conuersant and ministred vnto him for the framing and finishing of euery vvorke of visible or inuisible things but to haue bene the vvorde in deede together vvith the father and God of God ▪ for this is he vnto vvhome the father sayde Let vs make man after our ovvne image and similitude vvho appeared in his proper person vnto the fathers of olde gaue them the lawe spake by the prophets laste of all became man made manifest his father vnto all men and raygneth vvorlde vvithout ende Neyther doe vve beleue that Christ receaued his diuinitie of late but that he vvas perfect from all aeternitie and like vnto the father in all things Such as confounde the father the sonne and the holie Ghost and impiously imagine three names in one thinge and in one person not vvithout iust cause vve forbidde them the church because they appoynt the father vvho is incomprehensble and impatible by incarnation to be both comprehensible and patible Of which heresie are the Patropassians so called of the Romaines but of vs Sabellians VVe know of certainty the father vvhich sent his sonne to haue continewed in the proper nature of his immutable diuinitie the sonne vvhich vvas sent to haue accomplished the disposed order of his incarnation In like maner such as say impiously and blaspheniously that Christ vvas begotten neyther by the counsell neyther by the vvill of the father attributinge to God the father a counsell tyed to necessitie and an essence intangled vvith the vvant of free vvill so that he begatt the sonne of cōpulsion them first of all we hold for accursed creatures and farre estraynged from the trueth in Christ because they presume to publishe such doctrine of him both contrary to the common notions vnderstanding vve haue of God and also repugnant vvith the sense and meaning of the sacred scripture inspired from aboue VVe knowe that God is of his owne power that he enioyeth his free will and we beleue godly and reuerently that he begat the sonne of his owne accord free will VVe beleue that godly which is spoken of him The Lorde made me the beginning of his wayes for the accōplishing of his works yet we vnderstand no◠that he was so made as other creatures other things were framed For that is impious farr◠frō the faith of the catholicke church to liken the creator vnto the creatures which he shaped or to thinke that he had the like maner of begetting with other thinges of different nature The holy scriptures do informe vs onely of one onely begotten sonne vnfainedly and truely begotten Moreouer when as we say that the sonne hath his being of him selfe that he liueth subsisteth in like sort with the father for all that vve seuer him not from the father neither do we imagine corporall vvise certaine spaces and distance betvvene their coherencie For vve beleeue that they ioyne together vvithout pause or distance put betvvene and that they can not be seuered asunder so that the father compriseth as it vvere in his bosome the vvhole sonne and the sonne is ioyned and fastened to the vvhole father and resteth continevvally onely in his fathers lappe VVe beleeue furthermore in the absolute perfect most blessed Trinitie and vvhen vve call the father God the sonne God in so doing we say not there be two gods but one God of equall power diuinitie and one perfect coniunction of raygne and euen as the father beareth rule exerciseth authoritie ouer all things ouer the sonne sovve say that the sonne is subiect vnto the father and that he gouerneth besides him immediatly and next after him all thinges vvhich he made and that the saincts by the vvill of the father receaue the grace of the holy Ghost aboundantly poured vpon them Thus the holy scriptures haue instructed vs to direct our talke of the monarchie in Christ After the aforesayd briefe cōpendious forme of faith vve haue bene cōstrained to explicate discourse of these thinges at large not that vve are disposed vainely and arrogantly to contend but to remoue out of the mindes of such men as knovve vs not all fonde suspicion surmise cōceaued of our censure opinion othervvise then trueth is that moreouer all the bishops of the VVest may easily perceaue not only the sclaunders of such as maintayne the contrary opinion but also the ecclesiasticall and Christian faith of the byshops inhabitinge the East confirmed out of the manifest and vnvvrested testimonies of holie scripture the vvhich the aduersaries are vvont lewdly to interpret The bishops of the west churches affirmed they would in no wise receaue these thinges partly for that they were written in a straunge tonge therfore could not vnderstand them they sayd moreouer that the creede or forme of faith layd downe by the Nicene councell was sufficient and that it was not for them curiously to search further CAP. XVI Of the generall Councell summoned at Sardice WHen as the Emperour had written againe that Paulus and Athanasius should be restored to their former rowmes and dignities and his letters had taken no place by reason of the ciuill dissention discord as yet not appeased among the multitude Paulus Athanasius make humble sute that an other councell might be called together to the end their cases should be the better knowen the faith should be decided in a general coūcell for they protested y ◠their depositiō was wrought to the end y ◠faith might be destroyed Wherfore by y ◠cōmaundemēt of both y ◠Emperours the one signifying y ◠same by his letters the other whose dominiōs lay in y ◠East willingly cōdescending thervnto there was proclaimed a generall councell that all should meete at Sardice a citie of Illyrium The eleuenth yeare after y ◠desease of Costantinus the father of these Emperours in the consulship of Ruffinus Eusebius the councell of Sardice was summoned There mett there as Athanasius sayth about thre hundred bishops of the west churches and as Sabinus declareth onely seuenty six bishops out of the East of which number was Ischyras bishop of Mareôtes whome y ◠deposers of Athanasius preferred to be bishop of that place Some alleage for them selues their infirmitie of body some cōplaine that their warning was to short therfore they blame Iulius bishop of Rome when as since the date of the proclamation the leasure of Athanasius cōtinewing at Rome expecting y ◠meeting of the councell there rame a whole yeare six moneths After that y ◠bishops of the east came to Sardice they would not come into y ◠presence of y ◠bishops which inhabited y ◠West but sent thē this message that they would not talke neither reason with them vnlesse cōditionally they would barre Athanasius and Paulus their cōpany But when Protogenes bishop of Sardice Osius bishop of Corduba a citie as I sayd
inueÌ„ted such things to deface the true and catholicke faith When they had ended these lowde speaches the Councell brake vp The Emperour vnderstaÌ„ding of this coÌ„mauÌ„ded them forthwith to exile banishmeÌ„t determineth w t him selfe to summone a generall couÌ„cell to y â— end after citing of all the easterne bishops into the west contries he might if it were possible bring them all to embrace vnitie and concorde But after better aduisement taken with him selfe he sawe it was a very hard matter to compasse by reason of the farre contries and longe iourney and therefore he commaunded the Councell shoulde be deuided into two partes the bishops then present to assemble at Ariminum a citie of Italie the bishops of the East to meete at Nicomedia a ritie in Bithynia But his purpose tooke no prosperous successe for nere nother of y â— Councells agreed â–ª within them selues both was deuided into sundry factions For neither could the bishops which mett at AriminuÌ„ in Italy agree amonge them selues neyther the bishops of the East among them selues for they raysed a newe schisme at Seleucia a citie of Isauria but howe all this came to passe I will hereafter rehearse in processe of our discourse if that first I say somewhat of Eudoxius In the very same time Leontius â–ª who preferred Actius the hereticke to the degree of Deaconship hauing departed this lyfe Eudoxius bishop of Germanicia a citie of Syria then beyng at Rome thought it high time for him to returne into the East he dealeth doubly with the Emperour forlicence to depart with speede alleadginge for him selfe that the citie of Germanicia stoode in greate neede of his helpe and ghostly counsell The Emperour litle thinkinge what fetches he had in his heade gaue him his pasport He through the sute and furtherance of the Emperours chamberlaynes left his owne citie and crept through wyle and subtletie into the byshopricke of Antioche he endeuoureth to restore Actius agayne into the church and goeth about to summone a Councell of byshops and to make him Deacon agayne But his lewde dryft was longe in brynginge about because the hatred owed vnto Actius was of more force to repell him then the hartie good wyll and furtherance Eudoxius vsed to restore him but of this we neede no more wordes Of them which assembled at Ariminum the Easterne byshops not mentioninge the businesse aboute Athanasius signified that the cause of their comminge was to discourse of other matters Vrsacius and Valens who at the firste were Arians and afterwards exhibited a recantation vnto the byshop of Rome subscribing as I sayd before vnto the clause of One substance stoode them in great stead for these two continewally cleaued vnto the stronger and the surer side There came also to take their part Germanius Auxentius Demophilus Caius In the assembly of bishops then present when diuers men would haue diuers things enacted Vrsacius Vales affirmed y â— all formes of faith layd downe in times past were thenceforth to be caÌ„celled that y â— new forme of faith published a litle before at y â— councell of SirmiuÌ„ was to be coÌ„firmed When they had so sayd they gaue forth a shete of paper which they had in their haÌ„ds to be read The second creede written before at Sirmium suppressed there as I sayd before read also at AriminuÌ„ translated out of the Latine into y â— Greeke toÌ„gue was layd downe in these words This Catholick faith was published at SirmiuÌ„ in the presence of Costantius our liege lord Flauius Eusebius Hypatius renowmed consuls the eleuenth Kalends of Iune VVe beleue in one onely true God the father almightie creator and maker of all things in one onely begotten sonne of God who was before all worlds before all beginninges before all tymes that may be imagined and begotten of God the father vvithout any passion before all comprehensible knowledge by vvhome both the vvorld and all things were made one only begotten begotten of the father alone God of God like vnto the father which begatt him according vnto the scriptures vvhose generation no man hath knovven saue the father vvhich begatt him him vve knovve his onely begotten sonne to haue come dovvne from heauen at the fathers becke to banishe and vvype avvay synne to haue bene borne of the Virgine Marie to haue bene conuersant vvith the disciples to haue fulfilled according vnto his fathers will all his message to haue bene crucified to haue suffred died to haue descended into hell and there to haue disposed all things at whose sight the porters of hell gates trembled to haue risen againe the third day againe to haue accoÌ„panied with his disciples after 40. dates were expired to haue ascended into heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of the father and shall come againe at the last day with the glory of his father to reward euery one according vnto his workes And we beleue in the holy ghost whome the onely begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ him selfe promised to send mankind the coÌ„forter as it is written I go vnto my father I will pray my father to send you an other comforter the spirite of trueth he shall take of myne and shall teache leade you in all things The word Substance being simply layd downe of the fathers vnknowen of the ignoraÌ„t people geuing vnto many great cause of offence insomuch it is not founde in holie scripture vve haue thought good to abandone it and henceforth speakinge of God to make no mention of the vvorde Substance because the sacred scriptures haue not once remembred the substance of the Sonne or of the holie ghost VVe say that the sonne is like the father in all things that because the word of God hath affirmed taught it vs. WheÌ„ these things were read such as were not pleased with the circumstances and contents therof rose vp and sayde We came not hither as though we wanted faith and beleese for we retayne that faith which we learned from the beginning but we are come to withstand nouelties if ought be practised preiudiciall vnto y â— same If those thiÌ„gs which you haue now read neither sauor neither rend to y â— establishing of noueltie accurse renounce the heresie of Arius in such wise as the old auncient canon of the church hath banished all hereticall blasphemous doctrine It is apparent vnto the whole world what tumults troubles the blaspemous opinioÌ„ of Arius hath raysed euen vnto this day in the church of God This offer was not accepted of Vrsacius Valens Germanius Auxentius Demophilus Caius thervpon the bond of vnitie retained in the church of God was broken asunder For these men cleaued vnto such things as the councell of AriminuÌ„ had decreed y â— other confirmed the canons of the Nicene Councell derided y â— contents of the creede y â— was read in their presence but specially Athanasius so y â—
Macedonius about y ◠time was remoued Eudoxius supposing the seae of Antioch to be farre inferior vnto y ◠Bishoprick of Constantinople was proclaimed Bishop of Constantinople by Acacius his adherents who made lawes put them in practise contrary to their owne former decrees For after y ◠deposition of Dracontius they made Eudo xius Bishop of Constantinople who nowe the seconde time had translated himselfe from one seae vnto an other in so doing they were founde farre contrary to thēselues After this they ratifie y ◠forme of faith that was read at Ariminum together with y ◠additiōs and glosses as a very absolute thing send it abroade into the whole world commaunding y ◠whosoeuer refused to subscribe vnto the same should by vertue of the Emperours proclamation be condemned to perpetuall banishemēt They signified this their purpose vnto many of the Cast churches which maintained y t same hereticall opinion with them to Patrophilus Bishop of Scythopolis who from the councell of Seleucia got him straight to his owne citie When Eudoxius was setled Bishop of the noble citie of Constantinople y ◠great church calied after the name of wisedome was honored w the solempne feast of dedication in the tenth Consulship of Constantius the third of lulianus Caesar the fifteneth day of the moneth of February Eudoxius beinge stalled in his seate gaue this out for y ◠first sentēce which at this day is riffe in euery mans mouth y ◠sonne is religious the father irreligious wherefore when tumult and sedition rose by occasion of these wordes let this saying sayth he nothing grieue you at all for the father is irreligious in that he worshipeth none the sonne is religious in that he worshipeth the father When he had thus interpreted his mind the contentious multitude quieted themselues and in steede of the hurlyburly the whole churche was sette on laughter His fonde saying vnto this day is counted a famous iest The authors of error and schisine occupiyng their braine about such trifling quircks about such fond and friuolous words haue broken asunder the bonde of vnitie and concorde retained in the church of God The councell held at Constantinople had such an end as I haue shewed before CAP. XXXIIII Of Meletius Bishop of Antioch NOwe it remaineth that according vnto our former promise we say somewhat of Meletius This man after the deposition of Eustathius as I sayd before was first chosen Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia afterwards was he taken thence and translated to the bishoprick of Beroea a citie of Syria After he had bene at the councel of Seleucia and subscribed vnto the forme of faith which the faction of Acacius had framed and exhibited vnto the councell immediatly be re turned to Beroea the Antiochians after the summoning of y ◠councel at Constantinople vnderstāding for certaine y ◠Eudoxius had made light of their church for greater lucre crept vnto the Byshopricke of Constantinople sent to Beroea for Meletius and made him Bishop of Antioch He in a good while after his comming medled not with high matters and my steries of faith but deliuered onely vnto his auditors such things as concerned maners good life and godly conuersation yet in countinewance of time he expounded thē the faith and the clause of one substance The Emperour hearing of this commaunded him to exile and gaue charge that Euzoius who afore time had bene deposed together with Arius shoulde be stalled Bishop of Antioch But suche as bare good will and great affection vnto Meletius laing aside for altogether the Arian opinion and confederacie begannne to meete priuatly and had their particular conuenticles when as they which alwayes had cleaued vnto the fayth of one substance refused theyr communion for two causes partely for that Meletius had bene made pricste by the Arians and partely also for that his followers had bene baptised of them Thus the churche of Antioch leaned vnto that side whiche agreed with it selfe But the Emperoure hearing that the Persians had proclaimed warre against the Romaines gotte him in all the haste to Antioch CAP. XXXV Of the heresie of Macedonius MAcedonius beinge banished the citie of Constantinople and takinge very impatiently the sentence pronounced against him could by no meanes quiet himselfe but got him vnto the contrary side vnto such as had deposed Acacius at Seleucia together with his cōplices he dealt with Sophronius Eleusius by messengers that they should firmely addicte themselues vnto the forme of faith set forth at Antioch afterwardes confirmed at Seleucia he requested them earnestly to call it after that famous renowmed title the fayth of one substance Wherefore there frequented vnto him many of his familiars together with sundry others who after his name are nowe called Macedonians there resorted vnto him diuers others also who at y ◠councel of Seleucia were foes vnto the faction of Acacius who also at the beginninge maintained both publikely and priuately the fayth of one substance but nowe tread the same vnder foote This Macedonius thoughe he affirmed that the sonne of God was like vnto the father as well in substance as in all other thinges yet auoutched he that the holye Ghoste had not these titles of honor but tearmed him theyr seruante or drudge The reporte goeth that Macedonius was not the firste founder of this blasphemous opinion but Marathonius who longe before his time had bene Bishop of Nicomedia and thereupon such as maintayned y t opinion to haue bene called Marathonians Unto these mens company it was that Eustathius who for the cause aboue specified lefte Sebastia linked himselfe When Macedonius denied that the holy Ghost was equall and partaker of the godhead whiche is in the blessed Trinitie Eustathius made answere I of mine owne parte saith he doe not minde to call the holy Ghost God neyther yet dare I presume to tearme him a creature Wherefore suche as embrace the faith of one substance doe call these men Pneumatomâchous by interpretation deadly foes vnto the diuinitie of the holy Ghoste But howe it cometh to passe that Hellespontus is full of these Macedonians I will discourse when fitte occasion is ministred The faction of Acacius endeuored with all might againe to call a councell at Antioch for it repented them that they affirmed the sonne in all thinges to be like vnto the father Wherefore the yeare followinge in the consulshippe of Taurus and Florentius they assemble together at Antioch in Syria at what time Euzoius gouerned that churche and the Emperoure also abode there Many of thē after theyr meeting call into question such things as they had decreed in tymes past they affirme that the Clause of likenesse by the Councell of Ariminum and the Councell helde at Constantinople is quite to be abandoned and not once to be named againe they clocke their opinion no longer but pronounce with open mouthe that the some was
