the glorie of God and of the power of his doctrine he returned againe vnto his accustomed schoole CAP. XXI The catalogue of Hippolytus workes Origen beginneth to comment AT that tyme Hippolytus amongest many other of his monumentes wrote a booke of Easter where after supputation of tymes layde downe he sette forth a certayne canon of Easter comprisinge the compasse of sixteene yeares endinge the raygne of the Emperour Alexander in the firste yeare Of his other workes these came to our knowledge â–ª of the sixe dayes creation of the thinges vvhiche folovve the sixe dayes vvorkes Agaynste Marcion vpon the Canticles of Solomon vpon certeyne peeces of Ezechiell of Easter agaynste all heresies with manye others the whiche thou shalte finde extant amonge other men About that time Origen beganne to commente vpon holye scriptures Ambrose diuerslye prouokinge him not onely with wordes and fayre speaches but also â—rginge him with large offers of necessarye expences For Origen had at certayne tymes appoynted for him mo in number then seuen swyfâ—e notaryes euery one supplyinge the rowme by turne and writinge that whiche he vttered vnto them and as many more scriueners together with maydens well exercised and practised in penninge whose necessary expences and charges Ambrose exhibited yea and that abundantly who also together with him bestowed greate diligence in the exercise and studye of the sacred scriptures whereby chiefely he prouoked him to write commentaries vpon holye scripture When these thinges were thus adoynge after Vrbanus had gouerned the churche eyghte yeares Pontianus succeeded him in the seae of Rome and in the churche of Antioche Zebinus succeeded Philetus CAP. XXII Origen is made minister at Casarea AT that tyme when the necessitie of the ecclesiasticall affayres so constrayned Origen beynge sent into Greece was made minister at Caesarea in Palaestina of the bishops there abidinge But what sturre fell out toutchinge that matter in his behalfe and what was decreed by byshops concerninge the controuersies about him and what other thinges he suffred preachinge the worde of God in so much they require a seuerall volume we wyll passe them ouer referringe the reader vnto the seconde Apollogie whiche we published in the defence of him where we haue lyghtly runne them ouer CAP. XXIII Of certaine commentaries of Origen THese thinges are also to be annexed vnto the reste howe that in the sixte booke of his annotations vpon Iohn he declareth the fyue firste to haue bene written by him at Alexandria But all the tracts that came to our knowledge vpon this Euangelist mounted to the number of tvventie and tvvo tomes In his nynth tome vpon Genesis whereof all are tvvelue he signifieth not onely the former eyght to haue bene written at Alexandria but also his annotations vpon the firste fiue and tvventie psalmes Againe he wrote vpon the lamentations of the which we haue seene fiue tomes where he made mention of his bookes of the resurrection in number tvvo He wrote also of principall beginninges afore his departure out of Alexandria and the bookes intituled Stromateis in number tenne he wrote in the same citie in the tyme of the Emperour Alexander euen as all the titles prefixed to the tomes declare the same CAP. XXIIII The catalogue of the bookes of the olde and nâ—we Testament alleaged out of Origens workes IN his exposition vpon the firste psalme he reciteth the bookes of the olde testament writinge thus VVe may not be ignorant that there are tvvo and tvventie bookes of the olde testament after the Hebrevves vvhich is the number of the letters amonge them Agayne a little after he sayeth The tvvo and tvventie bookes after the Hebrevves are these The firste Genesis of vs so called but of the Hebrevves Beresith the title beynge taken of the beginninge of the booke vvhiche is as muche to saye as In the beginninge Exodus in Hebrevve Veellesemoth that is these are the names Leuiticus in Hebrevve Vâ—ikra that is and he called Numeri in Hebrevve Hamisparim or Pecudim Deuteronomium Elle haddebarim that is these are the vvordes Iesus the sonne of Nave Iosue ben Nun that is Iosue the sonne of Nun. Iudges and Ruth vvith them one booke in Hebrevve Sophetim that is Iudges The firste and seconde of Kinges vvith them one booke in Hebrevve Samuel that is called of God The thirde and fourthe of Kinges vvith them one booke in Hebrevve Vâ—hamelech Dauid that is and the raygne of Dauid The firste and seconde of Paralipomenon vvith them one booke in Hebrevve Dibre â—aâ—â—mim that is the vvordes of dayes The firste and seconde of Esdras vvith them one booke in Hebrevve Ezra that is a helper The booke of Psalmes in Hebrevve Sepher tehillim â–ª The Prouerbes of Solomon in Hebrevve Misloth Ecclesiastes in Hebrevve Coheleth The Canticle of Can ticles vve may not reade as some thinke the Canticles of Canticles in Hebrevv Sir hasirim Esaias in Hebrevve Iesaia Ieremias vvith the lamentations and the epistle in one booke â–ª in Hebrevv Ieremia Daniel in Hebrevve Daniel Iezâ—chiel in Hebrevve Ieâ—â—â—chiel Iob in Hebrevve â—â—oâ— Hester in Hebrevv Hester besides these there are bookes of the Machabees intituled in Hebrevv Sarbet Sarbaneel These thinges hath Origen layde downe in the foresayde commentariâ— â–ª And in the firste tome vpon the Gospell after Mathewe obserâ—ing the ecclesiasticall canon he testifyeth there be foure onely gospels writinge thus As I haue learned by tradition of the foure Gospels vvhich alone vvithout contradiction are receaued of all the churches vnder heauen the firste is vvritten by Mathewe vvho vvas firste a publicane then an Apostle of Iesus Christ. he published the same in vvritinge vnto the faithfull Ievves in Hebrevve letters The seconde is after Marke vvho vvrot the same according vnto the preaching of Peter vvho in his catholick epistle calleth him his sonne saying The church vvhich is in BabyloÌ„elected together vvith you saluteth you my vvelbeloued sonne Marke The thirde is after Luke vvritten for their saks vvho of the Gentils turned to the sayth vvhich also vvas allovved of Paul The fourth is after Iohn Agayn in his fyfte come of annotations vpon Iohn the same Origen toutchinge the epistles of the Apostles sayeth thus Paul habled a minister of the nevve Testament not accordinge vnto the letter but after the spirite preached the Gospell abundantly euery vvhere from Ierusalem vnto Illyricum vvrote not vnto all the churches vvhiche he instructed but vnto vvhome he vvrote he vvrote in fevve lynes but Peter vpon vvhome the churche of Christ vvas buylded agaynste the vvhich the gates of hell shall not preuayle lefte behinde him one epistle vvhereof vve are certayne Be it that he lefte an other but this is in controuersie VVhat shall I saye of Iohn vvho leaned on the breaste of our Lorde Iesu vvho vvrote one Gospell and confessed vvithall so many Gospells myght haue bene vvritten that if they had bene vvritten the vvorlde coulde not
pa. 164. Auxentius an Arian b. of Millane pa. 337. Azarias the prophet and his life pa. 523. B. BAbilas b. of Antioch died in prison pag. 111. 114. Babilas the martyr pa. 309. 310. Bachilides a godly minister pa. 71. Banchillus b. of Corinth pa. 92. Bararanes king of persia pa. 386. 422. Barcabus a prophet of the hereticke Basilides pa. 60. Barcoph a prophet of the hereticke Basilides pa. 60. Barchochebas a blinde guide of the Iewes pa. 59. 61. Bardesanes a Syrian and his bookes pa. 74. Barnabas one of the 70. disciples pa. 15. 19. his martyrdome pa. 519. Barsabas one of the 70. disciples pag. 15. he was also called Iustus Ioseph he dranke poyson yet did it not hurt him pa. 57. Barsanaphius a monke pa. 485. Bartholomevve the Apostle preached in India page 85. his martyrdome pa. 519. his life pa. 532. Baruch the prophet and his life pa. 530. Basilides the hereticke wrote 24. books vpon the Gospel pa. 60. 70 Basilides a soldier was beheaded for the fayth pa. 98. 99. Basilicus an hereticke pa. 86. Basiliscus a tyrant and his ende pa. 453. Basilius b. of Ancyra coÌ„futed Photinus the hereticke pa. 277. Basilius magnus b. of Caesarea in Cappadocia pa. 322. 334. 335. Belissarius a Romaine captaine pa. 477. Beniamin the 6. b. of Ierusalem pa. 59. Beryllus Byshop of Bostra in Arabia fell to heresie and was confuted by Origen page 108. 112. Biblis a woman was piteously tormented for the faith pa. 77. Bishops honored pa. 145. Bishops persecuted pa. 146. Blandina a woman of a wonderfull patience is martyred pa. 77. 78. 79. 80. Blastus an hereticke pa. 86. 90. Books of the olde and new Testament looke Canonicall scripture Books of holy scripture burned pa. 146. Bonifacius b. of Rome pa. 381. Bretanion a tyrant and his foile pa. 272. 274. Buddas an heretick his miserable end pa. 242. Burgonians receaue the faith pa. 393. 394. C. CAiphas an high prieste of the Iewes pa. 14. Caius Iulius Caesar howe he died pa. 469. Caius Caligula was Emperour afrer Tiberius pa. 21. he called him selfe a God he plagued the Iewes and raigned not 4. yeres pa. 21. 22. 23. his end pa. 469. Caius b. of Ierusalem pa. 86. Candidus wrote learned books pa. 94. Calistus b. of Rome 5. yeares pa. 108. Canonicall scriptures pa. 36. 45. 49. 50. 73. 84. 104. 109. 110. 137. 138. Capito b. of Ierusalem pa. 86. Caricus a learned man pa. 103. Carpocrates an hereticke pa. 60. 70. Carpus a martyr pa. 67. Carterius a schismaticke pa. 358. Carterius a monke pa. 362. Carus with Carinus and Numerianus was Emperour after Probus pa. 141. Cassianus b. of Ierusalem pa. 85. Cassius b. of Tyrus pa. 92. Cataphrygian heresie looke Montanus and his opinion Cecilianus b. of Carthage pa. 204. 205. Celadion b. of Alexandria pa. 62. Celestinus b. of Rome pa. 38. Cephas one of the 70. disciples pa. 15. 16. Cerdo b. of Alexandria pa. 47. Cerdon an hereticke pa. 62. Cerinthus and his heresie pa. 51. 52. 137. Characes an historiographer pa. 501. Chaeremon b. of Nilus fled with his wife into the desert pa. 117. Chiliastae and their heresie pa. 136. 137. Chosroes king of Persia pa. 509. Chrestus b. of Syracusa pa. 205. Christ is to be vnderstood two wayes pa. 3. Christ appeared to Abraham and conferred vvith him pa. 3. 8. 264. Christ appeared to Iacob pa. 4. 8. Christ appeared to Iosua pa. 4. Christe appeared in the forme of man and why after that sort pa. 5. Christ vvhat time he was borne in the fleshe pa. 5. 8. 9. Christ was a king an high priest and a Prophet pa. 6. 7. Christ tooke a reasonable soule pa. 300. Christ suffred not the 7. yeare of Tiberius as some did write pa. 13. Christ being 30. yeare olde began to preach and vvas baptized pa. 14. Christ preached not foure yeares pa. 14. Christ chose 12. Apostles and seuentie Disciples pa. 14. Christ vvrote an epistle vnto Agbarus gouernour of Edessa pa. 16. Christian religion is not nevve and straunge pa. 3. 7. 8. Christian behauiour pa. 54. Christians in deede and the definition of a true Christian pa. 8. Chrysostome looke Iohn Chrysostome Clarus b. of Ptolomais pa. 92. Claudius was Emperour after Caligula raigned 13. yeares pa. 23. 31. Claudius 2. was Emperour after Galienus tvvo yeares pa. 139. Claudian the Poet vvhen he florished pa. 422. Clemens Alexandrinus is alleaged pa. 15. 19. 23 28. 33. 52. 85. he vvas the master of Origen pa. 100. his workes pa. 103. Clemens the thirde bishop of Rome vvas Sainct Paules fellovve labourer pag. 37. 46. 47. he preached 9. yeares pag. 54. he is sayde to haue translated the Epistle vnto the Hebrevves from Hebrevve into Greeke pag. 56. counterfeyt vvorkes are fathered vpon him pag. 56. his Epistle vvas reade in the Churche pag. 71. Cleobius an heretick pa. 70. Comodus vvas Emperour after Antoninus Verus and raigned 13. yeares pa. 85. 94. his end pa. 469. Confession the original thereof and the rooting of it out of the Church pa. 351. Confessors pa. 81. Confirmation after baptisme by the hands of the bishop pa. 119. Conon b. of Hermopolis pa. 120. Constantius the father of Constantinus Magnus his raigne and end pa. 153. 158. Constantinus Magnus was proclaimed Emperour pa. 153. hovv he became a Christian pa. 215. 216. his death and funerall pa. 252. 253. Constantinus the yonger was Emperour pa. 252. 254. his death pa. 255. 272. Constantius the sonne of Constantinus Magnus pa. 252. he vvas an Arian pa. 254. his death pa. 295. Constans the Emperour pa. 252. 267. his death pa. 272. Coration a Chiliast vvas conuerted by Dionysius b. of Alexandria pa. 136. Cornelius the centurion is conuerted pa. 21. Cornelius the 4. b. of Antioch pa. 70. Cornelius b. of Rome pa. 114. 118. the Councel of Nice pag. 222. 223. 224. 225. 226. 227. the Councel of Antioch pa. 244. the Councel of Tyrus pa. 247. 249. the CouÌ„cel of AriaÌ„s met at Antioch pa. 256. 257. the Councel of Sardice pa. 265. the Councel of Ierusalem pa. 271. the Councel of Alexandria pa. 272 the Councel of Sirmium pa. 275. the Councel of Millane pa. 279. the Councel of Ariminum pa. 280. 282. 283. the Councel of Seleucia pa. 287. 288. 289. the Councel of Arians at CoÌ„stantinople pa. 291. the Councel of Arians at Antioch pa. 293. the Councell of Alexandria called the 2. pa. 300. 301. the Councel of Antioch called the 2. pa. 316. 317. the Councel of Lampsacum pa. 319. the Councel of Sicilia pa. 325. the Councel of Constantinople summoned by Theodosius magnus pa. 344. the Councell of Angaris pa. 352. the Councel of Cyprus pa. 368. the Councel of Ephesus pa. 3â—â— 41â— 413. the Councel of Ephesus called the 2. pa. 417. the Councel of Chalcedon pag. 420. 426. 427. 428. 429. 430. 438. c. the Councel of Constantinople in the time of Iustinian pa. 487. 488. the CouÌ„cells were summoned by the Emperours pa. 341. the
Iosep bell Iud. lib. 6. cap. 1. 2. Their estate was miserable the famyne lamentable the slaughter out of all measure such as came out of the city were hanged on gibbetts such as fledde away were taken of the fugitiues tvvo thousand had their bowels ript to see whether they had swalowed vp any golde lib. 6. cap. 15. report came vnto Titus that from the 14. of Aprill vntill the 14. of Iune there were brought out at one gate of the city fiftene thousande one hundred and foure score Ievves which dyed of famine bell Iud. lib. 6. cap. vlt. The temple is sett on fire the priestes the women and children with other people which hid them selues in vautts in walls and in corners of the temple which also were burnt to ashes came to six thousande lib 7. cap. 11. Titus tooke the citye the souldiours killed vntill they were weary Titus commaunded all that wore armour to be slayne such as were olde weake and feeeble the souldiours dispatched the yong the lusty and profitable they shutt vp in a certayne place of the temple for further consideration Many were solde for a smale price there were many to be solde but few to bye all the theeues robbers and seditious persons within the city he commaunded forth with to be dispatched the chosen yong men of goodly bodyes and tall stature he reserued for triumphe seuentene thousand of elderly yeares he sent bound to Aegypt for slauery druggery â–ª many others through out the prouinces he allotted for spectacles and teeth of wild beastes â–ª as many as were vnder sixtene yeres â–ª of age were solde â–ª of such as were shutt vp in the temple for further consideration during the time of this deliberation and disposed order there dyed tvvelue thousande of famine Iosep bell Iud. lib. 7. cap. 15. 16. The number of the captiues during the tyme of the warres mounted to foure score and seuentene thousande The number of all that dyed during the siedge within Ierusalem came to tenne hundred thousande no maruell at all that the city could comprise so many for at the feast of the Passeouer Cestius being Lieuetenant of Iudaea sent Neroworde that the high priestes had numbred at his request all that came to offer which came to seuen and tvventy hundred thousande lib. 7. cap. 17. and suche was the wofull and miserable ende of the Iewes Iosephus moreouer lib. 7. bell Iud. cap. 18. writeth of Ierusalem that it was taken at sondry tymes before his wordes be these Ierusalem vvas taken the 2. yeare of the raigne of Vespasian the 8. day of September it vvas taken fiue tymes before then agayne destroyed Asochaeus King of the Aegyptians after him Antiochus then Pompeius after these Herode and Sosius tooke the city and kept it â–ª and before that tyme the King of Babylon by conquest destroyed it a thousande three hundred three score yeares eyght moneths and six dayes after the building thereof The first founder of this city vvas the most potent Prince of the Chananits called after his contrey language The iust king â–ª for such a one he vvas in deede â–ª therfore he first ordayned a priesthood vnto God and hauing first buylded the temple he termed the city Ierusalem vvhich afore vvas called Solyma Leobius King of the Ievves hauing vanquished the Chananits deliuered the city to be inhabited of his ovvne people the vvhich vvas ouerthrovvne by the Babylonians foure hundred three score foure yeares and three monethes after From Leobius the King vvhich vvas the first Ievve that raygned in it vnto the ouerthrovv vnder Titus there vvere one thousande one hundred seuenty and seuen yeares Yet for all that neyther did antiquity preuayle neyther great riches profit neyther the fame dispersed throughout the whole worlde fauour them neyther the great glory they put in their religion helpe them at all that the city shoulde not perishe Discite iustitiam moniti non temnere Christum CAP. IX Of Iosephus and his commentaries in the ninth and tenth chapiters folowing BEsides all this I thinke it good not to be ignorant of Iosephus him selfe that hath stoode vs in so great steade for the furnishing of this our present historye whence and of what kindred he came which circumstance he him selfe sheweth saying thus Iosephus the sonne of Mattathias a priest of Ierusalem vvhich him selfe also at the first impugned the Romaynes and vvas necessarily present at the finall ende of their vvofull miseryes because of the Ievves of that tyme. This man was famous not onely among his owne nation but also among the Romaynes so that at Rome he was thought worthy the honor of a grauen picture and the bookes which diligently he wrote were thought worthy of the publike librarye He wrote tvventy bookes of Iudaicall Antiquities he testifieth him selfe therefore worthy of creditt that he gathered in seuen bookes the Romayne vvarres of his tyme and published it both in the Greeke and Hebrewe tongues Certayne others worthy the reading passe vnder his name for example Tvvo volumes of the Antiquitie of the Ievvish nation where he aunswereth Apion Grammaticus and certayne others which at that tyme impugned the Ievves and endeuored to disgrace the natiue lawe of the Iewishe nation In the first he layeth downe the number of the bookes of the olde testament deliuered by tradition and receaued without gainfaying of the Ievves saying as foloweth CAP. X. How Iosephus mentioned the bookes of the old testament and diuers of his owne THe bookes of the holy Scripture sayth he are not innumerable amongst vs disagreeing dissenting one from an other but only xxij contayning the circumstances of all times and vvorthy of creditt fiue of these are Moses vvorkes contayning the lavves the state of man continevved vnto his death the tyme of them contayneth litle lesse then three thousand yeares The Prophetes vvhich liued after Moses comprised in thirtene bookes the famous actes of their tymes from the death of Moses to Artaxerxes vvho after the death of Xerxes vvas king of Persia The other foure containe Hymnes vnto God and admonitions for the amendment of mans life From Artaxerxes vnto our tymes there are continuall bookes yet not of such creditt as the former in so much there is not diligently layd dovvne a continuall succession of the Prophets It is very apparent vvhat affection vve beare vnto our Scriptures because there is novv so much time past and yet none of vs dare presume either to adde any thinge thereto or to diminish anything therefro or to alter any thinge thereof this is engrassed in the sevves from their youth vp that they persvvade them selues this doctrine to be the vvritinges of God and to perseuere in the same and vvillingly if necessity so constrayne to dye in the quarrell these wordes I haue thought commodiously to haue bene by vs alleadged out of his commentaryes this writer hath published one other and no simple volume of the rule of reason whiche some haue fathered vppon
intitled a key an other of the deuell an other of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn and of God incarnate last of all a booke dedicated vnto Antoninus In his booke of Easter he declareth the time when he wrote it begining thus In the time of Seruilius Paulus proconsul of Asia vvhat time Sagaris suffred martyrdome and the great sturre vvas moued at Laodicea tourchinge the Sabaoth vvhich then by reason of the time fell out these thinges vvere vvrytten of this booke Clemens Alexandrinus made mention in a seuerall tracte which he wrote of Easter and purposely as he testifieth himselfe by occasion of Melito his booke In his Apology vnto the Emperour he reporteth the thinges practised against the Christians wryting thus The godly people grened by reason of nevve edictes published throughout Asia and before neuer practised novve suffer persecution for impudent Sycophantes greedy gapers after other mens goods hauing gotten occasion through those proclamations openly robb and spoile day and night such as committee no trespasse at all And after a fewe lynes he sayth If this be done through your procuremēt let it stand for good for the Emperour that is iuste neuer putteth in practise any vniust thing vve vvillingly vvill beare avvay the honor of this death yet this onely vve hūbly craue of your highnes that you after notice and tryall had of the authors of this contention doe iustly geue sentence vvhether they are vvorthy of death punishment or of lif and quietnesse but if this be not your maiesties pleasure and the nevve edicte proceed not from your povver and authoritie vvhich vvere not seemely to be sett forthe agaynst barbarian enemies the rather vve pray you that you despise vs not vvhich are greued and oppressed vvith this common and shamefull spoyle Agayne to these he addeth The philosophie novve in aestimation amongest vs first florished among the Barbarians for vvhen as it florished vnder the great dominion of Augustus your forefather of famous memorie it fell out to be a most fortunate successe vnto your empire For thence forvvardes vnto this daye the Romaine empire increased and enlarged it selfe vvith greate glorie vvhose successor novve you are greatly beloued and haue bene long vvished for and vvilbe together vvith your sonne continually prayed for retaine therefore this religion vvhich encreased vvith the empire vvhich began vvith Augustus vvhich vvas reuerenced of your auncetors before all other religions This vvas a greate argument of a good beginning for since that our doctrine florished together vvith the happie beginning empire no misfortune befell vnto it from the raygne of Augustus vnto this daye but of the contrary all prosperous and gloriouse and gladsome as euery man vvished him selfe Onely of all others Nero Domitian through the persvvasion of certaine enuious dispitefull persons vvere disposed to bring our doctrine into hatred From vvhome this sclaunder of flattering persons raised against the Christians sprong vp after a brutishe maner or custome but your godly auncetors corrected their blinde ignorance and rebuked oftentimes by their epistles their sundry rashe enterprises Of vvhich number Adrianus your graundefather is knovven to haue vvritten both vnto Fundanus Proconsul and President of Asia and to manie others And your father yours I saye in that you gouerned all thinges together vvith him vvrote vnto the cities in our behalfe and vnto the Larissaeans Thessalonians Athenians and to all the Grecians that they should innouate nothing nether practise any thing preiudiciall vnto the Christians but of you vve are fully persvvaded to obtaine our humble petitions in that your opinion and sentence is correspondent vnto that of your predecessors yea and that more gracious and farre more religious Thus as ye reade he wrote in the aforesayde booke And in his Proeme to his annotations of the olde Testamente he reciteth the cataloge of the bookes of the olde Testament then certeine canonicall the whiche necessarilie we haue annexed writinge thus Meliton vnto the brother Onesimus sendeth greeting VVhereas oftentimes you beinge inflamed vvith earnest zeale tovvardes our doctrine haue requested of me to select certaine annotations out of the lavve and prophets concerning our Sauiour and our vvhole religion and againe to certifie you of the summe of the bookes contained in the olde testament according vnto their number and order of placinge novve at length I beinge mindefull heretofore also of your petitions haue bene carefull to performe that you looke for knovving your endeuer your care and industrie in setting forth the doctrine of faith marching forvvards vvith loue tovvards God and care of euerlasting saluation vvhich you preferre before all other thinges VVhen that I traueled into the east and vvas there vvhere these thinges vvere both preached and put in practise I compiled into order the bookes of the olde testament suche as vvere vvell knovven and sent them vnto you vvhose names are these The fiue bookes of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomium Then Iesus Naue the Iudges the booke of Ruth foure bookes of kinges tvvo of Cronicles the Psalmes of Dauid the Prouerbes of Solomon the booke of VVisdome Ecclesiastes the Canticles Iob Esay and Ieremie the Prophets on booke of the tvvelue prophets Daniel Ezechiel Esdras vpon the vvhich vve haue vvritten six bookes of commentaries Thus farre Meliton CAP. XXVI Of the writings of Apollinarius and Musanus ALthoughe there were many volumes written by Apollinarius yet these onely came to our handes A booke vnto the foresaide Emperour fiue bookes against the gentiles 2. bokes of the trueth 2 bookes againste the Ievves and suche bookes as afterwardes he wrote against the Phrygian heresie whiche not longe after waxed stale then firste buddinge out when as Montanus together with his false prophetisses ministred principles of Apostasie so farre of him Musanus also spoken of before wrote a certaine excellent booke intituled Vnto the brethren lately fallen into the heresie of the Encratits which then newely had sprong and molested mankinde with a strange and perniciouse kinde of false doctrine the autor whereof is sayde to bee Tatianus CAP. XXVII Of Tatianus and his heresie WE meane that Tatianus whose testimony a litle before we haue alleaged toutchinge the renoumed Iustinus whome also we haue reported to haue bene the Martyrs disciple The same dothe Irenaeus declare in his first booke against heresies wryting of him and his heresie thus Out of the schole of Saturninus and Marcion sprange the Hereticks vvhome they call Encratits that is to say continent persons vvho taught that mariadg vvas to be abhorred contemning the auncient shape and molde of man framed of God and so by sequel reprehending him that made the generation of man and vvoman Againe they haue commaunded abstinence from liuing creatures for so they call them shevving themselues vngratefull tovvards God vvhich made all thinges for the vse of man They deny that the first man vvas saued and this blasphemie lately spronge vp Tatianus beinge originall
the Lorde vvrought these thinges phantastically vve vvill leade them vnto the practised examples of the Prophetes and proue out of them that they all prophecied of him after this manner and that these thinges vvere done in deede and that he vvas the onely sonne of God VVherefore in his name they that be his true Disciples receauing grace of him bende their vvhole might to this ende that euery one after the quantitie of the talent receaued doe benefitt the other brethren some soundely and truely expell deuills so that they being deliuered of their euill spirites embraced the fayth and vvere receaued into the Church others haue the foreknovvledge of thinges to come they see diuine dreames propheticall visions others cure the deseased and sickly restore them to their health by their laying on of handes Novv according to our former saying the deade vvere raysed to life and liued together vvith vs many yeares for the gracious giftes of the holy Ghost are innumerable vvhich the Church dispersed throughout the vvhole vvorlde hauing receaued disposeth dayly in the name of Iesus Christ crucified vnder Pontius Pilate to the benefitt of the Gentyles seducing none neither selling to any at any pryce as she hath receaued them freely so freely she bestovveth them Againe in an other place Irenaeus writeth as vve haue hearde of many brethren in the Churche vvhich had the gift of prophecying vvhich vvere able through the holy Ghost to speake vvith sundry tongues vvhich coulde reueale the secretes of men vvhere it so behoued and expounde the darke mysteries of God thus much of the diuersity of giftes which florished among the worthy men vnto that time CAP. VIII VVhat Irenaus wrote of and concerning the holye Scriptures canonicall and the septuagints translation FOr as much as in the beginning of this our treatise we haue promised in their seuerall places to alleage the testimonies of the auncient ecclesiasticall elders and writers which they haue written to our knowledge deliuered to the posteritie toutchinge the canonicall scriptures of bothe the olde and newe testament nowe we will endeuour to performe the same And beginninge with Irenaeus firste of all let vs see what he hath written of the newe testament his wordes are these Matthewe deliuered vnto the Hebrues the historie of the Gospell vvritten in theire ovvne tongue VVhen Peter and Paul preached at Rome and planted the churche after their departure Marke the disciple and interpreter of Peter also deliuered vs in vvritinge suche thinges as he had hearde Peter preache and Luke accompanyenge Paul comprised in one volume the Gospell preached of him After these Iohn the disciple of our Lorde vvhich also leaned on his breaste published a Gospell vnto the posteritie remaining at Ephesus This hath he written in his thirde booke And in the fifte of the same argument he reasoneth of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn and the calculation of Antichristes name These thinges beinge thus vvhen as in all true and auncient copies this numbre is layde dovvne and they also testifie the same vvhiche savve Iohn vvith their eyes and the vvorde it selfe teacheth vs that the number of the beastes name according vnto the numbring of the Gentiles is declared by the letters expressed in the vvord it selfe A litle beneath of the same thus he sayth VVe doubte nothing of the name of Antichrist of the vvhich vve affirme sure certenly for if his name at this present vvere openly to be published no doubt it had bene done by him vvhich pronounced the reuelation â–ª neither vvas the reuelation seene long agoe but vvelnighe in this our age vnder the end of Domitians raigne thus muche he sayed of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn He hath made mention of the firste Epistle of Iohn citing thence many testimonies also of the former of Peter and he not onely knewe but allowed of the booke of Hermes intituled Pastor sayeng That vvritinge hath very vvell pronounced vvhich saithe before all thinges beleue there is one God vvhich hath created and made perfect all thinges c. Hee hath vsed also certaine sentences selected out of the booke of VVisdome of Solomon where he sayeth The sight of God bringeth incorruption incorruption dravveth a man vnto God He cyteth the woorkes of some one Apostolicke elder whose name he passeth ouer with silence yet pronounceth his interpretation of holy scripture Moreouer he remembred Iustinus Martyr and Ignatius alleaging their writinges for testimonies he hath promised to confute Marcion in a seuerall volume but of the translation of the olde testament by the septuagintes heare what he writeth in these wordes God then vvas made man the Lord himselfe hath saued vs geuing vs a Virgine for a signe not as some saie vvhich presume to interprete the Scriptures beholde a damsell shall conceaue and bring forth a sonne as Theodotion the Ephesine and Aquila of Pontus translated vvhich vvere both Ievvish proselytes vvhom the Ebionites folovving haue taught that Christ vvas borne of Ioseph and Marie After a fewe lynes he addeth sayinge Before the Romaine empire grevve to be of suche force vvhen as yet the Macedonians helde Asia Ptolomaeus the sonne of Lagus fullie minded to erect a librarie at Alexandria and to replenishe the same vvith all such good bookes as vvere extant requested of the Ievves inhabiting Ierusalem that they vvould sende him their bookes translated into the Greeke tongue they forasmuche as they vvere as yet subiect vnto the Macedonians sent vnto Ptolomaeus seuentie elders from among them very skilfull in their bookes and both the tongues God no doubt disposinge this thinge after his pleasure Ptolomaeus for tryals sake fearing if they conferred together they vvould conceale the truth reuealed in their bokes commaunded them seuerally euery man by himselfe to vvrite his translation and this in euery booke throughout the olde testament VVhen as they all came together in presence of Ptolomaeus and conferred the translations one vvith an other God vvas glorified and the Scriptures diuine in deede vvere knovven for all they from the beginninge to the endinge had expressed the selfe same thing vvith the selfe same vvordes and the selfe same sentences so that the Gentils then present pronounced those scriptures to haue bene translated by the instincte and motion of the spirite of God neither may it seme maruailous vnto any man that God brought this to passe for vvhen as in the captiuitie of his people vnder Nabuchodonosor the scriptures vvere perished the Ievves returning into their ovvne region after seuenty yeares in the tyme of Artaxerxes King of Persia he inspyred Esdras the priest of the tribe of Leâ—â— that he restored agayne all the sayinges of the former Prophetes and delyuered vnto the people the lavve geuen by Moses thus farre Irenaeus CAP. IX Of Iulianus Bishop of Alexandria and Pantaenus there professor of diuinitie WHen Antoninus had raigned ninetene yeares Comodus tooke the rule of the imperiall scepter in the first yeare of whose raigne
whose name was Amachius who commauÌ„ded that the Idolatricall temple of the Ethnicks which stood in y t citie should be set wide open that the foule heapes and filthy corners of a long time vnfrequeÌ„ted should be made cleane and fell himselfe a worshipping of the Idols Which act of his pricked not a litle in conscience the zealous christians Wherefore one Macedonius Theodulus and Tatianus beinge kindled with fetuencie of loue towardes the christian fayth coulde in no wise away with such horrible practises but in the burninge zeale of their godly inindes brake in the nighte season into the temple threwe downe theyr Idols and stamped them into pouder Whereat when the gouernoure was wonderfull wroth and purposed to execute diuerse of the citizens whiche were giltelesse and innocente persons the authors thereof presented themselues of their owne accorde before him and chose to dye themselues for the trueth rather then any other for their sakes should be depriued of their liues After they were layde in holde the gouernoure commaunded that they should cleare theÌ„selues by sacrificinge vnto the Idols and threatned them if they refused he would seuerely punishe them They beinge of a noble minde valiant courage set nought by his threats made themselues redy to suffer what tormente soeuer were layde vpon them for they counted it farre better to loose their liues then to defile their soules with those impure sacrifices The gouernour wheÌ„ he had assayd them at all kind of torments last of all set them on the gredyron caused fire to be made vnder broiled them to death And to the end they might valiantly encouÌ„ter vnder the glorious garlande of victory they reason thus with the gouernour If thou longe O Amachius after broyled meate turne vp the other side of vs least in the eatinge we seeme rawe vnto thee and the bloode runne aboute thy teeth This was the ende that these men had CAP. XIIII VVhen the Emperoure Iulian forbad the christians the studie of Prophane literature both the Apollinaruses the father and the sonne fell a wrytinge The profltte that the christians haue in prophane wryters THe lawe whiche the Emperoure made that the christians shoulde not be trained vp in the liberall sciences made bothe the Apollinariuses of whome we spake before to be of farre greater fame For either of them beinge skilfull in suche artes as directed our style and orations the father a grammarian the sonne a Rhetorician profited very much the christians and furthered at that time not a little the churche of God For the father as a profounde grammarian framed the arte of humanitie vnto the furtherance of Christian religion he turned the fiue bookes of Moses into Heroycall verse together with other bookes of the olde Testament which contayne Hystories partely in Hexameter verse and partely after the forme of comedies and tragedies with the fitte application of persons he wrote in all kinde of meter to the ende the christians shoulde not be ignorant and vnskilfull in any rare gifte that excelled among the Gentils The sonne an eloquente Rhetorician broughte the wrytinges of the Euangelistes and workes of the Apostles into Dialogues as Plato vsed amonge the Heathens Althoughe their laboure and industrie seemed auaylable and greatelye to sette forthe the seruice of God in so muche that thereby the lewde drift of the Emperoure was stopped from takinge effect yet the prouidence of God did farre exceede both their carefull studie and dashed also the Emperours wiked deuise For immediatly the Emperours lawe as hereafter it shall more manifestly appeare was abrogated and theyr workes were as muche spoken of as if they had neuer bene wrytten But here peraduenture some man will saye vnto me why then doe ye attribute bothe the aforesayde vnto the prouidence of God As toutchinge the shorteninge of the Emperoures dayes it is knowen well inoughe howe auaylable it was vnto christian religion but in that the Poâ—trye of bothe the Apollinariuses was neglected and that the christians freely applied the Philosophicall sciences of the heathens there is no man will graunte that it furthered the seruice of God and the faith of Christ For it can not be without daunger that the christians maye wade in the doctrine of Ethnickes in so muche it teacheth that there be many Gods Vnto these things which aptely may be obiected vnto vs we will presentely frame suche answers as we can The doctrine of the Gentiles is allowed neither by Christ neither by his Disciples as inspired from aboue neither altogether reiected for daungerous And I take y â— to haue come to passe not without the speciall prouidence of almightie God For there were many heathen Philosophers which were not farre from the knowledg of God such as by publique disputation confuted the Epicures and other contentious Philosophers delited with the quirckes of logicke and ouerthrewe their palpable error and ignorance And thoughe they coulde stande the fauorers of christian religion in greate steade for their furtherance of learninge yet attained they not vnto the grounde principall point of our religion insomuch they vnderstoode not the mystery of Christ which was concealed the coÌ„tinewance of many ages and generations The whiche the Apostle in his epistle vnto the Romanes sheweth plainely in these wordes The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlines and iniquitie of men which withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse For the thinge that may be knowen of God is manifest amonge theÌ„ because God hath shevved it vnto them For his inuisible thinges beinge vnderstoode by his workes are seene through the creation of the world that is both his eternall power godheade so that they are without excuse because that when they knewe God notwithstanding they glorified him not as God VVherefore they knowinge the trueth which God reuealed vnto them were worthie of death because that wheÌ„ they knewe God they glorified him not as God Therefore sithence that the Apostle forbadd not the knoweledge of the Gentils doctrine he gaue free licence and libertie vnto euery man at his choice and pleasure to wade in the vnderstandinge of them Let this suffire for one reason to the satisfiynge of the former doubts The seconde is as followeth The holy Scriptures inspired from aboue deliuer vnto vs diuine precepts and mysticall doctrine they graffe in the mindâ—s of suche as heare them true Godlines and the righte trade of liuinge they sette wyde open before such as study them the most sacred faith they teach vs no logicke wherewith we may withstand such as oppugne the trueth although the aduersaries are easiest ouerthrowen when their owne armoure and proper defence is vsed to their foyle and destruction But the christians enioyed not this benefit by the workes of bothe the Apollinariuses This was it that the Emperoure Iulian shotte at when as he made a lawe that the christians shoulde not be schooled in the doctrine of the Gentils He knewe full well that the fables contained in
