byshopricke sodenly as it vvere by certaine iugglinge feates he stepped forth a byshop this lavvemaker and protector of the ecclesiasticall science vvhen that he presumpteously endeuored to chalenge vnto himselfe the title of a byshop not graunted vnto him from aboue chose tvvo men of a desperate condition to be partakers of his heresie vvhome he might sende to a certaine corner or les ser part of Italy and thence to seduce three byshops plaine simple and countrey men by some crafty meanes auoutching and affirming that they must in all the haste come to Rome fayninge that they together vvith other byshops meetinge for the same purpose shoulde appease and remoue a certaine schisme raised in the Citie â–ª vvho beinge simple men as vve sayde before not knovving theyr craftie and mischieuous fetches aftertheir coming vvere inclosed by such levvde persons that vvere like vnto themselues suborned for the purpose aboute tenne of the clocke vvhen as they vvere some vvhat tipsie and vvel crommed vvith vitayles they vvere constrayned to create him bishop vvith imaginatiue and friuolous layinge on of handes the vvhich craftely and subtlely not compatible for his person he chalenged vnto him selfe One of them aftervvards repented him and returned vnto the Church bevvaylinge his fall and conconfessing his fault the vvhole multitude also intreatinge for him vvhome vve receaued vnto the company and communion of the laytie In the rovvmes of the other byshops vve ordayned and sent from vs such as should succeed them VVherfore this iolly defender of the Gospell vvas ignorant that there ought to be but one byshop in the catholicke church in the vvhich he knovveth for hovve shoulde he be ignorant that there are six and forty priests seuen deacons seauen subdeacons tvvo and forty acolytes tvvo and fyfty exorcists and readers vvith porters vvidovves and impotent persons aboue a thousand and fifty soules vvho all are releaued through the grace and goodnes of almighty God vvhome so great a multitude and so necessary in the Church and by the prouidence of God so copious and infinite yea a number of innumerable people could not coÌ„uert and turne him to the Church from this his desperate and damnable presumption Againe in a while after he wryteth Novve forvvardes I vvill orderly declare by vvhat meanes by vvhat trade of life he purchaced vnto himselfe the title of a bishop Thinke you that therefore because of his conuersation in the Churche from the begining or because he endured many skyrmishes or conflicts for his name or that he stood in manifolde and greate perills for piety his sake none of all this vvas true in him The occasion of beleeuinge he tooke of Satan vvhich entred into him and made there longe abode VVhen he vvas deliuered by the Exorcists he fell into a dangerous disease and because he vvas very like to dye vvas baptized in the bedd vvhere he laye If it may be termed a baptisme vvhich he receaued For he obtayned not after his recouery that vvhich he shoulde haue done accordinge vnto the canon of the Church to vvete confirmation by the handes of the byshop In so much then he obtained not that hovve came he by the holy Ghost And againe a little after he sayth He beyngè lothe to dye and desirous of life in the time of persecution denyed himselfe to be a priest VVhen he vvas entreated by the deacons and admonished â—o come forthe out of the house vvherein he had enclosed himselfe and to minister vnto the necessitie of the brethren vvhich vvanted he vvas so farre from doinge and obeynge the Deacons that he vvent avvay and departed in a chaâ—e saying that he vvoulde no longer playe the priest but addicte him selfe vnto an other trade of Philosophie and againe to this he annecteth that which followeth this good man forsooke the Church of God vvherein he vvas baptized and vvhere also he tooke priesthoode vpon him by fauour of the byshop vvhich allotted him thereunto through the layinge on of handes and vvhen all the clergye yea and many of the layetiâ— vvithstoode the facte that none baptised in bedd as he vvas shoulde be chosen into the ecclesiasticall order yet they all requested that he might be permitted to enter into orders An other insolency of this man passinge all the former he reporteth thus VVhen he distributed the oblation and deliuered to euery maÌ„ parte thereof he added this vvithall constrayninge the seely soules before they receaued of his oblation to svvere holdinge both their handes together not loosed before they had thus svvorne I vvill vse theyr ovvne vvordes svveare vnto me by the body and blood of our Lorde Iesus Christ that thou vvilt neuer forsake me and flye vnto Cornelius The vvretched man tasted not thereof before he had vovved vnto him and in steede of that vvhen he receauinge the breade shoulde haue sayd Amen he ansvvered I vvill not goe vnto Cornelius Againe a little after he sayth Novv thou mayst vnderstande that he is all bare and foresaken reiected and left of the brethren vvho dayly returne vnto the Church vvhome blessed Moses a martyr vvho of late endured amongest vs a maruelous notable martyrdome being aliue and perceauinge his temerytie and arrogancie did excommunicate together vvith fiue other priests vvhich seuered themselues vvith him from the Church In the ende of the epistle he reciteth the catalogue of byshops who at theyr beinge at Rome condemned the madd fantasie of Nouatus wrytinge both theyr names and the prouinces where they gouerned he reciteth also the names and Cities of such as were absent and had subscribed by theyr letters These thinges hath Cornelius signified by his letters vnto Fabius byshop of Antioch CAP. XLIII Dionysius Alexandrinus reporteth of Serapion that fell in persecution howe at his ende he was desirous to receaue the sacrament of the Lords supper DIonysius also byshop of Alexandria wrote to the aforesayd Fabius who in manner yelded to the schisme many thinges in his letters of repentance paintinge forth theyr pacience which lately had bene martyred at Alexandria whereof omitting many things this one straunge acte worthy of memory we haue thought good to publishe in this our history for thus he wrote I vvill certifee thee sayth he of this one example vvhich happened amongest vs. There vvas one Serapion dvvelling among vs a faithful olde man vvhich of a long time liued vvithout repreheÌ„sion but being tempted in persecutioÌ„ fell from the faith he entreated very often that he might be receaued again but none gaue eare vnto him for he had done sacrifice falling vnto a dangerous disease lay speachlesse and benummed of all his senses the space of three dayes the fourth day after being somvvhat recouered he called vnto him a nephevv of his his daughters sonne and sayd vnto him hovve longe O my sonne doe ye vvithholde me I besech you make hast and absolue me quickly call vnto me one of the Priestes the vvhich as soone as he had
life musing this doubtfully with him selfe and taking his iourney with his souldiers I wott not whither a certayne vision appeared vnto him as it was straunge to beholde so in deede incredible to be spoken of about noone the day somewhat declining he sawe in the skye a lightsome piller in forme of a crosse wherein these wordes were ingrauen In this ouercome the which vision so amazed the Emperour that he mistrusting his owne sight demaunded of them that were present whether they perceaued the vision which when all with one consent had affirmed the wauering minde of the Emperour was setled with that diuine and wonderful sight The night following in his slepe he seeth Christ which sayeth thus vnto him frame vnto thy selfe the forme of a crosse after the example of the signe which appeared vnto thee and beare the same agaynst the enemies as a fitt banner or token of victory he being fully perswaded with this oracle commaundeth the victorious signe of the crosse which as yet is reserued in the pallace of the Emperour to be made and therewith proceedeth forewards in his affayres with greater courage and promptnes of minde and ioyning with the enemy right ouer against Rome about the bridge commonly called Bulbia he gott the victory for Maxentius being drowned in the riuer died it was the seuenth yeare of his raigne when y â— he ouercame Maxentius after these thinges when as Licinnius his fellow Emperour and his brother in lawe hauing maried his sister Constantia ledd his life in the East Constantinus enioying ample benefitts receaued at the handes of God shewed him selfe gratefull in offering of thankes and prayses vnto the author of all goodnes his practises were these to deliuer the Christians from persecution to call agayne the exiled vnto their natiue soyle to sett at liberty such as were in prison to restore agayne the goods confiscated to build againe the Churches that were ouerthrowen all which things he accomplished with great promptnes of minde in the meane while Diocletianus which had resigned the empire departed this life at Salon a city of Dalmatia CAP. III. How Constantinus fauoring the Christians and Licinnius persecuting them wage battell one agaynst the other COnstantinus the Emperour fixing his whole minde vpon such thinges as sett forth the glory of God behaued him selfe in all things as a Christian erecting Churches from the ground and adorning them with goodly and gorgeous consecrated monuments moreouer shutting vp the temples of the heathens purging and publishing vnto the world in the way of derision the gaye images glistering within but Licinnius famous among them for his fond opinion in gentilisme hated the Christians who for all he durst not openly persecute for feare of Constantine the Emperour yet in secrete he menaced and dispatched many Christians but in processe of time he endeuored openly to afflict them This persecution was prouincial for it was kindled there only where Licinnius made his abode after these things practising in other things also y â— part of a tirant being fully persuaded that Constantine was not ignorant here of and knowing full well y â— he was greatly offended with him for it he hasteneth to cleaâ—e him selfe flattering and fayning to ioyne with him in league of friendship binding him selfe with anoth neuer to perpetrate any tyrannicall acte and not onely swearing but with all for swearing him selfe for he ceased not from tyranny neither relented from raising against the Christians the greeuoâ—s â—â—orme of persecution he forbad the Bishops by decree that they should not conferre at all with the Gentiles to the ende the religion of the christians might nether take roote nether be raised at al. Then was the persecution riâ—e in euery mans mouth and in deepe silence secret in worde yet open in deede the persecuted members of Christ endured intollerable paine of their bodies and sustained great losse of their substance Whereby he incensed greatly the Emperour Constantine against him so that they breaking the league of fayned friendship which was betwene them became deadly foes Not long after they waged battel meting oft by sea by lande in the ende at Chrysopolis a city of Bithynia to wete at the docke or hauen of Chalcedon Licinnius was ouercome and yelded him self vnto Constantine He taketh him aliue he dealeth curteously with him he slayeth him not but enioyned him to dwell in Thessalonica and there to leade a quiet and a peaceable life it was but a small time that he liued in peace for immediately after he gathered an host of Barbarians and endeuored by fighting agayne to reuenge his former foyle the which when Constantine had vnderstoode he commaunded that he shoulde be put to death at whose commaundement he was dispatched Constantinus nowe hauing thâ— vpper hande and published Emperour King endeuoreth forthwith to amplifie the Christian affaires and that diuersly by his meanes also the Christians liued in great peace and tranquillitye but after this peace there ensued warres and deadly hatred amonge the Christians them selues what it was how it beganne and the maner of it we will declare CAP. III. The contention betwene Arius and Alexander Bishop of Alexandria and how that Alexander depriued Arius with his complices of the ministery AFter Peter Bishop of Alexandria which suffred martyrdome vnder Diocletian Achillas succeeded in the Bishopricke After Achillas Alexander in the time of the aforesayd peace was chosen Bishop who leading a quiet and a peaceable life brought the Church vnto an vnity and on a certayne time in presence of the Priestes which were vnder him and the rest of the clergy he entreateth somewhat more curiously of the holy trinitie and the vnitie to be in the trinitie Arius then being one of the Priestes placed in order vnder him a man very skilfull in the subtelties of sophisticall logick suspecting the Bishop to haue brought into the Church the erroneous doctrine of Sabellius the Aphrick being kindled with the desire of contention seâ—t him selfe opposite agaynst the opinion of Sabellius the Aphrick and as it seemed directly against the allegations of the bishop saying if the father begatt the sonne then had y â— sonne which was begotten a beginning of essence hereby it is manifest that there was a time when the sonne was not and the consequent to followe necessarily that he had his essence of nothing When he had with this straung kinde of doctrine concluded layd downe this position he prouoked many to reason hereof so that of a small sparcle a great fire was kindled for this noysome pestilence beginning from the Churches of Alexandria spredd it self throughout all Aegypt Libya the vpper Thebais yea passed moreouer through the rest of the prouinces and cities many others also embraced the pestilent opinion of Arius of which number chieâ—â—y Eusebius not he of Caesarea but an other which afore time was bishop of y â— church of Berytus but
then craftely crept in to be Bishop of Nicomedia a city of Bithynia claue fast vnto him which thinges when Alexander had both hearde and seene done with his eyes was very much moued thereat and summoning together a counsell of many Bishops he depriueth Arius and such as fauored his opinion of the priestly order and wrote vnto the seuerall Bishops throughout the cities in this maner The epistle of Alexander Bishop of Alexandria TO the welbeloued and most reuerend brethren fellow ministers with vs throughout the churches whersoeuer In so much as we are commaunded by holy Scripture to retaine the bonde of vnity peace it is requisite that we vvrite signifie one to another the things that seuerally happen among vs to the ende that if one suffer or one reioyce vve all may suffer together or reioyce together Novv in our church there are risen certaine men vvhich transgresse the lawes which impugne Christ which leade men into Apostasie whome a man may rightly suppose iustly terme the forrunners of Antichrist I was disposed truely to be silent and not to blason at all so haynous an offence if peraduenture by any meanes possibly this blemish might haue bene wiped away from among them which alone fel from the church lest that straying abrode into straung places it might infect vvith the filth therof the eares of simple seely soules but in as much as Eusebius novv Bishop of Nicomedia supposing the vvhole state of the church to be vnder his iurisdiction and seeing vvith him selfe that he is to be charged of none for leauing the Churche of Berytus and for that he greedily gaped after the Churche of Nicomedia and in that he is become the patrone and ringleader of these Apostatas going about to publish letters into all prouinces highly extolling them that he may plung certayne of the ignorant sort into an extreame pestilent heresie altogether contrary to Christ him selfe I thinke it necessary seeing the like is vvritten in some parte of the lavve no longer to be silent but to declare vnto you all the vvhole matter vvhereby ye may not onely knovve them vvhiche fell from the trueth but also their derestable doctrine and the circumstance of their heresie and also if peraduenture Eusebius doe vvrite vnto you that you geue no eare vnto him for he hauing concealed for a season his olde festred corruption of minde and novve disposed to renevve the same fayneth to further their cause by his epistels but in very deede he shevveth plainly that these his practises be directed to the furtherance of his ovvne cause such as fell from the Church vvere these Arius Achillas Aeithales Câ—rpônes a seconde Arius Sarmates Euzoius Lucius Iulianus Menas Helladius Gaius and together vvith them also Secâ—ndus Theonas vvhich sometime vvere called Bishops the things vvhich they published abroade contrary to holy Scripture were such that God vvas not alvvayes a father but that there vvas sometime vvhen he vvas no father and that the vvorde of God vvas not from euerlasting but had his beginning of nothing For that God vvhich is made him vvhich vvas not of that vvhich is not for vvhich cause there vvas a tyme vvhen he vvas not that the sonne vvas a creature and made neyther like vnto the father in substance neyther the true vvorde of the father by nature neyther his true vvisedome but made metaphorically the worde and the vvisedome the same to be made by the proper worde of God and by the wisedome which is in God in the which God made all thinges and him toe for vvhich cause he is of a changeable and diuerous nature as all other reasonable creatures be that the vvorde is straung diuerous and seuered from the vvisedome of God that the father can not be expressed by the sonne that the sonne knovveth not the father fully neyther absolutely neyther can perfectly discerne him and that the sonne perceaueth not the substance of the father as he is but that he was made for our sakes that God by him as by an instrument might create vs and that he had not bene had not God bene moued to create vs. One at that tyme demaunded of them vvhether the vvorde of God coulde be chaunged as the deuill vvas chaunged and they vvere not afrayd to ansvvere yea it may be for that he is of a chauÌ„geable nature and begotten he is mutable Arius therefore and his adherents vvhiche vttered these thinges and impudently auoutched them together vvith all such as fauour the like fonde opinions VVe together vvith other Bishops of Aegypt and Libya in number vvelâ—â—ghe a hundred meeting for the same purpose haue pronounced to be helde of all men for accursed Eusebius and his adherents endeuer to mingle falsehoode with the trueth pietye with impietye but they shall not preuaile for trueth getteth the victory light hath no fellowship with darknes no agreement betwene Christ Belial who euer hearde of the like practises who presently if he heard the like woulde not wonder as at straung thinges and stoppe his eares lest the dregges of so detestable a doctrine should annoy the sense of hearing what man hearing Iohn affirming in the beginning was the worde will not forthwith condemne these which say there was a tyme when he was not or who is it when he heareth in the Gospell the onely begotten sonne and by him were all thinges made that vvill not detest these vvhich affirme that the sonne is one of the creatures and hovve can he resemble the thinges vvhiche vvere made by him or hovve can the onely begotten as their opinion is be numbred vvith all other liuing creatures or hovve is he made of nothinge vvhen the father sayeth My harte hath endited a good matter and Before the morning in the wombe haue I begotten thee Or hovve is he in substance different from the father being the Perfect image and brightnes of the Father and vvhen as he him selfe sayeth He that hath seene me hath seene also the Father or hovve can it be if the onely sonne of God be the vvorde and the vvisedome that there vvas a tyme vvhen that he vvas not it is as if a man shoulde saye God sometyme vvanted both vvorde and vvisedome or hovve is he chaungeable and mutable vvhen as he reporteth of him selfe I am in the Father and the Father is in me also I and the Father be both one and by the Prophet Malachyâ— also Consider me that I am God and am not chaunged and althoughe this saying may be referred vnto the Father him selfe yet presently it is applyed more aptely vnto the sonne for in that he was borne and become man he is not chaunged at all but as the Apostle vvriteth Iesus Christ yester nyght and toe daye and he is the same for euer VVhat therefore ledd them I beâ—eache you vnto so erroneous and detestable an opinion for to saye he vvas made for vs vvhen as the Apostle vvriteth For of him
