that thy word may be heard plainly of all the People The aforesaid Scribes and Pharisees placed James upon the Pinnacle of the Temple and shouted to him and said thou just Man at whose Commandment we are all here In somuch as this People is seduced after Jesus who was Crucified declare unto us which is the Door or Way of Jesus Crucified And he answered with a loud Voice Why ask ye me of Jesus the Son of Man when as he sitteth at the right Hand in the great Power in Heaven c. When as he had perswaded many so that they glorified God at the Testimony of James and said Hosanna i. e. Save now I beseech thee in the highest to the Son of David Then the Scribes and Phariseâ—…s said among themselves We have done very ill in causing such a Testimony of Jesus to be brought forth but let us climb up and take him to the end that the People may be stricken with fear and so may be brought to renounce his Faith and they shouted saying O O! And the just also is seduced so they climbed up and threw Justus down headlong saying Let us stone James Justus and they begun to throw Stones at him for after his fall he was not fully dead And he fell upon his Knees saying I beseech thee Lord God and Father forgive them for they wote not what they do And as they were a stoning of him one of the Priests the Son of Rechab the Son of Charabim whose Testimony is in Ieremy the Prophet cryed out Cease whâ—…t do you this just Man prayeth for you And one of them that were present taking a Fullers â—…b stroke Iustus on the Head and brained him and so he suffered Martyrdom Of Nero's Persecution and Wickedness It is Recorded of Nero the Emperor before whom Paul appeared that he was so wicked that he tormented his own Mother with divers kinds of Death his Bretheren his Wife and many of his nearest Kinsfolks as if they had been Enemies and deadly Foes unto him He was counted the first Enemy of all the Emperors unto the Service of God yea some boasted and said They which knew him may easily perceive that this our Doctrine had never been condemned by Nero had it not been passing good It is written that Paul was beheaded and Peter crucified of him at Rome The Third BOOK OF EUSEBIUS Of Clemens and his Epistle which was read in Churches WHen Anacletus had been Bishop of Rome twelve years Clemens succeeded whom Paul writing to the Philippians calleth his fellow Labourer when he saith with Clemens and the rest of my fellow Labourers whose Names are written in the book of life One undoubted Epistle there is of his extant both worthy and notable the which he wrote from Rome unto Corinth when sedition was raised among the Corinthians the same Epistle we have known to have been read publickly in many Churches both of old and among us also at that time there was raised a sedition among the Corinthians An History of John the Apostle and a Young-man Ensebius hath a certain relation of a passage concerning the Apostle Iohn in the 20 Ch. of his third Book there he sheweth how that when Iohn was come unto a certain City and among other things he having recreated the Brethren He beheld a young man of A goodly body gracious face fervent mind whom he Committed unto him that was Appointed chief over all the Bishops saying I Commend this young man unto thy Custody with an earnest desire as Christ and the Church can bear me witness so Iohn returned to Ephesus But in process of time this young man became very dissolute i. e. wanton loose or given to much vain pleasure and perniciously accompanyed himself with them of his own years that were idle dissolute and acquainted with ill behaviour First they brought him to sumptuous banquets next they guided him in the night to steal and to rob so after he forsook the right way he brought himselfe unto a bottomeless pit of all misorder and outrage And a rout of Thieves being gathered together he became a most violent Captain of Thieves wholly bent to slaughter and murther and extreame cruelty In the mean while necessity so constraining the Bishop sent for Iohn he when he had ended and finished the cause of his coming Go to saith he O Bishop restore unto us thy charge which I and Christ have committed unto thy Custody the Church whereof thou art head bearing witness The Bishop at the first was Amazed supposing some deceit to be wrought touching money which he had not received yet was he not able to Answer them for that he had it not But when Iohn had said I require the young man and the Soul of our Brother then the Elder looking down with a heavy Countenance sobbing and sighing said he is dead To whom Iohn said How and by what kind of death he Answered he is dead to God for he is become wicked and pernicious and to be short a Thief for he keepeth this mountain together with his Associates the Apostle then rending his Garment and beating his head with sorrow said I have left a wise keeper of our Brothers Soul prepare me a horse and let me have a guide He hastened and rode in post being come unto the place appointed he is straight wayes taken of the thievish watch he neither fled nor resisted but exclaimed for this purpose came I hither said he bring me unto your Captain who in the mean time as he was Armed beheld him coming but as soon as he saw his face and knew it was Iohn he was stricken with shame and fled away The old man with might pursued him and cryed my Son why flyest thou from thy Father Unarmed and Old O Son tender my cause be not afraid as yet there remaineth hope of Salvation I will undertake for thee with Christ I will die for thee if need be as Christ did for us I will hazard my Soul for thine trust to me Christ sent me But he hearing this first stood still casting his Countenance to the Ground next shook of his Armour anon trembled for fear and wept bitterly He embraced the old man and coming unto him answered as well as he could for weeping So afterwards the Apostle brought him unto the Church again Concerning the Writing of the Gospel It is reported that Matthew and John were Constrained to write their Gospels for Matthew when he had Preached unto the Hebrews and passing unto other People wrote his Gospel in his Country Language supplying by Writing in his absence that which was desired in his presence When Mark and Luke had Published their Gospels John say they in all that space Preached without writing but at length was moved to write for this Cause It is reported that when the Books of the three Evangelists were much spread and coming unto Iohns hands he allowed of them and yielded of them