21. yeares pa. 62. Aâ—â—ius the Syrian and his heresie pa. 279. 305. Aetherius a traytor is executed pa. 491. Agabus a prophet of the new Testament pa. 21. 23. 89. Agapius b. of Caesarea pa. 144. Agapius a martyr beheaded for the faith pa. 160. 161. Agapius a martyr was drowned pa. 163. 164. Agathius Rhetor an historiographer pa â–ª 502. Agathonica a woman martyred pa. 67. Agbarus king of Edessa wrote an Epistle vnto Christ pag. 16. Agelius a Nouatian Bishop pag. 285. 345. 346. Aggaeus the prophet and his life pag. 530. Agrippa King of the Iewes pag. 25. 26. he wrote 62 Epistles pag. 45. Agrippa Castor confuted the heresie of Basilides pag. 60. Agrippas b. of Alexandria pag. 70. Agrippinus b. of Alexandria pa. 85. Ahias the prophet and his life pag. 522. Alamundarus captaine of the Barbarian nation Scenetae pag. 500. Alarichus is commaunded from aboue to destroy Rome pag. 381. Albinus lieuetenant of Iudae a. pag. 34. Alcibiades a confessor pag. 81. Alcibiades an heretick pag. 81. Alexander b. of Rome pag. 58. 83. tenne yeares pag. 59. Alexander a phisition comforted the martyrs and was torne in peeces of wilde beasts pag. 79. Alexander a thiefe yet counted a martyr of Montanus sect pag. 89. 90. Alexander b. of Cappadocia is chosen b. of Ierusalem pag. 102. 104. he died in prison pag. 114. Alexander was Emperour after Heliogabalus pa. 108. he raigned 13. yeares pag. 111. his ende â–ª pag. 469. Alexander a martyr burned for the faith pag. 116. Alexander a martyr torne in peeces of wild beasts pag. 131. AlexaÌ„ders two were beheaded for the faith p. 160 Alexander b. of Alexandria a notable learned maÌ„ confuted Arius pag. 217. 218. Alexander a godly b. of Constantinople set him selfe against Arius pa. 251. 252. 255. Alexander Paphlagon was martyred by the Arians pa. 285. Alphaeus a martyr was beheaded for the fayth pa. 159. Ambrose not he of Millane was a Valentinian hereticke and confuted by Origen page 105. Ambrose b. of Millane pa. 337. 347. Ammias a Prophet of the nevve Testament pa. 88. 89. Ammon a confessor pa. 116. Ammon a maried monke pa. 329. Ammonarion a virgine is beheaded for the fayth pa. 116. Ammonius a minister martyred pa. 153. Ammonius a monke cutte of his care because he would not be bishop pa. 382. Ammonius a Poet. pa. 365. Ammonius a christian philosopher pa. 107. Amos the Prophet and his life pa. 525. Amphilochius b. of Iconium pa. 345. Amphilochius b. of Sida pa. 436. Anacletus bishop of Rome 12. yeares pag. 46. 47. 83. Ananus an high priest of the Ievves of extreme cruelty pa. 34. Anastasius b. of Rome pa. 381. Anastasius a priest of Antioch a Nestorian hereticke pa. 394. Anastasius the Emperour pa. 461. Anastasius a godly archbishop of Antioch pag. 489. Anatolius b. of Laodicea and his workes pa. 142. 143. 144. Anatolius a sorcerer and his execution pa. 499. Andrevve the Apostle preached in Scythia pag. 36. his martyrdome pag. 519. his lise pag. 532. Androgathius the tyrant rebell drowned him self pa. 347. 348. Angelo a rebel vvas sawed a sunder pa. 320. Anianus the 2. bishop of Alexandria he ruled the Church 22. yeares pa. 35. 46. Anianus b. of Antioch exiled by the Arians pa. 290. Anicetus b. of Rome eleuen yeares pa. 62. 70. 83. Anomoioi and their heresie pa. 293. 317. Antemnes and hymnes song in the Churche pa. 367. Anterus b. of Rome pa. 111. Anthimus b. of Nicomedia was beheaded for the fayth pa. 148. Anthropomorphitae and their heresie pa. 365. 366. 367. Antiochus got muche money by preachinge at Constantinople pa. 369. Antinous the darlinge of Adrianus Caesar was made a god pa. 61. 315. Antonius Pius was Emperour after Adrian pa. 62. he wrote fauorable letters for the christians pa. 63. he raigned 22. yeares pa. 64. Antonius a minister was beheaded for the fayth pa. 167. Antonie the monke pa. 242. 329. 331. 333. Antoninus Caracalla was Emperour after Seuerus pa. 101. he raigned 7. yeares pa. 108. Antoninus Heliogabalus was Emperour after Macrinus he raigned 4 yeares pa. 108. Apelles an hereticke pa. 8â— Aphricanus an historiographer wrote vnto Aristides of the concordance of the Euangelists pa. 9. 10. 111. 112. Apollinarius a learned writer pa. 70. Apollinarius b. of Hierapolis and his workes pa. 72. 73. 87. 88. 89. Apollinarius and his heresie pa. 294. 307. 308. Apollo in Daphne pa. 309. 315. Apollonia a virgine is burned for the fayth pag. 115. Apollonius a Christian Philosopher wrote an Apollogie and was martyred pa. 91. 92. Apphianus after sundry torments was throwen into the sea pa. 161. 162. Appianus an historiographer pa. 501. Appion wrote learned bookes pa. 94. Aquila Priscilla were banished Rome pag. 31. Aquila of Pontus translated the olde Testament pa. 84. 105. Arabians were hereticks and their confutation pa. 113. Arbogastes a rebel ranne him selfe vpon a naked sword pa. 359. Arcadius is created Emperour pa. 345. 360. his death p. 376. Archelaus the sonne of Herode raigned 10. yeres ouer the Iewes pa. 9. 13. Archelaus b. of Cascharum disputed with Manes the heretick pa. 245. Ares was burned for the faith pa. 168. Arianus an historiographer pa. 502. Aristion one of the 70. Disciples pa. 56. 57. Aristides wrote an Apologie of the faith vnto Adrian pa. 59. Aristobulus the prince and priest of the Iewes was led captiue to Rome pa. 9. Aristotle is highly esteemed of hereticks pa. 95. Arius the abhominable heretick his original and heresie pa. 217. 218. 219. 227. 228. 229. 251. he recaÌ„teth pa. 245. his miserable end p. 252. Arrabianus a learned writer pa. 94. Arsacius b. of Constantinople pa. 374. 375. Arsenius a naughtie fellowe tooke hire to accuse Athanasius pa. 247. 248. Arsenius a monke pa. 329. Artemas an hereticke pa. 141. Artemon and his heresie pa. 94. 95. Asaph the Prophet and his life pa. 522. Ascholius a godly b. of Thessalonica baptized Theodosius magnus pa. 343. Asclepiades an heretick translated the scriptures pa. 95. Asclepiades b. of Antioch pa. 103. Asclepiodotus an hereticke pa. 95. Asinius quadratus an historiographer pa. 502. Asterius an Arian hereticke pa. 251. Astyrius a noble man sauored the Christians and bewrayed by prayer and fasting the deceyt of Satan pa. 132. Ater was burned for the fayth pa. 116. Athanasius bishop of Alexandria pa. 223. 236. read of him more in the Chronographie pag. 38. c. Athenodorus the disciple of OrigeÌ„ pa. 111. 131. Attalus a Pergamenian is fried to death pa. 77. 78. 79. 80. Atticus b. of Constantinople pa. 375. 377. 378. 390. 391. Attilas king of Scythia pa. 421. Attis an heathen God pa. 315. Audactus a noble man martyred pa. 151. 152. Augustus was Emperour when Christ was borne he raigned 57. yeares pa. 9. 13. Aurelianus was Emperour after Claudius he persecuted the churche of God was not able to subscribe vnto an edict pa. 139. 141. Auxanon a nouatian priest pa. 235. Auxentius a martyr torne in peeces of vvylde beasts
23. after the greeke Publius a Martyr Quadratus Dionysius Areopagita 1. b. of Athens Philip. Bachilides Elpistus Galma Pinytus Vowed chastitie forbidden Dionysius wryteth of the Romains then if he were nowe to wryte he could tell an other tale Dionysius readeth in the Churche of Corinthe the epistle of the Churche of Rome and of Clemens Dionysius complaineth that heretickes corrupted his epistles Cap. 24. after the greeke Theophilus Maximinê° b. of Antioche Anno Domini 179. cap. 25. after the greeke Philip. Irenaeus Modestus Cap. 26. after the greeke Melito and the cataloge of his bookes Melito in his booke of Easter Sagaris martyred Apece of the Apologie of Melito vnto the Emperour Christian religion began to be made manifest in the time of Augustus for then Christ was borne Melito writeth vnto Onesimus of the canonical Scripture of the olde testament These 2. chapters in the Greeke were one Apollinarius Montanus the heretick Musanus Encratitis Tatianus Irenaeus li. 1. cap. 30. 31. Saturniani Marcionitae Tatianus Valentiniani Seuerus Seueriani Diatessaron Tatianus though an hereticke yet wrote â—e a learned book agaynst the Gentiles Bardesanes a Syrian Anno. 179. Eleutherius â–ª b. of Rome Anno Domini 179. The epistle of the french meÌ„ vnto the Churches of Asia Phrygia Rom. â— Vegetius Epagathus martyred Luke 1. Tenne fell in persecution Sclaunders raised against the ChristiaÌ„s Iohn 16. Sanctus a Deacon Maturus a late conuert Blandina a woman 1. Corinth 1. Blandina sheweth great pacieÌ„ce in her tormentes Blandina coÌ„fesseth her selfe to be a Christian Sanctus sheweth greate pacience Sanctus confesseth him selfe a Christian A notable saynge of Sanctus Biblis a womaÌ„ pitiously tormented Many of the Martyrs died in pryson Pothinus b. of lyons after great torments is cast into pryson where after 2. dayes he departeh this life A comparison or difference betwene such as faynted such as continwed faythfull in persecution Maturus and Sanctus beheaded Blandina hanged in gibbets so lowe that the wild beasts might reache her Blandina is cast into prison Attalus brought forth clapt in prison Many that fell repented them againe Ezech. 16. Alexander a Phisician coÌ„forteth the martyrs Alexander torne in peeces of wilde beastes Attalus fryed to death Ponticus of the yeares of 15. martyred Blandina beheaded Apocalyp 22. Deade carkases throwne vnto dogges The ashes of the burned bodyes were throweÌ„ into the riuer Rhodanus to take away the hope of the resurrection The French men write thus of their martyrs Philip. 2. The suffring of Christ is rather to be termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 redemption 1. Pet. 1. then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 martyrdome Who be martyrs and who confessors 1. Pet. 5. Act. 7. They receaue after repentaÌ„ce such as fell in persecution The Frenchmen in their foresayd epistle writ thuâ— also of Alcibiades Montanus Theodotus and Alcibiades not the former false prophets The Martyrs in Fraunce to Eleutheriê° b. of Rome in the commendation of Irenaeus b. of Lions Eusebius wrote a boke of Martyrs which is not extant Marcus Aurelius the brother of Antoninus The Christian souldiers doe pray for rayne immediatly it lightened rayned The lightening legion Tertullian in Apologâ—â— Irenaeus who in his youth was the auditor of Polycarpê° succeedeth Pothinus in the Bishoprik of Lyons in Fraunce Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 3. 2. Timoth. 4. Paul Peter Linus Anacletus Clemens Euarestus Alexander Xystus Telesphorus Hyginus Pius Anicetus Soter Eleutherius Irenaeus lib. 2 cap. 57. Irenaeus lib. 2 cap. 58. Irenaeus lib. â— Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 1. Matthewe Marcke Luke Iohn Irenaeus lib. 5 VVhen the reuelation of Sainct Iohn was first sene Irenaeus allea geth pastor lib. 2. maÌ„dat 1. Marcion Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 23. 24. Esay 7. TheodotioÌ„ Aqnila Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 25. The septuagints * Comodus succeeded Antoninus Anno Domi 1826. Agrippinê° b. of Alexandria Iulianus b. of Alex. Pantaenê° mo derated the schole of Alex Euangelistes * Cap. 10. after the greke The Gospell of Matthewe in Hebrew at India Bartholomew preached in India Cap. 11. after the Greeke Clemens Alexandrinê° lib. 1. Stromatôn Cap. 12. after the greeke Narcissus b. of Ierusalem Marcus Cassianus Publius Maximus Iulianus Caius Symachus Caius Iulianus Capito Valens Dolichianus Narcissus Cap. 13. after the Greeke Rhodon an Asian Apelles Philumaena Marcion Pontinus Basilicus Lycus Synerus Rhodon reporteth of the disputati on betwene him and Apelles Rhodon in Hexameron Apelles the Hereticke wrote infinit bookes Cap. 14. after the greeke Montanus Priscilla Maximilla * Cap. 15. after the greke Florinus Blastus cap. 16. after the greeke Apollinarius b. of Hierapolis toutching Montanus his originall Apollinarius disputed and coÌ„futed MoÌ„tanê° figmeÌ„ts at Ancyra in Galatia Zoticus Otrenus Ardabau Montanus Matth. 24. 2. womeÌ„ the prophetisses of Montanê° The Churches the synodes faith full of Asia â–ª condemned Montanus Apollinarius of the endes of the false prophets Montanus Maximilla hanged them selues Theodotus the hereticke flying vp broke his necke Apollinarius of the salse prophecies of the Montanists Apollinarius lib. 3. Not the death but the cause of it proueth a Martyr Cap. 17. after the greeke Apollinarius out of Miltiades works alleadgeth this Agabus Iude. The daughters of Philip. Aminias Quadratus Miltiades bookes Cap. 18. after the greeke Apollonius against the Montanistes The prophetisses of Mon tanus receaue gifts Themison a montanist with money deliuered himself from pryson Alexander a thief yet a martyr of Montanus secte Math 10. Luk. 9. Math. 7. Stibium is a white stone founde in siluer mines by rubbinge the skinne it maketh it looke very faire Thraseas a martyr * This tradition first is to be suspected for that christ Matth. 28. Marc. 16. commauÌ„ded the Apostles to passe throughout the worlde to preache the Gospell secondly for that he charged them Luc. 24. Act. 1. to tary in Ierusalem but vntill they were endued with power from an high which was fifty dayes after the ascention Cap. 19. after the Greeke Serapion byshop of Antioch Epist ad Cari cum ponticuÌ„ * Cap. 20. after the Greke Irenaeus lib. de Ogdoade which is not extant Irenaeus vnto Florinus the schismaticke Florinus a courtier then a schismatick last an hereticke Polycarpus vsed oft to re peate this saying Cap. 21. after the Greeke The accuser of Apollonius with the breaking of his legges died miserably Apollonius a Christian philosopher exhibited an Apollogie vnto the senate of Rome and afterwards is beheaded A cruell law Cap. 22. after the Greeke Anno Dom. 192. all these bishops florished at one tyme. Victor b. of Rome Demetrius Serapion Theophilus Narcissus Banchillus Polycrates Cap. 23. after the greeke Anno Dom. 199. Exod. 12. Easter the fasting dayes going before layde downe by decree Theophilus Narcissus were chiefe in Palaestina Victor at Ro. Palmas aâ— PoÌ„tus Irenae us in FrauÌ„ce The bishops of Ostroëna in their prouinces Banchillus at Corinth not the bishope of Rome ouer all cap. 24. after the greeke
of Alexandria Eusebius Bishop of Dorilaeum Peter Bishop of Alexandria Gregorie B. of Antioch Of Gaius Cornnâ—ius Iulius Liberius Bishops of Rome Of the Councels as the Synode in Palaestina and Antioch the Councel of Nice Ariminum Ephesus Chalcedon and Constantinople Of learned vvriters as Quadratus Rhodon Africanus Miltiades Apollonius Maximus Macarius Origen Euagrius and Symeon If vve be disposed to see the Emperours their Decrees Epistles Constitutions and Edicts vve may soone finde them euen froâ— Iulius Caesar the first vnto Mauricius the last vvithin the first sixe hundred yeres namely Augustus Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasiaâ— Titus Domitian Nerua Traian Adrianus Antoninus Pius Verus Comodus Pertinax Didius Iulianus Seuerus Caracalla Macrinus Heliogabalus Alexander Maximinus Gordianus Philip Decius Gallus Aemilianus Valerianus Claudius Quintilius Aurelianus Tacitus Florianus Carus Diocletian and Maximianus CoÌ„stantius and Maximinus Constantinus Magnus and Licinius Constantinus the yonger Constantius and Constans Iulian the Apostata Iouian Valentinianus and Valens Gratian Valentinianus the yonger and Theodosius Magnus Arcadius and Honorius Theodosius iunior Martianus Leo Zeno Anastasius Iustinus Iustinianus Iustinus the 2. Tiberius and Mauricius VVe may see the Bishops hovve they gouerned Ministers hovv they taught Synodes vvhat they decreed Ceremonies hovv they crept into the Church Heresies hovv they rose and vvere rooted out If vve stande vpon the Theater of Martyrs and there beholde the valiant vvrastlers and inuincible champions of Christ Iesu hovv can vve chuse but be rauished vvith zeale vvhen vve see the professors of the truth torne in peeces of vvilde beastes crucified beheaded stoned stifled beaten to death vvith cudgels fried to the bones slaine aliue burned to ashes hanged on gibbettes drovvned brained scurged maimed quartered their neckes broken their legges savved of their tongues cutte their eyes pulled out and the emptie place seared vvith scalding iron the vvrapping of them in oxe hides vvith dogges and snakes and drovvned in the sea the inioyning of them to kill one an other the gelding of Christians the paring of their flesh vvith sharpe rasors the renting of their sides vvith the lashe of the vvhip the pricking of their vaines vvith bodkins and famishing of them to death in deepe and noysome dungeons It is a vvonder to see the zeale of their prayers their charitie tovvards all men their constancie in torment and their confidence in Christ Iesus These be they vvhome S. Iohn in his Apocalypse savve in a vision vnder the altare that vvere Martyred for the vvord of God and the testimonie of Christ Iesus vvhich cried vvith a loud voyce saying Hovve long tariest thou Lord holy and true to iudge and to aueÌ„ge our bloude on them that dvvell on the earth And long vvhite garments vvere geuen vnto euery one of them and it vvas sayd vnto them that they should rest yet for a litle season vntill their felovve seruaunts and their brethern that should be killed as they vvere vvere fulfilled The Angell telleth him vvho they vvere that vvere arayed in long vvhite garmentes and vvhence they came saying these are they vvhich came out of great tribulation and haue vvashed their long robes and made them vvhite by the bloude of the Lambe therfore are they in the presence of the throne of God and serue him day and night in his temple and he that sitteth in the throne vvill dvvell among them They shall hunger no more neither thurst and God shall vvipe avvay all teares from their eyes Very comfortable vvordes But the executioners the tyrantes and tormentours hearts vvere so hardened that neither voyces from aboue nor signes in the â—er threatning vengeance and the vvrath of God to light vpoÌ„ them neither the svvetting of stones nor the monsters that the earth brought forth could mollifie their stonie mindes The sea ouerflovved the land the earth opened and left daungerous gulphes Earthquakes ouerthrevve their Tovvnes and Cities fire burned their houses yet vvoulde they not leaue of their furie They vvere as S. Paul sayeth turned into a reprobate sense they left no villanie vnpractised in the ende many of them fell into frensie and madnes they ranne them selues vpon naked svvordes they brake their ovvne neckes they hanged them selues they tumbled them selues headlong into riuers they cutte their ovvne throtes and diuersly dispatched them selues This is the viall full of the vvrathe of God vvhich the Angell in the reuelation povvred vpon the vvaters and the voyce that folovved after may very vvell be spoken of them O Lord vvhich art and vvast thou art righteous and holy because thou hast geuen such iudgements for they haue shed out the bloud of Saincts and Prophets and therefore hast thou geuen them bloud to drinke for they haue deserued it The aforesaid Martyrs gaue forth godly sayings diuine precepts for the posteritie they sealed their doctrine vvith their ovvne bloude they spared not their liues vnto the death they are gone before they shevved vs the vvay to follovv after these good Christian reader vvith other things are to be seene throughout these Histories The Chapiters in the Greeke vvere in many places very small if I shoulde haue follovved the Greeke diuision then had I left much vvast paper I haue sometimes ioyned tvvo or three together some other times taken them as they lay yet vvhere I altered the diuision I noted in the marge the number of the Greeke Chapiters There is no raigne of any Emperour no storie almost vvorthie the noting but thou hast in the marge the yeare of the Lord for the better vnderstanding therof VVhatsoeuer I found in the Greeke vvere it good or bad that haue I faithfullie vvithout any parcialitie at all laide dovvne in English VVherfore if ought be vvell done geue the praise vnto God let the paines be mine and the profit the Readers PSAL. 113. Non nobis Domine non nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam The life of Eusebius Pamphilus out of Sainct Ierome EVSEBIVS Bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina one that was very studious in holy scripture and a diligent searcher together with Pamphilus martyr of the diuine librarie wrote infinite volumes and amongest others these which followe Of Euangelicall preparation 15 bookes as preparatiues for such as were to learne the doctrine of the Gospel Of Euangelical demonstration 20 bookes where he proueth and confirmeth the doctrine of the newe Testament with a confutation of the aduersarie Of diuine apparition 5 bookes Of the Ecclesiasticall historie 10 bookes Of Chronicall Canons a generall recitall with an Epitome thereof Of the disagreeing of the Euangelists tenne bookes vpon the Prophet Esay against Porphyrius who wrote then in Sicilia as some doe thinke 30 bookes whereof onely twentie came to my handes One booke of Topiks An Apologie or defence of Origen in 6 books The life of Pamphilus in three books Of martyres certaine other books Vpon the 150 Psalmes very learned commentaries with sundry other workes He florished chiefly vnder the Emperour Constantinus Magnus and Constantius
his sonne and for his familiaritie with Pamphilus martyr he was called Eusebius Pamphilus So farre Ierome THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF EVSEBIVS PAMPHILVS BISHOP OF CAESAREA IN PALESTINA The proëme of Eusebius to his Historye THE successions of the holy Apostles together vvith the tymes from our Sauiour vnto vs hither to continevved and those things vvhich are sayd to be done according vnto the Ecclesiasticall historye vvhat they are hovve greate and vvho decently haue gouerned the Churche specially in the most famous prouinces also vvho in all ages haue set forth the heauenly doctrine eyther by preaching or by vvriting and agayne vvhat men hovve many vvhen through desire of noueltye and error falling into extremityes haue published them selues Authors of knovvledge falsely so called cruelly rent a sunder as rauening vvolues the flocke of Christ moreouer vvhat euils forthvvith haue fallen vpon the vvholeâ—ation of the Ievves because of their conspiracye against our Sauiour and againe hovvmany by vvhat meanes and in vvhat times the vvorde hath bene of the Gentils striuen against and vvhat singuler men in all tymes haue passed and gone throughe bitter conflicts for his name sake euen by sheding of their bloode and suffring of torments and beside â–ª all this the martyrdomes done in our tyme together vvith the mercifull and comfortable ayde of our Sauiour tovvardes euery one louingly exhibited I determining to publishe in vvriting vvill not beginne of any other place my entraunce then of the first order in doinge or dispensation of our Sauiour and Lorde Iesus Christ â–ª but truely the circumstance it selfe euen in the beginning craueth pardon being greater then our strength can sustayne I confesse in deede that vvhich vve promise to be absolute and that vvhich vve professe to omitte nothing to be a thinge incomprehensible For vve first taking this argument in hande endeuoringe to treade a solitary and vntroden vvaye praying that God may be our guyde and the povver of our Lorde and Sauiour our present helper and ayder yet can vve no vvhere finde as much as the bare steppes of suche as haue passed the same path before vs hauinge onely smaâ—â— shevves and tokens vvherevvith diuers here and there in their seueral tymes haue lefte vnto vs particuler declarations as it vvere certaine sparcles vvhilest that they lift their voyces from farre and from aboue from vvhence as from an highe place and inuisible crying as out of a certayne vvatchtovver horne vvhat vvaye vve ought to goe and hovve to directe vvithout error and daunger the vvay and order of our talke vvhatsoeuer thinges therefore vve thinke profitable for this present argument choosing those thinges vvhich of them are here and there mentioned and as it vvere culling and gathering the commodious and fitt sentences of such as haue vvritten of olde as flovvres out of medovves bedecked vvith reason vve vvill endeuour in shevving the vvay of historye to compact the same as it vvere into one body being also desirous to retayne from obliuion the successions althoughe not of all yet of the most famous Apostles of 〈◊〉 Sauiour according vnto the Churches most notable and yet freshe had in memorye I suppose verily that I haue taken in hand an argument very necessary because that I haue fouâ—â— no vvhere any Ecclesiasticall â—…ter vvhich in this behalfe vnto this day hath imployed any parte of diligence I hope 〈◊〉 it vvilbe a very profitable vvorke for the studious thâ— is earnenestly sett to knovve the vtilitie of this historye And of these thinges heretofore vvhen that I compiled certayne Chronicall Canons I vvrote an Epitome but the more ample declaration thereof I thought good to reserue vntill this present â–ª and the beginning as I sayd vvill I take of the dispensation and diuinity of our Sauiour Christ higher and deeper to be considered then that vvhich concernes his humanity for it is requisite for him that comitteth to vvriting an Ecclesiastical historye thence to beginne euen from the chiefe dispensation of Christ deuiner then it seemeth to many in so much that of him vve are termed Christians T. V. CAP. I. A summarye recit all of thinges concerning the diuinitie and humanitie of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ BEcause therefore the consideration of the maner in Christ is two folde the one consisting as a head on the bodye by the which he is vnderstoode God the other to be pondered with paces by the which he hath put on man like vnto vs subiecte to passions for our saluations sake We shal make a right rehersal of those thinges which folowe if that first we begin the declaration of the whole history from them which are principal and most proper pillers of this doctrine In the meane space the auncientrie and dignitie of Christian Antiquitie shal against them be declared which suppose this religion newe straunge of late and neuer hearde of before but to declare the generation dignitie essence and nature of Christe no speache can sufficiently serue sithence that the holy Ghost in the prophets hath testified His generation vvho shal be able to declare for the father no man hath knovven but the sonne neither at any time hath any knovven the sonne vvorthely but the father alone vvhiche begate him This light going before the worlde and all worlde 's the intellectual and essentiall wisdome and the liuing worde of God being in the beginning with the father who but the father alone hath rightly knowen which is before euery creature and workemanship both of visible and inuisible thinges the first and only sonne of God chiefe captayne of the coelestiall rationall and immortall hoaste the Angel of the great counsel executour of the secrete will of the father maker and worker of all thynges together with y â— father whiche after the father is cause and auctor of all thinges the true and only begotten sonne of God Lorde md God and King of all thinges whiche are created receauing dominion and rule of the father hy the same diuinitie power and glorye for according to the mysticall diuinitie concerning him in the scripture In the beginning vvas the vvorde and the vvorde vvas vvith God and God vvas the vvorde â–ª the same vas in the beginning vvith God â–ª all thinges vvere made by it and vvithoutit vvas nothing made that vvas made The same doth Moses the most auncient of al the prophets testifie for describing by inspiration of the holy spirite the substance and disposition of the vniuersall worlde he sheweth the framer and workeman of all thinges God to haue graunted to Christ him selfe and none other that is his deuine and only begotten worde the framing of these inferior thinges For vnto him conferring about the creation of man God sayde sayth he let vs make man after our ovvne likenesse and similitude And with this saying agreeth an other prophet thus speaking of God in Hymnes and saying He spake and they vvere made he commaunded and they
cut of for of them vvhich are ledde vvith this line of generation some succeaded as naturall children their fathers some begotten by others haue after others bene called yet of both mention is made as vvell of them vvhiche truely as of them vvhich resemble the name of generation Thus nere nother of the Gospels is founde false hovvsoeuer it doth number be it according vnto nature or the custome of the Lavve The kinrede of Solomon and of Nathan is so knit together by reuiuing of the deseased vvithout issue by second mariages by raising of seede so that not vvithout cause the same persons are posted ouer to diuerse fathers vvhereof some vvere imagined and some others vvere their fathers in deede both the allegations being properly true though in Ioseph diuersly yet exactly by descente determined And that that vvhich I go about to proue may plainly appear I vvil declare the orderly succession of this genealogye makinge a recitall from Dauid by Solomon The thirde from the ende is Matthan founde vvhiche begate Iacob the father of Ioseph but from Nathan the Sonne of Dauid Descending according vnto the Gospell of Luke the thirde from the ende is Melchi vvhose Sonne is Hely the father of Ioseph For Ioseph is the Sonne of Hely the Sonne of Melchi Ioseph being the proposed marke to shoote at vve must shevve hovv ether is termed his father deriuing the pedegrevv of Iacob from Solomon of Heli from Nathan and first hovv Iacob and Heli being tvvo brethren â–ª then their fathers Matthan and Melchi borne of diuers kinreds may be proued Graundfathers to Ioseph Matthan therefore Melchi marying the same vvife begate brethren by the same mother the Lavv not forbidding a vvidovve either dimissed from her husbande or after the death of her husbande to be coupled vnto an other man First therefore Matthan descending from Solomon begate Iacob of Esttha for that is sayd to be her name After the death of Matthan Melchi vvhich is sayd to haue descended from Nathan being of the same tribe but of an other race hauinge maryed this vvidovve to his vvife begate Heli his sonne Thus do vve finde Iacob and Heli of a different race but by the same mother to haue bed brethren of the vvhiche Iacob takinge to vvife his sister the vvife of Heli his brother deseased vvithout issue begate on her the thirde to vvitt Ioseph by naiuroâ—and the order of generation vnto him selfe VVhereupon it is vvritten Iacob begate Ioseph by the Lavv vnto his brother Hely deseased vvhose sonne Ioseph vvas for Iacob being his brother raysed seede vnto him vvherfore nether that genealogie vvhich concerneth him is to be abolished the vvhich Matthew the Euangelist reciting Iacob sayth he begat Ioseph Luke of the other side vvhich vvas the sonne saith he as it vvas supposed for he addeth this vvith al of Ioseph vvhich vvas the sonne of Heli vvhich vvas the sonne of Melchi And the vvord of begetting he ouerskipped vvith silence vn to the ende vvith such a recital of sonnes making relation vnto Adam vvhich vvas of God neither is this hard to be proued or to smale purpose proposed The kinsmen of Christ according vnto the flesh either making appareÌ„t or simply instructing yet altogether teaching that vvhich is true haue deliuered these thinges vnto vs hovve that the Idumaean the eues inuading the city Ascalon in Palaestina tooke captiue together vvith other spoiles out of the temple of Apollo adioyning vnto the vvalls Antipater sonne to one Herode â–ª that vvas minister in that temple VVheÌ„ the priest vvas not able to pay raunsome for his sonne this Antipater vvas brought vp after the maner of the Idumaeans became very familiar vvith Hyrcanus the high priest of the Ievves hauing bene in embasye vvith Pompeye in Hircanus steade he restored vnto him the kingdome vvhich vvas taken from his brother Aristobulus assigned him selfe gouernour of Palaestina and proceaded forvvardes in felicitie VVhen this Antipater vvas enuyed for his greate felicitie and vvas trayterously slayne there succeded him his sonne Herode vvhich at length of Antonius and Augustus by decree of the Senate receaued rule ouer the Ievves vvhose sonnes vvere Herode and the other Tetrarches These thinges are common among the greeke historyes And when as vnto that tyme the genealogies of the Hebrevves yea of them also linealy descending of Proselytes as Achior the Amanyte and Ruth the Moabyte likewise as many as fell beinge deliuered from out of Aegypt and mixt with the Israelites were recorded amonge their auncient monuments Herode whome the Israeliticall genealogie auayled nothinge beinge pricked in mynde with the basenes of his byrthe burned their auncient recorded genealogies supposing thereby to deriue him selfe of noble parentage if none other holpen by publique recordes were able to prone their pedegrewes from the Patriarches or Proselytes or such as were cleped strangers horne and mingled of olde amonge the Israelytes Very sewe studious in this behalfe doe glorye that they haue gott vnto them selues proper pedegrewes or remembraunce of their names or other wise recordes of them for the retayninge of their auncient stocke in memorye whiche these men mentioned of before haue attayned vnto beinge called because of their affiâ—iâ—â—e and kinred with our Sauiour after the name of the Lorde and trauelinge from the Nazarites and Cocâ—oba castles of the Ievves into other regions they expounded the afore sayde genealogie oâ—â— of the booke of Chronicles as farre for the as it extendeth Nowe so euer then the case stande eyther thus 〈◊〉 otherwise no man in my iudgement can finde a playner exposition Whosoeuer therefore he be that ruleth him selfe aright he wil be carefull of the selfe same with vs although he wante prefe to preferre a better and a â—ruet exposition The Gospel in al respectes uttereth most true thinges About the ende of the same epistle he hath these wordes Matthan descending of Solomon begate Iacob Matthan deceased Melchi vvhich descended of Nathan on the same vvoman begate Heli then vvere Heli and Iacob brethren by the mothers side Heli dying vvithout issue Iacob raysed vnto him seede by be getting of Ioseph his ovvne sonne by nature but Heli his sonne by the lavv thâ—s vvas Ioseph â–ª sonne to both so farre Aphricanus Sithens that the genealogie of Ioseph is thus recited after the same maner Mary is termed to be of the same tribe together with him â–ª For by the lawe of Moses the mingling of tribes was not permitted which commaundeth that matching in mariage be made with one of the same people and family lest the lott of inheritaunce due to the kiâ—red be tossed from tribe to tribe of these thinges thus much CAP. IX Of the slaughter of the Infantes by Herode and the lamentable Tragedy toutching the terme and ende of his life VVHen Christ was borne in Bethleem of Ievvrye according vnto Prophecyes for eshewed and tymes already declared Herode because of the wise men which came from
pinacle of the temple and shouted vnto him and sayd Thou iust man at vvhose commaundement vve all are in so much that this people is seduced after Iesus vvho vvas crucified declare vnto vs vvhich is the dore of Iesus crucified And he aunsvvered vvith a lovvde voyce vvhy aske ye me of Iesus the sonne of man vvhen as he sitteth at the right hand of the great povver in heauen and shal come in the clovvdes of the aëer VVhen as he had persvvaded many so that they glorified God at the testimony of Iames and sayd Hosanna in the highest to the sonne of Dauid then the Scribes and Pharises said among them selues vve haue done very il in causing such a testimony of Iesu to be brought forth But let vs clime vp and take him to the end the people being stroken vvith feare may renounce his faith And they shouted saying O O and the iust also is seduced and they fulfilled the Scripture vvhich sayth in Esay Let vs remoue the iust for he is a stumbling blocke vnto vs. VVherfore they shall gnavve the buddes of their ovvne vvorks They climed vp threvv dovvne headlong Iustus saying let vs stone Iames Iustus And they vvent about him vvith stones for after his fall he vvas not fully dead but remembring him selfe fell on his knees saying I beseech thee Lord God and Father forgiue them for they vvote not vvhat they doe And as they vvere a stoning of him one of the Priestes the sonne of Rechab â–ª the sonne of Châ—raâ—im vvhose testimony is in Ieremy the Prophet cryed out cease vvhat do you This iust man prayeth for you And one of them that vvere present taking a fullers clubb vvith vvhich they pounce purge their clothes stroke Iustus on the heade and brayned him so he suffred martyrdome vvhome they buried in that place â–ª his piller or picture as yet remayneth hard by the temple engrauen thus This man vvas a true vvitnesse both to the Ievves and Gentiles that Iesus vvas Christ And Vespasianus immediatly hauing ouerrun Iudaea subdued the Ievves These at larg recorded by Aegesippus are correspondent with these thinges which Clemens wrote This Iames was so famous and renowmed among all for his righteousnes that the wise among the Ievves imputed the cause of this sodayne besteging of Ierusalem after his martyrdome which no doubt therfore happened vnto them to be for the presumptuous offence practised against him Iosephus sticked not to testifie the same in these wordes These thinges happened vnto the Ievves in vvay of reuenging the death of Iames the Iust vvhich vvas the brother of Iesu vvhome they cal Christ. For the levves slevve him vvhen he vvas most iust The same Iosephus describeth his death in the twentieth booke of Antiquities saying Casar hearinge the death of Festus sendeth Albiâ—us President into Iudaea But Ananus the yonger vvhome vve reported before to haue taken vpon him the high priesthoode vvas a very presumptuous and heady cockbrayne he claue vnto the sect of the Saduces vvhich vvere mercylesse in iudgment among all the Ievves as vve signified before Ananus then being such a one hauing gotten opportunity to his thinking in so much that Festus vvas deade and Albinus not yet come called vnto him a counsell commaundinge the brother of Iesu called Christ vvhose name vvas Iames vvith certayne others to be brought forth accusing them that they had transgressed the lavve and deliuered them to be stoned As many in the city as vvere iust and due obseruers of the lavve tooke this fact greeuously sending priuely vnto the King and beseeching him to vvrite vnto Ananus that thence forth he attempt not the like In so much that his former fact vvas vnaduisedly and impiously committed Certayne of them mett Albinus comminge from Alexandria and enstructed him hereof that it vvas not lavvefull for Ananus to summone a counsell contrary to his commaundement Albinus thus persvvaded vvrote fumishly vnto Ananus threatning reuengement vpon him for this fact And king Agrippa vvhen he had gouerned the high priesthoode three moneths depriued him placing in his rovvme Iesus the sonne of Damaeus Thus farre toutching Iames whose epistle that is reported to be which is the first among the vniuersall Epistles Yet haue we to vnderstande that the same is not voyde of suspicion for many of the auncient writers make no mention thereof like as neyther of that which is vnder the name of Iudas being one of the seuen called vniuersall for all this we knowe them to be publickly reade in most Churches The translator for the remouing of all suspition concerning the canonicall Epistle of Iames. TOutching this Iames whose Epistle hath bene suspected take this lesson of Ierome agaynst Heluidius disce Scripturae consuetudinem eundem hominem diuersis nominibus nuncupari learne the maner of the Scripture which calleth one and the same man after diuerse names he is called in Math. 10. Marke 3. Act. 1. Iacobus Alphaei and numbred among the 12. Apostles Though Ierome lib. 5. cap. 17. vpon the Prophet Esay call him decimum tertium Apostolum and Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus do terme him one of the 70. Disciples He is called Iacobus frater Domini Iames the brother of the Lord in Math. 13. 27. Marke 6. 15. Galat. 1. and in this present history â–ª but in what sense he might be called his brother being his mothers sisters sonne reade Ierome agaynst Heluidius which handleth that question purposely He is called Iacobus Iustus and Oblias in the former chapiter of Eusebius This history reporteth him to haue bene placed by the Apostles Bishop of Ierusalem and there to haue gouerned the Church the space of 30. yeares for oft in the Scriptures he is founde at Ierusalem as Act. 1. 15. 21. 1. Corinth 15. Galat. 1. 2. Concerning his epistle and other parcells of holy Scripture that they were not generally receaued no maruell at all considering the malice of the Deuill in obscuring those thinges which proceade from the holy Ghost Eusebius writeth that besides the Epistle of Iames the Epistle of Iude the latter of Peter the 2. and 3. of Iohn with the reuelation were called into controuersy so that some reiected them some cleaued vnto them tanquam certis indubitatis Scripturis as certayne and vndoubted Scriptures Ierome in Catalog Eccles Scrip of Iames writeth thus vnam tantum scripsit epistolam quae ipsa ab alio quodam sub nomine eius aedita asseritur he wrote one epistle which is thought to haue bene published by an other vnder his name if this be the whole no danger at all The Canons commonly called the Apostles Canone 84. haue decreed this of the Epistle of Iames together with the other parcells of holy Scripture that it was to be receaued for Canonicall so hath the councell of Laodicea vnder Damasus cap. 59. about the yeare of our Lord 371. And the third councell of Carthage vnder Siricius about the yeare 417. cap. 47. Innocentius the first