willing mind This was done in a while after At y â— time y â— byshops which mett together at y â— councell of Nice as soone as they had dispatched both other things also layd downe in wryting y â— decrees which also they call canons already concluded vpon euery one returneth vnto his owne cytie I thinke it very expedient to lay downe in this place not only the names of the byshops assembled at Nice which among all y â— rest were most famous I meane such as I cold learne by records but also the prouince place where euery one gouerned together with y â— time of their assembly There was present at this councel Osius bishop of Corduba Viton and Vincentius priests Alexander bishop of Aegypt Eustathius bishop of great Antioch Macarius bishop of Ierusalem Harpocratio Cynon with others whose names are seuerally exquisitly cited by Athanasius bishop of Alexandria in his booke intitled Synodicus Toutching the time when this councell was summoned as it appeareth by cronicles of record it was in the consulship of Paulinus Iulianus the eleueÌ„th kalends of Iune to weâ—e the XX. day of May the three hundreth thirtye and sixt yeare after the raygne of Alexander king of Macedonia Thus was the councell broken vp which being done we haue to learne that the emperour departed into the Easterne partes CAP. X. Howe that Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia and Theognis byshop of Nice being exiled for Arianisme after they had geuen vp a booke of their recantation and repentance were restored to their former dignities EVsebius and Theognis sent a litle booke vnto the chiefe byshops wherein they shewed theire penitent minds for theyr wilfull folly wherefore by the emperours commaundement they were not onely called home from banishment but also restored to the gouernement of theyr churches remouing from their dignities such as were substituted in their rowmes to wete Amphion remoued by Eusebius and Chraestus by Theognis The coppy of the recantation we haue here layd downe as followeth Although it vvas our part heretofore beinge condemned by your holynes not to haue muttered but quietly to haue borne vvhatsoeuer your vvisedom both godly and religiously had decreed yet because it seemed a shamefull thinge that vvith our silence vve shoulde cause others to conceaue an ill opinion of vs and so to condemne vs for deuisers of falshoode therefore haue we signified vnto you our assent toutching the determination of the fayth and hauing diligently vveyed and examined vvith our selues the force and signification of the cause Of one substance vve vvholly adict our selues to the embracinge of peace and vnity neuer henceforth to intaÌ„gle our selues in the snares of error And partly to the end we might prouide for the peaceable security of the church of God vve haue layde vvide open before you the secretes of our minde partly also that they which to mans seeminge shoulde yelde to our censure and iudgement might in this behalfe setle and confirme themselues vve haue subscribed to the forme of fayth vvhich the holy assembly hath laid downe we protest vnto you moreouer in that heretofore vve subscribed not to the condemnation or accursinge of Arius it vvas not because vve misliked vvith that forme of fayth but because vve coulde not be fully perswaded that he vvas such a kind of felovve as report vvent of him specialy vvhen as by such things as priuatly past by epistles betvvene vs and also by his ovvne protestation pronouÌ„ced vvith his ovvne lipps in our presence we vvere fully persvvaded that he vvas farre from that kinde of disposition If that then that sacred senate holy assembly vvill geue any creditt vnto our words vve haue fully purposed and determined vvith our selues not to impugne by gainesaying but by assentinge and prompt mindes to ratifie those canons vvhich your syncere and religious piety hath already concluded And by this our booke of submission we do seale our consente therein not for that vve are grieued vvith exile and banishment but that most vvillingly vve vvould not onely abandone heresie but also auoide yea the suspicion thereof And if that you vvill voutchsafe vs your presence you shall find in deed as you read by vvord that we vvill subscribe vnto your decrees For as much as it pleased your vvonted goodnes to call before you curteously to entreate the ringleader of this sect it seemes farre out of order wheÌ„ as he beinge gilty vvas sent for and ansvvered for himselfe that we with silence shoulde condemne our selues let it not grieue you then as it becometh your reuerend fatherhood to put our most religious emperour in remembraÌ„ce of vs to present our humble sute vnto him and speedely to determine vvhat your discreete vvisedome thinketh best toutching this our estate This was the recantation of Eusebius and Theognis by which circunstances I do coniecture though they subscribed vnto the forme of fayth decreed by the councell yet that they would not condescend to the renouncing of Arius and that Arius before this time was sent for And for all that it was so yet was it straictly coÌ„maunded that Arius shoulde not tread within Alexandria The which plainly appeareth by the subtle treachery he founde out for to returne vnto the church and to the city of Alexandria through false and fained shewe of repentance But of this hereafter CAP. XI After the dissoluinge of the councell when Alexander had departed this life Athanasius was chosen byshop of Alexandria NOt longe after Alexander byshop of Alexandria hauinge runne the race of his mortall life died Athanasius is appointed to gouerne the church in his place Ruffinus reporteth of him that being a child of teÌ„der years he plaid a part in an holy playe together with his coaged companions The playe was nothing else but animitation or resemblance of priesthood and of the whole ecclesiasticall order in the which Athanasius plaied the byshop of the rest of the children some plaied y â— priests some other the deacons Thus plaied y â— children on that day in the which the church of Alexandria accustometh to celebrat the memoriall of Peter there byshop martyred At that time as it fell out Alexander byshop of Alexandria passinge bye behelde the whole order and discourse of the playe He sent for the childrene to come vnto him and demaunded of them what part euery one handled in the playe gatheringe hereby somethinge to be foreshewed and prognosticated vnto them all Which beinge done he charged they should be brought vp in the church and nurtured in good learning but aboue all Athanasius Whome when he came to any ripenes of yeares he made deacon brought him in his company to the councell of Nice for to ayde him in disputation These things hathe Ruffinus wrytten in his histortes of Athanasius neither is it vnlike but that these circumstances might be for it is most true that many such things haue oftentimes heretofore come to passe This much
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
the ende euery one myght therefore the more stande in awe of his maiestie because it was not easie for euery one to knowe him perfectly Although he beganne to be somewhat the meeker after these and other such like perswasions which the philosopher vsed yet layde he not aside all his venemous spyte and anger for in steede of death he punished the cleargie men with exile and banishment so longe vntyll that his mischieuous enterprise was stopped vpon such occasion as followeth The Barbarians inhabitinge beyonde Istrum commonly called Gotthes by reason of ciuill warres were deuided into two partes the one syde was lead by Phritigernes the other by Athanarichus When that Athanarichus seemed to gett the vpper hande Phritigernes fledde for ayde agaynste the enemie vnto the Romaines Valens the Emperour vnderstandinge of this commaunded the souldiers of Thracia to ayde the one side agaynste the other The souldiers puttinge the enemie to flyght foyled Athanarichus and gott the victorie Which was a cause that many of the Barbarian nations receaued the faith of Christ For Phritigernes to requite the Emperoure for the curtesie shewed vnto him embraced his religion and perswaded his subiects to the same Wherefore many Gotthes who then addicâ—ed them selues into the Arian opinion partly for to feede the Emperours vayne and fully to please him neuer left it vnto this daye Then also Vlphilas byshop of the Gotthes founde out the Gotthicke letters and as soone as he had translated holye scripture into that tongue he determined with him selfe that the Barbarians shoulde learne the blessed worde of God Immediatly after that Vlphilas had instructed in the Christian religion as well the faction of Athanarichus as the followers of Phritigernes Athanarichus tormented grieuously many that professed the Christian faith as if his countrey lawes and ordinances had bene corrupted by their meanes so that diuers Barbarians of the Arian sect then suffred Martyrdome Arius because he coulde not withstande the erroure of Sabellius the Aprick fell from the right faith saying that the sonne of God was but lately created but these men receauing the Christian faith with simplicitie of minde sticked not to spende their liues in the quarrell Thus much of the Gothes conuerted as afore vnto the faith of Christ CAP. XXVIII How the Gothes being driuen out of their owne contrey fled vnto the Romaine dominions who being entertayned of the Emperour fell out to be the ouerthrowe of the empire and the destruction of the Emperour him selfe howe the warrs with the Gothes wrought quietnes to the true Christians IN a short while after the aforesayd Barbarians being reconciled and at one amonge them selues were ouercome by other Barbarians their owne neighboures called Hunni and driuen out of their owne contrey so that they were faine to flie vnto the Romaine empire they crooched vnto the Romaines they protested loyaltie and subiection Valens vnderstanding of this not soreseeing what was like to ensue thereof commaunded they shoulde curteously be entertayned herein onely shewed him selfe clement Wherefore he appointed them certaine contreyes of Thracia to inhabite and thought him selfe happy for their comming he thought to haue of them at hande alwayes ready an exercised army and speedy host against the enemy Moreouer that the Barbarian watch woulde be a greater terror vnto the aduersary then the Romaine souldier Thenceforth be neglected the trayning of Romaine souldiers in feates of armes he set at nought olde wether beaten warriers valiant and couragious captaines In steede of the souldiers which were mustered and pricked throughout euery village of the seuerall prouinces he required money commaunding that for euery souldier they shoulde pay fourescore crownes This he did when that he had first released them of their tribute This was the originall cause that y e Romaine affayres prospered not in a long time after For the Barbarians now possessing Thracia and enioying with ease and security the Romaine prouince were immoderatly puft vp and swollen with prosperitie they tooke armour against the Romaines which had bene their deare friendes and benefitted them diuersly they beganne to ouerrunne and destroy all the contreyes about Thracia When Valens hearde of this it was high time for him to leaue exiling of the true christians and to turne him self vnto these rebells Now mused he and cast doubts with him selfe immediatly he left Antioch and got him to Constantinople By this meanes the heate of persecution kindled against the Christians was wholly quenched Then also died Euzoius the Arian Bishop of Antioch the fift Consulship of Valens the first of Valentinianus the yonger in whose rowme Dorotheus succeeded CAP. XXIX How the Saracens vnder the raygne of Mauia their Queene tooke one Moses a Monke a godly a faithfull man to their Bishop and embraced the Christian faith WHen the Emperour had left Antioch the Saracens who before time were fellowes friends and in league with the Romaines then first beganne to rebell being gouerned guyded by a woman called Mauia whose husband had departed this life a litle before they tooke armour against them Wherefore all the prouinces of the Romaine dominions that lay towards the East had then wholly bene ouerrunne by the Saracens if the diuine prouidence of God had not withstoode their enterprises The meanes were these Moses a Saracene borne lead in the desert the monastical trade of life for his zeale godlines for his constant faith for the straung miracles wrought by him he was famous among all men Mauia Queene of the Saracens required of the Romaines this Moses to be her Bishop and in so doing she woulde cast of armour and ioyne in league with them The Romaine captaines hearing of this thought them selues happy if peace were concluded vpon such a condition laying all delayes aside they bid the Queene bring her purpose to passe Moses was taken from the wildernes and sent to Alexandria for orders When Moses was come in the presence of Lucius who then gouerned the Churches of Alexandria he refused his ceremonies and laying on of handes reasoning with him in this sorte I thinke my selfe vnworthy of the priestly order yet if it be for the profitt of the common weale y t I be called vnto the function truely thou Lucius shalt neuer lay hand vpon my heade for thy right hand is imbrued with slaughter and bloodshed When Lucius sayd againe that it became him not so contumeliously to reuile him but rather to learne of him the precepts of christian religion Moses answered I am not come presently to reason of matters in religion but sure I am of this that thy horrible practises against the brethren proue thee to be altogether voyd of the true principles of Christian religion For the true Christian striketh no man reuileth no man fighteth with no man for the seruant of God shoulde be no fighter but thy deedes in exiling of some throwing of others to wilde beastes burning of some others doe crye out against thee
they call forty dayes fastinge or Lent Others some contrary to the aforesayde customes beginne to fast seuen weekes before Easter yet in all that whyle they vse abstinence but onely fifteene dayes pausing betweene euery of them and these fewe dayes they call forty dayes fastinge or Lent so that I can not chuse but maruell for all that they differ in the number of dayes yet all ioyntly doe call euery of their obseruations forty dayes fastinge or Lent Others some haue deriued the Etymologie of this worde as it pleased them best and accordinge vnto the inuention of their owne brayne Neyther is this difference onely about the number of the dayes but also a greate diuersitie in the kindes of meate For some doe abstayne from euery liuinge creature some other of all the liuinge creatures feede onely vpon fishe others together with fishe feede vpon the foules of the ayre affirminge as Moses doth write that their originall is of the water others some eate neyther nutts neither aples neyther any other kinde of fruite nor egges neither some feede onely vpon drye breade some other receaue no not that There are some that when they haue fasted vntill nyne of the clocke they refreshe nature with diuerse sortes of meates Other nations haue other customes the maner and causes are infinite But in somuch there is no man able to shewe a president or recorde thereof in writinge it is playne that the Apostles left free choyce and libertie vnto euery man at his owne discretion without feare compulsion and constraynte to addicte him selfe vnto that whiche seemed good and commendable Wee knowe for moste certayne that this diuersitie of fastinge is rife throughout the worlde Againe toutching the Communion there are sundry obseruations and customes for though in maner all the Churches throughout the whole worlde doe celebrate and receaue the holy mysteries euery Sabaoth daye after the other yet the people inhabitinge Alexandria and Rome of an olde tradition doe not vse it The Aegyptians adioyninge vnto Alexandria together with the inhabitours of Thebais vse to celebrate the Communion vpon the Sundaye yet doe they not receaue the Communion as the maner is among the Christians For when they haue banquetted and crommed them selues with sundry delicate and daynty dishes in the Eueninge after seruice they vse to communicate Agayne at Alexandria vpon the Thursdaye and Frydaye the Scriptures are read the Interpretours expounde them all the solemnitie for the Communion is accomplished yet the Communion then not receaued And this is an olde and an auncient custome at Alexandria It is well knowen that Origen florished in those dayes in the Churche who beinge a wise and discreete Doctor and Expounder of holy Scripture perceauing that the preceptes of Moses lawe coulde in no wise be litterally vnderstoode gaue forthe of the Passeouer a mysticall and more diuine kynde of interpretation that there was but one onely true Passeouer or Easter the whiche our Sauiour effectually solemnized at his naylinge to the tree when he encountred with the power of darkenes and triumphed ouer the Deuill and all his workes Agayne the Readers and Interpreters of holy Scripture at Alexandria be they Cathecumenists or baptized it forceth not when as the custome in other contreyes and Churches is to admitt none into that function vnlesse he be firste baptized