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
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
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
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
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
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
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—
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
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
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
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
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
he did so made this answere that he tooke not feeding for a seueral vvork but as an od or superfluous thing Unto an other that asked of him the like he gaue this answere My behauiour is as you see lest the mind by pamperinge of the carkasse be pufte vp vvith fleshelye pleasure Isidorus affirmed that for the space of fortie yeares his minde had not consented to sinne that he had neuer yelded to fleshly lust or furiouse anger Pambo a simple and an vnlearned man came vnto his friende for to learne a Psalme and hearinge the firste verse of the thirtieth and eyght Psalme which is thus reade I sayde I vvill take heede vnto my vvayes that I offende not in my tongue woulde not heare the seconde but wente awaye sayinge This one verse is inoughe for me if I learne it as I oughte to doe And when as his teacher blamed him for absentinge himselfe wholle six monethes he answered for himselfe that as yet he had not well learned the firste verse Many yeares after that when as one of his acquayntance demaunded of him whether he had learned the verse sayde againe that in nyneteene yeares he had scarse learned in life to fulfill that one lyne The same man when as one deliuered him moneye to the reliefe of the poore and sayd tell the summe made answere vve neede no counters but a sound mynde and a setled conscience The reporte goeth that at the requeste of Athanasius the Bishop he came from the deserte into Alexandria and seing there a certaine light woman sumpteously attyred and gorgeously arayed to feede the eyes of fonde people to haue burst out into teares And beinge demaunded what the cause was and wherefore he wept to haue answered that two things moued him to lamente very sore One was that he sawe the gaye and painted woman to runne headlonge into destruction the other was that he was not so carefull and earnest in pleasinge of God as she busied to bayte entrappe men already burthened with sinne and iniquitie An other sayd the monke that liued idlely and labored not for his liuing vvas no othervvise to be taken them for a thiefe a roge or a vagabounde Petirus a man of greate skill in metaphysicall and diuine contemplation gaue out one precept or other continewally vnto such as cōferred with him his maner was to conclude euery sentence with a prayer Amonge the aforesayde religious men of that time there were two of equall fame and renowne of like piety and vertue of one name appellation either was called Macarius the one of the vpper parte of Aegypt the other of Alexandria it selfe bothe florished and excelled in many things as monasticall discipline institution of godly life right conuersatiō and straunge miracles The Aegyptian Macarius cured so many men cast out so many Deuells out of such as were possessed of them that all the wonderfull actes he wroughte desire a peculier volume He mingled austere seueritie with temperate reuerence and grauitie towardes them which reasoned or dealt with him The Alexandrian Macarius although in all other thinges he fully resembled him yet in this one point was he farre from his disposition for he behaued him selfe cheerefull and pleasaunt towardes all them that talked with him so that with his curteous ciuilitie and comely mirth he allured many yonge men vnto the monasticall trade of liuinge Euagrius was a disciple of theyrs who at the first was a Philosopher in word but afterwardes in dede and trueth it selfe This mā was first made deacon at Cōstantinople by Gregorie Naziāzen thence together with him he went into Aegipt and there had conference with the aforesayd religious men he became an earnest follower of theyr trade of life and wrought as many miracles as bothe the Macariuses before him He wrote learned bookes one intitled the monke or of that trade of life which consisteth of practise an other called Gnosticus of science or knowledge deuided into fiftie chapiters a third Antirreticus that is a confutation collected out of holye Scripture against the temptation of Deuells deuided into eyght partes resemblinge very fitly the number of the eight deuises or imaginations of mās mind moreouer he wrote six hundreth problemes to the vnderstanding of things to come Unto these are added two bookes inverse one vnto the mōks inhabiting the monasteries publicke assemblies the other vnto him that leadeth a virgine life what singuler books these are I referr it vnto y ◠iudgemēt of the reader Yet opportunitie serueth in my opinion presently to alleage here some part out of his booke called the monke and to linke it with this our history for thus he wryteth The institution trade of life layd downe by the monkes of old is necessarily to be knovven of vs furthermore we haue to direct our wayes thereafter For they vttered many sage sentences and did many notable and worthie acts Of which number one sayde that a drie and spare kinde of diette at all tymes precisely kept mingling brotherly charitie and loue vvithall woulde quickly purge mans minde of all perturbation and fonde humor of humane and earthly affection The same man deliuered a certaine brother that was wonderfully tormented in the night season with spirites for he charged him alvvayes vvith deuotiō to minister vnto the poore fasting Being demaūded vvhy there is no way sayth he to quenche the fierie heate of perturbation as soone as by almes and charitie One of them vvhich at that time were called vvise came vnto Antonie the iust reasoned with him saying O father how can you prolong your dayes being bereaued of that solace comfort which is by reading of bookes perusing of holy writers My booke ô philosopher sayd Antonie is the cōtemplation of all the creatures vnder heauen in the vvhich as often as I am disposed I may reade the wonderfull workes and writinges of God The olde Aegyptian Macarius the chosen vessell demaunded of mee the reason why vvhen we remember the iniuries that men do vnto vs vve doe vveaken the seate of memorie ingraffed in the minde vvhen as vve call to remembrance such spite as the deuell ovveth vs the memorie taketh no hurt and vvhen I muzed vvhat to ansvvere and requested him to resolue me the doubt he sayd that the former perturbation was contrarie to nature the later agreeable vvith the heate and anger of nature Furthermore vvhen I came vnto the holie father Macarius about noone tyme in the heate of the daye beynge sore athurst and requested of him a draught of vvater be content sayeth he vvith the shade for manie that trauayle on earth and manie that trafficke by sea haue not that VVhen that I reasoned vvith him of continencie God sende thee vvell to doe ô sonne sayeth he these tvventie yeares haue not I taken my fyll eyther of breade o◠vvater or sleepe For I eate breade by vveyght and dronke vvater by measure and
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
Sauiour shevving himselfe in Ierusalem sendeth greetinge I haue hearde of thee and thy cures vvhich thou hast done vvithout medicens and herbes for as the reporte goeth thou makest the blinde to see the lame to goe the leapers thou clensest foule spirites and deuils thou castest out the long diseased thou restorest to health and raysest the dead to life VVhen that I hearde these thinges of thee I imagined vvith myselfe one of these tvvo thinges either that thou art God come from heauen and doest these things or the Sonne of God that bringest such thinges to passe VVherfore by these my letters I beseeche thee to take the paynes as to come vnto me and that thou vvilt cure this my greuous maladye vvhervvith I am sore vexed I haue hearde moreouer that the Ievves murmur agaynst thee and goe about to mischiefe thee I haue here a litle city and an honest vvhich vvill suffice vs both These thinges he wrote after this maner being a litle lightened from aboue I thinke it also not amisse to heare the letters of Iesu sent backe to Agbarus by the same bearet The epistle of our Sauiour vnto Agbarus though briefe yet pithy AGbarus blessed art thou because thou hast beleued in me vvhen thou savvest me not â–ª for it is vvritten of me that they vvhith see me shall not beleue in me that they vvhith see me not may beleue and be saued concerning that thou vvrotest vnto me that I should come vnto thee I let thee vnderstande that al thinges toutching my message are here to be fulfilled and after the fulfilling thereof I am to returne agayne vnto him that sent me â–ª but after my assumption I vvill sende one of my disciples vnto thee vvhich shal cure thy maladye restore life to thee and them that be vvith thee Vnto these epistles there were also these things added in the Syrian tongue VVhen Iesus vvas taken vp Iudas vvhich also is called Thomas sent vnto him Thaddaeus the Apostle one of the seuenty vvho vvhen he came remayned vvith one Tobias the sonne of Tobias vvhen that fame vvas spred of him that he vvas made manifest by the miracles vvhich he vvrought it vvas signified vnto Agbarus said the Apostle of Iesu is come of vvhom he vvrote vnto thee Thaddaeus by that time began through the povver of God to cure euery sore sicknesse so that al men greatly marueled Agbarus hearing of vveighty vvonderful vvorkes vvhich he vvrought that he cured in the name povver of Iesu forth vvith suspected the same to be he of vvhom Iesus had vvritteÌ„ saying After my ascentioÌ„ I vvil send one of my disciples vnto thee vvhich shal cure thy malady And vvheÌ„ he had called vnto him Tobias vvhere Thaddaeus hoasted he said vnto him I heare say that a certain mighty maÌ„ came from IerusaleÌ„ vvhich lodged vvith thee cureth many in the name of Iesu vvho made ansvver said ye Lord there came a certaine straunger hoasted at my house vvhich hath done vvonderfull things to vvhome the King said bring him vnto me Tobias returning vnto Thaddaeus said vnto him Agbarus the gouernour sent for me coÌ„maunded that I should bringe thee vnto him that thou mayst cure his disease Thaddaeus aunsvvered I goe for it is for his sake that I am sent thus mightely to vvorke Tobias stirring betimes the next day â–ª tooke vvith him Thaddaeus came to Agbarus as he came euen at his entraÌ„ce there appeared vnto Agbarus in the presence of his chief men a great spectacle in the countenance of Thaddaeus the Apostle at vvhich sight Agbarus did reuerence vnto Thaddaeus so that aâ— they vvhich vvere present marueled they savv not the sight saue Agbarus alone vvhich questioned vvith Thaddaeus said art thou of trueth a disciple of Iesus the sonne of God vvhich made me this promis◠〈…〉 â—â—il sende vnto thee one of my disciples vvhich shal cure thy disease shevv life vnto thee all thine to vvhome Thaddaeus made aunsvver because thou hast greatly beleued in the Lord Iesu vvhich sent me therfore am I sent vnto thee but in case that thou beleue in him as yet â–ª thy harty petitions according vnto thy fayth thou shalt obtayne to vvhome Agbarus I haue continevved so beleeuing in him sayth he that I could haue founde in my harte mightely to destroy the Ievves vvhich crucified him vvere not the Romaine empire a let vnto my purpose Thaddaeus sayd agayne Our Lord God Iesus Christ fulfilled the vvil of his father vvhich being finished he is asceÌ„ded vnto him Agbarus ansvvered I haue beleued in him in his father to vvhom Thaddaeus therefore sayth he in the name of the selfsame Lord Iesu I lay my