insulte and inueye against a man vvhich receaued dew for his desert His impietie grew to that passe and so preuayled that he lead Theônas bishop of Marmarica and Secundus of Ptolemais together vvith him into perdition for they vvere partakers of the same punishment vvith him After that the grace of God had deliuered vs from that peruerse opinion from that impietie and blasphemie and from such people as presumed to sowe discorde and debate in the middest of such as leade a peaceable and quiet life there remained as yet toutching the coÌ„tumacie of Meletius and such as he had aduaunced vnto ecclesiastical orders to be determined of vs and vvhat the councell decreed toutchinge him thus vnderstande vvelbeloued brethren The councell beyng bent to deale vvith more clemencie tovvardes Meletius then he deserued for by iust iudgement he was worthy of no pardon decreed that he should remaine in his proper city that he should haue no authoritie to make ministers no authoritie to aduauÌ„ce any vnto the ecclesiasticall function neither to appeare or present him selfe in any other region or in any other citie for that purpose but onely to retayne the bare name and title of his office and dignitie they decreed farther toutching such as were entred into holy orders by his laying on of haÌ„ds that they after confirmation vvith more mysticall laying on of handes should be admitted into the fellovvship of the church with this condition that they shoulde enioye their dignitie degree of the ministerie yet that they be inferiour vnto all the pastors throughout euery prouince and churche the vvhich the most honorable man and our college Alexander hath ordayned Moreouer that they haue no authoritie to elect the ministers approued by their censures no not so much as to nominate theÌ„ which are to execute the ecclesiasticall function nor to intermedle with any thing toutching theÌ„ that are within Alexanders iurisdiction without the coÌ„sent of the bishop of the catholicke church But they who through the grace of God the meanes of your praiers were found no maintayners of schisme but coÌ„tained theÌ„ selues within the bounds of the Catholicke Apostolicke churche voyd of all erroneous blemishe let these haue authoritie to consecrate ministers to nominate such as shal be thought vvorthie of the cleargie and in fine freely to do all according vnto the rule canon of the church If in case that one of them which presently enioye the ecclesiasticall dignitie chaunce to finishe his mortall race theÌ„ one of them lately admitted into the church so that he be found worthy the people chose him so that the bishop of Alexandria consent thervnto and confirme his election may succeede in the place of the deseased our will is also that that liberty be grauÌ„ted vnto all others But of Meletius namely it is otherwise decreede to wete that both for his insolent boldnes wherewith heretofore he molested the quiet estate of the church and also for his temeritie and wilfull ignorance openly shewed he shoulde haue neither power neither authoritie geuen him for in that he is a man he may agayne vexe the churche with the like disorder And these decrees properly and seuerally do concerne Aegypt and the most holy churche of Alexandria But if any other thinge besides this be decreed and concluded vpon vvhylest that the most honorable lorde our fellovve minister and brother Alexander is present vvith vs he beynge both president and priuye to our doinges vvyll in presence of you all more exactly recite the vvhole vnto you VVe sende you gladde tydinges of the vniforme consent and agreement toutching the celebration of the most sacred feaste of Easter that by the meanes of your prayers the sturre raysed in that behalfe vvas quietly appeased so that all the brethren vvhich inhabite the East obseruinge heretofore the maner of the Ievves novve vvith vniforme consent do follovve the Romaines and vs and you vvhich of olde tyme haue retayned vvith vs the selfe same order and maner of celebration VVherfore reioyce partly because of these prosperous affaires and partly for the peace and vniforme agreement of all partly also that all heresies are abaÌ„doned plucked vp by the rootes and embrace vvith greater honor more feruent loue our fellow minister Alexander but your bishop whose presence was a great pleasure vnto vs who in those yeares tooke great paynes labored exceedingly to reduce the affaires of your church vnto a quiet peaceable state powre vnto God harty prayers for vs all that the things rightly decreede established may continewe for firme inuiolable through God the father almighty our Lord Iesus Christ together with the holy ghost to whome be glorie for euer euer Amen It is euident by this Synodicall epistle that they accursed not onely Arius and his complices but also the sentences of his peruerse opinion moreouer that they agreed among theÌ„ selues toutching y â— celebration of Easter that they receaued y â— grauÌ„d hereticke Meletius grauÌ„ting him licence to retaine his episcopall dignitie yet depriuing him of all authoritie to execute the functioÌ„ as a bishop vseth for which cause I suppose the Meletians in Aegypt vnto this day to haue bene seuered from the church because that the councell tooke away from Meletius all authoritie We haue moreouer to vnderstaÌ„d that Arius wrote a booke of his opinion the which he intituled Thalia the style phrase of the booke is both wanton and dissolute resembling in all poynts the bawdy ballets and rymes of the wanton poet Sotades the which booke also the councell then dyd condemne Neyther was the councell onely carefull by writinge to certifie of the peace established but the Emperour also signified the same by his letters vnto the church of Alexandria Constantinus the Emperour vnto the Catholicke church of Alexandria VVe wishe you health in the Lord welbeloued brethren A great a singular benefite of the deuine prouidence of God is conferred on vs in that all errour and deceate beinge quite put to slight we acknowledge one the selfe same faith For henceforth there remayneth no refuge for the sleyghts of the deuill intended agaynst vs vvhatsoeuer through fraude he pretended the same is vvholly taken avvay The bright beames of the trueth according vnto the commaundement of Christ ouercame those dissentions schismes those tumults as I may so terme it that deadly poyson of discorde one God therfore all we both in name do adore and in faith do beleue to be And to the end the same through the forewarning of god might be brought to passe I haue called together a great coÌ„pany of bishops vnto the city of Nice with whome I also beiÌ„g one of your nâ—ber most willingly addictiÌ„g my selfe wholly together with you vnto the same busines haue endeuored that the trueth then in coÌ„trouersy might throughly be tried out wherfore all things that seemed to breede occasion of discord or dissention vvere narrovvly sifted
all the Bishops assembled at Ariminum sendeth greeting Although it is not vnknowen vnto your holines that vve haue alvvayes great care and consideration of the diuine the reuerend and sacred religion of Christ yet had vve as yet no leasure to talke vvith the tvventy Bishops whome your wisedomes sent in embassie vnto vs. For vve haue hitherto bene vvholy occupied about the expedition we made against the Barbarians And requisite it is as you knovve very vvell for him that vvill deale in matters of religion to be voyde of all care and troublesome affayres Therefore vve haue vvilled the Bishops to vvayte for our comming at Adrianopolis so that vvhen vve haue rightly disposed the common affayres of the publique weale we may then geue care and wey diligently afterwards such things as they shall lay before vs. In the meane vvhile let it not grieue your vvisedomes to expect their returne that after their departure hence and the bringing of our ansvvere vnto you ye may finish and conclude such thinges as shal be for the vse and furtherance of the Catholicke Church When the Bishops had receaued these letters they wrote backe againe vnto the Emperour in this sorte VVe haue receaued your maiesties gracious letters most godly Emperour wherby we gather you had not sufficient leasure by reason of the necessary busines of the common vveale to geue our legats the hearing moreouer that you geue vs in charge to vvayte for their returne vntill that your highnes of your vvisedome hath deepely vvayed the thinges vve haue decreed and layde dovvne agreeably vnto the canons and constitutions of our auncetors But novve by these our letters vve protest and assure your maiestye that vve vvill in no vvise shrinke from our sentence and determination VVe haue also charged and enioyned our legats the same VVherefore vve humbly beseech you of our vvonted clemency to voutchsafe the reading of these our simple letters and to take in good parte such thinges as vve haue enioyned our legats Your clemency moreouer knovveth as vvell as vve hovve heauy and hovve lamentable a case it is so many churches in the time of this your most blessed raigne to be bereaued of their Bishops And therefore vve are humbly to craue againe and againe most holy Emperour that before the sharpe and nipping season of vvinter if it so seeme good vnto your highnes you wil licence vs to returne home vnto our Churches to the ende vve may poure out together vvith the people our accustomed prayers vnto God the father Almighty and to our Lorde and Sauiour Christ his onely begotten sonne for prosperous estate of your raigne euen as we haue accustomed in times past and yet cease not to doe After they had written thus and continewed there a while longer when as the emperour voutchsafed not to answere them euery one returned to his owne home The Emperour because he had purposed with him selfe to sowe the Arian opinion throughout euery Church endeuored with might and mayne euery where to preferre the same tooke hereby occasion at the Bishops returne to bring about his baynous offence and sayd that in contempt and despite of him contrary to his will they had dissolued the councell Wherefore he gaue Vrsacius authoritie freely at his pleasure to practise all mischiefe agaynst the Churches of God and commaunded him moreouer to send into the Churches of Italie the forme of fayth that was read in the councell of Ariminum and such as would not subscribe vnto the same shoulde be deposed and others placed in their rowmes First of all Liberius Bishop of Rome as soone as he denied his hande thereunto was exiled by Vrsacius and Felix Deacon of the Church of Rome addicted vnto the Arian opinion was of the same Vrsacius by mayne force and violence preferred to the bishopricke Wherfore all the Westerne partes of the worlde by reason of these newe deuises were at great discorde and tumults while that some were by force deposed and sent to exile some other substituted in their rowmes these thinges were wrought by vertue of the Emperours edicts sent into the West contries Liberius not long after was called home from exile recouered his bishopricke againâ— because that the people of Rome was on an vprore and thrust Felix out of the Church so that the Emperour was constrained against his will to agree thereunto Vrsacius hauing played such prankes in Italie as pleased him best tooke his iourney into the East and got him to the citie of Nice in Thracia There after he had continewed a long while he called a councell and went about to ratifie the forme of faith that was read at Ariminum and translated as I sayd before into the greeke tongue to publishe and sett forth the same with glorious titles as agreed vpon by a generall councell calling it the Nicene fayth to the intent that thereby in vsing the name of Nice he might snare the ignorant the rude and simple people For they thought verily that it was the same forme of fayth which of olde was confirmed at Nice a citie of Bithynia but their forged pretence was no long furtherance vnto them For in a short while after their treachery was reuealed and the authors thereof derided for their labor So farre of such thinges as were done in the West CAP. XXX The crueltie of Macedonius the Arian and tumults raysed by him at Constantinople and elsewhere NOwe that we haue sufficiently discoursed of the West Churches let vs turne our talke and direct our penne into the East and there first beginne with the Arians The Arian Bishops being puffed vp with pride and confidence they put in the Emperours edicts presumed more boldly to bring their purposes to effect but in what sorte they sommoned the councell I will afterwards declare when that first I haue runne ouer their lewd practises before the councel Acaius Patrophilus as soone as they had deposed Maximus bishop of Ierusalem placed Cyrillus in his rowme Macedonius went about vtterly to ouerthrow y â— contries bordering cities of Constantinople vsing his seruants ministers as fit instruments to the defacing of the church of God he made Eleusius bishop of Cyzicum Marathonius bishop of Nicomedia who afore time had bene deacon vnder Macedonius him selfe very carefull about the affaires of men women y â— were addicted vnto monasticall solitary life But now heare how Macedonius went about to ouerchrow y â— contries cities within y â— prouince of Constantinople This man aspiring as I said before vnto y â— bishoprick plagued infinitely such as were determined to perseuere in y â— opinion contrary to his thrust out of the church not only such as in y â— councell seemed to vary from him but also y â— Nouatians for he knew of suerty that they embraced the creede containing the clause of one substance cruelly tormented them Agelius their bishop was faine to flie away for to saue his life
