in Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his Sons had cast them off from executing the Priest's Office With the Tribe of Judah is also to be reckoned that of Simeon whose possessions were within the Inheritance of Judah Josh 19.9 for which that part of the division that fell to it was too much Part also of the Danites had it's seat within that of Judah for it appeareth that they had some Towns in the division of the Land which formerly had been assigned to the Children of Judah who as hath been observed had so large a Country at first assigned to them rather to protect and defend than solely to possesse it All these still remained the Subjects of Rehoboam though ten Tribes are said to have revolted the Tribe of Dan being attributed to Jeroboam for that Dan the chief City was within his dominions and because the Tribe of Manasseh being separated and divided into two parts might be reckoned for two Tribes The Kingdom thus divided the Northern parts fell off but the Southern continued in obedience to the Son of Solomon whose successors henceforth are called Kings of Judah as those of Jeroboam Kings of Israel and yet this distinction is not alwaies observed Jehosaphat being called King of Israel 2 Chron. 31.2 28.19 and also Ahaz though we know they were both Kings of Judah of that division onely 2. Rehoboam purposed to make War upon the Tribes but 1 King 12.14 admonished by God gave over the enterprize of invading them with 180000 Men although there was continuall War betwixt the two Kings all their dayes The Priests and Levites that were driven into Judah reteined it in the true religion three years but when Rehoboam had established himself He and his Subjects rebel against God he forsook the Law of the Lord and all Israel with him committing sins above all that their Fathers had done They built them high-places images and groves on every high hill and under every green tree there were Sodomites in the Land and they did according to the abhomination of those Nations which the Lord cast out before the Children of Israel Because of this the fifth year of his reign Shishak King of Aegypt perhaps invited by Jeroboam who had lived with him in exile came up against him with 1200 Chariots 60000 Horse-men and innumerous people out of Aegypt the Lubims Sukkiims and Aethiopians with which he took garrisons in Judah and pierced as far as Jerusalem Afflicted they humble themselves and are delivered Rehoboam and his Princes humbling themselves at the preaching of Shemaiah thereby obtained deliverance which yet was to be bought at an high rate For Shishak took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the Kings house with all the golden shields which Solomon had made in the room of which Rehoboam put others of brasse He died after he had reigned seventeen years Abiah 3. Abiah his Son succeeded him whose Mother is in one place (a) 2 Chron. 11.20 named Maachah the Daughter of Absalom and in another (b) Chap. 13.2 Micajah Daughter to Uriel of Gibeah A. M. 3043. Some think she was the Daughter of Tamer which might be married to this Uriel and adopted by Absalom who seemeth to have left no issue He imitated the impiety of his Father his heart not being perfect before the Lord his God and yet God remembring the Covenant made with David brought him by a fatherly correction into order and acknowledgement of his Soveraignty 1 Kings 15. He also warred with Jeroboam all his dayes who coming up against him with 800000 Men he joyned battell with him having but half so many and yet trusting in God obtained Victory and killed 500000 Israelites the greatest number we read to have fallen in one battel He took from him Bethel Jeskanah and Ephraim with their Towns neither did Jeroboam recover his strength in his time Abijah waxed mighty married fourteen Wives begat two and twenty Sons and fifteen Daughters Yet he reigned but three years Asa A. M. 3046. 4. Asa his Son succeeded him in the 20th year of Jeroboam ending 1 Kings 15. 2 Chron. 14.15 16. Chap. and did that which was righteous in the sight of the Lord. He reformed what was amisse commanding his Subjects to seek the God of their Fathers in his time the Land had rest ten years In his 11th year according to Josephus came Zerach the Aethiopian against him with 1000000 Men of Cashaeans inhabiting Arabia where also Zerach his Aethiopia is onely to be found and Labaeans besides 300 Chariots To those he opposed himself with 300000 of Judah and 280000 of Benjamin and calling upon his God obtained the Victory which he prosecuted and got much bootie Returnnig to Jerusalem he was so wrought upon by the words of Azariah the Prophet the Son of Oded as together with his own Subjects and others that fell to him in abundance out of Israel he sacrificed to and made a Covenant with God Then proceeding in the reformation of his Kingdom he removed Maaca his Grand-mother from her dignity because she was the patronesse of Idolatry Baasa now who reigned in Israel provoked with the revolt of his Subjects and jealous