to be short a theefe for he keepeth this mountayne ouer against the church together vvith his associates the Apostle then renting his garment and beating his heade vvith greate sorrovv sayde I haue left a vvise keeper of our brothers soule prepare me a horse and let me haue a guyde he hastened out of the churche rode in post being come vnto the place appoynted he is straight vvayes taken of the theeuishe vvatch he neither flyeth neither resisteth but exclamâ—th for this purpose came I hither bringe me vnto your captaine vvho in the meane space as he vvas armed behelde him comminge but eftsones vvhen he savve his pace and knevve that it vvas Iohn he vvas stroken vvith shame and fledd avvay the olde man forgetfull of his yeares vvith might pursueth him flying and cryeth My sonne vvhy flyest thou from me thy father vnarmed and olde O sonne tender my case be not afrayde as yet there remayneth hope of saluation I vvill vndertake for thee vvith Christe I vvill dye for thee if neede be as Christ did for vs. I vvill hazard my soule for thine trust to me Christ sent me â–ª but he hearing this first stoode still turning his countenance to the ground next shoke of his armour anone trembled for feare and vvept bitterly He embraced the olde man comming vnto him aunsvvering as vvell as he coulde for vveeping so that agayne he seemed to be baptized vvith teares the shaking of the hande onely omitted The Apostle vvhen he had promised and protested to procure for him pardon of our Sauiour and prayed and fallen vpon his knees and also kissed his right hande novve clensed through repentance brought him vnto the Churche agayne VVhen that also he had povvred forth often tymes prayers for him and stroâ—gled vvith him in continuall fastinges and mollified his minde vvith diuers and sundry sermons and confirmed him departed not as the reporte goeth before he had fully restored him vnto the Churche â–ª and exhibited a greate example of true repentance a greate tryall of nevve birth and a singular token of the visible resurrection this haue I taken out of Clemens partly for the history and partly also for the profitâ— of the Reader CAP. XXI Of the order of the Gospells NOw we will forwardes and entreate of the vndoubted wrytinges of this Apostle And firste let there be no staggering at his Gospell which is well knowne of all the Churches vnder heauen Why it was of olde placed the fourthe after the other three it shall thus appeare The diuine holy men namely the Apostles of Christ leading a passing pure life hauing their mindes be decked with euery kinde of vertue vsed rude and simple speache yet of a diuine and forcible power which they had receaued of Christ neither knewe they nether endeuored they to publish the doctrine of their â—â—ister with curious paynting of wordes but vsing the demonstration of the holy spirite which wrought with them and the onely power of Christ which brought miracles to perfection they shewed the knowledge of the kingdome of heauen to the whole worlde being nothing carefull at all for the writinge of bookes And this they brought to passe being occupied with a greater worke and in maner exceeding the strength of man Paul the mightiest of all the rest in the setling of wordes and best armed with the power of perfect senses wrote but very short epistles whereas he might haue layd downe infinite thinges yea and secretes being rapt vnto the thirde heauen and behoulding celestiall things yea brought into paradyse it selfe and there thought worthy to heare secrete mysteries neyther were the rest of the Disciples of our Sauiour namely the tvvelue Apostles and the seuenty with other innumerable ignorant and vnskilful herein And yet of al these the Disciples of our Sauiour Matthew Iohn wrote gospels Who as report goeth were constrained therunto for Matthew when he had first preached vnto the Hebrevves now passing vnto other people wrote his Gospell in his contrey language supplying by writing in his absence y â— which was desired in his presence When Mark and Luke had published their gospels â–ª Iohn say they in all y â— space preached without writing but at length was moued to write for this cause It is reported that when the bookes of the three Euangelistes were through out the worlde and come into his handes he allowed them and yelded of them a true testimonye wishing that the declaration of such thinges had bene printed in their bookes which were done at the first preaching of Christ the Reader may perceaue these three Euangelistes to haue onely sett forth the doinges of our Sauiour one yeare after the imprysonment and captiuitye of Iohn the Baptist which may be gathered by the beginning of their histories for after the xl dayes fasting and the annexed temptation Matthewe sheweth the time of the beginning of his historye saying VVhen he had hearde that Iohn vvas taken he returned from Iudaea into Galilee And Marke likewise after that sayth â—e Iohn vvas taken Iesus came into Galilee And Luke also before he had mentioned the doings of Iesu obseruing the same manner Herode saythe he proceeding in his haynous offences shutt vp Iohn in prison Iohn the Apostle beinge for these causes entreated wrote the tyme passed ouer of the former Euangelistes with sylence and therein the Actes of our Sauiour namely which went before the imprisonment of Iohn which he partly signified writing thus this vvas the first of the miracles vvhich Iesus did partly with all mentioning the doinges of Iohn the Baptist who as then baptized in â—non by Salem which is euident when he sayth for as yet Iohn vvas not cast into prison Iohn then in his Gospell deliuereth such thinges as were done of Christ before the coâ—â—iâ—â—ing of Iohn the other three beginne with the mention of Iohns imprysonment vnto him that recoâ—â—yleth the Euangelistes thus they shall not seeme discrepant in so much that the Gospell of Iohn contayneth the former doinges of Christe the other the latter lastinge vnto the ende therefore not without cause Iohn passeth ouer with silence the genealogye of our Sauiour accordinge vnto the fleshe being afore amply layde downe by Matthewe and Luke and beginneth with his diuinitie reserued of the holy Ghost for him as the mightier thus much shall suffice concerning the Gospell written by Sainct Iohn The cause why Marke wrote his Gospell we haue declared before Luke in the beginninge of his historye sheweth the occasion of his writing signifying that diuers nowe already had imployed their diligent care to the setting forthe of such thinges as he was fully perswaded of deliuering vs very necessarily from their doubtful opinion why left that he by his Gospell declareth vnto vs the sure and certaine narration of such thinges whereof he had receaued the truthe sufficiently partely by the company and conuersation of Paul partely also throughe the familiaritie
then craftely crept in to be Bishop of Nicomedia a city of Bithynia claue fast vnto him which thinges when Alexander had both hearde and seene done with his eyes was very much moued thereat and summoning together a counsell of many Bishops he depriueth Arius and such as fauored his opinion of the priestly order and wrote vnto the seuerall Bishops throughout the cities in this maner The epistle of Alexander Bishop of Alexandria TO the welbeloued and most reuerend brethren fellow ministers with vs throughout the churches whersoeuer In so much as we are commaunded by holy Scripture to retaine the bonde of vnity peace it is requisite that we vvrite signifie one to another the things that seuerally happen among vs to the ende that if one suffer or one reioyce vve all may suffer together or reioyce together Novv in our church there are risen certaine men vvhich transgresse the lawes which impugne Christ which leade men into Apostasie whome a man may rightly suppose iustly terme the forrunners of Antichrist I was disposed truely to be silent and not to blason at all so haynous an offence if peraduenture by any meanes possibly this blemish might haue bene wiped away from among them which alone fel from the church lest that straying abrode into straung places it might infect vvith the filth therof the eares of simple seely soules but in as much as Eusebius novv Bishop of Nicomedia supposing the vvhole state of the church to be vnder his iurisdiction and seeing vvith him selfe that he is to be charged of none for leauing the Churche of Berytus and for that he greedily gaped after the Churche of Nicomedia and in that he is become the patrone and ringleader of these Apostatas going about to publish letters into all prouinces highly extolling them that he may plung certayne of the ignorant sort into an extreame pestilent heresie altogether contrary to Christ him selfe I thinke it necessary seeing the like is vvritten in some parte of the lavve no longer to be silent but to declare vnto you all the vvhole matter vvhereby ye may not onely knovve them vvhiche fell from the trueth but also their derestable doctrine and the circumstance of their heresie and also if peraduenture Eusebius doe vvrite vnto you that you geue no eare vnto him for he hauing concealed for a season his olde festred corruption of minde and novve disposed to renevve the same fayneth to further their cause by his epistels but in very deede he shevveth plainly that these his practises be directed to the furtherance of his ovvne cause such as fell from the Church vvere these Arius Achillas Aeithales Câ—rpônes a seconde Arius Sarmates Euzoius Lucius Iulianus Menas Helladius Gaius and together vvith them also Secâ—ndus Theonas vvhich sometime vvere called Bishops the things vvhich they published abroade contrary to holy Scripture were such that God vvas not alvvayes a father but that there vvas sometime vvhen he vvas no father and that the vvorde of God vvas not from euerlasting but had his beginning of nothing For that God vvhich is made him vvhich vvas not of that vvhich is not for vvhich cause there vvas a tyme vvhen he vvas not that the sonne vvas a creature and made neyther like vnto the father in substance neyther the true vvorde of the father by nature neyther his true vvisedome but made metaphorically the worde and the vvisedome the same to be made by the proper worde of God and by the wisedome which is in God in the which God made all thinges and him toe for vvhich cause he is of a changeable and diuerous nature as all other reasonable creatures be that the vvorde is straung diuerous and seuered from the vvisedome of God that the father can not be expressed by the sonne that the sonne knovveth not the father fully neyther absolutely neyther can perfectly discerne him and that the sonne perceaueth not the substance of the father as he is but that he was made for our sakes that God by him as by an instrument might create vs and that he had not bene had not God bene moued to create vs. One at that tyme demaunded of them vvhether the vvorde of God coulde be chaunged as the deuill vvas chaunged and they vvere not afrayd to ansvvere yea it may be for that he is of a chauÌ„geable nature and begotten he is mutable Arius therefore and his adherents vvhiche vttered these thinges and impudently auoutched them together vvith all such as fauour the like fonde opinions VVe together vvith other Bishops of Aegypt and Libya in number vvelâ—â—ghe a hundred meeting for the same purpose haue pronounced to be helde of all men for accursed Eusebius and his adherents endeuer to mingle falsehoode with the trueth pietye with impietye but they shall not preuaile for trueth getteth the victory light hath no fellowship with darknes no agreement betwene Christ Belial who euer hearde of the like practises who presently if he heard the like woulde not wonder as at straung thinges and stoppe his eares lest the dregges of so detestable a doctrine should annoy the sense of hearing what man hearing Iohn affirming in the beginning was the worde will not forthwith condemne these which say there was a tyme when he was not or who is it when he heareth in the Gospell the onely begotten sonne and by him were all thinges made that vvill not detest these vvhich affirme that the sonne is one of the creatures and hovve can he resemble the thinges vvhiche vvere made by him or hovve can the onely begotten as their opinion is be numbred vvith all other liuing creatures or hovve is he made of nothinge vvhen the father sayeth My harte hath endited a good matter and Before the morning in the wombe haue I begotten thee Or hovve is he in substance different from the father being the Perfect image and brightnes of the Father and vvhen as he him selfe sayeth He that hath seene me hath seene also the Father or hovve can it be if the onely sonne of God be the vvorde and the vvisedome that there vvas a tyme vvhen that he vvas not it is as if a man shoulde saye God sometyme vvanted both vvorde and vvisedome or hovve is he chaungeable and mutable vvhen as he reporteth of him selfe I am in the Father and the Father is in me also I and the Father be both one and by the Prophet Malachyâ— also Consider me that I am God and am not chaunged and althoughe this saying may be referred vnto the Father him selfe yet presently it is applyed more aptely vnto the sonne for in that he was borne and become man he is not chaunged at all but as the Apostle vvriteth Iesus Christ yester nyght and toe daye and he is the same for euer VVhat therefore ledd them I beâ—eache you vnto so erroneous and detestable an opinion for to saye he vvas made for vs vvhen as the Apostle vvriteth For of him
the substance of the father God of God light of light very God of very God begotteÌ„ not made being of one substaÌ„ce with the father by whome all things were made both the things in heaueÌ„ the things in earth who for vs men for our saluation came downe was incarnate he was made man he suffred rose the third day he ascended into the heauens he shall come to iudge both the quicke the dead And we beleue in the holy Ghost Therefore they which say that there was a time when he was not before he was begotten or that he had his beginninge of nothinge or that he is of an other substaÌ„ce or esseÌ„ce or that affirme the sonne of God to be made or to be coÌ„uertible or mutable these the Catholicke Apostolicke church of God doth pronounce for accursed â–ª wheÌ„ they had prescribed this forme of faith we ceased not diligeÌ„tly to demaund of theÌ„ how they vnderstoode that senteÌ„ce To be of the substaÌ„ce of the father that to be of one substance with the father wherevpoÌ„ there rose obiectioÌ„s resolutioÌ„s so that the right seÌ„se of the foresayd senteÌ„ces was curiously sought out They sayd that to be Of one substaÌ„ce signified nothing else theÌ„ to be of the father yet not to be as a part of the father This seemed vnto vs very well to agree with the expositioÌ„ of that blessed doctrine which teacheth the sonne to be of the father yet not to be part of his substaÌ„ce VVherefore vve accorded vvith this sentence neither reiected vve the clause Of one substance because that peace vvas placed before our eyes as a marke to beholde and moreouer vve had speciall care not to fall from the faith In like maner vve approued Begotten not made For Made they counted a common vvorde vvith other creatures vvhich vvere made by the sonne that the sonne had nothinge in him vvhich resembled or vvas like vnto them and for that cause he vvas not a creature like vnto those vvhich vvere made by him but of a farr more excelleÌ„t substaÌ„ce theÌ„ any creature is framed the which holy scripture declareth to be begotteÌ„ of the father inasmuch as no mortall nature can either by vvord expresse or by thought comprehende or attaine vnto the maner of his generation In like sort also that clause The sonne to be of one substance with the father vvas sifted and allovved to be vnderstode after no corporall maner neither to haue any likelihoode vvith mortall liuing things neither to be by diuision of substance neither by section or parting asunder neither by mutation of the fathers essence and povver that the vnbegotten nature of the father vvas farre from al these thinges And that To be of one substance vvith the father signified no other thing then that the sonne of God vvas in nothing like the rest of the creatures but altogether like vnto the father alone vvhich begate him neither begotten of any oother then of the fathers substance and essence vnto the vvhich thinge thus sett forth right and reason required that vve should condescende For vve haue knowen for suertie diuers auncient bishops and vvriters of greate learning and renovvne to haue mentioned this clause Of one substance in setting forth of the diuinitie of the father and the sonne so farre of the faith published in the councell of Nice vvhervnto vve all condescended not rashly and vnaduisedly but according vnto the sentences sett forth in the presence of the most godly Emperour which were discussed by common assent approued for the causes afore alleadged And withall we thought good to ratifie the forme of curse published after the exposition of the faith because that it forbiddeth that no man do acquaint him selfe vvith forreyne speaches and vnwritten languages vvhereby in maner all confusion and discord is drawen and crept into the churche vvhen as the sacred scripture maketh mention no vvhere of any such sentences to vvete That the sonne of God had his beginning of nothing and that there vvas a time vvhen he vvas not And such like sentences it seemed not agreable vvith reason either in vvordes to talke of them or in deede to teache them Vnto vvhich notable decree vve haue subscribed although heretofore vve neuer accustomed neither acquainted our selues vvith such speaches These things vvelbeloued vve haue necessarily sent vnto you not onely to certifie you of the censure concluded of vs after our curious sifting and assent but also to let you vnderstande that while at the first the diuersitie of reports written vnto you offended vs not a little we persisted in one the same mind as it was most meete euen to the last houre But afterwards with small adoe we embraced without any disquietnes at all such things as were not offensiue when as we with tractable mind sought out the sense and vnderstanding of the words which vvere then in controuersie and found them altogether agreable vvith the thinges contayned in the forme of fayth published by vs our selfe These things did Eusebius Pamphilus sende in writing vnto Caesarea in Palaestina CAP. VI. The Epistle of the Synode contayning their decrees and the expulsion of Arius with his complices sundry epistles of Costantine the Emperour THe councell it selfe by generall consent wrote these things which followe vnto the churche of Alexandria and vnto the inhabitants of Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis Vnto the holy through the grace of God and the renowmed church of Alexandria to the beloued brethren throughout Aegypt Lybia Pentapolis the bishops assembled at Nice and summoned to the greate and sacred senate sende greeting in the Lorde VVhen as by the grace of God and the commaundement of the moste vertuous Emperoure Constantine vvho gathered vs together from diuers cities and prouinces the greatâ— and sacred councell of Nice is summoned it seemed expedient that letters from the vvhole sacred assembly should be sent vnto you wherby you might be certified as vvell of the thiÌ„gs called into questioÌ„ and exquisitely decided as also of the canons therein coÌ„firmed First of all the things which did concerne the impious peruerse opinion of Arius his complices were fully handled in the presence of the most godly Emperour Constantine whervpon it pleased the councell by coÌ„mon consent of all to pronounce his wicked opinion to be helde for accursed and the execrable words and blasphemous sentences he vsed â—aying that the sonne of God had his beginning of nothing that there was a time vvhen he vvas not That the sonne of God vvas of free vvill inclined to vertue to vice that he was a creature and that he vvas made all vvhich the holy councell did accurse nay it may not be permitted that his impious opinion his insolent madnesse his blasphemous vvordes shoulde come within hearing Moreouer you haue heard or at leastvvise ye shall heare of vs toutchinge him and his ende lest that vve seeme rashly and vvithout cause to
