contries Moreouer all olde iniurie was forgotten neither was there mention of any mans impietie at all but the enioyinge of present prosperitie and the expectation of goodnesse to come The constitutions of the victorious emperour full of clemencie and lawes containing manifest tokens of bountifulnesse and true pietie were euery where proclaymed Thus therefore all tyrannie beyng rooted out the empire fitte and dew for Constantinus and his sonnes was preserued firme and free from all enuye who wyping away all impietie of their predecessors in lyfe and enioying meryly all the benefits best owed from aboue haue sett forth by their lawes decreed in the behalfe of the Christians the study of vertue and loue and pietie towards God with thankfulnesse of minde The ende of the tenth booke of the Ecclesiasticall history of Eusebius Pamphilus Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS COMPRISED IN SEVEN BOOKES BEginning where Eusebius left ending a hundreth and forty yeares after VVRITTEN in the Greeke tongue aboue a thousande yeares agoe and translated by M. H. Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blackefriers 1576. THE PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR VNTO THE READER TO VTCHING THE LIFE AND HISTORIE OF SOCRATES IN so much that I finde not in any one writer either auncient or otherwise howsoeuer a sufficient treatise or ample discourse of the life and history of Socrates Scholasticus I thought good for the Christian readers sake to cull here and there such proofes as may bring him the better acquainted with this learned Historiographer lest that vpon the so day ne he conceaue of him any sinister opinion or misâ—â—king not knowing either who whâ—â—â— or what doctrine he wrote of I do gather by his owne history that he liued in the time of Damasus Bishop of Rome and florished in the tyme of 〈…〉 stoâ—e Bishop of Constantinople about 412. yeares after Christ of this opinion is 〈…〉 where he writeth â–ª Socrates wrote the Ecclesiasticall history vnto the tyme of Chrysastome when as it is most like he florished him selfe â–ª but his owne wordes in my iudgement are playneâ— where the time is exactly layd downe in this sorte Our whole historye sayth he being deuided into seuen bookes compriseth the compasso of one hundreth and forty yeares beginning at the first yeare of the two hundreth and firste Olympiade vvhen Constantine was proclaymed Emperour ending in the 2. yeare of the two hundreth eight twentyeth Olympiad being the 〈◊〉 Consulship of Theodosius the Emperour Theodorus Zuinger calleth Socrates Pistoriensom presbyterian minister of Pistoria in Italy and Volaterran calleth not him but Socâ—â—â—â—s who liued about that tyme and wrote in like sorte the Ecclesiasticall history minister of Pistoria I doe not see how either of them being Grecians coulde be minister of any the latine or west Churches Sozomenus was of Salamina an I le hard by Athens where he wrote his historye in the Greeke tongue Socrates was of Constantinople the which Volaterran doth confesse nay his owne words doe testifie the same where he writeth in this sort I of mine owne part sayth Socrates in so much
I leade my life here at Constantinople where I was borne bredd and brought vp no maruell though I write more at large of the famous acts done within this citye partly seeing that I sawe most of them with mine eyes and partly also in so much they are more famous and thought farre worthier of memory then many other Acts. Nicephorus that fabulous Historiographer doubteth not to sclaunder him with the hereticall sect of Nouatian when as no such thinge can be gathered by the workes of Socrates he dreameth that in so much he had familiaritie and commendeth diuerse of the Nouatian Bishops for many their rare and singuler vertues therefore without all peraduenture sayth he he was a Nouatian I reade that Origen was of a long tyme in one house together at bedd and borde with an olde hereticke whose name was Paulus I see that Eusebius highly commendeth the heretick Tatianus for his booke against the Gentiles he extolleth also Bardesanes the Syrian who was a Valentian hereticke I finde that Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria reuerenced wonderfully the person of Nepos the Chiliast he doubted not to affirme that his soule was in rest yet as we may in no wise call Origen an heretick for his familiaritye with Paulus neyther Eusebius a Tatian or Valentinian for commending of Tatianus and Bardesanes neyther Dionysius a Chiliast for extolling of Nepos no more may we call Socrates a Nouatian for his familiaritie with Auxanon and praysing of the Nouatians where he commendeth the Nouatians where he maketh report of Auxanon where also he excuseth him selfe his wordes are these I haue learned moreouer sayth Socrates that Eutychianus a man of syncere religion florished about that time who though he were of the Nouatian sect yet did he many straunge things I will reueale him that reported me his doings neyther will I cloke or conceale that at all though therefore I may seeme to incurre suspicion or the reprehension of diuers persons It was Auxanon a priest of the Nouatian Church In an other place he commendeth the Nouatians for embracing the Nicene Creede for ioyning with the true Christians agaynst the Arian heretickes who woulde not in like sorte commende them for the same he sayth further that almost they had bene at vnitie with the true Catholicks had not the fault bene in the Nouatians them selues What other thing is this then commending of them for well doing and reprehending of them for ill doing is he therefore to be termed a Nouatian This Nicephorus sticked not in like sorte to call Eusebius an Arian who as it is well knowen vnto the whole worlde was at the councell of Nice wrote the creede condemned Arius with his owne hand sure I am of this that toutching the history this Nicephorus hath patched together out of Eusebius Socrates Euagrius other auncient writers if euery birde tooke her fether from him there woulde be nothing left of his owne parte but fables Tritenhemius wrote reuerently of this author in this sorte Socrates by byrth a Grecian a learned and an eloquent man a notable Historiographer of great fame by reason of his profounde skill wrote a volume containing the Ecclesiasticall history from the raygne of Constantinus magnus the firste Emperour of that name vnto the raygne of Theodosius iunior I finde by translating of him the doctrine sounde the stile familier the story faythfull in commending he obserueth a meane in reprehension modest in confutation earnest and zealous in defence of the trueth the autor him selfe learned his iudgement graue his writings of great antiquitie THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS CAP. I. The proëme of the booke He beginneth his history where Eusebius ended EVsebius syrnamed Pamphilus comprising wholly in tenne bookes the Ecclesiasticall history continewed the same vnto the tyme of Constantinus the Emperour in the which tymes the heate of persecution kindled by Diocletianus agaynst the Christians was quenched The same author writing the lyfe of Constantine passed ouer very lightly the practises of Arius for that he chiefly endeuored to publishe the prayses of the Emperour exquisitely to set forth with maiestye of wordes the oration wherewith he might highly commende him rather then diligently to describe the actes of that tyme. We therefore purposing to write the thinges which happened in the Church since that tyme wil beginne where Eusebius left not minded with curious and lofty style but playnely to sett forth onely the thinges which eyther we haue founde faythfully recorded or else haue bene shewed vnto vs by such as sawe them with their eyes And in as much as it seemeth very necessary for our present purpose to mention the maner home Constantinus the Emperour became a Christian we will speake somewhat hereof and herehence take our beginning CAP. II. Howe Constantinus the Emperour became a Christian WHen as Diocletian and Maximinian by syrname Herculius had by vniforme consent deposed them selues of the emperial scepter and embraced a priuate kinde of life when as also Maximianus otherwise called Galerius raigning together with them had taken his iourney into Italy and appoynted two Emperous Maximinus to rule the East and Seuerus to gouerne Italy Constantinus is openly proclaymed Emperour in Britanny to succeede his father Constantius which died the first yeare of the two hundred seuenty and first Olympiad the fiue and twentyeth of Iulye but at Rome Maxentius the sonne of Maximianus Herculius is chosen of the pretorian souldiers not to gouerne the empire but rather to practise tyranny Not long after Herculius inflamed againe with desire of rule went about to dispatch his sonne Maxentius but y ◠souldiers hindred his purpose in the ende he died at Tarsus a city of Cilicia Seuerus the Emperour which was sent to Rome by Galerius Maximinianus to take Maxentius was of the souldiers betrayed and put to death Last of all Maximianus Galerius being chiefe Emperour after he had crowned Emperour Licinnius by originall a Dane his old fellowe souldier and familiar friend departed this life Maxentius in the meane while handleth the Romaines ill fauoredly he oppresseth them and sheweth him selfe rather a tyrant then an Emperour towards them he farre passeth the boundes of shamefastnes abusing the spouses of noble personages sleying many with the sworde and putting in vre other such like lewde practises Constantinus the emperour being certified hereof deuised with him selfe which way possibly he might ridd the Romaynes from vnder this greeuous yoke of seruitude and dispatch the tyrant out of this life deliberating thus with him selfe he forcasted also what God be were best to cal vpon for ayde to wage battel with the aduersary he remembred how that Diocletian which 〈…〉 dedicated him selfe vnto the seruice of the heathenish Gods preuayled nothing thereby also he perswaded him selfe for certayne that his father Constantius who renounced the idolatry of the Gentiles ledd a more fortunate
life musing this doubtfully with him selfe and taking his iourney with his souldiers I wott not whither a certayne vision appeared vnto him as it was straunge to beholde so in deede incredible to be spoken of about noone the day somewhat declining he sawe in the skye a lightsome piller in forme of a crosse wherein these wordes were ingrauen In this ouercome the which vision so amazed the Emperour that he mistrusting his owne sight demaunded of them that were present whether they perceaued the vision which when all with one consent had affirmed the wauering minde of the Emperour was setled with that diuine and wonderful sight The night following in his slepe he seeth Christ which sayeth thus vnto him frame vnto thy selfe the forme of a crosse after the example of the signe which appeared vnto thee and beare the same agaynst the enemies as a fitt banner or token of victory he being fully perswaded with this oracle commaundeth the victorious signe of the crosse which as yet is reserued in the pallace of the Emperour to be made and therewith proceedeth forewards in his affayres with greater courage and promptnes of minde and ioyning with the enemy right ouer against Rome about the bridge commonly called Bulbia he gott the victory for Maxentius being drowned in the riuer died it was the seuenth yeare of his raigne when y â— he ouercame Maxentius after these thinges when as Licinnius his fellow Emperour and his brother in lawe hauing maried his sister Constantia ledd his life in the East Constantinus enioying ample benefitts receaued at the handes of God shewed him selfe gratefull in offering of thankes and prayses vnto the author of all goodnes his practises were these to deliuer the Christians from persecution to call agayne the exiled vnto their natiue soyle to sett at liberty such as were in prison to restore agayne the goods confiscated to build againe the Churches that were ouerthrowen all which things he accomplished with great promptnes of minde in the meane while Diocletianus which had resigned the empire departed this life at Salon a city of Dalmatia CAP. III. How Constantinus fauoring the Christians and Licinnius persecuting them wage battell one agaynst the other COnstantinus the Emperour fixing his whole minde vpon such thinges as sett forth the glory of God behaued him selfe in all things as a Christian erecting Churches from the ground and adorning them with goodly and gorgeous consecrated monuments moreouer shutting vp the temples of the heathens purging and publishing vnto the world in the way of derision the gaye images glistering within but Licinnius famous among them for his fond opinion in gentilisme hated the Christians who for all he durst not openly persecute for feare of Constantine the Emperour yet in secrete he menaced and dispatched many Christians but in processe of time he endeuored openly to afflict them This persecution was prouincial for it was kindled there only where Licinnius made his abode after these things practising in other things also y â— part of a tirant being fully persuaded that Constantine was not ignorant here of and knowing full well y â— he was greatly offended with him for it he hasteneth to cleaâ—e him selfe flattering and fayning to ioyne with him in league of friendship binding him selfe with anoth neuer to perpetrate any tyrannicall acte and not onely swearing but with all for swearing him selfe for he ceased not from tyranny neither relented from raising against the Christians the greeuoâ—s â—â—orme of persecution he forbad the Bishops by decree that they should not conferre at all with the Gentiles to the ende the religion of the christians might nether take roote nether be raised at al. Then was the persecution riâ—e in euery mans mouth and in deepe silence secret in worde yet open in deede the persecuted members of Christ endured intollerable paine of their bodies and sustained great losse of their substance Whereby he incensed greatly the Emperour Constantine against him so that they breaking the league of fayned friendship which was betwene them became deadly foes Not long after they waged battel meting oft by sea by lande in the ende at Chrysopolis a city of Bithynia to wete at the docke or hauen of Chalcedon Licinnius was ouercome and yelded him self vnto Constantine He taketh him aliue he dealeth curteously with him he slayeth him not but enioyned him to dwell in Thessalonica and there to leade a quiet and a peaceable life it was but a small time that he liued in peace for immediately after he gathered an host of Barbarians and endeuored by fighting agayne to reuenge his former foyle the which when Constantine had vnderstoode he commaunded that he shoulde be put to death at whose commaundement he was dispatched Constantinus nowe hauing thâ— vpper hande and published Emperour King endeuoreth forthwith to amplifie the Christian affaires and that diuersly by his meanes also the Christians liued in great peace and tranquillitye but after this peace there ensued warres and deadly hatred amonge the Christians them selues what it was how it beganne and the maner of it we will declare CAP. III. The contention betwene Arius and Alexander Bishop of Alexandria and how that Alexander depriued Arius with his complices of the ministery AFter Peter Bishop of Alexandria which suffred martyrdome vnder Diocletian Achillas succeeded in the Bishopricke After Achillas Alexander in the time of the aforesayd peace was chosen Bishop who leading a quiet and a peaceable life brought the Church vnto an vnity and on a certayne time in presence of the Priestes which were vnder him and the rest of the clergy he entreateth somewhat more curiously of the holy trinitie and the vnitie to be in the trinitie Arius then being one of the Priestes placed in order vnder him a man very skilfull in the subtelties of sophisticall logick suspecting the Bishop to haue brought into the Church the erroneous doctrine of Sabellius the Aphrick being kindled with the desire of contention seâ—t him selfe opposite agaynst the opinion of Sabellius the Aphrick and as it seemed directly against the allegations of the bishop saying if the father begatt the sonne then had y â— sonne which was begotten a beginning of essence hereby it is manifest that there was a time when the sonne was not and the consequent to followe necessarily that he had his essence of nothing When he had with this straung kinde of doctrine concluded layd downe this position he prouoked many to reason hereof so that of a small sparcle a great fire was kindled for this noysome pestilence beginning from the Churches of Alexandria spredd it self throughout all Aegypt Libya the vpper Thebais yea passed moreouer through the rest of the prouinces and cities many others also embraced the pestilent opinion of Arius of which number chieâ—â—y Eusebius not he of Caesarea but an other which afore time was bishop of y â— church of Berytus but
then craftely crept in to be Bishop of Nicomedia a city of Bithynia claue fast vnto him which thinges when Alexander had both hearde and seene done with his eyes was very much moued thereat and summoning together a counsell of many Bishops he depriueth Arius and such as fauored his opinion of the priestly order and wrote vnto the seuerall Bishops throughout the cities in this maner The epistle of Alexander Bishop of Alexandria TO the welbeloued and most reuerend brethren fellow ministers with vs throughout the churches whersoeuer In so much as we are commaunded by holy Scripture to retaine the bonde of vnity peace it is requisite that we vvrite signifie one to another the things that seuerally happen among vs to the ende that if one suffer or one reioyce vve all may suffer together or reioyce together Novv in our church there are risen certaine men vvhich transgresse the lawes which impugne Christ which leade men into Apostasie whome a man may rightly suppose iustly terme the forrunners of Antichrist I was disposed truely to be silent and not to blason at all so haynous an offence if peraduenture by any meanes possibly this blemish might haue bene wiped away from among them which alone fel from the church lest that straying abrode into straung places it might infect vvith the filth therof the eares of simple seely soules but in as much as Eusebius novv Bishop of Nicomedia supposing the vvhole state of the church to be vnder his iurisdiction and seeing vvith him selfe that he is to be charged of none for leauing the Churche of Berytus and for that he greedily gaped after the Churche of Nicomedia and in that he is become the patrone and ringleader of these Apostatas going about to publish letters into all prouinces highly extolling them that he may plung certayne of the ignorant sort into an extreame pestilent heresie altogether contrary to Christ him selfe I thinke it necessary seeing the like is vvritten in some parte of the lavve no longer to be silent but to declare vnto you all the vvhole matter vvhereby ye may not onely knovve them vvhiche fell from the trueth but also their derestable doctrine and the circumstance of their heresie and also if peraduenture Eusebius doe vvrite vnto you that you geue no eare vnto him for he hauing concealed for a season his olde festred corruption of minde and novve disposed to renevve the same fayneth to further their cause by his epistels but in very deede he shevveth plainly that these his practises be directed to the furtherance of his ovvne cause such as fell from the Church vvere these Arius Achillas Aeithales Câ—rpônes a seconde Arius Sarmates Euzoius Lucius Iulianus Menas Helladius Gaius and together vvith them also Secâ—ndus Theonas vvhich sometime vvere called Bishops the things vvhich they published abroade contrary to holy Scripture were such that God vvas not alvvayes a father but that there vvas sometime vvhen he vvas no father and that the vvorde of God vvas not from euerlasting but had his beginning of nothing For that God vvhich is made him vvhich vvas not of that vvhich is not for vvhich cause there vvas a tyme vvhen he vvas not that the sonne vvas a creature and made neyther like vnto the father in substance neyther the true vvorde of the father by nature neyther his true vvisedome but made metaphorically the worde and the vvisedome the same to be made by the proper worde of God and by the wisedome which is in God in the which God made all thinges and him toe for vvhich cause he is of a changeable and diuerous nature as all other reasonable creatures be that the vvorde is straung diuerous and seuered from the vvisedome of God that the father can not be expressed by the sonne that the sonne knovveth not the father fully neyther absolutely neyther can perfectly discerne him and that the sonne perceaueth not the substance of the father as he is but that he was made for our sakes that God by him as by an instrument might create vs and that he had not bene had not God bene moued to create vs. One at that tyme demaunded of them vvhether the vvorde of God coulde be chaunged as the deuill vvas chaunged and they vvere not afrayd to ansvvere yea it may be for that he is of a chauÌ„geable nature and begotten he is mutable Arius therefore and his adherents vvhiche vttered these thinges and impudently auoutched them together vvith all such as fauour the like fonde opinions VVe together vvith other Bishops of Aegypt and Libya in number vvelâ—â—ghe a hundred meeting for the same purpose haue pronounced to be helde of all men for accursed Eusebius and his adherents endeuer to mingle falsehoode with the trueth pietye with impietye but they shall not preuaile for trueth getteth the victory light hath no fellowship with darknes no agreement betwene Christ Belial who euer hearde of the like practises who presently if he heard the like woulde not wonder as at straung thinges and stoppe his eares lest the dregges of so detestable a doctrine should annoy the sense of hearing what man hearing Iohn affirming in the beginning was the worde will not forthwith condemne these which say there was a tyme when he was not or who is it when he heareth in the Gospell the onely begotten sonne and by him were all thinges made that vvill not detest these vvhich affirme that the sonne is one of the creatures and hovve can he resemble the thinges vvhiche vvere made by him or hovve can the onely begotten as their opinion is be numbred vvith all other liuing creatures or hovve is he made of nothinge vvhen the father sayeth My harte hath endited a good matter and Before the morning in the wombe haue I begotten thee Or hovve is he in substance different from the father being the Perfect image and brightnes of the Father and vvhen as he him selfe sayeth He that hath seene me hath seene also the Father or hovve can it be if the onely sonne of God be the vvorde and the vvisedome that there vvas a tyme vvhen that he vvas not it is as if a man shoulde saye God sometyme vvanted both vvorde and vvisedome or hovve is he chaungeable and mutable vvhen as he reporteth of him selfe I am in the Father and the Father is in me also I and the Father be both one and by the Prophet Malachyâ— also Consider me that I am God and am not chaunged and althoughe this saying may be referred vnto the Father him selfe yet presently it is applyed more aptely vnto the sonne for in that he was borne and become man he is not chaunged at all but as the Apostle vvriteth Iesus Christ yester nyght and toe daye and he is the same for euer VVhat therefore ledd them I beâ—eache you vnto so erroneous and detestable an opinion for to saye he vvas made for vs vvhen as the Apostle vvriteth For of him
and by him are all thinges no maruell at all in that they falsely reported the sonne not fully and perfectly to knovve the Father for vvhen they had once determined vvith them selues to vvarre agaynste Christ they vtterly reiected the vvordes of our Lorde vvhere he sayth as the Father knoweth me sayth the sonne so doe I knowe the Father if the Father knovveth the sonne vnperfectly then is it manifest that the sonne knovveth the Father vnperfectly also but if this be impiety and open blasphemye and that the Father knovveth the sonne perfectly and fully then doth it follovve that euen as the Father knovveth his ovvne vvorde so the vvorde knovveth his ovvne father vvhose vvorde he is but vvhen as at sundrye tymes vve conuinced them vvith allegations and expositions out of the sacred and heauenly Scriptures for all that they agayne chaunged them selues like vnto the chaungling diuerously bespotted beaste Chamaeleon vvresting vvith all might possible to light vpon their owne pates the saying of the wise man VVhen the vngodly person commeth to extreame impietie then he disdayneth and though many heresies sprange before their tyme vvhiche exceeding out of measure in impudencye fell out at length for all that into extreame follye yet these men vvhich endeuer vvithal their gloses to take avvay the diuinity of the vvord dravving nerer vnto the time of Antichrist doe in manner declare those heresies in comparison of the impitie of their blasphemous opinion to be in the right trueth VVherefore they vvere excommunicated banished the church and pronounced to be held of all men for accursed And though vve tooke theyr fall heauyly specialy because that sometime they supped the svvete ioyce of the ecclesiasticall doctrine and novve are fallen from the same yet vve maruell not greatly at thē For the like happened heretofore not only to Hymenaeus Philetus but also before them vnto Iudas vvhich vvas the disciple of our Sauiour aftervvardes a traytor and an Apostata Neither are vve here of ignorant or vnmindefull For our Sauiour hath forewarned take heede lest any deceaue you For many vvill come in my name saying I am and the time is novve at hand And they wil deceaue many goe not after thē Paul vvhē he had learned these things of our Sauiour wrote that in the latter times some shall fall from the sounde fayth and shall geue eare vnto spirites of error doctrines of deuells oppugning the trueth Novve therefore in as much as our Sauiour Iesus Christ hath commaunded the same and signified the same also vnto men by his Apostle and vve truely hearing their impiety vvith our eares not vvithout iuste cause haue as vve sayd before pronounced this kind of men for accursed and proclaimed openly that they are cut of from the Catholick church farre frō the right fayth And vve haue certified your holynes wel beloued and most reuerende brethren vvhich are ioyned vvith vs in the same fellovvship of the publique ministery that if peraduenture some of them ouerboldly presume to presente themselues before you ye geue no heede vnto them neyther be persvvaded by Eusebius neyther by any other vvhosoeuer that shall vvrite vnto you in they re behalfe For it behoueth vs that be christians to eschevve all such as open theyr mouthes agaynst Christ and suche as are alienated in minde from him as enemyes of God and rotten sheepe corrupting the sense of mans mind and that vve bid not such kinde of men as Saynct Iohn hath commaunded no not so much as God speede lest that vve become partakers of they re offences Salute them vvhich are amonge you bretherne the bretherne vvith vs salute you also When Alexander had wrytten these letters vnto the byshops euery where throughout the seuerall cities this pestilence infection hereby was the more scattered abrode because that these vnto whome these letters were directed beganne to burne amonge themselues with the sparcles of contention and discorde For some condescended and subscribed vnto the letters some others with all might impugned them But specially amonge all the rest Eusebius byshop of Nicomedia was prouoked to the schisme and dissention for that Alexander had often in his letters charged him by name And at that time Eusebius was able to do much because that the emperour then made his abode at Nicomedia where Diocletian a litle before had buylded a princely pallace For which cause many byshops fauored the opinion of Eusebius But he seased not to wryte vnto Alexander that he woulde lette passe the controuersie raysed betwene them that he woulde admitte againe Arius and his adherentes into the churche and others also throughout the cities he exhorted that they shoulde by no meanes condescende vnto the drifte of Alexander whereby theyr rose euery where no smale tumult For then a man might haue seene not onely the presidentes and chiefe rulers of the churches inueying one against an other with spitefull and opprobrious tearmes but also the laye multitude seuered a sunder into two partes the one fauoring the one side the other the other side Wherefore the case became so haynous and shamefull and into so lamentable a plighte that the christian religion was openly derided of all men euen in the publique theatres and solemne spectacles The inhabitors of Alexandria contended very childishely yea without all modestie about the chiefe poinctes of christian religion they sente also legates and embassadours vnto the byshops throughout the other prouinces who seueringe themselues vnto eyther side raysed the like contention The Meletians who not longe before were cutt of from the churche ioyned themselues with the Arians I thinke it expedient to note what kinde of men they are Meletius byshop of a certaine citie in Aegypte besides sundrye other causes specially for that in the tyme of persecution he had renounced the fayth and sacrificed to Idols was depriued of his byshoricke by Peter byshop of Alexandria which suffred Martyrdome vnder Diocletian Who beinge depriued and fauored of many for all his fonde doinges became the ringeleader of the heresie amonge them who in Aegypt of him vnto this present daye are called Meletians and hauinge no iuste cause or cloke to defende his doinges in that he presumed to separate himselfe from the churche made a sleeuelesse answere sayinge that he was greatly iniuryed wherefore he brake out into raylinge speaches and reuiled Peter And as soone as Peter in that heate of persecution had ended his life with Martyrdome he posted ouer his opprobrious tearmes and rayling speaches to the paintinge of Achillas who succeeded Peter in the seae of Alexandria And last of all he leueled the pearcinge dartes of spitefull language at Alexander who after the death of Achillas was there placed byshop While this tumulte and dissention was tossed to and froe the opinion of Arius was called into controuersie then Meletius with his complices tooke part with Arius and together with him conspired against the byshop But they vnto whome the
the substance of the father God of God light of light very God of very God begotteÌ„ not made being of one substaÌ„ce with the father by whome all things were made both the things in heaueÌ„ the things in earth who for vs men for our saluation came downe was incarnate he was made man he suffred rose the third day he ascended into the heauens he shall come to iudge both the quicke the dead And we beleue in the holy Ghost Therefore they which say that there was a time when he was not before he was begotten or that he had his beginninge of nothinge or that he is of an other substaÌ„ce or esseÌ„ce or that affirme the sonne of God to be made or to be coÌ„uertible or mutable these the Catholicke Apostolicke church of God doth pronounce for accursed â–ª wheÌ„ they had prescribed this forme of faith we ceased not diligeÌ„tly to demaund of theÌ„ how they vnderstoode that senteÌ„ce To be of the substaÌ„ce of the father that to be of one substance with the father wherevpoÌ„ there rose obiectioÌ„s resolutioÌ„s so that the right seÌ„se of the foresayd senteÌ„ces was curiously sought out They sayd that to be Of one substaÌ„ce signified nothing else theÌ„ to be of the father yet not to be as a part of the father This seemed vnto vs very well to agree with the expositioÌ„ of that blessed doctrine which teacheth the sonne to be of the father yet not to be part of his substaÌ„ce VVherefore vve accorded vvith this sentence neither reiected vve the clause Of one substance because that peace vvas placed before our eyes as a marke to beholde and moreouer vve had speciall care not to fall from the faith In like maner vve approued Begotten not made For Made they counted a common vvorde vvith other creatures vvhich vvere made by the sonne that the sonne had nothinge in him vvhich resembled or vvas like vnto them and for that cause he vvas not a creature like vnto those vvhich vvere made by him but of a farr more excelleÌ„t substaÌ„ce theÌ„ any creature is framed the which holy scripture declareth to be begotteÌ„ of the father inasmuch as no mortall nature can either by vvord expresse or by thought comprehende or attaine vnto the maner of his generation In like sort also that clause The sonne to be of one substance with the father vvas sifted and allovved to be vnderstode after no corporall maner neither to haue any likelihoode vvith mortall liuing things neither to be by diuision of substance neither by section or parting asunder neither by mutation of the fathers essence and povver that the vnbegotten nature of the father vvas farre from al these thinges And that To be of one substance vvith the father signified no other thing then that the sonne of God vvas in nothing like the rest of the creatures but altogether like vnto the father alone vvhich begate him neither begotten of any oother then of the fathers substance and essence vnto the vvhich thinge thus sett forth right and reason required that vve should condescende For vve haue knowen for suertie diuers auncient bishops and vvriters of greate learning and renovvne to haue mentioned this clause Of one substance in setting forth of the diuinitie of the father and the sonne so farre of the faith published in the councell of Nice vvhervnto vve all condescended not rashly and vnaduisedly but according vnto the sentences sett forth in the presence of the most godly Emperour which were discussed by common assent approued for the causes afore alleadged And withall we thought good to ratifie the forme of curse published after the exposition of the faith because that it forbiddeth that no man do acquaint him selfe vvith forreyne speaches and vnwritten languages vvhereby in maner all confusion and discord is drawen and crept into the churche vvhen as the sacred scripture maketh mention no vvhere of any such sentences to vvete That the sonne of God had his beginning of nothing and that there vvas a time vvhen he vvas not And such like sentences it seemed not agreable vvith reason either in vvordes to talke of them or in deede to teache them Vnto vvhich notable decree vve haue subscribed although heretofore vve neuer accustomed neither acquainted our selues vvith such speaches These things vvelbeloued vve haue necessarily sent vnto you not onely to certifie you of the censure concluded of vs after our curious sifting and assent but also to let you vnderstande that while at the first the diuersitie of reports written vnto you offended vs not a little we persisted in one the same mind as it was most meete euen to the last houre But afterwards with small adoe we embraced without any disquietnes at all such things as were not offensiue when as we with tractable mind sought out the sense and vnderstanding of the words which vvere then in controuersie and found them altogether agreable vvith the thinges contayned in the forme of fayth published by vs our selfe These things did Eusebius Pamphilus sende in writing vnto Caesarea in Palaestina CAP. VI. The Epistle of the Synode contayning their decrees and the expulsion of Arius with his complices sundry epistles of Costantine the Emperour THe councell it selfe by generall consent wrote these things which followe vnto the churche of Alexandria and vnto the inhabitants of Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis Vnto the holy through the grace of God and the renowmed church of Alexandria to the beloued brethren throughout Aegypt Lybia Pentapolis the bishops assembled at Nice and summoned to the greate and sacred senate sende greeting in the Lorde VVhen as by the grace of God and the commaundement of the moste vertuous Emperoure Constantine vvho gathered vs together from diuers cities and prouinces the greatâ— and sacred councell of Nice is summoned it seemed expedient that letters from the vvhole sacred assembly should be sent vnto you wherby you might be certified as vvell of the thiÌ„gs called into questioÌ„ and exquisitely decided as also of the canons therein coÌ„firmed First of all the things which did concerne the impious peruerse opinion of Arius his complices were fully handled in the presence of the most godly Emperour Constantine whervpon it pleased the councell by coÌ„mon consent of all to pronounce his wicked opinion to be helde for accursed and the execrable words and blasphemous sentences he vsed â—aying that the sonne of God had his beginning of nothing that there was a time vvhen he vvas not That the sonne of God vvas of free vvill inclined to vertue to vice that he was a creature and that he vvas made all vvhich the holy councell did accurse nay it may not be permitted that his impious opinion his insolent madnesse his blasphemous vvordes shoulde come within hearing Moreouer you haue heard or at leastvvise ye shall heare of vs toutchinge him and his ende lest that vve seeme rashly and vvithout cause to
in meate and serue them her selfe Many things she gaue to churches and to poore people she liued godly and religiously and departed this life being fourescore yeare olde her body was brought to Constantinople called Nevve Rome and buried there with princely funerall CAP. XIIII Howe the emperour Constantine destroying the Idole groues of the Gentiles erected in sundrie places many notable Churches THe emperour after this went about to promote christian religion with greater care industrie to banish the rites ceremonies of the ethnicks to restrayne the lewde combats of fencers and sworde players and to sett vp his owne image in theyr Idolatricall temples And when as the Ethnicks affirmed that the God Serapis was he which made the riuer Nilus to ouerflowe and to water the countrey of Aegypt because that a certaine elle was brought into the temple of Serapis the emperour commaunded that elle to be conueyed into the churche of Alexandria When that it was noysed that Nilus woulde no longer ouerflowe because the God Serapis tooke greate indignation that he was thus abused the yeare followinge the riuer did not onely ouerflowe after his wonted maner and from that time forth kept his course but also thereby declared vnto the worlde that Nilus was accustomed to ouerflowe not after theire superstitious opinion but by the secret determination of the deuine prouidence Although the Sarmatians Barbarians and Gotths at the same time assayled the right of the Romayne empire yet for all that the emperours care and industry for the buyldinge of churches was not slacked but diligently with great aduise did he prouide for both For he valiantly ouercame these nations vnder the banner of the crosse which is the peculiar cognizance of christian profession so that not onely he depriued them of the tribute which the emperours of olde were wonte to pay vnto the Barbarians but also they beinge astonished at this straunge victory yelded themselues then first of all wholly to embrace christian religion by the meanes of the which Constantine had preserued himselfe Constantinus againe applied himselfe to the buyldinge of other churches and one he erected in the okegroue of Mambre where holy scripture reporteth the Angels to haue bene harbored by Abraham When that he was certified that altars were erected at that oke and that the Ethnicks offred sacrifice and incense in that place to theyr fayned Gods he sharply rebuked Eusebius bishope of Caesarea by his letters because that through his slackenes in executinge his office that wickednes was committed He commaundeth therefore the altars to be turned vpside downe and a church harde by the oke to be builded He commaundeth an other church to be builded in Heliopolis of Phoenicia and that for this cause What lawe maker the Heliopolits had of olde I am not able to saye but the lawes and customes of the cytie doe manifestly declare what kinde of man he was By the custome of their countrey they haue all women in common therefore of the children there can no certainty be had Amonge them there is no difference ether of father or sonne They geue their virgins to straungers which come amongst them to be defloured The emperour endeuored wholly to abrogat this old and rotten custome of theirs For when he had taken away this brutishe and beastly kind of behauiour he made a sacred and a seuere lawe that kindreds and families shoulde be knowen amongest thē and seuered one from the other To be short when he had buylded churches amonge them he hastened to consecrate them a bishop to ordaine the holy company of clergy men Thus the state of the Heliopolits after the remouing of theire former filth was reformed into modeste behauiour In like maner he ouerthrewe the temple of Venus in Aphaca standing at the foote of mount Libanus and rooted out al the wicked rites and ceremonies which were wont to be done there both impudently vnreuerently What shall I speake of the familiar deuell and the spirite of diuination the which he foyled in Cilicia commaunded the Idole in whose closettes he had craftely hid himselfe to be destroyed furthermore he was so feruent in promoting christian religion that when he should haue warred against the Persians he made him a tente much like the tabernacle of Moses in the desert in forme and figure resembling the churche of God and the same of a chaūgeable colored vaile the which he caried about with him that in the waste wildernesse and deserte places he mighte alwayes finde readye an holy Churche to singe hymnes and deuoutly to serue the liuinge God But the same battaile wente not forewardes the Persians feared the power of the Emperoure and so all iniuries were putte vp and peaceably ended That the Emperoure also imployed greate laboure and trauell in buyldinge townes and Cyties and that of diuerse peltinge villages he made princely Cyties for example Drepane after his mothers name and Constantia in Palaestina after the name of his sister Constantia I thinke it presently not needefull to committe in wrytinge for the posterity For it is not our drifte to declare the other famous actes of the Emperoure but onely those whiche appertaine vnto christian religion and speciallye the estate of the churches Wherefore in as much as the famous actes of the Emperoure tend to an other purpose and require a proper and a peculiar kinde of handlinge I leaue them for others whiche bothe knowe and can sufficiently discourse thereof I of mine owne parte woulde neuer haue layde penne to paper if the Church had beene at vnitie and concorde within it selfe For where there is no matter ministred to wryte there the wryter seemeth to be fond and his trauell frustrat But in as much as the subtletye of sophisters fonde quirckes and fallacies of Satan depraued in those dayes the Apostolick and syncere Character of Christian religion seuered also and as it were vnioynted the membres of Christ I thought good to saye somethinge of them whereby the ecclestastical affayrs may not fall into the dust of obliuion For the knoweledge thereof is much sett by amonge moste men and settleth for experience the minde of suche a one as is well seene therein For when any vaine controuersie riseth about the signification of a worde it teacheth him to haue a stayed heade CAP. XV. Howe that in the time of Constantine the midle Indians embraced the faith of Christ by the meanes of Aedesius and Frumentius for Athanasius Byshop of Alexandria created Frumentius byshop and sent him to preache vnto the Indians NOwe it remaineth that we declare howe and by what meanes christian religion enlarged and spredd it selfe vnder the raygne of this Emperoure For the nations which inhabited the middle India and Iberia then first of all receaued the faith of Christ and why I haue ioyned thereunto the middle India I will declare in fewe wordes When the Apostles by lot had sorted them selues to trauell vnto certaine
to be worshipped he was a fauorer of fatall desteny and denied free will in man He sayd plainely the soules went from one body into an other following herein the fond opinions of Empedocles Pythagoras and the Aegyptians He woulde not confesse that Christe was borne but sayde that he had the forme or figure of a man He reiected the lawe and prophetes and called himselfe the comforter all which thinges are farre from the true and right faith of the churche of God In his epistles he was not ashamed to intitule him selfe an Apostle But his Iewde and shamelesse leasinges were recompenced with dew punishment and that for this cause The â—inge of Persia his sonne fell into a daungerous disease the father vsed all meanes possible to â—â—â—â—orâ— his sonne to his former health Beynge tolde of Manes and perswaded that his â—eates were â—aâ—â—e â—â—om falshoode and â—eiurdemayne sent for him by the name of an Apostle hopinge with himselfe that by his meanes his sonne shoulde recouer Beinge come he takes the kinges sonne in â—â—â—es with sorâ—â—tis and wiâ—â—â—â—castâ— the kinge seeynge his sonne already gone and departed vndeâ— his handes commaunded the â—orâ—eâ—er shoulde be clapt in pryson and prouided execution for him but he brake pryson fledde into Mesopotamia and so shifted for him selfe The kinge hearinge that he was in those coasts made him to be apprehended flayde him alâ—â—e tooke his skinne fylled it full of chaffe and hanged it at the gates of the cytie These thinges we report to de most true and faithfully alleadged by vs out of the booke intituled The disputation of Archelaus byshop of Cascharum a citie in Mesopotamia This Archelaus reporteth that he disputed with him face to face and there layeth downe all that we wrote before of his lyfe and conuersation Thus as I sayde before it falleth out in all ages that the spyte of â—aâ—â—n wyll not suffer godlinesse to haue good successe but sendes such lewde varletts to entrappe the simple people But what is the reason thereof why our louing and mercifull God permitts such lewdnesse whether it be to try and sift the true doctrine of his church and to cut of the vaine conceats and opinions which many haue of religion or whether it be for some other cause whatsoeuer as it is hard to determine therof so few words will not suffice neither is presently fit opportunity occasion ministred to discourse of that matter It is not verily the marke we shoote at exquisitely to entreatâ— of diuers and variable opinions and sentences of men neither to search out the secret and hid mysteries of the prouidence and wisdome of God but truely as much as iâ— vs lyeth to set forth the ecclesiasticall historie And because we haue reported after what sort the cursed opinion of the Maniches sprange vp a little before the raygne of Constantine nowe let vs returne to discourse of the times incident to this our purposed historie CAP. XVIII Howe that Eusebius byshop of Nicomedia and Theognis byshop of Nice remembring them selues after their recantation wrought all the spite they could to ouerthrow the faith established in the Councell of Nice and sought meanes to mischiefe At hanasius Of the Councell summoned at Antioche which deposed Eustathius about whome there rose such a sedition in Antioche which destroyed in maner the whole citie EVsebius and Theognis returning from exile receaued their former dignities remouing as I sayde before such as were placed in their seaes They were in great reuerence and estimation with the emperour and enioyed greate libertie for that they had forsaken the cursed and â—ankred opinion of Arius and geuen themselues to the true and right faith But these men for all that abused their libertie and made more sturre in the worlde then euer was before Two things droue them therevnto the detestable heresie of Arius which helde their mindes of a longe time and the deadly hatred they bare vnto Athanasius Because he valiantly withstoode them as they disputed in the Councell of Nice firste of spite they chalenge his degree and vocation saying he was no fitt man for the rowme of a bishop next that he was elected by vnlawfull persons But for all that he cleared him selfe of those opprobrious and sclaunderous reports his vpryght conuersation was such he coulde not be remoued from the bishops seae of Alexandria and contended earnestly for the faith decreed by the Councell of Nice Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia endeuoured with might and mayne through wiles and subtletie to depose Athanasius and to bring Arius into Alexandria For by this meanes he thought best to roote out of the church the faith of Homousion to wete of One substance ratified by the councell and to plant the pestilent doctrine of Arius And as at some tymes he entreated him by letters and â—aire wordes so of the contrary at other tymes he went aboute to terrifie him with threates But when as Athanasius woulde in no wyse yeelde he sought to perswade the Emperour that of his wonted clemencie he woulde geue Arius the hearinge and pardon him that he myght returne vnto Alexandria But what treacherie he practised to brynge this his purpose to effect I will shewe in an other place Afore that these thinges were fully come to an endâ— there rose an other hurlyburlye in the churche For the members them selues brake asunder the peaceable and quiets bondâ— of the church Eusebius Pamphilus reporteth that immediately after the breakinge vp of the Councell a ciuill dissention rose throughout all Aegypt the cause be hath concealed whereby he was of diuers suspected of double dealinge He was thought with silence to haue ouershipped the causes for that he had determined with him selfe not to subscribe vnto the decrees of the Nicene Councell But as we haue learned manifestly by diuers epistles the which byshops wrote priuately one to an other after the Councell the clause of One substance troubled exceedingly their mindes and whylest that they sifted and searched out the â—ense and vnderstandinge thereof euen vnto the nuycke they raysed ciuill discorde amonge them selues so that their conclusions seemed nothinge else but combats in the nyght and darkenesse or blynofolded bablinge It seemed that nere nother syde vnderstoode well the cause that made them to reuyle eche other For such as reiected the clause of One substance thinkinge verylie that they which receaued it went about to establishe agayne the heresie of Sabellius and Montanus called the true professors blasphemoâ—s persons as if they had gone about to take awaye the substance of the sonne of God Such as of the contrarie cleaued vnto the canon of One substance thought theyr aduersaries brought in the seruice of manie goods and abhored them as furtherers of Paganisme Moreouer Eustathius byshop of Antioche sharpely rebuked Eusebius Pamphilus as though he had gone about to corrupt the Nicene Creede but Eusebius Pamphilus both cleared him selfe of that sclaunder and also charged Eustathius with the heresie of