of the growing power of Asa came up against him and built Rama in the 36th year from the division lest any should go in or out to him Asa to divert him hired Benhadad the King of Syria to invade Israel This Ben-hadad was the Son of Tabrimmon and Grand-son to Hezrin or Rezin the first King of Damascus and from him the Sirname of Hadad descended upon his Posterity He smote Jion Dan Bethmaach all Civeroth with the Land of Napthali and constrained Baasa to leave off building Ramah Asa then destroyed Ramah and with the stones thereof built Seba and Mizpah but was checked by God for not trusting in him but putting his confidence in the King of Syria and War for this was denounced to be upon him all his dayes Hereat he grew angry with the Seer that brought the message and oppressed some of his people and for this was punished with the Gout in his later dayes for a remedy to which he had recourse to the Physitians and not to God So he died in the 41 year of his reign Jehosaphat 5. Jehosaphat succeeded him to a good Father a better Son 1 Kings 22. A. M. 3087. In his third year he sent the Levites throughout the Cities to teach the people having removed the Sodomites out of the Land He married his Son Jehoram to Athaliah the Daughter of Ahab King of Israel and in his 18th year made him Vice-King This affinity drew him down with Ahab to fight against Ramoth-Gilead where Ahab received his death's wound and he escaped narrowly with his life For joyning himself with this wicked King he was sorely chidden by Jehu the Prophet the Son of Hanani which so affected him as he reformed his Subjects 2
wish good to them that persecute us Now have we greater Enemies and ruder persecutors than those who make offended Majesty the ground of the crime they impute unto us Holy Scriptures content not themselves with this commandment they have another more precise and clearer Pray say they for Kings Princes and Powers that you may live in peace in the midst of publick tranquillity In another place But why should I stay longer in making known with what sence of Religion and Piety Christians honour Emperours It sufficeth to say we are obliged to render them our duties Chap. 32. as to whom our Master hath commanded us so to do 28. As these Primitive Saints were good Christians in the excercise of their Religion and dutiful Subjects towards their Princes so also good men free from vice and adorned with Virtues Chap. 44. or if any were noted to be of contrary practice they were disowned and the Censures of the Church cut them off from it's society We speak as boldly saith Tertullian of the Christians you put to death for we have an unreproveable testimony of their integrity which we take also from your Registers You who are imployed every day in judging those that are kept in prisons and who terminate their processes by the sentences you give against them And good men of all the malefactors accused before you of so many sorts of crimes is there any of them charged with Murther Robbery Sacrilege and other faults to whom they impute also that he is a Christian either when Christians are presented to be punished as Criminals because they are Christians is there any amongst them whose life is like that of other prisoners all the Malefactors wherewith your prisons are so filled that they are overcharged are of your Religion they are also of your Religion that make the Mines grone under the weight of their stroakes they are the wretched creatures of the same Religion you are wherewith the wild beasts fill their bellies All those poor Criminals which your Citizens keep to make them cruelly kill one another before a bloody people have the same opinion you have of the Deity Finally among all those wretched creatures there 's not one Christian unlesse he be charged by justice because of his name Christian Or if there be a Christian found attainted of the same crime he hath no more the name Christian because he hath lost that divine quality in losing his innocency Chap. 46. Elsewhere But some will say even among us there are a people that give themselves the liberty of doing evil that free themselves from subjection to our Laws from any what ever exact observation of what is legally commanded by us It is true there are some such but so soon as they fall into this disorder we hold them no more for Christians The fear of God and purity of his precepts constrained them to this holy demeanour for opinion of men and their rules as this our Author observeth canot reach the heart not procure that Virtue which is truly good The admirable fruits their doctrine produced the knowledge whereof became publick by the commerce they had in the World made so down-right a conflict with rude incredulity that to defend herself she was forced to say that their profeson had no Divine matter in it but was onely a Sect of Philosophy that obliged Christians to rank themselves there in the exercise of Moral Virtues 29. Though there was some diversity of opinions amongst them yet as we shewed before they maintained