a true Testimony wishing that the Declaration of such things had been Printed in their Books which were done at the first Preaching of Christ. Iohn passeth over with silence the Genealogy i. e. of the Birth or Pedigree of our Saviour according unto the flesh being before amply laid down by Matthew and Luke and beginning with his Divinity reserved of the Holy Ghost for him as the Mightier The cause why Mark wrote his Gospel we have declared before And Luke in the beginning of his History sheweth the occasion of his writing signifying that divers now had already imployed their diligent care to the setting forth of such things as he was fully perswaded of necessarily delivering us from the doubtful opinion of others when by his Gospel he declareth unto us the sure and certain Narration of such things whereof he had received the Truth sufficiently Concerning the Books of the New Testament It shall also be Convenient saith Easebins if in this place we Collect briefly the Books of the New Testament In the first place must be set the fourfold writings of the Evangelists next the Acts of the Apostles then the Epistles of Paul are to be added after these the first of Iohn and that of Peter which are Authentick that is undeniable or approved of all Lastly if you please the Revelation of Iohn all these are received for undoubted The Books which are gainsaid though well known unto many are these the Epistle of Iames the Epistle of Iude the later of Peter the second and third of Iohn whether they were Iohn the Evangelists or some others of the same name Divers do number the Gospel to the Hebrews among them that were disallowed which was used especially of them which received Christ of the Hebrews Of Nicolas and his Sect. Concerning Nieolas of whom the Revelation of Iohn makes mention it is Written of him that he was one of the Dâ—…acons Ordained together with Stephen by the Apostles to Minister unto the Poor but thus it is Written of him This Nicolas having a Beautiful Woman to his Wife after the Ascention of our Saviour was accused of Jealousie and to clear himself of that Crime he brought forth his Wife and permitted him that listed to Marry her But his followers say that their doing is agreeable with that saying that is the Flesh is to be Bridled And so following that doing and saying without all discretion they Sin without all shame in filthy Fornication Concerning Iohn and Philip with his Daughters it was wrote thus by Policrates unto the Bishop of Rome for in Asia said he the great Founders of Christian Religion died who shall rise the last day at the coming of the Lord when he shall come from Heaven with Glory to gather all the Saints Philip one of the twelve Apostles was Buryed at Hierapolis and two of his Daughters which led their Lives in Virginity And Iohn who leaned on the Breast of our Saviour rested at Ephesus The Martyrdom of Simeon the Bishop Simeon the second Bishop of Ierusalem being accused for being a Christian was scourged several days and when he was a Hundred and Twenty years Old he suffered Martyrdom Anno Dom. 110. It is reported that unto those times the Church of God remained a Pure and Uncorrupted Virgin for such as endeavoured to corrupt the perfect Rule and the Sound Preaching of the Word if then there were any such hid themselves unto that time in some secret and obscure place but after that the sacred Company of the Apostles was worn out and come to an end and that Generation was wholly spent which by special Favour had heard with their Ears the Heavenly Wisdom of the Son of God then the Conspiracy of detestable Error through deceipt of such as delivered strange Doctrine took rooting And because that not one of the Apostles survived they Published boldly with all might possible the Doctrine of Falsehood and Impugned that is resisted or assaulted the open manifest known Truth How Plinius Secundus wrote to the Emperour in the Christians behalf Under Trajan the Emperour there was a grievous Persecution of the Christians and it seems that Plinius Secundus a notable president was stirred up to write unto the Emperour in the Christians behalf who wrote as followeth saying That he found nothing in them that was Impious or Wicked but that they refused the Worship ing of Images signifying this withal that the manner of the Christians was to rise before day to Celebrate Christ as God and to the end their Discipline might strictly be observed they forbid sheding of Blood Adultery Fraud Trayterous dealing and such like And for answer hereunto the Emperour wrote again That there should be no Inquisition for Christians but if they were met with they should be Punished Through which meanes the grievous Persecution was somewhat qualified yet nevertheless there was scope enough left for such as were willing to Afflict them Concerning Ignatius his Valour and Courage It is reported that one Ignatius Bishop of Antioch was sent from Syria to Rome for the Confession of