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
hath Porphyrius written in his third-booke agaynst the Christians truely reporting of this mans exercises and sundry kindes of knowledge but vntruely in that he sayde he should degenerate from the Gentiles For how can he pronounce the trueth when as he practiseth to write againste the Christians he sayeth that Ammonius from leading a good and a godly lyfe fell into heathenish idolatrie for the doctrine of Christ the which Origen receaued of his forefathers the same he retayned as we haue largely declared before And Ammonius also contrary to his reporte kept styll and retayned the sounde and vncorrupted philosophie of God euen vnto his laste ende as his commentaryes at this daye beare recorde whiche he lefte behinde him namely that famous worke entituled The agreement of Moses and Iesu and other tractes whatsoeuer other men haue founde written These thyngs are layde downe to the coÌ„mendation of Origen agaynst the sclaunderous mouthe of that despitefull man and of the greate skyll of Origen in the Grecians discipline and doctrine Toutchinge the whiche when he was reprehended of soâ—e for his studye therein he defended him selfe in a certaine epistle writinge after this manner CAP. XIX Howe Origen defended him selfe againste such as reprehended him for studying Philosophie Of his voyage into Arabia and Palaestina WHen that I studyed for the increase of knovvledge and that a rumor or fame vvas spredde abrode of the perfection of my learninge and doctrine heretickes and speciallie such as vvere profounde in philosophie and in the doctrine of the Gentils resorted vnto me vvherefore I thought good to searche out the selfe opinions of heretickes and vvhat soeuer myght be sayde out of philosophie for the confirmation of the trueth This haue I done firste of all after the example of Pantaenus vvho profited a greate manye before my tyme and had singular skyll and knovvledge therein secondly after the example of Heraclas novve a minister of the churche of Alexandria vvhome I founde vvith a professor of philosophie vvhiche vvas his mayster fyue yeares before I applyed my minde to the studie of theyr sciences VVho also in tymes paste vsed the common and vsuall attyre novve layinge that asyde he tooke the philosophers habite the vvhiche he retayneth as yet and ceaseth not vnto this daye vvith earnest labour industrie to reade ouer the philosophers bookes These thinges hath he written to the clearinge of him selfe for his studie in prophane writers When as at that tyme he continewed at Alexandria there came a certayne souldier from the gouernour of Arabia with letters vnto Demetrius Byshope of that seae and vnto him who then was Liuetenante of Aegypte requestinge them with all speede to sende Origen vnto him whiche myght communicate vnto him some parte of his doctrine Origen then beynge sente of them taketh his voyage into Arabia Not longe after when he had accomplished the cause of his iourney he returned into Alexandria In the meane whyle there was raysed such a sedition in the cytie and the warres were so hotte that there was no beynge for him there he lefte Alexandria and foreseeynge that he coulde be safe no where in all Aegypt he went into Palaestina and remayned at Caesarea where he was intreated by the byshopes of that prouince to dispute in the open churche and to expounde holie scripture beynge as yet not called to the ministerie Whiche thinge may euidently appeare by that whiche Alexander bishope of Ierusalem and Theoctistus bishope of Caesarea wrote in defence of the facte vnto Demetrius concerninge him after this manner he layde this downe in his letters that there was neuer suche practise hearde of that there coulde no where the like president be founde that laye men in presence of bishops haue taught in the churche VVe knovve not for vvhat cause he reporteth a manifest vntrueth vvheÌ„ as there may be found such as in opeÌ„ assemblies haue taught the people yea vvhen as there vvere present learned men that coulde profite the people and moreouer holie byshops at that tyme also exhortinge them to preache For example sake at Laranda Euelpis vvas requested of Neon at Iconium Paulinus vvas requested by Cellus at Synada Theodorus vvas requested by Atticus vvho vvere godly brethren It is like also that this vvas practised in other places though vnknovven to vs. Thus was Origen honored beynge a yonge man not onely of his acquaintance but of byshops that were straungers vnto him Afterwardes when Demetrius had called him whome by his letters and diuers Deacons of the churche had earnestly solicited his returne he taketh his voyage agayne into Alexandria and there diligently applyeth his accustomed maner of teachinge CAP. XX. Of the famous writers in Origens tyme and how the Emperours mother sent for him THere florished at that tyme many other learned and profounde ecclesiasticall persons whose epistles writing from one to an other are at this daye to be seene and found reserued in the librarie buylded at Jerusalem by Alexander who was bishope there at that tyme. from whence we haue compiled together the substance of this our present historie of this number Beryllus besides his epistles and commentariesâ— hath lefte vnto the posteritie sundrye monumentes of his sounde fayth for he was bishope of Bostra in Arabia Likewise Hippolytus bishope of an other place There came also into our handes the disputation of Gaius a notable learned man had at Rome in the tyme of Zephyrinus agaynste Proclus a patrone of the Phrygian heresâ—e â–ª in the which to the confutation of the temeritie and bolde enterprise of the contrarye parte in alleaginge of newe founde scriptures he maketh mention of therteene epistles of Sainct Paul not naming the epistle vnto the Hebrevves in the number For neither as yet of diuerse Romaines is that epistle thoughte to be Pauls When Antoninus had bene Emperour seuen yeares and sixe moneths Macrinus succeeded him in the empire And after that this Macrinus had departed this lyfe in the firste yeare of his raygne an other Antoninus tooke the imperiall scepter to rule ouer the Romaines in the first yeare of whose coronation Zephyrinus bishop of Rome dyed wheÌ„ he had gouerned the ecclesiasticall seae the space of eyghteene yeares whome Calâ—stus succeeded who continewing the space of fyue yeares lefte the churche to Vrbanus Agayne after that Antoninus had bene Emperour foure yeares full he dyed in whose rowme Alexander immediately folowed at what tyme Philetus succeeded Asclepiades in the churche of Antioche Then Mamâ—â— the Emperours mother a woman if there was then any suche in the worlde very godly and religious when the fame of Origen was spredde farre and nyghe enen vnto hir eares thought hir selfe a happie woman if she myght see him and â—eare his wisedome in holye scripture whiche all men wondered at Wherefore remayning at Antioche she sent of hir garde for him who also came and after that he had continewed there a while and published many thinges to
ende ye like vvise might receaue from him againe letters of friendly coÌ„sent amitie novv let Paulus vvrite to Artemas let the coÌ„plices of Artemas coÌ„municate vvith him But of these things thus farre Paulus together with his right faith was depriued also of his bishoprike Domnus as it is written before succeeded him being chosen by the synode bishop of Antioch wheÌ„ Paulus would not depart the church neither voyde the house the emperour Aurelianus being besought decreed very well coÌ„mauÌ„ded by ediâ—â— â–ª the house should be allotted for such as y â— bishops of Italic Rome with vniforme coÌ„seut in doctrine â–ª appointed for the place After this sort was Paulus with greate shame vanished y â— church by secular power thus was Aurelianus theÌ„ affected towards vs but in processe of time he so eâ—â—raunged him selfe that welnygh through the lewde motion of some men he moued persecution against vs much talke was blased farre nygh toutching him but wheÌ„ he had raysed persecution against vs now welnygh subscribed to a publicke edict preiudicial to our affaires the iust iudgement of God ouertooke him hindred his purpose craÌ„ping as it were his knuckles making manifest vnto all men that the princes of this world haue neuer any power to practise ought against the church of God vnlesse the inuincible myght of God for discipline conuersion of his people according vnto his deuine celestiall wisdome graunt pardon or licence to bring any thing about in what time it shall please him best When Aurelianus had held the imperiall scepter the space of sixe yeares Probus succeeded him And agayne after sixe yeares Carus came in his place together with Carinus and Nâ—â—erianus his sonnes Againe when these had continewed scarse three yeares Diocletianus was chosen emperour and by his meanes they were promoted vnder whome persecution and the ouerthrow of the churches preuayled a little before the raygne of this Diocletâ—â—â— Diâ—â—yâ—â—â—s byshop of Rome dyed when he had gouerned the church nyne yeares whome Feliâ— succeeded CAP. XXX Of Manes whereof the Maniches are called whence he was his conuersation and heresie ABout that tyme Manes after the etymologie of his name in no better taking than a 〈…〉 man was in armour and instructed in a deuelishe opinion through the peruersitie of his minde the deuell and satan the aduersariâ— of God leading and procuring him to the perdition of many soules He was in tongue and trade of life very barbarous by nature possessed and frenticke he practised things correspoÌ„dent vnto his witte and maners he presâ—â—â—ed to represent the person of Christ he proclaimed him selfe to be the comforter and the holy ghost and beynge puffed vp with this frenticke pride chose as if he were Christ twelue partners of his new found doctrine patching into one heape false and detestable doctrine of olde rotten and roâ—ted out heresies the which he brought out of Persia for no other then deadly poyson into the world whâ—â—â— that abhominable name of the Maniches hath had his originall CAP. XXXI Of the bishops ministers and other famous men florishing at that tyme in the churches of Rome Antioch and Laodicea SVch a fained name of false science sprong vp in those tymes in the which after Felix had gouerned the churche of Rome fiue yeares Eutychianus succeeded who continewinge seares tenne moneths committed his cleargie vnto Gaius in this our time and fyfteene yeares after Marcellinus followed whome also the persecution ouertooke In the churche of Antioch after Domnus succeeded Timaeus after him in our tyme Cyrillus was chosen bishop vnder whome we remeÌ„ber one Dorotheus then minister of the churche of Antioch to haue bene a very eloquent and singuler man he applyed holy scripture diligently he studied the Hebrewe tongue so that he read with great skill the holy scriptures in Hebrewe This man came of a noble race he was expert in the chiefe discipline of the Grecians by nature an eunuch so disposed from his natiuitie for which cause the emperour for rarenesse therof appropriated him placing preferringe him to the purple robe in the citie of Tyrus we hearde him our selues expounding holy scripture with great coÌ„mendation in the churche of God Tyrannus succeeded Cyrillus in the churche of Antloch in whose tyme the spoile of churches was very ryfe Eusebius whiche came from Alexandria gouerned the church of Laodicea after Socrates The sturre about Paulus Samosatenus was the cause of his remouing for whose sake he weÌ„t into Syria where of the godly he was hindred that he coulde not returne home againe because he was the desired Jewell hoped staye of our religion as by the testimonie of Dionysius hereafter alleaged shall manifestly appeare Anatolius succeeded him the good as they say after the good who also was of Alexandria for his eloquence and skill in the Grecians discipline and philosophicall literature he bare the bell among all the famous of our time he excelled in Arithmeticke Geometric Astronomie Logicke physical coÌ„templatioÌ„ and rhetoricall exercises for whiche his excellencie he was chosen moderator of Aristotels schoole by the cytizens of Alexandria They report at AlexaÌ„dria many other famous acts of his specially his behauiour at the slege of Pyruchium â–ª where he obâ—â—yneâ— a singuler prerogatiue of principalitie of whose doings one thing for example sake I will rehearse When vittaile as they say fayled such as were vesieged and famine pressed them sorer then foraine enemies this same Anatolius brought this deuise to passe whereas the one part of the citie helde with the Romaine hoast and therfore out of the daunger of the slege he gaue information to Eusebius who then was at Alexandria it was before his departure into Syria and conuersant amonge them which were not besieged in great estimation and credite with the Romaine captaine howe that such as were besieged almost perished for famine he beinge made priuie to their miserie by the messengers of Anatolius craued pardon of the Romaine captaine for such as left forsooke the enemie â–ª which sute when he had obtained he communicated with Anatolius he forthwith accepting of his promise assembleth together y â— senate of Alexandria first requesteth of theÌ„ all that they will ioyne in league with the Romaines when he sawe them all sett in a rage at this his request be sayd but yet in this I suppose you will not resist if I councell you to permitt such as stand you in no stede as olde men and olde women and children to depart the cytie to repaire whither please them for to what purpose do we retaine these among vs nowe ready to yelde vp the ghost to what purpose do we presse with famine such as are maymed and wounded in bodie when as men onely and yonge men are to be releaued and retayned and prouision of necessary foode is to be founde for them which keepe the citie with contine wall watch and warde when he
◠midd high wayes throughout the market places and frequented assemblies There mightest thou haue seene them who a little before after most greuous punishments were fettred and banished their natiue soyle to receaue enioy their proper houses w t a cherefull and mery countenance in so much that they which afore time cried out against vs nowe reioyced together with vs at this wonderful sight happening beyond all mans expectation CAP. II. Maximinus againe shewing his hatred against the christians forbiddeth the assemblies in churchyards and goeth about to banishe them Antioch THe tyrant enemy to all honesty and chiefe practiser of wicked counsell against all y ◠godly whome wee sayde to haue borne rule in the Easterne partes not well brookinge these things permoited them not to continewe in the same state no not six whole moneths wherfore he putteth in vre euery mischiuous practise to the ouerthrowe of peace and tranquillity first by a certaine pretense he goeth about to barre vs our liberty of meeting in churchyardes next by sending certaine malicious men he pricked and prouoked against vs the citizensof Antioch that they should begg of him for a great benefitt y ◠he would permitt no christian at all to dwell within his dominiōs This he assayed by y ◠aduise of others y e author of all which mischief was Theotecnus who solicited the cause and egged them of Antioch forewards a man he was of authority an inchaunter very spitefull and farre from the signification of his name who then was liuetenante of that city CAP. III. Theotecnus goeth about to mischiefe the christians he incenseth the tyrant against them and setteth vp an Idole at Antioch THis Theotecnus therefore when he had vehemently impugned vs and procured euery kind of way that the christians should diligently be sought out of their dennes and apprehended for haynous robbers and had imagined all meanes to the end we should be charged and accused and had bene the cause of death to an infinite number at length he erecteth the Idoll of Iuppiter as of the God of frendship with certains inchauntments and sorceryes and inuenteth thereunto impure ceremonyes execrable sacrifices detestable oblations causeth report to be made vnto the emperour of the straunge things the Oracle seemed to vtter This Theotecnus also being a flatterer wherwith he seemed to please y ◠emperour raysed a wicked spirit against the christiās and sayd God so commaunded that the christians should be banished out of the citie and the liberties thereof For that they were rebells and traitors to the crowne CAP. IIII. Maximinus againe raiseth persecution by his decrees WHen that Theotecnus first of all had done this of his owne accorde all the other magistrats inhabiting the cities of his dominion promulgated the like sentence when as the presidents throughout the prouinces sawe this pleased the emperour they egged the subiects also to do the like y ◠tyrant very promptly consented by his rescript vnto theyr ordinances so y t againe y e heate of persecutiō was blowen against vs that againe Idol priestes were ordained by the decree of Maximinus throughout euery city village and moreouer high priests which specially excelled in pollicies and passed others in all thinges who also were zelous folowers of their religion and bestowed greate labor about the seruice of them whome they worshiped Wherefore the emperours superstition and Idolatricall minde was againe as it were a fresh incensed against vs that I may vtter the whole in fewe words he brought all his dominiō both magistrats inferior subiects to practise euery kinde of mischiefe for his sake against vs to thinke they requited him fully and shoulde haue great fauour asmany as desired to obtaine any benefit at his hand if they oppressed vs w t slaughter executed certaine new mischiefs against vs. CAP. V. The heathens goe about to defame christian religion fayning blasphemyes against the actes of Christ and Pilate and with certaine womens confession extorted from them by the gouernour of Damascus AGaine they forge certaine actes as of Pilate and our Sauiour full of blasphemy against Christ the which by consent of the emperour they sende abrode throughout his dominions cōmaunding by their letters y ◠y ◠same throughout all places both city countrey should be expounded deliuered to y ◠youth by scholmaisters to be committed vnto memory in stead of their indited vulgars exercised discipline These things being thus brought to passe a certaine ruler of the host whome the Romaines call a captaine drewe from the markett place of Damascus in Phoenicia certaine infamous women and brought them by threates of torments to that passe that after a register or recorde was shewed they shoulde confesse them selues somtimes to haue beene christians priuey to the wicked and lasciuious actes which y ◠christians committed amonge thē selues at their solemne meeting on the sundayes what other things it pleased him they shoulde vtter to y ◠sclaunder of our religion the which words were registred copied and lent to the emperoure who also commaunded the same euery where in euery place and city to be published CAP. VI. The confusion of the captaine of Damascus the commendation of certaine martys and the places where they florished BUt this captaine in a while after procured his owne death with his proper hād suffred punishment due for his malicious deserte Then againe banishment greuous persecutiō was raised against the christians againe the presidents of seuerall prouinces beganne vtterly to rebell against vs so y ◠diuerse of them which excelled in y e doctrine of Christ Iesu bare away the ineuitable sentence of death of which number were three christians in Emisa a city of Phoenicia who of there owne accord professed christianity were deliuered to be deuoured of rauening beastes Among these also was Siluanus a byshop farre stroken in years hauing executed y ◠functiō of the ecclesiasticall ministery y ◠space of forty years full About y ◠time Petrus who notably gouerned y ◠churches of Alexandria excelling all other godly bishops for his vertous lif godly exercise of preaching for no other cause thē you heare without hope of any reward sodainly vnaduisedly by y ◠commaundement of Maximinus was beheaded together w t him after y ◠same maner many Aegyptian bishops were executed Againe Lucianus a notable man for his continency of lif for his skill in holy Scripture highly cōmended being an elder of y ◠church of Antioch was brought to Nicomedia in which city y ◠emperour thē abode after he had exhibited vnto the emperour enemy to all goodnes an Apollogie in defence of y ◠doctrine which he taught where with he bare rule was cast into prison and shortly after executed This Maximinus in shorte space exercised so great a tyranny crueltye towards vs that the later persecutiō seemed farre more greuous vnto vs