auncient fathers thus much shall suffice fourtene Epistles of Paul are manifest and well knowen but that diuers reiected the Epistle which is vnto the Hebrues alleadging the contradiction of the Churche of Rome that it was not Paules I thinke it requisite to knowe and what our Predecessors hereof haue thought I will lay downe when occasion serueth The Actes which goe vnder the name of Paule were neuer taken as vndoubted And because the same Apostle in his Epistle vnto the Romaines saluteth certayne and amongest others Hermes therefore appoynt they the booke called Pastor to be his which hath bene gaynesayd of many therefore not to be numbred amonge those bookes which are for certayne Others thought this booke very necessary especially vnto them that haue neede of an elementall introduction but we haue knowne him to haue bene publikely reade in the Churche and alleadged of many auncient writers in their workes let this much be spoken of the holy Scriptures as well of the generally receaued as of the doubtfully reiected CAP. IIII. Of the succession of the Apostles THat Paul preaching vnto the Gentyles planted the Churches from Ierusalem vnto Illyricum it is manifest both by his owne wordes and the testimony of Luke in the Actes In what prouinces Peter preached vnto them of the circumcision and deliuered the doctrine of the newe testament it appeareth by his wordes and also by the Epistle whiche of trueth is sayde to be his written to the Hebrues scattered throughout Pontus Gallacia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia But how many and what sincere followers haue fedd the Churches planted by the Apostles it can not be affirmed but as farre forthe as can be gathered out of the wordes of Paul He had many fellowe laborers and companions as he called them whereof diuers haue purchased immortall memorye for so much as he maketh continuall mention of them in his Epistles and Luke in the Actes repeting the most famous remembreth them by name Timothe is reported to be the firste Bishop of Ephesus and Titus of the Churches in Creta Luke by lyne of Antioche by profession a Phisician hauinge his conuersation of purpose for the moste parte with Paule and the reste of the Apostles lefte vs proofes of skyll comprysed in two volumes medicinable for our soules healthe sought out amonge them One of the Gospell whiche he reporteth to haue published accordinge as he receaued of them whiche from the beginninge were behoulders and mynisters of this doctrine so that he searched all from the originall the other of the Actes of the Apostles where he compiled not onely the thinges hearde with his eares but also the thinges whiche he sawe with his eyes And of Paule they saye that he accustomed to mention the Gospell of Luke when he spake as of his owne sayinge accordinge vnto my Gospell Amonge the other fellowes of Paule Crescens is witnessed to haue bene sent by the Apostle him selfe into Fraunce Toutchinge Linus we spake before that he was the firste Byshop of Rome after Peter whome he remembreth to haue bene with him at Rome in his latter Epistle vnto Timothe And Clemens the thirde Byshop of Rome is proued by his testimonye to be Paules fellovve laborer and companion Moreouer Dionysius the Areopagite whome Luke in the Actes reporteth to haue firste beleued at the Sermon of Paule vnto the Athenians preached in Areopagus was the firste Bishop of Athens but an other Dionysius there was Byshop of the Churche of Corinthe In processe of our history we will dilate of the successors of the Apostles in their seuerall tymes succeeding nowe let vs turne vnto that whiche consequently dependeth vpon the historye CAP V. Of the vtter besieging of the Iewes after the passion and resurrection of Christ AFter that Nero had raygned thirtene yeares Otho and Galba one yeare and six monethes Vespasianus was counted a potent Prince in Iudaea amonge the armyes appoynted against the Ievves and being proclaymed Emperour of the hoast that there was forthe with he is sent to Rome committing vnto his sonne Titus the warres in hande agaynste the Ievves therefore after the ascention of our Sauiour because the Ievves besydes the haynous offence committed agaynst Christ had compassed manyfould mischiefes against his Apostles firste stoning Stephen to death next beheading Iames the sonne of Zebede and the brother of Iohn with the sworde and aboue all Iames their first Bishop after the ascention of our Sauiour with the manner afore mentioned and draue out of Iudaea the rest of the Apostles pursuing them to the deathe with innumerable wyles when as nowe they were sent by the power of Christ to preache vnto all nations sayinge vnto them goe teache all nations in my name Yea and the congregation of the faythfull in Ierusalem forewarned by an oracle reuealed vnto the beste approued amonge them that before the warres beganne they shoulde departe the cytye and inhabite a village beyonde Iordan called Pella into the whiche when the Christians leauing Ierusalem had entred and the holy men had forsaken the princely principall citye of the Jevves together with all the lande of Iudaea the heauye hande of God apprehended that wicked generation vtterly to roote them from amonge men whiche had practysed so presumptuously agaynst Christ and his Apostles howe many mischiefes haue happened at that tyme vnto this whole nation and howe they chiefely whiche enhabyted Iudaea were driuen to extreame myserye and how many millions of men throughout euery age together with women and children perished with the sworde with famyne and with infinite other kindes of deathe and how many and what cityes of the Ievves were destroyed to be shorte howe many calamityes and more then calamityes they sawe whiche fledde vnto Ierusalem as the Metropolytane and best fortyfied citye Moreouer the state of the whole warres and the seuerall actes thereof and howe at lengthe the abomination of desolation foreshewed by the Prophetes standing in that famous temple of olde suffered a diuerous destruction and an vtter ouerthrowe by fire he that listeth to knowe let him reade the historye of Iosephus where all these are diligently described I thinke it necessarye to note howe Iosephus writeth that vppon the solempne dayes of Easter there were gathered together at Ierusalem out of all Iudaea to the number of three hundred Millions and there shutte vp as it were in prison saying It vvas requisite that destruction due for their desert dravvinge nighe by the iust iudgement of God shoulde apprehende them vpon those dayes being as it vvere shutte vp in prison in the vvhiche they before had dravvne the Sauiour and benefactor of al men the anoynted of God vnto his passion Omiting those thinges whiche particularly happened vnto them eyther by sworde or by other kinde of misfortune I thinke it expedient to expresse their onely calamityes by famine so that the reader may partely hereby coniecture howe that God not longe after was reuenged on them for their impiety
the Machabees because it contayneth the combats of the Hebrues so termed in the bookes of the Machabees manfully fighting in the defence of their pietye towardes God And about the ende of the twentieth booke of Iudaicall Antiquities Iosephus him selfe signifieth that he wrote foure bookes of the proper opinions of the Ievves of God of his essence of the lavves and vvhy according vnto them certayne thinges are lavvfull and certayne forbidden He mentioneth in his workes other treatyes of his it shall seeme agreable with order if we recite those thinges which he wrote about the ende of his Iudaicall Antiquities that our allegations may the better be confirmed for he endeuoring to confute Iustus Tyberianus who writinge the historye of that tyme reported many vntruthes among others of his confutations thus he sayth I feared not thy censure so much of my vvritings but that I exhibited my bookes vnto the Emperours themselues vvhen the dedes done vvere novv fresh in memory my conscience bare me vvitnes that Ierred not but deliuered the trueth hauing obtayned their testimonies vvhich I hoped for And to diuers others I offred my historye vvhere of some vvere encombred vvith the vvartes as king Agrippa and diuers of his kinsfolkes And the Emperour Tytus him selfe vvoulde haue the certayne knovvledge of these vvarres deliuered vnto the vvorlde by my bookes onely commaunding them to be published vvith the priuiledge of his ovvne hande King Agrippa vvrote threescore tvvo epistles vvherin he testifieth of the true history deliuered by me Two of these epistles he alleadgeth but so farre concerning Iosephus now we wil proceede to that which foloweth CAP. XI How after Iames the Iust Simeon was Bishop of Ierusalom AFter the martyrdome of Iames and the captiuity of Ierusalem now ended the reporte â—â—â—eth that the Apostles and Disciples of our Lorde which then were aliue whereof many yet remayned gathered them selues from euery where vnto one place together with the kinsmen of the Lorde according to the fleshe there to haue consulted who was thought best worthy to succeede Iames so that all with one voyce iudged worthy of the seae of Ierusalem Simeon the sonne of Cleopas mentioned in the Gospell and called the cosin of Christ for Aegesippiâ—â— writeth that Cleopas was the brother of Ioseph CAP. XII How Vespasian commaunded the posteritie of Dauid diligently to be sought out in the Churche of Ierusalem MOreouer he declareth that Vespasian after the siege of Ierusalem caused enquirie to be made of such as were of the lyne of Dauid lest that any remayned yet among the Ievves of the royall bloude so that thereby agayne there was raysed a great persecution among the Ievves CAP. XIII After Vespasian and Titus Domitian raigned vnder Titus Linus and Anacletus were Bishops of Rome vnder Domitianus Anianus and Abilius were Bishops of Alexandria WHen Vespasian had raigned tenne yeares Titus his sonne succeeded him in the empire in the seconde yeare of whose raygne Linus after he had bene Byshop of Rome the space of xii yeares deseased and him succeeded Anacletus When Titus had raygned two yeares and two monethes his brother Domitian tooke the imperiall crowne In the fourth yeare of the raigne of Domitian Anianus the first Bishop of Alexandria hauing continued there xxii yeares dyed the seconde after him that succeeded was Abilius CAP. XIIII Of Clemens his Bishoprike his testimony his epistle IN the twelfe yeare of the raygne of Domitian when as Anacletus had bene Bishop of Rome twelue yeares Clemens succeeded whome S. Paul writing to the Philippians calleth his felovv laboter when he sayth vvith Glemens and the rest of my felovv laborers vvhose names are vvritten in the booke of life one vndoubted epistle there is of his extant both worthy notable y â— which he wrote from Rome vnto Corinthe when sedition was raysed among the Corinthians the same Epistle we haue knowne to haue bene reade openly publikely in many churches both of olde and amongest vs also â–ª that at that tyme there was raysed a sedition amongest the Corinthians Aegesippus is a witnes of creditt CAP. XV. Of the persecution and ende of Domitian warring agaynst God DOmitian when he had executed much cruelty agaynst many and put to death no smal multitude of the Nobles of Rome and notable men beyond all rightfull iudgement and punished an infinite company of famous men with the hurtful exile losse of their substance dyeth and appoynteth him selfe successor of the hatred owed to Nero of the warre against God this man secondarily raysed persecution agaynst vs although his father Vespasian practysed no presumptuous Lordlynes towards vs. CAP. XVI VVhen Iohn the Euangelist was banished into Patmos ABout this time Iohn y â— Apostle Euangelist is sayd to haue bene banished into y â— I le Patmos for the testimony of the worde of God Irenaeus in his fift booke agaynst the heresies writing of the epitheton of Antichrist layde downe in the reuelation of S. Iohn sayth thus word by word of Iohn If his name ought publikely to haue bene preached at that present tyme by him veryly it vvas preached vvhich vvrote the reuelation for it vvas not seene a long time after but vvelnigh in this our age about the ende of the raygne of Domitian Our religion so florished in the forsayd times that the heathen writers noting exactly the tymes voutchsafed to publish in their historyes this persecution and the martyrdomes suffred in the same CAP. XVII Of Flania Domicilla a noble gentlewoman banished into the I le Pontia and the edict of Domitian for the destroying of the posteritie of Dauid THey haue written that in the fiftenth yeare of Domitian one Flauia descending of the sister of Flauius Clemens which then was of the Romayne Consuls was exiled with many others vnto the I le Pontia for the testimony of Christ When Domitian commaunded such as lynealy descended out of Dauid to be slayne the old report goeth that certayne of this opinion were accused to haue come out of the auncetors of Iudas who was the brother of Christ according vnto the fleshe as if by this meanes they were of the stocke of Dauid and the kinsmen of Christ this Aegesippus declareth saying there suruiued as yet certayne of the kindred of the Lorde nephevves of Iudas called his brother according vnto the flesh vvhom they brought forth as being of the line of Dauid these Iocatus doth bring before the Emperour Domitian for he feared the comming of Christ euen as Herode did and demaunded of them vvhether they vvere of the stocke of Dauid vvhich vvhen they had acknovvledged he demaunded againe vvhat possessions they enioyed and vvhat money they had They aunsvvered both vve haue onely ix thousande pence so that halfe that summe sufficeth either of vs yet this summe haue vve not in money but in vallovved land contayning not aboue xxxix acres out of the vvhich vve pay tribute and relieue our selues through our
had with the rest of the Apostles but of these thinges thus farre for hereafter more properly in place conuenient we will mention what the fathers of olde hereof haue written Among the rest of Iohns writinges his first epistle hath bene generally of olde and late wryters receaued without any staggering the two latter haue bene gainesayed toutching his Reuelation as yet among many there is a variable opinion some allowing and some disalowing of it likewise of this hereafter what the Elders haue thought shal be entreated CAP. XXII The bookes of the newe Testament canonicall and Apocrypha IT shall seeme conuenient if in this place we collect briefely the bookes of the newe Testament In the first place we must sett the fourefolde vvritinges of the Euangelistes next the Actes of the Apostles then the Epistles of Paul are to be added after these the first of Iohn and that of Peter which is autenticke lastly if ye please the Reuelation of Iohn of the which what is to be thought shall followe hereafter all these are receaued for vndoubted the bookes which are gaynesayde thoughe well knowne vnto many are these the Epistle of Iames the Epistle of Iude the latter of Peter the seconde and thirde of Iohn whether they were Iohn the Euangelistes or some others of the same name take these which followe for forged workes the Actes of Paul the booke called Pastor the Reuelation of Peter moreouer the Epistle fathered vppon Barnabas and the Doctrine called the Apostles and the Reuelation of Iohn if it so please you which as I haue sayde before some disalowe some other receaue as an vndoubted true doctrine diuers doe number amonge these the Gospell vnto the Hebrevves vsed specially of them which receaued Christ of the Hebrevves these writinges are they which commonly of all others are impugned I suppose that necessaryly we made rehearsall hereof to the ende we may discerne and seuer the vnfayned the vndoubted the true writinges according vnto the Ecclesiasticall tradition from the vnlawfull wrytinges of the newe Testament from such as are impugned and yet dayly read of diuers Ecclesiasticall persones that we may knowe them and such as vnder the name of the Apostles as of Peter of Thomas or Matthias besides the Gospells of others as of Andrewe of Iohn contayning the Actes of the other Apostles are published by Heretickes whereof not one Ecclesiasticall writer hath with reuerence alleadged in his Commentaries moreouer the forme of the phrase varieth from the manner of the Apostles their sentence their drifte in discourse disagreeth very much with the trueth of the tryed doctrine for nowe being conuinced they plainely expresse the fond sigments of hereticall persons In fine they are not to be placed as forged but altogether to be reiected as absurde and impious but let vs proceede vnto that which followeth CAP. XXIII Of Menander the Sorcerer MEnander succeeding Simon the Sorcerer is found nothing inferior vnto him for deuelish operation for inuention and behauiour he was also a Samaritane and preuailed no lesse in the blinde misteryes of magicall artes then his maister yea rather added vnto these monstrous sayned illusions somewhat of his owne terming him selfe now a Saâ—iour sent downe from aboue of the inuisible worldes for the saluation of mankinde teachinge with all that none was otherwise able to subdue the Angels workers of this worlde then first of all by his magicall experience deliuered for the purpose and by the Baptisme receaued of him the which as many as doe accept of it they purchase into them selues sempiternall immortalitie yea in this present lyfe so that they dye no more but continually remayne amonge them selues without wrinckled olde age and become immortall â–ª these thinges out of Irenaeus may easily appeare and Iustinus likewise making mention of Simon remembreth also this Menander â–ª saying vvo haue knovvne one Menander and the sâ—me a Samarytane of the village Caparattaea the Disciple of Simon throughly moued of deuils and abyding at Antioche to haue bevvitched many vvith magicall artes persvvading his follovvers that they shoulde not dye And as yet there be diuers which can testifie the same of him it was the drifte of the deuill by the meanes of such Sorcerers cloked vnder the name of Christians to defame by magicke the greate mistery of godlinesse and by them to choke the Ecclesiasticall doctrine which concerned the immortalitie of the soule and the resurrection of the deade but such as embraced these Sauiours haue lost the sauing healthe of their soules When the spyte of Satan coulde not seuer vnto him selfe such as syncerely bare affection towards Christ he linked vnto him selfe the wauering and wandring turnecoates CAP. XXIIII The heresie of the Ebionites THese the Elders properly called Ebionites that is poore men for they were poore and abiectes in deliuering the doctrine which concerned Christ they iudged him a simple and a common man and for his perfection of manners founde iustified as man onely borne by reason of the company of man and his mother Marie â–ª againe they thought the obseruation of the lawe to be necessarye as thoughe saluation were not by faythe alone in Christ Christâ—…â—â—â—uersation of lyfe correspondent vnto the same Other some of the same name haue auâ—yded the fowle absurditie of the wordes nor denying the Lorde to haue â—eâ—e borne of the virgine and the holy Ghoste yet when they confesse him to be God the worde and wisedome to haue bene before the natiuitie of the fleshe they sincke in the same sinne with their former felowes especially when as they busily goe aboute to sette vp the corporall obseruation of the lawe these Heretickes all doe reiecte the epistles of the Apostle Paul accusinge him that he felle from the lawe they vse onely the Gospell whiche is after the Hebrevves other they passe not for the Iewishe Sabothe and other their ceremonyes they obserue a like with the Ievves they celebrate the Sonnedayes as we doe in remembrance of the resurrection of our Sauiour for hence it came to passe by reason of these their fancies that they allotted vnto them selues the name of Ebionites signifyinge their pouertie for by this name or title poore men are called of the Hebrevves About the same tyme we learne there was one Cerinthus an author of an other heresie Gaius whose wordes we haue before alleadged in the controuersie caryed about vnder his name writeth thus of him CAP. XXV Of Cerinthus the Hereticke CErinthus also by reuelations vvritten as of a greate Apostle brought vnto vs certayne monstrous thinges fayning them to haue bene reuealed vnto him by Angels that the kingdome of Christ after the resurrection shoulde become earthly that in Ierusalem our fleshe agayne shoulde serue the concupiscence and lust of the flesh and being set vvholy to seduce as enemy vnto the vvorde of God he sayd there shoulde be the terme of a Millenarie feaste allotted for mariage Dionysius also Bishop of
he graciously commaunded so sentence should be giuen yet vve require not this as commaunded by Adrian but in as much as you knovve that at the request of the people iustice is to be craued vve haue annexed the coppy of Adrianus his epistle to the ende you may vnderstand vve tell nothinge but that vvhich is true for thus he vvrote CAP. IX The epistle of Adrian the Emperour that no Christian be accused neither suffer without iust cause VNto Minutius Fundanus Proconsul of Asia Adrian fendeth greeting I receaued an Epistle from Serenius Granianus that right vvorthy man and â—hy predecessor the occasion vvherof I can not vvith silence leaue vntoutched lest that thereby men be troubled a gappe left open to the malice of Sycophants VVherfore if your prouincialls can proue ought against the Christians vvhereof they charge them and iustifie it before the barre let them proceede on not appeach them only for the name nether crauâ— vvith outcries against theÌ„ â–ª for it is very expedient that if any be disposed to accuse the accusation be throughly knovvne of you and sifted Therefore if any accuse the Christians that they transgressed the â—â—vves see that you iudge and punish according to the qualitie of the offence but in playne vvordes if any vpon spyte or malice comense or cauill against them see you chastice him for his malice and punish him vvith reuengement This was the epistle of Adrian CAP. X. VVhat Bishops there were of Rome and Alexandria in the tyme of Autoninus AFter that Adrian ruling in the regall scepter the space of one and twenty yeares had runne the race of his naturall life Antoninus called Pius succeeded him in the empyre In the first yeare of whose raygne Telesphorus hauing gouerned the Ecclesiasticall seae eleuen yeares deparâ—ed this life whome â–ª Hyginus succeeded Irenaeus writeth that this Telesphorus was crowned at his death with martyrdome and signifieth withall that in the tyme of the sayde Hyginus â–ª Valentinus the inuentor of his owne heresy and Cerdon author of that error which Marcion afterwardes sucked were manifestly knowne at Rome For thus he writeth CAP. XI The report of Irenaeus toutching the graund heretickes of that tyme with the succession of the Bishops of Rome and Alexandria VAlentinus came to Rome in the tyme of Hyginus â—e flourished vnder Pius and continued vnto Anicetus Cerdon likevvise vvhome Marcion succeeded came vnder Hyginus the nynth Bishop from the Apostles vvho hauing protested his fayth one vvhile perseuered an other vvhile taught priuely aftervvardes confessed his error Agayne being reprehended for the doctrine vvhich he had corruptly taught refrayned the company of the brethren This he wrote in his third booke against the heresies â–ª Cerdon also sucking error of such as vvere Simons adhaerents abiding at Rome vnder Hyginus the nynth by succession from the Apostles taught that God preached of the lavv and Prophets vvas not the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ He said moreouer that Christ vvas knovvne the father of Christ vnknovven Christ vvas iust the father good After him succeeded one Marcion of Pontus a shamles blasphemer vvhich encreased this doctrine Irenaeus dilating that infinite profundity of matter inuented by Valentinus subiect to many errors discloseth openly the malice of the Hereticke being cloked and concealed as it were a serpent hid in his denne After this he remembreth one Marke by name most expert in inagical artes to haue bene in that time for he reuealing their prophane ceremonies and detestable mysteries writeth thus Some prepare their vvedding chamber and accomplish the seruice to be sayd ouer them that are to be consecrated vvith charmed vvordes and hauing thus done they call it a spiritual mariage â–ª conformable to the celestial copulation Some bring them to the vvater in baptizing say thus In the name of the vnknovven father of all thinges in the truth mother of all thinges and in him vvhich descended vpon Iesus Some other pronounce hebrevv vvords to the end the yong conuerts might thervvith be the more amazed But omitting these things after that the fourth yeare of Hyginus was expired Pius tooke the publicke ministery of y â— church of Rome At Alexandria Marke is chosen their shepherde when Eumenes had continued there Bishop thirteene yeares After Marke had bene Bishop ten yeares Celadion succeeded him in y e church of Alexandria And at Rome after y e death of Pius which departed the fiftenth yeare Anicetus was placed minister vnder whom Egesippus sayth of him self y â— he came to Rome where he remained vnto the time of Eleutherius But specially Iustinus at that time disposing the heaueÌ„ly doctrine in a Philosophers atyre contending by his commentaryes for the faith which he embraced Wrote a booke against Marcion who at y â— present time liued was wel knowne for these are his words Marcion of Pontus at this present teacheth such as harken vnto him to beleue in a certaine God greater then the maker of all things vvho among all sortes of men ayded by the subtiltie of Satan hath seduced many to blaspheme and to deny the maker of all thinges to be the father of Christ and to confesse some other that should be greater then he â–ª as many as come of him are called Christians euen as it fareth vvith Philosophers though they be not addicted to the same precepts in philosophie yet the name of a Philosopher is common to all To these he addeth VVe haue vvritten a booke against the heresies novv raigning if you please you may reade it The same Iustinus hath valiantly encountred with the Gentiles dedicated Apologies in the defence of our fayth vnto Antoninus by syrname Pius and to the Senate of Rome for he dwelled at Rome and declareth who and whence he was in his Apologie writing thus CAP XII The beginning of Iustinus Martyrs Apologie for the Christian faith VNto the Emperour Titus Aelius Adrianus vnto Antoninus Pius most noble Caesar and vnto Verissimus his adopted sonne and true Philosopher vnto Lucius sonne of the Philosopher Caesar and adopted of Pius fauourer of learninge and vnto the sacred Senate vvith all the people of Rome in their behalfe vvhich among all sortes of men are vniustly hated and reprochfully dealt vvithall Iustinus the sonne of Priscus Bacchius borne in Flauia a nevve city of Syria in Palaestina one of them and one for them all doe make this request c. The same Emperour receauing a supplication of others in the behalfe of the brethren in Asia which were greeued with all kinde of contumelyes practised vppon them by their prouincialls graciously sent vnto the commonaltye of Asia this constitution CAP. XIII The epistle of Antoninus Pius vnto the commons of Asia in the behalfe of the Christians not to be persecuted THe Emperour Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus Armenicus Pontifex maximus fiftene times tribune thryse Consul vnto the communalty of Asia sendeth greeting I am
Iulianus was chosen Bishop ouer the Churches of Alexandria after that Agrippinus had gouerned there twelue yeares There moderated there at that tyme the schole of the faythfull a famous learned man called Pantaenus for that of olde exercise and disputation in holy Scripture florished among them instituted as we are giuen to vnderstande by such men as excelled in eloquence and studye of holy Scripture it is written that amonge them which then liued this Pantaenus was in great estimation brought vp among the secte of Philosophers called Stoickes he is sayd to haue shewed such promptnes of a willing minde towards the publishing of the doctrine of Christ that he became a preacher of the Gospell vnto the Easterne Gentiles and was sent as farre as India there were I say there were then many Euangelistes prepared for this purpose to promote to plant the heauenly word with godly zeale after the guyse of the Apostles of these Pantaenus being one is sayd to haue come into India where he founde the Gospell of Matthewe written in the Hebrewe tongue kept of such as knewe Christ preached there before his comming by Bartholomewe one of the Apostles and as they reporte reserued there vnto this daye This Pantaenus then after he had done many notable thinges gouerned the Church of Alexandria where by rote and by writing he published much precious doctrine CAP. X. Of Clemens Alexandrinus TOgether also at that time was Clemens founde at Alexandria well exercised in holy Scripture of the same name with him which of old was byshop of Rome and disciple of the Apostles and namely in his bookes intitled Hypotyposeon he maketh mention of Pantaenus by the name of his master I suppose him to haue meante the same in his first booke intitled Stromatôn when he recited the moste renowmed and famous men of the Apostolicke succession whome he embraced saying If it be best to confesse the trueth this present taicte of mine is not made for any ostentation but for a monumente graffed in minde or rather a medicene to expell the forgetfulnes of mine olde age that it may be vnto me a simple resemblance or a sleyght kinde of portracture of those notable and liuely men vvhome sometimes I harde vvith mine eares of vvhich both sayinges and sainctes on vvas of Grece an Ionicke an other of great Grece one of Caelosyria an other of Aegypte some from the east vvhereof one vvas an Assyrian an other of Palaestina of the Hebrevve bloode he vvhich is last in order of name vvas the first in renovvned vertue I remained in Aegyptshiftinge out such thinges as lay in secrett vvheÌ„ I founde him these haue obserued the right tradition of true doctrine vvhich before they had receaued of Peter Iames Iohn Paul holy Apostles as a sonne of the father yet very fevve like theyr fathers God no doubt disposing that those fatherly Apostolicke seedes should by them be layed vp and reserued for vs. CAP. XI Of the byshopes of Ierusalem AT this time was Narcissus byshop of Ierusalem a man very famous the fifteeneth in succession from the ouerthrowe of the Ievves vnder Adrian from which time we haue signified before the Churche after the Ievves to haue bene gouerned by the Gentiles and the first byshop of them to haue bene Marcus next him was Cassianus after him Publius after Publius Maximus after Maximus Iulianus after Iulianus Caius after Caius Symachus after Symachus an other Caius after him an other Iulianus him succeeded Capito after him Valens after Valens Dolichianus after all Narcissus the thirtieth in succession from the Apostles CAP. XII Of Rhodon and the repugnancy which he founde in the heresie of Marcion ABout the same time florished one Rhodon an Asian sometime at Rome by his owne report the disciple of Tatianus who wrote many bookes and together with others impugned the heresie of Marcion he paynteth this heresie in his time to haue bene seuered into sundry sectes the Authors of which schisme and their false positions seuerally inuented he hath sharply and in fewe wordes reprehended heare him if you please writing thus VVherefore they varied among themselues coursing an vnconstant sentence of that crue vvas Apelles pretending a politicall kinde of conuersation and sadde grauitie confessing one beginning and saying that prophecyes are of a contrary spirite fully crediting the sentences and deuelishe doctrine of a mayde called Philumaena others some as the rouer Marcion haue layde dovvne tvvo beginninges of vvhich opinion are Pontinus and Basilicus these follovving Lycus of Pontus not perceauing the right distinction of thinges no more did he runne headelong out of the vvay and published barely and nakedly vvithout shevv or proofe of reason tvvo principall beginnings â–ª againe others some falling farre vvorse haue dreamed not onely of tvvo but of three natures vvhose author and ringeleader is Synerus by the report of them vvhich fauour his doctrine The same Rhodon writeth that he had conference with Apelles saying by reasoninge vvith this olde Apelles I tooke him vvith many falsehoodes vvhereupon he sayd that no man vvas to be examined of his doctrine but euery man to continevve quietly as he beleued he pronounced saluation for such as beleued in Christ crucified so that they vvere founde exercised in good vvorkes his doctrine of the God of all thinges vvas maruelous darke and obscure he confessed on beginning agreeable vvith our doctrine after he had layde downe his whole opinion he sayth VVhen I demaunded of him hovv prouest thou this hovve canst thou affirme that there is one beginning tell vs. he made ansvvere that he misliked vvith the prophecies them selues for that they vttered no trueth but varied among them selues that they vvere false and contrary to them selues hovv that there vvas one beginning he sayd He knevve not but yet he vvas so persvvaded aftervvards I charged him to tell me the trueth he svvare he sayd the trueth neither knevve he hovv there vvas one God vnbegotten yet beleued he the same I truly condemned him vvith laughter for that he called him self a doctor and coulde not confirme his doctrine In the same booke Rhodon speaking to Calliston confesseth him self at Rome to haue bene the disciple of Tatianus he reporteth that Tatianus wrote a booke of Problemes Wherefore when as Tatianus promised to sifte out the darke speaches and hidd mysteries of holy Scripture Rhodon promised also in a peculiar volume to publish the resolutions of his Problemes his commentaries vpon the six dayes vvorkes are at this day extant but Apelles wrote infinite tractes impiously agaynst the lawe of Moses reusâ—ing in most of them the holy Scriptures very paynfull and earnest in the reprehension and as he thought in the ouerthrowe of them of these thinges thus farre CAP. XIII Of the false prophets in Phrygia and foule schisme raysed at Rome by Florinus and Blastus THat sworne enemy of the Church of God hater of all honesty embracer of all spite malice omitting no