euen as your godly and singular zeale hath geuen vs in charge vve doe protest that both vve our selues and all they that be of our syde doe beleeue as follovveth VVe beleeue in one God the father almyghtie and in his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ begotten of him before all vvorldes God the vvorde by vvhome all thinges were made both in heauen and earth who came dovvne from heauen and vvas made man vvho suffred rose againe ascended into heauen shall come againe to iudge both the quicke the dead And we beleue in the holy ghost the resurrection of the fleshe the life of the vvorlde to come the kingdome of heauen the one Catholicke churche of God scattered farre and vvide ouer the face of the vvhole earth This faith haue vve learned of the most holie Euangelists where the Lorde him selfe sayd vnto his disciples Goe teache all nations baptizing theÌ„ in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost euen as the vvhole Catholicke church and the scriptures do teache all vvhich vve faithfully beleeue God is ouâ— Iudge presently to the houre of death and at the daye of doome VVherefore moste holy Emperour we humbly craue of your godly highnes in as much as vve are â—â—eargiâ— men retaine the faith and affection both of the church and also of holy scripture that of your wonted zeale whervvith you prouide for vnitie and the right honour of God all controuersies and quarells and cauillations and subtle quircks vvhatsoeuer layde aside you will coupleâ—â— vvith our mother the church that both vve and the church of God among our selues may liue quietly ioyntly vvith one harte and voyce povvre vnto God the accustomed prayers for the peaceable and prosperous estate of your empire and for all mankinde CAP. XX. How Arius by the commaundement of the Emperour returned to Alexandria whome Athanasius would in no wise admitt against Athanasius Eusebius and his confederats patched diuers crimes and presented them vnto the Emperour so that in the ende a synode was summoned at Tyrus to pacifie these quarells WHen that Arius had perswaded the Emperour in such sorte as we sayde before he returnes to Alexandria but yet he could not with all his wiles treade downe the trueth the which he had so egregiously dissembled Athanasius would not receaue him into the church of Alexandria after his returne for he detested him as a monster of the worlde Arius neuerthelesse whilest that he priuely sowed his pestilent opinion goeth about to sett the whole citie on an vprore At what time Eusebius both him selfe wrote vnto Athanasius and procured also the Emperour to commaunde him by his letters to condescende vnto the admission of Arius and his coÌ„plices Athanasius for all that would not receaue them into the church but wrote backe againe vnto the Emperour that it was not lawfull for such as had made shipwracke of their faith and had bene held for accursed of the church â–ª after their returne and conuersion to receaue their former dignities The Emperour was in a great chafe and conceaued great displeasure against Athanasius for this answere threatninge him by his letters as followeth In as much as thou art made priuie to our will and pleasure see that thou make the dore vvide open to all that desire to enter into the church For if I vnderstand that any one vvhich desired to be made a member of the church hath by any meanes through thee bene hindred or his entraÌ„ce stopped I vvill forthwith send one of mine officers who by authority from me shall both depose thee of thy bishopricke and also place an other in thy rovvme This the Emperour wrote respecting the commoditie of the church the vnitie of the councell lest that through variance it were dissolued Eusebius then who hated Athanasius with deadly enmitie thought no time fitter theÌ„ that to bring his purpose to effect for he had the Emperour incensed against him which was meate and drinke for Eusebius and therefore he raysed all that troublesome sturre to the ende he myght cause Athanasius to be deposed of his bishopricke For he thought verylie that if Athanasius were once remoued Arianisme then should beare away the bell Wherefore there conspired against him at once Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia Theognis bishop of Nice Maris bishop of Chalcedon Vrsacius bishop of Singidon a citie of the vpper Pannonia and Valens bishop of Murson a citie also in Pannonia These men hyred certaine of the Meletian seâ—t caused diuers crimes to be layd vnto Athanasius charge And firste of all by the depositions of Eusion Eudaemon and Callinicus that were Meletian heretickes they charge Athanasius that he had inioyned the Aegyptians to pay for a yearely tribute vnto the church of Alexandria a lynen garment But Alypius and Macarius priests of the church of Alexandria who then as it chaunced were at Nicomedia confuted this sclannderous report that was layde agaynste Athanasius and perswaded the Emperour that all their malicious tales were manifest vntruthes Wherefore the Emperoure wrote vnto his aduersaries and rebuked them sharply but Athanasius he requesteth to repayre vnto him yet agayne Eusebius together with his complices before his comminge patched an other crime farre more haynous then the former that Athanasius went about trayterously to defeate the Emperoures edicts in sending to one Philumenus a kasâ—et or forsar full of gold The Emperour then being at Psamathia a manour without the walls of Nicomedia by sifting out of this matter founde Athanasius to be giltlesse and sent him away with honor writing also to the Church of Alexandria that their bishop was falsely accused before him But I thinke best and with more honesty a great deale to passe ouer with silence the sundry kindes of sclaunders Eusebius together with his adherents inuented afterwards agaynst Athanasius lest that the Churche of God be blemished and sclaundered of them which haue their mindes farre estraynged from the religion fayth in Christ Iesu for the thinges committed to writing â–ª are wont to be knowen of all and therefore it was our part to comprise in few words such things as required a seuerall tracâ— but neuerthelesse I thinke it my duety in fewe wordes to declare out of what fountaine these false accusations ishued and whence such as forged them had their originall Mareôtes is a contrey of Alexandria in it there are many villages and the same well peopled within the same also there are many Churches yea of greate fame all which are vnder the Bishop of Alexandria within the iurisdiction of his seae and bishopricke In this Mareôtes one Ischyras for so they called him practised priuely such a kinde of offence as deserued a hundreth kindes of death for when as he had neuer taken orders he called him selfe a minister and presumed to execute the function of a priest Who when he was taken with the maner fledd away priuely and gott him straight to
endeuored with all might possible to ouerthrow for when he tooke vpon him the patronship of that councels decrees he supposed it was his bounden duety to foresee lest the canons and decrees of that councell shoulde any kinde of way be impayred Wherefore being now busied with this controuersie he layd aside the quirks of logicke and fledd for ayde and asistance vnto Almighty God he gaue him selfe to continewal fasting and left no prayer vnrepeated such a kind of seruice deuotion he solemply embraced He got him into the Church of Peace for so they called the Church he locked in him selfe and finished such kinde of seruice as pleased him best he gott him to the Altare and downe he fell on his bare knees before the communion table praying vnto God w t teares that trickled downe his cheekes in which kinde of order he continewed many dayes and many nights He called for helpe at the handes of God and his petition was graunted His prayer was thus Graunt I besech thee o Lorde sayth he that if the opinion of Arius be true I my selfe may neuer see the ende of this sett disputation but if the fayth which I holde be true that Arius the author of all this mischiefe may receaue due punishment for his impious deserte This was the zealous prayer of Alexander The Emperour being desirous to knowe the minde and disposition of Arius sent for him to his pallace demaundes of him whether he woulde subscribe vnto the Canons of the Nicene councell He without any more adoe very cheerefully putts to his hande When as for all that he dalyed both craftely and lewdely with the decrees of that councell The Emperour maruelling at this put him to his othe he falsely and faynedly sware also The crafty â—uglinge which he vsed to bleare their eyes in subscribing as I haue hearde was this Arius wrote his opinion in a peece of paper of his owne the same he caryeth vnder his arme comming to the booke he takes his othe that he veryly beleeued as he had written This which I write of him I haue hearde to be moste true But I gather playnly that he sware after his subscription out of the Emperours letters The Emperour beleeuing verily that he dealt playnely commaundes Alexander Bishop of Constantinople to receaue him to the communion It was vpon a saturday the day after Arius looked to be receaued into the Church and communion of the faythfull â–ª but vâ—ngeance lighted forthwith vpon his lewde and bolde enterprises When he had taken his leaue and departed out of the Emperours hall he passed through the middes of the citie with great pompe and pontificality compassed with the faction and trayne of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia that wayted vpon him As soone as he came nigh Constantines market for so was the place called where there stoode a piller of redd marble sodaine feare of the haynous faules he had committed tooke Arius and withall he felt a greate laske Syrs sayth Arius is there any draught or iakes nigh when they tolde him that there was one in the backe side of Constantines market he gott him thither straight The mans harte was in his heeles he looked pitiously together with his excrements he voydeth his gutts a greate streame of bloode followeth after the sclender and small bowells slyde out bloode together with the splene and liuer gusheth out â–ª immediatly he dieth like a dogge Those iakes are to be seene vnto this day at Constantinople behinde as I sayd before Constantines markett and the porch shambles All passengers as many I say as goe by are wonte to pointe at the place with the finger to the ende they may call to remembrance and in no wise forgett the miserable ende of Arius that died in those iakes This being done terror astonishment amazed the mindes of Eusebius his confederats that followed him The report thereof was bruted abroad not onely throughout the whole citie but in maner as I may say throughout the whole world The Emperour by this meanes cleaued the more vnto christian religion and sayd that the Nicene Creede was ratified and confirmed to be true by the testimony of God him selfe and reioyced exceedingly at the thinges which then came to passe His three sonnes he made Caesars seuerally one after an other euery tenth yeare of his raygne His eldest sonne whom after his owne name he called Constantine the tenth yeare of his raygne he made Emperour ouer the westerne partes of the empire the seconde sonne whome after his graundfathers name he called Constantius the twentieth yeare of his raygne he made Emperour ouer the Easterne partes of the empire The third and yongest of all called Constans he consecrated Emperour the thirtieth yeare of his raygne CAP. XXVI The sicknes the Baptisme the death and funerall of Constantinus magnus THe yeare after Constantine the Emperour being threescore and fiue yeare olde fell sicke and leauing Constantinople sayled to Helenopolis vsing for his healthe the hott baths that were nighe the towne When that he sickned more and more he differred bayning of him selfe left Helenopolis and gott him straight to Nicomedia â–ª Abiding there in a certayne manour without the towne walls he was baptized in the fayth of Christ In the which baptisme he greatly reioyced made his last will testament appoynted his three sonnes heyres of the empire distributed to theÌ„ their seuerall inheritances as he had in his healths time he bequetheth to Rome and to Constantinople many famous monuments he putteth the Priest by whose meanes Arius was called from exile of whome we spake a litle before in trust with his testament charging him to deliuer it to no mans hand saue to his sonne Constantius whome he had made Emperour of the East His will being made and his life lasting a fewe dayes after he died At his death there was none of his sonnes present Wherefore there was a Post sent into the East for to signifie vnto his sonne Constantius the deathe of his father * The Emperours corps his familiares and dearest friendes chested in a coffin of golde and carryed it to Constantinople there they sett it in an high lodging of the pallace doing thereunto great honor and solemnitie vntill that one of his sonnes was come When that Constantius was now come from the East they sett forth the corps with a princely funerall and buried it in the Apostles Churche for so was it called the which Church Constantine buylded lest that the Emperours and Priestes shoulde be bereued of the Apostles reliques The Emperour Constantine liued threescore and fiue yeares he raygned 31. and died the two and twentieth day of May Felicianus and Tatianus being Consuls the second yeare of the two hundreth seuenty and eyght Olympiade This booke compriseth the historie of one and thirtie yeares The ende of the first booke of Socrates THE SECONDE BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS CAP. I. The proeme where
men he was taken as it were out of their iawes which menaced him commaunded to liue vnder my dominion where though his excellent vertue ministred vnto him from aboue wey nothinge at all the greuous casualties of aduersity euen as in the city he liued before he may haue plenty want no necessaryes for the maintenance of his porte Therefore when as our Lorde and my father of famous memory Constantine the Emperour had purposed in his mind to haue restored him a Bishop to his owne sâ—ae and proper seate the which he enioyed among you that are knowen to beare greate zeale to godlines and being preuented with death as it fareth with mankind before he coulde accomplishe his desire I thought it verely my parte and duety to execute the intent of so godly an Emperoure VVith what estimation and reuerence I haue entertayned the man he shall reporte with his owne mouth after his returne vnto you Neither is it to be maruelled at all that I shewed him such curtesie For me thinkes I sawe in him the great longing ye had for him and I behelde also the fatherly reuerence and grauity of the man himselfe all which moued me not a litle thereunto nay throughly perswaded me God of his goodnes welbeloued brethren haue you in his tuition Athanasius with the confidence he had in these letters returneth to Alexandria whome the people of Alexandria doe receaue with most willing mindes But such as in that citie were infected with the leprosie of Arianisme conspired against him so that many skirmishes and tumultes were raised which ministred occcasion vnto the confederats of Eusebius falsly to accuse Athanasius before the Emperoure that of his owne doinge without the generall consente of the assembly of Bishops he had setled him selfe in that church The accusation was so odious that the Emperoure being therewith incensed against Athanasius draue him out of Alexandria But howe this was compassed I will shewe hereafter in an other place CAP. III. Howe that after the death of Eusebius Pamphilus Acacius was chosen Bishop of Caesarea and of the death of Constantinus the yonger ABout that time Eusebius whose sirname was Pamphilus Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina departed this life and Acacius his scholer succeeded him in the Bishopricke Who besids sundry other workes of his industrie wrote a booke of the life of his maister Eusebius Not long after Constantinus the yonger so called after his fathers name brother to y â— Emperor Constantius inuading by force certaine countreys vnder Constans his yonger brothers dominion by fighting hand to hand with the soldiers was slaine Acindinus and Proclus beinge Consuls CAP. IIII. Howe that Alexander Bishop of Constantinople departinge this life nominated two men Paulus and Macedonius that they shoulde chuse one of them to succeede him in the Bishoprike AT that time there ensued immediately the â—edicions mentioned before an other tumulte in the citie of Constantinople and that for this cause Alexander the Bishop of that churche who valiantly encountred with Arius hauing continewed Bishop there the space of three and twenty yeares and liued fourescore and eighteene departed this life He consecrated none to succeede him but charged the electors to choose one of two whome he would nominat vnto them And following his aduise if they would place in the rowme a man sit for to instruct y â— people of an vpright conscience of good lise and godly conuersation they shoulde take Paulus whome he had made priest who though he were yonge and of greene yeares yet in learninge olde and of greate wisedome But in case they woulde haue him whome the etymologie of noble prowesse did highly commend they should preferre Macedonius to the dignitie â–ª who latly had bene deacon of the same church and then was farre strucken in yeares Wherefore about the election of a Bishop there was greater sturre theÌ„ heretofore and the churche was more grieuously turmoyled The people were deuided into two parts the one was egerly set with the heresy of Arius the other cleaued very constantly to the decrees of the Nicene Councell And whilest that Alexander liued they which embraced the creede comprising the clause of One substance had the vpper hand ouer the Arians which dayly striued and contended very stifly in the maintenance of their heretical doctrine But as soone as he departed this life the contention among the people was diuers and variable For such as fauored the clause of One substance chose Paulus to be their Bishop such as of the contrary cleaued vnto Arianisme endeuored with all might to place Macedonius Wherefore in the temple of God called the church of peace next vnto the great church then called great but nowe bearing the name of wisedome Paulus was chosen Bishop in which election the voyce of the desseased did preuaile CAP. V. Howe that Constatinus the Emperoure displaced Paulus that was chosen byshope of Constantinople and translated to that seae Eusebius byshop of Nicomedia And howe that Eusebius caused an other Synode to be summoned at Antioch in Syria where there was an other forme of fayth layde downe SHortely after the election of Paulus moued the Emperoure not a litle at his coming to Constantinople For summoning together an assembly of Byshops which sauored of the filthie sinke of Aruis he procured the deposition of Paulus and causing Eusebius of Nicomedia to be â—â—anslated thither he proclaimed him Bishop of Constantinople These thinges being done the Emperoure gott him to Antioch Yet Eusebius for all this colde not sette his hart at rest but rolled as commonely we saye euery stone to bringe his wicked purpose to passe He summoneth a councell at Antioch in Syria pretending the dedicatioÌ„ of the church whose foundations Constantine the father of these Emperours had layd after whose death Constantius his sonne tenne yeares after the laying of the first stone finished the buylding and as I may boldely say the trueth to the ouerthrowe and subuersion of the fayth Of one substance Unto this synod there came out of diuers prouinces Bishops to the number of fourscore and tenne But Maximus bishop of Ierusalem who succeeded Macarius woulde not come thither supposinge verely that if he came he shoulde be constrayned to subscribe vnto the depriuation of Athanasius Neyther did Iulius Byshop of Rome shewe him selfe there neither sente he any to supply his rowme when as the ecclesiasticall canon forbiddeth that any constitution be thrust into the Churche without the censure of the Bishope of Rome To be shorte the councell mette at Antioch in the Consulship of Marcellus and Probinus where Constantius the Emperoure was present It was the fift yeare after the death of Constantine father vnto these Emperours Placitus was then bishop of Antioch for he succeeded Euphronius But the confederacy of Eusebius side imployed their chiefe labour and industry falsly to accuse Athanasius and first they charge him with the violating of their canon to wete
sonne in dede and of the holy Ghoste who is the holye Ghoste in deede VVhiche names are not vnaduisedly neyther vvithout good consideration layde dovvne of vs for they plainely sett forth the proper person the order and the glorie of â—â—he of them that are named that there be three persons yet in harmoniacall consente but one God VVherefore vve retayninge this fayth before the maiestye of God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ doe holde for accursed all detestable heresies If that any shall teache contrary to the righte and sounde fayth contained in holy Scripture that there is or that there hathe bene a tyme or a vvorlde and made before the sonne of God let him be accursed If that any shall saye that the sonne of God is a creature as one of the creatures a budde or spring as one of the buddes and not as the sacred Scriptures haue deliuered euery of the aforesayde vnto vs or if that any shall preache or publishe any other besides that vve haue receaued lette him be accursed For vve beleue truely and vnfaynedly all vvhatsoeuer the holy Scriptures the Prophetes and Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs and vve follovve the same zealously Suche were the Creedes of the Byshopes whiche then assembled at Antioch whereunto Gregorius althoughe as yet he was not gone to Alexandria subscribed intitlinge him selfe Byshope of Alexandria The Councell after the finishinge of these thinges and the establishinge of other constitutions was dissolued At the very same time the affayres of the common weale fell out to be very troublesome For the French natioÌ„ so are they tearmed inuaded the Romayne possessions bordering vpon Fraunce then also there were greate earthquakes in the Easte but specially at Antioch where the earth was hoyssed and shaken the space of one whole yeare CAP. VIII Howe that when Gregorius was broughte to Alexandria with armed souldieres Athanasius by flyinge awaye saued his life WHen the aforesayde busines was brought to this passe Syrianus the captaine together with fiue thousande armed soldiers brought Gregorius to Alexandria The Arians that were within the citie came to ayde them But I thinke it requisite to discourse howe Athanasius that was violently by them thrust out of the churche escaped their handes It was then euentide the people spent the whole night in vigils for there was a coÌ„munion the day followinge The captaine drewe nighe he sette his soldiers in battaile araye he besetts the churche Athanasius vnderstandinge of this called his witts together and deuised howe the people might take no harme for his sake He commaunded his Deacon to read the collects vnto the people He bidds him singe a psalme When the psalme was sweetly and harmoniacally songe all the people went forth at one of the church porches While this was adoinge the soldiers made no sturre at all Athanasius through the middest of the singers escaped they re handes safe and sounde He beinge thus ridd out of this perill and daunger he stoode in went in all the haste to Rome Then Gregoriâ— tooke possession of the churche The citizens of Alexandria not brooking their doinges sette Sainct Denys churche afire So farre of that CAP. IX Howe that the citizens of Constantinople after the death of Eusebius chose Paulus againe to be their Byshope the Arians of the contrary chose Macedonius EVsebius as soone as he had brought his purpose to effecte sente a legate vnto Iulius Bishope of Rome requestinge him to be iudge in Athanasius his cause and to take vpon him the pronouncinge of the definitiue sentence But the sentence that Iulius gaue of Athanasius neuer came to Eusebius his hearing for immediatly after the councell brake vp breath wente out of his body and so he died Wherefore the people of CoÌ„stantinople bring Paulus againe to be their Bishop the Arians assemblinge in Sainct Pauls churche chose Macedonius They were authors and chiefe doers in that sturre who a litle before ayded Eusebius that turned vpside downe the whole state of the churche These were they that could doe some thing at that time Theognis bishop of Nice Maris bishop of Chalcedon Theodorus bishop of Heraclaea in Thracia Vrsacius bishop of Singidon in the higher Mysia and Valens bishop of Mursa a citie in the higher Panonia But Vrsacius and Valens repented them afterwardes gaue vp their recantation in writinge vnto Iulius bishop of Rome and thenceforth submitted them selues to the clause of One substance and the communion of the church At that tyme the Arians raysed ciuill warres and dissention in the church of the which one was sturred at Constantinople through the confederats of Macedonius And by reason of these domesticall warres of the christians there were many often skirmishes in that citie at what tyme many were troden vnder foote and crushed to death CAP. X. The death of Hermogenes the captaine and howe that therefore Paulus the seconde tyme was banished Constantinople The Arians translating Gregorius from Alexandria placed Georgius in his rowme THe report and fame of the sedition at Constantinople came to the eares of the Emperour Constantius who then abode at Antioche he commaunded Hermogenes the captaine that was takinge his iourney into the coasts of Thracia to take Constantinople in his waye to thrust Paulus their byshop out of the church He comming into the citie disquieted the people not a little while he went by force about to banishe their byshop Immediately the multitude of the people was vp they prepared them selues to ayde their byshop As Hermogenes proceeded and laboured together with his souldiers to sett him packinge the multitude beynge on an vprore rashely and headyly as it happeneth in such a hurlyburly fell vpon him They fyre the house ouer his heade they pull him out by the eares and putte him to death This was done when both the Emperoures were Consulls to wete the thirde Consulshippe of Constantius and the seconde of Constans At what tyme Constans ouercame the Frenchemen made truse and concluded a league betweene them and the Romaines Constantius the Emperour hearinge of the death of Hermogenes tooke his horse left Antioche and gott him to Constantinople there he thrusteth Paulus out of the churche he mearced the cytie takinge from them so manie measures of grayne as their cytie receaued aboue foure hundred thousande the which was his fathers donation daylie geuen vnto them For vnto that tyme the cytie of Constantinople receaued about eyght hundred thowsande measures of grayne that was caryed thyther from Alexandria The Emperour differred to nominate Macedonius their byshop for he was wonderfully incensed not onely agaynste him in that he was chosen without his aduise and counsell but also in that through the sturre and tumult raysed betweene him and Paulus not onely Hermogenes his captayne but also manie others beside were slayne After he had geuen Macedonius licence to execute his function in that churche onely where he was chosen byshop he returneth to Antioche In
church such as defended the creede contayning the clause of One substance flocked to the church as well as the Arian hereticks As soone as the gouernour together with Macedonius was now come nygh the church a maruelous great feare amazed both the multitude and the souldiers them selues There was so great a multitude gathered together that there was no passage for the gouernour to leade Macedonius the souldiers were faine to thrust the people of this side and that side but the throng was so great and the rowme so narowe that they coulde not geue backe neither recoyle The souldiers supposinge the multitude had set them selues againste them of set purpose stopped their walke that the gouernour might haue no passage theraway drewe their swords let flye amongest them and layd on lustyly The report goeth that there fell about three thousande one hundred and fifty persons whereof some were slayne by the souldiers some other styfled in the throng crushed to death But Macedonius after all these famous acts as if he had committed no offence as if he were innocent and gyltles toutching all this haynous and horrible slaughter is stalled in the bishops seate more by the censure of the gouernour then the canon of the church These were the meanes that Macedonius and the Arians vsed to clim◠by slaughter and murther to be magistrates in the church About that tyme the Emperour buylded a goodly churche nowe called The church of wisdome and ioyned it vnto the churche called by the name of Peace the which beyng of small compasse his father afore him had both in bygnes enlarged and in beautie sett forth and adorned Nowe were they both inuironed with one wall and called after one name CAP. XIII Howe Athanasius being terrified with the Emperours threats fled the second tyme to Rome ABout that tyme there was an other sclaunder raysed by the Arians agaynst Athanasius which forged out such an accusation agaynst him as followeth Constantinus the father of these Emperours had geuen a good whyle before certaine grayne for almes to the reliefe of the poore within the churche of Alexandria This they sayde that Athanasius had soulde and turned it to his owne lucre and gayne The Emperoure taketh their sclaunderous reporte for trueth and threatneth him with death Athanasius then vnderstandinge of the Emperours hygh displeasure against him fled away and hidd him selfe in a secrete and obscure place Iulius bishop of Rome hearing the molestation and iniuries the Arians offred Athanasius and nowe hauing receaued the letters of Eusebius who lately had departed this lyfe vnderstandinge of the place where Athanasius hydd him selfe sent for him willinge him to repayre to Rome At the same tyme he receaued letters from the Councell assembled at Antioch and other letters also sent vnto him from the byshops of Aegypt which playnely affirmed that all such crymes as Athanasius was charged withall were meere false Wherefore Iulius by sendinge of contrary letters answered at large the byshops which assembled at Antioche and firste he sheweth what griefe and heauines he conceaued by their letters secōdly that they had transgressed the canon of the church in not callinge him to the Councell in so much the canon commaundeth that no decree be thrust vpon the church without the censure of the bishop of Rome moreouer that they had couertly corrupted the fayth also that they concluded by mayne force and double dealing such things as of late they had lewdely handled at Tyrus in that they of spyte had procured the relations of one side duely to be registred at Mareôtes and that their forged leasinges of Arsenius were meere sclaūders false reports These other such like thīgs Iulius layd downe in his letters vnto y ◠bishops assēbled at Antioch we would haue layd downe here y ◠epistles vnto Iulio his vnto others were it not that the length of their writings and the tediousnesse of their discourse perswaded vs to the contrary Sabinus the fauourer of Macedonius his fond opinion of whome we spake before though in his booke intituled The collection of Councells he omitted not y ◠epistle of the bishops assembled at Antioche vnto Iulius yet layde he not downe the letters of Iulius vnto them agayne It was his accustomed maner so to doe for what epistles so euer were written by any Councells either altogether disanullinge or at lest wise passing ouer with silence the clause of One substance them he carefully cyted and collected diligently looke such as were of the contrary them of sett purpose he ouerskipped CAP. XIIII Howe that the VVesterne Emperour requested his brother to sende vnto him such as were able to iustifie the depositions of Athanasius and Paulus and howe the legats brought with them a newe forme of faith NOt long after Paulus leauyng Thessalonica fayned he woulde to Corinth and gott him straight into Italie there both he Athanasius ioyntly do open their estate vnto the Emperour The Emperour whose dominions were y ◠contries of the West esteeming of their iniuries as his owne aduersitie wrote vnto his brother requesting him in his letters to send vnto him three men that might render afore him iust causes of the deposition of Paulus Athanasius There were sent vnto him Narcissus the Cilician Theodorus the Thracian Maris the Chalcedonian and Marcus the Syrian After their comming they woulde not reason with Athanasius but concealing the forme of faith decreed at Antioche the bishops frame out an other the which they exhibited vnto the Emperour in these words VVe beleue in one God the father almightie creator and maker of all things of vvhome all fatherhoode is called both in heauen and earth and in his onely begotten sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ begotten of the father before all vvorldes God of God light of light by vvhome all thinges vvere made both in heauen and in earth be they visible or inuisible who is the vvorde the wisdome the power the life the true light who in the later dayes was incarnate for our sakes vvas borne of the holie Virgine vvas crucified dead and buryed vvho rose agayne the thirde day from the dead ascended into the heauens sitteth at the right hand of the father and shall come againe at the ende of the vvorld to iudge the quicke and the dead and to reward euery man according vnto his vvorks whose kingdome shall haue no ende but shall continew foreuer For he shall sitt at the ryght hande of the father not onely vvhile this vvorlde lasteth but also in the lyfe to come And vve beleeue in the holie Ghost that is in the comforter whome he promised he vvould sende the Apostles whome also he sent after his ascention into the heauens for to informe and instruct them in all thinges by vvhome their soules shall be sanctified vvhich faithfully beleue in him VVhosoeuer then dare affirme that the sonne hath his being of nothinge or that he is of any other substance then of the
before of Spaine could in no wise brooke that Paulus and Athanasius should be absent the Easterne bishops forthwith depart and cōming to Philippi a citie in Thracia they assemble a priuate coūcell among thē selues beginne thenceforth openly to accurse the creede cōtaining the claule of One substance to sowe abrode in writing their opinion that the sonne was not of one substance w t the father But the assembly of bishops which cōtinewed at Sardice first cōdemned them which fled from the hearing of their cause next deposed from their dignities the accusers of Athanasius afterwards ratified the creede of the Nicene coūcell abrogated the hereticall opinion which said that the sonne was of a different substance from the father last of all sett forth more plainely the clause of One substance for they wrote letters therof sent them throughout the whole world Both sides were pleased with their owne doings and euery one seemed to him selfe to haue done right well the bishops of the East because the Westerne bishops had receaued such as they had deposed the byshops of the West because the Easterne bishops being deposers of others had departed before y ◠hearing of their cause the one for that they mayntained the Nicene creede the other for that they went about to condemne it Their bishoprickes are restored to Paulus and Athanasius likewise to Marcellus bishop of Ancyra in the lesser Galatia who a litle before as we sayd in our first booke was deposed who also then endeuoured with all might to disproue and confute the sentence pronounced against him saying that the phrase and maner of speach which he vsed in his booke was not vnderstoode and therefore to haue bene suspected by them as if he mayntayned the heresie of Paulus Samosatenus Yet we may not forget that Eusebius Pamphilus wrote three bookes to the confutation of the booke of Marcellus where he citeth the words of Marcellus and refuteth them plainly declaring that Marcellus no otherwise then Sabellius the Aphrick Paulus Samosatenus thought that the Lorde Iesus was but onely man CAP. XVII An Apologie or defence in the behalfe of Eusebius Pamphilus that he was no Arian as diuers malicious persons wrote of him BEcause that diuers haue bruted abroade sclaunderous reports of Eusebius Pamphilus affirming that in his workes he sauoured of the heresie of Arius I thinke it not amisse presently to laye downe in fewe wordes what of trueth we may thinke of him Firste of all he was both present at the Councell of Nice and subscribed vnto the clause of One substance In his thirde booke of the lyfe of Constantine he hath these wordes of that Councelll The Emperoure dealt so farre vvith them for the reducinge of them vnto concorde and vnitie that he lefte them not vntyll he had brought them to be of one mynde and of one opinion toutchinge all that afore tyme vvas called into controuersie so that vvith one voyce they all embraced the fayth decided in the Councell of Nice If Eusebius then mentioninge the Councell summoned at Nice doth saye that all quarells and questions were there ended and that all were of one minde and of one opinion howe is it that some dare presume to charge him with the spotte of Arianisme The Arians them selues also are foulie deceaued if they take him for a fauourer of their opinion But some man peraduenture wyll saye that he seemed to smell of Arianisme in that he vsed often tymes in his bookes this phrase By Christ. Whome I answere that not onely he but also other ecclesiasticall writers yea and the Apostle him selfe who was neuer once suspected to be the author of any lewde opinion vsed this phrase before them which wrote such kinde of speache and sundrie other sortes of sentences for the liuely settinge forth and expressinge of the order and maner of our sauiours humanitie But what Eusebius thought when Arius taught that the lonne was a creature and to be accompted as one of the other creatures nowe vnderstande for in his first booke agaynst Marcellus he writeth thus He alone and none other is both called and is in deede the onely begotten sonne of God VVherefore they are vvorthy of reprehension vvhich are not ashamed to call him a creature and to say that he beganne of nothinge as other creatures did Hovve shall he be the sonne or after vvhat sort may he be called the onely begotten of God vvhen as he hath as they say the same nature vvith other creatures and is become one of the vulgare sort of men to wete hauinge the like beginninge vvith them and beyng made partaker vvith them of the creation vvhich is of nothinge But the holie scriptures Ivvis teache vs no such thinges of him And agayne a litle after he sayeth VVhosoeuer then sayeth that the sonne vvas begotten of nothinge or that the principall creature beganne of nothing he attributeth vnto him vnaduisedly the onely name of the sonne but in very deede and in trueth he denyeth him to be the sonne For he that is begotten of nothinge can in no vvyse be the true sonne of God no more can any other thinge that hath the lyke beginninge But the sonne of God truely begotten of the father him selfe is to be termed the onely begotten and the vvelbeloued of the father and so he shall be God For vvhat other thinge is the budde or branche of God then that vvhich resembleth the begetter The kinge is sayde to buylde or make a cytie but not to begette a cytie and so he is sayde to begette a sonne but not to buylde or make a sonne In respect of the vvorke he vvrought he is not called a Father but a cunninge vvorkeman and in respect of the sonne he begatte he is not called a vvorkeman but a father VVherefore the God of all vniuersalitie is worthely to be called the father of the sonne yet the framer and maker of the worlde Although it be once found written in a certaine place of holie scripture The Lord made me the beginning of his wayes for the accomplishing of his workes yet as I am minded immediatly to interpret it behoueth vs to skanne narowly and to sift out with diligence the sense vnderstanding thereof not after the maner of Marcellus with one word to shake the chiefe principles of christian religion These many other such like reasons hath Eusebius alleaged in his first booke against Marcellus to y ◠cōfutation of his opinion In his third booke he hath expounded how this word Made or created is to be vnderstood as followeth These things being after this sort it remaineth that we cōsider of this sentence The Lord made me the beginning of his wayes for the accomplishing of his works which is no otherwise to be taken then the other thinges we expoūded before For in case he say that he is made he sayth it not as if he became something of nothing or that he
a newe kinde of tormeÌ„t neuer heard of before Theyr backs and sides were so scurged and rente with palme twigges newely pluckt of the trees hauinge on their prickinge knobs So that diuers because of the stumpes that stucke in the fleshe of their backes were constrained often times to repayre vnto surgions others some not able to endure suche terrible payne dyed of their wounds As many of the men as remained yet aliue together with the virgins were exiled and ledde by the souldiers to Oasis The deade carkasses not yet fully colde were denied the friendes of the deseased being throwen here and there and lying vnburied for that liked them best the souldiers hidde them as if they had bene neither culpable neither fauty in committinge suche horrible crimes This did they hauing their mindes ouershadowed with the furious rage of frentike heresie And when as the deare friendes and familiars of the deade reioyced at the bold protestation of their faith yet sorowed because their carkasses were not couered with earth the sauadge impietie and beastlye cruelty of these souldiers reuealed it selfe with greater shame and infamie Moreouer they banishe forthwith certaine Bishops of Aegypt and Libya namely Ammon Thmuis Gaius Philon Hermes Plinius Psenosiris Nilammon Agathon Anagamphus Marcus Dracontius Adelphius Athenodorus a seconde Ammon and of the priestes they banished Hierax and Dioscorus These beinge bereaued of their natiue soyle they handled so roughly that some of them dyed by the waye some other in exile neuer returninge againe They put to death aboue thirty Bishops They followed the sâ—eppes of wicked Achaab imploying all their care and industrie for the rootinge out of the trueth from of the face of the earth These were y â— practises of Georgius at Alexandria by the reporte of Athanasius The Emperoure marched forewardes with his hoste to Illyrium for thither of necessity was he constrained to goe and there it was that Bretanion was proclaimed Emperor As soone as he came to Sirmium truce beinge made he came to parlee with Bretanion In the meane while he endeuored to winne againe the souldiers which had refused him for their Emperoure after he had so done they proclaimed Constantius alone both their Augustus their kinge Emperoure In this their proclamation there was no mention of Bretanion who seinge himselfe betrayed fell downe prostrate at the Emperoures feete and craued for mercy Constantius taking from him his princely scepter and purple robe lifted him vp by the hande very curteously and exhorted him after the callinge of a priuate man to leade a quiet and peceable life He sayde moreouer that it was fitter for an olde man suche as he was to embrace a trade of life that were voyde of all trouble care theÌ„ to gape after a vaine title of honor full of disquietnes molestatioÌ„ Thus it fared with Bretanion in the ende The Emperoure commaunded that all his charges shoulde be geuen him of the publique tribute afterwardes he wrote vnto him sundry letters to Prousa a citie in Bithynia where he made his abode signifyinge what singular pleasure he had done vnto him in riddinge him from cares troubles shewinge also what miserie oftentimes befalleth to raigne and gouernement and that of his owne parte he had dealte vnaduisedly in not geuing to him selfe that which he graunted to an other So farre of these thinges CAP. XXIIII Of Photinus the hereticke THe Emperoure at that time made Gallus his cosingermaine Caesar he gaue him his owne title or name and sente him to Antioch in Syria for to keepe those partes of the Empire whiche reached into the Easte When he came to Antioch there appeared in the East the signe or cognizance of our Sauiour for a pillour resembling the forme of a crosse was seene in the aer bringing great admiration to the beholders He sent his other captaines with great power to wage battaile with Magnentius he himselfe remayned at Sirmium harkening to the ende In the meane while Photinus the superintendent of that church wente about openly to publish a selfe opinion inuented of his owne braine and because there was great tumult and much trouble risen thereof the Emperoure commaunded a councell to be summoned at Sirmium Of the Bshops of the East there came thither Marcus Bishop of Arethusa Georgius Bishop of AlexaÌ„dria whome the Arians after they had deposed Gregorius as I sayd before placed there Basilius who was Bishop of Ancyra after the depriuation of Marcellus Pancratius Bishop of Peleusium Hypatiaâ—us Bishop of Heraclea Out of the Weste there mette them Valens Bishop of Mursa and Osius Bishop of Corduba a citie of Spayne who then beinge of greate fame was forced to come vnto the councell These Bishops assembled at Sirmium after the consulship of Sergius and Nigrianus in which yeare by reason of the warres and ciuill dissentions there was none that could execute the function of a Consull they deposed forthwith the hereticke Photinus of his Bishopricke for he maintained the lewde opinion of Sabellius the Aphricke and Paulus Samosatenus Whiche Acte of theirs was approued of all men bothe at that presente and also in times followinge to haue bene done accordinge vnto right and reason CAP. XXV VVhat formes of fayth were layde downe at the councell of Sirmium in presence of Constantius the Emperoure THese Bishops continewinge a while at Sirmium decided other thinges For they wente about to abrogate their old Creeds and to establishe newe formes of faith one was exhibited in the Greeke tonge by Marcus Bishop of Arethusa â–ª two others in the Latine tongue agreeing neither in word neither in composition neither in sense neither in sentence either with theÌ„selues or with that which the Bshop of Arethusa wrote in Greeke One of the Latine formes I will here lay downe immediatly after the Greeke forme of Marcus The other afterwards rehearsed at Sirmium I will referre to his proper plate Yet haue we to vnderstand that both were translated into y â— Greeke The forme which Marcus wrote was as followeth VVe beleue in one God the father almightie creator and maker of all thinges Of whome all fatherhood is named in heauen and in earth And in his onely begotten sonne our Lord Iesus Christ begotten of the father before all worldes God of God light of light â–ª by whome all things were made bothe in heaueÌ„ in earth be they visible or inuisible things â–ª who is the word the wisedom the true light the life who in the later dayes was incamate for our sakes borne of the holy virgine crucified died rose againe the third day froÌ„ the dead ascended into heaueÌ„ sitteth at the right hand of the father shall come againe at the end of the world to iudge both the quick the dead to rewarde euery one accordinge vnto his workes whose kingdome shall haue no ende but contineweth for euer euer For he shall sit at the right hand of the father not onely