his Faith to be Food for Wild Beasts who passing through Asia curiously Guarded with a great Troop of Keepers confirmed the Congregations throughout every City where he came with Preaching the Word of God and Wholsome Exhortations and specially giving charge to avoid the Heresies lately sprung and at that time overflowing c. And in his Journey he wrot unto several Churches saying I strive with beasts by Sea by Land nights and days fettered among ten I eopards that is a band of Souldiers And the more they receive the worse they become I thus exercised with their Injuryes am the more Instructed yet hereby am I not justified Now do I begin to be a Diciple I weigh neither visible nor Invisible things so that I gaine Christ let Fire Gallowes Violence of Beasts bruising of the Bones Racking of the Members stamping of the whole Body and all the Plagues invented by the mischief of Satan light upon me so that I win Christ-Jesus This he wrot from Syria to the Churches Concerning Mark the Evangelist Eusebius rehearseth one thing touching Mark the Evangelist as followeth The elder meaning Iohn said Mark the Interpreter of Peter look what he remembred that diligently he wrot not in that order in which the Lord spake and did them neither was he the hearer and follower of the Lord but of Peter who delivered his Doctrine not by way of Exposition but as necessity constrained so that Mark offended nothing in that he wrote as he had before committed to Memory Of this one thing was he fearful in omitting nothing of that he had heard and in delivering that was false Concerning Matthew it is thus written Matthew wrote his Book in the Hebrew Tongue which every one after his skili Interpreted by Allegations The Fourth BOOK OF EUSEBIUS When Heresie crept into the Church WHen Persecution
Sects among the Jews Egesippus wrote how that after Iacobus Iustus was martyred in such sort as Christ himself was put to death his Uncle Simon Cleophas was chosen Bishop and then they called the Church a pure Virgin for as yet saith he the Devil had not sown there any corrupt Seed of False Doctrine But Thebulis because that he was not chosen Bishop went about to corrupt the same being one of the Seven Hereticks among the People He writes of many more Hereticks as of Simon â—…cobius Dosithaeus Gortaeus Machotaei Menendâ—…anises Carpocratians Valetinians Basilidians and Saturnians whereof every one saith he hath set abroach a proper and a several Opinion Of these saith he further sprang the false Christs the false Prophets the false Apostles rending asunder the Church with their false Doctrine directed against God and Christ The same Author describeth likewise the old Heresies of the Jews saying there were in the time of the Circumcision sundry Sects among the Children of Israel varying in Opinions and set opposite against the Tribe of Iudah and Christ namely these the Esseans the Galileans the Hemerobaptists the Masbotheans the Samaritans the Sadducees and Pharisees And by Occasion the aforesaid Egesippus reasoning of the Scriptures called Apocrypha that is hidden doubtful or unknown he said that in his time divers of them were published by Hereticks that is such as make choice of themselves what points of Religion they will believe and what they will not Of Dionysius Epistle to the Romans Moreover there remaineth an Epistle of Dionysius Bishop of Corinth unto the Romans as Eusebius saith wherein it is thus written It hath been your accustomed manner saith he even from the beginning diversly to benefit all the Brethren and to send Relief throughout the City supplying the Want of the Poor by refreshing them in this sort and especially the Want of the Brethren appointed for slavish Drudgery and digging of Metals The same Author reporteth of his own Epistles that they were patched and corrupted in these Words When I was entreated of the Brethren to write I wrote certain Epistles but the Messengers of Satan have sown them with Tares pulling away some things and putting to other some For whom Condemnation is laid up No marvel then saith he though some endeavour to corrupt the sacred Scriptures of God whenas they went about to counterfeit such Writings of so small Authority Concerning the Christians Sufferings Melito the Bishop of Sardis in his Apology to the Emperour reporteth some of the things practised against the Christians writing thus The godly People were grieved by reason of new Edicts which were published throughout Asia and never before practised now suffer Persecution For impudent Sycophants that is Tale-bearers or Slanderers and greedy Gapers after other Mens Goods having gotten Occasion through these proclamations openly to rob and spoil day and night such as commit no Trespass at all And after a few Lines he saith The Emperour that is just never putteth in Practice any unjust thing and we willingly will bear away the Honour of this Death yet this only we will crave of you that you after Notice and Tryal had of the Authors of this Contention do justly give Sentence whether they are worthy of Death and Punishment or Life and Quietness Of the Encratits and their Heresie Out of the School of Syternius and Marcion sprang the Hereticks whom they call Encratits that is te say contient or chast persons who taught that Marriage was to be aborred contemning the ancient Shape and Mould of Man framed of God And so by Sequel or consequently reprehending him that made the Generation of Mankind again they have commanded Abstinence from living Creatures for so they call them shewing themselves ungrateful towards God who made all things for the Use of Man After that Iustinus was martyred Tatianus fell from the Chureh and being puffed up with presumptuous Estimation and