mutual Love and that herein they were highly eminent as to all pious effects is already evident Origen in his Work against Celsus wherein he especially answereth to cavils raised against the Author and Doctrin of Christian Religion takes off that prejudice that might arise from diversity of opinions They were eminent for love and unity of affection by a comparison of this difference with the numerous or rather innumerous Sects of Heathen Philosophers Tertullian layeth the great guilt of Heresie upon such who being animated with the spirit of Philosophy infected the purity of the Gospel with the corruption of their own opinions In the same place he acquainteth us what was the Primitive touch-stone of Doctrines most worthy now to be considered These People saith he that are separated from us have violated the Faith of Jesus Christ and we beat down their errors by this onely exception Apolog. c. 47. that the true rule of Truth is that which hath been taught by our Master and transmitted to us by those holy persons who had the happinesse to hear his Word and receive his Divine Institutions we shall shew in another place that all which is not conformable to this rule hath been invented by new Doctors who came not till after the blessed companions of the Sonne of God They forced Devils out of bodies and to confesse the truth 30. All these excellent qualities in those holy persons might have sufficed to stop the mouths of Calumniators and had weight sufficient to have moved the minds of all men to the truth But that Victory which Christians obtained over Devils might much more have convinced them of the power which was superiour to that of their false Gods Christians were wont to drive away these Devils from the bodies of men forced them to confesse that they were no other than Devils and that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and his way the true Religion As to the former first hear Tertullian Apolog. c. 37. But if we were not near you who would snatch you away from these secret Enemies whose malignant operations make so strange a confusion in your minds and so horrible an alteration of your healths I have heard speak of the possession of Devils wherewith you are tormented from whence we deliver you freely and without reward if we had the spirit of Revenge it were enough to satisfie us that these corrupted spirits might at all times seize on your bodies and that entrance therein were alwayes open to them But as you do not think of that you ought viz. so dear a protection you cease not to declare a People to be your Enemies who do you no hurt whose assistance is so absolutely necessary for you It is true we are Enemies yet not of men but of their errors In another place Chap. 31. As for Devils or Genies we are wont to conjure them to drive them away from the bodies of men whereof they are seized and render them not the honours due to God only by swearing by them Justin Martyr in his fifth * Pag. 45. totius operis Apology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For many possessed with Devils throughout the World and this your City whom many Exorcists Inchanters and Conjurers could not cure Many of our men through the name of Jesus Christ crucified under Pontius Pilate have healed and now also do heal disarming and driving out of men
Churlish answer chose Jeroboam the son of Nebat of the Tribe of Ephraim to reign over them He being industrious in the work of Fortifications 1 Kings 11.12.13 14. 2 Chron. 11.13 had been made by Salomon Ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph but the Lord after he was provoked by the Idolatry of Salomon sent Ahijah the Prophet to him to promise him ten Tribes which coming to the ears of the King he sought to slay him whereupon Jeroboam fled for his life to Shishak King of Egypt with whom he sojourned till Salomon's death Then he was sent for out of Egypt and accompanied all Israel as their Speaker in their addresse made to Rehoboam whom after they had rejected they made him King A. M. 30â—6 that the Lord might perform what he had promised by the Prophet 2. In the beginning of his reign he built up Shechem which had lyen waste well nigh 260 years from the time that Abimelech destroyed it This place being situated in Mount Ephraim he first made his habitation till he went over Jordan and built Penuel whence afterwards he also removed his seat to Tirza He forsook the Lord who promised him establishment if he would keep his Statutes and Commandments going about by carnal and wicked policy to secure his interest For lest his Subjects by going up to Ierusalem to Worship should be turned again from their obedience to him he set up two Golden Calves Setteth up to Golden Calves the one at Dan and the other at Bethel having learnt Idolatry towards this sort of Cattel in Egypt To that in Bethel he sacrificed instituting a Feast like to that of Tabernacles and though rebuked by a Prophet he was stricken with Leprosie and might have been convinced by other Miracles yet neither