once be remembred y t the church of God should no longer be troubled with y â— interpretatioÌ„ thereof and y â— for two causes first because y â— Scriptures of God made no mention thereof secondarily because that the interpretatioÌ„ thereof exceeded the sense aud capacitie of man for y â— holy Scriptures testisted that no man was able to set forth the generation of the sonne in these wordes His generation who shal be able to declare For it is most true that the father alone knoweth howe he begat the sonne againe y â— sonne alone knoweth howe he was begotten of y â— father They sayd no maÌ„ doubted but that the father was greater in honor dignitie diuinitie and fatherly title and that by the testimony of the sonne himselfe where he sayth The father which sent me is greater then I. They sayd moreouer this was Catholicke neither vnknowen vnto any that there were two persons the father and the sonne the father greater the sonne subiect together with all other things which the father made subiect vnto him the father to be without beginning inuisible immortall impatible the sonne to be begotten of the father God of God light of light and that no man as I sayde before was able to rehearse his generation saue the father alone the sonne our lorde and God to become incarnat to haue taken a body vpon him that is man euen as partly he shewed vnto the Angels and partly all the Scriptures doe informe vs of him but especially the Apostle the preacher of the Gentiles that Christ tooke manhood of the virgine Mary according vnto the which he suffred They sayd it was the principle ground of our whole faith alwayes to holdfast the faith in the trinitie as we read in the Gospell Goe teach all nations baptizinge them in the name of the Father of the Sonne of the holy Ghost The number of the trinitie is absolute perfect The comforter the holy Ghost sent by the sonne came according vnto promise for to sanctifie and lead the Apostles and all the faithfull They goe about to perswade Photinus after his depriuatioÌ„ to condescend and to subscribe vnto these thinges promising to restore him vnto his Bishopricke againe if he would recant and renounce the selfe opinion he had inuented of his owne braine and thenceforth promise to cleaue vnto their doctrine He refused the coÌ„ditions and prouoked them to disputation A certaine day was appointed for conference the Emperoure commaundeth the Bishops theÌ„ present to be at it there came thither also at the request of y â— Emperour not a fewe councellers The assembly being met Basilius who theÌ„ was Bishop of Ancyra tooke Photinus in hand the notaries penned all they spake While they reasoned one with an other the disputation waxed hot and in the end Photinus had the foile was condemned to vanishment From that time forth he liued in exile and wrote in the Greeke and Latine tonge for he was well seene in both a boke against all heresies endeuoringe therein to publishe his owne opinion So farre of Photinus We haue yet to vnderstand that the Bishops assembled at Sirmium misliked theÌ„selues with the forme of faith laid downe in the Latine tonge for after the publishing thereof they espied contradictories therein Wherefore they went about in all the hast to call in all the coppies and when as diuers were concealed the Emperour by his edicte gaue charge that all should be broughte in and such as hid theÌ„ shoulde be punished Yet were there no threats or cruelty that coulde recouer the thinges once blased abroad because they had runne through many hands CAP. XXVI Of Osius Bishop of Corduba WHereas we haue made mention a â—itle before of Osius Bishop of Corduba that he was constrained to shewe himselfe at the councell of Sirmium I thinke it requisite nowe to say somwhat of that matter Although in a while before through the lewd practises of the Arians he had bene in exile yet then at the sute and procuremeÌ„t of the Bishops which assembled at Sirmium it tell out that the Emperoure cited him purposinge with himselfe to perswade him or by foule meanes to constraine him to be of the same opinion with the assembled Bishops and in so doinge their faith shoulde seeme to cary with it greate force and creditte To this ende he was drawen against his will as I sayd before vnto the councel But when as this olde father woulde in no wise subscribe vnto their faith they scurged his sides and set his members vpon the racke So that in the end by compulsion he gaue his assent subscribed vnto the formes of faith which then were published These were the Acâ—es at Sirmium and thus were they ended CAP. XXVII Magnentius the tyrant is ouercome and dieth miserably the Iewes inhabiting Diocaesarea rebell against the Romaines and are soiled Gallus rebelleth and is put to death COnstantius the Emperoure remayned at Sirmium waytinge what ende the battell waged with Magnentius should haue But Magnentius as soone as he tooke the princely citie of Rome he executeth many of the Senators he dispatcheth not a fewe of the common multitude When the captaines of Constantius had gathered a great army of Romaine souldiers they marched towards him he theÌ„ left Rome got him to Fraunce There were many skirmishes one while this side an other while that side had the vpper hand At length Magnentius was ouercome at the castell of Mursa in Fraunce in he got him and kept it a while where such a straunge thing as followeth is reported to haue come to passe Magnentius going about to animate his souldiers nowe altogether discouraged with the foile ouerthrowe they had takeÌ„ got him vp into an highe seate The souldiers after the accustomed honor done vnto the Emperours mindinge to sounde fortunate successe vnto Magnentius by force as it were their lippes wagging before their minds they turne their good wishes vnto ConstaÌ„tius for they all with one mouth proclaimed not MagneÌ„tius but Constantius Augustus Magnentius supposinge this to be a signe of misfortune conueyed himselfe forthwith out of the castell fled into the furthest partes of Fraunce The captaines of Constantius pursued after him earnestly Againe they pitched their caÌ„pe at a place called Miltoseleucus where Magnentius being ouerthrowen ranne away alone and got him to Lions a citie of Fraunce three dayes iorney from the castell of Mursa Magnentius comming to Lions first of all he slewe his mother next his brother whome he had created Caesar last of all he became his owne murtherer This was done the sixt Consulship of Constantius the seconde of Constantius Gallus the fiftenth day of August Not long after Decenius an other brother of Magnentius hanged himselfe And although Magnentius the tyrant had such an ende yet the common wealth was not without great trouble tumults For immediatly there stept vp an other tyrant whose name
all the Bishops assembled at Ariminum sendeth greeting Although it is not vnknowen vnto your holines that vve haue alvvayes great care and consideration of the diuine the reuerend and sacred religion of Christ yet had vve as yet no leasure to talke vvith the tvventy Bishops whome your wisedomes sent in embassie vnto vs. For vve haue hitherto bene vvholy occupied about the expedition we made against the Barbarians And requisite it is as you knovve very vvell for him that vvill deale in matters of religion to be voyde of all care and troublesome affayres Therefore vve haue vvilled the Bishops to vvayte for our comming at Adrianopolis so that vvhen vve haue rightly disposed the common affayres of the publique weale we may then geue care and wey diligently afterwards such things as they shall lay before vs. In the meane vvhile let it not grieue your vvisedomes to expect their returne that after their departure hence and the bringing of our ansvvere vnto you ye may finish and conclude such thinges as shal be for the vse and furtherance of the Catholicke Church When the Bishops had receaued these letters they wrote backe againe vnto the Emperour in this sorte VVe haue receaued your maiesties gracious letters most godly Emperour wherby we gather you had not sufficient leasure by reason of the necessary busines of the common vveale to geue our legats the hearing moreouer that you geue vs in charge to vvayte for their returne vntill that your highnes of your vvisedome hath deepely vvayed the thinges vve haue decreed and layde dovvne agreeably vnto the canons and constitutions of our auncetors But novve by these our letters vve protest and assure your maiestye that vve vvill in no vvise shrinke from our sentence and determination VVe haue also charged and enioyned our legats the same VVherefore vve humbly beseech you of our vvonted clemency to voutchsafe the reading of these our simple letters and to take in good parte such thinges as vve haue enioyned our legats Your clemency moreouer knovveth as vvell as vve hovve heauy and hovve lamentable a case it is so many churches in the time of this your most blessed raigne to be bereaued of their Bishops And therefore vve are humbly to craue againe and againe most holy Emperour that before the sharpe and nipping season of vvinter if it so seeme good vnto your highnes you wil licence vs to returne home vnto our Churches to the ende vve may poure out together vvith the people our accustomed prayers vnto God the father Almighty and to our Lorde and Sauiour Christ his onely begotten sonne for prosperous estate of your raigne euen as we haue accustomed in times past and yet cease not to doe After they had written thus and continewed there a while longer when as the emperour voutchsafed not to answere them euery one returned to his owne home The Emperour because he had purposed with him selfe to sowe the Arian opinion throughout euery Church endeuored with might and mayne euery where to preferre the same tooke hereby occasion at the Bishops returne to bring about his baynous offence and sayd that in contempt and despite of him contrary to his will they had dissolued the councell Wherefore he gaue Vrsacius authoritie freely at his pleasure to practise all mischiefe agaynst the Churches of God and commaunded him moreouer to send into the Churches of Italie the forme of fayth that was read in the councell of Ariminum and such as would not subscribe vnto the same shoulde be deposed and others placed in their rowmes First of all Liberius Bishop of Rome as soone as he denied his hande thereunto was exiled by Vrsacius and Felix Deacon of the Church of Rome addicted vnto the Arian opinion was of the same Vrsacius by mayne force and violence preferred to the bishopricke Wherfore all the Westerne partes of the worlde by reason of these newe deuises were at great discorde and tumults while that some were by force deposed and sent to exile some other substituted in their rowmes these thinges were wrought by vertue of the Emperours edicts sent into the West contries Liberius not long after was called home from exile recouered his bishopricke againâ— because that the people of Rome was on an vprore and thrust Felix out of the Church so that the Emperour was constrained against his will to agree thereunto Vrsacius hauing played such prankes in Italie as pleased him best tooke his iourney into the East and got him to the citie of Nice in Thracia There after he had continewed a long while he called a councell and went about to ratifie the forme of faith that was read at Ariminum and translated as I sayd before into the greeke tongue to publishe and sett forth the same with glorious titles as agreed vpon by a generall councell calling it the Nicene fayth to the intent that thereby in vsing the name of Nice he might snare the ignorant the rude and simple people For they thought verily that it was the same forme of fayth which of olde was confirmed at Nice a citie of Bithynia but their forged pretence was no long furtherance vnto them For in a short while after their treachery was reuealed and the authors thereof derided for their labor So farre of such thinges as were done in the West CAP. XXX The crueltie of Macedonius the Arian and tumults raysed by him at Constantinople and elsewhere NOwe that we haue sufficiently discoursed of the West Churches let vs turne our talke and direct our penne into the East and there first beginne with the Arians The Arian Bishops being puffed vp with pride and confidence they put in the Emperours edicts presumed more boldly to bring their purposes to effect but in what sorte they sommoned the councell I will afterwards declare when that first I haue runne ouer their lewd practises before the councel Acaius Patrophilus as soone as they had deposed Maximus bishop of Ierusalem placed Cyrillus in his rowme Macedonius went about vtterly to ouerthrow y â— contries bordering cities of Constantinople vsing his seruants ministers as fit instruments to the defacing of the church of God he made Eleusius bishop of Cyzicum Marathonius bishop of Nicomedia who afore time had bene deacon vnder Macedonius him selfe very carefull about the affaires of men women y â— were addicted vnto monasticall solitary life But now heare how Macedonius went about to ouerchrow y â— contries cities within y â— prouince of Constantinople This man aspiring as I said before vnto y â— bishoprick plagued infinitely such as were determined to perseuere in y â— opinion contrary to his thrust out of the church not only such as in y â— councell seemed to vary from him but also y â— Nouatians for he knew of suerty that they embraced the creede containing the clause of one substance cruelly tormented them Agelius their bishop was faine to flie away for to saue his life
not receaued before but to walke in the fayth of our forefathers and not to fall from the same vnto our lyues ende This was Eleusius answere vnto Acacius calling the creede of Antioch the fayth of the fathers but a man may here replye and saye thus Howe O Eleusius callest thou such as assembled together at Antioch fathers and yet denyest their auncetors to be fathers for the Bishops of Nice and the establishers of one substance ought more properly to be called fathers partly for that they were more auncient and partly also because that the Bishops assembled together at Antioch were consecrated and promoted by them vnto the reuerend office of priesthoode If that the Bishops which assembled at Antioch were founde to be such as cutt their fathers throtes these men of their progenye without good aduisement doe treade the trace of murtherers And howe I beseeche you doe they allowe of their electing and laying on of handes as sufficient and lawefull when as they cancell their faythe and abrogate their canons for vnperfect and corrupt doctrine If they had not the holy Ghost which lighteth vpon euery one that entreth into holy orders these men receaued not the function of priesthoode for how coulde they receaue of them which had it not to geue these thinges in my opinion may very well be vrged agaynst Eleusius Agayne there rose an other controuersie among them for when as the complices of Acacius had affirmed in the creede read before them that the sonne of God was like vnto the father they demaunde wherein the sonne was like vnto the father Acacius maketh answere that the sonne was like vnto the father not in substance but onely in will and mynde but they on the contrary side affirmed playnely that he was in substance like vnto the father they reasoned all that daye of this question Acacius being sufficiently confuted when they demaunded of him the reason why in his bookes he had written and auoutched the sonne in all thinges to be like the father and nowe denied that the sonne was of one substance with the father made this answere No man that euer was eyther of olde tyme or of late dayes is wont to be tryed by the bookes whiche he wrote After they had diligently sifted out this question of bothe sides and coulde not agree thereupon Leônas rose vp and dissolued the councell this was the ende of the councell which was helde at Seleucia The next daye after when they made sute for the proroging of the councell he woulde not sitt with them agayne but tolde them flatly that the Emperour had sent him to be present at an vniforme and peaceable councell but in so much that diuerse of them be at discorde and debate amonge them selues I can not away sayth he with your company Goe your wayes therefore dally and brawle ye at home in your owne Churches This being done the conspiracie of Acacius supposing nowe they had gott their desired excuse absented them selues and woulde not shewe their faces agayne before the councell The other side mett againe at the Churche and cited Acacius with his company to appeare before them for to decide Cyrillus matter who was Bishop of Ierusalem Here we haue to learne that this Cyrillus had bene accused before why I am not able to saye and deposed from his bishoprick often called to purge him selfe and to haue absented him selfe the whole space of two yeares thinking thereby to escape and the cryme to be forgotten As soone as he was deposed he sent an appellation in writing vnto the deposers appealing from them vnto the Iudges of the higher court Constantius the Emperour admitted his appellation Cyrillus was he that first of all and alone gaue forth a president preiudiciall vnto the practise of the ecclesiasticall canon as if the matter had bene decided before laye Iudges At length he came to Seleucia for to haue his cause heard and therefore the Bishops sent for Acacius and his company to the ende they might not onely heare Cyrillus cause but also examine such as were accused and had fledd vnto the faction of Acacius but in the ende when they had oft cited them and they appeared not they deposed Acacius him selfe also Georgius Bishop of Alexandria Vrsacius Bishop of Tyrus Theodorus Bishop of Chaeretapon a citie of Phrygia Theodosius Bishop of Philadelphia in Lydia Euagrius Bishop of the I le Mitylene Leontius Bishop of Tripolis in Lydia and Eudoxius who first had bene Bishop of Germanicia and afterwards crept by wiles into the bishoprick of Antioch in Syria last of all they deposed Patrophilus for disobedience and stubburne behauiour Dorotheus the Priest had accused him they cited him but he appeared not These onely were deposed They proceeded further excommunicated Asterius Eusebius Abgarus Basilicus Philus Philedius Euthychius magnus and Eustathius and decreed they shoulde remaine in that state vntill they had answered for them selues and cleared them of the crimes laid to their charg When they had brought these things to this passe and sent letters vnto the Churches of such as were deposed certifying them what they had decreed in their behalfe they ordaine Amanus bishop of Antioch in Eudoxius rowme whome the faction of Acacius apprehended and deliuered to the hands of Leônas and Lauricius they forthwith send him to exile This being done the bishops which ordained Anianus made a long plee and discoursed at large before Leônas and Lauricius against Acacius his confederacy where they signified in playne words what extreme wronge the censure sentence of the councell sustained but when as they preuailed nothing they tooke their voyage into Constantinople for to certifie the Emperour what they had decided in y ◠councell The Emperour was then come thither from the west had taken away y ◠office of proconsulship in steede thereof ordained at Constantinople a certaine gouernment the which he endowed with the title of honor but Acacius had preuented them laid grieuous accusations to their charge before the emperour perswading him y ◠their forme of faith was in no wise to be admitted Wherfore the emperour being grieuously incensed against them determined to cutt them of he made a lawe y ◠as many as were Magistrats bare office in the common wealth should be brought back agayne to embrace a populare priuate kinde of life for of the bishops some were called to gouerne the common wealth some were Senators and councellers some other were Presidents Lieuetenants of prouinces While this sturre raigned Acacius and his complices remained at Constantinople calling vnto them y ◠bishops of Bithynia they held there an other councell They were all fifty in number Maris also Bishop of Calcedon came vnto them they confirmed the forme of fayth that was read at Ariminum at whose beginning and title the Consuls were written I woulde thinke it a superfluous thinge to repeate the same here had they not added therunto
Macedonius about y ◠time was remoued Eudoxius supposing the seae of Antioch to be farre inferior vnto y ◠Bishoprick of Constantinople was proclaimed Bishop of Constantinople by Acacius his adherents who made lawes put them in practise contrary to their owne former decrees For after y ◠deposition of Dracontius they made Eudo xius Bishop of Constantinople who nowe the seconde time had translated himselfe from one seae vnto an other in so doing they were founde farre contrary to thēselues After this they ratifie y ◠forme of faith that was read at Ariminum together with y ◠additiōs and glosses as a very absolute thing send it abroade into the whole world commaunding y ◠whosoeuer refused to subscribe vnto the same should by vertue of the Emperours proclamation be condemned to perpetuall banishemēt They signified this their purpose vnto many of the Cast churches which maintained y t same hereticall opinion with them to Patrophilus Bishop of Scythopolis who from the councell of Seleucia got him straight to his owne citie When Eudoxius was setled Bishop of the noble citie of Constantinople y ◠great church calied after the name of wisedome was honored w the solempne feast of dedication in the tenth Consulship of Constantius the third of lulianus Caesar the fifteneth day of the moneth of February Eudoxius beinge stalled in his seate gaue this out for y ◠first sentēce which at this day is riffe in euery mans mouth y ◠sonne is religious the father irreligious wherefore when tumult and sedition rose by occasion of these wordes let this saying sayth he nothing grieue you at all for the father is irreligious in that he worshipeth none the sonne is religious in that he worshipeth the father When he had thus interpreted his mind the contentious multitude quieted themselues and in steede of the hurlyburly the whole churche was sette on laughter His fonde saying vnto this day is counted a famous iest The authors of error and schisine occupiyng their braine about such trifling quircks about such fond and friuolous words haue broken asunder the bonde of vnitie and concorde retained in the church of God The councell held at Constantinople had such an end as I haue shewed before CAP. XXXIIII Of Meletius Bishop of Antioch NOwe it remaineth that according vnto our former promise we say somewhat of Meletius This man after the deposition of Eustathius as I sayd before was first chosen Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia afterwards was he taken thence and translated to the bishoprick of Beroea a citie of Syria After he had bene at the councel of Seleucia and subscribed vnto the forme of faith which the faction of Acacius had framed and exhibited vnto the councell immediatly be re turned to Beroea the Antiochians after the summoning of y ◠councel at Constantinople vnderstāding for certaine y ◠Eudoxius had made light of their church for greater lucre crept vnto the Byshopricke of Constantinople sent to Beroea for Meletius and made him Bishop of Antioch He in a good while after his comming medled not with high matters and my steries of faith but deliuered onely vnto his auditors such things as concerned maners good life and godly conuersation yet in countinewance of time he expounded thē the faith and the clause of one substance The Emperour hearing of this commaunded him to exile and gaue charge that Euzoius who afore time had bene deposed together with Arius shoulde be stalled Bishop of Antioch But suche as bare good will and great affection vnto Meletius laing aside for altogether the Arian opinion and confederacie begannne to meete priuatly and had their particular conuenticles when as they which alwayes had cleaued vnto the fayth of one substance refused theyr communion for two causes partely for that Meletius had bene made pricste by the Arians and partely also for that his followers had bene baptised of them Thus the churche of Antioch leaned vnto that side whiche agreed with it selfe But the Emperoure hearing that the Persians had proclaimed warre against the Romaines gotte him in all the haste to Antioch CAP. XXXV Of the heresie of Macedonius MAcedonius beinge banished the citie of Constantinople and takinge very impatiently the sentence pronounced against him could by no meanes quiet himselfe but got him vnto the contrary side vnto such as had deposed Acacius at Seleucia together with his cōplices he dealt with Sophronius Eleusius by messengers that they should firmely addicte themselues vnto the forme of faith set forth at Antioch afterwardes confirmed at Seleucia he requested them earnestly to call it after that famous renowmed title the fayth of one substance Wherefore there frequented vnto him many of his familiars together with sundry others who after his name are nowe called Macedonians there resorted vnto him diuers others also who at y ◠councel of Seleucia were foes vnto the faction of Acacius who also at the beginninge maintained both publikely and priuately the fayth of one substance but nowe tread the same vnder foote This Macedonius thoughe he affirmed that the sonne of God was like vnto the father as well in substance as in all other thinges yet auoutched he that the holye Ghoste had not these titles of honor but tearmed him theyr seruante or drudge The reporte goeth that Macedonius was not the firste founder of this blasphemous opinion but Marathonius who longe before his time had bene Bishop of Nicomedia and thereupon such as maintayned y t opinion to haue bene called Marathonians Unto these mens company it was that Eustathius who for the cause aboue specified lefte Sebastia linked himselfe When Macedonius denied that the holy Ghost was equall and partaker of the godhead whiche is in the blessed Trinitie Eustathius made answere I of mine owne parte saith he doe not minde to call the holy Ghost God neyther yet dare I presume to tearme him a creature Wherefore suche as embrace the faith of one substance doe call these men Pneumatomâchous by interpretation deadly foes vnto the diuinitie of the holy Ghoste But howe it cometh to passe that Hellespontus is full of these Macedonians I will discourse when fitte occasion is ministred The faction of Acacius endeuored with all might againe to call a councell at Antioch for it repented them that they affirmed the sonne in all thinges to be like vnto the father Wherefore the yeare followinge in the consulshippe of Taurus and Florentius they assemble together at Antioch in Syria at what time Euzoius gouerned that churche and the Emperoure also abode there Many of thē after theyr meeting call into question such things as they had decreed in tymes past they affirme that the Clause of likenesse by the Councell of Ariminum and the Councell helde at Constantinople is quite to be abandoned and not once to be named againe they clocke their opinion no longer but pronounce with open mouthe that the some was
altogether vnequall and vnlike the father not onely in substance but also in will and also that he had his beinge as Arius dreamed of nothinge Suche as then also were at Antioch of the secte of Aetius intangled them selues in the snares of this pestilente opinion Therefore besides that the Arians were called Anomoioi whiche signifieth that they affirmed the Sonne to be vnlike the Father they were of the Antiochians who defended the faythe Of one substance and then were deuided for the foresayde cause of Meletius called Exoucoutioi signifying they had affirmed the Sonne of God to haue had his beinge of nothinge When they were demaunded wherefore they constantely affirmed in their Creede that the Sonne was God of God and nowe durst presume to say that he was vnlike the father and had his beinge of nothinge they weÌ„t about to bleare their eyes with a ridiculous kind of fallacie Whereas we affirmed saye they the sonne to be God of God we meante it in that sense as the Apostle wrote where he sayde that all thinges were of God Therefore the sonne is of God in as muche as he is included in the worde all And for this cause we layde downe in our Creedes the Clause accordinge vnto the Scriptures The author of this lewde and fonde Glosse was Georgius Bishoppe of Laodicea who beinge ignorante and vnskilfull in suche kinde of phrases perceaued not howe Origen in tymes paste had playnely interpreted suche siguratiue kinde of speaches contayned in the Epistles of Paul The confederacie of Acacius though they were iustely charged with captious and sopisticall dealing yet weyinge neyther the sclaunder risinge thereof neither the sentence pronounced against them repeated there the forme of fayth whiche they had rehearsed at Constantinople this beinge done cuery one repayred to his owne home Georgius after his returne to Alexandria for there after the departure of Athmasius who then hidde himselfe in some obscure place he was placed Bishop vered very sore and punished extremely suche as were of the contrary opinion and plagued the people of Alexandria whiche hated him as a tode Herenius was chosen Byshoppe of lerusalem in Cyrillus rowme Whome Heraclius succeeded after him Hilarius after all Cyrillus returned to lerusalem and recouered the Bishopricke againe CAP. XXXVI Of both Apollinariuses the father the sonne and their heresie ABout that time there sprange vp a newe heresie the occasion was as followeth At Laodicea a ciue of Syria there were two men the father and the sonne of one name for both was called Apollinarius whereof the one I meane the father was a priest the other that is the sonne was a reader Both were professors of humanity The father caught grammer the sonne Rhetorike The father beinge borne at Alexandria first kept schoole at Berytus afterwardes remouinge to Laodicea he got him a wife on whome he begate Apollinarius They both florished at Laodicea in the time of Epiphanius the sophist and hauing greate familiarity with him they were neuer seene out of his company Theodotus Bishop of that seae fearinge greatly lest their familiarity with him shoulde bringe them from the faith and so fall to embrace paganisme forbadde them his company They made no accompt of the Bishops commaundement but kept still company with Epiphamus In processe of time Georgius the successor of Theodotus hauinge oft assaied and seinge he coulde by no meanes separate them from Epiphanius excommunitated them bothe hopinge thereby with punishment to perswade them to the contrary But the yonger Apollinarius stomaking this dealinge put considence in his painted figures of Rhetorike and inuented a newe opinion the whiche at this day after the name of the author is called the heresie of Apollinarius Some doe affirme that they fell not out with Georgius for the aforesayd cause but for that they hearde him preache straunge and contradictorie doctrine affirminge sometimes the sonne to be like vnto the father as in the councell of Seleucia at other tymes maintayninge the heresie of Arius and so for triflinge and lighte occasion to haue fallen from the churche Whilest that no man gaue eare vnto them they endeuored to establishe a newe kinde of doctrine firste they taughte that Bod the worde tooke manhoode accordinge vnto the order of incarnation without soule againe recantinge the same they affirmed he tooke soule yet not the minde or reason beinge the highest and chiefest parte of the soule but that God the worde was shutte vp included and comprised in man in place of the minde Onely in this they varie from the church which are called their followers as for the Creed containing y â— clause Of one substance to be in the blessed Trinitie they stedfastly cleaue vnto it But I will heare ceasse and differre the discourse of bothe these Apollinariuses vntill an other conuenient place CAP. XXXVII Of the death of Constantius the Emperoure WHile the Emperoure Constantius remayned at Antioch Iulianus Caesar had muche adoe in Fraunce with many barbarous nations After that he had gotte the vpper hande the souldiers did so loue him that they proclaimed him Emperour Constantius hearing of this was wonderfully troubled and disquieted in minde so that the griefe thereof cast him into a daungerous disease Wherefore beinge first baptized of Eâ—â—oius he made expedition to geue him battaile And comming as farre as Mopsus wells betwene Cappadocia and Cilicia by reason of the great thought and sorowe he conceaued of his vnlucky affayres he fell into y t senseles heady sicknesse called Apoplexia thereof presently dyed in the Consulship of Taurus Florentius the third day of NoucÌ„ber the first yeare of the two huÌ„dreth eightie fift Olympiad Costatius lyued fiue forty yeares he raigned thirtie eight that is thirtene together with his father and fiue and twentie after his fathers death This second booke compriseth the historie of so many yeares The ende of the seconde booke of the Ecclesiasticall historie of Socrates THE THIRDE BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS CAP. I. Of Iulianus his linage and bringing vp also howe that being Emperour he left Christian profession and embraced paganisme and gentilitie WHen the Emperour Constantius had departed this life in the borders of Cilicia the thirde of Nouember within the Consulship of Taurus Florentius lulianus the eleuenth of December following the same Consulship leauing the west parts of the world came to CoÌ„stantinople there was proclaimed Emperour Now therfore in as much as I haue determined w t my selfe to discourse of this Emperour Iulian a maÌ„ passing eloquent let none of his friends looke at my haÌ„ds for curious lofty stile as though it behoued my penne to couÌ„teruaile y â— excelleÌ„cie of y â— person But seeing our drift is otherwise beÌ„t namely for to deliuer y â— posteritie in writing y â— true histories of y â— church we will follow accordiÌ„g vnto out former promise a lowly soft kind of
phrase correspoÌ„dent vnto y â— capacitie both of learned and vnlearned readers Wherefore entring to discourse of him we purpose to proceede in this order after our preamble hath vsed a litle digressioÌ„ fet a small coÌ„passe for to lay downe his kinred his nurture the maner how he attained vnto y â— emperiall crowne Constantinus y â— Emperour who chauÌ„ged y â— name of ByzantiuÌ„ termed it CoÌ„stantinople had two brethren of one father but by diuers mothers the one was Dalmatius y â— other Costantius Dalmatius had a sonne of his owne name Constatius also had two soÌ„nes Gallus Iulianus When as after the death of CoÌ„stantinopls fosider y â— yoÌ„ger Dalmatius had ben staine of y â— souldiers these orphanes likewise bereaued of their naturall father escaped narowly the vnlucky successe of Dalmatius for they had bene cut of dispatched had not sicknesse diseases as it was thought incurable saued Gallus life youthly age of eight yeare old preserued Iulianus aliue kept him from y â— tyraÌ„ts clawes But after y t the Emperour was appeased his furie withdrawen froÌ„ raging against theÌ„ Gallus was trained vp vnder schoolemaisters at Ephesus in Ionia where their auncetors had left either of theÌ„ great legacies Iulianus also being come to y â— stature of a spriÌ„gall gaue him selfe to learniÌ„g in y â— cathedrall church of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople where was a free schoole he went in simple meane attire was taught of Macedonius y â— Cunuch he learned graÌ„mer of Nicocles y â— Laconian Rhetorike of Ecebolius y â— sophist who theÌ„ was a ChristiaÌ„ The Emperour ConstaÌ„tius prouided very well lest y â— by hauiÌ„g an ethnike to his maister for Iulianus was a ChristiaÌ„ froÌ„ his cradell he should fall to y â— superstitious idolatry of pagaÌ„s WheÌ„ he had profited very much in good discipline godly literature y â— fame weÌ„t of him amoÌ„g y t people y t he was a man both able fit to gouerne beare office in the coÌ„mon wealth The which thing afterwards being then rife in euery mans mouth disquieted y â— Emperour not a litle Wherfore he caused him to be remoued from y â— princely citie of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople into Nicomedia charged him not to treade in y â— schoole of Iabanius y â— Syrian Sophist Iabanius then was expelled by y â— schoolemaisters of ConstaÌ„tinople kept a schoole at Nicomedia who powred out y â— poison of his caÌ„kred stomake displeasure coÌ„ceaued agaiÌ„st y â— schoolemaisters in a certaine booke which he published agaiÌ„st theÌ„ though Iulianus was therfore forbiddeÌ„ to frequent Libanis lessoÌ„s because he professed paganisme and heathenishe literature yet for all that was he so in loue with his works that he procured them vnto him secretly and by stelth and perused them with greate labor and diligence When he had taken good successe and great profit in Rhetorike it fell out that Maximus the philosopher not the Byzantian the father of Eucleides but the Ephesian came to Nicomedia â–ª whome the Emperour Valentinianus afterwardes founde to be a coniurer and recompenced him with present death â–ª but that as I sayde before fell afterwards At that time there was no cause that draue him thither but the fame of Iulian. Of this man it was that Iulian learned the precepts of philosophie but as for religion he had such a maister as inflamed his minde to aspire vnto the imperiall scepter When these thinges came to the Emperours eares Iulian nowe muzinge betwene hope and fearefull hatred howe he myght be voyde of suspition who of late had bene a true Christian but nowe an hypocriticall dissembler shaued him selfe and counterfayted a monkishe life For all that priuely he applyed heathenishe and philosophicall discipline but openly he read holy scripture so that he was made reader in the church of Nicomedia Thus craftely vnder cloke of religion did he appease the furious rage of the Emperour incensed agaynst him These things did he of feare yet not dispayring of hope for he sticked not to tell diuers of his familiar friends that it woulde be a happie worlde if he were made Emperour When it went thus with him Gallus his brother was created Caesar who taking his iourney into the East came by Nicomedia for to see him After that Gallus in a while after was slayne immediatly from that time forth Iuliamus was had in greate suspicion of the Emperour and therevpon commaunded that he shoulde be straightly looked vnto he espying fitt opportunitie to escape his keepers conueyed him selfe away and saued his life At length Eusebia y â— Empresse finding him by chaunce lurking in some secret and obscure place intreated the Emperour in his behalfe that he would not onely doe him no harme but also graunt him his lawfull fauour for to repaire to Athens for further knowledge in philosophie To be short he sent for him made him Caesar gaue him his sister Helen to wife and sent him into Fraunce for to wage battaile with y â— barbarian nations which rebelled agaynste their Christian Emperour For the Barbarians whome the Emperour Constantius had hyred a litle before to geue battaile vnto Magnentius the tyraÌ„t when as they preuayled nothing against him they fell a ransacking and spoyling of the cities within the Romaine dominions and because Iulian had but a greene head and of no great yeares the Emperour gaue him charge to enterprise nothing without the aduise and counsell of his sage expert captaines When y â— they hauing this large commission waxed negligent so y â— the Barbarians had the vpper hand Iulianus permitted the captaines to banquet to take their pastime pleasure layd downe a sett and certaine reward for euery Barbarian that was slayne whereby he did the more incourage the souldiers By this meanes it fell out that the power of the Barbarians came to nought and that he him selfe was greatly beloued of his souldiers The fame goeth that as he entred into a certaine towne a greene garland hanging by a corde betwene pillours wherewith commonly they are wont to trimme their houses and sett forth the beautie of their cities fell vpon his head and sitted him very well insomuch that all the people then present gaue a great shout thereat â–ª for it was thought that the falling garland prognosticated vnto him the glory of the imperiall seepter following after Some say that Constantius sent him against the Barbarians hoping that in skirmishing with them he shoulde there be dispatched â–ª but whether they report truely or no I knowe not For after that he had maryed him to his sister if then he shoulde pretende him friendship and practise mischiefe towards him what other thing were that then to procure vengeance to lyght vpon his owne pate but whether it be thus or otherwise lett euery man iudge as he thinkes best When Iulian had signified vnto the Emperour the carelesse and sâ—outhfull disposition and negligence of
in the later I take the immortall godds to vvitnesse vvhen that I endeuour as duetie requireth to prayse you the horrible offence vvhich you committed stoppeth my mouth and stayeth my penne VVhat dareth the subiect as a madde dogge pull man in peeces vvith his teeth ought not he be ashamed of so haynous an offence Is this to purifie and clense the handes and to holde them vp streatched vvide vnto the gods as if they vvere not polluted vvith the blemishe and infamie of murther But Georgius had no other then vvas devve vnto his desert and peraduenture I my selfe might iustly haue affirmed that by all ryght he shoulde haue suffered farre vvorse But you vvill say that he deserued it for his dealinge tovvards you and therein I am of your opinion But if you say that it behoued you to punishe him that vvill I in no vvyse graunte You haue lavves the vvhich ought greatly to be honored and embraced of all men both publiquely and priuately But notvvithstandinge though it commonly fall out that manie be founde faultie and seuerall trespassors yet ought vve to fauour the publique state of the common vveale to obey the lavves and in no vvyse to violate the auncient and godlie decrees Thinke your selues happie O ye people of Alexandria that this haynous offence vvas committed by you in my tyme for I can not in maner chuse but embrace you vvith brotherly affection partly for the reuerence I ovve vnto God and the affection I beare vnto my graundfather of the same title vvith me vvho sometyme gouerned both Aegypt and your citie For the prince that vvyll not brynge him selfe vnder the gyrdle of his subiect the discrete and vpryght magistrate may not vvinke at so haynous an offence of the people lest that necessitie constrayne to cure so greeuous a maladie vvith farre greater griefe and more desperate medicine But I for the aforesayd causes doe applie vnto these your sores most gentle and tollerable salues to wete exhortation and curteous language vvhervnto I am certainely persvvaded you vvill yeelde if you be the men I take you for descendinge of the auncient stocke of the Graecians retaining in your breasts that noble valiant courage hauing also all the properties of curteous and ciuill life I speake vnto you my louinge citizens of Alexandria impressed in the secret closets of your mindes This was the epistle of the Emperour CAP. IIII. Howe that after the death of Georgius Athanasius returninge vnto Alexandria tooke agayne the gouernement of the bishopricke of Luciser and Eusebius and howe that Lucifer made Paulinus byshop of Antioche NOt longe after the people of Alexandria receaued with louinge and chearefull mindes their byshop Athanasius returninge from exile at what tyme also the Arians were banished the Christian congregations and the Church restored to the gouernment of Athanasius But the Arians meetinge in priuate houses appoynted Lucius to succeede Georgius in the byshopricke At that tyme thus went the affaires of Alexandria In the meane whyle Lucifer and Eusebius by the Emperours edict were called home from banishment Lucifer was byshop of Caralitanum a citie in Sardinia Eusebius as I sayde before was byshop of Vercellae a citie of the Ligurian Italians Both they returninge from the hygher countries of Thebae consulted together by what meanes they myght recouer their byshoprickes without preiudice to the canon and decree of the churche Wherefore after aduisement taken it seemed good that the one of them I meane Lucifer shoulde goe to Antioche in Syria the other that is Eusebius shoulde take his voyage to Alexandria where by the meanes of Athanasius a Councell myght be called together and the canons of the church therein confirmed Lucifer sent thither a Deacon signifyinge by him that he woulde subscribe vnto the decrees of the Councell He him selfe went to Antioche where he founde the state of the churche very troublesome For the multitude was deuided and the congregations at variance not onely by reason of Euzoius hereticall opinion but also as I sayde before because that the sect of Meletius for the singular fauour they bare vnto him seuered them selues from the faithfull Lucifer therefore when he had ordayned Paulinus to be byshop of that seae departed thence CAP. V. Howe that Eusebius ioyninge with Athanasius called a Councell at Alexandria where the blessed Trinitie was pronounced to be of one and aequall substance AFter that Eusebius came to Alexandria he dealte earnestly with Athanasius for the summoninge of a Councell so that the byshops assembled out of diuers cities decreed very necessarie doctrine confirmed the diuinitie of the holie Ghost to be of one substance in the blessed Trinitie affirmed the sonne of God at his incarnation to haue taken not onely humaine fleshe but also a reasonable soule as the auncient fathers of olde haue deliuered vnto vs. They woulde not establishe neither thrust into the church of God any newe opinion But such things as of old were inioyned by ecclesiasticall decree and layd downe vpon good consideration by such as were wise learned and zelous Christians For thus did the elders of old tyme reason of this matter and deliuer in writinge vnto the posteritie Irenaeus Clemens Apollinarius bishop of Hieratopolis and Serapion byshop of Antioch haue w t generall consent layd downe euery where throughout their works that the sonne at his incarnation was endued with reasonable soule Moreouer y â— councell summoned for the hearing of Cyrillus cause who was bishop of Philadelphia in Arabia â–ª signified y â— selfe same by their letters vnto Cyrillus Orige likewise who throughout his works teacheth y â— the soÌ„ne in takiÌ„g fleshe tooke also soule yet in y â— ninth homily vpoÌ„ Genesis he openeth this mystery more plainly where at large he discourseth how y â— Adam â—are y â— figure of Christ Eue y â— figure of the church Hereof PaÌ„philus and Eusebius who of him tooke his appellation are witnesses sufficient for both they imploying their labor ioyntly for to penne in paper the life of Origen and preuenting w t Apollogies in his behalfe the sclauÌ„derous accusations of the aduersaries haue affirmed y t Origen was not the first that entreated of this matter but y t he interpreted vnto the posteritie the mysticall tradition of the church in y â— behalfe Moreouer the bishops which mett in the councell of Alexandria haue discussed the controuersie of the clause of essence and substance For Osius bishop of Corduba in Spaine of whome we haue spoken before being sent by the Emperour Constantine to appease the tumult raysed by Arius in disputinge of essence and substance to the ouerthrowe of Sabellius the Aphricks opinion he ministred occasion to the raysinge of a newe controuersie But at that tyme there was not a worde of this matter in the Councell of Nice for afterwards when diuers contended and reasoned among them selues hereof this councell tooke order toutching the clauses of essence and substance