Self-opinion of Doctrineship as though he passed all other invented a new Form of Doctrine He dreamed of certain invisible Worlds with the Valentinians Some report that he presumed metaphrastically i. e. by a Metaphor to change one Word from its natural Sence into another Sence like unto it to alter the Words of the Apostle correcting as it were the order of the Phrase The Fifth BOOK OF EUSEBIUS The Servants of Christ inhabiting Vienna and Lions Cities of France unto the Brethren throughout Asia and Phrygia having with us the same Faith and Hope of Redemption Peace Grace and Glory from God the Father and Iesus Christ our Lord be multiplied WHEN they had premised certain things by way of Preamble they prâ—…ceed in these Words The Greatness of this our Tribulation the fury of the Gentiles against the Saints and what things the blessed Martyrs had suffered we are not able exactly to express by Word or Comprehend in Writing for we are not only banished our Houses Baths and common Market-places but altogether every one one of us are straitly charged not to shew our Faces And many have born all the Vexations that the Multitude have laid upon them as Examinations Scourgings Draggings Spoiling Stoning Fettering and the like whatsoever the heady savage Multitude accustomed to practise against their professed Enemies Next being had unto the open Market-place and Examination had they were condemned in the Presence of the People by the Tribune that was a certain Officer that ought to have defended their Liberty and the other chief Potentates of the City and were cast into Prison until the Presidents coming After that when they were brought before the President which had exercised all kind of extream Cruelty against us Vetius Epagathus one of the Brethren whose Conversation was so perfect that he was thought comparable with Zachary the Priest allowed not of the Sentence unjustly pronounced against us but with vehement Motion required that Audience might be given him to plead for the Brethren alledging that we had committed no Impiety which being denied him of such as compassed the Tribunal that is the Iudgment-Seat and the President rejecting this just Petition only demand whether he was a Christian Which he confessed with a loud Voice and so he was received unto the Fellowship of the Martyrs And was called the Advocate that is one which pleadeth for another in a Consistory or in a Iudgment place of the Ghristians There was certain found unready and as yet weak not of abillity to bear the Burthen of so weighty a Combate in number Ten which fell through the Frailty of the Flesh to our great Heaviness and sorrowful Lamentation quailing the Chearfulness of others which were not as yet aprehended but accompanied the Martyrs what Torments soever befell them and severed not themselves from them then Trembled we all for fear and that greatly because of the uncertainty of Confessions being not terrified with any Torments but careful for the end least
will lead a Life agreeable to the Gospel I being of late at Ancira in Galatia found the Church through Pontus not with Prophets as they call them but rather as it shall be proproved with Falâ—…e Prophets where through the Lord as much as in me lay I disputed in the Chuhch the space of many Days against them and their several Objections so that the Church rejoiced and was thereby confirmed in the Truth but the contrary Part yet repined and the Gainsayers were very sorrowful It is written of Montanus that he was puffed up with an immoderate Desire of Primacy i. e. Chief Authority opened a Gap for the Adversary to enter into him and being mad and estranged suddenly and bereft of his Wits waxed furious and published strange Doctrine contrary to the Tradition and ancient Custom of ancient Succession now received under the Name of Prophecy they which then were Auditors of this unlawful Preaching some chastised and checked him for a Lunatick i. e. one possed with Lunacy who at certain times of the Moon is distracted in his Wits and one that was possessed with the Spirit of Errours and forbad him to Preach being mindful of the Forewarnings and Threatnings of our Saviour tending to this end that we should take diligent heed of False Prophets Others waxed insolent i. e. proud and boasted and bragged of him not a little as if he had been endued with the Holy Ghost and Gift of Prophecy so that through disobedient Persons he came to be more honoured than his Merit did require And two Women being possessed of a foul Spirit spoke fond foolish and fantastical things even as he had before and they gloried and rejoiced in that Spirit which pronounced them happy and puffed them up with infinite fair Promises yet sometimes by Signs and Tokens he rebuked them to their faces so that he seemed a chastising Spirit There were few of the Phrygians seduced notwithstanding that bold and blind Spirit instructed them to blaspheme and revile generally every Church under Heaven because they neither did Homage i. e. a servile Ceremony of some Tenants which by Duty they owe to their Lords neither courteously received among them that false Spirit of Prophecy Those things he wrote in his first Book and in his second Book he writeth thus of their Ends These say they are the Prophets which the Lord promised to send his People Let them answer me I charge them in the Name of the Living God O ye Good People Is there any of the Sect of Montanus and these Women which have been persecuted by the Jews or put to death by any Tyrant Not one of them bearing the Name was either apprehended or crucified neither was their any Woman of them in the Synagogues of the Jews either scourged or stoned at all but Montanus and Maximilla are said to die ' another