Marcianus the Nouatian Bishop departed this life in whose rowme Sisinius of whome we spake before succeeded CAP. II. The death of Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople whome Iohn Chrysostome succeeded SHortly after Nectarius bishop of Constantinople departed this life in the Consulship of Caesareus and Atticus the eyght and twentieth of Septembre immediatly there was much adoe about the election of a Bishop And when some thought on this man some on that man after longe aduisement and deliberation in the ende it seemed good vnto them to sende for Iohn a priest of Antioch for the report went of him that he was a profounde Interpretor and a notable Rhetorician Wherefore not long after the Emperour Arcadius with the generall consent both of Priest and people sent for him And to the ende his consecration might be of more authoritie by the commaundement of the Emperour there were present many other Bishops and namely Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria who went about by all meanes to discreditt Iohn and to preferre vnto the bishopricke one Isidorus a Priest of his owne Churche Theophilus made very much of this Isidorus because that for his fake he had taken a perilous peece of worke in hande And what the same was I am nowe about to declare When the Emperour Theodosius waged battell with Maximus the tyrant Theophilus sent presents by Isidorus vnto the Emperour together with two letters charging him with all to present him that had the vpper hande with the gift and one of the letters Isidorus being carefull of his busines went diligently about this feate gott him to Rome and harkneth after the victory but his fetch was not longe ere it was founde out for his Reader that kept him company stole away his letters Wherupon Isidorus being afraide to be taken with the maner tooke his heeles in all the hast to Alexandria this was it that made Theophilus to labour so earnestly for Isidorus but all that were of the Emperours court preferred Iohn to the Bishopricke And afterwards when as many charged Theophilus with haynous crimes and presented vnto the Bishops then present libells and articles agaynst some for this thinge and some for that Eutropius one of the Emperours chamber came by the articles and enditements shewed them to Theophilus bad him chuse whether he woulde create Iohn Bishop or stand at the barre and holde his hande to the crimes that were layd to his charge Theophilus was so affrayde with this that by and by he consented to the stalling of Iohn He was consecrated to execute the priestly function of a Bishop and stalled in the seae of Constantinople the six and twentieth of February the Consulship following when as the Emperour Honorius gouerned the common weale of Rome and Eutychianus the Senator in the Emperours steede ruled Constantinople CAP. III. The linage and education of Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople IN so much that Iohn was a famous man partly for the bookes he penned and left vnto the posteritie partly also for the greate perills and persecution which befell vnto him it seemed very necessary vnto vs not to runne ouer with silence but briefly to rehearse such things as of him might largely be entreated and so to declare out of what contrey he came what parents he had howe he came by Priesthoode and wherefore he was thereof depriued last of all howe that after his death he purchaced more fame and renowme then euer he did in his life tyme. Iohn was borne in Antioch a citie of Caelosyria his father was cleped Secundus his mother Anthusa he descended of the noble race of Senators he was the disciple of Libanius the Sophist and the auditor also of Andragathius the Philosopher When that he purposed with him selfe to apply his minde vnto the lawe and publique affayres of the common weale and perceaued howe lewde and howe vnrighteous a trade of life they leade which busie them selues therein he left that troublesome trade and transformed him selfe vnto a quiet and solitary kinde of life the example of Euagrius as I thinke allured him thereunto who being brought vp vnder the same teachers schoole maisters addicted him selfe a litle before vnto a solitary life voyd of all trouble molestation Immediatly he chaunged both habite and behauiour and gaue him selfe wholly to the study of the sacred Scriptures he deuised with him selfe howe by all meanes possible be might become a profitable member in the Churche of God he perswaded Theodorus and Maximus his fellow students who together with him frequented the schoole of Libanius to forsake that trade of life which was wholly sett on lucre and gaine and to followe that which was satisfied with a litle of these men the one was afterwards Bishop of Mopsiestia a citie in Cilicia the other was bishop of Seleucia in Isauria These men being then wonderfully inflamed with godly zeale and desire of vertue learned the trade of worshipers of Diodorus and Carterius who then were ouerseers of the religious conuenticles but afterwards Diodorus being made Bishop of Tarsus wrote many bookes and while he addicted him selfe onely vnto the bare and naked letter of holy Scripture he erred fouly in the sense and mystical vnderstanding thereof but of these things so much shall suffice Iohn when that he had of a long time accompanied Basil who then was made Deacon of Meletius but afterwards Bishop oâ— Caesarea in Cappadocia was made Reader in the Church of Antioch by Zeno bishop of lerusalem being Reader he wrote that booke which he intitled against the Ievves In a while after Meletius made him Deacon at what time he wrote the bookes intitled of priesthoode with them also which he made against Stagirius Moreouer the bookes of the incomprehensible nature with the tracts he made of closely kept vvomen In processe of time when that Meletius had departed this life at Constantinople the election of Gregorie Nazianzene had driuen him thither Iohn forsooke the Meletians left also the communion of Paulinus and for the space of whole three yeares he led a solitary life seuered from all the troublesome affayres of the worlde Agayne in a while after that Euagrius who succeeded Paulinus in the seae of Antioch made him Priest His maner of liuing and behauiour before he was made Bishop as I may vse in fewe wordes was in such sorte as followeth He was a man by reason of his maruelous great temperance in life very austere and as one that knewe him from his youth vp did report more ruled by choler then geuen to curteous ciuilitie A man he was of no great forecast he made no accompt of the worlde and because of his plaine and simple meaning he was soone deceaued He was very copious and free of speach with all such as had conference with him as he was very painfull to the ende by teaching he might reforme the maners and liues of his auditors so againe of such as were not acquainted with
the pudle of sinne and incredulitie neither were the Iewes onely they which made light accompt of the signes and wonders wrought among men but others also which are proude of their rites yea and are proued to be no lesse then plaine Iewes in faith and religion Sabbatius of whome I spake a litle before coulde not quiet him selfe with the inferior degree of priesthoode but coueted to clime vp vnto the rowme of a Bishop tooke occasion then of the Iewishe obseruation of the feaste of Easter and seuered him selfe from the Nouatian Churche Wherefore as he frequented seuerall and priuate conuenticles from his Bishop Sisinius in a certaine place of the citie called the drie Hillock where nowe the market of Arcadius is kept he presumed so haynous an offence that hanging might seeme to be to small a punishmēt for his labour For on the daye appointed for the celebration of the communion as he reade a certaine peece of the Gospell which beganne with these words The feast of sweete bread drewe nigh which is called Easter he added of his owne that which was neuer founde written neuer hearde of before in these wordes cursed be euery one that keepeth Easter without sweete breade Which wordes sticked in the mindes of many mē so that diuerse of the simpler sorte of the Nouatian laiety being thus drawen from the fayth adicted them selues vnto his fonde opinion But this his craftye and subtle forgery fell otherwise out then he hoped for such as presume to corrupte the worde of God haue euer an ill ende and an vnfortunate successe For shortly after when as he kept the feaste of Easter accordinge vnto the corrupte opinion conceaued in his mynde when as manye flocked vnto him after the wonted maner and solemnized throughout the wholl nighte the accustomed vigills they were all sette on a furious and frentike kinde of tumulte They imagined with them selues that they sawe Sisinius theyr Bishoppe sette vpon them with an infinite multitude of men Wherefore the thronge beinge greate and as it is very like in the nighte season beinge shutte vp in a narrowe rowme smothered one an other so that there dyed aboue threescore and tenne persons This beinge done manye shrinked from Sabbatius but diuerse others for all that cleaued earnestlye vnto the foolishe and fonde opinion they had conceaued of that celebration of Easter But howe this Sabbatius forswore him selfe a litle while agoe and aspired vnto the calling of a Byshop we will declare hereafter CAP. VI. Of such as were the captaines and ringleaders of the Arian opinion DOrotheus an Arian Bishop whome we haue remembred before to haue bene translated by the Arians from Antioch to Constantinople departed this life when he had liued a hundreth and nynteene yeares the sixt of Nouember in the seauenth Consulship of Honorius and the seconde of Theodosius Augustus After his desease the Arian sect chose Barbas to theyr bishop in whose time the Arians had amongest them two notable men by whose meanes theyr heresie beganne to reuiue againe the ones name was Timotheus the other was called Georgius but priests both Georgius excelled in prophane literature Timothee of the cōtrary gaue himselfe wholly to the reading of the worde of God Georgius was neuer seene without Aristotle or Plato in his hand Timothee againe was a great mā in Origen and as he expounded holy Scripture he shewed him selfe to be well seene in the Hebrew tōgue Timothee was aforetime of the Psathyrian sect and Georgius was made priest of Barbas I my selfe by conferring with Timotheus perceaued howe redy he was to satisfie and resolue euery doubt that was demaunded of him and plainely to set wide open the obscure places of holy Scriptures he was euer wont to cite Origen for a witnesse to testifie that his sayings were no other then true Wherefore I can not verily but maruell why these two men continewed Arians seing that the one was a great reader of Plato the other euer a perusing of Origen For Plato affirmed that the seconde and thirde cause so he was wonte to tearme them had no begininge of essence Origen likewise confesseth euerye where the sonne to be coeternall with the father And althoughe they perseuered in they re Churche yet priuelye and by a litle and a litle they reformed the Arian opinion and purged theyr doctrine of many pernicious pestilent blasphemies of Arius Of these men so farre Shortly after when Sisinius the Nouatian bishop had departed this life in the aforesayd Consulship Chrysanthus of whome I mind to speake more hereafter was chosen to be theyr Bishop CAP. VII Howe that Cyrillus succeded Theophilus in the Bishopricke of Alexandria SHortly after Theophilus bishop of Alexandria being fallen into a lethargie departed this life y e nynth Consulship of Honorius the fift of Theodosius y e fifteenth of October Then ther rose a great stur contentiō about y e electiō of a bishop some would haue Timotheus y e archedeacō some other wold haue Cyrillus Theophilus brothers sonne preferred to y e bishoprick while y e people were thus at variance for all that Abudatius captaine of the garrison in Alexandria labored for Timothee and furthered his sute yet three dayes after the desease of Theophilus Cyrillus was chosen Bishop and enioyed the bishopricke and withall he challenged vnto himselfe more authoritie then euer Theophilus had before him From that time forth the Bishop of Alexandria besides the ouersight and iurisdiction of his clergie and ecclesiasticall matters tooke also the gouernement of temporall affayres Wherefore Cyrillus immediatly after he had shutte vp the Nouatiā churches within Alexandria he not only rified them of all the treasure but also bereaued Theopemptus their Bishop of all his substance CAP. VIII Of Maruthas Bishop of Mesopotamia and howe that by his meanes the faith of Christ tooke great increase in Persia IT fell out in those dayes that the faith in Christ florished in Persia and that vpon such an occasion as followeth Betwene the Romaines and the Persians there doe commonlye passe manye Embassadours sundry causes doe cōstraine ech of them to send in Embassie vnto y ◠other That very instant did require that Maruthas bishop of Mesopotamia of whome I made mentiō before should be sent from the Emperour of Rome vnto the king of Persia The king perceauing by him y ◠he was a godly man had him in greate reuerence was ruled by him as by a rare singuler man This grieued the Magicians which were much made of and in great credit with the king of Persia For they were wonderfully affrayd lest the king through the counsell of Maruthas would become a Christian Maruthas by the meanes of prayer had rid the king of his cōtinewall headach which the Magicians and Sorcerers could not doe Wherefore they deuise a certaine sleight for to delude the king withall And because the Persians worship the fire for theyr God the king is alwayes