I remember my selfe an other custome which preuayleth and is of force in Thessalia that if there he whiche is a Priest after the receauinge of orders doe keepe company with his wife the whiche he maryed beinge a laye man he is forthewith deposed of the ministerye yea when as all the famous Priestes througheout the Easterne partes of the worlde and the Bishopes also refrayne the company of their wiues at their owne choyse without lawe or compulsion For many of them notwithstandinge the administration and gouernement of their Bishoprickes begett children also on their lawefull wiues The autor and ringeleader of that custome in Thessalia was Theodorus a Prieste of Triua a citye of that contrey the wryter of those wanton and amorous bookes the whiche he made in the pryme of his florishinge youthe and intituled Aethiopica They retayne the same obseruation and custome at Thessalonica Macedonia and Hellas in Achaia I remember they haue an other custome in Thessalia that is they baptize onely on the Easter holydayes and therefore very many die without baptisme The Church of Antioch in Syria is situated contrary to other Churches for the altare standes not to the East but towards the West In Hellas Ierusalem and Thessalia seruice is sayd with candell light after the maner of the Nouatians at Constantinople In like sort at Caesarea in Cappadocia and at Cyprus the priests and Bishops doe preach and expounde holy Scripture at euening prayer on the Saturdayes and Sundayes by candle light The Nouatians of Hellespontus haue not the same order and maner of seruice as the Nouatians of Constantinople yet for the most part they imitate the chiefe churches among them To be short amonge the customes and obseruations of all sects and religions we shall not be able to finde two which follow and retaine one order of seruice Moreouer at Alexandria the inferior priest doth not vse to preach that order first beganne when Arius turned vpside downe the quiet estate of the Churche At Rome they faste euery Saturdaye At Caesarea in Cappadocia after the maner of the Nouatians they receaue not into the communion such as sinne after baptisme Euen so doe the Macedonians in Hellespontus and such as throughout Asia doe celebrate the feast of Easter the fouretenth day of the moneth The Nouatians throughout Phrygia allowe not of seconde mariages such as of them inhabite Constantinople doe neither receaue it neither reiect it againe such as are in y â— West partes of y â— world admit it wholly The originalls and autors of so great a diuersitie were Bishops which gouerned the Churches at diuerse and seuerall times such as like of these rites doe commende them vnto the posteritie for lawes But to penne in paper the infinite and diuerse ceremonies and customes throughout cities and contreyes woulde be a very tedious peece of worke and scarse nay vnpossible to be done This much already layd downe may seeme a sufficient treatise for to proue that the celebration of the feaste of Easter beganne euery where more of custome then by commaundement either of Christ or any Apostle Wherfore their talke sauoreth not of the trueth their report is to no good purpose which say that the Nicene Councell sett the maner of celebrating this feast out of square For the bishops of that assembly endeuored with all might possible to reconcile the lesser number with the greater which varied from them Neither were the Apostles times without such broyles and dissentions neither were they themselues ignorant hereof as it appeareth by the Acts of the Apostles for when the Apostles vnderstoode
to cleaue vnto his side He sent vnto the religious houses of the desert that they shoulde obey neither Dioscorus neither his brethren in so much their opinion was that God had no body For God saith he as holy scripture doth witnesse hath eyes eares handes and feete euen as men haue Dioscorus and his followeres sayth he are of a wicked opinion they denye with Origen that God hath eyes eares feete and handes With this subtle and crafty sleighte he allured to his side many of the religious men so that there rose much adoe and great dissention among them Such as were not be witched but guided themselues aright cleaued vnto the opinion of Dioscorus and Origen but the simpler sort which in deede were the greater number being kindled with the firie flame of contention and set against their brethrē fell for altogether from their sound opinion Wherfore they were deuided reuiled eche other for lewde impious persons The cōfederats of Theophilus called their brethren Origenists wicked men againe the complices of Theophilus were called Anthropomorphits by interpretation such as attribute to God the forme of man so that there rose no small bickering among the monkes nay it fell out to be a deadly battaile Theophilus perceauinge that his fetches framed at length after his will went with great power towards the mount Nitria where their religious houses stoode and ayded the monkes both against Dioscorus and also against his brethren The religious men being beset with great daunger had much adoe to saue their liues CAP. VIII Of the conuenticles hymnes which both the Arians and the professors of one substance songe ◠the night season their skirmishing also how the singing of Antemnes was first ordayned by Ignatius the disciple of Saint Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle IOhn bishop of Constantinople was altogether ignorant of the aforesayd great sturre contention raysed in the deserts of Aegypt he was a man that excelled in those dayes for the gift of vtterance he was also of great estimation He him selfe augmēted euening prayer I meane such seruice as vsually is sayd in the night and that vpon such an occasion as followeth The Arians as we sayd before had their conuenticles without y ◠walls of the citie in the suburbs Wherfore when the festiuall meeting throughout euery weeke was come I meane the Saturday and the Sunday vpon which dayes the Christians are wont solemnly to assemble in the church they I meane the Arians gathering thē selues together in the porche of y ◠citie gates songe interchaungeably such songes as they had made them selues and sauoured of the Arian opinion and this they did almost throughout the whole night First of all they were wont at the dawning of the daye to goe out at the gates and to singe Antemne wise such lewde songs through the midds of the citie vntill they came to the place of their assembled congregation But in so much they ceassed not to sounde out contumelious sentences agaynst such as fauored the faith of One substance for among diuers others this was one Where be these felowes which affirme three to be but one power Iohn fearinge lest any of the simpler sorte shoulde be snared and lest these opprobrious rymes woulde be stumblinge blockes and occasions to fall from the faith ordayned of the contrary certaine of his owne people which in like sort shoulde occupie them selues in the nyght in singinge of hymnes partly for to quell the insolencie of the Arians partly also for to confirme their owne side in the faith And for all the meaninge of Iohn was good and his dryft auaylable yet the ende proued very troublesome and perillous For when the hymnes extolled the faith of One substance and purchased greate maiestie and reuerence because of the melodious concent and sweete harmonie in the nyght season for there were siluer candlesticks after the maner of crosses deuised for the bearinge of the tapers and waxe candels all which Eudoxia the Empresse founde vnto them the Arians flocked together burned with emulation and for to reuenge them selues sett vpon their aduersaries And because that a little before their side had preuayled and gott the vpper hande they were then swollen with pride and egerly bent to take armour and made no accompt at all of such as fauoured the faith of One substance Wherefore without further deliberation on a certaine night they made an vprore In this skirmishe Briso an Eunuch of the Empresse and a fauourer of the hymnes that were song in the commendation of the clause Of one substance was taken in the forehead with a stone diuers of the common sort were slayne of ether side The Emperour vnderstandinge of this sturre was wonderfully incensed gaue the Arians strayght commaundement they should openly singe no more hymnes These things were then in this sort Now let vs record whence the hymnes that are songe interchaungeably in the church commonly called Antemnes had their originall Ignatius bishop Antioche in Syria the thirde bishop by succession from Peter the Apostle who was conuersant and had great familiaritie with the Apostles saw a vision of Angells which extolled the blessed Trinitie with hymnes that were songe interchaungeably and deliuered vnto the church of Antioche the order and maner of singing expressed in the vision thereof it came to passe that euery church receaued the same tradition So much of Antemnes CAP. IX Of the Monkes that were called longe and howe that about them Theophilus bishop of Alexandria pursued Iohn byshop of Constantinople with deadly hatred and fought to depose him howe Epiphanius bishop of Cyprus being wonne through the wiles of Theophilus called a Councell at Cyprus condemned the workes of Origen and reprehended Iohn for perusinge of them SHortly after the Monkes left the desert and came together with Dioscorus and his brethren vnto Constantinople There came thither also with them Isidorus the great friend somtime of Theophilus but then his deadly foe so became vpon such an occasion as followeth Theophilus conceauing great displeasure against one Peter head priest in the church of Alexandria determined to banishe him the churche he charged him that he had receaued into the communion a woman of the hereticall sect of the Manichees before he had conuerted her But when Peter auoutched that he both withdrewe her from that hereticall opinion and admitted her also into the churche with the consent of Theophilus makinge him priuye therevnto Theophilus stomaked the dealing as if Peter had done it in spite of him For he sayde that he knewe nothing of it Wherfore Peter called Isidorus to witnesse that Theophilus the bishop knewe of the womans admission Isidorus then was at the princely citie of Rome for Theophilus had sent him vnto Damasus bishop of Rome for to reconcile vnto him Flauianus bishop of Antioche For as many as were of Meletius side fell from Flauianus because he kept not his othe as we sayde before Isidorus
Polycrates byshope of Ephesus writeth to Victor and the churche of Rome Iohn the Apostle being a priest wore the priestly attyre * Cap. 25. after the greke Act. 4. * Ca. 26. after the Greeke where then was the saying that the bishope of Rome muste iudge all and be iudged of none Irenaeus bishop of LioÌ„s Victor bishop of Rome * Ruffinus traÌ„slatiÌ„g these wordes vnderstandeth that Anicetus graunted the ministratioÌ„ of the coÌ„munion vnto Polycarpus which is very like to be true Irenaeus signifieth a peace maker Cap. 27. after the greeke The prouinciall councel held at Palestina write thus vnto the prouince throughout Certaine workes of Irenaeus Comodus was emperor 13. yeares Pertinax 6. moneths Seuerus created emperor anno Dom. 195. vnder this Seuerus the 5. greate persecution was raysed Cap. 28. after the Greeke The opinion of Artemon the hereticke â–ª An auncient writer as I suppose Maximus in the confutation of the sect of Artemon Theodotus a tanner and an hereticke Zephyrinus b. of Rome Anno Dom. 203. A worthy historie of Natalius an hereticall bishope repenting him selfe God sendeth his Angell to scourge by night The practises of the hereticall secte of Artemon Euclides Aristotle Theophrast â–ª Galen Heretickes presume to correct alter traÌ„slate holy scripture A notable dilemma Anno Dom. 204. Leonides the father of Origen beheaded Seuerus weÌ„t on the tenth yeare of his raigne when the greate persecution was raysed Laetus ruled Alexandria and Aegypt * Cap. 3. after the Greeke Origen by the meanes of his mother auoydeth greate perill Origen beinge a childe exhorteth his father to mar tyrdome Origen of a childe brought vp in holy Scriture A certaine Matrone of Alexandria receaueth Origen with â–ª his mother brethren Origen taketh heede of Heretikes Tis. 3. Origen studieth rhetoricke Plutarch a martyr Heraclas after Demetrius b. of Alexandria Origen a catechizer being 18. yeare olde Origen corn forteth the martyrs OrigeÌ„ as he taught he liued as he hued he taught OrigeÌ„ sould his philosophy bookes Origen had many followers Cap. 4. after the Greeke Plutarchus a Martyr Serenus burned Heraclides beheaded Heron beheaded Serenus beheaded Rhais a woman burned Cap. 5. after the greeke Potamiaena burned Marcella burned Basilides before a Pagan now a Christian before a murtherer now a martyr Basilides baptised in prison afterwards beheaded August lib. de cur pro mort agend cap. 13. Pet. Martyr in 8. cap. ad Rom. Cyprian lib. 1. epist 1. August li. decur pro mor. agend cap. 13 Psal 27. â—say 63. 4. Reg. 22. Chrysost in 8. cap. Matth. Luke 16. Theophilact in 8. cap. Mat Origen lib 7 contra CelsuÌ„ Chrysst in 8. cap. Matth. 1. Reg. 28. Augustinus Lib. 2. de mirab sacrae Scrip. cap. 11 Cyprian de Idol vanitate Pharaos cup bearer Pharao Mardochaeus Polycarpus Sophocles Basilides Cap. 6. after the greeke Pantaenus Clemens Origen were catechizers in the schole of AlexaÌ„dria Cap. 7. after the greeke Iude. Cap. 8. after the greeke Origen geldeth himselfe Math 19. Demetrius byshop of Alexandria one while liketh another while misliketh through enuie with the gelding of Origen The byshops of Caesarea and IerusaleÌ„ allowed of Origen and made him minister Antoninus was created Emperour anno Domini 213. Cap. 9. after the Greeke If thou thinkest gentle Reader this miracle to be a tale take it as cheape as thou findest 〈…〉 it be true maruell not at all thereat for God bringeth straunger thinges then this to passe The iustice of God against peâ—iuted persons Cap. 10. after the greeke Dios. Germanion Gordius Narcissus AlexaÌ„der his helper Cap. 11. after the greeke Alexander b of Ierusalem Epist contra Atinoitas Ascleprades Alexander b of Ierusalem vnto the church of Antioch Cap. 12. after the greeke Domnus Pontius Caricus Serapion bishop of Antioch vnto the Churche of Rosse toutching the Gospell after Peter Marcianus an hereticke Cap. 13. in the greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Cap. 14. in the greke Clemens alleageth this out of Macarius Clemens of the order of the Gospells Matthewe Luke Marke Iohn Alexander byshop of Ierusalem vnto Origen Origen came to Rome about Ann. Domini 210. Cap. 15. after the Greeke Heraclas catechizer at Alexandria Cap. 16. in the Greeke Cap. 17. in the Greeke Many Greke translations of the olde testament The septuagints Aquila Symachus Theodorion 5. 6. 7. Hexapla Tetrapla Symachus an Ebionite The heresie of the Ebioonites Cap. 18. in the Greeke Origen readeth the liberall artes exhorting both the subtle simple to studie them Cap. 19. after the Greeke Porphyrius an Atheist whose wordes these are lib. 3. contra Christianos wrote fiftene bookes againste the Christians whome Euse bius coÌ„futed in 30. bookes of the which 20. were extaÌ„t in the tyme of Ierom but at this daye not one * The blasphemie of Porphyrius against Christianitie Origen learned of the Grecians to write allegorically Porphyrius sclaundered Origen and Ammonius Cap. 20. in the Greeke Origen in a certaine epistle writeth thus of him selfe for his study in philosophie Alexander b. of Ierusalem Theoctistê° b. of Caesarea write thus vnto Demetrius b. of Alexandria which found faulte that a laye man in presence of Bishops shoulde dispute or interprete Cap. 21. in the greeke Beryllus Hippolytus Gaiê° agaynst Proclus 14. epistles of Paul * an do 220 Macrinê° succeedeth Antoninus in the empire Antoninus 2 emperour an dom 221. Calistuâ— B. of Rome Vrbanus B. of Rome Alexander Emperour an dom 224. Philetus b. of Antioche Cap. 22. in the Greeke The workes of Hippolytê° Origens notaries and scriueners Pontianus b. of Rome Zebinus b. of Antioch Cap. 23. in the Greeke Cap. 24. in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 25. in the Greeke Origen in Psal 1. Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomium â—osue Iudges and Ruth 1. 2. of Samuel 3. and 4. of Kinges 1. 2. of Paralip 1. 2. of Esdrâ—â— Psalmes Prouerbe Ecclesiastâ—s CanticuÌ„ CaÌ„â—â—orum Iere. la. epist Daniel Ezechiel Iob Hister Machabees Origen hom 1. in Math. Matthewe Marke Luke Iohn Origen hom 5. in Iohan. Pauls epistles Peters 2. epistles The Apocacalyps Ioh. 3. epistles Origen in epist ad Rom. Cap. 26. in the Greeke an Dom. 234 Cap. 27. in the Greeke Firmilianus Alexander Theoctistus Cap. 28. in the Greeke Maximinus was created Emperour an Dom. 237 vnder whom the sixte persecution was raysed Gordianus created Emperour anno Dom. 240. Anterus b. of Rome Cap 29. in the Greeke Fabianus b. of Rome Babylas b. of Antioche Dionysius b. of AlexaÌ„dria Cap. 30. in the Greeke Theodorus Gregorius Naâ—â—anzenê° Athynodorê° Cap. 31. in the Greeke The historie of Susanna doubted of Cap. 32. in the Greeke Cap. 33. in the Greeke Beryllus denyed Christ to be the second person in Trinitie before he was made man Cap. 34. in the Greeke Philip crowned Emperour Anno Dom. 246. Cap. 35. after the greeke Anno Domi 249. Cap. 36. after the Greeke Cap. 37. after the Greeke