kind of Death Moreover when the Bishops went about to rebuke the Spirit which spoke in Maximilla they were hindred by others that wrought by the same Spirit saying Let not the Spirit of Maximilla say I am chased as a Wolf from the Sheep I am no Wolf I am the Word the Spirit and Power but let him manifestly express the power by the Spirit and prevail Apollonius against the Montanists He wrote in this manner saying But what kind of New Doctrine this is his Works and Doctrine do declare This is he which taught the breaking of Wedlock i. e. Marriage this is he which prescribed Laws of Fasting This is he which called Pâ—…puza and Tymium pelting Parishes of Phrygia Jerusalem to the end he might entice all Men from every where to frequent thither This is he which first ordained Tollgatherers and Taxers of Money this is he which under pretence and colour of Oblations hath cunningly invented the Art of Bribing this is he who giveth great hire unto the Preachers of his Doctrine that by feeding of the Paunch his Prophecies may prevail Moreover he addeth saying Doth not the whole Scripture forbid that a Prophet should receive Rewards and Money When I see a Prophetess receive gold and silver and goodly Garments how can I chuse but detest her Again of another he saith And besides these Themison also inflamed with the burning Thirst of Covetousness tasted not of the tart Cognisance of Confession before the Tyrant but shuffled himself out of Fetters with much Money And whenas therefore he should have humbled himself yet he all in bragery as if he were a Martyr i. e. one that died for Righteousness sake after the example of the Apostle wrote a Catholick i. e. Universal or General Epistle very presumptuously to instruct them which believed better than himself and to exhort them to strive with him for this New Doctrine and to revile the Lord and his Apostles and his holy Church Again speaking of one of their highly esteemed Martyrs he writes in this sort And that we trouble not our selves with many let the Prophetess tell us touching Alexander who called himself a Martyr with whom she hath banqueted whom also many do adore i. e. worship whose Thefts and other heinous Crimes which he suffered for I will not presently rehearse for they are publickly known and registred Whose Sins hath he pardoned Whether doth a Prophet yield theft unto a Martyr or a Martyr an immoderate Desire of gathering unto a Prophet For as when Christ commanded You shall not possess Gold neither Silver neither two Goats these on the contrary seek after the Possession of unlawful Substance for they whom they call Prophets and Martyrs have extorted Money i. e. wrested it from people per force not only of the Rich but of the Poor the Fatherless and Widows But if they plead innocency let them stay and join with us in the issue in the matter upon this condition that if they be overthrown at leastwise from henceforth they will cease to commit the like Sin again The Fruits of the Prophets are to be tried the Tree is to be known by its Fruit. And that the case of Alexander may be known of such as desire it he was condemned at Ephesus by Aemilius Frontinus not for his Profession but for his presumptuous and bold enterprised Theft being a lewd Person And then with a false pretence of Christian Profession seducing the faithful of that place he was pardoned and set at liberty Again in another place he writeth of their Prophets thus If they deny their Prophets to have been Bribers let them affirm it conditionally that if it be proved they be no longer Prophets For all the Works of a Prophet are necessarily to be proved Tell me I beseech ye Is it seemly for a Prophet to painthimself in Colours Is it seemly for a Prophet to smooth himself with the white glittering Stibiâ—… i. e. A certain Stone which maketh the Skin look very fair when it is rubbed with it Is it seemly for a Prophet to pinch and gingerly to
ready to shrink so strugled that they were ready to burst within themselves they nodded with their Countenance and beckned with their Hands exhorting them to Constancy with many signs and gestures of the Body the which when the Multitude in compass had perceived before that any laid hands on them preventing their doings they stept forth before the Bar and proclaimed themselves to be Christians so that the President and his Assistants were amazed and the Christians upon whom the Sentence had past were thereby emboldened to suffer and the Judges marvellously afraid These therefore departed from the Tribunal i. e. Judgment seat cheerfully and rejoyced in the testimony of their Faith God gloriously triumphing in them Ischyrion martyred by his Master Many others saith Dionysius throughout the Cities and Villages were quartered and dismembred by the Ethnicks i. e. Heathens whereof for example sake I will rehearse one Isohrion being a Noble-man's hired Servant and by Office his Stoward was commanded by his Master to do Sacrifice and when he obeyed not he was contumeliously i. e. reproachfully reviled The Heathen Master seeing his Christian Servant so constant pâ—…rsisting in his former Opinions taketh a great Cudgel in his hand and beat his Body and Bowels till Breath departed What shall I say of the multitude of them which wander in the desart and waste mountains consumed with Famine and Hunger and Cold and Diseases spoiled by Thieves and devoured by Beasts whose Blessedness and Victories they that remain alive are able to testifie These things Brother I write not in vain but that thou mayest understand what and how great Evils and Mischiefs have happened among us whereof they know more which among all others have felt most Of Novatus his Heresie and Impiety There was a certain Priest of Rome