Alexandria passing the boundes of his priestely order presumed to chalenge vnto him selfe secular power and authoritye Therefore those bishops permitted not such as held w t theÌ„ y â— faith of one substaÌ„ce freely to frequeÌ„t their wonted assemblies and although they commended them for theyr vniforme consent as toutching the faith yet they depriued them of all theyr substance But the Nouatians which inhabited Constantinople were not so dealt with all For the Bishops of Constantinople besides that they embraced them for theyr vniformity in faith they suffred them as I sayde before to haue theyr Churches within the citie CAP. XII Of Chrysanthus Byshop of the Nouatian Church in Constantinople AFter the desease of Sismius Chrysanthus the sonne of Marcianus who was the predecessor of Sismus in the Nouatian Bishopricke was in maner compelled to be their Bishop This man almost from his youth vp was a souldier in the Emperours court afterwardes in the raigne of Theodosius Magnus Liuetenant of Italie againe the Emperours vicegerent in the I sles of Bryttaine where he purchased vnto him selfe greate commendation for his politicke gouernemente Beinge well strucken in yeares he came to Constantinople and labouringe to be gouernour or Magistrate rather in that citie then in farre and forayne contreyes he was constrayned against his will to be bishop of the Nouatians For when Sisimus being at the point of death made mention of him as a sitte man to succeede him in the rowme the Nouatian people taking the censure of Sisimus as a canon or lawe compelled him to be their Bishop But when Chrysanthus had conueyed him selfe out of the way least he should take vpon him y â— function Sabbatius thinking verily y â— nowe he had found fit opportunitie for to creepe into the bishops seae despised the dreadfull protestations he had solemnly auowed and the oth he had taken got him a company of obscure bishops to consecrate him and forth he steppes a Bishop One of the consecrators was Hermogenes whome he him selfe had afore time excommunicated for the blasphemous bookes which he published vnto the worlde But all the fetches of Sabbatius framed not aright For the people detesting his corrupt and intollerable ambition there was no waye vnassayed of him for to attaine vnto the bishopricke sought out both coast and contrey for Chrysanthus when they had found him lurking in Bithynia they forced him thence and stalled him Bishop He was a man that excelled all others not onely in politicke wisedome but also in modest behauiour by his meanes the Nouatian churches in Constantinople florished exceedingly He was the firste that of his owne substance gaue Golde vnto the poore He tooke nothing saue onely two loues euery sundaye of the blessed breade he was a man that was very diligent in his ecclesiasticall function he tooke Ablabius the Rhetorician a very wise man of the Nouatian Church out of Troilus the Sophists schoole and made him minister There are extant notable and excellent sermons of this Chrysanthus Ablabius was afterwardes made Bishop of the Nouatian Church at Nice where also he professed Rhetorick CAP. XIII Of the sturre at Alexandria betwene the Christians and the Iewes of the contention betwene Cyrillus the Bishop and Orestes the Liuetenant ABout that time the Ievves were banished Alexandria by Cyrillus the Bishop vpon suche an occasion as followeth The people of Alexandria aboue all other men are prone to schisme and contention for if that any quarell at any time rise amonge them immediatly hainous horrible offences are wonte to ensue the tumult is neuer appeased without greate bloodeshede It fell out that y â— greate throng and multitude of people contended among themselues not about any necessarie matter but who coalde approche nerest vnto the dauncers which lewd custome is now crept into all cities For a great multitude assembled together on y â— saturday to pastime theÌ„ selues with the beholding of a certene dauncer And because the Iewes spent not that daye in the hearing of their lawe being theyr sabaoth day but gaue them selues wholly vnto the bearing of comedies and enterludes to the beholdinge of showes and spectacles that daye was the occasion of greate schisme and dissention among the people And though the tumult was partly appeased by y â— Liuetenant of Alexandira yet neuerthelesse the Iewes gaue not ouer theyr quarell nor the spite they owed vnto the one parte of the faction For the Iewes as they were alwayes found deadly foes vnto such as prosessed the Christian faith so then aboue all other times they were incensed against them because of the dauncers Wherefore when as Orestes the Liuetenante of Alexandria had nayled vpon the theatre the wrytte of politicke gouernance for so doe the people of Alexandria tearme the publicke proclamations of the Liuetenant some of Cyrillus y â— Bishops familier frieÌ„ds stepped forth to examine what the Liuetenant had wrytten Of which number one was Hierax a schoolemaister and professor of grammer a dligent auditor of Cyrillus the bishop and one that was greatly delited with his sermons The multitude of the Iewes seeing this Hierax vpon the stage exclaimed immediatly against him yâ—he came thither for no other cause but onely to set the people together by the eares Orestes although heretofore he enuyed y â— authority of Bishops because that the credit and power which the Emperours graunted the Magistrates and Liuetenantes was by reason of them abridged and cut short yet theÌ„ he spited him aboue all other times because that Cyrillus would prie into his wrytings and curiously sift out the contents meaning thereof Therefore he caused Hierax openly to be apprehended in the midest of the theatre and to be punished extremly Cyrillus vnderstanding of this warned the chiefe of the Iewes to appeare before him tolde them plainely if they woulde not geue ouer their rebellion and traiterous conspiracie agaynst the true Christians he would punish them according vnto theyr deserts The Iewes stomakinge the Bishops threates fretted the more and boyled within them selues for anger they fell to deuisinge of sleights for to mischiefe the Christians which in the end caused all the Iewes to be banished Alexandria The circumstance was in such sort as followeth The Iewes after consultation layinge downe a signe for ech of them to knowe the other to wit the carieng of a ring made of the rinde or barke of the palme tree purposed to set vpon the ChristiaÌ„s in the night time Wherefore on a certaine night they sente abroade throughout the wholl citie suche as shoulde crie fire fire and where should it be but in the church called Sainct Alexanders The christians hearing of this rose vp left theyr houses ranne to saue the church from burning some out of this streete some out of that theÌ„ the Iewes stepped forth sodainely from vnder the pentises set vpon y â— ChristiaÌ„s slewe them And as they endeuored to keepe theyr hands y â— their rings might not be seene so they
clergie we the layty of the communion referring vnto God alone y â— power of remitting their sinne The same Atticus had the foreknowledge of his death for taking his leaue of Nice he sayd vnto Calliopius the minister of that Church make haste to Constantinople before Autumne that thou mayst againe see me aliue for if thou linger make delayes thou shalt see me no more in this world In vttering these wordes he hitt the trueth on the head for he departed this life the one and twentieth yeare of his consecration the tenth of October in the eleuenth Consulship of Theodosius and the first of Valentinianus Caesar Theodosius the Emperour returning from Thessalonica came short to his funerall for Atticus was buried the day before the comming of the Emperour into Constantinople Shortly after the creation of Valentinianus the yonger was proclaymed to wit the three and twentieth day of the same moneth CAP. XXVI Of Sisinius the successor of Atticus in the bishoprick of Constantinople AFter the desease of Atticus there was great contention in the Churche of Constantinople about the election of a Bishop â–ª for some woulde haue Philip a minister some other Proclus who also was a minister preferred to the rowme but all the people with vniforme consent desired Sisinius He was like wise a priest not of any of the Churches within the walls of Constantinople but of Elae a Church in the suburbes ouer against the citie where all the people of Constantinople are wont to celebrate the feast of our Sauiours ascention All the laytye laboured by all meanes to haue him to their Bishop partly because he was counted a very godly man partly also for that he endeuored to relieue the poore beyond the reach of his substance To be short the layty got the vpper hande and Sisinius was consecrated the eyght and twentieth of February in the twelse Consulship of Theodosius and the seconde of Valentinianus Augustus the yonger Philip the minister seeing that Sisinius was preferred before him stomacked the matter wonderfully and inueyed bitterly agaynst his consecration in the worke which he wrote and intitled the Christian history While he inueyeth against Sisinius that was consecrated agaynst the Bishops who were consecrators and especially agaynst the laytye who were electors he wrote such thinges as I am loth to report for I can not chuse but blame him greatly that euer he durst be so bold to lay downe so rash and vnaduised reasons yet in my opinion it will not be amisse presently to say somewhat of him CAP. XXVII Of Philip a Priest bred and brought vp in Sida PHilip of whome we spake before was borne at Sida a citie in Pamphilia where also Trophilus the Sophist had his original of whome Philip boasted not a litle that he was his kinsman This Philip being a Deacon and of great familiaritie with Iohn the Bishop was as it were driuen to bestowe great labour and diligence in the study of good learning so that he wrote many bookes of diuerse sortes his stile was asiaticall proude and lofty and to the ende he might confute the workes of luhan the Emperour he compiled a volume and intitled it The Christian historie the which he deuided into six and thirty bookes euery booke hath sundry tomes the number of all mounteth very nigh to a thousande the argument prefixed to euery one is in maner as bigge as the tome it selfe this worke he entitled not the Ecclesiasticall but the Christian historie where he patched together many matters for to let the worlde vnderstand that he was seene in Philosophy Wherefore he alleadgeth very oft precepts and rules of Geometrie Astronomie Arithmetick Musick Moreouer he describeth Isles mountaines trees with other thinges of smal importance so that it grewe to a huge volume full of bumbast and vayne ostentation In my simple iudgement it is a worke that is prositable neyther for the learned neyther the vnlearned For the learned will condemne the often repetition of the same wordes which is riâ—e throughout the booke the vnlearned haue not the capacitie to comprehende the insolent stile and affected sentences of his arrogant minde but let euery one iudge of his owne doings as he shall thinke good I dare affirme that the order he followed in laying downe of the times is both confuse farre from good order for when he had runne ouer the raygne of Theodosius back againe he getts him to discourse of Athanasius the Bishops tymes â–ª the which I note to be his vsuall maner but of Philip so farre Now to the history of Sisinius tyme. CAP. XXVIII Howe that Sisinius made Proclus Bishop of Cyzicum whome the Cyziceni woulde not receaue AFter the desease of the Bishop of Cyzicum Sisinius appoynted Proclus to be their Bishop The citizens vnderstanding of his comming preuented him and chose Dalmatius a religious man to gouerne the bishoprick This they did neglecting the lawe canon which commaundeth that no Bishop be appoynted and ordayned without the consent and autoritie of the Bishop of Constantinople They made no accompt of that canon because it commaunded namely as they thought that the sayd autoritie shoulde be geuen vnto Atticus alone Wherefore Proclus being not admitted to execute the function of a bishop in the Church where he was ordayned continewed at Constantinople where he occupied him selfe in preaching and purchased vnto him selfe thereby great fame and commendation but of him I shal haue occasion of speake more hereafter Sisinius had scarse bene Bishop two yeares when he died it was in the Consulship of Hierius and Ardaburius the foure and twentieth of Decembre He was a man highly commended for temperancie for godly and vertuous life and to be shorte for his liberalitie bestowed vpon the poore He was a man both gentle and familier playne without fraude or guyle and therefore he neuer molested any in his life he was a great enemie to busie bodyes and to quarellers and therefore taken of many for a cowarde CAP. XXIX After the desease of Sisinius Bishop of Constantinople Nestorius was sent for to Antioch for to enioy the bishoprick who immediatly reuealed him selfe what kinde of man he was IT seemed good vnto the Emperour after the desease of Sisinius because ofdiuers vaine glorious persons to chuse none of that Church to be bishop though many made sute for Philip and many againe for Proclus but determined with him selfe to send for a straunger out of Antioch there was in those dayes there a man whose name was Nestorius by birth he was a Germaine a loude voice he had and an eloquent tongue and therefore as it was thought a fitt man to preach vnto the people They put their heades together they sent for Nestorius and brought him from Antioch to Constantinople three moneths after who though his temperance was highly commended of many yet the wisest sort and sagest people perceaued well inough his other conditions when he first beganne to preach for immediatly after his