Of this opinion was Iohn the 22. b. of Rome Cap. 38. in the Greeke Origen in 8â— Psal Cap. 39. after the greeke Decius crowned Emperour Anno Domi. 254. vnder whom as Orosius sayth the 7. persecution was raysed Fabianus b. of Rome martyred Cornelius b. of Rome Alexander b. of Ierusalem died in prisoÌ„ Mazabanes b. of IerusaleÌ„ Babylas b. of Antioche died in prison Fabius b. of Antioche OrigeÌ„ is persecuted Cap. 40. after the Greeke * This custome in diuers places is now adayes in vie Cap. 41. in the Greeke Dionysius vn to Fabius b. of Antioche Metras after torments is stoned to death Quinta stoned to death Apollonia is burned Serapion was throwne downe his necke broke The edict of Decâ— agaâ—â—t the Christiâ—◠〈◊〉 â—4 Matth. 19. Iulianus burned Cronion was burned A souldier be headed Macar is burned Epimachus is burned Alexander is burned â— women burned AmmonarioÌ„ is beheaded Mercuria Dionysia beheaded HeroÌ„ burned Ater burned Isidorus burned Dioscorus a confessor Nemesion a Martyr Ammon Zenon Ptolomaeus Ingenuus â— Theophilus confessors Cap. 42. in the greeke Dionysius b. of Alexandria vnto Fabius b. of Antioch Ischyrion was beaten to death with a cudgill Chaeremon b. os Nilus was maried Ezechiel 18. Cap. 43. after the greeke The Nouatians call themselues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. purâ—â—ans Nouatus is excommunicated Cornelius b. of Rome vnto Fabius b. of Antioch Maximus Vrbanus Sidonius Celerinus forsooke No uatus Thequalities of Nouatus Howe Nouatus the heretike vvas made bishop The order of the clerâ—â—â— in the church of Rome in the â—ime of Corâ—elius Nouatus fell in time of persecution and denyed his order The comunion was theÌ„ ministredand deliuered into theyr hands not popt in their mouthes Moses a martyr Cap. 44. after the greeke Dionysius â— of Alexandria vnto Fabius bishop of Antioch Men of olde receaued the communion a little before their deaths Cap. 45. in the greeke Dionysius b. of Alexandria vnto Nouatus the hereticke Cap. 46. after the Greeke Conon b. of Hermopolis Thelymidres Meruzanes Cornelius Elenus Firmilianus Theoctistus Fabius Demetrianê° Alexander Hippolytus * Cap. 1. in the greeke Gallus â—â—â—aâ—â—d Emperour Anno Domini 255. OrigeÌ„ dieth Dionysius b. of Alexandria in his epistle to HermammoÌ„ Suydas in the life of Origen The choyce was that ether a blacke moore shoulde play the Sodomite with him or he himselfe shoulde sacrifice vnto Idols Psal 50. The lamentation of Origen He calleth vpon the saynctes in the same sense as he doth in this sorowefull plight vpon all other creature vnder heaueÌ„ The pollicie of Satan was to haue Origen to confirme the christians at the time of sacrifice not to the ende they might be saued as his preteÌ„se was but that Origen might be takeÌ„ with the manner and presently constrayned ether to sacrifice or deny his maister which fel out in the ende It seemeth by this that some promised Origen they vvoulde be baptized but when it came to the pinch they made him to sacrifice Origen bewayleth his excommunication * Origen gelded himselfe to embrace virginitie therefore iustely maye he be termed an aduancer in the ende he did sacrifice and committed whor dome with the deuell then was he defiled Psal 102. Psal 50. Psal 51. Math. 26. Psal 50. Luc. 16. Psal 80. Luc. 15. Psal 30. Lucius b. of Rome Stephan b. of Rome The error of Cyprian * Cap. 5. in the Greeke Dionysius b. of AlexaÌ„dria vnto StephaÌ„ b. of Rome Xystus b. of Rome Dionysius b. of AlexaÌ„dria vnto Xystus b. of Rome Cap. 6. in the Greeke Dionysius b. of AlexaÌ„dria vnto Xystus b. of Rome Cap. 7. in 〈◊〉 Greeke Dionysius of AlexaÌ„dri epist 3. of baptisme vnto Philemoâ— a minister 〈◊〉 Rome 1. Pet. 4. Heraclas b. of AlexaÌ„dria called a pope ergo it was not the peculier title of the bishop of Rome * The canon of Heraclas Deut. 19. Prouerb 22. * Cap. 8. in the Greeke Dionysius b. of AlexaÌ„dria vnto Dionysiê° a minister of Rome but afterwards b. epist 4. of Baptisme Cap. 9. in the Greeke Dionysius b. of AlexaÌ„dria epist 5. vnto Xystus b. of Rome Cap. 10. in the Greeke Valerianus created Emperour together with Galienus his sonne Anno Dom. 256. Vnder him was raysed the eyghth persecution agaynst the churche of God * Dionysiê° b. of AlexaÌ„dria vnto Hermammon Apoâ— 13. Satan Macrinus signifieth one standinge a farre of Esay 66. Exod. 20. * Cap. 11. in the Greeke Tob. 12. Dionysius b. of Alexandria agaynst Germanus epist ad Hermamon Act. 5. Dionysius with his company is banished into a certayne deserte called Cephro What Dionysius suffered for the fayth Dionysius b. of AlexaÌ„dria vnto Domitius Didymus Esay 49. 2. Corinth 6. Of Eusebius b. of Laodicea â—eade the last cap. of this 7. booke Maximus Faustus Cap. 12. aâ—tâ— the greeke Priscus Malchus Alexander tome in peeces of wilde beastes A woman torne in peeces of wilde beastes Cap. 13. in the Greeke Aâ—â—â— Domâ— 262. Galienus the Emperour in the behalfe of the Christians Cap. 14 â–ª in the Greeke Xystus Demetrianus Firmilianus Gregorius Nazianzenê° â–ª Athenodorê° Domnus Theoâ—ecnuâ— Hymenaeus Cap. 15. in the greeke Marinus was beheaded A notable perswasion vnto martyrdome Cap. 16. after the greeke Astyrius a senator of RoÌ„e a fauorer of the Christians Cap. 17. after the Greeke The deuill is put to flight by fasting prayer Cap. 18. in the Greeke Luk. 8. Matth. 9. Monuments of memory not for superstition To erect an image is a heathenish custome Cap. 19. after the Greeke The seae of Ierusalem long preserued and continewed Cap. 20. in the Greeke Cap. 21. in the Greeke Dionysius b. of Alexandria vnto Hierax b. of Aegypt Cap. 22. in the Greeke Dionysius b. of Alexandria epist vnto the brethren in Aegypt Exod. 12. Plague Warres Famine Misery maketh the wicked to despayre but tryeth the godly as the gold in the fornace The Christians in the plague time loued not only their brethren but also their enemies The heathenish inhumanitie Cap. 23. in the greeke Dionysius Alex. vnto HermammoÌ„ Galienê° was Emperour together with his father Valerianus but after his father was takeÌ„ captiue of the Persians he ruled alone Esay 43. Apocal. 21. * Anno Domini 266. Nepos a Chi liast Chiliastae of the Grecians millenarij of the latines were so called because that like here tikes they dreamed that Christ should personally raygne as kiÌ„g here onearth a thousande yeares * Cap. 24. in the greeke Dionysius b. of AlexaÌ„dria lib. 2. of the promises of God * Here busye bodies stiÌ„ging waspes may learne a lessoÌ„ which reprehende euery thinge like of nothing Where the error of the Chiliasts first sprang Dionysius disputed with the Chiliasts CoracioÌ„ the Chiliast was consuted and coÌ„uerted by Dionysius Cap. 25. after the greeke Dionysius b. of Alexandria in his 2. booke of the promises of God Some of olde thought the reuelation to haue bene written by Cerinthus The
labour and industry Then shevved they him their hands for testimony that they labored them selues and the hardnes of their bodies and the hard bravvne of their handes grovven by continuall labour and vvhen as they vvere asked of Christ and his kingdome vvhat maner vvhen and vvhere it should appeare they aunsvvered that his kingedome vvas neither vvorldly nor earthly but caelestiall and Angelicall and that it shoulde be at the consummation of the vvorlde vvhen that he comming in glory shall iudge the quicke and the dead and revvarde euery man according vnto his vvorkes After they had thus aunsvvered the report goeth that Domitian condemned them not but despised them as vile and base creatures let them goe free stayed by his edict the persecution then raysed against the church VVhen they vvere gone it is sayde that they vvere rulers ouer Churches in so much that in the ende they vvere martyres and of the line of our Lorde and aftervvardes peace ensuing the report goeth that they liued vntill the raigne of Traian So farre Aegesippus Tertullian also reporteth the like of Domitian Domitian sayth he some time assayed the like practise being a portion of Neroes cruelty but he hauing some humane sense as I suppose forthvvith relented calling home agayne such as he had exiled CAP. XVIII Nerua succeedeth Domitian and Traian succeedeth Nerua in the empire Cerdo succeedeth Abilius in the Churche of Alexandria AFter that Domitianus had raygned fiftene yeares and Nerua had succeeded him the Historiographers of that tyme do write that the Romayne Senate decreed that the honors exhibited vnto Domitian shoulde cease and such as were iniuriously exiled shoulde returne vnto their natiue soyle and receaue their substance agayne it is also amonge the auncient traditions that then Iohn the Apostle returned from banishment and dwelt agayne at Ephesus When Nerua had raigned a litle aboue a yeare Traian succeeded him In the first yeare of whose raigne Cerdo succeeded Abilius which was Bishop of Alexandria the space of thirtene yeares This is the thirde after Anianus of that Churche CAP. XIX The succession of the first Bishops in three Churches Rome Antioch Alexandria AT that tyme Clemens ruled the Churche of Rome beinge the thirde Bishop after Paul Peter the first was Linus the seconde Anacletus And of them which gouerned the church of Antioche the first was knowne to be Euodius the second Ignatius likewise Simeon at the same tyme the seconde after the brother of our Sauiour gouerned the churche of Ierusalem CAP. XX. An history of Iohn the Apostle and a yong theefe conuerted by him AS yet the Apostle and Euangelist whome the Lorde loued remayned aliue in Asia who after the death of Domitian being returned from the I le Patmos gouerned the Churches there in Asia And that he liued at that time the confirmation of two witnesses shall suffice They are worthy of creditt such as haue gouerned the Churche with sounde doctrine These are Irenaeus and Clemens Alexandrinus the former in his seconde booke agaynst the heresies writeth thus All the Elders beare vvitnes vvhich liued together vvith Iohn the Disciple of our Sauiour in Asia that he deliuered these thinges he endured vvith them vnto the tyme of Traian â–ª also in the thirde of his sayde argument he declareth the same in these wordes The churche of the Ephesians planted by Paul confirmed by Iohn vvhich remayned there vntill the tyme of Traian is a true testimony of this Apostolicke tradition Clemens with all signifieth the tyme and also a very necessary historye is by him adioyned for suche as are recreated with honest and profitable thinges whereof also one Sozomenus in his history hath made mention at large in his commentaryes if thou reade it thou shalt finde thus written Heare a fable and yet no fable but a true tale reported of Iohn the Apostle deliuered vnto vs and committed to memory after the desease of the tyrant VVhen he had returned to Ephesus out of the I le Patmos being requested vvent vnto the contreyes adioyning partly to consecrate Bishops partly to set in order vvhole Churches and partly to chuse by lott vnto the Ecclesiasticall function of them vvhome the holy Ghost had assigned VVhen he vvas come vnto a certayn city not farre distant the name vvherof diuers doe expresse and among other thinges had recreated the brethren beholding a yong man of a goodly bodye a gracious face and seruente minde he turned his face vnto him that vvas appointed chiefe ouer all the Bishops and sayd I commend this yonge man vnto thy custody vvith an earnest desire as Christ and the Churche beare me vvitnes VVhen he had receaued his charge and promised diligence therein he spake and protested vnto him the selfe same the second time Aftervvardes he returned to Ephesus but the elder taking the yong man that vvas deliuered vnto him brought him vp at home ceased not cherished him still and in processe of time baptized him he came at length to be so diligent seruiceable that he made him a liuery garment or scrole signed vvith his masters seale of Armes but this yonge man became dissolute out of season perniciously accompanyed him selfe vvith them of his ovvne yeares idle dissolute and acquainted vvith ill behauiour first they bringe him to sumptuous banquetts next they guyde him in the night to steale and to robbe after this they require that he consent vnto the committing of a greater offence but he acquainting him selfe by a litle and a litle through the greatnes of his capacitye much like a horse of a hardned mouth fierce strong and hardy forsaking the right vvay vvith the biting of the bridle bringeth him selfe vnto a bottomlesse pitt of all misorder and outrage At length despayring of the saluation that commeth of God being past all hope of grace â–ª he practised no toye nor trifle once being ouer the shoes he proceeded forvvardes and tooke the like lott vvith the reste of his companions takinge vnto him companions and a rout of theues being gathered together he became a most violent captayne of theeues vvholy bent to slaughter murther extreame cruelty In the meane vvhile necessitye so constrayning the Bishops sent for Iohn he vvhen he had ended and finished the cause of his comming goe to sayth he O Byshop restore vnto vs thy charge vvhiche I and Christ haue committed vnto thy custody the churche vvhereof thou art heade bearing vvitnes the Byshop at the first vvas amazed supposing some deceite to be vvrought toutching money vvhich he had not receaued yet vvas he not able to aunsvvere them for that he had it not neyther to mistrust Iohn but vvhen Iohn had sayd I require the yong man and the soule of our brother then the elder looking dovvne vvith a heauy countenance sobbing and sighing sayde he is deade to vvhome Iohn spake hovve and vvhat kinde of death vvhich aunsvvered he is dead to God for he is become vvicked and pernicious and
brethren inhabiting Fraunce layde downe in writing their godly and Catholicke censure of them and withall alleadged sundry epistles of the holy Martyrs that suffered among them which being in close prison they had written vnto the brethren throughout Asia and Phrygia in the which also they called and prouoked Eleutherius then â–ª Bishop of Rome to the defence of the Ecclesiasticall peace CAP. IIII. The Martyrs in Fraunce commende Irenaus Bishop of Lions by their epistle vnto Eleutherius Bishop of Rome THe same Martyrs highly commended Irenaeus minister of the Church of Lions â–ª vnto the foresayd Bishop of Rome as their owne wordes declare in this manner Father â–ª Eleutherius vve vvishe you health in all thinges and alvvaies in God VVe haue requested Irenaeus our brother fellovv laborer to deliuer you these letters vvhome vve pray you to accept of â–ª as a zelous follovver of the vvill of Christ for if vve vnderstoode that any mans degree yelded forth and deliuered righteousnes vnto the graduate namely as being minister of the Church â–ª vvhich this man is vve vvoulde haue chiefly commended this in him To what ende shoulde I now out of the same epistle rehearse the catalogue of Martyrs I meane of them which were beheaded and of them which were deuoured of wilde beastes and of them which dyed in prison and the number of those confessors who then as yet liued for if any man be disposed at large to reade thereof let him take in hande my booke of Martyrs where the collection thereof is imprynted these thinges were after this manner in the tyme of Antoninus the Emperour CAP. V. How that God in great necessity sent rayne at the faithfull Christian souldiers prayers vnto the hoaste of Marcus Aurelius a Heathenish Emperour THe historyes doe recorde that when his brother Marcus Aurelius the Emperour warred against the Germans and Sarmatians his hoast in manner perished with thirste so that he wist not what to do and that the souldiers of the legion called Melitana moued againe againe with faithfulnes towards their Prince bowed downe vppon their bare knees as our accustomed manner of praying is in the middest of the army turning them to the enemyes and made supplication vnto God When as this sight seemed straung vnto the enemies there was shewed a farre more straung spectacle to wit lightening which put the enemies to flight ouerthrowe withall a showre of rayne to refreshe the armye which welnigh perishing with thirst powred out their prayers before the high throne of the maiestie of God This history is reported by such as fauored not the Christian fayth yet were careful to set forth the things which concerned the foresaid persons it is also written by our men but of the heathen Historiographers them selues the miracle is mentioned not expressly to proceede by the meanes of our men yet our writers as friendes and fauorers of the true doctrine haue deliuered simply and plainly the deede as it was done wherof Apollinarius is a witnes of creditt who reporteth that this legion by whose praiers this miracle came to passe was from y â— time forth called by y e Emperour in the Romayne tongue after a peculier name the Lightening legion Tertullian also a man worthy of good creditt dedicating an Apology in y â— Latine tongue vnto y â— Romayne Senate in the defence of our faith wherof we mentioned before hath confirmed this history w t a mightier more manifest proofe for he writeth y â— the most prudent epistles of Marcus are yet extant where he testifieth him selfe y â— warring w t the Germanes through the scarsitie of water his army welnigh perished but yet was saued through y e prayers of y e Christians he saith y t this Emperour threatned them w t death which went about to accuse them vnto the aforesaid thinges he addeth vvhat maner of lavves are these against vs impious vniust cruell vvhich neither Vespasian obserued although conquerour of the Ievves vvhich Traian partly frustrated commaunding the inquisition for the Christians to cease vvhich neither Adrianus although busying him selfe vvith euery matter nether he vvhich vvas called Pius confirmed but weye of this euery man as pleaseth him we will prosecute that which followeth in order of historye When Pothinus of the age of foure score and tenne yeares had ended this life together with the other Martyrs in Fraunce Irenaeus succeeded him in the Bishoprike of Lions whome we haue learned in his youthe to haue bene the auditor of Polycarpus this same Irenaeus in his thirde booke against the heresies annecteth the succession of the Romaine Bishops vnto Eleutherius whose tymes presently we prosecute and reciteth the cataloge of them as if it were his speciall drift writing in this manner CAP. VI. The cataloge of the Romayne Bishops out of Irenaeus THe blessed Apostles planting and buylding the Church committed vnto Linus the gouernment of the ministery â–ª This Linus Paul remembred in his epistle vnto Timothe â–ª him succeeded Anacletus after him Clemens the thirde from the Apostles vvhich both savve them had his conuersation vvith them and had both the preaching and tradition of the blessed Apostles graffed in his minde and paynted before his eyes neither vvas he yet alone for there liued at that time a great many vvhich vvere ordayned by the Apostles In the time of this Clemens there vvas raysed no small sedition among the brethren at Corinthe vvherfore the church of Rome vvrote vnto the Corinthians a vvorthy epistle reconciling them vnto peace and renevving their faith and tradition lately receaued of the Apostles A litle after he sayth After this Clemens succeeded Euarestus after Euarestus Alexander after Alexander Xystus he vvas the sixt from the Apostles aftervvards Telesphorus vvhich vvas gloriously crovvned vvith martyrdome him follovved Hyginus then Pius after him Anicetus vvhome Soter succeeded Novv Eleutherius vvas the tvvelfe Bishop from the Apostles after the same order the same doctrine tradition of the Apostles truely taught in the Church at this day continevved vnto our time CAP. VII How vnto that tyme miracles were wrought by the faythfull THese thinges Irenaeus agreeable vnto the historyes mentioned before hath layde downe in those fiue bookes which he wrote to the subuersion and confutation of the falsely named science agayne in the seconde booke of the same argument he signifyeth how that vnto his tyme signes and examples of the straunge and wonderfull power of God were seene florishing in certayne Churches saying they are farre from raysing of the deade as the Lorde and his Apostles did through prayer and as many of the brethren many times the vvhole Churche of some certayne place by reason of some vrgent cause vvith fasting and chaste prayer hath brought to passe that the spirite of the deade returned to the body and man vvas by the earnest prayers of the Sainctes restored to lyfe agayne A litle after he sayth But if they say