that was puffed up with Pride became himself the Author and Ringleader of his own Heretical Sect to wit of such as through their swelling Pride did call themselves Kathrous i. e. Puritans whereof there was a Synod i. e. a General or Universal Assembly gathered together at Rome of threescore Bishops besides many Ministers and Deacons And it was decreed that Novatus together with such as swelled and consented unto his unnatural Opinion repugnant i. e. disagreeing or contrary to brotherly Love should be excommunicated and banished the Church c. It is said that this Novatus longed of old after a Bishoprick and to the end he might conceal his own peevish Desire he used the Cloak of Arrogancy i. e. Pride or Loftiness who chose two men of a desperate Condition to be partakers of his Heresie These being simple men not knowing their crafty and malicious Fetches they were unclosed by such lewd Persons as were suborned i. e. were brought in for false Witnesses for the purpose and aâ—…ut ten a Clock when they were somewhat tipsie i. e. wanton or somewhat drunk with Wine and well crammed with Victuals were constrained to create him Bishop with imaginative or devised and frivolous i. e. vain laying on of Hands the which craftily and subtilly not compatible for his Person he challenged unto himself It is said of him that he being loth to die and desirous of Life in the time of Persecution denied himself to be a Priest And when he was intreated by the Deacons and admonished to come forth of the house wherein he had enclosed himself and to minister unto the necessity of the Brethren which wanted he was so far from yielding to the Deacons that he went away and departed in a Chafe saying That he would playno longer the Priest but addict himself unto another Trade of Phylosophy It is said of him that when he distributed the Oblation to People that he caused them to swear unto him By the Body and Blood of our Lord Iesus Christ that they would never forsake him An Epistle of Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria unto Novatus Dionysius unto the Brother Novatus sendeth greeting If thou wast constrained against thy will as thou saist thou wilt declare the same if thou return willingly Thou shouldst have suffered rather any thing than to have rent asunder the Church of God neither is this Martyrdom which is suffered for not severing and dividing the Church of less Glory than that which is tolerated i. e. suffered for denial of Sacrifice unto Devils yea in Iudgment it is of far greater Glory For in the one Martyrdom is suffered for one Soul in the other for the Universal Church i. e. the Church in general or the whole Church For if thou either perswade the Brethren or constrain them to return to Unity this notable Act will be far greater than the Fault that went before and the one will be imputed i. e. laid to his charge the other will be commended If thou canst not perswade the rebellious and disobedient save at leastwise thy own Soul I desire thy Health in the Lord and thy embracing Peace and Unity The Seventh BOOK OF EUSEBIUS Concerning Origen ORigen is said to have suffered much affliction for Christ's sake being famous eloquent trained in the Church even from his Youth up but through Envy he was brought before the Rulers and Magistrates and through the despiteful subtilty and crafty Invention of Satan he was brought into great slander and blemish of Infamy They say that the Authors of Iniquity devised that a Man should work the feat that is they prepared an Ethiopian or foul Black-moor beastly to abuse his Body but he not being willing to away with neither willing to hear of so horrible an Act brake out into loud Speeches and exclaimed at both the things which were given him in choice Rather than the one he would do the other The Choice was That either a Black-moor should play the Sodomite with him or he himself should sacrifice unto Idols And in the end he consented to Sacrifice whereof when they had put Frankincense crifice in his hand they threw it into the Fire upon the Altar By this means he was by the Judge put from Martyrdom and also banished the Church After that he was intreated by the Priests of Jerusalem to bestow a Sermon upon the People in the Church after great intreaty and in a manner constrained by the Priests he rose up took the Bible opened it and happened upon this Parcel of Scripture Unto the ungodly said God Why dost thou preach my Laws and takest my Covenant in thy mouth When he had thus read he clasped the Book sate down and burst out into Tears together with all the Audience i. e. the Assembly of People which wept with him He lived till he was Threescore and nine Years old And after his Fall he wrote his Lamentation out of which I have drawn this following Extract O ye Saints and Blessed of God with waterish Eyes and wet Cheeks soaked in Dâ—…lour i. e. Sorrow and Pain I beseech you to fall down before the Mercy-seat of God for me miserable Sinner Wo is