henceforth I will no more come into your company Immediatly after he had spoken this he went aside ioyned him selfe with the Bishops which held with his opinion â–ª so that the bishops then present were deuided into two parts â–ª such as of the councell held w t Cyrillus called Nestorius before them he came not but answered that he would differr the hearing of his cause vntill the comming of Iohn bishop of Antioch Wherfore Cyrillus together with the other Bishops of the councell after they had read ouer the Sermons of Nestorius the which he had preached vnto the people and gathered out of them that in good earnest he had vttered open blasphemies against the sonne of God deposed him of his bishoprick This being done the Bishops which helde with Nestorius assembled together seuerally by them selues and deposed Cyrillus and Memnon Bishop of Ephesus Shortly after Iohn Bishop of Antioch was come who vnderstanding of all circumstances blamed Cyrillus greatly as the autor of all that sturre and because that vpon a head he had so soone deposed Nestorius Cyrillus taking Iuuenalis on his side for to reuenge him of Iohn deposed him also When the contention grewe to be very trouble some when also Nestorius perceaued that the poysoned infection of discorde was scattered farre and nighe amonge the common â—orte of people he as it were recanting his folly called Marie the mother of God his wordes were these Let Marie be called the mother of God and I pray you conceaue no longer displeasure But no man thought that he spake this and repented from the hart therefore as yet he dwelleth in Oasis both deposed of his bishoprick and banished his contrey Thus was the councell of Ephesus at that tyme broken vp it was in the Consulship of Bassus and Antiochus the eyght and twentyeth of Iune Iohn Bishop of Antioch after his returne vnto his proper seae called many Bishops together and deposed Cyrillus who nowe was gone to Alexandria Shortly after for all that they layde aside all spyte grudge and enmitie they became friendes and restored eche to other their bishoprickes againe After the deposition of Nestorius there rose a greate schisme in the Church of Constantinople for the vayne and foolish doctrine of Nestorius parted the people asunder All the Elergie with vniforme consent accursed him openly for so we Christians doe call the sentence which we pronounce against the autor of blasphemie whereby we minde to make it so manifest vnto the worlde as if it were ingrauen in a table and nayled to an open post CAP. XXXIIII How that after the deposition of Nestorius Maximianus was chosen Bishop of Constantinople AT Constantinople there rose an other schisme about the election of a Bishop â–ª for some would haue Philip of whome I spake a litle before some other would haue Proclus chosen bishop Proclus verily had preuailed had not some of great autoritie bene his back friends and signified playnly that the canon of the Church forbad any should be nominated Bishop of one city and translated to an other â–ª the which saying being alleadged was of such force that the people were therewith appeased and satisfied Wherfore three moneths after the deposition of Nestorius Maximianus was chosen Bishop a man he was which led a monasticall life by degree a Priest one that of late had purchased vnto himselfe a good name and was thought to be a godly man because he had buylded vpon his owne costes and charges the sepulchres and tumbes where godly men shoulde be interred â–ª he was a man altogether vnlearned who determined with him self to leade a quiet life void of all care and molestation CAP. XXXV Socrates proueth that it is not forbid but that there may be a translation of Bishops from one seae to an other INsomuch that some by reason of the Ecclesiasticall Canon which they allendged for them selues haue inhibited Proclus intitled Bishop of Cyzicum from being placed in the Bishops â—eae of Constantinople I thought good presently to say somewhat thereof â–ª such as tooke vpon them to iustifie that saying in myne opinion did not reporte the trueth but eyther of enuie against Proclus forged such a decree or of wilfull ignorance considered not then of the canons and other constitutions oftentimes established for the profitt and commoditie of the Church of God â–ª for Eusebius Pamphilus in the sixt booke of his Ecclesiasticall history reporteth that one Alexander Bishop of some citie in Cappadocia taking his voyage towards Ierusalem was of the citizens of Ierusalem caused to tary and stalled Bishop in the rowme of Narcissus where he continewed vnto the ende of his life It was an indifferent matter of olde time among the auncient fathers as oft as the Ecclesiasticall affayres so constrayned to translate bishops from one seae vnto an other If it be any thing auaileable to annect the canon decreed in this behalfe vnto this our present history let vs see howe shamelesse these men were who therefore thrust Proclus besides the bishopricke of Constantinople and how vntruely they reported of the canon for it is read as followeth If any Bishop be assigned to gouerne any Church whatsoeuer goeth not thither the fault being not in him selfe but either that the people repelled him or some other necessary cause doe staye him vnto him be it lawfull to enioy the honour the priestly function so that he be not troublesome vnto the Church whereof he is appointed Bishop but approue whatsoeuer the prouinciall councell shall determine of the matter called in controuersie These be the wordes of the Canon But that it may appeare more euidently that many Bishops were translated from one citye vnto an other vpon necessary and vrgent causes I wil here lay downe the names of such as were remoued Perigenes being chosen bishop of Patras in Achaia and refused by the citizens of that place was by the commaundement of the Bishop of Rome placed in the Metropolitane seae of Corinth to succeede the late deseased where he continewed all the rest of his life Gregorie Nazianzene was first bishop of Sasimum a city in Cappadocia next of Nazianzum afterwards of Constantinople last of all he went back againe to Nazianzum Meletius was chosen Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia but afterwardes remoued to Antioch Dositheus Bishop of Seleucia was by Alexander Bishop of Antioch translated vnto Tarsus in Cilicia Berentius Bishop of Arcae in Phaenicia was brought thence into Tyrus Iohn was sent from Gordus a city of Lydia to gouerne the bishoprick of Proconesus Palladius was translated from Helenopolis to Aspunis Alexander from Helenopolis vnto Adrian Theophilus from Apamea in Asia to Eudoxopolis which of old was called Salabria Polycarpus from Sexantapristae a city in Mysia vnto Nicopolis in Thracia Hieroâ— hilus from Trapezupolis in Phrygia vnto Plotinopolis in Thracia Optimus from Andagamia in Phrygia vnto Antioch in Pisidia and Siluanus bishop of Philippopolis in Thracia
through the procurement of Anastasius his disciple called the blessed mother of God not the mother of God but the mother of Christ and therefore was counted an hereticke In so much that Nestorius who called together against Christ a seconde councell with Caiphas who builded a slaughterhouse of blasphemies where Christ a newe is both slaine and solde who seuered and deuided a sunder his natures that hong on the crosse and had not as it is written no not one bone broken throughout all the members of his bodie neither his vnseamed coate parted of such as put the Lorde to death reiected the clause of the mother or bearing of God framed of the holy Ghost by the meanes of many learned and godly fathers set against it this saying the mother or bearing of Christ leudly forged of his owne braine and filled the Churche of God with sedition ciuill warres and cruell bloodshed I thinke verily my penne can not wante matter to paint and orderly to continue the historie and so to proceede vnto the ende if that first of all through the helpe of Christ the ayder of all men I beginne with the blasphemie of Nestorius the schisme which thē rose in the church had such a beginning as followeth Anastasius a certain priest of a corrupt and peruerse opinion an earnest maintainer of the Jewishe doctrine of Nestorius and his companion in the voyage he tooke from Antioch to be byshop of Constantinople whē he heard the leude reasons and conference which Nestorius had with Theodolus at Mopsouestia in Cicilia he fell from the right fayth and as Theodorus writeth of that matter in a certaine epistle he presumed in the open audience of the Church of Constantinople in the hearing of such people as serued God deuoutly to say these wordes let no man call Marie the mother of God for Marie saith he was a woman and it is vnpossible that God shoulde be borne of a woman when the religious people misliked with his reasons and counted not without cause of his doctrine as of blasphemie Nestorius the ringleader of his impietie not onely not forbad him neither maintained the right opinion but first of all confirmed his sayings to be true and was very earnest in the defence of them Wherefore after he had annexed and lincked thereunto his owne opinion and the deuise of his owne braine when he had powred into the Church of God the venome of his poysoned doctrine he endeuoured to establish a farre more blasphemous sentence to his owne destruction he said as followeth I verily will not call him God who grewe to mans state by two monethes three moneths and so forth euen as Socrates Scholasticus and the former councell helde at Ephesus haue informed of him CAP. III. VVhat Cyrill the great wrote vnto Nestorius the hereticke and of the third◠councell of Ephesus whereunto Iohn byshop of Antioch and Theodoritus came shorte CYrill byshop of Alexandria a man of great fame and renowne confuted the leude opinion of Nestorius in seuerall letters yet for al that Nestorius stiffely withstood his confutation yelded not one iote neither vnto Cyrill neither vnto Celestinus byshop of olde Rome but vomited out the venome of his cankered stomacke vpon the Churche and made sute vnto Theodosius the younger who was Emperour of the East that by his authoritie the first councell of Ephesus might be called together Wherfore the Emperour wrote vnto Cyrill and to all y ◠other ouerseers and byshops of the Churches throughout euerie citie geuinge them to vnderstand that the day of Pentecost was prescribed for their assemblie on which day the liuing and ghostly spirit descending from heauen shined among vs. but Nestorius by reason that Ephesus is not farre from Constantinople was there before them Cyrill together with his company came thither also before the day appointed Iohn byshop of Antioch was absent with his prouince not of set purpose according vnto their report which defend his doings but because he coulde not in so short a space call together the byshops of his prouince for many of their cities were distant from Antioch of olde so called but now Theopolis vnto a swift and stoute goer twelue dayes iourney vnto some others more and Ephesus is from Antioch about thirtie dayes iourney And when as Iohn aunswered plainely he was not able to meete them on the Sundaye appointed for so was the day called all his diocesse sturred not a foote from home CAP. IIII. Howe Nestorius the hereticke was deposed by the councell of Ephesus in the absence of Iohn byshoppe of Antioch When the day appointed for their meeting and fifteene dayes ouer were expired the byshops which assembled at Ephesus thinking verily that the easterne byshops would not come or if peraduenture they came it woulde be long ere they mette together when as Cyrill also moderated the councell in steade of Celestinus who as I said before gouerned the seae of Rome called Nestorius before them and willed him to aunswere vnto the crimes that were laid to his charge And when as the first day he promised to come if the case so required and being afterwardes thrise cited to appeare made light accompt of his promise the byshops that were present called the matter into controuersie and began to reason thereof Wherefore after that Memnon byshop of Ephesus had numbred the dayes that were past since the prescribed time to wit seuenteene after they had reade the epistles of the reuerende Cyrill vnto Nestorius and suche as he wrote vnto Cyrill againe together with the holy epistle of the renowmed Celestiniu sent in like sort vnto Nestorius after that Theodotus byshop of Ancyra and Acacius byshop of Melitina had made relation of the blasphemous sentences whiche Nestorius bolted out at Ephesus and after that many notable sayinges to the iustifying of the sincere fayth were vttered in that assembly of holy and learned fathers interlacing sometimes the vnaduised and blasphemous phrases of Nestorius the holy councell pronounced this sentence against Nestorius in maner as followeth Omitting other hainous crimes of the reuerend Nestorius in so much he was cited and would not appeare neither entertaine the most holy and religious byshops which we had sent vnto him vve were driuen of necessitie to sifte and examine his leude and wicked doctrine And seeinge vve founde him to haue belieued impiously and to haue taught heretically partly by perusing of his bookes and epistles and partly also by the blasphemous sentences he vttered of late in this noble citie we were moued both by the canons of the Church and the graue censure of the most holy father our College Celestinus byshop of Rome yet not without sheding of many teares to pronounce against him this seuere and sharpe sentence VVherefore our Lord Iesus Christ in derogation of whose maiesty Nestorius sticked not to pronounce such horrible blasphemie hath decreed and ordained by this sacred assembly that he shoulde both be deposed of his