by perusing the expositioÌ„s of their doctrine vve haue fouÌ„d many things sauoring of the true doctrine of our Sauiour and certaine other things borovved and interlaced vvhich vve haue noted vnto you Thus farre Serapion CAP. XII Of the workes of Clemens byshop of Alexandria THe bookes of Clemens entitled Stromatôn are in all eight and extant at this daye bearing this inscription The diuerous compacted bookes of Titus Flauius Clemens of the science of true Philosophie There are also of the same number bookes of his intitled Dispositions or InformatioÌ„s where he namely remembreth his maister Pantaenus expounding his interpretations traditions there is extant an other booke of his for exhortatioÌ„ vnto the gentils and three bookes intitled the schoolemaister other thus vvhat ritch maÌ„ can be saued againe a booke of Easter and disputations of fasting and of sclaunder an exhortation to nevvenes of life for the late conuerts The canon of the church or against the Ievves dedicated vnto Alexander the bishop aboue named In the bookes Stromatôn he explicated not onely the deuine but also the heathenish doctrine and he repeating their profitable sentences maketh manifest the opinions both of Grecians and barbarians the which diuerse men highely doe esteeme and to be shorte he confuteth the false opinions of Graunde heretickes dilatinge manye Historyes and ministringe vnto vs muche matter of sundry kindes of doctrine With theese he mingleth the opinions of philosophers fittlye entitling it for the matter therein contained a booke of diuerous doctrine He alleageth in the sayde booke testimonies out of wryters not allowed and out of the booke called the vvisedome of Solomon Iesus Sirach the Epistle to the Hebrvves Barnabas Clemens Iude. He remembreth the booke of Tatianus against the Gentils and of Cassianus as if he had wrytten a Chronographie Moreouer he remembreth Philo Aristobulus Iosephus Demetrius Eupolemus Iewish wryters and howe that all they pronounced in their writings that Moses and the nation of the Hebrevves and Ievves were farre more auncient then the Gentils The bookes of the aforesayd Clemens containe many other necessary and profitable tractes In the first of his bookes he declareth that he succeded the Apostles and there he promiseth to publish comentaries vpon Genesis In his booke of Easter he confesseth himself to haue bene ouer treated of his friendes that he shoulde deliuer vnto the posteritie in wryting those traditions which he hearde of the elders of olde he maketh mention of Melito and Irenaus and of certain others whose interpretations he alleageth To conclude in his bookes of Dispositions or Informations He reciteth all the bookes of y â— Canonicall Scripture neyther omitted he y â— rehearsall of such as were impugned I speake of the Epistle of Iude the Catholicke epistls the epistle of Barnabas the Reuelation vnder the name of Peter CAP. XIII Clemens byshop of Alexandria of the Canonicall Scripture Alexander byshop of Ierusalem of Clemens and Pantaenus Origen cometh to Rome in the time of Zephyrinus THe Epistle vnto the Hebrevves he affirmeth to be Pauls for vndoubted and therefore written in the Hebrewe tongue for the Hebrews sakes but faithfully translated by Luke and preached vnto the Gentils and therefore we finde there the like phrase and maner of speache vsed in the Actes of the Apostles it is not to be misliked at all that Paul an Apostle is not prefixed to this Epistle For saith he vvryting vnto the Hebrevves because of the ill opinion they conceaued of him very vvisely he concealed his name lest that at the first he shoulde dismay them Againe he sayth For euen as Macarius the elder sayd for so much as the Lorde himself vvas the messenger of the almighty sent vnto the Hebrevvs Paul for modesty his sake being the Apostle of the Gentils vvrote not himselfe the Apostle of the Hebrevves partly for the honor due vnto Christ and partly also for that he frely boldly being the Apostle of the Gentils vvrote vnto the Ievves Afterwardes of the order of the Euangelists according vnto the tradition of the elders he writeth thus The gospels vvhich containe the genealogies are placed and counted the first The Gospell after Marke vvas vvritten vpon this occasion VVhen Peter preached openly at Rome and published the Gospell by rote many of the auditors intreated Marke being the hearer and follover of the Apostle a long vvhile one that vvell remembred his vvords to deliuer them in vvryting such things as he had heard Peter preach before vvhich thing vvhen he had signified to Peter he nether forbad him neither commaunded him to do it â–ª Iohn last of all seing in the other Euangelists the humanitie of Christ set forth at large being entreated of his friends and moued by the holy Ghost vvrote chiefly of his diuinitie Thus farre Clemens byshop of Alexandria Againe the aforesayd Alexander in a certaine epistle vnto Origen writeth howe that Clemens Pantaenus were become familiar friends after this manner This as you knovve very vvell vvas the vvill of God that our frendship should continevve and remaine immoueable begonne euen from our progenitors become yea more feruent stedfast vve takâ—â—â—em for our progenitors vvho going before haue taught vs they vvaye to follovve after vvith vvhome after a vvhile vve shal be coopled I meane blessed Pantaenus my Mayster holy Clemens my maister also vvhich did me much good and if there be any other such by vvhose meanes I haue knovven you throughly for my maister and brother So farre Alexander but Adamantius so was Origen called writeth in a certaine place that he was at Rome when Zephyrinus was bishop there for he was very destrous to see the most auncient churche of the Romains where after he had continewed a litle while he returned to Alexandria executing most diligeÌ„tly y â— accustomed office of Catechizing when as Demetrius also bishop of Alexandria vsed all meanes possible together with him to th ende he might profitt and further the brethren CAP. XIIII Of Heraclas Origens campanion in catechizinge WHen Origen sawe himselfe not sufficient neither able alone to searche out the profound mysteries of holie scripture neither the interpretation and right sense thereof because that suche as frequented vnto his schoole graunted no leasure at all â–ª for from morning to nyght in seuerall companies one ouertakinge an other they flocked to his preachinge he ordained Heraclas of all the other his familiers his fellowe helper and Usher a man experte in holy scripture discrete and wise and a profounde philosopher committing vnto him the instruction of the inferiour sort and lately come to the faith reseruing vnto himselfe the hearinge of suche as were father and better entred CAP. XV. Origen studyed the Hebrewe tongue and conferred the translations of holie scripture ORigen had so greate a desire of searching out the deepe mysteries of holy scripture that he studied the Hebrevve tongue and bought the copies vsed
lines they added as followeth VVe haue cited hyther many byshops from farre to salue and cure this deadely and poysoned doctrine as Dionysius byshop of Alexandria Firmilianus byshop of Caesarea in cappadocia men blessed in the Lord whereof the one writinge hither to Antioch voutchsafed not once to salute the author of error for he wrot not to his person but to the whole congregation the coppy whereof we haue here annexed but Firmilianus came twise and condemned his straunge doctrine as we knowe very well and testifie which were present together with many other besids vs for when Paulus promised to recante this man beleeued and hopped he woulde redresse and preuent this occasioÌ„ without all contumely reproch which might redound vnto the true doctrine he differred posted ouer his opinioÌ„ from time to time being seduced no doubt by him which denied God his Lord swarued froÌ„ the faith he held at the beginning This Firmilianus in his iourney to Antioch came as farte as Tarsus hauing experimeÌ„t in Christ of his malicious spite wherwith he denied God but whilest that we assemble together whilest we summone him waite for his comming he departed this life againe of the life of Samosatenus and his conuersation they write thus in the same epistle After that he forsooke the ecclesiasticall canon he fell vnto vnlawefull forged doctrine neither is it behoueable for vs nowe to iudge of an aliene ether to descant howe at the first he was poore nothing bequeathed him of his parents that neither by art trade or exercise he attayned vnto the aboundaÌ„ce of welth which he enioyned but with lewdacts sacriledge by iniurious tyrannicall oppressioÌ„ of the brethren whom he made to tremble for feare with his guyleful gaine wilie promise of hired patronship by which subtlety deceate he gayned so much that he procured the geuers to be liberall to th end they might be deliuered from their aduersaries and so he turned godlines into gaine neyther neede vve to speake here of hovve that he being puffed vvith pride vsurped seculer dignities vvould rather be called a vvarlicke captaine then a byshope of the Churche vvalkinge stately throughout the streets and market place reading letters vvithall openly enditing maintaining about him a great troope to gard his person some going before some coming after so that our faith religion runne to great spite sclaunder and hatred by reason of his svvellinge pride hautye disdayne neither vvill vve reherse the monstrous figmentes vvhich he fayned his glorious braggs the vglesome spectacles he deuised to amaze the minds of the simpler sort he made for him self a lofty seate high throne not like the disciple of Christ but seuered in shevve title after the manner of the princes of this vvorlde smyting the thighe vvith the hand pouncinge the footestole vvith his feete If any extolled him not as the vse is vpon theatres vvith clappinge of theyr handes vvith shoutinge and hurlinge of theyr cappes if any also both of men and vvomen had not skipped to and fro vvith busie bodies vndecent obeysance if any as in the house of God had behaued themselues honestly and decently the same he checked and all to be reuiled He inueyed vvithout all reason in the open assemblyes against the expositors of holy scripture vvhich then vvere departe to rest he auaunted him selfe more like a sophister and sorcerer then a byshop the psalmes song in the Church to the laud of our Lord Iesus Christ lie remoued couÌ„ting them nevve found figments of late vvriters in stede vvvherof in the middest of the church vpon the high feast of Easter he suborned certaine vvomen vvhich sounded out sonnets to his praise the which if any now heard his heare woulde stand staringe on his head he licenced the bishops ministers of the adioyning villages cities which honored him to preache vnto the people he staggereth at confessing with vs that the sonne of God descended from heauen And that we may borowe somwhat of that which hereafter is to be spokeÌ„ of vs it shall not be barely â—…châ—d â—â—t 〈◊〉 out of the coÌ„meâ—ariâ—â— published by vs vnto the whole worlde specially where he sayth that Christ Iesus is of the earth They which sound out his coÌ„mendation extoll him among the people affirmâ— this wicked most detestable varâ—ett to be an angell that came â—…ueÌ„ neither forbiddeth he these things but staÌ„deth arrogaÌ„tly to the things spokeÌ„ of him â–ª what shall I speake of his entertainmeÌ„t of associated closly kept womeÌ„ as they of Anâ—â—oth terme 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 deacoâ— which accoÌ„pany him wherwith wâ—â—tingly he cloâ—â—th this sundry other haynous incurable well knowen offences to the ende he may withhold them also â—â—â—lty together with him in those things the which both in word deede he ofâ—â—ideth in daring not to accuse him insomuch they theÌ„ selues are gilty in their coÌ„sciences of the same crime for he enritcheth theÌ„ wherfore he is both beloued honored of theÌ„ that gape after the like gudgins we knowe beloued brethreÌ„ that a bishop and the whole order of priesthoode ought to be a paterne of good works vnto the coÌ„moÌ„ people neither are we ignoraÌ„t of this that many are falleÌ„ because of the closly kept women many againe are subiect to suspicioÌ„ slauÌ„der wherfore admitt that he coÌ„mitted no lewde wantones vvith theÌ„ yet should he haue feared the suspicioÌ„ surmise vvhich riseth therof lest that either he shold offend any or bolden any to the â—â—itatioÌ„ offâ—levvde an exaÌ„ple for hovv caÌ„ hereprehend admonâ—she an other that as it is vvâ—â—â—â—en he 〈…〉 loÌ„ger the coÌ„pany of an other vvoman that he take heede he fall not vvhich novv abstaineth from one in stede therof retaineth tvvo lustier liuelyer peeces at home if he trauell anyvvhither he leadeth theÌ„ vvith him being al set vpon the full delicate pleasure For vvhich 〈◊〉 cuÌ„stance all do sobbe sighe secretly treÌ„â—ling at his povver tyrannie dare nor accuse him but these things as vve haue sayd before are of such importaÌ„ce that they vvould cause a catholicke person vvere he neuer so deare a frende vnto vs to be sharply rebuked As for him vvhich fell from the mysterie of our faith discried the detâ—stable heresie of Artemas nothing amisse if novv at leÌ„gth vve name the father of the child we thinke him neuer able to reÌ„der accoÌ„pta of his mischeuous actes Againe about the end of the epistle they write thus vvherfore necessitie coÌ„sâ—taining vâ— so to do vve excoÌ„municated the svvorne aduersary of God vvhich yelded not a lote placed in his rovvme DoÌ„nâ—s a maÌ„ bedecked vvith allgifts required in a bishop soÌ„ne to Demâ—â—riâ—â—us of vvorthy memory the predecessor of Paulus him as vve are pesvvaded by the prouideÌ„ce of God vve ordained bishop certified you to vvrite vnto him to the
read your fidelity may proue how the aforsayd matter may exquisitly be â—ifted and ended after the rule of equity Your industry is not ignorant but that I attribute so much reuerence vnto the catholicke church that I woulde haue you suffer in any place no schisme or dissention at all The diuinity of the great God kepe you most honorable many yeares The coppy of the emperours epistle by the which he commaunded a second Synode to be summoned for the remouinge of the dissention and debate risen betwene the byshops Constantinus the emperour vnto Chrestus byshop of Syracula sendeth greeting Heretofore truely vvhen as some vvickedly peruersly vvent about to seuer themselues from the religion of the sacred and celestiall povver and from the catholicke opinion I purposing that such contentions of theyrs should be cut of haue wrytten ordained that certaine byshops shoulde be cited from Fraunce againe that they should be called from Aphricke which of the other part conteÌ„tiously stifly striue among theÌ„selues the byshop of Rome also being present to the end whatsoeuer this dissention nowe raysed seemeth to be it might in theyr presence with great industry diligence be sifted out and redressed But in so much as as it commonly cometh to passe diuerse of them being negligent forgetfull of their owne saluation the reuerence due vnto the most holy opinion ceasse not as yet to dilate theyr enmytie being altogether vnwilling to consent vnto the sentence already geueÌ„ they definitiuely affirme that few of theÌ„ brought forth theyr sentences and iudgements before they had narrowly sifted out all that was to be enquired to haue stepped forth toe swiftly to hastely toe geue iudgement of all these things this came to passe that they whose part it was to maintaine brotherly vnity concord shamefully yea vvickedly disagre amoÌ„g theÌ„ selues minister an occasioÌ„ of moccage vnto men whose minds are farre alienated from the most sacred religioÌ„ VVherefore I must be carefull that that which should voluÌ„tarily haue bene appeased after that iudgemeÌ„t was geuen nowe at length in the presence of many be ended finished Because that we haue commauÌ„ded diuerse byshops out of sundry prouinces to meete in the Calends of August at the city of Orleance we thought good to wryte vnto thee that thou takinge of the famous Latronianus liuetenant of Sicilia an ordinary vvagan together vvith some tvvo of them of the seconde order vvhome thou shalt thinke good to choose moreouer vvith three seruants vvhich shal be able to serue thee in thy iourney hasten within the compasse of the same days vnto the sayd place that by the meanes of thy faythfull industry vvith the peaceable and vniforme wisedome of the rest which there shall meete this dissention which hitherto wickedly endured with a certaine shamefull winching repininge all beinge heard which may be sayd of ether partes varyinge amonge them selues whome we haue likewise commaunded to be present may novve at length be closed vp with religion and fayth and brotherly concorde that ought to be required of vs all The almighty God kepe thee in health many yeares CAP. VI. A coppy of the Emperours epistle by the which hâ— graunted money vnto the Churches COnstantinus the emperour vnto Cecilianus byshop of Carthage sendeth greetinge In so much as it pleased vs to minister some thing for expences sake vnto some certaine ministers of the approued most holy religion throughout euery the prouinces of Aphricke Numidia Mauritania I haue sent letters vnto Vrsus the renowmed liuetenant of Aphricke signified vnto him that he shoulde cause three thousande pholes of siluer to be tolde vnto thy fidelity Therefore as soone as thou hast receaued the sayd some of money see the same distributed vnto all the aforesayd accordinge vnto our writt sent by Osius If thou perceaue ought to be wantinge so that our vvill herein tovvardes all may not be accomplished demaunde of Heraclas our tresoror as much as assuredly thou thinkest lackinge This I gaue him in charge vvhen he vvas present that if thy fidelitie required any money of him he shoulde without any more a doe deliuer the same vnto thee And for as muche as I vnderstande that some troublesome persons were disposed to peruerte by some lewde corruption the people of the most holy and Catholicke Churche I geue thee to vnderstande that I gaue forth such iniunctions in presence of Anilinius the liuetenante and Patricius the gouernoures vicegerente that amonge all other thinges they should specially haue due regarde hereof and that they should in no wise permitte such a thinge to fall out vvherefore if thou perceaue some such men to persist in this theyr folly without anymore a doe haue recourse vnto the sayde iudges and make them priuey thereof that they consider of these as I charged them vvhen they vvere present The diuinity of the great God long preserue thee CAP. VII A coppy of the epistle by the which he fraunchised the byshops from payinge taxe or tribute WE greete you most honorable Anilinus Because that diuersly it appeareth if that the religion wherein great estimation of holynes is maintained be sett at nought greate dangers vvill ensue to the publicke affayres and againe if the same be orderly handled maintained greate prosperity and speciall felicity will followe vnto the Romaine empire and the affayrs of all men the goodnes of God exhibiting the same it seemed good vnto vs that those men which labor in this godly religion with due holynes and diligent obseruatioÌ„ of this lawe shall receaue recoÌ„pence of their trauels wherefore our pleasure is that they of the prouinâ—e coÌ„mitted to thy charg which in the catholick church where Cecilianus gouerneth minister in this holy religion whome we commonly tearme clergie men be wholy free exempt from all publicke burthens lest by any error or cursed svvaâ—uinge they be withdrawen from the seruice due vnto God But rather may occupy themselues about theyr profession without any molesting at all who while they accoÌ„plishe the great ministery of the holy seruice doe seeme to profitt very much the publicke affayrs Farewell most honorable Anilinus To be short such things hath the deuine celestiall grace of our Sauiour at the appearinge thereof graunted vnto vs such greate benefits were bestowed by reason of our peace vpon all men and thus weÌ„t our affayres in ioy and solemnycies CAP. VIII The ingratitude of Licinnius towards Constantinus and his cruelty towardes the Christians The sight of these things was intollerable for y â— deuel enemy of honesty worker of malice to behold neither in like sort did y â— things which happened vnto the forsayd tyrants suffice Licinnius better to aduise him selfe Who while he enioyed a prosperous raygne the second honor next after the emperour Constantinus the greate and was hyghly reuerenced for his affinytye and kynrede with Constantinus layinge aside the example of good princes imitated the