hand vpon thee â–ª vvhich vvheÌ„ he had done he vvas fortvvith cured of his malady deliuered of the paine that pressed him sore Agbarus marueled at this that euen as it vvas reported vnto him of Iesu so in trueth by his disciple and Apostle Thaddaeus vvithout Poticarye stuffe and vertue of herbes he vvas cured And not onely he but also Abdus the sonne of Abdus grieued vvith the govvte and falling at the feete of Thaddaeus recouered his former health by his laying on of his hands â–ª he cured also many others of his felovv citizens vvorking maruelous miraculous things preaching the vvord of God To vvhom Agbarus said againe Thou Thaddaeus through the povver of God doest these thinges vve haue thee in admiration I pray thee moreouer that thou expouÌ„d vnto me the coÌ„ming of Iesu hovv he vvas made man his might by vvhat povver he brought such things as vve hearde to passe To vvhoÌ„ Thaddaeus at this seasoÌ„ saith he I vvilbe silent though I am set to preach this vvord but to morovv call together to my sermon al the people felovv citizens the vvil I shevv vnto theÌ„ the vvord of God sovv the vvord of life teach the maner of his comming hovv he vvas made maÌ„ of his message to vvhat end he came being sent from the father moreouer of his miracles misteries vttered in this vvorlde povver in bringing thinges to passe besides this his nevve preaching hovv base selender humble he seemed in outvvard appearance hovv he huÌ„bled him selfe died abated his diuinity vvhat great things he suffred of the Ievves hovv he vvas crucified desceÌ„ded into hel rent that hedge midâ—â—all â—â—uâ—â—seuered before raised the dead that of long time had slepe hovv that he 〈…〉 dâ—â—â—eÌ„ded â–ª bâ—t asceÌ„ded vnto the father accoÌ„panied vvith many â–ª hovv that he sâ—â—â—â—hin glory 〈…〉 right hand of God the father in heaueÌ„ last of al hovv he shal â—â—e again vvâ—â— glory pâ—â—â—eâ—â—â—â—udg both the quick dead â–ª vvhen the morning vvas come Agbarus coÌ„mauÌ„ded his citizeÌ„s to be gathered together to heare the sermon of Thaddaeus vvhich being ended he charged that golde coyned and vncoyned shoulde be
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
Alexandria in his seconde booke after he had remembred the reuelation of Sainct Iohn receaued by tradition of olde he reporteth of this man thus Cerinthus vvhiche founde the Cerinthian heresie â–ª gaue his figment a name for the further creditt thereof his kinde of doctrine vvas this â—he dreamed the kingdome of Christ shoulde become earthly and sett vppon those thinges vvhich he lusted after novv being couered vvith his fleshe and compassed in his skinne that is the satisfying of the belly and the thinges vnder the belly vvith meate vvith drinke vvith mariage and that he might the more colerably bring his deuelish deuices to passe he dedicated thereunto holy dayes oblations and slaughter for sacrifices so farre Dionysius but Irenaus in his first booke against the heresies layeth downe certayne more detestable opinions of his And in his thirde booke he reporteth a historye worthy the memorye as receaued by tradition of Polycarpus saying that Iohn the Apostle on a certayne time to bayne him selfe entred into a bathe and vnderstandinge that Cerinthus there vvithin bayned him selfe also started a side and departed forthe not abiding any tariance vvith him vnder the same â—ouffe signifying the same to his company and saying let vs speedely goe hence lest that the bathe come to ruyne vvherein Cerinthus the enemy of the truth baineth him selfe CAP. XXVI Of Nicolas and such as of him are called Nicolaïtes AT the same time the heresie of the Nicolaïtes spronge whiche lasted not longe after wherof the reuelation of S. Iohn made mention they boast that he was one of the Deacons ordayned together with Stephen of the Apostles to minister vnto the poore Clemens Alexandrinus in his thirde booke of stromatôn reporteth thus of him This Nicolas sayth he hauing a beautifull vvoman to his vvife after the ascention of our Sauiour vvas accused of ielousie and to cleare him selfe of that cryme brought forth his vvife and permitted him that lysted to marye her but his follovvers say that their doing is agreable vvith that saying that is the fleshe is to be brydled and so follovving that doing and saying vvithout all discretion they sinne vvithout all shame in silthy fornication but I heare that Nicolas accompanied with none other then his proper wife allotted vnto him by wedlocke and of his children his Daughters to haue endured virginity his sonne to haue remained vncorrupt the case being thus in y â— he brought forth his wife for ielousie ouer the which he was accused into the middest of the Apostles it was to cleare him oâ— the â—â—â—me layde to his charge and to teache the brydling of the fleshe by contayning and refrayning voluptuous lust and pleasure He woulde not as I suppose accordinge vnto the precept serue two masters lust and the Lorde they say that Mathias after this maner commaunded by instruction the fleshe to be ouercome and tamed yelding vnto it not one iote which might tende vnto pleasure and that the soule hereby shoulde take encrease by fayth and knowledge Thus much shall seeme sufficiently spoken toutching them which then depraued the truth and sodainely came to naught CAP. XXVII Of the Apostles which liued in wedlocke CLemens whose wordes lately we alleadged after the premises against them which relece and rebuke mariage reciteth the Apostles which liued in wedlocke saying VVhat doe they condemne the Apostles for Peter and Philip employed their industry to the bringing vp of their children Philip also gaue his Daughters to mariage And Paul in a certaine epistle sticked not to salute his vvife vvhiche therefore he ledd not aboute that he might be the redier vnto the ministation In so much then that we haue made mention hereof it will not seeme tedious if we alleadge an other historye worthy the notinge which he wrote in his seuenth booke after this manner they say that Sainct Peter going to his house and seeing his vvife ledd to be executed reioyced greatly because of the calling and cryed out vnto her vehemently exhorting and comforting her calling her by her name and saying O vvoman remember the Lorde such vvas the mariage of the godly and the entire affection of faithfull friendes And thus muche as pertinent to my purpose hereof I thought good here to alleadge CAP. XXVIII Of the death of Iohn and Philip the Apostles OF the deathe of Paule and Peter the tyme eke and the manner their resting place also after their departure hence we haue spoken of before and of Iohn toutchinge his appoynted tyme we haue tolde before but of his resting place or tombe we are enstructed by Polycrates his epistle this Polycrates was Bishop of Ephesus whiche he wrote vnto Victor Bishop of Rome where he remembreth also Philip the Apostle and his Daughters after this maner foâ— in Asiâ— sayth he greate pleadges of Christian religion rested them selues â–ª vvhiche shall rise the laste daye at the comming of the Lorde vvhen he shall come from heauen vvith glorye to seeke out all the Sainctes â–ª Philip one of the tvvelue Apostles â–ª resteth in the dust of the earthe at Hierapolis and tvvo of his Daughters vvhiche ledd their vvhole lyfe in virginitye the thirde vvhose conuersation vvas directed by the holy Ghoste resteth at Ephesus And Iohn vvhiche leaned on the breaste of our Sauiour vvho beinge also a Priest vvore the garment petalum A martyre and a doctor rested at Ephesus thus much of their endes In the Dialogue of Gaius mentioned before Proclus agaynst whom be proposed the question testifieth agreeable vnto that before of the death of Philip and his Daughters saying After this the foure Prophetisses the Daughters of Philip vvere at Hierapolis in Asia their sepulchre is there to be seene and their fathers also â–ª so farre he â–ª Luke in the Actes of the Apostles maketh mention of the Daughters of Philip dwelling at Caesarea in Iudaea with their father which were endued with the gift of prophecye saying VVe came to Caesarea and entred into the house of Philip the Euangelist vvhiche vvas one of the seuen and there made our abode this Philip had iiij Daughters vvhiche vvere virgines and Prophetisses â–ª thus much of the Apostles and apostolicke tymes and the thinges deliuered vnto vs by holy Scriptures of the canonicall and disalowed Scriptures though read of many in many Churches of the forged and farre from the Apostolicall rule as farre forth as we could learne Now to that whiâ—â— followeth â–ª CAP. XXIX The martyrdome of Symeon Bishop of Ierusalem AFter Nero and Domitian vnder that Emperour whereof we minde now to entreate the rumor went euery where throughout the cityes that persecution was raysed agaynst vs Christians through populare seditions in the which we learned that Symeon the sonne of Cleopas the seconde Bishop of Ierusalem ended his life with martyrdome hereof is Aegesippus a witnesse whose wordes we haue oft alleadged for he writing of certayne Hereticks geueth vs to vnderstand how that the afore sayd
their saynges and vvhat he hearde out of theyr mouthes toutching the Lord of his povver and doctrine recitinge preceptes and all thinges consonante to holy Scripture out of theyr mouthes I say vvho themselues had seene vvith their eyes the vvorde of life in the flesh these thinges at that time through the mercy of God vvhich vvrought in me I diligently marked and paynted it not in papyr but printed it in my harte vvhich continually throughe the grace of God I ponder and meditate And I am able to testifie before God that if that holy and Apostolicke elder had hearde any such thinge he vvoulde haue straight reclaimed and stopped his eares and after his maner pronounced good God into vvvhat times hast thou reserued me that I shoulde suffer such thinges yea and vvoulde haue straight shunned the place vvhere he sitting or standing had hearde such speaches to bee shorte this may be reported for true out of the epistles vvhich he vvrote to the confirmation of the borderinge Churches or out of the Epistles vvhich he vvrote to certaine brethrē for admonition and exhortation sake thus farre Irenaeus CAP. XIX The Church enioyeth peace vnder Commodus the Martyrdome of Apollonius a Christian Philosopher THe same yeare vnder Comodus the Emperoure the rage of the Gentiles was mitigated towardes vs so that peace was graunted through the grace of God vnto the vniuersall Churche through out the worlde When as the heauenly doctrine leade the mindes of all mortall men to the embracinge of the true Religion of the onely and vniuersall God so that many of the nobles of Rome brewe neare to their soules health and saluation together with their whole houses and families It was a thinge altogether intollerable for the deuell whose nature is altogether enuious and spitefull therefore he taketh vs in hande againe and inuenteth diuerse snares to entrape vs in he procureth at Rome Apollonius a man amonge the faythfull of that time for learninge and philosophie very famous to be brought forth before the tribunall seate raising his accuser among them that were fitt ministers for so malicious a purpose But the vnhappie man came out of season to receaue the sentence of iudgement because it was decreed by the Emperoure that the accusers of the Christians shoulde dye the death Perennius the Iudge forthwyth gaue sentence agaynste him that his legges shoulde be broken Then the beloued Martyre when the iudge had earnestly and with many wordes entreated him to render an accompte of his fayth before the noble senate he exhibited in the presence of them all a notable Apollogie of his fayth in the whiche he suffred martyrdome Yet neuerthelesse by decree of the senate he was beheaded and so ended this life For the auncient decre was of force and preuayled amonge theym that the Christians whiche were once presented before the tribunall