day night to pray for the prosperous state of your empire the coÌ„tinuaÌ„ce of your raigne After these things y â— acts of y â— secoÌ„d couÌ„cel of Ephesus were openly read at y â— request both of Dioscorus Eusebius y â— subtle disputation exquisit discourse therof both written of many others also laid down among y â— acts of y â— councel of ChalcedoÌ„ if I should here pen for y â— reader who peradueÌ„ture wil be desirous to vnderstaÌ„d y â— finall end of al their doings without doubt I should seeme to post him ouer with delayes I will therefore referre it to the ende of this booke where as many as will haue all things after their common saying at their fingers endes may both reade all and carefully committ the whole to memorie But nowe let vs proceede on in the things which we haue chiefely purposed to handle that is to saye howe Dioscorus bewrayed him selfe partly by reiecting the Epistle of Leo byshopp of old Rome and partly also by deposing Flauianus byshop of newe Rome all which he did in one day and craftely deuised that the byshops whiche assembled together should subscribe vnto a blancke where afterwards he caused the depriuation of Flauianus to be written when these thinges were done the senators decreed as followeth The next day after when the councell aduised them selues somewhat better we doe perceiue that they reasoned more exquisitly of the true and catholicke fayth VVherefore seeinge that Flauianus the byshopp of worthie memory and Eusebius the most reuerende byshopp of Dorilaeum were founde not to haue erred in the fayth after we had searched the actes and decrees of the councell and also by the report of suche as were chiefe in the councell and therefore vniustly to haue beene deposed for they confessed them selues sowly deceaued and wrongfully to haue depriued Flauianus and Eusebius It seemeth good vnto vs and no doubt God approueth the same that Dioscorus the most reuerend byshop of Alexandria if it so please our Lorde the Emperour Iuuenalis the most reuerend byshop of Ierusalem Thalassius the most reuerend byshop of Caesarea in Cappodocia Eusebius the most reuerende byshop of Armenia Eustathius the most reuerend byshop of Berytus Basilius the most reuerende byshop of Seleucia in Isauria who were then of autority and chief of the councell should be punished alike deposed of their byshopricks by the censure iudgemeÌ„t of the councell as the canons of the church doe require be at the emperours pleasure Immediatly there were other bils exhibited against Dioscorus both of the crimes he committed and the money he had receaued but when Dioscorus being called y â— second the third time of y â— councel sent fained excuses for him self came not y â— Legats of Leo byshop of old Rome stood vp in y â— councel said as followeth The hainoê° offeÌ„ces which Dioscorus late byshop of the noble city of Alexandria coÌ„mitted against the canons of the councells the ecclesiastical discipline are throughly knoweÌ„ of vs al partly by sifting out such things as were heard in the former session and partly also by examining such things as we decided this day And that we may omit many other things this man of his owne autority coÌ„trary to the canon of the church receaued Eutyches into the coÌ„munion an heretick of the same opinion with him one that was iustly deposed by his owne proper byshop to wit the most holy father and our byshop Flauianus this he did before he shewed his face in the councel which he held with the most holy byshops at Ephesus but the Apostolicke seae pardoned the byshops because they were constrained against their wills to doe that whiche they did who yeelded them selues vnto this present houre both to Leo the most holy byshop to the whole sacred general assembly of byshops therefore as men of one opinion with him he receaued theÌ„ into the coÌ„munion As for this Dioscorus he cesseth not as yet to glory of the things for the which he ought to mourne lament lie groueling vpon the ground in sackcloth ashes not onely this but also he fâ—rbad the reading of holy Pope Leo his epistle written vnto Flauianus of godly memory yea being oft intreated of the Legats naye when he him selfe had promised with an othe he woulde procure it to be read the default in not reading of which epistle hath bene both an offence hindrance vnto the holy churches vnder heauen Although he was priuey to such lewde practises yet haue we asseÌ„bled together to th end we might deale somewhat fauourably both vvith him for all his former leudnes and also in like sort with the other godly byshops which were not of equall autority with him in iudgment but seing that his later misdemenure exceeded his former impiety for he sticked not to excoÌ„municate Leo the most holy and most religious archebyshop of Rome moreouer wheÌ„ shameful bills were exhibited against him he him self being cited once twise the thirde time as the canon of the church hath coÌ„maunded by the godly byshops to appeare before the councel yet would be not come for his owne coÌ„science accused him but entertained coÌ„trary vnto law such as were iustly deposed by diuers councells set at naught sundry coÌ„stitutions of the church condemning as it were him selfe with his owne doings once againe seeinge these are found to be his later practises Leo the most holy archebyshop of great olde Rome by vs and this sacred assembly together with the most blessed Apostle S. Peter who is the rocke the grounde of the Catholicke Churche and the fundation of the true fayth bereaued him of all dignitie that belongeth to a byshop and depriued him of the priestly function â–ª wherefore let this holy councell geue the sentence of Dioscorus of whom we haue hitherto spoken according vnto the canons of the Church When these things were ratified by the councell and certen other things decided y â— byshops that were deposed with Dioscorus at y â— request of the councell the consent of y â— emperour were restored to their byshopricks againe when they had annexed certeÌ„ things vnto their former constitutious y â— conncell pronounced such a sentence as followeth Our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christe going about to confirme his disciples in the knowledge of the fayth saide vnto them my peace I geue you my peace I bequeath vnto you to th ende none should vary froÌ„ his neighbour in sacred religion but that all with one mouth minde should acknowledg the word of trueth Imediately after when they had read y â— creed established by the councell of Nice with y â— forme of faith agreed vpon by a hundred fiftye godly fathers assembled at Constantinople they procede on in these words that diuine holy creed containing the abundance of the grace spirit of god is sufficient both to bring men vnto
please our Lord the Emperour Iuuenalis the most reuerend Bishop of IerusaleÌ„ Thalassius the most reuerend Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia Eusebius the most reuerend Bishop of Armenia Eustathius the most reuereÌ„d Bishop of Berytus and Basilius the most reuerend Bishop of Seleucia in Isauria who were then of autority and chiefe of the councel should be punished alike deposed of their Bishopricks by the censure iudgement of the councel as the canons of the church do require be at the Emperours pleasure After other things were read the byshops then present beinge demaunded whether the Epistles of Leo were agreable with the fayth of the three hundred eighteene holy Fathers assembled of old at Nice in Bithynia and with the Creed of the hundred and fifty fathers in the councell held at Constantinople Anatolius Byshop of CoÌ„stantinople with all the assembly made answere that the Epistle of Leo was no other theÌ„ the faith of the aforesayd Fathers and subscribed vnto it Immediatly the councell cried we are all content we doe all allowe the same we are all of one faith we are all of one opinion we doe all be leue so Thus haue the Fathers which are present in the councell beleued thus haue they subscribed God graunt the Emperour a long life God graunt the Empresse a long life God grauÌ„t the Fathers of the councell many yeres God preserue the liues of such as are of one faith opinion with the councell VVe wish the Emperour many yeares we wish them that hold with the couÌ„cell many yeres God send the Emperour to see many yeares we haue subscribed vnto the faith this is the opinioÌ„ of Leo this is our opinion Last of all they sayd CoÌ„cerning those things we haue sent vnto y â— most holy our most religious Lord the Emperour nowe we wayt for his highnes answere Againe when some told them in this sorte your reuerence and wisedomes haue to render an accompt vnto God for Dioscorus whome you haue deposed vnknowen vnto y â— Emperours most excellent maiesty vnknowen vnto vs in like sorte and for all the things you haue complayned of for the actes of this councell they cried God hath depriued Dioscorus Dioscorus is iustly deposed Christ hath depriued Dioscorus After all this when the PresideÌ„ts had brought forth Martianus the Emperours answere where he had signified vnto them his pleasure toutching the bishops that were deposed the Bishops requested and sayde we pray you as many as be of one opinion as many as hold with the councell as many as subscribed in the councell vnto the Epistle of Leo come into the councell immediatly in they came and downe they sate The supplicatioÌ„s which the Bishops of Aegypt had exhibited vnto Martianus the Emperour were read which besides sundry other things contayned in them as followeth VVe beleue as the three hundred eighteene Bishops which met at the couÌ„cel of Nice haue deliuered vnto vs we hold with the faith of holy Athanasius and holy Cyrill accursing euery heresie both of Arius Eunomius Manes Nestorius of them which say that the flesh of our Lord came downe from heauen was not taken of the virgine Marie mother of God which coÌ„tinewed alwayes a virgine that the same is like vnto our flesh in all things sinne only excepted Then all y t were in the councell cried why haue not these men accursed the opinion of Eutyches let them subscribe vnto the Epistle of Leo and let theÌ„ accurse Eutyches with his heresie let them condescend vnto the Epistle of Leo peraduenture they goe about to deceaue beguile vs. The Bishops of Aegypt made answere that theyr prouince had many Bishops and that they would not take vpon them to answere for such as were absent they requested of the councell to stay for theyr Archbishop that according vnto theyr maner custome they may vphold his censure and opinion They sayd moreouer that if they would decide ought afore theyr Metropolitane were elected the bishops of Aegypt would make an insurrection against them When they had oft intreated and the councell withstoode them motion was made that the Bishops of Aegypt should haue time vntill theyr Archbishop were chosen Next the supplications of certaine Monks were brought forth the summe whereof was y t not one of theÌ„ would take penne in hand to subscribe before the generall assembly met which the Emperour had determined to call together and before they vnderstoode theyr decrees With the reading thereof Diogenes bishop of Cyzicum remebred that Barsumas was one of them which made an insurrection and murthered Flauianus that he had cried kill him And nowe not hauing his name in the supplicatioÌ„ contrary to order to haue presumed to come vnto the councell All the Bishops cried at this Barsumas hath peruered all Syria raised against vs a thousand Monkes When it was moued that as many as were there should waite the councells pleasure and decree the Monkes required that theyr supplications might be read The effect of them was that Dioscorus the Bishops of his opinion might be present at the councell All the councel was moued with this and cried Let Dioscorus be accursed Christ hath deposed Dioscorus out with these Monkes remoue shame froÌ„ the councel take away force and iniurie let not these impious and levvde sayings come to the Emperours eares let not the councell be discredited away vvith infamy The Monkes hearinge this cried of the contrary take away contumely from the Monasteries When the councel had the second time repeated the former exclamation they consulted that the rest of the supplications were to be reade where it was sayde that Dioscorus was iniuriously deposed and that it behoued them of necessitie seeing the controuersie toutching the fayth was to be decided to haue his presence in the councel vnlesse they would doe this that they would shake of the dust from their feete and forsweare the coÌ„munioÌ„ of the Bishops that were present After they had made an end of speaking Aetius the Archdeacon read them the canon that concerned such as deuided them selues from the Churche Againe when the Monkes would not geue eare neither be ruled by the most holy bishops neither by y t entreaty of Aetius the Archdeacon when the one halfe of the councell woulde needes pronounce Nestorius and Eutyches accursed and the other halfe withstoode them the Presidents thought good y â— the supplication of Fâ—ustus and the other Monkes should be read where they craued of the Emperour that the MoÌ„kes which impugned the true faith and sincere doctrine should not be receaued againe for why Dorotheus the Monke called Eutyches the true professor Agaynste whome there were sundry poincts of Eutyches doctrine tossed to fro and discussed in presence of the Princes In the fift session the Senators commaunded them to set forth the decrees and canons of religion after the playnest sorte Asclepiades Deacon of Constantinople read a certen