councell gott him to Antioch but when he founde Paulinus whome Lucifer had assigned to be their Bishop and the people deuided into two partes for the sect of Meletius had seuerall conuenticles by them selues he was wonderfull sorie because they did not all agree vnto the election of Paulinus for in his secret opinion he condemned the act yet because of the reuerence he owed vnto Lucifer he concealed his sentence and as soone as he promised by summoning of a councell that he would prouide for their quiet state he left them and went his way but first of all when as afterwards he had done his best for the reconciling of the brethren that were at variance yet all was to no purpose for Meletius returning from exile and finding his complices to frequent secret meetings and conuenticles became their superintendent all the other churches that were there abouts were vnder Euzouis the Arian Paulinus had but one litle parish within the citie of the which Euzoius did not depriue him because of the reuerence he owed vnto him Meletius had his conuenticles in the suburbes without the walls of the citie For that time when the affayres went in this sorte Eusebius tooke his leaue of Antioch Lucifer vnderstanding that Eusebius misliked with that election of his tooke it very contumeliously and was altogether impacient He refused therefore to communicate with Eusebius and being kindled with the fiery flame of contention he reiected the canons of the councell these thinges falling out in those heauy tymes and tempestuous seasons for ecclesiastical affayres ministred occasion that many fell from the fayth so that a newe sect called the Luciferian heresie then first sprange vp but Lucifer coulde not haue his fill neyther satisfie him selfe with anger because that he bounde him selfe with his owne promises sent vnto the councell by his Deacon who subscribed thereunto in his name to geue his assent Wherefore hauing agreed though against his will vnto the canons of the church he gott him vnto his owne bishoprick in Sardinia But they which fretted within them selues no lesse then he as yet doe remaine out of the Churche Eusebius passing throughout the contries of the East cured and confirmed like a cunning Phisicion such as were weakelings in the faith restored them to their former health and instructed them in the doctrine of the Church Thence he went into Illyrium comming into Italie in like sort he diligently preached the worde of God CAP. VIII Of Hilarius Bishop of Poetiers in Fraunce HIlarius Bishop of Poetiers a citie of Guyan instructed diligently both the bishops of Italy and also of Fraunce in the canons of the Catholick fayth before the comming of Eusebius for he first after his returne from exile had preuented him in those prouinces but both of them very absolutely confirmed the fayth Hilarius being endued with the gift of eloquence wrote in the latine tonge expounded the canon contayning the clause of one substance proued it sufficiently and confuted the arguments of the Arians but these thinges were done a litle after their returne from exile Nowe we may not runne ouer with silence howe that in the very same tyme the followers of Macedonius Eleusuis Eustathius and Sophronius all these were called Macedonians had their priuate and often conuenticles called vnto them such as were of their opinion in Seleucia and accursed the contrary faction to wete of the Acacians reiected the fayth that was set forth at Ariminum and confirmed the creede that was read in the councell of Seleucia It was the same which a litle before according vnto that we wrote in our seconde booke was established at Antioch These men being reasoned with in this sorte you that are called Macedonians if so be that ye differ in opinion from the Acacians howe is it that you coulde finde in your hartes to communicate with them euer vnto this day as if they had bene of one opinion with you Sophronius Bishop of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia in the name of the rest made thereunto this answere the Bishops of the West Churches haue in maner doted ouer the fayth of one substance Aetius also in the East endeuored to corrupt the syncere doctrine he taught the substance of the father and of the sonne were not like one the other both these opinions are absurde They vnaduisedly and without discreete iudgement ioyned in one the distinct and seuered substances of the father and of the sonne linked it not well together vnder the name of coessentiall or one substance but this Aetius parted and deuided the proprietie of nature which the sonne hath together with the father terming it the vnlikenesse or diuersitie of substance And in so much that both these fell into contraries and meare extreamities we thought good to walke in the midd way and holde the meane betwene both to retayne the true and godly opinion that the sonne is of like substance with the father This was the answere of the Macedonians as Sabinus writeth in his booke intitled the collections of the councells exhibited by Sophronius vnto their demaunde In that they charge Aetius as autor of the diuersitie of substance in the father and the sonne and not the Acacians they craftely dissemble and cloke the trueth in so doing they partly oppugne the Arians and partly the opinion of such as maintaine the clause of one substance but they ouerthrowe them selues with their owne wordes for in displaying and opening both opinions they laye downe a newe of their owne So farre of these thinges CAP. IX The hatred of the Emperour Iulian owed vnto the Christians THe Emperonr Iulian although at the beginning of his raygne he was meeke and curteous towardes all men yet in processe of tyme he shewed him selfe not alike vnto all men but when so euer any accusation was brough before him to the discreditt of Constantius then the Christians were hearde at will when that againe he hearde of no such thinge then beganne he to reueale vnto the worlde the priuate grudge and malice he conceaued agaynst all the Christians euery where for he commaunded to buylde vp agayne at Cyzicum the Nouatian Churche which Eleusius the Bishop had pulled downe threatning Eleusius the Bishop of that citie with grieuous punishment if he buylte it not agayne within two monethes vpon his owne costs charges Furthermore he sett vp a freshe the rites of the Gentils he set wide open as I sayd before their temples and offered sacrifice in the Cathedrall church of Constantinople vnto the goddesse of Fortune where her Idoll was sett vp CAP. X. The conference which Maris Bishop of Chalcedon being blinde had with Iulian the Apostata ABout that tyme Maris Bishop of Chalcedon in Bithynia being led by the hande vnto Iulian the Emperour for that he was olde he had a webb growen in his eyes which bereaued him of his sight beganne to rebuke the Emperour sharpely calling him an impious person
whose name was Amachius who commauÌ„ded that the Idolatricall temple of the Ethnicks which stood in y t citie should be set wide open that the foule heapes and filthy corners of a long time vnfrequeÌ„ted should be made cleane and fell himselfe a worshipping of the Idols Which act of his pricked not a litle in conscience the zealous christians Wherefore one Macedonius Theodulus and Tatianus beinge kindled with fetuencie of loue towardes the christian fayth coulde in no wise away with such horrible practises but in the burninge zeale of their godly inindes brake in the nighte season into the temple threwe downe theyr Idols and stamped them into pouder Whereat when the gouernoure was wonderfull wroth and purposed to execute diuerse of the citizens whiche were giltelesse and innocente persons the authors thereof presented themselues of their owne accorde before him and chose to dye themselues for the trueth rather then any other for their sakes should be depriued of their liues After they were layde in holde the gouernoure commaunded that they should cleare theÌ„selues by sacrificinge vnto the Idols and threatned them if they refused he would seuerely punishe them They beinge of a noble minde valiant courage set nought by his threats made themselues redy to suffer what tormente soeuer were layde vpon them for they counted it farre better to loose their liues then to defile their soules with those impure sacrifices The gouernour wheÌ„ he had assayd them at all kind of torments last of all set them on the gredyron caused fire to be made vnder broiled them to death And to the end they might valiantly encouÌ„ter vnder the glorious garlande of victory they reason thus with the gouernour If thou longe O Amachius after broyled meate turne vp the other side of vs least in the eatinge we seeme rawe vnto thee and the bloode runne aboute thy teeth This was the ende that these men had CAP. XIIII VVhen the Emperoure Iulian forbad the christians the studie of Prophane literature both the Apollinaruses the father and the sonne fell a wrytinge The profltte that the christians haue in prophane wryters THe lawe whiche the Emperoure made that the christians shoulde not be trained vp in the liberall sciences made bothe the Apollinariuses of whome we spake before to be of farre greater fame For either of them beinge skilfull in suche artes as directed our style and orations the father a grammarian the sonne a Rhetorician profited very much the christians and furthered at that time not a little the churche of God For the father as a profounde grammarian framed the arte of humanitie vnto the furtherance of Christian religion he turned the fiue bookes of Moses into Heroycall verse together with other bookes of the olde Testament which contayne Hystories partely in Hexameter verse and partely after the forme of comedies and tragedies with the fitte application of persons he wrote in all kinde of meter to the ende the christians shoulde not be ignorant and vnskilfull in any rare gifte that excelled among the Gentils The sonne an eloquente Rhetorician broughte the wrytinges of the Euangelistes and workes of the Apostles into Dialogues as Plato vsed amonge the Heathens Althoughe their laboure and industrie seemed auaylable and greatelye to sette forthe the seruice of God in so muche that thereby the lewde drift of the Emperoure was stopped from takinge effect yet the prouidence of God did farre exceede both their carefull studie and dashed also the Emperours wiked deuise For immediatly the Emperours lawe as hereafter it shall more manifestly appeare was abrogated and theyr workes were as muche spoken of as if they had neuer bene wrytten But here peraduenture some man will saye vnto me why then doe ye attribute bothe the aforesayde vnto the prouidence of God As toutchinge the shorteninge of the Emperoures dayes it is knowen well inoughe howe auaylable it was vnto christian religion but in that the Poâ—trye of bothe the Apollinariuses was neglected and that the christians freely applied the Philosophicall sciences of the heathens there is no man will graunte that it furthered the seruice of God and the faith of Christ For it can not be without daunger that the christians maye wade in the doctrine of Ethnickes in so muche it teacheth that there be many Gods Vnto these things which aptely may be obiected vnto vs we will presentely frame suche answers as we can The doctrine of the Gentiles is allowed neither by Christ neither by his Disciples as inspired from aboue neither altogether reiected for daungerous And I take y â— to haue come to passe not without the speciall prouidence of almightie God For there were many heathen Philosophers which were not farre from the knowledg of God such as by publique disputation confuted the Epicures and other contentious Philosophers delited with the quirckes of logicke and ouerthrewe their palpable error and ignorance And thoughe they coulde stande the fauorers of christian religion in greate steade for their furtherance of learninge yet attained they not vnto the grounde principall point of our religion insomuch they vnderstoode not the mystery of Christ which was concealed the coÌ„tinewance of many ages and generations The whiche the Apostle in his epistle vnto the Romanes sheweth plainely in these wordes The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlines and iniquitie of men which withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse For the thinge that may be knowen of God is manifest amonge theÌ„ because God hath shevved it vnto them For his inuisible thinges beinge vnderstoode by his workes are seene through the creation of the world that is both his eternall power godheade so that they are without excuse because that when they knewe God notwithstanding they glorified him not as God VVherefore they knowinge the trueth which God reuealed vnto them were worthie of death because that wheÌ„ they knewe God they glorified him not as God Therefore sithence that the Apostle forbadd not the knoweledge of the Gentils doctrine he gaue free licence and libertie vnto euery man at his choice and pleasure to wade in the vnderstandinge of them Let this suffire for one reason to the satisfiynge of the former doubts The seconde is as followeth The holy Scriptures inspired from aboue deliuer vnto vs diuine precepts and mysticall doctrine they graffe in the mindâ—s of suche as heare them true Godlines and the righte trade of liuinge they sette wyde open before such as study them the most sacred faith they teach vs no logicke wherewith we may withstand such as oppugne the trueth although the aduersaries are easiest ouerthrowen when their owne armoure and proper defence is vsed to their foyle and destruction But the christians enioyed not this benefit by the workes of bothe the Apollinariuses This was it that the Emperoure Iulian shotte at when as he made a lawe that the christians shoulde not be schooled in the doctrine of the Gentils He knewe full well that the fables contained in
courage Moreouer the Emperour called home againe the bishops whome ConstaÌ„tius had exiled whome Iulian also had not restored to their seaes TheÌ„ also the Idoll groues temples of the Ethnicks were shut vp the Pagans them selues wandered hid them here there such as wore y â— philosophicall habite layd it aside wore y â— coÌ„mon vsuall attire Those bloody detestable sacrifices wherwith they openly defiled theÌ„ selues tooke their fill during y â— raigne of Iulian were nowe wholly taken away CAP. XXI How the Macedonians and Acacians assembling at Antioche confirmed with their subscriptions the Nicene Creede THe Christian affaires were not as yet pacified neither enioyed they a quiet ende For such as were ringleaders of contrary factions gott them vnto the Emperour hopinge that he would geue them free libertie to feede foster among them selues the fiery humour of contention licence to deale sediciously w t their aduersaries And first of all y â— Macedonians exhibite vnto him a supplication where they request that such as auoutch the vnlikenes dissimilitude betwene the sonne the father should be banished y â— church theÌ„ selues substituted in their rowmes The authors of this supplication were Basilus bishop of Ancyra Siluanus bishop of Tarsus Sophronius bishop of Pompeiopolis Pasinicus bishop of Zenum Leontius bishop of Comanum Callicrates bishop of Claudiopolis Theophilus bishop of Castabala The Emperour receauiÌ„g their supplication gaue them no answere at all but sent theÌ„ away w t these words I tell you truely I caÌ„ not away w t contention but such as embrace vnitie concord I doe both honor reuerence them These words of y â— Emperour coÌ„ming to yâ—eares of other contentious persons delayd the heate of sedition y â— was kindled amoÌ„g them which fell out right as the Emperour had wished Againe at y â— time also the behauiour of y e Acacians a busie kind of bodies a sect wonderfull seditious was perceaued a kind of people they are alwaies applying them selues according vnto the vaynes of the Emperours These men assemble them selues at Antioch in Syria together with Meletius who a litle before had seuered him selfe from their communion they creepe to familiaritie conference with him The cause that moued them therevnto was for that they sawe him in great estimation with the Emperour who then made his abode at Antioche They frame a supplication amonge them selues with vniforme coÌ„sent of them all They acknowledge the faith of One substance they ratifie the Nicene creede They exhibite vnto y â— Emperour their supplication coÌ„tayning y â— forme as followeth Vnto our most holy and gratious lorde Iouianus victorious puisant Augustus the councell of bishops assembled at Antioch out of sundry prouinces send greeting in the Lorde VVe haue experience tryall sufficient most holy Emperour howe that your graces highnes with great industrie endeuoureth to establishe peace vnitie in the church of God neither are we ignorant howe that your prudent aduice thinketh no lesse then that the forme of the catholicke faith will preuayle very much to the furtherance and confirmation of the aforesayde vnitie and concorde Therefore lest we should be numbred among the corrupters of the true and syncere character of Christian doctrine we thought good to let your maiestie vnderstand that we both allowe and retaine vnuiolably the Creede confirmed of old in the holy sacred councell of Nice sithence that the clause of One substance according vnto some mens thinkinge vnaduisedly layde downe is very well interlaced of the fathers interpreted and expounded both with commodious phrases and fitt epithetons the which exposition sheweth forth the sonne to be begotten of the fathers substance to be like vnto the father according vnto his substance that no passion ought to be conceaued in his inexplicable generation that the word Substance was not vsed of the holie fathers in that sense which the Graecians take it but to the ouerthrowe of the poysoned doctrine which the blasphemous mouth of Arius endeuoured to establishe saying that Christ had his originall of nothinge that also these Anomoians affirming by interpretation the sonne to be vnlike the father who lately stept vp auoutched more impudent and levvde doctrine to the ouerthrovve of the ecclesiasticall peace and vnitie VVherfore vve haue thought good to annexe vnto this our supplication vvherein our censure and opinion is layde downe the forme of faith which we honor and reuerence decreed by the bishops assembled at Nice It beginnes as followeth VVe beleeue in one God the father almightie c. contayning throughout very sounde and substantiall doctrine I Meletius bishop of Antioch doe subscribe and allowe of all the parts and parcells of the aforesayde supplication and creede aboue written Euen so doe I Eusebius bishop of Samosata Euagrius bishop of Sicilia Vranius bishop of Apamea Zoilus bishop of Larissae Acacius bishop of Caesarea Antipater bishop of Rosse Abramius bishop of Vria Aristonicus bishop of Seleucobelus Barlamenus bishop of Pergamus Vranius bishop of Melitine Magnus bishop of Chalcedon Eutychius bishop of Eleutheropolis Isacocis bishop of Armenia the greater Titus bishop of Bostra Peter bishop of Sipus Pelagius bishop of Laodicea Arabianus bishop of Antros Piso bishop of Adana by his substitute Lamydrio the elder Sabinianus byshop of Zeugma Athanasius byshop of Ancyra by his substitutes Orphitus and Atetius the elders Irenio byshop of Gaza Piso bishop of Augusta Patricius byshop of Paltum by his substitute Lamyrio the elder Anatolius byshop of Beroea Theotimus byshop of Arabia and Lucianus byshop of Arce This supplication haue we founde in the booke of Sabinus intituled The collection of the Councells The Emperour who determined with him selfe to pacifie with gentle and curteous languages all quarelles and contention made answere that he woulde not molest any what faith or religion soeuer they professed but aboue all others that he woulde honour and reuerence such as shewed them selues peacemakers and went about to mayntayne the bonde of vnitie and concorde Themistius the philosopher doth report these thinges in this sort of him For in the oration intituled Consul the which he wrote of him he extolleth him vnto the skies because that in grauntinge euery man free choyce and libertie to professe this or that kinde of religion he stopped the mouthes of all flattering parasites and sycophants which kinde of men sayeth he nyppinge wyse as it is knowen vnto the whole world worship not the kinge of heauen but the earthly crowne and scepter much like vnto Euripus caryed headlong some times this way some times that way CAP. XXII The death of Iouianus the Emperour THe Emperour when he had appeased the sedition of contentious persons in such sorte as we haue sayde before remoued with speede from Antioche and gotte him to Tarsus in Cilicia where after the wonted solemnitie of honorable funeralls he buryed the corps of Iulian his predecessor immediatly after he is proclaimed CoÌ„sul
incarnation or that he hath his being of nothinge or that he consisteth of any other essence or substance then of the fathers or that the sonne of God is conuertible and mutable them I saye ▪ the holy and Catholick Churche vnder heauen doth holde for accursed I Eustathius bishop of Sebastia Theophilus Siluanus legats of the councells of Lampsacum Smyrna with others haue voluntarily with our owne proper hands subscribed vnto all the premisses to euery parcell within comprised If any man after this our protestation commense any sute or accuse either vs or them whiche sent vs let him come with your holinesse letters vnto some of the catholick Bishops whome you thinke best there pleade with vs in their presence so let the punishment light vpon his heade that is faulty Liberius hauing bounde the legats with the subscription of their owne hands receaued them into the communion gaue them these letters following and sent them away The epistle of Liberius Bishop of Rome vnto the Bishops of the Macedonian sect inhabiting the East contries Vnto our welbeloued brethren and fellow bishops Hythius Cyrillus Hyperechius Vranius Heron Elpidius Maximus Eusebius Eucarpius Heortasius c. vnto all the Catholick bishops of the East churches Liberius Bishop of Italy together with other Bishops of the VVest sende greeting alwaies in the Lord. Your letters welbeloued brethren mē that are bedecked with the bright beames of fayth we haue receaued by the reuerend brethren bishops Eustathius Siluanus Theophilus containing quietnes concord of the catholick church which confirmed in vs fully out desired ioy gladnes And first of all because that therby we perceaued your faith opinion to be in all pointes agreeable both with mine which am the meanest of you all with the other bishops of Italy the rest of the west contreyes nay not only this but also your legats haue confirmed it with the testimony of their owne handes This Catholick Apostolicke faith we doe acknowledge which from the councell of Nice hitherto hath firmely vnuiolably continewed This was the faith that your legats protested in this faith with notable corage they haue accursed all the croked steppes of cankred opinions quenched all the fiery sparcles that slashed thereof This faith not onely by preaching vnto the people but also by penning of it in paper they haue published vnto the worlde The coppy whereof we thought good to annexe vnto these letters lest the hereticks finde meanes hereby to cauill euen as some heretofore haue gotten lighter occasion then this to leueale at the church of God the darts of their dispiteful minde the flaming firebrands of contention for our most reuerende brethren Eustathius Siluanus Theophilus confesse the same and withall them selues together with your fatherhoode to haue bene euer of this fayth nowe with free purpose to continewe firme in the same vnto the last houre that in the faith which was approued of three hundreth eyghteene Catholick Bishops assembled in the city of Nice which containeth the absolute and perfect trueth which stoppeth the mouths of hereticks and vtterly ouerthroweth their counterfeit doctrine Neither came it to passe by happ hazarde that so great a heape multitude of bishops met together for it was the will prouidence of Almighty God that assembled them to the suppression of the fury rage of the heretick Arius It was with the same nūber that blessed Abraham ouercame through faith so many millions of mē The which fayth being comprised in the force vertue of one substance is so firme inuincible a bulwark that it foyleth all the sleights crafty inuention of the Arian heresie And although the cursed abominable Arians caused all bishops from euery where to assemble at Ariminum to the ende that eyther through persvvasion or rather to tell the trueth by the commaundement of the Emperour that vvhich vvas the principall point of the creede might by them be blotted out or at least vvise levvdly peruerted yet for all their spitefull deuises they preuailed not For all the Bishops in maner vvhich mett at Ariminum and vvere either allured by their fradulent enticements or compelled by force and so fell at that time from the faith novv hauing remembred them selues better accursed the faith sett forth by the Bishops at Ariminum ratified by subscription the Catholick Apostolick faith confirmed by the bishops of the Nicene councell and now they communicate together vvith vs once I say againe all they presently are earnest zealously bent against the hereticall opinion of Arius and his followers The vvhich thing vvhen your legats had throughly examined deepely vveyed vvith them selues they freely subscribed in your names accursed Arius together vvith the canons concluded vpon at Ariminum contrary vnto the Nicene faith vnto the vvhich sometimes you your selues being trained through fraude vviles haue by othe subscribed VVherfore it seemed good vnto vs to write vnto your louing brotherhoode to asist you in such reasonable requests especially seing we are geuē to vnderstād by the protestatiō of your legats that the bishops of the cast are novv come into the right vvay embrace one faith together with the Catholick Bishops of the vvest Neither vvould vve haue you ignorant that they vvho sometime vvere craftely violently dravven from the trueth to establish the blasphemous decrees against the maiestie of the sonne of God at the councell of Ariminum novve haue vvholly vnfainedly condemned the same with vniforme consent of them all to haue embraced the Nicene creede Moreouer you haue to certifie all men by your letters that they vvhich heretofore vnvvittingly svvarued from the faith now wander in the wast desert darke miste of heresie may at length returne vnto the bright celestiall beames of christian liberty shining in the vvorlde to the comfort of their soules All vvhich let them knovve for suertie that if they vvill not after this damnable councell purge them selues vomit out the deadly poison of this detestable doctrine if they will not remoue from among them all the blasphemies of Arius if they wil not abhorre him from the hart roote accurse him for euer that they them selues are cutt of excōmunicated from the communion of the faithfull as aliens forayners for the Churche norisheth no bastards together with Arius his disciples all such vipers broode as the Sabellians Patropassians all other hereticall opinions whatsoeuer God haue you in his tuition welbeloued brethren The legats of Eustathius cōpany hauing gotten these letters tooke their iourney into Sicilia where after that a synode of Sicilian bishops was called together they protested in like sort before them y ◠they embraced y ◠faith of one substance there also they ratifie the forme of faith established by the councell of Nice When they had also procured these bishops letters toutching the same matter together
that sea◠departed this life all was there on an vprore about the election of a bishop and great strife there was whilest that some woulde preferre this man some other that man vnto the bishopricke The tumult beinge raysed Ambrose Liuetenant of the citie who also was a Consull fearing greatly lest that schisme woulde breéde mischiefe in y ◠citie came purposely into the church for to appease the sedition After that his presence had preuayled very much with the people after that he had geuen them many notable exhortations after he had mitigated the rage of the heady and rashe multitude all of a sodayne with one voyce and with one mouth nominated Ambrose to their byshop For in so doinge there was hope that all woulde be reconciled and that all woulde embrace one faith and opinion The bishops that were present thought veryly that the vniforme voyce of the people was the voyce of God him selfe Wherefore without any further deliberation they take Ambrose and baptize him for he was a Catechumenist and stall him bishop But when Ambrose came willingly to the baptisme yet denyed vtterly he would be bishop they make the Emperour Valentinianus priuie to their doings He wonderinge at the consent and agreement of the people supposed that which was done to be the worke of God him selfe and signified vnto the bishops that they shoulde obey the will of God who commaunded they shoulde create him bishop that God rather then men preferred him vnto this dignitie When that Ambrose was thus chosen bishop the citizens of Millayne who aforetime were at discord among them selues thenceforth embraced peace and vnitie CAP. XXVI Of the death of Valentinianus the Emperour AFter the aforesayde sturre was ended when the Sarmatians assaulted the Romaine dominions the Emperour raysed great power and made expedition against them The Barbarians vnderstanding of this and foreseeing their owne weakenes that they were not able to encounter with so great a power sent embassadours vnto the Emperour crauinge of him that he would ioyne with them in league establishe peace betwene them As soone as the embassadours had presented them selues before him and seeynge that they were but abiects and raskalls demaunded of them what be the rest of the Sarmatians such men as you are When the Embassadours had answered yea O Emperour thou seest the chiefest of the Sarmatians before thee Valentinianus was wonderfully incensed against them and brake out into vehement language that the Empire of Rome had yll lucke to fall into his handes vnder whose raygne so beggerly and so abiect a kinde of Barbarians coulde not quiete and content them selues with safetie within their owne boundes but they muste take armour rebell agaynste the Romaine Empire and so boldely proclayme open warre He strayned him selfe so muche in exclayminge agaynste them that he opened euery vayne in his bodie and brake the arteries asunder whereof there gushed out such a streame of bloode so that he dyed in the Castell commonly called Bergitium in the thirde Consulshippe of Gratianus together with Ecoetius the sixtienth of Nouember He lyued foure and fiftie yeares and raygned thirteene The sixt daye after the desease of Valentinianus the souldiers of Italie proclaymed Emperour Valentinianus the yonger so called after his fathers name who was of very tender yeares at Aconicum a citie in Italie The rest of the Emperours vnderstāding of this tooke the matter very grieuously not because Valentinianus who was y ◠ones brother the others brothers sonne was chosen Emperour but because he was appointed without their consent vnto whome it belonged to create him Emperour But both gaue their cōsents that he shoulde be Emperour and thus was Valentinianus the yonger sett in the emperiall seate of his father We haue to learne that this Valentinianus was gott vpon Iustina whome his father maryed for all that Seuera his firste wyfe was alyue and that for this cause Iustus the father of Iustina who a good while agoe in the raigne of Constantius the Emperour was Liuetenant of Picenum sawe in his sleepe that his right side was deliuered of the emperiall purple robe When that he awoke he tolde his dreame to so many that at length it came to the Emperour Constantius eare He thereby was geuen to coniecture that there shoulde one be borne of Iustus which shoulde be Emperour and therefore he sent from him that shoulde dispatche Iustus out of the waye Wherefore Iustina nowe bereaued of her father contineweth a virgine In processe of time she became acquainted with Seuera the Empresse and had often conference with her When that there grewe greate familiaritie betweene them they vsed both one hath for to bayne them selues Seuera seeyng the beautie of this virgine as she bayned her selfe was wonderfully in loue with Iustina she tolde the Emperour also what a goodly mayde she was that the daughter of Iustus passed for beautie all the women in the worlde that she her selfe though she were a woman yet was wonderfully enamored with her sweete face The Emperour printinge in his harte the wordes which seemed onely to pearce but the eare deuised with him selfe howe he myght compasse this beautifull Iustina to his wyfe not diuorcinge Seuera ▪ vpon whome he had gotten Gratianus whome also he had made Emperour a little before Wherefore he made a lawe that as many as woulde myght lawfully haue two wyues the which he proclaymed throughout euery citie When the lawe was proclaymed he tooke Iustina to his seconde wyfe vpon whome he gotte Valentinianus the yonger and three daughters Iusta Grata Galla. Of the which two lead they re lyues in virginitie the thirde Galla by name was maryed to Theodosius Magnus on whome he gotte his daughter Placidia For he gotte Arcadius and Honorius of Placidia his former wyfe But of Theodosius and his children in an other place CAP. XXVII After that Themistius the Philosopher had made an Oration in the hearinge of Valens the Emperour relented from persecuting of the Christians and howe the Gothes in the tyme of Valens embraced the Christian faith VAlens makinge his abode at Antioche although he warred but litle with forayne nations the Barbarian nations kept them selues within their boundes yet pursued he continewally such as helde the faith of One substance and ceassed not dayly to inuent newe deuises and straung torments wherewith he myght plague them ▪ vntyll that his fierce and cruell minde was somewhat mitigated with the Oration which Themistius the Philosopher pronounced before him where he admonished the Emperoure not to maruayle though the Christians varyed amonge them selues in religion that if Christianitie were compared with infinite multitudes of opinions raygninge amonge heathen philosophers sure he was that there were aboue three hundreth opinions and greate dissention about rules and preceptes wherevnto euery sect necessarily addicted them selues it woulde seeme but a very small thing and that God woulde sette forth his glorie by the diuersitie and discorde in opinions to
of the tumult and sturre raised amonge the faithfull through the variety and contention of the Gentils they all assembled together they layde downe a certayne holy lawe the which they published vnto the worlde in forme of an epistle deliuering the faithfull from the heauy yoke of bondage from the vayne and friuolous contention rising thereof They haue taught them a sure and a certaine rule for the direction of good life prescribing them onely such thinges as were necessary to be obserued And for all the epistle is to be seene in the Acts of the Apostles yet there is no cause to the contrary but that the reader may find it among these our histories The Apostles ▪ the elders brethren vnto such brethren as of the Gentils inhabite Antioch Syria Cilicia send greetings VVhereas vve are geuen to vnderstand that some which departed from vs haue troubled you vvith vvordes and cumbred your mindes saying ye must be circumcised and keepe the lavve to vvhome vve gaue no such commaundement it seemed therefore good vnto vs being gathered together vvith one accorde for to sende chosen men vnto you vvith our vvelbeloued Barnabas Paul men they are that haue ioperded their liues for the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ Therefore vve haue sent vnto you Iudas and Silas vvho by vvorde of mouth can declare vnto you the same For it seemed good vnto the holy Ghost and to vs to charge you vvith no more then vvith these necessary thinges to vvete that ye abstaine from thinges offred to Idols from bloode from strangled and fornication ye shall doe vvell in keeping your selues vndefiled from these thinges Farevvell These thinges were agreeable with the will of God for so the epistle testifieth It pleased the holy Ghost not to burthen you further then vvith the obseruation of these necessaries But some neglecting these things account of fornication as a thing indifferent yet they contende about holydayes as it were for life and death they despise the commaundements of God and establish them Canons of their owne they set at nought they make no accompt of the law published by the Apostles and so vnaduisedly they put in practise contrary decrees vnto the will of God him selfe Furthermore although I coulde presently discourse more at large of the feaste of Easter and proue with manifest demonstrations that the Ievves them selues obserued not diligently neither as they ought either the time or the maner of the celebration and that the Samaritans a sect of the Ievves kept it alwayes after the Aequinoctiall space yet because it requireth a seuerall title and a long treatise I will here cutt it of Onely this I will adde that whosoeuer they be y t are so much in loue w t y e imitation of y ◠Iewes and so curious in obseruation of types and figures it behoueth them to vary from them ▪ no as commonly we say not the breadth of a nayle for if they addict them selues vnto such precise obseruations of necessitie they must not onely obserue dayes and moneths and yeares but also whatsoeuer Christ did after the Iewish maner for the fulfilling of the lawe or the iniuries he vniustly sustained of the Ievves or the things he vttered in figures and parables to please all generally For example he taught in the ship he commaunded the Passeouer shoulde be prepared in an vpper chamber or parlour he charged them to loose the asse that was tyed he gaue the man bearing the pitcher of water in his hande for a signe vnto such as went to prouide the Passeouer and infinite other such like examples written in the Gospell Yet they that hope them selues iustified by the obseruation of this feaste endeuour not at all to fulfill any of these after the externall maner and literall vnderstandinge Not one of them euer preached out of the ship vnto the people not one celebrateth the Passeouer in a parlour not one first tyeth a she asse then looseth her againe not one of them appoynted the cariage of a pitcher of water for the fulfilling of all circumstances appertaininge vnto these mysteries They thinke that these thinges belonge rather vnto the Ievves then vnto the Christians For the Ievves retayne such ordinances more with the outward and corporall obseruation then with the inwarde and spirituall vnderstanding Wherefore they are helde accursed because they thinke that Moses law consisteth rather in figures and types then in trueth and the thinges them selues Such as fauor the Ievves although they conceaue these thinges after a mysticall and diuine kinde of interpretation yet raise they a foule sturre about dayes and monethes and treade vnder foote nay they drowne of wilfull ignorance the vndoubted and ghostly trueth ingraffed within them and therefore of necessitie they are in this point to be condemned alike with the Ievves for they purchase vnto them selues the sentence of curse condemnation But of these things inough inough CAP. XXII Of the sturre betwene the Arians at Constantinople and howe they were called Psathyriani NOw let vs returne vnto our former purpose and drift mētioned a litle before that is to discourse howe the Churche being once deuided rested not with the first diuision but such as were seuered into sundry sects and schismes fell from their felowes and vpon light and trifling occasions disagreed among them selues The Nouatians as I said before were deuided about the obseruation of the feast of Easter neither yet were they content with one diuision for throughout sundry prouinces they sometymes iarred and sometymes ioyned together not onely about the moneth but also the day of the weeke and other such like matters of small importance The Arians were deuided vpon such an occasion as followeth Continewall arguing and broching of intricate quircks brought their disputations to very absurd and horrible opinions Wheras y ◠church beleeueth that God is the father of the sonne who is the worde they call into controuersie whether God might be called a father before the sonne had his being And because they were of the opinion that the worde of God was not begotten of the father but had his being of nothing erring in the chiefe and principall no maruell though they plunged into absurde opinions Dorotheus whome they had translated thither from Antioch said that the father could be neither in essence neither in appellation if the sonne had no being Marinus whome they had called out of Thracia before Dorotheus time stomacking that Dorotheus was preferred before him supposed now y ◠it was highe time for him to worke his feate set him selfe opposite maintained y ◠contrary opinion Wherfore they were diuided by occasion of the vaine friuolous question proposed among them they parted companies Dorotheus w t his followers continewed in their former rowmes Marinus w t his traine erected them chappels there had priuate meetings their conclusion was y ◠the father was euer a father yea before the sonne had
he ratled of Sisinius the Nouatian Bishop which wrote a booke against that saying of his but these thinges were done a litle while agoe CAP. XX. Of the conference had betwene Iohn Bishop of Constantinople and Sisinius the Nouatian HEre occasion is offred to say somewhat of Sisinius A man he was as I haue remembred often times before very eloquent and a profounde Philosopher and as he was a skilfull disputer so was he also a cunning interpretor of holy scripture so that for his notable witt Eunomius the heretick refused oftentimes to reason with him He was no spare man of diett but liberall and a great spender yet with good order and temperancie He seemed riotous to exceede in sensualitie partly in that he arayed him selfe in white and partly for bayning him selfe twise a day When he was demaunded on a certaine time why he being a Bishop bayned him selfe twise a day his answere was because I can not doe it the thirde tyme. At an other time going of reuerence to visite Arsacius the Bishop one of Arsacius familiars asked of him why he vsed such atyre as was vncomely for a Bishop and where he founde written that a Priest ought to weare white tell thou me sayth he first where it is written that a Bishop shoulde weare black And when as the other muzed what answere he shoulde make Sisinius preuented him and sayd thou art not able to shewe me that a Bishop ought to goe in black but I am able to alleadg Solomon for my selfe where he sayth let thy garments be white Againe our Sauiour as we reade in the Gospell wore white and moreouer he shewed vnto his Apostles Moses and Helias clad in white With these and other such like answers he brought all that heard him into great admiration When that Leontius Bishop of Ancyra in Galatia the lesser had depriued the Nouatians of a certaine Church and then as it fell out remayned at Constantinople Sisinius went vnto him requesting him to restore them their Church againe Leontius in a great chafe made him this answere It is pity that you Nouatians shoulde enioy ere a Church insomuch you take away repentance and depriue men of the benefitts which God hath bestowed vpon them After that Leontius had vttered these with other such like sentences to the reprehension of the Nouatians Sisinius replied no man repenteth more then I. why sayth Leontius and how doest thou repent because sayth Sisinius that euer I saw thee Againe when Iohn the Bishop had taunted him and sayde that one citie coulde not holde two Bishops his answere was no more it doth not Iohn taking this answere in ill part sayd againe I see thou wilt be Bishop alone Not so sayth Sisinius but with thee alone I am not Bishop though others doe so take me Iohn being grieued with this answere tolde him againe I will forbid thee to preache for thou art an hereticke Sisinius replyed mearily in this sorte then will I doe thee a good turne if thou ease me of so great a labour Iohn was somewhat pleased with that answere and sayd Nay then I will not stay thee from preaching if it be a griefe vnto thee so witty and so pleasaunt was Sisinius in his answeres it were to longe to rehearse all his pithye sayinges and sage answers Wherefore I thinke it sufficient in these fewe lynes to declare what kinde of man he was Thus much further I am able to auouteh that by the report of all men he excelled for learning all the Bishops which succeeded him count all one after an other and therefore was he much made of and in great estimation yea the chiefe Senatours made great accompt of him and had his vertues in admiration And for all he wrote many bookes and furnished them with rhetoricall phrases and poeticall sentences yet was he commended more for pronouncinge then for penning for he had a notable grace in his countenance voyce behauiour loke with all other his bodily gestures for the which he was honored of all seets and religions but aboue all others of Atticus Bishop of Constantinople So farre by occasion of Sisinius CAP. XXI Of the death of Arcadius the Emperour SHortly after the death of Iohn the Emperour Arcadius departed this life a quiet and a curteous man he was who in the latter ende of his life was thought to be a very godly man vpon such an occasion as foloweth In Constantinople ther is a great pallace called Carya in the porche there stands a hazell on the whiche report goeth that Acacius the Martyr was hanged Wherefore there was a Church erected at that tree the Emperour passing by was desirous to see it went in and after he had sayd his prayers came forth againe All the parish ranne forth to see the Emperour some left their houses and tooke vp their standing in the open streete thinking verily to see the Emperours face as he passed by with all his port and trayne other some followed the Emperour out of the Church vntill that both men women and children had all gone out of the house which adioyned vnto the Churche they were no sooner gone but the house where they had flocked together fell downe Immediatly the fame of the Emperour was spred abroad with great admiration that so great a multitude of people was saued by the meanes of his prayers the end of that was in this sort Arcadius leauing behinde him his sonne Theodosius of the age of eyght yeares departed this life in the Consulship of Bassus and Philip the first of May the seconde yeare of the two hundreth nynety and seuenth Olympiad He raygned together with his father Theodosius the space of thirteene yeares and beginning with the one and thirty yeares of his age he raygned foureteene yeares after the desease of his father This booke conteyneth y e history of twelue yeares and six moneths The ende of the sixt booke of Socrates Scholasticus THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS CAP. I. Howe that after the death of Arcadius the Emperour who left his sonne Theodosius of the age of eyght yeares Anthemius the Lieuetenant tooke the gouernment of the Empire AFter the desease of Arcadius the Emperour being in the moneth of May and the Consulship of Bassus and Philip. his brother Honorius tooke the rule of the West parts of the empire and Theodosius the yonger the sonne of Arcadius being eyght yeare olde gouerned the East parts of the world by the direction of Anthemius his chiefe Magistrate This Anthemius was Nephewe to Philip which in the tyme of Constantius thrust Paulus the Bishop out of the Churche and placed Macedonius in his rowme The same man compassed the citie of Constantinople with a strong wall he seemed and was verily a man accompted among the wisest sort of that age he neuer tooke any thing in hande without good aduisement he woulde conferre with some of his familiers of the busines he