seate and not reuoked their opinions shoulde no more be sette at libertie Wherefore the wordes of Apollonius whiche he answered to Perenius standyng at the barre and his whole Apollogie offered to the senate who lysteth to knowe lette him reade our booke of Martyrs CAP. XX. Of the succession of Byshopes in the moste famous churches IN the tenthe yeare of the raygne of Comodus when Eleutherius had gouerned the bishopricke of Rome thertene yeares Victor succeded him at what tyme also Iulianus after he had continewed tenne yeares in the bishopes seae of Alexandria dyed and Demetrius came in place at what tyme likewise Serapion mentioned a little before was knowen to be the eyght Bishope of Antioche after the Apostles Then was Theophilus bishope of Caesarea in Palestina and Narcissus before remembred bishope of Ierusalem and Banchillus bishope of Corinthe in Hellada Polycrates bishope of Ephesus and an infinite number more as it is verye likelie besydes these excelled at that tyme. but we rehearse theim by name and that iustlye by whose meanes and writinges the catholicke fayth hath bene continewed vnto our tyme. CAP. XXI Of the controuersie about the kepinge of Easter daye AT the same time there rose no small contention because that all the churches throughoute Asia of an aunciente tradition thought good to obserue the highe feaste of Easter in the foreteenthe moone on whiche daye the Ievves were commaunded to offer their Pascall Lambe as muche to saye as vpon what daye soeuer in the weeke that moone fell the fastinge dayes finished and ended when as the other churches throughout the worlde accustomed not to celebrate Easter after this manner but obserued the Apostolicke tradition and custome as yet retayned to wete the fastinge dayes on no other daye to be broken vp afore the daye wherein our Sauiour rose from death to lyfe Wherefore synodes and meetinges of Byshopes were summoned where all with one accorde ordained an ecclestasticall decree whiche they published by their epistles vnto all churches That vpon no other then the sondaye the mysterie of our sauiours resurrection shoulde be celebrated And that one that daye and no other the fasting vsed before Easter shoulde haue an ende Theire epistle is at this daye extant who at that tyme for this cause assembled together in Palaestina whereof Theophilus bishope of Caesarea and Narcissus bishope of Ierusalem were chiefe At Rome likewise there was a synode gathered together for the same cause the whiche Victor their bishope published Agayne there was an other of bishopes at Pontus where Palmas as the moste auncient did gouerne An other of bishops throughout Fraunce whiche Irenaeus did ouersee to be shorte an other of the bishopes throughout Ostroëna and the cities therein contained and speciallye of Banchillus bishope of Corinth with many others al which with one and the same sentence and iudgement ordained the same decree and their vniforme assent was thus made manifest vnto the worlde CAP. XXII By the reporte of Polycrates the churches in Asia celebrated Easter the fouretenthe moone POlycrates moderated the bishops throughout Asia whiche affirmed that their aunciente custome deliuered them of olde was to be retayned This Polycrates in his epistle vnto the churche of Rome sheweth the custome of Asia obserued vnto his tyme in these wordes VVe celebrate the vnuiolated daye of Easter neither addinge anye thinge thereto neither takinge oughte therefro for notable pillers of Christian religion haue rested in Asia vvhiche shall rise at the laste daie vvhen the Lorde shall come from heauen vvith glorie and restore all the sainctes to ioye Philip one of the tvvelue Apostles novve lienge at Hierapolis his tvvo daughters vvho kept them selues virgins all the dayes of their liues the third also after the ende of hir holie conuersation rested at Ephesus Againe Iohn vvho laye on the Lordes breast being a Priest vvore the priestlie attire both a Martyr and a Doctor slept at Ephesus Moreouer Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and a Martyr Thraseas an Eumenian both a Bishop a Martyr slept at Smyrna VVhat shal I speake of Sagaris
the misery and lamentable state of such as were thus afflicted but also their owne case and the ignominie redounding therby vnto nature the common parent of all This spectacle of mans fleshe not in one place deuoured but piteously scattered euery where was subiect to euery mans eye rounde about the walls of the towne and exceeded all that thereof may be spoken and euery lamentable and tragicall shewe Some reported they sawe quarters whole carkasses and peeces of bowells within the walls of the citie while this continewed the space of many dayes such a miracle was seene as followeth When the weather was calme aud the ayre cleare and the cloudes vnder heauen which compasseth all banished away the pillers of the citie vpon a sodaine which helde vp the great and common porches swett or rather poured out many droppes of water much like vnto teares the markett place also and the streetes when as there fell not a droppe of rayne I wot not how neither whence soked with moysture and sprinkled dropps of water so that immediatly the rumor was bruted abroad in euery mans mouth that the earth being not able to away with the hainous and horrible offences of those dayes poured out infinite teares after a wonderfull sort and that the stones and senselesse creatures bewayled those detestable mischieues reprouing man most iustly for his stoâ—y heart his cruell minde voyde of all pitie and compassion but peraduenture this story will seeme fabulous and ridiculous vnto the posterity yet not vnto such as then were present and were fully perswaded with the trueth thereof CAP. XXVIII The martyrdome of Ares Promus Elias Petrus Apselamus and Asclepius a Bishop of the opinion of Marcion THe fourteneth daye of the moneth Apellaeâ—s which next ensued that is about the nynetenth of the Calends of Ianuary certaine godly men trauellers out of Aegypt their iourney was into Cilicia minding to finde some reliefe at Caesarea for the confessors whiche there abode were taken of the watch which sate at the gates of the citie searched incommers Of which men some receaued the self same sentence as they had before whom they went about to relieue to were y â— pulling out of their eies the maiming of their lyâ—â—â—es and left legges Three of them yelding forth a maruelous constancie at the confession of their faith ended their liues with diuers kindes of torments at Ascalon where they were apprehended One of them whose name was Ares was throwne into a great flaming fire and burned to ashes â–ª the other two whose names were Promus and Elias had their heads stroken of from their shoulders The eleuenth day of y â— moneth Audinaeus y â— is about the thirde Ides of Ianuary Petrus called also Apselamus a worshipper or religious man borne in the village Anea which bordered vpon Eleutheropolis being very often entreated by the iudge and his asistents to remember him selfe to pity his case and to tender his youthly yeares and florishing age contemned their perswasions and cast his whole care vpon Almighty God preferring that before all other thinges yea and before his proper life and at Caesarea tried by fire his faith in Christ Iesu with a noble and valiant courage much like vnto most pure golde together with him on Asclepius a Bishop as men sayd of the heresie of Marcion with godly zeale as he thought but not with that which is according vnto knowledge departed this life in the selfe same burning fire and thus much of them CAP. XXIX Of 12. Martyrs that suffred together in one day with Pamphilus and of the martyrdome of Adrianus and Eubulus TIme now draweth me away to paynt forth vnto the posteritie that noble and glorious theatre of Martyrs which suffred together with Pamphilus whose name I doe alwayes honour and reuerence They were twelue in number and thought worthy not only of y â— Prophetical or rather the Apostolike gift but also the number of the Apostles whose captayne and principall was Pamphilus â–ª minister of the Churche of Caesarea a man very famous for sundry his vertues throughout the whole race of his life singuler in despising and contemning this present worlde bountifull for liberalitie bestowed vpon the poore wonderfull in neglecting the care fixed vpon transitory thinges excelling in behauiour and Philosophicall trade of liuing moreouer passing all the men of our age for feruent zeale and earnest desire and study of holy Scripture maruelous constant in all his doings and enterprises and also very ready to ayde and helpe such as were of his kinne and familiar acquaintance other his vertues and well doinges because it required a longer treatise we haue lately and that largely published in a seuerall and peculier volume entitled of his life and deuided into three bookes Therefore such as are desirous to learne more exactly and more exquisetly to knowe his vertuous life we referre thither and presently we minde onely to prosecute such thinges as concerne the Martyrs which suffred persecution together with him The seconde after Pamphilus that came forth to wrastle was the reuerent whore headed Valens Deacon of the city Aelia a graue father in euery mans eye and greatly skilled in holy Scripture if then there was any such in the worlde he was so expert therein that if he hearde any percell thereof by any man alleadged forthwith was he able by rote to repeate it as well as if then he read it out of the booke The thirde was Paulus a man wonderfull zealous and feruent in the spirite borne in the citye Iamnia where he grewe to greate fame before martyrdome he endured the scorching and searing of his fleshe with hott yrons and passed through a worthy combatt at the confession of his fayth the martyrdome of these was differred by reason of their continewance in prison two whole dayes In the meane while came the brethren of Aegypt which suffered martyrdome together with them these Aegyptians when they had accompanied the confessors of Cilicia vnto the place appoynted for the digging of mettals returned home againe in their returne they were taken of the watch which kept the gates of Caesarea which were barbarous and rude groomes and examined who they were and whence they came when they could not conceale the trueth they were layde in holde as if they had bene haynous trespassers and had committed some horrible crime In number they were fiue which were brought before the tyrant and after their examination clapt in prison The thirde daye being the sixtenth of the moneth Peritius after the Romaynes about the fouretenth of the Calendes of March these together with Pamphilus and the rest of his companions mentioned a litle before by commaundement were brought before the iudg This iudge first of all trieth with sundry and manifold torments with new and straung deuises the inuincible constancy and valiant minde of the Aegyptians And with all he demaunded of the chiefe principal in this combat what his name was then