the maiestie of the workmanship continewance of the buylding taking vvith thy selfe good aduisement therein that thou certifie vs thereof by thy letters to the ende that we vnderstanding by thy letters what you haue neede of may from euery vvhere conuey the same thither vnto you for it behoueth vs to garnishe sete forth vvith great maiestie the heade and chiefe place of the vvhole vvorlde our vvill is besides that thou certifie vs vvhat thine opinion is vvhether it vvere better to haue the roofe of the sanctuary embovved vautvvise or vvrought after some other kinde of artificious cunning â–ª if embovved vautvvise then may it finely be gylded all ouer It resteth then that thy holines vnto vvhose prudent consideration as it is premised we haue referred the whole do certifie vs vvith all speede what vvorkemen vvhat artificers vvhat prouision ye shall haue neede of also that thou signifie vnto vs thy minde toutching the marble and pillers to be made thereof and the embovved roofe if that kinde of vvorke please thee best God keepe thee in health vvelbeloued brother The Emperour wrote also solemne and large epistles against Arius and his complices the which he caused euery where and in euery citie to be blased abroad taunting him bitterly for his follye and skoffing wise grieuing him to the gutts besides he wrote letters vnto the Nicomedians where he inueyed agaynst Eusebius and Theognis He charged Eusebius with subtle treachery and lewde behauiour and not onely that he had infected him selfe with the noysome filth of Ariamse but also in the tyrants behalfe wrought treason agaynst him and after the maner of a rebell resisted his enterprises Wherefore he exhorted them to choose an other Bishop in his rowme The which Epistles of his because that they are somewhat longe I thought good presently not to trouble the Reader withall in so much as such as are desirous thereof may easily and at pleasure both finde and peruse them And of these thinges thus much CAP. VII Howe that the Emperour Constantine called Acesius a Nouatian Bishop vnto the councell of Nice THe Emperours care and industrie moueth me to mention an other act of that councell wherein he applyed him selfe to the maintenance of peace And because he greatly respected the vnitie and concorde in Ecclesiasticall affayres he summoned Acesius Bishop of the Nouatian sect to the councell After that the determination of the councell toutching the fayth was both layde downe in writing and ratified with the scuerall subscriptions of all their handes the Emperour demaundeth of Acesius whether he woulde assent vnto the same fayth and also vnto the canon concluded vpon toutching the obseruation of the feast of Easter who made answere the councell O Emperour hath concluded and decreed no newe thing â–ª for I haue learned of olde that euen from the beginning and the Apostolick times them selues the selfe same fayth was retayned and the selfe same time for the celebration of the feast of Easter was obserued Agayne when the Emperour demaunded of him the cause why he seuered him selfe from the communion of the faythfull he alleadged for him selfe such thinges as had happened vnder the raygne of Decius and about the persecution of that time and also he brought forth the precise obseruation of a certayne seuere Canon to were that such as after baptisme through frayltie of the fleshe had fallen viâ—o that kinde of sinne the which holy Scripture termeth the sinne vnto death shoulde not be partakers of the holye mysteries but exhorted vnto repentance and that they shoulde wayte for remission of sinne to proceede not of the Priestes but of God him selfe who both can and is of power sufficient to remitt sinne The whiche when Acesius had vttered the Emperour sayde vnto him agayne Prouide thee a ladder O Acesius and clyme alone into heauen These thinges did neyther Eusebius Pamphilus neyther any other writer once make mention of but I my selfe learned it of one that was of no small creditt of greate yeares and such a one as rehearsed the thinges he sawe done in the councell whereby I coniecture the selfe same to haue happened vnto such as herein haue bene silent the which thinge diuers Historiographers haue practised â–ª for these men ouerskipp many thinges eyther because they fauour some one side or flatter some kinde of men And so much of Acesius CAP. VIII Of Paphriutius Bishop of a certaine place in the vpper Thebais and Spyridion Bishop of Trimithous a citie of Cyprus IN so much as heretofore we haue promised to speake of Paphnutius and Spyridion nowe fitt opportunitie is offered to performe the same This Paphnutius was Bishop of a certayne citie in the vpper Thebais so vertuous and so holy a man that straung miracles were wrought by him He had one of his eyes pulled out in the tyme of persecution Wherefore the Emperour had him in very greate reuerence and sent for him at sundrye tymes to come vnto his sumptuous pallace The emptye place of the banished eye he was wonte to kisse So greate a reuerence and honor did the Emperour Constantine owe vnto auncient and holy fathers And this is one thinge whiche I had to saye of Paphnutius An other thinge also I will reporte whiche came to passe through his aduise both profitable for the Church and honorable for ecclesiasticall persons The Bishops thought good to bring a newe lawe into the Churche to were that they which were of the Clergie I meane Bishops Priestes Deacons should thenceforth not company with their wiues the which they had coopled vnto them being lay men When as they went about to reason hereof to consult among them selues toutching this matter * Paphnutius stoode vp in the middest of the assembly of Bishops and brake out into lowde speaches language that the necks of clergie men and such as were entred into holy orders were not to be pressed downe with an heauy yoke and greeuous burthen saying * that mariage was honorable the bedd vndefiled that it was their part to foresee lest that with toe seuere a censure they should greatly iniurie and offende the Churche of God that all possibly coulde not away with so austere a discipline to be voyde of all perturbation and frayltie of the fleshe and that peraduenture likewise euery of their wiues coulde not brooke so rare a rule of continencie prescribed vnto them He termed the company of man and wife lawfully coopled together chastity and that to seeme sufficient inough for such as had entred into holy orders being single men thenceforth according vnto the old ecclesiasticall tradition to liue a single life and not to seperate any man asunder from his wife the which he had maried being a laye man such speaches vsed Paphnutius when he him selfe had neuer bene maried and as I may iustly auoutch neuer knewe what woman 's company meant for of a childe he ledd a straict life in the
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
dealing of the bishops requireth of them that the accusations may indifferently be examined By that time the seast of our sauiours natiuitie was come on which day y ◠Emperour went not to the church after the wonted maner but sent Iohn this message that he would not communicate w t him before he had cleared him selfe of the crimes layd to his charge And when as the accusers seemed to mistrust them selues that Iohn through the vprightnes equitie of his cause boldened him selfe the bishops then present affirmed they ought not to examine any other offence saue only whether he of him selfe had takē possession of the bishoprick after he was deposed without the sentence admission of a councell When Iohn made answere y ◠he had the consent of fiftie bishops which cōmunicated w t him Leontius replied against him but more saith he in the coūcell withstoode thy admission Againe when Iohn sayd that the canon which cōtained such a clause appertained not vnto their churche but was to be executed where y ◠Arians did raigne for such as assembled at Antioch to roote out y ◠faith of one substance layd downe y ◠canon against Athanasius they neuerthelesse makinge no accōpt of his answere proceeded gaue sentence against him not weying with thēselues that such as were authors of this canon were also deposers of Athanasius These things were done a litle before Easter Then also the Emperour sent vnto Iohn y ◠he had no authoritie to go into the church insomuch he was deposed condemned in two seuerall councells Wherefore Iohn gaue ouer executing of the ecclesiasticall function refrained from going into the church Immediatly also such as fauored him departed y ◠churche they keepe Easter in the cōmon bathes called Cōstantianae together with many bishops priests other ecclesiasticall persons who thenceforth because of their seuerall conuenticles were called Iohannits For the space of two moneths Iohn was neuer seene abrode vntill y ◠by the Emperours cōmaundemēt he was brought to exile so at length being banished the church he was bereaued of his contrey soyle The same day certaine of such as were called Iohannits set the church on fire with that the easterne wind being vp blew the flame into the senatours court cessed not from burning vntill all was cōsumed to ashes This was done the twentieth of Iune in the sixt Consulship of Honorius the which he enioyed together w t Aristanetus For which conspiracie treason what heauy penalties grieuous punishments Optatus gouernour of Constantinople in religion a pagane and therfore a sore plaguer of Christians made them endure I thinke it best to ouerskip them with silence CAP. XVII Howe that after the deposition of Iohn Arsacius was made byshop of Constantinople of Cyrinus byshop of Chalcedon that was payned with the sore foote and of the death of Eudoxia the Empresse ARsacius an old man aboue the age of fourescore yeares who sometime gouerned the bishopricke of Constantinople before the dayes of Iohn was shortly after made byshop of that seae In his time when as the church enioyed greate ease and quietnesse by reason of his singular modestie and meeke behauiour Cyrinus bishop of Chalcedon whose foote Maruthas bishop of Mesopotamia had trode on and hutt against his will had such infortunate successe y t his foote rotted of the broise and therfore of necessitie he was cōstrained to saw it of Neither suffred he that once but twise and oftenner toe For the putrefaction ranne ouer his whole bodie and fell at length into his other foote then was he fayne to lose both I haue therefore remembred these thinges because it was rife in euery mans mouth that Cyrinus suffered this plague or punishment for reuiling of Iohn and terming him as I sayd before a stuburne Bishop Againe when as great haile the bignesse whereof was not remembred to haue bene seene before fell in the suburbes of Constantinople y ◠thirtieth day of Septembre the aforesayd Consulship y ◠report likewise went that it was a token of Gods wrath for the deposition and banishment of Iohn The death of the Empresse which followed immediatly after confirmed this rumor for she departed this life the fourth day after the fall of this haile Some there were also which sayd that Iohn was iustly deposed because that in the voyage when he made Heraclides Bishop of Ephesus he thrust many out of their Churches namely the Nouatians and such as celebrated the feast of Easter the fourteeneth day of the moneth with many others both in Asia and in Lydia But whether Iohn was iustly deposed as they said which bare him ill will whether Cyrinus was plagued for his opprobrious languages and sclaunderous reports last of all whether the haile and the death of the Empresse were signes of Gods high displeasure for banishing of Iohn or whether they happened for some other causes God alone knoweth which searcheth the secrets of mans hart and pronounceth here of the right sentence of iust iudgement I of myne owne parte committed to writing such things as then were rife in euery mans mouth CAP. XVIII Howe that after the desease of Arsacius Atticus was chosen Bishop of Constantinople ARsacius continewed not Bishop very long for the yeare following to wit in the second Consulship of Stilicon but the first of Anthemius and the eleuenth of Nouembre he departed this life When that the election of a bishop fell out to be a troublesome peece of worke and the contention endured a very long time the next yeare after in the sixt Consulship of Arcadius and the first of Probus Atticus a godly mā by birth of Sebastia in Armenia by order a religious man trayned in the monasticall discipline from his youth vp of meane knowledge yet of singuler wisedome naturally ingraffed in him was chosen bishop of Constātinople but of him more hereafter CAP. XIX Howe that Iohn Bishop of Constantinople died in exile IOhn being banished his Churche bereaued his contrey soyle dyed in exile at Comanum situated vpon the sea Euxinus the foureteeneth of Nouembre the seuenth Consulship of Honorius the seconde of Theodosius a man he was as I sayd before more lead with heate of burning choler then ruled by ciuill curtesie and because he was a man of wonderfull boldnes he vsed liberty of speach and had tongue at will I can not verily but wonder at him why he addicting him selfe so much to temperance taught in some sermons that temperance was in maner to be sett at nought for when as by the councell of Bishops there was admission left and pardon graunted for such as had once fallen after baptisme to be receaued againe after repentance into the Church he sticked not to say If thou fall a thousand times repent thee of thy folly come boldly into the Church for which doctrine besides that he was misliked of many his familiars yet was
accustomed to adore in a certaine house fire which continewally burneth vnder the ground they conuey a man whome they make to rore and to crie out as followeth when the king is at his prayers The king must be thrust out of his kingdome He behaueth himselfe lewdly in taking the Christian priest for a godly person Isdigerdes for so was their king called hearing this dreadful voice for all that he reuerenced Maruthas yet purposed he to sende him awaye Then Maruthas being a right godly man gaue himselfe wholly to prayer whereby he found out the fraude and deceate of the Magicians Wherefore he reasoneth thus with the kinge Be no longer deceaued O king but get thee into the house cause the earth to be digged vp thou shalt easily perceaue theyr guile For the fire speaketh not it is a certaine deuise inuēted by men for y ◠purpose The king yeldeth vnto the counsell of Maruthas in he goeth againe vnto the house where the fire continewally burned As soone as the voice was heard the second time he commaunded the earth should be cast vp and there was he founde which spake and cried out the which clamor they tooke to be the commaundement of God himselfe The kinge when he espied theyr lewde treachery was exceedinge wroth and gaue forth charge that euery tenth of the Magician kinred shoulde be executed he turned him to Maruthas and willed him to buylde churches where pleased him best Upon this occasion it fell out that y ◠faith in Christ florished exceedingly in the kingdome of Persia For that time Maruthas left Persia and tooke his voyage to Constantinople Shortely after he went againe in embassie into Persia by that time the Magicians found out other deceytfull deuises and a freshe they fall a forging to the end the kinges mind might be alienated from him Of sette purpose they infected the ayer of a certaine place where the king was wont to frequent with a stinking sauour and with all they sclaunder the Christians that it was scattered by them But the kinge hauinge iust cause to suspect the Magicians for theyr former wiles made great inquire who should play so slutush a parte at length by longe sifting it was knowen that the Magicians themselues had caused this corrupte odour for the nonce to be spred all ouer the place wherefore againe he executed many of them but Maruthas he had in greate estimation Thence forth he loued the Romaynes entirely embraced thē in league of peace friendship The king was almost become a christian when Maruthas together w t Ablaatus the Persiā bishop published vnto y ◠world an other experimēt or triall of the Christian faith for they both beinge continewally geuen to watch and to pray cast a Deuell out of the kinges sonne which tormented him out of measure But death preuented him and abridged the raines of his mortall rare ere he coulde fully be instructed in the Christian faith After his desease his sonne Bararanes enioyed the crowne in whose dayes as it shall be hereafter more plainely declared the league betwene the Romaynes and the Persians was broken CAP. IX The succession of Bishops in the Church of Antioch and Rome ABout that time when Flauianus Bishop of Antioch had departed this life Porphyrius was chosen in his rowme and after Porphyrius Alexander was