sonnes he vsed to make Cardinals sometimes in their cradles Bishops and Archbishops in many countreis descende of noble houses Osorius Bishops of Lusitania in Portingall writing against M. Haddon sticked not to giue vs an inklinge of his parentage Neyther doe I mislike with this in the churche of Rome sicaetera essent paria for I reade that Nectarius a noble man by office praetor of Constantinople was chosen to be byshop of that seae of a hundred and fiftie byshops which then assembled together at Constantinople partly for that and partly for other things Ambrose also lieuetenant of a prouice was made byshop of Millayne Chrisostō byshop of Constantinople descended of the senators of Antioch Thalassius Senator of Constantinople lieuetenant of Illyrium was made byshop of Caesarea in Cappadocia I see that Euagrius vvho in the time of Tiberius Constantinus was Quaestor and in the time of Mauricius Tiberius was maister of the rolles together with diuers others occupied themselues about Ecclesiasticall affaires but I highly commend such as shewe forth tokens of their nobilitie by studie of vertue politicke gouernement of their countrey noble prowesse valiauntnesse of courage maintenance of the trueth and furtheraunce of the Gospell some thinke it is inough for them to bayte at the vniuersitie there steale a degree and forth with be counted gentlemen or to be in commons in one of the Innes of court where there are many wise zealous and learned gentlemen or to get into some noble mans seruice and by vertue of the cognizance to be called a maister or to purchase for a piece of money a coate armour or to begge a farme and by vertue of the valuation in the queenes bookes to become a gentleman Euery one thinkes not I am sure that these sorts of men are to be numbred among the auncient noble houses though in processe of time antiquitie seeme topreuaile very muche with suche kinde of men long possession is a great matter in lawe and an olde deede though it be forged will further the matter very much The Arcadians called them selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a progeny farre more auncient then the Moone of them Ouid writeth thus Ere Moone vvas set in skies aboue if fame doe them not faile The soile vvas calld of Arcas highe vvhose creditt must auaile But they contended for Antiquitie with the AEgyptians and to try out the trueth Psammitichus King of AEgypt did as followeth he shut vp in a certaine close lodging farre from cities and company of people two newly borne babes some say with nurces charged not to speake a worde some say amonge goates and that for the space of three whole yeares at the three years end to see what language the children would speake he caused one of his familiars sodainely to goe in among the children whiche did so and tooke one of the children by the hand which saide vnto him Becos that is in the Phrygian tongue bread the king hearing this confessed him selfe ouercome and yelded vnto his aduersaries for antiquitie thenceforth were they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Suidas thinketh that the childrē being acquainted with the bleting of goats cried beck and so that it was nothing else but a iest and a deluding of the king Yet Iohn Goropius a phisicion of Antvverpe taketh the matter in earnest to th ende he might currie fauour with the Germanes he faith that the Grecians were herin fouly deceaued that beck or weck in the Germane tongue signifieth bread the AEgyptians being foyled turne them vnto the Scythians and of them likewise they were ouercome here is much a do all for gentry The AEthiopians alleage reasons for themselues and they must be heard the Brittaines can tell you they come from Troy and thence they can bring you the straighte way to Adam nexte to God and then a full point Poggius writeth that a noble man of Fraunce espied on an Italian soldiers bucklar the oxe heade ingrauen stomaked him therefore tolde him it vvas his cognizance that his house was farre more auncient and to the ende all quarells might be ended chalenged him to the fielde the Italian made litle adoe tolde him he woulde meete him on the daye appointed the noble man came with a great troupe the souldier likewise mette and ioyninge together he asked of him whye his noble bloode vvas so muche out of temper VVhen that the noble man aunsvvered that his auncetors had euer geuen the oxes head and that he and his vvould thenceforth giue it or else knovv a cause to the contrary why an please you syr saith the soldier this is no oxe head it is the head of a cowe It was about gentrie betweene Phaëton and Epaphus that moued Phaëton as the Poëts faine to craue license for one day to sitte in the chariot of Sol. for when he minded to roote out the posteritie of his aduersarie almost he set the whole world on fire Maximinus the emperour borne in a pelting village of Thracia misliking with him selfe therfore slew as many as knew his pedegree and had seene the raggs of his parents Herode burned the Genealogies of the Iewes that he might affirme him self as wel as they to haue descēded of a noble race Themistocles a bastard borne for to cloke his birth to remoue the il opinion conceaued that way entised the yong nobility of Athens to frequent Cynosarges a schole without the city where bastards did onely frequent many shifts are made Iacke would be a gentleman if he could speake frenche Amasis king of AEgypt being basely borne made his image of gold set it vp to be worshipped that the people might reuerence him the more Smerdes a sorcerer because he was in person like Smerdes the brother of Cambyses King of the Assyrians whose death Cambyses procured fearinge he woulde aspire vnto the kingdome made the worlde beleeue he was the man in deede ouercame Cambyses and was crowned King but his wife and bedfellow with clipping and other wonted familiarity felt his head found that Smerdes had no eares reuealed it abrode and so was he betrayd and deposed his kingdome Prompalus fained himselfe to be the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes A certaine AEgyptian the sonne of Protarchus the marchant called him selfe the sonne of Alexander Zebenna and the adopted sonne of Antiochus wept bitterly at the funerall of Antiochus as if he had bene his owne father Archelaus made the worlde beleeue that he was the sonne of Mithridates when Perseus the last king of the Macedonians had ended this lyfe Andristus a cuntrey fellow woulde needes perswade men that he was his sonne Equitius affirmed that without all doubt he was the sonne of Tiberius Gracchus Citharaedus endeuored to perswade the Romanes that Nero had not dispatched him self but that he was Nero. many of the aforsaid cloked their gentry fained thē selues noble mē conquered kingdoms deluded the
through the procurement of Anastasius his disciple called the blessed mother of God not the mother of God but the mother of Christ and therefore was counted an hereticke In so much that Nestorius who called together against Christ a seconde councell with Caiphas who builded a slaughterhouse of blasphemies where Christ a newe is both slaine and solde who seuered and deuided a sunder his natures that hong on the crosse and had not as it is written no not one bone broken throughout all the members of his bodie neither his vnseamed coate parted of such as put the Lorde to death reiected the clause of the mother or bearing of God framed of the holy Ghost by the meanes of many learned and godly fathers set against it this saying the mother or bearing of Christ leudly forged of his owne braine and filled the Churche of God with sedition ciuill warres and cruell bloodshed I thinke verily my penne can not wante matter to paint and orderly to continue the historie and so to proceede vnto the ende if that first of all through the helpe of Christ the ayder of all men I beginne with the blasphemie of Nestorius the schisme which thē rose in the church had such a beginning as followeth Anastasius a certain priest of a corrupt and peruerse opinion an earnest maintainer of the Jewishe doctrine of Nestorius and his companion in the voyage he tooke from Antioch to be byshop of Constantinople whē he heard the leude reasons and conference which Nestorius had with Theodolus at Mopsouestia in Cicilia he fell from the right fayth and as Theodorus writeth of that matter in a certaine epistle he presumed in the open audience of the Church of Constantinople in the hearing of such people as serued God deuoutly to say these wordes let no man call Marie the mother of God for Marie saith he was a woman and it is vnpossible that God shoulde be borne of a woman when the religious people misliked with his reasons and counted not without cause of his doctrine as of blasphemie Nestorius the ringleader of his impietie not onely not forbad him neither maintained the right opinion but first of all confirmed his sayings to be true and was very earnest in the defence of them Wherefore after he had annexed and lincked thereunto his owne opinion and the deuise of his owne braine when he had powred into the Church of God the venome of his poysoned doctrine he endeuoured to establish a farre more blasphemous sentence to his owne destruction he said as followeth I verily will not call him God who grewe to mans state by two monethes three moneths and so forth euen as Socrates Scholasticus and the former councell helde at Ephesus haue informed of him CAP. III. VVhat Cyrill the great wrote vnto Nestorius the hereticke and of the third◠councell of Ephesus whereunto Iohn byshop of Antioch and Theodoritus came shorte CYrill byshop of Alexandria a man of great fame and renowne confuted the leude opinion of Nestorius in seuerall letters yet for al that Nestorius stiffely withstood his confutation yelded not one iote neither vnto Cyrill neither vnto Celestinus byshop of olde Rome but vomited out the venome of his cankered stomacke vpon the Churche and made sute vnto Theodosius the younger who was Emperour of the East that by his authoritie the first councell of Ephesus might be called together Wherfore the Emperour wrote vnto Cyrill and to all y ◠other ouerseers and byshops of the Churches throughout euerie citie geuinge them to vnderstand that the day of Pentecost was prescribed for their assemblie on which day the liuing and ghostly spirit descending from heauen shined among vs. but Nestorius by reason that Ephesus is not farre from Constantinople was there before them Cyrill together with his company came thither also before the day appointed Iohn byshop of Antioch was absent with his prouince not of set purpose according vnto their report which defend his doings but because he coulde not in so short a space call together the byshops of his prouince for many of their cities were distant from Antioch of olde so called but now Theopolis vnto a swift and stoute goer twelue dayes iourney vnto some others more and Ephesus is from Antioch about thirtie dayes iourney And when as Iohn aunswered plainely he was not able to meete them on the Sundaye appointed for so was the day called all his diocesse sturred not a foote from home CAP. IIII. Howe Nestorius the hereticke was deposed by the councell of Ephesus in the absence of Iohn byshoppe of Antioch When the day appointed for their meeting and fifteene dayes ouer were expired the byshops which assembled at Ephesus thinking verily that the easterne byshops would not come or if peraduenture they came it woulde be long ere they mette together when as Cyrill also moderated the councell in steade of Celestinus who as I said before gouerned the seae of Rome called Nestorius before them and willed him to aunswere vnto the crimes that were laid to his charge And when as the first day he promised to come if the case so required and being afterwardes thrise cited to appeare made light accompt of his promise the byshops that were present called the matter into controuersie and began to reason thereof Wherefore after that Memnon byshop of Ephesus had numbred the dayes that were past since the prescribed time to wit seuenteene after they had reade the epistles of the reuerende Cyrill vnto Nestorius and suche as he wrote vnto Cyrill againe together with the holy epistle of the renowmed Celestiniu sent in like sort vnto Nestorius after that Theodotus byshop of Ancyra and Acacius byshop of Melitina had made relation of the blasphemous sentences whiche Nestorius bolted out at Ephesus and after that many notable sayinges to the iustifying of the sincere fayth were vttered in that assembly of holy and learned fathers interlacing sometimes the vnaduised and blasphemous phrases of Nestorius the holy councell pronounced this sentence against Nestorius in maner as followeth Omitting other hainous crimes of the reuerend Nestorius in so much he was cited and would not appeare neither entertaine the most holy and religious byshops which we had sent vnto him vve were driuen of necessitie to sifte and examine his leude and wicked doctrine And seeinge vve founde him to haue belieued impiously and to haue taught heretically partly by perusing of his bookes and epistles and partly also by the blasphemous sentences he vttered of late in this noble citie we were moued both by the canons of the Church and the graue censure of the most holy father our College Celestinus byshop of Rome yet not without sheding of many teares to pronounce against him this seuere and sharpe sentence VVherefore our Lord Iesus Christ in derogation of whose maiesty Nestorius sticked not to pronounce such horrible blasphemie hath decreed and ordained by this sacred assembly that he shoulde both be deposed of his
by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of Theodosius he was banished thence into Oasis but y e chiefest thing of all he quite ouerskipped neither forsoke he his blasphemy for all he liued there so y t Iohn byshop of Antioch gaue of him this sentence in y e open face of the world to wit that Nestorius was to be banished for euer moreouer Nestorius wrote subtely an other pamphlet vnto a certain Aegyptian where at large by occasion of his banishment into Oasis he discourseth of the aforesaid matters but y e plagues punishments which lighted vpoÌ„ him for y e blasphemy he had conceaued seing there is nothing so secret but y e maiesty of god seeth it we may easily gather out of y e letters which he wrote vnto y e gouernour of Thebais for there we may see though he escaped y e haÌ„d of man yet y e vengeance of God ouertoke him led him like a bondslaue cast him into a lamentable plight â–ª wheÌ„ as he deserued far greater punishmeÌ„t being set at liberty of the people Blemmyes in Libya Theodosius hauing ordained by his edicts he should returne as he waÌ„dred froÌ„ on place into an other about y e furthest parts of Thebais broising beating him self to y e ground he enioyed such an end as was corespondeÌ„t to the life y t went before shewed him self at his end a secoÌ„d Arius wherby it is euident knowen for certen vnto y e whole world what recoÌ„pence is set forth for such as bolt out horrible blasphemies to y e derogatioÌ„ of y e diuinity of Christ for both Arius Nestorius blasphemed him alike y e one affirming he was a creature the other taking him for man wheras Nestorius coÌ„plaineth y t the acts of y e Ephesine councel were established not as right reason required but after y e subtle iniurious fetches of Cyrill who went about to work him mischief I would gladly learne of him wherefore it came to passe seeing Theodosius loued him so intirely as he said y t he was constrained to go froÌ„ one cuntrey to an other without any coÌ„passion enioyned to endure such grieuous banishment happened vpoÌ„ so vnfortunate an end Or what other thing was it theÌ„ y e diuine censure laid down by Cyrill together w t the priests of his asseÌ„bly seing both of theÌ„ now are departed this lif as it pleased an heatheÌ„ philosopher to say he is euer honored of al men w t hart good wil where there is no iust cause to y e contrary Nestorius is adiudged y e autor of blasphemy the sworne enemy of god but Cyrill is highly coÌ„mended for one y t preached the word of god faithfully for an earnest maintainer of y e true sincere doctrine but lest we be charged with forgery faining of crimes let vs heare Nestorius him selfe who can instruct vs further herein Goe to Nestorius let me heare thee repeat some part of y e epistle which thou wrotest of late vnto y e gouernour of Thebais touching y e sacred canons of y e Ephesine couÌ„cell I was coÌ„strained saith he by the emperours edict to depart into Oasis otherwise called Ibis againe after a few lines he saith wheÌ„ the aforesaid Oasis was takeÌ„ of the Barbarians al destroied with fire sword slaughter of a sodain the Barbarians pitied my case why wherefore I knowe not set me at libertie charging me with dreadfull threats that with al spede I should get me out of that cuntrey for they said the people Mazici after my departure were like imediatly to take the city I came therfore into Thebais together with certen captiues whoÌ„ the BarbariaÌ„s brought in my coÌ„pany what their meaning was I could not learne â–ª last of al such as came in my coÌ„pany got theÌ„ to their owne home I with spede weÌ„t me to Panopolis I feared greatly lest any quarelled with me or pickt occasion to molest me for that I was a captiue or charged me that I was a fugitiue or otherwise howsoeuer malicioê° mouths are neuer to seeke for sclauÌ„ders to th end through fraud deceit they might bring me into trouble vexation wherefore I humbly request your honor that as the laws haue prouided you haue care ouer my captiuity that you suffer no prisoner banished man to fal into the hands of wicked varlets lest the posterity in time to come wil cry vengeaunce souÌ„d out this lamentable saying better it is to be led captiue of BarbariaÌ„s theÌ„ to flie for succour vnto the empire of Rome Againe with solempne protestations he requested as followeth my sute is that by your permission it may be lawful for me heare to make mine abode where I came froÌ„ Oasis when the Barbarians set me at liberty that now at length I may enioy what God hath appointed for me In the second epistle which Nestorius wrote vnto y â— aforesaid gouernour there was written as followeth These letters which I write vnto your noble minde if ye accept of them as a token of my loue harty good will towards you or as an admonition of a father sent vnto his sonne I beseche you wey the coÌ„tents therof matter there is great store coÌ„prised in as fewe words as possibly I could Oasis otherwise called Ibis was lately ouerruÌ„ne destroied by a great multitude of Nomades a litle after which things being thus brought to passe your honor gaue coÌ„maundement I wotnot what moued you thereunto that certen Barbarian soldiers should bring me froÌ„ Panopolis to Elephantina an Isle situated in the furthest part of Thebais thither was I violently haled of them after a lamentable sort â–ª but as I was ouercome with the long iourney now altogether weried againe I heard froÌ„ you by word of mouth that I should returne to Panopolis vvherefore being feeble and faint by reason of the great vexations vvhich befel vnto me in that vverisome tedious voyage my body being vvasted vvith sicknes vveakned vvith age gray heare the flesh of my hands being shronke the ribs broken in my sides I came the second time to Panopolis there partly vvith misfortune partly vvith the pains of the bruised vvouÌ„ds I vvas redy to yeld vp the ghost After al this your lordship gaue forth a commaundement in vvriting by vertue vvhereof I vvas faine to remoue from Panopolis vnto a certen cuntrey that bordered thereupon â–ª but vvhilest that novv at length I hoped the edicts published against me vvould haue an end vvaited the pleasure of the most vertuous puisant emperours touching my exile misery vnlooked for there ensued I speake vnfainedly a cruel coÌ„maundement that novv I should be banished the fourth time Againe after a few lines Be coÌ„tent I beseche you vvith these circumstances let it suffice for one body to haue endured such chauÌ„ge of banishment cease novv I humbly request your honor froÌ„ iniurying me any
neither say this or that place stoode thus before the fire consumed them CAP. XIIII Of sundry calamities that raignedin diuerse contreyes ABout the same time wheÌ„ the Scythian battaill waged w t the Romaines which inhabited the Easterne partes of the Empire waxed hotte Thracia Hellespontus and Ionia were wonderfully shaken with earthquakes no lesse were the fiftie Iles called Cyclâdes in the seae AegaeuÌ„ Cnidos in Caria Coo so that many of theyr buildings were turned downe to the ground Priscus moreouer writeth there fell at Constantinople and in Bithynia such stormes of raine and water that for the space of three or foure dayes it poured downe like wholl streames and floodes beate downe the hills and mountaynes with the violence thereof and made them playne valleyes that the villages were all on flote and in daunger of drowning that in the lake Boan not farre froÌ„ Nicomedia by reason of the filth and all kinde of baggage which the water brought thither there were seene Ilands but these things came to passe in a while after CAP. XV. The mariage of Zeno and Ariadne LEo the Emperour gaue Ariadne his daughter to Zeno made him his sonne in lawe who of a chylde was called Aricmesus yet being maried he gott that name of a noble man of Isauria that had beene of greate honor and renowme Howe this Zeno attayned vnto greate estimation vpon what occasion Leo preferred him before all other Eustathius Syrus hath left vs in writinge CAP. XVI Of Anthemius that became Emperour of Rome and also of such as succeeded him ANthemius at the request of the Romane embassadors inhabiting the west which were sent in embassie vnto Leo y â— emperour abiding at Constantinople was sent to be emperour of Rome to whome Martianus the emperour had geuen his daughter in mariage Basiliscus also the brother of Berina the wife of Leo was made captaine ouer a great armye of chosen soldiers sent against Genzerichus al which circumstances Priscus Rhetor hath exquisitly handled neither onely these things but also how Leo conspired the death of Aspar whom he him selfe had made Emperour as the reward of honor he aduaunced him vnto and slew with him also his sonnes Ardaburius whom he had made Caesar Patricius to th end he might skorne at the insolency ignorance of Aspar their father when Anthemius who gouerned the empire of Rome fiue yeare was slaiâ—e Olymbrius was by Rhecimerus proclaimed emperour after the dispatching of him Glycerius was created emperour he raigned fiue yeares was deposed by Nepos who stept in his rowme made Glycerius a Romane byshop of Salone a city in Dalmatia Orestes put Nepos beside the empire after Orestes his sonne Romulus syrnamed Augustulus was the last emperour of Rome of the thousand three hundred yeares after the raigne of Romulus when he departed this lyfe Odoacer gouerned the Romane common weale who refused the name of an emperour would haue him selfe called a king CAP. XVII The death of Leo the Emperour of yong Leo that came after him likewise of Zeno his father and successor ABout that time Leo the emperonr hauing raigned seuentene yeares deposed him self of the imperial scepter at Constantinople placed Leo that was of tender yeares the sonne of Ariadne his danghter of Zeno in the empire After him came Zeno y â— father of Leo the yonger to be emperour the sonne in law of Leo the elder this he obtained through the procurement of Berina the wife of Leo y â— elder in a while after when yong Leo had departed this life Zeno raigned alone but al what so euer he did during his raigne or what othermen did against him what thinges happened in his dayes we purpose by the help of God to discourse in the next booke following CAP. XVIII Asummarie recit all of all the acts of the councell held at Chalcedon briefely handled before by Euagrius in the 4. chapter of this 2. booke where he promised to refer the reader for further knowledge vnto the end of this 2. booke now he performeth it with a large ample discourse maruell not at all gentle reader though he repeat here certen things which he laid downe before As I finde them in the greeke so thou hast them in Englishe be beginneth thus PAscasianus and Lucentius the byshopps and Boniface the priest supplyed in this councell the absence of Leo byshopp of olde Rome Anatolius al 's byshopp of Constantinople Dioscorus byshopp of Alexandria Maximus byshopp of Antioch Iuuenalis byshopp of Ierusalem with their seuerall clergie were present at the councell There sate with them the chief senators vnto whome the substitutes of Leo sayde that Dioscorus ought not to sitt in the councell with them that Leo their byshop had charged them no lesse and if they woulde not yeelde vnto it that they woulde leaue the Churche and bidd them farewell When the Senators demaunded what crimes Dioscorus was to be charged withall their aunswere was that he who contrarye to all right and honestie playde the part of a Iudge was to abide the sentence of iudgement him selfe for the censure he had pronounced of others These thinges beinge spoken and Dioscorus also beinge appointed to stande in the middest Eusebius byshop of Dorilaeum requested that the supplication he had sent vnto the Emperour might be openly reade in their hearing and withall he added these wordes I protest vnto you that Dioscorus hath iniuried me not a litle he hath also brought our religion into great infamye he procured the death of Flauianus the byshop and wrongfully deposed him together with me cause I beseeche you my supplication to be reade When he had made an ende of speakinge his supplication was reade contayninge suche a forme as followeth The humble supplication of Eusebius byshop of Dorilaeum exhibited vnto the most vertuous Emperours requestinge he may be hearde pleadinge both for himselfe for the catholikefaith and for Flauianus byshop of Constantinople IT behoueth your maiesties most noble and puisant emperours to prouide carefully for the quietnesse of all your louing subiects yet when all others sustaine iniuries euer to vphold and assist the sacred senate of priesthood and herein verily the diuine godheade which graunted vnto you the rule domination of the whole world is truely honored wherfore seing the christian faith we our selues also haue bene oppressed diuersly molested with extreme wroÌ„g by Dioscorus the most reuereÌ„d byshop of the most noble city of Alexandria we are come vnto your wonted clemeÌ„cy most humbly to craue iustice at your hands The occasion of our coÌ„plaint is as followeth In the councel lately held at the famous city of Ephesus I would to God it had neuer bene called together then had it not brought into the whole world such horrible mischiefe and hurliburly the aforesaid Dioscorus who trode right reasoÌ„ vnder foot who set the fear of God farre out of his sight who
layde vnto thy charge camest not knowe that for all the aforesayde thou art deposed by this holye and generall councell the thirteenth daye of this present October of thy byshopricke and bereaued of all Ecclesiasticall right and title These thynges beinge registred and sent also vnto the godlye byshops of the moste holye Churche of Alexandria and the decree agaynste Dioscorus openly proclaimed that session brake vp and so ended But afterwards they sate againe and first they aunswered the senators who had desired to be satisfied as touchinge the true and right faith next they affirmed that there was nothinge to be done concerninge Eutyches for the byshop of Rome had made a â—â—nall end and conclusion thereof and therein they were all agreed moreouer when all the byshops seemed very willing and the senators exhorted euery patriarch that one or other of euery their seuerall prouinces shoulde stande vp to th ende the opinions of them all might throughly be knowen Florentius byshop of Sardis craued their fauour that with aduise and after deliberation taken they might attaine vnto the trueth and Cecropius byshop of Sebastopolis saide The faith is both notablye sett forth by three hundred and eyghteene holye fathers confirmed afterwardes by the godlye fathers Athanasius Cyrill Celestinus Hilarius Basil and Gregory and nowe againe approued by moste holye Leo. VVherefore our requeste is that the creede of the three hundred holye fathers and of the moste holye Leo may be reade Beinge reade all the councell cryed This is the fayth of the true professors we are all of this fayth This is the fayth of Pope Leo this is the fayth of Cyrill thus hath the Pope interpreted Againe when they had reasoned amonge them selues for the readinge of the fayth which the hundred and fifty holye fathers publyshed in the councell helde at Constantinople it was also reade Then the whole councell cryed agayne This is the fayth of the true professors thus we doe all beleeue After the finishinge of all the premises Aetius the Archedeacon sayde I haue here at hande the Epistle of holye Cyrill written vnto Nestorius the whiche all the byshopes in the councell helde at Ephesus confyrmed wyth their seuerall subscriptions I haue here also an other Epistle of the same Cyrill written vnto Iohn byshope of Antioche and confirmed lykewyse will it please you to geeue them the hearinge When euerye one had spoken his pleasure of them they were both reade we haue thought good presently to laye downe here some portion of the former it was reade as followeth Vnto Nestorius the most reuerend and his most holy collegue Cyrill sendeth greetinge THere are as I am geuen to vnderstande certaine men whiche labour and that verye often altogether to discreditt me with your holinesse this they doe specially when they see worthye men and magistrates oftentimes meetinge together supposinge peraduenture that you will be pleased with the hearing of such thinges Againe after a fewe lines he saith The holy and famous councel affirmeth that he which is naturally begotten of God the father is the onely begotten sonne true God of true God light of light by whom the father made all things that he came downe from heauen that he was incarnate and made man that he suffred rose againe the third day ascended into the heauens It behoueth vs to yeelde and condescend vnto these articles vnto this doctrine and to search out with al the gifts we haue what is ment by being incarnate what is vnderstood by saying that the worde of God became flesh for we doe not say that the worde of God by chaunginge the nature thereof became flesh neither by conuersion into wholl man which consisteth of body soule but this rather that the worde according vnto the subsisteÌ„cy or being therof coupling vnto it selfe liuing flesh endued with a reasonable soule became man in such sort as may neither be expressed in worde neither conceaued by thought that he was called the soÌ„ne of man not according vnto will onely or in that it so pleased his goodnes neither onely by taking vpon him the person or because contrarie natures were coupled together in true vnitye but that one Christ and one sonne consisted of two natures not that the difference of the natures was taken away by reason of the vnity but that the diuinitye and humanitye after an vnspeakeable and secret couplinge and meetinge together made one Lorde Christe and the sonne After the enterlacinge of certayne other thinges he annexed thereunto as followeth Because he came of a woman and coupled mans nature vnto him selfe according vnto his subsistencie and that for our sake and for our saluation therefore is he said to haue bene borne after the fleshe for he was not first of all after the common generation borne of the virgine Mary then the worde of God entred into him but was coupled with the flesh in the matrix and is said to haue bene borne after the flesh as one that made the birth of his flesh proper to him selfe In like sort we say that he suffred rose againe not that God the word suffred in his owne nature either stripes or the print of nayles or other vexations for the godhead being without body is impatible but that the body being made proper vnto him suffred and so is he saide to haue suffred these thinges for our sakes for there was in the bodye which suffred that which coulde not suffer But so muche out of the first epistle touchinge the second we layde downe a good part thereof in the first booke of our Ecclesiasticall historie which went before in the epistle of Iohn byshopp of Antioch there is suche a protestation layde downe as followeth and confirmed with the testimonie of Cyrill VVe confesse that the holy virgine is the mother of God because God the worde tooke fleshe and manhood of her and coupled vnto him selfe by the conception the temple which he tooke of her Neyther are we ignorant that godly men inspired from aboue haue partly affirmed that the phrases which coÌ„cerned the Lord and were laid downe by the Euangelists and Apostles were vttered of one person and partly deuided them into seuerall portions as written of two natures and partly also confessed that they were diuine and spoken onely of the diuinitye of Christe Vnto this of Iohn Cyrill addeth of his owne VVhen we had perused these your godly sentences and clauses within contained and perceaued plainely that you were of one minde and opinion with vs for there is but one Lord one fayth one baptisme we reÌ„dred vnto god diuine praises who is the coÌ„seruer of the whol world and presently we conceaue exceedinge ioy seeinge that as well your Churches as ours beinge driuen thereunto partly by the force and power of the holy scriptures and partly also by tradition deliuered vnto vs of our most holy fathers doe embrace one fayth and opinion After the readinge of these Epistles they that
Alexandria departed this life in his tyme he woulde geue him the nominatinge of the nexte incumbent to succeede him in the Byshoprick Zacharie reporteth that the Emperour charged him he wente about to procure it vnto him selfe but to cleare him selfe of this suspicion he sware and protested with solemne othes he woulde neuer be Byshop if it were offered him and so gotte him home Wherefore the Emperour decreed that after the death of Timothee he should be Byshop whome both clergy and laytye would electe Shortely after Timothee died Iohn gaue a peece of money as Zacharie doth wryte neglected the othe he made vnto the Emperour and was chosen Bishop of Alexandria When this was knowen the Emperour banished him Alexandria wrote by some mens procuremente an Epistle vnto the people of Alexandria of vnitye and concorde and commaunded that Peter shoulde be restored vnto the Byshopricke condicionally if he subscribed vnto the Epistle and receaued into the communion suche as helde with Proterius CAP. XIII Howe Petrus Moggus Bishop of Alexandria receaued the Epistle of Zeno and was reconciled vnto the faction of Proterius PErgamius Liuetenant of Aegypt tooke vpon him the orderinge of this matter according vnto the minde of Acacius Bishop of Constantinople he arriued at Alexandria and there he was geuen to vnderstand that Iohn had fled away he conferred with Peter exhorted him to allowe of Zeno his Epistle wrytten vnto the people of Alexandria and to receaue into the Church such as dissented from him Whereupon Peter receaued the Epistle and subscribed vnto it promised moreouer to admit his aduersaries into the communiō After all this at a solemne meeting within Alexandria whē all the people embraced the Epistle of Zeno intitled of Concorde Peter also was reconciled vnto the faction of Proterius made a sermon vnto the people and read in the church the Epistle of Zeno which was an exhortation vnto peace and vnity CAP. XIIII The Epistle which Zeno wrote to reconcile the people of Alexandria ZEno Emperour Caesar Pius Victorious Triumphant chiefe Lord perpetual Augustus vnto the most reuerend bishops throughout Alexandria Aegypt Libya Pentapolis with the Priests Mōks laye people sendeth greeting In somuch we are certenly perswaded that the originall cōfirmation continewāce strēgth inuincible fortres of our Emperiall scepter is only vpheld by the sincere true faith the which three hūdred eighteene holy fathers deliuered vnto vs by the inspiratiō of the holy Ghost in the councell of Nice was also confirmed of a hundred fifty godly Bishops in the councel held at Cōstantinople we haue labored day and nighte not onely by prayer but with all endeuer and vvyth publishinge of lawes amply and aboundantly to sill vvith it the holy Catholick and Apostolick Church of God scattered far vvide ouer the face of the earth being the immortall and sempiternall parent of this our raygne and principalitye that the deuoute people of God continewinge the diuine peace and quietnes may poure vnto God the acceptable sacrifice of prayer together with the most holy Bishops sacred clergy with the gouernours of Monasteries Monkes them selues for the preseruatiō of our prosperous raygne For in case that almighty God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ who tooke flesh of the virgine Mary the mother of God was borne into the worlde would allowe of the general praises worship we geue vnto him receaue the same with willīg minde redines then no doubt not onely all sorts of enemies woulde vtterly be foyled but also all other nations vnder heauen would be brought subiect vnto our Empire willingly serue vs next immediatly after God then also peace the profit annexed therunto seasonable tēperature of the aer plenty of all sorts of fruite with all other things required for the vse of mā would abūdantly be ministred Nowe therfore seing it appeareth vnto all men howe both we our selues the Empire of Rome is preserued vnder the wing of the true faith the holy gouernours of the monasteries heremits with other religious mē exhibited vnto vs supplicatiōs exhortīg vs very earnestly that the most holy churches may enioy peace that the mēbers may be coupled together whiche the deuel enemy to honesty hath labored of a lōg time to part asunder for he is fully perswaded that if the body of the church being ioyntly knit together in the bond of vnity encountred with him he would quickly be ouerthrowē by reason the mēbers were seuered it came to passe that infinit multituds of mē now many hundred yeres ago departed this world some without baptisme some other without the cōmunion being void of charity the dynt of death is ineuitable it caused moreouer infinit slaughters bloodshed not only the earth but the aer also was infected with streames of blood is huinge out of the tender bowells of men And who is he I pray you that wisheth not for reformatō redresse of these things wherfore we haue done our indeuor for to certifie you that not onely we our selues but all the churches euery where haue not had in times past neither present will not haue herafter neither knowe any other that haue any other faith or doctrine then the creede spoken of before deliuered by three hūdred eighteen Byshops confirmed afterwardes by a hundred fifty fathers But if any man haue any other creede we take him not to be of the church For we beleue that through this faith only it cometh to passe that our Empire doth florish that the people by embracīg of the same are inspired with the holy Ghost washed in the sacred fountaine of baptisme it was this faith that the holy fathers in the councell of Ephesus subscribed vnto which deposed wicked Nestorius of the Ecclesiasticall ministery as many as fauored his hereticall opinion whome we also doe accurse together with Eutyches for both of them impugned the aforesayde faith and approue the twelue pointes of the faith layde downe by Cyrill of worthy memorye late Archbishop of the Catholicke church of Alexandria For we confesse that the onely begotten sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ is truely incarnate of one substance with the father accordinge vnto his diuinity of one substance with vs accordinge vnto his humanity that he came downe from heauen that by the holy Ghoste he tooke fleshe of the virgine Mary the mother of God that he is one and not two For we say that the miracles he wrought the vexations he endured in the flesh belonged vnto one person we doe condemne for euer such as deuide or confound his natures or say that he had a phantasticall body For he was truely incarnate of the mother of God without spott or blemish of sinne The Trinity remayneth neuerthelesse though one person of the Trinity to wit God the worde be incarnate VVherfore seing we learne of surety that all the holy and Catholicke Churches euery where that all the godly Presidentes
XXXI Howe the monks of Palaestina wrote vnto Alcison of Xenaias the monke and others THe monks of Palaestina wrote vnto Alcison toutching Macedonius and Flanianus in such sort as followeth VVhen Peter had departed this life Alexandria Aegypt and Libya were at variance among them selues other câ—uÌ„treis of the East contended within them selues for the west Churches would in no wise coÌ„municate with them saue vnder this condition that they would accurse Nestorius Eutyches Dioscorus Peter syrnamed Moggus and Acacius VVherfore seeing the churches throughout the worlde were at this pointe the fauourers of Dioscorus and Eutyches were brought to a narrow rowme And now being as it were euerie one rooted weeded from of the face of the earth one Xenaias after the Etymologie of his name far estraunged from God we knowe not what wicked fiende had bewitched his minde or what malice he owed vnto Flauianus vnder cloke of religion as report goeth he made an insurrection agaynst him and charged him with the hereâ—ie of Nestorius VVhen he had accursed Nestorius with his hereticall opinion he lefte him and turned to Dioscorus and Theodorus and Theodoritus and Ibas and Cyrus and Eutherius and Iohn and to others we wot not who neyther out of what countreye of whiche number some in very deede were Nestorians some others to auoyde the suspition of that heresie accursed Nestorius and returned vnto the Churche Vnlesse thou accurse â—â—yd Xenaias all these whiche sauour of Nestorius fylthye sinke of hereticall doctrine thou thy selfe shalt seeme to be of Nestorius opinion although thou accurse both him and his doctrine yea a thousande tyâ—â—es The same Xenaias moreouer dealte by letters both wyth the complices of Dioscorus and the fauourers of Eutyches perswadinge them to holde wyth him againste Flauianus not that they shoulde accurse the Councell but onelye the persons aboue named After Flauianus the Byshope had wythstoode them a longe whyle and sawe that others hâ—ld with Xenaias against him namely Eleâ—sinus Byshop of some city or other within Cappadocia the less Nicias byshop of Laodicea in Syria with others of other countreis whose accusations proceeding of abiect mindes we will passe ouer with silence and geue others leaue to report them at length remembring him selfe they would be pacified if the aforesaide persons were accursed yelded vnto them And after he had condemned those men with his owne hand he wrote vnto the Emperour for these men had set him vp against Flauianus as if he had beene patrone of Nestorius heresie Neyther was Xenaias satisfied with this but agayne required Flauianus to condemne both the Councell and suche as affyrmed there were two natures in Christe the one humane the other diuine who for refusinge to doe this is charged a freshe wyth Nestorius opinion Last of all after much adoe when the patriarch had published a forme of faith where he had vnfainedly geuen to vnderstand that the councell as toutching the depriuation of Nestorius and Eutyches was to be approued but not for their decree of the faith doctrine they threaten to take him in hand againe as one that secretly sauored of Nestorius vnlesse he woulde accurse both the Councell it selfe and them that affirmed there were two natures in Christe one diuine the other humane Moreouer with flatterie and fallacies they allured the Isaurians to their side patched together a forme of fayth wherin they accursed both the couÌ„cell and suche as affirmed there were two natures in Christe in the ende deuided them selues from Flauianus and Macedonius and ioyned with them who had subscribed vnto that patched fayth In the meane space they requested the Byshop of Ierusalem to laye downe his fayth in writinge the whiche he did and sent it by the faction of Dioscorus vnto the Emperour This fayth at length with shame inough they brought forth accursinge suche as saide there were two natures in Christ But the byshop of Ierusalem charged them they had corrupted his faith wrote an other where there was no suche accurse But no maruell at all for they haue corrupted oftentimes the bookes and writinges of the holye fathers by chaunginge their titles and inscriptions and fatheringe the workes of Apollinarius the hereticke vpon Athanasius Gregorie the renowmed and Iulius snaringe many of the simple people with these their wiles and subtlety in their hereticall opinions They craued also of Macedonius they might see his beliefe in writinge who protested he onely allowed the fayth published of olde at Nice by three hundred and eyghteene holye fathers and afterwardes ratified at Constantinople accursinge Nestorius Eutyches wyth suche as sayde there were two sonnes or two Christes or deuided the natures yet spake he not a worde of the Ephesine Councell whiche deposed Nestorius neyther of the Chalcedon Councell whiche depriued Eutyches VVherefore the Monkes of Constantinople were wonderfully moued with this and deuided them selues from Macedonius All this while Xenaias and Dioscorus hauinge linked vnto their side manye other Byshops behaued them selues intollerably towardes suche as woulde not accurse whome they woulde haue accursed in so muche they procured diuers because they woulde not yeelde vnto them to be banished Thus they made Macedonius Iohn Byshop of Platum and Flauianus to leaue the countrey So farre of the monks letters CAP. XXXII How Macedonius byshop of Constantinople and Flauianus byshop of Antioch were exiled THe thinges which secretly vexed the minde of Anastasius were farre otherwise For when Ariadne purposed to present Anastasius with the Emperiall robe Euphemius the Byshop would in no wise coÌ„sent to his coronation vntill y â— Anastasius deliuered him his hand writing confirmed with an othe where he plainely declared if he were Emperour he would maintaine the true faith bringe no nouelty into the Church of God whiche hand writinge he gaue Macedonius the treasurer to keping Euphemius did this because Anastasius was suspected to be a Manichee When Macedonius was aduaunced to the reuerende office of priesthood Anastasius called for his hand writing It is saith he a great discredit vnto our scepter that our hand should be kept to testifie against vs or that we shoulde be tyed to penne and paper But Macedonius denyed him very stoutly and affirmed plainely it shoulde neuer be saide of him that he betrayed the fayth therefore Anastasius the Emperour deuised howe to worke him mischiefe to th ende he might colourablye depose him At length there came forth yonge men sclaunderinge both them selues and Macedonius also of an haynous offence they founde him to haue wanted the member of generation then proceded they to espy other holes in his coat neither rested they vntil at length through y â— fetches of Celer maister of y â— hauliers they had priuely wrought his depriuation There ensued after this conspiracy against Flauianus other troublesome businesse For we our selues haue learned of olde men who remembred very wel such aduentures as befell vnto Flauianus how the monks of Cynegica which inhabited the chiefest countrey