and bring him before the President he as if he went about to hasten his iourney and to ioyne him a wayfaring companion with Porphyrius vnto the celestial paradise commauÌ„deth forthwith that he should be beheaded This Seleucus was borne in Cappadocia preferred to this great honor before all the youth of the Romaine bande and before them which were of great creditt and estimation among the Romaines he excelled all the rest of the souldiers in youthly fauour in strength goodly stature of body his countenance was gracious his speach amiable he passed for comely making for bigge setting for fayre liking and fit proportion of the whole body â–ª he was famous at the beginning of the persecution for his pacient suffring of stripes in the defence of the fayth and being depriued of the warlike dignitie which he enioyed became a zelous follower of the worshippers or religious men he succored and prouided with fatherly care ouersight for the fatherles the succorlesse y â— widowes and such men as were visited with greate misery affliction wherfore God being rather delited w t such like sacrifices of mercy and workes of charitye then with smokye incense and bloody oblations called him of his goodnes vnto this glorious and renowmed garland of martyrdome this was the tenth champion of the number mentioned before which suffered death in one and the selfe same daye whereby as it appeareth the great and bewtifull gate of the kingdome of heauen being sett wide open by the meanes of Pamphilus his martyrdome made an easie passage both vnto him and the others his companions to the attayning of the perfect pleasure in the celestiall paradise Theodulus also a graue and a zelous father one of Firmilianus the Presidents familie and in greater creditt with him then all the rest of his houshold partly for his whore heade and greate yeares for he was a greate graundfather and partly for the singuler good will and affection borne alwayes towards him treading the same steppes which Seleucus had done before him and committing the like crime with him is brought before his maister Firmilianus the President to pleade for him self who being incensed with greater rage towards him then the rest of y â— Martyrs deliuered him in the ende to be crucified which kind of martyrdome after the example of our Sauiour he suffered most willingly yet because there wanted one which might supplye the twelfe rowme among the Martyrs rehearsed before Iulianus came forth who comming from farre and as yet not entred into the wrastling place as soone as he had hearde by the way as he came of their death and happy endes forthwith he conueyed him straight vnto the noble spectacle and theatre of Martyrs and as soone as he sawe with his eyes the blessed bodyes of the Sainctes lying all a long vpon the grounde he was tickled with inward ioye he embraced them seuerally and saluted them after the best maner which when he had done the catchpoles and executioners apprehended him and presented him before Firmilianus who after he had executed such thinges as were correspondent vnto his cruell nature commaunded he shoulde be layde vpon a slowe and a slacke fire and so burned to death Iulianus triumphed and leapt for ioye and with a loude voyce gaue great thankes vnto God who voutch safed him worthy so greate a glory and rewarde and in the ende he was crowned with martyrdome he was by birth of Cappadocia in life and conuersation holy faythfull and very religious and besides his fame in other things he was inspired with the aboundance of the spirite of God such was the trayne of them which were tormented and by the goodnes of God crowned Martyrs in the company of Pamphilus their holy and happy carkasses were kept aboue grounde by the decree of the wicked President foure dayes and foure nightes to be deuoured of the beastes of the fielde and of the foules of the ayre but when as miraculously neyther beaste neyther byrde neyther dogge drewe nighe vnto them agayne by the grace and goodnes of Almighty God they were caried away safe and sounde and committed with solempne buriall after the christian maner vnto their still graues and resting sepulchres Furthermore when the tyranny and cruelty practised against vs was bruted abroad and rife in euery mans mouth Adrianus and Eubulus of the contrey Manganaea taking their iourney towards Caesarea for to visite the rest of the confessors were taken at the gates of the city and examined concerning y â— cause of their voyage into that contrey afterwards freely confessing the truth they were brought before Firmilianus he without any more adoe or farther deliberation after many torments and infinite stripes gaue sentence they shoulde be torne in peeces of wilde beastes within two dayes after being the fift day of the moneth Dystros about the thirde Nones of March when the citizens of Caesarea celebrated their wakes vpon the day of reuells Adrianus was throwen at the feete of a fierce lion afterwards slayne with the edge of the sworde and so dyed Eubulus the thirde day after about noone in the selfe same Nones of March being the seuenth day of the moneth Dystros when the iudge entreated him earnestly to sacrifice vnto the Idols whereby he might enioye their freedome according vnto lawe and order he preferred the glorious death for godlines sake before this frayle and transitory life after he was torne and mangled of wilde beastes he was slayne as his fellowe before him with the edge of the sworde and being the last he sealed with his bloode all the happy conflicts of the blessed Martyrs of Caesarea but it shall seeme worthy the noting â–ª if at length we remember howe after what sorte and that not long after the heauy hande of God lighted vpon those wicked Magistrates together with the tyrants them selues for Firmilianus who frowardly and contumeliously raged agaynst the Martyrs of Christ suffering extreame punishment together with the other his parteners in horrible practises ended his life with the swords â–ª And these were the martyrdomes suffered at Caesarea during the whole persecution CAP. XXX The pastors of the Churches for their negligence in executing of their office were punished from aboue The martyrdome of Peleus Nilus Patermythius the punishment of Siluanus and Iohn The beheading of Nyne and thirty Martyrs in one day WHat in the meane tyme was seene to fall out against the Presidents and pastors of churches and after what sort the iust iudgment of God reuenger of sinne in steede of shepeherds ouer sheepe and the reasonable flocke of Christ the which they shoulde haue wisely and aduisedly gouerned made them not onely keepers of Camels a kinde of beast â—oid of reason by nature crooked and ill shapen but also the Emperours horsekeepers and this he did for a punishment due vnto their deserts moreouer what contumelies what reproches what diuersity of torments they suffred of the Emperours Presidents and Magistrats at
the sentence vvhich seemed gratefull and acceptable vnto God the ouerseer of all thinges for the concorde and consent in religion vvas openly pronounced so that there remayned nothinge hereafter to be concluded vpon vvhich seemed to tende or grovve either vnto discorde or disagreement toutchinge the faith VVhen as there at that tyme vve reasoned of the most sacred solemnitie and feast of Easter it seemed good by vniforme consent of all that all men in all places shoulde celebrate it vpon one and the selfe same daye for vvhat vvas there more auaylable vvhat could there be more glorious then that this feast vvhereby vve retaine and holde fast the firme hope of immortalitie shoulde after one and the same order and after the same manifest trade vvithout noueltie or alteration be obserued and first of all it seemed altogether contrary to order that in the celebration of the sayd most sacred feast we should imitate the rites maner of the Iewes who in as much as they haue defiled their hāds with an hainous offence reason it is as impure persons their minds should be helde snared in blindnesse It remayneth therefore that vve lay aside theyr custome and publishe for a remembrance vnto the posteritie in tyme to come the celebration of this feaste after a truer more syncere institution the vvhich vnto this present time from the first day of the passion we haue obserued VVherfore let vs haue nothing common with that most odious broode of the Iewes for we are taught by our sauiour to tread an other way the which we must cleaue vnto there is layde downe a race a limite both decēt and lawfull for our most sacred religion let vs ioyntly retaine this with vniforme consent most honorable brethren withdraw our selues from that despitefull nation For in very deede it is the greatest absurditie that can be for them arrogantly to vaunt that we can in no wise obserue these things without the ayde and helpe of their discipline VVhat is it whereof they are able to sauour aright who after they had put the Lord Iesus to death hauing remoued the right sense of their minde out of his quiet seate vvere caryed not vvith the vveyght of reason but vvith an intollerable vvilfulnesse of rashe enterprises vvhither so euer the frensie and madnesse that vvas ingraffed in their mindes did leade them And in this poynte it is apparent they see not the manifest trueth no maruell then they erre in many things in that they besides the appointed time for the celebration of this fest within the compasse of the selfe same yeare do celebrate a second Easter VVhat cause then shall moue vs to imitate these men vvhome vve see thus manifestly infected vvith the grieuons maladie of errour vve vvill in no vvise permit the same feast in one and the same yeare the seconde time to be solemnized If that I had bene carelesse and busyed my selfe herein nothinge at all it had bene your parte and duetie to haue imployed both your diligence and also with earnest and continewall prayer to haue craued that the right rule and synceritie of your minds should in no wise participate neither in any thing haue felowship with the vvicked vvayes of levvde persons Besides all this vve may easily perceaue hovve shamefull and detestable a thinge it is to dissent and disagree about so vveyghtie a matter and about so hygh and so religious a feaste One festiuall daye of purchased freedome to vvete of the moste blessed passion bloodsheding hath our sauiour commended vnto vs one catholicke churche he would haue to be collected of all whose mēbers though they be many in sūdry places dispersed vnder heauē yet do they knit close together in one spirite that is in the will pleasure of almighty god I would that of your wisdome holines you deepely weyed with your selues how disordered vndecent a thing it is vpō the selfe same dayes for some religiously to fast for some others ryotously to feaste it out and after Easter holidayes for some to feast and yeld them selues to fullnesse of pleasure for others to abstayne and obserue the prescribed dayes of fastinge VVherefore this is to be reformed and reduced vnto one maner and custome this as I am sure you doe all knowe very vvell is the pleasure of God him selfe And in as much as the same is ryghtly to be redressed that vve haue nothinge common vvith murtherers of fathers and such as haue putt theyr Lorde and mayster to death In as much as agayne that orderly and comelie maner retayned of all the churches throughout the vvorlde inhabiting either the VVest the South or the North and in sundrie places also of the East vvas to be obserued of vs therefore it is that presentlie all haue thought ryght vvell thereof I my selfe also haue taken vpon myne ovvne person your tractable vvisdome that looke vvhat custome soeuer vvith vniforme consent is of force in the citie of Rome in Italie Aphtick in all Aegypt Spaine Fraunce and Bryttaine Libya and all Greece in the prouince of Asia Pontus and Cilicia the same also vvith vvilling and gratefull minds should be ratified and approued of you all Considering of this carefully vvith your selues that not onely the greater number of congregations lyeth in the places before mentioned but also that it is a most godly purpose for all men ioyntly with one harte and voyce to desire that established which right and reason requireth to be done which also hath no fellowship with the damnable periurie of the despiteful Iewes but that I may vtter the whole in fewe wordes it seemed good by common assent of the whole assembly that the most sacred feaste of Easter shoulde be celebrated vpon one and the selfe same daye for it may not be that variance and dissention shoulde raygne about the celebration of so holy and so high a feast yea moreouer it is very commendable to condescend vnto this sentence which is farre from all error that doth preiudice the faith from all fellowship with shamefull sinne VVherefore the matter being brought to this passe embrace this decre with willing mindes as an heauenly most godly commaundement for whatsoeuer is decreeed in the holy councels of Bishops the same is to be attributed to the will of God VVherefore when you haue certified al our welbeloued brethren of the canons of this councel the sentence already layd downe the maner of celebrating the most holy feast it is your parte to approue the same and duely to obserue it that as soone as I can perceaue the right disposition of you all the vvhich of long tyme I haue desired I may vpon one and the selfe same daye together vvith you all solemnize this most sacred feaste and ioye for your sakes the vvhiche shall come to passe if that I may vnderstande that not onely the spite and outragious dealing of the deuill through your vvell doing ayded from aboue is vvholly put