made Bishop of that seae In the Churche of Rome when that Damasus had gouerned the Ecclesiasticall affayres the space of eighteene yeares Siricius succeeded him in the Bishoprick Againe after that Siricius had continewed there the tearme of fifteene yeares departed this life Anastasius was Bishop three yeares after his desease Innocentius who firste droue the Nouatians out of Rome and depriued them of many Churches was made Bishop of that seae CAP. X. Howe that Alarichus tooke Rome and made it subiect vnto the Barbarians IT fell out in those dayes that Rome was taken of the Barbarians For one Alarichus a Barbarian being in league with the Romaynes and sometime ayded the Emperour Theodosius in the battaill agaynst the tyrant Eugenius and therefore was aduaunced into great honour by the Romaines when he could not paciently content him selfe with the prosperous sayle of fortunate successes although he aspired not vnto the Emperiall seepter yet left he Constantinople and posted in all the hast into the Weste partes of the worlde He was no sooner come into lllyrium but he subdued vnto him all that contreye As he went forewardes on his iorneye the Thessalians withstoode him aboute the entries of the riuer Peneus the readye waye by Mounte Pindus vnto Nicopolis a citie of Epirus the sielde beinge there pitched the Thessalians slew aboue three thousand men After that bloody s kirmishe the Barbarians which accompanied Alarichus ransackinge and spoylinge both towne and coutrey as they went tooke at length the citie of Rome They rāsacked the citie They defaced and fired many worthie monuments they violently spoiled the citizens of theyr money they executed many of the Senatours with sundry kindes of tormente Alarichus to the ende he might bring the Royall porte and maiestie of the Emperiall scepter into contempt and derision proclaymed Emperour one whose name was Attalus this man by his procuremc̄t walked abroade the space of one wholl daye with a garded troope of souldiers the next day after in the attyre and habite of a seruant When these things preuailed then in suche sorte as you heare Alarichus tooke his heeles and ranne away for the reporte that was bruted abroad of Theodosius y ◠Emperours great power marching to geue him battaill astonied his mind and put him in great feare Neither was it a fable or a forged rumor but for moste certaine trueth that the Emperours host made expedition to wage battaill with him He when as he coulde in no wise away with that fame gaue him selfe to flight The reporte goeth that as he went towardes Rome a certaine monk met him which admonished him not to delite him selfe with perpetrating of such haynous and horrible offences neither to reioyce in committing of slaughter and bloodshed Whome Alarichus answered in this sorte I God knovveth doe take this voyage agaynst my will There is one which molesteth me dayly nay he compelleth me by force and sayth thus vnto me goe on thy iorney destroy the citie of Rome So farre of Alarichus CAP. XI Of the Bishops which in those dayes gouerned the Church of Rome AFter Innocentius Zosimus gouerned the Churche of Rome the space of two yeares after his desease Bonifacius was Bishop three yeares whome Celestinus succeeded This man banished the Nouatians out of Rome depriued them of their Churches and constrayned Rusticula their Bishop priuely to rayse priuate conuenticles For vnto that time the Nouatiās florished at Rome enioyed many churches had vnder thē great cōgregatiōs but they were thē hated out of measure whē as the bishop of Rome no otherwise thē the bishop of
please our Lord the Emperour Iuuenalis the most reuerend Bishop of IerusaleÌ„ Thalassius the most reuerend Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia Eusebius the most reuerend Bishop of Armenia Eustathius the most reuereÌ„d Bishop of Berytus and Basilius the most reuerend Bishop of Seleucia in Isauria who were then of autority and chiefe of the councel should be punished alike deposed of their Bishopricks by the censure iudgement of the councel as the canons of the church do require be at the Emperours pleasure After other things were read the byshops then present beinge demaunded whether the Epistles of Leo were agreable with the fayth of the three hundred eighteene holy Fathers assembled of old at Nice in Bithynia and with the Creed of the hundred and fifty fathers in the councell held at Constantinople Anatolius Byshop of CoÌ„stantinople with all the assembly made answere that the Epistle of Leo was no other theÌ„ the faith of the aforesayd Fathers and subscribed vnto it Immediatly the councell cried we are all content we doe all allowe the same we are all of one faith we are all of one opinion we doe all be leue so Thus haue the Fathers which are present in the councell beleued thus haue they subscribed God graunt the Emperour a long life God graunt the Empresse a long life God grauÌ„t the Fathers of the councell many yeres God preserue the liues of such as are of one faith opinion with the councell VVe wish the Emperour many yeares we wish them that hold with the couÌ„cell many yeres God send the Emperour to see many yeares we haue subscribed vnto the faith this is the opinioÌ„ of Leo this is our opinion Last of all they sayd CoÌ„cerning those things we haue sent vnto y â— most holy our most religious Lord the Emperour nowe we wayt for his highnes answere Againe when some told them in this sorte your reuerence and wisedomes haue to render an accompt vnto God for Dioscorus whome you haue deposed vnknowen vnto y â— Emperours most excellent maiesty vnknowen vnto vs in like sorte and for all the things you haue complayned of for the actes of this councell they cried God hath depriued Dioscorus Dioscorus is iustly deposed Christ hath depriued Dioscorus After all this when the PresideÌ„ts had brought forth Martianus the Emperours answere where he had signified vnto them his pleasure toutching the bishops that were deposed the Bishops requested and sayde we pray you as many as be of one opinion as many as hold with the councell as many as subscribed in the councell vnto the Epistle of Leo come into the councell immediatly in they came and downe they sate The supplicatioÌ„s which the Bishops of Aegypt had exhibited vnto Martianus the Emperour were read which besides sundry other things contayned in them as followeth VVe beleue as the three hundred eighteene Bishops which met at the couÌ„cel of Nice haue deliuered vnto vs we hold with the faith of holy Athanasius and holy Cyrill accursing euery heresie both of Arius Eunomius Manes Nestorius of them which say that the flesh of our Lord came downe from heauen was not taken of the virgine Marie mother of God which coÌ„tinewed alwayes a virgine that the same is like vnto our flesh in all things sinne only excepted Then all y t were in the councell cried why haue not these men accursed the opinion of Eutyches let them subscribe vnto the Epistle of Leo and let theÌ„ accurse Eutyches with his heresie let them condescend vnto the Epistle of Leo peraduenture they goe about to deceaue beguile vs. The Bishops of Aegypt made answere that theyr prouince had many Bishops and that they would not take vpon them to answere for such as were absent they requested of the councell to stay for theyr Archbishop that according vnto theyr maner custome they may vphold his censure and opinion They sayd moreouer that if they would decide ought afore theyr Metropolitane were elected the bishops of Aegypt would make an insurrection against them When they had oft intreated and the councell withstoode them motion was made that the Bishops of Aegypt should haue time vntill theyr Archbishop were chosen Next the supplications of certaine Monks were brought forth the summe whereof was y t not one of theÌ„ would take penne in hand to subscribe before the generall assembly met which the Emperour had determined to call together and before they vnderstoode theyr decrees With the reading thereof Diogenes bishop of Cyzicum remebred that Barsumas was one of them which made an insurrection and murthered Flauianus that he had cried kill him And nowe not hauing his name in the supplicatioÌ„ contrary to order to haue presumed to come vnto the councell All the Bishops cried at this Barsumas hath peruered all Syria raised against vs a thousand Monkes When it was moued that as many as were there should waite the councells pleasure and decree the Monkes required that theyr supplications might be read The effect of them was that Dioscorus the Bishops of his opinion might be present at the councell All the councel was moued with this and cried Let Dioscorus be accursed Christ hath deposed Dioscorus out with these Monkes remoue shame froÌ„ the councel take away force and iniurie let not these impious and levvde sayings come to the Emperours eares let not the councell be discredited away vvith infamy The Monkes hearinge this cried of the contrary take away contumely from the Monasteries When the councel had the second time repeated the former exclamation they consulted that the rest of the supplications were to be reade where it was sayde that Dioscorus was iniuriously deposed and that it behoued them of necessitie seeing the controuersie toutching the fayth was to be decided to haue his presence in the councel vnlesse they would doe this that they would shake of the dust from their feete and forsweare the coÌ„munioÌ„ of the Bishops that were present After they had made an end of speaking Aetius the Archdeacon read them the canon that concerned such as deuided them selues from the Churche Againe when the Monkes would not geue eare neither be ruled by the most holy bishops neither by y t entreaty of Aetius the Archdeacon when the one halfe of the councell woulde needes pronounce Nestorius and Eutyches accursed and the other halfe withstoode them the Presidents thought good y â— the supplication of Fâ—ustus and the other Monkes should be read where they craued of the Emperour that the MoÌ„kes which impugned the true faith and sincere doctrine should not be receaued againe for why Dorotheus the Monke called Eutyches the true professor Agaynste whome there were sundry poincts of Eutyches doctrine tossed to fro and discussed in presence of the Princes In the fift session the Senators commaunded them to set forth the decrees and canons of religion after the playnest sorte Asclepiades Deacon of Constantinople read a certen
cities of whiche number some had bene vtterly destroyed some other for the most parte gone to ruyne that he set them foorthe with such maiestie with such ornamentes and with such workemanship both of publique and priuate buyldinge inuironinge them with stronge walls and other goodly buylding wherewith cities are adorned and the diuine Godheade honored in his throne of maiestye laste of all with so many conduites partely for profitte and partely for showe whereof some were then firste erected and some other repayred that nothinge could posibly be done more excellente Nowe I come to discourse of the affayres in Italie whereof some parte is artificially handeled by Procopius Rhetor. As soone as Theodorichus mentioned before tooke Rome vanquished Odoacer the tyrante gouerned the Romayne Empire for a while and departed this life Amalasuntha his wife gouerned the common weale in steede of Astalarichus her sonne whome Theodorichus begate vpon her and so ruled the Empire with such circumspection that in her doinges she seemed rather a man then a woman She firste of all perswaded Iustinianus to be so willing to warre with the Gotths and sent Embassadours vnto him toutching the conspiracye that was wroughte agaynste her But when Astalarichus being of very tender yeares departed this life Theodatus the kinsman of Theodorichus obtayned the Westerne Empire He at the comminge of Belissarius into the Weste deliuered vp the crowne for he had more minde to studye then skill to wage battaill At that time also Vittiges a valiaunte man was captayne of the Romayne power in the Weste dominions Yet we haue to learne by the historye of Procopius that when Belissarius came to Italye Vittiges lefte Rome that Belissarius came with his armye into the citye of Rome that the Romaynes opened theyr gates and receaued him moste willingelye for Siluerius the Byshop had broughte this to passe and had sente as toutching that matter Fidelius the Surueior of Astalarichus vnto Belissarius Wherefore the citie was yelded vnto Belissarius without shedinge one drope of bloode and Rome agayne was subdued by the Romaynes threescore yeares after the Gotths had taken it the nynth of Apellaeus after the Romaynes December and the eleuenth yeare of Iustinianus raygne Procopius wryteth moreouer howe that after all this when the Gotths besieged Rome a freshe Belissarius suspectinge Siluerius the Byshop of treason banished him into Greece and placed Vigilius in his rowme CAP. XIX Of the people Eruli how they receaued the Christian fayth in the time of Iustinian ABout the same time sayth Procopius Eruli who in the tyme of Anastasius the Emperour passed ouer the riuer Danubius beinge curteouslye entreated of Iustinian and rewarded with greate summes of moneye receaued euerye one from the highest to the lowest the Christian religion and chaunged theyr brutishe and barbarous trade of life for modeste and ciuill behauiour CAP. XX. Howe the Gotthes wonne Rome and Belissarius the seconde time recouered it VHe aforesayde author declareth that after the returne of Belissarius into Constantinople w t Vittiges the spoyle he caried out of Rome Totilas became Emperour and the city againe was subdued of the Gotths that Belissarius the second time came to Italy recouered Rome gaue the Medes battaill and was sent for by the Emperour to Constantinople CAP. XXI Howe the people Abasgi about that time receaued the faith IT is recorded moreouer by the same writer that the people Abasgi being brought vnto a more ciuill kinde of life receaued about that very time the Christian faith that Iustinianus the Emperour sente vnto them one Euphrata an Abasgian borne and of the courte Eunuches for to charge them that none of all that nation should offer violence to nature and gelde him selfe For the Emperours chamberlaines whome commonlye we call Eunuches were oftentimes taken of that nation Then also Iustinianus the Emperour erected a Temple vnto the Mother of God amonge the people Abasgi and ordayned them Priestes of whome they were throughly instructed in the principles of Christian religion CAP. XXII Of the people which inhabite Tanais howe then they became Christians and of the earthquakes in Greece Boetia and Achaia THe aforesayd historiographer hath wrytten y ◠the nation dwelling about Tanais the inhabitants of that region doe call the riuer that rumeth out of the fenne of Maeotis into Pontus Euxinus Tanais requested Iustinianus to sende them a Byshop that Iustinianus was very carefull of theyr sute and sente them a Bishop with harte and good will He declareth moreouer and that in good order howe the Gotths in the time of Iustinian brake out of the fenne of Maeotis into the Romayne dominions that there happened straunge earthquakes in Greece Boetia Achaia and the cuntreys about Crisaeus hauen that many regions were destroyed cities ouerthrowen chinkinge and gapinge of the earth whiche gulphes in some places closed together and in some other places continewed so still CAP. XXIII The expedition captaine Narsis made into Italie and his piety Godwardes PRocopius discourseth howe Iustinian sent captaine Narsis into Italy howe he ouercame Totilas afterwards Teias and howe Rome was now taken the fift time It was reported moreouer by suche as accompanied Narsis in that voyage howe that when he prayed vnto God and offered vnto him his bounden duetye and seruice the virgine Marie the Mother of God appeared vnto him prescribed the tyme when he shoulde deale with the enemye and that he should not girde him selfe to battaill before he had a signe geuen him from heauen Many other actes worthy of memory were done by this Narsis For he wonne Buselinus and Syndualdus and subdued many other cuntreys reaching vnto the Ocean sea Which things Agathius Rhetor hath wrytten of and be not as yet come into our handes CAP. XXIIII Howe Chosroes fretting with enuie at the prosperous affaires of Iustinianus tooke armour against the Romaynes destroyed many cities and among others great Antioch IT is layde downe in wrytinge by the same Procopius that Chosroes hearinge of the prosperous successes which befell vnto the Empire of Rome bothe in Libya and Italie fretted within him selfe for enuye and charged the Emperour that he had done certaine thinges contrary vnto the couenantes agreed vpon betwene them and therefore that theyr 〈◊〉 was broken that Iustinianus at the firste sente Embassadours vnto Chosroes entreatinge him not to breake the perpetuall league that was concluded neyther to dissolue that linke of loue and peace that was knit betwene bothe cuntreys but if there were any rashe enterprise committed or any quarelous occasion geuen it mighte friendely and louingely be put vp That Chosroes of spite and malice whiche boyled within his breste woulde by no meanes be broughte to any good order but gathered a greate armye and assaulted the marches of the Romayne dominions in the thirteenth yeare of Iustinianus raygne He wryteth moreouer howe that Chosroes tooke Surus a citye vpon the shore of Euphrates who couenantinge with them one way dealte with them an