both with Constantine and Crispus and had great familiaritye with them wroâ—e of that matter As for thy selfe thou writest suche thinges thou neuer heardest of and are farre from being true for thou wrotest long after to witte in the time of Arcadius and Honorius or after their raigne Eusebius in the eyght booke of his Ecclesiasticall historie writeth in this sort Not longe after Constantius the Emperour passinge all other throughout his life time in clemencie and goodnesse towardes his subiects singulerly affected towardes Gods worde ended according vnto the lawe of nature the common race of his mortall life leauinge behind him his naturall sonne Constantinus Emperour and Caesar to supplye his rowme A litle after His sonne Constantinus being proclaimed full Emperour and Caesar by the army and longe before by God him selfe the vniuersall king became a follower of his fathers pietie in Christian religion And about the later eude of his storie he writeth thus Constantinus the mightie puysant Emperour beinge renowmed for euery rare vertue and godlinesse together with his sonne Crispus the most godly Emperour like vnto his father in all thinges subdued the East parts of the worlde No doubt Eusebius who liued after Constantine woulde not so highly haue commended Crispus had he bene slaine of his father Againe Theodoritus writeth how Costantine about his later end was baptized at Nicomedia y â— therfore he differred it vnto y t time because he had a great desire to be baptized in Iordan But thou most wicked Zosimus reportest y t since christian religion was published throughout y â— world y â— state of y â— Romain empire decaied came to nought y â— which proceeds froÌ„ thee either of ignorance that thou hast not read ouer y â— auncient writers or of malice For the contrarye is soone proued that the Empire of Rome encreased together with our fayth Remember I besech thee howe about the time of the incarnation of our Sauiour Christ Iesus many of the Macedonians were by the Romaynes subdued Albania Iberia Colchi and the Arabians moreouer the Frenchmen the Germans the Brittanns in the hundred twenty third Olympiade after Caius Caesar had ouercome them with greate and grieuous battaills and made the fiue hundred cities which they inhabited tributaries as historiographers doe wryte vnto the Empire of Rome This Caius was the first which after the Consulls gouerned the Empire alone he made the way sure for the setting vp of the glorious Monarchie and in steede of the populare and common regiment brought into the worlde that kind of raigne No doubt it came to passe through the prouideÌ„ce of God because that the Monarchie of Christ was shortly after to take place All Iudaea besides and the bordering countreyes were annexed vnto the Empire of Rome so that the first taxing where Christ also was to be taxed then firste beganne and Bethleem likewise layde before theyr eyes howe that which of olde was prophecied of her was then fulfilled For thus had the Prophet Micheas foretold of her And thou Bethleem Iuda art not the leste amonge the Princes of Iuda for out of thee there shall come vnto me the captaine that shall gouerne my people Israel When Christ our God was borne into y â— world Aegypt was ioined vnto the Empire of Rome in the time of Augustus Caesar for theÌ„ it was that Christ appeared in the flesh who ouercame Antonius Cleopatra which afterwards dispatched theÌ„selues After their death Cornelius Gallus was by Augustus Caesar made Liuetenant of Aegypt after y t Ptolomaeees decayed he raigned ouer Aegypt What cuntreys were wonne froÌ„ the PersiaÌ„s by Ventidius Curbulon the captaine of Nero by Seuerus Traianus Carus Cassius and Odaenathus of Palmyra by Apollonius and sundry others how ofte Seleucia Ctesiphon were taken howe oft Nisibis was nowe the Romaynes anone the Persians and after what sorte Armenia with other borderinge nations became vnder the Empire of Rome thou thy selfe haste penned it as well as others And yet I had almoste forgotten what thou wrytest to haue bene done by Constantine who by meanes of our religion gouerned the Romayne dominions with valiant minde and noble prowesse also what befell vnto Iulianus nusled vp in thy wicked mysteries what wounds and skarres he left in the common weale As for the prophecies which concerne the ende of the worlde or whether it had a beginninge and whether it shal haue an ending it is an higher matter theÌ„ can sinke into thy braine Therfore let vs see if thou wilt howe the Emperours which were Ethnickes and panyms mayntayners of Idolatry Paganisme and howe of the contrary suche as cleaued vnto the Christian faith ended theyr raygne was not Cains Iulius Caesar the first Emperour slayne by conspiracy did not certen souldiers with naked swordes dispatch Caius y â— nephewe of Tiberius was not Nero murthered by one of his familier deare friends had not Galba the like end Otho Vitellius who all three raygned only sixteen moneths what shall I speake of Titus whome Domitianus poisoned for all he was his owne brother what saist thou of Commodus did not Narcissus dispatch him out of the waye what shall I speake of Pertinax and what of Inlian enioyed not both they one kinde of death what did not Antonius the sonne of Seuerus murther his brother Geta and did not Martialis requite him with the like what shall I say of Macrinus did not the souldiers handle him like a captiue about Byzantium and cruelly put him to death was not Aurelius Antoninus of Emessa murthered together w t his mother was not Alexander immediatly after hiÌ„ together w t his mother likwise put to death what shall I say of Maximinus whome his owne army dispatched Or of Gordianus who through the treason of Philip was in like sorte by his owne souldiers put to death tell me I pray thee thy selfe O Zosimus what happened vnto Philip and after him vnto Decius were they not slaine by the enemy take Gallus and Volusianus with them were they not murthered by their owne armies what of Aemilianus had not he y â— like miserable end what Valerianus was not he taken by y â— Persians in battaill led about of them in triumphe what when Galienus was slaine through treason and Carinus beheaded came not Diocletian to be Emperour whome Diocletian cutte of lest they shoulde raygne with him After these Herculius Maximianus his sonne Maxentius Licinnius dyed with contumely and shame inough But since the time the moste noble Emperour Constantine beganne to raygne since he consecrated vnto God the city he had builte and called it after his owne name looke about I pray thee and speake indifferently was there any one Emperour in that citye Iulian a man of thine owne religion and thy Emperour onely excepted that was murthered either by his owne subiect or by the enemy or any one tyrant that vanquished the Emperour Basiliscus excepted yet
wrath of God with earnest and zealous prayer Arcesilaus seing him in this takinge sayd vnto him what is the matter y ◠makes you so much out of quiet Oh sayth he the ratling sound of Antioch falling to ruyne hath nowe persed mine eares Arcesilaus w t as many as were present hearinge this were amazed wrote the houre he spake it and sounde it to be true as Zosimas told them There are many other straunge thinges wroughte by him but the greater parte of them I will passe ouer with silence for they can hardly be numbred and some I will lay downe for the knowledge of y ◠posterity At y ◠very same time whē Zosimas florished there liued one with Zosimas of equall vertue renowne by name Iohn of Chuzica laura a place in the further vale vpon the northside of the high way which goeth straight from Ierusalem to Iericho one that led a monastical life seuered from all worldly affaires and gouerned the Byshopricke of the aforesayd Caesarea This Iohn Chuzubites hearinge that the wife of Arcesilaus spoken of before had one of her eyes strucke out with a weauers shittell wherewith he throweth yarne into the web came immediatly vnto her for to see y ◠wound when he espied y ◠the apple of y ◠eye was fallē quite remoued out of his seate he called to one of the Phisicions then present for a sponge bad him put in the fallen eye agayne as well as he could and to tye the sponge that was layd thereto Arcesilaus was not thē at home for he was with Zosimas in his monastery standing in Sinda at the furthest fiue hundred furlongs from Caesarea There went message in all the hast to Arcesilaus to certifie him thereof as the messenger came Arcesilaus sate with Zosimas and spente the time in communication Hearing of the circumstance he beganne to lament to pull the heare of his heade and throw it into the aer As Zosimas demaunded of him the cause of his heauynes Arcesilaus with many a sobb and sheding of many teares told him the wholl Immediatly Zosimas left him gott alone with speede into his chamber where as it is lawefull for suche kinde of men he called vnto God very familiarly In a litle while after he came forth vnto Arcesilaus pleasauntly disposed with a modest kind of laughter saying get thee home merely go on thy way the gift is geuen vnto Chuzubites thy wife is healed she hathe both her eyes wholl that misfortune coulde not sticke by her seing it so pleased Chuzubites Both which miracles were wroughte at one time by these two iust men Moreouer as Zosimas on a certaine time tooke his iourney towardes Caesarea driuing before him an asse w t a fardell of necessaries vpō his backe there met him a lion which tooke frō Zosimas his asse went his way Zosimas pursued after the lion through y ◠middest of y ◠thicket so long vntil the lion had eaten his fill of the asses carkasse and beholdinge him with a cheerefull and smilinge countenance he sayde O friend thou hast nowe hindered my iourney for alltogether I am heauy olde not able to beare the burthen layd vpon the asses backe Wherefore come thy ways contrary to thine owne nature for of necessity thou muste beare me this burthen if thou wilt haue Zosimas to go hence yet afterwardes thou shalt returne againe vnto thine olde fierce sauadge nature Thē the lion laing aside his rage and fury beganne to faune and very gently to come vnto Zosimas profering him his seruice Zosimas layde the asses burthen vpon the lions backe and led him vnto the gates of Caesarea to the ende he might declare the power and might of God and that all thinges were for the vse and seruice of man so long as we behaued our selues after his will and abused not the grace and gift he hath bestowed vpon vs. But lest I seeme ouer tedious in rehearsinge of these thinges I will returne where I lefte CAP. VIII Of the calamities which befell in many places throughout the world WHile as yet Iustinus held y ◠Emperial scepter the town now called Dyrrachiū but of old Epidamnus was sore shaken with an earthquake So was Corinth in Greece Anazarbus an heade city in Cilicia the lesse which endured that calamity nowe the fourth time but Iustinus repayred them not without great summes of money About the same time Edessa that noble blessed citie of the Osroenians was ouerflowen with the streames of the riuer Scirtus which slided by in so muche that many houses were caried away with the violence there of and infinite multitudes of men were drowned with the water From that time forth Edessa and Anazarbus had newe names geuen them by Iustinus for either of them was called Iustinopolis CAP. IX Howe Iustinus made Iustinianus his fellowe Emperour WHen Iustinus had raigned eight yeares nine moneths and three dayes he called Iustinianus his sisters sonne to be his fellowe Emperour and proclaimed him the firste day of the moneth Panthicus after the Romaynes Aprill in the fiue hundred seauenty and fift yeare after Antioch was so called This beinge finished Iustinus died and left the Empire the first day of Loius after the Romaynes August when he had raigned together with Iustinianus four moneths Iustinianus nowe being Emperour alone and the councell of Chalcedon preached euery where throughout all the most holy Churches as I sayd before by the commaundement of Iustinus the ecclesiasticall affayres in sundry places specially at Constantinople and Alexandria enioyed not quietnes For Anthimus was Bishop of Constantinople and Theodosius of Alexandria who both maintained that in Christ there was one nature CAP. X. Howe Iustinianus embraced such as approued the councell of Chalcedon and Theodora his wife of the contrary detested them EVen as Iustinianus was a great fauorer of the Chalcedon councell and the decrees thereof so his wife Theodora held with such as affirmed that in Christ there was one nature Whether they were throughly of this opinion for when the faith is called into controuersie We see that the father is agaynste the sonne and the sonne againste the father the wife agaynste her husbande and the husbande agaynste his wife or of sette purpose had couenaunted amonge them selues that he shoulde defende suche as sayde there were two natures in Christ our God after the vnitinge of the diuinity and humanity and that she shoulde holde with the maintayners of one nature sure I am of this that the one woulde not yelde vnto the other For he was very earnest in defence of the Chalcedon councell and she of the other side was verye carefull for the Patrons of one nature in so much that she louinglye and friendly entertayned her owne faction specially her owne cuntrey men if they were straungers she sent them presentes and giftes nay she perswaded Iustinianus to call home Seuerus from exile CAP. XI Seuerus
about to restraine thē he did nought els saue heape coales on his owne head Whereupon a certaine magistrate of the East going about to chastise these rebels clapped gyues on their feet for to bridle their violence was led him self through the mids of the city grieuously tormented with fetters Callinicus also lieuetenant of Cilicia whē two Cilicians Paulus Faustinus both murtherers rebelled against him conspired his death because he put in vre y ◠penalty which the law had ordained for such malefactors was him selfe hanged on the gallowes and endured this punishment for his good conscience execution of the lawes Hereupon it fel out that such as were of the other faction being driuen to leaue their dwelling places and could no where be lodged but were shoueled here there as shamefull miscreants fell to assault trauellers to rob to steale to murther euery one y ◠met them vntill it grewe vnto such outragiousnes y ◠all places sounded of vntimely slaughter of spoyling other such like haynous offences Yet at length some good moode was found in him that made him to chaunge his minde and to execute such kinde of men suffering the lawe to take place against them whom he permitted afore time to rage throughout the cities like Barbarians and bloud suckers But to discourse of these things sufficiently time wil not serue neither will my penne be able to paint them accordingly By these few ye may coniecture of the other horrible actes which Iustinian committed CAP. XXXII Of Barsanuphius the Monke THere liued about that time very godly men who in many places wrought great myracles so that their Fame was euery where spred abrode Of which number one was Barsanuphius an Aegyptian borne This man led his life in a monasterie hard by Gaza although he were in the flesh yet bridled he the motions therof in so much that he did many notable myracles It is thought that he shutte vp him selfe in a certen caban and since the time he went in for the space of fiftie yeares and more that he was neuer seene of any neuer tooke sustenance or any other thing on earth When Eustochius bishop of Ierusalem would not beleue it to be true but toke it for a fable he went and digged vp the caban where this holy man had pend him selfe and as report goeth there rose out thence fire which almost burned such as came thither with him CAP. XXXIII Of Symeon the Monke who fained him selfe to be a soole for Christes sake THere was at Emesa a man whose name was Symeon who laying aside all desire of vaine glory although he was wise in euery respect and replenished with the grace of God yet seemed he vnto such as knew him not as if he had bene a starke foole He liued for the most part a solitarie life neither did he make any man priuie either when or what he prayed vnto God neither at what time he alone fasted or refreshed nature by taking of sustenance sometime when he walked in the open streate or market place he seemed farre from the common trade of liuing nay he shewed him selfe as though he had neither witte nor vnderstanding Againe if hunger draue him into a Tauerne he would feede vpon pottage meate and whatsoeuer first came to his hand If in case any did him obeysance and saluted him with the bowing of the head he woulde straight be angrie and gette him thence with speede fearing left the common people would espie his vertue Thus was Symeon wont to doe at his being in the market Yet there were some with whom he made him selfe familier and that vnfainedly Of which number one had a maide that was rauished and gotten with childe and being compelled by her maister and maistresse openly to reueale the father and him that plaid so leud a part made answere that Symeon had secretely layen with her and that shee had conceaued of him that shee would not onely sweare it to be true but also if neede were proue it with plaine euidence Symeon hearing of this sayd it was so in deede that he was a man as other men were and that the flesh was a fraile thing When the rumour thereof was noised abrode and Symeon therefore as it was very likely defamed for euer he gotte him out of sight and made them beleeue he was ashamed When the houre came that she should be deliuered as the maner is she lay in her labour was so grieuous so great and the paine so intollerable that the poore seely wretch was ready to yelde vp the ghost yet was she not ridde of her burthen Wherefore when Symeon who of sette purpose came thither was entreated to pray vnto God for her his answere was that the woman was not like to be deliuered before she confessed truely who was the father of the childe When she had so done and named them the true father immediatly the childe came spraulling out of her wombe and truth played the office of the midwife The same Symeon was seene on a certen time to goe into an harlots house who shutte the doore after him and taried there a long while when none was within but they two Againe was seene to vnlocke the doore and to put out his head looking about whether he could see any the which berely caused great suspition in so much that such as beheld him called the harlot vnto them demaunded of her what busines Symeon had in her house which swore vnto them that for pouertie she had not tasted of any thing in three dayes before saue only water that Symeon had brought her vitailes and a boule of wine that he had shut the dore and couered the table that he had commaunded her to sit downe and to eate her fill and that shee was sufficiently chastised and brought lowe enough with abstinence When shee had made this protestation she shewed them the fragmentes whiche remained of Symeons vittailes Furthermore the selfe same Symeon a litle before the earthquake which shooke in pieces Phoenicia on the sea shore at what time Berytus Biblium and Tripolis were lamentably turned to the ground tooke a whip in his hand and beate many of the pillours which stood in y t market place crying these words Stand fast be sure of your footing ye are like to daunce shortly Wherefore because he was wont to doe nothinge vnaduisedly they that were then present and behelde the circumstance noted diligently what pillours he ouerskipped without stripes whiche verily not longe after were ouerthrowen with the violence of the earthquake Many other thinges are remembred to haue bene done by him which require a peculiar volume if they be sufficiently handled CAP. XXXIIII Of Thomas the monke whiche played the foole in like sort as Symcon did before ABout that time Thomas who had led a very austere life in Coelosyria came to Antioch for the reliefe which was yearely geuen thence vnto his monastery This Thomas had bene in
degenerateth from theyr noble linage For your fathers and auncestors beinge gouerned by Consuls and Emperours haue through obedience and noble prowesse brought the wholl vvorlde subiecte vnto them VVhat shoulde I bringe you in remembrance of Manlius Torquatus who executed his owne sonne although he had done many feates and noble actes for disobedience and rebellion For notable and worthy deedes are most commonly wrought by the vvise counsaill of politicke captaines and willinge obedience of souldiers But when either of these two fayleth the counsaill halteth the enterprise falleth vnto the ground hath ilfauored successe and no maruell at all specially when two thinges which shoulde be linked together are loosed and parted asunder Let there be no delay in you I craue it vpon my knees yeld vnto me foorthwith let a Bishop this once pleade preuaile betwene the Emperour and his armie let all the worlde vnderstande that in you there is no signe of rebellion but that you had good cause for a time to be displeased with your captaines which offended you If it so fall out that ye embrace not in time this wholsome counsail yet will I take vpon me the person of loue owed vnto the Empire of Rome and of friendeship and harty good wil borne vnto you and marke well what I haue to saye vnto you Doe ye see what endes tyrantes and rebells moste commonly haue Ponder I pray you with your selues howe ye can compasse suche thinges as ye goe about seeinge in my opinion it is vnpossible for you to continewe all together For howe can either the foules of the aer or fishe vvith other foode whiche the seae bringeth to land be transported vnto you vnlesse ye will shed the bloode of Christians in battaill and your selues be slaine to which is both a great shame and reproche And what I pray ye will become of you Verily you will be scattered here and there and constrayned to leade miserable liues Immediatly after vengeance will ensue so that ye shall neuer be pardoned VVherefore geue me your handes and let vs louingly consult together what shall be expedient for vs our selues for the profit of the commō weale specially seeing we haue the feaste of our Sauiours passion and of Christs most holy resurrection as it were in maner assisting and alluringe vs to reconciliation CAP. XII The souldiers after the oration of Gregorie Bishop of Antioch chaunged their mind and tooke againe Philippicus to their generall captaine WHen Gregorie had pronoūced his oration shed infinit tears all their minds vpon a sud daine were turned by diuine power inspiration in so muche they craued licence to depart out of the assembly seuerally for to deliberate with them selues what was best for thē to do This being done not long after they come againe saying they would yeeld vnto the Bishops sute and requeste And when Gregorie nominated Philippicus whome he was destrous they should craue to their captaine theyr answere was that both they and the wholl army had solemnly made an oth they would neuer doe that Then sayd he immediatly the Prieste hath power and authority to bind and to loose in heauen and in earth and rehearsed vnto them the sayinge of Christ in the Gospell When they replied that herein also they woulde yelde vnto him he fell a pacifienge of God with prayers and supplications He distributed vnto them the immaculate body of Christ it was vpon maundy thirsday the number of them was about a two thousand he entertayned them all that night made them couches in the greene grasse returned home the next daye after and decreed they shoulde assemble together where it pleased them Wherfore he sent for Philippicus who then abode at Tarsus in Cilicia that with all speede he should repaire to Constantinople He made the Emperour also priuey vnto these circumstances and layde downe in his letters the requestes and demaundes of the armye as concerninge Philippicus When Philippicus shortly after came to Antioch the souldiers mette him they entreated the Christians to be a meane vnto him for them and they fell at Philippicus feete He gaue them the righte hande tolde them all olde iniurye was forgotten and immediatly they followe him to warefare Thus was that broyle taken vp CAP. XIII The winninge of Martyropolis SIttas one of the Decurions of Martyropolis bearinge spite and hatred vnto one of the captaynes betrayed the citye and tooke opportunitye to worke this feate when the garison was absente Wherefore vnder colour of the Romaynes the Persians were broughte in and tooke the citye which lay wonderfull commodious for the Romaynes many women that were in the prime of theyr flourishing yeares they kepte within the citie all others a fewe seruantes onely excepted they droue out Immediatly vpon this Philippicus came thither and besieged the city And although he wanted necessaries for the siege yet he encountered with them with such thinges as he had He cast vp certaine ditches and ouerthrewe one of theyr turrets yet coulde not he take the citye because the Persians watched all nighte and repayred againe suche thinges as were battered to the grounde When the Romaynes made many an assaulte and had the repulse for the dartes were sore discharged at them from highe turrettes and they them selues without had more harme then they coulde worke vnto the enemye within they raysed theyr siege remoued a litle of and there pitched theyr campe takinge diligente heede onelye to this that no other Persians ioyned with them that were in the city Gregorie by the commaundemente of Mauricius the Emperour wente to the campe and perswaded with them to returne to besiege the citye But they coulde not preuaile because they wanted engines of warre for the winninge of cityes Therefore the armye was sente abroade to winter leauinge manye garrisons in the castells about least the Persians came on a sodayne and stepte into the city The next sommer followinge there was greate power gathered together and a sore battaill foughte with the Persians about Martyropolis And althoughe Philippicus had the vpper hande in that sielde and many of the Persians together with one of theyr captaines ouerthrowen yet there escaped to many of them into Martyropolis for that was one of theyr principall driftes to be sure of takinge that citye vpon them From that tyme the Romaynes despayred of winninge the citye by siege it was possible that mighte woulde ouercome it they wente a seauen furlonges of and buylt an other citye ouer againste it vpon the toppe of an hill well fortisied of it selfe there to inuente engines and to assaulte Martyropolis This they did in sommer but in winter they dissolued the armie CAP. XIIII Of captaine Comentiolus and the winninge of Ocbas COmentiolus borne in Thracia was sente into the Easte to be captaine of the armye in the rowme of Philippicus who thoughe he had prosperous successe agaynste the Persians yet had he bene ouerthrowen horse and all had not one of his garde
worlde there raigned after kinge Dauid Solomon ouer Israel ouer Iuda Roboam Abia Asa Iosaphat Ioram Ochozias Athalia Ioas Amasias Azarias Ioathan Achaz Ezechias Manasses Amon Iosias Ioachaz Ioacim Iechonias Sedechias vnder whome the captiuitie befell both citie and temple were destroyed the people led into Babylō Yet during the seuenty yeres of their captiuity there wanted not such as taught them such as prophecied vnto them of their deliuerance comforted them in their misery In the fift age of the worlde after the captiuitye the Israelites were gouerned by Zorobabel Resa Ioanna Iudas Iosephus Abner Semei Mattathias Aser Maath Nagid Arphaxad Agar Heli Masbot Naum Amos Sirach Mattathias Siloa Ioseph Arses Ianneus Hircanus Iudas Machabaeus Ionathas Simon Ionathas Iohannes Hircanus Aristobulus Alexander Hircanus Antigonus Aristobulus and Herode the Aliene in whose time Christe Iesus was borne in the fleshe These are the successions of Magistrates and Gouernours of all sortes as well of the vvicked to chastise as of the godly to cherishe whom God appointed to gouerne his people to vpholde the trueth to extoll vertue to roote out vice and to praise his holye name From Aaron vnto the byrth of Christ there were priests ordained to offer sacrifice vnto God to pray for the sinnes of the people and to preach the word of trueth Whose names as I reade in the Ecclesiasticall history of Nicephorus are these Aaron Eleazer phinees Eliezer Bochchi Ozi Heli Achitob Abimelech Abiathar Sadoc Achimaas Azarias Ioram Iodas Axioran Sadeus Phadaeus Iculus Ioathā Vrias Neri Ioas Selam Helchias Sareas Iosedech Iesus Ioachim Eliasib Ioachaz Ioannes Iaddaeus Onias Simō Eleazar Manasses Onias Simon Onias Iesus Onias Alcimus Onias the sonne of Onias Iudas Machabaeus Ionathas his brother Simon his brother Iohannes Hircanus Aristobulus Iannaeas Alexander Hircanus Antigonus Anaelus Aristobulus Anaelus Iesus and Simon in whose time Christe Iesus was borne From the byrth of Christe as it is to be seene in the Chronographie following vntill the destruction of Ierusalem vnder Titus there were these high priests Matthias Iosephus Ioazarus Eleazar Iesus sea Ananus otherwise Annas Ismael Eleazar Simon Caiphas Ionathas Theophilus Simon Ionathas Matthias Elioneus Ioseph Ananias Ionathas Ismael Iosephus Ananus Iesus Dannaeus Iesus the sonne of Gamaliel Matthias and Phanes in whose time the citie of Ierusalem was taken the temple set on fire and the high priests ceassed There were also from the beginning of the worlde vnto the birth of Christ prophets foreshewing as Dorotheus writeth the promises of God made vnto the fathers wherin he promised to blesse all nations in the seede of Abraham through the saluation that was to come by our Sauiour Iesus Christ Iosephus in his Iudaicall Antiquities writeth that Adam prophecied and foretolde his sonnes the worlde shoulde be twise destroyed first by water afterwardes with fire Iude in his Epistle speaketh of Enoch the seuenth from Adam that he prophecied sayinge beholde the Lorde shall come with thousands of Saincts to geue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all that are vngodly among them of all their vngodly deedes which they haue lewdly committed and of all their cruell speakinges whiche vngodly sinners haue spoken againste him Iacob prophecied that his posteritie shoulde be deliuered out of Aegypt of the comminge of Christ that the scepter should not depart from Iuda and a lawgeuer from betweene his feete vntill Siloh that is the Messias came Ioseph foretolde likewise the children of Israell of their deliuerance out of Aegypt sayinge I die and God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land vnto the lande which he sware vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob God will not faile but visite you and ye shall carie my bones hence Moses the great worshipper of the high God prophecied of the creation of the worlde and of suche thinges as were done vnto his time the space of two thousande yeares before he was borne againe of Christe he sayde as Peter hath alleadged him in the Actes of the Apostles A Prophete shall the Lorde your God rayse vp vnto you of your brethren lyke vnto me him shall ye heare in all thinges whatsoeuer he shall saye vnto you Samuel was both a iudge ouer Israel a priest and a prophet Dauid Solomon also is sayde to haue bene endued with the spirite of prophecie though Dorotheus be of the contrary opinion Both olde and late writers doe thinke no lesse then that he was a prophet Antoninus hath a tracte intitled De prophetijs Dauid Solomonis of the prophecies of Dauid and Solomon There prophecied moreouer as we finde in holy scripture Nathan Gad Ahias Asaph Idithum Addo Semeia Ioath Oded Azarias Hanani Iehu Iehaziel Eliezer Elias Zacharias Elissaeus Osee Abdias Michaeas Amos Esaias Ioel Ionas Sophonias Ieremie Hulda Naum Abacuk Ezechiel Daniel Baruch Vrias Aggaeus Zacharias Malachias and Iohn the Baptist Whose liues this autor hath briefely runne ouer These prophets in some places of holy scripture are termed Seers in some other places the men of God againe in other places the seruāts of the most high God In the time of King Acab Obadias the gouernour of his house one that feared God hid an hundred prophets in caues yet their names are not knowen of al the prophets generally Peter the Apostle writeth in this sort It is of the saluatiō of your soules that the prophets haue enquired and searched which prophecied of the grace that should come vnto you searching when or at what time the spirit of Christe which was in them shoulde signifie whiche spirit testified before the passions that shoulde happen vnto Christe and the glorie that shoulde followe after vnto which prophets it was also declared that not vnto them selues but vnto vs they shoulde minister the thinges which are now shewed vnto you of them Such was the goodnesse of God towardes mankinde that in times past as S. Paule saith he spake at sundry times and in diuers sorts vnto the fathers by prophets also by the ministery of Angells sent forth for their sakes which shal be heires of saluation In these later dayes being the sixt age of the worlde beginning at Christ and continewinge vnto the day of iudgement that is vnto the seuenth age and the Sabaoth of rest we haue had the twelue Apostles Peter Andrevve Iames Iohn Philip Bartholomevve Mathevve Thomas Iames the sonne of Alphaeus Iude Simon Matthias which was chosen in the rowme of Iudas the traitor Paule is also termed an Apostle and called to the function by our sauiour him selfe cryinge vnto him from heauen after his ascention VVe haue also the foure Euangelists Mathevve Marke Luke and Iohn VVe haue moreouer here layde downe by Dorotheus the catalogue of the seuentie disciples which our Sauiour ordained in the Gospell and appointed to goe by two and two into euerye citie and place where he him selfe shoulde come The first after Dorotheus is Iames the brother of the Lorde called
Ionas was in the whales bellie yet hauing escaped that daunger was he not without miserie Ieremie was persecuted oftentimes imprisoned very sore throwne into the deepe dungeon where he stoode in mire vnto the eares at length stoned to death in AEgypt Ezechiel was slaine at Babylon by the Duke of the people Daniel was throwne among the hungrie Lions yet God preserued him The three children were throwne into the firie fornace but the fire did them no harme Baruch was faine to flie away to saue his life from king Ioachas handes The Prophet Vrias was slaine with the sworde by king Ioacim Iohn the Baptist was beheaded of Herode the Tetrarche Steuen was stoned to death Iames was beheaded by Herode Agrippa Peter was crucified at Rome vnder Nero with his heade downewardes Paule was likewise beheaded at Rome vnder Nero. Andrevv was crucified by AEgeas king of Edessa at Pataras a Citie in Achaia Iames Alphaeus that was Bishop of Ierusalem was throwne downe from an high and brained with a fullers clubbe Thomas was slaine at Calamina a Citie in India the Painims ranne him through with a dart the which some doe call a speare or iauelin Philip was crucified at Hierapolis in Asia Bartolomevv was flaine aliue in India his skinne pulled ouer his eares and after all beheaded Mathevv vvas runne through vvith a naked sworde in AEthiopia Simon was crucified Iude vvas slaine Iohn was scurged and often persecuted it is saide that Domitian the Emperour caused him to be throwne into a tunne of hotte skalding oyle yet tooke no harme Matthias was knockt on the heade with an axe and immediatly beheaded Marke the Euangelist had a rope tied about his necke and by that dravvne throughe the strete of Alexandria that his flesh vvas rent in peces the stones coloured with blud and in the ende he vvas burned to ashes Barnabas had a rope about his necke and there vvith pulled to the stake and burned This is to beare the crosse of our Sauiour this is to drinke of one cuppe vvith Christ this is it which S. Paule sayth Whosoeuer liueth godly in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution for through many tribulations vve haue to enter into the kingdome of heauen This present treatise of Dorotheus hath moued me thus to vvryte and the matter it selfe is so copious that I can hardly holde my penne yet I hope the reading of these briefe stories vvil not seeme tedious vnto any As for the liues following I would haue thee gentle reader to know that where Dorotheus seemed vnperfect and to haue ouerskipped certen liues worthie the noting and the knowledge of the posteritie I haue either borowed the same of some other auncient vvryter or gathered it my selfe out of holy scripture This is the marke to discerne the one from the other Where anyone life is altogether of Romaine letters the same is none of Dorotheus If thou thinkest I haue done vvell geue the praise to God if in thine opinion it seeme othervvise suspende thy sentence and be not singuler in reprehending that vvhich peraduenture after aduisement taken may frendly be interpreted Farevvell DOROTHEVS OF THE PROPHETS APOSTLES AND SEVENTIE DISCIPLES Samuell SAMVEL was both a Prophet a Priest and a iudge ouer Israel He liued in the dayes of Heli Saule and Dauid His father was called Elkana his mother Henna she was of a long time barren and praying vnto God made a vowe that if she bare a man childe she woulde dedicate him to the Lord all the dayes of his life She conceaued bare a sonne and called his name Samuel who being a childe was girded with a linnen Ephod and ministred vnto the Lord. All Israel knew him for the true Prophet of God he rebuked the sinnes of the people he exhorted them to turne vnto the Lord he tolde Heli the high Priest that God would plague his house VVhen the people cried vnto him for a king he vsed all meanes to perswade them to the contrary and seeing they would not be answered he tooke Saul and anoynted him king to raigne ouer them This Saul was a wicked king and because of his impietie the Lord sent Samuel vnto him for to tell him that his raigne should not last long but Samuel was sorowfull and mourned so long ouer Saul vntill the Lord was angrie with him for it Afterwardes God sent him to anoynt Dauid king ouer Israel In the ende this Samuel waxed olde and died in the time of Dauid king of Israel and was buried at Rama Nathan NAthan was of Gabaon in the time of king Dauids raigne He instructed this king in the law of the Lord and foresaw that Dauid would offend with Beersabea when he made speede to admonish the king Belial staid him for as he went he found by the way a dead horse all bare and because of that continewed there a while This Nathan died and was buried in Gabaon his owne land Epiphanius Bishop of Cyprus who liued Anno Dom. 401. wryteth thus of Nathan THe Prophet Nathan of the house of Thock born in Gabath a Citie of Galilee liued in the time of Dauid and taught him the lawe of the Lord. he foresaw that Dauid was too farre in loue with Bersabea and therfore immediatly left Gabath and gotte him towardes Ierusalem for to staie the king from committing so hainous an offence And beholde Beliar stopt him for when he found him dead and lying all bare on the high way he stayed as long as he was a buryinge of him leste the carkasse of man shoulde vnreuerently be torne in peeces of brute beasts and rauenously deuoured In the same night vnderstoode Nathan that Dauid had committed that horrible offence wherefore he mourned out of measure and went backe againe to Gabath with great lamentation VVhen Vrias the husbād of Bersabea was slaine by the procurement of Dauid the Lord sent Nathan vnto him that he should rebuke him sharply for his offence Then at length Dauid remembring him selfe was astonied and trembled for feare of the Lord because he perceaued plainly that the Lorde was highly displeased with him for his adulterie Dauid knew moreouer that the Prophet Nathan was inspired with the holy Ghost he honoured the man and reuerenced his person as the true messenger of God This Nathan became olde and died and was buried at Gabath his owne land Gad. THe Prophet Gad liued in the dayes of king Dauid and told him what he should doe when he fledde from the face of Saul After Dauid had numbred the people he brought a message vnto him from the Lord and badde him chuse of three plagues VVhether he would haue seuen yeres hunger or flee before the ennemie three moneths or endure three dayes pestilence Ahias THis Ahias was of Silon where the tabernacle out of the Citie of Heli was He died was buried nighe the Oke in Silon He is called also Adonias Epiphanius wryteth thus of Ahias AHias the Selonite born in Selom of the tribe of Iuda
king of Iuda After that Iosaphat ioyned him selfe with Ahazia king of Israel whose minde was to doe wickedly and together with him to prouide a Nauie to saile into Tarsis Eliezer prophecied against Iosaphat saying because thou hast ioyned thy selfe with Ahazia the Lord hath broken thy workes And the shippes were broken that they were not able to go to Tarsis Elias THis Elias was the first man y t shewed men the way to heauen he was the first man y t shewed the way to be one for men angels He dwelling somtimes vpoÌ„ earth entred also into the heauens being mortal herein the world had his conuersatioÌ„ with immortal creatures he which walked vpon earth liueth now like a spirit with the angels in heauen this is he y â— gaue his spirit to rest duble vpon his disciple Elisseus this is he though he continue a man yet waxeth he not old this is he that is reserued for a captaine of war against Antichrist this is he that will withstand him and rebuke his pride falshood this is he that in the end of the world wil turne al men from his lying deceit vnto God this is he y t receaued the gift of God to be the forerunner of the second glorious comming of the Lord. although his seruice was among the basest sort yet is he now in company with the angels he was a Thesbit of Arrhabia of the tribe of Aaron his dwelling was in Galaad for Thesbis was an habitation dedicated vnto priests afore his mother was deliuered of him his father saw in a vision the angels saluting of him all in white wrapping him with flames of fire as it were swathing bandes and nourishing him with fire as it had bene vsuall foode or pappe To Ierusalem he went and tolde his vision aunswer was made he should not feare his dreame at all for it would come to passe that â–ª the childe his wife was great of should dwell in great light that what so euer he sayd should be of great force and that he should iudge Israel with sword and fire Zacharie the sonne of Iehoida ZAcharie the sonne of Iehoida Prophecied in the time of Ioas king of Iuda when the tribe of Iuda serued groues and Idolles the wrathe of God came vpon them for their trespasses He sent Prophets vnto them to bring them againe vnto the Lord but they would not heare The spirite of God came vpon Zacharia the sonne of Iehoida the Priest and he sayde vnto them Thus sayeth God why transgresse ye the commaundemeÌ„ts of the Lord that ye can not prosper because ye haue forsaken the Lord he hath also forsaken you and they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the commaundement of the king euen in the court of the house of the Lord. Elissaeus ELissaeus was of Abelbuel the lande of Rubim And because of him there came a straunge thing to passe What time he was borne in Gargalis the golden cowe in Selom bellowed so lowd y â— she was heard at IerusaleÌ„ Herevpon a certen Prophet said there is borne in Ierusalem a prophet which shall ouerthrow their carued Images molten Idols He died and was buried in Samaria Osee OSee the Prophet spake by diuine inspiration of our Lord Christ in this sort In theyr aduersitie they shall early seeke me saying Come let vs turne againe vnto the Lorde for he hathe smitten vs and he shall heale vs he hath wounded vs and he shall binde vs vp againe After two dayes shall he quicken vs in the thirde day he shall raise vs vp and then shall we haue vnderstanding c. It was by occasion of this Prophecie that S. Paule sayd to the Corinthians I haue deliuered vnto you first of all that which receaued howe that Christ died for our sinnes agreeing to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose againe according vnto the Scriptures For this it is that the Prophet sayth here and the third day he shall raise vs vp there can no more be founde in any other place of the thirde day throughout the olde Testament Againe this Prophet wryteth that which may be applied vnto our Lord Christ my flesh is of theÌ„ â–ª Againe Ephraim compassed me about with lies and the house of Israel with deceite but Iude yet ruleth with God and is faithfull with the sainctes Because the Lord Christ is sayde to haue come of this tribe therefore sayeth he that this tribe of Iuda is faithfull with the sainctes Againe in the same Prophet I will redeme them from the power of the graue and deliuer them from death ô death where is thy victorie ô hell where is thy sting S. Paul reasoning of the resurrection alleaged this Prophecie This Osee was of Belemoth of the tribe of Isachar and was buried in peace in his owne countrey Abdias THe grace of God gaue vnto this Prophet power and knowledge to speake of the mysterie of Christ for thus he sayeth The day of the Lord is neere vpon all the Heathen This Prophecie seemeth as if it had bene spoken against the Scythians that is against Gog and Magog yet is it more certen and more properly applied to the Lord Christ a litle after he sayeth Vpon mount Sion there shal be deliueraunce This Abdias was of Sychem and the towne Bethacharam he was the disciple of Elias and hauing endured great vexation for his sake yet was he preserued He was the thirde of the fiftie sonnes of the prophets whom Elias pardoned He went vnto Ochoâ—â—as and afterwardes left his kings seruice and gaue him selfe to the gift of Prophecie He dyed and was buried with his fathers Micheas MIcheas was also endued from aboue that he Prophecied of the coming of our Lord Christ in this sorte And thou Bethlem Ephrata art not the lest among the thousandes of Iuda Out of thee shall he come forth vnto me which shal be the gouernour in Israel whose outgoing hathe ben from the beginning and from euerlasting This was the Prophecie which the high priests scribes of the Iewes brought forth when as after Herode had demaunded of them where Christ should be borne they said In Bethlehem Herevpon Herode sent the wise men into Bethlehem Againe sayth the Prophet He shall turne againe and be mercifull vnto vs he shall put downe our wickednesses cast all our sinnes into the bottom of the sea He wil perform to Iacob the truth and mercy to Abraham as he swore vnto our fathers in old time This Micheas was of Marathi â–ª of the tribe of Ephraim and after he had much ado with Achab Ioram his sonne threw him downe for to breake his necke because he had rebuked him for the sinnes of his fathers He was buried in his owne land in the common buriall in Ephraim Amos. AMos was the father of the prophet Esay God gaue him of his spirite to prophecie of Christes comming in this sort For beholde