sent vnto him sent him backe to Pilate againe â—uc 23. CAIPHAS other wise called Ioseph was high prieste when Christ suffred next after SimoÌ„ placed by Cratus Euseb lib. 1. ca. 11. Ioseph Antiq lib. 18. cap. 4. The Scribes Pharises and elders hearing that Christ was risen from the dead gathered a councell for to suppresse the rumor thereof and concluded that a pece of money should be geuen to the souldiers for sayinge that his disciples stole him away by night Math. 28. Iudas Iscarioth being one of the 12. was the first Apostata that fell froÌ„ the trueth in Christ he solde his master for 30. pieces of siluer Math. 26.  Pâ—â—Aâ—â— certifieth the emperour Tibâ—â—ius of the doinges of Christ his passion resurrection Eseb 〈…〉 hist li. 2. â—a 2. IOSEPH of Arimathia who was a disciple of Iesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes came to Pilate begged the body of Iesus Ioh. 19. NICODEMVS also came who at the first came to Christ by night Io. 3. brought precious oyntments Ioh. 19.  The holy EuaÌ„gelists doe recorde Annas Caiphas to haue beene highepriests in the coÌ„passe of our Sauiours preaching and passion so they might very wel be both placed and displaced and placed againe within that time these 5. Annas Ismael Eleazar Simon Caiphas are sayde to haue bene within 4. yeares The cause of so great a chauÌ„ge of priestes was the often alteration of Presidents sent froÌ„ the Emperour into Iudaea Euseb lib. 1. ca. 11.   Christ â—ose froÌ„ the dâ—â—d the 3. daye being the 27. day of March the samâ— day he shewed hiÌ„ selfe diuersly 1. to Maâ—â—â— Magdalene 2. to other womeÌ„ 3. to the disciples as they went to Emaus 4. to Iames 5. to Peter 6 to all the Apostles wheÌ„ the dores were shutt 7. to mo theÌ„ 500. brethreÌ„ Mat. 28. Marâ— 16. Luc. 24. Ioh. 20. 1. Cor. 15. eyghte dayes after that is the 3 of Aprill he appeared vnto Thomas afterwardes he shewed him selfe at the sea of Tiberias Iâ—hn 20. 21. Cytreus in 21. cap. Math. TIBIRIVS woulde haue had Christ to be canonized by the Senate of Rome in the catalogue of the Gods the Senate woulde not Euseb lib. 2. cap. 2 The names of the 12. Apostles Mat. 10. Marc. 3. Act. 1. Luc. 6.  IONATHAS the soÌ„ne of Anna succeedeth Caiphas by the commaundement of Vitellius president of Syria who deposed Caiphas for his lewdnesse Ioseph Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 8.   Forty dayes after that is the 5. of May he ascended into the heauens Act. 1. Math. 28. Marâ— 16. â—uâ— 24. Câ—treus in 21. cap. Math. MARCIIIVSIS lente into Iudaea in the towme of Pilate Ioseph Antiq lib. 18. cap. 7. by Vitellius President of Syria 1. Peter called both Simon and Cephas 2. Andrewe Peter his brother 3. Iames the sonne of Zebedaeus the brother of Iohn the Euangelist 4. Iohn the Euangelist the brother of Iames. 5. Philip of Bethsaida 6. Bartholomaeus 7. Mathewe the sonne of Alphaeus Marc. 2. called Leui a Publicane 8. Thomas called Didymus 9 Iames the sonne of Alphaeus called Iustus and Oblias and the brother of the Lorde touching whome looke Euseb lib. 2. cap. 23. the censure following 10. Iude the brother of Iames called Lebbaeus Thad daeus 11. Simon the brother of Iames Iude called the Cananite Zelotes 12. Iudas Is charioth who slewe his father maried with his mother betraied his maister in the ende he hanged himselfe Chronic. Al bon  THEOPHILVS brother to Ionathas is placed high priest Ionathas remoued by the same Vitellius Zuinger Theat hu vit   The acts of Christ and the yeares of the incarnation The raigne of the Emperours The Fathers of the Church The Kinges of Iudaea The High-priestes of the Iewes in Ierusalem The Councells The bishops of Ierusalem The Bishops of Antioche The bishops of Rome The Bishops of Alexandria The Hâ—…tickes      The Apostles imme diatly after the ascentioÌ„ of our sauiour returned sroÌ„ Mount Oliuet to Ierusalem there asseÌ„bled together for the election of one to succede in the rowme of Iudas the traytor wher they chose Mathias Act. 1 IAMES called the brother of Christ as ClemeÌ„s writeth was immediatly after the assumption of our sauiour choseÌ„ bishop of IerusaleÌ„ by Peter Iames and Iohn the Apostles Euse lib. 2. cap. 1. he coÌ„tinewed Bishop of that seae 30. yeares Anto. chron part 1. tit 6. cap. 8. paragr 1. He was martyred an Dom. 63. Euseb chron The Iewes but especially Ananias the highpriest set him vp to preache vnto the people when he had done they threwe him downe headlong brayned him with a Fullers clubb Euseb lib. 2. cap. 23. Iosephus thought that the destruction of Ierusalem was partly because of the martyrdome of this Iames. The Antiochians as Iuke reporteth were first called Christians Paul and Barnabas preached there one whole yeare Act. 11. Eusib eccles hist lib. 2. cap. 3    The 15. daye of mayhe seÌ„t the holy ghost vpoÌ„ the Apostles on the day of pentecost Act. 2. Cytreus in 21 cap. Math.  Mathias is added to the eleuen in the rowme of Iudas the traitor Act. 1. Besides these 12. Christ appointed other 70. disciples ther names are founde in this voluÌ„e before this Chronography writen by Dorotheus Luc. 10. Seuen dea cons are chosen by the Apostles Stephan Philip Prochorus Nicanor Timon Parmenas Nicolas Act. 6.     PETER the Apostle was the first bishop of Antioch He continewed there 7. yeres 70. ther yeres about Ierusalem the Easterne relegioÌ„s Anton chron part 1. tit 6. cap. 4. parag 1. Euseb eccl hist lib. 3. cap. 1. 4.   Anaâ—… getheâ—… Saphâ—… wife fâ—… from faith hypoâ—… dis 〈…〉 latioÌ„ cons 〈…〉 togeâ—…â—or tâ—… lude 〈…〉 holy 〈…〉 in reâ—… backâ—… part 〈…〉 sold 〈…〉 sion 〈…〉 espiâ—… a 〈…〉 amiâ—… had 〈…〉 theâ—… fall 〈…〉 deaâ—… dowâ—… his 〈…〉 Act 〈…〉 Anno Christi 34. Eus Chronic. Anno Tiberij 19. Euseb in Chronic StephaÌ„ was stoned to death Ac. 7   A councel is summoned of the Apostles disciples of Christ at IerusaleÌ„ for the remouing of the tumult risen betwene the Grecians the Hebrewes about the conteÌ„ning of their widowes wherein they chose 7. deacons Act. 6.  EVODIVS one of the 70. disciples whom S. Paul remembred in his epistles was bishop of Antioch after Peter Euseb eccles hist lib. 3. ca. 19.  MARKE the Euangelist being the disciple and interpreter of Peter was the 1. bishop of Alexadria being at Rome he was intreated of the brethreÌ„ to write a go spell the which wheÌ„ Peter herd of he allowed coÌ„mitted the said go spell with his autoritie to be read in the churche Marke was not al waies resiant at Alex andria for he preched also in the contreyes about  〈…〉 froÌ„â—…encri â—…nto 〈…〉 as he 〈…〉 perâ—…ing 〈…〉 Saul 〈…〉
Corinth was chiefe Euse li. 5. ca. 21. Dios was b. of Ierusalem after the departure of Narcissus Euseb li. 6. cap. 9. vnto the raygne of Seuerus Epiphan haeres 66.    Noetus denyed that there were three persons sayinge all three were one He called himselfe Moses sayd that Aaron was his brother He said the fatherâ— the sonne and the holy Ghoste suffred in the flesh Epiphan haeres 57. 194. Didius Iulianus whome Eutro calleth Saluius Iulianus raygned after Pertinax as Aâ—lius Spartian writeth 2. moneths Eutrop sayeth 7. moneths be like his tyme was short for Euseb maketh no mention of him       Tertullian was a moÌ„tanist Ierom. catalog 195. Seuerus was emperour after D. Iul. He beganne to persecute the churche of God the 10. yeare of his raygne he was Emperor 18. yeares dyed at York in Englande Euseb lib. 5. cap. 24. lib. 6. cap. 1. 2. 7. in chronic  At Ephesus many of the bishops of Asia met toutchinge the celebration of the feaste of Easter where Polycrates b. of Ephesus was chiefe Euseb li. 5. cap. 22.   Zephyrinus was b. of Rome after Victor ann Dom. 202. coÌ„tinewed there 18. yeares Euseb lib. 5. cap. 25. lib. 6 cap. 20.  Melchisedâ—chiani werâ— hereticks which honâ—red Melchisedech anâ— sayd that he was greater then Christ anâ— that he was no man Epiphan haeres 55. 202.   In the aforesayde sixe synods held an Do. 195. the b. of Rome had no more autoritie theÌ„ the other bishops He in his citie and they in theirs were chiefe and when as he weÌ„t about to chaleÌ„ge authoritie ouer the Easterne churches Iren. â—us b. of Lions in FrauÌ„ce reprehended him sharplye for it Fuse lib. 5. cap. 23.     Proclus a captaynâ— of the Cataphrygiaâ— heresie was confuteâ— by Gaius a Romaine 〈◊〉 the time of Zephyrinâ— b. of Rome Euse lib. cap. 25. lib. 6. cap. 20.    Germamon was b. of Ierusalem after Diâ—s Fuseb lib. 6. cap. 9.    Ambrose not he that was bishop of Millayne was of the heresie of Valentinus whome Origen conuerted Euseb lib. 6. cap. 17. Epiph. haeres 64. sayeth he was partly a Marcionist partly a Sabellian 205. Anno 10. Seueri  There was a Synode held at Bostra where OrigeÌ„ consuted Beryllus Euseb lib. 6. cap. 32.     Beryllus b. of Bostra in Arabia denied Christ to be the second person in Trinitie before he was made man Origen confuted him Euseb lib. 6. cap. 32.   Origen beinge a child exhorted his father in pryson to perseuere constaÌ„t beinge of the age of 18. he catechi sed in the schoole of Alexandria as he taught so he liued and as he liued so he taught for to embrace chastitie he gelded himselfe he was made minister at Caesarea he came to Rome in the time of Zephyrinus He preached many sermons he confuted many he retikes he trauelled many contreys In the ende he â—ell from the faith yet he repented him and died vnder Gallus and Volusianus being 69. yere old Euseb lib. 6. cap. 2. 7. c. lib. 7. cap. 1. Origen was sente for to Arabia wher the Arabians were condeÌ„ned whiche denyed the immortality of the soule Euseb lib. 6. cap. 36. Gordius was b. of Ierusalem after Germamon Eu seb lib. 6. cap. 9. vntil the raigne of Antoninus EpiphaÌ„ haeres 66. Asclepiades was b. of Antioch after Serapion Euse lib. 6. ca. 11 about the first yeare of Antoninus Caracalla   The Arabians taught that the soule dyed with the bodie and rose againe at the generall resurrection Origen conuerted theÌ„ Euseb lib. 6. cap. 36. 213. Antoninus Caracalla was Emperour after Seuerus he â—yagned 7. yeares 6 monethes Euseb lib. 6. cap. 7. 20 Affricanus a famous writer florished aboute this time Euseb lib. 1. cap. 8. lib. 6. cap. 30   Philetus was b. of Antioche after Asclepiades Euseb lib. 6. ca 20. about the firste yeare of Macrinus   Helcesaitae called of Epiphanius Sampsai the first author of them was Elxais a false prophete they reiected parte of the olde testament They denied the Apostle They counted it a thing indifferent in case of necessitie to denie with the mouth so that thou beleue with the hart OrigeÌ„ confuted them Euseb lib. 6. cap. 37. 220. Macrinus succeeded Caracalla dyed in the first yeare of his raigne Euse lib. 6. cap. 20. Plutarchus was martyred Heraclides Heron Serenus beheaded Serenus burned together with Rhais a womaÌ„ out of the schole of Origen Euseb li. 6. cap. 3.      Cessus the philosopher and hereticke was confuted by Origen in 8. bookes         Valesij were heretickes which had theyr originall of one Valens that liued in Bacathis a contrey of Philadelphia their maner was to geld them selues and as many strangers as lodged among them they abused the saying in the Gospell If thy member offende thee cut it of c. Epiphan haeres 58. 221. Antoninus Heliogabalus raigned after Macrinus the space of 4. yeares he dyed Euseb lib. 6. cap. 20. Potamiaena a virgin together with Marcella her mother burned Basilides beheaded Euseb lib. 6. cap. 4.  Narcissus commeth home againe is entreated after Gordiê° to take his former rowme because he was a 116. yeare olde they ioyned with him AlexaÌ„der who afore was b. of Cappadocia Eus lib. 6. cap. 7 9. 10.  Calistus was b. of Rome after Zephyrinus in the first yeare of Antoninus Heliogabalus Anno Dom. 221. and continewed ther 5. yeares Euseb lib. 6. cap. 20.   224. AlexaÌ„der was Emperoure after Heliogabalus and raygned 13. yeares Euse lib. 6. cap. 20. 27. Gregorius Nâ—ocaesariensis Atheno dorus hearde Origen in Caesarea the space of 5. yeares Although they were bothe yonge men yet were they chosen byshops in PoÌ„tus Euseb li. 6. cap. 29. Socrat lib. 4. ca. 22.  Alexander who afore was b. of Ierusalem together with Narcissus now after his death is there b. alone died in the persecutioÌ„ vnder Decius Euse lib. 6. ca. 38 He gouerned the church alone in the raygne of Alexander the Emperour Epip haeres 66.  Vrbanus was b. of Rome in the 1. yere of Alexander Anno Dom. 226. and gouerned the church eight yeares Euseb lib. 6. cap. 20. 21.  Nepos a b. of Aegipt was a Chiliast and wrot therof a booke the which Dionysius b. of Alexandria coÌ„futedafter his death Euseb lib. 7. cap. 22. 237. Maximinus was Emperor after Alexander he persecuted the churche of God raygned 3. yeres    Zebinus was b. of Antioche after Philetus Euseb lib. 6. ca. 21. about the 7. yeare of Alexander Pontianus was bishopof Rome after Vrbanus An. Dom. 236. continewed there 6. yeres Euseb lib. 6. cap. 21. 27. Anterus after Pontianus was bishopof Rome the space of one moneth Euseb lib. 6.