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
◠Arian in the Bishoprick The same likewise seemed good vnto y ◠Emperour Wherefore he prepareth himselfe taketh his voyage into Alexādria together with great power from the Emperour There accompanied him Magnus the Emperours treasorer The Emperour sent w t him a commaundemēt vnto Palladius Liuetenant of Alexandria that he should ayd the enterprise of Euzoius with armed souldiers Being come to Alexandria they lay hande on Peter clap him in prison the rest of the clergie they banished some vnto one place some vnto an other but Lucius they stalled Bishop CAP. XVII How Sabinus the Macedonian made no mention of the mischiefs committed by Lucius the Arian howe Peter Bishop of Alexandria sled vnto Damasus Bishop of Rome saued his life of the crueltie which the Arians exercised vpon the worshippers which liued in the desert ALthough Sabinus beinge halfe an Arian therefore a concealer of the hainous faltes of his friends made no mention of the horrible Acts committed immediatly after the stallinge of Lucius in y ◠Bishops seae of Alexandria against such as inhabited the rest of Aegypt by imprisonning of some tormēting of others exiling of y t rest yet Peter after he had escaped out of prison signified howe great they were by his epistles wrytten vnto all the Christian churches vnder heauen Who as soone as he got out of prison fled vnto Damasus bishop of Rome Wherefore the Arians though they were fewe in number yet fauored the world thē so much that they held all the churches of Alexandria Not long after y ◠Emperours edict was proclaimed by vertue of y ◠which as many as helde the faith of One substance were banished not onely Alexandria but all Aegypt Moreouer y ◠Liuetenant was cōmaunded to pursue w t power of armed souldiers all such as Lucius should appoint him Thē were the religious houses in the desert wildernes spoyled ouerthrowē without all compassion turned downe to the groūd For the armed souldiers set vpon these seely vnarmed soules which stretched not out as much as the naked hande to their owne defence they were miserably slaine y ◠maner of the slaughter was so lamētable y t it can not sufficiētly he painted vnto the world by penne wrytten paper CAP. XVIII Of Ammon the monke and diuerse religious men inhabiting the desert IN so muche that we haue made mention of the monasteries in Aegypt there is no cause to the contrarye but that we maye discourse somewhat thereof The places commonly called religious houses though peraduenture the originall of them was many yeares before yet were they very much augmented amplified by Ammon an holy man Who though in the prime of his florishing youth he disdained of wedlock yet at the entreaty and earnest request of his deare friendes which exhorted him not to inuey so bitterly against mariadge but to take a wife he yelded vnto thē was maried Immediatly he led the newe maried spouse by the hand out of the parlour with the wōted pompe sollemnity into the wedding ved chamber whē their friends were gone he tooke the newe testament in his hand read the epistle of Saynct Paul vnto the Corinthiās expounded vnto his wife out of the Apostle such doctrine as concerned wedlock interlaced many other exhortations borowed out of other wryters layd before her the discōmodities of mariadge howe heuye a case was the company of man wife together what bitter panges griping griefs women great with child haue at the deliuerance of their burthen He added moreouer vnto these the care sorow incident to the education bringing vp of childrē last of all he rehearsed the vertues cōmodities annexed vnto virginitie howe the pure life the vndefiled vnstaunched vessell was free frō all the aforsayd annoyance cumbrances that virginitie commended vs highly presented vs next vnto God When he had vsed these the like reasons with his wife as yet being a virgine they preuailed so much y t she was perswaded before their cōming together to forget the wonted familiarity of man wife wherefore both they hauing cōcluded among themselues toutching the premisses got thē immediatly vnto the mounte Nitria where for a season they led a monasticall life in a blind cottage without respect of sex not thinkinge either on man or wife for they were as the Apostle sayth one body in Christ In a while after the new maried spouse the vndefiled virgine reasoneth thus w t Ammon It becometh not you in so much you haue vowed tēperancie and chastity to haue a woman in your sight in so narrowe and straict a rowine Wherefore if you thinke my aduise any thing to y t furtherance of cōtinency vertuous life let vs both seuerally lead solitary and monasticall liues Thus they agreed amonge themselues they parted a sunder one from the other and so spent out their dayes bothe abstained from wine and oyle their foode was drie breade they fasted somtimes one whole day somtimes two some other times more Antonie who liued in those dayes as Athanasius bishop of Alexādria wryteth in his life sawe the soule of Ammon after his desease caried vp of the Angells into heauen Wherefore many became earnest and zealous followers of Ammons trade of life so that y ◠mount Nitria and Scitis were full of religious mē whose liues seuerally to penne would require a peculier volume But in so much there were of thē many singuler rare men renowmed for their monasticall discipline and partly also for their Apostolicke trade of life famous also for many notable acts and sage sentences worthy of immortall memory It shall not be amisse in my opiniō to cut out here lay downe diuers things which may seeme cōmodious for the profit of y ◠studious readers The report goeth that Ammon neuer beheld his naked body y t he was wōt to say that it was a shamefull thing in a monk to delight himselfe with the sight of his bare skinne Of y ◠same man it is reported y ◠goinge about by chaunce to passe ouer a riuer and very loth to shift himselfe to haue prayed vnto God y t he might not be foyled neither hindred of his enterprise an Angell to haue come cōueyed him ouer vnto y ◠further bank Didymus also an other monke hauing liued fourescore and tenne yeare is sayd in all y t space neuer to haue kept company with man Arsenius of the same vocation was neuer wont to excommunicat y ◠yonger sort whē they had offended but such as profited very much in y e monasticall discipline his reason was this A yōg man whē he is chasticed sayth he with excommunicatiō forthwith he will disdaine take the matter in a snuffe but he that profiteth will quickly perceaue the griefe be sore pricked with punishment Pior as he walked was wont to eate and being demaunded why
stalling in the bishops sea the tenth day of Aprill the Consulship of Felix and Taurus he gaue forth in the hearing of all the people such a saying as followeth at the pronouncing of his oration before the Emperour Restore thou vnto me O Emperour the earth weeded purged of hereticks and I will render heauen vnto thee ayde thou me in â—oyling of the hereticks and I will asist thee in the ouerthrowing of the Persians Although such as detested the hereticks tooke these words in good part yet such as by his outward behauiour gathered the inward disposition of his minde could not chuse but espie his hautie stomacke his hasty running braine his foolish feeding on vaine glory specially seeing y t by and by he bolted out such rash vnaduised sayings Nay we may say as the common prouerbe goeth that the citie had not drunke before he beganne to blowe the smoke and the burning flame of persecution for the fift day after he was chosen bishop when he determined with him selfe to ouerthrowe the church of the Arians where they had their seruice priuely and by stelth he so troubled and disquieted their mindes that when they saw their Church must needes downe they put to their owne hands fired it them selues the which fire fell vpon the next houses and burned them to ashes so that there was much adoe in the citie and the Arians rose vp to reuenge them of their enemies But God the defender and conseruer of the citie suffered not that pestilent infection of rankor malice to runne any further from that time forth not onely the hereticks but such as were of his owne faith and opinion called Nestorius a firebrande Neyther rested he with this but destroyed as much as in him lay the whole citie while he went about to mischiefe the hereticks Againe he fell a molesting of the Nouatians onely because Paulus their bishop was famous and much spoken of for his zeale and godlines but the Emperour bridled and withstoode his enterprise with sharp admonitions nipping words I thinke it best to runne ouer with silence the vexations and iniuries he did vnto such as celebrated the feaste of Easter the foureteeneth daye of the moneth throughout Asia Lydia and Caria and how many were cast away in the sedition which he raysed at Miletum and Sardis But as for the plague and punishment he suffered partly for the aforesayd causes and partly also for his malapert tongue I will lay it downe in an other place CAP. XXX Howe that in the raygne of Theodosius the yonger the Burgonions receaued the fayth in Christ. NOwe am I about to declare a worthy historie which happened at that time there is a certaine barbarous nation inhabiting beyond the riuer Rheyne whome we commonly do call Burgonions these people leade a life farre froÌ„ magistracy gouernment of y â— coÌ„moÌ„ weale for they are all carpenters and thereby get their liuinge The people called Hunni breaking often tymes into their regions haue destroyed their contrey and dispatched very many at sundry tymes out of the way Wherefore they determine w t them selues not to fly for refuge and succour vnto any mortall man or liuing creature but to yeld themselues wholly vnto some god or other And when they called to mind y â— the God of the Romaines neuer sayled such as feared his name and put their affiance in him ioyntly with one hart and minde they turned them selues to embrace the fayth in Christ they tooke their voyage into a certayne citie of Fraunce and there they require of the Bishop to baptize them in the Christian faith The Bishop hauing enioyned them to fast seuen daies and instructed them in the principles of Christian profession did baptize them the eyght day following and bid them farewell They put on valtant courage and went on boldly to encounter with the tyrants neither was their hope frustrate neither did it fayle them in the ende For the Burgonians when Vptarus King of the Hunni crommed him selfe with vittaills on a certayne night vntill he burst in the midle set vpon the Hunni nowe wanting a heade and captaine fewe of them against many of the other to witt three thousande against tenne thousande they fought valiantly gott the victory From that time forth the sayd nation was a zealous maintayner of the Christian fayth About that tyme Barbas the Arian Bishop died it was the thirtienth Consulship of Theodosius the thirde of â—alentinianus and the foure and twentieth of lune in whose rowme Sabbatius succeeded So farre of