opinion of Arius seemed absurde approued of Alexanders sentence toucchinge Arius and affirmed the condemnation pronounced agaynst suche as were of that opinion to be iuste and accordinge to right But Eusebius byshop of Nicomedia and as many as fauored the fonde opinion of Arius wrote vnto Alexander that he shoulde reuoke the depriuation and digraduation past and admitte into the churche suche as were excommunicated and excluded the companye of the faithfull and that they maintained no detestable doctrine at all So then when of eyther side letters were brought vnto Alexander byshop of Alexandria the letters of both sides were gathered together into one Arius tooke such as were in his behalfe Alexander gathered the contrary Here occasion was ministred vnto the hereticall sectes of the Arians Eunomians and Macedonians which in these dayes disperse themselues abrode to defende theyr damnable doctrine For euery one seuerally alleageth for proufe and testimonye of his opinion the epistles of suche as are of his owne secte CAP. IIII. Howe Constantinus the Emperour beinge carefull for the concorde vnity of the churche sent Osius a Spanyarde vnto Alexandria to reconcile Alexander and Arius wrytinge also an epistle vnto both the parties WHen the emperour was certified hereof he was wonderfull sorye and supposed this schisme to be his owne calamitye Forthwith therefore he wente seriously about to quenche the heate of discorde kindled among them and sent letters vnto AlexaÌ„der and Arius by a man worthy of creditt whose name was Osius byshop of Corduba a citye of Spayne this man the emperour loued entierly and highely honored Some parte of which letters I supposed not impertinent for this place which are wholy alleaged by Eusebius in his bookes of the life of Constantine Constantine the puysant the mighty and noble emperoure vnto Alexander and Arius sendeth greetinge Hereby I gather the originall grounde of this controuersie in that thou Alexander hast demaunded of the elders toutching a certaine place of holy Scripture yea rather toutching a certaine vaine peece of a question vvhat euery ones opinion vvas and thou Arius hast vnaduisedly blased abrode and sett abroche that vvhich thou shouldest not at the first haue conceaued and hauing conceaued it thou shouldest haue past it ouer vvith silence VVhereby this dissention is risen among you the vvonted assembly of the church hindred the most deuout people diuersly distracted into ether side rente a sunder being afore time one body coÌ„pacted together in harmoniacal vnity wherefore let ether of you pardoning ech other like of that the which your felowe minister not without cause exhorteth you vnto and what is that that you neyther obiecte at all neither answer any obiection that concerne such matters For such questions as no law or ecclesiasticall canon necessarily defineth but the frutelesse contention of idle braine setteth abrode though the exercise thereof auaile for the sharpening of the witt yet ought we to retaine them within the inner closett of our mind not rashly to broch them in the publique assembly of the vulgare people neither vnaduisedly to graunt the common sorte the hearing thereof For hovve many be there that can worthely explicate sufficieÌ„tly ponder the weyght of so graue so intricate and so obscure a matter but if there be any such that persuadeth himselfe able easily to compasse and to attaine vnto it howe many partes are there I beseche you of the multitude whome he can sufficiently instruct therein and who is there in sifting out so curious a question that can well passe the perill of plunging error wherefore in suche cases we must refrayne from verball disputations lest that ether we by reason of the imbecillity of our witt can not explicate our minde ether our auditors when we teach by reason of theyr dull capacity can not comprehende the curious drift of our doctrine whereby the people of necessity incurreth the dauÌ„ger ether of blasphemye or the poysoned infection of discorde wherefore both the rashe obiection and the vnaduised answere being cause of the heretical sectes of the Arians Eunomians and of as many as fauor the like folly ought ere other of ech other craue pardone Neither is there occasion ministred to coÌ„tende about the chiefest commaundement in holy Scripture neither is there sprong any new opinion toutching the seruice of God for you retaine the on and the same sentence in substance of fayth so that you may easily embrace the vniforme consent of vnity coÌ„cordo For it is not well that for your contention about so sclender matters and trifling toyes so great a multitude of the people of God through your negligence should be at such discorde among themselues Yea it is supposed not onely not well but alltogether intollerable And that in fewe wordes I may lay before your eyes some president hereof I will reason with you ye are not ignorant as I suppose that the philosophers agree â–ª amoÌ„g themselues all ioyntly professe one title and name of discipline yet for all that they vary and disagree in some odde opinion which seuerally they holde who though they dissent by reason of theyr seuerall opinion yet because of there compacted profession they ioyne hands and holde together like birdes If then the case be thus why may it not be thought farre more expedieÌ„t that we wearing the cognizance of the most mighty God euen for the christian religion the which we professe should be at peace vnity among our selues but let vs vveygh more diligently and consider more deepely vvith our selues vvhat I shall novve say vvhether it be right or reason that for light and vayne contention about vvordes one brother should dissent from an other and the renovvmed peace by pestilent discord through vs vvhich spite one an other for sclender vnnecessary matters should thus miserably be prophaned and rent in peces These practises are rather popular farre more agreable vvith the youthly rashenes of greene heades then vvith the sobriety of the graue and priestly personages vvherefore of our ovvne accorde lâ—â— vs put to flight the temptations of the deuell And in as much as our Lord God almighty the Sauiour of all meÌ„ hath graciously geuen abrode of his commoÌ„ light vnto all therefore be it lavvefull vnto me I beseche you as much as in you lieth that I being ayded vvith the helping hand of his prouidence may happely bring my purpose to good effect and that also I may leade his people partely vvith often calling vpon them partely vvith the diligent ouersight of theyr life partely also vvith sharpe admonition to mutuall loue amity one with an other And seing that as I sayd there is but one faith amoÌ„g you one consent of profession one trade of life and order of lawe the which with mutual consent of the mind linketh and compacteth into one the vvhole body with the seuerall membres of the same that therefore which through your discorde moued no small sturre among
he layeth downe the cause that moued him to repeate at large such things as afore time he had briefly written in his first and seconde booke RVffinus who wrote the Ecclesiasticall historye in the latine tongue was very much deceaued in the tymes for he thought that the perill and daungers which Athanasius stoode in happened vnto him after the death of the emperour Constantine He was ignorant of his banishment into Fraunce of many other miseryes that happened vnto him But we imitating his opinion and censure in discourse of the Ecclesiasticall affayres haue written the first and seconde booke of our historye â–ª from the thirde vnto the seuenth booke by borowing some out of Ruffinus by picking and culling other some out of sundry other writers also by laying downe some thinge we learned of others who as yet be aliue we haue sett forth the historye in a most absolute and perfect maner But after that by meare chaunce the workes of Athanasius came to our handes where both he complayneth of the misery he endured also declareth after what sorte he was exiled through the sclaunderous faction of Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia we thought farre better to attribute more credit vnto him who suffred these things and to others who sawe them with their eyes then to such as coniecture and gesse at them and so plunge them selues in the pitt of error Moreouer by searching diligently the epistles of sundry men who liued at that tyme we haue sifted out as much as in vs laye the trueth it selfe Wherfore we haue bene constrayned to repeate agayne such thinges as we mentioned in the firste and seconde booke of our historye and haue annexed thereunto out of Ruffinus such histories as were agreeable vnto the trueth Not only that but this also is to be vnderstoode how that in the first edition of these our bookes we layd downe neyther the depriuation of Arius neyther the Emperours epistles but explicated in fewe words without figures of Rhetorick the matter we tooke in hande lest the tediousnes of our long historye shoulde tyre the louing Reader When as for the cause aboue mentioned it behoued vs so to doe Theodorus most holy Prieste of God yet nowe to the ende the epistles may be knowen in forme and fashion as the Emperours wrote them selues and the thinges also which Bishops in sundry councells haue published vnto the worlde whylest that they laboured dayely to sett for the more exquisite decrees and constitutions to the furtherance of Christian religion we haue diligently added to this our latter edition such thinges as we thought fitt for the purpose â–ª that truely we haue performed in the first booke and in the seconde nowe in hande we minde to doe no lesse â–ª but nowe to the historye CAP. II. How that Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia endeuored agayne to establishe the doctrine of Arius so that tumults were raysed in the Churche afreshe and howe that Athanasius by vertue of Constantine the yongers letters returned to Alexandria AFter the death of the Emperour Constantine Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia and Theâ—gâ—is Bishop of Nice supposing now they had gotten a fitt time endeuored with all might possible to wipe out of the Churche of God the creede contayning the clause of one substance and to setle in the rowme thereof the detestable heresie of Arius But this they knewe full well they coulde not bringe to passe if Athanasius came agayne to Alexandria They went about to compasse their drift very craftely vsing the Priest by whose meanes we sayd before Arius returned from exile as an instrument to their purpose But the maner of the handling thereof I thinke very needefull to be layde downe This Priest presented vnto Constantius the Emperours sonne the last will and testament and the bequeathed legacies of the Emperour deseased He perceauing y t to haue bene laid downe in his fathers wil which greatly he desired for byy â— wil he was emperour of the Easterne parts made very much of the priest graunted him great libertie charged him to vse his pallace freely and boldly at his pleasure After this libertie was graunted him by the Emperour he forthwith acquainted him selfe with the empresse with the Eunuches and chamberlaynes At the same time there was an eunuch by name Eusebius chiefe of the emperours chamber who through persuasion of this lewde Priest became an Arian and infected also the other eunuches of his company And not only these but the Empresse also through the entisement of the Eunuches and the aduise of the Priest fell into the pestilent heresie of Arius In a while after the Emperour him selfe called the same opinion into controuersie and so by a litle and a litle it was spredd euery where And first the Emperours garde tooke it vp next it occupied the mindes of the multitude throughout the city The Emperours chamberlaynes euen in the very pallace it selfe contended with women about the opinion in euery house and family throughout the city they brawled and went together by the eares This infection spred it selfe quickly ouer other contries and regions and the controuersie much like a sparcle of fire rising of small heate or scattered embers kindled the mindes of the hearers with the fiery flame of discorde and dissention For euery one that desired to knowe why they made such a tumulte by and by had an occasion geuen him to reason and euery one was not satisfied with questioning but contentiously woulde argue thereof â–ª thus the heate of contention turned all vpside downe and troubled the quiet estate of the Churche This sturre and sedition preuailed onely in the cities throughout the East for Illyrium and other contryes of the West enioyed peace and quietnes â–ª for they could in no wise permitt the canons of the Nicene councell to be abrogated and sett at nought After that the heate of contention was blowen abroad and burned euery day more and more the faction of Eusebius tooke this tumult to be a furtherance to their purpose for so they hoped it would come to passe that some Bishop or other woulde be chosen of Alexandria which woulde maintayne the same opinion with them But at the very same time Athanasius by the meanes of Constantine the yongers letters who was one of the Caesars and so called after his fathers name returned to Alexandria the letters were written by the Emperour vnto the people of Alexandria from Triuere a citie of Fraunce in forme as followeth Constantinus Caesar to the people of the Catholicke Church of Alexandria sendeth greeting I hope it is not vnknowen vnto your discreete wisedome that Athanasius the professor of sacred diuinitie was for a tyme banished into Fraunce lest that through the mischieuous dealing of lewde men for bloodesuckers and cruell beastes sought to bereue him of his life his innocent person shoulde of necessitie be constrained to take his deaths wounde VVherfore to the ende he might auoyde the malice of these dispitefull
before of Spaine could in no wise brooke that Paulus and Athanasius should be absent the Easterne bishops forthwith depart and cōming to Philippi a citie in Thracia they assemble a priuate coūcell among thē selues beginne thenceforth openly to accurse the creede cōtaining the claule of One substance to sowe abrode in writing their opinion that the sonne was not of one substance w t the father But the assembly of bishops which cōtinewed at Sardice first cōdemned them which fled from the hearing of their cause next deposed from their dignities the accusers of Athanasius afterwards ratified the creede of the Nicene coūcell abrogated the hereticall opinion which said that the sonne was of a different substance from the father last of all sett forth more plainely the clause of One substance for they wrote letters therof sent them throughout the whole world Both sides were pleased with their owne doings and euery one seemed to him selfe to haue done right well the bishops of the East because the Westerne bishops had receaued such as they had deposed the byshops of the West because the Easterne bishops being deposers of others had departed before y ◠hearing of their cause the one for that they mayntained the Nicene creede the other for that they went about to condemne it Their bishoprickes are restored to Paulus and Athanasius likewise to Marcellus bishop of Ancyra in the lesser Galatia who a litle before as we sayd in our first booke was deposed who also then endeuoured with all might to disproue and confute the sentence pronounced against him saying that the phrase and maner of speach which he vsed in his booke was not vnderstoode and therefore to haue bene suspected by them as if he mayntayned the heresie of Paulus Samosatenus Yet we may not forget that Eusebius Pamphilus wrote three bookes to the confutation of the booke of Marcellus where he citeth the words of Marcellus and refuteth them plainly declaring that Marcellus no otherwise then Sabellius the Aphrick Paulus Samosatenus thought that the Lorde Iesus was but onely man CAP. XVII An Apologie or defence in the behalfe of Eusebius Pamphilus that he was no Arian as diuers malicious persons wrote of him BEcause that diuers haue bruted abroade sclaunderous reports of Eusebius Pamphilus affirming that in his workes he sauoured of the heresie of Arius I thinke it not amisse presently to laye downe in fewe wordes what of trueth we may thinke of him Firste of all he was both present at the Councell of Nice and subscribed vnto the clause of One substance In his thirde booke of the lyfe of Constantine he hath these wordes of that Councelll The Emperoure dealt so farre vvith them for the reducinge of them vnto concorde and vnitie that he lefte them not vntyll he had brought them to be of one mynde and of one opinion toutchinge all that afore tyme vvas called into controuersie so that vvith one voyce they all embraced the fayth decided in the Councell of Nice If Eusebius then mentioninge the Councell summoned at Nice doth saye that all quarells and questions were there ended and that all were of one minde and of one opinion howe is it that some dare presume to charge him with the spotte of Arianisme The Arians them selues also are foulie deceaued if they take him for a fauourer of their opinion But