commaunded abstinence froÌ„ certaine meats as vnlawfull In the end Montanus and Maximilla haÌ„ged themselues Euseb lib. 5. cap. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. The Montanists otherwise callled Cataphrygians pricked a boy with bodkins drewe the blood out of his bodye soked therein the bread and made a sacrament thereof if the boy dyed he was counted a martyr if other wise a greate priest Epiphan haeres 48. August lib. de haeres   Modestus wrote against Marcion Euseb lib. 4. cap. 24.  Iulianus vnto the 10. yere of Antoninus Pius Epiphan haeres 66.    Secundiani of Secundus together with Epiphanes and Isidorus taught the like with Valentinus in lyfe they were beastly all womeÌ„ amoÌ„g them were common they denied the resurrection of the fleshe Epiphan haeres 32. 163. Marcus Antoninus Verus was choseÌ„ Emperour after Pius He persecuted the church of God and raygned 19. yeares Euseb lib. 4. cap. 14. 15 lib 5. cap. 9. Appollinarius wrote vnto Verus the Emperoure against the heresie of Montanus which then began to bud in Phrygia Euseb lib. 4. cap. 20. lib. 5. cap. 14. 15. Dionysius b. of Corinth Pinytus b. of Creta were famous aboute this time lib. 4. cap. 20. There was a synode at Ancyra in Galatia gathered together of the faithfull where the sigmeÌ„ts of Montanus were confuted by Apollinarius Euseb lib. 5. cap. 14. Caius whome Epiphanius haeres 66. doth call Gratianus    Ptolomaeus of whome Ptolomai are called taught the hereticall opinions of the Gnostici of Valentinus addinge therevnto of his owne certaine heathenish doctrine out of Homer he wrote vnto Flora a woman of his faith endeuoured to peruert her Epiph. haeres 33.   Musanus theÌ„ florished and wrote against the Encratits which then newly spraÌ„g the author of which heresie was Tatianus Euseb lib. 4. cap. 26. Germanicus martyred torne in peeces of wilde beasts  Symachus     167.  Metrodorus and Pionius burned  Caius 2. vnto the 8. yeare of Verus Epiphan haeres 66. Theophilus was b. of Antioche after Cornelius He wrote of elemeÌ„tal institutioÌ„s dedicated them vnto Autolycus also against the heresie of Hermogenes and MarcioÌ„ Euseb lib. 4. cap. 19. 23. about the 8. yeare of Marc. Antoninus  Agrippas b. of AlexaÌ„dria aboute the 8. yeare of Verus where he gouerned 12. yeres Euseb li. 4. ca. 19. li. 5. ca. 9.      Iulianus 2.  Soter was b. of Rome after Anicetus anno Dom. 167. and continewed 8. yeares Euseb lib. 4. cap. 19. li. 5 in proem    Carpus Papy lus and Agathonica a woman martyred also Ptolomaeus Lucius Euseb li. 4. cap. 14. 15. 16.  Capito    Marcus of whome Marâ—oâ—ij Colorbasus of whome Colorbasij and Heracleon after whome the hereticks are called Heracleonits sacrificed with witchcrafte to amaze their auditorie they pronounced Hebrew words they sayd vnto the women opeÌ„ your mouths prophecie through the power which commeth from vs many women came to the churche vnder colour of prophecie confessed that they were abused of them Marcus ranne awaye with an other mans wise they pour oyle water vpoÌ„ the head of the departed hopinge so to redeeme them they said that the life generation of man consisted in 7. starres that Christ suffred not in deede but was so thought and that there was no resurrection of the fleshe Epiphan haeres 34. 35. 36. Irenaeus Aug. li. de haeres Alcibiades refrayned the vse of Gods creatures he is reformed by Atalus the martyr Euse li. 5. cap. 3.   Bardesanes of Mesopotamia wrote in the Syrian toÌ„ge against Marcion Euseb lib. 4. cap. 28.  Maximus vnto the 16. yeare of Verus EpiphaÌ„ haeres 66.    Archontici were heretickes in Palaestina which referred the creation of all things vnto many powers they sayd that the saboth was the God of the Iewes that the deuell was the sonne of the sabaoth Epiphan haeres 40. August lib. de haeres 179. Anno 17. of Verus the Emperour Vegetius Epa gathus marty red Sanctus a Deacon beheaded Maturus beheaded Atalus fried to death Blandina a woman after sundrie torments beheaded Biblis a woman pitiously handeled Pothinus b. of Lions dieth in prison Alexander torne in peeces of wild beastes Ponticus of 15. yeare old martired Euseb lib. 5. cap. 1. The brethren in Fraunce assemble together and lay downe their censure toutchinge the opinioÌ„s of Montanus writing vnto Eleutherius b. of Rome that he woulde maintayne the peace of the churche against such heretickes Euseb lib. 5 cap. 3. Antoninus Maximinus was b. of Antioch after Theophilus Euseb lib. 4. cap. 23. Eleutherius was b. of Romeafter Soter in the 17. yeare of Verus the Emperour ann Dom. 178. where he continewed 13. yeares Euseb lib. 5. in proëm cap. 20.  Irenaeus was a Chiliast Euseb lib. 3. cap. 35.   Irenaeus was b. of Lions in Fraunce after the martyrdome of Pothinus in his youth he sawe Polycarpus the disciple of S. Iohn He was at Rome with Eleutherius he endeuored to coÌ„fute Blastus and Florinus the schismatikes and to appease the sâ—hisme raysed at Rome he sharply reprehended Victor b. of Rome for ex communicating the churches of Asia Eusâ—b lib. 5. ca. 4. 5. 18. 23. There were helde in Asia sun drye synods in the which MoÌ„tanus was excoÌ„municated his heresie coÌ„demned Euseb lib. 5. cap. 14. Valens  Toutching the puritie of the churche of Rome Egesippus reporting of himself sayth thus When I came to Rome I stayed there vntill that Anicetus was choseÌ„ bishop whose Deacon was Eleutherius whome Soter succeeded and after him Eleutherius In all theyr successions and in euery one of theyr cities it is no otherwise then the lawe the ê“phets the Lord himselfe preached Euseb li. 4. cap. 21. Irenaeus also hauing layd downe those 12. aforesayde bishops of Rome coÌ„cludeth thus now Eleutherius was the 12. bishop from the Apostles after the sam order the same doctrine tradition of the Apostles truelye taughtin the church at this day continewed vnto our tyme. Euseb lib. 5. cap. 6.  Encratits were heretickes after the etymologie of their name coÌ„tinent The author of their heresie was Tatianus of Mesopotamia the disciple of Iustinus Martyr He abhorred mariadge he forbadde the vse of liuinge creatures he offred water in steede of wine in the Sacrament he denied that Adam was saued The Encratits preuayled in Pisidia Phrygia Euseb lib. 4. cap. 27. Epiphan haeres 46. 47.     Dolychianus vnto the tyme of Comodus Epiphan haeres 66.    Seuerus an Encratite of whome Seueriani maintayned the opinioÌ„s of Tatianus addinge therevnto of his owne reuiling Paul reiecting â— his epistles and denying the Actâ— of the Apostles He sayde that â— woman was of the deuell and thaâ— man from the girdle vpwards waâ— of God and beneath of
matters he banished all the Iewes out of Alexandria for murthering of the christians he coÌ„demned Nestorius in the councell of Ephesus Socrat lib. 7. cap. 7. 13. 33 Rhetorius was of a wonderfull vaine opinion He thought that all heretikes walked aright and maintayned the trueth August lib. de haeres Paterniani were heretickes which thought that the nether parts of mans bodyâ— were made not by God but by the deuell there fore yeelded all those partes vnto all beastly life some called these men Venustianos August   Acacius b. of Amida was famous for his godly acts in the dayes of Theodosius the yonger he pytied the Persian captiues which the Romaines had taken lamented to see them perishe for want of foode he called his clergy sayd thus vnto them Our lord hath no neede either of poâ—â—iÌ„gers or of cups for he neyther â—ateth neither drinketh c. he perswaded them so that he sould the treasure relieued the prisoners and redeemed the captiues Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 21. The councell held at TaurinuÌ„ at the foote of the alps was held for the reformatioÌ„ of the clergy tom â— concil The councel of Malta condemned the Pelagians Donatists and concluded that all meÌ„ wer sinners that the grace of God was geueÌ„ to the fulfilling of the law that infants were to be baptized to 1. coÌ„cil â–ª A couÌ„cell helde at Telene in the time of Zosimus thrust vpon the clergye vowed chastitie which Siricius had first commaunded tom 1. concil The 6. councell of Carthage ratified the canoÌ„s of the Nicene councell tom 1. concil   Celestinus was b. of Rome after Bonifacius Anno Donini 425. continewed 9. yeres Soc. lib. 7. cap. 11 Prosp chro this Celestinus sent Palladius to be bishop of the Scotts  Tertullianistae were heretickes which denyed second mariadges and sayd that the soules of wicked men became deuells after theyr departure out of this life and that the soule is continewedby goinge from one into an other as muche to say by carnall descent and succesâ—ion August 425.  Isidorus a Peleusian was of greate fame in the dayes of Cyrill and wrote a boke vnto him Fuag lib. 1. cap. 15. The 7. councell of Carthage layd down what kind of meÌ„ were fit to beare witnes againste the clergy to 1. coÌ„c A councell was held in Aphrike where all the prouinces came together in the tyme of Bonifacius Celestinus bishops of RoÌ„â— where they coÌ„deÌ„ned Pelagiâ—s decreed that no bishop shold be called the heade of all priests that no appeale should be made out of Aphrick to any other bishop c. tom 1. concil   In the time of Celestinus sayth Socrates the bishop of Rome passinge the bosides of his priestly order presumed to chaleÌ„g vnto him self secular power autoritiâ— lib. 7. cap. 11.  Nestorius the hereticke by birth a Germayne yet prieste of Antioch was sent for by Theodositis to Constantinople and there made bishop for his crucltie he was called a fire braÌ„d he brought from Antioch a priest in his coÌ„panie whose name was Anastasius whiche taught in the churche that Marie was not to be called the mother of God whome he defended auoyded as Socrates sayeth this clause the motheror bearing of God as a bugg or frayinge ghost yet he proceeded in spite beynge called to the councell of Ephesus he denyed that Christ was God and seeyng that there rose greate sturre thereof he seemed to repent but the councell deposed and banished him into Oasis God winked not at his impietie but plagued him diueâ—sly from aboue his toÌ„ge was eaten vp of wormes and so he dyed Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 22. 23. 29. Euag. lib. 1. cap. 2. 3. 7.  Synesius b. of Cyrene an eloquent man and a profouÌ„d philosopher florished in the time of Theodosius Euagr. lib. 1. cap. 15. A generall couÌ„cell called at Ephesus an Do. 434. Prosper chron of 200. bishops where Nestorius the he retick was condemned Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 33. Euagr lib. 1. cap. 4. A councell was held at RhegiuÌ„ for the redresse of ecclesiasticall matters tom 1. concil     Abelitae were heretickes aboute Hippo in Aphricke so called of Abel the sonne of Adam wiues they abhorred yet liued they not without men and women vnder colour of chastitie lyued in one house and to be their heire they wold alwayes adopt one or other of their neyghbours children Augu. 434.  Prudentius and Sedulius christiaÌ„ Poetes liued about this time Gennad catalog Prosper Aquitanicus one that wrote many notable tractes whose sentences are to be seene amonge Augustines works florished in the raigne of Theodosius He wrote also a notable chronographie Gennad A councell was called at Rome by Valentinianus the yoÌ„ger wher Sixtus the b. purged him self of certaine crimes that wer layde to his charge     A sect of here ticks the first authors name is not knowen sayde that after the resurrectioÌ„ this world should not be chaunged but remayne still as it doeth contrarit to the scripture which sayth there shall be a newe heauen and â— newe earth August 435. In the raigne of this Theodosius the bryttaynes sâ—t for the Saxones out of Germanie to asist them against the Scots and Picts â–ª Polidor Symeon a religious man in the time of Domnus b. of Antioche was the author of a straunge kinde of life he liued many yeres in a pilloure He was knoweÌ„ to be a godlye man Euagr. lib. 1. cap. 12. lib. 2. ca. 10. Sixtus called a councell at RoÌ„e to examine the doings of Polychronius b of lerusaleÌ„ to 1. coÌ„c The couÌ„cell of Agatha decreed that none should be made priest afore he were 30. yeares olde that the clergie shoulde weare suche attire as became their profession with manie other constitutions to 1. coÌ„cil     An other sect wente always barefoote not for the aflictioÌ„ of the bodye but because they vnderstoode foÌ„dly certaine places of the scripture August An other sect would neuer eate meaâ— with men They tooke the holy ghost for a creature August   Socrates Scholasticus which coÌ„tinewed in seueÌ„ bookes the ecclesiasticall history of Eusebius Pâ—philus froÌ„ Constantinus magnus vnto the better parte of Theodosius iunior his raygne was about this time of greate fame through out all Greece The 1. 2. couÌ„cell held at Aurenge decreed amonge other things that such as fled to sanctu aries shoulde be ayded coÌ„deÌ„ned free will and grace of merits tom 1. concil The 1. and 2. councells helde at Vasio in the tyme of Theodosius decreed that in suche churches where preachers were not Deacons shoulde reade homilies tom 1. concil I find tom 1 concil That in the tyme of Sixtus b. of Rome there was one Polychronius b. of IerusaleÌ„ a very shorte while deposed in a councell helde at Rome for Simony extorcion But other wryters make no meÌ„tion of him and say
Alexandria passing the boundes of his priestely order presumed to chalenge vnto him selfe secular power and authoritye Therefore those bishops permitted not such as held w t theÌ„ y â— faith of one substaÌ„ce freely to frequeÌ„t their wonted assemblies and although they commended them for theyr vniforme consent as toutching the faith yet they depriued them of all theyr substance But the Nouatians which inhabited Constantinople were not so dealt with all For the Bishops of Constantinople besides that they embraced them for theyr vniformity in faith they suffred them as I sayde before to haue theyr Churches within the citie CAP. XII Of Chrysanthus Byshop of the Nouatian Church in Constantinople AFter the desease of Sismius Chrysanthus the sonne of Marcianus who was the predecessor of Sismus in the Nouatian Bishopricke was in maner compelled to be their Bishop This man almost from his youth vp was a souldier in the Emperours court afterwardes in the raigne of Theodosius Magnus Liuetenant of Italie againe the Emperours vicegerent in the I sles of Bryttaine where he purchased vnto him selfe greate commendation for his politicke gouernemente Beinge well strucken in yeares he came to Constantinople and labouringe to be gouernour or Magistrate rather in that citie then in farre and forayne contreyes he was constrayned against his will to be bishop of the Nouatians For when Sisimus being at the point of death made mention of him as a sitte man to succeede him in the rowme the Nouatian people taking the censure of Sisimus as a canon or lawe compelled him to be their Bishop But when Chrysanthus had conueyed him selfe out of the way least he should take vpon him y â— function Sabbatius thinking verily y â— nowe he had found fit opportunitie for to creepe into the bishops seae despised the dreadfull protestations he had solemnly auowed and the oth he had taken got him a company of obscure bishops to consecrate him and forth he steppes a Bishop One of the consecrators was Hermogenes whome he him selfe had afore time excommunicated for the blasphemous bookes which he published vnto the worlde But all the fetches of Sabbatius framed not aright For the people detesting his corrupt and intollerable ambition there was no waye vnassayed of him for to attaine vnto the bishopricke sought out both coast and contrey for Chrysanthus when they had found him lurking in Bithynia they forced him thence and stalled him Bishop He was a man that excelled all others not onely in politicke wisedome but also in modest behauiour by his meanes the Nouatian churches in Constantinople florished exceedingly He was the firste that of his owne substance gaue Golde vnto the poore He tooke nothing saue onely two loues euery sundaye of the blessed breade he was a man that was very diligent in his ecclesiasticall function he tooke Ablabius the Rhetorician a very wise man of the Nouatian Church out of Troilus the Sophists schoole and made him minister There are extant notable and excellent sermons of this Chrysanthus Ablabius was afterwardes made Bishop of the Nouatian Church at Nice where also he professed Rhetorick CAP. XIII Of the sturre at Alexandria betwene the Christians and the Iewes of the contention betwene Cyrillus the Bishop and Orestes the Liuetenant ABout that time the Ievves were banished Alexandria by Cyrillus the Bishop vpon suche an occasion as followeth The people of Alexandria aboue all other men are prone to schisme and contention for if that any quarell at any time rise amonge them immediatly hainous horrible offences are wonte to ensue the tumult is neuer appeased without greate bloodeshede It fell out that y â— greate throng and multitude of people contended among themselues not about any necessarie matter but who coalde approche nerest vnto the dauncers which lewd custome is now crept into all cities For a great multitude assembled together on y â— saturday to pastime theÌ„ selues with the beholding of a certene dauncer And because the Iewes spent not that daye in the hearing of their lawe being theyr sabaoth day but gaue them selues wholly vnto the bearing of comedies and enterludes to the beholdinge of showes and spectacles that daye was the occasion of greate schisme and dissention among the people And though the tumult was partly appeased by y â— Liuetenant of Alexandira yet neuerthelesse the Iewes gaue not ouer theyr quarell nor the spite they owed vnto the one parte of the faction For the Iewes as they were alwayes found deadly foes vnto such as prosessed the Christian faith so then aboue all other times they were incensed against them because of the dauncers Wherefore when as Orestes the Liuetenante of Alexandria had nayled vpon the theatre the wrytte of politicke gouernance for so doe the people of Alexandria tearme the publicke proclamations of the Liuetenant some of Cyrillus y â— Bishops familier frieÌ„ds stepped forth to examine what the Liuetenant had wrytten Of which number one was Hierax a schoolemaister and professor of grammer a dligent auditor of Cyrillus the bishop and one that was greatly delited with his sermons The multitude of the Iewes seeing this Hierax vpon the stage exclaimed immediatly against him yâ—he came thither for no other cause but onely to set the people together by the eares Orestes although heretofore he enuyed y â— authority of Bishops because that the credit and power which the Emperours graunted the Magistrates and Liuetenantes was by reason of them abridged and cut short yet theÌ„ he spited him aboue all other times because that Cyrillus would prie into his wrytings and curiously sift out the contents meaning thereof Therefore he caused Hierax openly to be apprehended in the midest of the theatre and to be punished extremly Cyrillus vnderstanding of this warned the chiefe of the Iewes to appeare before him tolde them plainely if they woulde not geue ouer their rebellion and traiterous conspiracie agaynst the true Christians he would punish them according vnto theyr deserts The Iewes stomakinge the Bishops threates fretted the more and boyled within them selues for anger they fell to deuisinge of sleights for to mischiefe the Christians which in the end caused all the Iewes to be banished Alexandria The circumstance was in such sort as followeth The Iewes after consultation layinge downe a signe for ech of them to knowe the other to wit the carieng of a ring made of the rinde or barke of the palme tree purposed to set vpon the ChristiaÌ„s in the night time Wherefore on a certaine night they sente abroade throughout the wholl citie suche as shoulde crie fire fire and where should it be but in the church called Sainct Alexanders The christians hearing of this rose vp left theyr houses ranne to saue the church from burning some out of this streete some out of that theÌ„ the Iewes stepped forth sodainely from vnder the pentises set vpon y â— ChristiaÌ„s slewe them And as they endeuored to keepe theyr hands y â— their rings might not be seene so they