these thinges CAP. XXXI Howe Nestorius vexed the Macedonians NEstorius insomuch he practised many things preiudicial vnto the quiet state of the church procured vnto him selfe great hatred euen as the ende of his doings proued sufficiently vnto vs. Antonius Bishop of Germa a citie in Hellespontus feeding the humor and crueltie of Nestorius in the rooting out of hereticks beganne to vexe the Macedonians out of all measure and for to cleare him selfe he fayned that the Patriarck to wete the Bishop of Constantinople had commaunded him the same Wherfore the Macedonians although they suffered for a while griefs and vexations yet seeing that Antonie kept no meane but exceeded in crueltie they coulde no longer beare the weight of so intollerable a burthen of iniuries but in the mad furye of their minde preserring the rashe motion of reuengement before all right and reason procured the death of Antonie to be done by such men as they had sent for to worke the feate This haynous offence which the Macedonians committed was an occasion to kindle and sett on fire the crueltie of Nestorius for he perswaded the Emperour to depriue them of their Churches Wherefore the Macedonians were put by one church which lay without the olde walls of Constantinople by an other at Cyzicum besides many others throughout Hellespontus so that many of them returned into the Church and embraced the faith of one substance CAP. XXXII Of Anastasius the Priest who was the occasion that Nestorius fell into such extreame impietie COmmonly we say that such as are geuen to drunkennesse are neuer to seeke for the cupp and busie bodies neuer want woe Nestorius who endeuored with might and mayne to bereaue others of their Churches was by chaunce thrust out of the Churche him selfe the occasion was as followeth Anastasius the priest who came with him thither from Antioch kept him alwayes companye was highly esteemed of him and his chiefe counselour in all his affayres taught on a certaine tyme in the Church that none ought to call Marie the mother of God because that she was but a woman and that God could not be borne of a woman These words of his disquieted out of measure the mindes both of clergie and laytie for they had learned of olde that Christ was true God and not to be seuered because of the misterie of his incarnation as man alone from his diuinitie and that according vnto 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
byshoppricke and banished the companie of clergie men CAP. V. Howe Iohn byshop of Antioch came fifteene dayes after and deposed Cyrill byshop of Alexandria of his byshopricke together with Memnon byshop of Ephesus whome of the contrarie side the councell absolued remouing Iohn with his company and in the ende howe that Cyrill and Iohn by the meanes of the Emperour Theodosius letters became friends and ratified the depriuation of Nestorius When they had pronounced the aforesaid most iust sentence Iohn byshop of Antioch fiue dayes after the depriuation of Nestorius came to Ephesus together with the priests and byshops of his diocesse called together his clergie and deposed both Cyrill and Memnon Afterwardes when Cyrill and Memnon had exhibited supplications vnto the councell assembled with them though Socrates peraduenture vnacquainted with the circumstance report it otherwise Iohn was called of them to render an accompt why he deposed the byshops and being cited thrise came not at all Then Cyrill and Memnon were absolued and Iohn with his clergie excommunicated and depriued of al priestly autoritie but when Theodosius who at the first misliked with the deposing of Nestorius yet afterwardes vnderstanding fully of his blasphemous opinion consented thereunto had sent his gracious and godly letters vnto Cyrill of Alexandria and to Iohn of Antioch they became friends and ratified the sentence pronounced against Nestorius CAP. VI. The comming of Paulus byshop of Emisa into Alexandria and the commendation which Cyrill gaue vnto the epistle of Iohn ABout the same time when Paulus byshop of Emisa came to Alexandria and pronounced in the Churche the sermon which at this day is extant in the worlde and beareth his name Cyrill byshop of Alexandria extolled the epistle which Iohn had sent vnto him and wrote back againe as followeth Let the heauens reioyce and let the earth be glad the midwal of rankor is battered downe the boylinge choler which bereaued the mindes of quietnes is purged from among vs al the occasiō of discord discention is banished away for our sauiour Iesus Christ graunted peace vnto the Churches vnder heauen and the most vertuous and holy emperours haue perswaded yea and compelled vs thereunto who by imitating with great zeale the godly steppes of their auncesters doe firmely retaine in their mindes the true and syncere fayth prouiding with singuler care for the profite and furtherance of the holy Churche so that thereby they purchase vnto them selues an immortall fame and set forth the glorie of their imperiall scepter whome the Lorde of hostes doth so liberally rewarde and so bountifully recompence with diuine graces and benefites that they are wont not onely to foyle the enemies but all wayes to winne of them the renowmed garland of victorie Neither is it possible that God shoulde lye which saith As truely as I liue I doe glorifie them which glorifie me ▪ but when the Lorde our brother and most godly fellovve byshop Paulus came to Alexandria I was vvonderfull glad for I coulde not otherwise chuse because that he being a notable man became a meane laboured in preaching beyond the reache of his strength to th ende he might ouercome the enuie of Satan couple together in loue the loose and seuered members of the Churche and reduce our Church in like sort with yours vnto peace and vnitie Immediately after he wrote as followeth Now I am fully perswaded that the quarrell which rose in the Church was fond and beganne vpon light occasion in so much my most vertuous Lord Paulus the byshopp brought letters vnto me comprising a sound and syncere protestation of the faith the which he auoutched to haue bene written of your holinesse and of the most godly byshops whiche are of your prouince The forme and phrases of Cyrills epistle were as is aforesayde but toutching the clause which signified the mother of God there was written as followeth VVhen we had perused the godly sentences and clauses within contained and perceaued plainely that you were of one minde and opinion with vs for there is but one Lorde one fayth one baptisme we rendered vnto God diuine prayses who is the conseruer of the whole worlde and presently we conceaue exceeding ioye seeing that as well your Churches as ours being 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 faith and opinion Who so euer will diligently sift out the true histories of those times will easily attaine vnto the knowledge of the aforesaide CAP. VII Of many thinges whiche Nestorius reported in writing of him selfe and howe in the ende his tongue whiche vttered blasphemie was eaten vp of wormes in the Isle Oasis where he departed this life HOwe Nestorius was exiled what afterwardes became of him the manner of his ende and the punishments he endured for his blasphemous opiniō are not laid downe in writing of such as deliuered his life vnto the worlde all whiche in processe and continuance of time would quite haue bene forgotten and not once remembred had not I by meere chaunce lighted on a certen Pamphlet written by Nestorius him selfe where the aforesaid are rehearsed at large Wherfore Nestorius the father of blasphemy builded not vpon the sure and setled fundation but vpon the sand which according vnto the parable of our sauiour is subiect to speedy ruine ouerthrowe besides sundry other his shifts wherby he laboured to defend his blasphemous sentēces he wrote vnto such as charged him with y e raising of rash vnaduised nouelties with his fonde request for the summoning of y e coūcel at Ephesus that he was driuen of necessity to do as he did seing the church was deuided and y t the one side affirmed Mary was to be called the mother of man y e other the mother of God I said he of my part do speake vnfainedly to th end I might not erre in either side by affirming either that he was not mortall subiect to death or of the other side by saying he was not immortal haue deuised that Mary should be called the mother of christ furthermore in y e aforesaid pamphlet of his first of all he declareth how Theodosius ratified not his depriuation because of y e entire loue affection he bare towards him againe after y e certain byshops of either side were sent in Embassie frō Ephesus vnto Theodosius y e emperour for so y e emperour had willed y t he had licence giuen him to returne vnto his monastery being before y e gates of Antioch which now is called Theopolis y e name whereof Nestorius hath not laid downe yet as I learne it was called Euprepius monastery sure I am it stood before y e gates of Antioch not two furlongs of Nestorius reporteth y t he made there his abode y e terme of foure yeres y t he was highly reuerēced y t he receaued many presēts afterwards y t
sundry of his owne crue but specially Theodotus one of them which forsooke Theodosius who then was made Bishop of Ierusalem by certaine sedicious persons at Ioppe and accompanied Iuuenalis to Constantinople CAP. VII Howe Basiliscus fearinge him selfe in the insurrection made by the Monkes through the perswasion of Acacius called in his former letters AGaine the aforesayd autor wryteth howe Acacius Bishop of Constantinople canuased the matter about raised both Monkes and people of Constantinople against Basiliscus as one that was an hereticke made him denye he had wrytten his letters vniuersally vnto all men and decree that such things as he had rashly and vnaduisedly published should be called in againe and to haue also brought to passe that the same Emperour sent euery where vnto all men contrary letters wherein he approued the councell of Chalcedon The same Zacharie shewinge himselfe very partiall throughout his history and led very much with affection omitted the sayde contrary letters they were wrytten as followeth The repelling letters of Basiliscus the Emperour THe Emperours Caesars Basiliscus and Marcus we charge and commaunde that the Apostolicke and true faith from the beginning hitherto retayned in the Churche continewed vnto this our present raigne obserued ofvs this day be embraced for euer in it we were baptized we beleue that the same is only to be embraced firmly vnuiolably being embraced to be continewed throughout all the Catholicke Apostolicke Churches vnder heauen no other besides this to be longer sought for VVherefore our will is that the letters generally wrytten duringe our raygne either vnto all men or otherwise howe soeuer or vvhat beside this hathe bene published by vs be henceforth cancelled and abolished that Nestorius Eutyches with all theyr complices and euery heresie be accursed that no councell be called together neither any decree or reasoninge of the fayth but that suche thinges as are already in that behalfe established remaine vnuiolable that the prouinces whereunto the seae of this royall and noble citie hathe the preferringe of Byshops be restored vnto the moste reuerend and moste holy Patriarch Acacius and that the Bishops alredy placed throughout the prouinces continewe neuerthelesse in theyr proper seaes so that there may rise thereof after theyr desease no preiudice at all vnto the prerogatiue of the holye seae of Constantinople Laste of all let no man doubte but that this our gracious decree is of force agreable vvith the vvill of God Thus were these thinges brought about CAP. VIII Howe Zeno the deposed Emperour recouered againe the royall scepter ZEno as it is reported seing in a vision the holy valiaunt and renowmed martyr Thecla not onely prouoking but also promising him to be restored