some man peraduenture wyll saye that he seemed to smell of Arianisme in that he vsed often tymes in his bookes this phrase By Christ. Whome I answere that not onely he but also other ecclesiasticall writers yea and the Apostle him selfe who was neuer once suspected to be the author of any lewde opinion vsed this phrase before them which wrote such kinde of speache and sundrie other sortes of sentences for the liuely settinge forth and expressinge of the order and maner of our sauiours humanitie But what Eusebius thought when Arius taught that the lonne was a creature and to be accompted as one of the other creatures nowe vnderstande for in his first booke agaynst Marcellus he writeth thus He alone and none other is both called and is in deede the onely begotten sonne of God VVherefore they are vvorthy of reprehension vvhich are not ashamed to call him a creature and to say that he beganne of nothinge as other creatures did Hovve shall he be the sonne or after vvhat sort may he be called the onely begotten of God vvhen as he hath as they say the same nature vvith other creatures and is become one of the vulgare sort of men to wete hauinge the like beginninge vvith them and beyng made partaker vvith them of the creation vvhich is of nothinge But the holie scriptures Ivvis teache vs no such thinges of him And agayne a litle after he sayeth VVhosoeuer then sayeth that the sonne vvas begotten of nothinge or that the principall creature beganne of nothing he attributeth vnto him vnaduisedly the onely name of the sonne but in very deede and in trueth he denyeth him to be the sonne For he that is begotten of nothinge can in no vvyse be the true sonne of God no more can any other thinge that hath the lyke beginninge But the sonne of God truely begotten of the father him selfe is to be termed the onely begotten and the vvelbeloued of the father and so he shall be God For vvhat other thinge is the budde or branche of God then that vvhich resembleth the begetter The kinge is sayde to buylde or make a cytie but not to begette a cytie and so he is sayde to begette a sonne but not to buylde or make a sonne In respect of the vvorke he vvrought he is not called a Father but a cunninge vvorkeman and in respect of the sonne he begatte he is not called a vvorkeman but a father VVherefore the God of all vniuersalitie is worthely to be called the father of the sonne yet the framer and maker of the worlde Although it be once found written in a certaine place of holie scripture The Lord made me the beginning of his wayes for the accomplishing of his workes yet as I am minded immediatly to interpret it behoueth vs to skanne narowly and to sift out with diligence the sense vnderstanding thereof not after the maner of Marcellus with one word to shake the chiefe principles of christian religion These many other such like reasons hath Eusebius alleaged in his first booke against Marcellus to y ◠cōfutation of his opinion In his third booke he hath expounded how this word Made or created is to be vnderstood as followeth These things being after this sort it remaineth that we cōsider of this sentence The Lord made me the beginning of his wayes for the accomplishing of his works which is no otherwise to be taken then the other thinges we expoūded before For in case he say that he is made he sayth it not as if he became something of nothing or that he
once be remembred y t the church of God should no longer be troubled with y â— interpretatioÌ„ thereof and y â— for two causes first because y â— Scriptures of God made no mention thereof secondarily because that the interpretatioÌ„ thereof exceeded the sense aud capacitie of man for y â— holy Scriptures testisted that no man was able to set forth the generation of the sonne in these wordes His generation who shal be able to declare For it is most true that the father alone knoweth howe he begat the sonne againe y â— sonne alone knoweth howe he was begotten of y â— father They sayd no maÌ„ doubted but that the father was greater in honor dignitie diuinitie and fatherly title and that by the testimony of the sonne himselfe where he sayth The father which sent me is greater then I. They sayd moreouer this was Catholicke neither vnknowen vnto any that there were two persons the father and the sonne the father greater the sonne subiect together with all other things which the father made subiect vnto him the father to be without beginning inuisible immortall impatible the sonne to be begotten of the father God of God light of light and that no man as I sayde before was able to rehearse his generation saue the father alone the sonne our lorde and God to become incarnat to haue taken a body vpon him that is man euen as partly he shewed vnto the Angels and partly all the Scriptures doe informe vs of him but especially the Apostle the preacher of the Gentiles that Christ tooke manhood of the virgine Mary according vnto the which he suffred They sayd it was the principle ground of our whole faith alwayes to holdfast the faith in the trinitie as we read in the Gospell Goe teach all nations baptizinge them in the name of the Father of the Sonne of the holy Ghost The number of the trinitie is absolute perfect The comforter the holy Ghost sent by the sonne came according vnto promise for to sanctifie and lead the Apostles and all the faithfull They goe about to perswade Photinus after his depriuatioÌ„ to condescend and to subscribe vnto these thinges promising to restore him vnto his Bishopricke againe if he would recant and renounce the selfe opinion he had inuented of his owne braine and thenceforth promise to cleaue vnto their doctrine He refused the coÌ„ditions and prouoked them to disputation A certaine day was appointed for conference the Emperoure commaundeth the Bishops theÌ„ present to be at it there came thither also at the request of y â— Emperour not a fewe councellers The assembly being met Basilius who theÌ„ was Bishop of Ancyra tooke Photinus in hand the notaries penned all they spake While they reasoned one with an other the disputation waxed hot and in the end Photinus had the foile was condemned to vanishment From that time forth he liued in exile and wrote in the Greeke and Latine tonge for he was well seene in both a boke against all heresies endeuoringe therein to publishe his owne opinion So farre of Photinus We haue yet to vnderstand that the Bishops assembled at Sirmium misliked theÌ„selues with the forme of faith laid downe in the Latine tonge for after the publishing thereof they espied contradictories therein Wherefore they went about in all the hast to call in all the coppies and when as diuers were concealed the Emperour by his edicte gaue charge that all should be broughte in and such as hid theÌ„ shoulde be punished Yet were there no threats or cruelty that coulde recouer the thinges once blased abroad because they had runne through many hands CAP. XXVI Of Osius Bishop of Corduba WHereas we haue made mention a â—itle before of Osius Bishop of Corduba that he was constrained to shewe himselfe at the councell of Sirmium I thinke it requisite nowe to say somwhat of that matter Although in a while before through the lewd practises of the Arians he had bene in exile yet then at the sute and procuremeÌ„t of the Bishops which assembled at Sirmium it tell out that the Emperoure cited him purposinge with himselfe to perswade him or by foule meanes to constraine him to be of the same opinion with the assembled Bishops and in so doinge their faith shoulde seeme to cary with it greate force and creditte To this ende he was drawen against his will as I sayd before vnto the councel But when as this olde father woulde in no wise subscribe vnto their faith they scurged his sides and set his members vpon the racke So that in the end by compulsion he gaue his assent subscribed vnto the formes of faith which then were published These were the Acâ—es at Sirmium and thus were they ended CAP. XXVII Magnentius the tyrant is ouercome and dieth miserably the Iewes inhabiting Diocaesarea rebell against the Romaines and are soiled Gallus rebelleth and is put to death COnstantius the Emperoure remayned at Sirmium waytinge what ende the battell waged with Magnentius should haue But Magnentius as soone as he tooke the princely citie of Rome he executeth many of the Senators he dispatcheth not a fewe of the common multitude When the captaines of Constantius had gathered a great army of Romaine souldiers they marched towards him he theÌ„ left Rome got him to Fraunce There were many skirmishes one while this side an other while that side had the vpper hand At length Magnentius was ouercome at the castell of Mursa in Fraunce in he got him and kept it a while where such a straunge thing as followeth is reported to haue come to passe Magnentius going about to animate his souldiers nowe altogether discouraged with the foile ouerthrowe they had takeÌ„ got him vp into an highe seate The souldiers after the accustomed honor done vnto the Emperours mindinge to sounde fortunate successe vnto Magnentius by force as it were their lippes wagging before their minds they turne their good wishes vnto ConstaÌ„tius for they all with one mouth proclaimed not MagneÌ„tius but Constantius Augustus Magnentius supposinge this to be a signe of misfortune conueyed himselfe forthwith out of the castell fled into the furthest partes of Fraunce The captaines of Constantius pursued after him earnestly Againe they pitched their caÌ„pe at a place called Miltoseleucus where Magnentius being ouerthrowen ranne away alone and got him to Lions a citie of Fraunce three dayes iorney from the castell of Mursa Magnentius comming to Lions first of all he slewe his mother next his brother whome he had created Caesar last of all he became his owne murtherer This was done the sixt Consulship of Constantius the seconde of Constantius Gallus the fiftenth day of August Not long after Decenius an other brother of Magnentius hanged himselfe And although Magnentius the tyrant had such an ende yet the common wealth was not without great trouble tumults For immediatly there stept vp an other tyrant whose name
altogether vnequall and vnlike the father not onely in substance but also in will and also that he had his beinge as Arius dreamed of nothinge Suche as then also were at Antioch of the secte of Aetius intangled them selues in the snares of this pestilente opinion Therefore besides that the Arians were called Anomoioi whiche signifieth that they affirmed the Sonne to be vnlike the Father they were of the Antiochians who defended the faythe Of one substance and then were deuided for the foresayde cause of Meletius called Exoucoutioi signifying they had affirmed the Sonne of God to haue had his beinge of nothinge When they were demaunded wherefore they constantely affirmed in their Creede that the Sonne was God of God and nowe durst presume to say that he was vnlike the father and had his beinge of nothinge they weÌ„t about to bleare their eyes with a ridiculous kind of fallacie Whereas we affirmed saye they the sonne to be God of God we meante it in that sense as the Apostle wrote where he sayde that all thinges were of God Therefore the sonne is of God in as muche as he is included in the worde all And for this cause we layde downe in our Creedes the Clause accordinge vnto the Scriptures The author of this lewde and fonde Glosse was Georgius Bishoppe of Laodicea who beinge ignorante and vnskilfull in suche kinde of phrases perceaued not howe Origen in tymes paste had playnely interpreted suche siguratiue kinde of speaches contayned in the Epistles of Paul The confederacie of Acacius though they were iustely charged with captious and sopisticall dealing yet weyinge neyther the sclaunder risinge thereof neither the sentence pronounced against them repeated there the forme of fayth whiche they had rehearsed at Constantinople this beinge done cuery one repayred to his owne home Georgius after his returne to Alexandria for there after the departure of Athmasius who then hidde himselfe in some obscure place he was placed Bishop vered very sore and punished extremely suche as were of the contrary opinion and plagued the people of Alexandria whiche hated him as a tode Herenius was chosen Byshoppe of lerusalem in Cyrillus rowme Whome Heraclius succeeded after him Hilarius after all Cyrillus returned to lerusalem and recouered the Bishopricke againe CAP. XXXVI Of both Apollinariuses the father the sonne and their heresie ABout that time there sprange vp a newe heresie the occasion was as followeth At Laodicea a ciue of Syria there were two men the father and the sonne of one name for both was called Apollinarius whereof the one I meane the father was a priest the other that is the sonne was a reader Both were professors of humanity The father caught grammer the sonne Rhetorike The father beinge borne at Alexandria first kept schoole at Berytus afterwardes remouinge to Laodicea he got him a wife on whome he begate Apollinarius They both florished at Laodicea in the time of Epiphanius the sophist and hauing greate familiarity with him they were neuer seene out of his company Theodotus Bishop of that seae fearinge greatly lest their familiarity with him shoulde bringe them from the faith and so fall to embrace paganisme forbadde them his company They made no accompt of the Bishops commaundement but kept still company with Epiphamus In processe of time Georgius the successor of Theodotus hauinge oft assaied and seinge he coulde by no meanes separate them from Epiphanius excommunitated them bothe hopinge thereby with punishment to perswade them to the contrary But the yonger Apollinarius stomaking this dealinge put considence in his painted figures of Rhetorike and inuented a newe opinion the whiche at this day after the name of the author is called the heresie of Apollinarius Some doe affirme that they fell not out with Georgius for the aforesayd cause but for that they hearde him preache straunge and contradictorie doctrine affirminge sometimes the sonne to be like vnto the father as in the councell of Seleucia at other tymes maintayninge the heresie of Arius and so for triflinge and lighte occasion to haue fallen from the churche Whilest that no man gaue eare vnto them they endeuored to establishe a newe kinde of doctrine firste they taughte that Bod the worde tooke manhoode accordinge vnto the order of incarnation without soule againe recantinge the same they affirmed he tooke soule yet not the minde or reason beinge the highest and chiefest parte of the soule but that God the worde was shutte vp included and comprised in man in place of the minde Onely in this they varie from the church which are called their followers as for the Creed containing y â— clause Of one substance to be in the blessed Trinitie they stedfastly cleaue vnto it But I will heare ceasse and differre the discourse of bothe these Apollinariuses vntill an other conuenient place CAP. XXXVII Of the death of Constantius the Emperoure WHile the Emperoure Constantius remayned at Antioch Iulianus Caesar had muche adoe in Fraunce with many barbarous nations After that he had gotte the vpper hande the souldiers did so loue him that they proclaimed him Emperour Constantius hearing of this was wonderfully troubled and disquieted in minde so that the griefe thereof cast him into a daungerous disease Wherefore beinge first baptized of Eâ—â—oius he made expedition to geue him battaile And comming as farre as Mopsus wells betwene Cappadocia and Cilicia by reason of the great thought and sorowe he conceaued of his vnlucky affayres he fell into y t senseles heady sicknesse called Apoplexia thereof presently dyed in the Consulship of Taurus Florentius the third day of NoucÌ„ber the first yeare of the two huÌ„dreth eightie fift Olympiad Costatius lyued fiue forty yeares he raigned thirtie eight that is thirtene together with his father and fiue and twentie after his fathers death This second booke compriseth the historie of so many yeares The ende of the seconde booke of the Ecclesiasticall historie of Socrates THE THIRDE BOOKE OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORYE OF SOCRATES SCHOLASTICVS CAP. I. Of Iulianus his linage and bringing vp also howe that being Emperour he left Christian profession and embraced paganisme and gentilitie WHen the Emperour Constantius had departed this life in the borders of Cilicia the thirde of Nouember within the Consulship of Taurus Florentius lulianus the eleuenth of December following the same Consulship leauing the west parts of the world came to CoÌ„stantinople there was proclaimed Emperour Now therfore in as much as I haue determined w t my selfe to discourse of this Emperour Iulian a maÌ„ passing eloquent let none of his friends looke at my haÌ„ds for curious lofty stile as though it behoued my penne to couÌ„teruaile y â— excelleÌ„cie of y â— person But seeing our drift is otherwise beÌ„t namely for to deliuer y â— posteritie in writing y â— true histories of y â— church we will follow accordiÌ„g vnto out former promise a lowly soft kind of