not truly borne but phantastically Euseb li. 7. cap. 30. Socrates lib. 1. ca. 17. sayth of him that at the fâ—sthe was called Cubricê° afterwards chauÌ„ging his name he went into Persia founde the bookes of Buddas and published them in his owne name he taughte that there were manye Gods that the sunne was to be worshipped that there was fatall destenie that the soules wente from one body into another The king of Persia his son fel sick Manes through sorceâ—y tooke vpoÌ„ him to cuâ—e him killed him The king caused him to be clapt in prison but he brake prison fled into Mesopotamia ther was he takeÌ„ and flayd aliue his skinne filled with chaff and hanged at the gates of the citie 310. ConstaÌ„tinus Magnus the sonne of Constantius borne in Brytayne was there proclamed Emperour after the desease of his father He maketh Licinius who maried his sister his felowe Emperour At the same time Maxentius played the tyrant at Rome and Maximinus in the East He sawe in the aër the signe of the crosse he fully perswaded him selfe to fight agaiÌ„st the tyrants and in the behalfe of Christian religion Pamphilus martyr suffered vnder Maximus Ierom There was a couÌ„cel helde at Neo caesarea where among other things it was decreed that none should be made priest before he were 30. yeares olde tom 1. concil   Marcellus was b. of RoÌ„e after Marcellinus a very short whyle some take hiÌ„ for the former and so it may be for Euseb made no mention of him yet in Damas Pont. I find that he gouerned 5. yeares Achillas was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Peter Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3. Hierax taught in Aegypt that there was no resurrection he abhorred mariage he sayd the children that dyed before the yeares of discretion were daÌ„ned he thought that Melchisedech was the holy ghost Epiphan haeres 67. 311. Suidas sayth that from Christ vnto Constantinus Magnus there are 318. yeres the which is true after Eusebius computation if we take the time after the ouerthrowe of the tyrants when heru led alone  Antonie the Monke florished in the dayes of CoÌ„stantine he wrote seuen epistles the which are at this daye to be seene he liued 100. 5. yeares Ierom catalog Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 17. A councell was called by Constantine at Rome in the time of Miltiades to reforme the variaÌ„ce betwen Caecilianus b. of Carthage and his colleges Euseb lib. 10. cap. 5. Macarius was b. of Ierusalem after Hermon he was the meanes with Helena that the crosse of Christ was founde there he was at the councel of Nice Constantinus Magnus wrot vnto him sundry epistles Socrat lib. 1. cap. 6. 9. Vitalis was b. of Antioch after Tyranus Eusebius a Grecian b. of Rome after Marcellus 1. yeare 7. moneths Euseb chro tom 1. concil Alexander was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Achil las by preachinge of the trinitie somewhat curiously he gaue occasioÌ„ to Arius one of his clergie to fall from the faith Socrat lib. 1. cap. 3. He was at the councel of Nice Meletius b. of some citie in Aegypt sacrificed to Idols in the time of the persecution vnder Diocletian and was deposed by Peter b. of Alexandria he rayled at Peter after his death he reuiled Achillas laste of all he fell to backbiting of Alexander to take part with the AriaÌ„s the true churche was called the Catholike churche but he called his church the churche of martyrs the Councell of Nice condemned him toke from him all authoritie that belonged to a bishop and there vpon the Meletians were deuided from the church Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3. 6. Ephiphan haeres 68.   Ammon a monke yet maried Didymus Arsenius Pior Isidorus Pambo Petirus Macarius Euagrius were famous about that time Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 18. Osius b. of Corduba in Spayne a graue father was sent by ConstaÌ„tine to reconcile Alexander and Arius he was at the councell of Nice the Arians in the councell of Siâ—miuÌ„ scurged his bare sides because he woulde not subscribe vnto theyr hereticall opinions Socrat lib. 1. ca. 4. 5. 9. li. 2. cap. 26. Constantine called a councell at Orleance to remoue the dissention risen betwene Byshops Euseb lib. 10. cap. 5. Alexander b. of Alexandria called there a councell of many bishops where he condemned Arius accursed his heresie writinge vnto the bishops throughoute christendome what opinions he held Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3.   Meltiades was b. of RoÌ„e after Eusebiê° in the time of CoÌ„staÌ„tinus Magnus ann Dom. 312. coÌ„tinewed 6. yeres Euseb chron eccle hist lib. 10. ca. 5.         Siluester was b. of Rome after Meltiades an Dom. 314. continewed 20. yeares Euse chron WheÌ„ Constantine offred him a goldeÌ„ scepter he refused it as a thiÌ„g not fitte for the priestly function Sabell   330. He â—oyled Maxentius vpoÌ„ the riuer Tiberis Liâ—â—â—ê° ouercame Maximinê° theyâ—oyntly published edicts in the behalf of the christians In the end â—iâ—imus rebelled against him ConstaÌ„tinus ouercame him ruled alone restored peace vnto the whole worlde gaue money vnto the church deliuered the bishops from paying taxe or tribute he wrote vnto Paphnutius b. of the vpper Thebais had one of his eyes pulled out in the tyme of persecution Constantine was woÌ„t to kisse the emptie place he was presente at the councell of Nice and turned the wholl assemblie from separating maried priestes froÌ„ theyr wiues Socrat lib. 1. ca. 5. 8 Spiridion a man of great fame in in those dayes was at the councell of Nice though he were a bishoppe yet kept he sheepe in the fieldes Athanasius being a yong man was at the couÌ„cell of Nice looke more of him in the colume of the bishops of AlexaÌ„dria A generall couÌ„cell was called at Nice in Bithynia of 318. bishops by CoÌ„staÌ„tinus Magnus as Nicephorus sayeth the 20. yere of Constantine an Dom. 328. some saye 326. some other 324 in the tyme of Siluester b. of Rome where they coÌ„demned Arius debated the coÌ„trouersie of Easter layde downe the forme of faith coÌ„monly called the Nicene Creede ratified the clause of one substance and wrote vnto the churche of Alexandria that they had deposed Arius Socra lib. 1. cap. 5. 6.  Philogonus was b. of Antioch after Vitalis dyed a martyr Nicephor  Athanasius was b. of AlexaÌ„dria after Alexander and the breaking vp of the Nicen councell beinge a heathen boye he played the parte of a Christian bishop in a certeÌ„ play which prognosticated he woulde proue a no table man being deacon he weÌ„t to the councel of Nice and disputed against the Arians Socrat lib. 1. cap. 5. 11. being byshop the Arians falsly accused him of bribery treason that he sent of his clergie into Mareôtes which beate the altare with theyr feete ouerthrew the Lords tablebrake the holy cup and burned the bible they accused hiÌ„ of murther magick and to answere vnto those crimes he was
euen as your godly and singular zeale hath geuen vs in charge vve doe protest that both vve our selues and all they that be of our syde doe beleeue as follovveth VVe beleeue in one God the father almyghtie and in his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ begotten of him before all vvorldes God the vvorde by vvhome all thinges were made both in heauen and earth who came dovvne from heauen and vvas made man vvho suffred rose againe ascended into heauen shall come againe to iudge both the quicke the dead And we beleue in the holy ghost the resurrection of the fleshe the life of the vvorlde to come the kingdome of heauen the one Catholicke churche of God scattered farre and vvide ouer the face of the vvhole earth This faith haue vve learned of the most holie Euangelists where the Lorde him selfe sayd vnto his disciples Goe teache all nations baptizing theÌ„ in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost euen as the vvhole Catholicke church and the scriptures do teache all vvhich vve faithfully beleeue God is ouâ— Iudge presently to the houre of death and at the daye of doome VVherefore moste holy Emperour we humbly craue of your godly highnes in as much as vve are â—â—eargiâ— men retaine the faith and affection both of the church and also of holy scripture that of your wonted zeale whervvith you prouide for vnitie and the right honour of God all controuersies and quarells and cauillations and subtle quircks vvhatsoeuer layde aside you will coupleâ—â— vvith our mother the church that both vve and the church of God among our selues may liue quietly ioyntly vvith one harte and voyce povvre vnto God the accustomed prayers for the peaceable and prosperous estate of your empire and for all mankinde CAP. XX. How Arius by the commaundement of the Emperour returned to Alexandria whome Athanasius would in no wise admitt against Athanasius Eusebius and his confederats patched diuers crimes and presented them vnto the Emperour so that in the ende a synode was summoned at Tyrus to pacifie these quarells WHen that Arius had perswaded the Emperour in such sorte as we sayde before he returnes to Alexandria but yet he could not with all his wiles treade downe the trueth the which he had so egregiously dissembled Athanasius would not receaue him into the church of Alexandria after his returne for he detested him as a monster of the worlde Arius neuerthelesse whilest that he priuely sowed his pestilent opinion goeth about to sett the whole citie on an vprore At what time Eusebius both him selfe wrote vnto Athanasius and procured also the Emperour to commaunde him by his letters to condescende vnto the admission of Arius and his coÌ„plices Athanasius for all that would not receaue them into the church but wrote backe againe vnto the Emperour that it was not lawfull for such as had made shipwracke of their faith and had bene held for accursed of the church â–ª after their returne and conuersion to receaue their former dignities The Emperour was in a great chafe and conceaued great displeasure against Athanasius for this answere threatninge him by his letters as followeth In as much as thou art made priuie to our will and pleasure see that thou make the dore vvide open to all that desire to enter into the church For if I vnderstand that any one vvhich desired to be made a member of the church hath by any meanes through thee bene hindred or his entraÌ„ce stopped I vvill forthwith send one of mine officers who by authority from me shall both depose thee of thy bishopricke and also place an other in thy rovvme This the Emperour wrote respecting the commoditie of the church the vnitie of the councell lest that through variance it were dissolued Eusebius then who hated Athanasius with deadly enmitie thought no time fitter theÌ„ that to bring his purpose to effect for he had the Emperour incensed against him which was meate and drinke for Eusebius and therefore he raysed all that troublesome sturre to the ende he myght cause Athanasius to be deposed of his bishopricke For he thought verylie that if Athanasius were once remoued Arianisme then should beare away the bell Wherefore there conspired against him at once Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia Theognis bishop of Nice Maris bishop of Chalcedon Vrsacius bishop of Singidon a citie of the vpper Pannonia and Valens bishop of Murson a citie also in Pannonia These men hyred certaine of the Meletian seâ—t caused diuers crimes to be layd vnto Athanasius charge And firste of all by the depositions of Eusion Eudaemon and Callinicus that were Meletian heretickes they charge Athanasius that he had inioyned the Aegyptians to pay for a yearely tribute vnto the church of Alexandria a lynen garment But Alypius and Macarius priests of the church of Alexandria who then as it chaunced were at Nicomedia confuted this sclannderous report that was layde agaynste Athanasius and perswaded the Emperour that all their malicious tales were manifest vntruthes Wherefore the Emperoure wrote vnto his aduersaries and rebuked them sharply but Athanasius he requesteth to repayre vnto him yet agayne Eusebius together with his complices before his comminge patched an other crime farre more haynous then the former that Athanasius went about trayterously to defeate the Emperoures edicts in sending to one Philumenus a kasâ—et or forsar full of gold The Emperour then being at Psamathia a manour without the walls of Nicomedia by sifting out of this matter founde Athanasius to be giltlesse and sent him away with honor writing also to the Church of Alexandria that their bishop was falsely accused before him But I thinke best and with more honesty a great deale to passe ouer with silence the sundry kindes of sclaunders Eusebius together with his adherents inuented afterwards agaynst Athanasius lest that the Churche of God be blemished and sclaundered of them which haue their mindes farre estraynged from the religion fayth in Christ Iesu for the thinges committed to writing â–ª are wont to be knowen of all and therefore it was our part to comprise in few words such things as required a seuerall tracâ— but neuerthelesse I thinke it my duety in fewe wordes to declare out of what fountaine these false accusations ishued and whence such as forged them had their originall Mareôtes is a contrey of Alexandria in it there are many villages and the same well peopled within the same also there are many Churches yea of greate fame all which are vnder the Bishop of Alexandria within the iurisdiction of his seae and bishopricke In this Mareôtes one Ischyras for so they called him practised priuely such a kinde of offence as deserued a hundreth kindes of death for when as he had neuer taken orders he called him selfe a minister and presumed to execute the function of a priest Who when he was taken with the maner fledd away priuely and gott him straight to