againe vnto the Emperiall robes led his army towardes Constantinople And hauinge allured with giftes such as besieged him he thrust Basiliscus who had raygned two yeares beside the scepter tooke him out of the sanctuary he had fledd vnto and deliuered him vnto the hand of the enemy For which cause Zeno dedicated at Seleucia in Isauria a goodly temple gorgeously buylded vnto y â— renowmed martyr Thecla bewtified it with many Princely monuments which were preserued vnto this our age But as for Basiliscus he sent him away to suffer at Cappadocia where together with wife and children he was put to death in an Inne called Acouson Immediatly after Zeno made a lawe where he abrogated the decrees of Basiliscus the tyrant comprised in the letters he had generally wrytten vnto all men banished Peter syrnamed Cnapheus out of Antioch and Paulus Bishop of Ephesus CAP. IX Howe after the deceasse of Basiliscus the Bishops of Asia going about to pacisie Acacius who stomached them for condemning the councell of Chalcedon sent vnto him theyr recantation THe Bishops of Asia to the ende they might auoyde the displeasure Acacius had conceaued against them acknowledged theyr faultes and craued pardon sent vnto him theyr recantatioÌ„ and repentance where they protested that they had subscribed not of theyr owne accord but by constraint and compulsion vnto the generall letters of Basiliscus and confirmed with an oth that it was euen so and that they beleeued no otherwise then the couÌ„cell of Chalcedon did beleue The recantation was thus The Epistle or recantation sent by the Bishops of Asia vnto Acacius Bishop of Constantinople VNto Acacius the most holy and most religious Patriarch of Constantinople After a fewe lines VVe haue sente vnto you as it was very meete one for to supplye our rowme In a while after this againe By these our letters we doe protest that not of our owne accord but by compulsion we were brought to subscribe vnto Basiliscus letters and that we haue geueÌ„ thereunto our consents not with hart but only in word For by the grace of almighty God who louingelye accepteth of our prayers we beleue no otherwise then we learned of the three hundred and eighteene famous men and lightes of the wholl worlde and besides them of the hundred fifty holy fathers VVe hold moreouer with the holy acts decreed by the godly fathers at Chalcedon As for the report Zacharie Rhetor made of these bishops whether he sclaundered theÌ„ or whether they lyed theÌ„ selues that they had subscribed against their wills vnto Basiliscus letters I am not able certenly to auoutch CAP. X. VVhat Bishops there were of Antioch about that time AFter that Peter was banished the Church of Antioch StephaÌ„ succeeded him in the Bishopricke whome the people of Antioch dispatched as Iohn Rhetor declareth with litle darts much like sharpe speares After his decease Calandio gouerned the seae who perswaded as many as came vnto him to accurse both Timothee the general letters Basiliscus had sent abrod vnto all Churches CAP. XI Howe the Emperour Zeno spared Timotheus Aelurus because of his gray heare after this Aelurus death Petrus Moggus became Bishop of Alexandria he was deposed Timotheus Basilicus placed in his rowme ZEno although he purposed to banish Timothee Alexandria yet when it was told him that he was a very olde man and ready to lye in his graue he altered his mind Timothee not longe after finished the race of his mortall life immediatly the Bishops of that prouince chose of theyr owne heade Peter syrnamed Moggus to theyr Bishop Zeno hearinge this was very muche displeased gaue forth commaundement that Peter should die the death called home Timothee the successor of Proterius who then by reason of a certaine insurrection made of the people led his life at Canabus Thus Timothee by the Emperours coÌ„maundement recouered againe the bishoprick CAP. XII Of Iohn who crept to be Bishop of Alexandria after the death of Timothee and howe the Emperour deposed him for periurie preferringe Petrus Moggus to the rowme IOhn the Priest Parson of Saynct Iohn Baptists the forerunner of our Sauiour â—ame through some mens perswasion to Constantinople made sute vnto the Emperour that if it fell out the Byshop of
I frame the thunder and create the winde reuealing my Christ among men Again In that day wil I raise vp the tabernacle of Dauid that is falne down and close vp the breaches therof and I will raise vp his ruines and I wil build it as in the dayes of old that they may seeke the Lord which are the remnant of men all the heathen vpon whom my name is called sayth the Lord which doth this Iames made mention of this Prophecie in the Acts of the Apostles This Amos was of Thecna Armasias king of Iuda persecuted him very oft chastized him many times at length the sonne of Amasias tooke him with a clubbe on the temples of the head and killed him while as yet he drew breath after his wound they brought him to his owne countrey and within two dayes after he died and was there also buried Esaias THis great Prophet Esay the sonne of Amos foresaw in a figure the mysterie of Christ when he sawe the Lord sitting vpon an high and glorious seate where sayeth he the Seraphines stoode about him whereof one hadde sixe wings and an other hadde sixe wings wherewith they couered their faces and cried one to the other in this maner Holy holy holy is the Lorde of hostes the whole earth is full of his glory Then was there one of the Seraphins sent which tooke of the altar an hotte cole with the tongs and touched his lips saying this taketh away thine vnrighteousnes He was so fully instructed by the vision he sawe and perswaded of the type and figure that he foreshewed the mysterie of Christ Againe he was so endued with grace from aboue that he prophecied of the mysterie of Christes passion in this sort He was ledde as a sheepe to be slaine yet was he as still as a Lambe before the sherer and opened not his mouth The Eunuche of Ethiopia reading this Prophecie requested Philip to expound it vnto him who immediatly declared that the Prophet had said this most truely of Christ our Lord. againe he saith He is suche a man as hath good experience of sorowes and infirmities And againe He did none euil neither was there guile found in his mouth yet the Lord will clense him of his wound and shewe light vnto him Againe Thus sayth the Lord Behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone euen a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation and who so beleeueth on him shall not be confounded Againe The spirite of the Lord is vpon me therefore hath he anoynted me c. When the Lord readd this in the synagogue on the Sabaoth he sayd Verely I say vnto you this day is this scripture fulfilled in your eares This Esay was of Ierusalem He died at Ierusalem vnder king Manasses being sawed a sunder in two partes and was buried vnder the Oke nighe the well of Rogel hard by the place where the waters ranne which king Ezechias dammed vp It was by this Prophet that God wrought the monument and memoriall of the place called Siloam for when breath failed him before death came he called for a litle water to drinke which was immediatly sent vnto him out of this brooke therfore the place is called Siloam which is by interpretatioÌ„ as much to say as sent In y â— time of Ezechias before this lake or pond was made there came out a litle water at y â— prayer of Esay for the people were then in the plaine couÌ„treys of y â— Moabites who were aliens and left y â— citie perished through want of water for the enemies enquired where they might drinke the Citie being beset they besieged also the brooke Siloam which was drie vnto them there came forth water when the Iewes prayed together with Esay Therefore it runneth continewally after a secret sort vnto this day for to reueale this great myracle And because this was done by Esay the Iewes for memorial therof buried him with great care and honor nigh Siloam that by his holy prayers they might in like sort enioy the benefite of this water after his departure out of this world for he had an aunswere from aboue to doe as he did His sepulchre is nighe where the kings are buried behinde the buriall of the Iewes towardes the Southe Solomon builded the tumbe of Dauid vnto the East of mount Sinâ— hauing an entraunce to goe in from the way which cometh out of Gabaon out of the Citie about a twentie furlongs He made it so crooked and so awrie that it can hardly be perceaued so that many Priestes and in maner the whole nation of the Iewes coulde not vnto this day finde the way that goeth in King Solomon had laide vp there golde that came out of Aethiopia and spice And because Ezechias shewed and dishonored the bones of his fathers therefore God badde him assure him selfe it woulde come to passe that his seede should serue his ennemies and he made him baren and frutelesse from that day forth Ioel. GOd gaue of his spirite vnto the Prophet Ioel that he foreshewed the mysterie of Christ For he sayeth And it shall be in the last dayes sayth the Lorde Of my spirite I will poure out vpon all flesh your sonnes your daughters shall prophecie your yong nien shall see visions and your old men shall dreame dreames On my seruauntes on my handmaideÌ„s I vvill poure out of my spirit in those dayes and they shal prophecie I wil shew wonders in heauen aboue tokens in the earth beneath bloud fire and the vapour of smoke the sunne shal be turned into darknes and the Moone into bloud before that great notable day of the Lord come And it shall come to passe that whosoeuer shal cal vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued S. Peter rehearsed this Prophecie in the Acts of the Apostles that it was euen then fulfilled wheÌ„ as the holy Ghost came downe from heauen and rested vpon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost This Ioel was a neighbour vnto the citie Bethomeron in Rubim where he died was also buried in peace Ionas IOnas hath not barely in word but truely in deede foreshewed the mysterie of our sauiours resurrection For Christ sayth in the gospell Euen as Ionas was three dayes and three nightes in the bellie of the whale so shall the sonne of man be three dayes and three nights in the bowelles of the earth Euen as the whale cast vp Ionas vncorrupt so hathe the sepulchre restored the Lorde to the better life This Ionas was of Cariathmaus nigh Azotus a Citie lying on the sea coaste towardes the Gentiles After he came out of the whales bellie and taken his way to the Citie of Niniue he taried not in that lande but tooke his mother and soâ—orned in Assur a foraine soyle He thought with him selfe by this meanes I shall take away the infamie which I haue purchased vnto my selfe by prophecying falsely against