phrase correspoÌ„dent vnto y â— capacitie both of learned and vnlearned readers Wherefore entring to discourse of him we purpose to proceede in this order after our preamble hath vsed a litle digressioÌ„ fet a small coÌ„passe for to lay downe his kinred his nurture the maner how he attained vnto y â— emperiall crowne Constantinus y â— Emperour who chauÌ„ged y â— name of ByzantiuÌ„ termed it CoÌ„stantinople had two brethren of one father but by diuers mothers the one was Dalmatius y â— other Costantius Dalmatius had a sonne of his owne name Constatius also had two soÌ„nes Gallus Iulianus When as after the death of CoÌ„stantinopls fosider y â— yoÌ„ger Dalmatius had ben staine of y â— souldiers these orphanes likewise bereaued of their naturall father escaped narowly the vnlucky successe of Dalmatius for they had bene cut of dispatched had not sicknesse diseases as it was thought incurable saued Gallus life youthly age of eight yeare old preserued Iulianus aliue kept him from y â— tyraÌ„ts clawes But after y t the Emperour was appeased his furie withdrawen froÌ„ raging against theÌ„ Gallus was trained vp vnder schoolemaisters at Ephesus in Ionia where their auncetors had left either of theÌ„ great legacies Iulianus also being come to y â— stature of a spriÌ„gall gaue him selfe to learniÌ„g in y â— cathedrall church of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople where was a free schoole he went in simple meane attire was taught of Macedonius y â— Cunuch he learned graÌ„mer of Nicocles y â— Laconian Rhetorike of Ecebolius y â— sophist who theÌ„ was a ChristiaÌ„ The Emperour ConstaÌ„tius prouided very well lest y â— by hauiÌ„g an ethnike to his maister for Iulianus was a ChristiaÌ„ froÌ„ his cradell he should fall to y â— superstitious idolatry of pagaÌ„s WheÌ„ he had profited very much in good discipline godly literature y â— fame weÌ„t of him amoÌ„g y t people y t he was a man both able fit to gouerne beare office in the coÌ„mon wealth The which thing afterwards being then rife in euery mans mouth disquieted y â— Emperour not a litle Wherfore he caused him to be remoued from y â— princely citie of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople into Nicomedia charged him not to treade in y â— schoole of Iabanius y â— Syrian Sophist Iabanius then was expelled by y â— schoolemaisters of ConstaÌ„tinople kept a schoole at Nicomedia who powred out y â— poison of his caÌ„kred stomake displeasure coÌ„ceaued agaiÌ„st y â— schoolemaisters in a certaine booke which he published agaiÌ„st theÌ„ though Iulianus was therfore forbiddeÌ„ to frequent Libanis lessoÌ„s because he professed paganisme and heathenishe literature yet for all that was he so in loue with his works that he procured them vnto him secretly and by stelth and perused them with greate labor and diligence When he had taken good successe and great profit in Rhetorike it fell out that Maximus the philosopher not the Byzantian the father of Eucleides but the Ephesian came to Nicomedia â–ª whome the Emperour Valentinianus afterwardes founde to be a coniurer and recompenced him with present death â–ª but that as I sayde before fell afterwards At that time there was no cause that draue him thither but the fame of Iulian. Of this man it was that Iulian learned the precepts of philosophie but as for religion he had such a maister as inflamed his minde to aspire vnto the imperiall scepter When these thinges came to the Emperours eares Iulian nowe muzinge betwene hope and fearefull hatred howe he myght be voyde of suspition who of late had bene a true Christian but nowe an hypocriticall dissembler shaued him selfe and counterfayted a monkishe life For all that priuely he applyed heathenishe and philosophicall discipline but openly he read holy scripture so that he was made reader in the church of Nicomedia Thus craftely vnder cloke of religion did he appease the furious rage of the Emperour incensed agaynst him These things did he of feare yet not dispayring of hope for he sticked not to tell diuers of his familiar friends that it woulde be a happie worlde if he were made Emperour When it went thus with him Gallus his brother was created Caesar who taking his iourney into the East came by Nicomedia for to see him After that Gallus in a while after was slayne immediatly from that time forth Iuliamus was had in greate suspicion of the Emperour and therevpon commaunded that he shoulde be straightly looked vnto he espying fitt opportunitie to escape his keepers conueyed him selfe away and saued his life At length Eusebia y â— Empresse finding him by chaunce lurking in some secret and obscure place intreated the Emperour in his behalfe that he would not onely doe him no harme but also graunt him his lawfull fauour for to repaire to Athens for further knowledge in philosophie To be short he sent for him made him Caesar gaue him his sister Helen to wife and sent him into Fraunce for to wage battaile with y â— barbarian nations which rebelled agaynste their Christian Emperour For the Barbarians whome the Emperour Constantius had hyred a litle before to geue battaile vnto Magnentius the tyraÌ„t when as they preuayled nothing against him they fell a ransacking and spoyling of the cities within the Romaine dominions and because Iulian had but a greene head and of no great yeares the Emperour gaue him charge to enterprise nothing without the aduise and counsell of his sage expert captaines When y â— they hauing this large commission waxed negligent so y â— the Barbarians had the vpper hand Iulianus permitted the captaines to banquet to take their pastime pleasure layd downe a sett and certaine reward for euery Barbarian that was slayne whereby he did the more incourage the souldiers By this meanes it fell out that the power of the Barbarians came to nought and that he him selfe was greatly beloued of his souldiers The fame goeth that as he entred into a certaine towne a greene garland hanging by a corde betwene pillours wherewith commonly they are wont to trimme their houses and sett forth the beautie of their cities fell vpon his head and sitted him very well insomuch that all the people then present gaue a great shout thereat â–ª for it was thought that the falling garland prognosticated vnto him the glory of the imperiall seepter following after Some say that Constantius sent him against the Barbarians hoping that in skirmishing with them he shoulde there be dispatched â–ª but whether they report truely or no I knowe not For after that he had maryed him to his sister if then he shoulde pretende him friendship and practise mischiefe towards him what other thing were that then to procure vengeance to lyght vpon his owne pate but whether it be thus or otherwise lett euery man iudge as he thinkes best When Iulian had signified vnto the Emperour the carelesse and sâ—outhfull disposition and negligence of
◠Arian in the Bishoprick The same likewise seemed good vnto y ◠Emperour Wherefore he prepareth himselfe taketh his voyage into Alexādria together with great power from the Emperour There accompanied him Magnus the Emperours treasorer The Emperour sent w t him a commaundemēt vnto Palladius Liuetenant of Alexandria that he should ayd the enterprise of Euzoius with armed souldiers Being come to Alexandria they lay hande on Peter clap him in prison the rest of the clergie they banished some vnto one place some vnto an other but Lucius they stalled Bishop CAP. XVII How Sabinus the Macedonian made no mention of the mischiefs committed by Lucius the Arian howe Peter Bishop of Alexandria sled vnto Damasus Bishop of Rome saued his life of the crueltie which the Arians exercised vpon the worshippers which liued in the desert ALthough Sabinus beinge halfe an Arian therefore a concealer of the hainous faltes of his friends made no mention of the horrible Acts committed immediatly after the stallinge of Lucius in y ◠Bishops seae of Alexandria against such as inhabited the rest of Aegypt by imprisonning of some tormēting of others exiling of y t rest yet Peter after he had escaped out of prison signified howe great they were by his epistles wrytten vnto all the Christian churches vnder heauen Who as soone as he got out of prison fled vnto Damasus bishop of Rome Wherefore the Arians though they were fewe in number yet fauored the world thē so much that they held all the churches of Alexandria Not long after y ◠Emperours edict was proclaimed by vertue of y ◠which as many as helde the faith of One substance were banished not onely Alexandria but all Aegypt Moreouer y ◠Liuetenant was cōmaunded to pursue w t power of armed souldiers all such as Lucius should appoint him Thē were the religious houses in the desert wildernes spoyled ouerthrowē without all compassion turned downe to the groūd For the armed souldiers set vpon these seely vnarmed soules which stretched not out as much as the naked hande to their owne defence they were miserably slaine y ◠maner of the slaughter was so lamētable y t it can not sufficiētly he painted vnto the world by penne wrytten paper CAP. XVIII Of Ammon the monke and diuerse religious men inhabiting the desert IN so muche that we haue made mention of the monasteries in Aegypt there is no cause to the contrarye but that we maye discourse somewhat thereof The places commonly called religious houses though peraduenture the originall of them was many yeares before yet were they very much augmented amplified by Ammon an holy man Who though in the prime of his florishing youth he disdained of wedlock yet at the entreaty and earnest request of his deare friendes which exhorted him not to inuey so bitterly against mariadge but to take a wife he yelded vnto thē was maried Immediatly he led the newe maried spouse by the hand out of the parlour with the wōted pompe sollemnity into the wedding ved chamber whē their friends were gone he tooke the newe testament in his hand read the epistle of Saynct Paul vnto the Corinthiās expounded vnto his wife out of the Apostle such doctrine as concerned wedlock interlaced many other exhortations borowed out of other wryters layd before her the discōmodities of mariadge howe heuye a case was the company of man wife together what bitter panges griping griefs women great with child haue at the deliuerance of their burthen He added moreouer vnto these the care sorow incident to the education bringing vp of childrē last of all he rehearsed the vertues cōmodities annexed vnto virginitie howe the pure life the vndefiled vnstaunched vessell was free frō all the aforsayd annoyance cumbrances that virginitie commended vs highly presented vs next vnto God When he had vsed these the like reasons with his wife as yet being a virgine they preuailed so much y t she was perswaded before their cōming together to forget the wonted familiarity of man wife wherefore both they hauing cōcluded among themselues toutching the premisses got thē immediatly vnto the mounte Nitria where for a season they led a monasticall life in a blind cottage without respect of sex not thinkinge either on man or wife for they were as the Apostle sayth one body in Christ In a while after the new maried spouse the vndefiled virgine reasoneth thus w t Ammon It becometh not you in so much you haue vowed tēperancie and chastity to haue a woman in your sight in so narrowe and straict a rowine Wherefore if you thinke my aduise any thing to y t furtherance of cōtinency vertuous life let vs both seuerally lead solitary and monasticall liues Thus they agreed amonge themselues they parted a sunder one from the other and so spent out their dayes bothe abstained from wine and oyle their foode was drie breade they fasted somtimes one whole day somtimes two some other times more Antonie who liued in those dayes as Athanasius bishop of Alexādria wryteth in his life sawe the soule of Ammon after his desease caried vp of the Angells into heauen Wherefore many became earnest and zealous followers of Ammons trade of life so that y ◠mount Nitria and Scitis were full of religious mē whose liues seuerally to penne would require a peculier volume But in so much there were of thē many singuler rare men renowmed for their monasticall discipline and partly also for their Apostolicke trade of life famous also for many notable acts and sage sentences worthy of immortall memory It shall not be amisse in my opiniō to cut out here lay downe diuers things which may seeme cōmodious for the profit of y ◠studious readers The report goeth that Ammon neuer beheld his naked body y t he was wōt to say that it was a shamefull thing in a monk to delight himselfe with the sight of his bare skinne Of y ◠same man it is reported y ◠goinge about by chaunce to passe ouer a riuer and very loth to shift himselfe to haue prayed vnto God y t he might not be foyled neither hindred of his enterprise an Angell to haue come cōueyed him ouer vnto y ◠further bank Didymus also an other monke hauing liued fourescore and tenne yeare is sayd in all y t space neuer to haue kept company with man Arsenius of the same vocation was neuer wont to excommunicat y ◠yonger sort whē they had offended but such as profited very much in y e monasticall discipline his reason was this A yōg man whē he is chasticed sayth he with excommunicatiō forthwith he will disdaine take the matter in a snuffe but he that profiteth will quickly perceaue the griefe be sore pricked with punishment Pior as he walked was wont to eate and being demaunded why
Origen where the oration of Gregorie in the praise of Origen is layd downe in writing To be short there were foure Gregories first this auncient father the disciple some times of Origen next Gregorie Nazianzene thirdly Gregorie the brother of Basil and the fourth of Alexandria whome the Arians after the exile of Athanasius chose to their bishop Thus much of these men CAP. XXIII The originall of the Nouatian hereticks and how that as many of them as inhabited Phrygia celebrated the feast of Easter after the Iewishe maner ABout that time the Nouatians inhabiting Phrygia chaunged the dayes appoynted by the councell of Nice for the celebration of Easter but howe that came to passe I will declare if that first I lay downe the cause originall why so seuere a canon of the Nouatian church preuailed so much with the Phrygian and Paphlagonian nations Nouatus the priest seuered him selfe from the church of Rome because y ◠Cornelius the bishop receaued into the communion after repentance the faithfull that fell from the church sacrificed vnto Idols in the persecution vnder Decius the Emperour When he had deuided him selfe from y ◠church for the aforesayd cause first he was made bishop of such bishops as were of his opinion next he wrote epistles vnto all churches euery where that they should not receaue as meete partakers of the holy mysteries such as had sacrificed vnto Idolls but exhort them vnto repentance referring y ◠forgeuenes and remission vnto God who is of power and authority sufficient to remit sinne when the letters were brought into euery prouince euery one iudged thereof as pleased him best Because Nouatus had signified that such as after baptisme committed a sinne vnto death were not afterwards to be admitted vnto the communion the publishing of that canon seemed vnto some toe seuere vnto others but right reason auailable also for the direction of godly life Whē this controuersie was tossed toe and fro the letters of Cornelius were sent abroade signifying that there remained hope of pardon for such as had sinned after baptisme They both wrote contrary letters and cōueyed them vnto the churches abroade And whilest that both went about to confirme his opinion with testimonies of holy scripture euery man as the maner is looke where affection lead him there he addicted him selfe For such as were geuen to sinne tooke occasion by the libertie and fauoure that was graunted them went forewardes headlonge into euery shamefull crime The Phrygians are a nation farre more temperate and modest then others for they sweare very seldome The Scythians and Thracians are hotter more prone vnto anger For they that are nearer vnto the rising of the sunne are set more vpon lust concupiscence The Paphlagonians Phrygians are inclined to nere nother of these perturbations For at this daye they vse no running at tilte no such warlike exercise neither doe they vse to pastime them selues with spectacles and stage playes Wherefore these kind of men in myne opinion draw neerest vnto the drift disposition of Nouatus letters Adulterie is counted among them for a detestable and horrible sinne It is well knowen that the Phrygian and Paphlagonian trade of lyfe is farre modester and more chast and continent then any other hereticall sect whatsoeuer I coniecture that they shott at the same modest trade of lyfe which inhabited the west parts of the worlde and leaned to Nouatus opinion Nouatus him selfe though he varyed from the church of Rome by reason of a certaine seuere trade of liuing yet altered not he the tyme appointed for the celebration of Easter For he alwayes obserued the custome of the West churches ▪ and celebrated it as they did For such as lyue there since they were Christians kept alwayes that feast after the Equinoctiallspringe And though Nouatus him selfe was putt to death in the persecution vnder Valerianus yet such as in Phrygia are so called of him for all they are fallen from the faith of the Catholicke churche were licenced to become partakers of his communion at what time they altered the celebration of Easter day For in the village Pazum where the springs of the floode Sangarius are founde ▪ there was a Councell summoned of fewe and the same very obscure Nouatian bishops where they decreed that the maner custome of the Iewes who kept thē dayes of vnleauened bread was to be obserued and that the time appoynted by them was not to be broken This haue we learned of an olde man who was a priests sonne and present at the Councell with his father whereat Agelius the Nouatian byshop of Constantinople was not neyther Maximus of Nice neither the Nouatian bishop of Nicomedia neyther the bishop of Cotuaium who was of the same opinion with the rest for these were they that chiefely layde downe the canons of the Nouatian churches These things were of olde in this sort Not longe after because of this Councell as it shall be shewed in an other place the Nouatian churche was deuided within it selfe CAP. XXIIII Of Damasus bishop of Rome and Vrsinus his deacon of the greate sturre and slaughter that was at Rome because of them NOwe lett vs returne vnto the affaires of the West that were done at the same time When the Emperour Valentinianus lead a peaceable and quiet life molestinge no kinde of sect Damasus succeeded Liberius in the bishopricke of Rome at what time the quiet state of the Romaine church was wonderfully troubled the cause as I could learne was as followeth Vrsinus Deacon of that church in the vacancie of the seae made sute for him selfe agaynst Damasus to be chosen bishop Who seeing that Damasus was preferred and him selfe put backe seeinge also that all his canuasse was to no purpose fell from the church to raysinge of priuate and particular conuenticles and perswaded certaine base and obscure bishops to consecrate him bishop Wherfore they created him not in the open church but in an odde corner of the cathedrall church called Sicona This being done the people was all on an vprore the tumult was not toutchinge y ◠faith or heresie but whether of them both by ryght should be bishop The heat of thronging multitudes was so grieuous and the contention so greate that it cost many their liues For which schisme and rebellion many both of the laytie and cleargie were grieuously tormented by the cōmaundement of Maximmus the gouernour and so was Vrsinus foyled the enterprises of his factiō suppressed CAP. XXV After the death of Auxentius the Arian byshop of Mediolanum when there rose a great schisme about the election of a bishop the which Ambrose Liuetenant of that prouince suppressed he him selfe by the voyce of all that were present and by the consent of the Emperour Valentinianus was chosen Byshop ABout that time an other straunge act fell out at Mediolanum When Auxentius whome y ◠Arians chose to be bishop of