these things nor the many judgements of God against him and his Successors could reclaim either him or them Rejecting the Priests of the sons of Aaron and the Levites he made of the lowest of the people Priests for the high places He had War with Rehoboam continually and with Abiah his son who overthrew him in a great battel and slew 500000 of his men although he added a stratagem to the force of his numbers which doubled those of his Enemy compassing-in Abiah's Army whil'st he was speaking to it Some years after he died having reigned 22. Nadab his son succeeding him Nadab walked in the wayes of his father A. M. 3047. Asae 2. in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin but in his second year he and all Israel besieging Gibbethon of the Philistins Baasa Baasa the son of Ahijah 1 Kings 15. of the house of Issachar conspired against him and slew him there 3. Nadab is said to have began his reign in the second year of Asa and to have reigned two years yet Baasa to have began to reign in the third year of Asa To this either must be said that Ieroboam made his son King whil'st he himself yet lived or else not reigning 22 years compleat but some part onely of the 22th year so that the far greater part of the first year of Nadab must fall in with the greater part of the second of Asa neither did Nadab reign two whole years but one with a piece of another and so the first year of Baasa will fall in with the greater part of the third of Asa For in this comparing of the times of the Kings of Judah and Israel is to be taken notice That 1. A year onely begun is taken for a compleat one 2. The fathers often yet living communicated the royal dignity to their sons 3. Some were twice inaugurated as Joram in the Tribe of Judah and Hâ—shea in that of Ephraim 4. That there were many vacancies especially in the Kingdom of Israel Baasa cut off all the posterity of Jeroboam Jeroboams posterity utterly destroyed not leaving one to pisse against the Wall according as Ahijah had foretold so that here Jeroboam's policy failed him the Golden Calves having pushed down his family When Baasa saw that Asa had restored Religion and for that cause many of his subjects revolted to him he had War with him all his dayes and in his fourteenth year built Ramah to restrain fugitives 2 Chron. 16. Asa to divert him hired Benhadad King of Syria who breaking the league formerly made with Israel came up with his forces and smote Jion a Citie of the Tribe of Asâ—er Dan of the Danites Abel-hethmaach of the Manassites and all Cinneroth with the Land of Napthali which forced Baasa to leave off building Ramah and return to Tirza He reigned 24 years 1 Kings 16. viz. 23 with part of another Elah slain by Zimri 4. Elah his son succeeded him in the 26th year of Asa A. M. 3071. and reigned two years at the end whereof his servant Zimri Asae 26. Captain of one half of his Chariots slew him at Tirzah as he was drinking in the house of Arza his Steward and the Prophesie of Jehu the son of Haneni was fulfilled against the house of Baasa that it should be made like to that of Jeroboam all of it being destroyed in like manner by Zimri Omri But Zimri himself reigned onely seven dayes for the people then besieging Gibbethon and understanding how things had passed at Tirzah made Omri the General of the Army King He presently led them against Tirzah and took it Whereupon Zimri withdrew himself into the Pallace and setting it on fire perished therein because he also walked in the steps of Jeroboam A Schism now followed for one half of the people chose Tibni Tibni the son of Gineth and four years imperfect as the Jews have it this division continued till at length Tibni dying A. M 3076. Omri reigned alone Asae 31. He is also said to have began his reign in the 31th year of Asa which must be understood of his reigning alone having slain Zimri in the 28th year beginning of that King After he had reigned six years at Tirzah he translated the seat of the Kingdom to Samaria which Citie he had built on an Hill bought of one Shemer from whom it took the name Having done worse then any that were before him he died after he had reigned twelve years Which if they be accounted from the death of Zimri and so contain his whole reign then reigned Ahab his son Vide Lud. Cappellum Chron. Sacr. pag. 179. and Successor but two years with him his 11th year falling into the 38 of Asa but if they be reckoned from the death of Tibni then must Ahab have reigned about five years together with him Ahab marrieth Jezebel 5. Ahab exceeded in wickednesse all his predecessors A. M. 3083. Asae 38. not onely living in the sins of Jeroboam but marrying Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal King of Sidon whose God Baal he served and worshipped For this 1 Kings 18.