dealing of the bishops requireth of them that the accusations may indifferently be examined By that time the seast of our sauiours natiuitie was come on which day y ◠Emperour went not to the church after the wonted maner but sent Iohn this message that he would not communicate w t him before he had cleared him selfe of the crimes layd to his charge And when as the accusers seemed to mistrust them selues that Iohn through the vprightnes equitie of his cause boldened him selfe the bishops then present affirmed they ought not to examine any other offence saue only whether he of him selfe had takē possession of the bishoprick after he was deposed without the sentence admission of a councell When Iohn made answere y ◠he had the consent of fiftie bishops which cōmunicated w t him Leontius replied against him but more saith he in the coūcell withstoode thy admission Againe when Iohn sayd that the canon which cōtained such a clause appertained not vnto their churche but was to be executed where y ◠Arians did raigne for such as assembled at Antioch to roote out y ◠faith of one substance layd downe y ◠canon against Athanasius they neuerthelesse makinge no accōpt of his answere proceeded gaue sentence against him not weying with thēselues that such as were authors of this canon were also deposers of Athanasius These things were done a litle before Easter Then also the Emperour sent vnto Iohn y ◠he had no authoritie to go into the church insomuch he was deposed condemned in two seuerall councells Wherefore Iohn gaue ouer executing of the ecclesiasticall function refrained from going into the church Immediatly also such as fauored him departed y ◠churche they keepe Easter in the cōmon bathes called Cōstantianae together with many bishops priests other ecclesiasticall persons who thenceforth because of their seuerall conuenticles were called Iohannits For the space of two moneths Iohn was neuer seene abrode vntill y ◠by the Emperours cōmaundemēt he was brought to exile so at length being banished the church he was bereaued of his contrey soyle The same day certaine of such as were called Iohannits set the church on fire with that the easterne wind being vp blew the flame into the senatours court cessed not from burning vntill all was cōsumed to ashes This was done the twentieth of Iune in the sixt Consulship of Honorius the which he enioyed together w t Aristanetus For which conspiracie treason what heauy penalties grieuous punishments Optatus gouernour of Constantinople in religion a pagane and therfore a sore plaguer of Christians made them endure I thinke it best to ouerskip them with silence CAP. XVII Howe that after the deposition of Iohn Arsacius was made byshop of Constantinople of Cyrinus byshop of Chalcedon that was payned with the sore foote and of the death of Eudoxia the Empresse ARsacius an old man aboue the age of fourescore yeares who sometime gouerned the bishopricke of Constantinople before the dayes of Iohn was shortly after made byshop of that seae In his time when as the church enioyed greate ease and quietnesse by reason of his singular modestie and meeke behauiour Cyrinus bishop of Chalcedon whose foote Maruthas bishop of Mesopotamia had trode on and hutt against his will had such infortunate successe y t his foote rotted of the broise and therfore of necessitie he was cōstrained to saw it of Neither suffred he that once but twise and oftenner toe For the putrefaction ranne ouer his whole bodie and fell at length into his other foote then was he fayne to lose both I haue therefore remembred these thinges because it was rife in euery mans mouth that Cyrinus suffered this plague or punishment for reuiling of Iohn and terming him as I sayd before a stuburne Bishop Againe when as great haile the bignesse whereof was not remembred to haue bene seene before fell in the suburbes of Constantinople y ◠thirtieth day of Septembre the aforesayd Consulship y ◠report likewise went that it was a token of Gods wrath for the deposition and banishment of Iohn The death of the Empresse which followed immediatly after confirmed this rumor for she departed this life the fourth day after the fall of this haile Some there were also which sayd that Iohn was iustly deposed because that in the voyage when he made Heraclides Bishop of Ephesus he thrust many out of their Churches namely the Nouatians and such as celebrated the feast of Easter the fourteeneth day of the moneth with many others both in Asia and in Lydia But whether Iohn was iustly deposed as they said which bare him ill will whether Cyrinus was plagued for his opprobrious languages and sclaunderous reports last of all whether the haile and the death of the Empresse were signes of Gods high displeasure for banishing of Iohn or whether they happened for some other causes God alone knoweth which searcheth the secrets of mans hart and pronounceth here of the right sentence of iust iudgement I of myne owne parte committed to writing such things as then were rife in euery mans mouth CAP. XVIII Howe that after the desease of Arsacius Atticus was chosen Bishop of Constantinople ARsacius continewed not Bishop very long for the yeare following to wit in the second Consulship of Stilicon but the first of Anthemius and the eleuenth of Nouembre he departed this life When that the election of a bishop fell out to be a troublesome peece of worke and the contention endured a very long time the next yeare after in the sixt Consulship of Arcadius and the first of Probus Atticus a godly mā by birth of Sebastia in Armenia by order a religious man trayned in the monasticall discipline from his youth vp of meane knowledge yet of singuler wisedome naturally ingraffed in him was chosen bishop of Constātinople but of him more hereafter CAP. XIX Howe that Iohn Bishop of Constantinople died in exile IOhn being banished his Churche bereaued his contrey soyle dyed in exile at Comanum situated vpon the sea Euxinus the foureteeneth of Nouembre the seuenth Consulship of Honorius the seconde of Theodosius a man he was as I sayd before more lead with heate of burning choler then ruled by ciuill curtesie and because he was a man of wonderfull boldnes he vsed liberty of speach and had tongue at will I can not verily but wonder at him why he addicting him selfe so much to temperance taught in some sermons that temperance was in maner to be sett at nought for when as by the councell of Bishops there was admission left and pardon graunted for such as had once fallen after baptisme to be receaued againe after repentance into the Church he sticked not to say If thou fall a thousand times repent thee of thy folly come boldly into the Church for which doctrine besides that he was misliked of many his familiars yet was
went about but aboue all others he vsed the aduise of Troilus the Sophist a man very wise of great experience and singuler pollicie he was nothing inferior to Anthemius and therefore Anthemius retayned him of his counsell in all his affayres CAP. II. Of Atticus Bishop of Constantinople WHen the Emperour Theodosius went on the eyght yeare of his age the thirde yeare of Atticus bishop of Constantinoples consecration the which he enioyed with great commendation was expired a man he was as I sayd before of meane learning yet in life godly and of great wisedome and therfore the Churches in those dayes encreased and florished exceedingly He reconciled not onely such as were fauorers of his owne faith but also made the hereticks to haue his wisedome in admiration whome he would in no wise molest but after that he had ratled them againe he woulde shewe him selfe louing and amiable towards them He was a painfull student for he bestowed great labour he spent the greater part of the night in reading ouer the works of auncient wryters in so doing there was no grounde of philosophy no quirck in sopistrie that coulde blanke or astonish him He was gentle and curteous vnto such as conferred with him and with the sorowfull he seemed to sorowe him selfe In fewe wordes he became as the Apostle writeth all vnto all men First as soone as he was made Priest the sermons which with great labour he framed together he learned out of the booke and pronounced in the Churche In processe of tyme by dayly exercise and greate diligence he so boldned him selfe that he preached ex tempore his maner of teaching was very plaine his Sermons were so simple that the auditors thought them not worthy the bearing away neyther the writing in paper to the knowledge of the posterity following Thus much of his conditions behauiour learning and gift of vtterance now to the history of that tyme. CAP. III. Of Theodosius and Agapetus Bishops of Synada THeodosius Bishop of Synada a citie of Phrygia pacatiana was a sore scurge vnto the here ticks for in that citie there were many of the Macedonian sect he banished them not onely the towne but also the contrey Neyther did he this according vnto the rule of the Catholicke Church which accustometh not to persecute men neyther with zeale of the right and sincere fayth but in hope of fifthy suere and foule gayne for to wringe money from the hereticks Wherefore there was no way that might grieue the Macedonians left vnassayed he mayntayned his owne clergie against them there was no deuise but he practised for to afflict them with he sticked not to bring them in fetters to holde vp their handes at the barre but aboue all others he plagued their Bishop Agapetus with sundry griefes and vexations And when as he perceaued that the chiefe Magistrats within that prouince were not of autoritie sufficient and that their commission ertended not to the punishment of the Macedonians he gott him in all the hast to Constantinople and sued out a commaundement of the Lieuetenant of that prouince for the sharpe correction of them Whilest that Theodosius the Bishop made friends at Constantinople for the furtherance of his sute Agapetus whome I tearmed the Macedonian Bishop was conuerted and fell to embrace the right and sound faith For after he had assembled together all the clergie and layty within his iurisdiction he perswaded them to receaue the faith of one substance This being done he went with speede together with a great multitude nay with the whole citie into the church where after prayers and solemne seruice he gott him into the seate of Theodosius Immediatly after the linking of the people together in the bonde of loue and vnitie thenceforth he maintayned the faith of one substance so that he obtayned the gouernment of the Churches belonging vnto the diocesse and citte of Synada Shortly after Theodosius came home to Synada and brought with him autoritie from the Lieuetenant whereof he bragged not a litle and being ignorant of all the thinges that were done in his absence straight way he gott him into the Church there he founde but small welcome for the dores were made fast against him and after that he vnderstoode of their dealing againe he posteth to Constantinople There he be wayled his state before Atticus the Bishop and openeth vnto him how that he was iniuriously thrust beside his bishoprick Atticus vnderstanding that all fell out to the great profitt and furtherance of the Church of God beganne to pacifie him with milde and curteous languages exhorting him thenceforth to embrace a quiet life voyd of all trouble and molestation and not to preferre his owne priuate gaine and lucre before the profit and commoditie of the whole Church he wrote moreouer vnto Agapetus willing him to enioy the bishoprick and not to feare at all the displeasure of Theodosius CAP. IIII. Howe a lame Iewe being baptized of Atticus Bishop of Constantinople recouered againe his lymmes EVen as the aforesayde circumstance which fell out in the florishing dayes of Atticus was a great furtherance to the church of God so likewise miracles with the gift of healing which raygned in those times turned to the glory of God and the profitt of his people for a certayne Iewe being helde the space of many yeares with a paulsey was faine to keepe his bed and hauing tried all the salues and medicens all the practises and prayers of the Iewes was not a iote the better at length he fled for refuge vnto the baptisme ministred in the Churche of Christ perswading him selfe for suertie that by the meanes of this being the true phisicke of the soule he might recouer the former healthe of his bodye Atticus was immediatly made priuey vnto this his deuoute minde and godly disposition he instructed the Iewe in the principles and articles of Christian religion he layd before him the hope that was to be had in Christ Iesu he bidds that Iewe bed and all shoulde be brought vnto the font and place appoynted for the ministration of baptisme This Iewe being grieuously taken w t the paulsey was no sooner baptised in the faith of Christ and taken out of the font but his disease left him so that he recouered his former health This gift of healing being wrought by the power of Christ preuayled in the worlde amonge the men of these our dayes Many of the Gentils hearing the fame of this miraculous power receaued the faith and were baptized but the Ievves for all they sought after signes and wonders yet could they not with signes be brought to embrace the Christian faith CAP. V. Howe that Sabbatius a Iewe borne being Priest of the Nouatian Church fell from his owne sect FOr all that Christ the sonne of God bestowed the aforesayd graces and benefitts of his singuler loue and goodnes towards mankinde yet the greater part weying not thereof more is the ptty wallowe still in