that sea◠departed this life all was there on an vprore about the election of a bishop and great strife there was whilest that some woulde preferre this man some other that man vnto the bishopricke The tumult beinge raysed Ambrose Liuetenant of the citie who also was a Consull fearing greatly lest that schisme woulde breéde mischiefe in y ◠citie came purposely into the church for to appease the sedition After that his presence had preuayled very much with the people after that he had geuen them many notable exhortations after he had mitigated the rage of the heady and rashe multitude all of a sodayne with one voyce and with one mouth nominated Ambrose to their byshop For in so doinge there was hope that all woulde be reconciled and that all woulde embrace one faith and opinion The bishops that were present thought veryly that the vniforme voyce of the people was the voyce of God him selfe Wherefore without any further deliberation they take Ambrose and baptize him for he was a Catechumenist and stall him bishop But when Ambrose came willingly to the baptisme yet denyed vtterly he would be bishop they make the Emperour Valentinianus priuie to their doings He wonderinge at the consent and agreement of the people supposed that which was done to be the worke of God him selfe and signified vnto the bishops that they shoulde obey the will of God who commaunded they shoulde create him bishop that God rather then men preferred him vnto this dignitie When that Ambrose was thus chosen bishop the citizens of Millayne who aforetime were at discord among them selues thenceforth embraced peace and vnitie CAP. XXVI Of the death of Valentinianus the Emperour AFter the aforesayde sturre was ended when the Sarmatians assaulted the Romaine dominions the Emperour raysed great power and made expedition against them The Barbarians vnderstanding of this and foreseeing their owne weakenes that they were not able to encounter with so great a power sent embassadours vnto the Emperour crauinge of him that he would ioyne with them in league establishe peace betwene them As soone as the embassadours had presented them selues before him and seeynge that they were but abiects and raskalls demaunded of them what be the rest of the Sarmatians such men as you are When the Embassadours had answered yea O Emperour thou seest the chiefest of the Sarmatians before thee Valentinianus was wonderfully incensed against them and brake out into vehement language that the Empire of Rome had yll lucke to fall into his handes vnder whose raygne so beggerly and so abiect a kinde of Barbarians coulde not quiete and content them selues with safetie within their owne boundes but they muste take armour rebell agaynste the Romaine Empire and so boldely proclayme open warre He strayned him selfe so muche in exclayminge agaynste them that he opened euery vayne in his bodie and brake the arteries asunder whereof there gushed out such a streame of bloode so that he dyed in the Castell commonly called Bergitium in the thirde Consulshippe of Gratianus together with Ecoetius the sixtienth of Nouember He lyued foure and fiftie yeares and raygned thirteene The sixt daye after the desease of Valentinianus the souldiers of Italie proclaymed Emperour Valentinianus the yonger so called after his fathers name who was of very tender yeares at Aconicum a citie in Italie The rest of the Emperours vnderstāding of this tooke the matter very grieuously not because Valentinianus who was y ◠ones brother the others brothers sonne was chosen Emperour but because he was appointed without their consent vnto whome it belonged to create him Emperour But both gaue their cōsents that he shoulde be Emperour and thus was Valentinianus the yonger sett in the emperiall seate of his father We haue to learne that this Valentinianus was gott vpon Iustina whome his father maryed for all that Seuera his firste wyfe was alyue and that for this cause Iustus the father of Iustina who a good while agoe in the raigne of Constantius the Emperour was Liuetenant of Picenum sawe in his sleepe that his right side was deliuered of the emperiall purple robe When that he awoke he tolde his dreame to so many that at length it came to the Emperour Constantius eare He thereby was geuen to coniecture that there shoulde one be borne of Iustus which shoulde be Emperour and therefore he sent from him that shoulde dispatche Iustus out of the waye Wherefore Iustina nowe bereaued of her father contineweth a virgine In processe of time she became acquainted with Seuera the Empresse and had often conference with her When that there grewe greate familiaritie betweene them they vsed both one hath for to bayne them selues Seuera seeyng the beautie of this virgine as she bayned her selfe was wonderfully in loue with Iustina she tolde the Emperour also what a goodly mayde she was that the daughter of Iustus passed for beautie all the women in the worlde that she her selfe though she were a woman yet was wonderfully enamored with her sweete face The Emperour printinge in his harte the wordes which seemed onely to pearce but the eare deuised with him selfe howe he myght compasse this beautifull Iustina to his wyfe not diuorcinge Seuera ▪ vpon whome he had gotten Gratianus whome also he had made Emperour a little before Wherefore he made a lawe that as many as woulde myght lawfully haue two wyues the which he proclaymed throughout euery citie When the lawe was proclaymed he tooke Iustina to his seconde wyfe vpon whome he gotte Valentinianus the yonger and three daughters Iusta Grata Galla. Of the which two lead they re lyues in virginitie the thirde Galla by name was maryed to Theodosius Magnus on whome he gotte his daughter Placidia For he gotte Arcadius and Honorius of Placidia his former wyfe But of Theodosius and his children in an other place CAP. XXVII After that Themistius the Philosopher had made an Oration in the hearinge of Valens the Emperour relented from persecuting of the Christians and howe the Gothes in the tyme of Valens embraced the Christian faith VAlens makinge his abode at Antioche although he warred but litle with forayne nations the Barbarian nations kept them selues within their boundes yet pursued he continewally such as helde the faith of One substance and ceassed not dayly to inuent newe deuises and straung torments wherewith he myght plague them ▪ vntyll that his fierce and cruell minde was somewhat mitigated with the Oration which Themistius the Philosopher pronounced before him where he admonished the Emperoure not to maruayle though the Christians varyed amonge them selues in religion that if Christianitie were compared with infinite multitudes of opinions raygninge amonge heathen philosophers sure he was that there were aboue three hundreth opinions and greate dissention about rules and preceptes wherevnto euery sect necessarily addicted them selues it woulde seeme but a very small thing and that God woulde sette forth his glorie by the diuersitie and discorde in opinions to
Sisinius to succeede him in the bishopricke a priest of his owne church and a man very well seene in prophane literature trayned vp in philosophie together with Iulian the Emperour vnder Maximus the philosopher And when the Nouatians charged Agelius for appoynting them Sisinius and not Marcianus who was a godly man by whose meanes they were rid from trouble molestation in the time of Valens he for to pacifie their heate and to satisâ—â—e their minde assigned Marcianus vnto them In a while after although he was very weake yet went he into the church and sayd thus vnto the people Immediatly after my desease you shall haue Marcianus to your bishop after Marcianus Sisinius When he had sayde thus he tooke his leaue of them and not longe after dyed But Marcianus beyng byshop of the Nouatians their church was deuided vpon such an occasion as followeth Sabbatius a certaine Iewe embraced Christian religion whome Marcianus preferred to the function of priesthood notwithstanding his conuersion and preferment he sauored of the old infection and addicted him selfe vnto Jewishe obseruations neither was he onely coÌ„tented with this but nedes he would be made a bishop Wherfore after that he had gotten of his side a coople of priests men of like disposition and aspiring mindes by name Theoctistus and Macarius he went about to reuiue the time and maner of solemnizing the feast of Easter euen as according vnto our former relation the Nouatians attempted vnder Valens at Pazus a peltinge village of Phrygia And though at the first he seuered him selfe from the church vnder pretence colour of the monasticall trade of life affirminge that certaine men were stumbling blocks vnto his conscience whome he thought vnworthy of the holy mysteries yet in processe of time whilest that he raised priuate conuenticles his drift was manifestly perceaued Marcianus vnderstandinge of this misliked very much w t him selfe that he had not taken better aduisement in geuing of orders y â— he had preferred such vayneglorious persons aspiring minds vnto the function of priesthoode he fretted within him selfe for anger and wished that his haÌ„ds had bene set vpon pricking thornes when they were layde vpon Sabbatius heade To be short he summoned a councell of Nouatian bishops at Angaris the mart towne of Bithynia â–ª adioyning vnto Helenopolis he cited Sabbatius to appeare before them and expostulated w t him in presence of the councell the cause that gaue him occasion of offence As soone as he had pleaded for him selfe the variance toutchiÌ„g y â— celebration of Easter to haue layen vpon his stomack for he was of y t opinion y t therein it behoued theÌ„ to obserue the Jewishe custome and the order prescribed by such as afore that time met for the same cause at Pazus the bishops suspecting that he had enterprised the same in hope of a bishoprick made him sweare that he would neuer take vpon him to be bishop When he had taken his â—th they read to him the Canon contayninge a matter of indifferencie that it was not a sufficient cause to part asunder the vnitie of the church about the celebration of Easter and that their assemblie at Pazus was no preiudice vnto the generall canon They sayd moreouer that the elderswhich immediatly succeeded the Apostles varied among them selues about this feast yet brake not asunder y â— bonde of vnitie and that the Nouatians inhabitinge the princely citie of Rome for all they neuer retayned the maner of the Iewes but alwayes kept Easter after the Aequinoctiall space yet communicated notwithstanding with such as were of the same faith obserued a contrary custome When they had vsed these and other such like reasons to the same purpose at length they concluded that the canon of Easter was an indifferent matter that it was lawfull thenceforth for euery one to celebrate that feaste euen as he had aforetyme determined with him selfe moreouer there was a prouiso layde downe for the remouinge of dissention that if some varyed about the celebration of Easter notwithstanding they shoulde be at vnitie and concorde in the churche of God These thinges were then in this sort layde downe of them for the rootinge out of variance from amonge them about the celebration of Easter Sabbatius beynge bounde with an oth for all the celebration of that feaste was variable and diuers was before hande with them alone for fastinge and vigils for he kept Easter vpon the saturdaye yet mette he the daye followinge with others in the churche and was partaker together with them of the holie mysteries That dyd he for the space of many yeares and therefore coulde not be concealed from infinite multitudes of men By occasion whereof many simple and ignorant soules especially in Phrygia and Galatia hopinge verylie to be iustified thereby became earnest followers of him and obserued in secrete his celebration of Easter In the ende Sabbatius raysed priuate conuenticles and forgetting the othe he had taken was chosen byshop as hereafter shall more manifestly appeare of suche as addicted themselues to his kinde of discipline CAP. XXI The diuersitie of obseruations in diuers places toutching Easter fastinge mariadge seruice with other ecclesiasticall rites PResently mee thinkes fitte opportunitie serueth to discourse of Easter For neyther had the elders of old neither the fathers of late dayes I meane such as fauored the Jewishe custome sufficient cause as I gather so egerly to coÌ„tend about the feast of Easter neither weyed they deepely with theÌ„ selues that when Jewishe formes figures were translated into christian faith the literall obseruation of Msoes law and the types of things to come wholly vanished away The which may euidently be gathered when as there is no lawe established by Christ in the Gospell whiche alloweth of the obseruation of Jewishe rites nay the Apostle hath in playne wordes forbidden it where he abrogated circumcision and exhorted vs not to contend about feasts and holydayes For writinge vnto the Galathians he sayeth in this sorte Tell me you that desire to be vnder the lawe doe ye not heare what the lawe sayeth When that he had discoursed a whyle therof he concludeth that the Iewes were become seruants vnto the law that such as were called vnto the Christian faith were thereby made free he admonisheth vs further not to obserue dayes neither moneths nor yeares And vnto y â— Colossians he is as plaine as may be saying that y â— obseruatioÌ„ of such things was nothing but a shadow his words are these Let no maÌ„ therfore iudge you in meate or in drinke in a peece of an holidaye or of the newe moone or of the sabbaoth which are but shadowes of thiÌ„gs to come And in y â— epistle to y â— Hebrewes he coÌ„firmeth the same where he sayth In so much the priesthood is traÌ„slated of necessity there must be a translation of the law Wherfore neither doth y â— Apostle nor y â—
of the Nouatians was set on fire SHortly after Paulus the Nouatian bishop although aforetime counted a very godly man yet then specially it fel out y â— men conceaued a farre better opinion of his piety theÌ„ euer they did before At ConstaÌ„tinople there happned such a fire y â— like whereof was not remebred before For the greater parte of the citie was consumed to asses the famous graynard the market house called Achilleus were quite burned Last of all the fire crept into the Nouatian church which adioyned vnto the signe of the Storck Wherefore Paulus as soone as he perceaued the churche to be in great daunger fell prostrate before the Altare referred vnto God in his prayer the preseruatioÌ„ of the church neither ceassed he to inculcate as well the remembrance of the citie as of the church God as it proued in the end gaue eare vnto his prayers For all y e fire flashed into the church both by dore and by windowe yet was there no harme done nay though the buylding round about was on fire though the church was inuironed w t burning flames by the power of God the church was preserued and ouercame the furie rage of the fire It was not quenched the space of two dayes two night s the citie burned all that while In the end though many partes of the citie were vtterly come to nought yet the church as I sayde before escaped that lamentable ouerthrowe And that which was more to be wondred at no signe of the smoke no scorching of the flame no parching of the heat could be seene vpon the timber beames or walls This came to passe the seauenteenth of August in the fourteenth Consulship of Theodosius and the first of Maximus The Nouatians since that time doe yearely keepe holyday the seauenteeneth of August in remembrance y â— their church was then miraculously preserued from fire at what time they render vnto God harty thankes all men doe reuerence that church for the miracle and not only the Christians but also y e Ethniks doe honor it as an holy place So farre of that CAP. XXXIX Howe that Proclus succeeded Maximianus in the Bishoprick of Constantinople WHen Maximianus had peaceably gouerned the church the space of two yeares and fiue moneths He departed this life in the Consulship of Areobindus Asparis the twelf of Aprill It was the ember weeke next before Easter and on good fridaye At what time Theodosius the Emperour plaid a very wise part For lest that tumult dissention should be raised againe in y e church wtout any further delay while as yet y e corps of Maximianus was aboue grouÌ„d he procured the bishops then present to stall Proclus in the Bishops seae To this end the letters of Celestinus bishop of Rome were brought vnto Cyrill bishop of Alexandria vnto Iohn bishop of Antioch vnto Ruffus bishop of Thessalonica certifieng them that there was no cause to the contrary but that one either alredy nominated bishop of some certaine citie or stalled in some proper sea might be translated vnto an other bishopricke As soone as Proclus then tooke possession of the bishoprick he solemnized the funerall of Maximianus and interred his corps CAP. XL. Of Proclus Bishop of Constantinople and what kinde of man he was NOwe fit oportunity is offred to say somewhat of Proclus This Proclus from his youth vp was a reader he frequented the schooles and was a great student of Rhetoricke When he came to mans estate he had great familiarity with Atticus for he was his scribe Atticus seeing his forewardnes in learning good behauiour in life made him Deacon But wheÌ„ he was thought worthy the degree of a priest Sisinius as I sayd before made him Bishop of Cyzicum But these things were done a good while before At that time as I saye he was chosen Bishoppe of Constantinople A man he was of a maruelous good life for being trained vp vnder Atticus he became an earnest follower of his vertuous steps As for pacieÌ„t sufferaÌ„ce he farr excelled Atticus Euen as Atticus as time and place required could terrifie the heretickes so he behaued him self tractable towardes all men perswaded him selfe that it was farre easier for him by faire meanes to allure vnto the Churche then by force to compell them vnto the faythe He determined to vexe no secte whatsoeuer but reserued and restored vnto the Churche that renowmed vertue of meekenesse required in Clergie men Wherein he imitated the EmperoureÌ„ Theodosius For euen as it pleased him not to execute the Emperiall sworde agaynste suche as committed haynous crimes and wrought treason so Proclus made no accompt at all of suche as were of the contrary fayth and opinion CAP. XLI Of the clemencie of Theodosius the Yonger THeodosius the Emperour did highely commende Proclus for the aforsayde vertues For he counteruayled in pacience y â— holy pryests of God he could not away w t persecutors yea â—o say the trueth he passed all the priestes of God in modesty and meekenes of spirite euen as it is wrytten of Moses in the booke of Numbres Moses was the mildest man vpon earth so may it nowe be sayd of Theodosius that he is the mildest man in the world for which cause God subdued his enemies vnto him without slaughter bloodshed euen as the victory he got of Iohn the tyrant and the ouerthrowe of the Barbarians did manifestly declare vnto the worlde For God bestowed such benefittes vpon this most holy Emperour as he did of olde vpon the righteous and vertuous liuers Neyther truely doe I wryte these thinges in the waye of flattery but I will heareafter declare vnto the world more plainely that they are as true as I reporte them CAP. XLII VVhat calamity befell vnto the Barbarians which ayded the tyrante and rebell Iohn AFter the desease of the tyrante the Barbarians whome he had gathered together to wage battaill with the Romaynes purposed to ouer runne certaine dominions that were subiecte vnto the Empire of Rome The Emperour hearing of this referred vnto the wisedome of God after his wonted guise the wholl matter he gaue him selfe altogether vnto prayer and in the end obtayned his desire It shall not be amisse presentely to laye downe the miserable endes of the Barbarians First of all theyr captayne Rugas was slaine with a thunderbolt Next there ensued a plague which dispatched the greater parte of his souldiers Neither seemed this a sufficiente punishment but there came fire also from heaueÌ„ consumed many of them that remained the which thing did greatly astonish y â— BarbariaÌ„s not so much because they presumed to take armour against y â— fierse valiaunt Romaynes as when they saw y â— Romaynes asisted by the mightie arme inuincible power of God At that time Proclus the Bishop repeated some parcell of Ezechiels prophecy expounded it in the Churche and applied it with singuler commendation to haue bene foreshewed of