fell as blinded so the Kings Army that both the wings thereof could not be seen to one standing still in the same place and their weapons were also spoiled with the wet His chariots armed with fithes which he had placed in the front proved his ruine for the Horses being gored with arrows according to the direction of Eumenes brake down all behind them and so disordered the rancks that the Auxiliaries fled which occasion the Romans taking pressed hard upwards and discomfited the whole left wing In the right he had better fortune for he put both Horse and Foot to flight and drove them to their Camp but M. Aemilius Lepidus who was left there for the security of it met them and forced them to face about and to charge the pursuing Enemy so that he and Attalus the brother of Eumenes who came in in good time with 200 Horse renewed the battel with such earnestnesse that now the King who ere while gave the charge betook himself to his heels Wherein he is overthrown The Roman Cavalrie in the pursute did great execution and the rather because of the multitude of Chariots and Camels which blocked up the way insomuch as 54000 were slain and 1400 taken Of the Romans fell but three hundred forty nine 37. Antiochus with a few about him fled to Sardis and thence to Apamea making Zeno Governour of the former and Timon of Lydia but they were despised by the Soldiers and Townsmen that held the Castle who gave up the places to the Consul which was followed as an example by divers Cities of Asia The Consul being once arrived at Sardis with his brother now upon his recovery the King presently sent and desired safe conduct for some Commissioners to treat of Peace This being granted Zeuxis who had formerly governed Lydia and Antipater the Kings brothers son shortly after arrived desiring their Master might know upon what terms to purchase the friendship of the People of Rome Publius Scipio the African in the name of the rest answered that the Romans used not to insult over their conquered Enemies Livius Appian ut prius Polyb. Legat. 25. and therefore nothing should be required of him more than formerly save onely to pay 15000 Talents of Eubaea to defray the charges of the War by certain portions 400 to Eumenes together with such Corn as was due to him by virtue of an agreement made with his Father to give up Hannibal Tho as the Aetolian and other incendiaries and lastly to deliver for the performance of these conditions twenty Hostages These proposals being accepted of And hath well nigh the same terms as formerly were set him Ambassadors were out of hand dispatched to Rome to pray the confirmation of the Peace which accordingly was ratified both by Senate and People and for that Eumenes and the Ambassadors of Rhodes differed about some Cities in Asia it was ordered by the Fathers that the People inhabiting on this side Taurus which before obeyed Antiochus should now be subject to Eumenes except Caria and Lydia as far as Maeander and these should be delivered up to the Rhodians As for the Greek Cities they which were formerly tributaries to Attalus should so remain under Eumenes his Successor but such as had been under the jurisdiction of Antiochus should be left to their own Laws and ten Commissioners were sent to compose all differences risen betwixt the several Cities and States 38. Antiochus unwilling to give up Hannibal gave him notice of what was required that he might shift for himself Justin lib. 32. Valerius Maximus l. 4. c. 1. Justin ibid. Strabo lib. 16. Excerpt Diodori The Province of Asia being taken from him he said the Conquerours dealt bountifully with him therein for now seeing his Kingdom was contained within moderate bounds he was onely discharged from too great a burthen of Government Two or three years after he got another Army together and having declared his son Seleucus his Successor made a progresse into the upper Provinces where either for that he really wanted money to pay the Tribute imposed on him or took that occasion to pretend poverty hearing the Temple of Jupiter Belus in Elymais to be exceeding rich he went with his Forces by night and spoiled it of a vaste treasure making a show as if War had been made upon him by the Inhabitants thereabouts who getting knowledge of it came upon him and without the help of any other destroyed him and his whole Army This is the â—nd which by the consent of Historians hapned to him though one there be * Aurelius Victor de viris illustribus c. 4. that telleth us how after he was overcome and banished beyond the Mountain Taurus he was slain by his companions whom he had beaten in a drunken fit He is slain in Elymais He died when he had reigned 36 years A. M. 3818. in the second of the 148 Olympiad 185 before the Aera of Christ M. Aemilius Lepidus and C. Flaminius being Consuls His son Seleucus sirnamed Philopater succeedeth him 39. Seleucus his son succeeded him whom he formerly declared his Successor as was said in the 35 year of Philip King of Macedonia This Seleucus Sirnamed Philopater was no stirring man A. M. 3818. Ol. 148. ann 2. V.C. 567. Seleucidarum 126. Ptol. Epiphanis 17. Appian ibid. Excerpt Diodor. per Valesium 2 Maccab. 