of God who am banished from God bewail him who is bereaved of the Holy Ghost bewail me that am thrust out of the Wedding-Chamber of Christ Bewail me who once was thought worthy the Kingdom of God but now altogether unworthy Bewail me that am abhorred of the Angels and severed from the Saints of God Bewail me for that I am condemned to eternal Punishments Bewail me for that I am here on Earth and now tormented with the Prick of Conscience And what shall I do I wot not being thus on every side beset with Misery If there be any Man that can I beseech him now to help me with his earnest Prayers and with his sorrowful Tears for now it behoveth me to shed infinite Tears for me great Sin Who knoweth whether the Lord will have mercy upon me whether he will pity my Fall whether he will tender my Person whether he will be moved with my Desolation whether he will have respect unto my Humility and encline his tender Compassion towards me who have no taste nor relish of him but am as the unsavoury Salt Now let the Elders mourn for that the Staff whereto they leaned is broken Now let the Young Men mourn for that their School-Master is fallen Now let the Virgins mourn for that the Advancer thereof is defiled Now let the Priests mourn for that their Patron i. e. a great Friend and Defender is shamefully fallen Now let all the Clergy i. e. Bishop Priests Deacons c. mourn for that their Priest is fallen from the Faith Wo is me that I sell so lewdly who is me that I fell most dangerously and cannot rise again Now all ye which behold my Wound tremble for fear and take heed that ye slumber not neither fall into the like Crime i. e. Fault or Offence but come jointly which have the same measure of Faith let us assemble together and rend our Hearts and provoke streams of Tears to gush out of the Temples of our Heads I mourn and am sorry from the Heart root O ye my Friends that ever I fell from aloft I have fallen and am bruised there is no Health in me Let the Angels lament over me because of this my dangerous Fall Let the Garlands and Crowns of the Saints lament over me for that I am severed from among their blessed Assemblies Let the Holy-Church lament over me for that I am ruinously decayed Let all the People lament over me for that I have my deaths Wound I was constrained of the Holy Bishops to break out into some Words of Exhortation and taking the Book of Psalms in my hand I prayed and opened and I lighted upon that Sentence the which I am ashamed to repeat yet compelled to pronounce Unto the ungodly said God Why dost thou preach my Laws and takest my Covenant in thy Mouth But bewail me and lament this my bitter Sorrow bewail me who am in like case with the reprobate Jews i. e. Cast-aways for that which was said unto them by the Prophet now soundeth alike in my Ears What shall I do that am thus beset with many Mischief Alas O Death why dost thou linger to wit that thou mayst spite and bear me malice O Satan what mischief hast thou wrought unto me How hast thou pierced my Breast with thy poisonous Dart Thinkest thou that my ruine will avail thee any thing at all thinkest thou to procure unto thy self ease and rest while that I am grievously tormented Who is able to signifie unto me whether my Sins be wiped and done away whether that I have escaped the Pains which greatly I feared Who is able to signifie to me whether again I shall be coupled and made a Companion of the Saints Alas O the Bosom of the Father which I am deprived of Alas that I became Partaker with the rich Man of his Condemnation in the horrible Pit and partner of his Thirst in the bitter place full of sorrow and heaviness why hast thou broke down my hedge and strong hold The wild Boar out of the Wood hath destroyed me and the wild Beast of the field hath eaten me up rid me O Lord from the roaring Lion The whole Assembly of Saints do make intercession unto thee for me which am an unprofitable Servant have me O Lord out of the mouth of the ravenous Wolf and suffer me not to become the Sacrifice of Sin but let down upon me thy Holy Spirit that with his fiery Countenance he might put to flight the crooked Fiend of the Devil that I may be brought home again unto thy Bosom that the Bill of Sin written against me may be blotted out that my Lamentation may cease in the Evening and receive Joy in the Morning Let my Sack-cloth be rent asunder and gird me with Joy and Gladness let me be received again into the Joy of my God let me be thought worthy of his Kingdom through the Prayers and Intercession of the Saints through the earnest Petition of the Church which sorroweth over me and humbleth her self unto Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Glory and Honour for ever Amen Dionysius professed that he was profited by reading the Books of the Heretick Dionysius writeth thus unto Philemon a Roman Minister I have read over the Traditions and Commentaries i. e. Registers or Records of He eticks not infecting my mind with their impure cogitations i. e. unclean thoughts or thinkings buâ—… profiting my self so much thereby that I reprehend i. e. reprove them with my self and detest i. e. abhor them utterly And when I was brotherly and charitably forbidden by a â—…ertain Minister who feared lest I should wallow in the Puddle of their Maliciour writings whereby my Soul might perish who as I thought said the truth a certain Vision came to me from Heaven above plainly commanding and saying Read all whatsoever cometh into thy hands for thou shalt be able to weigh to prove and try all and by this means at the first thou came unto the Faith Concerning Valerianus the Emperour We have to consider how that above all his Predecessors i. e. those that were in Place or Office before he was disposed at the first gentle before all the men of God meek friendly-minded for there was none of all the Emperours so Courteous and Friendly affected towards them no not they which openly were accounted Christians He at the first embraced our men most Familiarly most Lovingly and that openly so that his Place was replenished with professors of the Faith and accounted for the Church of God Yet afterwards he became so exceeding Cruel and Wicked that he brought to pass Impure Ceremonies i. e. unclean Rites or Customs execrable i. e. Herrible or Wicked Enchantments and abominable Sacrifices He made a Slaughter of miserable Children He Sacrificed the Sons of Unfortunate i. e. unhapy Parents he searched the Bowells of newly born Babes spoyling asunder the shaped Creatures of God as if by such