also the booke whiche he dedicated vnto Theodosius with other notable monuments of his industrie doe declare CAP. XVI Howe Ignatius was translated by Theodosius from Rome and buried at Antioch THe bigger sort of bones which the beasts left vndeuoured vnto holy Ignatius after the blessed martyr as Iohn the Rhetorician with others doe recorde had according vnto his desire enioyed the bowells of beastes in stede of his resting graue at Rome in the theatre and stage striuing of rauenous beasts were translated into the Churchyard of Antioch in the raigne of Theodosius which was a long time after his martyrdome for it was almightie God no doubt that inspired Theodosius with that good motion highly for to reuerence that godly martyr and to consecrate the temple whereof old deuells were honored called y ◠temple of the goddesse of fortune vnto Ignatius the holy martyr That which of olde was dedicated vnto fortune is nowe become a sanctuarie and a famous temple to celebrate the memore of Ignatius whose holy bones were caried in a chariott with great solemnitie and buried within the temple for whiche cause there is an holy day kept with great ioye euen at this day the which Gregorie the byshop hath set forth with greater royaltie These thinges came there to passe in such sort as you heare because God would haue there the memoriall of his saincts celebrated with honor and reuerence for the impious and wicked tyrante Iulian the Apostata being emperour and requiringe an aunswere of the oracle of Apollo who prophecied in Daphnis and spake by vertue of the fountaine Castalia whiche had not the power to open his mouth holy Babylas the martyr whose corps was hard by interred had tyed his iawes together Iulian I say against his will and as it were forced thereunto translated verie honorably the corps of Babylas and builded a goodly Churche which stands at this day without the the gates of Antioch this he did to th ende the dettells afterwarde might accomplishe their wonted treacheries euen as reporte goeth they promised before vnto Iulian. but this came to passe through the prouidence of God partly that the force and vertue of martyrs may be sene of all men and partly also that the holy bones of this blessed martyr should be buried in hallowed ground and beautified with so gorgeous a building CAP. XVII Of Attilas king of Scythia howe he destroyed both the Easterne and westerne parts of the worlde of the great earthquake and straunge wonders that were seene in the worlde IN those dayes there was a battell raised by Attilas king of Scythia which at this day is much spoken of but Priscus Rhetor declareth at large with flowing stile howe he inuaded both east and west howe many and what great cities he wonne and howe nobly he behaued him selfe vnto the finall end of his frayle life Furthermore in the time of the aforesaid Theodosius raigne there was a marueilous great earthquake the straungenesse whereof exceeded all the wonderfull earthquakes that euer were before which stretched it selfe in manner throughout the whole worlde so that many turretts within the pallace were turned downe to the grounde the longe wall of Cherronesus came to ruine the earth opened and swallowed vp in her gulphes many villages many woefull mischaunces befell vnto mankinde both by sea and by lande many welspringes were dried vp againe where fountaines were neuer seene before it flowed out manie trees were plucked vp by the rootes the valleis became high mountaines the sea threwe out fishes for dead many Islands were drowned the sea ouerrunning the bankes and ouerflowing the cuntreys many shipps sulcating in the maine seas were seene on ground the sea falling backe not yelding his wonted streames many cuntreys throughont Bithynia Hellespontus and both Phrygia endured such calamities that they were vtterly vndone This misery endured toe toe long yet did it not proceede with such vehement anoyance as it beganne for it fell and slaked by a litle and a litle vntill at length all was ended CAP. XVIII The buildinges of Antioch and the founders thereof ABout the same time Memnonius Zoilus and Calixtus great patrons of the true pietie and Christian profession were sent from Theodosius the Emperour to gouerne the noble citie of Antioch of which number Memnonius buylded from the grounde with gorgeous and goodly workemanship the place which we cal Psephium leauing in the middest an hal open in height to the tempered aer vnder heauen Zoilus erected the princely porche so called vnto this day and curiously wrought which is towarde the South side of the pallace called Ruffine moreouer Calixtus founded a goodly monument whiche both of olde and of late vayes is called Calixtus porche afore the shire hall and the iudgement seates ouer against the market and the princely house where the captaines of the garrisons are wont to lye After all these Anatolius president of the Emperours power in the east beinge sent thither buylte the tower whiche beareth his name and set it out with sundrie kindes of buylding Though these things seeme from the purpose yet in mine opinion the knowledge of them is profitable for the studious reader CAP. XIX Of sundrie battailes that were fought both in Italie and in Persia in the time of Theodosius the Emperour WHile Theodosius was Emperour there was great sedition throughout Europe yea whē Valentinianus gouerned the Romane dominions all which Theodosius with great power of horsemen and footemen by sea and by land suppressed And so quelled the hautines and furious race of the Persian blood whose king was Isdigerdes the father of Bararanes or as Socrates writeth Bararanes him selfe for when they had sent Legates vnto him to entreate for peace he graunted it the whiche continewed vnto the twelfe yeare of Anastasius raigne the whiche things are also remembred of other writers partly compendiously gathered by Eustathius Syrus of Epiphania otherwise called Antioch who layeth downe in like sort howe Amida was taken It is reported moreouer that then Claudian and Cyrus the famous Poets did florishe and that Cyrus was made chiefe president which our auncetors doe tearme the heade officer of the hall and then appointed general captaine of the Romane power in the west dominions when Carthage was wonne of the Vandalls and Genzerichus captaine of the Barbarian host CAP. XX. Of Eudocia the Empresse and her daughter Eudoxia of her voyage to Ierusalem and the picture where with the people of Antioch did honor her THeodosius through the procurement of Pulcheria the Empresse being his sister maried Eudocia borne in Athens and of goodly beawtie after she had bene baptised in the Christian fatth on whom he got a daughter by name Eudoxia when she came to ripenesse of yeares and mariageable Valentinianus the Emperour tooke her to wife brought her from Constantinoplc to olde Rome Eudoxia went afterwardes to the holy citie of Christ who is God where in the Oration she made vnto
them as they haue learned by heresay or conceaued by selfe opinion who most commonly by reason of ignorance are deceaued and so halt or through toe muche partialitie or negligent or by occasion of spite and hatred are so blinded that they can not vtter the trueth CAP. IIII. Of captaine Priscus and the insurrection of the soldiers against him PRiscus succeeded Philippicus in the rowme of a captaine and was so stately that none coulde speake with him vnlesse it were about weightie and great matters For he was of the opinion that if he vsed litle familiaritie he might doe what him selfe listed and that his soldiers vnderneath him woulde stand in awe of him and the sooner obey his commaundement But comming on a certaine time vnto his armie with high lookes and hauty disdaine with his whole body set vpon toe arrogant gestures he made them an oration of soldiers patience in perill of warres of fine and picked harnesse and last of all of the rewardes they were to reape of the common weale for their trauell and seruice they knowinge of these thinges as well as he beganne openly to reueale their wrath and conceaued displeasure againste him and rushinge in thither where he had pitched his tent as if they had bene Barbarians They spoyled him of all his sumptuous store and precious treasure not onely this but without doubt they had also dispatched him had not he with al speede taken horse and fled vnto Edessa Yet they besieged this citie and commaunded that Priscus should be deliuered them CAP. V. Of Germanus whom the soldiers made Emperour against his will VVHen the citizens of Edessa woulde not restore Priscus the soldiers left him and by force tooke Germanus captaine of the warefaringe soldiers in Phoenicia of Iabanesia and proclaimed him their captaine and Emperour While he refused the office and they vrged it vpon him there rose great contention of either side for he would not be constrained and they would needs compell him they threatned to execute him vnlesse he would willingly accept of the dignitie he of the contrary protested openly he was neither affraide neither woulde yelde one iote At length they went about to lash him with whips to maime the members of his body which torments they perswaded them selues verily he would not endure that there was not in him more hardnesse to beare away stripes then nature and yeares gaue them to vnderstande they tooke him in hand knowing well inough what he was able to suffer dealt very circumspectly lest they wounded him sore vntil in th end they forced him to condescend and with anoth to promise them his faith and fidelitie Wherfore thus they compelled him whom they had ruled to rule and whom they had gouerned to gouerne and whom they led captiue to become their captaine furthermore they displaced all other officers as captaines tribuns centurions decurions and placed in their rowmes whom pleased them best reuiled the empire with railing speaches And though they bore them selues towards such as were tributary milder then the common vse and maner is of Barbarians yet were they altogether alienated from their companions members with them of one common weale For they tooke not their wayfaring vittailes by weight and measure neither were they pleased with suche lodginge as was appointed for them but tooke their owne lust for lawes and pleasure for prescribed order CAP. VI. The Emperour sent Philippicus againe among the soldiers but the armie refused him WHen the Emperour sent Philippicus to redresse the aforesaide enormities the soldiers not onely reiected him but menaced and conspired the deaths of suche as seemed to take his part CAP. VII Of Gregorie byshop of Antioch how he proued the report that was raised of him to be a meare sclaunder THe affaires of the common weale lying at this poynt Gregorie byshop of Antioch returned from Constantinople after the ending of a bitter conflict the which I am now about to declare when Asterius was lieuetenant of the east contention risen betweene him Gregory first all the head citizens tooke part with Asterius next the artificers stuck vnto him sayinge that Gregory had iniuried them euery one last of al it was permitted for the common people al to reuile Gregory both high and low conspired together and ceassed not either in the streat or on the theatre to raile very contumeliously at byshop Gregory neither was their scaffold and enterludes without skoffs Therefore Asterius was deposed of his Lieuetenantship and Iohn elected to succeede him whom the Emperour charged diligently to examine the circumstances of that seditious controuersie This Iohn was a man vnfit for the hearing of trifling causes much more for the examining of so weighty a matter the executing of so worthy a function wherefore when he had set the whole city on tumults published an edict where it was lawful for him that could say any thing to come forth accuse the byshop a certen exchaunger presented him y â— he had companied with his owne sister whom he maried vnto an other Againe others of y â— kinde of people charged him that he had disturbed the quiet and good estate of the citie and that not once but very oft But Gregory purged him selfe of that sclaunder and appealed vnto the Emperour and to a councell for the hearinge of the other matters I was my self in his company and present when he purged him of these crimes at Constantinople And when as al y â— patriarchs either by them selues or by their substitutes were at the hearing of Gregories purgation and the cause heard of the holy Senate and of many holy bishops â–ª after great sturre and much adoe the sentence went with Gregory that his accuser should be racked â–ª carted about the citie and banished the countrey After all this Gregory returned vnto his byshopricke againe in the meane while the soldiers ceassed not from raising of sedition for Philippicus the captaine made then his abode about Beroea and the citie of Chalcis CAP. VIII Howe Theopolis otherwise called Antioch was againe tossed with earthquakes FOure moneths after the returne of Gregorie from Constantinople in the sixe hundred thirtie and seuenth yeare after Antioch was so called and the threescore and firste yeare after the earthquake whiche went next before when as I my selfe the last day of September had taken to my wyfe a virgine of tender yeares and the citye therefore kept holiday and flocked wyth great pompe and solemnitie to my wedding caâ—â—ber feasting house about the third houre of the night there rose such an earthquake that with the violence thereof it shooke together the whole citie It so tossed the fundations that all the buildinges about the most holy Churche were turned downe to the ground except onely the hemispherical rouf that Euphraemius had made of baye trees which also was sore hurt of the earthquake in the time of Iustinus and so tossed also by other earthquakes
this also howe certaine trauelers in whose company Symeon was lefte behinde them a childe about midnighte a Lion came and tooke vp the childe on his backe and brought him to Symeons Monastery Symeon bad the seruaunts go forth and take in the childe which the Lion had caried thither He did many other notable actes which haue neede of an eloquente tongue leasure conuenient and a peculiar volume all which are well knowen and rife in euery mans mouth There resorted vnto him of all nations not only Romains but also Barbarians and obtayned there sutes This Symeon in steede of meate and drinke fedde vpon certaine bowes of shrubbes that grewe in the mountaine harde by him CAP. XXIII The death of Gregorie Bishop of Antioch SHortly after Gregorie Bishop of Antioch being sore pained with the gowte tooke a certaine medicen made of Hermodactylus for so was it called the which a certaine phisicion ministred vnto him and after the drinkinge thereof died immediatlye He departed this worlde when Gregorie the successor of Pelagius was Bishop of Olde Rome Iohn of Constantinople Eulogius of Alexandria Anastasius of Theopolis who after twenty and three yeares was restored vnto his Bishopricke and also when Iohn was Bishop of Ierusalem which died shortely after and as yet there is none chosen in his rowme Here doe I minde to cut of and make an end of wryting to wit the twelfe yeare of the raygne of Mauricius Tiberius Emperour of Rome leauing such things as followe after for them that are disposed to penne them for the posterity in time to come If I haue omitted ought through negligence or lightly runne ouer any matter let no man blame me therefore remēbringe with him selfe that I gathered and collected together a scattered and dispersed historie to the end I might profitt the reader for whose sake I tooke in hande so greate and so werysome a labour I haue finished an other worke comprisinge relations Epistles decrees orations disputations with sundry other matters The relations therein contayned are for the most parte in the person of Gregorie Bishop of Antioch For the which I was preferred vnto two honorable offices Tiberius Constantinus made me Quaestor Mauricius Tiberius preferred me to be maister of the Rolles where the Liuetenants and Magistrats were registred The relations I compiled duringe his raygne at what tyme he broughte Theodosius to lighte who was bothe vnto him and to the common weale a preamble or entrance to all kinde of felicity The ende of the sixt booke of the Ecclesiasticall historie of Euagrius Scholasticus THE LIVES THE ENDS AND THE MARTYRDOMES OF THE PROPHETES APOSTLES AND SEVENTYE DISCIPLES OF OVR SAVIOVR WRITTEN IN GREEKE by Dorotheus Bishop of Tyrus aboue a thousand yeares agoe and nowe translated by M. H. Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blackefriers 1577. THE LIFE OF DOROTHEVS GATHERED by the Translator DOrotheus vvas a rare and singular man vvell seene in the Latine Greeke and Hebrevv tongues He flourished in the time of Diocletian Constantinus Magnus Constātius Iulian the Apostata Eusebius Pamphilus one that knevve him very vvell heard his gift of vtterance vvryteth thus of him Dorotheus minister of the Church of Antioch vvas a very eloquent and singular man He applied holye Scripture diligentlye he studied the Hebrevve tongue so that he reade vvith great skill the holy Scriptures in Hebrevve This man came of a noble race He vvas expert in the chiefe discipline of the Grecians by nature an Eunuche so disposed from his natiuitye For vvhich cause the Emperour for rarenesse thereof appropriated him placing and preferringe him to be magistrate in the citie of Tyrus and to ouersee the dieing of purple VVe heard him our selues expounding holy Scripture vvith greate commendation in the Church of God So farre Eusebius Antonius Demochares saith of him that he vvas exiled in the persecution vnder Diocletian and that he returned from banishment after the death of Diocletian and Licinius and recouered his Bishopricke againe vvhere he continevved vnto the raygne of Iulian about the yeare of our Lord 365. And because Iulian persecuted not the Christians openly him selfe but secretly by his gouernours and Magistrates Dorotheus vvas faine againe to flie vnto the city of Odissus vvhere as Petrus de Natalibus vvriteth the officers of Iulian apprehended him and tormented him to death for his testimony of Christ Iesus There he died and vvas crovvned Martyr being a hundred and seuen yere old An. Dom. 366. Of his vvorkes there is none extant saue this treatise contayning the liues and endes of the Prophetes Apostles and seuenty Disciples of our sauiour mentioned in the Gospell after Luke the vvhich he entitled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by translation a compendium or briefe tract THE TRANSLATOR VNTO THE READER TOVTCHING DOROTHEVS AND THE LIVES HE WROTE OF BY this short treatise of DOROTHEVS Christian reader we may take occasion to beholde the prouidence of God ouer his Churche scattered farre and nigh ouer the face of the earth and to praise him therefore in so much that of his great care and entire loue the inheritors of the kingdome of heauen his chosen people the Sainctes of God whose names were written in the booke of life were neuer left desolate without guides and teachers Adam in Paradise hearde the voyce of God himself there followed him such as called vpō the name of God erected diuine worship and taught their posteritie the same namely Abel Seth Enos Cainan Malalael Iared Enoch Mathusalem Lamech and Noe whome Peter calleth the eight person after Seth the sonne of Adam and a preacher of righteousnes When as the olde worlde and the first age numbred from Adam to Noe I meane as many as liued in his time were drowned for the sinnes iniquities of the whole world yet saued he eight persons to reueale his will vnto all nations to vphold his Church to multiply and to encrease the world In the secōd age of the world after Noe there liued Sem Arphaxad Sale Heber Phaleg Reu Saruch Nachor Thare Abraham vnto whom God rekoned faith as S. Paule saith for righteousnes In the third age of the world after Abraham liued Isaac Iacob otherwise called Israel with the twelue patriarchs Ruben Simeon Leui Iuda Zabulon Issachar Dan Gad Aser Nepthali Ioseph Beniamin Threescore and fiue yeares after the death of Ioseph Moses was borne He gouerned Israel he guided the people God gaue him three signes from heauen to confirme his doctrine to assure him of his vocation ▪ he receaued the ten cōmaundements the law of God in moūt Sina deliuered it vnto the people him succeeded Iosue after Iosue captains Iudges namely Othoniel Aod Debora Barach Gedeon Abimelech Thola Iair Iepthe Abesan AElon Abdon Samson Heli the priest Samuel the prophet iudged Israel After these came in the kings good bad Saule Dauid c. In the fourth age of the