3. and might have an excuse for it being so weakned by that blow his Father received from the Romans Once he got together a considerable force of men and prepared to passe over Taurus to the aid of Pharnaces King of Pontus who now waged War with Ariarathes of Cappadocia and Eumenes of Pergamus but bethinking himself that it was not lawful to do it by virtue of the League which the People of Rome had made with his Father he gave over his enterprize He reverenced much at first the Temple of Hierusalem allowing out of his own revenues the charges of the publick Sacrifices but afterwards his bounty was almost turned into rapacity by the means of Simon a Benjamite This man being Captain of the Temple and in contention with Onias the High Priest when he could not have the better of him told Apollonius Governour of Coelesyria and Phoenicia that in the treasury there were great sums of mony which the Priests having no need of it might well enough be taken out into the Kings Coffers Apollonius acquainting the King with this he sent Heliodorus his Treasurer to seize upon the money The treachery of Simon a Benjamite against his religion and Country to whom Onias declared that it belonged to widdows and orphans that the sum of it amounted but to 400 talents of Silver and 200 of Gold and that such was the holinesse of the place that it must not be violated Heliodorus not being persvvaded by this entered the Temple and was smitten by an Angel dead for the present but being restored by the prayers of Onias
of small account and have consented to this Letter They also know that I bear not these gray hairs in vain but alwayes have had my conversation in Christ Jesus 40. Immediately upon this Victor Bishop of Rome went about to sever from the unity in the Communion all the Churches of Asia together with the adjoyning Congregations as savoring not aright and inveyed against them in his Epistles and pronounced flatly all the brethren there for excommunicated persons But this not pleasing all the Bishops they exhorted him to seek after those things which concerned peace unity and love between brethren Their words are at this day extant saith Eusebius that sharply reprehended Victor Victor Bishop of Rome sharply reprehended Of which number Irenaeus in the name of all the brethren in Gall that were under his charge wrote and allowed the same sentence viz. The Mystery of the resurrection of our Saviour to be celebrated on the Sunday onely Yet as it was very meet he put him in mind at large of his duty that he should not estrange or cut off all the Churches of God which retained the tradition of old custom He told him that there was not onely a controversie about the day but also the kind or manner of fasting that this variety began long before their time yet for all this they were at unity one with another for this variety of fasting saith he commendeth the unity of faith He told him that his Predecessors in the Sea of Rome Anicetus Dius Hyginus Telesphorus and Xistus neither did so observe it themselves neither left any such commandment unto posterity and yet they were at unity with them which resorted to them from other Churches and did observe the same Polycarpus being at Rome in the time of Anicetus they varied between themselves about trifling matters yet were they soon reconciled and not a word of this matter Neither was Anicetus able to perswade Polycarpus that he should not retain that which he had alwayes observed with John the Disciple of our Lord and the rest of the Apostles with whom he had been conversant neither did Polycarpus perswade Anicetus to observe it but told him he ought to keep the antient custom of the Elders whom he succeeded These things being at this point they communicated one with another And in the Church Anicetus granted the Eucharist unto Polycarpus or as Ruffinus understandeth it granted the ministration of the Communion to him for the reverence he owed him and in the end they parted in peace and all such as retained contrary observations throughout the whole universal Church held fast the bond of Love and Unity Thus Irenaeus not degenerating from the Etymology of his name and passing all others in the gift of reconciling the brethren practised for Ecclesiastical peace He wrote not onely to Victor but also to sundry Governours of divers other Churches in several Epistles concerning the said Controversy 41. Thus do we see the first controversies about this Feast of Easter Although the hypotheses of Theophilus concerning the Aequinoctial will not abide tryal yet doubtlesse those had more reason on their side who intending to celebrate the resurrection of Christ refused to do it but on that day he rose from the dead the other practice seeming to have risen from a custom of keeping the Passeover at that time by such as were originally of the Jewish Nation Notwithstanding they differed about time and manner yet before the government of Victor we see they agreed in brotherly love And it appeareth that the custom of observing this Feast was most antient even in the Apostles dayes as appeareth from what is said by Polycrates and by Irenaeus in