were Executed lib. 2. c. 23. The Accusers were so well to appear at the Bar as the accused Mark what justice and Eqtity lib. 4. c. 13. The desire of the Christians The Christians were not to be Molested nor Accused l. 4. 6. 15. 〈◊〉 15. A warning to forward Spirits A Temptation and Provocation Polycarpus was provoked to lye and swear but would do neither Nota. Lib. 4. ch 16. T is folly to speak evil of that one knrweth not Lib. 4. ch 17. Christiani ty brought Chastity Impatiency Wisdom Submission Truth giveth boldness Nota. Lucius's godly zeal against Injustice Lib. 4. ch 18. The Jews Spite against Christianity which was accounted Heresie Prophecy then not ceased Lib. 4. ch 21. Hereticks False Christs and false Prophets were entered then too among the Christians Many sects among the Iews Lib. 4. ch 22. The Christians relieved the Brethren Some corrupted the Scriptures Lib. 4. Chap. 25. The Christians were made a prey upon yet innocent Nota. lib. 4. ch 27. Lib. 5. Chap. 1. The Epistle of the Frenchmen unto the Churces of Asia and Phrygia Extraordinary Sufferings Of the Love that was among the suffering Christians Slanders falsty raised against the Christians Their familiar acquaintance were offended at them Cruel torment A wonderful thing if true The Saints cast into dark and deep Dungeons They were comforted of the Lord when destitute of mans Aid Recantation availed not The difference betwixt the faithful unfaithful Terrible cruelty A sâ—…d time The Christian Martyrs would not swear The Martyrs were not be buried The Christians upbraided Christian Religion termed new and strange Chap 3. The Spirits of the Christians were subject one to another Ch. 8. Of the Evangelists Concerning the Scriptures Chap. 14. False Prophets were entered A deceitful Spirit Saints did no homage False Prophets are not persecuted to death First Inventer of Bribes Gives hire to the preachers of his doctrine Bribes becometh not prophets False prophets covetous Note Chap. 19. A cruel Law against the Christianâ—… Chap. 23. A division among the Christians when they apostatized Their Opinions concerning fasting Chap. 2. Nota. Origen sold his Philosophy books Chap. 4. Basilides compassion Basilides would not swear Chap. 13. Note why Mark wrote Why Iohn wrote Chap. 19. Demetrius answered Chap. 40. A Martyr stoned Heathen Cruelty Proclamation a-against Christians A young Sufferer Souldiers compassion Chap. 41. Souldiers Zeal Chap. 42. Ch. 44. Chap. 1. Twotkings put to his choice His Fall Psal. 50. He was guilty The Serpent's subtilty It is sasd Origen gelded himself Chap. 9. Chap. 6. Cruel inhumanity Nota. Chap. 7. Dionysius and others banished Heathens converted Chap. 7. Christians Sufferings Nota. Chap. 2. The Emperors Edict Chap. 13. Chap. 19. Who licensed Bishops c. to preach Chap. 1. Christians honoured Note Chap. 3. Cruel Proclamation Chap. 6. Prisons filled with Christians Chap. 14. Note Chap. 15. Ch 16 17 18. Judgment on a Tyrant Chap. 22. Chap. 1. Chap. 27. A new Persecution Sacrifised young and old Cruelty to Heathenâ—… Courage of the Christians Chap. 2. Chap. 2. An Edict in behalf of the Christians Liberty granted A Judgment upon this Persecution Liberty of conscience granted A Synod called Chap. 6. Chap. 7. Chap. 8. Gen. 6. 5. 12 13. Gen. 37. Exod. 1. 12 14. Ier. 37. John 18. 31. Acts 24. Acts 6. Acts 8. Acts 13. 50. Chap. 14. Chap. 17. Who are Christians Psal. 51. 16 17. Who are Antichristians Tit. 1. 16. Baron 66 num 1. Origen Lib. 13. Christians now vilified as formerly Baron An. 164. Num. 2. Euseb. l. 4. c. 16. Christians noâ—… are in the same mind as formerly Baron An. 100. Num 2. Tertul. 30. pag. 127. The antient Christians would not go to any Ceremonies Heathnish inventions Euseb. l. 6. ch 4. The Heathens pleasures were not the Christians The Honour of the Gods decayed How some fell from the Faith in the time of Tryal Tertul. Apol. pa. 19. Prisons fill'd with Christians Socra 1. l. ch 2. How evils crep in amongst the Chrstians Luke 18. 8. Socrat. l. 3 c. 2. thap 11. chap. 12 How the Wickedness of Officers was Tollerated How the Priests help themselves with the Quirks of Logick Socrat. li. 1. c. 5. Christ nor his Apostles the Author of Logick Socra Lib. 1. Ch. 3. A porsecuting Bishop set up The Christians defend not themselves The calamity of the Faithful Socra lib. 4. ch 19. The cruelty of false Christians The Emperobrs Hipocrysie Socra lib. 4. ch 29. Ruffin lib. 11. ch 8. The courage of a Woman Bar. An. 1050. Num. 1. Bar. An. 1116. Num. 6. Bar. An. 1145. Num. 3. Anno. 1148. Num. 11. The Popes Cruelty Bar. An. 11 78. Num. 3 4. How the false Christians behaved themselves after they had got the power in their hands Acts 21. 28. A cruel Preelamation of the Emperours Calvin's Apostasie How Luther and his Adherents were reviled And what Spirit they were of Protestants degeneration Acts 15. Acts 21. Synop. D D. Acad Lâ—…id Disp. 49. Thes. 70. 71. Nota. 'T is the Lord's work to Establish his people in peace and not the work of Synods Good advise for England Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Nota. Parallel Tertull Parallel Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Parallel Pertull Parallel Nota. Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Parallel The name Quaker now the object of hatred as the name Christian hath been Tertull. Nota. Parallel Tertull. Parallel The name of a Christian procured hatred as the name of a Quaker doth now Tertull. Note Parallel Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Parallel Tertull. Note Parallel Tertull. What order there was among the Christians concerning their Collections Parallel How gifts alure Priests to Preach Tertull. Parallel Matth. 11. 21.