cap. 1. writeth that there was one Zacharias the sonne of Baris wrongfully slaine in the temple by Zelotae it is lyke it was he whome Christ did meane Herode slewe his wife his children his neerest kinsfolkes and most familiar friends Euse lib. 1. cap. 9. IOSEPHVS the sonne of Ellimus in the tyme of this Mathias executed the office of Highpriesthoode for one daye no more The cause was that Mathias the Highpriest dreamed the nyght before that he had the company of a woman therefore the day folowing he could not playe the Highpriest Ioseph antiq lib. 17. cap. 8. The Essaeans celebrate festiuall dayes not after the Iewes but seuerallye at seuerall tymes They thinke them selues purer then other people Epiphan de haeresib The Essaeans sayeth Iosephus Antiquit. lib. 15. cap. 13. exercise the like trade of life as Pythaeâ—oras deliuered amonge the Grecians â–ª Agaynâ— lib. 13. cap. 8. they affirme all things to 〈◊〉 gouerned by destinie They marie no wiuâ—â— they thinke bell Iud. lib. 2. cap. 7. that no woman will keepe her selfe to one man they haue nothing proper but all comon They are in number aboue 4. thousand Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 2. The acts of Christ the yeares of his incarnation The raygne of the Emperours The famous men and fauourers of the trueth The Kings of Iudaea The Hyghpriests of the Ievves in Ierusalem The councells some times of the vvicked as of the Pharises hereticks â–ª some times of the godly aâ— of the Apostles Apostolike men Sects and heretickes as vvell among the Ievves as aftervvards among the Christians  Augustus Caesar during his raygne after the byrth of Christ sent these manie presidents to Iudaea 1. Cyrenius 2. Copinius 3. Marâ—us 4. Annius Ruffus Iosep Antiq lib. 18 cap. 3. 4. ELIZABETH the wife of Zacharie the mother of Iohn Baptist vttered a piece of the Hayle Marie the angel Gabriel the rest  â—OAZARVS the sonne of Boethus is chosen high-priest by Herode after that the sayd Herode had deposed also Mathias for suspicion of conspiracie Ioseph antiq lib. 17. cap. 8.  There is a seconde sorte of Essaeans sayeth Iosephus bell Iud. lib. 2. cap. 7. which agree with the other in all thinges mariage onely excepted They commende maryadge for the maintenance of successioÌ„ their maner is for three yeares space to behold the health behauior of maydens then if they see them healthie fit for procreation they marie them   IOSEPH a carpenteâ— to whome Marie was betrothed â—uc 1. MARIE the mother of Christ the author of Magnificat    The Galilaeans as I suppose were they of whome certayne had shewed vnto Christ Iuc 13. that Pilate had myngled theyr bloode with their owne sacrifices VVherevpoÌ„ Ambros in Luc. noteth their sacrifice to haue bene abhominable Euse Ecclesiast hist lib. 1. cap. 6. mentioneth the hereâ—ie of the Galilaeans out of Iosephus to haue spronge vp of one Iudas Galilaeus in the tyme of Augustus when Cyrenius was president of Iudaea and vnder the sayd Emperour of an other called Simon Galilaeus vnder Copinius the Presidont They exhorted the Iewes to a lawlesse and carnall libertie affirminge that taxe and tribute was nothinge else but slauishe seruitude They misliked moreouer with the Iewes that they suffred mortall men vnder God to raigne ouer them Of the same opinion were the Galilaeans in the tyme of Pilate vnder the Emperour Tiberius VVherefore Iudas as Iosephus wryteth was hanged together with his complices Simon came to naught and Pilate rewarded them vnder him as rebells deserued Antiquit. lib. 20. cap. 5. Bell. Iud. lib. 2. cap. 7. Luc. 13. Diâ— 8. Christ was the 8. daye after his birth circumcisâ—d Luc. 2.  THE VVISH men came 12. dayes after offred their giftes Iohn Huss Anton. part 1. tit 5. cap. 1. paragr 3. Epiphan lib. 1. tom 1. lib. 2. tom 1. haeres 51. sayeth that it was the second yeare after Christs birth wheÌ„ the wise meÌ„ came the whiche I see not howe it can stande    The Hemerobaptists were Iewes in all poynts they affirmed that it was vnpossible for any man to attayne vnto euerlastinge lyfe vnlesse he were euery day purified and baptized Epiphan Praeâ—ac lib. 1. de haeres Diâ— 13. Christ was presented in the temple 33. dayes after â—hat is the 〈◊〉 â—aye after his â—irth â–ª for that â—as the tyme â—f his moâ—…rs 〈◊〉 Leuit. 12. 〈…〉 2. Anton. 〈…〉 part 1.  SIMEON a man that feared God tooke the babe Iesus in his armes when he came to the temple to be presented song 〈◊〉 Luc. 2.   A COVNCELL of the chiefe pâ—iests Scribes was gathered together by Herodâ— to fifte out of the lawe prophets where Christ shoulde be borne which made aunsvvere that he shoulde be borne in Bethlem Iuda Mat. 2. The Samaritans as Iosephus Antiq. lib. 11. cap. vlt. denie the Iewes in aduersitie in prosperitie they cal theÌ„ cosins deriuinge ther pedegries from Ioseph Ephraim Manasses c. they onely receaue the 5. bookes of Moses denyinge all the prophecies after him they retayne all the Iewishâ— ceremonies except the abhorring of the gentiles They deny moreouer the resurrection of the deade Epiphan praeâ—ac lib. 1. de haeres Anno. 3. Christ was caried into Aegypt the 3 yeare after his birth Epiphan coÌ„tra haeres lib. 2. tom 1. haeres 51. Anno. 44. of the raigne of Augustus Euseb chron ANNA a prophetesse being a widowe of many yeareâ— continually geuen to fasting and praying in the Temple at that instant praysed God and spake of Iesus Luc. 2. Herode commandeth the infants to be slainâ— lib. 1. cap. 9. Anno. Christi 3.   The Saduces calling them selues after the etymologie of they re name iuste men affirmed as Iosephus writeth lib. 2. bell Iud. cap. 7. that man had free will that it lay in man to do good or badd Mat. 22. Luc. Act. 23. sayâ— that they denyed the resurrection affirming there was neyther Angell neither spirite    Herode when he had raigned 37 yeares ouer the Iewes dieth miserably Euseb lib. 1. cap. 9. Ioseph Antiq lib. 17. cap. 10. Euseb chronic ELEAZAR was appointed hyghpriest by Archelaus after that this Archelaus had deposed Ioazar for suspition of conspiracie Ioseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 19.  The Pharises according vnto the etymologie of theyr name were a sect deuided froÌ„ the rest of the people Theophilac in Luc. cap. 11. likeneth theÌ„ to the Monkes of his tyme. Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 2. saith they maintayned fatall destinie Christ â—aried in Aegypt 2. yeares Epip lib. 1. tom 1.   ARCHELAVS king of the Iewes succeeded his father Herodâ— Euse li. 1. cap. 10. Euseb chronic â–ª IESVS the sonne of Sea succeedeth Eleazar Ioseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 19.  Our sauiour telleth vs in the Gospell Luc. 11. that they were wholly set vpon outward â—eÌ„singe they washed the vtter
side of the cupp they bragged of their almes they fasted twise a weeke they washed their hands when they come from the market before meate they â—yâ—hed mynte reâ—… their attyre was supâ—â—stitious they wore â—â—â—â—acteries Luc. 11. Mâ—â—â— â–ª 7. Epiphan praeâ—ac lib â–ª 1. de haeres Anno. 6. Christ the 6. yeare after his byrth came out of Aegipt Ioseph hearing that Archelaus did raygne in his steede feared to go to Israel and went to Galile Matt. 2. Anno 47. Augusti Euse chronic  Archelaus afterwardes is deposed by Augustus Caesar and appointed ruler ouer certain prouinces as Idumaea Iudaea and Samaria Euseb lib 1. cap. 10. Ioseph Antiqu. lib. 17. cap. 17. ANANVS otherwise called Annas was appointed hygh priest by Cyrenius that was sent by Augustus into Iudaea after the exile of Archelaus this Cyrenius first deposed Eleazar and substituted Annas Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 3. belike Eleazar was afterwards admitted and the 2. time deposed  The Scribâ—â— were thâ— doctors of the lawâ— â–ª foolishe superstitious glossers mayntayners of blind customes contrary to the trueth â–ª Epiphan de haeres Anno. 12. Christ being 12. yeare old went vp with his parents to Ierusalem at the feast of the Passouer was found disputing among the doctors Luc. 2.   Archelaus last of all is banished by Augustus as Euseb in chronic the 9. yeare of his raigne but as Ioseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 19. writeth the 10. yeare into Vienna a citie of Fraunce ISMAEL the sonne of Baphus is placed high-priest and Annas deposed by Valerius Graâ—us who was seÌ„t from Caesar into Iudaea Euseb lib. 1. cap. 11. There vvas a councell of priests gathered together at Ierusalem a litle before Christ reuealed him selfe to chuse a Prieste in the rovvme of one that vvas deseased Looke hovv many letters there are in the Hebrevv tongue so many priestes there vvere in the teÌ„ple to vvere 22. the maner vvas to register in a certaine boke reserued in the temple the day of the election the name of the elected the name of his father of his mother of his tribe whilest that they thought some on one maÌ„ some on an other there stepped forth a priest one of the multitude sayd My vvill is that IESVS the sonne of Ioseph the carpeÌ„ter be elected priest vvho though he be yoÌ„g in yers yet passeth he in vtteraÌ„ce vvisdome maners I thinke truely there vvas neuer seene in Ierusalem such a one both for eloquence life maners the vvhiche I am sure all that inhabit Ierusalem do knovve as vvell as I. The vvhich vvas no soner spoken but vvas allovved of the partie I meane Iesus chosen to be a prieste They doubt of his tribe agayne they vvere therein resolued They call for his parentes to register theyr names The priest that fauored Iesus made ansvver that Ioseph his father vvas deade yet Marie his mother vvas alyue She vvas brought before them she affirmed that she vvas his mother that Iesus vvas her sonne but she sayde moreouer that he had no father on earth that she vvas a virgine that the holy Ghost had ouershadovved her They sent for the midvviues also for such as had ben present at the birth She vvas founde to be a virgine in the end they concluded vvith one voyce that he shoulde be registred Iesus the soÌ„ne of God of Marie the virgine VVe remeÌ„ber moreouer Iosephus to haue said that Iesus sacrificed in the temple together vvith the priests Heerevpon also it fel out that as Iesus entred into the synagogue of the Ievves the boke vvas deliuered vnto him vvhere he read of the prophet Esai vvhereby vve gather that if Iesus had not bene priest amoÌ„g the Iewes â–ª the booke vvoulde not haue bene deliuered vnto him Neither is it permitted amongest vs Christians for any to reade holye scripture in the opeÌ„ assemblie vnlesse he be of the cleargie So farre Suidas as he learned of a Ievve  Anno. Christi 15. Anno. 56. August Euseb cronic TIBERIVS succeeded Augustus Caesar in the empire of Rome VALERIVS GRATVS was sent from Tiberius into Iudaea there to be president and after him Pilate Iosep Anti. li. 18. ca. 4. Euseb lib. 1. cap. 10.  Herode the Tetrarch king of the Iewes succeedeth Archelaus Herode heard of the â—ame of Iesu yet beleeued he not in him Math 14.       Herode maried Herodias the wife of his brother Philip his brother being aliue Iohn Baptist reprehended him for it whiche cost him his heade Math. 14.    Anno. Do. 30. Christ was baptized the 30 â–ª yeare of his age the 15. of Tiberius the emperour the 4. of the procuratorship of Pontius Pâ—â—ate Herode being Tetrarch of Galilee Philip tetrarch of Iâ—uâ—aea Lysanias tetrarch of Abâ—â—ene Iuc 3. Euseb lib. 1. cap. 11. Anno. 15. Tâ—berij About this time Iohn the Baptist preached in the wildernes of Iudaea he pointed at châ—â—st with the â—inger he baptised Christ in Iordan he reprehended Herod for marying his brothers wife he is beheaded in pâ—â—son by the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t of Herode Math. 3. Iohn 1. Math. 14. Iosephus geueth of â—â—m a notable report Euseb lib. 1. cap. 12. Herod had to wife the daughter of Aretas king of Arabia the which he dimissed and maried Herodias for which cause Herode Aretas warred on against the other in the which battell Herodes host was vtterlye â—oyled as it was thought for a plague for beheadinge Iohn Baptist Euseb lib. 1. cap. 12. out of Iosephus ELEAZAR the sonne of Annas not long after was placed by the same Graâ—us and Ismael remoued Euseb lib. 1. cap. 11.  The Gorthaeans were â—ects celebrating theyr festiuall dayes at other tymes then the Iewes did Epiph. praeâ—ac lib. 1. de haeresib  VITâ—LLIVS the procurator of Syâ—â—a is sent from Tiberius to aâ—d Herode against Aretas Ioseph Antiq â–ª lib. 19. cap. 7. 8   SIMON the sonne of Camithus the yeare after was placed and Eleazar deposed by the same Gratus Euseb lib. 1. cap. 11.  The Sebuaeans were in their ceremonies coÌ„trary to the Iewes and to the Gorthaeans Epip The Dosithaeans were such as in diuers ceremonies seuered themselues from the Iewes â–ª some of them woulde marrie yet liue continue virgins they fasted from al liuing creatures they began of Dosithaeus who shewing his folowers an example of fasting famished him self to death thereby proued him selfe a foole Epiphan lib. 1. tom 1. heres 13. The Ossaeans after the Etymologie of their name signifie impudeÌ„t persons they vsed other scriptures besides the lawe they reiected the greater part of the later Prophets Epipha praeâ—ac lib. de heres Christ being baptized in the first yeare of his preaching was led into the wildernes and hauing fasted 40. dayes 40. nights Mat. 4. was seene of Iohn who pointed at him with the â—inger and sayd beholde the Lambe of God the which when
prognosticatinge the destruction thereof thou maist see gentle reader in the Euangelists and in Euseb eccle hist li. 3. cap. 7. 8. alleadged partly out of the Gospell and partly also out of Iosephus a Iewe vvho vvas present at the vvarres all vvhich signes vvere in number many and in shevve most terrible and dreadfull yet the Ievves had not the grace to repent VVherefore the lamentable ouerthrovv the vtter ruyne the ransacking of the citie the burning of the temple the prophaning of the sacred scriptures the slaughter of the Priestes the dissention of the people the death of all the famine vvorse then death it selfe thou maist revve and reade vvith vvett cheekes and vvatrish eyes layde dovvne at large by Iosephus and Eusebius eccle hist lib. 3. cap. 5. 6. 7. 8. c. Novve therefore the teÌ„ple being spoyled and ouerthrovven their highpriestes ceased the contrey also being subdued ouerrunne their Kinges fayled as many Ievves as vvere left vvere dispersed Their vvickednesse no doubt hath deserued that from the passion of Christ vnto this day the name of a Ievve is become very odious        The Heretickes  Vespasian the Emperour after the ouerthrowe of Ierusalem commaunded that all suche as were of the lyne of Dauid should diligently be sought out He raygned 10. yeares and dyed of a laske in the 69. yeare of his age Euseb lib. 3. ca. 12. 13. Eutrop. lib. 7. Euseb chronic Dâ—ONYSIVS AREOPAGITA was by S. Paul placed bishop of AtheÌ„s There are extant sundry workes vnder his name but suspected not to be his and sundry epistles of the which one to Iohn the Euangeliste beinge in the Isle Patmos an other vnto Polycarpus he was martyred as Tritemius writeth Anno. Dom. 96. Act. 17. Euse lib. 3. cap. 4. lib. 4. cap. 22.  Cerinthus or Merinthus beinge a Iewe taught throughout Asia wicked doctrine he preached circumcision he taught that the prophetes and the lawe was geuen by Angells and that the worlde was made by them Cerinthus moreouer sayd that Iesus was not borne of a virgine which was impossible but of Marie Ioseph that Iesus was not Christ but that Christ came vpon him in the forme of a Doue that Iesus suffred rose againe but not Christ For Christ sayd he did flie away from him before his passion Epiph. haeres 28. Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 25. He dreamed that the kingdome oâ— Christ shoulde become earthly that after the resurrection Christ should raygne oueâ— vs heere on earth one thousand yeares Hâ— lusted after the satisfying of the bellie an 〈◊〉 the thinges vnder the belly with meate drinke mariage Iohn the Apostle is said to haue abhorred the presence of Cerinthus Euseb lib. 3. cap. 25. lib. 4. cap. 14. lib. 7. cap. 24. Epipha haeres 51. sayth that certaine heretickes called Alogoi affirmed Cerinthus to haue bene the autor of the reuelation Anno Domini Tâ—e raygne of the Emperours The Fathers of the Church The CouÌ„cells The bishops of Ierusalem The Bishops of Antioche The Bishops of Rome The Bishops of Alexandria The Heretickes 81. Titus the sonne of Vespasian succeded his father in the empire he raigned 2. yeares and 2. moneths died the 42. yeare of his age leauing his brother Domitian to succeed Euseb li. 3. cap. 13. in chro Europ lib. 7. IOSEPH of Arimathra together with his companions came into Englande and there preached Polydor. lib. 2.    3. Anacletus was b. of RoÌ„e after Linus in the 2. yeare of Titus the Emperour Anno Domi. 81. he continewed there 12. yeares Eu seb lib. 3. cap. 13. 14. 19. in chronic There be soÌ„e which next vnto Linus doe place Clemens so Cletus theÌ„ Anacletus some other before Clemens doe place Cletus but we following the auncieÌ„t wryters next vnto the Apostles to wete Irenaeus Euse bius Epiphanius do place theÌ„ thus Peter Linus Anacletus Clemens yet Epipha nius calleth this Anacletus Cletus  Menander a sorcerer and the disciple of Simon Magus a Samaritane sayde that he was the great power of God come downe from heauen that the worlde was made by Angels he called him selfe a Sauiour he sayd saluation was to be purchased by his baptisme that such as wer therewith baptized should neuer die no not in this worlde Euseb lib. 3. cap. 23 Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 21. Epiphan haeres 22. Saturninus of Antioch cal led also Saturnilius budded out of Menander and preached throughout Syria in maner the like doctrine as Menander did before him he sayd moreouer that mariage and procreation was of the deuill Ireneus lib. 1. cap. 22. Euse lib. 4. cap. 6. 83. Domitian the sonne of Vespasian succeded Titus he was the seconde after Nero which persecuted the ChristiaÌ„s he exiled ma ny noble per sonages in the ende he was slayne in his pallace and after his death ignominiously vsed wheÌ„ that he had raigned 15. yeares Euseb lib. 3. cap. 13. 15. 16. 17. 18 Eutrop lib. 7. IOHN the Euangehst preached in Asia he was banished into the Isle Patmos in the time of Domitian where he wrote his Reuelation In the first yeare of Nerua he returned from Patmos and dwelt agayne at Ephesus He ruled the churches of Asia after the death of Domitian Euse lib. 3. ca. 16. 18. Irenâ—us lib. 2. cap. 39. lib. 3. cap. 3. Of him is reported a notable historie in Euseb lib. 3. cap. 20. Iohn saw the three Gospells of the Euangelists published and allowed of them afterwards wrote his owne to the consutation of Cerinthus Menander Ebion the heretiks Euseb lib. 3. cap. 21. Abdias sayeth he was throwen into a tunne of hot scalding oyle yet toke no harme Ierome sayeth he dyed the 68. yeare after the passion of Christ. anno Dom. 99. Dorotheus sayeth he went aliue into his graue there dyed being 120. yeare olde    Clemens was b. of Rome af ter Anacletus in the 12. yea re of DomitiaÌ„ Anno Domini 93. he wrote from Rome a worthy epi stle vnto the Corinthians the which was vsed to be read in the church he was thought to haue translated the epistle vnto the Hebrewes froÌ„ hebrew in to the grek tongue there is fathered vpoÌ„ him an other epistle with certaine dialogues tou tching Peter and Ap pion he go uerned the church 9. yeares Euseb lib. 3. cap. 14. 19. 31. 33. Abilius was b. of Alexandria after Anianus in the 4. yeare of Domitian Euseb lib. 3. cap. 13. Basilides where of Basilidia ni agree in diuerse pointes with Simon Menander and Saturninus he blased thro oughout Aegypt that there were 365. heauens he sayd that Simon of Cyren suffered in steade of Christ and not Christ him selfe that Christ taking the forme of Simon laughed them to scorne Irenaeus lib. 1. cap. 23. Epiphan haeres 24. Basilides the heretick wrot 24. bookes vpon the Gospell he fayned vnto him selfe Prophets whome he called Barcabus Barcoph he taught that thinges
constrained to come to the councell helde at Tyrus where he was deposed Socrat. lib. 1. ca 20 Arius borne in Libya yet a prieste of Alexandria hearing Alexander the bishop entreatinge curiously of the trinitie thought verily that he maintayned the opinioÌ„ of Sabellius set him self agaynst the bishop and sayde that the sonne of God had a beginninge of esseÌ„ce that there was a time when he was not he sayde that God was not alwayes a Father that the sonne was not froÌ„ euerlasting but had his beginninge of nothinge Being called before the Emperour he woulde subscribe vnto the Nicene councell sweare toe His deceate was to carie in his bosome his hereticall opinion wrytteÌ„ in a peece of paper and when he came to the booke he woulde sweare that he thought as he had written meaning in his bosome His ende was lamentable for comming from the Emperoure after the oth he had taken with greate pompe throughe the streete of Constantinople he was taken with suddayne feare and withall he felt a laske immediatlye he asked of them where there was any house of office thither he weÌ„t voyded his gutts as manye as went by were wonte to poynte at the place with the finger and say In yonder iakes dyed Arius the heretick Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3. 25. Epiphan haeres 68. 69.  Alexander b. of Alexandria to Arius the heretick exhorting theÌ„ to vnitie â–ª wheÌ„ he was 60. 5. yeares old he dyed after that he had raigned 31 yeares Euseb li. 8. ca. 14. 15. 16. lib. 9. cap. 9 10. lib. 10. cap. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 2 4. 26. He differred his baptisme vnto his last end purposing fullye to haue it in Iordaine where Christ was baptized It was Eusebius b. of Nicomedia as Eusebius Ierom and Socrates doe write that baptised him for all the trauell that Cardinal pool tooke and the flattering glosses to proue the contrarye The donation that is fathered vpon him is but a meere fable in the iudgement of the best wryters Eusebius Pamphilus bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina wrote the ecclesiasticall historie froÌ„ the byrth of Christ vnto the raygne of ConstaÌ„tine the great he was at the councel of Nice wrote the Nicene creede seÌ„t it to Caesarea condeÌ„ned Arius with his own haÌ„de yet was he thoughte to be an Arian and to cleare him of the suspicion Socrates wrote an Apology in his behalfe whiche is to be seene in his history ConstaÌ„tine had hiÌ„ in greate reuerence Because of his familiaritye with Pamphilus the martyr he was called Eusebius Pamphilus he wrote many notable bookes died in the time of ConstaÌ„tine the yonger Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 1. 5. 18 lib. 2. cap. 3. 17. Ierom catalog Frumentius was made bishop by Athanasius and sent to conuert the Indians Socrat lib. 1. ca. 15. Eusebius Emisenus a godly bishop was a great clerke a profounde philosopher in the days of Constantine Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 18. lib. 2. cap. 6. There was at Rome in the time of Siluester a Councell of 277. bishops whiche ratified the Nicene couÌ„cell coÌ„demned Arius Photinus Sabellius tom 1. coÌ„cil In the time of CoÌ„stantine sayth Marianus Scotus Helen his mother writeth vnto him that he should renouÌ„ce Christ becom a Iewe. To trye the trueth HeleÌ„ brought with her 120. Iewes Constantine brought Siluester b. of Rome with 24. other bishops they disputed of Christ in the ende the Iewes were ouerthrowen to 1. concil  Eustathius was b. of Antioch after Philogonus he was at the councel of Nice But he fel into the heresie of Sabellius and was deposed in a councell held at Antioch Eusebius PaÌ„philus confuted him after his deposition the seae was voyde the space of 8. yeres Socrat. li. 1. cap. 9. 18. Marcus was b. of Rome after Siluester and coÌ„tinewed 8. moneths Ierom.   Alexander b. of Constantinople a godlye father sett him selfe against Arius he trusted not to the quirckes of logick but to the power of Christ helockt him self in the churche and prayd thus vnto God I besech thee o lord if the opinioÌ„ of Arius be true that I my selfe maye neuer see the ende of this disputatioÌ„ but if the faith which I holde be true that Arius may receau due punishmeÌ„t for his blas phemous opinion whiche in deede sell out as it is to be seen in Arius ende Alelexander was 118. yeare olde when he dyed Socrat lib. 1. cap 25. li. 2 cap. 4. Siluester called at Rome 284. bishops in the presence of CoÌ„stantine and Helena his mother where they layd downe canons for the gouernmeÌ„t of the clergie tom 1. coÌ„cil A councell held at Antioche deposed Eustathius b. of Antioche for maintaining the heresie of Sabellius Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 18. A councel held at Eliberis in Spayne in the time of CoÌ„staÌ„tine decreed that the vsurer should be excoÌ„municated that tapers shold not burne in the daye tyme in church yardes that women shoulde not frequent vigills that images should be banished the church that nothinge should be painted on the wall to be worshipped that euery one should coÌ„municate thrise in the yere tom 1. concil    They accused him at ConstaÌ„tinople be fore the Emperour that he should say he woulde stay the cariadge of corne froÌ„ AlexaÌ„dria to ConstaÌ„tinople for the which Constantinus magnus â—an ished him into Treuere a citie of FrauÌ„ce lib. 1. ca. 23. CoÌ„stantine the yonger called him home froÌ„ exile lib. 2. cap. 2. The councel of Antioche charged hiÌ„ that he tooke the bishoprike after his exile without the warrant of a councel they deposed him and chose Eusebius Emisenê° when he refused it they chose Gregorius an Arian who was brought thither with armed souldiers so that A thanaâ—ius fled away to saue his life afterwardes they misliked with him placed Georgius in his rowme whiche had a miserable end lib. 2. ca. 5. 6. 7. 8. 10. lib. 3. ca. 2. he weÌ„t to Iulius b. of Rome and came to enioy his bishopricke by vertue of his letters lib. 2. ca. 11. Againe the AriaÌ„s accused him to the emperor that he had taken the corne which the emperor gaue to the poore and sold it to his owne lucre so that he was faine the seconde time to slye vnto Iulius b. of Rome where he coÌ„tinewed one yeare six moneths vntil the couÌ„ cel of Sardice where he was restored to his bishoprick lib. 2. ca. 13. 16. but CoÌ„staÌ„tius beyng an Arian banished him againe so that Constans his brother threatned him with warres and coÌ„strayned him to doe it lib. 2. ca. 18. after the death of Constans Constantius exiled him againe lib. 2. cap. 21. After the death of Constantius he came to AlexaÌ„dria but he was fayne to flie in the time of lulian the Apostata li. 3 ca. 4. 12. He came hom in the time of Iouianus and fled away in the time of Valens the A rian he was b. six forty yeres
an Do. 351 coÌ„tinewed 17. yeres he was banished by Constantius the Arian emperour yet restored againe Socrat. li. 2. cap. 27. 29. Damasus in poÌ„tiâ— tom 1. concil Ierom. in chronic catalog eccl script in fortunatianoâ— Ant. chro part 2. tit 9. cap. 4. parag 5. do say that he yelded to the Arians subscribed vnto their here sie recouered his bishoprick again Antoninus sayth he exhorted others to coÌ„staÌ„cie but did not perseuere him selfe  Aëtius the mayster of Eunomius the hereticke was made deacoÌ„ by LeoÌ„tius the Arian b. of Antioch yet sayth Epiphanius by Georgius the Arian b. of Alexandria He was an Arian yet fell he from them because they receaued Arius into the communion after his fayned recantation He was counted a great logician and called anâ— A theiste for reuilingâ— the aunciente Fathers He was excommunicacated yet woulde hâ— seeme of his owne accord to leaue the church he taught that the substance of the father 〈…〉 the sonne were not like one the other Socrat. li â–ª 2. cap. 28. li. 3. cap. 8. Thâ— heretickes of this opinion were called Anâ—mâ—ioi Epiphan haeres 7 â–ª          Eunomius b. of Cyzâ— cum the scribe of Aâ—tius sayde that God hâ— no more knowledge tâ—… man He tearmed 〈…〉 the man of God and 〈…〉 baptized all that caâ—… to him in the name the vncreated god in 〈…〉 name of the sonne 〈◊〉 and in the name of the sanctifyinge spirite created of the created sonne Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 7. Theodor. lib. 2. cap. 29 Epiphan haeres 76. 355.  Didymus Alexandri nus a notable clerk was in his youthtime troubled with sore eyes became blind he left behind him many notable works Antony the monke came out of the desert into AlexaÌ„dria conforted him Socrat lib. 4. cap. 20. A councell helde at Antioche decreed that such as were present at seruice should communicate otherwise depart tom 1. concil A councell held at SirmiuÌ„ in the time of Constantius condeÌ„ned Photinus bishop of that seae which mayntayned the heresie of Sabellius and Paulus Samosatenus this councell was of Arians they scourged among them Osius b. of Corduba in Spayne made him subscribe vnto Arianisme Socrat. li. 2. cap. 24. 26. Hilarius Leontius an Arian succeeded Stephan he gelded him self to auoid the suspicion of a woman whose company he kept wherfore he was by Constantius made b. of Antioch Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 21. Felix was b. of Rome by the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of CoÌ„staÌ„tius the procuremeÌ„t of the Arians one yeare while Liberius was in exile he was an Arian as Socrates writeth lib. 2. cap. 29. IeroÌ„ in chroÌ„ and Ruff. lib. 1. cap. 22. yet Antoninus sayeth he was a godly man  Photinus b. of SirmiuÌ„ maintayned the heresie of Sabellius P. Samosatenus that Christ was not God before Marie bare him He sayde the word was at the beginiÌ„g with the father but not the sonne Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 24. Epiphan haeres 71    A generall councell was suÌ„moned to meete at Mediolanum where the East and west churches brauled about Athanasius and dissolued the councell agreeinge vpon nothing CoÌ„staÌ„tius seeing the countreyes were farre asunder coÌ„maunded the East churches to meete at Nico media in Bithynia and the west at Ariminum in Italic Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 29. The councell of Ariminum coÌ„demned the Arians Socra lib. 2. cap. 29.  Eudoxius b. of Germanicia in Syria crepte through wiles into the bishoprike of Antioch after the desease of Leontius but the couÌ„cell of godly bishops held at Seleuciadeposed him afterwards he gotte to be bishoppe of Constantinople Socrat lib. 2. ca 29. 32. 33.   Aërius an Arian hereticke coÌ„demned saith Augustine the prayer for the dead which Epiphanius doth call the comemoration for the dead He abhorred the prescribed fastingdayes he sayd that a bishoppe was no better then a priest conteÌ„ning therein the canoÌ„ of the church August lib. de haeres Epiphan haeres 75. 363.   A councell of Arian b. mett at Nice in Thracia where in steede of Nice in Bithynia they bleared the eyes of the godly with the sounde of the Nicene Creede Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 29. A councell was helde at Seleucia in Isauria where the Arians were condemned Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 31. Cyrillus who was aboue deposed recouered his bishop rick againe Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 35.    Lucifer b. of Sardinia fell from the church vpon a stomack he beleued saith Augustine that the soule came by transfusion to wit by pourâ—g out from the one into the other moreouer they say that the soule is of the flesh and the substance of the fleshe Socrat lib. 3. cap. 7. August de haeres Theodoreâ— lib. 3. cap. 5. 364.   A councell of 50. Arian bishops was called at Constantinople where they condemned the Nicene creede Eustathius b. of Sebastia in Armenia Cyrill b. of Ierusalem Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 32.  Anianus was by the councell of Seleu cia made b. of Antioch after they had deposed Eudoxiê° the Arian but the Arians exiled him immediatly Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 32.   Audaeus the heretick liued in Caelosyria in the time of Constantius as Ierom sayth in chroÌ„ He thought that God had the shape of man miscoÌ„struing the saying lette vs make man after our image c. Theodoret li. 4. cap. 10. These heretickes in the time of Chrysostome were called Anthropomorphits Donatus of whome the Donatists haue theyr original was in the time of CoÌ„stantius There was an other of the same name immediatly after he fell through coÌ„tention from the church at Carthage and taught through Aphricke that as manye as came vnto him were to be rebaptized that the sonne was inferior to the father the holy ghost inferior to the sonne IeroÌ„ chronic August lib. de haeres   A councell of Arians met at Antioch and confirmed the blasphemie â–ª of Arius They were called Anomoioi and Execoutioi Socrat lib. 2.  Meletius is chosen b. of Antioch after Eudoxius but CoÌ„stantius deposed him for maintayning the Nicene Creede agaynste the Arians â–ª Socrat lib. 2. ca. 34.   Apollinarius the father and the sonne of one name fell from the faith vpoÌ„ a stomacke at Laodicea in Syria they taught that Christ tooke a body but no soule againe seeinge that was absurde they sayde he had no resonable soule Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 36. Ruff lib. 1. cap. 20.      Euzoius the Arianwas by the Emperour made b. of Antioch after the deposition of Meletius Socrat lib. 2. ca. 34.   Dimeritae were hereticks of Apollinarius opinioÌ„ so called because they denyed the thirde part to wit the resonable soule in Christ Some of them sayde that his body was coessentiall with his diuinity some other of them denyed he had any soule at all some agayne of them sayd that he tooke no flesh
that from Theodosius to Martianus the Emperour Iuuenalis was b. of IerusaleÌ„ Domnus was b. of Antioche after Iohn Euagr. lib. 1. cap. 10. Sixtus the thirde was b. of Rome after Celestinus An. Dom. 435. and continewed 8. yeares Prosp chr One Bassus layd diuers crimes to his charge so that he called a councel purged him selfe tom 1. con cil Gennad catalog  An other hereticke sayde that the diuinitie of Christ sorowed when his naked body was nayled to the tree â–ª August         An other there was which sayd that God was of three parts the father the sonne and the holie ghost calling them all not absolute persons but parts of one August some heretiks said that the water was not made by God but was alwayes coëternall with hiÌ„ August   Theodoretus b. of Cyrus wrote about this time the Ecclesiastical history coÌ„prising a huÌ„dred and fiue years Sozomeâ—â—s wrot the Ecclesiastical history froÌ„ CoÌ„ staÌ„tinê° Magnê° vnto the raigne of Theodosius iunior Maximuâ— b. of Taurinum one that wrot many notable tractes liued about this time GeÌ„nad catalog A councell held at CarpeÌ„toracte decreed that the bishop shoulde not poule the parishes tom 1. concil     Some said that the bodye and not the soul was the image of God August Others sayde that the soules of wicked men were turned into deuells to euerye sorte of beastes correspondent to theyr merits August 443.   The 3. councell of Arelate decreed that no deacon shoulde be made before he were 25. yere olde no priest before 30. yeres tom 1. concil A prouinciall councell was held at Constátinople where Eutyches was condemned Euag lib. 1. cap. 9. An hereticall councell held at Ephesus where by the meanes of Dioscorus b. of Alexandria Eutyches the he reticke was restored Euag. lib. 1. cap. 10.  Maximus was b. of Antioche after Domnus he was at the couÌ„cell of ChalcedoÌ„ Euagr. lib. 2. cap. 4. Leo was b. of Rome after Sixtus Anno Dom. 443. where he coÌ„tinewed 21. yeares Prosp chr Palmer liuagr lib. 1. cap. 10. He died in the time of the Emperour Leo Maioranus GoÌ„nad catalog  Some sayde that when Christ wente to hell all the vnfaithfull beleued were deliuered August Other saye that Christ was alwayes with the father but not alwayes a soÌ„ne August 450. Martianus a ThraciaÌ„ sueceeded Theodosius iunior in the eastern Empire He was one that behaued him self vertuously towardes God and maÌ„ He raygned 7. yeares and then dyed Euag. li. 1. ca. 22. li. 2. ca. 1. 8 Gennadiuâ— a learned wryter the autor of the catalogue of famous men which is fouÌ„d among Ieromeâ— works sâ—oâ—â—shed aboute this time A councell of 630. bishops was helde at Chalcedon by the commaundement of Martianus where Dioscorus b. of Alexandria was deposed Nestorius Eutyches Macedonius coÌ„demned Euagr. lib. 2. cap. 2. 4. 10 Theodosius was by the idle monks made b. of Ierusalemin the absence of Iuuenalis but Martianus the Emperour deposed him restored the other Euag. lib. 2. cap. 5. lib. 3. cap. 6.   Dioscorus was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Cyrill he was of Nestorius opinion deposed by the councell of Constantinople he was also of Eutyches opinion and deposed by the couÌ„cell of Chalcedon Euagr. lib. 1. cap. 10 lib. 2. cap. 5. Proterius was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after the couÌ„cell had deposed Dioscorus he was a godly man yet a souldier ranne him through with a naked sworde vpon Easter day and the seditious persoÌ„s after his death burned him to ashes Euagr lib. 2. cap. 5. 8. Eutyches mayntayned the opinioÌ„s of Nestorius sayd that our Lord coÌ„sisted of 2. natures before the diuinity was coopled with the humanitie but after the vnitinge of theÌ„ to be of one nature that the body of Christ was not of one substaÌ„ce with ours the couÌ„cell of Constantinople deposed him but he appealed vnto Theodosius procured the couÌ„cell of Ephesus to be suÌ„moned where Dioscorus the hereticke restored him Euagr. lib. 1. cap. 9. This Eutyches being coÌ„deÌ„ned in the councell of ChalcedoÌ„ brake out into these words this is the faith that I was baptized in this is the fayth which I haue learned of the fathers in this faith will I die tom 2. concil Dioscorus b. of Alexandria was an Euâ—ychian Euagr.  Maximus in his time was Emperour of Rome after Valentinianus death 70. dayes but GeÌ„zerichus kiÌ„g of the VaÌ„dals tooke Rome tore Maximus in pecces threw his car â—â—asse into tibris and weÌ„t backe to Car thage Auitus was Emperoure after Maxiâ—â—â— 8. moneths Iohannes Damascenus a learned writer wrote against the Arians Pantal. A councell held at Venice about this time decred that no clergye men should waÌ„der from one diocesse to an other without dimissarie letters that they shoulde not be at weddinge diners daunces hering of wantonsonnets that throughout the same prouince they obserue one maner of diuine seruice tom 2. concil A councell was called at Tours in Fraunce for the reformatioÌ„ of Ecclesiasticall matters tom 2. concil  Martyrius b. of Antioch Nicephor Theodoreâ— collect  Timotheus AElurus a moÌ„ke was by the seditious persoÌ„s made b. of Alexandria whyle Proteriuâ— lyued he was of Apollinâ—rius opinion immediately deposed by Leo. Euag. lib. 2. cap. 8. 11. he weÌ„t about the monkes lodginges in the nyght time cryed like a spirite that they should chose Timotheus AElurus to their bishop meaning him selfe Theod. collect Timotheus an hereticall bishop  Maioranus was Emperour of Rom in the end of Martianus the begining of Leo where he raygned 4 yeres But Seuerus dispatched him tooke his rowme himselfe Euag. li. 2. cap. 7. Palmer chronic Anatolius b. of Constantinople florished in the dayes of Leo. Euagr.   Iulianus b. of Antioch Nicephor Theodoreâ— collect  Timotheus Basilicus otherwise called Salofaciolus was b. of Alexandria after the exile of his predecessor Euag lib. 2. cap 11. but he was banished not longe after  458. Leo was Emperour in the East after Martianus He wrote vnto Anatolius b. of Constantinople for to examine the sturre risen at Alexandria about the murthering of Proterius the election of Timotheus He gouerned 17. yeres deposed himself placinge in his rowme Leo the sonne of his daughter Ariadne and of Zeno but this yonger Leo dyed immediatly Zeno his father ruled the empire alone Eua. lib. 2. cap. 8. 9. 17. Paulinus b. of Nola in Italie was of greate fame about this time he gaue all his substance to redeeme captiues and poore prisoners Palmer chronic A councell held at Rome in the time of Hilarius confirmed the Nicene Creede that such as had Canonicall impediments were not to be made priestes tom 2. concil   Hilarius was b. of Rome after Leo an Dom. 464. continewed 6. yeares Palm chro Anton. chro  Acephali were a confuse multitude of heretickes
Antioche after Peter Euagr. li. 3. cap. 23. Gelasius was b. of Rome after Felix Anno Do. 494. where he continewed 4. yeres â—om 2. concill Athanasius succeeded Peter in the bishopricke of Alexandria Euagr. lib â–ª 3. cap. 23. The monkes of ConstaÌ„tinople were hereticks of Eutyches opinion Euagr. lib. 3. cap. 31. Certaine Manâ—ches were fouÌ„deâ— at Rome in the time of Gelasiuâ— they were banished theyâ— bookes burned to asses Palmeâ— chron   Boëtius a christian philosopher endured greate perse â–ª cution vnder Theodoricus the Arian Volat. A synod mett at Epaunis and decreed that no clergy maÌ„ shold either hunt or hauke that throughout the prouince suche diuine seruice as the Metropolitane liked of should be retained tom 2. coÌ„c  Flauianus was b. of Antioche after Palladius but Anastasius the Emperour deposed him for sedition Euagr. lib. 3. cap. 23. 30. 31. Anastasius 2. was b. of Rome after Gelasius 2. yeares rom 2. coÌ„c  The monkes oâ— Syria were heretickes camâ— in a heate to Antioch madâ— there an insurrection so thaâ— a great numbeâ— of them in steâ—â— of earth were buryed in thâ— riuer Oronteâ— Euag. li. 3. ca. 3â— some do write of him that he shoulde commaunde not a Trinitie but a quaternitie to be worshipped and therefore was â—â—itten with a thunderbolt and so dyed P. dâ—â—c blond Remigius a bishop of Fraunce florished about this time Volat A couÌ„cell held at Râ—uenna in preseÌ„ce of Theo doricus debated the schisme that iose aboute the election of a b. of Rome and choâ—e Symaâ—hus Palmer chron Six synods wer helde at Rome in the tyme of Symaâ—hus toutchinge the election of a b. oâ— Rome and the preseruation of church goodes tom 2. concil Helias was b. of Ierusalem after Salustius Euag. lib. 4. cap. 36. Seuerâ— was b. of Antioche after the deposition of Flauianus before he was prieste he was a counceller pleaded law at Berytus after he was made Byshop he fel into the he resie of Eutyches Eua. lib. 3. ca. 33 34. Symachus was b. of Rome after Anastasius 15. yeres tom 2. concil Iohn succeeded Athanasius Euagr. lib. 3. cap. 23. Olympus an Arian bishop as he bayned him selfe at Carthage and blasphemed the blessed trinitie was sodainly smitten from heauen with three firye dartes and burned quick Palmer chronic 519. Iustinus a thracâ—aÌ„ succeeded Anastasius he fauored the couÌ„cell of Chalcedon He dispatched through wilâ—s a greate number of tyrants whome he suspected WheÌ„ he had â—aygned 8. yeres 9. moneths and three dayes he proclaimed Iustinianus his felowe Empeâ—our raygned with him four moneths then dyed Vuagr li. 4. cap. 1. 23. 9. Zosimas Iohn Chuzubites wer famous for their godly lif strauÌ„g miracles Euag. lib. 4 cap. 7. A councel held at Ilerda in Spayne decreed that suche as slewe the child in the wombe with potions simpersauces shoulde be banished the commumoÌ„ the space of 7. yeres that clergymeÌ„ being desamed should purge them selues tom 2. coÌ„c A councel held at Valentia in Spaine decâ—eed the Gospell shoulde be read after the Epistle tom 2. concil A councel held at Auâ—â—lia in the time of Hormisda decreede that Lent shold be solemnelye kept before Easter the roâ—atioÌ„ weeke with the ember dayes about the ascention tom 2. coÌ„c A councel held at Gerunda in Spayne decreed that euery prouince shold obserue one order of diuineseruice that baptisme shold be ministred onely at Easter and witsontide and at other times if necessitie so required that the Lordes prayer shoulde be sayde at morninge euening prayer tom 2. concil A councel held at Caesaraugusta accursed suche as receaued the sacrament eate it not in the church tom 2. concil Petruâ— b. of Ierusalem after Helias Euagr. lib. 4. ca. 36 the generall councell held at ConstaÌ„tinople wrot vnto him what they had done to 2. coÌ„cil  Hormisda was b. of Rome after Symachus anno Dom. 516. where he coÌ„tinewed 9. yeares Anto. chro Ioh succeeded the former Iohn Euag. lib. 3. ca. 23 Seuerus b. of Antioch was of Eutyches opinion Iustinus the emperour in the first yeare of his raigne caused his toÌ„gue to be pulled out of his mouth because he reuiled the councell of Chalcedon preached raylinge sermons Euag. lib. 4. cap. 4. Deuterius an Arian b. of Constantinople as he baptised one Barbas he vsed this forme I baptize Barbas in the name of the father throughe the sonne in the holy ghost Theod. collect   Brigida a mayde whose reuelations are at this day extant florished about this time Palmer chron   Paulus was b â–ª of Antioche after Seuerus E uagr. lib. 4. cap. 4. Euprasius succeeded Paulus he dyed in the earthquake which was at Antioch the 7. yere of Iustinus Euag. lib. 4 cap. 4. 5.  Theodosius was b of AlexaÌ„dria after Iohn Iustinianus deposed him for maintayninge the heresie of Eutyches Euag. lib. 4 cap. 9. 11. 36. Benedictus the first fouÌ„der of the order commonlye called S. Benedictes dyed sayth Volateran li. 21. Anno Do. 518. He was the firste and the onely deuiser of a seueral trade of lif within the firste 600. yeres after christ because he presumed to inuent a new way which all the godly fathers before him neuer thought of I layde him heere downe for a schismaticke and couched him in the catalogue of heretickes 525.  Priscianus the greate graÌ„marian liued in the dayes of Iustinian Palmer chron The 2. councell held at Toledo decreed that all what so euer the clergie held de iure should returne vnto the church after theyr desease to 2. conc In the time of Iohn 2. b. of Rome  Euphremius a noble man succeeded Euphrasius in the bishop ricke of Antioche Euagr. li. 4. cap. 6. Iohn was B. of Rome after Hormisda an Dom. 525. and continewed there 2. yeares and 10. moneths Palm chron  Monothelitae were heretickes whiche denied that Christ had 2. wils a diuine humane Volater lib. 17. 528. Iustinianus succeded Iustinus in the empire he was couetous cruell carelesse of that whiche was good the Empresse his wife fauored the hereticall opinion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lie hiÌ„ self fell into a blasphemous opinioÌ„ whiche is to be seene in the cataloge of the hereticks â–ª he raygned 38. yeares 8. moneths dyed went straight down to hell as Euagrius thinketh Euagr lib. 4. ca. 9. 10. 29. 31. 38. 40. lib. 5. cap. 1. Barsanuphius a religious maÌ„ was of great fame in the time of Iustinianus â–ª Eâ—â—gr lib. 4. cap. 32. A generall councell was called at Constantinople in the 27. yeare of Iustinianus the Emperour and in the time of Vigilius b. of Rome where they condemned the heresies of Anthimus b. of Constantinople Seâ—eâ—â—â— â— of Antioche â–ª Peter Cnapheia Theodorê° Loâ—ras allowed the 4. former general councells decreed that Marie shoulde be called the mother of God and condemned Origen tom 2. conc Euag. lib. 4. cap. 37. A 2. and 3.