behalf of Polycarpus Though they differed in the manner about keeping it yet we do not find that any denied it was to be kept at all although they were also for the true and spiritual observation of it and against abuses as all good Christians have reason to be But that we may conclude this controversie in processe of time both they of Asia and others leaving their own customs admitted of the Paschal Canons made by the Orientals especially by those of Palaestine and Alexandria At length few dissenters remaining a necessity of obedience was imposed by Constantine who herein followed the judgement of two Synods viz. that of Arelatum or Aries A. D. 314 and the other of Nice A. D. 325. But that we may note thus much by way of Anticipation The antient British Church as it seemeth submitted not to those Decrees observing Easter from the fourteenth to the twentieth Moon which computation saith (a) Eccles Hist Ang. l. 2. c. 2. Beda is conteined within the Circle of 84. years And for this when they would not comply with Augustine the Monk who had been sent from Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome to convert the Saxons and was made by him the first Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who sought to draw them to uniformity 1200 Monks of Bangor were put to the sword whether through procurement of Augustine or no I shall not now determin by King Ethelfrid A. D. 603 the Scots also then inhabiting Ireland observed Easter at the same time as the Britains did to whom therefore Laurentius the Successor of Augustine in the Sea of Canterbury wrote to drive them from their singularities But how much be hereby profited the present times do yet declare saith (b) Ubi supra c. 4. Beda who lived A. D. 700. 42. And being thus occasionally brought to Britain we must observe in behalf of our native Country that the thick mists of superstition being scattered When Britain received the Christian Faith in the reign of Commodus not under M. Aurelius and L. Verus as Beda writeth when Eleutherus was Bishop of Rome the heavenly light and brightnesse of Christianity by the means of King Lucius shone upon this Island This Prince admiring the holy life of Christians made petition unto Eleutherus by mediation of Elvan and Meduan Britains that both himself and his Subjects might be instructed in the Christian Religion He sent forth-with Fugatius and Donaitanus two holy men with letters which at this day saith Cambden be extant and as very many be perswaded not forged but Authentical as bearing date when L. Aurelius Commodus the second time and Vespronius were Consuls This Vespronius was Vespronius Candidus whom Onuphrius and Baronius make the Collegue of Commodus in the first year of his Fathers reign though an Inscription of Gruterus mentions Aurelius Verus so that to the very first beginning of Commodus the preaching of these men is to be ascribed These holy men instructed the King and others in the mysteries of Christian Religion Hereupon Ninnius writeth King Lucius is sirnamed Lever Maur that is a Prince of great glory for the Faith which in his time came Now such as call the being of this King into question for that they think there was at this time no King in Britain which was wholly
Then returning into the West Victor Orosius he bent his endeavours against Tetricus who reigned in Gall. Tetricus being vexed by his Seditious Soldiers desired him whom he termed Invincible to rescue him from such evils and betrayed his Army into his hands Euseb Hist l. 7. cap. 30. in Chron. Valerian growing proud upon such successe first of all Romans set a Diadem on his head and adorned himself with Gold and Pearl He began also to persecute the Christians but undertaking a War against the Persians he was slain betwixt Byzantium and Heraclea through the malice of his Secretary in the sixth year of his reign In his first year Agathias Hormisda the third Persian King began his reign which lasted but one year Him succeeded Varane and reigned three years and him followed Narses who continued 28. In his first year also died Plotinus the Platonist who deriding all religion perished through the just judgement of God by a filthy and painfull disease although he had chosen a pleasant and wholesom place wherein to live in Campania Firmicus lib. 1. Now also flourished Porphyrius his Scholar who of a Christian became a great Enemy to Christianity and wrote 15 books against it to which Eusebius answered in 30. of which 20 were extant in the time of Jerome but at this day not one Tacitus 8. There was an inter-regnum after the death of Valerian for 8 moneths Orosius lib. 7. cap. 24. Eutrop. lib. 9. the Senate and Army straining courtesie the one with the other at length the Senate made choice of Tacitus a man of Consular Dignity who in his sixth moneth died of a Feaver at Tarsus The Senate desired him that in case he should die presently he would not leave his Children his Successors Fl. Vopiscus but some man of approved worth and valour as the necessity of the State