vvolfe from the sheepe I am no vvolfe I am the vvorde the spirite and povver but let him manifestly expresse that povver by the spirite and preuayle let him compell such men as then vvere present to trye and conferre vvith that talkatyue spirite namely these vvorthy men and Bishops Zoticus of Comanum and Iulian of Apamia to confesse the same vvhose mouthes vvhen the companions of Themison had stopped they suffered not the lying spirite and seducer of the people to be rebuked In the same booke after he had layde downe other thinges to the confutation of Maximilla his false prophecyes he declareth with all the tyme when he wrote and their prophecyes foreshewing warres and sedicions whose fonde fantasies he confuteth in this sorte And hovv can it othervvise fall out but that this be founde a manifest vntrueth and open falsehoode For novve it is more then thirtene yeares agoe since this vvoman dyed and yet in all this space hath there happened in this vvorlde neither ciuill neither generall vvarres but especially the Christians through the mercy of God haue had continuall peace Thus much out of the seconde booke out of the thirde booke we will alleadge a fewe lynes agaynst them which gloried that many of them were crowned with martyrdome for thus he writeth VVhen as they are in the premisses blanked confuted and voyde of arguments they flye for shift and refuge vnto martyrs reporting them selues to haue many affirming that to be a sure and a certayne proofe of the propheticall spirite raygning among them neither is this a most euident proofe as it appeareth for diuers other hereticall sectes haue many Martyrs vnto vvhome for all that vve neither condescende neither confesse that they haue the trueth among them And first for all the Mareionites affirme they haue many Martyrs vvhen as for all that their doctrine is not of Christ him self according vnto the trueth a litle after he sayth these that are called to their tryall and to testifie the true fayth by suffring of Martyrdome are of the Churche they communicate not vvith any of the Phrygian hereticall Martyrs but are seuered from them consenting no not in one iote vvith the fonde spirite of Montanus and his vvoman and that this vvhich I saye is moste true it shall euidently appeare by the examples of Caius and Alexander Martyrs of Eumenia vvho suffered in our tyme at Apamia situated vppon the ryuer Maeander CAP. XV. Of Miltiades and his workes IN the afore sayd booke this Apollinarius remembred the Commentaries of Miltiades who likewise wrote a booke against the foresayd heresie the wordes by him cyted were in this sort these things haue I briefly alleadged and found vvritten in some one of their commentaries vvhich confute the booke of Alcibiades vvhere he declareth that it is not the property of a Prophet to prophecye in a traunce a litle after he rehearseth the Prophets of the newe Testament among whome he numbreth one Ammias and Quadratus saying as followeth A false Prophet in a traunce vvhere licence and impunitie doe concurre beginneth vvith rashe ignoraunce endeth vvith furious rage and frensie of mind as it is sayd before of this sort in such traunce of spirite they shal be able to shevve vs non of the prophetes ether of the olde or of the nevve testament neyther shall they be able to glory of Agabus of Iudas of the daughters of Philip of Ammias the Philadelphian of Quadratus neither of any other vvhich may any thing auaile them Againe he wryteth If that as they say after Quadratus and Ammias the Philadelphian these vvomen of Montanus succeeded in the gift of prophecy lett them shevve vvho aftervvardes succeeded Montanus and his vvomen for the Apostle thinketh good that the gift of prophecie should raigne in euery Church euen vnto the ende but novve for the space of these fouretene yeares since Maximilla dyed they are able to shevve vs not one so farre he this Militiades whome he remembreth leaft vnto vs in wryting other monumentes of his laboure and industrie in the holy Scriptures aswell in the bookes he wrote agaynst the Gentiles as also in the books agaynst the Ievves satisfieng confuting in two books their seuerall argumentes and opinions afterwardes he wrote an Apologie of the Christian philosophie which he embraced vnto the potentates and princes of this world CAP. XVI Apollonius his iudgement of the same heresie TO be briefe this Phrygian heresie was confuted by Apollonius an ecclesiasticall writer who then I saye at that time florished in Phrygia he published a seuerall booke against it he refuted their prophecyes accompting them for vayne lyes he plainely opened and reuealed the conuersation of such as were principall and chief patrons of this heresie of Montanus he wrote in this manner But vvhat kinde of nevve Doctor this is his vvorkes and doctrine doe declare This is he vvhich taught the breakinge of vvedlocke this is he vvhich prescribed lavves of fastinge this is he vvhich called Pepuza and Timium peltinge parishes of Phrygia Ierusalem to the ende he might entice all men from euery vvhere to frequent thither this is he vvhich ordayned tolegatherers taxers of money â–ª this is he vvhich vnder pretense and colour of oblations hath conningely inuented the arte of bribinge this is he vvhich giueth greate hyre vnto the preachers of his doctrine that by feedinge of the panche his prophecies may preuaile Thus much of Montanus and immediatly of his Prophetisses he wryteth VVe haue shevved before these first prophetisses from the time they vvere filled vvith theyr false spirite to haue forsaken theyr husbandes hovve shamefully then do they lye calling Priscilla a virgin He addeth sayinge Doth not the-vvhole Scripture forbydde that a prophete shoulde receaue revvardes and money VVhen I see a prophetisse receaue golde and siluer and precious garmentes hovve can I chuse but detest her Agayne of an other he sayth And besides these Themison also inflammed vvith the burninge thurst of couetousnesse tasted not of the tarte conyzance of confession before the tyrant but shifted himself out of fetteres vvith much money And vvhen as therefore he shoulde haue humbled himselfe yet he all in braggery as if he vvere a martyr after the example of the Apostle vvrote a catholicke epistle very presumptuously to enstructe them vvhich beleued better then he did and to exhort them to striue for the nevve doctrine together vvith him and to reuile the Lorde and his Apostles and his holy Churche Againe speakinge of one of theyr highlye esteemed Martyrs he wryteth in this sorte And that vve trouble not our selues vvith many lett the prophetisse tell vs toutchinge Alexander vvho called himselfe a Martyre vvith vvhome she hathe banqueted vvhome also many doe adore vvhose theftes and other haynous crimes vvhich he suffred for I vvill not presently rehearse for they are publickely knovven and registered vvhose sinnes hathe he pardoned vvhether doth a prophete yeld thefte vnto a
coÌ„mentaries of Heraclitus vpoÌ„ Paul Maximus of y â— common question in hereticks mouthes vvhence euill proceedeth and that this substance vvas made Candidus of the creation of vvorke of the sixe dayes Appion of the same argument Sixtus of the resurrection and a certein tracte of Arabianus with a thousande mo all whiche writers time doth not permitte neither is it possible to publishe them in this our history because they minister no occasion to make mention of them CAP. XXV Of suche as from the beginning impugned the heresie of Artemon the behauiour of the hereticke and his presumption in reiecting and corrupting the scriptures AMong these bookes there is found a volume written against the heresie of Artemon â–ª which Paulus Samosatenus in our daies endeuored to reuiue wherin is coÌ„tained ah history worthy to be published among these our histories diuersly from euery where collected â–ª wheÌ„ this boke had coÌ„futed y â— said presuÌ„ptuous heresy which affirmed Christ to be a bâ—â—e naked maÌ„ that the authors therof had gloried of it as an auncient opinioÌ„ after many lynes leaues to the coÌ„fuâ—acion of this blasphemous vntrueth he writeth thus They affirme that all our aunâ—â—â—ours â–ª yea and the Apostles them selues vvere of that opinion and taughte the same vvith them and that this their true doctrine for so they call it vvas preached embraced vnto the time of Victor the thirtenth bishop of Rome after Peter corrupted by his successour Zephyrinus this peraduenture might seeme to haue some likelyhoode of trueth vnlesse firste of all the holy scriptures reclamed next the bokes of suÌ„dry meÌ„ loÌ„g before the time of Victor vvhich they published against the gentiles in the defence of the trueth in the confutation of the hereticall opinions of their time I meane Iustinus Meltiades Tatianus and Clemens vvith many others in all vvhich Christ is preached and published to be God VVho knovveth not that the vvoorkes of Irenaus Melito and all other Christians do confesse Christ to be both God and man to be shorte hovve many psalmes and hymnes and Canticles vvere vvritten from the beginninge by the faythfull Christians vvhich â—ounde and singe Christ the vvorde of God for no other then God in deede hovv then is it possible accordinge vnto their report that our auncetors vnto the time of Victor should haue preached so vvhen as the ecclesiasticall censure for so many yeares is pronounced for certeine and knovven vnto all the vvorlde and hovve can they chuse but be ashamed thus vntruely to reporte of Victor vvhen as they knovve for suretie that Victor excommunicated Theodotus a tanner the father and founder of this Apostasie vvhich denyed the diuinitie of Christ because that he firste affirmed Christ to be but onely man if Victor as they reporte had bene of their blasphemous opinion hovv then could he haue excoÌ„municated Theodotus the author of that heresie but Victor was thus affectionated when he had gouerned y â— ecclesiasticall function the space of tenne yeares Zephyrinus succeeded him about the tenth yere of the raigne of Seuerus The same author which wrote the aforesaid booke against the founder of this heresie declareth a certeine historie that was done in the time of Zepherinus after this maner Therfore to the ende I may aduertise diuerse of the brethren I vvil rehearse a certaine historie of our time vvhiche as I suppose if it had bene in Sodome they vvold haue fallen to repentaÌ„ce There vvas one Natalius vvho not loÌ„g before but eueÌ„ in our time becam a coÌ„fessor this Natalius vvas on a tyme seduced by Asclepiodotus an other Theodotus an exchauÌ„ger they both vvere disciples of Theodotus the taÌ„ner vvho theÌ„ being author of this blasphemous opinioÌ„ as I sayd before vvas excoÌ„municated by Victor bishop of Rome for Natalius vvas persvvaded by theÌ„ for a certeine hire revvarde to be called a bishop of this heretical opinioÌ„ to vvete a huÌ„dreth fifty peÌ„ce monethly to be payd him Novv he being thus linked vnto theÌ„ the Lord vvarned him oft by visions for God and our Lord Iesus Christ full of mercy compassion vvold not that the vvitnesse of his passioÌ„s should perishe vvithout the churche for that he vvas altogether carelesse negligeÌ„t in marking the visions froÌ„ aboue being novv as it vvere hooked vvith the svveete baites of primacie honour filthy lucre vvherby thousands do perishe at leÌ„gth he vvas scurged by an Angel of the Lord. for the space of a vvhole nyght chasticed not a little so that vvhen he rose earely in the morning couered in sackcloth sprinckled in ashes vvith much vvoe many teares he fel dovvn flatte before the feete of Zephyrinus bishope of Rome not after the manner of a cleargie man but of the laye people beseaching the churche prone alvvayes to compassion vvith vvatrishe eyes and vvette cheekes for the mercie of Christ to tender and pitie his miserable case so that vsinge many petitions and shevvinge in his bodie the printe of the plaguye stripes after muche adoe he vvas receaued vnto the communion We thinke best to adde vnto these other relations of the same author for thus he writeth They corrupted the holye sacred scriptures vvithout any reuerence they reiected the canon of the auncient faith they haue bene ignorant of Christ not searching vvhat the holie scriptures affirmed but exercisinge them selues therein siftinge it to this ende that some figure or forme of a syllogisme myght be founde to impugne the diuinitie of Christ and if any reasoned vvith them out of holie scripture forthvvith they demaund vvhether it be a coniuncte or a simple kinde of syllogisme layenge asyde holye scripture they practise Geometrie as beynge of the earth they speake earthlye and knovve not him vvhiche came frome aboue Euclides amonge a greate many of them measureth the earth busielie Aristotle and Theophrastus are hyghlye esteemed Galen is of diuerse vvorshipped but vvhat shall I saye of these vvho beynge farre from the fayth abuse the arte of infidels to the establyshinge of theyr hereticall opinion and corrupt the simplicitie of holy scripture through the subtle craft of sinfull persons for to this purpose they put their prophane handes to holie scripture sayinge they vvolde correcte them and that I reporte not this vntruely of them or parciallie agaynste them if any man please he may easily knovve it for if any vvill peruse their copies and conferre one vvith an other he shall finde in them great contrariety The bookes of Asclepiades agree not vvith them of Theodotus there is found betvvene them great difference for their disciples vvrote obscurely such things as their masters had ambiciously corrected againe vvith these the copies Hermophilus do not consent neither are the copies of Apollonius at concord among theÌ„ selues if their alligatioÌ„s be coÌ„ferred vvith their traÌ„slatioÌ„s alteratioÌ„s there shal be found great diuersity belike they are altogether ignoraÌ„t vvhat presumptioÌ„
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
his successors of the peace graunted vnder Galienus there is no cause to the contrary but that the Reader may be made partaker thereof CAP. XXII Dionysius censure of Macrinus and Galienus the Emperous and of the heresie of the Chiliasts MAcrinus after that he had forerunne on of the Emperours and followed after the other immediatly he is rooted out with all his kinred and Galienus is proclaymed and crowned Emperour by the consent of all men both an auncient a new Emperour being before them but appearing after them according vnto the saying of the Prophet Esay the thinges of old are past beholde new things now come in place for euen as a cloude darkneth a litle the sunne beames and shadoweth the sunne it selfe shining in his spheare agayne after the cloude is resolued and vanished away the sunne vvhiche rose before the cloude shineth and taketh his course so Macrinus vvho intruded him selfe before the present raygne of Galienus is novve no Emperour no more he vvas not then but this man like him selfe as he vvas then so is he novve and the empire it selfe laying aside heauy and vvrinckled olde age and purged of the former malice novve florisheth a freshe is hearde and seene further pearâ—eth and preuayleth ouer all Then he sheweth the tyme of his writing saying thus It commeth in my minde to consider the yeares of these Emperours raygne I see hovve the moste impious vvere famous in deede but in a short vvhile after they became obscure yet this holy and blessed Emperour hauing past the seuenth novve endeth the nynth yeare of his raygne the vvich vve vvill celebrate for holy daye Besides all these he wrote two bookes of the promises of God â–ª the occasion whereof was such One Nepos a Bishop of Aegypt taught y â— the promises of God made vnto holy men in the Scriptures were to be vnderstoode after the Iewish maner sauoring 〈◊〉 much of Iudeisme he layd downe for good doctrine that after the resurrection we shoulde leadâ— a life here on earth in corporall pleasures the space of a thousande yeares and because be supposed that he was able to iustifie this his opinion out of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn he wrote a booke thereof and entitled it the reprehensions of Allegorizers This booke doth Dionysius in his workes intitled of the promises of God confute In the first helayeth downe his censure of that doctrine in the seconde he entreateth of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn in the beginning of which booke he writeth thus of Nepos CAP. XXIII Of the booke of Nepos the Chiliast the quiet conference and disputation betwene Dionysius and Coracion the Chiliast with the frute thereof THey alleadge sayth Dionysius a certaine booke of Nepos vvhereupon they grounde that vvithout all peraduenture the kingdome of Christ to become here on earth may be proued for sundry other his gifts I commende and embrace Nepos partly for his fayth his diligence and exercise in holy Scriptures partly also for his pleasaunt psalmodie vvhervvith at this day many of the brethren are delighted I highly esteeme reuerence the man specially for such a one as novve is departed to rest yet the trueth is our friende and afore all to be reuerenced â–ª and if any thing be vvell spoken it deserueth commendation and is charitably to be accepted if ought seeme not soundly to be written it is to be searched out and refuted If he were present and auoutched his doctrine by vvorde of mouth it shoulde suffice vvithout vvriting to conferre by obiections and resolutions to refell and reconcile the aduersaries but in so much there is extant a booke thereof as some suppose very probable and many doctors sett nought by the lavve and Prophets they take scorne to be tryed by the Euangelists they contemne the vvorkes of the Apostles alleadging the doctrine of this vvriter as a thing most notable and an hidd secret they suffer not the simpler sorte of the brethren to conceaue any high or magnifical thing neither of the glorious and right godly comming of our Lorde neyther of our resurrection from the deade our gathering together and vniting vvith him but trifling toyes and mortall affayres persvvading these present things to be hoped for in the kingdome of God â–ª it is necessary vve deale by vvay of reasoning vvith our brother Nepos as if he vvere present vnto these he addeth VVhen I vvas at Arsenoita vvhere as thou knovvest this doctrine first sprang so that schismes and manifest fauling avvay from the Church fell out in those congregations I called together the Elders and doctors inhabiting those villages in presence of as many of the brethren as vvillingly came and exhorted them openly to fift out this doctrine â–ª when as they brought me forth this booke as an armed fence and inuincible fortresse I sate with them from morning to night whole three dayes discussing those thinges which therein were written where I wondred at the constancy desire of the trueth intelligence or capacitie and the tractablnes of the brethren how orderly and vvith what moderation they obiected they aunswered they yelded neither endeuored they by any kinde of way contentiously to retayne their positions if they were proued false neither bolted they contradictions but as much as in them lay stucke fast confirmed their purpose â–ª and yet agayne where reason required they chaunged their opinion were not ashamed to confesse the trueth together with vs but with good conscience all hypocrisie layd aside their harts made manifest vnto God they embraced such thinges as vvere proued by demonstrations and doctrine of holy Scripture and at length the graundecaptayne and ringleader of this doctrine called Coracion in presence of all the auditors then in place confessed and promised vnto vs that thenceforth he vvoulde neuer consent vnto this opinion neyther reason of it neyther mention neyther teach it for that he vvas sufficiently conuinced vvith contrary arguments the rest of the brethren then present reioyced at this conserence at this his submission and consent in all thinges CAP. XXIIII The censure of Dionysius toutchinge the reuelation of Sainct Iohn The heresie of Cerinthus COnsequently in discourse be wryteth thus of the reuelation of Sainct Iohn Diuerse of our predecessors haue vvholy refused reiected this booke by discussing the seuerall chapiters thereof haue founde it obscure voyde of reasons the title forged â–ª they sayde it vvas not Iohns nay it was no reuelation which was so couered with so grosse a vayle of ignorance and that there was none either of the Apostles or of the Saincts or of them which belonged to the church the author of this booke but Gerinthus the author of the Cerinthian heresie intitling this as a sigment vnder the name of Iohn for further credit authoritie The opinion of Cerinthus was this â–ª that the kingdome of Christ should be here on earth and looke what he him selfe being
their auncesters shoulde be brought againe to the right vvay â–ª for after a certaine humor of singularitie such an opinion of excellency puffed them vp â–ª that those thinges which their elders had receaued and allowed they reiected and dissalowed deuising euery man suchlavves as they thought good and obserued the same assembling in diuerse places great multitudes of people â–ª wherefore when as our Edict was proclaymed that they shoulde returne â—nâ—â— the ordinaunces of their elders diuerse standing in greate dauÌ„ger felt the penalty thereof and many beinge troubled therefore endured all kinds of death â–ª and because we perceaue 〈…〉 yet to persist in the same madnes neyther yelding due worâ—hip vnto the celestiall Gods neither regarding the God of the christians hauing respect vnto our benignity and godly custome pardonningâ—â—lâ—â—â—n afâ—â—â— our wonted guyse yea we thought good in this case to extend our gracious 〈◊〉 fâ—â—â—â— able clemency that the christiane may be tollerated againe and that they repayre againe the places where they maye meâ—ro together So that they doe nothinge preiudiciall to publicke order discipline VVeâ— meane to prescribe vnto the iudges by an other epistle what they shall obserue VVherefore as this our gracious pardon deserueth let them make intercession vnto their God for our health for the common vveale and for themselues that in all places the affayres of the publicke weale may be safely preserued that they themselues may liue securely in their proper houses These thinges after our hability we haue translated in this sorce out of the Romaine language into the greeke tongue Nowe haue we duely to consider of those things which ensued and folowed after The censure of the Traslator toutching the chapiters which followe vntill the ende of this 8. booke Being found in the greeke coppy as a fragmente whose author was vnkowen ALl that which followeth vntill the ende of this eight booke â–ª I haue found in the greeke coppy distinguished froÌ„ the 18. chapiters which went before Not deuided into chapiters as the rest was but lying confusely for a suspected worke whose autor was not knowne VVhen that I had translated bit herto perceaued that the latine interpretours rested heere I perused by my selfe the whole fragment to see whether I cold gather any iust cause to the contrary but that it shoulde be turned to Englishe I founde the doctrine sound the history pleasaunt the stile artificiall and farre more curious then in the former bookes The frase sauored of the latine and no force for Eusebius was well seene in bothe the periods longe though not often vsed throughout his histories yet in others his workes very riâ—â— and common Though this fragment be founde more curious and artificiall then the restâ—nâ— maruell at all â–ª for mens giftes doe not serue them at all tymes alike If this rule were obserued paised in the ballance voyd of all parciality there woulde not be so many peâ—ces so many tracts so many learned workes of auncient writers contemned and renounced by reason that the frase in some point seemeth to differ or fall from the wonted grace The learned clerke Antony Gueuarra was vsed to say that at some tymes at some exercises his memory would be so ready his witts so fresh and his skill so excellent that he cold deuide a heare swepe a grayne â–ª at other times he wished to himselfe not only fiue but ten senses which we coÌ„monly callwitts Some things there are to be misliked wit hall in this fragment first that it is out of order placed next that there are sentences and periods wrytten by Eusebius in the former 18. chapiters repeated in this fragmeÌ„t Toutching the repetion he that is acquainted with Eusebius will confesse that oftentimes in many places he repeateth one thinge though not vpon the selfe some occasioÌ„ neither in the selfe same order nether with the same words he hath made meÌ„tion of his booke of martyrs of the â—okes he wrote of the life of Phamphilus almost in euery booke he reporteth the selfe same martyrdomes in diuerse bookes and sundry places as for the placinge no maruell at allthough it be out of order Eusebius published not his owne history but left it with his familiars Alexander byshop of Ierusalem gathered bere and there the scattered workes of the auncient wryters copied them not as the authors wrote them but as he founde them and chayned them in the library at Ierusalem â–ª OrigeÌ„ compiled into one volume the translations of the old testameÌ„t and published them in such sort as pleased him best Pamphilus martyr builded a library at Caesarea and gathered the works of Origen and other wryters placing them as he thought good Eusebius confesseth that in Caesarea he made indexes vnto the afore saydwâ—â—ters altering the titles chauÌ„ging the inscriptioÌ„s correcting their order fitting their place sso it may be that the gatherer of Eusebius workes dealt with his histories not placinge this fragment where Eusebius left it But of mine owne parte notâ—inding to conceale any thing from the reader here I founde it in greeke and heare I leaue it in English The reasons which moue me that it is Eusebius doinges are these first in this fragment he numbreth the moneths after the Greâ—â—ans as cap. â—â—â— 21. 26. 28. ZaÌ„thicus Desius Dius Dystros Panemus Apellaeus Audinaeus Peritius c â–ª so hath he done in sundry other places of his workes namly ca. 3. of this 8. bookâ— Secondly the author of this fragmeÌ„t was in Palaestina sawe with hic eyes the martyr doâ—es suffred at Caesarea and other places he was cap. 22. in the company of Apphianus in one house with him at Palaestina a litle before he suffred He saw cap. 27. the miracle at Caesarea when the postes and stones in the streete swâ—tâ— droppes of water He sawe and heard cap. 30. Iohn the martyr who was a blind man preach and expound the Scripturs with great coÌ„mendation This reason is confirmed by that which Eusebius wrote in the 3. cap. of this 8. booke where he sayeth It is not our drift to describe the coÌ„flicts of such as striued throughout the world we leaue that for others neither exactly to paint forth vnto the posteritye all that happened but onely the things we sawe with our eyes and were done in our presence Thirdly the author of this fragment was a familiar friende of Pamphilus the martyr he writeth of him cap. 25. thus Of which number was Pamphilus of all my famillars my derest friende And cap. 29. be extolleth him vnto the skies Sainct Ierom writeth that because of his familiarity with Pamphilus he was called Eusebius Pamphilus Fourthly the author of this fragment as it is cap. 29. wrote the life of Pamphilus in 3. bookes so hath Eusebius confessed of him selfe in sundry places and Sainct Ierom in his life wryteth the same of him wherefore Eusebius was the author of this fragment Fiftly the sayde author cap. 19. maketh
you for that it concerneth not any weyghty substance of all our religiō there is no reason why it should breed any diuision at all in mind or discorde in doctrine And this doe I say not to compell you in this light and fonde question of what sorte soeuer it be alltogether to condescende vnto the same sentence though you dissent among yourselues about a matter of small importance for neither truely are we all in all things like minded neither haue we all the same nature and gifte ingraffed in vs neuerthelesse for all that it may come to passe that the sacred vnity may soundlye inuiolably be retained amōg you one cōsent fellowship cōserued betwene all But toutching the prouidēce of God let there be one fayth amōg all one cōsent of mind one opinion cōcerning God as toutching the sleyghty subtle sifting out of these vaine questiōs though you agree not altogether in one yet should you haue limited thē within the boūds of your cappacity layd them vp within the secrete closett of your minde let the cōmon lincke of amity let true fayth let the honor due vnto God the reuerēce of his lawe dwell for sure certaine amōg you ioyne hāds together be friends one with an other render vnto the whole multitude of the people theyr wonted familiarity purging your mindes of the spott of cōtention embraceye againe one an other after the most louing friendlyest maner for oftentimes vvhē enmity is banished amity is of more delectable force amōg friēds let me therefor enioy the days in peace the nights vvithout molestation that the pleasure vvhich riseth of the pure light of cōcord quiet life may hēceforth inuiolably be cōserued If it othervvise happē it behoueth vs to sobe sigh to shede many a salt teare for it can not be that hēceforth we leade the rest of our life in peace trāquility for it can not be that the people of God I meane that people which ioyntly with vs is tied to the seruice of god as long as they thus iniustly dāgerously disagree one frō an other doe liue peaceably or hovve can I in this case quiett my selfe and setle my conscience And that you may perceaue the great griefe sorow I conceaue in my harte for the same I beseche you geue eare vnto me Of late as I came vnto the cyty of Nicomedia forthvvith I purposed in minde speedely to trauell tovvards the Easte and vvhen I hastened tovvards you and had passed the greater parte of my iourney so that novve I seemed in maner to be with you tydings hereof constrained me to alter my mind lest that I shoulde vvith mine eyes behould the thinges vvhich I verely supposed my selfe not able to tollerat with mine ears Toutching that vvhich remayneth see that vvith your peace concordeye make plaine and sett vvide open the vvay for my iourney into the East the vvhich you haue shut vvith your debate discord kindled of the one against the other And bringe speedely to passe that I may perceaue not onely you to holde together but also the whole multitude of the laye people reioycinge and let vs all ioyntly render thankes as our bounden duety requireth vnto God almighty vvith conuenient laude and praise for the publique peace the common vnity and liberty of all men CAP. V. Constantinus the Emperour summoneth the Nicene councell it was held at Nicaea a Citie of Bithynia for the debatinge of the controuersie about the feast of Easter and the rootinge out of the heresie of Arius THough the emperours letters contained a wonderfull exhortation full of graue and sobre councell yet y ◠poyson of dissention had takē such roote that neither the industry of the emperoure neyther the credit of the messenger which brought the letters colde suppresse it For neither Alexander neither Arius tempered the madnes of their cōtentious minds for all the emperours letters There was moreouer no small contention and a greate tumulte amonge the vulgare sorte before the which there was an other pestilēt kind of sedition scattered abrode into certaine particular prouinces which greatly molested the quiet estate of the church to weete the schisme about the time of the celebration of the feast of Easter which then had onely possessed the Easterne partes whilest that some curiously obserued the Iudaicall celebration of the feaste some other the generall custome and maner of the christians throughout the worlde And while they thus contende about the feaste they communicate neuerthelesse one with an other and accomplishe the solemnity with bitter contention of minde When therefore the Emperour sawe the church vehemently tossed by reason of both these troublesome tumultes he summoned a generall councell and cited by his letters from euery where the byshops to appeare and meete at Nicaea a city of Bithynia So that many byshops out of many prouinces and cityes came thither of the which Eusebius called Pamphilus in his thirde booke of the life of Constantine wryteth thus There vvere gathered together into one the chiefe ministers of God inhabitinge all the churches throughout all Europe Aphrick and Asia there vvas one sacred senate framed as it vvere by the handye vvorke of God vvhich also embraced vvithin the boundes thereof both Syrians and Cilicians such as came from Phoenicia Arabia Palaestina Aegypt Thebais Libya and Mesopotamia there vvas also in this Synode the byshop of Perses neyther vvas the Scythian absent from this company Pontus Galatia Pamphilia Cappadocia Asia and Phrygia ministred chosen men from amongest them Moreouer the Thracians Macedonians Achaians Epirotae and they vvhose dvvellinge vvas farre distant came thither of the Spaniardes also there vvas present together vvith many others in that company * one that vvas counted notable of greate fame and renovvne But the byshop of the princely cytye by reason of his olde age absented himselfe yet there vvere then presente of his clergie vvhich supplied his rovvme Suche a garlande of immortall memory tvvisted the emperour Constantine beinge but one through the bonde of vnity vnto the glory of Christ and to the ende he mighte be founde thankefull vnto his Sauiour he sett vp that renovvmed signe of victory agaynst the enemye liuely resemblinge in this our assemblie the Apostolicke quire For it is wrytten that in those tymes there were gathered together holy men of euery nation vvhich is vnder heauen amonge vvhome there vvere Parthians Medes Elamits and inhabitors of Mesopotamia Iudaea and Cappadocia Pontus and Asia Phrygia and Pamphilia Aegypte and the partes of Libya vvhiche is beyonde Cyren straungeres of Rome Ievves and Proselytes Cretes and Arabians But this one thinge fayled them for all they that mette there vvere not of the ministers of God The number of Bishops in this assemblie vvas three hundred and ouer but of Priestes Deacons Acolyts and others vvhich accompanyed them the number coulde not be tolde And of the ministers of God some
sought out How great what horrible blasphemies God of his goodnes be mercifull vnto vs haue some vnreuerently vttered against our great sauiour against our hope and life and impudētly not only blased things cōtrary vnto the scriptures inspired from aboue the sacred faith but also affirmed they beleued the same For vvhen as three hundreth bishops and aboue men of great fame both for modestie of minde sharpnesse of witt had confirmed one the same faith which was founde to be a true faith by the trueth it selfe and playne testimonies of holie scripture sought out for the purpose Arius alone was found beyng ouercome with the power and fraude of the deuill to fall from the same and beynge prone therevnto through the peruersitie of his minde scattered and sovved first of all amongest you aftervvardes amongest vs this poysoned errour of perdition VVherefore lett vs embrace that doctrine vvhich almightie God the father of heauen hath deliuered vnto vs let vs returne vnto our dearely beloued brethren vvhome the wicked impudēt minister of Satan hath seuered asunder let vs vvith might and mayne and as commonly vve say vvith all the vaynes in our hart go home agayne vnto the generall societie and body of the church and vnto our ovvne naturall members This aboue all other things behoueth your wisdome your faith holines after the remouīg frō your minds the cākred poysō of the aduersary who set him selfe opposite against the trueth that without all delaye ye haue recourse vnto the grace and goodnes of almightie God For that which seemed good vnto the three hūdred bishops is no othervvise to be taken then for the sentence of God specially in as much as the holie Ghost vvas resiant in the mindes of so vvorthie and so notable men inspiring them vvith the deuine vvill of God him selfe VVherfore let none of you stagger at the matter let none of you make any delay at all but all ioyntly vvith most vvillinge mindes returne vnto the most perfect way of trueth that as soone as I my selfe come amōgst you I may together with you rēder dew thāks vnto the god whose eye nothīg doth escape because that he hath not onely reuealed vnto vs the true syncere faith but also geuen vnto vs most graciously the loue and charitie which vvas to be vvished of vs all God keepe and preserue you vvelbeloued brethren This the Emperour wrote vnto the people of Alexandria signifying in playne words that the finall conclusion definitiue sentēce of the faith was not layde downe vnaduisedly neither came to passe by happe hazard but after great labour industrie after diligent searching and sifting out of the trueth to haue bene published by the councell and not some thinges to haue bene handled some other things to haue bene omitted but all whatsoeuer seemed necessary to be entreated of toutching the confirmation of y ◠doctrine of faith to haue bene sufficiently discoursed neither to haue bene firste vnaduisedly decreed before all were curiously handled in so much that all what so euer seemed to breede occasion of controuersie or discord was quite plucked vp by the rootes But that I may vtter all in one word Constantine calleth the censure of the whole assembly the sentence of God him selfe neither doubted he but that so great a company of bishops was vnited linked together in one mind in one opinion by y ◠motion instinct of the holy ghost Yet for all this Sabinus who is the ringleader of the Macedonian heresie wilfully and of sett purpose impugneth these thinges yea moreouer he termeth such as mett at Nice vnlearned and doultishe idiots neither is he ashamed to charge Eusebius bishop of Caesarea with the reprochefull spot and blemishe of ignorance neither weyeth he this with him selfe that such as were present at the coūcell though they were vnlearned men as he reporteth yet being inspired from aboue endued with the grace of the spirite of God could in no wise straye from the trueth But let vs heare what the Emperour layde downe in other letters against the opinions of Arius and his complices the which also he sent abroade vnto the bishops and congregations throughout christendome An other Epistle of Constantine COnstantinus the puyssāt the mighty noble Emperour vnto the bishops pastors people whersoeuer Inasmuch as Arius traceth the stepps of detestable impious persons it is requisite that he be partaker with them of the selfe same infamie and reproche For as Porphyrius the svvorne aduersarie deadly foe of deuine seruice vvho lately published levvde cōmentaries in the cōfutation defiance of Christian religion vvas revvarded according vnto his desert and so recōpenced that within the cōpasse of these fewe yeares he was not only grieued with great reproche blemished with the shamefull spot of infamie but also his impious blasphemous works perished vtterly were abolished euen so now it seemed good vnto vs to call Arius his complices the vvicked broode of Porphyrius that looke vvhose maners they haue imitated they may enioye also the priuiledge of their name Moreouer we thought good that if there can be founde extant any worke or booke compiled by Arius the same shoulde be burned to ashes so that not only his damnable doctrine may thereby he vvholly rooted out but also that no relique thereof may remaine vnto the posteritie This also we straightly cōmaunde charge that if any man be found to hyde or conceale any booke made by Arius and not immediatly bring forth the sayd booke deliuer it vp to be burned that the sayde offender for so doing shall die the death For as soone as he is taken our pleasure is that his head be stricken of from his shoulders God keepe you in his tuition An other epistle of Constantine COnstantinus the Emperour vnto the churches throughout christēdome sendeth greeting VVhen as I perceaued by the florishing prosperous estate of the publicke weale how greatly we are beholding vnto the goodnes of almightie God conferred vpon vs I deemed that aboue all things it behoued me of dutie to foresee that in the most holy and sacred assemblies of the Catholicke church vnder heauen there shold one faith syncere loue charitie vniforme consent agreement toutching the religion seruice of almightie God vnuiolably be retayned But sithence that the same could by no other way or meanes be compassed neither in any other sure or certaine place be setled vnlesse that either all the bishops or at lestvvise the greater part of them assembled together layde downe their seuerall censures concerning the most holy religion seruice of God therfore when the greatest company that coulde be gott mette together I my selfe as one of your number vvas present vvith them Neyther tooke I in scorne vvhereat novve I greatly reioyce that I coupled my selfe vvith you in those affayres VVe proceeded so farre in the premisses and handled all thinges so exquisitely vntill