â—ords by Eusebius Pamphilus and recited towardes the later ende of this chapter by Socrates the which we haue presently layde â—wne in different letters * Arius accursed with his complices * Eusebius Theognis being Arians do recant Eusebius writeth thus froÌ„ the couÌ„cell of Nice vnto the churche of Caesarea in Palaestina whereof he was bishop The Creede which Eusebiê° PaÌ„philus him selfe made exhibited vnto the councell of Nice wherevnto the bishâ—ps added the clause Of one substaÌ„ce Maâ— 28. The Emperour CoÌ„stantine coÌ„mandeth the clause Of one substaÌ„ce to be added vnto Eusebiê° Creede he expoundeth him selfe the meaninge thereof The Creede layd down by 318. bishops in the couÌ„ceâ— of Nice the which Eusebius in thesâ— wordes sendeth to Caesarea Of the substance Begotten not made The sonne to be of one substaÌ„ce with the father Before Arius time the clause of one substaÌ„ce was knowen Cap. 9. in the Greeke The synodiâ—all epistle of â—he councell â—f Nice The blasphemous opinions of Arius that cursed hereticke toutchinge the blessed sonne of God This Meletiê° as Socrates sayde before cap. 3. in time of persecutioÌ„ denyed the faith sacrificed to idols therefore he was excoÌ„municated and being in this takinge he tooke part with the Arians who for coÌ„panie together with Aâ—â—â—s in this councell is coÌ„demneâ— The questioÌ„ of Easter coÌ„cluded vpon in the councell of Nice VVhy the Meletians are seuered from the churche The wanton booke which Arius wrote and intituled Thalia CoÌ„stantinus Magnus vnto the church of AlexaÌ„dria CoÌ„stantinus vnto the bishops people c. CoÌ„stantinus the Emperour vnto the churches c The epistle of Constantine vnto Eusebius Pamphilus The epistle of Constantine vnto Eusebius * After the name of CoÌ„stantinus Bizantium was called Constantinople The epistle of Constantine vnto Macarius concerning the sepulchre of our Sauiour feuÌ„d there the buylding of a Churche in that place Eusebius â— of Nicomedia and Theognis were Arians * Licâ—â—â—us Cap. 10. in the Greeke * A Canon toutching such as in persecution had denyed Christ * Peter Martyr in 2. Sam. cap. 24. noteth howe that Constantine in these wordes â—kofâ—eth at Acesius for his intollerable pride singularitie in that he along with his sect woulde be iâ— heauen * The reporter was Auâ—anon a Nouatian as it cap. 9. following Cap. 11. in the greeke Paphnutiuâ— â–ª * Paphnutius a single man yet a fauorer of priestes mariadges in the counsell of Nice Hebr. 13. * Cap. 12. in the Greeke Spyridion â—â—â—ne the daughter of Spyridion uffinus hist â— 1. cap. 5. ap 13. in â— Greeke Eutychianus though he was a nouatian yet was he a rare maÌ„ both for life and learning Auxanon a nouatian hereticke Osius Viton Vincentius Alexander Eustathius Macarius Harpocratio Cynon * Anno 32â— some say 326. some 〈◊〉 theâ— 328. Cap. 14. in the Greeke The recâ—tation of Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia and Theognis bishop of Nice which were Aâ—â—an hereticks exhibited vnto the chiefe byshops Cap. 15. after the greeke Athanasius byshop of Alexandria Ruffinus lib. â—hist ca. 14. Alexander b. of Alexandria made Athanasius deacon Athanasius beinge deacoÌ„ was at the councell of Nice Cap. 16. after the greeke Constantinople called Newe Rome but of olde Byzantium Cap. 17. in the greeke Helen the mother of Constantine was the daughter of Coel kinge of Englande Helenopolis Psal 78. The Idole oâ— Venus set vâ— where Chriâ—â— was buried The crosse of Christ was founde out by a miracle Newe Ierusalem The nayles were founde The good deedes the vertuous life and godly ende of Helene Cap. 18 in the greeke Serapis had 〈◊〉 his temple 〈◊〉 elle or faâ—â—ome signiâ—inge the â—easure of â—e water in â—epth which â—as thought 〈◊〉 his power 〈◊〉 ouerflowe â—he Barbarians beinge â—â—ercome in â—â—â—aill receaâ—d the faith Christ Gens 18. ConstaÌ„tinus abrogated the most filthie lawes of the Heliopolits and brought theÌ„ to the christian faith The temple of Venus ouerthrowen The deuell was faine to flye out of the Idole The tente of Constantine like the tabernacle of Moses Exod. 33. Cap. 19. in the greeke The increase of christian religioÌ„ vnder Constantine The middle Indians were not christened asore the raygne of Constantine that is 300. odd years after Christ Frumentius was consecrated Byshop by Athanasius and sent to conuert the Indians Ruffinus ecclâ—ist li. 1. ca. 9. Cap. 20 in â—he Greeke The seae Eukinus deuiâ—leth Europe â—om Asia The kinge of the Iberians child is cured The queene of the IberiaÌ„s is healed The kinge of the Iberians was conuerted vnto the â—ayth Cap. 21. in the greeke Antony the eâ—emite * Cap. 22. in the Greeke The manichees blased their heresie a litle before the raygne of Constantine Anno. 281. Euseb lib. 7. cap. 30. The originall and authors of the heresy of the Manichees Buddas otherwise Terebynthus an hereticke dâ—eth miserablie Manes the heretick his detestable opinions The miserable death of the hereticke Manes Cap. 23. in the Greeke Hatred and heresie ioyned togethâ—â— Eusebius Pâ—philus was no Arian * Cap. 24. in the Greeke The councell of Antioche where Eustathius was deposed â—usebius PaÌ„â—hilus reâ—uâ—th to be â—ishop of â—ntioch for â—e which â—e Empeâ—ur CoÌ„stanâ—e did high â— commend â—m â—â—phronius Arian yet â—â—â—hop of â—â—tioch * Cap. 25. in the Greeke Constantine was informeâ— of Arius his recantation when he wrot this * Cap. 26. in the Greeke â–ª The recaÌ„taâ—tioÌ„ of Arius and Euzoiâ— geueÌ„ vp vnâ— the Emperour together with tâ— forme of their faith where they disseÌ„ble boâ— with God man wriâ—iâ— one thing meaning aâ— other as it appeareth the chaptâ—â— following Mat. 28. Cap. 27. in the Greeke Athanasius would not receaue Arius into the church of Alexandria Constantine â—â—rote this to Athanasiê° b. â—f Alexâ—dria 〈◊〉 the behalf â—f Arius the â—ereticke â—ho deceaâ—ed theÌ„ both â—hanasius is â—â—ely 〈◊〉 of extorâ—n â—anasius â—alsely accused of treason Ischyras a false minister forging orders vnto him selfe Athanasius is falsly charged with the misdemeanure of his clergy Athanasius is falsely accused of muâ—thâ—r and magicke * Cap. 28. aâ— ter the gâ—eâ— Macarius â— minister bâ—ing falsely â—…cused by 〈…〉 Arian Meletian herâ— tikes is thâ— shamefull dealt wiâ—â— Cap. 29. after the Greeke * Cap. 30. in â—e greeke â–ª â—he accuser â— Athanas 〈◊〉 ranne aâ—…ay for shaÌ„e Cap. 31. in â—â—e Greeke * Cap. 32. in the Greeke Cap. 33. in the greeke The councel held at Tytê° being most of Arians do depose Athanasius coÌ„meÌ„d in their letters to the Church of Alexandria the heretick Arius Cap. 34. in the greeke The epistle of Constantine vnto the Bishops assembled at the councell of Tyrus Cap. 35. in the Greeke Athanasius is accused by the Arians * Socrat. li. 2. cap. 2. in the epistle of CoÌ„ staÌ„tinus sayth so Cap. 36. in the greeke Asteriê° an arian heretick The error of Marcellus Cap. 37. in the greeke Arius raiseth sedition in Alexandria The prayer of Alexander Bishop of câ—stantinople *
dearlinge of Venus she turned him to a purple flowre or as some say vnto a Rose Bacchus was a dronkeÌ„ soâ—t Cleomêdes was a wrastler of exceeding streÌ„gth greatnesse of body who beinge put beside the price at the game of Olympus fell madde Antinous was a yonge boy whome Adrianus the Emperour loued Cap. 24. in the greeke The Emperour Iouianê° was a fauorer of the Nicene creede Cap. 25. in the Greeke Iouianus the Emperour coulde not away with contentious persons The supplication of the Acacians assembled at the councell of Antioch vnto the Emperour Iouianus The subscription of the bishops Flatterers are likened vnto the sea Euripus which ebbeth and floweth seueÌ„ times a day Iouianus the Emperour departed this life Anno Dom. 368. The fourth booke compriseth the historie of 16. yeares ending anno Dom. 381. ValeÌ„tinianus created Emperour anno Dom. 368. Valens the Arian was felowe Emperour with Valentinian An. Do. 368. Liberius Athanasius dâ—ucius Euzoius pâ—aulinus Meletius Cyrillus Eudoxius The councell of Lampsacum gathered together of Macedonian hereticks Anno Dom. 369. Earthquakes The sea ouerflowed The councell of Lampsacum heldâ— of Macedonians 7. yeares after the councell of Seleucia Anno Dom. 370. Angelo and Gomarius the captalnes of Proco pius were sawed alsider Procopius dieth miserably â—…nomius is the â—…be of Aëâ—…s the heâ—…ck The blasphe mies of Eunomius the heretick An oracle founde engrauen in a stone when the wall of Calcedon was the owne downe Great haile Terrible earthquakes The hereticall Bishops of Macedonius sect now doe recant exhibite this supplica tion vnto Liberius bishop of RoÌ„e The Nicene Creede Cap. 11 in the Greeke Gen. 14. The councel of AriminuÌ„ recanteth accurseth Arius The councel of Sicilia Cap. 13. in the Greeke The one heretick fallen out with the other Cap. 14. in the Greeke * Cap. 15. in the greeke * Cap. 16. in the Greeke â—ourescore â—ue christiaÌ„s â—ere seâ—â— in a shippe and fired by commaundement of Valens the Arian Emperoure Cap. 17. in the greeke * Cap. 18 â–ª in the Greeke Rustinus reporteth this storie lib. 2. cap. 5. eccles hist Ca. 19. in the Greeke Cap. 20. in the greeke Athanasius died Anno Dom. 375. * Cap 21. in the Greeke Peter b. of Alexandria Cap 22. in the Greeke Cap. 23. in the Greeke Ammon a Monke yet maried Antonie Didymus Arsenius Pior. Isidorus Pambo Psal 38. The idle Monke is a thiefe Petirus 2. Macarius Euagrius Euagrius in â—is booke â—â—titled the Monke Antonie Macarius Euagrius in his booke intituled of Science or knowledge Prudence Fortitude TemperaÌ„ce Iustice Basilius Athanasius Serapion Didymus Ammonius a religious maÌ„â—uâ—t of his eare fledd away because he woulde not be bishop Euagrius refused a byshopricke Cap. 24. in the Greeke A miracle Cap. 25. in the Greeke Didymus Cap. 26. in the greeke Basil bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia Gregotius first bishop of Nazianzum afterwards of CoÌ„stantinople Basil reasoneth with the Arian president of Antioche The coÌ„fereÌ„ce of Basil and the Arian Emperour Valens Cap. 27. in the Greeke Gregorie b. of Neocaesarea Gregorie b. of NazianzuÌ„ Gregorie the brother of Basil Gregorie b. of AlexaÌ„dria an Arian Cap. 28. in the Greeke The Phrygians Scythians Thracians Paphlagonians Adulteâ—y abhominable A Councell oâ— Nouatian bishops hâ—ld at Pazum a pâ—lting village where contrary to the Nicâ—ne CouÌ„cell they keepe Easter with the Iewes Cap. 29. in the greeke Damasus b. of Rome Vrsinus a DeacoÌ„ of the churche of Rome aspired vnto the bishopricke Cap. 30. in the Greeke S. Ambrose was chosen byshop of Millayne an Dom. 378. Cap. 31. in the Greeke ValeÌ„tinianus dyed Anno Dom. 380. A wicked lawe Cap. 32. in the greeke * Cap. 33. in the greeke Vlphilas traÌ„slated the Bible into his owne toÌ„gue the differeÌ„ce betwene Arius and the AriaÌ„ Gotths Cap. 34 in the greeke * Cap. 35. in the Greeke Thus dealt the Saxons with the Brittaines Cap. 36. in the greeke Moses the Monke reasoned thus with Lucius the Arian Bishop Cap. 37. in the Greeke Anno Dom. 381. This fift booke containeth the history of sixteene yeares eyght moneths ending Anno Domini 397. 1. Timoth. 5. The councells were summoned by Emperours not by Popes Dominica â–ª Mauia Anno 383. Theodosius was Emperour together with Gratianus Valentinianê° the yonger Damasuâ— Cyrill Dorotheus Paulinus Meletius Lucius Timothee Demophilus A councell of Macedonians Sozomenus lib. 7. cap. 5. sayth that the church was called the 〈…〉 surrectioÌ„ because the fayth which of a loÌ„g time seemed to be suppressed bâ— the Arians for dead waâ— theÌ„ reuiued Matth. 10. The couÌ„cell of Constantinople Anno Dom. 385 Nectarius â—hoseÌ„ by the â—ouncell Bishop of Conâ—â—antinople The canons â—f the councell helde at â—onstantiâ—ople 〈…〉 11. The zeale of the Emperour Theodosius for the siftinge out of the trueth Maximus a Bryttaine Gratianus the Emperour died Anno Dom. 387 Maximus the bryttain is made Emperour Anno Dom â–ª 388. Anno Dom. 392. Maximus the bryttaine which slewe the Emperour Gratian was crowned Emperour in his â—â—eede is now betraied of his owne meÌ„ executed by Theodorus the Emperour this â—â—â—ximus â—as highly commended by a consul 〈◊〉 Rome which wrote booke in is prayâ—e Cyrill Iohn Mithra Serapis Phalli Socrates was the scholler of Helladius and Ammonius The AegyptiaÌ„s worshipped the Ape Coloss 1. Act 17. Numb 22. 23 24. Iohn 18. A bakehouse vnder grounde Blinde alehouses Theodosius tooke awaye this filthie lawe suppressed the stewes The original of coÌ„fession The remouing of confession and shriuing out of the church A deacon abused a certaine matron of Constantinople * Cap. 21. in the greeke Agelius Marcianus Sisinius Sabbatius A Councell of Nouatian bishops at Angaris Cap. 22. in the greeke Easter Galat. 4. Coloss 2. Heb. â— Euseb eccles hist li. 4. ca. 15 sayeth that Polycarpus suffred martyrdome vnder Verê° the Emperour â—he epistle â—f Constanâ—ne Euse lib. de vita â—onstant Lent Diuersitie of meares in fasting Gen. 1. The communion Readers The lawfull mariage of Priestes Baptisme The altare standing west ward Euâ—ning praiâ—â— by candle Diuersitie of seruice An inferior Priest without licence doth not preach Saturday fast The Nouatian opinion â—etayned Secondâ— mariages Act 15 â–ª Socrates inueyeth against such Nouatians as fell to Iewish apostasie Luc. 5. Mar. 14. Matth. 21. Cap. 23. in the Greeke Nouatians Arians Marinus the ariaÌ„ thought that the father was a father when there was no sonne Pâ—athyriâ—ns Cap. 24. in the Greeke Eunomians Theophronius Eutychius MacedoniaÌ„s Socrates where and when he florished Cap. 25. in the greeke Eugenius Arbogastes Valentinianê° the Emperour was stifled Anno Dom. 396. * Here the greeke was vnperfect The Emperour Theodosius prayeth vnto god for ayde Anno Dom. 396. Theodosius died Anno Domini 397. This sixt booke contineweth the history of twelue yeares six moneths ending Anno Domi. 412. He beginneth the history of his tyme. Ruffinus Marcianus Sisinius Anno Domi. 401. The contrey
fathers pryuie members and cast them into the Sea thereof rose a froth and of the froth Venus was borne * Phalli and Ithyphalli vvere the pryuie members of men offered vp in honor of the god Bacchus * Priapus the sonne of Venus gotten in adulterie by Iuppiter and honored vvith beastly sacrifice * Pan was the sonne of Penelope the vvise of vlysses for vvhen as after the battell of Troie she looked still for her husband to returne many vvere suters vnto her and because she delayed them from daye to daye they all abused her and got vpon her Pan. other doe saye that Mercurie tooke the forme of an he goat made Penelope in loue with him and got the god Pan * In Eleusis there vvere sacrifices done in the honor of the goddesse Ceres so filthie that they may not be written Cod. de sum rinit et sid â—ath tit 1. l. 3. â—…ncimus Symeon an anchor Domnus b. of Antioch The spirit of Symeon was tried by obedience It is not a dead corps but the liuing God that is protector of town and cuntreiâ— * The greeke worde is Tâ—ara the attyre of Persian womeÌ„ lerom ad fabâ—ol calleth it Galeâ—um a hatt the worde is also taken for a Mâ—â—e or crowne Isidorus Synesius Anno Dom. 451. some other say 455. Memnonius Zoilus Calixtus Anatolius Claudian the Poet. Cyrus the Poet and pre sident Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 43. It behoued then that these monks should be of one sise Hebr. 11. The monkes of Palaâ—stina became as beastes Theodosius iunior dyed Anno Dom. 450. Eustathius epist ad Ioh. What iniury was this vnto the deade corps It is better for the faithfull Christian to become partaker of the blood of Christ which redeemed him from death and damnation The supplication oâ— Eusebius byshop of Dorylaeum exhibited vnto valentinianê° and Martianus the emperours The censure of the senators in the councell of Chalcedon The senteÌ„ce which Pasca sianus Lucentius and Boniface substitutes of Leo b. of Rome gaue of Dioscorus The actes decrees of the councell held at Chalcedon Against Nestorius Against Eutyches The Nicene creed is confirmed Against Macedonius opinion the creede of the councel held at Constanti nople is ratified The synodicall epistles of Cyrill approued The epistle of Leo vnto Flauianus allowed The creede of the councel helde at Chalcedon Constantinople the secoÌ„d patriarchship Proterius b. of Alexandria A lamentable sedition at Alexandria about the election of a byshop â–ª The Monâ—… inhabitinge the deserts bordering vpon Ierusalem were â—â—reticks c â—demned tâ—… councell 〈…〉 Chalcedoâ— The behauiour of Theodosius a â—oging monke The Aequiuocall â—allacy of the deuell lay in those two sylables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scarsitie of â—ine â—amine estilence welling â—sâ—ammatioÌ„ coughe â—â—ntiniaEmperour Rome was â—ne Rome was taken by Genzerichus king of the Vandallâ— Maximus Auitus Maiorinus Seuerus Anno. 458. Martianus the Emperour dyed Anno Dom. 458. Timotheus Aelurus b. of Alexandria The lamentable death of Proterius the godly archbyshop of Alexandria Rom. 12. Symeon Baradatus Iames. Leo b. of Rome Timotheus â—luâ—us the beâ—etâ—â—â—ll byshopp of Alexandria Amphilochius b. of Sida The epistle of Symeon that dwellâ—â— in a pâ—lâ—â—â—â— vnto Basilius Archbishop of Anâ—â—oâ—h Timotheus Aelurus Timotheus Salofaciolus Anatolius Gennadius Acacius Anno Dom. 159. Anthemius Olymbrius Glycerius Nepos Orestes Romulus Augustulus Odoacer Anno Dom. 475. The translator vnto the reader The supplication of Eusebius byshop of Dorilaeum exhibited vnto valentinianê° and Martianus the emperours The heresie of Eutyches The byshops of the East cryed thus against Dioscorus The senators gaue their sentence in these words where it appeareth that laye men were of great autoritie in the councels The sleeuâ— lesse aunswâ—â— of Dioscorâ— Acacius Dioscorus The conditions of Dioscorus The subsâ—â—â—â—â—â— of Leo of Rome â—aue this â—â—ence aâ—â—st Diosâ—rus in the â—â—uncâ—ll of â—halcedon S. Paul sayth that Christ is the rocke fundation to buylde vpon 1. Cor. 3. 10. The depriuation of Dioscorus archebyshopp of Alexandria Cecropius Cyrill archebyshop of Alexandria vnto Nestorius archebyshop of Constantinople and an hereticke The wordes of Iohn b. of Antioch Cyrill vnto Iohn b. of Antioch The wordes of Leo b. of Rome The wordes of Cyrill Heb. 2. Leo. Cyrill Leo. Cyrill The senteÌ„ce of the Senators is layde downe by Euaâ—rius nowe the thirde time The Epistle of Leo is coÌ„â—irmed â— Bishops Aegypt A company of cocke-braine and hereticall Monks would be ruled neither by Bishops nor by councell Theodoritus Ibas Basianus Zeno was emperour â—nno Dom. 75. Princes and magistrates should be paternes of Godlines vnto the subiects and coÌ„mon people Basiliscus the tyrant and vsuâ—per of the Emperiall crowne sent these wicked letters into all churches wherein he condemneth the faith of Leo the godly bishop of Rome and the canons of the holy councel held at ChalcedoÌ„ B 〈…〉 coÌ„deÌ„neth Leo and the couÌ„cell of Chalcedon Timotheus Aelurus Peter Cnapheus Paulus Anastasius 50. Bishops subscribed to heresy for feare The flattering and hereticall Byshops of Asia wrote this vnto Basiliscus the vsurper Zacharias Rhetor. The Monke of Constantinople weâ— heretickes Basiliscus the vsuâ—peâ— is fayne by reason of the commonon â—o call in his former letters layde lowne in the â— cap. of this booke Peter Stephan Calandio Peter Moggus Peter b. of AlexaÌ„dria flatâ—ereth Acaâ—ius b. of CoÌ„â—tantinople â—ith this epistle Idle Monkes â—â—t men together by â—e eares The idle monks sowed tares amonge the wheat as the enemy did in the gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeno the Emperour vnto Felix b. of Rome â—e Church Rome proâ—â—nceth â— against â—er b. of â—â—â—xandria Zeno slewe Armatus who saued his life Fronte capillata post hâ—â— oâ—â—asio calua Anastasius created emperour Anâ— Dom. â—92 The monks 〈◊〉 Palaestina â—nto Alciâ—â—n Hereticks are wont to corrupt auncient writers Hereticall monks idle braines all set vpon contention werâ— slaine like dogs at Antioch and throwen intâ— the riuer Orontes Seuerus bâ— of Antioch yet an hereticke The monks of Palaestina vnto Alcison The clemencie of Anastasius Longinus The b. of Apamia a rebell Longinus â— â–ª Indus Scenetae Eustathius the historiographer died Anno Doâ— 504. Daras a noble câ—ue The sclaâ—deâ—ous reports that Zosimus a Ethnicke made of Constantinus magnus useb eccle â—st lib. 8. â—p 14. â—seb lib. 10. p 9. The Empire of Rome encreased with the fayth MacedoniaÌ„s Albania Ibetia Colchi Arabians Frenchmen Germans Buttanns Indaea Luk. 2. Mich. 5. Math. 2. Aegypt Many cuntreys of Persia Seleucia Ctesiphon Nisibis Armenia C. Iulius Câ—sar Caius Caliâ—gula Nero. Galba Otho Vitellius Titus Commodâ—â— Pertinax Didius Iâ—â—iâ—nus Antonius Macrinus Aurelius Antonius Alexander Maximinuâ— Gordianuâ— Philip. Decius Gallus Volusianuâ— Aemilianuâ— Valerianuâ— Galienus Carinus Maximiaâ—â— Maxentiuâ— Licinniuâ— Iulian. Anno Do. 519. Iustinus was proclaimed Emperour Anno Don 519. In raigne and loue fewe fello are faiths DissimulatioÌ„ Blood wil be recompeÌ„ced with bloode Seuerus b. of Antioch for reuilinge
of Antioch vnto the Shiriffe of Sommerset a learned historiographer vnto on that is no lesse studious of great fame vnto one that is of as good report a furtherer of religion vnto a fauourer of such as professe the same It is tolde me of trueth nay I haue found my selfe sufficient triall of your curtesie and vertuous disposition VVhen I trauelled novve tvvo yeares agoe at the request of a deare friende and kinsman of mine in your countye of Sommerset and savve the good vvill you bare vnto your neighbours and tenauntes the entire loue and affection they ovved vnto you againe I called to remembraunce the sayinge of Eberhardus Duke of VVittenberge in the Parlament helde at VVormes of all the princes of Germanie in the time of Maximilian Euerie of the nobylitie commended his ovvne cuntreye the Princes of Saxonie praysed their myne pittes and quarries their precious mettalls the Dukes of Bauaria sette foorth the maiesticall buyldinge and portly Cyties vvythin their dominions the Duke Palatine extolled the fertylitie of his soyle the plentifulnesse of his grape and the pleasauntnesse of his vvyne Duke Eberhardus holdinge his peace harkning to the rest vvas requested of Friderick Duke of Saxonie to say somevvhat for his ovvne cuntrey I knovve not saith he vvhat commendation I shoulde geue my cuntrey but sure I am of this one thinge that I may safely lay my heade and sleepe in the lappe of any subiect vvithin my dominions by day or by night at home or abroade as muche to say he gouerned his cuntrey so vertuously that the commonalty vvould liue and die vvith him the vvhich sying of his by the censure and opinion of all the princes deserued the greatest prayse If I may speake vnfainedly vvhat I thought I tooke his case to be yours the iudgment he gaue of his dominions to be the report you giue of your cuntrey and novve I thinke the godly rule of his people thē to be presently the politick gouernment of your shiriffvvike you remember I am sure naye I see it in you my selfe hovve the painter setteth forth the portracture of the emperours of Germanie holding a booke in the right hand a svvord in the left the booke betokeneth knovvledge of the lavve the svvorde execution of iustice many there are novve a dayes vvhich sue for suche offices in mine opinion they are not the fittest men they respect not the afore saide conditions but their ovvne lucre and the making vp of their bags for that yeare Iouianus refused the empire of the vvhole vvorld vvhen it vvas offred him Ambrose vvoulde in no vvise be made byshoppe of Millaine Eusebius could not be persvvaded to take the byshoprick of Antioch Constantinus magnus vvrote of him that in so doing he vvas vvorthie to be byshop of the chiefest Churche vnder heauen it vvas against your vvill that you tooke the office vpon you I knovve it full vvell therefore you deserue the greater prayse and commendation Novve that you are in office hearken vvhat a learned Poët seeing his friende chosen magistrate vvrote vnto him it vvas in such sort as follovveth Da capias quaeras plurima pauca nihil By interpretation geue much take litle seeke nothing he meant by extortion Aristotle bad Alexander remember that gouernment vvas not insolencie oppression and iniurie but execution of iustice helping vvith counsell and maintaining of right Ernestus Duke of Luneburge vvas mindefull of his calling vvhen he caused a burning candle to be stamped in his coyne vvith these letters in compasse A. S. M. C. alijs seruiens meipsum contero vvhile I serue other mens turnes I vvast my selfe avvay I presume that of your good nature you vvill take the premises in good part considering they proceede of good vvill and frendly remembrance for the great curtesie I haue receaued It is the part of a friende not onely to be thankefull for the benefits bestovved vpon him and to commend vertuous disposition vvhere he findeth the same but also exhorte his friende to goe on in vvell doing and vvish the continuance thereof If that herein I haue discharged some part of my duetie take it vvell in vvorth accept it vvith as louing a minde as the Translator vvas vvillinge to take penne in hand to commende it vnto you vvith a preface Farevvell from London the 4. of September 1576. Yours in the Lorde MEREDITH HANMER THE PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR VNTO THE READER TOVTCHING EVAGRIVS AND HIS HISTORIE EVagrius a noble man of Antioch a learned writer and continewer of this Ecclesiasticall historie may not lightly be ouerskipped with out commending of his prayse and vertues to immortall memorie and rehearsing of them to the encouragement of all studious nobilitie to the profite of the louing reader and the furtherance of christian profession his honor was nothing impaired his blood nothing blemished at all in that he being a tēporall man acquainted him selfe with ecclesiasticall affaires Sabellicus writeth that Bartolomevve the Apostle came of a noble race forsoke the brauery of courtiers and became the follower of Christ Peter Dorotheus and Gorgonius being pages vnto the Emperour Diocletian in great creditte and of noble parentage bad court farewell weyed litle their honor made lesse accompt of the Emperour forsoke their owne liues rather then they woulde forsweare Christ The treasurer together with the lieuetenant of a certaine towne in Phrygia chose rather for the trueth in Christ with fire to be consumed to ashes then here to enioy all worldly treasure Audactus a noble man of Italie preferred the garland of martyrdome before all the glorie and pompe of this transitorie life A noble man of Nicomedia rent in pieces a wicked proclamation in the face of all the foure Emperours Astyrius a Senator of Rome thought it no staining of his honor to take vp on his shoulders the deade bodie of a blessed martyr and prouide for it a funeral Iouianus Valentinianus and Valens noble men and afterwards Emperours one after the other threwe away their sword girdles left their offices departed the court of Iulian the Apostata rather then they woulde deny Christ Yet S. Paule saith that not many wise men according vnto the fleshe not manie mightie not manie noble men are called true it is in respect of a greater number of the contrary or rather we may say that these were not fleshly minded their disposition was not carnall their wisedome was not worldly how great a comfort is it vnto christian profession when princes become fosterers when Queenes become nurces and noble men become fauourers of the christian faith In some countries we see that noble men most of all spend their time in studie and learning It is not decent in some countries for the pesants sonne the farmour the frankline or howsoeuer ye terme him to forget his fathers rusticall toile forthwith addict him self to the gentlemans trade The Pope most commonly calleth noble men to his colledge of Cardinals Dukes and Earles yongest