required This man was Probus Zozimus Pomponius Laetus yet notwithstanding Florianus the brother of Tacitus invaded the Empire but was cut off by Probus near Tarsus within the space of two or three moneths Probus Probus unwillingly receiving the burthen upon him managed the Government with great commendation He recovered Gall out of the hand of the Francones a people of Germany which now first seized on it after many bloudy battels and after this was ingaged in Civil Wars For Saturninus was saluted Emperour in Egypt who was overthrown also and killed also against his mind and the same successe he had against Proculus in Gall and Bonosus a Britain born He overthrew the Sarmatians subdued several barbarous Nations about Thrace by the terrour of his name onely quieted all Asia and forced the Parthian King to desire peace which he granted Returning afterward into Thrace he planted several barbarous people within the Roman Empire whereof some revolting he chastized and reduced them Now all things flourished exceedingly through peace and security which made him something slight the Soldiers who thereupon as he was marching through Illyricum against the Persians murdered him at Syrmium though he fled for safety into a fortified Tower That saying undid him Si vixero non opus erit ampliùs Romano Imperio militibus a speech of great despair for the Soldiers Witty and sharp speeches fallen from Princes have often given fire to Seditions Surely saith the most learned Viscount of St. Albans Princes had need in tender matters and ticklish times to beware what they say especially in those short speeches which fly abroad like Darts and are thought to be shot out of their secret intentions For as for large Discourses they are flat things and not so much noted Carus 9. M. Aurelius Carus of the Province of Narbon in Gall Olymp. 265. ann 3. V. C. 1036. A. D. 283. succeeded him who when he had created Caesars his two sons Carinus and Numerianus restrained the Sarmatians that upon the death of Probus threatned Italy But going against the Persians after he had recovered Mesopotamia and taken the two noble Cities of Parthia Ctesiphon and Cochis he was slain by a Thunder-bolt in his Tent near to the River Tigris Orosius Eutrop. Vopiscus Of his two sons Numerianus was with him and Carinus was left behind to look to Gall. Numerianus returning out of the East as Conquerour and lying sick in his Litter was killed by Arius Aper his father-in-law who gaped after the Empire Scarcely after some dayes was this wickednesse detected by the stench of the Carkase Diocletian and then the Author of it being also discovered Valerius Deocletianus who governed the family of Carus was chosen Emperour and rewarded Aper as he had deserved On the 15th before the Calends of December and 10 dayes after he entred Nicomedia in Purple From the beginning of this Diocletian the Egyptians began a new Aera fetching its rise from the new Moon of Thoth the preceding moneth August 29 which they called the Aera of Grace for some reason or other Cappellus observeth that the fluctuating and vitious Chronology of Baronius henceforth beginneth to be right For thinking saith he that he exhibited the years both of the true and received Aera of Christ in truth he exhibited neither the one sort nor the other Beginning the Aera of Diocletian from the 284 year of our Lord its true and right so that it be understood of the received not of the true Aera of Christ and the same is to be said concerning the years of the following Emperours But after this Carinus and Diocletian fought for the Soveraignty and Carinus after much ado was slain by his own Soldiers for his lasciviousnesse which made an end of a bloudy and laborious War 10. Diocletian then enjoyed the Dignity alone but great stirs arising in Gall Carausius also who was set to defend the Sea-Coasts from the invasion of the Franks and Saxons rather taking part with them than otherwise he was constrained to create Caesar Maximianus Herculeus Orosius ubi suprà cap. 25. Eutrop. lib. 9. Festus Rufus He suppressed the motions in Gall but commanding Carausius to be killed this man put on the Purple though a man of mean condition and seized upon Britain Achilleus rebelled in Egypt Africk was in trouble and Narses King of Persia invaded the Eastern parts Diocletian awakened with these dangers promoted Maximianus to be Augustus and they two adopted for Caesars Maximianus Galerius and Constantius Chlorus who married Theodora the wive's daughter of Herculeus and by her had six sons as the other the daughter of Diocletian Carausius valiantly held Britain for seven years and then was slain by Allectus who having kept possession of the Island three years was overthrown by Asclepiodorus Constantius fighting against the Allemans in Gall at first was worsted but afterwards got a great victory wherein 60000 of them are said to have been slain Maximianus Herculeus reduced Africk Diocletian himself besieging Achillens in Alexandria 8 moneths at length slew him therein gave up the