kinge went a hunting suche a thing happened The hilles and forest where his game laye were ouercast with darke cloudes and thicke mist the game was vncertaine and doubtfull the waye stopt and intricate the kinge beinge at his witts ende not knowinge what was best in this case to be done called earnestly vpon the Gods whiche he accustomed to serue But when his calling vpon them stoode him in no steede it came to his mind to thinke vpon the God of the captiue woman vnto him then he turneth and crieth for helpe As soone then as he had prayed vnto him the cloude was dissolued the miste scattered it selfe and vanished awaye The Kinge wondered returned whome ioyfullye and tolde his wife all that had happened Immediatly he sendes for the captiue woman when shee came he demaunded of her what God it was whome she serued She so instructed the Iberian Kinge that he published abrode the praises of Christ By the meanes of this deuoute woman he embraced the â—ayth of Christe he made proclamation that all his subiectes shoulde come together To them he rehearsed the manner of his sonnes curinge the healinge of his wife and what happened vnto him as he wente a huntinge He exhorted them to serue the God of the captiue woman They preache Christe to bothe sex the Kinge to men and the Queene to women As soone as he had learned of the captiue woman the forme and fashion of Churches whiche the Romaynes vsed he caused a Church to be buylded and gaue charge that with all speede prouision should be made for buyldinge To be shorte the house of prayer is erected As soone as they wente aboute to lifte vp the pillours the wisedome of God euen in the worke it selfe setled the mindes of the people and drewe them to Christe It fell out that one of the pillours remayned immoueable and colde by no deuise be remoued the ropes breake and the engines cracke in peeces The workemen despaire and returne euery man to his home Then the fayth of the captiue woman made it selfe manifest For in the night season when no man perceaued she came vnto the place and continewed in prayer all night longe by the deuine prouidence of God the pilloure is winded vp in the ayer ouer the foundacion and there hangeth leuell wise without ether proppe or butresse At the breakinge of the daye the Kinge beinge a carefull man not forgetfull of his busines came to see the buylding and behouldeth the pillour hanginge in the aer leuell ouer his place He wondereth at the sighte and all that sawe it were astonished In a litle space after before their faces the pilloure came downe and fastened it selfe in his proper place Whereupon they all showted the kings faith is helde for true the God of the captiue woman was extolled with prayses Thenceforth they stagger not at all but with chearefull mindes they rayse the rest of the pilloures and in a while after they finishe the buyldinge After this they sende Embassadors vnto Constantine requestinge league thenceforthe to be concluded betwene them and the Romaynes they craue a Byshope and Clergie men to instructe them they protest they re syncere and vnfayned beleefe in Christe Ruffinus reporteth that he learned these thinges of â—acurius who sometime gouerned the Iberians afterwardes comminge vnto the Romaynes was made captaine ouer theire souldiers in Palaestina In his later dayes he stood the Emperour Theodosius in great steede in the battaile which he gaue to Maximus the tyrants Thus did the Iberians receaue the christian fayth in the dayes of Constantine the Emperoure CAP. XVII Of Antonie the monke and Manes the hereticke and his originall THe same time liued Antonie the monke in the desertes of Aegypte But in as muche as Athanasius Byshope of Alexandria hathe lately sette forth in a seuerall volume intitled of his life his maners and conuersation howe openly he buckled with deuells howe he ouerreached their sleyghtes and subtle combates and wroughte many maruelous and straunge miracles I thinke it superfluous of my parte to entreate thereof The dayes of Constantine haue yelded greate plenty of rare and singular men but amonge the good wheate tares are accustomed to growe and the spite of Satan is the sworne enemy of prosperous affaires For a litle before the raygne of Constantine a counterfette religion no other in shewe then the seruice of paganes mingled it selfe with the true and christian religion no otherwise then false prophets are wont to rise amonge the true prophets of God and false Apostles among the zealous Apostles of Christ Then went Manichaeus about couertly to conuey into the Church of God the doctrine of Empedocles the heathen philosopher of whome Eusebius Pamphilus made mention in the 7. booke of his ecclesiasticall history yet not exquisitely handlinge his doinges Wherefore looke what he omitted that I suppose necessary to be supplied of vs for so we shall soone learne bothe who and what this Manichaeus was and also by what meanes he presumed to practise suche lewde enterprises A certaine Saracen of Scythia had to his wife a captiue borne in the vpper Thebais for whose sake he settled him selfe to dwell in Aegypte And beinge well seene in the discipline of the Aegyptians he endeuored to sowe among the doctrine of Christ the opinions of Empedocles and Pythagoras That there were two natures as Empedocles dreamed one good an other bad the bad enmytie the good vnitie This Scythian had to his disciple one Buddas who afore that tyme was called Terebynthus whiche wente to the coastes of Babylon inhabited of Persians and there published of himselfe manye false wonders that he was borne of a virgine that he was bred and brought vp in the montaynes after this he wrote foure bookes one of Mysteries the seconde he entitled The Gospell The thirde Thesaurus The fourth A summarye He fayned on a time that he woulde worke certaine feates and offer sacrifice but he beinge an highe the deuell threwe him downe so that he brake his necke and dyed miserablye His hoastesse buried him tooke all that he had and boughte therewith a ladde of seauen yeares olde whose name was Cubricus This woman after that shee had made him a free denzion and trained him vp in learninge not longe after dyeth and gaue him by legacie all the goodes of Terebynthus the bookes also whiche he had wrytten beinge the Scythians disciple Whiche thinges when this free denized Cubricus had gotten he conueyed him selfe forthewith into Persia He chaungeth his name and in steede of Cubricus he calls him selfe Manes The bookes of Buddas otherwise called Terebynthus he setteth abroade as his owne doeinges vnto suche as were snared with his follye The titles of the bookes â—arelye gaue a showe or colour of christian religion but in trueth it selfe the doctrine tasted and sauored of paganisine For Manes as he was in deede a wicked man taught the worlde to serue many gods he commaunded the sonne
worshiping of God And the name of God is deuoutly and reuerently extolled of the Barbarians them selues who vnto this day were ignorant of the trueth euery man knoweth that he which is ignorant of the trueth is also ignorant of God But the BarbariaÌ„s through my industrie that as I sayd before am a right vvorshiper of God came to the knowledge of God and learned to serue him in holines whome they perceaue in all thinges with the carefull eye of his diuine prouidence to defende me This thing moued them at the first to tast of the trueth in Christ whome also for the awe and loyaltie they owe vnto our imperiall scepter they serue vprightly but we which woulde seeme I will not say to obserue nay to maintayne the sacred and holy mysteries of his Church doe practise nothing else but that which breedeth discorde and discention and to be short that which tendeth to the vtter ouerthrowe and destruction of mankinde But see that you come vnto vs as I sayd with speede perswading your selues of this that our mind is as much as in vs lyeth first of all to maintayne soundly without corruption all that is contayned in holy Scripture so that no blemish of sclaunder or infamy may redounde thereunto abandoning vvearing avvay and rooting out all the rotten aduersaries of christian religion vvho vnder color of Christian professioÌ„ haue crept in sovved in the Church of God sundry blasphemous sectes heretical schismes CAP. XXIII VVhen as all the synode came not vnto the Emperour Eusebius together with that crue framed a newe accusation against Athanasius that he shoulde report he woulde stay the carying of corne from Alexandria to Constantinople wherat the Emperour being moued banished Athanasius into Fraunce THe aforesayd letters of the Emperour sett the whole councell together by the eares so that diuers of them returned home to their cities but Eusebius Theognis Maris Patrophilus Vrsacius and Valens gott them to Constantinople they reason no longer of the broken cup or the table that was ouerthrowen or of Arsenius that was sayd to be murthered but they frame them selues to forge out an other accusation They informe the Emperour that Athanasius threatned he woulde cause that no corne shoulde be conueyed from Alexandria as they then vsed to Constantinople and that Adamantius Annubyon Arbathion and Peter that were Bishops hearde it out of Athanasius his owne mouth but then truely the accusation is like to be hearde when the accuser carieth creditt with his person The Emperour was wonderfully moued at this and tooke great indignation against Athanasius exiled him commaunded that he should abide in Fraunce some report that the Emperour did it for this pollicie to see whether with his absenâ—e he coulde reduce the Church to vnitie and concorde for Athanasius was the man that woulde in no wise communicate with the Arians being exiled he ledd his life at Triuere a city in Fraunce CAP. XXIIII Of Marcellus Bishop of Ancyra and Asterius professor of humanitie THe Bishops then being assembled at Constantinople deposed also Marcellus Bishop of the lesser Galatia for this cause There was one Asterius in Cappadocia that professed humanitie and leauing that embraced the faith in Christ wrote bookes thereof which vnto this day are extant The pestilent doctrine of Arius is proued out of them to were that Christ is no other wise the power of God then the locusts and flyes are sayd in Moses to proceede from the handie worke of God and other such lewde reasons This Asterius kept company with Bishops and specially of the damnable sect of Arius He frequented vnto their assemblies for he longed after some bishoprike or other But because that in the time of persecution he had sacrificed vnto Idols he was not admitted to execute the function of a Priest He wandreth and rogeth throughout Syria shewing the bookes he had written Marcellus vnderstanding of this going about to sett him selfe against Asterius fell him selfe into the contrary heresie for he was not afraide euen as Paulus Samosatenus sayd before to affirme that Christ was but a bare and naked man The Bishops that mett at Ierusalem hearing of this made no accompt of Asterius because he was a laye man but Marcellus who was of the clergie they call to an accompt for the booke he had written When they perceaued that he maintayned the opinion of Paulus Samosatenus they charge him to recante He with shame inough promiseth to burne the booke But when as the councell was dissolued in haste for the Emperour had called the Bishops to Constantinople agayne they reason of Marcellus at Constantinople before Eusebius and the other Bishops then present As soone as Marcellus refused to performe his former promise that is to fire the booke which he had vnaduisedly framed the Bishops then present depose him of his bishoprike sent Basilius in his rowme to be Bishop of Ancyra Eusebius moreouer wrote three bookes against his pamflett and confuted his wicked opinion Marcellus after that recouered his bishoprike againe in the councell helde at Sardice where he sayd they vnderstoode not his booke and therfore suspected him that he had sauored of the opinion of Paulus Samosatenus but what opinion we may conceaue of this man we will declare in an other place CAP. XXV How that Arius being called from Alexandria to Constantinople after the exile of Athanasius for to render an accompt before the Emperour of the tumult he made at Alexandria raised a great sturre against Alexander Bishop of Constantinople In the ende died miserably WHile these thinges were a doing the thirtieth yeare of Constantinus raygne was expyred Arius with his company returning to Alexandria sett the whole citye on an vprore The citizens of Alexandria tooke very grieuously that not onely Arius with his confederats was restored but also that Athanasius their Bishop was condemned to banishment When the Emperour vnderstood of the peruerse minde and corrupted purpose of Arius he sendes for him againe to Constantinople there to render an accompt of the tumult sedition he had raysed afresh At that time Alexander who a litle before succeeded Metrophanes in the bishoprike of Constantinople gouerned that Church This Alexander proued him selfe a religious a godly a deuout man in the quarel then betwene him Arius for when Arius came the people was deuided into two parts a great tumult raised in the citye â–ª whilest that some maintained the Nicene Creede the same to remayne firme stable others affirmed the opinion of Arius to be lawfull agreable with y â— trueth Alexander came forth into this great heat of disputation specially because that Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia had geuen out great threats that without all peraduenture he would worke his depriuation vnlesse he would admitt Arius his company to y â— communion but Alexander feared not the deposition so much as the abrogation of the Nicene Creede which they
that he thrust him selfe againe to execut the function of priesthood without the admission consent of a generall councell For they complaine that after his returne from exile he rushed into the church vpon his owne head Secondly that at his returne when the tumult schisme was raised many were slaine moreouer that he caused some to be scurged some other to hold their hands at y ◠barre they alleage also such things as were pleaded against Athanasius in the councell held at Tyrus CAP. VI. Of Eusebius Emisenus IN the meane space while Athanasius was charged with the aforesayd crimes they chose Eusebius first called Emisenus Bishop of Alexandria Who and what he was Georgius Bishop of Laodicea who then was present at the councell sheweth vnto vs. For in the booke he wrote of his life he declareth that Eusebius came of a noble family of Edessa in Mesopotamia from a litle one to haue bene trained vp in holy scripture afterwards to be instructed in prophane literature by a professor which then taught at Edessa last of all to haue sucked y ◠right sense vnderstanding of holy scripture at the lips of Eusebius Patrophilus the one bishop of Caesarea the other bishop of Scythopolis After this to haue gone to Antioch where it fell out that Eustathius being accused of the heresie of Sabellius by Cyrus bishop of Beroea was deposed of his bishoprik Thēceforth to haue accompanied Euphronius the successor of Eustathius and because he woulde not be prieste to haue gott him to Alexandria and there to haue studied philosophie After that to haue returned to Antioch where he acquaynted him selfe with Placitus the successor of Euphronius Thēce to haue bene called by Eusebius bishop of Constantinople to be bishop of Alexandria but sayth Georgius because that Athanasius was greately beloued of the people of Alexandria he went not thither but was sent into the city Emisa Where when there was much adoe made among the citizens of Emisa about the election for he was charged with the study of the mathematicks he fledd away came to Laodicea vnto Georgius who reported many notable storyes of him Georgius brought him to Antioch by y ◠meanes of Placitus Narcissus caused him to be conueyed to Emisa where againe he was accused of the heresy of Sabellius But of the circumstāces of his election Georgius discourseth more at large last of all he addeth howe that the Emperour going into Barbary tooke him thence and that he knewe full well many wonders miracles to haue bene wrought by him So farre of the things which Georgius remembred of Eusebius Emisenus CAP. VII Howe that the byshops which mett at Antioch after that Eusebius Emisenus had refused Alexandria chose Gregorius to be byshop of Alexandria and endeuored to alter and so consequentlye to abrogate the canons of the Nicene councell WHen as at that time Eusebius by the councell of Antioch was chosen bishop of Alexādria feared to goe thither they consecrate Gregorie in his rowme to enioye the seae of Alexandria These things being done they labour to alter the faith who althoughe they colde reproue nothinge of the thinges decided in the Nicene Councell yet verelye wente they about through theyr often assemblyes to peruerte and ouerthrowe the creede contayninge the clause of One substance and otherwise to establishe of theyr owne that by a little and a litle they mighte soke men in the filthie sincke of Arius But of theyr drifte and fetches in the storyes followinge The epistle contayninge the fayth whiche they published was after this maner VVe are neyther the followers of Arius for howe can it be that we beinge Byshops shoulde geue eare vnto Arius beinge but a prieste neyther haue we receaued any other faythe then that whiche hathe beene published from the beginninge but when as vve examined his faith narrowely and weyed it deepely we rather receaued Arius returninge vnto vs then that our selues shoulde hange vpon his opinion The whiche you may easilye perceaue by that whiche followeth For we haue learned from the beginninge to beleeue in one vniuersall God the creator and maker of all things both visible and inuisible and in one Sonne the only begotten Sonne of God who was before all wordes and had his beinge together with the Father which begott him by whome all things both visible and inuisible were made VVho in the later days according vnto the singular good will of the father came downe from heauen and tooke flesh of the virgine mary VVho fullfilled all his fathers will who suffred rose againe ascended into the heauens and sitteth at the right hande of the father shall come againe to iudge the quick and the dead and continewe king and God for euer VVe beleue also in the holy Ghost And if that you will haue vs to add more we beleue the resurrection of the fleshe and the life euerlasting After that they had wrytten these things in theyr former epistle they sente it to the churches throughout euery cytie But continewinge at Antioch a while longer they in maner condemned the forme of fayth that wente before and wrote forthwith a newe one in these wordes VVe beleue as the Euangelistes and Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs in one God the Father almightie the creator and maker of all thinges and in one Lorde Iesus Christ his onely begotten sonne God by whome all thinges were made begotten of the father before all worlds God of God whole of whole alone of alone perfecte of perfecte kinge of kinge lorde of lorde the liuinge worde the wisedome the life the true light the waye of trueth the resurrection the shepherd the dore inconuertible and immutable the liuely image of the diuinity essence power counsell and glorie of the father the first begotten of all creatures who was in the beginninge with the father God the worde as it is sayde in the Gospell and God was the word by whome all thinges were made and in whome all thinges are VVho in the later dayes came downe from heauen was borne of a virgin according vnto the Scripturs was made man and the mediator of God and man the Apostle of our fayth and the guyde to life And as he sayth of him selfe I came dovvne from heauen not to doe mine ovvne will but his will vvhich sente me VVho suffred for vs and rose agayne the thirde daye for our sakes and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the righte hande of the father and shall come againe vvith glorie and power to iudg the quick and the dead And we beleue in the holy Ghost vvhiche is geuen vnto the faythfull for theyr consolation sanctification and perfection Euen as our Lord Iesus Christ commaunded his disciples sayinge goe teache all nations baptizinge them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghoste That is of the father who is the father in deede and of the sonne who is the
will also wreste all the mischiefe whiche the enemy deuiseth agaynst him vpon his aduersarie Their owne bookes doe manifestly declare that bothe Iulian and Porphyrius whome he calleth the gray bearde of Tyrus were raylers and skoffers For Porphyrius in his booke intitled the liues of Philosophers wrytinge of Socrates the chiefe of all the reste inueyeth against him bitterly and wryteth to his contumely raylinge speaches and farre more opprobrious languages then Melitus or Anytus who of olde sclaundered him alike euer durste to reuile Socrates with all I meane that Socrates whome the Gentils haue in greate admiration for his temperance iustice and others his vertues whome Plato the deuine Philosopher whome Xenophon with the whole Senate of Philosophers doe greately reuerence But Iulian followinge his fathers steppes in all thinges reuealed vnto the worlde that corrupte humor whiche troubled his heade wherewich he reuiled all the Emperours and Caesars that were before him in so muche that he spared not no not his deare friende the Philosopher Marcus Wherefore lette theyr wrytinges be iudge whether bothe Porphyrius and Iulian were reuilers and sclaunderers or no. Neyther haue I neede of greate and weyghtie argumentes to confirme this my assertion but the opinions of diuerse sage personages grounded vpon good coniectures the whiche I minde to alleage shall stande for sufficiente proofe What Gregorie Nazianzen hathe thoughe of Iulian lette vs first of all see out of his owne wordes For in his seconde Oration agaynst the Gentils he wryteth thus Althoughe bothe his raygne and also experience hathe taughte other men that these thinges vvere moste true in him yet perceaued I them longe a goe since the time I vvas aquaynted vvith him at Athens For he came thither vvhen the Emperesse had procured licence of the Emperoure for his voyage vvhen also his brother Gallus had conspired the deathe of Constantius the Emperoure There vvere tvvo causes that moued him to repayre vnto Athens The first tollerable the seconde of smale honestie the first to see Grece and the schooles that florished therein the seconde vvhiche vvas more secrete and knovven vnto fevve for to consulte vvith southsayers and sacrificers about his affayres in time to come because it vvas not then openly permitted for the authors of suche impiety to practise suche Deuelishe inuentions And I my selfe in coniecturinge of him at that time although I am not of the number of Propheciers vvas not much deceaued for his vvauering mind and frenticke disposition made me a Prophet good inough He vvich goeth nearest the marke by coniecture is commonly called the beste Prophere I savve not one signe in him that gaue me any hope of him that euer he woulde become an honeste man He had a runninge heade his shoulders did neuer lynne vvagginge and lay slatte or stipe vvise he had vvinkinge eyes that continevvally rolled in his heade his countenance vvas staringe he had a slidinge slippery and limpinge pace his visage vvas scornefull he had a flyringe face of his ovvne the which his immoderate laughter and continevvall skorninge did declare his maner vvas without all good order to say and vnsay his vvords came tumblinge out vvith vehemencie and stoppes the sentence broken in the middes his questions and obiections were rashe and foolish his ansvvers vvere litle better which oftentimes follovved one after the other and as there vvas litle holde of them so were they proposed vvithout order But what neede I to runne ouer all particulers I foresawe in him before he was created Emperour that which aftervvardes proued to be moste true If there were presentely in place any of my familiars vvhiche hearde me thus diuininge of him I am sure they woulde testifie this to be no othervvise then I doe reporte it in vvhose hearinge also at the foresight of these thinges I vttered these vvordes O good God vvhat a monster the Empire of Rome doth nourishe VVhen I had vttered these vvordes I desired of God that in this behalfe I might be founde a lyer For that had bene farre better then that the vvhole vvorlde shoulde haue bene visited vvith so many mischiefes then that suche a monster shoulde euer haue beene seene amonge men vvhen the like thereof had neuer bene remembred before seing there happened many deluges and floodes ouerflowing the countreys the vvhich both yong and olde at this houre doth remember great losse by fire terrible earthquakes and gapinge of the grounde and men also of a straunge shape vvere seene borne into the vvorld of mixte and compound natuers halfe man halfe beast But he purchased vnto himselfe suche an ende as his frentike disposition by all right deserued These thinges did Gregorie reporte of Iulian. Because that Porphyrius and Iulian bothe in many their rashe allegations to the sclaunder of Christian religion haue done greate iniurie to the trueth partely by peruertinge certaine places of holy Scripture partly also by reconcilinge of others after theyr owne foolishe iudgement with applyinge of them to their owne purpose many withstoode them confuted and ouerthrewe their Sophisticall positions yea aboue all the rest Origen who florished a long tyme before the raigne of Iulian sifted out such places of holy Scripture as seemed to bring the readers into doubt layd downe the obiections together with the answers satisfied the captious vayne doubts of wicked persons If Iulian and Porphyrius had diligently perused these his workes they woulde I am sure not onely haue approued the same but also applyed all theyr giftes to other matters and neuer sette theyr mindes to wryte Sophisticall fallacies full of blasphemous impietie agaynst the maiestie of God It is manifest hereby that the Emperoure vsed these cauillations amonge rude and vnlearned people and not in the hearinge of such as had learned the manifest trueth out of holy Scripture For when he had heaped together many wordes of holy Scripture whiche are necessaryly sette forthe after a common and vsuall kinde of frase to expresse the Oeconomie the order in doinge or dispensation of God in the ende he sayth thus Verely these places euery one vnlesse the sentence hath some secret or hid mystery the whiche I take to be most true contayne as farre forthe as the vvordes geue vs to vnderstande manye blasphemies against God This was one amonge other of his argumentes layde downe in his thirde booke against the Christians In his booke intitled Cynisme while he endeuoreth to instructe vs howe farre forthe it may be lawefull for vs to proceede in framinge of holy fables or diuine comedies his opinion is that in the handelinge of suche matters it behoued vs to conceale the trueth his wordes are these Nature had leuer be vnreuealed the hidde also and the intrecate essence of the Gods vvill not in any vvise suffer it selfe to be beaten vvith playne and manifeste vvordes into the defiled eares of men Wherefore the Emperoure as farre forthe as we can gather by his wordes seemeth to be of that opinion toutchinge
holy Scripture because the wordes are mysticall and contayne secrecie but it grieues him that all men be not of his minde and therefore he scorneth at such Christians as vnderstande the sayd mysteries simplie Yet he shoulde not haue so derided the simplicitie of the common people neyther therefore to haue inueyed against holy Scripture neither to haue abhorred and detested the sense and notable sentences comprised in the same because all men did not vnderstande them as he thoughte good Nowe as it is very euidente the like happened vnto Porphyrius This Porphyrius beinge rebuked of certaine Christians at Caesarea in Palaestina beinge altogether impaciente throughe boylinge choler and burninge heate of furious rage fell from the Christian faythe and rashely tooke penne in hande because of the hatred he owed vnto them whiche reprehended him for to wryte bookes where he inueyed bitterly with contumelious stile againste all Christians as I reede in the bookes of Eusebius Pamphilus whiche he wrote to the confutation of his workes The Emperoure also settinge vp him selfe insolencely agaynst the Christians in the hearing of vnlearned persons and being prouoked thereunto by the selfe same frentike and raginge humor fell into the like Apostasie with Porphyrius Wherefore bothe of them fallinge of theyr owne accorde into extreme impietie and priuye in conscience to they re blasphemous practises receaued punishment due vnto theyr deseruinge Furthermore when Libanius the Sophiste skornefully derided the Christians in these wordes they take the man that was borne in Palaestina for God and the sonne of God me thinkes he forgetteth himselfe when as in the ende of his Oration he numbred Iulian amonge the Gods in this sorte Firste of all sayth he they coulde not refrayne for they stoned him almoste to deathe vvhiche broughte the firste tydinges of Iulians departure out of this lyfe as if he had lyed agaynste God Agayne a little after O thou scholar sayeth he of the deuells O thou disciple of the deuells O thou assistent and associate of the deuells Although he vnderstoode this otherwise yet in so much he eschewed not the equiuocall worde which comprised also the Deuell he seemed to vtter no lesse then the Christians accustomed to doe in reproche Wherefore if he had determined with him selfe to extoll any man he shoulde haue auoyded euery ambiguous worde in such sorte as he reiected an other phrase beynge reprehended for it and blotted it out of his bookes Howe that man in Christ is made God howe that he is both man openly and God in mysterie howe that also both these thinges may be iustifyed the holie bookes of the Christians doe declare The Ethnickes before they beleeue are not able to comprehende it For the saying of the Prophete is true If you beleeue not ye shall not be able to vnderstand Wherefore they are not ashamed to number many mortall men in the catalogue of the gods I would to God they had offended herein onely in takinge them for godds who were vertuous lyuers iuste men and temperate persons but they haue preferred such as were impure vniust and dronken sortes I meane Herculeans Bacchians Aesculapians whome Libanius doeth very oft call to wittnes in his writinges whose amorous toyes and wanton behauiour both with male and female if I shoulde goe about to rehearse woulde compell mee to vse a longe digression Such as are desirous to vnderstande farther hereof lette them repayre vnto Aristotles Peplus by interpretation the womans attyre vnto Dionysius garlande vnto Reginus Polymâ—â—emon and to the whole rable of Poets who writinge of these thinges doe sette wyde open vnto the worlde the vayne and ridiculous mysteries of the Ethnickes but that it is a heathenishe custome to accompt of mortall men as of gods lette vs consider thereof a little better The Rhodians beynge in greate distresse receaued answere of the Oracle that they shoulde worship Attis the Phrygian who was a priest and dyed frentike The Oracle was as followeth Set forth the greate God Attis name sounde out his glorious prayse VVhome vertue ioynd with Adon chast and Bacchus happie dayes This Oracle maketh Attis who dyed for loue a god together with Adonis Bacchus Moreouer when Alexander king of Macedonia came to Asia the people Amphictiones brought him presents of whome the Oracle of Apollo in Delphos made this answere and charged the people as followeth Let altars burne and incense powre please Ioue Minerua eke The potent prince though nature frayle his fauour you must seeke For Ioue from heauen to earth him sent lo Alexander kinge As God he comes the earth to rule and iust lawes for to bringe These were the words which the deuell out of the breast of Pythia vttered of Alexander The same Oracle to the ende he myght flatter greate personages and Princes of greate power numbred them in the catalogue of the gods and peraduenture this answere was no other but a flatteringe of Alexander To what ende shall I write of Cleomêdes the wrastler of whome to the ende he myght be canonized a god the Oracle spake in this sort Cleomede interred is his fame lett florishe styll Aduaunce with feasts and sacrifice his name this is our will Diogenes Cynicus and Oinomaus the philosopher condemned the Oracle of Apollo for this aforesayde follie The people Cyciceni called Adrianus the thirtienth god Adrianus him selfe counted Antinous his dearlinge in the catalogue of the gods Yet Libanius woulde not once open his lyppes to the reprehension of these ridiculous toyes and meere follie Neuerthelesse though he perused these Oracles and read ouer the booke of Adrias intituled The lyfe of Alexander yet was not he ashamed to esteeme of Porphyrius as of a god I am humblie sayeth he to craue pardon of the olde graybearde of Tyrus in that I haue preferred the vvorkes of the Emperour before his vvritinges Thus haue we discoursed by waye of digression somewhat at large to the ende we myght satisfie the despitefull reportes of the sclaunderous mouth of the Sophist yet in so much they seeme to require a seuerall volume we will ende them heare and proceede on in our historie CAP. XX. Howe that the bishops of all sects opinions posted vnto Iouianus the Emperour as soone as he was created hoping euery one to finde him according vnto their owne vaynes AS soone as the Emperour Iouianns returned out of Persia the churches immediately were troubled with sedition The bishops likewise whilest they hope to finde y â— Emperour of their owne seuerall opinioÌ„s endeuour with all might to preuent one an other The Emperour for as much as alwaies he cleaued vnto the creede coÌ„tayning the clause of One substance made flatt answere that he would alwaies further the same encouraged Athanasius bishop of Alexandria by his letters who immediatly after the desease of Iulian enioyed againe y â— bishopricke of Alexandria For he being theÌ„ coÌ„firmed therein by the Emperours letters layd aside all feare fayntnes of
he did so made this answere that he tooke not feeding for a seueral vvork but as an od or superfluous thing Unto an other that asked of him the like he gaue this answere My behauiour is as you see lest the mind by pamperinge of the carkasse be pufte vp vvith fleshelye pleasure Isidorus affirmed that for the space of fortie yeares his minde had not consented to sinne that he had neuer yelded to fleshly lust or furiouse anger Pambo a simple and an vnlearned man came vnto his friende for to learne a Psalme and hearinge the firste verse of the thirtieth and eyght Psalme which is thus reade I sayde I vvill take heede vnto my vvayes that I offende not in my tongue woulde not heare the seconde but wente awaye sayinge This one verse is inoughe for me if I learne it as I oughte to doe And when as his teacher blamed him for absentinge himselfe wholle six monethes he answered for himselfe that as yet he had not well learned the firste verse Many yeares after that when as one of his acquayntance demaunded of him whether he had learned the verse sayde againe that in nyneteene yeares he had scarse learned in life to fulfill that one lyne The same man when as one deliuered him moneye to the reliefe of the poore and sayd tell the summe made answere vve neede no counters but a sound mynde and a setled conscience The reporte goeth that at the requeste of Athanasius the Bishop he came from the deserte into Alexandria and seing there a certaine light woman sumpteously attyred and gorgeously arayed to feede the eyes of fonde people to haue burst out into teares And beinge demaunded what the cause was and wherefore he wept to haue answered that two things moued him to lamente very sore One was that he sawe the gaye and painted woman to runne headlonge into destruction the other was that he was not so carefull and earnest in pleasinge of God as she busied to bayte entrappe men already burthened with sinne and iniquitie An other sayd the monke that liued idlely and labored not for his liuing vvas no othervvise to be taken them for a thiefe a roge or a vagabounde Petirus a man of greate skill in metaphysicall and diuine contemplation gaue out one precept or other continewally vnto such as cōferred with him his maner was to conclude euery sentence with a prayer Amonge the aforesayde religious men of that time there were two of equall fame and renowne of like piety and vertue of one name appellation either was called Macarius the one of the vpper parte of Aegypt the other of Alexandria it selfe bothe florished and excelled in many things as monasticall discipline institution of godly life right conuersatiō and straunge miracles The Aegyptian Macarius cured so many men cast out so many Deuells out of such as were possessed of them that all the wonderfull actes he wroughte desire a peculier volume He mingled austere seueritie with temperate reuerence and grauitie towardes them which reasoned or dealt with him The Alexandrian Macarius although in all other thinges he fully resembled him yet in this one point was he farre from his disposition for he behaued him selfe cheerefull and pleasaunt towardes all them that talked with him so that with his curteous ciuilitie and comely mirth he allured many yonge men vnto the monasticall trade of liuinge Euagrius was a disciple of theyrs who at the first was a Philosopher in word but afterwardes in dede and trueth it selfe This mā was first made deacon at Cōstantinople by Gregorie Naziāzen thence together with him he went into Aegipt and there had conference with the aforesayd religious men he became an earnest follower of theyr trade of life and wrought as many miracles as bothe the Macariuses before him He wrote learned bookes one intitled the monke or of that trade of life which consisteth of practise an other called Gnosticus of science or knowledge deuided into fiftie chapiters a third Antirreticus that is a confutation collected out of holye Scripture against the temptation of Deuells deuided into eyght partes resemblinge very fitly the number of the eight deuises or imaginations of mās mind moreouer he wrote six hundreth problemes to the vnderstanding of things to come Unto these are added two bookes inverse one vnto the mōks inhabiting the monasteries publicke assemblies the other vnto him that leadeth a virgine life what singuler books these are I referr it vnto y ◠iudgemēt of the reader Yet opportunitie serueth in my opinion presently to alleage here some part out of his booke called the monke and to linke it with this our history for thus he wryteth The institution trade of life layd downe by the monkes of old is necessarily to be knovven of vs furthermore we haue to direct our wayes thereafter For they vttered many sage sentences and did many notable and worthie acts Of which number one sayde that a drie and spare kinde of diette at all tymes precisely kept mingling brotherly charitie and loue vvithall woulde quickly purge mans minde of all perturbation and fonde humor of humane and earthly affection The same man deliuered a certaine brother that was wonderfully tormented in the night season with spirites for he charged him alvvayes vvith deuotiō to minister vnto the poore fasting Being demaūded vvhy there is no way sayth he to quenche the fierie heate of perturbation as soone as by almes and charitie One of them vvhich at that time were called vvise came vnto Antonie the iust reasoned with him saying O father how can you prolong your dayes being bereaued of that solace comfort which is by reading of bookes perusing of holy writers My booke ô philosopher sayd Antonie is the cōtemplation of all the creatures vnder heauen in the vvhich as often as I am disposed I may reade the wonderfull workes and writinges of God The olde Aegyptian Macarius the chosen vessell demaunded of mee the reason why vvhen we remember the iniuries that men do vnto vs vve doe vveaken the seate of memorie ingraffed in the minde vvhen as vve call to remembrance such spite as the deuell ovveth vs the memorie taketh no hurt and vvhen I muzed vvhat to ansvvere and requested him to resolue me the doubt he sayd that the former perturbation was contrarie to nature the later agreeable vvith the heate and anger of nature Furthermore vvhen I came vnto the holie father Macarius about noone tyme in the heate of the daye beynge sore athurst and requested of him a draught of vvater be content sayeth he vvith the shade for manie that trauayle on earth and manie that trafficke by sea haue not that VVhen that I reasoned vvith him of continencie God sende thee vvell to doe ô sonne sayeth he these tvventie yeares haue not I taken my fyll eyther of breade o◠vvater or sleepe For I eate breade by vveyght and dronke vvater by measure and