there remaineth no hope for vs he perswaded them by prophecying of dead bones that there was comfort inough left for Israel both for the present and for the time to come This Prophet Iudged Israel and shewed what shoulde become both of Ierusalem and the Temple He was taken from Babylon that he came to Ierusalem the same houre to rebuke suche as beleeued not in God This Prophet sawe euen as Moses did before him the fygure of the Temple the Wall and what was thereabout and the gate through the whiche the Lorde was to enter in and toe goe out and that it woulde come to passe that the same gate woulde be shut and that all nations shoulde put their trust in the Lorde In Babylon he iudged the tribe of Dan and of Gad because they wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord in persecuting them that kept the â—awe and he gaue them a terrible token for Adders destroyed their children and all their cattell for their sinne and iniquitye He prophecyed also that for their sakes the people shoulde not returne vnto their owne countrey but shoulde remayne in Media vntill they had repented them One of these was he that slewe this Prophet Daniel THe prophet Daniel prophecied in Babylon and was accepted of as one that was fit to prophecy of Christ. Know therefore vnderstand saith he that froÌ„ the going forth of the coÌ„maundement to bring againe the people and to build Ierusalem vnto Messias the prince there shal be seuen weeks and threescore two weekes c. Againe in an other place There vvas a sâ—one cut vvithout hands the stone smote the image it became also a great mountaine and filled the vvhol earth Againe And behold there came one in the clouds of heauen like the sonne of man vvhich vvent vnto the auncient of dayes vnto him there vvas geuen honor povver wyth other things that ther are laide downe This Daniel was of the tribe of Iudah a noble man borne being a yong childe he was led into captiuity out of Iudaea into the land of the Chaldees he was in the vpper Betheron so chasâ—â— man that the Ievves thought he had bene gelded he bewayled verye muche both the people and the holye citie Ierusalem He brought him selfe verye Iowe and weake by fastinge and abstayninge from delicate foode feedynge vpon the fruite of the earth In forme of bodye he was drye and leaue but in the fauour of God he was moyste and of good likinge At the request of Balthasar the kings sonne this prophet prayed very much for king Nabuchodonosor who was transformed into the figure of a monstrous beast that his father should not be cast away In the fore partes and the heade he was like an Oxe the hinder partes with the feete resembled the Lyon his heares were as Egles feathers and his nayles lyke byrdes 〈◊〉 â–ª It was reuealed vnto this holye man that the Kinge for his brutishe sensualitye and stifneckednesse â–ª shoulde be transformed into a beaste That is to saye he shoulde be made subiecte vnto Belial lyke an Oxe vnder yoke and resemble a Lyon for his raueninge tyrannye and crueltye These are the propertyes of Potentates in their youth vntill at length they are become bruite beasts rauening slaying practising tyrauny and all kinde of impieâ—y and in the end they receaue of the iust iudgment of God the reward of their wickednes The spirit of God gaue this holy man to vnderstand that like an Oxe he woulde â—eede vpon hay which was his food Wherefore Nabuchodonosor after he had digested this meate he recouered the sense and vnderstandinge of man he wept he made supplication vnto the Lord day night he prayed vnto y e Lord forty times And being come vnto him self yet forgate he that he had bene made a man The vse of his tongue was taken away that he could not speak and vnderstanding of that immediatly he fel a mourning His eyes by reason of his continuall lamentation gaue forth a dead look Many went out of y e citie to see him yet only Daniel would not go for al â–ª y â— while he was so transformed Daniel ceassed not to pray for him his saying was he wil become a man again theÌ„ wil I see him but they gaue no credit vnto his words Daniel by praying vnto y â— most highest brought to passe y t the seuen years whoÌ„ he called seuen times were turned into seuen moneths that y e mystery of y e seuen times should in theÌ„ be finished within y â— space ofâ—enen mâ—â—eths he was restored vnto him selfe y e sixe yeares y t were behind the fiue moneths he prostrated him self before the Lord confessing his sinnes iniquity And when he had obtained remission of sinne he gaue his kingdome vnto y e prophet he eat neither bread neither flesh nor dronk wine but coÌ„fessed his sinnes vnto y e lord For Daniel had coÌ„maunded him to feed vpoÌ„ pulse herbs so to please y e Lord â–ª wherfore he called Daniel Balthasar would haue made him cahere w t his sonnes â–ª but as toutching the kingdome the holy prophet would none of it his aunswere was be fauourable vnto me O Lorde that I forsake not the inheritance of my fathers and become heire vnto the vncircumcised He wrought many straunge wonders in the presence of the other kings of Persia whiche are not written Daniel dyed in Chaldaea and was honorably buried alone in a princely sepulchre he gaue a terrible token as toutchinge the mountaines ouer Babylon saying When ye see them smoke of the North side the destruction of Babylon is at hand When ye see them burne then the whole worlde is nigh to an ende If out of these mountaines in time of calamitie there shall flowe out water then the people shall returne into their owne lande if blood doe runne out there will be greate slaughter throughout the worlde After all this holy man of God rested in peace Baruch BAruch liued in the time of the prophet Ieremy he was his scribe he wrote out of Ieremies mouth read it before Ioachas the sonne of Iosias king of Iuda after he had read it he was faine to flye awaye and hide him selfe together wyth Ieremy for the booke was burned It appeareth after this â—light he was verye timorous God sent Ieremye to reproue him for it Beinge ledde captiue into Babylon when Ieremye went downe to Aegypt he wrote that booke which beareth his name the which was sent from thence to Ierusalem to be read in the temple vpon high dayes Vrias VRias was of Cariath-iarim the sonne of Semei he prophecied against the citie of Ierusalem and the whole lande of ludaea euen as Ieremye did Ioacim the sonne of Iosias kinge of Iuda sought to kill him therefore Vrias hearing of it was very much affraide fled away and got him into Aegypt but king Ioacim sent meÌ„ after Vrias which brought him out
sent vnto him sent him backe to Pilate againe â—uc 23. CAIPHAS other wise called Ioseph was high prieste when Christ suffred next after SimoÌ„ placed by Cratus Euseb lib. 1. ca. 11. Ioseph Antiq lib. 18. cap. 4. The Scribes Pharises and elders hearing that Christ was risen from the dead gathered a councell for to suppresse the rumor thereof and concluded that a pece of money should be geuen to the souldiers for sayinge that his disciples stole him away by night Math. 28. Iudas Iscarioth being one of the 12. was the first Apostata that fell froÌ„ the trueth in Christ he solde his master for 30. pieces of siluer Math. 26.  Pâ—â—Aâ—â— certifieth the emperour Tibâ—â—ius of the doinges of Christ his passion resurrection Eseb 〈…〉 hist li. 2. â—a 2. IOSEPH of Arimathia who was a disciple of Iesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes came to Pilate begged the body of Iesus Ioh. 19. NICODEMVS also came who at the first came to Christ by night Io. 3. brought precious oyntments Ioh. 19.  The holy EuaÌ„gelists doe recorde Annas Caiphas to haue beene highepriests in the coÌ„passe of our Sauiours preaching and passion so they might very wel be both placed and displaced and placed againe within that time these 5. Annas Ismael Eleazar Simon Caiphas are sayde to haue bene within 4. yeares The cause of so great a chauÌ„ge of priestes was the often alteration of Presidents sent froÌ„ the Emperour into Iudaea Euseb lib. 1. ca. 11.   Christ â—ose froÌ„ the dâ—â—d the 3. daye being the 27. day of March the samâ— day he shewed hiÌ„ selfe diuersly 1. to Maâ—â—â— Magdalene 2. to other womeÌ„ 3. to the disciples as they went to Emaus 4. to Iames 5. to Peter 6 to all the Apostles wheÌ„ the dores were shutt 7. to mo theÌ„ 500. brethreÌ„ Mat. 28. Marâ— 16. Luc. 24. Ioh. 20. 1. Cor. 15. eyghte dayes after that is the 3 of Aprill he appeared vnto Thomas afterwardes he shewed him selfe at the sea of Tiberias Iâ—hn 20. 21. Cytreus in 21. cap. Math. TIBIRIVS woulde haue had Christ to be canonized by the Senate of Rome in the catalogue of the Gods the Senate woulde not Euseb lib. 2. cap. 2 The names of the 12. Apostles Mat. 10. Marc. 3. Act. 1. Luc. 6.  IONATHAS the soÌ„ne of Anna succeedeth Caiphas by the commaundement of Vitellius president of Syria who deposed Caiphas for his lewdnesse Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 8.   Forty dayes after that is the 5. of May he ascended into the heauens Act. 1. Math. 28. Marâ— 16. â—uâ— 24. Câ—treus in 21. cap. Math. MARCIIIVSIS lente into Iudaea in the towme of Pilate Ioseph Antiq lib. 18. cap. 7. by Vitellius President of Syria 1. Peter called both Simon and Cephas 2. Andrewe Peter his brother 3. Iames the sonne of Zebedaeus the brother of Iohn the Euangelist 4. Iohn the Euangelist the brother of Iames. 5. Philip of Bethsaida 6. Bartholomaeus 7. Mathewe the sonne of Alphaeus Marc. 2. called Leui a Publicane 8. Thomas called Didymus 9 Iames the sonne of Alphaeus called Iustus and Oblias and the brother of the Lorde touching whome looke Euseb lib. 2. cap. 23. the censure following 10. Iude the brother of Iames called Lebbaeus Thad daeus 11. Simon the brother of Iames Iude called the Cananite Zelotes 12. Iudas Is charioth who slewe his father maried with his mother betraied his maister in the ende he hanged himselfe Chronic. Al bon  THEOPHILVS brother to Ionathas is placed high priest Ionathas remoued by the same Vitellius Zuinger Theat hu vit   The acts of Christ and the yeares of the incarnation The raigne of the Emperours The Fathers of the Church The Kinges of Iudaea The High-priestes of the Iewes in Ierusalem The Councells The bishops of Ierusalem The Bishops of Antioche The bishops of Rome The Bishops of Alexandria The Hâ—…tickes      The Apostles imme diatly after the ascentioÌ„ of our sauiour returned sroÌ„ Mount Oliuet to Ierusalem there asseÌ„bled together for the election of one to succede in the rowme of Iudas the traytor wher they chose Mathias Act. 1 IAMES called the brother of Christ as ClemeÌ„s writeth was immediatly after the assumption of our sauiour choseÌ„ bishop of IerusaleÌ„ by Peter Iames and Iohn the Apostles Euse lib. 2. cap. 1. he coÌ„tinewed Bishop of that seae 30. yeares Anto. chron part 1. tit 6. cap. 8. paragr 1. He was martyred an Dom. 63. Euseb chron The Iewes but especially Ananias the highpriest set him vp to preache vnto the people when he had done they threwe him downe headlong brayned him with a Fullers clubb Euseb lib. 2. cap. 23. Iosephus thought that the destruction of Ierusalem was partly because of the martyrdome of this Iames. The Antiochians as Iuke reporteth were first called Christians Paul and Barnabas preached there one whole yeare Act. 11. Eusib eccles hist lib. 2. cap. 3    The 15. daye of mayhe seÌ„t the holy ghost vpoÌ„ the Apostles on the day of pentecost Act. 2. Cytreus in 21 cap. Math.  Mathias is added to the eleuen in the rowme of Iudas the traitor Act. 1. Besides these 12. Christ appointed other 70. disciples ther names are founde in this voluÌ„e before this Chronography writen by Dorotheus Luc. 10. Seuen dea cons are chosen by the Apostles Stephan Philip Prochorus Nicanor Timon Parmenas Nicolas Act. 6.     PETER the Apostle was the first bishop of Antioch He continewed there 7. yeres 70. ther yeres about Ierusalem the Easterne relegioÌ„s Anton chron part 1. tit 6. cap. 4. parag 1. Euseb eccl hist lib. 3. cap. 1. 4.   Anaâ—… getheâ—… Saphâ—… wife fâ—… from faith hypoâ—… dis 〈…〉 latioÌ„ cons 〈…〉 togeâ—…â—or tâ—… lude 〈…〉 holy 〈…〉 in reâ—… backâ—… part 〈…〉 sold 〈…〉 sion 〈…〉 espiâ—… a 〈…〉 amiâ—… had 〈…〉 theâ—… fall 〈…〉 deaâ—… dowâ—… his 〈…〉 Act 〈…〉 Anno Christi 34. Eus Chronic. Anno Tiberij 19. Euseb in Chronic StephaÌ„ was stoned to death Ac. 7   A councel is summoned of the Apostles disciples of Christ at IerusaleÌ„ for the remouing of the tumult risen betwene the Grecians the Hebrewes about the conteÌ„ning of their widowes wherein they chose 7. deacons Act. 6.  EVODIVS one of the 70. disciples whom S. Paul remembred in his epistles was bishop of Antioch after Peter Euseb eccles hist lib. 3. ca. 19.  MARKE the Euangelist being the disciple and interpreter of Peter was the 1. bishop of Alexadria being at Rome he was intreated of the brethreÌ„ to write a go spell the which wheÌ„ Peter herd of he allowed coÌ„mitted the said go spell with his autoritie to be read in the churche Marke was not al waies resiant at Alex andria for he preched also in the contreyes about  〈…〉 froÌ„â—…encri â—…nto 〈…〉 as he 〈…〉 perâ—…ing 〈…〉 Saul 〈…〉