Catholick Church Thus much I thought good to lay downe by way of preface and now to the story CAP. I. How that after the death of Valens when the Gothes marched towards Constantinople the city went out to meete them together with a fewe Saracens whome Mauia their Queene had sent to ayde them WHen the Emperour Valens was dispatched out of the way in such sorte as no man was certayne of the Barbarians marched apace towards the walls of Constantinople and beganne to destroy the suburbs thereof The people being moued with this went forth of their owne accorde to withstand the Barbarian enemy and euery one tooke that weapon which came first to his hand Dominica the Empresse gaue hyre vnto euery one that went forth to battell out of the Emperours treasory as the couenant was with the souldiers Mauia also the Queene of the Saracens of whome we spake a litle before being in league with the Empresse sent of her subiects to ayde them Thus y â— people gaue them battell droue back y â— Barbarians farre from y â— city CAP. II. How Gratianus the Emperour called home from exile the godly Bishops banished the Hereticks and made Theodosius his fellow Emperour GRatianus gouerning the empire together with Valentinianus the yonger condemned the cruelty which his vncle Valens practised against the Christians called home againe such as he had exiled made a lawe that euery sect and opinion should thenceforth freely without any molestation frequent their wonted assemblies except the Eunomians Photinians and Manichees And when he foresaw that the Romaine empire dayly diminished and the Barbarians waxed strong and multiplied exceedingly that he stoode in great neede of a valiant and worthy man to gouerne the common wealth he ioyned with him Theodosius a noble man of Spayne trained vp in feates of armes one that was by the vniforme consent and common voyce of all men thought fiâ—t to rule yea before Gratian him selfe was created Emperour He proclaymed him Emperour at Sirmium a citie of Illyrium in the Consulship of Ausonius and Olybrius the sixteenth of Ianuarye and diuideth with him the charge of the battell against the Barbarians CAP. III. Of the Bishops which then gouerned the Churches AT that time Damasus the successor of Liberius was Bishop of Rome and Cyrill of Ierusalem The Church of Antioch as I sayd before was deuided into three partes for Dorotheus the Arian bishop which succeeded Euzious gouerned the Arian Churches the rest were partly vnder Paulinus and partly vnder Meletius who then was lately come from exile Of the Churches of Alexandria the Arians were vnder Lucius who then was a banished man such as embraced the faith of one substance had Timothee the successor of Peter to their Bishop The Arian Church at Constantinople had Demophilus to their Bishop who was chosen immediatly after the desease of Eudoxius They that detested his doctrine and opinion frequented priuate and seuerall conuenticles CAP. IIII. How the Macedonians who a litle before sent legats vnto Damasus Bishop of Rome for the establishing of the faith of one substance fell againe into their former error THe Macedonians for all the embassie sent vnto Liberius and for all they communicated a good while throughout euery church without difference and exception with such as cleaued from the beginning vnto the Nicene creede yet when the Emperour Gratians law gaue liberty vnto euery sect to frequent their seuerall assemblies they seuered them selues from y â— church Wherefore after that a company of them had mett at Antioch in Syria they decreed that henceforth for altogether the clause of one substance shoulde neuer be receaued and that they ought no more to communicate with the professors of the Nicene faith but their wauering minde attayned not vnto so prosperous a successe as they hoped it woulde for many of their owne sect seeing that they did say and vnsay that they ratified abrogated the selfe same constitution condemned them in their owne opinions fell from them and embraced the faith of one substance CAP. V. Of the sturre at Antioch by reason of Paulinus Meletius how that Gregory Bishop of Nazianzum by the consent of all the Catholick Bishops was translated vnto the seae of Constantinople AT Antioch in Syria about that time there was raised a great tumult and seditioÌ„ about Meletius the occasioÌ„ was as followeth We sayd before howe that Paulinus Bishop of Antioch because he was a graue and a godly father was not exiled y â— Meletius was first called home from banishment in the raigne of Iulian afterwards being exiled by Valens returned in the time of Gratian. After his returne into Antioch he founde Paulinus so olde y â— he seemed ready to lye in his graue Immediatly all y â— friends of Meletius endeuored to ioyne him felow bishop w t Paulinus wheÌ„ Paulinus affirmed it to be contrary vnto the canons of the Church that any being created of Aâ—ian Bishops should be made college in any Bishoprick the people endeuored to compasse it by force In the ende they make preparation to stall him Bishop in a certaine church of the suburbs WheÌ„ it was done all the citie was on an vprore In processe of time the people were reconciled vpon such coÌ„ditions as followe All that stoode for the Bishopricke were six in number whereof one was Flauianus being called together they deposed them vpon a booke that none of them shoulde aspire vnto the Bishopricke during the liues of Paulinus and Meletius and when ether of them departed this life the Bishopricke to remaine vnto the suruiuer of them both When the oth was ministred the people were quiete and thenceforth made no sturre at all The fauorers of Lucifer were offended with this maner of dealing and fell from the church because that Meletius being ordered of the Arians was admitted to the gouernemente of that seae At that time when the affaires of Antioch were thus out of frame Gregorie by vniforme consent of all the Catholick Bishops was translated from the Bishopricke of Nazianzum vnto the seae of CoÌ„stantinople Then Meletius gott him in all the hast to Constantinople CAP. VI. Howe Theodosius the Emperour after the foilinge of the Barbarians came to Thessalonica where being sicke he was baptized of Ascholius the Bishop BY that time Gratianus Theodosius had gotteÌ„ the victorie of the Barbarians whereupoÌ„ Gratianus immediatly made expeditioÌ„ into Fraunce because the Germanes had destroied part of that contrey but Theodosius after the erection of the signe in token that the enemies were vaÌ„quished made hast towardes Constantinople and came to Thessalonica There after y â— he fell into a daungerous disease he was very desirous of baptisme for of old he was trained vp in Christian religion addicted himselfe wholly vnto the faith of one substance Being sore sick speedinge to baptisme he gaue charge that the Bishop of Thessalonica shoulde be sent for to minister the sacrament Being come first
his being These followers of Marinus were called Psathyriani because that one Theoctistus a wafrer borne in Syria was an earnest maintainer of y â— side Of y â— opinion was Selenas bishop of y â— Gotths a mungrell by father a Gotth by mother a Phrygian and therefore was he able to preach in y â— Church in both those languages This sect also not long after was diuided for Marinus contended w t Agapius one whom he him self had lately aduaunced to the bishoprick of Ephesus The controuersie was not of religion but of primacie they stroue whether of them should be chief The Gotths went of Agapius side Wherfore many clergy meÌ„ vnder these Bishops iurisdictions perceauing the ambition the rankor and malice of these proude Prelats forsooke quite the Arian opinion and embraced the faith of one substance the Arians being deuided among them selues the space of thirty fiue yeares in the ende as many as were Psathyrians through perswasion which preuailed with them made an ende of brawling in the Consulship of Theodosius the yonger and Plinthus the Pretor Who after their reconciliation and agreement made a lawe that the question which was the principall cause of that sturre shoulde neuer againe be called into controuersie Yet for all they coulde doe that decree of theirs coulde take no place saue at Constantinople â–ª for in other cities where the Arians doe raygne the sturre is rife So farre of the diuision among the Arians CAP. XXIII How the Eunomians were at discorde among them selues and called after sundrynames Likewise of the Macedonians THe Eunomians were also deuided for Eunomius him selfe first fell from Eudoxius who had chosen him bishop of Cyzicum the occasion he tooke was because he woulde not admitt his maister Aetius lately excommunicated into the Churche others also called after his name parted them selues into sundry sects And first of all one Theophronius a Cappadocian trayned vp in captious fallacies and quircks of logick vnder Eunomius had Aristotles praedicaments and perihermenias at his fingers endes wrote bookes entitled them the exercises of the minde Wherfore he was hated of his owne sect and counted of them an Apostata he raised thenceforth priuate conuenticles and left behinde him an heresie intitled with his appellation Agayne at Constantinople one Eutychius vpon light and trifling occasion fell from the Eunomians and vnto this day frequenteth seuerall meetings The followers of Theophronius were called Eunomothephroniani and such as were of the sect of Eutychius were termed Eunomieutychiani what vaine and fond thinges they brawled about I thinke it not needefull to laye downe in writing lest we shoulde digresse from the history we haue in hande Yet in somuch they haue corrupted baptisme I must in no wise runne that ouer with silence They baptize not in the trinitie but in the death of Christ Among the Macedonians also on a certaine time there rose a schisme for Eutropius a Priest of the Macedonians gathered a seuerall company of such mates as he thought good to followe his tayle Carterius likewise of the same sect deuided him selfe from him and of these there rose other schismaticks throughout other cities I of mine owne parte in somuch I leade my life here at Constantinople where I was borne bred and brought vp no maruell though I write more at large of the famous acts done within this citie partly seeing that I sawe most of them with mine eyes â–ª and partly also in somuch they are more famous and thought farre worthier of memory then many other acts These sects and schismes raygned not at one but at sundry times whosoeuer is disposed exactly to learne the seuerall names of all sects let him peruse the booke of Epiphanius Bishop of Cyprus intitled Anchyrotus So farre of these thinges CAP. XXIIII How Eugenius the traytor and rebell procured the death of the Emperour Valentinianus the yonger and in the ende was slayne of Theodosius the Emperour THe state of the common wealth was then very troublesome the occasion was as followeth In the West empire there was one Eugenius a Grammarian and a Schâ—â—lemaister he left schoole and became a Courtier first he was appointed to gard the Emperours person next he was made his treasurer And because he was a politicke man therefore was he preferred into honor yet prosperitie puffed him vp with pride and caused him to worke treason he made Arbogastes of his aduise and councell one by birth of the lesser Galatia by office a captaine in condition barbarous and in behauiour cruell They both conspired the Emperour Valentinians death wrought meanes to allure the Eunuches of the Emperours chamber on their side These men gaping after promotion and dignities being promised faire fell vpon the Emperour as he slept and stifled him to death Eugenius hauing gott the supremacy in the west parts of the worlde behaued him selfe after the wonted guyse of tyrants Theodosius the Emperour vnderstanding of this was sory at the hart he thought it high time for him now to make expedition for the seconde battell for the first he had waged with Maximus Wherefore gathering together a great army and creating Emperour his sonne Honorius in his thirde Consulship and the first of Abundantius the tenth of Ianuary he tooke his iorney towards the West partes of the worlde leauing both his sonnes the Emperours at Constantinople As he went to wage battell with Eugenius many of the Barbarian nations inhabiting the contreyes beyonde Istrum came of their owne accorde to ayde the Emperour against the tyrant shortly after he came into Fraunce with great power for there the tyrant had gathered infinite multitudes of souldiers and fortified him selfe the campe was pitched and the battell was fought by a certayne riuer called Phrigdus As the battell was doubtfull where the Romaines dealt hand to hand with the Romaines so agayne of the Barbarians which came to ayde the Emperour Theodosius Eugenius had the vpper hand The Emperour seeing the Barbarians foyled and ouerthrowen was wonderfull pensiue he fell downe prostrate vpon the grounde prayed vnto God for ayde and asistance and obtayned his sute for Macurius his captaine put on venturous and valiant courage got him to the side where the Barbarians were foyled came to the standard ioyned with him the chiefe captaynes encountred with the enemy and brake the aray In the ende made them to flie which pursued after the flight Immediatly after there ensued this an other straunge act for there rose such blustering blasts of winde as turned the darts of Eugenius the vsurpers souldiers to light in their owne sides and draue with forcible violent flight the arrowes of the Emperours souldiers to pearce the armed peltes of the rebells Of such force and efficacie were the Emperours prayers Wherefore the variable course of that bloody battell being brought to that passe the rebel came groueling at the Emperours feete and craued for mercy but as he
kneeled the souldiers of Theodosius came and stroke his heade of his shoulders These thinges were done the sixt of Septembre in the thirde Consulship of Arcadius and the seconde of Honorius Arbogastes the autor of so great a slaughter two dayes after the ende of the battell seeing that by flight there was no way possible for him to saue his life ranne vpon a naked sworde and dispatched him selfe CAP. XXV How immediatly after this battell the Emperour Theodosius sickned and departed this life afore the triumphes were fully ended THe Emperour Theodosius by reason of the trauell and great toyle he had taken about those warres beganne to be very ill at ease And when that his disease gaue him to vnderstande that the mortall race of his naturall life was then to be finished care and doubts appertayning vnto the gouernment of the common weale troubled him more then the frayle departure or the feare of death yea when he considered with him selfe how many calamities do commonly happen vnto the empire when the Emperour and the scepter be parted asunder Wherefore he sent in post hast for his sonne Honorius to Constantinople purposing to establish through him peace and tranquilitie in the West partes of the worlde At the comming of the sonne to Millayne the father was somewhat recouered and beganne to celebrate exercise of triumphe for ioye of the victory gotten of the tyrant In the morning he felt him selfe so well that he honored the triumphe with his presence In the afternoone he was so sodainly taken with his disease that he was not able to goe beholde the solemnitie but charged his sonne to see all the royaltie accomplished the night following he departed this life It was when Olybrius and Probinus were Consuls the seuenteneth of Ianuary the first yeare of the two hundreth nynety and fourth Olympiad This Theodosius the Emperour liued three score yeares and raygned sixteene This booke contayneth the history of sixteene yeares and eyght moneths The ende of the fift booke of Socrates THE SIXT BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS The proeme of Socrates signifying that nowe he beginneth the history of his tyme. I Haue performed most holy Theodorus in the former fiue bookes the promise I made and the taske you haue enioyned me as touching the continewing of the ecclesiasticall history from the raygne of Constantine vnto these our dayes after my sclender skill and the simple talente bestowed vpon me But I woulde haue you knowe afore ye reade them that I haue not curiously addicted my selfe vnto lofty stile neither vnto a glorious shewe of gay sentences for so peraduenture in running after words and phrases I might haue mist of my matter and fayled of my purpose and intent had I attayned yet was it not in my reache to laye downe that forcible kinde of stile vsed of auncient wryters wherewith they amplifie and diminish they extoll and debase at their pleasure Agayne such a penning profiteth very litle the vulgare and ignorant sorte of people who desire not so much the sine and elegant phrase as the furtherance of their knowledg and the trueth of the history Wherfore lest that our story shoulde halt of both sides and displease the learned in that it doth not counteruade the artificiall skill and profounde knowledge of auncient wryters the vnlearned in that their capacitie can not comprehende the substance of the matter by reason of the paynted Rhetorick and picked sentences I haue tyed my selfe vnto such a meane for all the handling is simple the trueth is soone founde and the effect quickly vnderstoode Furthermore nowe entring into discourse of our sixt booke I must needes tell you the trueth that I am euen in maner dismayed when I take penne in hande to paynt for the vnto the posteritie the famous acts of these our florishinge dayes lest it fall out that we laye downe in writinge such thinges as may offende some kinde of men or as commonly we saye lest trueth be constrayned to trye her friendes when as we publishe not with prayses and commendations the names of such as they like well of or extoll not vnto the skies the fame of their noble and famous acts The fauorers of Prelats and patrons of clergy men will blame vs for not intitling the Bishops moste godly moste holy and such like epithetons Other sortes of men somewhat more curious then the rest will misconstrewe our meaning for not calling the Emperours Lordes and most vertuous with other such like honorable titles vsually geuen them of men But seeing that I am able to proue and iustifie out of auncient wryters that the seruant in their bookes hath called his Lorde and Maister no otherwise then after his christened name I will laye aside these lofty titles and tye my selfe as my bounden duety requireth vnto the trueth of the history and keepinge my selfe within the compasse and limites of faythfull Historiographers which couet a simple and a playne kinde of stile I will nowe to the matter and write of such thinges as I haue partly seene and partly learned of such as sawe them with their eyes the which I haue better liking of because the reporters varied not amonge them selues I had much adoe and greate labour in sifting out the trueth because that sundry men of diuers fortes made relation thereof vnto me wherof some affirmed that they had bene present some other that they had occasion to searche out all circumstances CAP. I. Howe that after the death of Theodosius the Emperour his sonnes parted the empire Of the Bishops then florishing and howe that Arcadius meeting the army at the gates of the citie had Russinus a Magistrate of his slayne at his feete by the souldiers WHen y â— Emperour Theodosius had departed this life in y â— Consulship of Olybrius Probinus y â— seuententh of Ianuary his sonnes tooke in hand the gouernment of the Romaine empire Arcadius ruled the East Honorius the West then was Damasus bishop of the princely citie of Rome Theophilus of Alexandria Iohn of Ierusalem Flauianus of Antioch and of Constantinople otherwise called newe Rome Nectarius was Bishop as I remembred in the former booke The eyght of Nouembre he being Consul him selfe the corps of Theodosius was brought to his resting graue and solemnely interred with noble funerall by his sonne Arcadius Shortly after being the eyght and twentieth day of the same moneth the Emperour Theodosius army which ouerthrewe Eugenius with all his host was come thither When the Emperour Arcadius went forth as the maner is vnto the gates of the citie to meete the army the souldiers presently layd hands vpon Russinus the Emperours Embassadour and beheaded him for he was suspected of treason and the report went of him that he procured the Hunnes a barbarous nation to inuade y â— Romaine dominions at the same time also they destroied Armenia with other contreyes of the East The same day when Russinus was beheaded
intollerable for he bouldened him selfe vpon Iohn and inueyed contumeliously without all modestie and shamefastnesse agaynste all men which turned to the encrease of the spite and hatred borne vnto Iohn Moreouer when Seuerianus on a certaine tyme came to the place where Serapion sate Serapion gaue him not the honor and reuerence dewe vnto a bishop neyther rose vp in so doing he declared that he regarded not the person of Seuerianus This contempt and disdayne of Serapion was not taken paciently of Seuerianus for he exclaimed against him in these wordes If Serapion dyeth a Christian then was Christ neuer incarnate Serapion tooke this as a fitte occasion ministred vnto him made Iohn to become his foe whilest that he concealed the firste sentence to wete If Serapion dyeth a Christian and repeated the later to wete that Christ was neuer incarnate affirming y ◠he heard it of Seuerianus owne mouth And to the end he woulde iustifie the reporte he brought forth men of his owne degree and callinge to testifie that they heard the words To be short Iohn without any more adoe banished Seuerianus the citie Eudoxia the Empresse vnderstanding of the circumstance founde great fault with Iohn caused Seuerianus to be sent for out of Chalcedon in Bithynia who came immediately Iohn kept him selfe on t of his companie he woulde not be brought with any mans entreatie and perswasion to become friendes with Seuerianus At length when that Eudoxia the Emperours mother in the Apostles churche had throwen her sonne Theodosius the Emperour who though he were then of tender yeares yet gouerned he y e common wealth with good successe and prosperous ouersight at the feete of Iohn and craued of him with solemne protestations that of all loue and friendship he woulde not denye her request with muche adoe he was wonne to embrace Seuerianus agayne But for all that outwardly they bare a shewe and a countenance of friendship neuerthelesse inwardly they continewed their spite and hatred one towards the other The cause that deuided Iohn and Seuerianus was in such sort CAP. XI Howe that Epiphanius comming to Constantinople celebrated the communion gaue orders without the licence of Iohn therein to gratifie Theophilus SHortly after Epiphanius the bishop came from Cyprus to Constantinople at the request of Theophilus and brought thither with him the decree of the bishops where he had not excommunicated Origen but onely condemned his bookes Wherefore after his comming into the church of Sainct Iohn which was not farre from the walls of the citie he celebrated the cōmunion made a deacon went forth out of the churche and came to Constantinople When that Iohn had inuited him requesting he woulde take a peece of a lodging with him he for to feede the humor of Theophilus refused his curtesie and tooke vp an Inne by him selfe After that he had called together the bishops which then by chaunce were at Constantinople he read in their hearinge the decree where he had condemned the works of Origen Of the bookes I haue nothing to say but thus muche that it pleased Epiphanius and Theophilus to condemne them Of the byshops some for reuerence of Epiphanius subscribed vnto the decree some other denyed it vtterly Of which number Theotimus bishop of Scythia made Epiphanius this answere I of myne owne part ô Epiphanius will not so much iniurie the man who is departed to rest many yeares agoe neither dare I presume once to enterprise so haynous an offence for to condemne the bookes whiche our auncetors haue not condemned specially seeyng I vnderstande not as yet neither read any parcell of the doctrine within contayned And when that a certaine booke of Origen was brought forth he read it and shewed there the interpretation of holy scripture agreeable vnto the faith of the catholicke churche last of all he concluded with these wordes They that reprehende these things doe no lesse then mislike vvith the matter vvhereof these bookes doe intreat This was the answere of Theotimus vnto Epiphanius a man he was of great fame both for sound doctrine and godly conuersation CAP. XII A kinde of Apologie in the behalfe of Origen IN so much that many were drawen headlong through the procurement of malicious sclaunderers much like a blast of hurlwinde to reuile Origen it shall not be amisse to saye somewhat of them Obscure men odde felowes such as haue no pythe or substance in them to the ende they myght become famous goe about moste commonly to purchase vnto them selues glorie and renowme by dispraysing of such men as farre excell them in all rare and singular vertues Of which sort of backebiters first I remember Methodius bishop of Olympus a citie of Lycia next Eustathius who for a while was bishop of Antioch thirdly Apolinarius last of all this Theophilus This messe of raylers if I may so tearme them fell a sclaūdering of Origē neither yet all for one thing One charged him with this an other with that wherby they all seuerally declared vnto the world that they allowed wholly all such thinges in him as they had not reprehended by name For in as much they blamed him seuerally for seuerall doctrine it appeareth they tooke that for trueth in him which they concealed and misliked not withall and they approued in very deede that which they denyed not in worde Methodius though at the beginning he inueyed bitterly against Origen yet afterwardes as it were by way of recantation he extolled him vnto the skies in that dialogue which he intitled Zeno. Their reuiling in myne opinion encreased the renowne fame of Origen For while they charged him with haynous crimes as they thought and yet findinge no faulte with him as toutching the blessed Crinitie they are witnesses them selues that he was of y ◠right and sound faith Euen as these men being not able iustly to accuse him beare witnes w t him of his true beliefe so Athanasius voyd of all parcialitie a zealous maintayner of the clause Of one substance alleageth him for a witnesse of his faith in the orations which he wrote to the cōfutation of the Arians citeth his words for testimonies among his works sayth thus of him That notable man that paynfull writer Origen confirmeth in plaine words the faith opinion we haue of the sonne of God in that he auoutcheth him to be coaeternall with the father Wherefore such as goe about to reuile Origen they vnwares doe sclaunder Athanasius which hyghly commended him Thus much by the way of Origen and nowe againe to the storie CAP. XIII How that Iohn sent for Epiphanius to come vnto him and charged him that he had behaued him selfe contrary to the canons of the church after they had brawled a while together Epiphanius returned homewards IOhn at the first tooke not the matter very grieuously for all that Epiphanius contrary to the canon had made a Deacon in his church but requested him to accept
as a simple lodging a peece of the byshops pallace Epiphanius answered him in this sorte I will neyther lye with thee neyther praye together with thee vnlesse thou both banishe Dioscorus with his brethren out of the citie and also subscribe with thine owne hande vnto the decree which condemneth the works of Origen When that Iohn paused vpon the matter and sayde that he ought not rashly neyther without good aduisement determine any thinge of that matter afore that he had generally examined and that narrowly the whole circumstance the aduersaries of Iohn set Epiphanius otherwise on worke For at the celebration of the blessed and holie Communion in the churche commonly called the Apostles they sette Epiphanius in the myddest they cause him in the open audience to condemne the workes of Origen to excommunicate Dioscorus and his brethren laste of all to rebuke Iohn for takinge of their parte When Iohn hearde of this he sent vnto Epiphanius who the daye followinge was at churche this message by Serapion Epiphanius thou doest manie thinges contrarie to the Canons firste in that thou hast presumed to make ministers vvithin my Diocesse secondly in that thou hast ministred the Communion of thyne ovvne heade vvithout my licence agayne in that thou dyddest refuse it vvhen I requested thee and novve thou doest it of thy selfe VVherefore take heede lest the people stomacke thy dealinge and be sett on an vprore if ought come amysse thou hast thy remedie in thy hande Epiphanius receauinge this message was strucken with sodayne feare left the church inueyed bitterly agaynst Iohn and tooke shippinge towards Cyprus The reporte goeth that as he went downe to the rode to take shipping he prophecied thus of Iohn I hope thou shalt neuer dye a bishop that Iohn answered him thus againe I hope thou shat neuer come aliue into thy contrey Whether they that told mee these things reported truely I am not able to say but sure I am that it fell to ether euen as eche one wished to the other For neyther came Epiphanius aliue to Cyprus he dyed on the seas by the way neyther dyed Iohn a bishop for he was deposed and banished the church as hereafter shall more manifestly appeare CAP. XIIII Howe that after the departure of Epiphanius Iohn made a sermon agaynst allwomen which made both the Emperour and the Empresse to summone a Councell at Chalcedon where Iohn was deposed In his absence the people made much adoe to appease them Iohn is called home to Constantinople againe AS soone as Epiphanius had hoysed vp sayle reporte came vnto Iohn that Eudoxia the Empresse had bolstered Epiphanius against him he beinge very hot and a hasty man of nature euer ready for his gift of vtterance did so serue him immediatly went vp into the pulpitt made a whole sermon in the dispraise of all women The multitude tooke it in the worst part as if therby he had determined secretly to pay home y ◠Empresse The sermon was borne away of ill-willers and brought to the Emperour the Empresse also hearinge therof complayned vnto the Emperour that therein she was contuineliously dealte withall and that the reproche thereof redounded also vnto him Wherfore she worketh through Theophilus to summone a councell against Iohn Seuerianus likewise went about the same neither was the dealing of Iohn towards him as yet gone out of his stomacke Shortly after Theophilus came thither who called together at the Emperours commaundement many bishops out of diuers cities But aboue all other men they came thither apace which for diuers quarells owed Iohn a displeasure They also came thither whome Iohn had deposed put by their bishopricks ▪ for he had depriued many of the bishops in Asia in the voyage he made to Ephesus at what time he made Heraclides bishop wherfore w t one cōsent they meete all at Chalcedō a citie of Bithynia At that time Cyrinus an Aegyptiā borne being bishop of Chalcedō inueyed bitterly against Iohn in presence of all y ◠bishops he reported of him y ◠he was a wicked mā that he was an arrogāt a sollyne bishop the rest of y ◠bishops were glad of that But Maruthas bishop of Mesopotamia trode against his will on Cyrinus foote and hurt him sore The broise so encreased pained Cyrinus so much y ◠he could not goe w t the rest of the bishops to Cōstātinople but taryed behind at Chalcedō the rest sayled to Cōstantinople When as none of y ◠clergie of Constantinople went forth to meete Theophilus neither exhibited vnto him the accustomed honor and reuerence for then all beganne to hate him the matiners of Alexandria who then by chaunce were there and had brought corne to Constantinople went to meete him and receaued him with gladsome shoutes He went not to the house of prayer but vnto the Empresse pallace called Placidia Then the aduersaries of Iohn went about to forge many false accusations agaynst him they brabble no longer about the bookes of Origen but they take other absurde matters in hande When these thinges were thus adoynge the Bishops assembled together in the suburbs of Chalcedon in a place called the Oke immediately they cite thyther Iohn for to answere vnto such crimes as he was charged withall Besyde him they charge Serapion Tygris the Eunuche prieste and Paulus the reader for they were also accused to appeare before them When Iohn had excepted agaynst such as had cited him thither as his open enemies he appealed from them vnto a generall Councell they without any other circumstance called him foure tymes And seeyng that he would not come but sent them still the same answere they proceeded against him they condemned and deposed him of his bishoprick for no other crime but because he being cited would not appeare When tydings thereof about euentyde were brought to Constantinople the whole citie was on an vprore Wherefore they watched all nyght they would not suffer him to be thrust out of the churche they exclaimed that his cause ought to haue bene hearde in a greater assemblie of Bishops But the Emperours commaundement was that as soone as he were remoued he shoulde be conueyed to exile This beyng knowen for certayntie Iohn the thirde day after his deposition about noone vnknowinge to the multitude for he was loth there shoulde be any adoe for his lake yeelded him selfe voluntarily into the handes of his aduersaries and so went awaye The people were all sette on fyrie sedition and as it commonly falleth out in suche hurlyburlies many of them which aforetyme pursued him with deadly hatred then chaunginge they re mind pitied his case many others who lately desired to see his depriuation reported then that he was craftely dealt withall and falsely accused Many cryed out agaynste the Emperour and exclaimed at the Councell but aboue all others they inueyed agaynst Theophilus who was knowen to haue bene the author of all that treacherie and malicious sclaunders
minde of the Apostle where he sayth Although we haue knowen Christ after the fleshe yet novve doe vve knovve him so no more Wherefore for this cause let vs ceasse to reason any longer of Christ but let vs endeuer to attayne vnto his perfection When as schisme and contention was hereof risen as I sayd before in the Church Nestorius going about to confirme the opinion of Anastasius for he woulde in no wise haue him whome he made so much of to be rebuked as one that had vttered blasphemies against Christ discoursed very oft of that matter as he preached in the Churche layde downe very contentiously certayne positions and condemned vtterly the clause that signified the bearing of god And because that diuers men to a diuers ende purpose disputed of this question the church was deuided the members parted asunder for much like blind folded persons men brawling and fighting in the darke they were caried here and there now they affirmed this anone they sayd that and loke what they auoutched a litle before the same they denied immediatly after Many thought that Nestorius was of the opinion that Christ was but onely man and that he went about to reuyue and to rayse vp a fresh the heresie of Paulus Samosatenus and of Photinus there was so much adoe about this matter that the summoning of a generall councell seemed needefull for the deriding of the controuersie the appeasing of the people I of mine owne part by perusing the works of Nestorius doe finde the man ignorant and altogether vnlearned I speake this from the hart and vnfainedly far it is not of hatred I owe him that I fall a ripping of his crymes and infamie neyther haue I determined by flattery and feeding of some mens humors to report lesse of him then I founde true Nestorius in mine opinion followeth neither Paulus Samosatenus neither Photinus neither thinketh he that our Lord Iesus Christ is onely man but onely auoideth this clause the mother or bearing of God as a sraying ghost This befell vnto him for his palpable error and ignorance for though of nature he had a smoth and an eloquent tongue and therefore was thought learned yet to say the trueth he was altogether vnlearned Moreouer he disdained to peruse the works of the auncient fathers he so vaimted him selfe with his rolling congue and eloquent speach that in maner he contemned the olde writers and preferred him selfe before them all Againe he was ignorant of that which was written in the olde coppies of S. Iohns Catholick epistle euery spirite which deuideth Iesus is not of God As many as went about to seuer the diuinitie from the humanitie of Christ sticked not to rase and blot this sentence out of the auncient coppyes Wherefore the olde writers signified no lesse then that certaine men had corrupted that epistle to the ende they might deuide the humanitie of Christ from the diuinitie of God his manhoode is ioyned with the godhead neyther are they two but one in which sense the auÌ„cient writers were not affraid to call Marie the mother of god Euen so wrote Eusebius Pamphilus in his third booke of the life of Constantine God among vs was borne on earth for oursakes the place of his natiuitie is called of the Hebrewes after a proper name Bethleem VVherefore Helen the most holy Empresse hath set forth the trauailing of the mother of God with goodly ornaments bedecked that hollowe rocke with sundry notable monuments Origen hath written no lesse in the first come of his commentaries vpon the epistle of S. Paul vnto the Romaines where he discourseth at large of this matter and alleadgeth the cause why Marie was called the mother of God Therefore Nestorius seemeth neuer to haue read the worâ—s of the auncient fathers and therefore he inueyed only as I said before agaynst this clause the mother of God For he saith not that Christ is onely man as Photinus and Paulus Samosatenus affirmed neither taketh he away y â— subsistencie of the sonne of God but confesseth euery where that he hath his being and that he is in the trinitie neither denieth he his essence as Photinus and Samosatenus did so did also the Manichees and Montanists as it appeareth by the sermous which he published vnto the world But though I finde that Nestorius was of that opinion partly by his bookes which I haue perused and partly by the report of his familier friendes yet his foolish and fonde doctrine disquieted not a litle the whole worlde CAP. XXXIII Of a haynous offence committed by certaine fugitine seruants at the altare of the great Church of the former councell summoned at Ephesus for the hearing of Nestorius opinion WHen these thinges were done in such forte as I sayd before a certaine haynous offence was committed in the open church and face of the whole people for some noble mans seruants by birth Barbarians when they had tasted of their Lord maisters extreame truelty and coulde not paciently away with the rigor thereof ranne for refuge vnto the Church and got them vnto the altare with swordes hanging by their sides being requested to depart they woulde not in any wise but disturbed and hindred deuine seruice Moreouer for the spare of many dayes they held their naked swordes in their hands ready to dispatch whosoeuer came vnto them Wherefore when they had killed one of the Priests and wounded an other in the ende they slewe them selues with the sight hereof one of them that were present sayde that the profanation of the Churche prognosticated some calamitie to ensue and repeated two Iambick verses out of some olde Poete to iustifie his saying Men see full oft such signes before and vvonders eke VVhen haynous crimes the holy Church to stayne doth seeke Neither was he in a wronge boxe that vttered these Iambicks for it prognosticated as it seemed vnto vs diuision to rise among the people and depriuation of him that was ringleader of the whole mischiefe Shortly after the emperour gaue forth his commauÌ„dement that the bishops out of all places should meete at Ephesus where they came together whither also Nestorius tooke his voyage immediatly after Easter holy dayes together with a greate multitude of people where he found the bishops assembled â–ª but Cyrillus bishop of Alexandria came thither in a while after it was about VVhitsontide The fift day after Pentecost Iuueâ—alis Bishop of Ierusalem was come But while Iohn bishop of Antioch lingered by the way the Bishops which were already come thither called the matter into controuersie Cyrillus bishop of Alexandria to the ende he might molest Nestorius for he thought very ill of him vsed certaine preambles of disputation When many confirmed that Christ was God Nestorius pleaded for him self I verily sayth he will not call him god who grew to mans state by two moneths and three moneths and so forth therfore I wash my handes from your blood and from
sonnes he vsed to make Cardinals sometimes in their cradles Bishops and Archbishops in many countreis descende of noble houses Osorius Bishops of Lusitania in Portingall writing against M. Haddon sticked not to giue vs an inklinge of his parentage Neyther doe I mislike with this in the churche of Rome sicaetera essent paria for I reade that Nectarius a noble man by office praetor of Constantinople was chosen to be byshop of that seae of a hundred and fiftie byshops which then assembled together at Constantinople partly for that and partly for other things Ambrose also lieuetenant of a prouice was made byshop of Millayne Chrisostō byshop of Constantinople descended of the senators of Antioch Thalassius Senator of Constantinople lieuetenant of Illyrium was made byshop of Caesarea in Cappadocia I see that Euagrius vvho in the time of Tiberius Constantinus was Quaestor and in the time of Mauricius Tiberius was maister of the rolles together with diuers others occupied themselues about Ecclesiasticall affaires but I highly commend such as shewe forth tokens of their nobilitie by studie of vertue politicke gouernement of their countrey noble prowesse valiauntnesse of courage maintenance of the trueth and furtheraunce of the Gospell some thinke it is inough for them to bayte at the vniuersitie there steale a degree and forth with be counted gentlemen or to be in commons in one of the Innes of court where there are many wise zealous and learned gentlemen or to get into some noble mans seruice and by vertue of the cognizance to be called a maister or to purchase for a piece of money a coate armour or to begge a farme and by vertue of the valuation in the queenes bookes to become a gentleman Euery one thinkes not I am sure that these sorts of men are to be numbred among the auncient noble houses though in processe of time antiquitie seeme topreuaile very muche with suche kinde of men long possession is a great matter in lawe and an olde deede though it be forged will further the matter very much The Arcadians called them selues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a progeny farre more auncient then the Moone of them Ouid writeth thus Ere Moone vvas set in skies aboue if fame doe them not faile The soile vvas calld of Arcas highe vvhose creditt must auaile But they contended for Antiquitie with the AEgyptians and to try out the trueth Psammitichus King of AEgypt did as followeth he shut vp in a certaine close lodging farre from cities and company of people two newly borne babes some say with nurces charged not to speake a worde some say amonge goates and that for the space of three whole yeares at the three years end to see what language the children would speake he caused one of his familiars sodainely to goe in among the children whiche did so and tooke one of the children by the hand which saide vnto him Becos that is in the Phrygian tongue bread the king hearing this confessed him selfe ouercome and yelded vnto his aduersaries for antiquitie thenceforth were they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but Suidas thinketh that the childrē being acquainted with the bleting of goats cried beck and so that it was nothing else but a iest and a deluding of the king Yet Iohn Goropius a phisicion of Antvverpe taketh the matter in earnest to th ende he might currie fauour with the Germanes he faith that the Grecians were herin fouly deceaued that beck or weck in the Germane tongue signifieth bread the AEgyptians being foyled turne them vnto the Scythians and of them likewise they were ouercome here is much a do all for gentry The AEthiopians alleage reasons for themselues and they must be heard the Brittaines can tell you they come from Troy and thence they can bring you the straighte way to Adam nexte to God and then a full point Poggius writeth that a noble man of Fraunce espied on an Italian soldiers bucklar the oxe heade ingrauen stomaked him therefore tolde him it vvas his cognizance that his house was farre more auncient and to the ende all quarells might be ended chalenged him to the fielde the Italian made litle adoe tolde him he woulde meete him on the daye appointed the noble man came with a great troupe the souldier likewise mette and ioyninge together he asked of him whye his noble bloode vvas so muche out of temper VVhen that the noble man aunsvvered that his auncetors had euer geuen the oxes head and that he and his vvould thenceforth giue it or else knovv a cause to the contrary why an please you syr saith the soldier this is no oxe head it is the head of a cowe It was about gentrie betweene Phaëton and Epaphus that moued Phaëton as the Poëts faine to craue license for one day to sitte in the chariot of Sol. for when he minded to roote out the posteritie of his aduersarie almost he set the whole world on fire Maximinus the emperour borne in a pelting village of Thracia misliking with him selfe therfore slew as many as knew his pedegree and had seene the raggs of his parents Herode burned the Genealogies of the Iewes that he might affirme him self as wel as they to haue descēded of a noble race Themistocles a bastard borne for to cloke his birth to remoue the il opinion conceaued that way entised the yong nobility of Athens to frequent Cynosarges a schole without the city where bastards did onely frequent many shifts are made Iacke would be a gentleman if he could speake frenche Amasis king of AEgypt being basely borne made his image of gold set it vp to be worshipped that the people might reuerence him the more Smerdes a sorcerer because he was in person like Smerdes the brother of Cambyses King of the Assyrians whose death Cambyses procured fearinge he woulde aspire vnto the kingdome made the worlde beleeue he was the man in deede ouercame Cambyses and was crowned King but his wife and bedfellow with clipping and other wonted familiarity felt his head found that Smerdes had no eares reuealed it abrode and so was he betrayd and deposed his kingdome Prompalus fained himselfe to be the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes A certaine AEgyptian the sonne of Protarchus the marchant called him selfe the sonne of Alexander Zebenna and the adopted sonne of Antiochus wept bitterly at the funerall of Antiochus as if he had bene his owne father Archelaus made the worlde beleeue that he was the sonne of Mithridates when Perseus the last king of the Macedonians had ended this lyfe Andristus a cuntrey fellow woulde needes perswade men that he was his sonne Equitius affirmed that without all doubt he was the sonne of Tiberius Gracchus Citharaedus endeuored to perswade the Romanes that Nero had not dispatched him self but that he was Nero. many of the aforsaid cloked their gentry fained thē selues noble mē conquered kingdoms deluded the
canon the which they thought best not to be recorded whereunto some gaue their consents some other would not when they had suppressed y ◠contrary voices the Senators affirmed vpon Dioscorus owne reporte that he had deposed Flauianus for saying there were two natures in Christ that the decree bore wittnes that he cōsisted of two natures Then replied Anatolius Dioscorus was not deposed for heresie but because he excommunicated Leo and being thrise called vnto the councell would not come After this y ◠Senators would haue the Epistle of Leo layd downe among the decrees but the bishops sayd no it should not be they would not drawe any other forme for that was perfect inough in the end they referred that vnto the Emperour who commaunded that three bishops of the East churches three out of Pōtus three out of Asia three out of Thracia and three out of Illyrium together with Anatolius and the substitutes of the Bishop of Rome should meete at the Church and orderly reason of the fayth that either they should lay downe theyr seuerall Creedes or els knowe of a surety y ◠he would call a councell to decide that controuersie in the West Beinge demaunded whether they would hold with Dioscorus who affirmed y ◠Christ consisted of two natures or subscribe with Leo who sayd that there were two natures in Christ they cried that they beleued with Leo held such as sayd y ◠contrary for Eutychians The Senators replied y ◠Leo him selfe affirmed there were two natures so coupled in Christ that they could be neither chaunged diuided nor confounded with this saying they went into the temple of Euphemia accōpanied with Anatolius the substituts of Leo Maximus bishop of Antioch Iuuenalis bishop of Ierusalem Thalassius bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and many others Being set the canon of the councell was read Our Lorde Sauiour Iesus Christ c. as we haue wrytten before After it was read they cried This is the faith of all the Fathers we are all followers of this we are all of this opinion Then sayd the Senators the decrees and canons of the Fathers are to be referred vnto the Emperours most excellent maiesty ▪ Martianus the Emperour was present at the sixt session made an oration of peace vnity vnto the Bishopps and commaunded Aetius Archdeacon of Constātinople to read in his hearing that which was decided whereunto they subscribed euery one Thē the Emperour asked them whether the decree was established by their generall consent they all the second time answered yea Againe the Emperour made vnto them two orations which were highely commended of them all In the end the canons by the meanes of the Emperour were confirmed and the seae of Chalcedon was made an Archbishopricke the Emperour moreouer commaunded the Bishops to continewe there three or foure dayes and to propose before the Princes and Senators what euery one thought good to be decided that they should decree that which seemed expediēnt Then the session brake vp There were other decrees and other canons established and there was an other councel held by Iuuenalis Maximus where it was decreed that the bishop of Antioch should haue either of both Phaenicia and Arabia annexed vnto his prouince the Bishop of Ierusalem all the three Palaestinas the which after consultation had both by the Presidents and Bishops was confirmed In the ninth session the cause of Theodoritus was heard who accursed Nestorius in these words cursed be Nestorius whosoeuer besides him denieth Marie the virgine to be the mother of God and deuideth the one onely begotten sonne into two sonnes I sayth he haue subscribed vnto the canons of the councell and the Epistle of Leo. After deliberation had amonge them selues they restored him vnto his Bishoprick In the tenth session the sute of Ibas was heard and the sentence which Photius Bishop of Tyrus and Eustathius Bishop of Berytus had pronounced against him was read but the finall end was differed vnto the next day In the eleuenth sessiō when many Bishops would haue him restored diuerse Bishops were against it and sayd that his accusers were at the dore and redy to come in At lēgth they read what they had decreed toutching him Yet the Senators moued the councell that the Actes of the councell held at Ephesus whiche concerned Ibas should be read and that all the acts of the second councell of Ephesus shoulde be abrogated the creation of Maximus Bishop of Antioch onely excepted they intreated therein the Emperour that nothinge whatsoeuer was decreed since the first councell of Ephesus where holye Cyrill Byshop of Alexandria was chiefe shoulde be of force and they gaue sentence that Maximus should enioy his Bishoprick In an other session Basianus the Bishop of Ephesus matter was called and decreed that Basianus should be remoued out of his Bishopricke and Stephan placed in his rowme In the thirteenth session Eunomius Bishop of Nicomedia and Anastasius Bishop of Nice were called for they contended among them selues about their cities The foureteeneth session was helde for the hearinge of Basianus Last of all it was decreed that the seae of Constantinople should enioy the next prerogatiue after Rome The ende of the seconde booke of Euagrius Scholasticus THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF EVAGRIVS SCHOLASTICVS CAP. I. Howe Zeno the Emperour gouerned and liued WHen Zeno after the deceasse of his sonne had attayned vnto the Emperiall scepter as if he were certainely perswaded he could not enioy y ◠Empire of the wholl world vnlesse w t outrage and riott he yelded him selfe vnto all fleshly pleasure whatsoeuer gaue him selfe at y ◠beginning so much vnto sensuality that he left no filthy or shamefull act no haynous offence vnpractised but so wallowed in them that he thoughte it the parte of a base and abiect minde to commit them in the darke in secret but to doe them openly in the face of y ◠whollworld was a princely parte such an act as became only the Emperour His disposition herein was both lewde and seruile for the Emperour is not to be counted of thereafter as he gouerneth others but as he ruleth and guydeth him selfe It behoueth him to suffer no lasciuious motion to roote within his breste but valiauntlye to encounter with intemperancy and to make his life as a paterne of vertue or a lanterne for his subiectes to followe after thereby to leade them vnto godly instruction But this man gaue himselfe ouer vnto voluptuousnesse and fell by a little and a little vnto suche shamefull seruitude that he coulde by no meanes be withdrawen from it he chaunged oftentymes suche enormityes as maystred him no otherwise then vnthriftes and castawayes doe vse whome infinite carnall delites doe leade captiue tickle theyr mindes and sooth theyr senses and that whiche is moste daungerous vices be so linked together that one moste commonly followeth in the necke of an
forwardes either we geue other men leaue to commit them to letters or peraduenture we our selues seeing that in this present volume we haue promised to discourse of other matters will entreat of them in an other seuerall worke yet thus much will I now say that Tamochosroes was ouerthrowne in the front of the host not with the fortitude of the Romaine armie but with the onely pietie of the Captaine and his faith in God that Adaarmanes was foyled with plaine force of armes and after great losse of his power put to flight yea and that not onely when Alamundarus captaine of the Barbarian nation called Scenetae â–ª betrayed Mauricius in that he would not come ouer the riuer Euphrates and ayde him against Scenetae which fought against him these Scenetae are so swifte on horsebacke that they can hardly be taken yea though their passage be stopt but when it standes them vpon they farre outrunne the ennemie but also when Theodorichus Captaine of the Scythians durst not tarye within their reache but shewed them immediatly a faire paire of heeles together with his souldiers CAP. XXI Of the signes prognosticating the raigne of Mauricius THere were signes which went before and foreshewed that Mauricius should be crowned Emperour As he offered frankencense very late in the night within the chauncell of S. Maries Church which the people of Antioche doe call the temple of Iustinian the curteine or canapie was all sette on fire and therewith he fell into such a dumpe that he feared the vision exceedingly Gregorie Bishop of that Citie standing by sayd that without all peraduenture the vision was sent from aboue and foreshewed the brightnesse of glory and the great renowne that was to befall him Christ moreouer appeared towardes the East seeking vengeaunce on the ennemies In that vision also was the raigne of Mauricius plainely prognosticated for of whom I pray you sought he that vnlesse it were of the Emperour and of such a man as serued him in holinesse As I searched out the truth and certainetie of these things his parentes tolde me other things worthie of memorie and the knowledge of the posteritie in time to come His father remembred that what time Mauricius was conceaued he sawe in his sleepe a mightie Vine to burgeine out of his chamber and that there hunge thereon infinite clusters of ripe grapes Hys mother tolde that when shee was deliuered the earth breathed vppe of her selfe a redolent sauour that was straunge and varied it selfe by turnes Also that a griesly ghost commonly called a Goblin or a Hegge tombled the infant from place to place as though he would deuoure him yet had no power to hurt him Symeon likewise that dwelt in a pillour not farre from Antioche a man of great wisedome and experience sufficiently adorned with all diuine giftes gaue forth many tokens both in worde and deede which plainely declared that Mauricius would be crowned Emperour concerning which Symeon if ought seeme expedient to be wrytten the next booke shall performe it CAP. XXII The coronation of Mauricius and Augusta VVHen Tiberius was redy to yelde vp the ghost and now come vnto deathes doore he gaue vnto Mauricius who then was proclaimed Emperour his daughter Augusta in mariage the Empire for dowrie who for all that his life during the terme of his raigne was prolonged but for a short space yet because of his noble actes which conueniently may not presently be committed to wryting he left vnto the common weale both an immortall memorie of his name and a passing inheritaunce to witte Mauricius whom he proclaimed Emperour neither only this but he gaue them also his owne title for he called Mauricius Tiberius and Augusta Constantina but what famous acts they did the next booke God willing shal declare CAP. XXIII A supputation of the times from Iustinus the second Emperour of that name vnto Mauricius TO the ende we may diligently note the succesuÌ„on of the times we haue to learne that Iustinus the yonger raigned by him selfe alone twelue yeres tenne moneths and odde dayes together with Tiberius three yeres and eleuen monethes so that his whole raigne comes to sixteene yeres nine moneths and odde dayes Tiberius was Emperour by him selfe alone foure yeres with Iustinus three yeres and eleuen moneths so that if we number the yeres from Romulus vnto the raigne of Mauricius they will appeare iust according vnto the supputation which went before and this present rehearsall CAP. XXIIII Areâ—itall of such as continewed their histories one after an other from the beginning vnto his time AS touching the order and continewance of times agreeable vnto the Ecclesiasticall historie it is come to passe by the goodnesse of God that we haue it at this day compendiously deliuered vnto vs by the workes of such famous historiographers as haue wrytten the sayd historie vnto the posteritie following for Eusebius Pamphilus hath wrytten from the birthe of Christ vnto the raigne of Constantinus Magnus Socrates Theodoret and Sozomenus haue continewed the times from Constantine vnto Theodosius Iunior of which Emperours doings this woorke also of oures hath somewhat discoursed As for the diuine and prophane histories from the beginning of the world vnto this day they are orderly continewed by painfull wryters And first of all Moises beganne to wryte as it is declared of them which compiled these things together of the things that were done from the creation of the world euen as he had truely learned of God in mount Sina Againe others folowed him shewed the redy way to attaine vnto our religion and committed to wryting the actes done since his time Moreouer Iosephus wrote a very large storie full of euery kinde of good matter What fabulous things so euer are reported to haue bene done either by the Grecians or Barbarians of olde time who either were at ciuill warres within them selues or waged battaile with foraine enemies or if any other thing can be remembred since the first molde of man was cast all I say besides sundry other wryters is laid downe by Characes Theopompus and Ephorus As for the Romaine historie comprising in maner the artes of the whole world or if any other thing fell out by reason of their ciuill discord or of quarelles risen betweene them and foraine nations it is exquisitely handled by Dionysius Halicarnassaeus who began hys story from the time of the people called Aborigines and continewed it vnto the raigne of Pyrrhus king of Epitus from theÌ„ce vnto the ouerthrow of Carthage Polybius Megapolitanus hath excellently discoursed all which treatises though occasioned at diuers and sundry times Appianus with graue iudgement hath contriued into order and compacted together adding thervnto of his owne such things as were worthy of memorie after their dayes vnto his time Diodorus Siculus wrote vnto the time of Iulius Caesar Dion Cassius likewise continewed his storie vnto the raigne of Antoninus of Emesa the like matter and order hath
him selfe looke what he prophecyed euerye daye the same was wrytten seuerallye as the Prophete vttered it He preached of some certayne matter and againe when as at an other tyme he prophecyed of an other thinge it was againe wrytten And suche thinges as were spoken followed after the chapiters that went before and had theyr titles layd downe in the beginings and thus the wholl and perfect booke was made of the diuerse and sundry sermons of that Prophete By this meanes it cometh to passe that we finde in the bookes of the Prophetes the chapiter noted and applied either vnto the captiuitie in Babylon or else vnto the returne thence and anone agayne an other chapiter either toutching Christ or concerning some other matter immediatly againe of a◠other thinge and by and by afterwardes of the former watter And to speake the wholl in one worde vnlesse a man will reade them with good aduisemente and graue iudgemente he will thinke them confusely placed and out of order They wrote not one lye the Prophetes workes in this order by peeces in the temple but also the bookes of the kinges Namelye such things as were from the dayes of Saul vnto his raygne and in the tyme of Dauid what happened vnder Saul vnto the raygne of Dauid and thus they wrote the seuerall actes of euerye kinge at seuerall tymes euen as the Chronicles are layde downe in the raygne of the kinges and so of the contrarye Moses wrote the fiue bookes called Pentateuchus to witte the historie of the thinges that were done before his time from the beginninge of the worlde what happened in his tyme and what shoulde come to passe after his dayes Iesus Naue wrote his owne booke The bookes of y ◠Iudges were wrytten in the temple that is to say in the tabernacle Euen so was Ruth Solomon him selfe wrote his owne Prouerbes the Canticle of Canticles and the booke of the preacher called Ecclesiastes For when he had receaued of God the gifte of wisedome he exhorted all men to liue wisely in this world He had not the gift of prophecy We haue rehearsed before such as were inspired from aboue to prophecye of Christ Of the twelue Apostles and Euangelistes 1. Symon Peter THe firste is Simon Peter the chiefe of the Apostles He as we are geuen to vnderstande by his Epistles preached the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Bithynia and in the ende preached at Rome where afterwardes he was crucified the thyrde Calends of Iuly vnder Nero the Emperour with his heade downewards for that was his desire and there also buried 2. Andrewe ANdrewe the brother of Simon Peter as our elders haue deliuered vnto vs preached the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto the Scythians Sogdians Sacians and in the middle Sebastopolis inhabited of wilde Aethiopians He was crucified by Aegeas kinge of the Edessaeans buried at Patris a citie in Achaia 3. Iames the sonne of Zebedaeus IAmes the sonne of Zebedie a fisherman preached the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto the twelue dispersed tribes He was slayne with the sworde by Herode the retrache of the Iewes in Iudaea where he is also buried 4. Iohn IOhn the brother of Iames who was also an Euangeliste whome the Lorde loued preached the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ in Asia The Emperour ▪ Traian exiled him into the Isle Patmos for the worde of God where he wrote also his Gospell the which afterwardes be published at Ephesus by Gaius his hoaste and Deacon of whome Paul the Apostle wryting to the Romaines hath testified saying Gaius myne hoast and of the wholl Church saluteth you After the death of Traian he returned out of the Isle Patmos and remayned at Ephesus vntill he had liued a hundred twenty yeres Which being expired he liuing as yet y ◠Lord would so haue it buried him selfe There are some which wryte that he was not banished into y ◠Isle Patmos vnder Traian but in the time of Domitian the sonne of Vespasian 5. Philip. PHilip of the city Bethsalda preached the Gospell in Phrygia he was honorably buried at Hierapolis with his daughters 6. Bartholomewe BArtholomewe preached the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto the Indians and deliuered vnto them the Gospell of Mathewe He rested and was buried in Albania a citie of Armenia the greate 7. Thomas THomas as it hath bene deliuered vnto vs preached the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ Iesus vnto the Parthians Medes and Persians He preached also vnto the Caramans Hircans Bactrians and Magicians He rested at Calamina a citie in India beinge slayne with a darte which they call a speare or iauelin where he was also honorably buried 8. Mathewe MAthewe the Euangelist wrote the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ in the Hebrewe tongue and deliuered it vnto Iames the brother of the Lorde accordinge vnto the flesh who was Bishop of Ierusalem He dyed at Hierapolis in Parthia where he was also honorably buried 9. Simon Zelotes SImon Zelotes preached Christ throughout Mauritania Aphricke the lesse At lengthe he was crucified at Brettania slayne and buried 10. Iude the brother of Iames. IVdas the brother of Iames called also Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus preached vnto the Edessaeans and throughout all Mesopotamia He was slayne in Berytus in the time of Agbarus king of Edessa and buried very honorably 11. Simon Iudas otherwise Iames the sonne of Alphaeus SImon syrnamed Iudas who succeeded Iames in the Byshopricke of Ierusalem I take him to be Iames the sonne of Alphaeus was crucified vnder Traian and slaine in Ostracina in Aegypt whē he had liued a hundred and two yeares 12. Mathias MAthias beinge one of the seuentye Disciples was afterwardes numbered with the eleuen Apostles in y ◠rowme of Iudas the traitor He preached the Gospell in Aethiopia about y ◠hauen called Hyssus and the riuer Phasis vnto barbarous nations and rauenours of fleshe He died at Sebastopolis where he was also buried nigh the temple of Sol. Paul PAul being called of the Lorde Iesus Christ him selfe after his assumption and numbered in the Catalogue of the Apostles beganne to preache the Gospell from Ierusalem and wente on still vnto Illyricum Italy Spayne His Epistles are extant at this day ful of all heauenly wisedome He was beheaded at Rome vnder Nero the third Calendes of Iuly so died a Martyr lieth there buried with Peter the Apostle Marke the Euangelist MArke the Euangelist the first Bishop of Alexandria preached the Gospell vnto the people of Alexandria all the bordering regions frō Aegypt vnto Pentapolis In the tyme of Traiā he had a cable rope tied about his necke at Alexandria by the which he was drawen frō the place called Bucolus vnto the place called Angels where he was burned to ashes by the furious Idolatrers in the moneth of Aprill and buried at Bucolus Luke LVke the Euangeliste of the citye of Antioch
cap. 1. writeth that there was one Zacharias the sonne of Baris wrongfully slaine in the temple by Zelotae it is lyke it was he whome Christ did meane Herode slewe his wife his children his neerest kinsfolkes and most familiar friends Euse lib. 1. cap. 9. IOSEPHVS the sonne of Ellimus in the tyme of this Mathias executed the office of Highpriesthoode for one daye no more The cause was that Mathias the Highpriest dreamed the nyght before that he had the company of a woman therefore the day folowing he could not playe the Highpriest Ioseph antiq lib. 17. cap. 8. The Essaeans celebrate festiuall dayes not after the Iewes but seuerallye at seuerall tymes They thinke them selues purer then other people Epiphan de haeresib The Essaeans sayeth Iosephus Antiquit. lib. 15. cap. 13. exercise the like trade of life as Pythaeâ—oras deliuered amonge the Grecians â–ª Agaynâ— lib. 13. cap. 8. they affirme all things to 〈◊〉 gouerned by destinie They marie no wiuâ—â— they thinke bell Iud. lib. 2. cap. 7. that no woman will keepe her selfe to one man they haue nothing proper but all comon They are in number aboue 4. thousand Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 2. The acts of Christ the yeares of his incarnation The raygne of the Emperours The famous men and fauourers of the trueth The Kings of Iudaea The Hyghpriests of the Ievves in Ierusalem The councells some times of the vvicked as of the Pharises hereticks â–ª some times of the godly aâ— of the Apostles Apostolike men Sects and heretickes as vvell among the Ievves as aftervvards among the Christians  Augustus Caesar during his raygne after the byrth of Christ sent these manie presidents to Iudaea 1. Cyrenius 2. Copinius 3. Marâ—us 4. Annius Ruffus Iosep Antiq lib. 18 cap. 3. 4. ELIZABETH the wife of Zacharie the mother of Iohn Baptist vttered a piece of the Hayle Marie the angel Gabriel the rest  â—OAZARVS the sonne of Boethus is chosen high-priest by Herode after that the sayd Herode had deposed also Mathias for suspicion of conspiracie Ioseph antiq lib. 17. cap. 8.  There is a seconde sorte of Essaeans sayeth Iosephus bell Iud. lib. 2. cap. 7. which agree with the other in all thinges mariage onely excepted They commende maryadge for the maintenance of successioÌ„ their maner is for three yeares space to behold the health behauior of maydens then if they see them healthie fit for procreation they marie them   IOSEPH a carpenteâ— to whome Marie was betrothed â—uc 1. MARIE the mother of Christ the author of Magnificat    The Galilaeans as I suppose were they of whome certayne had shewed vnto Christ Iuc 13. that Pilate had myngled theyr bloode with their owne sacrifices VVherevpoÌ„ Ambros in Luc. noteth their sacrifice to haue bene abhominable Euse Ecclesiast hist lib. 1. cap. 6. mentioneth the hereâ—ie of the Galilaeans out of Iosephus to haue spronge vp of one Iudas Galilaeus in the tyme of Augustus when Cyrenius was president of Iudaea and vnder the sayd Emperour of an other called Simon Galilaeus vnder Copinius the Presidont They exhorted the Iewes to a lawlesse and carnall libertie affirminge that taxe and tribute was nothinge else but slauishe seruitude They misliked moreouer with the Iewes that they suffred mortall men vnder God to raigne ouer them Of the same opinion were the Galilaeans in the tyme of Pilate vnder the Emperour Tiberius VVherefore Iudas as Iosephus wryteth was hanged together with his complices Simon came to naught and Pilate rewarded them vnder him as rebells deserued Antiquit. lib. 20. cap. 5. Bell. Iud. lib. 2. cap. 7. Luc. 13. Diâ— 8. Christ was the 8. daye after his birth circumcisâ—d Luc. 2.  THE VVISH men came 12. dayes after offred their giftes Iohn Huss Anton. part 1. tit 5. cap. 1. paragr 3. Epiphan lib. 1. tom 1. lib. 2. tom 1. haeres 51. sayeth that it was the second yeare after Christs birth wheÌ„ the wise meÌ„ came the whiche I see not howe it can stande    The Hemerobaptists were Iewes in all poynts they affirmed that it was vnpossible for any man to attayne vnto euerlastinge lyfe vnlesse he were euery day purified and baptized Epiphan Praeâ—ac lib. 1. de haeres Diâ— 13. Christ was presented in the temple 33. dayes after â—hat is the 〈◊〉 â—aye after his â—irth â–ª for that â—as the tyme â—f his moâ—…rs 〈◊〉 Leuit. 12. 〈…〉 2. Anton. 〈…〉 part 1.  SIMEON a man that feared God tooke the babe Iesus in his armes when he came to the temple to be presented song 〈◊〉 Luc. 2.   A COVNCELL of the chiefe pâ—iests Scribes was gathered together by Herodâ— to fifte out of the lawe prophets where Christ shoulde be borne which made aunsvvere that he shoulde be borne in Bethlem Iuda Mat. 2. The Samaritans as Iosephus Antiq. lib. 11. cap. vlt. denie the Iewes in aduersitie in prosperitie they cal theÌ„ cosins deriuinge ther pedegries from Ioseph Ephraim Manasses c. they onely receaue the 5. bookes of Moses denyinge all the prophecies after him they retayne all the Iewishâ— ceremonies except the abhorring of the gentiles They deny moreouer the resurrection of the deade Epiphan praeâ—ac lib. 1. de haeres Anno. 3. Christ was caried into Aegypt the 3 yeare after his birth Epiphan coÌ„tra haeres lib. 2. tom 1. haeres 51. Anno. 44. of the raigne of Augustus Euseb chron ANNA a prophetesse being a widowe of many yeareâ— continually geuen to fasting and praying in the Temple at that instant praysed God and spake of Iesus Luc. 2. Herode commandeth the infants to be slainâ— lib. 1. cap. 9. Anno. Christi 3.   The Saduces calling them selues after the etymologie of they re name iuste men affirmed as Iosephus writeth lib. 2. bell Iud. cap. 7. that man had free will that it lay in man to do good or badd Mat. 22. Luc. Act. 23. sayâ— that they denyed the resurrection affirming there was neyther Angell neither spirite    Herode when he had raigned 37 yeares ouer the Iewes dieth miserably Euseb lib. 1. cap. 9. Ioseph Antiq lib. 17. cap. 10. Euseb chronic ELEAZAR was appointed hyghpriest by Archelaus after that this Archelaus had deposed Ioazar for suspition of conspiracie Ioseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 19.  The Pharises according vnto the etymologie of theyr name were a sect deuided froÌ„ the rest of the people Theophilac in Luc. cap. 11. likeneth theÌ„ to the Monkes of his tyme. Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 2. saith they maintayned fatall destinie Christ â—aried in Aegypt 2. yeares Epip lib. 1. tom 1.   ARCHELAVS king of the Iewes succeeded his father Herodâ— Euse li. 1. cap. 10. Euseb chronic â–ª IESVS the sonne of Sea succeedeth Eleazar Ioseph Antiq. lib. 17. cap. 19.  Our sauiour telleth vs in the Gospell Luc. 11. that they were wholly set vpon outward â—eÌ„singe they washed the vtter
Alexandria Meletius b. of Pontus florished at one time Euseb lib. 7. cap. 5.   Paulus Samosatenus the heretick succeeded Demetrianus he was excommunicated depriued by the 2. synode helde at Antioche in the time of Valerianus Eus lib. 7. cap. 26. 29. Dionysius was b. of Rome after Xystus An. Do. 265. coÌ„tinewed 9. yeares Euseb lib. 7. cap. 26. 29.   273. Aurelianus was emperor after Quintilius in the beginninge of his raigne he was well affectioned towards Christian religioÌ„ so that the hereticke Samosatenus was through his helpe banished the churche but in the end he persecuted the church of God wheÌ„ as he went about to subscribe vnto an edict against the Christians the crampe tooke him so that he was not able to holde penne in hande â–ª he raygned 6. yeares Euseb lib. 7. cap. 28. 29. Malchion in open disputation confuted Samosatenus the heretick at Antioch Euseb lib. 7. cap. 28. A seconde synod was held at Antioch vnder Aurelianus wher Samosatenus the hereticke was coÌ„deÌ„ned depriued the church Euseb lib. 7. cap. 28. 29. Zambdas b. Ierusalem Euseb li. 7. cap. 31. Domnus the sonne of Demetrianus was by the 2. held synod at Antioch appoiÌ„ted to succeede Samosatenus in the seae of Antioch Euseb lib. 7. cap. 29. Felix was b. of Rome after Dionysius continewed 5. yeare Euseb lib. 7. cap. 29. 31.  Origeniani were hereticks called after one Origen not he that was the great clarke of Alexandria they condemned mariage yet liued they beastly their maner was to haue among them religious women like Nunnes whom they defiled yet vsed meanes to keepe them from swellinge Epiphan haeres 63. From Christ vnto the ende of Au relianus the Empâ—roure when Manes the heretick liued there are 276. reares after Epiphan hare 66. Taâ—itus was Emperour 6. moneths Eutro lib. 9. Euseb chron       Origeniani againe were hereticks which so called theÌ„ selues of Origen Adamantius the greate clerke of Alexandria they taught as Epiphan sayeth haeres 64. that there was no resurrection that Christ was a creature the holy ghost a like that the soules were suste in heauen came downe into the bodyes as it were into prison that in the ende the deuells shoulde be saued Epiphanius as I reade in Socrates eccle hist â–ª lib. 6. cap. 11. was become the enemie of OrigeÌ„ through the spite malice of Theophilus bishop of Alexandria The deuell bare Origen a displeasure he procured heretickes to father vpon him lewde opinions He complayneth him selfe in a certain epistle how that hereticks corrupted his works PaÌ„philus Martyr the great friende familiar of Eusebius wrot an Apologie in his behalfe Euseb lib. 6. cap. 3. 18. 20. 26. reporteth of the famous men that fauoured Origen Socrates eccle hist lib. 6. cap. 12. writeth in his commendation Athanasius gaue of him a notable testimonie Chrysostome woulde in no wyse be brought to condeÌ„ne either OrigeÌ„ oâ— his works Socrat. li. 6. ca. 11. 12. 13. Buddas otherwise called Terebinthus was a litle before Manes the hereticke he taught about Babylon that he him selfe was borne of a virgine that he was bred and brought vp in the Mountaynes He wrote 4 bookes one of mysteries 2. intitled the gospell 3. Thesaurus the 4. a summarie Through witchcraft he tooke his flight into the aâ—r to offer sacrifice but the deuell threwe him downe broke his necke so that he dyed miserably Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 17. 279. â—lorianus was Emperoure 80. dayes Eutrop li. 9. Euseb chron Probus was emperour 6. yeres Euseb lib. 7. cap. 29. Anatolius b. of Laodiceaslorished vnder Probus Carus IeroÌ„ catalog  Hermon b. of Ierusalem the last before the persecution vnder Dioletiam Euse lib. 7. ca. 31 Tim. eus was b. of Antioche after Domnus Euseb lib. 7. cap. 31. Eusychianus was bishop of Rome scarce 10. moneths Euseb lib. 7. cap. 31. Gaius was b. of Rome an Dom. 283. 15 yeares Euse lib. 7. cap. 31.   285. Carus was Emperour scarse 3. yeares Euse lib. 7. cap. 29. The infiite number of martyrs which suffred in the persecutioÌ„ vnder Dioâ—letian are to be scene throughout the 8. booke of Eusebius ecclesiasticall history  These a of Ierusalem was alwayes honored and the succession contine wed vnto the daies of Eusebius him selfe Euseb lib. 7. ca. 18. Cyrillus b. of Antioche Euseb li. 7. cap. 31  Theônas was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Maximinus coÌ„tinewed 11. yeares Euseb li. 7. cap. 31.  287. Dioâ—letian was Emperour and persecuted the church of god In the 19. yeare of his â—aigne he began to ouerthrow the churches burne the bibles persecute the Christians When he had raygned together with Maximianus who persecuted with him 20 yeares he deposed him selfe voluntarily and lyued a priuate life FroÌ„ that tyme vnto his ende he pyned and wasted away with diseases But Maximinia hanged him selfe Euseb lib. 7. cap. 29. lib. 8. cap. 2. 3. 14. 19 Socrates lib. 1. cap. 2. Arnobius florished in the time of Diocletian Ierom. catalog There was a councell of 300. bishops called together at Siunessa where Marcellinus b. of Rome was condemned for de nyig Christ and sacrificing to Idols tom 1. concil  Dorotheus b. of Antioche Marcellinus was bishop of Rome about the 10. yeare of Diocletian Anno Dom. 295. Euseb li. 7. cap. 31. He denied Christ offered sacrifice vnto Idols in the persecution vnder Diocletian was condemned of 3. hundred bishops 30. priests afterwardes he repented him and was martyred vnder Diocletian tom 1. concil   307.     Tyrranus b. of Antioch Euseb lib. 7. cap. 31.    Constantius and Maximinus ruled the empire after the deposition of Diocletian Constantius dyeth at yorke in Englande when he had ruled 16. yeares Anno Do. 310. Euseb lib. 8. ca. 14. in chronic LactaÌ„tius the disciple of Arnobius florished in the time of Diocletian in his olde age he was the maister of Crispus the soÌ„ne of Constantius Ierom. A councel was helde at Ancyra in Galatia in the time of Vitalis wher with certaine conditions such as sacrificed were receaued and the deacons that can not containe suffred to Marie tom 1. concil   Aboute this time Licinia an holie mayde of Rome dying made Marcellus b. of that seae her heire and executor gaue him al her great substance from that time forth sayth Polydor lib. 6. de inuent cap. vlt. the bishops of Rome wer greatly enriched Peter was b. of Alexandria about the 7 yeare of Diocletian where he coÌ„tinewed 12. yeares he was beheaded crowned a martyr in the persecution vnder Diocletian Euseb lib. 7. ca. 31. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3. Manes the hereticke whereof the Maniches haue theyr appellation had his originall in persia as Epiphan haeres 66 wryteth about the 4. yeare of Aurelianus he called him self Christ the comsorter Hechose vnto himselfe 12. Apostles He sayd that Christ was
not truly borne but phantastically Euseb li. 7. cap. 30. Socrates lib. 1. ca. 17. sayth of him that at the fâ—sthe was called Cubricê° afterwards chauÌ„ging his name he went into Persia founde the bookes of Buddas and published them in his owne name he taughte that there were manye Gods that the sunne was to be worshipped that there was fatall destenie that the soules wente from one body into another The king of Persia his son fel sick Manes through sorceâ—y tooke vpoÌ„ him to cuâ—e him killed him The king caused him to be clapt in prison but he brake prison fled into Mesopotamia ther was he takeÌ„ and flayd aliue his skinne filled with chaff and hanged at the gates of the citie 310. ConstaÌ„tinus Magnus the sonne of Constantius borne in Brytayne was there proclamed Emperour after the desease of his father He maketh Licinius who maried his sister his felowe Emperour At the same time Maxentius played the tyrant at Rome and Maximinus in the East He sawe in the aër the signe of the crosse he fully perswaded him selfe to fight agaiÌ„st the tyrants and in the behalfe of Christian religion Pamphilus martyr suffered vnder Maximus Ierom There was a couÌ„cel helde at Neo caesarea where among other things it was decreed that none should be made priest before he were 30. yeares olde tom 1. concil   Marcellus was b. of RoÌ„e after Marcellinus a very short whyle some take hiÌ„ for the former and so it may be for Euseb made no mention of him yet in Damas Pont. I find that he gouerned 5. yeares Achillas was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Peter Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3. Hierax taught in Aegypt that there was no resurrection he abhorred mariage he sayd the children that dyed before the yeares of discretion were daÌ„ned he thought that Melchisedech was the holy ghost Epiphan haeres 67. 311. Suidas sayth that from Christ vnto Constantinus Magnus there are 318. yeres the which is true after Eusebius computation if we take the time after the ouerthrowe of the tyrants when heru led alone  Antonie the Monke florished in the dayes of CoÌ„stantine he wrote seuen epistles the which are at this daye to be seene he liued 100. 5. yeares Ierom catalog Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 17. A councell was called by Constantine at Rome in the time of Miltiades to reforme the variaÌ„ce betwen Caecilianus b. of Carthage and his colleges Euseb lib. 10. cap. 5. Macarius was b. of Ierusalem after Hermon he was the meanes with Helena that the crosse of Christ was founde there he was at the councel of Nice Constantinus Magnus wrot vnto him sundry epistles Socrat lib. 1. cap. 6. 9. Vitalis was b. of Antioch after Tyranus Eusebius a Grecian b. of Rome after Marcellus 1. yeare 7. moneths Euseb chro tom 1. concil Alexander was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Achil las by preachinge of the trinitie somewhat curiously he gaue occasioÌ„ to Arius one of his clergie to fall from the faith Socrat lib. 1. cap. 3. He was at the councel of Nice Meletius b. of some citie in Aegypt sacrificed to Idols in the time of the persecution vnder Diocletian and was deposed by Peter b. of Alexandria he rayled at Peter after his death he reuiled Achillas laste of all he fell to backbiting of Alexander to take part with the AriaÌ„s the true churche was called the Catholike churche but he called his church the churche of martyrs the Councell of Nice condemned him toke from him all authoritie that belonged to a bishop and there vpon the Meletians were deuided from the church Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3. 6. Ephiphan haeres 68.   Ammon a monke yet maried Didymus Arsenius Pior Isidorus Pambo Petirus Macarius Euagrius were famous about that time Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 18. Osius b. of Corduba in Spayne a graue father was sent by ConstaÌ„tine to reconcile Alexander and Arius he was at the councell of Nice the Arians in the councell of Siâ—miuÌ„ scurged his bare sides because he woulde not subscribe vnto theyr hereticall opinions Socrat lib. 1. ca. 4. 5. 9. li. 2. cap. 26. Constantine called a councell at Orleance to remoue the dissention risen betwene Byshops Euseb lib. 10. cap. 5. Alexander b. of Alexandria called there a councell of many bishops where he condemned Arius accursed his heresie writinge vnto the bishops throughoute christendome what opinions he held Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3.   Meltiades was b. of RoÌ„e after Eusebiê° in the time of CoÌ„staÌ„tinus Magnus ann Dom. 312. coÌ„tinewed 6. yeres Euseb chron eccle hist lib. 10. ca. 5.         Siluester was b. of Rome after Meltiades an Dom. 314. continewed 20. yeares Euse chron WheÌ„ Constantine offred him a goldeÌ„ scepter he refused it as a thiÌ„g not fitte for the priestly function Sabell   330. He â—oyled Maxentius vpoÌ„ the riuer Tiberis Liâ—â—â—ê° ouercame Maximinê° theyâ—oyntly published edicts in the behalf of the christians In the end â—iâ—imus rebelled against him ConstaÌ„tinus ouercame him ruled alone restored peace vnto the whole worlde gaue money vnto the church deliuered the bishops from paying taxe or tribute he wrote vnto Paphnutius b. of the vpper Thebais had one of his eyes pulled out in the tyme of persecution Constantine was woÌ„t to kisse the emptie place he was presente at the councell of Nice and turned the wholl assemblie from separating maried priestes froÌ„ theyr wiues Socrat lib. 1. ca. 5. 8 Spiridion a man of great fame in in those dayes was at the councell of Nice though he were a bishoppe yet kept he sheepe in the fieldes Athanasius being a yong man was at the couÌ„cell of Nice looke more of him in the colume of the bishops of AlexaÌ„dria A generall couÌ„cell was called at Nice in Bithynia of 318. bishops by CoÌ„staÌ„tinus Magnus as Nicephorus sayeth the 20. yere of Constantine an Dom. 328. some saye 326. some other 324 in the tyme of Siluester b. of Rome where they coÌ„demned Arius debated the coÌ„trouersie of Easter layde downe the forme of faith coÌ„monly called the Nicene Creede ratified the clause of one substance and wrote vnto the churche of Alexandria that they had deposed Arius Socra lib. 1. cap. 5. 6.  Philogonus was b. of Antioch after Vitalis dyed a martyr Nicephor  Athanasius was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Alexander and the breaking vp of the Nicen councell beinge a heathen boye he played the parte of a Christian bishop in a certeÌ„ play which prognosticated he woulde proue a no table man being deacon he weÌ„t to the councel of Nice and disputed against the Arians Socrat lib. 1. cap. 5. 11. being byshop the Arians falsly accused him of bribery treason that he sent of his clergie into Mareôtes which beate the altare with theyr feete ouerthrew the Lords tablebrake the holy cup and burned the bible they accused hiÌ„ of murther magick and to answere vnto those crimes he was
constrained to come to the councell helde at Tyrus where he was deposed Socrat. lib. 1. ca 20 Arius borne in Libya yet a prieste of Alexandria hearing Alexander the bishop entreatinge curiously of the trinitie thought verily that he maintayned the opinioÌ„ of Sabellius set him self agaynst the bishop and sayde that the sonne of God had a beginninge of esseÌ„ce that there was a time when he was not he sayde that God was not alwayes a Father that the sonne was not froÌ„ euerlasting but had his beginninge of nothinge Being called before the Emperour he woulde subscribe vnto the Nicene councell sweare toe His deceate was to carie in his bosome his hereticall opinion wrytteÌ„ in a peece of paper and when he came to the booke he woulde sweare that he thought as he had written meaning in his bosome His ende was lamentable for comming from the Emperoure after the oth he had taken with greate pompe throughe the streete of Constantinople he was taken with suddayne feare and withall he felt a laske immediatlye he asked of them where there was any house of office thither he weÌ„t voyded his gutts as manye as went by were wonte to poynte at the place with the finger and say In yonder iakes dyed Arius the heretick Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3. 25. Epiphan haeres 68. 69.  Alexander b. of Alexandria to Arius the heretick exhorting theÌ„ to vnitie â–ª wheÌ„ he was 60. 5. yeares old he dyed after that he had raigned 31 yeares Euseb li. 8. ca. 14. 15. 16. lib. 9. cap. 9 10. lib. 10. cap. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 2 4. 26. He differred his baptisme vnto his last end purposing fullye to haue it in Iordaine where Christ was baptized It was Eusebius b. of Nicomedia as Eusebius Ierom and Socrates doe write that baptised him for all the trauell that Cardinal pool tooke and the flattering glosses to proue the contrarye The donation that is fathered vpon him is but a meere fable in the iudgement of the best wryters Eusebius Pamphilus bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina wrote the ecclesiasticall historie froÌ„ the byrth of Christ vnto the raygne of ConstaÌ„tine the great he was at the councel of Nice wrote the Nicene creede seÌ„t it to Caesarea condeÌ„ned Arius with his own haÌ„de yet was he thoughte to be an Arian and to cleare him of the suspicion Socrates wrote an Apology in his behalfe whiche is to be seene in his history ConstaÌ„tine had hiÌ„ in greate reuerence Because of his familiaritye with Pamphilus the martyr he was called Eusebius Pamphilus he wrote many notable bookes died in the time of ConstaÌ„tine the yonger Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 1. 5. 18 lib. 2. cap. 3. 17. Ierom catalog Frumentius was made bishop by Athanasius and sent to conuert the Indians Socrat lib. 1. ca. 15. Eusebius Emisenus a godly bishop was a great clerke a profounde philosopher in the days of Constantine Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 18. lib. 2. cap. 6. There was at Rome in the time of Siluester a Councell of 277. bishops whiche ratified the Nicene couÌ„cell coÌ„demned Arius Photinus Sabellius tom 1. coÌ„cil In the time of CoÌ„stantine sayth Marianus Scotus Helen his mother writeth vnto him that he should renouÌ„ce Christ becom a Iewe. To trye the trueth HeleÌ„ brought with her 120. Iewes Constantine brought Siluester b. of Rome with 24. other bishops they disputed of Christ in the ende the Iewes were ouerthrowen to 1. concil  Eustathius was b. of Antioch after Philogonus he was at the councel of Nice But he fel into the heresie of Sabellius and was deposed in a councell held at Antioch Eusebius PaÌ„philus confuted him after his deposition the seae was voyde the space of 8. yeres Socrat. li. 1. cap. 9. 18. Marcus was b. of Rome after Siluester and coÌ„tinewed 8. moneths Ierom.   Alexander b. of Constantinople a godlye father sett him selfe against Arius he trusted not to the quirckes of logick but to the power of Christ helockt him self in the churche and prayd thus vnto God I besech thee o lord if the opinioÌ„ of Arius be true that I my selfe maye neuer see the ende of this disputatioÌ„ but if the faith which I holde be true that Arius may receau due punishmeÌ„t for his blas phemous opinion whiche in deede sell out as it is to be seen in Arius ende Alelexander was 118. yeare olde when he dyed Socrat lib. 1. cap 25. li. 2 cap. 4. Siluester called at Rome 284. bishops in the presence of CoÌ„stantine and Helena his mother where they layd downe canons for the gouernmeÌ„t of the clergie tom 1. coÌ„cil A councell held at Antioche deposed Eustathius b. of Antioche for maintaining the heresie of Sabellius Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 18. A councel held at Eliberis in Spayne in the time of CoÌ„staÌ„tine decreed that the vsurer should be excoÌ„municated that tapers shold not burne in the daye tyme in church yardes that women shoulde not frequent vigills that images should be banished the church that nothinge should be painted on the wall to be worshipped that euery one should coÌ„municate thrise in the yere tom 1. concil    They accused him at ConstaÌ„tinople be fore the Emperour that he should say he woulde stay the cariadge of corne froÌ„ AlexaÌ„dria to ConstaÌ„tinople for the which Constantinus magnus â—an ished him into Treuere a citie of FrauÌ„ce lib. 1. ca. 23. CoÌ„stantine the yonger called him home froÌ„ exile lib. 2. cap. 2. The councel of Antioche charged hiÌ„ that he tooke the bishoprike after his exile without the warrant of a councel they deposed him and chose Eusebius Emisenê° when he refused it they chose Gregorius an Arian who was brought thither with armed souldiers so that A thanaâ—ius fled away to saue his life afterwardes they misliked with him placed Georgius in his rowme whiche had a miserable end lib. 2. ca. 5. 6. 7. 8. 10. lib. 3. ca. 2. he weÌ„t to Iulius b. of Rome and came to enioy his bishopricke by vertue of his letters lib. 2. ca. 11. Againe the AriaÌ„s accused him to the emperor that he had taken the corne which the emperor gaue to the poore and sold it to his owne lucre so that he was faine the seconde time to slye vnto Iulius b. of Rome where he coÌ„tinewed one yeare six moneths vntil the couÌ„ cel of Sardice where he was restored to his bishoprick lib. 2. ca. 13. 16. but CoÌ„staÌ„tius beyng an Arian banished him againe so that Constans his brother threatned him with warres and coÌ„strayned him to doe it lib. 2. ca. 18. after the death of Constans Constantius exiled him againe lib. 2. cap. 21. After the death of Constantius he came to AlexaÌ„dria but he was fayne to flie in the time of lulian the Apostata li. 3 ca. 4. 12. He came hom in the time of Iouianus and fled away in the time of Valens the A rian he was b. six forty yeres
notable boke as GeÌ„nadiê° reporteth of him It was he that made Chrysostome Epiphanius dedly foes he was a spitefull man all his lifetime in the end dyed of a lethargie Socrat. lib. 6. ca. 1. 7. 9. lib. 7. cap. 7 Gennad catalog vir illustr Ascitae of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bottell gadded about the contry with a bottell bibbinge thereof and sayinge that they were the newe bottells wherof the Gospell spake filled with newe wine August lib. de haeres      Alexander was b. of Antioche after Porphyrius Socras lib. 7. cap. 9.   Aquari were heretickes whiche offred water in the sacrameÌ„t in steede of wine August lib. de haeres         Priscillianus a Spaniard maintayned the opinioÌ„ of Gnostici Manichaeus and Sabellius being condemned by the councell of Burdeux he appealed vnto Maximus the vsurping Emperour which found him an heretik and beheaded him Prosp chronic he sayd the soule was of one substance with God come downe from heauen to endure voluntary conflictes He sayd that mans actions were gouerned by the starres he condemned the eating of fleshe he parted maried couples referring the creation of the fleshe not to god but to wicked angels he allowed of the scriptures called Apocrypha vnto euery of his followers he sayd Iura periura secretum prodere noli August li. de haeres  Epiphanius b. of Cyprê° florished in the tyme of Arcadius he was at deadly enmitie with Chrysostome the worker of all that mischiefe was Theophilus b. of Alexandria He came from CoÌ„stantia in Cyprus to ConstaÌ„tinople celebrated the communion gaue orders without the licence of Iohn the bishop therin to gratifie Theophilus At his farewell from Constantinople he sayd thus vnto Chrysostome I hope thou shalt neuer dye a bishop Chrysostome sayd vnto Epiphanius agayne and I hope thou shalt neuer come aliue into thy coÌ„ try the trueth is it fell out so to both Epiphanius died by the way and Chrysostome in exile Socrat. lib. 6. ca. 9. 11. 13 Theotinus b. of Scythia reprehended Epiphanius for condeÌ„ning rashly the bookes of Origen Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 11. A councell was called at Cyprus by Epiphanius where throughe the spite of Theophilus b. of Alexandria the bookes of Origen were condemned Socrat. lib. 6. cap. 9. Theophilus called a councell at Alexandria and condemned of malice he bare vnto certeÌ„ monkes the books of Origen Scrat li. 6. cap. 9. Iuuenalis b. of Ierusalem after Prayllius he was at the couÌ„cell of Ephesus coÌ„demned Nestorius the he reticke an 435. Socra lib. 7. cap. 3 he was also at the councel of ChalcedoÌ„ in the time of Martianus Euag. lib. 2. ca. 4.    Pelagius a Brittaine a monke of Bangor wrote notable bookes as Gennadius sayd before he fell into heresie his heresies were these that man without the grace of God was able to fulfill all the commaundemeÌ„ts of God that man had free will that the grace of God was geuen vnto vs according to our merits that the iuste haue no sinne in this life that children haue no originall sinne that Adam should haue died if he had not sinned August lib. de haeres Polidor 404.  Effrem Syrus liued about this time his bookes were thought so notable that they were read in the churche Ierom. catalog A councell held at Carthage called the 2. decreed that priests shoulde not marie tom 1. concil  Theodotus was b. of Antioche after Alexander Theodor. li. 5. cap. 38. Innocentius was b. of Rome after Anastasius Anno Do. 404. where he continewed 15. yeres Prosp chron Socr. lib. 7. cap. 9. this Innocentius wrot vnto Chrysostome to the clergie of Constan tinople Sozom lib. 8. ca 26.  Coluthiani were heretickes whiche sayde that the euill which is so called in respect oâ— vs to weâ—e the euill oâ— punishmeÌ„t crosse anâ— vexatioÌ„ proceeded no from God August    An other councell helde at Carthage called the 3. decred that the clergie in their yeares of discretion should eyther marrie or vow chastitie that the chiefe bishop should not be called the prince of priests or hyghest prieste but onely the bishop of the chiefe seae tom 1. concil     Iouinianus a monâ— taught with the stoilâ— that all sinnes were â— quall that man had nâ— sinne after baptisâ—â— that fasting was to 〈◊〉 purpose that Marâ— was no virgine whâ— she was deliuered August lib. de haeres    A councell held at Hippo anno Dom. 417. decreed that bishops and priests shoulde looke well vnto they re owne children that no bishop shoulde appeale ouer seae that the bishop of the head seae shold not be called the chiefe priest that no scripture be read in the church but canonicall tom 1. concil     Heluidius sayd the Marie was a Virgiâ— when Christ was boâ— yet afterwards to haâ— borne the brethren Christ August Gennâ— catalog vir illustr 412. Theodosius iu nior the sonne of Arcadius being left of the age of 8. yeares succeded his father in the Easterne empire though he were lesie yong yet gouerned he the empire wiselye by the meanes of Anthemius a politicke maÌ„ his vertues maner of liuing are sett for that large in Socrates history When that Honorius was slayne in the battaill betwene the Romaynes and the Persians he proclaimed Valentinianus the yonger Emperour of Rome gaue him Eudoxia his daughter to mariadge but he was slayne by the souldiers of Actius Theodusius in his life time detested all heretickes and made a lawe wherein he condemned Neâ—torius he raygned 38. yeares theÌ„ dyed Anno Dom. 450. Socrat lib. 7. ca. 1. 22. 23. 24. 43. Euagrius lib. 1. cap. 12. 22. Orosiâ—â— a Spaniard a learned historiographer sloâ—shed about this time Gennad he wrote vnto Augustine Augustine vnto him agayne Primasius b. of Aphricke and the disciple of S. Augustine wrote vpon holy sâ—â—ip ture Gessner Iohannes Cassianus the deacon of Chrysostome liued about this time Gennad catalog The 4. and 5. councell of Car thage layde downe the olâ—ctioÌ„ office of clergie men to 1. concis  Iohn was b. of Antioche after Theodotus he was at great variance with Cyrill b. of AlexaÌ„dria but they were immediatelie reconciled he was at the councell of Ephesus condemned Nestorius Socrat. lib. 7. ca. 23 Euagr. li. 1. ca. 5. 6. GeÌ„nad catalog Zosimus was b. of Rome after Innocentius An. Dom. 418. coÌ„tinewwed 2. yeres Prosp chro Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 11. Bonifacius was b. of Rome after Zosimus thre yeares 9. moneths Socr. li. 7. c. 11 Cyrillus succeeded Theophilus in the seae of Alexandria and withall he chaleÌ„ged to him selfe more autority theÌ„ euer any other bishop had before him from that time forth besides the ouersight rule of his clergie and ecclesiasticall affaires the bishop of Alexandria tooke also the gouernement of teÌ„porall
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
The bishops â—ssembled at Aâ—imino in talie where â—â—e Arans â—â—re coÌ„demned do write â—us vnto the â—mperour â—onstantius What credit reuerence they â—eue vnto the couÌ„câ—ll of Nice The lewde behauiour of the Arians The Bishops assembled at Aâ—imino request three thinges of the Emperour ConstaÌ„tius 1. that he winke not at nouelties 2. that he call home the bishops from exile 3. that there be no alteration of olde canons The rescript of the councell held at Aâ—immo vn to the Emperour Constantius Liberius b. of Rome exiled Felix b of Rome an Arian Laberius b. of Rome restored agaiÌ„e The councel of Nice in Thracia cal â–ª Cap. 38. in the Greeke Cyrillus b. of Ierusalem an Arian The hainous practises of Macedonius the Arian The cruelty of the Arian hereticks A lawe against the churches of God made by Arians Eleusius a cruell Arian Bishop Macedonius an Arian a â—reat murtherer of the true Christians The translatioÌ„ of bones and reliques is forbidden as an vnlawfull thing by the true christians but the Arians did practise it Cap. 39. in the Greeke The councel of Seleucia held Anno Domi. 363. Leônas Lauricius The Arians absent them selues with excuses Cap. 40. in the Greeke A certaine protestation of Arian Bishops where vnto they annexed their creede Acacius creede an AriaÌ„ bishop The words of Sophronius vnto the Arians The reply of Socrates in the name of the indiffereÌ„t reader By this answere of Acacius we may see the double dealing of the Arians how vnder faire smoth wordes they cloked the poyson of their hereticall doctrine Cyrillus b of Ierusalem was an Arian and deposâ—d â—oâ— some hamous crimes Acacius an Arian with his company deposed * Cap. 41. in the greeke The Bishops then were Magistrats of â—reat autoritie in the common wealth An Arian Creede read at Aâ—immo no we confirmed by the AriaÌ„ Bishops in the councell held at ConstaÌ„tinople Anno Dom. 364. The number of the creeds when and where by whome they were made Vlphilas Bishop of the Gotthes became an Arian in his later dayes Cap. 42. in the greeke * Cap. 43. in the Greeke Eustathius was not suffred to speak for himselfe his faults were so haynous and so wel knowen The wicked skoffinge sentence of Eudoxius Ca. 44. in the Greeke Meletius was after Eudoxius Bishop of Antioch he was by the Emperoure deposed for maintaining the Nicene creed against the Arians Euzoius placed in his rowme Cap. 45. in the greeke Of impaciency cometh heresie The blasphe mous opinioÌ„ of the heretike Macedo nius Marathonius an olde heretike Pneumatomachot The councel of Antioch was held An no Dom. 365 they coÌ„sâ—â— me the Arian opinion The blasphâ— mous opinio of the Arias Anomoioi Exoucoutioi Cyullus Herenius Heraclius Hilarius Cyrillus Cap 46. in the Greeke Impâ—â—â—â—nere causeth heresie The heresie of Apollinaâ—us Constantius dyed Anno Dom. 365. This second booke compriseth the historie of 2. yeares and 5. moneths duringe the raigne of Iulian Iouinâ—n the Emperours ending Anno Dom. 368. Iulian succeeded Constantius An. Dom. 365. Constantius Dalmatius Constantius Gallus Iulianus Macedonius the Eunuche Nicocles the Laconian Ecebolius the Sophist Iabanius the Sophist Maximus the Ephesiâ— philosopher was a coniurer therfore put to death Iulian a couÌ„terfeyte shauching Iulianus was made Caesar and sent into Fraunce A garlande foreshewing the crowne of the empire Iulianus of the souldiers proclaymed Emperour crowned with a chaine of golde Iulian the Emperour is become an Apostata so was he called vnto his ende The policie of Iulian for the winninge of the people Eunuchs Barbours Cookes were banished the Emperours court The Persians worshipped the sonne which they called Mithra The death of Georgius bishop of Alexandria The epistle of Iulian the Apostata vnto the inhabitants of Alexandria Nicephorus in steede of graundfather readeth Vncle Athanasius returneth to Alexandria after the death of CoÌ„stantius * Cap. 5. in the Greeke * Cap. 6. in the greeke Cap 7 in the Greeke The councel held at Alexandria condemned the Aâ—â—â—ns Apollinariâ—â—s and Macedonians Osius b. of Cordubagoing about to remoue one opinioÌ„ gaue occasion to rayse an other Hebr. 1. Irenaeus GraÌ„maticus Fuagrius in lib. Monach Cap. 8. in the Greeke Athanasius reâ—d his Apollogie in the counceâ—… of AlexaÌ„dâ—… The Apolâ—…gie of Athanasius wrâ—… in his owne defence agaynst the sclaunderous mouths of the Arians 1. Reg. 22. Gen. 27. Exod. 2. 1. Reg. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 27. 3. Reg. 17. 18. 19. 3. Reg. 18. Mat. 26. Act 9. 2. Corinth 11. â—â—on 35. â—eâ—t 4. â—eâ—t 19. 〈…〉 sue 20. â—at 10. â—at 24. â—ar 13. â—c 21. Iohn 8. Matth 2. Matth. 2. Matth. 12. Ioh. 11. Ioh. 8. Matth. 13. Matth. 14. Ioh. 7. Ioh. 2. 7. Matth. 26. Cap. 9. in the Greeke Impaciency bringeth heresie The hereticall sect of the Luciferians Cap. 10. in the greeke Hilariê° wrote 12. bookes of the trinity the which are to be seene in latine among his workes The opinion of the We churches The opinion of Aëtius The opinion of the Macedonians The Macedonians proued them selues Neuterans Cap. 11. in the Greeke Cap. 12. in the Greeke The answere of Mâ—â— is vnto Iulian. Who is a persecutor Cap. 13. in the Greeke Iulian sclauÌ„deâ—eth and gibeth at the Christians Ecebolius was a turne coate The hoâ—â—ble practises of the lâ—h nicks Cap. 14. in â—he greeke Athanasius â—keneth per â—â—ution to cloude or â—…ist Iulian the Apostata mocketh christians with their religioÌ„ Cap. 15. in the greeke Amachius an Heathen magistrate Macedonius Theodulus Tatianus broyled to death The fine bookes of Moses in H 〈…〉 roycall vers 〈…〉 The newe Testament was turned into Dialogues Râ—m 1. 〈…〉 Thes 5. 〈…〉 ss 2. 〈…〉 1. â—…t 17. 1. Corinth 15. Ca. 17. in the Greeke The bearde and coyne of Iulian. The oratioÌ„s of Libanius The oration of Iulian against suche as slouted his bearde Cap. 18. in the Greeke Babilas the martyr Rust lib. 1. eccles hist cap. 35. sayth the Psalme was this confouÌ„ded be all they that woâ—ship carued Images and put their trust in Idols * Cap. 19 in the Greeke Theodorus a confessor Ruff. li. 1. c. 36. Cap. 20. in the greeke The prophecy of Cyril Math. 24. A greate earthquake Fire froÌ„ heauen burned the instruments of the Iewes Crosses were printed in the clothes of the Iewes that coulde not be wiped away Cap. 20. in the greeke The PersiaÌ„s Medes can not abid cold Iulian dyed Anno Dom. 367. Iouianus was created Emperour Anno Dom. 367. * Cap. 23. in the Greeke Libanius the Sophist in his funerall oration vpoÌ„ the death of Iulian the Apostata Gregorius Nazianzen ora 2. cont Gentil The phisiognomie of Iulian the Apostata Iulian lib. 3. contra Christian Iulian lib. Cynis Impatiencie brought Porphyrius into Apostasie Libanius in 〈◊〉 funerall â—f Iulian. Hercules Bacchus Aesculapius Attis dyed for loue Adon was a beautifull boy slaine of a bore because he was the
fathers pryuie members and cast them into the Sea thereof rose a froth and of the froth Venus was borne * Phalli and Ithyphalli vvere the pryuie members of men offered vp in honor of the god Bacchus * Priapus the sonne of Venus gotten in adulterie by Iuppiter and honored vvith beastly sacrifice * Pan was the sonne of Penelope the vvise of vlysses for vvhen as after the battell of Troie she looked still for her husband to returne many vvere suters vnto her and because she delayed them from daye to daye they all abused her and got vpon her Pan. other doe saye that Mercurie tooke the forme of an he goat made Penelope in loue with him and got the god Pan * In Eleusis there vvere sacrifices done in the honor of the goddesse Ceres so filthie that they may not be written Cod. de sum rinit et sid â—ath tit 1. l. 3. â—…ncimus Symeon an anchor Domnus b. of Antioch The spirit of Symeon was tried by obedience It is not a dead corps but the liuing God that is protector of town and cuntreiâ— * The greeke worde is Tâ—ara the attyre of Persian womeÌ„ lerom ad fabâ—ol calleth it Galeâ—um a hatt the worde is also taken for a Mâ—â—e or crowne Isidorus Synesius Anno Dom. 451. some other say 455. Memnonius Zoilus Calixtus Anatolius Claudian the Poet. Cyrus the Poet and pre sident Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 43. It behoued then that these monks should be of one sise Hebr. 11. The monkes of Palaâ—stina became as beastes Theodosius iunior dyed Anno Dom. 450. Eustathius epist ad Ioh. What iniury was this vnto the deade corps It is better for the faithfull Christian to become partaker of the blood of Christ which redeemed him from death and damnation The supplication oâ— Eusebius byshop of Dorylaeum exhibited vnto valentinianê° and Martianus the emperours The censure of the senators in the councell of Chalcedon The senteÌ„ce which Pasca sianus Lucentius and Boniface substitutes of Leo b. of Rome gaue of Dioscorus The actes decrees of the councell held at Chalcedon Against Nestorius Against Eutyches The Nicene creed is confirmed Against Macedonius opinion the creede of the councel held at Constanti nople is ratified The synodicall epistles of Cyrill approued The epistle of Leo vnto Flauianus allowed The creede of the councel helde at Chalcedon Constantinople the secoÌ„d patriarchship Proterius b. of Alexandria A lamentable sedition at Alexandria about the election of a byshop â–ª The Monâ—… inhabitinge the deserts bordering vpon Ierusalem were â—â—reticks c â—demned tâ—… councell 〈…〉 Chalcedoâ— The behauiour of Theodosius a â—oging monke The Aequiuocall â—allacy of the deuell lay in those two sylables 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scarsitie of â—ine â—amine estilence welling â—sâ—ammatioÌ„ coughe â—â—ntiniaEmperour Rome was â—ne Rome was taken by Genzerichus king of the Vandallâ— Maximus Auitus Maiorinus Seuerus Anno. 458. Martianus the Emperour dyed Anno Dom. 458. Timotheus Aelurus b. of Alexandria The lamentable death of Proterius the godly archbyshop of Alexandria Rom. 12. Symeon Baradatus Iames. Leo b. of Rome Timotheus â—luâ—us the beâ—etâ—â—â—ll byshopp of Alexandria Amphilochius b. of Sida The epistle of Symeon that dwellâ—â— in a pâ—lâ—â—â—â— vnto Basilius Archbishop of Anâ—â—oâ—h Timotheus Aelurus Timotheus Salofaciolus Anatolius Gennadius Acacius Anno Dom. 159. Anthemius Olymbrius Glycerius Nepos Orestes Romulus Augustulus Odoacer Anno Dom. 475. The translator vnto the reader The supplication of Eusebius byshop of Dorilaeum exhibited vnto valentinianê° and Martianus the emperours The heresie of Eutyches The byshops of the East cryed thus against Dioscorus The senators gaue their sentence in these words where it appeareth that laye men were of great autoritie in the councels The sleeuâ— lesse aunswâ—â— of Dioscorâ— Acacius Dioscorus The conditions of Dioscorus The subsâ—â—â—â—â—â— of Leo of Rome â—aue this â—â—ence aâ—â—st Diosâ—rus in the â—â—uncâ—ll of â—halcedon S. Paul sayth that Christ is the rocke fundation to buylde vpon 1. Cor. 3. 10. The depriuation of Dioscorus archebyshopp of Alexandria Cecropius Cyrill archebyshop of Alexandria vnto Nestorius archebyshop of Constantinople and an hereticke The wordes of Iohn b. of Antioch Cyrill vnto Iohn b. of Antioch The wordes of Leo b. of Rome The wordes of Cyrill Heb. 2. Leo. Cyrill Leo. Cyrill The senteÌ„ce of the Senators is layde downe by Euaâ—rius nowe the thirde time The Epistle of Leo is coÌ„â—irmed â— Bishops Aegypt A company of cocke-braine and hereticall Monks would be ruled neither by Bishops nor by councell Theodoritus Ibas Basianus Zeno was emperour â—nno Dom. 75. Princes and magistrates should be paternes of Godlines vnto the subiects and coÌ„mon people Basiliscus the tyrant and vsuâ—per of the Emperiall crowne sent these wicked letters into all churches wherein he condemneth the faith of Leo the godly bishop of Rome and the canons of the holy councel held at ChalcedoÌ„ B 〈…〉 coÌ„deÌ„neth Leo and the couÌ„cell of Chalcedon Timotheus Aelurus Peter Cnapheus Paulus Anastasius 50. Bishops subscribed to heresy for feare The flattering and hereticall Byshops of Asia wrote this vnto Basiliscus the vsurper Zacharias Rhetor. The Monke of Constantinople weâ— heretickes Basiliscus the vsuâ—peâ— is fayne by reason of the commonon â—o call in his former letters layde lowne in the â— cap. of this booke Peter Stephan Calandio Peter Moggus Peter b. of AlexaÌ„dria flatâ—ereth Acaâ—ius b. of CoÌ„â—tantinople â—ith this epistle Idle Monkes â—â—t men together by â—e eares The idle monks sowed tares amonge the wheat as the enemy did in the gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zeno the Emperour vnto Felix b. of Rome â—e Church Rome proâ—â—nceth â— against â—er b. of â—â—â—xandria Zeno slewe Armatus who saued his life Fronte capillata post hâ—â— oâ—â—asio calua Anastasius created emperour Anâ— Dom. â—92 The monks 〈◊〉 Palaestina â—nto Alciâ—â—n Hereticks are wont to corrupt auncient writers Hereticall monks idle braines all set vpon contention werâ— slaine like dogs at Antioch and throwen intâ— the riuer Orontes Seuerus bâ— of Antioch yet an hereticke The monks of Palaestina vnto Alcison The clemencie of Anastasius Longinus The b. of Apamia a rebell Longinus â— â–ª Indus Scenetae Eustathius the historiographer died Anno Doâ— 504. Daras a noble câ—ue The sclaâ—deâ—ous reports that Zosimus a Ethnicke made of Constantinus magnus useb eccle â—st lib. 8. â—p 14. â—seb lib. 10. p 9. The Empire of Rome encreased with the fayth MacedoniaÌ„s Albania Ibetia Colchi Arabians Frenchmen Germans Buttanns Indaea Luk. 2. Mich. 5. Math. 2. Aegypt Many cuntreys of Persia Seleucia Ctesiphon Nisibis Armenia C. Iulius Câ—sar Caius Caliâ—gula Nero. Galba Otho Vitellius Titus Commodâ—â— Pertinax Didius Iâ—â—iâ—nus Antonius Macrinus Aurelius Antonius Alexander Maximinuâ— Gordianuâ— Philip. Decius Gallus Volusianuâ— Aemilianuâ— Valerianuâ— Galienus Carinus Maximiaâ—â— Maxentiuâ— Licinniuâ— Iulian. Anno Do. 519. Iustinus was proclaimed Emperour Anno Don 519. In raigne and loue fewe fello are faiths DissimulatioÌ„ Blood wil be recompeÌ„ced with bloode Seuerus b. of Antioch for reuilinge
things worthy of memory they reporte of this mans life whereof this is one certaine lewde varletts seeing the constancie vprightnesse of his life could not brook nether away with it fearing that if through his meanes they were attainted there was no other way but execution therefore they in conscience being priuey to infinite lewde practises preueÌ„t the same and charge him with a greuous accusation afterwards to perswade the hearers y â— sooner they confirme their accusatioÌ„s with othes y â— first swore if I lye let me be burned to ashes the seconde if I reporte not the trueth let my whole body be tormented and wasted away with some cruell disease The third if I beare false wittnesse let me be sâ—itten with blindnesse but for all their swering and staring not one of the faithfull beleued them the chastitie and vpright conuersation of Narcissus so preuailed among all men He tooke greuously theyr despitefull dealing and because that of olde he had bene of the Philosophicall secte he fledd and forsooke his Churche hidd himselfe priuely in the deserte and obscure places for the space of many yeares yet the great and watchfull eye that iustely auengeth woulde not permitt such as had maliciously practised this lewdnes to haue perfect rest but speedely and swiftely compassed them in theire owne crafte and wrapped them in the same curses if they lyed they had craued vnto themselues The first therefore without any circumstance at all in plaine dealinge had a smale sparcle of fire fallen in the night time vpon the house where he dwelt whereby he his house and his whole family by fire were consumed to ashes The seconde was taken with the same disease from toppe to toe which he had wished vnto himselfe before The thirde seeing the terrible ende of the two former and fearinge the ineuitable vengeance of God that iustely plagueth periured persons confesseth vnto all men they re compacted deceate and pretended mischiefe agaynst that holy man and wasteth awaye with sorowefull mourninge punisheth his body and pineth wyth teares so long till bothe his eyes ranne out of his heade and such were the punishmentes of false wittnesses and periured persons CAP. IX Of the succession of byshops in the Church of Ierusalem AFter the departure of Narcissus when it was not knowen where he remained the bishops of the borderinge and adioyninge Churches ordayned there an other byshop whose name was Dios whome after he had continewed but a smale space Germanion succeeded and after Germanion Gordius In whose time Narcissus shewed himselfe againe as if he had risen from death to life and is entreated of the brethren to enioye his byshopricke againe beinge much marueiled at for his departure for his philosophicall trade of life and especially for the vengeance and plagues God powred vpon his accusers and because that for his olde yeares and heuie age he was not able to supplie the rowne the deuine prouidence of God through a vision by night reuealed vnto him prouided Alexander byshop of an other prouince to be Narcissus his felowe helper in discharging the function due vnto the place CAP. X. Of Alexander byshop of Ierusalem and Asclepiades byshop of Antioche FOr this cause therefore as warned by a vision from aboue Alexander who afore was byshop of Cappadocia tooke his iorney to Ierusalem for prayer sake and visitinge of the places there whome they of Ierusalem receaue bountifully and suffer not to returne whome againe and that did they accordinge vnto the vision which appeared vnto them in the night and plainely pronounced vnto the chief of them charging them to hasten out of the gates of their city and receaue the byshop ordained of God for them this they did through thaduise of the bordering byshops constraining him of necessitie to remayne among them Alexander himselfe in his epistles at this day extant against the Antinoites maketh mention of this byshopricke in commen betwene him and Narcissus wryting thus about the later end of an epistle Narcissus greeteth you vvho gouerned this byshopricke before me and novve being of the age of a hundreth and sixtene yeares prayeth vvith me and that very carefully for the state of the church beseacheth you to be of one mind vvith me These thinges went then after this sorte when Serapion had departed this life Asclepiades was stalled bishop of Antioch and constantly endured the time of persecution Alexander remembreth his election writing to the church of Antioch after this maner Alexander the seruant of the Lord and the prisoner of Iesus Christ vnto the holy church of Antioch sendeth greeting in the Lorde The Lord eased lightened my fetters and imprisonment vvhen that I hearde Asclepiades a man vvell practised in holy Scripture by the prouidence of God for the vvorthines of his faith to haue bene placed bishop of your church This epistle he signifieth in the end to haue bene sent by Clemens This epistle I haue sent vnto you my Maysters and brethren by Clemens a godly minister a man both vertuous vvell knovven vvhome you haue seene and shall knovve vvho also being here present vvith me by the prouidence of God hath confirmed furthered the church of Christ CAP. XI Of the workes of Serapion byshop of Antioch IT is very like that sundry epistles of Serapion are reserued amonge others vnto our knoweledge onely such came as he wrote vnto one Domnus which renounced the fayth of Christ in the time of persecution and fell to Iewish Apostasie and vnto one Pontius and Caricus ecclesiasticall persons againe epistles vnto other men and also a certaine booke of the Gospell which they call after Peter wrytten to this end that he might confute the falsehoode specified in the same for that diuerse of the churche of Rosse went astray after false doctrine vnder coloure of the foresayd Scripture it shall seeme very expedient if we alleage a fewe lines out of it whereby his ceÌ„sure of that booke may appeare thus he wryteth VVe my brethren receaue Peter the other Apostles as messengers of Christ himselfe but their names being falsely forged vve plainely do reiect knovving vve receaued none such I truely remaining amongest you supposed you vvere all sounde and firme in the right fayth and vvhen I had not perused the booke published in Peters name entitled his Gospell I sayd if this be onely the cause of your grudginge and discoraging let it be redd but novve in so much I perceaue a certaine hereticall opinion to be thereby cloked and coloured by occasion of my vvordes I vvill hasten to come vnto you vvherefore my brethren expecte shortely my comming For vve knovve vvell inough the heresie of Marcianus vvho vvas founde contrary to himselfe he vnderstoode not that vvhich he spake as you may gather by the things vvhich vve vvrote vnto you vve might peraduenture our selues laye dovvne more skilfully the grounde of this opinion vnto his successors vvhome vve call coniecturers for